Overview (Verses 26 - 29)

Killing an Innocent Man
 
The drift of the story suggests that the unbelievers then killed the man. The sūrah, however, does not mention this clearly. Instead, it lets the curtain drop to cover this city, its people and their preoccupations. When the curtain rises again we see the martyr who spoke out clearly and loudly for the truth, confronting those in power. We see him in the next world and see the honour granted him by God, as fits a brave believer who does not hesitate to stand up for the truth: “He was told: Enter paradise. He said: Would that my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me my sins, and has placed me among the highly honoured!” (Verses 26-27)
 
Thus this present life is connected to the life to come: death is merely a transfer from this transitory world to the one that is everlasting. It is but a step that takes a believer from the narrowness of the earth to the expanse of heavens, from the tyranny of falsehood to the security of the truth, and from the darkness of ignorance to the light of certainty. When the man sees what God has in store for him in heaven, he good- naturedly remembers his people, wishing that they could see the happiness and honour God has granted him so that they would know and accept the truth.
 
Such is the reward of faith. As for tyranny, it is too weak to require that God should send angels to destroy it: “After that, We did not send an army from heaven against his people; nor do We send any. Nothing was needed but one single blast, and they fell down lifeless.” (Verses 28-29) The sūrah does not speak in detail about how these people were destroyed. They are too insignificant to deserve such mention. They needed no more than one blast and no further trace of life was to be seen from them.