Surah Hud ayat 20 Tafsir Quran 11:20

﴿أُولَٰئِكَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا مُعْجِزِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ۘ يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ ۚ مَا كَانُوا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ السَّمْعَ وَمَا كَانُوا يُبْصِرُونَ﴾
[ هود: 20]

11:20 Those were not causing failure [to Allah] on earth, nor did they have besides Allah any protectors. For them the punishment will be multiplied. They were not able to hear, nor did they see.

Such will not escape God in the earth and beside God other than Him they can have no allies no helpers to protect them against His chastisement. For them the chastisement will be double for their having led others astray. They could not hear the truth nor did they use to see it; that is to say because of their extreme aversion to it it is as though they did not have the physical capacity for it.

These infidels and such persons are not in a position ever to overpower Allah nor escape-His retributive punishment. Nor do they have besides Him tutelary protectors to defend them. Their punishment shall be doubled in the train of their obstinacy against divine laws, their adherence to their opinions with their usual struggle to assert falsehood and obstruct the way to Allahs path of righteousness and of their persistence in closing their hearts ears and their minds eyes to Allahs discourse

Those Who invent Lies against Allah and hinder Others from His Path are the Greatest Losers Allah, the Exalted, explains the condition of those who lie against Him and that their scandal in the Hereafter will be presented before the heads of creation ( for testimony ) from the angels, Messengers, Prophets and the rest of mankind and Jinns.
This is just as Imam Ahmad recorded from Safwan bin Muhriz.
Safwan said, "I was holding the hand of Ibn `Umar when a man was brought to him.
The man said, `How did you hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ describe An-Najwa ( secret counsel or confidential talk ) on the Day of Resurrection' Ibn `Umar said, `I heard him say,
«إِنَّ اللهَللهَعزَّ وَجَلَّ يُدْنِي الْمُؤْمِنَ فَيَضَعُ عَلَيْهِ كَنَفَهُ، وَيَسْتُرُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَيُقَرِّرُهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ وَيَقُولُ لَهُ: أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ حَتَّى إِذَا قَرَّرَهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ وَرَأَى فِي نَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ هَلَكَ قَالَ: فَإِنِّي قَدْ سَتَرْتُهَا عَلَيْكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنِّي أَغْفِرُهَا لَكَ الْيَوْم»
( Verily, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will draw near the believer and He will place His shade over him.
He will conceal him from the people and make him confess to his sins.
He will say to him, "Do you recognize this sin Do you recognize that sin Do you recognize such and such sin" This will continue until He makes him confess to all of his sins and he (the believer ) will think to himself that he is about to be destroyed.
Then Allah will say, "Verily, I have concealed these sins for you in the worldly life and I have forgiven you for them today." Then he ( the believer ) will be given his Book of good deeds.
As for the disbelievers and the hypocrites, the witnesses will say,) هَـؤُلاءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّـلِمِينَ ( These are the ones who lied against their Lord! No doubt! The curse of Allah is on the wrongdoers )." Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this narration in the Two Sahihs.
Concerning Allah's statement, الَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا ( Those who hinder (others ) from the path of Allah, and seek a crookedness therein,) This means that they prevent the people from following the truth and traversing upon the path of guidance that leads to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.
In doing so they also keep the people away from Paradise itself.
Allah's statement, وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا ( and seek a crookedness therein, ) This means that they want their path to be crooked and uneven.
Then, Allah's statement, وَهُمْ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـفِرُونَ ( while they are disbelievers in the Hereafter. ) This means that they deny the Hereafter and they reject the idea that any of its events will occur, or any of it exists at all.
Concerning Allah's statement, أُولَـئِكَ لَمْ يَكُونُواْ مُعْجِزِينَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَآءَ ( By no means will they escape on earth, nor have they protectors besides Allah! ) This means that these disbelievers are under the power of Allah and His force.
They are in His grasp and are subject to His authority.
He is Most Able to exact vengeance against them in this life before the coming of the Hereafter.
This is like Allah's statement, إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَـرُ ( but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror. )14:42 In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه»
( Verily Allah gives respite to the oppressor until He seizes him, then he will not be able to escape Him. ) For this reason Allah says, يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ ( Their torment will be doubled! ) This means that the torment will be doubled upon them, because Allah gave them hearing, vision and hearts, but these things did not benefit them.
Rather, they were deaf from hearing the truth and blinded away from following it.
This is just as Allah has mentioned concerning them when they enter into the Hellfire.
Allah says, وَقَالُواْ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِى أَصْحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ ( And they will say: "Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been among the dwellers of the blazing Fire!" ) Allah also says, الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَـهُمْ عَذَابًا فَوْقَ الْعَذَابِ ( Those who disbelieved and hinder (men ) from the path of Allah, for them We will add torment to the torment.)16:88 For this reason they will be punished for every command that they abandoned and every prohibition that they indulged in.
Then Allah continues by saying, أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ ( They are those who have lost their own selves, and that which they invented eluded them. ) They lost themselves, meaning that they be made to enter a blazing Fire, where they will be punished, and its torment will not be lifted from them for even the blinking of an eye.
This is as Allah said, كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَاهُمْ سَعِيرًا ( Whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire. )17:97 Concerning the statement, وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم ( eluded them. ) meaning that it has left them. مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ ( that which they invented ) besides Allah, such as rivals and idols.
Yet, these things did not avail them in the slightest.
In fact, these things actually caused them great harm.
This is as Allah says, وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـفِرِينَ ( And when mankind are gathered, they will become their enemies and will deny their worshipping. )46:6 Allah says, إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ وَرَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الاٌّسْبَابُ ( When those who were followed disown those who followed (them ), and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them.)2:166 Likewise, there are many other verses that prove this loss of theirs and their destruction.
For this reason Allah says, لاَ جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ هُمُ الاٌّخْسَرُونَ ( Certainly, they are those who will be the greatest losers in the Hearafter. ) 11:22 In this verse Allah informs about the direction of their end.
He explains that they are the greatest losers among mankind in their transaction for the abode of the Hereafter.
That is because they exchanged the highest levels ( of Paradise ) for the lowest levels ( of Hell ) and they substituted the pleasure of Gardens ( of Paradise ) for the fierce boiling water ( of Hell ).
They exchanged the drink of sealed nectar with the fierce hot wind, boiling water, and a shade of black smoke.
They chose food from the filth of dirty wounds instead of wide-eyed lovely maidens.
They preferred Hawiyah ( a pit in Hell ) instead of lofty castles.
They chose the anger of Allah and His punishment over nearness to Him and the blessing of gazing at Him.
Therefore, it is no injustice that such people should be the greatest losers in the Hereafter.

(11:20) They had no power to frustrate Allah's design in the earth, *24 nor did they have any protectors against Allah. Their chastisement will be doubled. *25 They were unable to hear, nor could they see.

Those were not causing failure [to Allah] meaning

*24).
This, again, refers to what will happen in the Next Life.

*25).
They will suffer punishment for being in error and for misleading others and leaving behind a legacy of error and misguidance for coming generations.
( See Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol.
Ill, al-A'raf, n.
30, pp.
23-6 -Ed. )
 

Those Who invent Lies against Allah and hinder Others from His Path are the Greatest Losers Allah, the Exalted, explains the condition of those who lie against Him and that their scandal in the Hereafter will be presented before the heads of creation ( for testimony ) from the angels, Messengers, Prophets and the rest of mankind and Jinns.
This is just as Imam Ahmad recorded from Safwan bin Muhriz.
Safwan said, "I was holding the hand of Ibn `Umar when a man was brought to him.
The man said, `How did you hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ describe An-Najwa ( secret counsel or confidential talk ) on the Day of Resurrection' Ibn `Umar said, `I heard him say, «إِنَّ اللهَللهَعزَّ وَجَلَّ يُدْنِي الْمُؤْمِنَ فَيَضَعُ عَلَيْهِ كَنَفَهُ، وَيَسْتُرُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَيُقَرِّرُهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ وَيَقُولُ لَهُ: أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ حَتَّى إِذَا قَرَّرَهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ وَرَأَى فِي نَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ هَلَكَ قَالَ: فَإِنِّي قَدْ سَتَرْتُهَا عَلَيْكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنِّي أَغْفِرُهَا لَكَ الْيَوْم» ( Verily, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will draw near the believer and He will place His shade over him.
He will conceal him from the people and make him confess to his sins.
He will say to him, "Do you recognize this sin Do you recognize that sin Do you recognize such and such sin" This will continue until He makes him confess to all of his sins and he (the believer ) will think to himself that he is about to be destroyed.
Then Allah will say, "Verily, I have concealed these sins for you in the worldly life and I have forgiven you for them today." Then he ( the believer ) will be given his Book of good deeds.
As for the disbelievers and the hypocrites, the witnesses will say,) هَـؤُلاءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّـلِمِينَ ( These are the ones who lied against their Lord! No doubt! The curse of Allah is on the wrongdoers )." Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this narration in the Two Sahihs.
Concerning Allah's statement, الَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا ( Those who hinder (others ) from the path of Allah, and seek a crookedness therein,) This means that they prevent the people from following the truth and traversing upon the path of guidance that leads to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.
In doing so they also keep the people away from Paradise itself.
Allah's statement, وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا ( and seek a crookedness therein, ) This means that they want their path to be crooked and uneven.
Then, Allah's statement, وَهُمْ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـفِرُونَ ( while they are disbelievers in the Hereafter. ) This means that they deny the Hereafter and they reject the idea that any of its events will occur, or any of it exists at all.
Concerning Allah's statement, أُولَـئِكَ لَمْ يَكُونُواْ مُعْجِزِينَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَآءَ ( By no means will they escape on earth, nor have they protectors besides Allah! ) This means that these disbelievers are under the power of Allah and His force.
They are in His grasp and are subject to His authority.
He is Most Able to exact vengeance against them in this life before the coming of the Hereafter.
This is like Allah's statement, إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَـرُ ( but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror. )14:42 In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that the Prophet said, «إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه» ( Verily Allah gives respite to the oppressor until He seizes him, then he will not be able to escape Him. ) For this reason Allah says, يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ ( Their torment will be doubled! ) This means that the torment will be doubled upon them, because Allah gave them hearing, vision and hearts, but these things did not benefit them.
Rather, they were deaf from hearing the truth and blinded away from following it.
This is just as Allah has mentioned concerning them when they enter into the Hellfire.
Allah says, وَقَالُواْ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِى أَصْحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ ( And they will say: "Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been among the dwellers of the blazing Fire!" ) Allah also says, الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَـهُمْ عَذَابًا فَوْقَ الْعَذَابِ ( Those who disbelieved and hinder (men ) from the path of Allah, for them We will add torment to the torment.)16:88 For this reason they will be punished for every command that they abandoned and every prohibition that they indulged in.
Then Allah continues by saying, أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ ( They are those who have lost their own selves, and that which they invented eluded them. ) They lost themselves, meaning that they be made to enter a blazing Fire, where they will be punished, and its torment will not be lifted from them for even the blinking of an eye.
This is as Allah said, كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَاهُمْ سَعِيرًا ( Whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire. )17:97 Concerning the statement, وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم ( eluded them. ) meaning that it has left them. مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ ( that which they invented ) besides Allah, such as rivals and idols.
Yet, these things did not avail them in the slightest.
In fact, these things actually caused them great harm.
This is as Allah says, وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـفِرِينَ ( And when mankind are gathered, they will become their enemies and will deny their worshipping. )46:6 Allah says, إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ وَرَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الاٌّسْبَابُ ( When those who were followed disown those who followed (them ), and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them.)2:166 Likewise, there are many other verses that prove this loss of theirs and their destruction.
For this reason Allah says, لاَ جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ هُمُ الاٌّخْسَرُونَ ( Certainly, they are those who will be the greatest losers in the Hearafter. ) 11:22 In this verse Allah informs about the direction of their end.
He explains that they are the greatest losers among mankind in their transaction for the abode of the Hereafter.
That is because they exchanged the highest levels ( of Paradise ) for the lowest levels ( of Hell ) and they substituted the pleasure of Gardens ( of Paradise ) for the fierce boiling water ( of Hell ).
They exchanged the drink of sealed nectar with the fierce hot wind, boiling water, and a shade of black smoke.
They chose food from the filth of dirty wounds instead of wide-eyed lovely maidens.
They preferred Hawiyah ( a pit in Hell ) instead of lofty castles.
They chose the anger of Allah and His punishment over nearness to Him and the blessing of gazing at Him.
Therefore, it is no injustice that such people should be the greatest losers in the Hereafter.

( Such will not escape in the earth ) they will not escape Allah’s chastisement, ( nor have they any protecting friends beside Allah ) to protect them. ( For them ) i.e. for the leaders ( the torment will be double. They could not bear to hear ) the words of Muhammad ( pbuh ) out of hatred for him; it is also said that this means: theirs is a double torment because they could not hear the words of Muhammad, Allah bless him and give peace, ( and they used not to see ) they did not look at Muhammad ( pbuh ) out of hatred; it is also said that this means: they used not to see Muhammad ( pbuh ) out of their hatred for him.

By no means will they escape (from Allah's Torment) on earth, nor have they protectors besides Allah! Their torment will be doubled! They could not bear to hear (the preachers of the truth) and they used not to see (the truth because of their severe aversin, inspite of the fact that they had the sense of hearing and sight).

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