(27–39) “They will turn to one another, questioning each other. They will say, ‘You used to come at us from the right.’ They will reply, ‘Rather, you yourselves were not believers. We had no authority over you; rather, you were a transgressing people. Thus, our Lord’s word came to pass against us: we will surely taste the punishment. We led you astray because we ourselves were astray.’ On that Day, they will all share in the punishment. Indeed, this is how We deal with the evildoers. Whenever they were told, ‘There is no god worthy of worship but Allah,’ they would respond arrogantly and say, ‘Are we really to forsake our gods for a mad poet?’ Rather, he brought the truth and confirmed the messengers. You will surely taste the painful punishment, and you will be recompensed only for what you used to do.”
Once they, their counterparts, and their gods have been gathered together, directed to the path of Hell, and made to stand, they will be questioned but will give no answer. They will then turn to one another, each blaming the others for their misguidance and for leading others astray.
The followers will say to the leaders whom they followed: “You used to come at us from the right,” meaning: with power and dominance, leading us astray. Had it not been for you, we would have been believers.
“They will reply” to them, “Rather, you yourselves were not believers.” That is, you remained polytheists just as we were polytheists. What, then, made you any better than us? And what grounds have you for blaming us?
Moreover, “we had no authority over you,” meaning: no power to compel you to choose disbelief. “Rather, you were a transgressing people,” overstepping the limit (1).
“Thus, it came to pass against us”—both us and you—“that we will surely taste” the punishment. That is, our Lord’s decree and judgment came to pass against us: you and we will taste the punishment and share in the penalty.
“For that reason, we led you astray because we ourselves were astray.” That is, we called you to the path we followed—the path of error—and you responded to us. Therefore, do not blame us; blame yourselves.
Allah says: “On that Day,” meaning the Day of Resurrection, “they will all share in the punishment,” although the degrees of their punishment will vary according to their crimes.
Just as they shared in disbelief in this world, they will share in its recompense in the Hereafter. Hence He says: “Indeed, this is how We deal with the evildoers.”
He then states that their wickedness had reached its utmost limit and exceeded all bounds: “Whenever they were told, ‘There is no god worthy of worship but Allah’”—and were thus called to it and commanded to renounce the divinity of all besides Him—“they would respond arrogantly,” rejecting it and acting arrogantly toward the one who brought it.
In opposition to it, they would say: “Are we really to forsake our gods”—whom we and our forefathers have always worshipped—“for the word of a mad poet?” They meant Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. It was not enough for them—may Allah disfigure them—to turn away from him or merely deny him. They went so far as to pass the most unjust judgment upon him, calling him a mad poet, even though they knew that he was not versed in poetry or poets, that his characteristics were nothing like theirs, and that he was the most intelligent of Allah’s creation and the soundest in judgment.
Thus, refuting their claim, Allah says: “Rather, he brought”—Muhammad brought—“the truth.” That is, his coming was true, and the revealed law and Book he brought were true. “And he confirmed the messengers” [that is, his coming affirmed the truthfulness of the messengers]. Had he not come and been sent, the messengers would not have been shown to be truthful. He is therefore a sign and miracle validating every messenger who came before him, for they foretold his coming and gave glad tidings of him. Allah took from them a solemn covenant that if he came to them, they would surely believe in him and support him, and they exacted the same covenant from their nations. When he came, the truthfulness of the messengers before him became manifest, as did the falsehood of those who opposed them. Had he not come after they had foretold him, that would have cast doubt upon their truthfulness.
He also confirmed the messengers by bringing what they had brought, calling to what they had called to, believing in them, and declaring the authenticity of their messages, prophethood, and revealed laws.
Their earlier statement, “We will surely taste the punishment,” was spoken by them and could conceivably have been either true or otherwise. Allah therefore gave the decisive pronouncement that admits of nothing but truth and certainty—the declaration issued by Him, Most High: “You will surely taste the painful punishment,” meaning the punishment that causes pain and agony.
“And you will be recompensed,” by being made to taste the painful punishment, “only for what you used to do.” Thus, We have not wronged you; rather, We have treated you with justice.