When a group of the learned Jews and some of the arrogant disbelievers were asked about the prophet and his Divine Book of inspiration; without reflecting upon the question or having a good back ground of that knowledge, some of the pagan Arabs too, repeated the same thing that the learned but spiteful Jews, unjustly said:ِ
``These QURÄNIC VERSES are nothing but fairy-tales of old!''
They arrogantly pretended that these were not something new to them. In this, they not only deceived their own conscience, but they also misled others who felt some affections towards them. They even claimed that they could bring the like of it, if they wanted to; but more than fifteen centuries elapsed, and no one could bring even a chapter the like of it!
In fact the ungodly men of power and wealth were not against the existing superstitious religion and their false gods. They were against the truthful religion that challenged with their fancies and caprices; and which, endangered their material profits, their ranks, and their social privileges.
Such persons will have a two-fold punishment:ِ one for carrying the burden of their own sins, and the second for misleading other people:ِ
``They will have to carry their own burden of sin completely in the Day of Doom, and also they have to carry some of the burden of those whom they mislead....''
True that no bearer of burden will bear the burden of another, but the sin of misleading other is the sin of the misleader himself.
The followers of the misleaders are also of two classes or two groups.... sometimes a group of people may deliberately and with awareness, follow an oppressor leader for a certain physical interest. In such a case they will have to carry their own burden of sin besides some load for their voluntarily obedience.
But there might be a second group too, who are unaware and ignorant, and are seduced by the evil leaders to do some wrong. Such followers may have a good faith and intention, and do that evil for the sake of God. In such cases too, the followers are not acquit of blame, and they still have to carry their own burden of sins. On the other hand the punishment of their leaders will be a two-fold one.
The next verse (NO.26) implies that the plots of the unbelievers are not a new thing:ِ
``Those before them also plotted and designed, but Allah destroyed their construction of conspiracy and evil purpose from the foundation, so that its ceiling fell upon them from overhead and perished them in disgrace.''
In all ages wicked men tried to plot against God's way, but they always failed, because Allah frustrated them in their plots and plans by collapsing the evil structures that they built against the godly.
So was their punishment in this temporary life; but their greatest misfortune will afflict them later in the life to come. This comes when they have to stand before the seat of God's judgement in the Day of Doom. There, the ungodly are gathered before the seat of judgement, and are questioned of their false gods and the partners that they worshipped apart from Allah, but they are not able to reply in their state of disgrace and disappointment.
The next verse (NO.28) gives us some information of the ungodly and disbeliever's death-bed:ِ
``Those whose life the angels take, while they have oppressed themselves; they offer submission and say; we were not doing anything wrong!''
Those who died in a state of rebellion against God, they have, in fact, oppressed their own self and soul. When they are questioned of their sins and evil deeds, they resort to flimsy excuses that, our sins were not real sins, because we have done it in a state of ignorance, and our motive was not wrong!
But here the Judge is Allah who knows every secret of the souls, and what have they concealed in their heart, and souls, and what is open in the tip of their tongue. Therefore, their false plea before Allah is of no use or value, and they shall be doomed to an everlasting punishment.
