English Translation of Surah Al-Mursalat Ayah 29-40
The Severe Punishment Awaiting the Disbelievers
77:29 ‘Proceed to that which you used to deny.
77:30 Proceed to a shadow that has three branches,
77:31 neither shading nor availing against the flame.’
77:32 Indeed, it throws sparks as palaces,
77:33 as if they were black-yellow camels.
77:34 Woe on that Day to the deniers!
77:35 This is a Day on which they shall not speak,
77:36 nor shall be permitted to put forth excuses.
77:37 Woe on that Day to the deniers!
77:38 This is the Day of Decision; We have gathered you and the ancients.
77:39 Now, if you have a plan, then plan against Me.
77:40 Woe on that Day to the deniers!
Relationship with the Previous Part
Allah, Exalted be He, warns the disbelievers of the punishment of the Day of Judgment in the previous part. Then, He mentions details about the punishment He has prepared for them in the Hereafter in this part. They will suffer painful torment in Hell and be exposed before all people on the Day of Judgment, as they have no excuse for following the path of misguidance.
Tafsir
77:29 ‘Proceed to that which you used to deny.
77:30 Proceed to a shadow that has three branches,
77:31 neither shading nor availing against the flame.’
To humiliate and degrade the disbelievers, it will be said to the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment, ‘Proceed to that which you used to deny in the worldly life. Proceed to the punishment that you used to deny in the worldly life.’
O disbelievers, ‘Proceed to the punishment of Hell. It has a shadow that has three branches that come from the glow of its fire. The shade of Hell neither protects against the heat of the fire nor avails against its flame.’
Allah, Exalted be He, describes the shade that comes from Hell as follows: 1) It rises from its fire and is divided into three branches. 2) It does not protect against the heat of Hell. 3) It does not avail against the flame of Hell.
The smoke that rises from the flame of Hell is called shade to mock and deride the disbelievers. On the Day of Judgment, they will suffer the severe torment of Hell, which is extremely hot. They will extremely need shade to provide them protection against such extreme heat. Alas! The shade will be a source of intensifying their torment. Wherever the disbelievers move, they shall find the painful torment of Hell surrounding them. They can never escape it.
77:32 Indeed, it throws sparks as palaces,
77:33 as if they were black-yellow camels.
Indeed, Hell throws the deniers of the truth with sparks as big as palaces. The sparks are like black-yellow camels as to their darkness and swiftness.
The colors of the flames of Hell are likened to yellow camels because their color becomes yellowish as they get very hot.
Allah, Exalted be He, likens the flames of Hell to a palace as to its hugeness, and He also likens them to yellow camels as to their color, swiftness, and crowdedness. The purpose behind this simile is to magnify the horrors of Hell. The disbelievers deny the occurrence of the Day of Judgment and the recompense of deeds on that day. Thus, Allah, Exalted be He, has given a vivid and horrifying description of Hell and its punishment so that they may amend their way and desist from disbelieving in His Oneness as they see fire and its sparks in this world, which cannot be compared to Hell.
77:34 Woe on that Day to the deniers!
Severe torment and humiliation are awaiting the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment. They can never escape it.
77:35 This is a Day on which they shall not speak,
77:36 nor shall be permitted to put forth excuses.
The ayah eloquently describes the condition of the disbelievers when they will be brought before Hell and will be about to be thrown therein.
On the Day of Judgment, the disbelievers shall not be able to speak and utter any words that can benefit them and save them from the punishment of Hell. They shall not be permitted to put forth any excuse that may protect them from Hell and its painful torment. That is because their excuses come too late.
The fact that the disbelievers shall not be able to speak mentioned in the above ayah does not contradict other ayat in the Quran that mention that the disbelievers shall speak. That is because the disbelievers shall not be able to speak in some situations and be able to speak in others.
The intended meaning is to demonstrate that the disbelievers have no excuse for disbelieving in the Oneness of Allah and their wickedness. It also shows that the disbelievers shall not be able to protect themselves against the punishment of Allah.
77:37 Woe on that Day to the deniers!
Severe torment is awaiting the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment if they insist on following the path of misguidance until they die.
77:38 This is the Day of Decision; We have gathered you and the ancients.
77:39 Now, if you have a plan, then plan against Me.
It will be said to the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment, ‘This is the Day of Decision on which Allah will decide the matter between the creatures. He, Exalted be He, will gather all creatures, the former and the latter, and recompense them according to their deeds. On the Day of Judgment, the truth will be distinguished from falsehood. Now, if you have a plan to save you from the punishment of Allah, which He has prepared for you, then plan against Allah. You will never be able to carry out any plan.
This statement to the disbelievers indicates the greatest form of scolding, degradation, humiliation, and rebuking.
77:40 Woe on that Day to the deniers!
Painful torment is awaiting those who deny resurrection on the Day of Judgment on which their powerlessness will be clear. They will be unable to save themselves from the severe punishment of Hell.
Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Mursalat Ayah 29-40
• The disbelievers will be strongly rebuked on the Day of Judgment. It will be said to them, ‘Proceed to the torment of Hell that you used to deny in the worldly life.’
• The torment of Hell is severe. Its shade will rise and be divided into three branches, but it will not avail against the heat of its fire.
• The fire of Hell will produce great sparks that are similar to a great palace as to their hugeness and similar to yellow camels as to their color and swiftness.
• The disbelievers will have no excuse to present on the Day of Judgment that may save them from the severe punishment that Allah has prepared for them for their disbelief in His Oneness and following the path of misguidance. They will be unable to protect themselves or escape from the torment of Hell.
• Allah, Exalted be He, will gather all creatures on the Day of Judgment and decide the matter between them. He will recompense them according to their deeds.
• The disbelievers will never be able to find any plan that may save them from the torment of Hell.
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