⦗10 - 12⦘ “Indeed, those who disbelieved will be addressed: ‘Allah’s abhorrence of you—when you were called to faith but disbelieved—was greater than your abhorrence of yourselves.’ They will say, ‘Our Lord, You caused us to die twice and brought us to life twice. We now acknowledge our sins, so is there any way out?’ ‘That is because, when Allah alone was invoked, you disbelieved; but when partners were associated with Him, you believed. Judgment belongs to Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.’”
Allah Most High informs us of the disgrace and humiliation that will befall the disbelievers, their plea to return and leave the Fire, their being denied this, and the rebuke directed at them. He says, “Indeed, those who disbelieved.” This is stated without qualification so that it encompasses every form of disbelief, whether disbelief in Allah, His Books, His messengers, or the Last Day. When they enter the Fire and acknowledge that they deserve it because of the sins and burdens of guilt they incurred, they will abhor themselves intensely and be utterly furious with themselves. They will then be addressed and told, “Allah’s abhorrence”—that is, His abhorrence of you—“when you were called to faith but disbelieved” was greater. In other words, when the messengers and their followers called you to faith and presented you with clear proofs by which the truth became evident, you disbelieved and turned away from the faith for which Allah created you, thereby placing yourselves beyond His vast mercy. Allah therefore abhorred and hated you. This was “greater than your abhorrence of yourselves.” His abhorrence continued against you, and the displeasure of the Most Generous rested upon you, until your condition reached its present end. Today Allah’s wrath and punishment have descended upon you, while the believers have attained His pleasure and reward.
They will therefore long to return and say, “Our Lord, You caused us to die twice.” They mean their first death and the period between the two blasts of the Trumpet, according to one view; or their state of pure nonexistence before they were created, followed by His causing them to die after bringing them into existence. ⦗734⦘ “And brought us to life twice”—the life of this world and the life of the Hereafter. “We now acknowledge our sins, so is there any way out?” They will say this in anguish, but it will neither benefit nor avail them. They will be rebuked for having failed to take the means of salvation and will be told, “That is because, when Allah alone was invoked”—that is, when you were called to affirm His oneness, devote your deeds sincerely to Him, and refrain from associating partners with Him—“you disbelieved.” You rejected this, your hearts recoiled from it, and you fled from it in utter aversion.
“But when partners were associated with Him, you believed.” What brought you down to this station and lodged you in this resting place and abode was that you rejected faith and embraced disbelief. You were pleased with what is evil and corrupt in this world and the Hereafter, while you hated what is good and wholesome in this world and the Hereafter.
You preferred the causes of misery, humiliation, and wrath, while turning away from the causes of triumph, success, and victory: “If they see the path of right guidance, they do not take it as their path; but if they see the path of error, they take it as their path.”
“Judgment belongs to Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.” The Most High is the One to whom absolute highness belongs in every respect: the highness of His Essence, the highness of His status, and the highness of His dominion. Among the manifestations of His exalted status is the perfection of His justice, for He puts all things in their proper places and does not treat the God-fearing and the wicked as equals.
“The Most Great” is the One to whom belong grandeur, majesty, and glory in His names, attributes, and deeds, and who is far above every defect, flaw, and imperfection. Since judgment belongs to Allah Most High and He has sentenced you to abide eternally, His judgment can neither be altered nor changed.