YA-SIN

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YA-SIN
Ibn Kathir - English

Verse 65

ٱلۡيَوۡمَ نَخۡتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيۡدِيہِمۡ وَتَشۡہَدُ أَرۡجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ
(65. This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn.)

Page 444

THE TRUMPET BLAST OF THE RESURRECTION

This will be the third blast of the trumpet, the trumpet blast of the resurrection when people will come forth from their graves. Allah says:

﴿ فَإِذَا هُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَنسِلُونَ ﴾
(and behold from the graves they will come out quickly to their Lord.) Yansilun means they will be walking quickly. This is like the Ayah:

﴿ يَوۡمَ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعً۬ا كَأَنَّہُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍ۬ يُوفِضُونَ ﴾
(The Day when they will come out of the graves quickly as racing to a goal.) (70:43).

﴿ قَالُواْ يَـٰوَيۡلَنَا مَنۢ بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرۡقَدِنَاۜ‌ۗ ﴾
(They will say: "Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our place of sleep.'') meaning, their graves, which in this world they thought they would never be raised from. When they see with their own eyes that in which they had disbelieved,

﴿ قَالُواْ يَـٰوَيۡلَنَا مَنۢ بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرۡقَدِنَاۜ‌ۗ ﴾
(They will say: "Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our place of sleep.'') This does not contradict the fact that they will be punished in their graves, because in comparison to what is to come afterwards, that will seem like a nap. Ubayy bin Ka`b (may Allah be pleased with him) Mujahid, Al-Hasan and Qatadah said, "They will sleep before the Resurrection.'' Qatadah said, "That will be between the two trumpet blasts, they will say, `Who has raised us up from our place of sleep''' When they say that, the believers will respond. This was the view of more than one of the Salaf.

﴿ هَـٰذَا مَا وَعَدَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ وَصَدَقَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ ﴾
[(It will be said to them): "This is what the Most Gracious had promised, and the Messengers spoke truth!''] Al-Hasan said, "The angels will reply to them in this manner. There is no contradiction because both are possible. And Allah knows best.

﴿ إِن ڪَانَتۡ إِلَّا صَيۡحَةً۬ وَٲحِدَةً۬ فَإِذَا هُمۡ جَمِيعٌ۬ لَّدَيۡنَا مُحۡضَرُونَ ﴾
(It will be but a single Sayhah, so behold they will all be brought up before Us!) This is like the Ayat:

﴿ فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجۡرَةٌ۬ وَٲحِدَةٌ۬ • فَإِذَا هُم بِٱلسَّاهِرَةِ ﴾
[But it will be only a single Zajrah, when behold, they find themselves (on the surface of the earth) alive (after their death).] (79:13-14),

﴿ وَمَآ أَمۡرُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ إِلَّا كَلَمۡحِ ٱلۡبَصَرِ أَوۡ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ‌ۚ ﴾
[And the matter of the Hour is not but as a twinkling of the eye, or even nearer] (16:77), and

﴿ يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ فَتَسۡتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمۡدِهِۦ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثۡتُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ ﴾
[On the Day when He will call you, and you will answer (His call) with (words of) His praise and obedience, and you will think that you have stayed (in this world) but a little while!] (17:52) which means, `We will issue but one command, and all of them will be gathered together.'

﴿ فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ لَا تُظۡلَمُ نَفۡسٌ۬ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا ﴾
(This Day, none will be wronged in anything,) means, with regard to his deeds.
﴿ وَلَا تُجۡزَوۡنَ إِلَّا مَا ڪُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ﴾
(nor will you be requited anything except that which you used to do.)

﴿ إِنَّ أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ فِى شُغُلٍ۬ فَـٰكِهُونَ • هُمۡ وَأَزۡوَٲجُهُمۡ فِى ظِلَـٰلٍ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآٮِٕكِ مُتَّكِـُٔونَ • لَهُمۡ فِيہَا فَـٰكِهَةٌ۬ وَلَهُم مَّا يَدَّعُونَ • سَلَـٰمٌ۬ قَوۡلاً۬ مِّن رَّبٍّ۬ رَّحِيمٍ۬ ﴾
(55. Verily, the dwellers of the Paradise, that Day, will be busy with joyful things.)
(56. They and their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones.) (57. They will have therein fruits and all that they ask for.)
(58. (It will be said to them): "Salam (Peace!)'' -- a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful.)

THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE OF PARADISE

Allah tells us that on the Day of Resurrection, when the people of Paradise have reached the arena of judgment, and have settled in the gardens of Paradise, they will be too preoccupied with their own victory and new life of eternal delights to worry about anyone else. Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Isma`il bin Abi Khalid said, "They will be too busy to think about the torment which the people of Hell are suffering. Mujahid said:

﴿ فِى شُغُلٍ۬ فَـٰكِهُونَ ﴾
(will be busy with joyful things.) "With the delights which they are enjoying.'' This was also the view of Qatadah. Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "This means that they will be rejoicing.''

﴿ هُمۡ وَأَزۡوَٲجُهُمۡ ﴾
(They and their wives) Mujahid said, "Their spouses,

﴿ فِى ظِلَـٰلٍ ﴾
(will be in pleasant shade,) means, in the shade of trees.''

﴿ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآٮِٕكِ مُتَّكِـُٔونَ ﴾
(reclining on thrones.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Khusayf said:

﴿ ٱلۡأَرَآٮِٕكِ ﴾
(throne) means beds beneath canopies.

﴿ لَهُمۡ فِيہَا فَـٰكِهَةٌ۬ ﴾
(They will have therein fruits) means, of all kinds.

﴿ وَلَهُم مَّا يَدَّعُونَ ﴾
(and all that they ask for.) means, whatever they ask for, they will find it, all kinds and types.

﴿ سَلَـٰمٌ۬ قَوۡلاً۬ مِّن رَّبٍّ۬ رَّحِيمٍ۬ ﴾
["Salam (Peace!]'' -- a Word from the Lord (Allah), Most Merciful.]
Ibn Jurayj said, "Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, concerning this Ayah, Allah Himself, Who is the Peace (As-Salam) will grant peace to the people of Paradise. This view of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) is like the Ayah:

﴿ تَحِيَّتُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ يَلۡقَوۡنَهُ ۥ سَلَـٰمٌ۬ۚ ﴾
[Their greeting on the Day they shall meet Him will be "Salam''] (33:44).

﴿ وَٱمۡتَـٰزُواْ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَيُّہَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ • أَلَمۡ أَعۡهَدۡ إِلَيۡكُمۡ يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ أَن لَّا تَعۡبُدُواْ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنَ‌ۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ • وَأَنِ ٱعۡبُدُونِى‌ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطٌ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ۬ • وَلَقَدۡ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمۡ جِبِلاًّ۬ كَثِيرًا‌ۖ أَفَلَمۡ تَكُونُواْ تَعۡقِلُونَ ﴾
(59. (It will be said): "And O you the criminals! Get you apart this Day.'') (60. "Did I not command you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan Verily, he is a plain enemy to you.'')
(61. "And that you should worship Me. That is the straight path.'')
(62. "And indeed he did lead astray a great multitude of you. Did you not then understand'')

THE ISOLATION OF THE DISBELIEVERS AND THEIR REBUKE ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION

Allah tells us what the end of the disbelievers will be on the Day of Resurrection, when He commands them to get apart from the believers,
i.e., to stand apart from the believers. This is like the Ayat:

﴿ وَيَوۡمَ نَحۡشُرُهُمۡ جَمِيعً۬ا ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُواْ مَكَانَكُمۡ أَنتُمۡ وَشُرَكَآؤُكُمۡ‌ۚ فَزَيَّلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُمۡ‌ۖ ﴾
(And the Day whereon We shall gather them all together, then We shall say to those who did set partners in worship with Us: "Stop at your place! You and your partners.'' Then We shall separate them) [10:28].

﴿ وَيَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ يَتَفَرَّقُونَ ﴾
(And on the Day when the Hour will be established -- that Day shall they be separated.) [30:14]

﴿ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ يَصَّدَّعُونَ ﴾
(On that Day they shall be divided) [30:43] which means, they will be divided into two separate groups.

﴿ ٱحۡشُرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزۡوَٲجَهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡبُدُونَ • مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَٱهۡدُوهُمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ﴾
[(It will be said to the angels): "Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions and what they used to worship, instead of Allah, and lead them on to the way of flaming Fire (Hell).''] (37:22-23).

﴿ أَلَمۡ أَعۡهَدۡ إِلَيۡكُمۡ يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ أَن لَّا تَعۡبُدُواْ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنَ‌ۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ ﴾
(Did I not command you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan Verily, he is a plain enemy to you.) This is a rebuke from Allah to the disbelievers among the sons of Adam, those who obey the Shaytan even though he was a plain enemy to them, and they disobeyed Ar-Rahman Who created them and granted them provision. Allah says:

﴿ وَأَنِ ٱعۡبُدُونِى‌ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطٌ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ۬ ﴾
(And that you should worship Me. That is the straight path.) meaning, `I commanded you in the world to disobey the Shaytan, and I commanded you to worship Me, and this is the straight path, but you followed a different path and you followed the commands of the Shaytan.' Allah says:

﴿ وَلَقَدۡ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمۡ جِبِلاًّ۬ كَثِيرًا‌ۖ ﴾
(And indeed he did lead astray a great multitude of you.) meaning, a large number of people. This was the view of Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Sufyan bin `Uyaynah.

﴿ أَفَلَمۡ تَكُونُواْ تَعۡقِلُونَ ﴾
(Did you not then understand) means, `did you not have any understanding, when you went against the command of your Lord to worship Him alone, with no partner or associate, and you preferred to follow the Shaytan'

﴿ هَـٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ • ٱصۡلَوۡهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡفُرُونَ • ٱلۡيَوۡمَ نَخۡتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيۡدِيہِمۡ وَتَشۡہَدُ أَرۡجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ • وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَطَمَسۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ أَعۡيُنِہِمۡ فَٱسۡتَبَقُواْ ٱلصِّرَٲطَ فَأَنَّىٰ يُبۡصِرُونَ • وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَمَسَخۡنَـٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَڪَانَتِهِمۡ فَمَا ٱسۡتَطَـٰعُواْ مُضِيًّ۬ا وَلَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ﴾
(63. This is Hell which you were promised!)
(64. Burn (enter) therein this Day, for that you used to disbelieve.)
(65. This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn.)
(66. And if it had been Our will, We would surely have wiped out their eyes, so that they would struggle for the path, how then would they see) (67. And if it had been Our will, We could have transformed them in their places. Then they would have been unable to go forward (move about) nor they could have turned back.) On the Day of Resurrection, it will be said to the disbelievers among the sons of Adam, after Hell has been shown to them as a rebuke; and warning:

﴿ هَـٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ ﴾
(This is Hell which you were promised!) meaning, `this is what the Messengers warned you about, and you did not believe them.'

﴿ ٱصۡلَوۡهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡفُرُونَ ﴾
[Burn (enter) therein this Day, for that you used to disbelieve]. This is like the Ayah:

﴿ يَوۡمَ يُدَعُّونَ إِلَىٰ نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ دَعًّا • هَـٰذِهِ ٱلنَّارُ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُم بِہَا تُكَذِّبُونَ • أَفَسِحۡرٌ هَـٰذَآ أَمۡ أَنتُمۡ لَا تُبۡصِرُونَ ﴾
[The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing. This is the Fire which you used to belie. Is this magic or do you not see] (52:13-15)

THE MOUTHS OF THE DISBELIEVERS WILL BE SEALED ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION

﴿ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ نَخۡتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيۡدِيہِمۡ وَتَشۡہَدُ أَرۡجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ ﴾
(This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn.) This will be the state of the disbelievers and hypocrites on the Day of Resurrection, when they deny the sins they committed in this world and swear that they did not do that. Allah will seal their mouths and cause their limbs to speak about what they did. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "We were with the Prophet and he smiled so broadly that his molar could be seen, then he said:

« أَتَدْرُونَ مِمَّ أَضْحَكُ؟ »
(Do you know why I am smiling) We said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said:

« مِنْ مُجَادَلَةِ الْعَبْدِ رَبَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، يَقُولُ: رَبِّ أَلَمْ تُجِرْنِي مِنَ الظُّلْمِ؟ فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى، فَيَقُولُ: لَا أُجِيزُ عَلَيَّ إِلَّا شَاهِدًا مِنْ نَفْسِي، فَيَقُولُ: كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا، وَبِالْكِرَامِ الْكَاتِبِينَ شُهُودًا، فَيُخْتَمُ عَلَى فِيهِ، وَيُقَالُ لِأَرْكَانِهِ: انْطِقِي فَتَنْطِقَ بِعَمَلِهِ، ثُمَّ يُخَلَّى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْكَلَامِ، فَيَقُولُ: بُعْدًا لَكُنَّ وَسُحْقًا، فَعَنْكُنَّ كُنْتُ أُنَاضِل »
(Because of the way a servant will argue with his Lord on the Day of Resurrection. He will say, "O Lord, will You not protect me from injustice'' (Allah) will say, "Of course.'' He will say, "I will not accept any witness against me except from myself.'' ﴿Allah﴾ will say, "Today you will be a sufficient witness against yourself, and the honorable scribes will serve as witnesses against you.'' Then his mouth will be sealed, and it will be said to his faculties, "Speak!'' So they will speak of what he did. Then he will be permitted to speak, and he will say, "May you be doomed! It was for you that I was fighting.'')'' This was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. Ibn Jarir narrated that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The believer will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection, and his Lord will show him his deeds, just between him and His Lord. He will admit it and will say, `Yes, O Lord, I did do that.' Then Allah will forgive him his sins and conceal them, and no creature on earth will see any of those sins, but his good deeds will be seen, and he will want all the people to see them. Then the disbeliever and the hypocrite will be brought to account, and his Lord will show him his deeds and he will deny them, saying, `O Lord, by Your glory, this angel has written down things that I did not do.' The angel will say to him, `Did you not do such and such on such a day and in such a place' He will say, `No, by Your glory, I did not do that.' When he says this, Allah will seal his mouth.'' Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I think that the first part of his body to speak will be his right thigh.'' Then he recited:

﴿ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ نَخۡتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيۡدِيہِمۡ وَتَشۡہَدُ أَرۡجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ ﴾
(This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn).

﴿ وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَطَمَسۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ أَعۡيُنِہِمۡ فَٱسۡتَبَقُواْ ٱلصِّرَٲطَ فَأَنَّىٰ يُبۡصِرُونَ ﴾
(And if it had been Our will, We would surely have wiped out their eyes, so that they would struggle for the path, how then would they see) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) explained it: "Allah says, `If We willed, We could have misguided them all away from true guidance, so how could they be guided'' And on one occasion he said, "`We could have blinded them.''' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "If Allah willed, He could have covered their eyes and made them blind, stumbling about.'' Mujahid, Abu Salih, Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "So that they would struggle for the path, i.e., the right way.'' Ibn Zayd said, "The meaning of path here is the truth -- `How could they see when We have covered their eyes''' Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him said:

﴿ فَأَنَّىٰ يُبۡصِرُونَ ﴾
(how then would they see) "They would not see the truth.''

﴿ وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَمَسَخۡنَـٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَڪَانَتِهِمۡ ﴾
(And if it had been Our will, We could have transformed them in their places.) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said; "`We could have destroyed them.'' As-Suddi said, "`We could have changed their form.'' Abu Salih said, "`We could have turned them to stone.'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah said, "`We could have caused them to sit on their feet.'' Allah says:

﴿ فَمَا ٱسۡتَطَـٰعُواْ مُضِيًّ۬ا ﴾
(Then they would have been unable to go forward) meaning, move to the front,

﴿ وَلَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ﴾
(nor they could have turned back.) meaning, move backwards. They would have remained static, unable to move forwards or backwards.

﴿ وَمَن نُّعَمِّرۡهُ نُنَڪِّسۡهُ فِى ٱلۡخَلۡقِ‌ۖ أَفَلَا يَعۡقِلُونَ • وَمَا عَلَّمۡنَـٰهُ ٱلشِّعۡرَ وَمَا يَنۢبَغِى لَهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٌ۬ وَقُرۡءَانٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ • لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيًّ۬ا وَيَحِقَّ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ عَلَى ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴾
(68. And he whom We grant long life -- We reverse him in creation. Will they not then understand)
(69. And We have not taught him poetry, nor is it suitable for him. This is only a Reminder and a plain Qur'an.)
(70. That he or it may give warning to him who is living, and that Word may be justified against the disbelievers.)