Tafsir Surah As-Saffat ayah 23 | Learn Quran Tafsir

The Day of Recompense

Allah tells us what the disbeliever will say on the Day of Resurrection; how they will blame themselves and admit that they wronged themselves in this world. When they see the horrors of the Day of Resurrection with their own eyes, they will be filled with regret at the time when regret will not avail them anything.

وَقَالُوا يَا وَيۡلَنَا هَذَا يَوۡمُ الدِّينِ

They will say:Woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense!

And the angels and the believers will say:

هَذَا يَوۡمُ الۡفَصۡلِ الَّذِي كُنتُمۡ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ

This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny.

This will be said to them as a rebuke and reproof.

Allah will command the angels to separate the disbeliever from the believers in the place where they are standing.

Allah says

احۡشُرُوا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزۡوَاجَهُمۡ

(It will be said to the angels:) Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions,

An-Nu`man bin Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

Their companions means their counterparts, those who are like them.

This was also the view of Ibn Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ikrimah, Mujahid, As-Suddi, Abu Salih, Abu Al-`Aliyah and Zayd bin Aslam.

Sharik said, narrating from Simak, from An-Nu`man:I heard Umar say:

احۡشُرُوا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزۡوَاجَهُمۡ

(Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions),

means, `Those who are like them. So those who committed Zina will be gathered with others who committed Zina, those who dealt in Riba will be gathered with others who dealt in Riba, those who drank wine will be gathered with others who drank wine.'

Mujahid and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn Abbas:

وَأَزۡوَاجَهُمۡ

(their companions), means Their friends.

وَمَا كَانُوا يَعۡبُدُونَ

مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ

and what they used to worship. Instead of Allah,

means, instead of Allah, i.e., their idols and false gods will be gathered together with them in the same place.

فَاهۡدُوهُمۡ إِلَى صِرَاطِ الۡجَحِيمِ

and lead them on to the way of flaming Fire.

means, take them to the way to Hell.

This is like the Ayah:

وَنَحۡشُرُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَـمَةِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمۡ عُمۡيًا وَبُكۡمًا وَصُمًّا مَّأۡوَاهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ كُلَّمَا خَبَتۡ زِدۡنَاهُمۡ سَعِيرًا

and We shall gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their abode will be Hell; whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire. (17:97)

وَقِفُوهُمۡ إِنَّهُم مَّسۡيُولُونَ

But stop them, verily, they are to be questioned.

means, stop them so that they may be questioned about the things they did and said in this world.

As Ad-Dahhak said, narrating from Ibn Abbas, this means,

`detain them, for they are to be brought to account.'

Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak said, I heard Uthman bin Za'idah say,

`The first thing about which a man will be asked is the company that he kept. Then by way of rebuke, it will be said to them:

مَا لَكُمۡ لَاا تَنَاصَرُونَ

What is the matter with you Why do you not help one another.'

meaning, `as you claimed that you would all help one another.'

بَلۡ هُمُ الۡيَوۡمَ مُسۡتَسۡلِمُونَ

Nay, but that Day they shall surrender.

means, they will be subjected to the command of Allah, and they will not be able to resist it or avoid it.

And Allah knows best

The arguing of the Idolators on the Day of Resurrection

Allah tells,

وَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَى بَعۡضٍ يَتَسَاءلُونَ

And they will turn to one another and question one another.

Allah tells us that the disbeliever will blame one another in the arena of Resurrection, just as they will argue with one another in the levels of Hell:

وَإِذۡ يَتَحَأجُّونَ فِى النَّـارِ فَيَقُولُ الضُّعَفَاءُ لِلَّذِينَ اسۡتَكۡـبَرُواۡ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمۡ تَبَعاً فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّغۡنُونَ عَنَّا نَصِيباً مِّنَ النَّارِ

قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسۡتَكۡبَرُواۡ إِنَّا كُلٌّ فِيهَأ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدۡ حَكَمَ بَيۡنَ الۡعِبَادِ

The weak will say to those who were arrogant:Verily, we followed you, can you then take from us some portion of the Fire?

Those who were arrogant will say:We are all (together) in this (Fire)!

Verily, Allah has judged between (His) servants! (40:47-48)

وَلَوۡ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوۡقُوفُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ يَرۡجِعُ بَعۡضُهُمۡ إِلَى بَعۡضٍ الۡقَوۡلَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسۡتُضۡعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسۡتَكۡبَرُوا لَوۡلَا أَنتُمۡ لَكُنَّا مُوۡمِنِينَ

قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسۡتَكۡبَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسۡتُضۡعِفُوا أَنَحۡنُ صَدَدۡنَاكُمۡ عَنِ الۡهُدَى بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَاءكُم بَلۡ كُنتُم مُّجۡرِمِينَ

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسۡتُضۡعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسۡتَكۡبَرُوا بَلۡ مَكۡرُ اللَّيۡلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذۡ تَأۡمُرُونَنَا أَن نَّكۡفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجۡعَلَ لَهُ أَندَادًا وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الۡعَذَابَ وَجَعَلۡنَا الاَۡغۡلَلَ فِي أَعۡنَاقِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَلۡ يُجۡزَوۡنَ إِلاَّ مَا كَانُوا يَعۡمَلُونَ

But if you could see when the wrongdoers will be made to stand before their Lord, how they will cast the (blaming) word one to another! Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant:Had it not been for you, we should certainly have been believers!

And those who were arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak:Did we keep you back from guidance after it had come to you? Nay, but you were criminals.

Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant:Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day, when you ordered us to disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals to Him! And each of them (parties) will conceal their own regrets, when they behold the torment. And We shall put iron collars round the necks of those who disbelieved. Are they requited aught except what they used to do! (34:31-33)

Similarly, they are described here as saying:

قَالُوا إِنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَأۡتُونَنَا عَنِ الۡيَمِينِ

It was you who used to come to us from the right side.

Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said;

They will say, `You used to force us because of your position of power over us, for we were weak and you were strong.'

Qatadah said,

Men will say to the Jinn, `You used to come to us from the right side to block every good deed, and you told us not to do it and you tried to put obstacles in our way.'

As-Suddi said,

`You used to come to us to block the truth, and you made falsehood look attractive to us, and you prevented us from seeing the truth.

Ibn Zayd said, it means:

`You stood in the way between us and goodness, and you repelled us from Islam and faith and doing the good deeds that we had been commanded to do.

Yazid Ar-Rishk said,

from La ilaha illallah.

قَالُوا بَل لَّمۡ تَكُونُوا مُوۡمِنِينَ

They will reply:Nay, you yourselves were not believers.

The leaders of the Jinn and mankind will say to their followers, It is not as you say; your hearts denied faith and were open to disbelief and sin.

وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا عَلَيۡكُم مِّن سُلۡطَانٍ

And we had no authority over you.

means, `we had no proof of the truth of that to which we called you.'

بَلۡ كُنتُمۡ قَوۡمًا طَاغِينَ

Nay! But you were a transgressing people.

`You yourselves were evildoers and transgressors against the truth, so you responded to us and neglected the truth which the Prophets brought with proof, and you went against them.'

فَحَقَّ عَلَيۡنَا قَوۡلُ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا لَذَايِقُونَ

فَأَغۡوَيۡنَاكُمۡ إِنَّا كُنَّا غَاوِينَ

So now the Word of our Lord has been justified against us, that we shall certainly (have to) taste (the torment). So we led you astray because we were ourselves astray.

Those who were arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak, `the Word of Allah has been justified against us, that we are among the doomed who will taste the punishment of the Day of Resurrection.'

فَأَغۡوَيۡنَاكُمۡ

(So we led you astray),

means, `so we called you to misguidance,'

إِنَّا كُنَّا غَاوِينَ

(because we were ourselves astray).

means, `we called you to follow the path which we were on, and you responded.'

Allah says:

فَإِنَّهُمۡ يَوۡمَيِذٍ فِي الۡعَذَابِ مُشۡتَرِكُونَ

Then verily, that Day, they will (all) share in the torment.

means, all of them will be in Hell, each according to what he deserves.

إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَفۡعَلُ بِالۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ

Certainly, that is how We deal with criminals. Truly, when it was said to them:La ilaha illallah, they puffed themselves up with pride.

means, in this world they were too arrogant to say these words as the believers said them.

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

أُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتۡى يَقُولُوا لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ فَمَنۡ قَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ فَقَدۡ عَصَمَ مِنِّي مَالَهُ وَنَفۡسَهُ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهِ وَحِسَابُهُ عَلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَل

I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha ill-Allah. Whoever says La ilaha illallah, he and his property are safe from me except for his obligation, and his reckoning will be with Allah, may He be glorified.

Allah revealed in His Book the story of people who were arrogant, as He says:

إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ

وَيَقُولُونَ أَيِنَّا لَتَارِكُوا الِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍ مَّجۡنُونٍ

Truly, when it was said to them:La ilaha illallah, they puffed themselves up with pride. And (they) said:Are we going to abandon our gods for the sake of a mad poet!

meaning, `Shall we stop worshipping our gods and the gods of our forefathers just because of the words of this mad poet' -- meaning the Messenger of Allah.

Allah said in refutation of their attitude

بَلۡ جَاء بِالۡحَقِّ

Nay! he has come with the truth,

meaning, the Messenger of Allah has brought the truth with all that Allah has revealed to him of stories and commandments.

وَصَدَّقَ الۡمُرۡسَلِينَ

and he confirms the Messengers.

means, he fulfills their prophecies of his praiseworthy characteristics and his perfect way, and he tells people of the Laws and commands of Allah, as they said he would.

مَّا يُقَالُ لَكَ إِلاَّ مَا قَدۡ قِيلَ لِلرُّسُلِ مِن قَبۡلِكَ

Nothing is said to you except what was said to the Messengers before you. (41:43)

The Punishment of the Idolators and the Reward of the sincere Believers

Allah says, addressing the people:

إِنَّكُمۡ لَذَايِقُو الۡعَذَابِ الاَۡلِيمِ

وَمَا تُجۡزَوۡنَ إِلاَّ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

Verily, you are going to taste the painful torment; and you will be requited nothing except for what you used to do.

Then He makes an exception in the case of His sincerely believing servants.

This is like the Ayat:

وَالۡعَصۡرِ

إِنَّ الاِنسَـنَ لَفِى خُسۡرٍ

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواۡ وَعَمِلُواۡ الصَّـلِحَـت

By the Time. Verily, man is in loss, Except those who believe and do righteous deeds... (103:1-3)

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا الاِنسَـنَ فِى أَحۡسَنِ تَقۡوِيمٍ

ثُمَّ رَدَدۡنَـهُ أَسۡفَلَ سَـفِلِينَ

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواۡ وَعَمِلُواۡ الصَّـلِحَـتِ

Verily, We created man in the best stature. Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low. Save those who believe and do righteous deeds. (95:4-6)

وَإِن مِّنكُمۡ إِلاَّ وَارِدُهَا كَانَ عَلَى رَبِّكَ حَتۡماً مَّقۡضِيّاً

ثُمَّ نُنَجِّى الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواۡ وَّنَذَرُ الظَّـلِمِينَ فِيهَا جِثِيّاً

There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell); this is with your Lord, a decree which must be accomplished. Then We shall save those who have Taqwa. And We shall leave the wrongdoers therein to their knees. (19:71-72)

and,

كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ رَهِينَةٌ

إِلاَّ أَصۡحَـبَ الۡيَمِينِ

Every person is a pledge for what he has earned, except those on the right. (74:38-39)

Allah says here:

إِلاَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الۡمُخۡلَصِينَ

Save the chosen servants of Allah.

meaning, they will not taste the painful torment nor will they be brought to account. Their evil acts, if there are any, will be overlooked, and each good deed will be rewarded in multiples of between ten and seven hundred, or as much as Allah wills.

أُوۡلَيِكَ لَهُمۡ رِزۡقٌ مَّعۡلُومٌ

For them there will be a known provision,

Qatadah and As-Suddi said,

This means Paradise.

It is explained further in the next Ayah

فَوَاكِهُ

Fruits,

meaning, of different kinds.

وَهُم مُّكۡرَمُونَ

and they shall be honored,

means, they will be served and will live a life of luxury.

فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ

عَلَى سُرُرٍ مُّتَقَابِلِينَ

In the Gardens of Delight, facing one another on thrones.

Mujahid said,

One of them will not look at one another's backs.

يُطَافُ عَلَيۡهِم بِكَأۡسٍ مِن مَّعِينٍ

بَيۡضَاء لَذَّةٍ لِّلشَّارِبِينَ

لَاا فِيهَا غَوۡلٌ وَلَاا هُمۡ عَنۡهَا يُنزَفُونَ

Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine -- white, delicious to the drinkers. Neither will they have Ghawl from that nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.

This is like the Ayah:

يَطُوفُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وِلۡدَنٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ

بِأَكۡوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأۡسٍ مِّن مَّعِينٍ

لااَّ يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنۡهَا وَلَا يُنزِفُونَ

Immortal boys will go around them (serving), with cups, and jugs, and a glass of flowing wine, from which they will get neither any aching of the head nor any intoxication. (56:17-19)

Allah refined the wine of Paradise from the bad effects of the wine of this world, which causes headaches and stomach aches -- which is the meaning of Ghawl -- causing people to lose their minds completely.

So He says here:

يُطَافُ عَلَيۡهِم بِكَأۡسٍ مِن مَّعِينٍ

Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine,

meaning, wine from a flowing stream which they do not fear will ever be cut off or cease.

Malik narrated that Zayd bin Aslam said,

White flowing wine, meaning, with a bright, shining color, unlike the wine of this earth with its ugly, repulsive colors of red, black, yellow and turbid shades, and other features which are repugnant to anyone of a sound nature.

لَذَّةٍ لِّلشَّارِبِينَ

(delicious to the drinkers).

means, its taste will be as good as its color, and a good taste indicates that it has a good smell, unlike the wine of this world.

لَاا فِيهَا غَوۡلٌ

Neither will they have Ghawl from that,

means, it will not have any effects on them such as causing stomach aches.

This was the view of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd.

This is unlike the wine of this world, which causes colic and so on, because it is too watery.

وَلَا هُمۡ عَنۡهَا يُنزَفُونَ

nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.

Mujahid said,

It will not cause them to lose their minds.

This was also the view of Ibn Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Al-Hasan. `Ata' bin Abi Muslim Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and others.

Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said,

Wine causes four things:intoxication, headache, vomiting and urine.

So, when Allah mentions the wine of Paradise, He states that it is free of these characteristics, as mentioned in Surah As-Saffat

وَعِنۡدَهُمۡ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرۡفِ

And beside them will be Qasirat At-Tarf,

means, chaste females, who will not look at anyone other than their husbands, as Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Zayd bin Aslam, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others said.

عِينٌ

with (wide and beautiful) eyes.

means, with beautiful eyes.

It was also said that it means with wide eyes, which is connected to the first meaning. They are wide-eyed and beautiful, and their eyes are described as being beautiful and chaste.

Allah says:

وَعِنۡدَهُمۡ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرۡفِ عِينٌ

(And beside them will be Qasirat At-Tarf, with (wide and beautiful) eyes.