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Surah 29. Al-Ankabut

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29:11
وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ WalayaAAlamanna All a hu alla th eena a manoo walayaAAlamanna almun a fiqeen a
[Yea-] and most certainly will God mark out those who have [truly] attained to faith, and most certainly will He mark out the hypocrites.7
  - Mohammad Asad

This is probably the earliest occurrence of the term munafiq in the chronology of Qur'anic revelation. Idiomatically, the term is derived from the noun nafaq, which denotes an "underground passage" having an outlet different from the entry, and signifying, specifically, the complicated burrow of a field-mouse, a lizard, etc., from which the animal can easily escape or in which it can outwit a pursuer. Tropically, the term munafiq describes a person who is "two-faced", inasmuch as he always tries to find an easy way out of any real commitment, be it spiritual or social, by adapting his course of action to what promises to be of practical advantage to him in the situation in which he happens to find himself. Since a person thus characterized usually pretends to be morally better than he really is, the epithet munafiq may roughly be rendered as "hypocrite". It should, however, be noted that whereas this Western term invariably implies conscious dissembling with the intent to deceive others, the Arabic term mun afiq may also be applied - and occasionally is applied in the Qur'an - to a person who, being weak or uncertain in his beliefs or moral convictions, merely deceives himself. Hence, while using in my rendering of the Qur'anic text the conventional expression "hypocrite", I have endeavoured to point out the above differentiation, whenever possible and necessary, in my explanatory notes.

Most surely Allah knows those who believe and knows those who are the hypocrites.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Allah will certainly distinguish between those who have 'sure' faith and the hypocrites.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Verily Allah knoweth those who believe, and verily He knoweth the hypocrites.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And Allah most certainly knows those who believe and as certainly those who are Hypocrites. 3434
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf xxix. 3 above. The general opposition between Truth and Falsehood is now brought down to the specific case of the Hypocrites, who are against the Faith militant but swear friendship with it when it seems to be gaining ground. The argument is rounded off with the next two verses.

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29:12
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَـٰيَـٰكُمْ وَمَا هُم بِحَـٰمِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَـٰيَـٰهُم مِّن شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ Waq a la alla th eena kafaroo lilla th eena a manoo ittabiAAoo sabeelan a walna h mil kha ta y a kum wam a hum bi ha mileena min kha ta y a hum min shayin innahum lak ath iboon a
And [He is aware, too, that] they who are bent on denying the truth speak [thus, as it were,] to those who have attained to faith: "Follow our way [of life], and we shall indeed take your sins upon ourselves !"8 But never could they take upon themselves9 aught of the sins of those [whom they would thus mislead]: behold, they are liars indeed!
  - Mohammad Asad

The above "saying" of the deniers of the truth is, of course, but a metonym for their attitude towards the believers; hence my interpolation, between brackets, of the words "as it were". The implication is that people who deny the validity of any spiritual commitment arising out of one’s faith in "something that is beyond the reach of human perception" (al-ghayb) - in this case, the existence of God - are, as a rule, unwilling to tolerate such a faith and such a commitment in others as well: and so they endeavour to bring the believers to their way of thinking by a sarcastic, contemptuous reference to the alleged irrelevance of the concept of "sin" as such.

Lit., "bear" - implying a reduction of the burden which the others would have to bear (Razi) See also next note.

The unbelievers say to the believers: "Follow us, and we will bear the burden of your sins". But they will not bear any burden of their sins; they are surely lying.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The disbelievers say to the believers, ''Just' follow our way, and we will bear 'the burden of' your sins.' But they would never 'want to' bear any of the believers' sins. They are simply lying.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Those who disbelieve say unto those who believe: Follow our way (of religion) and we verily will bear your sins (for you). They cannot bear aught of their sins. Lo! they verily are liars.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And the Unbelievers say to those who believe: "Follow our path and we will bear (the consequences) of your faults." Never in the least will they bear their faults: in fact they are liars! 3435
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Besides the hypocrite there is another type of man who openly scoffs at Faith. 'Take life as we take it,' he says; 'we shall bear your sins.' As if they could! Each soul bears its own burdens, and no one else can bear them. The principle also applies to the type of man who preaches vicarious atonement, for, if followed to its logical conclusion, it means both injustice and irresponsibility, and puts quite a different complexion on the nature of sin.

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29:13
وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالًا مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ ۖ وَلَيُسْـَٔلُنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ Walaya h milunna athq a lahum waathq a lan maAAa athq a lihim walayusalunna yawma alqiy a mati AAamm a k a noo yaftaroon a
Yet most certainly will they have to bear their own burdens, and other burdens besides their own;10 and most certainly will they be called to account on Resurrection Day for all their false assertions!
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. the Prophet's saying: "Whoever calls [others] unto the right way shall have a reward equal to the [combined] rewards of all who may follow him until Resurrection Day, without anything being lessened of their rewards; and whoever calls unto the way of error will have to bear a sin equal to the [combined] sins of all who may follow him until Resurrection Day, without anything being lessened of their sins" (Bukhari).

Of course, they shall bear their own burdens as well as the burdens of others in addition to their own; and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be questioned about their invented lies.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Yet they will certainly 'be made to' carry their own burdens, as well as other burdens along with their own.1 And they will surely be questioned on Judgment Day about what they used to fabricate.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The burdens of those they misled.

But they verily will hear their own loads and other loads beside their own, and they verily will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection concerning that which they invented.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They will bear their own burdens and (other) burdens along with their own and on the Day of Judgement they will be called to account for their falsehoods. 3436
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Besides the burden of their own infidelity, they will bear the burden of deluding others with falsehood.

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29:14
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلطُّوفَانُ وَهُمْ ظَـٰلِمُونَ Walaqad arsaln a noo h an il a qawmihi falabitha feehim alfa sanatin ill a khamseena AA a man faakha th ahumu a l tt oof a nu wahum th a limoon a
AND, INDEED, [in times long past] We sent forth Noah unto his people,11 and he dwelt among them a thousand years bar fifty;12 and then the floods over-whelmed them while they were still lost in evildoing:
  - Mohammad Asad

This passage connects with verse {2} above, "We did test those who lived before them". The story of Noah and of his failure to convert his people occurs in the Qur'an several times, and most extensively in {11:25-48}. In the present instance it is meant to illustrate the truth that no one - not even a prophet - can bestow faith on another person (cf. 28:56 - "thou canst not guide aright everyone whom thou lovest"). The same purport underlies the subsequent references, in verses {16-4O}, to other prophets.

Sc., "and despite this great length of time was unable to convince them of the truth of his mission". The identical figure - 950 years - is given in the Bible (Genesis ix, 29) as Noah's life-span. By repeating this element of the Biblical legend, the Qur'an merely stresses the fact that the duration of a prophet's mission has nothing to do with its success or failure, since "all true guidance is God's guidance" ( 3:73 ) - and, as we are so often told in the Qur'an, "God guides [only] him that wills [to be guided]". Thus, the reference to Noah is meant to reassure the believer who may be distressed at seeing the majority of his fellow-men refuse to accept, all at once, a truth which appears self-evident to him.

We sent Nuh (Noah) to his people and he lived among them a thousand years less fifty. Then because of their wrongdoings the flood overtook them.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, We sent Noah to his people, and he remained among them for a thousand years, less fifty. Then the Flood overtook them, while they persisted in wrongdoing.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And verify We sent Noah (as Our messenger) unto his folk, and he continued with them for a thousand years save fifty years; and the flood engulfed them, for they were wrongdoers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
We (once) sent Noah to his people and he tarried among them a thousand years less fifty: but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. 3437
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of Noah and his Flood is not told here. It is told in other places; e.g., see xi. 25-48 or xxvi. 105-22. It is only referred to here to point out that Noah's period lasted a long time, 950 years. (Cf. Gen. ix. 28-29, where his whole age is declared to have been 950 years, of which 350 years were after the Flood). In spite of this long period, his contemporaries failed to listen, and they were destroyed. But the story of the Ark remains an everlasting Sign and Warning to mankind-a Sign of deliverance to the righteous and of destruction to the wicked.

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29:15
فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَأَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلسَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهَآ ءَايَةً لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ Faanjayn a hu waa s ha ba a l ssafeenati wajaAAaln a h a a yatan lilAA a lameen a
but We saved him, together with all who were in the ark, which We then set up as a symbol [of Our grace] for all people Ito remember!.
  - Mohammad Asad
But We delivered him and all who were in the ark and We made that ark a sign for the peoples of the world.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
But We delivered him and those in the Ark, making it a sign for all people.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And We rescued him and those with him in the ship, and made of it a portent for the peoples.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But We saved him and the Companions of the Ark and We made the (Ark) a Sign for all Peoples!
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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29:16
وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ ۖ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ Waibr a heema i th q a la liqawmihi oAAbudoo All a ha wa i ttaqoohu tha likum khayrun lakum in kuntum taAAlamoon a
AND ABRAHAM, [too, was inspired by Us] when he said unto his people: "Worship God, and be conscious of Him: this is the best for you, if you but knew it!
  - Mohammad Asad
Likewise Ibrahim (Abraham), when he said to his people: "Worship Allah and fear Him, this is better for you if you understand.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And 'remember' when Abraham said to his people, 'Worship Allah, and fear Him. This is better for you, if only you knew.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And Abraham! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: serve Allah, and keep your duty unto Him; that is better for you if ye did but know.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And (We also saved) Abraham: Behold he said to his people "Serve Allah and fear Him: that will be best for you if ye understand! 3438
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of Abraham has been told in various phases in different passages. The ones most germane to the present passage are: xxi. 51-72 (his being cast into the fire and being saved from it); and xix. 41-49 (his voluntary exile from the home of his fathers). Here the story is not told but is referred to in order to stress the following points; (1) Abraham's people only responded to his preaching by threatening to burn him (xxix. 16-18, 24); (2) evil consorts with evil but will have a rude awakening (xxix. 25); (3) the good adhere to the good, and are blessed (xxix. 26-27). Note that the passage xxix. 19-23 is a parenthetical comment, though some Commentators treat a portion of it as part of Abraham's speech.

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29:17
إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَـٰنًا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا فَٱبْتَغُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزْقَ وَٱعْبُدُوهُ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ ۖ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ Innam a taAAbudoona min dooni All a hi awth a nan watakhluqoona ifkan inna alla th eena taAAbudoona min dooni All a hi l a yamlikoona lakum rizqan fa i btaghoo AAinda All a hi a l rrizqa wa o AAbudoohu wa o shkuroo lahu ilayhi turjaAAoon a
You worship only [lifeless] idols instead of God, and [thus] you give visible shape to a lie!13 Behold, those [things and beings] that you worship instead of God have it not in their power to provide sustenance for you: seek, then, all [your] sustenance from God, and worship Him [alone] and be grateful to Him: [for] unto Him you shall be brought back!
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "you create a lie".

You worship idols besides Allah and fabricate falsehood. In fact, those whom you worship besides Allah have no power to give you your sustenance, therefore seek your sustenance from Allah, and worship Him. Give thanks to Him, for to Him you shall be returned.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
You worship besides Allah nothing but idols, simply creating lies 'about them'. Those you worship besides Allah certainly cannot give you any provision. So seek provision from Allah 'alone', worship Him, and be grateful to Him. To Him you will 'all' be returned.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Ye serve instead of Allah only idols, and ye only invent a lie. Lo! those whom ye serve instead of Allah own no provision for you. So seek your provision from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him, (for) unto Him ye will be brought back.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"For ye do worship idols besides Allah and ye invent falsehood. The things that ye worship besides Allah have no power to give you sustenance: then seek ye sustenance from Allah serve Him and be grateful to Him: to Him will be your return. 3439
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Sustenance: in the symbolic as well as the literal sense. Seek from Allah all that is necessary for your upkeep and development, and for preparing you for your future Destiny. Lay all your hopes in Him and in no one else. Dedicate yourselves to His worship. He will give you all that is necessaq for your growth and well being, and you should show your gratitude to Him by conforming your will entirely to His.

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29:18
وَإِن تُكَذِّبُوا۟ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أُمَمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ۖ وَمَا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ Wain tuka thth iboo faqad ka thth aba omamun min qablikum wam a AAal a a l rrasooli ill a albal a ghu almubeen u
"And if you give [me] the lie - well, [other] communities have given the lie [to God's prophets] before your time: but no more is an apostle bound to do than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to him]."
  - Mohammad Asad
If you deny the Message, then nations have denied before you . The only duty a Rasool has is to deliver Allah's Message clearly."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
If you 'Meccans' persist in denial, so did 'many' communities before you. The Messenger's duty is only to deliver 'the message' clearly.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
But if ye deny, then nations have denied before you. The messenger is only to convey (the Message) plainly.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"And if ye reject (the Message) so did generations before you: and the duty of the apostle is only to preach publicly (and clearly)."
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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29:19
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَيْفَ يُبْدِئُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ Awalam yaraw kayfa yubdio All a hu alkhalqa thumma yuAAeeduhu inna tha lika AAal a All a hi yaseer un
ARE, THEN, they [who deny the truth] not aware of how God creates [life] in the first instance, and then brings it forth anew?14 This, verily, is easy for God!
  - Mohammad Asad

This passage - consisting of verses {19-23} - is parenthetically placed in the midst of the story of Abraham, connecting with the latter's reference to resurrection at the end of verse {17} ("unto Him you shall be brought back"). The ever-recurring emergence, decay and re-emergence of life, so vividly exemplified in all organic nature, is often cited in the Qur'an not merely in support of the doctrine of resurrection, but also as evidence of a consciously-devised plan underlying creation as such - and, thus, of the existence of the Creator.

Do they not see how Allah originates creation then repeats its process? Surely it is easy for Allah.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Have they not seen how Allah originates the creation then resurrects it? That is certainly easy for Allah.
  - Mustafa Khattab
See they not how Allah produceth creation, then reproduceth it? Lo! for Allah that is easy.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
See they not how Allah originates creation then repeats it: truly that is easy for Allah. 3440
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The originating of creation is the creation of primeval matter. The repetition of the process of creation goes on constantly, for at every moment new processes are being called into being by the creative power of Allah, and according to His Laws. And the final creation as far as man is concerned will be in the Ma'ad, when the whole world as man sees it will be entirely newly created on a different plane. As far as Allah is concerned, there is nothing final, no first and last, for He is infinite. He was before our First and will be after our Last.

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29:20
قُلْ سِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ بَدَأَ ٱلْخَلْقَ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ يُنشِئُ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ Qul seeroo fee alar d i fa o n th uroo kayfa badaa alkhalqa thumma All a hu yunshio a l nnashata al a khirata inna All a ha AAal a kulli shayin qadeer un
Say: "Go all over the earth and behold how [wondrously] He has created [man] in the first in-stance:15 and thus, too, will God bring into being your second life - for, verily, God has the power to will anything!
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf., for example, {23:12-14}, which alludes to man's coming into existence out of most primitive elements, and gradually evolving into a highly complex being endowed not only with a physical body but also with a mind, with feelings, and instincts.

Say to them: "Travel through the earth and see how Allah originates the creation, then creates the later creation. Surely Allah has power over everything.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Say, 'O Prophet,' 'Travel throughout the land and see how He originated the creation, then Allah will bring it into being one more time. Surely Allah is Most Capable of everything.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Say (O Muhammad): Travel in the land and see how He originated creation, then Allah bringeth forth the later growth. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Say: "Travel through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation: so will Allah produce a later creation: for Allah has power over all things. 3441
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Travel through the earth: again, literally as well as symbolically. If we actually go through this wide earth, we shall see the wonderful things in His Creation-the Grand Canyon and the Niagaras in America, beautiful harbors like that at Sydney in Australia, mountains like Fujiyama, the Himalayas, and Elburz in Asia, the Nile with its wonderful cataracts in Africa, the Fiords of Norway, the Geysers of Iceland, the city of the midnight sun in Tromsoe, and innumerable wonders everywhere. But wonders upon wonders are disclosed in the constitution of matter itself, the atom, and the forces of energy, as also in the instincts of animals, and the minds and capacities of man. And there is no limit to these things. Worlds upon worlds are created and transformed every moment, within and presumably beyond man's vision. From what we know we can judge of the unknown.

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29:21
يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرْحَمُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ تُقْلَبُونَ YuAAa thth ibu man yash a o wayar h amu man yash a o wailayhi tuqlaboon a
"He causes to suffer whomever He wills, and bestows His mercy on whomever He wills; and unto Him you shall be made to return:
  - Mohammad Asad
He punishes whom He wills and shows mercy to whom He pleases, and to Him you shall be turned back.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He punishes whoever He wills, and shows mercy to whoever He wills. And you will 'all' be returned to Him.
  - Mustafa Khattab
He punisheth whom He will and showeth mercy unto whom He will, and unto Him ye will be turned.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"He punishes whom He pleases and He grants mercy to whom He pleases and towards Him are ye turned. 3442
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

I think ilaihi tuqlabun is better translated "towards Him are ye turned" than "towards Him will be your return", as it implies not only the return of man to Allah in the Hereafter (turja'un in verse 17 above) but also the fact explained in verse 22 that man's needs are always to be obtained from Allah: man cannot frustrate Allah's designs, and can have no help or protection except from Allah: man has always to face Allah, whether man obeys Allah or tries to ignore Allah. Man will never be able to defeat Allah's Plan. According to His wise Will and Plan, He will grant His grace or withhold it from man.

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29:22
وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۖ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ Wam a antum bimuAAjizeena fee alar d i wal a fee a l ssam a i wam a lakum min dooni All a hi min waliyyin wal a na s eer in
and never- not on earth and not in the skies - can you [hope to] elude Him; and you have none to protect you from God, and none to bring you succour."
  - Mohammad Asad
Neither can you frustrate Him in the earth or in the Heaven; nor have you any protector or helper besides Allah."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And you cannot escape Him on earth or in heaven. Nor have you any protector or helper besides Allah.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Ye cannot escape (from Him) in the earth or in the sky, and beside Allah there is for you no friend nor helper.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Not on earth nor in heaven will ye be able (fleeing) to frustrate (His plan) nor have ye besides Allah any protector or helper."
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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29:23
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِقَآئِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَئِسُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَتِى وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ Wa a lla th eena kafaroo bi a y a ti All a hi waliq a ihi ol a ika yaisoo min ra h matee waol a ika lahum AAa tha bun aleem un
And [thus it is:] they who are bent on denying the truth of God's messages and of their [ultimate] meeting with Him - it is they who abandon all hope of My grace and mercy: and it is they whom grievous suffering awaits [in the life to come].16
  - Mohammad Asad

Implying that such people deprive themselves of God's grace and mercy (which is the twofold significance of the term rahmah in this context) by rejecting all belief in His existence: in other words, belief in God - or one's readiness to believe in Him - is, in and by itself, already an outcome of His grace and mercy, just as suffering in the hereafter is an outcome of one's being "bent on denying the truth".

As for those who disbelieve Allah's revelations and deny that they will ever meet Him, they are the ones who shall despair of My mercy and they the ones who shall have a painful punishment.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
As for those who disbelieve in Allah's signs and the meeting with Him, it is they who will have no hope in His mercy.1 And it is they who will suffer a painful punishment.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., My mercy.

Those who disbelieve in the revelations of Allah and in (their) Meeting with Him, such have no hope of My mercy. For such there is a painful doom.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Those who reject the Signs of Allah and the Meeting with Him (in the Hereafter) it is they who shall despair of My mercy: it is they who will (suffer) a most grievous Penalty. 3443
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The emphasis is on "they" (ulaika). It is only the people who ignore or reject Allah's Signs and reject a Hereafter, that will find themselves in despair and suffering. Allah's Mercy is open to all, but if any reject His Mercy, they must suffer.

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29:24
فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱقْتُلُوهُ أَوْ حَرِّقُوهُ فَأَنجَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ Fam a k a na jaw a ba qawmihi ill a an q a loo oqtuloohu aw h arriqoohu faanj a hu All a hu mina a l nn a ri inna fee tha lika la a y a tin liqawmin yuminoon a
NOW [as for Abraham,] his people's only answer was,17 "Slay him, or burn him!" - but God saved him from the fire.18 Behold, in this [story] there are messages indeed for people who will believe!
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the answer of his people was nothing but that they said" - thus connecting with the passage ending with verse {18}.

See note [64] on 21:69 .

The people of Ibrahim (Abraham) had no answer except to say: "Kill him!" Or "Burn him!" But Allah saved him from the fire when they tried to burn him. Surely in this incidence there are signs for those who believe.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
But the only response of Abraham's people was to say: 'Kill him or burn him!' But Allah saved him from the fire.1 Surely in this are signs for people who believe.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The idolaters tried to burn Abraham because he smashed their idols. See 21:51-71 for the full story.

But the answer of his folk was only that they said: "Kill him" or "Burn him." Then Allah saved him from the fire. Lo! herein verily are portents for folk who believe.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So naught was the answer of (Abraham's) people except that they said: "Slay him or burn him." But Allah did save him from the fire: verily in this are Signs for people who believe. 3444
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See xxi. 66-70. Abraham was cast into the fire, but he was unhurt, by the grace of Allah. So righteous people suffer no harm from the plots of the wicked. But they must leave the environment of evil even if they have to forsake their ancestral home, as Abraham did.

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29:25
وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَـٰنًا مَّوَدَّةَ بَيْنِكُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ ثُمَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُم بِبَعْضٍ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضًا وَمَأْوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ Waq a la innam a ittakha th tum min dooni All a hi awth a nan mawaddata baynikum fee al h ay a ti a l dduny a thumma yawma alqiy a mati yakfuru baAA d ukum bibaAA d in wayalAAanu baAA d ukum baAA d an wamaw a kumu a l nn a ru wam a lakum min n as ireen a
And [Abraham] said: "You have chosen to worship idols instead of God for no other reason than to have a bond of love,19 in the life of this world, between yourselves [and your forebears]:20 but then, on Resurrection Day, you shall disown one another and curse one another - for the goal of you all will be the fire, and you will have none to succour you."
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "solely out of love".

Thus Razi, explaining this idol-worship as a result of a mere blind imitation (taqlid) of attitudes inherited from past generations.

After coming out from the fire safely, Ibrahim addressed them: "Today you have made idols, instead of Allah, a means of affection among yourselves. Remember, on the Day of Resurrection you shall disown and curse one another. Fire shall be your abode and you shall have no helper."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He said 'to his people', 'You have taken idols 'for worship' instead of Allah, only to keep 'the bond of' harmony among yourselves in this worldly life. But on the Day of Judgment you will disown and curse one another. Your home will be the Fire, and you will have no helper!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: Ye have chosen idols instead of Allah. The love between you is only in the life of the world. Then on the Day of Resurrection ye will deny each other and curse each other, and your abode will be the Fire, and ye will have no helpers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And He said: "For you ye have taken (for worship) idols besides Allah out of mutual love and regard between yourselves in this life; but on the Day of Judgement ye shall disown each other and curse each other: and your abode will be the Fire and ye shall have none to help. 3445
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In sin and wickedness there is as much log-rolling as in politics. Evil men humor each other and support each other; they call each other's vice by high-sounding names. They call it mutual regard or friendship or love; at the lowest, they call it toleration. Perhaps they flourish in this life by such arts. But they deceive themselves, and they deceive each other. What will be their relations in the Hereafter? They will disown each other when each has to answer on the principle of personal responsibility. Each will accuse the others of misleading him, and they will curse each other. But there will then be no help, and they must suffer in the Fire.

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