The punishment endured by the unbelievers originates from Allah’s mercy. For it is certainly part of mercy that evildoer should be punished and that it should not have the same end as the righteous. Lo! Allah is warning you O Atheists of a doom at hand, which will surely happen, a day whereon every Atheist will sadly cry: “Would that I were dust!”
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The meanings of the verses 78:38-40 of the Noble Quran:
On the day when Gabriel, and the angels stand arrayed.
Frightful Silence!
The scene shows total silence; none dares to talk, everyone is looking around awaiting for his fate.
None will not speak, except him whom Allah permits to speak from among the believers and the angels.
The one who speaks from among the believers will say what is right.
On the day when the angels and Gabriel stand arrayed, they speak not to intercede, saving him whom Allah allows to intercede and speak right
That is the True Day, the Day of Resurrection, whose happening is definite
So whoever wishes to, let him come to Allah by being believing and obedient to Him, so that he may be secure from chastisement in it.
Lo! We have warned you, O Atheists, of a the chastisement of the impending Day of Resurrection when every person, will behold what his hands have sent ahead, of good and evil, and the Atheist will say, ‘O would that I were dust!’
In other words,
Lo! Allah is warning you O Atheists of a doom at hand, which will surely happen,
A day whereon every man will look
When the believer will look
When the Atheist will look
They both will look on that which their own hands have:
Sent before
Earned of good
Earned of evil
Then every Atheist will sadly cry:
“Would that I were dust!”
Why Atheist says that? Because of the horrors, severity and torment of that day.
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When Punishment = Mercy
Allah is the Supreme Lord; He is the Most Gracious. He metes out reward for believers and punishment for unbelievers.
The reward He assigns is a manifestation of His mercy.
In addition, the punishment endured by the unbelievers originates from Allah’s mercy. For it is certainly part of mercy that evildoer should be punished and that it should not have the same end as the righteous.
In Allah’s Presence
The verse unveil the unseen and describes the scene of the day when the great angel Gabriel, and all the angels standing in ranks before Allah; they greatly esteem Him; no one dares utter a word without prior permission from Him.
In this awesome situation, neither man nor angel can speak without Allah’s permission.
Whatever said will be right because Allah does not permit anyone to speak whom He knows will not be saying what is right.
Back to the Angels, the pure sinless great creatures whom does Allah favor,
When we think that the angels dare not speak without His permission, we are bound to feel how overwhelming the situation is.
Having driven such a feeling, the verse conveys a threatening to the Atheists who have chosen not to hear or see
“That day is a certainty. Let him who will seek a way back to his Lord. We have forewarned you of an imminent scourge, on the day when man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the unbeliever will cry: ‘Would that I were dust!”
Those who raise doubts and question the reality of the Day of Resurrection are here shaken violently:
“That day is a certainty.”
There is no room left for doubt and controversy. Yet there is time for mending one’s erring ways before the fearful watch guard, i.e. hell, becomes a permanent home:
“Let him who will seek a way back to his Lord.”
The warning is severe enough to make the drunken awake:
“We have forewarned you of an imminent scourge.”
It will not be long coming, for man’s life is but a short period.
The scourge is so fearful that the unbelievers, when faced with it, will send up that great cry expressing the wish that they had never lived:
“On the day when man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the unbeliever will cry: ‘Would that I were dust!”
This is the cry of the one who is in great distress, who feels ashamed for what he has been and what he has done. He feels that it is better not to be, or to be something as worthless as dust, than to witness such a fearful occasion.
The terrible position of the unbelievers is the subject of the questions and doubts they raise concerning that fateful tiding.
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The verses 78:38-40 in different translations:
QARIB:
38-On that day, when the spirit (gabriel) and the angels stand in ranks they shall not speak, except he to whom the merciful has given permission, and says what is right.
39-That is the day, the truth, so whosoever wills takes a way to his Lord.
40-Indeed, we have forewarned you of an imminent punishment, the day when the person will look upon his works and the unbelievers will say: ‘would that i were dust! ‘
SHAKIR:
38-The day on which the spirit and the angels shall stand in ranks; they shall not speak except he whom the beneficent Allah permits and who speaks the right thing
39-That is the sure day, so whoever desires may take refuge with his Lord
40-Surely we have warned you of a chastisement near at hand: the day when man shall see what his two hands have sent before, and the unbeliever shall say: o! would that i were dust!
PICKTHAL:
38-On the day when the angels and the spirit stand arrayed, they speak not, saving him whom the beneficent alloweth and who speaketh right.
39-That is the true day. so whoso will should seek recourse unto his Lord.
40-Lo! We warn you of a doom at hand, a day whereon a man will look on that which his own hands have sent before, and the disbeliever will cry: “would that i were dust!”
YUSUFALI:
38-The day that the spirit and the angels will stand forth in ranks, none shall speak except any who is permitted by (Allah) most gracious, and he will say what is right.
39-That day will be the sure reality: therefore, whoso will, let him take a (straight) return to his Lord!
40-Verily, we have warned you of a penalty near, the day when man will see (the deeds) which his hands have sent forth, and the unbeliever will say, “woe unto me! would that i were (metre) dust!”
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