Tafseer of The Pen · Al-Qalam · 68:33
Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.
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.
His word, the Exalted, whose praise is mentioned: كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ("Thus is the punishment"). The Mighty, whose praise is exalted, says: just as We did with the garden of the owners of the garden — when it became like the cut-off night (scorched and black) through the calamity and the destroying affliction that We sent upon it — so did We do with whoever contradicted Our command and denied Our messengers, in the nearness of this world. وَلَعَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ("and the punishment of the Hereafter is assuredly greater"); He means: the punishment in the Hereafter of whoever disobeyed his Lord and denied Him is, on the Day of Resurrection, greater than the punishment and torment of this world.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ("Thus is the punishment, and the punishment of the Hereafter is assuredly greater, if only they knew"): he means by it the punishment of this world.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, that Allah said: كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ("Thus is the punishment"): that is the punishment of this world, وَلَعَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ("and the punishment of the Hereafter is assuredly greater, if only they knew").
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ("Thus is the punishment"), he said: the punishment of this world, the destruction of their possessions, that is to say: the punishment of this world.
His word: لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ("if only they knew"); he says: if only these polytheists (mushrikīn) knew that Allah's punishment for the people who ascribe partners to Him is greater than His punishment of them in this world, then they would have restrained themselves, repented, and turned to Him; but they are, concerning that, ignorant ones who do not know.
