Overview (Verses 5 - 6)

In Contention Against God

The last sentence in the verse, Grievous suffering awaits those who will not believe; is certainly a fitting ending as it completes the discussion of the woman's situation, while also providing a bridge to the theme of the next verse that speaks about those who contend against God and His Messenger. This is characteristic of the superb Qur'anic method as it smoothly moves from one theme to another:

Those who contend against God and His Messenger shall be brought low as those who lived before them were brought low. We have bestowed from on high clear revelations. Shameful suffering awaits the unbelievers on the day when God will raise them all from the dead and tell them exactly all that they did in lift. God will have taken it all into account, even though they may have forgotten it. God is witness to all things. (Verses 5-6)
 
The opening passage of the surah provided an aspect of the care shown to the Muslim community, while this second passage provides an aspect of antagonism to the opposite group who contend against God and His Messenger. The Arabic term, yuhaddun, translated here as 'contend' is derived from the same root as the word used earlier, hudud, which means 'boundaries'. Thus, this group are defined as taking a stand at the other boundary, confronting God and His Messenger. This gives an image of two parties in contention and confrontation. As such, it serves to show their action in a very bad light. How miserable for a creature to be in open hostility to his Creator when it is He who provides him with sustenance.

These people who are in contention "shall be brought low as those who lived before them were brought low." The way this sentence is phrased in Arabic may be understood as a prayer against them. A prayer by God is a sentence of judgement that makes it inevitable since it is He who pronounces this sentence, and His will is always done. The phrase, those who lived before them,' refers either to earlier communities who were punished by God, or to the then unbelievers who suffered humiliating defeats at the hands of the Muslims prior to the revelation of this surd), as happened, for example, at the Battle of Badr.

"We have bestowed from on high clear revelations." This sentence separates the two fates suffered by the unbelievers in this life and in the life to come, in order to point out that both fates are clearly stated in these verses. It also tells us that these unbelievers do not face these fates as a result of ignorance or any ambiguity in the truth. Indeed, the truth has been put to them clearly and lucidly in these revelations, which they too have been given.

As the surah refers to their fate in the hereafter, it adds an inspiring comment that serves an educational purpose: "Shameful suffering awaits the unbelievers on the day when God will raise them all from the dead and tell them exactly all that they did in lift. God will have taken it all into account, even though they may have forgotten it. God is witness to all things. (Verses 5-6) They are made to suffer shame in punishment for their arrogance. This shameful suffering will take place on the day when all will be resurrected. Thus, it will be seen by all. Besides, the suffering is determined on the basis of a true account of their deeds. If they have forgotten these, God has recorded them all, as nothing escapes His knowledge: "God is witness to all things."

The opposite cases of care and antagonism take place in God's presence and with His knowledge. He witnesses the help and care granted to the believers as well as the hostility shown to the other group. The believers should be reassured by His presence, while the unbelievers should take heed.