فَبَشِّرهُم بِعَذابٍ أَليمٍ

إِلَّا الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ لَهُم أَجرٌ غَيرُ مَمنونٍ

So warn them of a painful punishment,

except such as are faithful and do righteous deeds: there will be an everlasting reward for them.

EXEGESIS

Bashshirhum (warn them) is the imperative of bashshara, meaning to give someone good news. The usage here is ironical, as telling someone that they will face a painful divine punishment is anything but good news.

Ghayr mamnūn (everlasting): mamnūn is derived from the verb manna, which refers to bestowing a specific and special blessing for a determined term. When used with the negation ghayr, it means a blessing that does not have such a specified term or limitation.^{‎[1]Tahqiq, 11/198-200, m-n-n.} In other words, a blessing that will never be cut off or taken away.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 10/314; Thalabi, 10/163.}

EXPOSITION

The surah closes with these two remarks, once again reminding that every effort of man, every step he takes, and every action he commits, will have consequences in the hereafter. These consequences are not only severe, but also everlasting, and the importance of such a matter cannot be overstated. The faithless who have denied God’s message are warned of a painful punishment and informed that the only way to avoid that is by believing and doing righteous deeds.

There will be an everlasting reward for them: the blessings provided to the faithful in paradise by God are everlasting and never ceasing: They will remain in it for as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord may wish; an endless bounty (11:108). Mann is also used in the meaning of impressing favour upon someone; this meaning is used in the verse, Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah and then do not follow up what they have spent with reproaches (mann) and affronts (2:262). Some exegetes have pointed out that ghayr mamnūn could mean a reward that is not accompanied by any such impressing of favour, and can thus be enjoyed thoroughly and without any lingering emotional anxiety.^{‎[3]Razi, 31/105; related in Tibyan, 10/314.} Ibn Kathīr mentions that many have seen this opinion as invalid, saying that in fact no one earns paradise through their actions, and it is only through God’s favour that they enter it, and thus They will say: ‘All praise belongs to Allah, who guided us to this. We would have never been guided had not Allah guided us’ (7:43).^{‎[4]Ibn Kathir, 8/356.} While that is true, to remember to be thankful for the blessings of God, and the meaning of impressing favour as implied by such a connotation of mann, are two very different things.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. ‘And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’^{‎[5]Matthew 25:46.}
2. ‘And He “will render to every man according to his deeds.” To those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality will be eternal life.’^{‎[6]Romans 2:6-7.}

[1] Tahqiq, 11/198-200, m-n-n.
[2] Tibyan, 10/314; Thalabi, 10/163.
[3] Razi, 31/105; related in Tibyan, 10/314.
[4] Ibn Kathir, 8/356.
[5] Matthew 25:46.
[6] Romans 2:6-7.