بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Waqi'ah 56:86
The Inevitable · Juz 27 · Page 537
فَلَوۡلَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ غَيۡرَ مَدِينِينَ ٨٦
Then why do you not, if you are not to be recompensed,
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 56:83–87
In the current verse the word is used in the sense of hypocrisy and rejection of Allah's verses carelessly.
لَوْلَا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ ﴿83﴾ وَأَنتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ ﴿84﴾ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُبْصِرُونَ ﴿85﴾ فَلَوْلَا إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ ﴿86﴾ تَرْجِعُونَهَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿87﴾
(So why [ do you ] not [ interfere ] when the soul [ of a dying person ] reaches the throat, and you are watching? And We are closer to him than you, but you do not perceive. So, if you are not going to be recompensed [ in the Hereafter for your deeds ], then why do you not bring the soul back, if you are truthful?...56:83-87)
The preceding verses proved two facts through rational arguments and by swearing an oath by the falling stars: [ 1] that the Holy Qur'an-is the word of Allah. Neither Jinn nor devil can ever tamper with it. Everything it contains is the truth; and [ 2] one of the most fundamental articles of faith enshrined in the Qur'an is the Day of Resurrection and Reckoning. Towards the end of the passage, it is mentioned that the infidels and idolaters, in spite of clear arguments and evidence, reject life after death.
Their denial of Resurrection by the unbelievers, in a way, amounts to a claim that their lives and souls are under their own control, and they have a say in the matter of life and death. In order to refute this assumption, the above verses give the example of a dying person. When the soul reaches his throat, all of his near and dear ones look at him and express their desire that he may live longer, but none of them is able to intervene and save his life. All the people around him seem absolutely helpless. However, Allah is nearer to the dying person than the people around him even though they are unable to see Him. In other words, that is, He is nearer to him in terms of knowledge and power. He is fully aware of the person's inner and outer conditions and has complete control over him.
In short, it is not within people's power to get together and save a soul or life. Allah is nearer to a dying person than his soul or life. Allah has pre-designated a particular time for the soul to be separated from the body. None can avert it. In view of this graphic picture, the disbelievers are reminded that if they think that they cannot be resurrected after death, and they are too strong to come under Allah's grasp, then they must restore the soul when it has reached the throat and is about to depart from the body or it has already departed and died. If it is not possible to do any of these, how illogical or irrational it is for man to think that he can escape the Divine grasp and reject life after death!
Page 537
56:77
إِنَّهُۥ لَقُرۡءَانٞ كَرِيمٞ ٧٧
Indeed, it is a noble Qur’ān.
56:78
فِي كِتَٰبٖ مَّكۡنُونٖ ٧٨
In a Register well-protected;1.
1 translator’s note
- The Preserved Slate (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ), which is with Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā). ↩
56:79
لَّا يَمَسُّهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُطَهَّرُونَ ٧٩
None touch it except the purified [i.e., the angels].
56:80
تَنزِيلٞ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٨٠
[It is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.
56:81
أَفَبِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَنتُم مُّدۡهِنُونَ ٨١
Then is it to this statement that you are indifferent
56:82
وَتَجۡعَلُونَ رِزۡقَكُمۡ أَنَّكُمۡ تُكَذِّبُونَ ٨٢
And make [the thanks for] your provision that you deny [the Provider]?
56:83
فَلَوۡلَآ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ ٱلۡحُلۡقُومَ ٨٣
Then why, when it [i.e., the soul at death] reaches the throat
56:84
وَأَنتُمۡ حِينَئِذٖ تَنظُرُونَ ٨٤
And you are at that time looking on -
56:85
وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُبۡصِرُونَ ٨٥
And We [i.e., Our angels] are nearer to him than you, but you do not see -
56:86
فَلَوۡلَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ غَيۡرَ مَدِينِينَ ٨٦
Then why do you not, if you are not to be recompensed,
56:87
تَرۡجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٨٧
Bring it back,1 if you should be truthful?
1 translator’s note
- i.e., return the soul to the body, meaning that just as you cannot prevent death when it is decreed, you will not escape the recompense when it is decreed. ↩
56:88
فَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ ٨٨
And if he [i.e., the deceased] was of those brought near [to Allāh],
56:89
فَرَوۡحٞ وَرَيۡحَانٞ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٖ ٨٩
Then [for him is] rest and bounty and a garden of pleasure.
56:90
وَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ ٩٠
And if he was of the companions of the right,
56:91
فَسَلَٰمٞ لَّكَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ ٩١
Then [the angels will say], "Peace for you; [you are] from the companions of the right."
56:92
وَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ٩٢
But if he was of the deniers [who were] astray,
56:93
فَنُزُلٞ مِّنۡ حَمِيمٖ ٩٣
Then [for him is] accommodation of scalding water
56:94
وَتَصۡلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ ٩٤
And burning in Hellfire.
56:95
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ ٱلۡيَقِينِ ٩٥
Indeed, this is the true certainty,
56:96
فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ٩٦
So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.
سورة الحديد
Al-Hadid
The Iron · Medinan · 29 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
57:1
سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ١
Whatever is in the heavens and earth exalts Allāh,1 and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
1 translator’s note
- By praising Him and declaring Him far above and beyond any failure or imperfection. ↩
57:2
لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ يُحۡيِۦ وَيُمِيتُۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٌ ٢
His is the dominion of the heavens and earth. He gives life and causes death, and He is over all things competent.
57:3
هُوَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُ وَٱلۡأٓخِرُ وَٱلظَّٰهِرُ وَٱلۡبَاطِنُۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ ٣
He is the First1 and the Last,2 the Ascendant3 and the Intimate,4 and He is, of all things, Knowing.
4 translator’s notes
Before whom nothing existed. Also, He who is supreme, foremost or uppermost.
[1624] Enduring eternally when nothing else remains.
[1625] Nothing being above Him. Another meaning is "the Apparent," i.e., evident through His creation and revelation.
[1626] Nothing being nearer than Him by way of His knowledge. Another meaning is "the Unapparent," i.e., concealed from man's physical senses.
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