Ghafir (The Forgiver)

51. Indeed We will truly make triumphant Our Messengers and those who believe in this mundane life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth [to bear witness],

52. The [same] Day when wrong doers’ excuses will be of no use. Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode.

It is Divine practice to render support to Messengers and believers. It is a Divine Promise that Truth becomes victorious over falsehood. Verse 51 is saying:

“Indeed We will truly make triumphant Our Messengers and those who believe in this mundane life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth [to bear witness].”

Such support is emphatically unconditional and boundless; as a consequence of which it entails different triumphs, including becoming victorious in arguments, battles, sending down Divine torment upon opponents and causing their perdition, and also sending down invisible succors invigorating hearts and souls through Divine Favor.

In Verse 51 we come across a new expression concerning the Day of Resurrection - the Day when the witnesses will stand forth [to bear witness]. The word ashhad is the plural form of shahid (“witness”).

Different interpretations have been produced as to the identity of such witnesses which are all consistent with each other:

1. Angels recording deeds,

2. Messengers bearing witness concerning their peoples,

3. Angels, Messengers, and believers who bear witness to deeds of mankind.

The expression is worthy of attention referring to the point that on that Day when all people shall gather together, witnesses shall rise to bear witness. Being disgraced on that Day is the worst as victory on that Day is the best. God shall support His Messengers and believers on that Day and shall make them more prestigious.

Nonetheless, that Day is the day of disgrace and misfortune for disbelievers and wrong doers as reflected in Verse 52:

“The [same] Day when wrong doers’ excuses will be of no use. Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode.”

Firstly, their excuses before witnesses shall be of no avail and they shall be disgraced at that great tribunal; secondly, they shall be deprived of Divine Mercy and Divine curse shall befall on them; thirdly, they shall suffer physical chastisement and torment in the worst abode, in Hellfire.

It would be of interest to make mention of some Qur’anic Verses concerning Messengers and Divine Succor bestowed upon Messengers and believers in order to provide further exposition for :

“Indeed We will truly make triumphant Our Messengers and those who believe in this mundane life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth [to bear witness].” “If you help God, He will help you”1 .

Noah’s (as) deliverance:

“We delivered him and those with him on the ship”2 .

Abraham’s (as) deliverance:

“O Fire! Be cold and safe [for Abraham]”3 .

Lot’s (as) deliverance:

“When We saved him and his family all”4 .

Joseph’s (as) deliverance:

“Thus We established Joseph on the land”5 .

Shu’ayb’s (as) deliverance:

“We saved Shu’ayb and those who believed with him”6 .

Salih’s (as) deliverance:

“And thus We do deliver the believers”7 .

Hud’s (as) deliverance:

“We saved Hud and those who believed with him”8 .

Jonah’s (as) deliverance:

“And We saved him from sorrow”9 .

Jesus’ (as) deliverance:

“I will take you and raise you to Myself”10 .

The Noble Prophet of Islam’s (S) deliverance:

“Indeed We have given you a manifest victory”11 .

Believers’ deliverance:

“And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr when you were a weak little force”12 ; “Then Allah did send down His reassurance on the Messenger (S) and on the believers”13 ; “He it is Who sent down reassurance into the hearts of the believers that they may grow more in faith”14 ;

Answering the prayers of Noah, Jonah, Zachariah, and Job (as)¹ ;

Answering the invocations of righteous believers:

“And He answers the invocation of those who believe and do righteous good deeds”16 .

Divine Deliverance of Prophets and believers manifests itself in diverse forms as follows:

“To strengthen your hearts”17 ; “Allah will keep firm those who believe with the word that stands firm in this world”18 . “Then his Lord answered his prayers”19 ; “My Lord! Leave not one of the believers on the earth!”20 . “Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs”21 . “We had conferred given the family of Abraham a great kingdom”22 . “Truly Allah has given you victory on many battlefields”23 . “And Verily Allah sent down upon him His reassurance and helped him with invisible hosts”24 . “So We took retribution from them. We drowned them in the sea”25 . “Is it not enough for you that your Lord should help you with three thousand angels sent down?”26 . “And He cast terror into their hearts”27 . “He it is Who has sent His Messenger (S) with guidance and the religion of truth to make it victorious over all religions.28 ” “The We saved him and those with him on the ship”29 . “Surely Allah weakens the deceitful plots of the disbelievers”30 .

Therefore, man is in need of Divine deliverance at all times.