Surah Al-Inshiqaq — Verse 24

Word Meanings:

• Bashshirhum (فَبَشِّرْهُم): Literally means "give them glad tidings," but here it is used ironically and sarcastically, meaning to inform them of what awaits them.
• ʿAdhāb (عَذَابٍ): A painful punishment or torment.
• Alīm (أَلِيم): Extremely painful, excruciating, causing severe suffering.

Explanation of the Verse:

After the previous verses established that the disbelievers refuse to bow in submission to Allah when the Qur’an is recited to them, and that they persist in denial despite the clear signs, Allah addresses His Messenger ﷺ with a striking command: "So give them tidings of a painful punishment."

This is a rhetorical device of irony—using the word "glad tidings" (bishārah) for something that is the absolute opposite of gladness. It is a sarcastic rebuke, as if to say: "If you want to give them news, then the only news worthy of them is the news of a torment that will cause them unbearable agony." The punishment referred to here is the torment of the Hereafter—the Fire of Hell—which awaits those who rejected the truth out of arrogance and stubbornness, even when they knew in their hearts that the message was true.

Allah knows what they conceal in their chests—their obstinacy and their inner conviction of the truth, which they deny outwardly. Their punishment is not only for their disbelief but also for their deliberate rejection of what they knew to be right.

A Call to Reflection:

This verse carries a profound lesson for every soul. The One who created you and knows your innermost thoughts does not jest. When He warns of a painful punishment, it is a certainty that will come to pass. Yet, in His infinite mercy, He sent this warning through His beloved Messenger ﷺ so that you may awaken before it is too late. The door of repentance is open, and the path to salvation is clear. Do not be like those who heard the truth and turned away—rather, be among those who bow in submission to their Lord, for their reward is eternal and never cut off. The choice is yours: a painful punishment that never ends, or a blissful reward that never ceases. Choose wisely, for your Lord is Most Merciful to those who return to Him.