Surah 104: Al-Humazah (The Traducer)

Lore & Background

The surah opens with a woe pronounced on "every scorner and mocker" (verse 1), who "collects wealth and [continuously] counts it" (verse 2), thinking that "his wealth will make him immortal" (verse 3). The response is immediate: "No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher" (verse 4). The Crusher is then identified as "the fire of Allāh, [eternally] fueled" (verse 6), "which mounts directed at the hearts" (verse 7). According to Ibn Kathir, Muhammad bin Ka`b said that "it (the Fire) will devour every part of his body until it reaches his heart and comes to the level of his throat, then it will return to his body." The final verses describe Hellfire as "closed down upon them" (verse 8) "in extended columns" (verse 9). Some authorities (e.g. As-Sudd) interpret these columns as columns of fire, while others (e.g. Al-Awfi) interpret them as literal pillars of iron.

Reader's Guide

The main statement in this surah is the Consequences of man in loss. It condemns those who slander others, whether by speech or action, and imagine that their own wealth will keep them immune from death, and describes the doom of Hell which awaits them. In the phrase "slandering traducer" (Arabic: humaza lumaza), according to Ibn Kathir, the first word refers to slandering by speech, and the second to slander by action (though he also quotes Mujahid as saying the opposite: "Al-Humazah is with the hand and the eye, and Al-Lumazah is with the tongue.") Some scholars state that there is no severer description given of hell in the Quran than the description given in this surah. This is especially unique, as Allah says about hell what He has not said in other Surahs: "Naarullah" ((the) Fire (of) Allah!). In other surahs, Allah says "Naaru Jahannam" (Fire of Hell) etc. This is the last surah in the Quran which discusses the Akhirah (after life), and the surahs after this do not discuss the Akhirah afterlife again.

Did You Know?

• The surah takes its name from the word *humazah* occurring in the first verse.
• According to Ibn Kathir, the first word *humazah* refers to slandering by speech, and *lumazah* to slander by action (though Mujahid said the opposite).
• Some scholars state that there is no severer description given of hell in the Quran than the description given in this surah.
• This is the last surah in the Quran which discusses the Akhirah (afterlife); the surahs after this do not discuss the Akhirah again.
• The fire is uniquely called "Naarullah" (the Fire of Allah) in this surah, rather than "Naaru Jahannam" (Fire of Hell).