WHY NINETEEN?!
VERSE NO. 31
The number of the Keepers of hell mentioned in QurÌn turned to a general topic of dispute among the heathens and hypocrites!Why 19? They said to believers; ``and not more or less?!'' Nineteen of what? 19 numbers? 19 classes? 19 hosts? or 19 groups?
Some of them took it for mockery, and others as a puzzle! In fact, any other number could raise up the same dispute among those who seek to find flimsy pretexts, and food for vain arguments.
Lucky enough; the Jews too had the same idea of 19 about the numbers of the keepers of the Fire. They were pleased that their idea was confirmed by the new revelation. Four classes of people are mentioned in the above verse as follows:-
1-Moslims who believe all the revelations whether symbolic or mystical, or otherwise, all have been sent down from their Merciful Lord, and all are mere truth in their sight.
2-The people of the Book, who were acquainted with Divine Literature for having read the previous scriptures revealed before QurÌn. They had some mental rests for seeing their tenets confirmed by the new revelation.
3-Those in whose hearts is a disease like the hypocrites. They usually believe in nothing, and if they see something contrary to their own ideas, they either misinterpret, or reject it.
4-There are the unbelievers, that it is alike to them whether you warn them or do not warn them. They will not believe; because Allah has set a seal upon their hearts.