The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 761
received it themselves will impart it to others, the disbelievers jeer and scoff at the idea and call it the ravings of a maniac and the phenomenon as outside the bounds of possibility like the coming into life of those who are physically dead. The Surah replies to the firm denial of the disbelievers of this phenomenon with a still firmer affirmation that such a thing will certainly come to pass and when it came to pass they will suffer disgrace and humiliation and that will be the time of the final decision for them. Next, we are told that when heavenly punishment overtakes the guilty people, the leaders of disbelief and their followers blame and condemn each other, but their mutual condemnation and recrimination prove to be of no avail. And as both the parties are equally to blame, therefore, both equally share the punishment for calling the Prophet a liar and a maniac and for rejecting him. After this the Surah gives a brief description of the heavenly blessings that will be bestowed upon the righteous and chosen servants of God. It says that they will be seated on thrones, in the Gardens of Bliss, and will be served with fruits and drinks of various tastes which will cause no headache or intoxication and that they will have beautiful consorts and faithful and loyal companions. This description of heavenly blessings and bounties, to be bestowed on the believers, is followed by an account of the punishment which will be meted out to the rejecters of truth and persecutors of God's Prophets. They will be given the tree of Zaqqūm to eat and boiling water to slake their thirst and their ultimate abode will be Hell. Such is always the end of those who refuse to listen to truth and reject it and this is the supreme lesson which is writ large on the pages of history. Next, the Surah gives a few illustrations from the lives of Divine Prophets to show that the cause of truth never fails and its rejection is never productive of good results. The illustrations given are from the lives of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Jonah and Lot. We are told that in extremely adverse circumstances and against heavy odds, Noah succeeded in his mission. His enemies were destroyed by the Flood and his followers saved, and he was remembered with love and respect by the generations that followed. Abraham came after Noah. He was born among a people who blindly worshipped images and stones. Being an uncompromising iconoclast he carried on a relentless campaign against idolatry. He told his people that as their gods did not listen to their prayers they were of no use to them. He broke the idols in order to bring home to them the futility and folly of idol worship and to make them realise that those gods who could not save themselves from being broken into pieces would not be able to help them in case of need. In this way Abraham sought to wean his people away from their idolatry. But the forces of evil would not accept defeat. They made common cause against Abraham and sought to cast him into the fire. But he remained safe and they were frustrated in their plans against him. Besides, God blessed him with two 2675