Surah Saba Notes (5-9)

Source: Ibn Kathir

(5) But those who strive against Our Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to frustrate them, those, for them will be a severe painful torment.

(That He may recompense those who believe and do righteous good deeds. Those, theirs is forgiveness and generous provision. But those who strive against Our Ayat to frustrate them) meaning, those who try to turn others away from the path of Allah and who disbelieve His Messengers,

(those, for them will be a severe painful torment.) This means, He will bestow His favour upon the blessed, who are the believers and will punish the doomed, who are the disbelievers. This is like the Ayah:

(Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise. It is the dwellers of Paradise that will be successful.) (59:20)

(6) And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you (O Muhammad SAW) from your Lord is the truth, and guides to the Path of the Exalted in Might, Owner of all praise.

(And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth,) This is another kind of wisdom, following on from the one before, which is that when those who believed in what was revealed to the Messengers see the onset of the Hour and how the righteous and the wicked will be rewarded and punished respectively, which they knew of beforehand in this world from the Books of Allah and which they are now seeing with their own eyes, they will say:

(Indeed, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth) (7:43). And it will be said:

(This is what the Most Gracious had promised, and the Messengers spoke truth!) ﴿36:52﴾

(Indeed you have stayed according to the decree of Allah, until the Day of Resurrection; so this is the Day of Resurrection) (30:56),

(And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and that it guides to the path of the Exalted in might, Owner of all praise.) The Exalted in might is the One Who is All-Powerful, Whom none can overwhelm or resist, but He subjugates and controls all things. The Owner of All praise is the One Who, in all His words, deeds, laws and decrees, is deserving of praise, may He be glorified and exalted.

The Disbelievers' Denial of Life after Death, and the Refutation of Their View

(7) Those who disbelieve say: "Shall we direct you to a man (Muhammad SAW) who will tell you (that) when you have become fully disintegrated into dust with full dispersion, then, you will be created (again) anew?"

Here Allah tells us how the disbelievers and heretics denied that the Hour will come, and mocked the Messenger for speaking of it.

(Those who disbelieve say: "Shall we direct you to a man who will tell you (that) when you have become fully disintegrated into dust with full dispersion...'') means, when your bodies have disintegrated into the earth and dispersed without a trace,

(then you) means, after this has happened,

(will be created (again) anew) means, you will be restored to life and will receive provision anew. `By telling us this, he is doing one of two things: either he is deliberately fabricating something and saying that Allah has revealed it to him, or he is not doing it deliberately, but he is deluded as crazy and insane people are.'

(8) Has he (Muhammad SAW) invented a lie against Allah, or is there a madness in him? Nay, but those who disbelieve in the Hereafter are (themselves) in a torment, and in far error.

(Has he invented a lie against Allah, or is there a madness in him) Allah said, refuting their words:

(Nay, but those who disbelieve in the Hereafter are (themselves) in a torment, and in far error.) meaning, the matter is not as they claim or as they think; on the contrary, Muhammad is the one who is telling the truth, and is righteous and wise; he is the one who has brought the truth, and they are the foolish and ignorant liars.

(are themselves in a torment,) means, their disbelief, which will lead them to the torment of Allah.

(and in far error.) far from the truth in this world. Then Allah warns them of His power in the creation of heavens and earth,

(9) See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every faithful believer that [believes in the Oneness of Allah], and turns to Allah (in all affairs with humility and in repentance).

(See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth) meaning, wherever they go, in whatever direction, the heavens are above them and the earth is beneath them. 

This is like the Ayah:

(With Hands did We construct the heaven. Verily, We are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof. And We have spread out the earth; how Excellent Spreader (thereof) are We!) (51:47-48)

(If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them.) means, `if We wished, We could do that to them because of their wrongdoing and Our power over them, but We delay it because We are Patient and Forgiving.' 

Then Allah says:

(Verily, in this is a sign for every Munib servant.) Ma`mar narrating from Qatadah, said that Al-Munib means every one who repents. Sufyan narrated from Qatadah, that Al-Munib is the one who turns to Allah. This means that in looking at the creation of the heavens and the earth, there is a sign for every servant who is intelligent and wise and who turns towards Allah. There is a sign of the Allah's ability to recreate bodies and bring about the Resurrection, because the One Who was able to create these heavens -- with their vast reaches of space, and this earth, as deep and vast as it is -- is able to recreate bodies and revive decayed bones. 

This is like the Ayat:

(Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, Able to create the like of them Yes, indeed!) (36:81)