Verse 12-16
Allah is the Creator and the Sustainer
Allah states that He is the King and Owner of the heavens and earth and all of what is in them, and that He has written mercy on His Most Honorable Self. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs, that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ اللهَ لَمَّا خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ، كَتَبَ كِتَابًا عِنْدَهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ، إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي تَغْلِبُ غَضَبِي»
(When Allah created the creation, He wrote in a Book that He has with Him above the Throne; `My mercy overcomes My anger.’) Allah said;
لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ
(Indeed He will gather you together on the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt.) swearing by His Most Honored Self that He will gather His servants,
إِلَى مِيقَـتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ
(For appointed meeting of a known Day.) 56:50, the Day of Resurrection that will certainly occur, and there is no doubt for His believing servants in this fact. As for those who deny and refuse, they are in confusion and disarray. Allah’s statement,
الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم
(Those who destroy themselves) on the Day of Resurrection,
فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ
(will not believe. ) in the Return and thus do not fear the repercussions of that Day. Allah said next,
وَلَهُ مَا سَكَنَ فِى الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ
(And to Him belongs whatsoever exists in the night and the day.) meaning, all creatures in the heavens and earth are Allah’s servants and creatures, and they are all under His authority, power and will; there is no deity worthy of worship except Him,
وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
(and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.) He hears the statements of His servants and knows their actions, secrets and what they conceal. Allah then said to His servant and Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, whom He sent with the pure Tawhid and the straight religion, commanding him to call the people to Allah’s straight path;
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيّاً فَاطِرِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ
(Say: “Shall I take as a guardian any other than Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth”) Similarly, Allah said,
قُلْ أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَأْمُرُونِّى أَعْبُدُ أَيُّهَا الْجَـهِلُونَ
(Say: “Do you order me to worship other than Allah, O you fools”) 39:64. The meaning here is, I will not take a guardian except Allah, without partners, for He is the Creator of the heavens and earth Who orignated them without precedent,
وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلاَ يُطْعَمُ
(And it is He Who feeds but is not fed.) For He sustains His creatures without needing them. Allah also said;
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ
(And I created not the Jinn and humans except that they should worship Me (Alone).) 51:56 Some scholars read it, وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يَطْعَمُ “And it is He Who feeds but He does not eat.” meaning, Allah does not eat. Abu Hurayrah narrated, “A man from Al-Ansar from the area of Quba’ invited the Prophet to eat some food, and we went along with the Prophet . When the Prophet ate and washed his hands, he said,
«الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ، وَمَنَّ عَلَيْنَا فَهَدَانَا وَأَطْعَمَنَا، وَسَقَانَا مِنَ الشَّرَابِ، وَكَسَانَا مِنَ العُرْيِ، وَكُلَّ بَلَاءٍ حَسَنٍ أَبْلَانَا، الْحَمْدُ للهِ غَيْرَ مُوَدَّعٍ رَبِّي وَلَا مُكَافأً وَلَا مَكْفُورٍ، وَلَا مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْهُ، الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، وَسَقَانَا مِنَ الشَّرَابِ، وَكَسَانَا مِنَ الْعُرْيِ، وَهَدَانَا مِنَ الضَّلَالِ، وَبَصَّرَنَا مِنَ العَمَى، وَفَضَّلَنَا عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنَ خَلَقَ تَفْضِيلًا، الْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين»
(All praise is due to Allah, Who feeds but is never fed, He bestowed bounty unto us, Who gave us guidance and fed us, gave us something to drink, covered our nakedness; and for every favor He has given us. All praise is due to Allah, praise that should not be neglected, my Lord, all the while affirming that we will never be able to duly thank Him; nor be appreciative enough of Him, nor be free of needing Him. All thanks and praises are due to Allah Who fed us the food, gave us the drink, covered our nudity, guided us from misguidance, gave us sight from blindness, and honored us above many of His creaturers. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all that exists.”)
قُلْ إِنِّى أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ
(Say: “Verily, I am commanded to be the first of those who submit themselves to Allah as (Muslims).”) from this Ummah,
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيّاً فَاطِرِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلاَ يُطْعَمُ قُلْ إِنِّى أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكَينَ – قُلْ إِنِّى أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّى عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
(And be not you of the idolaters. Say: “I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the torment of a Mighty Day.”) 6:14-15, the Day of Resurrection,
مَّن يُصْرَفْ عَنْهُ
(Who is averted from) such a torment,
يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَحِمَهُ
(on that Day, He has surely been Merciful to him) meaning, Allah will have been merciful to him,
وَذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ
(And that would be the obvious success.) Allah also said,
فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ
(And whoever is moved away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful.) 3:185, success here indicates acquiring profit and negates loss.
Verse 17-21
Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from Harm
Allah states that He Alone brings benefit or harm, and that He does what He wills with His creatures, none can resist His judgment or prevent what He decrees,
وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلاَ كَـشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدُيرٌ
(And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is able to do all things.) Similarly, Allah said,
مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلاَ مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلاَ مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ
(Whatever mercy, Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter) 35:2. It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate,
«اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَد»
(O Allah, there is none Who can avert what You grant or give what You deprive, and no fortune ever helps the fortunate against You.) This is why Allah said,
وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ
(And He is the Irresistible, above His servants,) meaning, to Him the necks are subservient, the tyrants humble before Him and He has complete control over all things. The creatures have all bowed to Allah and are humbled before His grace, honor, pride, greatness, highness and ability over all things. The creatures are insignificant before Him, for they are all under His irresistible decision and power,
وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ
(and He is the All-Wise,) in all His actions,
الْخَبِيرُ
(Well-Acquainted with all things.) Who places everything in its rightful place, grants and favors whomever deserves His favor. Allah said next,
قُلْ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَـدةً
(Say: “What thing is the most great in witness”) or what is the greatest witness,
قُلِ اللَّهِ شَهِيدٌ بِيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ
(Say: “Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between you and I”) for He knows what I brought you and what you will answer me with,
وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ
(this Qur’an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.) Therefore, this Qur’an is a warner for all those who hear of it. In another Ayah, Allah said,
وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ
(But those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) 11:17 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, “Those who follow the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ought to call to what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called to and warn against what he warned against.” Allah said next,
أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ
(“Can you verily bear witness…”) O idolators,
أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً أُخْرَى قُل لاَّ أَشْهَدُ
(“that besides Allah there are other gods” Say, “I bear no (such) witness!”) Similarly, in another Ayah, Allah said;
فَإِن شَهِدُواْ فَلاَ تَشْهَدْ مَعَهُمْ
(Then if they testify, testify not you with them.) 6:150 Allah said next,
قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ
(Say: “Only He is God, alone, and truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him.”)
People of the Book Recognize the Prophet Just as They Recognize Their Own Children
Allah says, the People of the Book know what you brought them, O Muhammad , as they know their own children. This is because they received good news from the previous Messengers and Prophets about the coming of Muhammad ﷺ, his attributes, homeland, his migration, and the description of his Ummah. Allah said next,
الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم
(Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves) and thus incurred the ultimate loss,
فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ
(will not believe.) in this clear matter. A matter about which the previous Prophets gave good news, and a matter extolled about in ancient and modern times. Allah said next,
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَايَـتِهِ
(And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat) meaning, there is no person more unjust than he who lies about Allah and claims that Allah has sent him, while Allah did not send him. There is no person more unjust than he who denies Allah’s proofs, signs and evidences,
إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّـلِمُونَ
(Verily, the wrongdoers shall never be successful.) Surely, both of these people will never acquire success, whoever falsely claims that Allah sent him and whoever refuses Allah’s Ayat.
Verse 22-26
The Polythiests Shall be Questioned About the Shirk They Committed
About the polytheists, Allah said:
وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً
(And on the Day when We shall gather them all together,) This is on the Day of Resurrection, when He will ask them about the idols and rivals that they worshipped instead of Him. Allah will say to them,
أَيْنَ شُرَكَآؤُكُمُ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ
(Where are your partners (false deities) whom you used to assert (as partners in worship with Allah)) Allah said in Surat Al-Qasas,
وَيَوْمَ يُنَـدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآئِىَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ
(And (remember) the Day when He will call to them, and say, “Where are My (so-called) partners whom you used to assert”) 28:62. Allah’s statement,
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ
(There will then be (left) no Fitnah for them) means, argument. `Ata’ Al-Khurasani said that,
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ
(There will then be (left) no Fitnah for them) in the face of the affliction that will be placed on them,
إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ
(but to say: “By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others (in worship with Allah).”) Allah said next,
انظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ
(Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them.) which is similar to His other statement,
ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ – مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ قَـالُواْ ضَـلُّواْ عَنَّا بَل لَّمْ نَكُنْ نَّدْعُواْ مِن قَبْلُ شَيْئاً كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الْكَـفِرِينَ
(Then it will be said to them: “Where are (all) those whom you used to join in worship as partners. Besides Allah” They will say, “They have vanished from us: Nay, we did not invoke (worship) anything before.” Thus Allah leads astray the disbelievers.) 40:73-74
The Miserable Do Not Benefit from the Qur’an
Allah’s statement,
وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْراً وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا
(And of them there are some who listen to you; but We have set veils on their hearts, so they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they see every one of the Ayat they will not believe therein;) means, they come to you, (O Muhammad ), so that they hear you recite the Qur’an, but its recitation does not benefit them, because Allah has set veils on their hearts, and so they do not understand the Qur’an,
وَفِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا
(and (set) deafness in their ears;) that prevents them from hearing what benefits them. In another Ayah, Allah said;
وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً
(And the example of those who disbelieve, is as that of him who shouts at one who hears nothing but calls and cries.) 2:171 Allah said next,
وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا
(if they see every one of the Ayat they will not believe therein;) meaning, they will not believe in any of the Ayat, proofs, clear evidences and signs they witness because they do not have sound comprehension or fair judgment. In another Ayah, Allah said,
وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ
(Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen.) 8:23 Allah said,
حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءُوكَ يُجَـدِلُونَكَ
(to the point that when they come to you to argue with you…) using falsehood against truth,
يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ
(those who disbelieve say: “These are nothing but tales of the men of old.”) The disbelievers say, what you (O Muhammad ) brought us was taken from the books of those who were before us, meaning plagiarized,
وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ
(And they prevent others from him and they themselves keep away from him,) They discourage people from following the truth, believing in Muhammad ﷺ and obeying the Qur’an,
وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ
(and they themselves keep away from him,) They thus combine both evil acts, for they neither benefit themselves, nor let others benefit from the Prophet . `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah,
وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ
(And they prevent others from him.) means, they hinder people from believing in Muhammad ﷺ. Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah said, “The disbelievers of Quraysh used to refrain from meeting Muhammad and they discouraged people from coming to him.” Similar was reported from Qatadah, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak and several others.
وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلاَّ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
(and (by doing so) they destroy not but themselves, yet they perceive (it) not.) They destroy themselves by committing this evil action, and its harm will only touch them. Yet, they do not perceive this fact!
Verse 27-30
Wishes and Hopes Do Not Help One When He Sees the Torment
Allah mentions the condition of the disbelievers when they are made to stand before the Fire on the Day of Resurrection and witness its chains and restraints, along with seeing the horrible, momentous conditions in the Fire with their own eyes. This is when the disbelievers will say,
يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلاَ نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(“Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!”) They wish that they would be sent back to the life of the world so that they could perform righteous deeds, refrain from disbelieving in the Ayat of their Lord and be among the believers. Allah said,
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ
(Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them.) meaning, the disbelief, denial and rebellion that they used to hide in their hearts will then be uncovered, even though they will try to hide this fact in this life and the Hereafter. Earlier, Allah said,
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ – انظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ
(There will then be (left) no trial for them but to say: “By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah.” Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them. ) It is also possible that the meaning here is that the disbelievers will realize the truth that they knew all along in their hearts, that is, that what the Messengers brought them in this life is true, although they used to deny his Message before their followers. Allah said that Musa said to Fir`awn,
لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَآ أَنزَلَ هَـؤُلاءِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ بَصَآئِرَ
(“Verily, you know that these signs have clearly been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence.”) 17:102 Allah said about Fir`awn and his people,
وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً
(And they belied them (those Ayat) wrongfully and arrogantly, though they were themselves convinced thereof.) 27:14
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ
(Nay, it has become manifest to them what they had been concealing before.) 6:28 When this occurs, and the disbelievers ask to be returned to this life, they will not do so because they truly wish to embrace the faith. Rather, they ask to be returned to this life for fear of the torment that they are witnessing before them, as punishment for the disbelief they committed, and to try and avoid the Fire that they see before their eyes.
وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ
(But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.) meaning, they lie when they say they wish to go back to this life so that they can embrace the faith. Allah states that even if they were sent back to the life of this world, they will again commit the disbelief and defiance that they were prohibited.
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ
(And indeed they are liars.) in their statement that,
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُواْ يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلاَ نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ – بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ – وَقَالُواْ إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ
(“Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!” Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them. But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars. And they said: “There is no (other life) but our (present) life of this world, and never shall we be resurrected.”) Therefore, they will revert to their old behavior and say,
إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا
(There is no life but our life of this world) and there is no Hereafter,
وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ
(and never shall we be resurrected. ) Allah said,
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ
(If you could but see when they will stand before their Lord!) in front of Him,
أَلَيْسَ هَـذَا بِالْحَقِّ
(“Is not this the truth”) meaning, is not Resurrection true, contarary to what you thought,
قَالُواْ بَلَى وَرَبِّنَا قَالَ فَذُوقُواْ العَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
(They will say: “Yes, by our Lord!” He will then say: “So taste you the torment because you used not to believe.”) and because you today denied Resurrection. Therefore, taste the torment,
أَفَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا أَمْ أَنتُمْ لاَ تُبْصِرُونَ
(“Is this magic, or do you not see”) 52:15
Verse 31-32
Allah describes the regret of the disbelievers when facing Him, and their disappointment at the commencement, along with theirsorrow for not performing good deeds and for their evil deeds
This is why Allah said,
حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً قَالُواْ يحَسْرَتَنَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِيهَا
(until all of a sudden, the Hour (signs of death) is upon them, and they say: “Alas for us that we gave no thought to it.”) `It’ here refers to either the life of this world, or the affairs of the Hereafter. Allah’s statement,
وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلاَ سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ
(while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!) Asbat said that As-Suddi said, “Upon entering his grave, every unjust person will meet a man with an ugly face, dark skin, awful odor, wearing dirty clothes, who will enter his grave with him. When the unjust person sees him, he will say, `How ugly is your face!’ He will reply, `So was your work, it was ugly.’ The unjust person will say, `How foul is the odor coming from you!’ He will reply, `Such was the case with your work, it stunk.’ The unjust person will say, `How dirty are your clothes!’ He will reply, `And your work too was dirty.’ The unjust person will ask, `Who are you’ He will reply, `I am your deeds.’ So he will remain with the unjust person in his grave, and when he is resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, his companion will say to him, `In the life of the world, I used to carry you because you followed desire and lust. Today, you carry me.’ So he will ride on the unjust person’s back and lead him until he enters the Fire. So Allah said,
وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلاَ سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ
(while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!) 6:31″ Allah’s statement,
وَمَا الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَآ إِلاَّ لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ
(And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement.) means, most of it is play and amusement,
وَلَلدَّارُ الاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ
(But far better is the abode of the Hereafter for those who have Taqwa. Will you not then understand)