Ruin from the Day: kafarū vs ẓalamū
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن مَّشْهَدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
fawaylun lilladhīna kafarū min mashhadi yawmin ʿaẓīm — so ruin to those who covered [the truth], from the witnessing of a tremendous Day
Two verses share the frame 'the factions differed among themselves, so ruin to those who…' but diverge in the verb naming the group (kafarū / ẓalamū) and the genitive describing the Day (mashhad ʿaẓīm / ʿadhāb alīm), shifting emphasis from witnessing a tremendous Day to punishment of a painful Day.
The two verses are identical up to the relative clause: both open with 'Then the factions differed among themselves' and both pronounce 'ruin' (wayl) on a group defined by a perfect verb. In (19:37) the group is 'those who covered [the truth]' (kafarū), and the ruin is 'from the witnessing (mashhad) of a tremendous (ʿaẓīm) Day'; in (43:65) the group is 'those who did wrong' (ẓalamū), and the ruin is 'from the punishment (ʿadhāb) of a painful (alīm) Day'. The difference in the verb changes the basis of the verdict: covering the truth in (19:37) versus wrongdoing in (43:65). The difference in the genitive phrase changes what the Day is characterized by: in (19:37) the Day is qualified by its being witnessed or witnessed-to, and by its tremendousness; in (43:65) it is qualified by punishment and painfulness. The surrounding verses reinforce each version's coloring. After (19:37), (19:38) speaks of making them 'hear' and 'see' on the Day they come, matching the 'witnessing' of (19:37), and names 'the darkeners (wrongdoers)' as in evident straying. After (43:65), (43:66) speaks only of the Hour coming suddenly, continuing the warning of that Day without echoing the punishment wording. Both passages are preceded by a near-identical declaration, 'Allah is my Nurturing Lord and your Nurturing Lord, so serve Him; this is a straight, firmly-established path' (19:36) and 'Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him; this is a straight path' (43:64), so the twin verdicts follow twin calls to serve.
Where it occurs
- 19:37 Pronounces ruin on those who covered [the truth] from the witnessing of a tremendous Day, after the factions differed among themselves, following the preceding call to serve Allah (19:36).
- 43:65 Pronounces ruin on those who did wrong from the punishment of a painful Day, after the factions differed among themselves, following the preceding call to serve Allah (43:64).
All Qur'anic expressions