Al-Isra 17:71

Commentary

The word: اِمَام (Imam) in the first sentence of verse يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ translated as ' (Think of) the Day We will call every people with their book of deeds' appears here in the sense of 'book' as in Surah Ya Sin: وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ (and We have enumerated everything in a clear book - 36:12). Here, إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ means a clear book. Then, 'kitab' is called 'imam' for the reason that, in the event of some error or difference, one turns to the book very much like turning to a religious leader who is followed. (Qurtubi)

And it also appears from a Hadith of Tirmidhi as narrated by Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ (Tirmidhi calls it Hasan Gharib) that, 'imam' in this verse means 'kitab.' The words of the Hadith are given below:

يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ قال یُدعٰی اَحَدُھُم فَیُعطٰی کِتَابُہ بِیَمَینِہٖ

Explaining the verse يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ (71), the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself said: One of them will be called and his book of deeds will be given in his right hand. (From a lengthy Hadith)

It also stands established from this Hadith that 'imam' has been used here in the sense of 'book', and that 'kitab' signifies the 'book of deeds.' (Maulana Ashraf Thanavi (رح) has, therefore, translated 'imam' as the 'book of deeds' )

Also reported from some commentators, including Sayyidna ` Ali al-Murtada ؓ and Mujahid, is the meaning of 'imam' as religious leader. It means that everyone is to be called as the follower of a certain leader - whether they be blessed prophets or their deputies, the Shaykhs and the ` Ulama', or leaders who have been inviting people to error and sin. (Qurtubi)

Given this meaning, the sense of the verse would be that everyone will be called by the name of his or her leader and all those so called will be assembled at one place. For example, there will be the followers of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، the followers of Sayyidna Musa and Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہم السلام) to and the followers of Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ . Then, possibly the names of those will also be called out who are their direct instructors or leaders (such as ` Ulama' and religious guides).

The Book of Deeds

As it appears from several verses of the Holy Qur'an, only disbelievers will be given the book of deeds in the left hand. This is as it is said in the verse:إِنَّهُ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ (Indeed, he was not used to believing in Allah, the Great - al-Haqqah, 69:33) and also in another verse: إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ‌(Indeed, he surmised that he would never return - a1-Inshigaq, 84:14). In the first verse quoted above, faith has been negated explicitly while the second carries a denial of the Hereafter - which too is disbelief after all. This comparative look tells us that those who shall get their book of deeds in the right hand will be the people of faith, pious or sinner. The believer will read his or her book of deeds in delight. In fact, the happy believer will have others read it too. This happiness will be because of having one's 'Iman (faith) intact and because of deliverance from eternal punishment - though, punishment may also come for some deeds.

How the book of deeds will be given in the right or the left hand is something not mentioned in the Holy Qur’ an. But, the expression: تَطَاٰیُرُالکُتُبِ - (causing the books fly) has appeared in some Ahadith (reported by Ahmad on the authority of Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ ' ascending to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . And in some narrations of Hadith, it appears that all books of deeds will be there at one place under the ` Arsh (Throne). Then a wind will blow and cause these to fly and reach the hands of people in a manner that some will get it in their right hand and some others in the left. (Reported by al-` Uqaili on the authority of Sayyidna Anas ؓ ascending to the Holy Prophet ﷺ) (Bayan al-Qur'an from Ruh al-Ma’ ani)