Tatkala Tidak Lagi Berguna Penyesalan Orang Yang Lalai

Allah encompasses and watches all of Man's Activity

Allah the Exalted affirms His absolute dominance over mankind, being their Creator and the Knower of everything about them. Allah the Exalted has complete knowledge of all thoughts that cross the mind of man, be they good or evil. In the Sahih, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى تَجَاوَزَ لِأُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا مَا لَمْ تَقُلْ أَوْ تَعْمَل»

(Verily, Allah the Exalted has forgiven my Ummah (Muslims) for what they talk (think) to themselves about, as long as they do not utter or implement it.) The statement of Allah the Exalted,

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ

(And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.) means, His angels are nearer to man than his jugular vein. Those who explained `We' in the Ayah to mean `Our knowledge,' have done so to avoid falling into the idea of incarnation or indwelling; but these two creeds are false according to the consensus of Muslims. Allah is praised and glorified, He is far hallowed beyond what they ascribe to Him. The words of this Ayah do not need this explanation (that `We' refers to `Allah's knowledge'), for Allah did not say, `and I am closer to him than his jugular vein.' Rather, He said,

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ

(And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. ) just as He said in the case of dying persons,

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُبْصِرُونَ

(But We are nearer to him than you, but you see not.) (56:85), in reference to His angels (who take the souls). Allah the Exalted the Blessed said,

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَـفِظُونَ

(Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr and surely, We will guard it.) (15:9) Therefore, the angels brought down the revelation, the Qur'an, by the leave of Allah, the Exalted, the Most Honored. Thus, the angels are closer to man than his own jugular vein, by the power and leave of Allah. Consequently, the angel touches mankind, just as the devil touches them, for the devil is as close to them as the blood that runs in their veins; just as Allah's Prophet , who is truthful and was told the truth, told us. Allah's statement here,

إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ

((Remember) that the two receivers receive,) in reference to the two angels who receive and record the deeds of mankind.

عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ

(one sitting on the right and one on the left.) means ready to note,

مَّا يَلْفِظُ

(whatever he utters), in reference to the human,

مِن قَوْلٍ

(of a word), means any word that he or she speaks,

إِلاَّ لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ

(but there is a watcher by him ready.) means, but there is a scribe whose job is to record it, leaving no word or movement unrecorded. Allah the Exalted said,

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَـفِظِينَ - كِرَاماً كَـتِبِينَ - يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ

(But verily, over you (are appointed angels) to watch you, Kiraman (honorable) Katibin writing down (your deeds), they know all that you do.) (82:10-12) Therefore, the scribe records every word that is spoken, according to the explanation of Al-Hasan and Qatadah. This is also the apparent meaning of this Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded that Bilal bin Al-Harith Al-Muzani said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مِنْ رِضْوَانِ اللهِ تَعَالَى مَا يَظُنُّ أَنْ تَبْلُغَ مَا بَلَغَتْ يَكْتُبُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ بِهَا رِضْوَانَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ يَلْقَاهُ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مِنْ سَخَطِ اللهِ تَعَالَى مَا يَظُنُّ أَنْ تَبْلُغَ مَا بَلَغَتْ، يَكْتُبُ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ بِهَا سَخَطَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ يَلْقَاه»

(Verily, a man might utter a word that pleases Allah the Exalted, unaware of how highly it will be regarded, and on its account Allah the Exalted and Most Honored decrees His pleasure of him until the Day he meets Him. A man might indeed utter a word that angers Allah the Exalted, unaware of how dreadful it will be and on its account Allah the Exalted decrees for him His anger until the Day he meets Him.)" `Alqamah used to say, "How many words did I not utter because of the Hadith that Bilal bin Al-Harith narrated." At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih." There is a Hadith similar to this in the Sahih.

Reminding Mankind of the Stupor of Death, the Blast of the Trumpet and the Day of Gathering

Allah the Exalted and Most High said,

وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ

(And the stupor of death will come in truth: "This is what you have been avoiding!") Allah the Exalted and Most Honored says, `O mankind! This is the stupor of death that has come in truth; now, I have brought forth to you the certainty that you were disputing,'

ذَلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ

(This is what you have been avoiding!), means, `this is the end that you were trying to escape; it has come to you! Therefore, you will have neither a shelter nor a refuge nor a sanctuary nor an asylum from it.' In the Sahih, the Prophet said, while wiping sweat from his face when the stupor of death overcame him,

«سُبْحَانَ اللهِ إِنَّ لِلْمَوْتِ لَسَكَرَات»

(Glory be to Allah! Verily, death has its stupor.) The Ayah,

ذَلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ

(This is what you have been avoiding!) has two possible meanings. One of them is this: `what you have been trying to avert, escape and flee from has come to you and resided in your home!' The second meaning is, `you had no way of escaping or averting this end. ' At-Tabarani collected a Hadith in Al-Mu`jam Al-Kabir from Samurah who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَفِرُّ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ مَثَلُ الثَّعْلَبِ تَطْلُبُهُ الْأَرْضُ بِدَيْن، فَجَاءَ يَسْعَى حَتْى إِذَا أُعْيِيَ وَأُسْهِرَ دَخَلَ جُحْرَهُ وَقَالَتْ لَهُ الْأَرْضُ: يَا ثَعْلَبُ، دَيْنِي. فَخَرَجَ وَلَهُ حُصَاصٌ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ كَذلِكَ حَتَّى تَقَطَّعَتْ عُنُقُهُ وَمَات»

(The parable of whoever tries to avoid death is that of a fox that had a debt to pay to the earth. The fox went away and when he became tired and the time to sleep overtook him, he entered his den. The earth said to him, `O fox! Pay my debt!' The fox went out howling and continued until his neck was cutoff, (i.e.,) he died.) This parable indicates that just as the fox had no way of escaping or avoiding the earth, likewise, man has no way of avoiding death. Allah the Exalted the Blessed said,

وَنُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ ذَلِكَ يَوْمَ الْوَعِيدِ

(And the Trumpet will be blown -- that will be the Day of the threat.) Earlier we discussed the information about the blowing of the Trumpet, the fear that follows it, the death of everything and then resurrection, all this will occur on the Day of Resurrection. We also mentioned that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in a Hadith,

«كَيْفَ أَنْعَمُ وَصَاحِبُ الْقَرْنِ قَدِ الْتَقَمَ الْقَرْنَ، وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ، وَانْتَظَرَ أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَه»

(How can I feel comfort while the angel responsible for the Trumpet has placed the Trumpet to his mouth and lowered his forehead awaiting when he will be commanded (by Allah to blow in it)) They said, "O Allah's Messenger, what should we say" He said,

«قُولُوا حَسْبُنَا اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيل»

(Say, "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.)" [Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi 7:117]

The Companions repeated this invocation, saying, "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs (for us)." Allah said,

وَجَآءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّعَهَا سَآئِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ

(And every person will come forth along with a Sa'iq and a Shahid.) meaning, an angel to drive him to the gathering place and an angel to bear witness against him with regards to his deeds. This is the apparent meaning of this honorable Ayah and it is the meaning that Ibn Jarir preferred. It was narrated from Yahya bin Rafi`, the freed servant of Thaqif, that he heard `Uthman bin `Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, giving a speech in which he recited this Ayah,

وَجَآءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّعَهَا سَآئِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ

(And every person will come forth along with a Sa'iq and a Shahid.) and then said, "A Sa'iq to drive every person to Allah the Exalted, and a Shahid to witness against him what he has done." The statement of Allah the Exalted,

لَّقَدْ كُنتَ فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَـذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنكَ غِطَآءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ

(Indeed you were heedless of this. Now We have removed from you, your covering, and sharp is your sight this Day!) is directed at humanity. Allah said,

لَّقَدْ كُنتَ فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَـذَا

(Indeed you were heedless of this.), of this Day,

فَكَشَفْنَا عَنكَ غِطَآءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ

(Now We have removed from you, your covering, and sharp is your sight this Day!) `your sight is now clear and strong.' Everyone, including the disbelievers, will have clear sight on the Day of Resurrec- tion. However, having sight will not be helpful to the dis- believers on that Day, for Allah the Exalted said,

أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا

(How clearly will they (disbelievers) see and hear, the Day when they will appear before Us!) (19:38), and,

وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـلِحاً إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ

(And if you only could see when the criminals hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back (to the world), that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.)(32:12)

وَقَالَ قَرِينُهُ هَـذَا مَا لَدَىَّ عَتِيدٌ - أَلْقِيَا فِى جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ - مَّنَّـعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ مُّرِيبٍ - الَّذِى جَعَلَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهاً ءَاخَرَ فَأَلْقِيَـهُ فِى الْعَذَابِ الشَّدِيدِ - قَالَ قرِينُهُ رَبَّنَا مَآ أَطْغَيْتُهُ وَلَـكِن كَانَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ بَعِيدٍ - قَالَ لاَ تَخْتَصِمُواْ لَدَىَّ وَقَدْ قَدَّمْتُ إِلَيْكُم بِالْوَعِيدِ

Certainty will Occur at the Time of Death. Allah Informs of the Condition at the Time of Death and What Terrors it Contains.

May Allah make us firm at that time with the Firm Statement. Allah says,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones.) If we make the word "Kalla" negative, then this Ayah means, `O son of Adam! You are not able to deny that which I informed you of at that time (death). This will become something witnessed by you with your own eyes.' If we consider the word "Kalla" to be a word of affirmation, then this would be the most obvious meaning. In this case it would mean that it is certainly true when the soul reaches the collarbones - meaning, `your soul will be pulled out of your body and it will reach your collarbones.' This is similar to Allah's statement,

فَلَوْلاَ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ - وَأَنتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ - وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُبْصِرُونَ - فَلَوْلاَ إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ - تَرْجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

(Then why do you not (intervene) when (the soul of the dying person) reaches the throat And you at the moment are looking on, but We are nearer to him than you, but you see not, then why do you not if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense, bring back the soul, if your are truthful) (56:83-87) Thus, Allah similarly says here,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ - وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones. And it will be said: "Who can cure him) `Ikrimah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Meaning, who is the person who recites divine prayers of healing so that he may come and cure him" Abu Qilabah made a similar statement when he said,

وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(And it will be said: "Who can cure him) "This means who is the doctor that can cure him" Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd all have similar statements. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the Ayah,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "This is the last day of the days of this world and the first day of the days of the Hereafter. So there will be hardships that will meet (more) hardships, except for he whom Allah has mercy upon." `Ikrimah said,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "The great matter (will be joined) with the great matter." Mujahid said, "A test (will be joined) with a test." Al-Hasan Al-Basri said concerning Allah's statement,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank. ) "These are your two shins when they are bound together." In another narration from him (Al-Hasan) he said, "His two legs have died and they will not carry him while he used to walk around on them." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ

(The drive will be on that Day to your Lord!) meaning, the place of return and the destination. This is that the soul ascends into the heavens and Allah says, "Return my servant to the earth, for verily, I have created them from it, I return them into it, and from it I will bring them out at another time." This has been reported in the lengthy Hadith of Al-Bara'. Verily, Allah says,

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ - ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَـسِبِينَ

(He is the Irresistible (Supreme), over His servants, and He sends guardians over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. Then they are returned to Allah, their True Master. Surely, for Him is the judgement and He is the

Mentioning the Case of the Denier

Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

(So, he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away!) This is to inform about the disbeliever who used to deny the truth in his heart in the abode of this worldly life, and he used to turn away from acting according to its way. Thus, there is no good in him, internally or externally. Therefore, Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى - ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(So he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away! Then he walked in conceit (full pride) to his family admiring himself!)(75:31-33) meaning, stubborn, cruel, obstinate, wanton, lazy, having no concern and doing no deeds. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا انقَلَبُواْ إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ انقَلَبُواْ فَكِهِينَ

(And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting.) (83:31) Allah also says,

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِى أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُوراً - إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ

(Verily, he was among his people in joy! Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!) (84:13,14) meaning, return.

بَلَى إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيراً

(Yes! Verily, his Lord has been ever beholding him!) (84:15) Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(Then he walked in conceit to his family admiring himself!) "This means arrogantly." Qatadah and Zayd bin Aslam both said, "Strutting." Allah then says,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) This is a definite warning and threat from Allah to those who disbelieve in Him and strut about when walking. This means, `you deserve to strut like this while you have disbelieved in your Creator and Maker.' This is what is commonly said in this type of situation in order to mock and intimidate (someone). This is as Allah says,

ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ

(Taste you (this)! Verily you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous!) (44:49) Similarly, Allah says,

كُلُواْ وَتَمَتَّعُواْ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ مُّجْرِمُونَ

(Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little. Verily, you are criminals.) (77:46) Allah also says,

فَاعْبُدُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ

(So worship what you like besides Him.) (39:15) And like Allah's statement,

اعْمَلُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ

(Do what you will.) (41:40) There are other examples of this as well. Abu `Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said, "I mentioned to Ibn `Abbas,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) He (Ibn `Abbas) replied, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said this to Abu Jahl, then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed this Ayah."' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Qatadah that he said concerning Allah's statement,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) "It is a threat followed by a threat, just as you hear it. They claim that the Prophet of Allah grabbed the clothes of the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl. The Prophet then said to him, `Woe to you! And then (again) woe to you! Again woe to you! And then (again) woe to you!' At this the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl, said, `Are you threatening me, O Muhammad By Allah! Neither you nor your Lord are able to do anything, and verily, I am the mightiest person walking between its (Makkah's) two mountains."'

Man will not be left neglected

Allah says,

أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى

(Does man think that he will be left neglected) As-Suddi said, "Meaning not resurrected." Mujahid, Ash-Shafi`i and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, all said, "Meaning, he will not be commanded and prohibited." Apparently the Ayah includes both meanings. This means that he will not be left neglected in this worldly life, without being commanded and prohibited. He also will not be left neglected in his grave unattended to without being resurrected. Rather he will be commanded and prohibited in this life, and gathered back to Allah in the abode of the Hereafter. The intent here is to affirm the existence of the abode of the final return and to refute whoever rejects it from the people of deviance, ignorance and stubbornness. Thus, Allah uses the beginning of creation as a proof for the repetition of the creation in His saying,

أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِّن مَّنِىٍّ يُمْنَى

(Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted) meaning, was not man a weak drop of sperm from a despised fluid known as semen, that is emitted from the loins into the wombs

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى

(Then he became an `Alaqah; then shaped and fashioned in due proportion.) meaning, he became a clot, then a lump of flesh, then he was formed and the soul was blown into him. Then he became a perfect creation with healthy limbs, as either a male or a female by the permission and decree of Allah. Thus, Allah says,

فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالاٍّنثَى

(And made of him two sexes, male and female.) Then Allah says,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) meaning, is not He Who made this perfect creation from this weak drop of sperm able to repeat that as He did originally And "the ability to repeat that" either refers to the origination only, or to both that and the process of perfecting it, according to two different views, as in Allah's saying;

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ

(And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; this is easier for Him.) (30:27) The first view is more popular, and Allah knows best.

Supplication upon completing this Surah

Abu Dawud recorded from Musa bin Abi `A'ishah that he said, "A man used to pray on top of his house and whenever he recited,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) he would say, `Glory to You, of course.' So the people asked him about that and he said, `I heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."' Abu Dawud was alone in transmitting this Hadith and he did not mention who this Companion was, but there is no harm in that. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Qiyamah, all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

Certainty will Occur at the Time of Death. Allah Informs of the Condition at the Time of Death and What Terrors it Contains.

May Allah make us firm at that time with the Firm Statement. Allah says,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones.) If we make the word "Kalla" negative, then this Ayah means, `O son of Adam! You are not able to deny that which I informed you of at that time (death). This will become something witnessed by you with your own eyes.' If we consider the word "Kalla" to be a word of affirmation, then this would be the most obvious meaning. In this case it would mean that it is certainly true when the soul reaches the collarbones - meaning, `your soul will be pulled out of your body and it will reach your collarbones.' This is similar to Allah's statement,

فَلَوْلاَ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ - وَأَنتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ - وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُبْصِرُونَ - فَلَوْلاَ إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ - تَرْجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

(Then why do you not (intervene) when (the soul of the dying person) reaches the throat And you at the moment are looking on, but We are nearer to him than you, but you see not, then why do you not if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense, bring back the soul, if your are truthful) (56:83-87) Thus, Allah similarly says here,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ - وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones. And it will be said: "Who can cure him) `Ikrimah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Meaning, who is the person who recites divine prayers of healing so that he may come and cure him" Abu Qilabah made a similar statement when he said,

وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(And it will be said: "Who can cure him) "This means who is the doctor that can cure him" Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd all have similar statements. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the Ayah,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "This is the last day of the days of this world and the first day of the days of the Hereafter. So there will be hardships that will meet (more) hardships, except for he whom Allah has mercy upon." `Ikrimah said,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "The great matter (will be joined) with the great matter." Mujahid said, "A test (will be joined) with a test." Al-Hasan Al-Basri said concerning Allah's statement,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank. ) "These are your two shins when they are bound together." In another narration from him (Al-Hasan) he said, "His two legs have died and they will not carry him while he used to walk around on them." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ

(The drive will be on that Day to your Lord!) meaning, the place of return and the destination. This is that the soul ascends into the heavens and Allah says, "Return my servant to the earth, for verily, I have created them from it, I return them into it, and from it I will bring them out at another time." This has been reported in the lengthy Hadith of Al-Bara'. Verily, Allah says,

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ - ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَـسِبِينَ

(He is the Irresistible (Supreme), over His servants, and He sends guardians over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. Then they are returned to Allah, their True Master. Surely, for Him is the judgement and He is the

Mentioning the Case of the Denier

Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

(So, he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away!) This is to inform about the disbeliever who used to deny the truth in his heart in the abode of this worldly life, and he used to turn away from acting according to its way. Thus, there is no good in him, internally or externally. Therefore, Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى - ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(So he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away! Then he walked in conceit (full pride) to his family admiring himself!)(75:31-33) meaning, stubborn, cruel, obstinate, wanton, lazy, having no concern and doing no deeds. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا انقَلَبُواْ إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ انقَلَبُواْ فَكِهِينَ

(And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting.) (83:31) Allah also says,

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِى أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُوراً - إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ

(Verily, he was among his people in joy! Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!) (84:13,14) meaning, return.

بَلَى إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيراً

(Yes! Verily, his Lord has been ever beholding him!) (84:15) Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(Then he walked in conceit to his family admiring himself!) "This means arrogantly." Qatadah and Zayd bin Aslam both said, "Strutting." Allah then says,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) This is a definite warning and threat from Allah to those who disbelieve in Him and strut about when walking. This means, `you deserve to strut like this while you have disbelieved in your Creator and Maker.' This is what is commonly said in this type of situation in order to mock and intimidate (someone). This is as Allah says,

ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ

(Taste you (this)! Verily you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous!) (44:49) Similarly, Allah says,

كُلُواْ وَتَمَتَّعُواْ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ مُّجْرِمُونَ

(Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little. Verily, you are criminals.) (77:46) Allah also says,

فَاعْبُدُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ

(So worship what you like besides Him.) (39:15) And like Allah's statement,

اعْمَلُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ

(Do what you will.) (41:40) There are other examples of this as well. Abu `Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said, "I mentioned to Ibn `Abbas,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) He (Ibn `Abbas) replied, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said this to Abu Jahl, then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed this Ayah."' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Qatadah that he said concerning Allah's statement,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) "It is a threat followed by a threat, just as you hear it. They claim that the Prophet of Allah grabbed the clothes of the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl. The Prophet then said to him, `Woe to you! And then (again) woe to you! Again woe to you! And then (again) woe to you!' At this the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl, said, `Are you threatening me, O Muhammad By Allah! Neither you nor your Lord are able to do anything, and verily, I am the mightiest person walking between its (Makkah's) two mountains."'

Man will not be left neglected

Allah says,

أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى

(Does man think that he will be left neglected) As-Suddi said, "Meaning not resurrected." Mujahid, Ash-Shafi`i and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, all said, "Meaning, he will not be commanded and prohibited." Apparently the Ayah includes both meanings. This means that he will not be left neglected in this worldly life, without being commanded and prohibited. He also will not be left neglected in his grave unattended to without being resurrected. Rather he will be commanded and prohibited in this life, and gathered back to Allah in the abode of the Hereafter. The intent here is to affirm the existence of the abode of the final return and to refute whoever rejects it from the people of deviance, ignorance and stubbornness. Thus, Allah uses the beginning of creation as a proof for the repetition of the creation in His saying,

أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِّن مَّنِىٍّ يُمْنَى

(Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted) meaning, was not man a weak drop of sperm from a despised fluid known as semen, that is emitted from the loins into the wombs

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى

(Then he became an `Alaqah; then shaped and fashioned in due proportion.) meaning, he became a clot, then a lump of flesh, then he was formed and the soul was blown into him. Then he became a perfect creation with healthy limbs, as either a male or a female by the permission and decree of Allah. Thus, Allah says,

فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالاٍّنثَى

(And made of him two sexes, male and female.) Then Allah says,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) meaning, is not He Who made this perfect creation from this weak drop of sperm able to repeat that as He did originally And "the ability to repeat that" either refers to the origination only, or to both that and the process of perfecting it, according to two different views, as in Allah's saying;

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ

(And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; this is easier for Him.) (30:27) The first view is more popular, and Allah knows best.

Supplication upon completing this Surah

Abu Dawud recorded from Musa bin Abi `A'ishah that he said, "A man used to pray on top of his house and whenever he recited,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) he would say, `Glory to You, of course.' So the people asked him about that and he said, `I heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."' Abu Dawud was alone in transmitting this Hadith and he did not mention who this Companion was, but there is no harm in that. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Qiyamah, all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

Certainty will Occur at the Time of Death. Allah Informs of the Condition at the Time of Death and What Terrors it Contains.

May Allah make us firm at that time with the Firm Statement. Allah says,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones.) If we make the word "Kalla" negative, then this Ayah means, `O son of Adam! You are not able to deny that which I informed you of at that time (death). This will become something witnessed by you with your own eyes.' If we consider the word "Kalla" to be a word of affirmation, then this would be the most obvious meaning. In this case it would mean that it is certainly true when the soul reaches the collarbones - meaning, `your soul will be pulled out of your body and it will reach your collarbones.' This is similar to Allah's statement,

فَلَوْلاَ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ - وَأَنتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ - وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُبْصِرُونَ - فَلَوْلاَ إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ - تَرْجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

(Then why do you not (intervene) when (the soul of the dying person) reaches the throat And you at the moment are looking on, but We are nearer to him than you, but you see not, then why do you not if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense, bring back the soul, if your are truthful) (56:83-87) Thus, Allah similarly says here,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ - وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones. And it will be said: "Who can cure him) `Ikrimah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Meaning, who is the person who recites divine prayers of healing so that he may come and cure him" Abu Qilabah made a similar statement when he said,

وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(And it will be said: "Who can cure him) "This means who is the doctor that can cure him" Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd all have similar statements. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the Ayah,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "This is the last day of the days of this world and the first day of the days of the Hereafter. So there will be hardships that will meet (more) hardships, except for he whom Allah has mercy upon." `Ikrimah said,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "The great matter (will be joined) with the great matter." Mujahid said, "A test (will be joined) with a test." Al-Hasan Al-Basri said concerning Allah's statement,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank. ) "These are your two shins when they are bound together." In another narration from him (Al-Hasan) he said, "His two legs have died and they will not carry him while he used to walk around on them." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ

(The drive will be on that Day to your Lord!) meaning, the place of return and the destination. This is that the soul ascends into the heavens and Allah says, "Return my servant to the earth, for verily, I have created them from it, I return them into it, and from it I will bring them out at another time." This has been reported in the lengthy Hadith of Al-Bara'. Verily, Allah says,

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ - ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَـسِبِينَ

(He is the Irresistible (Supreme), over His servants, and He sends guardians over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. Then they are returned to Allah, their True Master. Surely, for Him is the judgement and He is the

Mentioning the Case of the Denier

Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

(So, he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away!) This is to inform about the disbeliever who used to deny the truth in his heart in the abode of this worldly life, and he used to turn away from acting according to its way. Thus, there is no good in him, internally or externally. Therefore, Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى - ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(So he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away! Then he walked in conceit (full pride) to his family admiring himself!)(75:31-33) meaning, stubborn, cruel, obstinate, wanton, lazy, having no concern and doing no deeds. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا انقَلَبُواْ إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ انقَلَبُواْ فَكِهِينَ

(And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting.) (83:31) Allah also says,

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِى أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُوراً - إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ

(Verily, he was among his people in joy! Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!) (84:13,14) meaning, return.

بَلَى إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيراً

(Yes! Verily, his Lord has been ever beholding him!) (84:15) Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(Then he walked in conceit to his family admiring himself!) "This means arrogantly." Qatadah and Zayd bin Aslam both said, "Strutting." Allah then says,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) This is a definite warning and threat from Allah to those who disbelieve in Him and strut about when walking. This means, `you deserve to strut like this while you have disbelieved in your Creator and Maker.' This is what is commonly said in this type of situation in order to mock and intimidate (someone). This is as Allah says,

ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ

(Taste you (this)! Verily you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous!) (44:49) Similarly, Allah says,

كُلُواْ وَتَمَتَّعُواْ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ مُّجْرِمُونَ

(Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little. Verily, you are criminals.) (77:46) Allah also says,

فَاعْبُدُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ

(So worship what you like besides Him.) (39:15) And like Allah's statement,

اعْمَلُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ

(Do what you will.) (41:40) There are other examples of this as well. Abu `Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said, "I mentioned to Ibn `Abbas,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) He (Ibn `Abbas) replied, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said this to Abu Jahl, then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed this Ayah."' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Qatadah that he said concerning Allah's statement,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) "It is a threat followed by a threat, just as you hear it. They claim that the Prophet of Allah grabbed the clothes of the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl. The Prophet then said to him, `Woe to you! And then (again) woe to you! Again woe to you! And then (again) woe to you!' At this the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl, said, `Are you threatening me, O Muhammad By Allah! Neither you nor your Lord are able to do anything, and verily, I am the mightiest person walking between its (Makkah's) two mountains."'

Man will not be left neglected

Allah says,

أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى

(Does man think that he will be left neglected) As-Suddi said, "Meaning not resurrected." Mujahid, Ash-Shafi`i and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, all said, "Meaning, he will not be commanded and prohibited." Apparently the Ayah includes both meanings. This means that he will not be left neglected in this worldly life, without being commanded and prohibited. He also will not be left neglected in his grave unattended to without being resurrected. Rather he will be commanded and prohibited in this life, and gathered back to Allah in the abode of the Hereafter. The intent here is to affirm the existence of the abode of the final return and to refute whoever rejects it from the people of deviance, ignorance and stubbornness. Thus, Allah uses the beginning of creation as a proof for the repetition of the creation in His saying,

أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِّن مَّنِىٍّ يُمْنَى

(Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted) meaning, was not man a weak drop of sperm from a despised fluid known as semen, that is emitted from the loins into the wombs

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى

(Then he became an `Alaqah; then shaped and fashioned in due proportion.) meaning, he became a clot, then a lump of flesh, then he was formed and the soul was blown into him. Then he became a perfect creation with healthy limbs, as either a male or a female by the permission and decree of Allah. Thus, Allah says,

فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالاٍّنثَى

(And made of him two sexes, male and female.) Then Allah says,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) meaning, is not He Who made this perfect creation from this weak drop of sperm able to repeat that as He did originally And "the ability to repeat that" either refers to the origination only, or to both that and the process of perfecting it, according to two different views, as in Allah's saying;

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ

(And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; this is easier for Him.) (30:27) The first view is more popular, and Allah knows best.

Supplication upon completing this Surah

Abu Dawud recorded from Musa bin Abi `A'ishah that he said, "A man used to pray on top of his house and whenever he recited,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) he would say, `Glory to You, of course.' So the people asked him about that and he said, `I heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."' Abu Dawud was alone in transmitting this Hadith and he did not mention who this Companion was, but there is no harm in that. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Qiyamah, all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

Certainty will Occur at the Time of Death. Allah Informs of the Condition at the Time of Death and What Terrors it Contains.

May Allah make us firm at that time with the Firm Statement. Allah says,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones.) If we make the word "Kalla" negative, then this Ayah means, `O son of Adam! You are not able to deny that which I informed you of at that time (death). This will become something witnessed by you with your own eyes.' If we consider the word "Kalla" to be a word of affirmation, then this would be the most obvious meaning. In this case it would mean that it is certainly true when the soul reaches the collarbones - meaning, `your soul will be pulled out of your body and it will reach your collarbones.' This is similar to Allah's statement,

فَلَوْلاَ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ - وَأَنتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ - وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُبْصِرُونَ - فَلَوْلاَ إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ - تَرْجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

(Then why do you not (intervene) when (the soul of the dying person) reaches the throat And you at the moment are looking on, but We are nearer to him than you, but you see not, then why do you not if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense, bring back the soul, if your are truthful) (56:83-87) Thus, Allah similarly says here,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ - وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones. And it will be said: "Who can cure him) `Ikrimah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Meaning, who is the person who recites divine prayers of healing so that he may come and cure him" Abu Qilabah made a similar statement when he said,

وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(And it will be said: "Who can cure him) "This means who is the doctor that can cure him" Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd all have similar statements. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the Ayah,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "This is the last day of the days of this world and the first day of the days of the Hereafter. So there will be hardships that will meet (more) hardships, except for he whom Allah has mercy upon." `Ikrimah said,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "The great matter (will be joined) with the great matter." Mujahid said, "A test (will be joined) with a test." Al-Hasan Al-Basri said concerning Allah's statement,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank. ) "These are your two shins when they are bound together." In another narration from him (Al-Hasan) he said, "His two legs have died and they will not carry him while he used to walk around on them." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ

(The drive will be on that Day to your Lord!) meaning, the place of return and the destination. This is that the soul ascends into the heavens and Allah says, "Return my servant to the earth, for verily, I have created them from it, I return them into it, and from it I will bring them out at another time." This has been reported in the lengthy Hadith of Al-Bara'. Verily, Allah says,

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ - ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَـسِبِينَ

(He is the Irresistible (Supreme), over His servants, and He sends guardians over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. Then they are returned to Allah, their True Master. Surely, for Him is the judgement and He is the

Mentioning the Case of the Denier

Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

(So, he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away!) This is to inform about the disbeliever who used to deny the truth in his heart in the abode of this worldly life, and he used to turn away from acting according to its way. Thus, there is no good in him, internally or externally. Therefore, Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى - ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(So he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away! Then he walked in conceit (full pride) to his family admiring himself!)(75:31-33) meaning, stubborn, cruel, obstinate, wanton, lazy, having no concern and doing no deeds. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا انقَلَبُواْ إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ انقَلَبُواْ فَكِهِينَ

(And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting.) (83:31) Allah also says,

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِى أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُوراً - إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ

(Verily, he was among his people in joy! Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!) (84:13,14) meaning, return.

بَلَى إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيراً

(Yes! Verily, his Lord has been ever beholding him!) (84:15) Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(Then he walked in conceit to his family admiring himself!) "This means arrogantly." Qatadah and Zayd bin Aslam both said, "Strutting." Allah then says,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) This is a definite warning and threat from Allah to those who disbelieve in Him and strut about when walking. This means, `you deserve to strut like this while you have disbelieved in your Creator and Maker.' This is what is commonly said in this type of situation in order to mock and intimidate (someone). This is as Allah says,

ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ

(Taste you (this)! Verily you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous!) (44:49) Similarly, Allah says,

كُلُواْ وَتَمَتَّعُواْ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ مُّجْرِمُونَ

(Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little. Verily, you are criminals.) (77:46) Allah also says,

فَاعْبُدُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ

(So worship what you like besides Him.) (39:15) And like Allah's statement,

اعْمَلُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ

(Do what you will.) (41:40) There are other examples of this as well. Abu `Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said, "I mentioned to Ibn `Abbas,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) He (Ibn `Abbas) replied, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said this to Abu Jahl, then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed this Ayah."' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Qatadah that he said concerning Allah's statement,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) "It is a threat followed by a threat, just as you hear it. They claim that the Prophet of Allah grabbed the clothes of the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl. The Prophet then said to him, `Woe to you! And then (again) woe to you! Again woe to you! And then (again) woe to you!' At this the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl, said, `Are you threatening me, O Muhammad By Allah! Neither you nor your Lord are able to do anything, and verily, I am the mightiest person walking between its (Makkah's) two mountains."'

Man will not be left neglected

Allah says,

أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى

(Does man think that he will be left neglected) As-Suddi said, "Meaning not resurrected." Mujahid, Ash-Shafi`i and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, all said, "Meaning, he will not be commanded and prohibited." Apparently the Ayah includes both meanings. This means that he will not be left neglected in this worldly life, without being commanded and prohibited. He also will not be left neglected in his grave unattended to without being resurrected. Rather he will be commanded and prohibited in this life, and gathered back to Allah in the abode of the Hereafter. The intent here is to affirm the existence of the abode of the final return and to refute whoever rejects it from the people of deviance, ignorance and stubbornness. Thus, Allah uses the beginning of creation as a proof for the repetition of the creation in His saying,

أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِّن مَّنِىٍّ يُمْنَى

(Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted) meaning, was not man a weak drop of sperm from a despised fluid known as semen, that is emitted from the loins into the wombs

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى

(Then he became an `Alaqah; then shaped and fashioned in due proportion.) meaning, he became a clot, then a lump of flesh, then he was formed and the soul was blown into him. Then he became a perfect creation with healthy limbs, as either a male or a female by the permission and decree of Allah. Thus, Allah says,

فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالاٍّنثَى

(And made of him two sexes, male and female.) Then Allah says,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) meaning, is not He Who made this perfect creation from this weak drop of sperm able to repeat that as He did originally And "the ability to repeat that" either refers to the origination only, or to both that and the process of perfecting it, according to two different views, as in Allah's saying;

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ

(And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; this is easier for Him.) (30:27) The first view is more popular, and Allah knows best.

Supplication upon completing this Surah

Abu Dawud recorded from Musa bin Abi `A'ishah that he said, "A man used to pray on top of his house and whenever he recited,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) he would say, `Glory to You, of course.' So the people asked him about that and he said, `I heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."' Abu Dawud was alone in transmitting this Hadith and he did not mention who this Companion was, but there is no harm in that. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Qiyamah, all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

Certainty will Occur at the Time of Death. Allah Informs of the Condition at the Time of Death and What Terrors it Contains.

May Allah make us firm at that time with the Firm Statement. Allah says,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones.) If we make the word "Kalla" negative, then this Ayah means, `O son of Adam! You are not able to deny that which I informed you of at that time (death). This will become something witnessed by you with your own eyes.' If we consider the word "Kalla" to be a word of affirmation, then this would be the most obvious meaning. In this case it would mean that it is certainly true when the soul reaches the collarbones - meaning, `your soul will be pulled out of your body and it will reach your collarbones.' This is similar to Allah's statement,

فَلَوْلاَ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ - وَأَنتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ - وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُبْصِرُونَ - فَلَوْلاَ إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ - تَرْجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

(Then why do you not (intervene) when (the soul of the dying person) reaches the throat And you at the moment are looking on, but We are nearer to him than you, but you see not, then why do you not if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense, bring back the soul, if your are truthful) (56:83-87) Thus, Allah similarly says here,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ - وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones. And it will be said: "Who can cure him) `Ikrimah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Meaning, who is the person who recites divine prayers of healing so that he may come and cure him" Abu Qilabah made a similar statement when he said,

وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

(And it will be said: "Who can cure him) "This means who is the doctor that can cure him" Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd all have similar statements. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the Ayah,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "This is the last day of the days of this world and the first day of the days of the Hereafter. So there will be hardships that will meet (more) hardships, except for he whom Allah has mercy upon." `Ikrimah said,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank.) "The great matter (will be joined) with the great matter." Mujahid said, "A test (will be joined) with a test." Al-Hasan Al-Basri said concerning Allah's statement,

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

(And one shank will be joined with another shank. ) "These are your two shins when they are bound together." In another narration from him (Al-Hasan) he said, "His two legs have died and they will not carry him while he used to walk around on them." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ

(The drive will be on that Day to your Lord!) meaning, the place of return and the destination. This is that the soul ascends into the heavens and Allah says, "Return my servant to the earth, for verily, I have created them from it, I return them into it, and from it I will bring them out at another time." This has been reported in the lengthy Hadith of Al-Bara'. Verily, Allah says,

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ - ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَـسِبِينَ

(He is the Irresistible (Supreme), over His servants, and He sends guardians over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. Then they are returned to Allah, their True Master. Surely, for Him is the judgement and He is the

Mentioning the Case of the Denier

Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

(So, he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away!) This is to inform about the disbeliever who used to deny the truth in his heart in the abode of this worldly life, and he used to turn away from acting according to its way. Thus, there is no good in him, internally or externally. Therefore, Allah says,

فَلاَ صَدَّقَ وَلاَ صَلَّى - وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى - ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(So he neither believed nor prayed! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away! Then he walked in conceit (full pride) to his family admiring himself!)(75:31-33) meaning, stubborn, cruel, obstinate, wanton, lazy, having no concern and doing no deeds. This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا انقَلَبُواْ إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ انقَلَبُواْ فَكِهِينَ

(And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting.) (83:31) Allah also says,

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِى أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُوراً - إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ

(Verily, he was among his people in joy! Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!) (84:13,14) meaning, return.

بَلَى إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيراً

(Yes! Verily, his Lord has been ever beholding him!) (84:15) Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

(Then he walked in conceit to his family admiring himself!) "This means arrogantly." Qatadah and Zayd bin Aslam both said, "Strutting." Allah then says,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) This is a definite warning and threat from Allah to those who disbelieve in Him and strut about when walking. This means, `you deserve to strut like this while you have disbelieved in your Creator and Maker.' This is what is commonly said in this type of situation in order to mock and intimidate (someone). This is as Allah says,

ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ

(Taste you (this)! Verily you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous!) (44:49) Similarly, Allah says,

كُلُواْ وَتَمَتَّعُواْ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ مُّجْرِمُونَ

(Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little. Verily, you are criminals.) (77:46) Allah also says,

فَاعْبُدُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ

(So worship what you like besides Him.) (39:15) And like Allah's statement,

اعْمَلُواْ مَا شِئْتُمْ

(Do what you will.) (41:40) There are other examples of this as well. Abu `Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said, "I mentioned to Ibn `Abbas,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) He (Ibn `Abbas) replied, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said this to Abu Jahl, then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed this Ayah."' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Qatadah that he said concerning Allah's statement,

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى - ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

(Woe to you! And then woe to you! Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!) "It is a threat followed by a threat, just as you hear it. They claim that the Prophet of Allah grabbed the clothes of the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl. The Prophet then said to him, `Woe to you! And then (again) woe to you! Again woe to you! And then (again) woe to you!' At this the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl, said, `Are you threatening me, O Muhammad By Allah! Neither you nor your Lord are able to do anything, and verily, I am the mightiest person walking between its (Makkah's) two mountains."'

Man will not be left neglected

Allah says,

أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى

(Does man think that he will be left neglected) As-Suddi said, "Meaning not resurrected." Mujahid, Ash-Shafi`i and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, all said, "Meaning, he will not be commanded and prohibited." Apparently the Ayah includes both meanings. This means that he will not be left neglected in this worldly life, without being commanded and prohibited. He also will not be left neglected in his grave unattended to without being resurrected. Rather he will be commanded and prohibited in this life, and gathered back to Allah in the abode of the Hereafter. The intent here is to affirm the existence of the abode of the final return and to refute whoever rejects it from the people of deviance, ignorance and stubbornness. Thus, Allah uses the beginning of creation as a proof for the repetition of the creation in His saying,

أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِّن مَّنِىٍّ يُمْنَى

(Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted) meaning, was not man a weak drop of sperm from a despised fluid known as semen, that is emitted from the loins into the wombs

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى

(Then he became an `Alaqah; then shaped and fashioned in due proportion.) meaning, he became a clot, then a lump of flesh, then he was formed and the soul was blown into him. Then he became a perfect creation with healthy limbs, as either a male or a female by the permission and decree of Allah. Thus, Allah says,

فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالاٍّنثَى

(And made of him two sexes, male and female.) Then Allah says,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) meaning, is not He Who made this perfect creation from this weak drop of sperm able to repeat that as He did originally And "the ability to repeat that" either refers to the origination only, or to both that and the process of perfecting it, according to two different views, as in Allah's saying;

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ

(And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; this is easier for Him.) (30:27) The first view is more popular, and Allah knows best.

Supplication upon completing this Surah

Abu Dawud recorded from Musa bin Abi `A'ishah that he said, "A man used to pray on top of his house and whenever he recited,

أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى

(Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead) he would say, `Glory to You, of course.' So the people asked him about that and he said, `I heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."' Abu Dawud was alone in transmitting this Hadith and he did not mention who this Companion was, but there is no harm in that. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Qiyamah, all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

The Disbelievers' Hope when death approaches Allah tells us about what happens when death approaches one of the disbelievers orone of those who have been negligent with the commands of Allah. He tells us what he says and how he asks to come back to this world so that he can rectify whatever wrongs he committed during his lifetime. Allah says:

("My Lord! Send me back, so that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No!) This is like the Ayat:

(And spend of that with which We have provided you before death comes to one of you,) until His saying:

(And Allah is All-Aware of what you do) 63:10-11

(And warn mankind of the Day when the torment will come unto them)

upto His saying; (that you would not leave (the world for the Hereafter).) 14:44 And His saying:

(On the Day the event is finally fulfilled, those who neglected it before will say: "Verily, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth, now are there any intercessors for us that they might intercede on our behalf Or could we be sent back so that we might do deeds other than those deeds which we used to do") 7:53 And:

(And if you only could see when the criminals shall hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back, that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.") 32:12 And;

(If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord. ..") until His saying;

(And indeed they are liars.) 6:27-28

(And you will see the wrongdoers, when they behold the torment, they will say: "Is there any way of return") 42:44

(They will say: "Our Lord! You have made us to die twice, and You have given us life twice! Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out") 40:11 and the Ayah after it:

(Therein they will cry: "Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not what we used to do." (Allah will reply:) "Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it And the warner came to you. So taste you (the evil of your deeds). For the wrongdoers there is no helper.") 35:37 Allah says that they will ask to go back, when death approaches, on the Day of Resurrection, when they are gathered for judgment before the Compeller (Allah) and when they are in the agonies of the punishment of Hell, but their prayer will not be answered. Here Allah says:

(No! It is but a word that he speaks;) The word Kalla (No!) is a word that is used to rebuke, and the meaning is: "No, We will not respond to what he asks for and We will not accept it from him."

(It is but a word that he speaks) refers to his asking to go back so that he can do righteous deeds; this is just talk on his part, it would not be accompanied by any action. If he were to go back, he would not do any righteous good deeds, he is merely lying, as Allah says:

(But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars) 6:28. Qatadah said: "By Allah, he will not wish to go back to his family and tribe, or to accumulate more of the things of this world or satisfy his desires, but he will wish that he could go back to do acts of obedience to Allah. May Allah have mercy on a man who does that which the disbeliever will wish he had done when he sees the punishment of Hell."

Barzakh and Punishment therein

(and in front of them is Barzakh until the Day when they will be resurrected.) Abu Salih and others said that:

(and in front of them) means before them. Mujahid said, Al-Barzakh is a barrier between this world and the Hereafter. Muhammad bin Ka`b said, "Al-Barzakh is what is between this world and the Hereafter, neither they are the people of this world, eating and drinking, nor are they with the people of the Hereafter, being rewarded or punished for their deeds." Abu Sakhr said, "Al-Barzakh refers to the graves. They are neither in this world nor the Hereafter, and they will stay there until the Day of Resurrection."

(and in front of them is Barzakh). In these words is a threat to those wrongdoers at the time of death, of the punishment of Barzakh. This is similar to the Ayat:

(In front of them there is Hell) 45:10.

(and in front of him will be a great torment) 14: 17.

(until the Day when they will be resurrected). means, he will be punished continually until the Day of Resurrection, as it says in the Hadith:

(He will continue to be punished in it.) meaning, in the earth.

The Disbelievers' Hope when death approaches Allah tells us about what happens when death approaches one of the disbelievers orone of those who have been negligent with the commands of Allah. He tells us what he says and how he asks to come back to this world so that he can rectify whatever wrongs he committed during his lifetime. Allah says:

("My Lord! Send me back, so that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No!) This is like the Ayat:

(And spend of that with which We have provided you before death comes to one of you,) until His saying:

(And Allah is All-Aware of what you do) 63:10-11

(And warn mankind of the Day when the torment will come unto them)

upto His saying; (that you would not leave (the world for the Hereafter).) 14:44 And His saying:

(On the Day the event is finally fulfilled, those who neglected it before will say: "Verily, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth, now are there any intercessors for us that they might intercede on our behalf Or could we be sent back so that we might do deeds other than those deeds which we used to do") 7:53 And:

(And if you only could see when the criminals shall hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back, that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.") 32:12 And;

(If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord. ..") until His saying;

(And indeed they are liars.) 6:27-28

(And you will see the wrongdoers, when they behold the torment, they will say: "Is there any way of return") 42:44

(They will say: "Our Lord! You have made us to die twice, and You have given us life twice! Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out") 40:11 and the Ayah after it:

(Therein they will cry: "Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not what we used to do." (Allah will reply:) "Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it And the warner came to you. So taste you (the evil of your deeds). For the wrongdoers there is no helper.") 35:37 Allah says that they will ask to go back, when death approaches, on the Day of Resurrection, when they are gathered for judgment before the Compeller (Allah) and when they are in the agonies of the punishment of Hell, but their prayer will not be answered. Here Allah says:

(No! It is but a word that he speaks;) The word Kalla (No!) is a word that is used to rebuke, and the meaning is: "No, We will not respond to what he asks for and We will not accept it from him."

(It is but a word that he speaks) refers to his asking to go back so that he can do righteous deeds; this is just talk on his part, it would not be accompanied by any action. If he were to go back, he would not do any righteous good deeds, he is merely lying, as Allah says:

(But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars) 6:28. Qatadah said: "By Allah, he will not wish to go back to his family and tribe, or to accumulate more of the things of this world or satisfy his desires, but he will wish that he could go back to do acts of obedience to Allah. May Allah have mercy on a man who does that which the disbeliever will wish he had done when he sees the punishment of Hell."

Barzakh and Punishment therein

(and in front of them is Barzakh until the Day when they will be resurrected.) Abu Salih and others said that:

(and in front of them) means before them. Mujahid said, Al-Barzakh is a barrier between this world and the Hereafter. Muhammad bin Ka`b said, "Al-Barzakh is what is between this world and the Hereafter, neither they are the people of this world, eating and drinking, nor are they with the people of the Hereafter, being rewarded or punished for their deeds." Abu Sakhr said, "Al-Barzakh refers to the graves. They are neither in this world nor the Hereafter, and they will stay there until the Day of Resurrection."

(and in front of them is Barzakh). In these words is a threat to those wrongdoers at the time of death, of the punishment of Barzakh. This is similar to the Ayat:

(In front of them there is Hell) 45:10.

(and in front of him will be a great torment) 14: 17.

(until the Day when they will be resurrected). means, he will be punished continually until the Day of Resurrection, as it says in the Hadith:

(He will continue to be punished in it.) meaning, in the earth.

The Call to repent before the Punishment comes

This Ayah is a call to all sinners, be they disbelievers or others, to repent and turn to Allah. This Ayah tells us that Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will forgive all the sins of those who repent to Him and turn back to Him, no matter what or how many his sins are, even if they are like the foam of the sea. This cannot be interpreted as meaning that sins will be forgiven without repentance, because Shirk can only be forgiven for the one who repents from it. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that some of the people of Shirk killed many people and committed Zina (illegal sexual acts) to a great extent; they came to Muhammad ﷺ and said, "What you are saying and calling us to is good; if only you could tell us that there is an expiation for what we have done." Then the following Ayat were revealed:

وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَلاَ يَزْنُونَ

(And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse) (25:68).

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.) This was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i. What is meant by the first Ayah (25:68) is:

إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَـلِحاً

(Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds) (25:70). Imam Ahmad recorded that Asma' bint Yazid, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah reciting,

إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـلِحٍ

(verily, his work is unrighteous) (11:46). And I heard him say: (قُلْ يَاعِبَادِي الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا وَلَا يُبَالِي إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ) (Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins He does not reckon him Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful)." This was also recorded by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. All of these Hadiths indicate that what is meant is that Allah forgives all sins provided that a person repents. Additionally, one must not despair of the mercy of Allah even if his sins are many and great, for the door of repentance and mercy is expansive. Allah says:

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ

(Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His servants) (9:104).

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ يَجِدِ اللَّهَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (4:110). Concerning the hypocrites, Allah says:

إِنَّ الْمُنَـفِقِينَ فِى الدَّرْكِ الاٌّسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيراً إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ

(Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them. Except those who repent, and do righteous good deeds) (4:145-146). And Allah says:

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَـلِثُ ثَلَـثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـهٍ إِلاَّ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

(Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity)." But there is no god but One. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them.) (5:73). Then He says:

أَفَلاَ يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74) And Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُواْ

(Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them), and then do not turn in repentance (to Allah)) (85: 10). Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Look at this generosity and kindness! They killed His close friends but He still called them to repentance and forgiveness." There are many Ayat on this topic. The Two Sahihs record the Hadith of Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, from Messenger of Allah about the man who killed ninety-nine people. Later on, he regretted it and asked a worshipper among the Children of Israel whether he could repent. He told him no, so he killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then he asked one of their scholars whether he could repent. He said, "What is stopping you from repenting" Then he told him to go to a town where Allah was worshipped. He set out for that town, but death came to him while he was on the road. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him, so Allah commanded them to measure the distance between the two towns; whichever he was closer to was the one to which he belonged. They found that he was closer to the town he was heading for, so the angels of mercy took him. It was said that when he was dying, he moved himself (towards that town), and Allah commanded the good town to move closer to him and the other town to move away. This is basic meaning of the Hadith; we have quoted it in full elsewhere. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on the Ayah:

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins...") sAllah invites all to His forgiveness; those who claim that the Messiah is God, those who claim that the Messiah is the son of God, those who claim that `Uzayr is the son of God, those who claim that Allah is poor, those who claim that the Hand of Allah is tied up, and those who say that Allah is the third of three Trinity. Allah says to all of these:

أَفَلاَ يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74). And He calls to repentance the one who says something even worse than that, the one who says, `I am your Lord most high,' and says,

مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى

("I know not that you have a god other than me.") (28:38). Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Anyone who makes the servants of Allah despair of His mercy after this, has rejected the Book of Allah, but a person cannot repent until Allah decrees that he should repent." At-Tabarani recorded that Shutayr bin Shakal said, "I heard Ibn Mas`ud say, `The greatest Ayah in the Book of Allah is:

اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ

(Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)(2:255). The most comprehensive Ayah in the Qur'an concerning good and evil is:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإْحْسَانِ

(Verily, Allah enjoins justice and Al-Ihsan) (16:90). The Ayah in the Qur'an which brings the most relief is in Surat Az-Zumar:

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.") And the clearest Ayah in the Qur'an about reliance on Allah is:

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاًوَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ

(And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine) (65:2-3).' Masruq said to him; `You have spoken the truth."'

Hadiths which tell us not to despair

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, say:

«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَخْطَأْتُمْ حَتْى تَمْلَأَ خَطَايَاكُمْ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتُمُ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَغَفَرَ لَكُمْ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍبِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَمْ تُخْطِئُوا لَجَاءَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِقَوْمٍ يُخْطِئُونَ، ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللهَ فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُم»

(By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if you were to commit sin until your sins filled the space between heaven and earth, then you were to ask Allah for forgiveness, He would forgive you. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, if you did not commit sin, Allah would bring other people who would commit sins and then ask Allah for forgiveness so that He could forgive them.)" This was recorded only by Ahmad. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, said, as he was on his deathbed, "I have concealed something from you that I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; he said:

«لَوْلَا أَنَّكُمْ تُذْنِبُونَ لَخَلَقَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَوْمًا يُذْنِبُونَ، فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُم»

(If you did not commit sins, Allah would create people who would sin so that He could forgive them.)" This was recorded by Imam Ahmad; it was also recorded by Muslim in his Sahih, and by At-Tirmidhi. Allah encourages His servants to hasten to repent, as He says:

وَأَنِـيبُواْ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُواْ لَهُ

(And turn in repentance (and in obedience with true faith) to your Lord and submit to Him) meaning, turn back to Allah and submit yourselves to Him.

مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لاَ تُنصَرُونَ

(before the torment comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped.) means, hasten to repent and do righteous deeds before His wrath comes upon you.

وَاتَّبِعُـواْ أَحْسَنَ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُـمْ

(And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord,) means, the Qur'an.

مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُـمُ الْعَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَشْعُرُونَ

(before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!) means, without you realizing it.

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يحَسْرَتَى عَلَى مَا فَرَّطَتُ فِى جَنبِ اللَّهِ

(Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah...") means, on the Day of Resurrection, the sinner who neglected to repent and turn back to Allah will regret it, and will wish that he had been one of the righteous who obeyed Allah.

وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّـخِرِينَ

(and I was indeed among those who mocked.) means, `my actions in this world were those of one who ridicules and makes fun, not of one who has firm faith and is sincere.'

أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِى لَكُـنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى الْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَـرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Or (lest) he should say: "If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among those who have Taqwa ". Or he should say when he sees the torment: "If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good.") means, he will wish that he could go back to this world, so that he could do righteous deeds. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Allah tells us what His servants will say before they say it and what they will do before they do it. He says:

وَلاَ يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ

(And none can inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower) (35:14).

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يحَسْرَتَى عَلَى مَا فَرَّطَتُ فِى جَنبِ اللَّهِ وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّـخِرِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِى لَكُـنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى الْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَـرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah, and I was indeed among those who mocked." Or he should say: "If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among those who have Taqwa." Or he should say when he sees the torment: "If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good."). Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«كُلُّ أَهْلِ النَّارِ يَرَى مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ: لَوْ أَنَّ اللهَ هَدَانِي فَتَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ حَسْرَةً، قال: وَكُلُّ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ يَرَى مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ فَيَقُولُ: لَوْلَا أَنَّ اللهَ هَدَانِي، قال: فَيَكُونُ لَهُ شُكْرًا»

(Each of the people of Hell will be shown his place in Paradise and he will say, "If only Allah had guided me!" so it will be a source of regret for him. And each of the people of Paradise will be shown his place in Hell and he will say, "If it were not for the fact that Allah guided me," so it will be a cause of thanks.)" It was also narrated by An-Nasa'i. When the sinners wish that they could return to this world so that they could believe the Ayat of Allah and follow His Messengers, Allah will say:

بَلَى قَدْ جَآءَتْكَ ءَايَـتِى فَكَذَّبْتَ بِهَا وَاسْتَكْبَرْتَ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْكَـفِرِينَ

(Yes! Verily, there came to you My Ayat and you denied them, and were proud and were among the disbelievers.) meaning, `O you who regret what you did, My Ayat did come to you in the world, and My proof was established against you, but you rejected it and were too arrogant to follow it, and you were among those who disbelieved in it.'

The Call to repent before the Punishment comes

This Ayah is a call to all sinners, be they disbelievers or others, to repent and turn to Allah. This Ayah tells us that Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will forgive all the sins of those who repent to Him and turn back to Him, no matter what or how many his sins are, even if they are like the foam of the sea. This cannot be interpreted as meaning that sins will be forgiven without repentance, because Shirk can only be forgiven for the one who repents from it. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that some of the people of Shirk killed many people and committed Zina (illegal sexual acts) to a great extent; they came to Muhammad ﷺ and said, "What you are saying and calling us to is good; if only you could tell us that there is an expiation for what we have done." Then the following Ayat were revealed:

وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَلاَ يَزْنُونَ

(And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse) (25:68).

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.) This was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i. What is meant by the first Ayah (25:68) is:

إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَـلِحاً

(Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds) (25:70). Imam Ahmad recorded that Asma' bint Yazid, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah reciting,

إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـلِحٍ

(verily, his work is unrighteous) (11:46). And I heard him say: (قُلْ يَاعِبَادِي الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا وَلَا يُبَالِي إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ) (Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins He does not reckon him Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful)." This was also recorded by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. All of these Hadiths indicate that what is meant is that Allah forgives all sins provided that a person repents. Additionally, one must not despair of the mercy of Allah even if his sins are many and great, for the door of repentance and mercy is expansive. Allah says:

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ

(Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His servants) (9:104).

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ يَجِدِ اللَّهَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (4:110). Concerning the hypocrites, Allah says:

إِنَّ الْمُنَـفِقِينَ فِى الدَّرْكِ الاٌّسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيراً إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ

(Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them. Except those who repent, and do righteous good deeds) (4:145-146). And Allah says:

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَـلِثُ ثَلَـثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـهٍ إِلاَّ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

(Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity)." But there is no god but One. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them.) (5:73). Then He says:

أَفَلاَ يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74) And Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُواْ

(Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them), and then do not turn in repentance (to Allah)) (85: 10). Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Look at this generosity and kindness! They killed His close friends but He still called them to repentance and forgiveness." There are many Ayat on this topic. The Two Sahihs record the Hadith of Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, from Messenger of Allah about the man who killed ninety-nine people. Later on, he regretted it and asked a worshipper among the Children of Israel whether he could repent. He told him no, so he killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then he asked one of their scholars whether he could repent. He said, "What is stopping you from repenting" Then he told him to go to a town where Allah was worshipped. He set out for that town, but death came to him while he was on the road. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him, so Allah commanded them to measure the distance between the two towns; whichever he was closer to was the one to which he belonged. They found that he was closer to the town he was heading for, so the angels of mercy took him. It was said that when he was dying, he moved himself (towards that town), and Allah commanded the good town to move closer to him and the other town to move away. This is basic meaning of the Hadith; we have quoted it in full elsewhere. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on the Ayah:

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins...") sAllah invites all to His forgiveness; those who claim that the Messiah is God, those who claim that the Messiah is the son of God, those who claim that `Uzayr is the son of God, those who claim that Allah is poor, those who claim that the Hand of Allah is tied up, and those who say that Allah is the third of three Trinity. Allah says to all of these:

أَفَلاَ يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74). And He calls to repentance the one who says something even worse than that, the one who says, `I am your Lord most high,' and says,

مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى

("I know not that you have a god other than me.") (28:38). Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Anyone who makes the servants of Allah despair of His mercy after this, has rejected the Book of Allah, but a person cannot repent until Allah decrees that he should repent." At-Tabarani recorded that Shutayr bin Shakal said, "I heard Ibn Mas`ud say, `The greatest Ayah in the Book of Allah is:

اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ

(Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)(2:255). The most comprehensive Ayah in the Qur'an concerning good and evil is:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإْحْسَانِ

(Verily, Allah enjoins justice and Al-Ihsan) (16:90). The Ayah in the Qur'an which brings the most relief is in Surat Az-Zumar:

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.") And the clearest Ayah in the Qur'an about reliance on Allah is:

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاًوَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ

(And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine) (65:2-3).' Masruq said to him; `You have spoken the truth."'

Hadiths which tell us not to despair

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, say:

«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَخْطَأْتُمْ حَتْى تَمْلَأَ خَطَايَاكُمْ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتُمُ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَغَفَرَ لَكُمْ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍبِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَمْ تُخْطِئُوا لَجَاءَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِقَوْمٍ يُخْطِئُونَ، ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللهَ فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُم»

(By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if you were to commit sin until your sins filled the space between heaven and earth, then you were to ask Allah for forgiveness, He would forgive you. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, if you did not commit sin, Allah would bring other people who would commit sins and then ask Allah for forgiveness so that He could forgive them.)" This was recorded only by Ahmad. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, said, as he was on his deathbed, "I have concealed something from you that I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; he said:

«لَوْلَا أَنَّكُمْ تُذْنِبُونَ لَخَلَقَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَوْمًا يُذْنِبُونَ، فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُم»

(If you did not commit sins, Allah would create people who would sin so that He could forgive them.)" This was recorded by Imam Ahmad; it was also recorded by Muslim in his Sahih, and by At-Tirmidhi. Allah encourages His servants to hasten to repent, as He says:

وَأَنِـيبُواْ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُواْ لَهُ

(And turn in repentance (and in obedience with true faith) to your Lord and submit to Him) meaning, turn back to Allah and submit yourselves to Him.

مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لاَ تُنصَرُونَ

(before the torment comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped.) means, hasten to repent and do righteous deeds before His wrath comes upon you.

وَاتَّبِعُـواْ أَحْسَنَ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُـمْ

(And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord,) means, the Qur'an.

مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُـمُ الْعَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَشْعُرُونَ

(before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!) means, without you realizing it.

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يحَسْرَتَى عَلَى مَا فَرَّطَتُ فِى جَنبِ اللَّهِ

(Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah...") means, on the Day of Resurrection, the sinner who neglected to repent and turn back to Allah will regret it, and will wish that he had been one of the righteous who obeyed Allah.

وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّـخِرِينَ

(and I was indeed among those who mocked.) means, `my actions in this world were those of one who ridicules and makes fun, not of one who has firm faith and is sincere.'

أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِى لَكُـنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى الْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَـرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Or (lest) he should say: "If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among those who have Taqwa ". Or he should say when he sees the torment: "If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good.") means, he will wish that he could go back to this world, so that he could do righteous deeds. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Allah tells us what His servants will say before they say it and what they will do before they do it. He says:

وَلاَ يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ

(And none can inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower) (35:14).

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يحَسْرَتَى عَلَى مَا فَرَّطَتُ فِى جَنبِ اللَّهِ وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّـخِرِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِى لَكُـنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى الْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَـرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah, and I was indeed among those who mocked." Or he should say: "If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among those who have Taqwa." Or he should say when he sees the torment: "If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good."). Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«كُلُّ أَهْلِ النَّارِ يَرَى مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ: لَوْ أَنَّ اللهَ هَدَانِي فَتَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ حَسْرَةً، قال: وَكُلُّ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ يَرَى مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ فَيَقُولُ: لَوْلَا أَنَّ اللهَ هَدَانِي، قال: فَيَكُونُ لَهُ شُكْرًا»

(Each of the people of Hell will be shown his place in Paradise and he will say, "If only Allah had guided me!" so it will be a source of regret for him. And each of the people of Paradise will be shown his place in Hell and he will say, "If it were not for the fact that Allah guided me," so it will be a cause of thanks.)" It was also narrated by An-Nasa'i. When the sinners wish that they could return to this world so that they could believe the Ayat of Allah and follow His Messengers, Allah will say:

بَلَى قَدْ جَآءَتْكَ ءَايَـتِى فَكَذَّبْتَ بِهَا وَاسْتَكْبَرْتَ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْكَـفِرِينَ

(Yes! Verily, there came to you My Ayat and you denied them, and were proud and were among the disbelievers.) meaning, `O you who regret what you did, My Ayat did come to you in the world, and My proof was established against you, but you rejected it and were too arrogant to follow it, and you were among those who disbelieved in it.'

The Call to repent before the Punishment comes

This Ayah is a call to all sinners, be they disbelievers or others, to repent and turn to Allah. This Ayah tells us that Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will forgive all the sins of those who repent to Him and turn back to Him, no matter what or how many his sins are, even if they are like the foam of the sea. This cannot be interpreted as meaning that sins will be forgiven without repentance, because Shirk can only be forgiven for the one who repents from it. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that some of the people of Shirk killed many people and committed Zina (illegal sexual acts) to a great extent; they came to Muhammad ﷺ and said, "What you are saying and calling us to is good; if only you could tell us that there is an expiation for what we have done." Then the following Ayat were revealed:

وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَلاَ يَزْنُونَ

(And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse) (25:68).

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.) This was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i. What is meant by the first Ayah (25:68) is:

إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَـلِحاً

(Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds) (25:70). Imam Ahmad recorded that Asma' bint Yazid, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah reciting,

إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـلِحٍ

(verily, his work is unrighteous) (11:46). And I heard him say: (قُلْ يَاعِبَادِي الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا وَلَا يُبَالِي إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ) (Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins He does not reckon him Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful)." This was also recorded by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. All of these Hadiths indicate that what is meant is that Allah forgives all sins provided that a person repents. Additionally, one must not despair of the mercy of Allah even if his sins are many and great, for the door of repentance and mercy is expansive. Allah says:

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ

(Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His servants) (9:104).

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ يَجِدِ اللَّهَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (4:110). Concerning the hypocrites, Allah says:

إِنَّ الْمُنَـفِقِينَ فِى الدَّرْكِ الاٌّسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيراً إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ

(Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them. Except those who repent, and do righteous good deeds) (4:145-146). And Allah says:

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَـلِثُ ثَلَـثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـهٍ إِلاَّ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

(Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity)." But there is no god but One. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them.) (5:73). Then He says:

أَفَلاَ يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74) And Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُواْ

(Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them), and then do not turn in repentance (to Allah)) (85: 10). Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Look at this generosity and kindness! They killed His close friends but He still called them to repentance and forgiveness." There are many Ayat on this topic. The Two Sahihs record the Hadith of Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, from Messenger of Allah about the man who killed ninety-nine people. Later on, he regretted it and asked a worshipper among the Children of Israel whether he could repent. He told him no, so he killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then he asked one of their scholars whether he could repent. He said, "What is stopping you from repenting" Then he told him to go to a town where Allah was worshipped. He set out for that town, but death came to him while he was on the road. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him, so Allah commanded them to measure the distance between the two towns; whichever he was closer to was the one to which he belonged. They found that he was closer to the town he was heading for, so the angels of mercy took him. It was said that when he was dying, he moved himself (towards that town), and Allah commanded the good town to move closer to him and the other town to move away. This is basic meaning of the Hadith; we have quoted it in full elsewhere. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on the Ayah:

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins...") sAllah invites all to His forgiveness; those who claim that the Messiah is God, those who claim that the Messiah is the son of God, those who claim that `Uzayr is the son of God, those who claim that Allah is poor, those who claim that the Hand of Allah is tied up, and those who say that Allah is the third of three Trinity. Allah says to all of these:

أَفَلاَ يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74). And He calls to repentance the one who says something even worse than that, the one who says, `I am your Lord most high,' and says,

مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى

("I know not that you have a god other than me.") (28:38). Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Anyone who makes the servants of Allah despair of His mercy after this, has rejected the Book of Allah, but a person cannot repent until Allah decrees that he should repent." At-Tabarani recorded that Shutayr bin Shakal said, "I heard Ibn Mas`ud say, `The greatest Ayah in the Book of Allah is:

اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ

(Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)(2:255). The most comprehensive Ayah in the Qur'an concerning good and evil is:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإْحْسَانِ

(Verily, Allah enjoins justice and Al-Ihsan) (16:90). The Ayah in the Qur'an which brings the most relief is in Surat Az-Zumar:

قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.") And the clearest Ayah in the Qur'an about reliance on Allah is:

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاًوَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ

(And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine) (65:2-3).' Masruq said to him; `You have spoken the truth."'

Hadiths which tell us not to despair

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, say:

«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَخْطَأْتُمْ حَتْى تَمْلَأَ خَطَايَاكُمْ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتُمُ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَغَفَرَ لَكُمْ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍبِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَمْ تُخْطِئُوا لَجَاءَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِقَوْمٍ يُخْطِئُونَ، ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللهَ فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُم»

(By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if you were to commit sin until your sins filled the space between heaven and earth, then you were to ask Allah for forgiveness, He would forgive you. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, if you did not commit sin, Allah would bring other people who would commit sins and then ask Allah for forgiveness so that He could forgive them.)" This was recorded only by Ahmad. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, said, as he was on his deathbed, "I have concealed something from you that I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; he said:

«لَوْلَا أَنَّكُمْ تُذْنِبُونَ لَخَلَقَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَوْمًا يُذْنِبُونَ، فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُم»

(If you did not commit sins, Allah would create people who would sin so that He could forgive them.)" This was recorded by Imam Ahmad; it was also recorded by Muslim in his Sahih, and by At-Tirmidhi. Allah encourages His servants to hasten to repent, as He says:

وَأَنِـيبُواْ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُواْ لَهُ

(And turn in repentance (and in obedience with true faith) to your Lord and submit to Him) meaning, turn back to Allah and submit yourselves to Him.

مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لاَ تُنصَرُونَ

(before the torment comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped.) means, hasten to repent and do righteous deeds before His wrath comes upon you.

وَاتَّبِعُـواْ أَحْسَنَ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُـمْ

(And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord,) means, the Qur'an.

مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُـمُ الْعَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَشْعُرُونَ

(before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!) means, without you realizing it.

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يحَسْرَتَى عَلَى مَا فَرَّطَتُ فِى جَنبِ اللَّهِ

(Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah...") means, on the Day of Resurrection, the sinner who neglected to repent and turn back to Allah will regret it, and will wish that he had been one of the righteous who obeyed Allah.

وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّـخِرِينَ

(and I was indeed among those who mocked.) means, `my actions in this world were those of one who ridicules and makes fun, not of one who has firm faith and is sincere.'

أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِى لَكُـنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى الْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَـرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Or (lest) he should say: "If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among those who have Taqwa ". Or he should say when he sees the torment: "If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good.") means, he will wish that he could go back to this world, so that he could do righteous deeds. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Allah tells us what His servants will say before they say it and what they will do before they do it. He says:

وَلاَ يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ

(And none can inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower) (35:14).

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يحَسْرَتَى عَلَى مَا فَرَّطَتُ فِى جَنبِ اللَّهِ وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّـخِرِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِى لَكُـنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ - أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى الْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَـرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah, and I was indeed among those who mocked." Or he should say: "If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among those who have Taqwa." Or he should say when he sees the torment: "If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good."). Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«كُلُّ أَهْلِ النَّارِ يَرَى مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ: لَوْ أَنَّ اللهَ هَدَانِي فَتَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ حَسْرَةً، قال: وَكُلُّ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ يَرَى مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ فَيَقُولُ: لَوْلَا أَنَّ اللهَ هَدَانِي، قال: فَيَكُونُ لَهُ شُكْرًا»

(Each of the people of Hell will be shown his place in Paradise and he will say, "If only Allah had guided me!" so it will be a source of regret for him. And each of the people of Paradise will be shown his place in Hell and he will say, "If it were not for the fact that Allah guided me," so it will be a cause of thanks.)" It was also narrated by An-Nasa'i. When the sinners wish that they could return to this world so that they could believe the Ayat of Allah and follow His Messengers, Allah will say:

بَلَى قَدْ جَآءَتْكَ ءَايَـتِى فَكَذَّبْتَ بِهَا وَاسْتَكْبَرْتَ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْكَـفِرِينَ

(Yes! Verily, there came to you My Ayat and you denied them, and were proud and were among the disbelievers.) meaning, `O you who regret what you did, My Ayat did come to you in the world, and My proof was established against you, but you rejected it and were too arrogant to follow it, and you were among those who disbelieved in it.'

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Swearing by the Horses of War about the Ungratefulness of Man and His Zeal for Wealth

Allah swears by the horses when they are made to gallop into battle in His path (i.e., Jihad), and thus they run and pant, which is the sound that is heard from the horse when it runs.

فَالمُورِيَـتِ قَدْحاً

(Striking sparks of fire.) meaning, the striking of their hooves on the rocks, which causes sparks of fire to fly from them.

فَالْمُغِيرَتِ صُبْحاً

(And scouring to the raid at dawn.) meaning, the raid that is carried out in the early morning time. This is just as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform raids in the early morning. He would wait to see if he heard the Adhan (call to prayer) from the people. If he heard it he would leave them alone, and if he didn't hear it he would attack. Then Allah says,

فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعاً

(And raise the dust in clouds the while.) meaning, dust at the place of the battle with the horses.

فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً

(And penetrating forthwith as one into the midst.) means, then are all in the middle of that spot, together. Allah's saying;

فَالْمُغِيرَتِ صُبْحاً

(And scouring to the raid at dawn.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah, all said, "This means the invasion of the horses in the morning in the way of Allah." And His statement,

فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعاً

(And raise the dust in clouds the while.) This is the place in which the attack takes place. The dust is stirred up by it. And His statement,

فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً

(And penetrating forthwith as one into the midst.) Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas, `Ata, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak that they all said, "This means into the midst of the disbelieving enemy." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ

(Verily, man is ungrateful (Kanud) to his Lord.) This is the subject what is being sworn about, and it means that he (man) is ungrateful for the favors of His Lord and he rejects them. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Abu Al-Jawza', Abu Al-`Aliyah, Abu Ad-Duha, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Qays, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Ibn Zayd all said, "Al-Kanud means ungrateful." Al-Hasan said, "Al-Kanud is the one who counts the calamities (that befall him) and he forgets Allah's favors."

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَإِنَّهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ

(And to that He bears witness.) Qatadah and Sufyan Ath-Thawri both said, "And indeed Allah is a witness to that." It is also possible that the pronoun (He) could be referring to man. This was said by Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi. Thus, its meaning would be that man is a witness himself to the fact that he is ungrateful. This is obvious in his condition, meaning this is apparent from his statements and deeds. This is as Allah says,

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُواْ مَسَاجِدَ الله شَـهِدِينَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِم بِالْكُفْرِ

(It is not for the idolators, to maintain the Masajid of Allah, while they witness disbelief against themselves.) (9:17) Allah said;

وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ

(And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth.) meaning, and indeed in his love of the good, which is wealth, he is severe. There are two opinions concerning this. One of them is that it means that he is severe. There are two opinions concerning this. One of them is that it means that he is severe in his love of wealth. The other view is that it means he is covetous and stingy due to the love of wealth. However, both views are correct.

The Threat about the Hereafter

Then Allah encourages abstinence from worldly things and striving for the Hereafter, and He informs of what the situation will be after this present condition, and what man will face of horrors. He says,

أَفَلاَ يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِى الْقُبُورِ

(Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth) meaning, the dead that are in it will be brought out.

وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِى الصُّدُورِ

(And that which is in the breasts shall be made known) Ibn `Abbas and others have said, "This means what was in their souls would be exposed and made apparent."

إِنَّ رَبَّهُم بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّخَبِيرٌ

(Verily, that Day their Lord will be Well-Acquainted with them.) meaning, He knows all of that they used to do, and He will compensate them for it with the most deserving reward. He does not do even the slightest amount of injustice. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-`Adiyat, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Swearing by the Horses of War about the Ungratefulness of Man and His Zeal for Wealth

Allah swears by the horses when they are made to gallop into battle in His path (i.e., Jihad), and thus they run and pant, which is the sound that is heard from the horse when it runs.

فَالمُورِيَـتِ قَدْحاً

(Striking sparks of fire.) meaning, the striking of their hooves on the rocks, which causes sparks of fire to fly from them.

فَالْمُغِيرَتِ صُبْحاً

(And scouring to the raid at dawn.) meaning, the raid that is carried out in the early morning time. This is just as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform raids in the early morning. He would wait to see if he heard the Adhan (call to prayer) from the people. If he heard it he would leave them alone, and if he didn't hear it he would attack. Then Allah says,

فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعاً

(And raise the dust in clouds the while.) meaning, dust at the place of the battle with the horses.

فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً

(And penetrating forthwith as one into the midst.) means, then are all in the middle of that spot, together. Allah's saying;

فَالْمُغِيرَتِ صُبْحاً

(And scouring to the raid at dawn.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah, all said, "This means the invasion of the horses in the morning in the way of Allah." And His statement,

فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعاً

(And raise the dust in clouds the while.) This is the place in which the attack takes place. The dust is stirred up by it. And His statement,

فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً

(And penetrating forthwith as one into the midst.) Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas, `Ata, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak that they all said, "This means into the midst of the disbelieving enemy." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ

(Verily, man is ungrateful (Kanud) to his Lord.) This is the subject what is being sworn about, and it means that he (man) is ungrateful for the favors of His Lord and he rejects them. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Abu Al-Jawza', Abu Al-`Aliyah, Abu Ad-Duha, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Qays, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Ibn Zayd all said, "Al-Kanud means ungrateful." Al-Hasan said, "Al-Kanud is the one who counts the calamities (that befall him) and he forgets Allah's favors."

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَإِنَّهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ

(And to that He bears witness.) Qatadah and Sufyan Ath-Thawri both said, "And indeed Allah is a witness to that." It is also possible that the pronoun (He) could be referring to man. This was said by Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi. Thus, its meaning would be that man is a witness himself to the fact that he is ungrateful. This is obvious in his condition, meaning this is apparent from his statements and deeds. This is as Allah says,

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُواْ مَسَاجِدَ الله شَـهِدِينَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِم بِالْكُفْرِ

(It is not for the idolators, to maintain the Masajid of Allah, while they witness disbelief against themselves.) (9:17) Allah said;

وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ

(And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth.) meaning, and indeed in his love of the good, which is wealth, he is severe. There are two opinions concerning this. One of them is that it means that he is severe. There are two opinions concerning this. One of them is that it means that he is severe in his love of wealth. The other view is that it means he is covetous and stingy due to the love of wealth. However, both views are correct.

The Threat about the Hereafter

Then Allah encourages abstinence from worldly things and striving for the Hereafter, and He informs of what the situation will be after this present condition, and what man will face of horrors. He says,

أَفَلاَ يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِى الْقُبُورِ

(Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth) meaning, the dead that are in it will be brought out.

وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِى الصُّدُورِ

(And that which is in the breasts shall be made known) Ibn `Abbas and others have said, "This means what was in their souls would be exposed and made apparent."

إِنَّ رَبَّهُم بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّخَبِيرٌ

(Verily, that Day their Lord will be Well-Acquainted with them.) meaning, He knows all of that they used to do, and He will compensate them for it with the most deserving reward. He does not do even the slightest amount of injustice. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-`Adiyat, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Swearing by the Horses of War about the Ungratefulness of Man and His Zeal for Wealth

Allah swears by the horses when they are made to gallop into battle in His path (i.e., Jihad), and thus they run and pant, which is the sound that is heard from the horse when it runs.

فَالمُورِيَـتِ قَدْحاً

(Striking sparks of fire.) meaning, the striking of their hooves on the rocks, which causes sparks of fire to fly from them.

فَالْمُغِيرَتِ صُبْحاً

(And scouring to the raid at dawn.) meaning, the raid that is carried out in the early morning time. This is just as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform raids in the early morning. He would wait to see if he heard the Adhan (call to prayer) from the people. If he heard it he would leave them alone, and if he didn't hear it he would attack. Then Allah says,

فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعاً

(And raise the dust in clouds the while.) meaning, dust at the place of the battle with the horses.

فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً

(And penetrating forthwith as one into the midst.) means, then are all in the middle of that spot, together. Allah's saying;

فَالْمُغِيرَتِ صُبْحاً

(And scouring to the raid at dawn.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah, all said, "This means the invasion of the horses in the morning in the way of Allah." And His statement,

فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعاً

(And raise the dust in clouds the while.) This is the place in which the attack takes place. The dust is stirred up by it. And His statement,

فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً

(And penetrating forthwith as one into the midst.) Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas, `Ata, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak that they all said, "This means into the midst of the disbelieving enemy." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ

(Verily, man is ungrateful (Kanud) to his Lord.) This is the subject what is being sworn about, and it means that he (man) is ungrateful for the favors of His Lord and he rejects them. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Abu Al-Jawza', Abu Al-`Aliyah, Abu Ad-Duha, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Qays, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Ibn Zayd all said, "Al-Kanud means ungrateful." Al-Hasan said, "Al-Kanud is the one who counts the calamities (that befall him) and he forgets Allah's favors."

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَإِنَّهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ

(And to that He bears witness.) Qatadah and Sufyan Ath-Thawri both said, "And indeed Allah is a witness to that." It is also possible that the pronoun (He) could be referring to man. This was said by Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi. Thus, its meaning would be that man is a witness himself to the fact that he is ungrateful. This is obvious in his condition, meaning this is apparent from his statements and deeds. This is as Allah says,

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُواْ مَسَاجِدَ الله شَـهِدِينَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِم بِالْكُفْرِ

(It is not for the idolators, to maintain the Masajid of Allah, while they witness disbelief against themselves.) (9:17) Allah said;

وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ

(And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth.) meaning, and indeed in his love of the good, which is wealth, he is severe. There are two opinions concerning this. One of them is that it means that he is severe. There are two opinions concerning this. One of them is that it means that he is severe in his love of wealth. The other view is that it means he is covetous and stingy due to the love of wealth. However, both views are correct.

The Threat about the Hereafter

Then Allah encourages abstinence from worldly things and striving for the Hereafter, and He informs of what the situation will be after this present condition, and what man will face of horrors. He says,

أَفَلاَ يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِى الْقُبُورِ

(Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth) meaning, the dead that are in it will be brought out.

وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِى الصُّدُورِ

(And that which is in the breasts shall be made known) Ibn `Abbas and others have said, "This means what was in their souls would be exposed and made apparent."

إِنَّ رَبَّهُم بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّخَبِيرٌ

(Verily, that Day their Lord will be Well-Acquainted with them.) meaning, He knows all of that they used to do, and He will compensate them for it with the most deserving reward. He does not do even the slightest amount of injustice. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-`Adiyat, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.

The Major Terrors of the Hour

Allah tells us of the terrors of the Day of Resurrection, and the awesome things that will come to pass, as He says elsewhere:

يَوْمَ تَمُورُ السَّمَآءُ مَوْراً - وَتَسِيرُ الْجِبَالُ سَيْراً

(On the Day when the heaven will shake with a dreadful shaking, And the mountains pass moving away.) 52:9-10 meaning, they will move from their places and will vanish. As Allah says:

وَتَرَى الْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِىَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ

(And you will see the mountains and think them solid, but they shall pass away as the passing away of the clouds.) 27:88

وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنفُوشِ

(And the mountains will be like carded wool.) 101:5

وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ فَقُلْ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسْفاً - فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعاً صَفْصَفاً - لاَّ تَرَى فِيهَا عِوَجاً وَلا أَمْتاً

(And they ask you about the mountains, say: "My Lord will pulverize them scattering their dust. To leave them as a barren plain. You will not see in it crookness or curve.) 20:105-107 Allah tells us that He will cause the mountains to vanish and be levelled, and the earth will be left as a smooth plain, a level surface with nothing crooked or curved therein, no valleys or mountains. So Allah says:

وَتَرَى الاٌّرْضَ بَارِزَةً

(and you will see the earth as a levelled plain, ) meaning clear and open, with no features that anyone may recognize and nothing for anyone to hide behind. All creatures will be visible to their Lord, and not one of them will be hidden from Him. Mujahid and Qatadah said,

وَتَرَى الاٌّرْضَ بَارِزَةً

(and you will see the earth as a levelled plain,) "No one will be hidden or absent." Qatadah said, "There will be no buildings and no trees."

وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً

(and we shall gather them, so that We will not leave one of them behind.) means, `We shall gather them all, the first of them and the last of them, and We shall not leave anyone behind, young or old.' As Allah says:

قُلْ إِنَّ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَالاٌّخِرِينَ - لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَى مِيقَـتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ

(Say: "(yes) verily, those of old, and those of later times. All will surely be gathered together for an appointed meeting of a known Day.) 56:49,50

ذلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّجْمُوعٌ لَّهُ النَّاسُ وَذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّشْهُودٌ

(That is a Day whereon mankind will be gathered together, and that is a Day when all will be present) 11:103.

وَعُرِضُواْ عَلَى رَبِّكَ صَفَا

(And they will be set before your Lord, aligned.) This may mean that all of creation will stand before Allah in one row, as Allah says:

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ صَفّاً لاَّ يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَقَالَ صَوَاباً

(The Day that Ar-Ruh (Jibril) and the angels will stand aligned, they will not speak except him whom the Most Gracious (Allah) allows, and he will speak what is right) 78:38; or it may mean that they will stand in rows, as Allah says:

وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفّاً صَفّاً

(And your Lord comes with the angels in rows.) 89:22

لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

(Now indeed, you have come to Us as We created you the first time.) This is a rebuke to those who denied the Hereafter, a reprimand before all creation. This is why Allah says to them:

بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُمْ مَّوْعِدًا

(Nay, but you thought that We had appointed no meeting for you (with Us).), meaning, you did not think that this would happen to you or that it would come to pass.

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ

(And the Book will be produced,) the Book of deeds, which contains a record of everything, major or minor, significant or insignificant, great or small.

فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ

(and you will see the criminals, fearful of that which is therein.) of their evil deeds and reprehensible actions.

وَيَقُولُونَ يوَيْلَتَنَا

(They will say, "Woe to us!") expressing words of regret for having wasted their lives.

مَا لِهَـذَا الْكِتَـبِ لاَ يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلاَ كَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ أَحْصَاهَا

(What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a large thing, but has recorded it with numbers!) it has left no sin, major or minor, and no action, no matter how small, but it has recorded it with the utmost precision and accuracy.

وَوَجَدُواْ مَا عَمِلُواْ حَاضِرًا

(And they will find all that they did, present,) everything, both good and evil, as Allah says,

يَوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُّحْضَرًا

(On the Day when every person will be confronted with all the good he has done) 3:30. Allah says:

يُنَبَّأُ الإِنسَـنُ يَوْمَئِذِ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ

(On that Day man will be informed of what he sent forward, and what he left behind.) 75:13 And Allah says:

يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَآئِرُ

(The Day when all the secrets will be exposed. ) 86:9 meaning, everything that is hidden in people's hearts will become known. Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that the Prophet said,

«لِكُلِّ غَادِرٍ لِوَاءٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُعْرَفُ بِه»

(Every traitor will have a banner on the Day of Resurrection, by which he will be known.) It was also narrated in the Two Sahihs, where one narration says,

«يُرْفَعُ لِكُلِّ غَادِرٍ لِوَاءٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِنْدَ اسْتِهِ بِقَدْرِ غَدْرَتِهِ، يُقَالُ: هَذِهِ غَدْرَةُ فُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَان»

(On the Day of Resurrection, for every traitor a banner will be erected by his backside, and it will be said, "This is the betrayer of so-and-so the son of so-and-so.")

وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا

(and your Lord treats no one with injustice.) means, He will judge between His creatures for all of their deeds, and He will not treat any of His creatures with injustice. He will overlook and forgive and have mercy, and He will punish whomever He wills by His power, wisdom and justice. He will fill Hell with the disbelievers and those who have been disobedient. Then He will rescue the disobedient, and leave the disbelievers there for eternity. He is the Judge Who never wrongs or oppresses. Allah says:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَـعِفْهَا

(Surely, Allah wrongs not even of the weight of a speck of dust, but if there is any good, He doubles it.) 4:40

وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَزِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ فَلاَ تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئاً

(And We shall set up Balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything.) Until His saying;

حَـسِبِينَ

(to take account) 21:47 And there are many similar Ayat. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Muhammad bin `Aqil heard Jabir bin `Abdullah say, "I was told about a Hadith which a man heard from the Prophet , so I bought a camel and put my saddle on it, then I traveled on it for a month until I came to Ash-Sham, where `Abdullah bin Unays was. I said to the doorkeeper, `Tell him that Jabir is at the door.' He said, `Jabir bin `Abdullah' I said, `Yes.' So he came out, still putting his garment on, and embraced me, and I embraced him, and said: `I heard a Hadith narrated by you, that you heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about reciprocal punishments. I was afraid that you or I would die before I could hear it.' He said, `I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

«يَحْشُرُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَوْ قَالَ: الْعِبَادَ عُرَاةً غُرْلًا بُهْمًا»

(Allah will gather the people -- or His servants -- on the Day of Resurrection, naked, uncircumcised and Buhman.) I asked, `What is Buhman' He said,

لَيْسَ مَعَهُمْ شَيْءٌ، ثُمَّ يُنَادِيهِمْ بِصَوْتٍ يَسْمَعُهُ مَنْ بَعُدَ كَمَا يَسْمَعُهُ مَنْ قَرُبَ: أَنَا الْمَلِكُ، أَنَا الدَّيَّانُ لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ النَّارَ وَلَهُ عِنْدَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ حَقٌّ حَتَّى أُقِصَّهُ مِنْهُ، وَلَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَهُ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ حَقٌّ حَتَّى أُقِصَّهُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى اللَّطْمَة»

(They will have nothing with them. Then a voice will call out to them that will be heard by those far away just as easily as it will be heard by those near: "I am the Sovereign, I am the Judge. None of the people of Hell should enter Hell if he is owed something by one of the people of Paradise, until I have settled the matter, and none of the people of Paradise should enter Paradise if he is owed something by one of the people of Hell, until I settle the matter -- even if it is only the case of a slap.") We said, `How will that be, when we have come before Allah barefooted, naked, uncircumcised and having nothing with us' He said,

«بِالْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَات»

(By merit for good deeds, and recompense for evil deeds.) Shu`bah narrated from Al-`Awwam bin Muzahim from Abu `Uthman from `Uthman bin `Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِنَّ الْجَمَّاءَ لَتَقْتَصُّ مِنَ الْقَرْنَاءِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة»

(The animal who lost a horn will settle the score with the one that has horns on the Day of Resurrection.) It was recorded by `Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad, and there are corroborating narrations through other routes.

(This is Hell which you were promised!) meaning, `this is what the Messengers warned you about, and you did not believe them.'

(Burn (enter) therein this Day, for that you used to disbelieve). This is like the Ayah:

(The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing. This is the Fire which you used to belie. Is this magic or do you not see) (52:13-15)

The Mouths of the Disbelievers will be sealed on the Day of Resurrection

(This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn.) eThis will be the state of the disbelievers and hypocrites on the Day of Resurrection, when they deny the sins they committed in this world and swear that they did not do that. Allah will seal their mouths and cause their limbs to speak about what they did. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "We were with the Prophet and he smiled so broadly that his molar could be seen, then he said:

(Do you know why I am smiling) We said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said:

(Because of the way a servant will argue with his Lord on the Day of Resurrection. He will say, "O Lord, will You not protect me from injustice" Allah will say, "Of course." He will say, "I will not accept any witness against me except from myself." Allah will say, "Today you will be a sufficient witness against yourself, and the honorable scribes will serve as witnesses against you." Then his mouth will be sealed, and it will be said to his faculties, "Speak!" So they will speak of what he did. Then he will be permitted to speak, and he will say, "May you be doomed! It was for you that I was fighting.")" This was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. Ibn Jarir narrated that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The believer will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection, and his Lord will show him his deeds, just between him and His Lord. He will admit it and will say, `Yes, O Lord, I did do that.' Then Allah will forgive him his sins and conceal them, and no creature on earth will see any of those sins, but his good deeds will be seen, and he will want all the people to see them. Then the disbeliever and the hypocrite will be brought to account, and his Lord will show him his deeds and he will deny them, saying, `O Lord, by Your glory, this angel has written down things that I did not do.' The angel will say to him, `Did you not do such and such on such a day and in such a place' He will say, `No, by Your glory, I did not do that.' When he says this, Allah will seal his mouth." Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I think that the first part of his body to speak will be his right thigh." Then he recited:

(This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn).

(And if it had been Our will, We would surely have wiped out their eyes, so that they would struggle for the path, how then would they see) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, explained it: "Allah says, `If We willed, We could have misguided them all away from true guidance, so how could they be guided" And on one occasion he said, "`We could have blinded them."' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "If Allah willed, He could have covered their eyes and made them blind, stumbling about." Mujahid, Abu Salih, Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "So that they would struggle for the path, i.e., the right way." Ibn Zayd said, "The meaning of path here is the truth -- `How could they see when We have covered their eyes"' Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him said:

(how then would they see) "They would not see the truth."

(And if it had been Our will, We could have transformed them in their places.) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said; "`We could have destroyed them." As-Suddi said, "`We could have changed their form." Abu Salih said, "`We could have turned them to stone." Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah said, "`We could have caused them to sit on their feet." Allah says:

(Then they would have been unable to go forward) meaning, move to the front,

(nor they could have turned back.) meaning, move backwards. They would have remained static, unable to move forwards or backwards.