هَل ثُوِّبَ الكُفّارُ ما كانوا يَفعَلونَ

Have the faithless been requited for what they used to do?

EXEGESIS

Thuwwiba is in passive voice from thawb, which originally means returning; thawāb is used to describe the reward in general because a reward is a return based on actions.^{‎[1]Tabrisi, 10/691.}

EXPOSITION

Finally, both the believers and the disbelievers will face the outcomes of their actions. As a result, the believers will attain a high status in paradise, sitting on raised and decorated couches, observing divine justice being carried out.^{‎[2]Mizan, 20/240.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. It is narrated that Imam al-Bāqir (a) said: ‘God revealed in the context of measurement waylun lil-muṭaffifīn [verse 1], and He never used wayl for anyone until He named him kāfir, as God says: So woe to the faithless at the scene of a tremendous day [19:37].’^{‎[3]Kafi, 2/32.}

Note: There are different kinds of kufr (disbelief) as explained in a long and detailed narration attributed to Imam al-Ṣādiq (a): It is narrated that al-Zubayrī said: ‘I asked Imam al-Ṣādiq (a): “Tell me about the various kinds of disbelief (kufr) mentioned in the book of God, the all-mighty and great.” The lmam said: “Disbelief, according to the book of God, is of five types. There is the disbelief of denial, which is of two kinds: the disbelief by neglecting what God has ordered, the disbelief of disavowal, and ingratitude …”’^{‎[4]Kafi, 2/389.}

[1] Tabrisi, 10/691.
[2] Mizan, 20/240.
[3] Kafi, 2/32.
[4] Kafi, 2/389.