Al-Mutaffifin 83:7–13

Sijjin and ` illiyin

كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْفُجَّارِ‌ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ (Never! [ i.e. they should never forget that Day.] Indeed the Record of Deeds of the sinners is in sijjin. [ 83:71' The word sijjin is derived from sajana which means to 'imprison in a narrow place'. According to Qamus, the word sijjin means 'eternal imprisonment'. Traditions indicate that sijjin is a special place where the souls of the non-believers are kept, and in the same place, the Record of the evil deeds of every wicked person is kept separately. It is also possible that in this there is a consolidated book in which the deeds of all the non-believers of the world are recorded.

Where is this place? According to a lengthy hadith reported by Sayyidna Bara' Ibn ` Azib ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said that sijjin is beneath the seventh level of the earth, and ` illiyin is in the seventh heaven beneath the Divine Throne. [ Baghawi, and Ahmad etc., as quoted by Mazhari ]. According to certain Traditions, sijjin is the seventh earth which contains the souls of the disbelievers, and ` illiyin is the seventh heaven which contains the souls of the believers.

The Locale of Paradise and Hell

Baihaqi has recorded a narration from Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Salam ؓ that Paradise is in the heaven, and Hell is in the earth. Ibn Jarir cites in his commentary on the authority of Sayyidna Mu'adh Ibn Jabal ؓ a narrative of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، according to which he was asked about the meaning of the following verse:

وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ

'and Jahannam (Hell), on that day, will be brought forward, [ 89:23] '

The Holy Prophet ﷺ was asked from where the Hell be brought forward? He replied: "From the seventh earth." These narratives indicate that Hell will be brought forward from the seventh earth. It will suddenly flare up there, and all the oceans will join its blazing fire, and come forward in full view of all. This interpretation is reconcilable with narratives that define sijjin as the name of a place in Hell. [ Mahari ]. And Allah knows best!

كِتَابٌ مَّرْ‌قُومٌ (A register inscribed!...83:9) The word marqum (translated above as 'inscribed' ) signifies here makhtum meaning 'sealed'. Imam Baghawi and Ibn Kathir say that this statement is not the interpretation of sijjin, but rather the explication of a phrase before that, namely:

كِتَابَ الْفُجَّارِ‌

'Indeed the record of deeds of the sinners is in sijjin. [ 83:7] '

It is a book inscribed and sealed. No one can add anything to it, nor can anyone remove anything from it, nor is any alteration possible in it. The place where it will be kept for safe-custody is called sijjin, and it is the place where the souls of the wicked unbelievers are gathered.

كَلَّا سکتہ إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّ‌بِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ (No! But that which they used to commit has covered their hearts with rust...83:14). The word rana is derived from rain and it means 'rust' or 'dust' or 'filth'. In other words, the rust of committing many sins has covered up their hearts. Just as rust consumes the iron, and turns it into dust, in the same way, the rust of while he was on the upper horizon....53:7)