Surah Al-Waqiah Tafseer In English: Ibn Kaseer Verse 83-87

When the Soul reaches the Throat at the Time of Death, it cannot be brought back; this proves Reckon

Allah the Exalted said,

فَلَوْلاَ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ

(Then why do you not (intervene) when it reaches), in reference to the soul,

الْحُلْقُومَ

(Al-Hulqum), i.e., the throat, at the time of death. Allah the Exalted said in other Ayat,

كَلاَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِىَ – وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ – وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ الْفِرَاقُ – وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ – إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ

(Nay, when (the soul) reaches to the collar bone, and it will be said: “Who can cure him (and save him from death)” And he will conclude that it was (the time) of parting (death); And one leg will be joined with another leg (shrouded). The drive will be on that Day to your Lord (Allah).)(75:26-30) Allah said here,

وَأَنتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ

(And you at the moment are looking,) at the dying person and witnessing the stupor of death that he is experiencing,

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ

(But We are nearer to him than you, ) with Our angels,

وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُبْصِرُونَ

(but you see not.) you cannot see the angels. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ – ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَـسِبِينَ

(He is the Irresistible over His servants, and He sends guardians (angels) over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers (angel of death and his assistants) take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. Then they are returned to Allah, their true Protector. Surely, for Him is the judgement and He is the swiftest in taking account.)(6:61-62) Allah’s statement,

فَلَوْلاَ إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ تَرْجِعُونَهَآ

(Then why do you not — if you are not Madinin — return the soul,) means, `Will you not return this soul, that has reached the throat, to its body as it used to be, if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense’ Sa`id bin Jubayr and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said:

فَلَوْلاَ إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ

(Then why do you not — if you are not Madinin. ..), “If you do not believe that you will be reckoned, recompensed, resurrected and punished, then why do you not return this soul to its body” Mujahid said that,

غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ

(…if you are not Madinin), means, “if you are not certain.”

فَلَوۡلَآ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ ٱلۡحُلۡقُومَ

Falaw laaa izaa balaghatil hulqoom

Then why, when the soul at death reaches the throat

وَأَنتُمۡ حِينَئِذٖ تَنظُرُونَ

Wa antum heena’izin tanzuroon

And you are at that time looking on –

وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُبۡصِرُونَ

Wa nahnu aqrabu ilaihi minkum wa laakil laa tubsiroon

And Our angels are nearer to him than you, but you do not see –

فَلَوۡلَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ غَيۡرَ مَدِينِينَ