Surah Al-Mulk 67:6
سُورَةُ المُلۡكِ · Meccan · Verse 6 of 30
وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
Translation
For those who defy their Lord We have prepared the torment of Hell: an evil destination.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'For those who disbelieve in their Lord is the punishment of Hell, a wretched destination.' Ibn Ashur notes this comes right after the devils are mentioned, to correct any thought that the fire is only for them: it is the end of everyone who turns from their Lord. And the word 'their Lord' (bi-Rabbihim) is pointed, the rejection is not of a stranger but of the very One who nurtures them. al-Biqa'i stresses the fire's strangeness: a punishment that never burns out, from which there is no exit and no hope. Ask yourself: disbelief here is described as ingratitude to a Rabb, a nurturer. Are there ways I turn from the very Hand that has been feeding me, and call it independence?
Grounded in classical tafsir: Ibn Ashur, al-Biqa'i, al-Saadi.
Wording
This verse opens with a stern warning, clearly identifying the recipients and their grim fate. Allah, the Exalted, is directly addressing "وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ" (and for those who disbelieve in their Lord), a universal condemnation encompassing all disbelievers, not just the devils mentioned in the previous verses, as scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi explain. The immediate situation is one of divine declaration of justice, laying out the consequences for rejecting their Creator.
A Clear Warning
The verse begins with the conjunction "وَلِلَّذِينَ" (and for those), which links it to prior verses but significantly expands the scope. Ibn Ashur notes this is a "tatmeem," a completion or supplement, ensuring that the warning of punishment is not misunderstood as exclusive to the devils. It applies broadly to "all idolaters/disbelievers," making the message universally applicable to anyone who rejects Allah.
The Weight of "Their Lord"
A subtle but powerful choice of wording is "بِرَبِّهِمْ" (in *their* Lord). It's not just "those who disbelieve in God" but specifically "those who disbelieve in *their Lord*." This personalizes the rejection. It highlights the profound ingratitude of disbelieving in the One who created them, sustains them, and has nurtured them. This precise phrasing underscores the sheer perversity of their disbelief.
The Arabic sentence structure itself carries emphasis. The phrase "لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ" (for those who disbelieve in their Lord) is placed at the beginning. Ibn Ashur points out that this "fronting" (taqdeem) highlights and gives prominence to the recipients of the punishment. It immediately centers the listener's attention on *who* will be punished, before even explicitly stating the nature of the punishment itself, making the warning feel very direct and inescapable for those described.
An Emphasis on the Destination
The consequence is then revealed: "عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ" (the torment of Hell). This clear, unambiguous statement is followed by "وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ" (and how evil a destination). The word "بِئْسَ" (bi'sa) is a verb of dispraise in Arabic, conveying extreme condemnation, similar to saying "how awful" or "how wretched." "المَصِيرُ" (al-maseer) means the ultimate destination, outcome, or return.
The Power of What's Unsaid
Significantly, the verse states "وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ" (and how evil a destination) without explicitly naming what "the destination" is. However, it's immediately understood from the context that it refers to Hell. This rhetorical device, known as omission or ellipsis (hadhf), intensifies the message. By leaving the object of dispraise unstated, the Quran allows the listener's mind to immediately and automatically fill in "Hell" as the only fitting, utterly terrible destination, making the condemnation more stark and impactful. Ibn Ashur and al-Jalalayn confirm that the omitted subject is indeed Hell itself, emphasizing its wretchedness without needing further words.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Mulk 67:6 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.