“Then on the Day of Resurrection He will disgrace them and say, ‘Where are My partners for whose sake you used to oppose Me?’ Those endowed with knowledge will say, ‘Indeed, today disgrace and punishment are upon the unbelievers—those whose souls the angels take while they are wronging themselves.’ They will then offer their submission, saying, ‘We did no evil.’ ‘Yes, indeed! Allah knows full well what you used to do. So enter the gates of Hell, remaining there forever. How wretched is the abode of the arrogant!’”

“Then on the Day of Resurrection He will disgrace them”—that is, He will expose them before all creation and make clear to them their lies and fabrications against Allah.

“And He will say, ‘Where are My partners for whose sake you used to oppose Me?’” That is, for whose sake you fought ⦗439⦘ and displayed enmity toward Allah and His party, claiming that they were partners with Allah. When He asks them this question, they will have no answer except to acknowledge their misguidance and admit their obstinacy. They will say, “They have vanished from us,” and will testify against themselves that they were unbelievers.

“Those endowed with knowledge will say”—that is, the godly scholars—“Indeed, today is disgrace,” meaning the Day of Resurrection, “and punishment upon the unbelievers.” This demonstrates the merit of the people of knowledge: they proclaim the truth in this world and on the Day when the witnesses arise, and their words carry weight with Allah and His creation. He then mentions what will be done to them at death and on the Day of Resurrection, saying:

“Those whose souls the angels take while they are wronging themselves.” That is, the angels take their souls while they are in this state, their wrongdoing and transgression having become immense. It is well known what varieties of torment, disgrace, and humiliation the wrongdoers will encounter at that time.

“They will then offer their submission”—that is, they will surrender and disavow those whom they had worshipped apart from Allah, saying, “We did no evil.” They will be told, “Yes, indeed!” You did commit evil, and “Allah knows full well what you used to do.” Thus, your denial will avail you nothing. At certain stages of the Day of Resurrection, they will deny what they had done in this world, imagining that this will benefit them. But when their own limbs testify against them and the truth of their conduct becomes manifest, they will acknowledge and confess it. Hence, they will not enter the Fire until they have confessed their sins.

“So enter the gates of Hell.” Every group will enter through the gate suited to its deeds, “remaining there forever. How wretched is the abode of the arrogant!” The Fire of Hell is an abode of anguish and regret, a dwelling of misery and pain, a place of cares and sorrows, and the realm of the wrath of the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Its torment will never be lightened for them, nor will its painful punishment be lifted from them for even a single day. The Most Merciful Lord has turned away from them and made them taste the tremendous punishment.