Tafseer Verse 19-24
The Happiness of the Person Who will receive His Book in His Right Hand and His Good Situation
Allah informs of the happiness of those who receive their Book in the right hand on the Day of Judgement and being pleased with this. Out of his extreme pleasure is his saying to everyone that he meets,
هَآؤُمُ اقْرَؤُاْ كِتَـبيَهْ
(Here! read my Record!) meaning, `take my Book and read it.’ He will say this because he knows that what is in it is good and purely virtuous deeds. He will be of those whom Allah replaced their bad deeds (evils) with good deeds. `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd said, “The meaning of
هَآؤُمُ اقْرَؤُاْ كِتَـبيَهْ
(Here! read my Record!) is `Here, read my Book.’… The suffix `Um’ is a grammatical addition.” This is what he (`Abdur-Rahman) said. It seems apparent that the suffix `Um’ means here `you all.’ Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin `Abdullah bin Hanzalah – and he (Hanzalah) was the Companion who was washed by the angels for his funeral – said, “Verily, Allah will stop His servant on the Day of Judgement and He will make his sins appear on the outside of his Book of Records. Then He will say to him, `Did you do this’ The servant will respond, `Yes my Lord.’ Then Allah will say to him, `I will not expose you (or dishonor you) for it, for verily, I have forgiven you. ‘ The person will then say, `Here (you all) read my Book!”‘
إِنِّى ظَنَنتُ أَنِّى مُلَـقٍ حِسَابِيَهْ
(Surely, I did believe that I shall meet my account!) This will be when he (the servant of Allah) will be saved from being disgraced and exposed on the Day of Judgement. In the Sahih, it is recorded from Ibn `Umar that he was asked about the private counsel. He responded by saying that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying,
«يُدْنِي اللهُ الْعَبْدَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيُقَرِّرُهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ كُلِّهَا، حَتْى إِذَا رَأَى أَنَّهُ قَدْ هَلَكَ قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالى: إِنِّي سَتَرْتُهَا عَلَيْكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُهَا لَكَ الْيَوْمَ، ثُمَّ يُعْطَى كِتَابَ حَسَنَاتِهِ بِيَمِينِهِ. وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ وَالْمُنَافِقُ فَيَقُولُ الْأَشْهَادُ
هَـؤُلاءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّـلِمِينَ»
(Allah will bring the servant close (to Him) on the Day of Judgement and make him confess all of his sins. This will continue until the servant thinks that he is about to be destroyed. Then Allah will say, “Verily, I have concealed these sins for you in the worldly life and I have forgiven you for them today.” Then he will be given his Book of good deeds in his right hand. However, about the disbeliever and the hypocrite, the witnesses will say, (“These are those who lied on their Lord, and verily, the curse of Allah is on the wrongdoers.”)) Allah’s statement,
إِنِّى ظَنَنتُ أَنِّى مُلَـقٍ حِسَابِيَهْ
(Surely, I did believe that I shall meet my account!) means, `I used to be certain in the worldly life that this day would definitely come.’ This is as Allah says,
الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَـقُوا رَبِّهِمْ
((They are those) who are certain that they are going to meet their Lord.) (2:46) Allah then says,
فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ
(So he shall be in a life, well-pleasing.) (69:21) meaning, pleasant.
فِى جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ
(In a lofty Paradise,) meaning, having elevated castles, beautiful wide-eyed maidens, pleasant stations and eternal joy. It has been confirmed in the Sahih that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ مِائَةُ دَرَجَةٍ مَا بَيْنَ كُلِّ دَرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْض»
(Verily, Paradise has one hundred levels and between each level is a distance like the distance between the earth and the sky.) Then Allah says,
قُطُوفُهَا دَانِيَةٌ
(The fruits in bunches whereof will be low and near at hand.) Al-Bara’ bin `Azib said, “This means close enough for one of them (the people of Paradise) to reach them while he is lying on his bed.” More than one person has said this. Then Allah says,
كُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ هَنِيئَاً بِمَآ أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِى الاٌّيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ
(Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!) meaning, this will be said to them as an invitation to them of blessing, favor and goodness. For verily, it has been confirmed in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«اعْمَلُوا وَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ لَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّة»
(Work deeds, strive, seek to draw near (to Allah) and know that none of you will be admited into Paradise because of his deeds.) They (the Companions) said, “Not even you O Messenger of Allah” He replied,
«وَلَا أَنَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِيَ اللهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْل»
(Not even me, except if Allah covers me with mercy from Himself and grace. )
Tafseer Verse 25-37
The Bad Condition of Whoever is given His Record in His Left Hand
These Ayat inform about the condition of the wretched people when one of them is given his Record (of deeds) in his left hand when the people are brought before Allah. At this time he will be very remorseful.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـبَهُ بِشِمَالِهِ فَيَقُولُ يلَيْتَنِى لَمْ أُوتَ كِتَـبِيَهْ – وَلَمْ أَدْرِ مَا حِسَابِيَهْ – يلَيْتَهَا كَانَتِ الْقَاضِيَةَ
((He) will say: “I wish that I had not been given my Record! And that I had never known how my account is! Would that it had been my end!…”) Ad-Dahhak said, “Meaning a death which is not followed by any life.” Likewise said Muhammad bin Ka`b, Ar-Rabi` and As-Suddi. Qatadah said, “He will hope for death even though in the worldly life it was the most hated thing to him.”
مَآ أَغْنَى عَنِّى مَالِيَهْ – هَلَكَ عَنِّى سُلْطَـنِيَهْ
(My wealth has not availed me; my power has gone from me.) means, `my wealth and my honor did not protect me from the punishment of Allah and His torment. Now the matter has ended with me alone and I have no helper nor anyone to save me.’ At this Allah says,
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ – ثُمَّ الْجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ
(Seize him and fetter him; then throw him in the blazing Fire.) meaning, He will command the guardians of Hell to forcibly remove him from the gathering place, fetter him – meaning put iron collars on his neck – then carry him off to Hell and cast him into it, meaning they will submerge him in it. Allah said,
ثُمَّ فِى سِلْسِلَةٍ ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعاً فَاْسْلُكُوهُ
(Then fasten him on a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits!) Ka`b Al-Ahbar said, “Every ring of it will be equal to the entire amount of iron found in this world.” Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas and Ibn Jurayj both said, “Each cubit will be the forearm’s length of an angel.” Ibn Jurayj reported that Ibn `Abbas said,
فَاْسْلُكُوهُ
(Then fasten him) “It will be entered into his buttocks and pulled out of his mouth. Then they will be arranged on this (chain) just like locusts are arranged on a stick that is being roasted.” Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, “It will be ran into his behind until it is brought out of his two nostrils so he will not be able to stand on his two feet.” Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin `Amr that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«لَوْ أَنَّ رَصَاصَةً مِثْلَ هذِهِ وأشار إلى جُمْجُمَةٍ أُرْسِلَتْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، وَهِيَ مَسِيرَةُ خَمْسِمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ، لَبَلَغَتِ الْأَرْضَ قَبْلَ اللَّيْلِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهَا أُرْسِلَتْ مِنْ رَأْسِ السِّلْسِلَةِ لَسَارَتْ أَرْبَعِينَ خَرِيفًا اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَبْلُغَ قَعْرَهَا أَوْ أَصْلَهَا»
(If a drop of lead like this – and he pointed to a skull bone – were sent from the heaven to the earth, and it is a distance of five hundred years travel, it would reach the earth before night. And if it (the same drop of lead) were sent from the head of the chain (of Hell), it would travel forty fall seasons, night and day, before it would reach its (Hell’s) cavity or base.) At-Tirmidhi also recorded this Hadith and he said, “This Hadith is Hasan.” Concerning Allah’s statement,
إِنَّهُ كَانَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ – وَلاَ يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ
(Verily, he used not to believe in Allah, the Most Great, and urged not on the feeding of the poor.) meaning, he did not establish the right of Allah upon him, of obedience to Him and performing His worship. He also did not benefit Allah’s creation nor did he give them their rights. For verily, Allah has a right upon the servants that they worship Him alone and not associate anything with Him. The servants of Allah also have a right upon each other to good treatment and assistance in righteousness and piety. For this reason, Allah commanded performance of the prayer and the payment of Zakah. When the Prophet was (in his last moments) near death he said,
«الصَّلَاةَ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُم»
(The prayer (As-Salah) and your right hand possessions (i.e., slaves).) Allah says,
فَلَيْسَ لَهُ الْيَوْمَ هَـهُنَا حَمِيمٌ – وَلاَ طَعَامٌ إِلاَّ مِنْ غِسْلِينٍ – لاَّ يَأْكُلُهُ إِلاَّ الْخَـطِئُونَ
(So no friend has he here this Day. Nor any food except filth from the washing of wounds. None will eat it except the Khati’un.) meaning, there is no one today who can save him from the punishment of Allah, nor any close friend or intercessor whose request would be honored. He will have no food here except for the filthy washing of wounds. Qatadah said, “It will be the worst food of the people of the Hellfire.” Ar-Rabi` and Ad-Dahhak both said, “It (Ghislin) is a tree in Hell.” Shabib bin Bishr reported from `Ikrimah that Ibn `Abbas said, `Ghislin will be the blood and fluid that will flow from their flesh.” `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, `Ghislin is the pus of the people of the Hellfire.”