75:2 Al-Qiyaama (The Resurrection)

{ وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ } وهي جميع النفوس الخيرة والفاجرة، سميت { لوامة } لكثرة ترددها وتلومها وعدم ثبوتها على حالة من أحوالها، ولأنها عند الموت تلوم صاحبها على ما عملت ، بل نفس المؤمن تلوم صاحبها في الدنيا على ما حصل منه، من تفريط أو تقصير في حق من الحقوق، أو غفلة، فجمع بين الإقسام بالجزاء، وعلى الجزاء، وبين مستحق الجزاء.

وقال جوبير بلغنا عن الحسن أنه قال في قوله "ولا أقسم بالنفس اللوامة" قال ليس أحد من أهل السموات والأرضين إلا يلوم نفسه يوم القيامة وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي حدثنا عبدالله بن صالح بن مسلم عن إسرائيل عن سماك أنه سأل عكرمة عن قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم "ولا أقسم بالنفس اللوامة" قال يلوم على الخير والشر لو فعلت كذا وكذا ورواه ابن جرير عن أبي كريب عن وكيع عن إسرائيل به. وقال ابن جرير حدثنا محمد بن بشار حدثنا سفيان عن ابن جريج عن الحسن بن مسلم عن سعيد بن جبير في قوله "ولا أقسم بالنفس اللوامة" قال تلوم على الخير والشر ثم رواه من وجه آخر عن سعيد أنه سأل ابن عباس عن ذلك فقال هي النفس اللئوم وقال على ابن أبى نجيح عن مجاهد تندم على ما فات وتلوم عليه وقال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس اللوامة المذمومة وقال قتادة "اللوامة" الفاجرة قال ابن جرير وكل هذه الأقوال متقاربة المعنى الأشبه بظاهر التنزيل أنها التي تلوم صاحبها على الخير والشر وتندم على ما فات.

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)"

And nay I swear by the self-reproaching soul the one that reproaches itself even if it should expend great effort in being virtuous the response to the oath has been omitted that is to say la-tub‘athunna ‘you shall indeed be resurrected!’ as indicated by what follows

Interpretation of Lawwarnah

Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas, Hasan al-Basri and others have expressed the view that Allah has sworn an oath by the self-reproaching conscience in order to show honour for the believing souls who take account of their deeds, regret, and feel sorry for, their shortcomings and reproach themselves. Three kinds of Nafs

The foregoing interpretation of An-nafs-ul-lawwamah embraces An-nafs-ul-mutma` innah. The two terms are titles of a God-fearing

person.

In Sufi terminology, we come across the following concepts. The noble Sufis say that man in his nature goes through three stages of human development. The first stage is called ] An-nafs-ul-ammarah 'the self that tempts (to evil) ' as said by the Holy Qur'an: اِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَاَمَّارَةٌۢ بِالسُّوْۗءِ '...Surely, man's inner self often incites to evil_[ 12:53] '

The second stage of development is called An-nafs-ul-lawwamah 'the self that blames' - translated above as 'the self-reproaching conscience'.

The first stage is developed into the second stage when the traveler perform righteousness, and exerts himself in riyadah 'ascetic discipline' and mujahadah 'spiritual struggle'. This Self is conscious of its own imperfections. It regrets its evils and shortcomings, but it is not completely cut off from the evils. The third and highest stage of development is called An-nafs-ul-mutma'innah 'the self at peace'. This self develops into this stage when it progressively performs righteousness and attains Divine nearness and applies the sacred laws of Shari` ah so rigorously that Shari'ah becomes his nature and develops a natural hatred for anything contrary to Shari` ah . The title of the self at this stage is mutma'innah.

No! I swear by the blaming soul. Among the words of the commentators is that the blaming soul is the soul of the person of faith which is always in remorse for its own days and blaming itself for its own shortcomings. It strikes fear and dread into itself and looks upon itself with the eyes of disdain and abasement and says, O soul mean in aspiration and deluded, on whatever stone I strike you, you come up false. O you who fell short in the road of seeking the Real at the first step! O you who were cut off in the desert of the Law's prescription despite a thousand steeds! O you who have never seen the tip of the hair of good fortune despite a thousand candles and lamps! O you who fell into the treasury of Tibet but did not catch the scent of musk! O you who dove into the ocean with all the divers with- out finding anything at all but losing your own self! O you who came late and went back early! O you who bought the mirage of delusion in place of the wine of joy and sold your heart and religion for a price! They deemed the life of this world more worthy of love than the next world [16:107]. You'll see when the dust clears away if you're seated on a horse or an ass. * How long making the abode of delusion an abode of joy! How long making the abode of flight an abode of lodging! Wait until the jolt of Seraphiel's trumpet hides your pretty face and shows your ugly character! One swat of the Lion for a world full of carrion-eaters, one blast of the Trumpet for a hundred thousand Pharaoh-natures! [DS 182, 184] A great man was asked, “Where does the road begin?” He said, “Not with you. When you go off to the side, the road begins everywhere.” There is never a day when this call does not come from the World of Infinity: “O you whom We called but you turned away from Us! O you whom We called, morning and night, to the good fortune of companionship, but you pulled your feet back from Our street! It is We whom you can- not avoid.