The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 76
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH PT. 1 فَاِنْ لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَلَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا But if you do it not and. 25 never shall you do it then النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ guard against the Fire, whose أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكُفِرِينَ fuel is men and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers. 31 of the challenge. 31. Important Words: "3:11; 66:7. (a (stones) is the plural of stone) which is derived from the verb which means, he or it prevented or hindered or resisted. A stone is called because it resists pressure owing to its hardness. also means, a rock or a great mass of stone; a metal as gold and silver which both together are sometimes called i. e. the two metals (Lane). Thus coal (not charcoal) would also be looked upon as The word may also be used metaphorically for idols made of stone or metal (Kashshāf). the idols had no power of revealing anything; so they would never call upon the idols to help them. The word "fuel" may also be taken in a figurative sense, in which case the meaning would be that the punishment of Hell is caused by idol- worship. So the idols are like fuel for hellfire, being a means of bringing it into existence. The words (men) and 8 2 (stones) may also be taken as indicating two classes of inmates of Hell. The word (men) which, according to its root, signifies love, has been used to denote those disbelievers who may be called human in so far as they still retain cu (prepared) is derived from us something of the love of God which which again is derived from عد which means, he considered or he counted. distinguishes human beings from stones. But the other disbelievers are del means, he prepared a thing and called (stones), for they have no made or kept it ready (Aqrab). Commentary: The verse says that if the opponents of Islam are not able to produce the like of the Quran as demanded in the previous verse, they should understand that it is the word of God and that they are not opposing a man but God Himself; they should, therefore, be ready to suffer the lot of those who oppose Divine will. The clause, and never shall you do it, signifies that the disbelievers knew that love left for God. Such men are indeed no better than stones. Though this verse speaks of fire and stones, it should be remembered that what is called the next world is not a material world. In fact, expressions used in the Quran to denote rewards and punishment should not be taken literally but metaphorically. It should also be noted that the punishment of the next world is not everlasting. According to | Islam, Hell is not eternal. It is only a 76