كَلّا إِنَّهُم عَن رَبِّهِم يَومَئِذٍ لَمَحجوبونَ

No indeed! They will be alienated from their Lord on that day.

EXPOSITION

This verse adds to the previous meanings aiming to deter the transgressors from committing sins. It informs them that the consequences of their actions will veil them from witnessing the manifestation of God and prevent them from attaining closeness to Him or receiving His mercy on the Day of Judgement.^{‎[1]Mizan, 20/234.}

Being veiled from their Lord is the most severe punishment that the fujjār will face. Similarly, the close proximity to God is the most esteemed reward the pious will gain as indicated by the next set of verses (18-28).^{‎[2]Amthal, 20/28.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn al-Faḍḍāl narrated that his father said: ‘I asked al-Riḍā (a) about the words of God, the all-mighty, No indeed! They will be alienated from their Lord on that day, so he said: “Surely God, the all-mighty, cannot be described by a place [where] in which He would be so that He would be veiled from His servants. However, it means that they would be veiled from the rewards of their Lord.”’^{‎[3]Uyun, 1/125, h. 19.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

There are different opinions about what alienated (maḥjūbūn) means. Rāzī and Asharite scholars argued that it means being veiled from seeing God.^{‎[4]Razi, 31/89.} This is because Asharites believe that the believers will see God on the Day of Judgement. However, the apparent meaning of the verse does not support that.

Mutazilite commentators on the other hand reject that the verse indicates seeing God. Hence, they have provided different explanations for alienated. Jubbāʾī and al-Qāḍī ʿAbd al-Jabbār have said that it means they are prevented from attaining the mercy of God; Abū Muslim has said it means casted away and not accepted by God; and Zamakhsharī believes it is used to humiliate them.^{‎[5]Razi, 31/89.}

Shia scholars agree with the Mutazilites in this subject and believe that it is impossible to see God physically on the Day of Judgement, and they have provided similar meanings to maḥjūbūn as presented in the Exposition.

[1] Mizan, 20/234.
[2] Amthal, 20/28.
[3] Uyun, 1/125, h. 19.
[4] Razi, 31/89.
[5] Razi, 31/89.