“Then can one who shields himself with his face from the evil of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection [be like one who is secure]? And the wrongdoers will be told, ‘Taste what you used to earn.’ (24) Those before them also denied, so the punishment came upon them from where they did not perceive. (25) Thus Allah made them taste disgrace in the life of this world; but the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if only they knew. (26) And We have certainly set forth for people every kind of parable in this Quran, so that they may take heed—(27) an Arabic Quran, free of all crookedness—so that they may become God-fearing.” (28)

“Then can one who shields himself with his face from the evil of the punishment”—that is, its severity—“on the Day of Resurrection?” Mujahid said: “He will be dragged upon his face into the Fire.” ‘Ata’ said: “He will be cast headfirst into the Fire, so that the first part of him touched by the Fire will be his face.” Muqatil said: This means that the disbeliever will be thrown into the Fire with his hands shackled to his neck, and with a rock of sulfur around his neck, as immense as a great mountain. The Fire will ignite within the stone, which is suspended from his neck; it will fall, and its flames will strike his face. He will be unable to ward it off from his face because of the fetters upon his neck and hands. (1)

The purport of the verse is: Can one who shields himself with his face from the evil of the punishment be like one who is safe from punishment?

“And it will be said”—that is, the keepers will say—“to the wrongdoers, ‘Taste what you used to earn,’” meaning, its evil consequences.

“Those before them”—before the disbelievers of Mecca—also denied the Messengers, “so the punishment came upon them from where they did not perceive,” meaning, while they were secure and heedless of the punishment.

“Thus Allah made them taste disgrace”: that is, punishment and humiliation, “in the life of this world; but the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if only they knew.”

“And We have certainly set forth for people every kind of parable in this Quran, so that they may take heed”: that is, so that they may be admonished.

“An Arabic Quran” is in the accusative as a circumstantial qualifier. “Free of all crookedness”: Ibn Abbas said, “Free of inconsistency.” Mujahid said, “Free of ambiguity.” Al-Suddi said, “Not created.” This is also narrated from Malik ibn Anas, and it has been reported from Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, on the authority of seventy of the Successors, that the Quran is neither a creator nor created. (2) “So that they may become God-fearing”: that is, guarding themselves against disbelief and denying it.