إِنَّ المُجرِمينَ في ضَلالٍ وَسُعُرٍ

Indeed the guilty are in error and madness.

EXEGESIS

The guilty could be a general reference to all those who stubbornly reject the signs of Allah or it could possibly refer to all sinners, including those who have faith but commit grave sins.

Ḍalāl (error) is the opposite of guidance; fī ḍalālin means astray from their course. As to what exactly they are astray from, it could be referring to paradise or the truth.[1] Those who take the former interpretation say both qualifiers are referring to the Day of Judgement, whilst those who take the latter say that they are in error in this world and in the fire in the hereafter.[2] Some have said that ḍalāl also can mean to be in a loss, and thus in the context of the Day of Judgement it makes more sense to say that the guilty ones shall be in a loss.[3] This meaning may be more appropriate considering the next verse which can be a time adverb for this verse.

Suʿur (madness): as indicated in verse 24, this can be the plural of saʿīr, which means raging fire.[4] This meaning seems more appropriate in this context as the verse, in light of the previous and forthcoming verses, is discussing the state of the deniers on the Day of Judgement. According to some narrations, suʿur is the name of one of the deep valleys in the fire of hell.[5] Others have suggested that suʿur means madness.[6] Perhaps this madness can be explained by their constant doubting and being confused about the truth.[7]

EXPOSITION

This verse can be considered as giving a reason for why the hour will be most calamitous and bitter (verse 46). The meaning would thus be that the Day of Judgement is most calamitous and bitter for the deniers because they would be from the guilty ones who would be astray from paradise, which is the abode of felicity, and instead would be in the burning fire.[8]

This verse can also be a response to verse 24 whereby the people of Thamūd claimed that by following Prophet Ṣāliḥ (a) they would be in error and madness, or hellfire, depending upon the chosen translation of suʿur.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some have understood ḍalāl to mean destruction by being killed in this world.[9]

[1] Tibyan, 9/460; Tabrisi, 9/294.
[2] Safi, 5/104; Abu al-Futuh, 18/231.
[3] Ibn Ashur, 27/203.
[4] Mizan, 19/85.
[5] Qummi, 2/342.
[6] Muhit, 10/48.
[7] Ibn Kathir, 7/446.
[8] Mizan, 19/85.
[9] Jalalayn, 1/533.