Al-Anbya 21:104
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 331
يَوۡمَ نَطۡوِي ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلۡكُتُبِۚ كَمَا بَدَأۡنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلۡقٖ نُّعِيدُهُۥۚ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡنَآۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ ١٠٤
The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it.1
1 translator’s note
- More literally, "Indeed, We are ever doers" of what We will. ↩
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Commentary on 21:104
The Heavens will be rolled up on the Day of Resurrection
Allah says: this will happen on the Day of Resurrection:
يَوْمَ نَطْوِى السَّمَآءَ كَطَىِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ
(And (remember) the Day when We shall roll up the heaven like a Sijill for books.) This is like the Ayah:
وَمَا قَدَرُواْ اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ وَالاٌّرْضُ جَمِيعاً قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَمَةِ وَالسَّمَوَتُ مَطْوِيَّتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ سُبْحَنَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
(They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified be He, and High be He above all that they associate as partners with Him!) 39:67 Al-Bukhari recorded that Nafi` reported from Ibn `Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إِنَّ اللهَ يَقْبِضُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْأَرَضِينَ وَتَكُونُ السَّمَوَاتُ بِيَمِينِه»
(On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will seize the earth and the heavens will be in His Right Hand.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him.
كَطَىِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ
(like a Sijill rolled up for books.) What is meant by Sijill is book. As-Suddi said concerning this Ayah: "As-Sijill is an angel who is entrusted with the records; when a person dies, his Book (of deeds) is taken up to As-Sijill, and he rolls it up and puts it away until the Day of Resurrection." But the correct view as narrated from Ibn `Abbas is that As-Sijill refers to the record (of deeds). This was also reported from him by `Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-`Awfi. This was also stated by Mujahid, Qatadah and others. This was the view favored by Ibn Jarir, because this usage is well-known in the (Arabic) language. Based on the above, the meaning is: the Day when the heaven will be rolled up like a scroll. This is like the Ayah:
فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ
(Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the will of Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead.) 37:103 There are many more linguistic examples in this respect. Allah knows best.
كَمَا بَدَأْنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُهُ وَعْداً عَلَيْنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَعِلِينَ
(As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it.) means, this will inevitably come to pass on the Day when Allah creates His creation anew. As He created them in the first place, He is surely able to re-create them. This must inevitably come to pass because it is one of the things that Allah has promised, and He does not break His promise. He is able to do that. Because He says:
إِنَّا كُنَّا فَعِلِينَ
(Truly, We shall do it.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood among us exhorting us, and said:
«إِنَّكُمْ مَحْشُورُونَ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حُفَاةً عُرَاةً غُرْلًا، كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُعِيدُهُ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا، إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِين»
(You will be gathered before Allah barefoot, naked and uncircumcised. As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it.) And he mentioned the entire Hadith. It was also recorded in the Two Sahihs, and Al-Bukhari mentioned it in his Tafsir of this Ayah.
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21:102
لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ حَسِيسَهَاۖ وَهُمۡ فِي مَا ٱشۡتَهَتۡ أَنفُسُهُمۡ خَٰلِدُونَ ١٠٢
They will not hear its sound, while they are, in that which their souls desire, abiding eternally.
21:103
لَا يَحۡزُنُهُمُ ٱلۡفَزَعُ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرُ وَتَتَلَقَّىٰهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ هَٰذَا يَوۡمُكُمُ ٱلَّذِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ ١٠٣
They will not be grieved by the greatest terror,1 and the angels will meet them, [saying], "This is your Day which you have been promised" -
1 translator’s note
- The events of the Last Hour or of the Resurrection. ↩
21:104
يَوۡمَ نَطۡوِي ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلۡكُتُبِۚ كَمَا بَدَأۡنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلۡقٖ نُّعِيدُهُۥۚ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡنَآۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ ١٠٤
The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it.1
1 translator’s note
- More literally, "Indeed, We are ever doers" of what We will. ↩
21:105
وَلَقَدۡ كَتَبۡنَا فِي ٱلزَّبُورِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱلذِّكۡرِ أَنَّ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ ٱلصَّٰلِحُونَ ١٠٥
And We have already written in the book [of Psalms]1 after the [previous] mention2 that the land [of Paradise] is inherited by My righteous servants.
21:106
إِنَّ فِي هَٰذَا لَبَلَٰغٗا لِّقَوۡمٍ عَٰبِدِينَ ١٠٦
Indeed, in this [Qur’ān] is notification for a worshipping people.
21:107
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةٗ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٠٧
And We have not sent you, [O Muḥammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.
21:108
قُلۡ إِنَّمَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۖ فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ ١٠٨
Say, "It is only revealed to me that your god is but one God; so will you be Muslims [in submission to Him]?"
21:109
فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَقُلۡ ءَاذَنتُكُمۡ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٖۖ وَإِنۡ أَدۡرِيٓ أَقَرِيبٌ أَم بَعِيدٞ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ ١٠٩
But if they turn away, then say, "I have announced to [all of] you equally.1 And I know not whether near or far is that which you are promised.
1 translator’s note
- The Prophet (ﷺ) made this message known to all people, not concealing any of it from anyone or preferring any group over another. ↩
21:110
إِنَّهُۥ يَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡجَهۡرَ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تَكۡتُمُونَ ١١٠
Indeed, He knows what is declared of speech, and He knows what you conceal.
21:111
وَإِنۡ أَدۡرِي لَعَلَّهُۥ فِتۡنَةٞ لَّكُمۡ وَمَتَٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٖ ١١١
And I know not; perhaps it1 is a trial for you and enjoyment for a time."
1 translator’s note
- The postponement of punishment. ↩
21:112
قَٰلَ رَبِّ ٱحۡكُم بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَرَبُّنَا ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ ٱلۡمُسۡتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ ١١٢
[The Prophet (ﷺ)] has said, "My Lord, judge [between us] in truth. And our Lord is the Most Merciful, the one whose help is sought against that which you describe."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., their lies and disbelief. ↩