سورة : AlInfitar

The context refers to that Day which represents a fundamental case in human’s life. This Day is recognized in two matters; the first, a soul will not possess for another soul a power to do a thing, the second, the command that Day is entirely with Allah.

In this worldly life, a soul can possess a power over another soul but on the Last Day there is no place for these reasons, the souls in this life are connected to reasons and humans may help each other, while on the last Day none of that will be, and no one possesses any harm or good to do to anyone else.

You may ask: In this life is not the command is entirely with Allah (swt)? The answer is: Yes, it is entirely with Allah (swt), but there are reasons connected to causers, while on that Day you are with the Causer without reasons, so the command is entirely with Allah (swt).

 

الْفُجَّارَ (The wicked): Wickedness is stepping out of Allah’s orders and disobeying Him.

The reward of the wickedness is the Hell fire. Both words of wickedness and Hell fire are similar and homogeneous, suitable for each other.

The word (جَحِيمٍ) (Hell fire) in Arabic is derived from the word جحم)) which refers to intensive fire inflation, that is why this word is used in Arabic to describe an angry person to express that the anger inflames him. The Quranic context and style do not just state that the recompense of the wicked is Hell fire, rather, Allah (swt) confirms it by:

After Allah (swt) confirmed the matter of writing the deeds and counting them for their doers, He (swt) indicated its great consequences. This matter will end in accountability and reward according to the good and evil recorded by the angels. This destiny is pre-prepared and ready waiting for its righteous companions in Paradise and the wicked in Fire.

Allah (swt) affirmed this meaning here by using the affirmation style (Using the letter “Lam” in the word لَفِي ) to stop the doubts of people who suspect this destiny.

(Righteous) is derived from (righteousness), a word that holds all good behaviours, Allah (swt) says:

Their documentation and recordings should come exactly as what happened in reality, consequently, accountability, reward, recompense and punishment come accordingly. Verify, Allah (swt) does not do injustice even as much as an atom’s weight. Allah (swt) says:

 {فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ % وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ }

(So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, % And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.) (Az-Zalzalah: 7-8)

That is why Allah (swt) entrusted the deeds’ registration to His angels who never commit mistakes, forget or fall in distraction or inattentiveness. So, these are the four characteristics of the registrars: memorizing in themselves, also it is correct to say that they keep what they write, also they are noble. Since the noble characteristic is to be happy with good and unhappy with the evil, so, their nature matches the task they are assigned; when they see good deed, they hurry in writing it because they love that and when they see bad deed they hurry in registering it because they hate that deed.

However, there is a difference between the assignment and the self-preparation of those angels; they have a specific task and they are prepared to do it properly.

Then, notice the precision and affirmation in the word (recording); they are not just memorizing and noble in themselves, moreover, they are (recording) in addition to memorizing, hence, what is memorized will be their witness while the records will be a proof against its owner when the books are made public. Allah (swt) says:

 {اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا}

([It will be said], “Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant.”) (Al-Israa: 14)

One manifestation of Allah’s (swt) mercy upon us is that He (swt) made the writer of good deeds is a master over the writer of bad deeds to give the Man a chance to repent and go back to the right path, for Allah (swt) does not intend to nitpick us, rather, to catch our good deeds. The proof of this is that Allah (swt) considers the deeds of hearts and it is enough to give your heart a chance to think about good for a while, that is why the Prophet (saws) said:

“He who intended to do good, but did not do it, one good was recorded for him, and he who intended to do good and also did it, ten to seven hundred good deeds were recorded for him. And he who intended evil, but did not commit it, no entry was made against his name, but if he committed that, it was recorded.”[1]

Allah (swt) says:

 لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ % إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ % مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ

(And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein % When the two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left. % Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].) (Qaaf: 16-18)

Allah (swt) describes the angel here as being observer, prepared to record and seated, however, Allah (swt) does not describe the angel as (Qa’id) which is also in Arabic indicates sitting because the former one means seated but able to stand up whereas (Qa’eed) is a characteristic accompanying its owner, as when we say merciful and generous. So that the angel is your companion that never leaves you and always attentive to follow your deeds.

[1] Sahih Muslim, The book of Faith, Hadith No. 130.

They are the angels that are writing the mankind’s deeds. Allah (swt) says:

{إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ % مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ  }

(When the two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left. %  Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].) (Qaaf: 17-18)

People in documenting matters only trust what is registered and recorded which secure the safety of their dealings, such as the contracts and others, so where will be no place for doubt, heedlessness or forgetfulness.

Allah (swt) says to them: I will notarize your actions the same way you are familiar with in your life matters. So, the issue of recording and writing down the deeds is not useless; it has a purpose. Mankind’s doings are registered for him precisely, punctually and honestly, which Allah (swt) has guaranteed for us by those who are in charge of it; the angels.

The Truthful (swt) reminds us here that He keeps all deeds and they are recorded to Him (swt) for this Day; a day when every soul will be recompensed for what it earned. So, for the evidence to be brought against them, the actions, which for which they are held accountable, must be written and recorded so that the doer can read it. Therefore, Allah (swt) confirms this matter in this verse.

(No) is a word of deter and rebuke from a proceeded matter. Meaning, the previous matter should not have happened, which is the human’s arrogance. However, when Allah (swt) restrains the slave from the arrogance, then, He is providing advice, education and guidance. At first, restraining may deter him, such as, Allah (swt) says in another verse:

  {كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ % أَن رَّآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ}

(No! [But] indeed, man transgresses % Because he sees himself self-sufficient.) (Al-Alaq: 6-7)

One of human’s characteristics is transgression, which is to overstep the limit, especially, when he becomes fully self- sufficient with his health, money and position so be becomes arrogant and thinks he is eternal in this universe. Hence, Allah (swt) is saying (No!) to him.

بَلْ (But): Meaning that you do not restrain from the previous mentioned actions, you turn away from sincerity to Allah (swt) and you ignore His signs in the universe and in yourself!!

If you have pondered upon these signs you would not have denied the Resurrection and Judgement Day.

Let’s here note the style of speech; Allah (swt) moved from addressing a single human being (O Man) to plural (you) , He (swt) did not say: (O Man, you deny the Recompense) because the word الْإِنسَانُ (Man) means plural although it is singular, as if Allah (swt) is speaking to all mankind.

Denying the Judgement Day is the reason of every sin, inattentiveness and going out of Allah’s (swt) method and being unprepared to meet Him.

Meaning, He (swt) has assembled you in perfect image, creativity and appearance.

These are three stages: Mankind creation, which is the bringing into existence, fashioning, then giving due proportion, this is a certainty, no doubt about it since Allah (swt), for example, has not made you crawling on your tummy like a snake, neither made you walking on four like animals and did not make your stature crooked, rather, He (swt) shaped you in straight figure, made your posture high, as same as the proportion and balance in the minute systems inside the human being, which, the science, every day, discovers something miraculous about them.

This inquiry carries the meaning of wondering and scolding to mankind who dares upon the creator by committing sins while Allah (swt) is the Generous who should not be disobeyed.

Allah (swt) talks to humanity saying (O’ Mankind) because this word implies that his humanity should prevent him from being arrogant. Humanity is distinguished by brain which is the machine of thinking, planning and deduction, whereas, arrogance is an inattentiveness of the arrogant. Hence, human should not forget his weakness and need in front of the strength of his Lord and creator, if he wants to be proud of something, let him be proud of a self-made something not of something given to him, that is why this act required the wondering and denial.

  يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ

(O Man, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous, (6))

What is the thing that prompted you to be arrogant, while, Allah (swt) is the Generous, Giver of blessings and bestowments to us!!

Allah (swt) uses here the attribute of Generous specifically to indicate that The Generous should not be met with bad deeds.

Then The Truthful (swt) counts and reminds us of some of His blessings and effects of His generosity:

Every soul will know what it has brought in good or evil just once the sky breaks apart, the planets scatter, the seas erupt and graves scatter. The Truthful (swt) says:

 وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَٰذَا الْكِتَابِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا أَحْصَاهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا

(And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, “Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?” And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one.) (Al-Kahf: 49)

And says:

{ وَكُلَّ إِنسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ ۖ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كِتَابًا يَلْقَاهُ مَنشُورًا % اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا }

(And [for] every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open.

% [It will be said], “Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant.”) (Al-Israa: 13-14)

Graves are scattered means turning their insides out, so all the dead comes out.

As when Allah (swt) says:

{ وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ }

(And when the seas are filled with flame) (Al-Takwir: 6)

These are futuristic signs that will happen on Judgment day; the seas will erupt and become one sea where the fresh will mix with the salty. Sea in language is the place where the water accumulates whether it is fresh or salty. Hence, eruption of seas means releasing them on the earth’s surface.

Allah (swt) mentions the planets that some people worshiped. Since, on this day balance of the planets is disturbed, each planet leaves its orbit which they used to move around. The word planet indicates that it takes its light from another object, contrary to the stars. For the planet takes its light from the sun, so that when it goes down, we will not see the planets which proves to us that each planet will end up in decline.

انتَثَرَتْ (scattered): scattering is the opposite of gathering. To scatter is to throw things on the floor irregularly. As such, the scattering of the planets is the dispense of their form of gathering in their positions or the exiting of the planets out of their orbits so they appear in disorder in space due to gravity disturbance upon which the universe was built.

This is as Allah (swt) says:

 {الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ مِن تَفَاوُتٍ ۖ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُور}

([And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks?) (Al-Mulk-3)

The Truthful (swt) uses the word “Fatara” (to break) once in something that is fixed and another time in something that is ruined. An example of something that is fixed when Allah (swt) says:

 {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ }

([All] praise is [due] to Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth,) (Al-Mulk: 3)

Meaning that Allah (swt) has created the heavens and the earth as no previous example and with precise ability, whereas, here the Truthful (swt) says regarding something that is ruined which is the sky, pointing out to the great frightening Day when the sky splits and the planets fall down so none of them will perform its duty, because Allah (swt) has taken away what made them useful. For Allah (swt) by His perfectibility gives a thing of the characteristics that make it suitable for what it was created for, so let no human think that he has gone outside his creator’s (swt) ability.

Of course, it does not break apart or split by itself but by order from its creator Allah (swt), as when Allah (swt) says:

 { إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انشَقَّتْ}

(When the sky has split [open]) (Al-Inshiqaq: 1)

This saying shows that as soon as the sky hears the order from Allah (swt) to split open it replies immediately and obeys the order to split open. The sky understands Allah’s (swt) order, He who created it, and will break apart for a great command that is the Judgement day and the end of this life.