Surah Al-Muddaththir — Verse 20

Word Meanings:

• Qutila (قُتِلَ): Literally means "he was killed," but here it is a supplication (du'a) against him, meaning "may he be destroyed" or "may he be cursed and perished."
• Qaddara (قَدَّرَ): Means "he planned," "he devised," or "he estimated." Here it refers to his deliberate scheming and crafting of false accusations.

Tafsir (Explanation):

This verse is a powerful and emphatic repetition of the previous one, intensifying the condemnation of a specific man—Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah—who arrogantly plotted against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Qur'an. After the first curse, the verse repeats: "Then may he be destroyed again—how he planned!" This repetition serves to magnify the severity of his crime and the certainty of his ruin.

The man had sat down, pondered deeply, and meticulously crafted lies to discredit the Qur'an, twisting his face in anger and frustration because he could find no genuine flaw in it. He refused to submit to the truth out of pride and arrogance, resorting instead to calling the Qur'an mere magic inherited from the ancients and the words of a human being.

This verse is a stern warning to all who oppose the divine message: their schemes, no matter how cleverly devised, will only lead to their own destruction. Allah, the All-Knowing, sees every hidden intention and every whispered plot. The repetition of the curse is not mere rhetoric—it is a declaration of the inevitable fate of those who wage war against the truth.

A Da'wah Reflection:

Dear reader, see how Allah defends His revelation and His Prophet! No plot against the Qur'an has ever succeeded, and none ever will. This verse reassures the believer that truth is mightier than any conspiracy. It also calls upon us to reflect: if a man of eloquence and intellect, like Al-Walid, was destroyed for his arrogance, how much more careful must we be to approach the Qur'an with humility and sincerity? Let us not be among those who turn away from the truth out of pride. Instead, let us open our hearts to the words of Allah, for in them lies our salvation, our peace, and our ultimate success in this life and the Hereafter. The Qur'an is not the speech of a human—it is the eternal word of the Creator, and whoever clings to it will never be lost.