وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ
4:42; 16:90.
30:58; 41:25.
Commentary:
After mentioning the ingratitude and iniquities of disbelievers in the preceding verses, the present verse again reverts to the subject of the life after death. This is done to warn disbelievers that not only will they be punished in this life for their disbelief and misdeeds, but will also receive a heavier punishment in the life to come. The fact that all the peoples who ever lived on this earth will be present to see their humiliation on the Day of Judgement will intensify their shame and agony. All the Prophets will also be there to bear witness against them. See also 4:42-43.
The verse constitutes yet one more testimony to the truth of the Quran. It says that Messengers were sent to all peoples and nations of the world. This is a claim in which the Quran stands alone among all the revealed Scriptures. The truth of this claim has now begun to dawn upon mankind. It was revealed to the world about fourteen hundred years ago by the Quran.
The expression لایوذن (shall not be permitted) does not mean, as wrongly understood by some commentators, that disbelievers shall not be permitted to speak to God, because in several verses of the Quran we are told that on the Day of Judgement disbelievers will confess their guilt and in its extenuation will proffer various kinds of excuses before God. The expression either means that disbelievers shall not be permitted to enter Heaven or that permission shall not be granted to anyone to intercede with God on their behalf. The latter meaning is supported by vv. 2:256; 10:4; 20:110; 34:24; 53:27; wherein it is stated that intercession is only possible after Divine permission. V 77:37 contains another interpretation of the words لایوذن viz. that disbelievers shall not be allowed to make excuses.
The words, We shall raise up a witness, may also mean that the Prophets will bear witness against the disbelievers by their personal example. The Prophets would, as it were, say to disbelievers that when they (the Prophets) could spiritually rise so high by acting upon Divine teaching why could not they (the disbelievers)? The verse thus implies that every Prophet by his personal example serves as a living example of the great moral and spiritual reformation which his teaching is capable of effecting. This is why no religious teaching has ever been revealed except through a Prophet.
30:58; 41:25.
4:42; 16:90.
The verse says that Messengers were sent to all peoples and nations of the world. This is a claim which has been put forth by the Qur’an alone of all the revealed Scriptures. The truth of this claim, revealed to the world about fourteen hundred years ago by the Qur’an, has now begun to dawn upon mankind.