(27) “As for those who have earned evil deeds, each evil deed will be repaid only with its like, and humiliation will overwhelm them. They will have no one to protect them from Allah. It will be as though their faces had been covered with dark pieces of the night. They are the inhabitants of the Fire; there they will abide forever.”

After mentioning the inhabitants of Paradise, He mentioned the inhabitants of the Fire. He explained that the stock they acquired in this world consisted of evil deeds that incur Allah’s wrath, including various forms of disbelief and denial and every category of sin. Their recompense will therefore be an evil like it—that is, a recompense that will grieve them in proportion to the evil deeds they committed, according to their differing circumstances.

“Humiliation will overwhelm them”—that is, humiliation and fear of Allah’s punishment will envelop their hearts. No one will be able to ward it off from them or protect them from it. That inner humiliation will spread to their outward appearance, darkening their faces (1).

“It will be as though their faces had been covered with dark pieces of the night. They are the inhabitants of the Fire; there they will abide forever.” How great the difference between the two groups, and how immense the disparity between them!

“Some faces on that Day will be radiant * looking at their Lord * while other faces on that Day will be scowling * expecting a devastating calamity to befall them.” “Some faces on that Day will be bright * laughing and rejoicing * while other faces on that Day will be dust-stained * covered in gloom * those are the disbelievers, the wicked.”