Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AN NAML [83]

83. And (remember) the Day when We shall gather out of every nation a Fawj of those who denied Our Ayat, and they shall be driven, 84. Till, when they come, He will say: ”Did you deny My Ayat whereas you comprehended them not by knowledge, or what was it that you used to do'' 85. And the Word will be fulfilled against them, because they have done wrong, and they will be unable to speak. 86. See they not that We have made the night for them to rest therein, and the day sight-giving Verily, in this are Ayat for the people who believe. Allah tells us about the Day of Resurrection when the wrongdoers who disbelieved in the signs and Messengers of Allah will be gathered before Allah, so that He will ask them about what they did in this world, rebuking, scolding and belittling them.

(And the Day when We shall gather out of every nation, a Fawj) means, from every people and generation a group

(of those who denied Our Ayat). This is like the Ayat:

(”Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions (from the devils).'') (37:22)

(And when the souls are joined with their bodies) (81:7).

(and they shall be driven,) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ”They will be pushed.'' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said: ”They will be driven.''

(Till, when they come,) and stand before Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, in the place of reckoning,

(He will say: ”Did you deny My Ayat whereas you comprehended them not by knowledge, or what was it that you used to do'') meaning they will be asked about their beliefs and their deeds. Since they are among the doomed and, as Allah says:

(He neither believed nor performed Salah! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away!) (75:31-32) Then the proof will be established against them and they will have no excuse whatsoever, as Allah says:

(That will be a Day when they shall not speak. And they will not be permitted to put forth any excuse) (77:35-36). Similarly, Allah says here:

(And the Word will be fulfilled against them, because they have done wrong, and they will be unable to speak.) They will be stunned and speechless, unable to give any answer. This is because they wronged themselves in the world, and now they have returned to the One Who sees the unseen and the seen, from Whom nothing can be hidden. Then Allah points out His complete power, immense authority and greatness, all dictating that He is to be obeyed and that His commands must be followed, and that the message of inescapable truth brought by His Prophets must be believed in. Allah says:

(See they not that We have made the night for them to rest therein,) Due to the darkness of the night they halt their activities and calm themselves down, to recover from the exhausting efforts of the day.

(and the day sight-giving) meaning filled with light, so that they can work and earn a living, and travel and engage in business, and do other things that they need to do.

(Verily, in this are Ayat for the people who believe.)