إِنَّ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن أَهلِ الكِتابِ وَالمُشرِكينَ في نارِ جَهَنَّمَ خالِدينَ فيها ۚ أُولٰئِكَ هُم شَرُّ البَرِيَّةِ
Indeed the faithless from among the People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the fire of hell, to remain in it [forever]. It is they who are the worst of creatures.
EXEGESIS
Bariyyah (creatures) is from the root baraʾa, meaning to create or bring into existence from scratch or nothing. It also means to become distinct or separate. The concept of bariyyah meaning creatures relates to the notion that God has created different beings in distinct and diverse forms. The expression baraʾa allāhu al-khalq, means that God has created, in a variety of forms. A similar meaning is found in the verses, but it is in a book before We bring it about (nabraʾahā) (57:22), and, Now turn penitently to your Maker (bāriʾ) (2:54).
Note though that the hamzah in bariyyah has been dropped, similar to words such as nabī (which comes from nabaʾ). Because of the dropped hamzah, some have claimed that bariyyah comes from barī, meaning dust (turāb), however this is not correct.
The usage of the term bariyyah here instead of for example dawābb is interesting, as we have in Indeed the worst of beasts (dawābb) in Allah’s sight are the deaf and the dumb who do not apply reason (8:22). The term bariyyah is most fitting since the surah began with talking about the disbelievers becoming distinct and separating themselves.
EXPOSITION
Indeed the faithless from among the People of the Book and the polytheists – those who have rejected the proof that has come to them – will be in the fire of hell. This sentence in Arabic is actually a nominal sentence (jumlah ismiyyah), literally translating as ‘are in the fire of hell’. It intends that they will enter it on the Day of Judgement, however it is phrased in this way to emphasise the certainty of this happening. It could also be a subtle hint at how their current existence of denial and sin is already a type of hellish existence. Hell is not simply a destination, it is the state of alienation from God and His grace, They ask you to hasten the punishment, and indeed hell will besiege the faithless (29:54).
To remain in it [forever]: for an eternal punishment. In the hereafter there will be no more death, so they cannot be released from hell’s punishment by it, Then he will neither live in it, nor die (87:13). Note that there is no mention of abadan (forever) in this verse, compared to verse 8. This can be taken as a hint to the fact that anyone who enters heaven will stay in there for eternity, while some of those who enter hell may after some period of time, whether long or so exceedingly long that it feels like an eternity, eventually come out. There are also many reports that indicate this release from hell will happen through intercession of the Prophet. For the full discussion on this issue, see the commentary on verses 11:107-108.
In brief though, there are two types of people who enter hell. Some are those who can be redeemed, and after being punished for their misdeeds, the torture of hell will gradually allow them to realise that the attitudes and beliefs they had etched into their souls are mistaken. These types of people can eventually be released from hell and reintegrated with the rest of creation in a manner where they can coexist with them harmoniously. The other type are those whose pride and other vices are immutably engrained in their being and therefore they can never be released from the punishment of hell.
It is they who are the worst of creatures: perhaps one may ask: is the kāfir who rejects the divine proof really the worst of creatures, worse than all those vile criminals that gleefully commit evil acts such as murder, pillage, torture, and suchlike? This verse gives that an unequivocally affirmative answer. First of all, most of those vile criminals are also kuffār – people who have rejected all reminders and invitations to righteousness. Secondly, when one truly rejects divine proof, he knowingly rebels against the command of his Lord, and in this case even the smallest act of disobedience is damning, since it is rooted in that attitude of rebellion. The disobedience of Iblīs was simply to refuse one prostration, yet since it was rooted in that rebellious attitude, it damned him to eternal hell. Furthermore, like in the case of Iblīs, this initial act of disobedience is rarely the only one, but rather opens the way to repeated and constant rebellion against God’s commands. Because of this, it is important to remember to never belittle an act of disobedience. If it is done with the attitude of wilful rebellion against the divine command, it causes endless havoc on a person’s soul; as is reported from Imam Ali (a): ‘The most severe of sins is the one which is trivialised by its perpetrator.’
This verse and the next also tell us of the vast potential of the human being, who can be either the worst in creation or the best. The human being has been given immense potential, and if he fulfils it, he can rise to the highest station, even soaring above the angels. Whereas one who chooses to squander that potential and simply live as a servant to his desires and vanities, will be the worst in creation, the lowest of the low. A person that embraces the animalistic side will be even worse than an animal, because he had the rationality and potential to be so much more, Certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and humans: they have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless (7:179).
Since the context of the surah is an address to the People of the Book, it is safe to also understand that this verse is a reply to those from amongst them who claimed that they are the best in God’s creation or His chosen people. Superiority with God is not determined by ethnicity or any other grouping, but only on the basis of faith and good deeds.
[1] Tahqiq, 1/260.
[2] Bahrayn, 1/48, b-r-ʾ.
[3] Tibyan, 10/390; Tabari, 30/170.
[4] Razi, 32/247.
[5] Tantawi, 15/473. Related in Tibyan, 10/390; Tabari, 30/170.
[6] Razi, 32/247.
[7] See Alusi, 15/429.
[8] Once again in Arabic the sentence is a nominal sentence, and the future tense is the interpretation added by the translator. The verse could also be understood to mean that hell is already surrounding them, especially considering the next verse, On the day when the punishment envelopes them (29:55).
[9] Tibyan, 10/390; Tabrisi, 10/795; Tabari, 30/170.
[10] Nahj, saying 348.
[11] See Alusi, 15/431.