Surah Al-Humazah 104:8
سُورَةُ الهُمَزَةِ · Meccan · Verse 8 of 9
إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌۭ
Translation
It closes in on them
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse, "إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌۭ" (Indeed, it will be closed upon them), paints a stark picture of the fate awaiting those who indulged in backbiting, slandering, and hoarding wealth. It calls us to deeply consider the nature of their confinement in the Hereafter.
The Unyielding Seal
The core of this verse lies in the word "مُؤْصَدَةٌ" (mu'sadah), which means "closed" or "sealed." But it's not just any closing. As scholars like al-Razi explain, while "مطبقة" (mutbaqah) also means closed, "مؤصدة" specifically brings to mind doors that are completely shut. This isn't merely a general sealing; it implies a structured confinement with specific entry and exit points that are now definitively blocked. Ibn Ashur notes that it is derived from "أوصد" or "آصد," meaning to close a door absolutely, leaving no possibility of opening. This imagery vividly conveys the utter inescapability of the punishment. It is a closing that banishes any hope of release, echoing the state of prisoners for whom the prison doors are sealed.
Emphasizing Their Fate
The specific word order in the Arabic, "عليهم مؤصدة" (upon them, closed), also carries significant meaning. Al-Razi points out that placing "عليهم" (upon them) before "مؤصدة" (closed) highlights that their state of being confined is the *primary purpose* of this action. It's not just that the fire is closed; it's emphatically closed *upon them*, making their confinement the central, intended outcome. This grammatical choice intensifies the sense of targeted and inescapable doom for these specific individuals.
A Deeper Implication
When we reflect on this wording, we understand that the Fire, which will "overlook the hearts" (mentioned in the preceding verse), will not only penetrate their deepest being but also utterly contain them. The imagery of closed doors, reinforced by the descriptions of chains and fetters in the plain meaning (al-Muyassar), establishes a profound sense of finality. There is no reprieve, no exit, and no hope of escape once these doors are sealed. This deliberate choice of "مؤصدة" over a general term for 'closed' powerfully conveys the psychological torment of absolute, eternal imprisonment, denying even the faint possibility of freedom. It serves as a potent reminder of the irreversible consequences of heedlessness and transgression.
Sources: al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Humazah 104:8 is discussed in 3 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Humazah 104:8 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.