وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَٰتِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ
Who is a greater wrongdoer than him who fabricates a lie against Allah, or denies His signs? Indeed the wrongdoers will not be felicitous.
وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوٓا۟ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآؤُكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ
On the day when We gather them all together, We shall say to those who ascribed partners [to Allah] ‘Where are your partners that you used to claim?’
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ وَٱللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ
Then their only excuse will be to say, ‘By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.’
ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
Look, how they forswear themselves, and what they used to fabricate has forsaken them!
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًۭا ۚ وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍۢ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهَا ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوكَ يُجَٰدِلُونَكَ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّآ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
There are some of them who prick up their ears at you, but We have cast veils on their hearts lest they should understand it, and a deafness into their ears; and though they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. When they come to you, to dispute with you, the faithless say, ‘These are nothing but myths of the ancients.’
وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْـَٔوْنَ عَنْهُ ۖ وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
They dissuade [others] from [following] him, and [themselves] avoid him; yet they destroy no one except themselves, but they are not aware.
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَقَالُوا۟ يَٰلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Were you to see when they are brought to a halt by the Fire, whereupon they will say, ‘If only we were sent back [into the world]! Then we will not deny the signs of our Lord, and we will be among the faithful!’
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَوْ رُدُّوا۟ لَعَادُوا۟ لِمَا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ
Indeed, what they used to hide before has now become evident to them. But were they to be sent back they would revert to what they were forbidden, and they are indeed liars.
وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ
They say, ‘There is nothing but our life of this world, and we shall not be resurrected.’
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ هَٰذَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّنَا ۚ قَالَ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
Were you to see when they are brought to a halt before their Lord. He will say, ‘Is this not a fact?’ They will say, ‘Yes, by our Lord!’ He will say, ‘So taste the punishment because of what you used to deny.’
قَدْ خَسِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِلِقَآءِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةًۭ قَالُوا۟ يَٰحَسْرَتَنَا عَلَىٰ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِيهَا وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِمْ ۚ أَلَا سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ
They are certainly losers who deny the encounter with Allah. When the Hour overtakes them suddenly, they will say, ‘Alas for us, for what we neglected in it!’ And they will bear their burdens on their backs. Look! Evil is what they bear!
وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
The life of the world is nothing but play and diversion, and the abode of the Hereafter is surely better for those who are Godwary. Do you not exercise your reason?
قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيَحْزُنُكَ ٱلَّذِى يَقُولُونَ ۖ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ
We certainly know that what they say grieves you. Yet it is not you that they deny, but it is Allah’s signs that the wrongdoers impugn.
وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌۭ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا كُذِّبُوا۟ وَأُوذُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَىٰهُمْ نَصْرُنَا ۚ وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِى۟ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
Apostles were certainly denied before you, yet they patiently bore being denied and tormented until Our help came to them. Nothing can change the words of Allah, and there have certainly come to you some of the accounts of the apostles.
وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِىَ نَفَقًۭا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًۭا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَأْتِيَهُم بِـَٔايَةٍۢ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ ۚ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِينَ
And should their aversion be hard on you, find, if you can, a tunnel into the ground, or a ladder into sky, that you may bring them a sign. Had Allah wished, He would have brought them together on guidance. So do not be one of the ignorant.
۞ إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ ۘ وَٱلْمَوْتَىٰ يَبْعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
Only those who listen will respond [to you]. As for the dead, Allah will resurrect them, then they will be brought back to Him.
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۚ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُنَزِّلَ ءَايَةًۭ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
They say, ‘Why has not a sign been sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say, ‘Allah is indeed able to send down a sign,’ but most of them do not know.
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَٰٓئِرٍۢ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
There is no animal on land, nor a bird that flies with its wings, but they are communities like yourselves. We have not omitted anything from the Book. Then they will be mustered toward their Lord.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا صُمٌّۭ وَبُكْمٌۭ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ ۗ مَن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ
Those who deny Our signs are deaf and dumb, in a manifold darkness. Allah leads astray whomever He wishes, and whomever He wishes He puts him on a straight path.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَىٰكُمْ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ أَتَتْكُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
Say, ‘Tell me, should Allah’s punishment overtake you, or should the Hour overtake you, will you supplicate anyone other than Allah, should you be truthful?
بَلْ إِيَّاهُ تَدْعُونَ فَيَكْشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِن شَآءَ وَتَنسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ
No, Him you will supplicate, and He will remove that for which you supplicated Him, if He wishes, and you will forget what you ascribe [to Him] as [His] partners.’
English translation: Ali Quli Qarai
Sources present: Ṭabarsī, Majmaʿ al-Bayān [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan]; Ṭūsī, al-Tibyān [tusi_al_tibyan]; Baḥrānī, al-Burhān [bahrani_al_burhan]; al-Qummī [qummi]; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān [tabatabai_al_mizan]; An Enlightening Commentary [enlightening_commentary]. All six present.
This passage indicts the polytheists on the three fundamentals — God's oneness, prophethood, and resurrection — and stages their exposure at the Judgment. It opens with "who is more unjust than one who forges a lie against God" (6:21), depicts their futile denial when mustered (6:22–24), explains the veiling of hearts that refuse the Qurʾān (6:25–26), portrays their longing to return from the Fire (6:27–31), contrasts this world's play with the Hereafter (6:32), consoles the Prophet against their rejection (6:33–37), and affirms God's all-embracing knowledge and sole lordship in distress (6:38–41).
1. The wrongdoer and the Judgment plea (6:21–24). All read the gravest injustice as lying against God and belying His signs. [tabatabai_al_mizan] frames injustice as deviation from the just mean, magnified by the rank of its victim — none higher than God; [enlightening_commentary] stresses "cultural" injustice (barring people from truth) and counts among polytheists those who oppose God's friends. On the plea "we were not polytheists" (6:23), [bahrani_al_burhan] adds the Imāmī gloss "of the walāya of ʿAlī" and ʿAlī's reconciliation of the Judgment-Day "speech" verses through its many stations.
2. Veiled hearts and "tales of the ancients" (6:25–26). [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] supplies the occasion (al-Naḍr b. al-Ḥārith) and, with [tusi_al_tibyan], explains the "coverings" without negating responsibility (sleep cast on them, punitive sealing, or metaphor — cf. 2:7); [qummi] glosses them as "a veil" and "deafness." On "they forbid and keep away," a notable convergence appears: [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] and [tusi_al_tibyan] reject reading the verse as a condemnation of Abū Ṭālib and affirm his faith from his poetry, while [bahrani_al_burhan] and [qummi] read it of Banū Hāshim protecting the Prophet — both currents resisting any slight to the Prophet's clan.
3. Longing to return from the Fire (6:27–31). All depict the wish "would that we were sent back." [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] and [tusi_al_tibyan] draw the anti-determinist point that the wish presupposes power before the act, and that "were they returned they would revert" shows their fixed state; [bahrani_al_burhan] and [qummi] specify Banū Umayya and "enmity toward the Commander of the Faithful" as "what they concealed," with al-ʿAyyāshī's parable of the primordial covenant. [tabatabai_al_mizan] reads the sequence as their self-recompense — forging a lie even against their own souls.
4. Consolation of the Prophet (6:32–37). All gloss "they do not belie you, but the wrongdoers reject God's signs" (6:33), giving the two readings; the four Arabic sources preserve ʿAlī's lighter reading ("they cannot refute your truth"), and [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] cites Abū Jahl's admission. [bahrani_al_burhan] adds al-Ṣādiq's counsel of patience. On 6:35–37, [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan], [tusi_al_tibyan], [tabatabai_al_mizan] and [enlightening_commentary] converge on the grace–free-will principle: God could compel guidance but that would void the reward sought through accountability; [bahrani_al_burhan] attaches the end-time signs (the Beast, the Dajjāl, the descent of Jesus, the sun from the west).
5. Communities like you and sole lordship (6:38–41). All take "they are communities like you" as ordered species under one Sustainer, gathered to God; [tusi_al_tibyan], [bahrani_al_burhan] and [qummi] gloss "We have neglected nothing in the Book" as the completeness of the rulings and human need (Qurʾān, or the Preserved Tablet). On 6:40–41 all note that in real distress the idolaters call on God alone.
[bahrani_al_burhan] alone carries ʿAlī's harmonization of the Judgment-Day speech verses and the dharr-covenant parable; [tabatabai_al_mizan] supplies the analytic definition of injustice and the structural reading of the passage as the polytheists' self-recompense; [enlightening_commentary] foregrounds cultural injustice and the ethic of intellect; the classical pair [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] and [tusi_al_tibyan] carry the qirāʾāt, the luṭf theology, and the defense of Abū Ṭālib. No source is silent for this passage.