Memorize Surah al-Mulk Ramadan 2021 | Verse 9

Verse 9: They will reply, “Yes, a warner did come to us, but we denied and said, ‘Allah has revealed nothing. You are extremely astray.’”

Just as a reminder, in the last verse we are told that whenever a group of non-believers is thrown into the Fire, the Keepers of Hell will ask them, “Didn’t a warner come to you?” Didn’t a Prophet or Messenger come to you warning you about the consequences of disbelief? Weren’t you warned about the Day of Judgment? Accountability? Punishment? Hellfire? It is clear that the question is meant as a rebuke. Nothing causes more pain to a person in distress more than a rebuke.

The non-believers will answer in all honesty and humility and say of course! A messenger from Allah ﷻ came to us, warned us, and scared us regarding this day and the punishment. The warner came and gave us a heads up regarding life after death, judgment, punishment, and hell. But we opposed, rejected, denied, and belied the warner. We refused to believe in him and we refused to believe in resurrection, life after death, and punishment. Instead of believing him we told him that Allah ﷻ didn’t send anything down to you; He ﷻ hasn’t revealed anything to you.

You didn’t receive any revelation regarding the unseen or the hereafter. You are making all of this stuff up and fabricating tales and stories. In simpler words, they called the Messenger a liar.

They even had the audacity to claim that the Messengers were completely wrong; that the warner was in great error and had strayed from the right path.

When they’ve been thrown into the hellfire they will confess and acknowledge that they belied the Messenger. They will humble themselves and acknowledge their mistakes, but it will already be too late. This is very similar to what Allah ﷻ says in Surah al-Zumar,

وَسِيقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوهَا فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَٰبُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌۭ مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكُمْ وَيُنذِرُونَكُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَـٰذَا ۚ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِنْ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَةُ ٱلْعَذَابِ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

“Those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in ˹successive˺ groups. When they arrive there, its gates will be opened and its keepers will ask them: “Did messengers not come to you from among yourselves, reciting to you the revelations of your Lord and warning you of the coming of this Day of yours?” The disbelievers will cry, “Yes ˹indeed˺! But the decree of torment has come to pass against the disbelievers.”

This verse also serves as another irrefutable and undeniable proof of the justice and mercy of Allah ﷻ. He doesn’t punish anyone until proof has been established against them and a Messenger has been sent to them. As Allah ﷻ says, “And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning).”

وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًۭا

They will also confess and acknowledge their ignorance. They will have no one to blame but themselves and they will feel a sense of regret and remorse when feeling regret and remorse will be of no use.