Surah 'Abasa, Verse 20

Tafsir of 80:20

The Refutation against Whoever denies Life after Death Allah rebukes those who deny the Resurrection and the Final Gathering. قُتِلَ الإِنسَنُ مَآ أَكْفَرَهُ (Qutila mankind!) Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, قُتِلَ الإِنسَنُ (Qutila mankind!) "May man be cursed." Abu Malik also made a similar statement. He said, "This refers to the rejecting type of man, due to his abundant denial without any supporting argument. Rather he denies simply because he thinks it is farfetched and because he lacks knowledge of it." Ibn Jurayj said, مَآ أَكْفَرَهُ (How ungrateful he is!) "This means none is worse in disbelief than he is." Qatadah said, مَآ أَكْفَرَهُ (How ungrateful he is!) "This means none is more cursed than he is." Then Allah explains how He created him from something despised and that He is able to bring him back to life just as He created him initially. Allah says, مِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُ - مِن نُّطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُ فَقَدَّرَهُ (From what thing did He create him From a Nutfah He created him, and then set him in due proportion.) meaning, He decreed his life span, his sustenance, his deeds, and whether he would be miserable or happy.…

Source: Ibn Kathir (Abridged)