The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 187
PT. 12 HŪD CH. 11 وَكَذَلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبَّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرى Such is the grasp of thy. 103 وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَةَ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ. while they are doing wrong Lord when He seizes the cities Surely, His grasp is grievous and severe. 1483 اِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِمَنْ خَافَ عَذَابَ In that surely is a Sign for. 104 him who fears the punishment الْآخِرَةِ ذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّجْمُوعٌ لَّهُ of the Hereafter. That is a day النَّاسُ وَذَلِكَ يَوْمُ مَّشْهُودٌ for which all mankind shall be gathered together and that is a day the proceedings of which shall be witnessed by all. 1484 a54:43; 85:13. 14:15. perdition" hint that (idol-worship) renders its votaries lax and negligent. 1483. Commentary: This verse gives the reason why all the foregoing events- -the destruction of the people of Noah down to Moses have been related. The reason is that when the punishment of God overtakes a people, they are simply annihilated. The enemies of the Holy Prophet are told by implication that they should take warning from the fate of the opponents of former Prophets. The word ab (doing wrong) is used here in the sense of a (those who associate gods with God). The word (wrong) has been used in the sense of (idol-worship) at several places in the Quran. What is meant to be conveyed here is that the punishment which overtakes a people when they become idolaters and lose faith in the Unity of God is most destructive and generally extirpatory, while the ruin which comes upon a people from natural causes is gradual. 1484. Commentary: The word "sign" is not used here in the sense of "proof" of the Day of Judgement but in the sense of "a lesson. " The verse thus means that those who believe in the punishment of the future life can alone learn a lesson from the events related above. When such people witness heavenly visitations in this life, they are naturally reminded of the punishment of the life to come and, being actuated by Divine fear, they begin to strive more earnestly for the future life. The words, for which all mankind shall be gathered together, signify that a day fixed for holding judgement is necessary for the moral and spiritual development and perfection of man. It is not therefore a means to an end but an end in itself. The assembling of men on that day is not accidental. It is deliberate and 1395