كَلَّا ۖ لَيُنۢبَذَنَّ فِى ٱلْحُطَمَةِ 4
Translations
No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher.
Transliteration
Kallā layunbadhanna fil-huṭamah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphatically rejects any denial of the Day of Judgment and affirms that the slanderer and backbiter will surely be cast into Al-Huṭamah (the Crushing Fire), a specific name for Hell. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, the particle 'kallā' (نay, nay) introduces a stern denial of the disbeliever's arrogance, while Al-Huṭamah refers to Hell itself, named for its crushing and grinding nature, emphasizing the severe punishment awaiting those who engage in gossip, slander, and character assassination.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Humazah was revealed in Mecca and addresses the destructive vice of talebearing and slander prevalent in Meccan society. This particular ayah comes in the final verses of the surah, delivering the definitive warning of Hell as the ultimate consequence for those who persist in this reprehensible behavior despite receiving divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The backbiter and the one who listens to backbiting will be in the Fire.' (Tabarani). Additionally, 'Whoever harms the Muslims with their tongue will enter the Fire.' (At-Tirmidhi)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that our words carry eternal consequences, and that engaging in slander, gossip, and character assassination—seemingly small social vices—incur severe divine punishment, urging believers to guard their tongues and speak only truth with kindness.