Sūrat al-Aʿrāf
Section 8 of 25 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Pour Some Water Down on Us
There is also a discourse between the people of the Aʿrāf and the people of the Fire, but that comes after this:
وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالًا يَعْرِفُونَهُم بِسِيمَىٰهُمْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
“The people of A‘rāf will call out to the people (of Fire) whom they will recognize through their signs: “Your masses were not of any help to you, nor was the arrogance you used to show.” (7:48)
Wa-nādā aṣḥābu al-aʿrāfi rijālan yaʿrifūnahum bi-sīmāhum. They look upon the people of Paradise. And why should they see it? Only that it may be the worse for them: to see the good and be unable to enter. So they say: send down some water, pour some water down for us, for you have water. It must be remembered that they will have no water; they will have boiling water that will tear their entrails within them. So it is said:
وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ أَنْ أَفِيضُوا۟ عَلَيْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ أَوْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ دِينَهُمْ لَهْوًا وَلَعِبًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ فَٱلْيَوْمَ نَنسَىٰهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا۟ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَـٰذَا وَمَا كَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
“The people of the Fire will call out to the people of Paradise, “Pour on us some water, or some of what Allah has provided you.” They will say, “Allah has prohibited these for disbelievers, who had taken their faith as play and a game, and the worldly life had deceived them.” So, We shall forget them today, as they had forgotten to face this day of theirs, and as they used to deny Our signs.” (7:50–51)
Afīḍū ʿalaynā mina al-māʾi aw mimmā razaqakumu Allāh: whatever else Allah has provided you with, send some down to us. They will say: inna Allāha ḥarramahumā ʿalā al-kāfirīn, Allah has forbidden both to the disbelievers — alladhīna ttakhadhū dīnahum lahwan wa-laʿibā, those who made their dīn a mockery and a plaything; wa-gharrat-humu al-ḥayātu al-dunyā, and this dunyā deceived them. Fa-l-yawma nansāhum: so this day We shall forget them, as they forgot this day of Ours. They were never troubled about this day. Remember: your ticket is booked for December. December is only a manner of speaking — no one is dying in December — but the sense is plain. A man had better attend to it. Do not forget that you must go there, and do not miss the flight altogether — they must still arrive there in the end.