Surah 104. Al-Humazah

1.

WOE unto every slanderer, fault-finder!¹

Not available.

2.

[Woe unto him²] who amasses wealth and counts it a safeguard,

This repetitive interpolation is necessary because the blameworthy attitude spoken of in verses {2-3} obviously belongs to a category entirely different from the two mentioned in verse {1}.

3.

thinking that his wealth will make him live forever!³

This is a metonym for the tendency to attribute an almost "religious" value to the acquisition and possession of material goods and facilities - a tendency which precludes man from giving any real importance to spiritual considerations (cf. note [1] on 102:1 ). My rendering of 'addadahu in the preceding verse as "[he] counts it a safeguard" is based on Jawhari's explanation of this term.

4.

Nay, but [in the life to come such as] he shall indeed be abandoned to crushing torment!⁴

Al-hutamah - one of several metaphors for the otherworldly suffering comprised within the concept of "hell" (see note [33] on {15:43-44}.

5.

And what could make thee conceive what that crushing torment will be?

6.

A fire kindled by God,

7.

which will rise over the [guilty] hearts:⁵

I.e., originating in their hearts - thus clearly alluding to the spiritual nature of the "fire" in the sinners' belated realization of their guilt.

8.

verily, it will close in upon them

9.

in endless columns!⁶

Lit., "in extended columns", i.e., overwhelming with despair.