Tafseer of The Inevitable · Al-Waaqia · 56:46
And they used to persist in the great violation,
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.
And His word: وَكَانُوا يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("and they persisted in the tremendous sin"). He, exalted be His praise, says: and they continued to persist in the tremendous sin.
In accordance with what we have said about this, the scholars of exegesis have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "yuṣirrūna" means: they persist obstinately in it.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, he said: they dissemble, or they persist obstinately.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: وَكَانُوا يُصِرُّونَ ("and they persisted"), he said: they show no repentance and seek no forgiveness. And al-iṣrār ("persisting") among the Arabs, with respect to sin, means: remaining in it and not abandoning it.
And His word: عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("in the tremendous sin") means: in the tremendous sin, and that is the ascription of partners to Allah (shirk).
In accordance with what we have said about this, the scholars of exegesis have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("in the tremendous sin"), he said: in the sin.
Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Abū Tumayla related to us, saying: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān related to us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning His word: الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("the tremendous sin"), he said: shirk.
It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His word: عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("in the tremendous sin"), namely: shirk.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("the tremendous sin"), he said: the sin.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning وَكَانُوا يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("and they persisted in the tremendous sin"), he said: the tremendous sin (al-ḥinth al-ʿaẓīm) is the tremendous transgression; he said: and that tremendous sin is shirk; they show no repentance and seek no forgiveness.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: وَكَانُوا يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("and they persisted in the tremendous sin"), and that is shirk.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ ("in the tremendous sin"), he said: the tremendous sin.
