Ya-Sin 36:67
Ya Sin · Juz 23 · Page 444
وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَمَسَخۡنَٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِهِمۡ فَمَا ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْ مُضِيّٗا وَلَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ٦٧
And if We willed, We could have deformed them, [paralyzing them] in their places so they would not be able to proceed, nor could they return.1
1 translator’s note
- He (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) could have prevented man from taking any action to benefit himself in this world or the Hereafter, yet He did not. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 36:65–67
In verse 65, it was said: الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ (Today We will set a seal on their mouths). On the day of Resurrection, when comes the time to account for deeds, everyone will be free to offer any excuse one has. But, Mushriks, the practitioners of shirk, those who associate partners in the pristine divinity of Allah Ta’ ala, will declare on oaths that they never had anything to do with shirk and kufr: وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ (By Allah, our Lord, we ascribed no partners to Allah - A1-An` am, 6:23).
And some of them will also say that they were free of whatever the angels had written down in their book of deeds. At that time, Allah Ta’ ala will put a seal on their mouths, so that they would not speak. Then, He will give power of speech to their own body parts, the hands and the feet, who will testify to all their deeds as court witnesses against them. As for the present verse, it mentions the speaking of hands and feet only. In another verse, mentioned there is the speaking of one's ear, eye and skin: شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُم ' (their ears and their eyes and their skins will testify against them - 41:20). As for what has been said at one place: تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ (and their tongues will testify against them - An-Nur, 24:24), it is not contrary to 'putting a seal on their mouths' because putting a seal means that they will be unable to say anything out of their own volition. Their tongue will speak counter to their personal choice and will testify to the truth.
As for the question how these parts of the body would acquire power of speech, the Qur'an has already answered that by saying: أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ (Why did you testify against us? - 41:21) that is, these parts of the body will say that Allah, who has given power of speech to all things endowed with the ability to speak, has also enabled us to speak.
Page 444
36:55
إِنَّ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ فِي شُغُلٖ فَٰكِهُونَ ٥٥
Indeed the companions of Paradise, that Day, will be amused in [joyful] occupation -
36:56
هُمۡ وَأَزۡوَٰجُهُمۡ فِي ظِلَٰلٍ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِ مُتَّكِـُٔونَ ٥٦
They and their spouses - in shade, reclining on adorned couches.
36:57
لَهُمۡ فِيهَا فَٰكِهَةٞ وَلَهُم مَّا يَدَّعُونَ ٥٧
For them therein is fruit, and for them is whatever they request [or wish]
36:58
سَلَٰمٞ قَوۡلٗا مِّن رَّبّٖ رَّحِيمٖ ٥٨
[And] "Peace," a word from a Merciful Lord.
36:59
وَٱمۡتَٰزُواْ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٥٩
[Then He will say], "But stand apart today, you criminals.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., remove yourself from the ranks of the believers to be distinguished from them. ↩
36:60
۞ أَلَمۡ أَعۡهَدۡ إِلَيۡكُمۡ يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ أَن لَّا تَعۡبُدُواْ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوّٞ مُّبِينٞ ٦٠
Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, that you not worship Satan - [for] indeed, he is to you a clear enemy -
36:61
وَأَنِ ٱعۡبُدُونِيۚ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطٞ مُّسۡتَقِيمٞ ٦١
And that you worship [only] Me? This is a straight path.
36:62
وَلَقَدۡ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمۡ جِبِلّٗا كَثِيرًاۖ أَفَلَمۡ تَكُونُواْ تَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٢
And he had already led astray from among you much of creation, so did you not use reason?
36:63
هَٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ ٦٣
This is the Hellfire which you were promised.
36:64
ٱصۡلَوۡهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡفُرُونَ ٦٤
[Enter to] burn therein today for what you used to deny."1
1 translator’s note
- Or "because you used to disbelieve." ↩
36:65
ٱلۡيَوۡمَ نَخۡتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفۡوَٰهِهِمۡ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَتَشۡهَدُ أَرۡجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ ٦٥
That Day, We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn.
36:66
وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَطَمَسۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ أَعۡيُنِهِمۡ فَٱسۡتَبَقُواْ ٱلصِّرَٰطَ فَأَنَّىٰ يُبۡصِرُونَ ٦٦
And if We willed, We could have obliterated their eyes, and they would race to [find] the path, and how could they see?1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) could have left man without means of guidance in the life of this world, although in His mercy He did not. ↩
36:67
وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَمَسَخۡنَٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِهِمۡ فَمَا ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْ مُضِيّٗا وَلَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ٦٧
And if We willed, We could have deformed them, [paralyzing them] in their places so they would not be able to proceed, nor could they return.1
1 translator’s note
- He (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) could have prevented man from taking any action to benefit himself in this world or the Hereafter, yet He did not. ↩
36:68
وَمَن نُّعَمِّرۡهُ نُنَكِّسۡهُ فِي ٱلۡخَلۡقِۚ أَفَلَا يَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٨
And he to whom We grant long life We reverse in creation;1 so will they not understand?
1 translator’s note
- In his physical and mental capacity. ↩
36:69
وَمَا عَلَّمۡنَٰهُ ٱلشِّعۡرَ وَمَا يَنۢبَغِي لَهُۥٓۚ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ وَقُرۡءَانٞ مُّبِينٞ ٦٩
And We did not give him [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)] knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is not but a message and a clear Qur’ān
36:70
لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيّٗا وَيَحِقَّ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٧٠
To warn whoever is alive1 and justify the word [i.e., decree] against the disbelievers.
1 translator’s note
- In heart and mind, i.e., the believers. ↩