ذٰلِكَ جَزاؤُهُم جَهَنَّمُ بِما كَفَروا وَاتَّخَذوا آياتي وَرُسُلي هُزُوًا

That is their requital – hell – because of their faithlessness and taking My signs and My apostles in derision.

EXEGESIS

Dhālika (that) is the beginning (mubtadaʾ) of a nominal sentence and jahannam (hell) is its predicate (khabar),^{‎[1]Qurtubi, 11/67; Muhit, 7/231.} which would equate to the meaning chosen in the translation: That is their requital – hell.

Another possibility is that the word That may be referring to what preceded about their actions failing, meaning ‘that is as we described’ (al-amru dhālika), and the next phrase, jazāʾuhum jahannam, is a new sentence that can be translated as ‘hell is their requital’.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 7/98; Tabrisi, 6/767; Baghawi, 3/221; Razi, 21/502; Alusi, 8/369; Mizan, 13/400-401.}

Kafarū (faithlessness) comes from kufr, which was translated as deny in the previous verse and the meaning of which was discussed there.

Huzuwan (derision) meaning to mock,^{‎[3]Tibyan, 7/98.} and their mockery was discussed in verse 56.

EXPOSITION

That is their requital – hell: this is the third^{‎[4]Verses 100 and 102 being the previous ones.} time that hell (jahannam) is mentioned as a requital for the people of kufr in the closing verses of the surah. This is to emphasise both the certainty of the outcome of kufr as well as the connection between the two.

Because of their faithlessness: the lack of scales being set up for them is not unfair, but rather a requital of what they wrought upon themselves.^{‎[5]Sharawi, p. 9005.} While the previous verse spoke of their kufr this verse mentions that in addition to denying, they were also guilty of deriding the signs of God: and taking My signs and My apostles in derision.

We discussed the possible meanings of signs in the previous verse. As for deriding the signs mentioned in this verse, it does not necessarily only mean to ridicule them in their speech – although it may very well include that – but it can also be an attitude of discounting it as meaningless nonsense, which is also a type of derision.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.^{‎[6]Galatians 6:7.}
2. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.^{‎[7]2 Chronicles 36:16.}
3. How long will the enemy mock you, God? Will the foe revile your name forever? … Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord, how foolish people have reviled your name.^{‎[8]Psalms 74:10, 18}

[1] Qurtubi, 11/67; Muhit, 7/231.
[2] Tibyan, 7/98; Tabrisi, 6/767; Baghawi, 3/221; Razi, 21/502; Alusi, 8/369; Mizan, 13/400-401.
[3] Tibyan, 7/98.
[4] Verses 100 and 102 being the previous ones.
[5] Sharawi, p. 9005.
[6] Galatians 6:7.
[7] 2 Chronicles 36:16.
[8] Psalms 74:10, 18.