In the Name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful
Say: “Yes, indeed! And you shall be utterly humbled.” There will be just one single cry, and they will all begin to see, and will say: “Woe betide us! This is the Day of Judgment!”
This is indeed the Day of Decision which you used to call a lie! Gather together all those who were bent on wrongdoing, their ilk, and all that they used to worship instead of God, and guide them all to the path of hell, but halt them a while, for they shall be asked: “How is it that you do not help one another?”
Indeed, on that day they will be in complete submission. They will turn upon one another accusingly. Some [of them] will say: “You used to [whisper to us] approaching us from the right!”
The others will reply: “No! It was you who would not believe. We had no power over you; but you were willing to exceed all limits. Now our Lord’s word has come true against us, and we are bound to taste [the punishment]; If we led you astray, we ourselves were astray.” (Ranged in Rank, Al-Saffat: 37: 18-32)
Since the unbelievers would not reflect quietly and calmly on what they see in this life, they are strongly jolted such that they see their own agitated state in the life to come: “Say: Yes, indeed! And you shall be utterly humbled.” Yes, indeed, you and your forefathers will be resurrected and utterly humiliated, unable to put up any opposition. It is not merely that God emphatically confirms their resurrection, but He shows them how it is done. This is depicted in a long scene describing resurrection in different ways, presenting lively images and successive movements. The whole account employs the narrative style first, then changes to dialogue, and in between they see events and actions and hear comments on these. Thus, the whole scene comes alive.
“There will be just one single cry, and they will all begin to see.” It is all just a glimpse, taking no more than a single cry, which is described in Arabic as zajrah, to indicate that it is exceedingly strong and coming from a superior source. This single cry is made “and they will all begin to see,” suddenly, without any preparation. Surprised so violently, they cry out: “Woe betide us! This is the Day of Judgment!” In the midst of their shock, a voice will unexpectedly make it clear that whatever happens to them is through their own making: “This is indeed the Day of Decision which you used to call a lie!” Here we see how the Surah changes its style from the narrative to directly address those who used to deny that there would ever be such a day when all mankind would be resurrected and their fate determined.
It takes only one decisive sentence of blame before the orders are issued to those whose task it is to carry them out: “Gather together all those who were bent on wrongdoing, their ilk, and all that they used to worship instead of God, and guide them all to the path of hell, but halt them a while, for they shall be asked.” So the wrongdoers and their like are to be gathered together. Although the order is clear and decisive, it also carries much sarcasm in the expression, “guide them all to the path of hell.” This is certainly a strange type of guidance, worse than going astray. Yet it is the perfect retort to their straying from the path of divine guidance. Since they did not benefit in this present world from guidance to the straight path, guidance will be given to them in the life to come, but this time to the path of hell.
Having been given such guidance, we then see them halted for questioning. Again the address turns to them with blame, even though it is delivered through a simple and innocent question: “How is it that you do not help one another?” Why do you not support one another when you are all here and in need of any help you can get? You also have here with you the deities you used to worship. Needless to say, none of them ventures an answer. What follows this rhetorical questioning is a comment describing their condition: “Indeed, on that day they will be in complete submission.” Both the worshippers and the worshipped are in a state of complete submission to God.
Once more, the Surah picks up the narrative style, portraying them as they argue with one another: “They will turn upon one another accusingly. Some [of them] will say: You used to [whisper to us] approaching us from the right!” This describes the normal condition of whispering, coming from the right. Thus, they blame the whisperers, saying they are responsible for their present ordeal. Those accused will immediately deny responsibility, putting it squarely on their accusers: “The others will reply: ‘No! It was you who would not believe.’ It was not our whisper that took you from faith into disbelief. You were not following guidance and we led you astray by whispering. Indeed, “We had no power over you.” We could not impose our views on you, forcing you to follow us against your will: “but you were willing to exceed all limits.” You would not abide by any limit. “Now our Lord’s word has come true against us, and we are bound to taste [the punishment].” Both you and us are in the same position, deserving of God’s punishment for not heeding the warnings. You joined us because of your propensity to follow error. We did nothing to you, instead you followed us in our error: “If we led you astray, we ourselves were astray.”
