75:1 Al-Qiyaama (The Resurrection)

ليست { لا } [ها] هنا نافية، [ولا زائدة] وإنما أتي بها للاستفتاح والاهتمام بما بعدها، ولكثرة الإتيان بها مع اليمين، لا يستغرب الاستفتاح بها، وإن لم تكن في الأصل موضوعة للاستفتاح.فالمقسم به في هذا الموضع، هو المقسم عليه، وهو البعث بعد الموت، وقيام الناس من قبورهم، ثم وقوفهم ينتظرون ما يحكم به الرب عليهم.

قد تقدم غير مرة أن المقسم عليه إذا كان منتفيا جاز الإتيان بلا قبل القسم لتأكيدا النفي والمقسم عليه ههنا هو إثبات المعاد والرد على ما يزعمه الجهلة من العباد ومن عدم بعث الأجساد ولهذا قال تعالى "لا أقسم بيوم القيامة ولا أقسم بالنفس اللوامة" قال الحسن أقسم بيوم القيامة ولم يقسم بالنفس اللوامة وقال قتادة بل أقسم بهما جميعا هكذا حكاه ابن أبي حاتم وقد حكى ابن جرير عن الحسن والأعرج أنهما قرءا "لأقسم بيوم القيامة" وهذا يوجه قول الحسن لأنه أثبت القسم بيوم القيامة ونفي القسم بالنفس اللوامة والصحيح أنه أقسم بهما جميعا معا كما قاله قتادة رحمه الله وهو المروي عن ابن عباس وسعيد بن جبير واختاره ابن جرير فأما يوم القيامة فمعروف وأما النفس اللوامة فقال قرة بن خالد عن الحسن البصري في هذه الآية أن المؤمن والله ما نراه إلا يلوم نفسه: ما أردت بكلمتي ما أردت بأكلتي ما أردت بحديث نفسي. وإن الفاجر يمضي قدما ما يعاتب نفسه.

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Oath about the Final Return on the Day of Resurrection and the Refutation against the Plots

It has been mentioned previously on more than one occasion that if the thing that is being sworn about is something that is being negated, then it is permissible to use the word "La" (Nay) before the oath to emphasize the negation. Here, what is being sworn about is the affirmation of the final abode and the refutation against the claim of the ignorant that the resurrection of bodies will not occur. This is why Allah says,

لاَ أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ - وَلاَ أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ

(Nay! I swear by the Day of Resurrection. And nay! I swear by An-Nafs Al-Lawwamah.) Qatadah said, "This means, I swear by both of these things." This has also been reported from Ibn `Abbas and Sa`id bin Jubayr. Concerning the Day of Judgement, it is well known what it is. In reference to An-Nafs Al-Lawwamah, Qurrah bin Khalid reported from Al-Hasan Al-Basri that he said about this Ayah, "Verily, by Allah, we think that every believer blames himself. He says (questioning himself), `What did I intend by my statement What did I intend by my eating What did I intend in what I said to myself' However, the sinner proceeds ahead and he does not blame himself." Ibn Jarir recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said concerning Allah's statement,

وَلاَ أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ

(And nay! I swear by An-Nafs Al-Lawwamah) "He criticizes himself in good and bad." Similar has been reported from `Ikrimah. Ibn Abi Najih reported from Mujahid: "He is sorry for what he missed (of good deeds) and he blames himself for it." Allah said;

أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَلَّن نَّجْمَعَ عِظَامَهُ

(Does man think that We shall not assemble his bones) meaning, `on the Day of Judgement does he think that We are not able to return his bones and gather them from their various places'

بَلَى قَـدِرِينَ عَلَى أَن نُّسَوِّىَ بَنَانَهُ

(Yes, We are able to put together in perfect order the tips of his fingers.) meaning, `does man think that We will not gather his bones Surely, We will gather them and We are quite able to put together his fingertips. This means Our power is suitable to gather (and recreate) them, and if We wished We could surely resurrect him with more than what he originally had. We could make his Banan, which are the tips of his fingers, all equal (in length).' Concerning Allah's statement,

بَلْ يُرِيدُ الإِنسَـنُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ

(Nay! Man desires to break out ahead of himself.) Sa`id reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "This means to proceed forward." Mujahid said about,

لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ

(to break out ahead of himself.) "This means that he wants to proceed ahead following his own whims." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "This refers to the disbeliever who denies the Day of Reckoning." Ibn Zayd said the same thing. Thus, Allah says after this,

يَسْـَلُ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَـمَةِ

(He asks: "When will be this Day of Resurrection") meaning, he says when will the Day of Judgement be His question is only a question of denying its occurrence, and rejecting its existence. This is as Allah says,

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ قُل لَّكُم مِّيعَادُ يَوْمٍ لاَّ تَسْتَـَخِرُونَ عَنْهُ سَاعَةً وَلاَ تَسْتَقْدِمُونَ

(And they say: "When is this promise if you are truthful" Say: "The appointment to you is for a Day, which you cannot put back for an hour nor put forward.") (34:29-30) Here Allah says,

فَإِذَا بَرِقَ الْبَصَرُ

(So, when Bariqa the sight.) Abu `Amr bin Al-`Ala' recited this Ayah as Bariqa with a Kasrah under the letter Ra, which means to be diminished. That which he (Abu `Amr) has said resembles the statement of Allah,

لاَ يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ

(Their gaze returning not towards them.) (14:43) meaning, they will be looking this way and that way in horror. Their gaze will not be able to rest upon anything due to the severity of the terror on that Day. Others recited it as Baraqa with a Fathah over the letter Ra, and its meaning is close to the first recitation (Bariqa). The intent here is that the eyes will be dazzled, humbled, diminished, and humiliated on the Day of Judgement due to the severity of the horrors and the greatness of the matters that they will witness on that Day. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَخَسَفَ الْقَمَرُ

(And the moon will be eclipsed.) meaning, its light will go away.

وَجُمِعَ الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ

(And the sun and moon will be joined together.) Mujahid said, "They will be rolled up." In explaining this Ayah, Ibn Zayd recited the following Ayat,

إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ - وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انكَدَرَتْ

(When the sun is wound round and its light is lost and is overthrown, and when the stars fall.) (81:1,2) It has been reported from Ibn Mas`ud that he recited the Ayah as, (وَجُمِعَ بَيْنَ الشَّمْسِ وَالْقَمَرِ) (and the sun and the moon will be joined between each other.) Allah said,

يَقُولُ الإِنسَـنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَيْنَ الْمَفَرُّ

(On that Day man will say:"Where (is the refuge) to flee") meaning, the human will see these horrors on the Day of Judgement and he will want to flee. He will say, "Where (is the place) to flee to" This means, where is the escape or refuge Allah then says,

كَلاَّ لاَ وَزَرَ - إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمُسْتَقَرُّ

(No! There is no refuge! Unto your Lord will be the place of rest that Day.) Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and several others of the Salaf said, "There will be no salvation." This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement,

مَا لَكُمْ مِّن مَّلْجَأٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِّن نَّكِيرٍ

(You will have no refuge on that Day nor there will be for you any denying.) (42:47) meaning, `there will be no place for you to hide.' This is like what Allah says here,

لاَ وَزَرَ

(There is no refuge.) meaning, `there will be no place for you to seek shelter.' Thus, Allah says,

إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمُسْتَقَرُّ

(Unto your Lord will be the place of rest that Day.) meaning, the place of return and the final destination. The Deeds of Man will be placed before Him on the Day of Judgement Then Allah says,

يُنَبَّأُ الإِنسَـنُ يَوْمَئِذِ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ

(On that Day man will be informed of what he sent forward, and what he left behind.) meaning, he will be informed of all of his deeds, the old of them and the recent of them, the first of them and the last of them, the small of them and the large of them. This is as Allah says,

وَوَجَدُواْ مَا عَمِلُواْ حَاضِرًا وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا

(And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice.) (18:49) Likewise, Allah says here,

بَلِ الإِنسَـنُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌ - وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ

(Nay! Man will be well informed about himself, though he may put forth his excuses.) meaning, he will be a witness against himself, knowing full well what he did, even though he will try to make excuses and deny it. This is as Allah says,

اقْرَأْ كَتَـبَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا

((It will be said to him): "Read your book. You are sufficient as a reckoner against yourself this Day.") `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said,

بَلِ الإِنسَـنُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌ

(Nay! Man will be well informed about himself.) "His hearing, his sight, his two hands, his two legs and his limbs." Qatadah said, "This means he is a witness against himself." In another narration from Qatadah he said, "By Allah! If you wish to see him, you would see him as someone who sees the shortcomings of the people and their sins, yet he is heedless of his own sins." It used to be said, "Verily, it is written in the Injil: `O Son of Adam, do you see the small splinters in the eye of your brother and disregard the tree stump that is in your eye, so you do not see it"' Mujahid said,

وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ

(Though he may put forth his excuses.) "This means, even though he argues in defense of it, he is a witness against it." Qatadah said,

وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ

(Though he may put forth his excuses.) "Even though he will try to make false excuses on that Day, they will not be accepted from him." As-Suddi said,

وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ

(Though he may put forth his excuses.) "This means his argument." This is as Allah says,

ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ

(There will then be no Fitnah for them but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah.") (6:23) Allah also says,

يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَـذِبُونَ

(On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together; then they will swear to Him as they swear to you (O Muslims). And they think that they have something. Verily, they are liars!) (58:18) Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas:

وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ

(Though he may put forth his excuses.) "This is apologizing. Haven't you heard that Allah said,

لاَ يَنفَعُ الظَّـلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ

(The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to wrongdoers.) (40:52) and He says,

وَأَلْقَوْاْ إِلَى اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ السَّلَمَ

(And they will offer submision to Allah on that Day.) (16:87) and He says,

فَأَلْقَوُاْ السَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ

(Then they will (falsely) submit: "We used not to do any evil.") (16:28) and their statement,

وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ

(By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah.) (6:23)"

Nay! the lā is extra in both instances I swear by the Day of Resurrection.

Commentary

لَآ اُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيٰمَةِ وَلَآ اُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ (I swear by the Day of Resurrection, [ 1] and I swear by the self-reproaching conscience, (that Resurrection is a reality.)...75:1-2). The negative particle la 'nay' prefixed to the oath in this context has no meaning. When the object of oath is to refute the false thought of an opponent, this redundant negative particle is used before oath. This usage is commonplace in Arabic idiom. Such usage is sometimes employed in our language [ in Urdu ] as well [ as an answer to some objection or in repudiation of what is said before or ] to emphasize an important subject. This Surah refutes and rebuts doubts about the possibility of the Resurrection by the rejecters. The Surah first swears an oath by the Resurrection, and then by the self-reproaching conscience. The complement or subject of oath is contextually understood - the Day of Resurrection is a reality and it shall come to pass. The object of oath in verse [ 1] is to affirm and emphasize the importance of the subject about which an oath is taken. In this instance, it is the Resurrection. In verse [ 2], the object of oath is to lay emphasis on the importance of self-reproaching conscience and its acceptability in the sight of Allah. The word nafs means 'soul' or 'life' and the word lawwamah is derived from lawm signifying 'reproach or upbraid'. The phrase refers to the human conscience that upbraids him for doing bad deeds. It upbraids him not only for doing bad deeds, but also for doing good deeds - 'why did you not do more good, and attain higher stages [ of development ]?' In short, a perfect believer reproaches and upbraids himself all the time whether doing good or bad. His reproaching himself for bad deeds is quite understandable, but why should he reproach, blame or criticize himself for good deeds? He should try to reach for higher goals in life by doing better deeds. He upbraids himself for missing out on that score. This interpretation is reported from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas and other leading authorities on Tafsir [ Ibn Kathir and others ].

On the same basis, Sayyidna Hasan al-Basri interpreted nafs lawwamah as nafs mu'minah meaning, the 'believing soul' and said that 'By Allah! A believer at all times upbraids his own self. It is obvious why he should reproach himself when he commits evil. He reproaches himself when he does good deeds as well, because he feels that he has not performed his duties of servitude and Divine worship adequately. He feels that he has not fulfilled and consummated his obligations of slave-hood perfectly. Therefore, he reproaches himself for his shortcomings in the performance of his duties and obligations.'

No! I swear by the Day of Resurrection. The Lord of the Worlds swears an oath by the Day of Resurrection. That is the day when the pavil- ions of the rightful due of lordhood will be opened, the carpet of majesty and tremendousness spread, and the banner of all-compellingness brought out to the desert of all-subjugatingness. The portico of magnificence will be raised, the scales of justice will be hung, and the harshness of the exalted all-compellingness will make everyone confounded and senseless. The prophets will come in their perfection and put away talk of their knowledge: “We have no knowledge” [5:109]. The angels of the Dominion will come and strike fire to the monasteries of their worship: “We have not worshiped You with the rightful due of Your worship.” The recognizers and tawḤīd-voicers will come and disown their own recognition: “We have not recognized You with the rightful due of Your recognition.” What great remorse-if on that day His bounty does not take your hand! What tremendous affliction-if in that assembly His generosity does not come to your aid! If His solicitude does not take your hand, what good will obedience have done? If He shows the face of His justice, that will be your destruction. The Pir of the Tariqah said, “O God, You know that I do not have these days by myself. I do not light the candle of guidance with my sufficiency. What comes from me? What opens up from my doing? My obedience is through Your success-giving, my service through Your guidance, My repentance through Your kind favor, my gratitude through Your beneficence, my remembrance through Your inspiration. All is You! Who am I? If not for Your bounty, what do I have?”