Certainly, We have brought to them a Book (the Qur'an) which We have explained in detail with knowledge, a guidance and a mercy to a people who believe (52)Await they just for the final fulfillment of the event? On the Day the event is finally fulfilled, those who neglected it before will say: "Verily, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth, now are there any intercessors for us that they might intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back (to the first life of the world) so that we might do (good) deeds other than those (evil) deeds which we used to do?" Verily, they have lost themselves and that which they used to fabricate has gone away from them (53)
The Idolators have no Excuse
Allah states that He has left no excuse for the idolators, for He has sent to them the Book that the Messenger ﷺ came with, and which is explained in detail,
كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ آيَاتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ
((This is) a Book, the Ayat whereof are perfected (in every sphere of knowledge), and then explained in detail )[11:1] Allah said next,
فَصَّلْنَاهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ
(We have explained in detail with knowledge) meaning, 'We have perfect knowledge of what We explained in it'. Allah said in another Ayah,
أَنزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ
(He has sent it down with His Knowledge,)[4:166]
The meaning here is that after Allah mentioned the loss the idolators end up with in the Hereafter, He stated that He has indeed sent Prophets and revealed Books in this life, thus leaving no excuse for them. Allah also said;
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًا
(And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning).)[17:15] This is why Allah said here,
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأْوِيلَهُ
(Await they just for the final fulfillment of the event) in reference to what they were promised of torment, punishment, the Fire; or Paradise, according to Mujahid and several others.
يَوْمَ يَأْتِي تَأْوِيلُهُ
(On the Day the event is finally fulfilled,) on the Day of Resurrection, according to Ibn 'Abbas,
يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ
(those who neglected it before will say) those who ignored it in this life and neglected abiding by its implications will say,
قَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَاءَ فَيَشْفَعُوا لَنَا
("Verily, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth, now are there any intercessors for us that they might intercede on our behalf?") so that we are saved from what we ended up in.
أَوْ نُرَدُّ
("Or could we be sent back"), to the first life,
فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ
("So that we might do (good) deeds other than those (evil) deeds which we used to do?"). This part of the Ayah is similar to Allah's statement,
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذْ وُقِفُوا عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُوا يَا لَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُوا يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَوْ رُدُّوا لَعَادُوا لِمَا نُهُوا عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
(If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!" Nay, it has become manifest to them what they had been concealing before. But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars)[6:27-28] Allah said here,
قَدْ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ
(Verily, they have lost themselves and that which they used to fabricate has gone away from them.) meaning, they destroyed themselves by entering the Fire for eternity,
وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ
(And that which they used to fabricate has gone away from them.)
What they used to worship instead of Allah abandoned them and will not intercede on their behalf, aid them or save them from their fate.
