يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا شُوَاظٌ مِّن نَّارٍ وَنُحَاسٌ فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ 35
Translations
There will be sent upon you a flame of fire and smoke, and you will not defend yourselves.
Transliteration
Yursalu alaikuma shuwaazun min narin wa nuhasun fala tantasiran
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the punishment awaiting the inhabitants of Hell, specifically the jinn and humans who rejected faith. The verse mentions that flames of fire and molten brass (or smoke) will be sent upon them, and they will have no ability to defend themselves or escape. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'shuwaaz' (شُوَاظ) as sparks or flames of fire, while 'nuhas' (نُحَاس) refers to molten copper or brass, emphasizing the severity and inevitability of divine punishment for those who deny their Lord.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Rahman is Medinan and addresses both jinn and humans throughout its discourse. This particular ayah falls within the section detailing the punishment of the deniers in the afterlife, serving as a warning to those who reject Allah's signs and His bounties mentioned earlier in the surah. The context emphasizes that despite Allah's countless mercies, those who persist in disbelief will face inescapable consequences.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in Sahih Muslim: 'The fire of the children of Adam which you kindle is one-seventieth of the fire of Hell.' This hadith contextualizes the incomparable intensity of hellfire mentioned in this ayah. Additionally, various hadiths in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim describe the torments of the afterlife as warnings against disbelief.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a profound reminder that rejecting Allah's signs and His mercy carries serious eternal consequences that are inescapable. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of reflection upon Allah's blessings and sincere submission to Him, while inspiring fear of Allah and motivating righteous action in this life.
Related Ayahs
كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ ۙ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They disbelieved in the signs of Allāh, so Allāh seized them for their sins. Indeed, Allāh is Powerful and severe in penalty.
غَافِرِ ٱلذَّنۢبِ وَقَابِلِ ٱلتَّوْبِ شَدِيدِ ٱلْعِقَابِ ذِى ٱلطَّوْلِ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ إِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
The forgiver of sin, acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination.
وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ لَعْنَتِىٓ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ
And indeed, upon you is My curse until the Day of Recompense."
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِقَآئِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَئِسُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَتِى وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And the ones who disbelieve in the signs of Allāh and the meeting with Him - those have despaired of My mercy, and they will have a painful punishment.