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Surah Al-Haqqah Tafseer in English: Ibn Kaseer Verse 1-18
Al-Haqqah – (The Sure Truth)
Tafseer Verse 1-10
Which was revealed in Makkah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Warning concerning the Greatness of the Day of Judgement
Al-Haqqah is one of the names of the Day of Judgement, because during it the promise and the threat will inevitably occur. Due to this, Allah has declared the greatness of this matter. So He says,
وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحَاقَّةُ
(And what will make you know what Al-Haqqah is)
Mention of the Destruction of the Nations
Then Allah mentions the destruction of the nations that denied the Resurrection. He says,
فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُواْ بِالطَّاغِيَةِ
(As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the Taghiyah!) It is the cry which will silence them, and the quake that will silence them. Qatadah said similar to this when he said, “At-Taghiyah is the shout.” Mujahid said, “At-Taghiyah means the sins.” This was also said by Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and bin Zayd. They said that it means transgression. After mentioning this, Ibn Zayd recited the following Ayat as proof for his statement,
كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَآ
(Thamud denied through their transgression.) Then Allah says,
وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُواْ بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ
(And as for `Ad, they were destroyed by a wind Sarsar) meaning, a cold wind. Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Ath-Thawri all said about,
عَاتِيَةٍ
(`Atiyah) “This means severe blowing of the wind.” Qatadah said, “It blew fiercely upon them until it pierced their hearts.” Ad-Dahhak said,
صَرْصَرٍ
(Sarsar) “This means cold, and
عَاتِيَةٍ
(`Atiyah) means, it blew fiercely upon them without any mercy or blessing.” `Ali and others said, “It blew fiercely upon their stored harvest until it was brought out worthless.”
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ
(Which Allah imposed on them) meaning, He made it overpower them.
سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَـنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُوماً
(for seven nights and eight days Husum,) Husum means, complete, successive and unfortunately evil. Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Ath-Thawri and others all said, “Husum means in succession.” It has been reported that `Ikrimah and Ar-Rabi` bin Khuthaym both said, “It means it was unfortunately evil upon them.” This is similar to Allah’s statement,
فِى أَيَّامٍ نَّحِسَاتٍ
(in days of calamity) (41: 16) It has been said that it is that which people now call A`jaz (apparently used to mean evil devastation). It seems as though the people took this term from Allah’s statement,
فَتَرَى الْقَوْمَ فِيهَا صَرْعَى كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ
(so that you could see the people lying toppled, as if they were A`jaz (trunks) of date palms, Khawiyah!) Ibn `Abbas said about,
خَاوِيَةٍ
(Khawiyah) “It means ruined.” Others besides him said, “It means dilapidated.” This means that the wind would cause one of them (palm tree) to hit the ground, and it will fall down dead on his head. Then his head would shatter and it would remain a lifeless corpse as if it were without branches, motionless. It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«نُصِرْتُ بِالصَّبَا وَأُهْلِكَتْ عَادٌ بِالدَّبُور»
(I was helped by an easterly wind and the people of `Ad were destroyed by a westerly wind.)
فَهَلْ تَرَى لَهُم مِّن بَاقِيَةٍ
(Do you see any remnants of them) meaning, `do you find any one of them left or anyone who even attributes himself to being from them’ Rather they are all gone, right down to the last of them, and Allah did not make for them any successors. Then Allah says,
وَجَآءَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَن قَبْلَهُ
(And Fir`awn and those before him committed (sin)) This has been recited with a Kasrah under the letter Qaf (in the word Qabalahu, as Qiblahu), which changes the meaning to those who were with him in his time, and they were his followers who were disbelieving Coptic people. Others recited it with a Fathah over the letter Qaf (as the word Qablahu), which means those nations before him who were similar to him. Concerning Allah’s statement,
وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَـتِ
(the overthrown cities) those nations that rejected their Messengers.
بِالْخَاطِئَةِ
(committed Al-Khati’ah.) Al-Khati’ah means their rejection of what Allah revealed. Ar-Rabi` said,
بِالْخَاطِئَةِ
(committed Al-Khati’ah.) “This means disobedience.” Mujahid said, “They committed errors.” Thus, Allah says,
فَعَصَوْاْ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمْ
(And they disobeyed their Lord’s Messenger, ) meaning they were all of the same type, they all denied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who was sent to them. As Allah says,
كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ
(Everyone of them denied the Messengers, so My threat took effect.) So whoever denies a Messenger, then verily, he denies all of the Messengers. This is as Allah says,
كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
(The people of Nuh belied the Messengers)
كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
(`Ad belied the Messengers.)
كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
(Thamud belied the Messengers.) However, only one Messenger came to every nation. Thus, Allah says here,
فَعَصَوْاْ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَخَذَهُمْ أَخْذَةً رَّابِيَةً
(And they disobeyed their Lord’s Messenger, so He seized them with a punishment that was Rabiyah.) Rabiyah means, great, severe and painful. Mujahid said, “Rabiyah means severe.” As-Suddi said, “It means destructive.”
A Reminder about the Blessing of the Ship
Then, Allah says,
إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ
(Verily, when the water rose beyond its limits,) meaning, it rose up over its shores by the leave of Allah and it overcame all that existed. Ibn `Abbas and others said, “The water rising beyond its boundary means it increased abundantly.” This happened due to the supplication of Nuh against his people when they denied him, opposed him and worshipped other than Allah. Therefore, Allah answered his supplication and the people of the earth were covered with the flood except for those who were with Nuh in the ship. Thus, are humans all from the loins of Nuh and his progeny. For this reason Allah reminds humanity of His blessing,
إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ حَمَلْنَـكُمْ فِى الْجَارِيَةِ
(Verily, when the water rose beyond its limits, We carried you in the ship.) meaning, a ship running along upon the surface of the water.
لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً
(That We might make it an admonition for you) The pronoun “it” here refers to the species of the object (ships) due to the general meaning alluding to this. Thus, the meaning is, `We caused its type of creation (ships) to remain (in the earth) for you, so that you ride upon the currents of the water in the seas. ‘ This is as Allah says,
وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ الْفُلْكِ وَالاٌّنْعَـمِ مَا تَرْكَبُونَلِتَسْتَوُواْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ
(and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride; In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the favor of your Lord when you mount thereon) (43:12,13) And Allah said,
وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ – وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ
(And an Ayah for them is that We bore their offspring in the laden ship. And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.) (36:41,42) Qatadah said, “Allah caused this ship to remain until the first people of this Ummah saw it.” However, the first view (that it refers to all ships in general) is the most apparent. Allah continues saying,
وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ
(and that it might be retained by the retaining ears.) meaning, that a receptive ear may understand and reflect upon this bounty. Ibn `Abbas said, “This means an ear that is retentive and hearing.” Qatadah said,
أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ
(by the retaining ears.) means, “An ear that Allah gives intelligence, so it benefits by what it hears from Allah’s Book.” Ad-Dahhak said,
وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ
(and that it might be retained by the retaining ears.) (69:12) means, “An ear that hears it and retains it, meaning the person who has sound hearing, and correct intellect.” And this is general concerning everyone who understands and retains.Next
Tafseer Verse 11-18
A Mention of the Horrors of the Day of Judgement
Allah informs of the horrors that will take place on the Day of Judgement. The first of these events is the blowing of fright (into the Trumpet), which will be followed by the blowing of destruction when everyone in the heavens and the earth will be struck down except whoever Allah wills. Then, after this will be the blowing of standing before the Lord of all that exists, and the resurrection, and the gathering. And this is that blowing. It is emphasized here that it is one blowing, because the command of Allah cannot be opposed or prevented, and it does not need to be repeated or stressed. Thus, Allah goes on to say,
وَحُمِلَتِ الاٌّرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةً وَحِدَةً
(And the earth and the mountains shall be removed from their places, and crushed with a single crushing.) meaning, they will be stretched out to the extent of the surface (of the earth) and the earth will change into something else other than the earth.
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ
(Then on that Day shall the Event occur.) meaning, the Day of Judgement.
وَانشَقَّتِ السَّمَآءُ فَهِىَ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاهِيَةٌ
(And the heaven will be rent asunder, for that Day it will be frail and torn up.) Ibn Jurayj said, “This is like Allah’s statement,
وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَباً
(And the heaven shall be opened, it will become as gates.) (78:19) Ibn `Abbas said, “It (the sky) will be torn apart and the Throne will be near it.”
وَالْمَلَكُ عَلَى أَرْجَآئِهَآ
(And the angels will be on its sides,) The word Malak here is referring to the species of angels (all of them); meaning the angels collectively will be standing on the sides of the heavens. Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said concerning Allah’s statement,
وَالْمَلَكُ عَلَى أَرْجَآئِهَآ
(And the angels will be on its sides,) “This means that they will be standing on what has been ground to powder of the heavens looking at the people of the earth.’
The Children of Adam being presented before Allah
Concerning the statement of Allah,
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُعْرَضُونَ لاَ تَخْفَى مِنكُمْ خَافِيَةٌ
(That Day shall you be brought to Judgement, not a secret of you will be hidden.) meaning, `you will all be presented to the Knower of the secrets and private counsels. He is the One from Whom none of your affairs are hidden. He is the Knower of all things apparent, secret and hidden.’ This is the reason that Allah says,
لاَ تَخْفَى مِنكُمْ خَافِيَةٌ
(not a secret of you will be hidden.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«يُعْرَضُ النَّاسُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ثَلَاثَ عَرْضَاتٍ، فَأَمَّا عَرْضَتَانِ فَجِدَالٌ وَمَعَاذِيرُ، وَأَمَّا الثَّالِثَةُ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ تَطِيرُ الصُّحُفُ فِي الْأَيْدِي فَآخِذٌ بِيَمِينِهِ وَآخِذٌ بِشِمالِه»
(The people will be exhibited three times on the Day of Judgement. The first two presentations will be (their) arguing and offering excuses. During the third presentation the pages (records) will fly into their hands. Some of them will receive the records in their right hands and some will receive them in their left hands.) Ibn Majah and At-Tirmidhi both recorded this Hadith.
