“Indeed, he pondered and calculated. May he be destroyed—how he calculated! Again, may he be destroyed—how he calculated! Then he considered; then he frowned and scowled; then he turned away and acted arrogantly. He then said, ‘This is nothing but magic handed down from others. This is nothing but the word of a human being.’ I shall make him burn in Saqar. And what will make you comprehend what Saqar is? It spares nothing and leaves nothing, scorching the skin. Over it are nineteen. We have appointed none but angels as wardens of the Fire, and We have made their number only a trial for those who disbelieve, so that those given the Scripture may attain certainty, those who believe may increase in faith, and neither those given the Scripture nor the believers may doubt; and so that those with sickness in their hearts and the disbelievers may say, ‘What does Allah mean by this example?’ Thus Allah leads astray whomever He wills and guides whomever He wills. None knows the hosts of your Lord except Him. It is nothing but a reminder to humanity.”
“Indeed, he pondered”—[that is,] within himself—“and calculated” what he had contemplated, seeking something to say by which he could invalidate the Quran.
“May he be destroyed—how he calculated! Again, may he be destroyed—how he calculated!” For he attempted something beyond his capacity and presumed to reach what neither he [nor] the likes of him could attain. “Then he considered” what he should say. “Then he frowned and scowled,” his face and outward demeanor displaying aversion to and hatred of the truth. “Then he turned away”—that is, he withdrew—“and acted arrogantly.” The outcome of all his intellectual, practical, and verbal efforts was that he said:
“This is nothing but magic handed down from others. This is nothing but the word of a human being.” That is, this is not the speech of Allah but the speech of human beings—and not even the speech of virtuous people, but that of the wicked and evil among them: every inveterate liar and sorcerer.
May he perish! How far he strayed from what is right, and how deserving he was of loss and ruin!
How could it ever enter anyone’s mind or be conceivable to any human heart that the loftiest and greatest speech—the speech of the Almighty Lord, the Glorious and Generous—resembles the speech of poor and deficient creatures?!
How dare this obstinate liar describe in such terms the speech of the Originator, the Restorer? (1)
He deserves nothing but severe punishment and exemplary chastisement. Allah Most High therefore said:
“I shall make him burn in Saqar. And what will make you comprehend what Saqar is? It spares nothing and leaves nothing.” That is, ⦗897⦘ its severity spares nothing, nor does it leave any part of the one being punished without reaching it.
“Scorching the skin.” That is, it scorches them [and burns them] in its punishment, tormenting them with the severity of its heat and cold.
“Over it are nineteen” angels who are its wardens—stern and mighty. They do not disobey Allah in anything He commands them, and they do whatever they are commanded.
“We have appointed none but angels as wardens of the Fire,” because of their might and strength. “And We have made their number only a trial for those who disbelieve.” This may mean that they were appointed only to torment and punish them in the Hereafter and to intensify their chastisement there, for punishment is called a trial, [as Allah Most High said: “On the Day when they will be tormented over the Fire.”] It may also mean that We informed you of their number only so that We might know who speaks truthfully and who lies. This is supported by what He then said: “So that those given the Scripture may attain certainty and those who believe may increase in faith.” When the People of the Scripture find that it agrees with and corresponds to what they possess, their certainty in the truth increases. Likewise, whenever Allah sends down a sign and the believers affirm and accept it, their faith increases. “And neither those given the Scripture nor the believers may doubt”—that is, so that doubt and uncertainty may depart from them.
These are noble objectives to which people of sound understanding devote attention: striving for certainty, increasing in faith at all times and in every matter of religion, and dispelling the doubts and misconceptions that arise in opposition to the truth. Allah thus made what He revealed to His Messenger a means of securing these sublime benefits (2) and distinguishing the liars from the truthful. He therefore said: “And so that those with sickness in their hearts”—that is, doubt, suspicion, and hypocrisy—“and the disbelievers may say, ‘What does Allah mean by this example?’” They say this out of bewilderment and doubt and because of their disbelief in Allah’s signs. Both outcomes result from Allah’s guiding those whom He guides and leading astray those whom He leads astray. He therefore said:
“Thus Allah leads astray whomever He wills and guides whomever He wills.” For whomever Allah guides, He makes what He revealed to His Messenger a mercy for him and an increase in his faith and religion. As for whomever He leads astray, He makes what He revealed to His Messenger an increase in misery, bewilderment, and darkness for him. One must receive whatever Allah and His Messenger have related with full submission, for no one knows the hosts of your Lord—whether angels or others—“except Him.” Since you are ignorant of His hosts and the All-Knowing, All-Aware has informed you of them, you must believe His report without doubt or uncertainty.
“It is nothing but a reminder to humanity.” That is, this admonition and reminder is not intended as frivolity or play. Its purpose is that humanity should thereby remember what benefits them and do it, and what harms them and forsake it.
(1) In B: “to apply such a description to the speech of Allah Most High.”
(2) In B: “objectives.”