Tafseer of Ornaments of gold · Az-Zukhruf · 43:65
But the denominations from among them differed [and separated], so woe to those who have wronged from the punishment of a painful Day.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: فَاخْتَلَفَ الْأَحْزَابُ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ "Then the parties differed among themselves; so woe to those who did wrong, because of the punishment of a painful Day." (43:65)
The scholars of interpretation differed concerning who is meant by the "parties (al-aḥzāb)" whom Allah mentions in this place. Some of them said: by this is meant the group that disputed with one another about the affair of ʿĪsā and differed concerning it.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: Then the parties differed among themselves, he said: they are the four whom the Children of Israel put forward, who spoke about ʿĪsā. And others said: no, they are the Jews and the Christians.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad related to us, he said: Aḥmad related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning His word: Then the parties differed among themselves, he said: the Jews and the Christians. And the correct view concerning this is that one should say: the meaning of it is: then the groups that differed about ʿĪsā the son of Maryam became divided among themselves — among those whom ʿĪsā called to that to which he called them, namely the fear of Allah and acting in obedience to Him — and they are the Jews and the Christians, and those of the Christians who differed among themselves; for they were all parties, despairing [illegible: probably "resolute/obstinate"] and divided in their desires, despite his clarification to them of his own affair and his word to them: Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him; this is a straight path (43:64).
And His word: so woe to those who did wrong, because of the punishment of a painful Day, the Exalted — exalted be His mention — says: the valley that flows in Hell (jahannam) with pus and the discharge of wounds is for those who disbelieved (kafara) in Allah, who said about ʿĪsā the son of Maryam something contrary to that with which ʿĪsā described himself in this verse. because of the punishment of a painful Day, He says: because of the punishment of an agonizing Day. And He described the Day as painful, because the punishment that torments them on that Day takes place within it; and that is the Day of Resurrection.
As Muḥammad related to us, he said: Aḥmad related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: because of the punishment of a painful Day, he said: because of the punishment of the Day of Resurrection.
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The footnotes:
(2) Thus it stands in the original. Perhaps the correct reading is "mutabassilīn" with the tāʾ before the bāʾ. In the Lisān it states: "tabassala the man": he frowned out of anger or bravery. As for "ibtasala the man" with the bāʾ first, it means: he took payment for his incantation. End of quote.
