Chapter 104 - Al-Humazah
We have inherited a commonplace translation of this Chapter too which, by suggesting some unidentifiable characters in an abstract way, tries to protect a particular segment of society from being exposed as God’s direct target of wrath and sentence whom God has categorically condemned. This is a part of the organized distortion campaign against the Quran’s philosophy which is now exposed hereunder.
Since God is issuing His injunctions explicitly against society’s arrogant capitalist despots in a purely class paradigm, therefore, this Chapter represents a universal truth in its beautiful literary style of narration. Hence, instead of sidetracking the target class of the Quran’s severe admonition, effort is made to present this strict and pure translation in keeping with the true essence and in the real direction of the Quran’s verdict, without resorting to the addition of a single word from an external source. Please study it in comparison with its old traditional translations and enlighten your hearts and minds with the light of the Quran’s great noble values and goals.
وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ ﴿١﴾ الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ ﴿٢﴾ يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ ﴿٣﴾ كَلَّا ۖ لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ ﴿٤﴾ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ ﴿٥﴾ نَارُ اللَّـهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ ﴿٦﴾ الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ ﴿٧﴾إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌ ﴿٨﴾ فِي عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةٍ ﴿٩﴾
Transliteration: “Wayilun li-kulli humazatin lumazatin; allazi jama’a maalan wa ‘addada-hu; yahsubu an maala-hu akhlada-hu. Kalla. La-yumbazanna fi al-hutamah; Wa maa adrakka maa al-Hutamah; Naarullahi al-mu’qadah; allati tattali’u ‘ala al-af’idah; Inna-ha ‘alyi-him mu’sadah; fi ‘amadin mumaddadah.”
A specimen of traditional Translations:
“WOE unto every slanderer, fault-finder! [Woe unto him who amasses wealth and counts it a safeguard, thinking that his wealth will make him live forever! Nay, but [in the life to come such as] he shall indeed be abandoned to crushing torment! And what could make thee conceive what that crushing torment will be A fire kindled by God, which will rise over the [guilty] hearts: verily, it will close in upon them in endless columns!”
The latest academic and rational Translation:
104:1-9(52) Punishable is every one of that contemptuous capitalist class who is involved in slandering, vilification and blaming the ordinary folks, and who has amassed fortunes and keep growing it further. They presume that their wealth would grant their arrogance infinity. It never happens that way. They would definitely be cast into a fire that suppresses all rage and fury. And what awareness you have of that suppressing torment? That’s a fire raised by God which targets and burns minds and consciousness (al-af’idah – الافئدۃ). That fire is going to burn that class of people perpetually (Mosadah – موصدۃ) , in a lofty closed structure (prison) spread over long distances (‘amadin mumaddadah – عمد ممددۃ ).
Ayn-Miim-Dal = to intend, support, place columns or pillars, place lofty structure, prop up, resolve, aim, direct, propose, commit (a sin intentionally), lofty structure, tent, pole, base, chief.
Miim-Dal-Dal = to draw a thing (namely a rope), pull a thing, stretch a thing, strain a thing, extend by drawing or pulling, stretch forth, to prolong, expand/elongate/lengthen a thing, spread or spread out, delay or defer a thing, continue a thing, to help or aid someone, to advance, to increase, to supply ink (put ink into a thing), apply ink to a thing, manure land (with dung).