The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 495
PT. 14 AN-NAHL CH. 16 وَاَكْثَرُهُمُ الْكَفِرُونَ most of them are confirmed disbelievers. 1884 R. 12. وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا ثُمَّ لَا And remember the day. 85 يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا وَلَا هُمْ witness from every people, then يُسْتَعْتُبُونَ when We shall raise up a those who disbelieve shall not be permitted to make amends, b nor shall they be allowed to solicit God's favour. 1885 a4:42; 16:90. 30:58; 41:25. 1884. Commentary: The addition of the particle J to the word is intended to intensify its meaning. Whereas the expression means, most of them are disbelievers, the words, mean, most of them are confirmed disbelievers. The verse means to say that the disbelievers of Mecca have not only denied the material favours of God, but have rejected His spiritual favours also. 1885. Commentary: After mentioning the ingratitude and iniquities of disbelievers in the preceding verses, the present verse again reverts to the subject of the life after death. This is done to warn disbelievers that not only will they be punished in this life for their disbelief and misdeeds, but will also receive a heavier punishment in the life to come. The fact that all the peoples who ever lived on this earth will be present to see their humiliation on the Day of Judgement will intensify their shame and agony. All the Prophets will also be there to bear witness against them. See also 4:42-43. The verse constitutes yet one more testimony to the truth of the Quran. It says that Messengers were sent to all peoples and nations of the world. This is a claim in which the Quran stands alone among all the revealed Scriptures. The truth of this claim has now begun to dawn upon mankind. It was revealed to the world about fourteen hundred years ago by the 1703 Quran. The expression (shall not be permitted) does not mean, as wrongly understood by some commentators, that disbelievers shall not be permitted to speak to God, because in several verses of the Quran we are told that on the Day of Judgement disbelievers will confess their guilt and in its extenuation will proffer various kinds of excuses before God. The expression either means that disbelievers shall not be permitted to enter Heaven or that permission shall not be granted to anyone to intercede with God on their behalf. The latter meaning is supported by vv. 2:256; 10:4; 20:110; 34:24; 53:27; wherein it