Interpretation of Fortress 104 (Self-indulger)
I seek refuge in God from the cursed Satan
In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful
1. ((Woe to every traducer and gossipmonger)).
2. ((Who amasses riches and hoards them)).
3. ((Thinking that his riches will make him last forever)) !
4. ((By no means! He will most certainly be flung into the destroyer)).
5. ((What will enable you to perceive what the destroyer is)) ?
6. ((It is the kindled Fire of Al’lah)),
7. ((Which penetrates deep into hearts;))
8. ((Surely it will be closed upon them)).
9. ((In columns outstretched)).
§§§§§
The previous Fortress has revealed what happened to the army of the elephant, who took the actions that they took motivated by the desire to obtain money in order to enjoy the worldly life.
This current noble Fortress shows us that a person who likes the worldly life and who is engaged in amassing riches will be on the receiving end of woe and destruction, and they will get nothing but fire in the hereafter. God says:
1. ((Woe to every traducer and gossipmonger))
((Woe)): this is when someone is afflicted with evil and destruction, making them woeful and agonized, even if they have amassed great riches or have huge influence and power.
However, who is it that will suffer this woe?
The Almighty explains this by saying: ((to every traducer and gossipmonger.))
Who is the ((traducer)) ? In Arabic, the ‘traducer’ is ‘Humazah’, which is derived from a root word that signifies prodding and pushing. It can be applied to the act of spurring a horse. When applied to humanity, ‘Humazah’ refers to a person who prods his spirit to sink into love for the worldly life. They seek the false garnish of this world, just as the spur sinks into the belly of the horse.
As for the ((gossipmonger)), which is ‘Lumazah’ in Arabic, it applies to a person who carps at others. Describing such people, God says: ((Those who carp at those of the believers who give voluntarily for God’s Sake, and those who can find nothing to give except the fruits of their labour: so they scoff at them; Al’lah causes their scoffing to rebound on themselves, and for them there is a painful torment)) [1]
However, in this Verse the ((gossipmonger)) is not meant to be the person who carps at people, disclosing their faults; instead it refers to the person who carps at themselves through the stinginess, miserliness, oppression, envy and other spiritual faults which they fasten to their own spirit. These are all faults which arise from loving this lower life.
In short, what we understand from this Verse is that the ((traducer)) –who becomes immersed in loving this life– and the ((gossipmonger)) –who brings faults upon themselves– will both be afflicted with destruction, evil and disaster.
The next Verse; gives more details as regards the ‘Humazah’ and ‘Lumazah’. He (Glory to Him) says:
2. ((Who amasses riches and hoards them)).
The phrase ((hoards them (riches))) means to make them a provision for living. Thus, one of the characteristics of a person who is immersed in love for this lower life is to amass money and hoard it, all the while thinking that they have ensured a comfortable life and perpetual happiness for themselves.
Yet, the Almighty told them otherwise, saying:
3. ((Thinking that his riches will make him last forever)) !
In this Verse, there is a scolding and a warning for this person. It poses the question: does this person think that their money will make them last forever, so that they will not meet death?
The Almighty presents the end of this unfortunate person after their death, saying:
4 ((By no means! He will most certainly be flung into the destroyer)).
((By no means)) in Arabic is ((Kalla)), which is a word of deterrence. This Verse means that things will not go as this inattentive person –who relies on this lower life– supposes; their money does not make them immortal, and there is no doubt that they shall be flung to the destroyer.
The destroyer indicates everything vehement which weakens and destroys people.
This Verse tells us that this person will be thrown into what will destroy them.
Then, the Almighty clarifies the great significance of this destroyer, saying:
5. ((What will enable you to perceive what the destroyer is)) ?
You do not know what the destroyer is. If you knew what it was, you would have not been engaged in this life or applied yourself so eagerly to the love of this life.
The Almighty explains the destroyer by saying:
6. ((It is the kindled Fire of Al’lah)).
The destroyer is the Fire of Al’lah, and the Almighty has ascribed it to Himself so as to demonstrate its power.
The ((kindled)) refers to what is burning and flaming. God revealed its action, saying:
7 ((Which penetrates deep into hearts;))
That is, the cores of spirits.
The burning of this fire will be directed towards the core of the spirit and poured upon it.
The Almighty showed the great heat and burning of this Fire from which those dirty spirits will suffer when He says:
8. ((Surely it will be closed upon them)).
This Fire will be closed upon those spirits; that is, it will envelop and will surround them on all sides.
Showing how the Fire will pour down upon those spirits, God says:
9. ((In columns outstretched)).
The word ((columns)) indicates everything that is in a straight line.
For example, a goldsmith directs the flame of the fire over the jewel as he shapes it, because its straightness increases its burning and its effect.
The word ((columns)) comes in the plural to reveal that this Fire will be outstretched and directed towards these spirits on many sides, and thereby it will hit them on all sides so that they will not find any way to escape.
We seek refuge in God from the love of this lower life, so that this Fire will not be a requisite for our own treatment.