The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 453
PT. 30 AL-BURŪJ CH. 85 5. Cursed be the fellows of the trench- 4660 6. The fire fed with fuel— 7. As they sat by it,4 4661 he is a living witness to the existence of God, and he is also (about whom witness is borne) because God bears witness to his truth by showing signs and miracles at his hands, and by creating conditions and circumstances which establish the truth of his Message and mission. But here, as the text shows, the (bearer of witness) is the Promised Messiah and (about whom witness is borne) is the Holy Prophet, and the verse signifies that the Promised Messiah will bear witness to the truth of the Holy Prophet by his speeches, discourses and writings, and by the signs that God will show at his hands. The Promised Messiah will also bear witness to the truth of the Holy Prophet in the sense that in his person the prophecy of the Holy Prophet about the appearance of the Messiah and Mahdi in the 14th century A. H. will be fulfilled. The Promised Messiah will also be in the sense that the ḥadīth of the Holy Prophet will bear witness to his truth. Thus the Holy Prophet and the Promised Messiah will both be (bearer of witness) and witness is borne). about whom) مشهود 4660. Commentary: By some commentators of the Quran the verse is taken to refer to the burning to death of some قُتِلَ أَصْحَبُ الْأخْدُودِة النَّارِ ذَاتِ الْوَقُودِن إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودُن Christians by the Jewish King, Dhū Nuwās of Yemen; by some others to the casting into a burning furnace of some Israelite leaders by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Dan. 3:19-22). The verse may also apply to those enemies of truth, who in the time of every Divine Reformer bitterly oppose and persecute believers. But as the context shows, the verse applies particularly to the enemies of the Promised Messiah and the persecutors and tormentors of his righteous followers. The word "trench" may possess a prophetical reference to the trenches of modern warfare. 3349 It is not intended there to refer to any past incident of doubtful authenticity. Nowhere in the Quran has God sworn by past incidents. In v. 3. God swears by the "Promised Day. " In the present and the next few verses it is hinted that the followers of the Promised Messiah will have to render great sacrifices to usher in that Great Day. 4661. Commentary: These verses (vv. 5-8) show that all the forces of darkness will combine to oppose and persecute the Promised Messiah and his righteous followers, and that the persecution will be severe and continuous. In fact, in these verses a description is given of