Tafsir Surah Al-Mursalat ayah 15

Tafsir of Surah Al-Mursalat

Allah's swearing by Different Creatures about the Occurrence of the Hereafter

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said,

وَالۡمُرۡسَلَاتِ عُرۡفًا

By the Mursalat `Urfa.

The angels

From Masruq, Abu Ad-Duha, Mujahid in one narrations from him, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, statements similar to this have been reported.

It has been reported from Abu Salih that he said,

These are the Messengers.

In another narration from him (Abu Salih) he said that it means the angels.

فَالۡعَاصِفَاتِ عَصۡفًا

وَالنَّاشِرَاتِ نَشۡرًا

The `Asifat `Asfa.

And the Nashirat Nashra,

Abu Salih has also said the meaning of

- Al-`Asifat,

- An-Nashirat,

- Al-Fariqat and

- Al-Mulqiyat,

that they all refer to the angels.

Ath-Thawri narrated from Salamah bin Kuhayl, who reported from Muslim Al-Batin, who reported from Abu Al-`Ubaydayn that he asked Ibn Mas`ud about the meaning of Al-Mursalat `Urfa, and he (Ibn Mas`ud) said,

The wind

He said the same about

- Al-`Asifat

- `Asfa and

- An-Nashirat Nashra,

that they all refer to the wind.

Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah all said the same.

Ibn Jarir confidently affirmed that Al-`Asifat `Asfameans the wind just as Ibn Mas`ud and those who followed him said.

However, he (Ibn Jarir) did not affirm whether An-Nashirat Nashra are the angels or the wind as has preceded.

It has been reported from Abu Salih that An-Nashirat Nashra is the rain.

The most obvious meaning is as Allah says,

وَأَرۡسَلۡنَا الرِّيَاحَ لَوَاقِحَ

And we send the winds fertilizing. (15:22)

He also says,

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُرۡسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشۡرىً بَيۡنَ يَدَىۡ رَحۡمَتِهِ

And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy (rain). (7:57)

Similarly, Al-`Asifat are winds.

It is said (in Arabic) that the winds `Asifat when they make noise with their blowing.

Likewise, An-Nashirat are the winds that scatter into clouds in the horizons of the sky according to the will of the Lord.

Allah then says,

فَالۡفَارِقَاتِ فَرۡقًا

فَالۡمُلۡقِيَاتِ ذِكۡرًا

عُذۡرًا أَوۡ نُذۡرًا

The Fariqat that separate,

the Mulqiyat that remind,

excusing or warning.

meaning, the angels.

This was said by Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Masruq, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi and Ath-Thawri.

There is no difference of opinion here, because they (the angels) are the ones who descend with Allah's command to the Messengers, separating between the truth and falsehood, guidance and misguidance, and the lawful and the forbidden. They bring the revelation to the Messengers, which contain exemption or absolvement for the creatures and a warning for them of Allah's torment if they oppose His command.

Allah said,

إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَاقِعٌ

Surely, what you are promised will occur.

This is the subject of these oaths.

This means, what you all have been promised concerning the establishment of the Hour (Judgement Day), the blowing of the horn, the resurrection of the bodies, the gathering of those of old and those of latter times on one common ground and the rewarding of every doer of a deed based upon his deed. If he did good, then his reward will be good, and if he did evil, then his reward will be evil. All of this will occur, meaning it will come to pass and there is no avoiding it.

A Mention of some of what will occur on the Day of Judgement

Then Allah says,

فَإِذَا النُّجُومُ طُمِسَتۡ

Then when the stars lose their lights.

meaning, their light will leave.

This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انكَدَرَتۡ

And when the stars fall. (81:2)

It is also similar to His statement,

وَإِذَا الۡكَوَاكِبُ انتَثَرَتۡ

And when the stars have fallen and scattered. (82:2)

Then Allah says,

وَإِذَا السَّمَاء فُرِجَتۡ

And when Furijat the heaven.

meaning, it is cleft asunder, becomes split, its sides fall and its edges become weak.

وَإِذَا الۡجِبَالُ نُسِفَتۡ

And when the mountains are blown away.

meaning, they will be removed and no sight or trace of them will remain.

This is as Allah says,

وَيَسۡـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الۡجِبَالِ فَقُلۡ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسۡفاً

And they ask you concerning the mountains:

Say,

My Lord will blast them and scatter them as particles of dust. (20:105)

Allah also says,

وَيَوۡمَ نُسَيِّرُ الۡجِبَالَ وَتَرَى الاٌّرۡضَ بَارِزَةً وَحَشَرۡنَـهُمۡ فَلَمۡ نُغَادِرۡ مِنۡهُمۡ أَحَداً

And (remember) the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away (like clouds of dust), and you will see the earth as a leveled plain, and we shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind. (18:47)

Then He says,

وَإِذَا الرُّسُلُ أُقِّتَتۡ

And when the Messengers are Uqqitat.

Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas that he said that Uqqitat means Gathered.

Ibn Zayd said,

This is similar to Allah's statement,

يَوۡمَ يَجۡمَعُ اللَّهُ الرُّسُلَ

On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together.

Mujahid said,

أُقِّتَتۡ

(Uqqitat.)

This means postponed.

Ath-Thawri narrated from Mansur, who narrated from Ibrahim that he said concerning the word,

أُقِّتَتۡ

(Uqqitat.)

This means promised.

It seems as though he holds this to be similar to Allah's statement,

وَأَشۡرَقَتِ الاٌّرۡضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ الۡكِتَـبُ وَجِـىءَ بِالنَّبِيِّيۡنَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَقُضِىَ بَيۡنَهُم بِالۡحَقِّ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ

And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord:and the Book will be produced; and the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward; and it will be judged between them with truth, and they will not be wronged. (39:69)

Then Allah says,

لاِأَيِّ يَوۡمٍ أُجِّلَتۡ

لِيَوۡمِ الۡفَصۡلِ

وَمَا أَدۡرَاكَ مَا يَوۡمُ الۡفَصۡلِ

وَيۡلٌ يَوۡمَيِذٍ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

For what Day are these signs postponed?

For the Day of Sorting Out.

And what will explain to you what is the Day of Sorting Out?

Woe that Day to the deniers!

Allah is saying, `for which day are the Messengers postponed and their matter expected, so that the Hour will be established.'

This is as Allah says,

فَلَ تَحۡسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ مُخۡلِفَ وَعۡدِهِ رُسُلَهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انتِقَامٍ

يَوۡمَ تُبَدَّلُ الاٌّرۡضُ غَيۡرَ الاٌّرۡضِ وَالسَّمَـوَتُ وَبَرَزُواۡ للَّهِ الۡوَاحِدِ الۡقَهَّارِ

So think not that Allah will fail to keep His promise to His Messengers. Certainly, Allah is Almighty, All-Able of Retribution.

On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens, and they will appear before Allah, the One, the Irresistible. (14:47, 48)

This is the Day of Sorting Out, as Allah says,

لِيَوۡمِ الۡفَصۡلِ

the Day of Sorting Out.

Then Allah says, in magnifying its matter,

وَمَا أَدۡرَاكَ مَا يَوۡمُ الۡفَصۡلِ

وَيۡلٌ يَوۡمَيِذٍ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

And what will explain to you what is the Day of Sorting Out?

Woe that Day to the deniers.

meaning, woe unto them from Allah's torment that is coming in the future.

Al-Mursalat: 15

Ayah

Translation

Tafsir

Al-Mursalat: 15