Ghafir (The Forgiver)

47. And when they will dispute [and producing arguments] in the Fire, the weak will say to those who were arrogant: “Indeed we followed you. Are you able to take from us some portion of the Hellfire?”

The preceding Verses treated of Divine Wrath against Pharaoh’s family. These Verse reflect the dialogs of the arrogant and Pharaohs down the centuries with their flattering companions and supporters in Hell.

Thus it is said in this Verse:

“When they will dispute [and producing arguments] in the Fire, the weak will say to those who were arrogant: “Indeed we followed you. Are you able to take from us some portion of the Hellfire?”

The weak say unto the arrogant that they were their followers but they wonder whether they could take some of the torments of Hellfire in lieu of them.

“The weak”

refers to those who were not intellectually independent and blindly followed the chiefs of disbelief referred to in the Holy Qur’an as the arrogant.

Their followers in Hell indubitably know that their chiefs like them are entangled with Divine torment in Hell and are not able in the least to protect them. A question is raised here as to the grounds lying behind their request from their former chiefs as to taking from them some portion of Hellfire.

A number of Qur’anic exegets maintain that it was their habit to seek refuge in them upon being afflicted with severe afflictions as a consequence of which they are unconsciously reacting likewise. However, it would be better to say that such request is a kind of derision and reproach toward them so that they know that all their claims were false and groundless.

It is worthy of note that the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as) in a sermon delivered on one of the days of Ghadir called people to monotheism and bade them to follow those whom God appointed as leaders.

Reminding people of the Verse in question, he asked:

“Do you know what arrogance is? It is failure to obey those whom you are supposed to follow. Arrogance is to regard yourselves superior to them. There are recurrent instances in which the Holy Qur’an treats of the same such that if man reflects upon it, the Holy Qur’an provides him with admonitions and impedes him from committing evil deeds.”

In fact, Imam ‘Ali (as) intended to warn that there was no excuse for those who consigned the Noble Prophet’s (S) testament on the Day of Ghadir and followed others.¹