Al-Mujaadila (The Pleading Woman)

5. Indeed, those who oppose Allah and His Messenger have been crushed, as those before them were crushed. And We have sent down clear Àyat (signs, Verses). And for the disbelievers is a disgracing torment.

The Arabic clause yuhaddun Allah denotes “opposed Divine Bounds through either use of power and weaponry or animosity, sabotage, and conspiracy.” The verbal form kubitu derives from the root k-b-t (“crush, subdue”).

The last clause in the preceding blessed Verses warned all people against transgressing Divine Bounds and the blessed Verse in question treats of those who transgress such Bounds and thereby struggle against God Almighty and His Messenger (S) whose fate in this world and the Hereafter is explicated herein.

The blessed Verse opens by saying that those who oppose God Almighty and His Messenger (S) are disgraced as the same was in store for their predecessors. Then, the blessed Verse proceeds to say that God Almighty sent down clear Signs and Verses. Thus, ultimatum has been given leaving no room for any pretext as to opposition.

However, if they oppose God Almighty and His Messenger (S), they shall be chastised in this world and a humiliating torment shall be in store for disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, the preceding sentence makes a reference to the torments in store for them in this world and this sentence refers to the torment in store for them in the Hereafter.