Transliteration:( Wa qaalal lazeena kafaroo lan nu'mina bihaazal Quraani wa laa billazee baina yadayh; wa law taraaa iziz zaalimoona mawqoofoona 'inda Rabbihim yarji'u ba'duhum ilaa ba'dinil qawla yaqoolul lazeenas tud'ifoo lillazeenas takbaroo law laaa antum lakunnaa mu'mineen )
"And the infidels said: 'We shall never believe in this Quran, nor in those Books which were before [95] it.' And if you could see the unjust [96] will be made to stand before their Lord, throwing back on one another the blame. Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: 'It is but for you [97], otherwise we would surely have been of the believers [98]'."
The disbelievers' rejection extended not only to the Quran, but to all divine scriptures revealed before it—such as the Torah and Gospel. This highlights a total denial of divine guidance across all times. While some communities like the People of the Book did believe in earlier scriptures, these particular rejectors declared all revelation as false, thus denying both historical and contemporary truth. From this, it is emphasized that belief in all previous divine books is compulsory in Islam, provided we understand them as originally revealed—before distortions.
This verse paints a vivid image of the Day of Judgement, where the disbelievers—referred to here as the "unjust"—will be forcibly made to stand before Allah to hear their fate. Unlike the believers who will stand willingly and joyfully, these deniers will be dragged in humiliation, now fully aware of the reality they rejected. Their arrogance in the world will turn into helplessness in the Hereafter.
A major theme in this verse is the mutual blame between the arrogant and the weak. The so-called "weaker" followers—those who blindly followed their worldly leaders—will now turn on them, saying: “It is because of your influence and authority that we were misled. If not for your pressure, we would have believed.”
This indicates that while leaders are culpable, followers cannot escape blame either. Everyone is personally responsible for seeking truth and making informed choices, regardless of societal or peer pressure.
This exchange shows the breakdown of false alliances in the face of divine justice. In the world, they followed one another into sin; in the Hereafter, they will abandon and accuse one another, each hoping to reduce their share of the punishment.
31. And those who disbelieve say: “We believe not in this Qur’an nor in that which was before it.” But if you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Lord, how they will cast the (blaming) word one to another! Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: “Had it not been for you, we should certainly have been believers!” 32. And those who were arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak: “Did we keep you back from guidance after it had come to you Nay, but you were criminals.” 33. Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: “Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day, when you ordered us to disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals to Him!” And each of them (parties) will conceal their own regrets, when they behold the torment. And We shall put iron collars round the necks of those who disbelieved. Are they requited aught except what they used to do
Allah tells us about the excessive wrongdoing and stubbornness of the disbelievers, and their insistence on not believing in the Holy Qur’an and what it tells them about the Resurrection. Allah says:
(And those who disbelieve say: “We believe not in this Qur’an nor in that which was before it.”) Allah threatens them and warns them of the humiliating position they will be in before Him, arguing and disputing with one another:
(how they will cast the (blaming) word one to another! Those who were deemed weak) this refers to the followers —
to those who were arrogant — this refers to the leaders and masters —
(Had it not been for you, we should certainly have been believers!) meaning, `if you had not stopped us, we would have followed the Messengers and believed in what they brought.’ Their leaders and masters, those who were arrogant, will say to them:
(Did we keep you back from guidance after it had come to you) meaning, `we did nothing more to you than to call you, and you followed us without any evidence or proof, and you went against the evidence and proof which the Messengers brought because of your own desires; it was your own choice.’ They will say:
(“…Nay, but you were criminals.” Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: “Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day…”) meaning, `you used to plot against us night and day, tempting us with promises and false hopes, and telling us that we were truly guided and that we were following something, but all of that was falsehood and manifest lies.’ Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said:
(Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day,) means, “You plotted by night and day.” Malik narrated something similar from Zayd bin Aslam.
(when you ordered us to disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals to Him!) means, `to set up gods as equal to Him, and you created doubts and confusion in our minds, and you fabricated far-fetched ideas with which to lead us astray.’
(And each of them (parties) will conceal their own regrets, when they behold the torment.) means, both the leaders and the followers will feel regret for what they did previously.
(And We shall put iron collars round the necks of those who disbelieved.) This is a chain which will tie their hands to their necks.
(Are they requited aught except what they used to do) means, they will be punished according to their deeds: the leaders will be punished according to what they did, and the followers will be punished according to what they did.
(He will say: “For each one there is double (torment), but you know not.”) (7:38). Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Messenger of Allah said:
(When the people of Hell are driven towards it, it will meet them with its flames, then the Fire will burn their faces and the flesh will all fall to their hamstrings.)”
(34:31) The unbelievers say: “We shall never believe in this Qur’an, nor in any Scripture before it.”[50] If you could only see the wrong-doers arrayed before their Lord, each bandying charges against the other. Those who were suppressed will say to those who waxed arrogant: “Had it not been for you, we would have been believers.”[51]
50. The allusion is to the pagans of Arabia, who did not believe in any divine Book.
51. That is, the common people who are following their leaders, chiefs, saints and rulers blindly, and are not prepared to listen to any word of advice from a well-wisher against them. When the same people will sec the actual reality and will also remember how their religious leaders used to misrepresent things, and when they will realize what doom they are going to meet on account of following their leaders, they will turn on them, and say, “O wretched people, you led us astray: you are responsible for all our afflictions. Had you not misguided us, we would have listened to the Messengers of Allah and believed in what they said.
[1234]- Having been left to the imagination, the conclusion of this sentence is estimated to be "...you would see a dreadful sight."
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