Qaf 50:18
The Letter "Qaf" · Juz 26 · Page 519
مَّا يَلۡفِظُ مِن قَوۡلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيۡهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٞ ١٨
He [i.e., man] utters no word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 50:18
Every Utterance of Man is recorded
مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ (Not a single word is uttered by one, but there is a watcher near him, ready [ to record ]...50:18) In other words, there is always a supervising angel [ the scribe ] whose responsibility is to record any word that the human utters or speaks. Sayyidna Hasan Basri and Qatadah رحمۃ اللہ علیہما said that this angel records every single word - whether or not it is sinful or reward-able. Ibn ` Abbas ؓ said that only those utterances are recorded that are sinful or rewardable. Ibn Kathir, having quoted both these views, preferred the first view on the basis of the general words of the verse that every utterance is recorded. According to another narration of Sayyidna Abu Talhah ؓ from Ibn ` Abbas ؓ both the views can be accommodated. This narration states that in the first instance every utterance is recorded, whether or not it is sinful or rewardable. Once a week on Thursdays, the angels review the recorded utterances and retain only those that are sinful or rewardable, good or bad; the rest are discounted. Thus the Qur'an says: يَمْحُو اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ "Allah wipes off what He wills and affirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother Book." (Ar-Ra` d 39)
Imam Ahmad (رح) has reported from Sayyidna Bilal Ibn Harith Al-Muzani ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has said:
"Verily, a man sometime utters a good word that pleases Allah, unaware of how highly it wi11 be rewarded, and on its account Allah decrees His pleasure of him until the Day he meets Him. Similarly, a man might utter a word that angers Allah, unaware of how dreadful its punishment will be, and on its account Allah decrees for him His anger until the Day he meets Him."
Sayyidna ` Alqamah ؓ ، after narrating this from Bilal Ibn Harith ؓ ، used to say: "How many words did I not utter because of this hadith." (Ibn Kathir)
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50:16
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ وَنَعۡلَمُ مَا تُوَسۡوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفۡسُهُۥۖ وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنۡ حَبۡلِ ٱلۡوَرِيدِ ١٦
And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer1 to him than [his] jugular vein.
1 translator’s note
- In absolute knowledge of everything about him. "We" has also been interpreted to mean the angels who are mentioned in the following verse. ↩
50:17
إِذۡ يَتَلَقَّى ٱلۡمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٞ ١٧
When the two receivers [i.e., recording angels] receive,1 seated on the right and on the left.
1 translator’s note
- And record each word and deed. ↩
50:18
مَّا يَلۡفِظُ مِن قَوۡلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيۡهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٞ ١٨
He [i.e., man] utters no word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].
50:19
وَجَآءَتۡ سَكۡرَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنۡهُ تَحِيدُ ١٩
And the intoxication of death will bring the truth; that is what you were trying to avoid.
50:20
وَنُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوۡمُ ٱلۡوَعِيدِ ٢٠
And the Horn will be blown. That is the Day of [carrying out] the threat.
50:21
وَجَآءَتۡ كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ مَّعَهَا سَآئِقٞ وَشَهِيدٞ ٢١
And every soul will come, with it a driver and a witness.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., one angel driving the soul to the Judgement and one to testify as to its deeds. ↩
50:22
لَّقَدۡ كُنتَ فِي غَفۡلَةٖ مِّنۡ هَٰذَا فَكَشَفۡنَا عَنكَ غِطَآءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ حَدِيدٞ ٢٢
[It will be said], "You were certainly in unmindfulness of this, and We have removed from you your cover,1 so your sight, this Day, is sharp."
1 translator’s note
- Of heedlessness, or that which had sealed your hearing, your vision and your heart from guidance. ↩
50:23
وَقَالَ قَرِينُهُۥ هَٰذَا مَا لَدَيَّ عَتِيدٌ ٢٣
And his companion, [the angel], will say, "This [record] is what is with me, prepared."
50:24
أَلۡقِيَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٖ ٢٤
[Allāh will say], "Throw into Hell every obstinate disbeliever,
50:25
مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٖ مُّرِيبٍ ٢٥
Preventer of good, aggressor, and doubter,
50:26
ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَأَلۡقِيَاهُ فِي ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلشَّدِيدِ ٢٦
Who made [as equal] with Allāh another deity; then throw him into the severe punishment."
50:27
۞ قَالَ قَرِينُهُۥ رَبَّنَا مَآ أَطۡغَيۡتُهُۥ وَلَٰكِن كَانَ فِي ضَلَٰلِۭ بَعِيدٖ ٢٧
His [devil] companion will say, "Our Lord, I did not make him transgress, but he [himself] was in extreme error."
50:28
قَالَ لَا تَخۡتَصِمُواْ لَدَيَّ وَقَدۡ قَدَّمۡتُ إِلَيۡكُم بِٱلۡوَعِيدِ ٢٨
[Allāh] will say, "Do not dispute before Me, while I had already presented to you the threat [i.e., warning].
50:29
مَا يُبَدَّلُ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ لَدَيَّ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ بِظَلَّٰمٖ لِّلۡعَبِيدِ ٢٩
The word [i.e., decree] will not be changed with Me, and never will I be unjust to the servants."
50:30
يَوۡمَ نَقُولُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلِ ٱمۡتَلَأۡتِ وَتَقُولُ هَلۡ مِن مَّزِيدٖ ٣٠
On the Day We will say to Hell, "Have you been filled?" and it will say, "Are there some more,"
50:31
وَأُزۡلِفَتِ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ غَيۡرَ بَعِيدٍ ٣١
And Paradise will be brought near to the righteous, not far,
50:32
هَٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٖ ٣٢
[It will be said], "This is what you were promised - for every returner [to Allāh] and keeper [of His covenant].
50:33
مَّنۡ خَشِيَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَجَآءَ بِقَلۡبٖ مُّنِيبٍ ٣٣
Who feared the Most Merciful in the unseen and came with a heart returning [in repentance].
50:34
ٱدۡخُلُوهَا بِسَلَٰمٖۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوۡمُ ٱلۡخُلُودِ ٣٤
Enter it in peace. This is the Day of Eternity."
50:35
لَهُم مَّا يَشَآءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيۡنَا مَزِيدٞ ٣٥
They will have whatever they wish therein, and with Us is more.