Quran Universe
44:49

ذُقۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡكَرِيمُ

Thuq innaka anta alAAazeezu alkareemu

[It will be said], "Taste! Indeed, you are the honored, the noble!

Word by word
  1. ذُقۡTaste
  2. إِنَّكَIndeed,you
  3. أَنتَ[you] (were)
  4. ٱلۡعَزِيزُthe mighty
  5. ٱلۡكَرِيمُthe noble
Ad-Dukhan · 44:49Makkah

Taste it, you who thought yourself mighty and noble.

The status he claimed, said back to him

What he claimed
mightyno one can touch me
nobleI am generous, honoured
said back as
rebukeyou were neither
Status here and there
my titlerespected, important
my deedsthe only rank that lasts

The keepers of Hell say this by way of ridicule and rebuke. Ibn Abbas said it means: you are neither mighty nor generous. The titles he carried in this world are handed back to him empty.

The job title on your email signature. The family name people respect. The way the room quiets when you speak. None of these titles is checked on the Day. Only what you did is.

My standing among people says something about my worth.

Titles end at the grave. My deeds are my only rank.

Try this

Do one humble task today you would normally leave to someone else.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 44:43)

Verily, the tree of Zaqqu (43)Will be the food of the sinners (44)Like boiling oil, it will boil in the bellies (45)Like the boiling of scalding water (46)(It will be said:) "Seize him and drag him into the midst of blazing Fire, (47)"Then pour over his head the torment of boiling water. (48)"Taste you (this)! Verily, you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous. (49)"Verily, this is that whereof you used to doubt! (50)

The Condition of the Idolators and Their Punishment on the Day of Resurrection

Allah tells us how He will punish the disbelievers who deny the meeting with Him:

إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ الزَّقُّومِ - طَعَامُ الْأَثِيمِ

(Verily, the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the sinners.) Those who sinned by their words and in deeds. These are the disbelievers. More than one commentator stated that this referred to Abu Jahl; undoubtedly he is included among those referred to in this Ayah, but it is not specifically about him. Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Ad-Darda' was reciting to a man:

إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ الزَّقُّومِ - طَعَامُ الْأَثِيمِ

(Verily, the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the sinners.) The man said, "The food of the orphan." Abu Ad-Darda', may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Say, the tree of Zaqqum is the food of the evildoer." i.e., he will not have any other food apart from that. Mujahid said, "If a drop of it were to fall on the earth, it would corrupt the living of all the people of earth." A similar Marfu' report has been narrated earlier.

كَالْمُهْلِ 

(Like boiling oil,) means, like the dregs of oil.

يَغْلِي فِي الْبُطُونِ - كَغَلْيِ الْحَمِيمِ

(it will boil in the bellies, like the boiling of scalding water.) means, because of its heat and rancidity.

خُذُوهُ

(Seize him) means the disbeliever. It was reported that when Allah says to the keepers of Hell, "Seize him," seventy thousand of them will rush to seize him.

فَاعْتِلُوهُ

(and drag him) means, drag him by pulling him and pushing him on his back. Mujahid said:

خُذُوهُ فَاعْتِلُوهُ

(Seize him and drag him) means, take him and push him.

 إِلَىٰ سَوَاءِ الْجَحِيمِ

(into the midst of blazing Fire.) means, into the middle of it.

ثُمَّ صُبُّوا فَوْقَ رَأْسِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْحَمِيمِ

(Then pour over his head the torment of boiling water.) This is like the Ayah:

يُصَبُّ مِنْ فَوْقِ رُءُوسِهِمُ الْحَمِيمُ - يُصْهَرُ بِهِ مَا فِي بُطُونِهِمْ وَالْجُلُودُ

(boiling water will be poured down over their heads. With it will melt what is within their bellies, as well as (their) skins.)(22:19-20). The angel will strike him with a hooked rod of iron and split his head open, then he will pour boiling water over his head. It will go down through his body, melting through his stomach and intestines, until it goes through his heels; may Allah protect us from that.

ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ 

(Taste you (this)! Verily, you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous.) means, they (the keepers of Hell) will say that to him by way of ridicule and rebuke. Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "This means, you are neither mighty nor generous." And Allah's saying:

إِنَّ هَٰذَا مَا كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تَمْتَرُونَ

(Verily, this is that whereof you used to doubt!) is like His saying:

يَوْمَ يُدَعُّونَ إِلَىٰ نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ دَعًّا - هَٰذِهِ النَّارُ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ - أَفَسِحْرٌ هَٰذَا أَمْ أَنْتُمْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ

(The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing. This is the Fire which you used to deny. Is this magic, or do you not see?)(52: 13-15) Similarly Allah said:

إِنَّ هَٰذَا مَا كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تَمْتَرُونَ

(Verily, this is that where of you used to doubt!)