Tafseer Surah Humazah

This coming Friday, I was appointed to briefly Tafseer Surah Humazah. The blog post is a means for me to share with the world, what I will inshallah present to my halaqa sisters.

Assalamu Alaykum Everyone

Today I will be doing the Tafseer on surah al humazah to the best of my ability.

Background

Surah al Humazah is the 104^th Surah in the Quran and it Makki surah as it was revealed in the early stages of Islam when people were just accepting this new religion.

Two other surahs that are closely related are Surah Takathur and Surah Al-Asr. Surah Takathur summarized how mankind who is continuously distracted by this world. And Surah al Asr is a message of man being in a loss. While Surah Humazah is the consequence of man in a loss. Some scholars say that there is no severer description given of hell in the Quran than the description given in this surah as we will soon see as I go through each ayats.

وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ

“Woe to every scorner and mocker“

Allah is so frustrated that he says “Woe” meaning Destruction to every Humazah(gheebah=backbite) Lumazah(point out flaws) are quite similar, and both are done excessively. Ibn abbas said humaz is behind the back and lumaz is in front of the face. Another opinion is that “Humaz is slander by speech while lumaz is slander by action.” Actions like gestures and signs to make fun of the person. Regardless, Allah is cursing people who do either the above, And Allah curse is not like our curse, Allahs’ curse is a reality.

الَّذِى جَمَعَ مَالاً وَعَدَّدَهُ

“Who has gathered wealth and counted it.”

This ayah refers to 2 groups of people who spend their entire lives gathering wealth and counting it frequently and prepared it for anything that might happen in the future, and this shows a lack of trust in Allah. Wealth in this verse is singular to belittle it as this wealth will not benefit him on that day.

يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ

“He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.”

This ayah refers to those who assumes that their wealth they have accumulated through corrupt means like Riba and etc. is rightfully his and will enable him last forever; even after death by donating to hospitals to build something under their name and etc. They will assume, that they don’t have to worry about the next life since Allah blessed them with money in this life but they don’t understand it’s a test for them,

“كَلاَّ لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِى الْحُطَمَةِ

No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher.

This ayah illustrates that he will be throwing away like something that is worthless/meaningless/has-no-value into Al-Hutamah. Al Hutamah is one of the descriptive names of the Hellfire because it will crush the bones and eats the flesh till it reaches the heart.

وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ

And what will make you know what Al-Hutamah is?

The next verse will explain this verse

نَارُ اللَّهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ

It is the fire of Allah, [eternally] fueled,

Al-Hutamah is described to be the fire of Allah, and Al-Muqadah is that which he lit and will remain that way eternally. Note: Nowhere else in the Qur’an has the fire of Hell been called the fire of Allah.

الَّتِى تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الاٌّفْئِدَةِ

Which mounts directed at the hearts.

The Hutamah will pierce through everything and cause the heart to go on fire, and the person will continuously feel pain without dying because Allah says fire leap upon the heart but don’t crush it

إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌ

Indeed, Hellfire will be closed down upon them

Hellfire will be closed down upon the people mention earlier in this surah without leaving any slit or opening anywhere, to choke and suffocate them. There are doors high above them, and they will want to escape but it too far out of reach, this gives them false hope, and it’s a psychological and physical punishment,

فِى عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةِ

In extended columns.

Meaning there will be columns over them, and they will have chains on their necks, and the Gates (of Hell) will be shut upon them.’

To sum up in this Surah Allah mention 5 actions:

• Humaz
• Lumaz
• Gather wealth
• Frequently count it
• Forever wealthy

And it also mentions 5 consequences which are as follows:

• Thrown into the crusher
• The Fire of Allah is everlasting
• Crushes everything but the heart
• Closed down upon them
• Columns over them and chained necks.

May Allah protect and not make us of the people of Humaz and Lumaz. May he make us of those who:  فليقل خيرا أو ليصمت; speak good or remain silent

May Allah not make us of those who gather and continuously count our wealth. Make he make us other those who sincerely give in his way.

May Allah protect us from his fire.