Al-Waqi'ah

Special Characteristic of Surah Al-Waqi` ah: Sayyidna ` Abdullh Ibn Masuad's ؓ Didactic Story on his Deathbed

Ibn Kathir cites a story on the authority of Ibn ` Asakir from Abu Zabyah that when Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ was lying on his deathbed, Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ paid him a visit and the following conversation ensued.

` Uthman: ؓ : مَا تَشتَکِی ؟ "What are you suffering from?"

Ibn Masud ؓ ! ذُنُوبِی ” from my sins."

` Uthman ؓ : مَا تَشتَھِی ؟ "Do you desire anything?"

Ibn Masud ؓ رَحمَۃَ رَبِّی :"Yes, Allah's mercy."

` Uthman : ؓ : اَلَاَ آمُرُلَکَ بِطَیَّبِ ؟ "Shall I call a doctor for you?"

Ibn Masud ؓ ! اَطَّبِیبُ اَمرَضَنِی "It is the doctor who has given me the ailment."

` Uthman: ؓ اَلاَ آمُرُ لَکَ بِعَطَاءِ ؟ "May I send you an allowance from the public treasury?"

Ibn Masud ؓ " ! لا حَاجَۃَ لِی فِیہ "I have no need for it."

` Uthman ؓ یَکُونُ لِبَنَاتِکَ مِن بَعدِک "Accept it, [ please ]. You are leaving daughters behind you. It will help them."

Ibn Masud ؓ أتَخشیٰ عَلٰی بَنَاتِی الفَقرَ إنِّی اَمَرتُ بَنَاتِی یَقرَأنَ کُلَّ لَیلَۃِ سُورَۃَ الوَاقِعَۃ۔ اِنِّی سَمِعتُ رَسُول اللہِ ﷺ یَقُولُ : مَن قَرأ سُورَۃَ الوَاقِعَۃ کُلَّ لَم تُصِبہُ فَاقَۃً اَبَداً ۔ (ابن کثیر 4:2 ۔ 3) "You are worried about my daughters that they must not suffer from poverty. I have no such worry, because I have instructed them to recite Surah Al-Waqi` ah every night. I have heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, مَن قَرأ سُورَۃَ الوَاقِعَۃ کُلَّ لَم تُصِبہُ فَاقَۃً اَبَداً 'Whoever recites Surah Al-Waqi` ah every night will never suffer from poverty'."

Ibn Kathir, after citing this story from Ibn ` Asakir, has supported it with other chains of transmitters and other sources.

Horrors of the Day of Resurrection

إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ (When the Imminent Event (of Doom) will occur...56:1). Ibn Kathir says Al-waqi` ah is one of the names of the Day of Resurrection, because there is no room for doubt in its occurrence. It is real and will surely come to pass.

لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ (...there will be no one to deny its occurrence...56:2). The word kadhibah in this context is the verbal noun, like ` afiyah and ` aqibah. The sense of the verse is that 'the news of the occurrence of this event cannot be a false news'. Some authorities have taken the word kadhibah in the sense of takdhib [ to deny ] and the meaning, in that case, is clear that 'no one can deny the fact that it will come to pass'.

خَافِضَةٌ رَّ‌افِعَةٌ (It will be abasing [ some ], exalting [ others ]...56:3). The verse means that the 'Inevitable Event' referred to in the previous verse will bring about a great revolution in the lives of men, as is witnessed at the time of revolution of governments. The high and the mighty will be laid low and the despised and down-trodden will be exalted; the poor become rich and the rich become poor. This is how Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ interprets this statement. The purpose is to depict the horrors of the Day of Resurrection.