CHAPTER 104: AL-HUMAZAH (THE SLANDERER)

It was revealed in the Mecca period. It consists of nine verses. Humazah means "one who constantly slanders and hurts someone behind their back." (H. T. FEYIZLI 1/601)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

104/1-9 HE THINKS HIS WEALTH WILL MAKE HIM IMMORTAL

Translation

1- 3- Woe to every [person] who slanders [people] behind their back and makes mocking gestures [with hands, eyebrows, and eyes]! He who collects wealth and continuously counts it. 3- He thinks that his wealth will make him eternal [in the world].

4- No! [It is not as the disbelievers imagine.] By Allah, he [the disbeliever and the rebellious] will surely be thrown into the Hutame [the Crusher].

5- [O my Prophet!] And what can make you know what the Hutame is?

6- 7- [It is] the kindled Fire of Allah, which [its pain] reaches up to the hearts.

8- 9- Indeed, it [the door of the Fire] will be closed over them, while they are [bound] in extended columns.

Commentary

(1) ‘(People) Woe to every person who slanders behind their back and makes mocking gestures!’

He is the one who hurts others with words and deeds. That is, he belittles people and looks for flaws in them. (From Ibn Kathir; S. HAWWA 16/370)

(2) ‘He who collects wealth and continuously counts it.’

From the first sentence, the meaning naturally emerges from this verse that this attitude arises from his being wealthy. The phrase "jama'a malan" is used to express collecting wealth. From this expression, the meaning emerges that the wealth is abundant. His counting of his wealth afterward reveals his stinginess and that he is a person who worships matter. (MAWDUDI, 7/231)

In the verse, Almighty Allah censures those who slander behind backs and look for faults and flaws; He forbids such words, actions, and behaviors with the 11th verse of Surah al-Hujurat, which means "Do not defame one another." Therefore, mocking a person to their face or behind their back, or defaming them unjustly and inappropriately, is a major sin. (I. KARAGOZ,8/624)

(3) ‘(He) thinks that his wealth will make him eternal.’

That is, he hoards wealth and counts it. Death never comes to his mind. He never thinks that one day he will leave this world and his wealth will remain in this world. (MAWDUDI 7/231)

‘I swear they will be thrown into Hell’

Those who display the behaviors reported in verses 1, 2, and 3 are disbelievers like Ahnes and his likes. Those who commit major sins such as defaming people, mocking them, and backbiting them will also be punished with Hell if they do not repent and are not forgiven. (I. KARAGOZ,8/627)

(4) ‘No!’

The matter is not as he imagines. The thing that will save a person and lead them to eternity is not wealth, but—as explained in the previous surah—faith in the Truth, knowledge, and righteous deeds. (ELMALILI, 9/443)

‘By Allah, he will surely be thrown into the Hutame.’

Nabaz in Arabic means to throw something away by seeing it as insignificant and worthless. The person who thinks himself great in this world due to wealth will be thrown into Hell as an humiliated person on the Day of Resurrection. (MAWDUDI 7/231)

(5-7) ‘And what can make you know what the Hutame is?" "(It is) the kindled Fire of Allah, which reaches up to the hearts.’

Nowhere else in the Holy Qur’an is the fire of Hell called "the Fire of Allah" except here. Here, the Fire is attributed to Allah. The reason for this is not only to describe the horribleness of that fire but also to indicate how much those who are proud and arrogant in the world because of their wealth are met with hatred in the sight of Allah. Therefore, Allah (cc) has attributed this fire to Himself, specifically for it. These individuals will be thrown into this fire. (MAWDUDI 7/231)

‘(A fire) that reaches the hearts.’

"Af'idah" is the plural of "fuad." Its meaning is "heart." However, this word is not used for the physical heart in a person's chest. It is used for the place of consciousness, perception, feelings, desires, beliefs, thoughts, intentions, and will in a human. The meaning of the fire reaching the heart is the fire reaching the center of the person's evil thoughts, creeds, ugly desires, and malicious intentions and wills. (MAWDUDI 7/231)

(8, 9) ‘Indeed, that fire will be closed over them (that crowd of slanders and mockers),’

That is, it will be pressed down upon them and the doors will be closed. ‘being within extended columns’ or supports, pillars. (...) It means that while the doors of that fire are being closed, they will be supported with long pillars and braces so as not to be opened by pressure; it will be closed in that state, in that way. In this, there is a depiction similar to the style of closing the door of an oven by supporting it firmly in order to burn the inside thoroughly and heat it up completely. (ELMALILI, 9/445)