INTRODUCTION
Although some sources claim that the 48th verse of the surah, which derives its name from the word al-mursalat in the first verse, was revealed after the conquest of Mecca in response to the Sakif delegation’s objection—specifically, their request to be exempted from bowing during prayer following our Prophet’s directive to ‘perform prayers’—this assertion is both unacceptable and baseless. This is because the claimants, without investigating the meaning of the word “ruku'”, have taken it to mean “the bending of the back in prayer” and suggested that the verse containing this word may have been revealed after the prayer command had already been established. However, the meaning of the word – as we have noted in our analysis of verse 48 – is so clear that it does not need any interpretation. Therefore, the claim that the verse was revealed at a later date on the basis of these false suggestions cannot be accepted. Moreover, if this claim is accepted and verse 48 is omitted, the meaning in the flow of the sūrah is disrupted, and two verses with the same wording and the same meaning appear one after the other, which is not logically consistent. In any case, it is easily understood that the sūrah is a whole in its present form when considered from beginning to end.
Surah al-Mursalat continues to deal with matters of faith, like the preceding surahs, with a particular emphasis on the evidence of the Judgment Day and the realization of the Afterlife. Our Lord, who wants people to embrace the religion He has revealed with the Qur’an freely and thoughtfully, has used the method of persuasion in this surah as a result of His mercy, and by explaining to the infidels that the Resurrection will take place with reasonable, logical and consistent proofs, He reveals the blessings awaiting the believers and the torments awaiting the infidels.
Although the message of the sūrah appears to address all, it is clear from verse 7 that it primarily targets those infidels who reject the Afterlife
33 / SURAH AL-MURSALAT
Meaning of the verses:
1-7The Ayat of the Qur’an that were sent group by group/division by division and overthrow all what opposes it, revive the peoples, separate the truth and the falsehood as they revive, which reminds as an excuse or a warning, is the evidence that, indeed, with what you are threatened, frightened will definitely occur.
8And when the stars are obliterated/terminated/taken away, 9and when the firmament is torn asunder, 10and when the mountains are scattered, 11-13and when the messengers, who are to witness, are assigned the time for witnessing on the “day of Distinction”, for which they have been kept hold, -“14What has made you know what the day of distinction is?”- 15O woe, on that day, to the deniers!
16Did We not manipulate/destroy the former ones?
17Then We will lead the later ones to follow them. 18This is how We do to the criminals. 19O woe, on that day, to the deniers!
20Did We not form you from a water/liquid disdained?
21,22Then We kept it within a place which is safe for a measurement/until a time predetermined. 23For We had the power to do so. How excellent We are in being able to! 24Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
25,26Did We not make the earth a place for the living and the dead to gather/to be held within?
27We formed therein solid, high mountains and made you drink sweet water. 28Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
29Proceed to that which you deny! 30,31Proceed to a shadow which is owner of three arms that neither shadows nor protects from the fire!
32Indeed, it throws/rains sparks like the palace; 33as though sparks were yellow male camels. 34Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
35That will be the day on which they will not be able to speak. 36And they will not permitted to make an excuse. 37Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
38That will be the Day of Distinction, on which We will gather you and the former ones. 39Now, if you have a mischievous plan, implement that mischievous plan against Me! 40Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
41,42Indeed, as for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah will be among shadows, springs and fruits which they desire. –“43Eat and drink; enjoy for what you have done!”- 44Thus We recompense those who do good. 45Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
46Eat, enjoy for a while, indeed you are criminals. 47Woe, on that day, to the deniers! 48And when it is said to them: “Refrain from associating others with Allah”, they do not refrain.49On that day, woe to the deniers!
50And what statement will they believe after the Qur’an?
Analysis of the verses:
Verses 1-7:
1-7The Ayat of the Qur’an that were sent group by group/division by division and overthrow all what opposes it, revive the peoples, separate the truth and the falsehood as they revive, which reminds as an excuse or a warning, is the evidence that, indeed, with what you are threatened, frightened will definitely occur.
The surah begins with the oath sentence consisting of the above 7 verses, and verses 1-6 are presented as proofs of the claim in verse 7 that what you are threatened with will surely come to pass. In other words, the evidence in verses 1-6 is presented as proof of the claim in verse 7.
In order to explain the meaning of the preposition ف [fe] linking verse 2 to verse 1 and verse 4 to verse 3, some explanation of the translation of these verses is necessary: In verse 1, the masses of those who are sent do what is stated in verse 2, i.e. they overthrow, storm and sweep away whatever is in their way. Likewise, the revitalizers mentioned in verse 3 do what is stated in verse 4, i.e. they separate and separate.
A careful reading of the statements in verses 1-6, which form the oath part of the oath sentence, reveals that they are not talking about different “things” but about different characteristics of one “thing”. This means that the evidence presented reflects five distinct characteristics of a “thing”.
There have been different opinions in the past about the origin of these characteristics. Some of them got away with it by saying, “The things sworn upon are mysterious forces that are beyond our knowledge and whose only effects are reflected in the universe and human life.” Others argued that the forces in question were definitely “winds” and others that they were “angels”. There are also those who say that some of these sentences refer to angels and some to winds.
We quote some of these views, which appear in the classical sources as if they were a common text, in order to better illustrate the errors:
According to Abu Hurairah (and Masrouk, Abu Ad-Duha and Mujahid, Suday, Rabi b. Anas and Abu Salih agreed with this interpretation), those who are released and sent in the verse are “angels”.[1] In that case, the oath would mean “by the successive groups of angels who were sent out like war horses, in succession and in troops”.
According to ‘Abdullah b. Mas’ûd, the “sent ones” are the “winds”. Accordingly, the meaning of the sentence of oath is “I swear by the winds that are sent in successive waves, resembling war horses in force and rhythm.”. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ūd suggested that “the winds” are meant in the verses “They blow like a whirlwind” and “They scatter them everywhere”. According to an account, his view is shared by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid, Qatada and Abū Salih.[2]
Ibn Jarīr hesitates whether the word ‘mursalat in verse 1 means “angels” or “winds” and refrains from making a definitive judgment, while he is of the opinion that the word ‘asifat in verse 2 definitely means “winds”. He also states unequivocally that the word nashirat in verse 3 means “winds” in the sense of “the dispersers of the clouds in the sky”.[3]
According to ‘Abdullah b. Mas’ûd, the words fârikât and mulqiyât in verses 4-5 mean “angels”. This view is shared by ‘Abdullah b. ‘Abbas, Masūrūq, Mujahid, Qatada, Rabi b. Anas, Suddey and Sevri.[4]
According to this common view, these angels descend to the Prophets with the permission of Allah Almighty to distinguish the truth from the falsehood and to convey the message of revelation to these messengers. This message both refutes the excuses that people may make on Judgment Day and warns them.
Unfortunately, this issue has been settled in people’s minds in line with the above different views, and these views have unfortunately dominated many translations and tafsirs due to the lack of the necessary investigation and analysis. Many thinkers have tried hard to make the views of the ancients more consistent, but they have not been successful. Because no one has a monopoly on understanding the Qur’an, nor does anyone have any privilege in understanding it. Therefore, the statements of past scholars should not be accepted as absolute truths. In order to reach the truth, the meanings of the words should be prioritized over the transmissions of individuals.
The first thing to note here is that the five qualities mentioned in succession are put forward as proof that the “promised thing”, which does not yet exist, will definitely happen. Thus, the ‘thing’ with these qualities must be apparent to all. This is because it is inconceivable that a “thing” whose existence has not been proved can be put forward as evidence for the proof of another “thing”.
The second point to be considered for a correct understanding of verses 1-6 is to take into account both the literal and figurative meanings of the words in the verses. In this case, there are more than two meanings for the verses. This “polysemy” does not mean that the meanings are ambiguous, as the ancients claimed, but that multiple and beautiful meanings can coexist. In short, these verses are good examples of “mutashabih verses”. Short sentences presented with artistic expressions and strong emphasis in these sentences have a greater impact on people than normal expressions.
Our task here is to take one of the similar meanings forward, that is, to interpret it.
MURSALÂT
The word المرسلات [mursalât] is derived from the root إرسالل [irsâl] and means “sent ones”. The verb ارسل [ersala], which is also derived from the root irsâl, occurs many times in the Qur’an in the forms of “sends a prophet”, “sends a cloud”, “sends a wind”, with Allah as the subject. Because of this root meaning, the word al-mursalat is considered as “clouds, winds and prophets” in classical sources. We do not agree with this view. It is as follows: The word الرّسول, which is generally defined as “one who is sent for the purpose of reconciliation or to finish a task”, is derived from the same root as the word al-mursalat, which means “sent”. However, the word الرّسول should not be understood only as “messengers chosen from human beings”. For Allah says that He also chose messengers from the angels:
75,76Allah chooses messengers from among the harbinger Ayat and from among the mankind. Indeed, Allah is the One Who hears best, sees best, He knows that which is between their hands and behind them. And all matters will be returned only to Allah.
(Hajj/75-76)
In this case, as we have shown in the analysis of Surah al-Taqwīr by taking into account the roots from which the word derives, it is possible to consider the word angel, which means “messenger and herald” in addition to its meaning of “power, administrative power”, within the meaning of the word mursalat. On the other hand, our Lord has made it clear that messengers can also be among the “sent ones”:
10,11Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment. Then, o you of understanding who have believed! Enter under the guardianship of Allah. Surely, Allah has sent down to you a reminder, a messenger that recites to you clear Ayat/evidences/signs of Allah to bring those who have believed and done amendatory deeds out from all darkness into the light. And whoever believes in Allah and does righteous deeds, Allah will admit him into the gardens of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] underneath of which rivers flow in which he will abide eternally. Allah has perfected the provision for him.
(Talaq/10-11)
It is easily understood that the words “admonition [dhikr]: messenger”, which are underlined in the above verses, refer to the “verses of the Qur’an” and not to the “Prophet”. In this case, the “verses of the Qur’an” are the universal, immortal and revealed messengers of Allah. Based on this, we can say that what is meant by the word “mursalât” in the verse is “the verses of the Qur’an”.[5]
‘URF
The word عرف [‘urf] means “knowledge” (encompassing insight, wisdom, and the ability to discern right from wrong), and is generally used in this sense. Words like ‘custom’ and ma’rûf are also centered around this meaning. However, the primary meaning of the word ‘urf is “a heap of sand, a place high above the ground, a pile, a heap”. This is why Arabs use ‘urf to refer to the rooster’s crest and the horse’s mane.
The link between the original and commonly used meanings of ‘urf is that, ‘knowledge’ itself can be seen as a ‘heap’ or accumulation.. We suggest that the translation of this verse should combine both the original and the commonly used meanings of the word ‘urf. In this case, the translation of the verse would be as follows: “By the verses of the Qur’an, which have been sent in the form of a mass of knowledge [clusters of knowledge, chunks of knowledge; najm najm]…”
More details about ‘Urf and its plural اعراف [a’raf] will be given in the analysis of Surah Al-A’raf.
‘ASIFAT
The word العاصفات [‘âsifât] is a participle derived from the root عصف [‘asf]. The word ‘asf means – as mentioned in the analysis of Surah al-Fil – “the dry leaves of plants”, and the blowing of dry leaves of plants by the wind is expressed by this word in Arabic. Later, the strong wind (storm) that blows away dry leaves, straw, dust, and soil was also called ‘asif, or ‘asifat. The Arabic phrase nakatun ‘asūf (‘storm-like camel’) was derived from this meaning to describe a fast-moving camel.[6]
The phrase ‘like a storm’ is also used in Turkish to describe something fast or swiftly accomplished.
The word ‘Asifat is used in the verse in the sense of “those who create a storm, those who sweep away, uproot, uproot, sweep away, sweep away, blow away” and it is also used in the meaning of “storm” in Yunus/22, Ibrahīm/18 and Anbiya/81.
The word, which normally refers to a physical storm, should be considered together with verse 1 since the sentence [verse] in which it occurs is connected to the previous verse by the preposition ف [fe]. That is to say, the “sent ones in clusters and heaps and heaps” mentioned in verse 1 caused a storm and wiped out the land.
In this case, in line with our Qur’anic-supported views that the word “mursalât” means “messenger” like the word “messenger” derived from the same root, and that this messenger is the “verses of the Qur’an”, it is possible to say that the Qur’anic verses, which came and were sent in chunks, created a storm in the society; they swept away and uprooted all that was falsehood, disbelief and falsehood. Because with the Qur’an, truth has come and falsehood has disappeared; light has come and darkness has disappeared.
NASHIRAT
The word النّاشرات [nashirat] derives from the word نشر [neşr]. Although the word “neşr” is more famous with the meaning of “to spread”, it is also used with the meanings of “to open, to reveal, to cut”. As a matter of fact, in Turkish, words such as “neşriyat” [publications such as newspapers, books, magazines] and “neşretmek” [publishing] are used in accordance with the meaning of “spreading”.
The original [wazı’] meaning of the word “neşr” is “fragrance” and there are many examples of this in ancient Arabic.[7] The relationship between the original meaning of the word, “fragrance”, and its commonly used meaning, “to spread”, is that (as in the word ‘urf) fragrance emanates from a center and spreads to the periphery.
It is this meaning of “spreading from the center to the periphery” that has led to the use of the word “nashr” to describe the growth and spread of dry grass due to rain. In the Qur’an, the word ‘neshr’ is used in the same sense in the Qur’an in the sense of “giving life to people who have died, decayed, and perished”, i.e. “giving life to people who have died, decayed, and perished”:
11And Allah is the One Who has sent down water from the sky in a certain measure. Then We have given life to a dead land with it. Thus you will be brought forth.
(Az-Zukhruf/11)
22then He will resurrect him when He wills.
(Abasa/22)
21Or have they taken some deities from the earth and they will give life to/resurrect them?
(Al-Anbiya/21)
9And Allah is the One Who sends the winds. Then they move and elevate a cloud. Then We send that cloud to a barren land. Thus We give life to the earth after its lifelessness with it. Thus is to give life to the dead, decomposed people.
(Fatir/9)
And Al-Mulk/15, Furqan/3, Furqan/40.
FARIKAT
The word الفارقات [farikat] is derived from the infinitive فرق [difference] meaning “to separate two things” and has the same meaning as the word tafrikat. However, the word farikat is used for the intelligible [abstract things], while the word tefrikat is used for the particular [concrete things]. Therefore, the word farikat means “those who separate abstract things from each other”.[8]
Again, there is another word derived from the root fark, which is also the name of the Qur’an. This word is furqan. Furqan, which is mentioned in al-Baqara/53 and Al-Anbiya/48 as having been given to our Prophet Moses, has been given as a name to the Qur’an because it distinguishes between abstract things such as truth and falsehood, faith and disbelief, the beautiful and the ugly, the good and the bad:
1The One Who sent down the Furqan as a reminder to His servants is the One Who is the most generous/the One Who gives abundant blessings!
(Furqan/1)
185The month of Ramadan; the Qur’an was sent down in it to the people as a guide and clear explanations of the criterion and guidance. Therefore, whoever from among you witnesses this month, he should refrain from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and speaking in this month. And whoever has such a job as farmer, business, military, education/training, etc. which requires making journeys should be refraining from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and speaking for the number of the days that he was not ill and he did not make journeys or physical effort in the month of Ramadan. Allah intends ease of conduct for you, does not intend hardship. This ease of conduct; that there is no ransom, that there is a permit for those who make physical effort and who are ill is because you may enter under the guardianship of Allah and complete the count; how many days you left refraining from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and speaking to fulfill this task in the highest value, glorify Allah for He guides you and repay for the blessings Allah bestows upon you.
(Al-Baqara/185)
2Allah is the One except Whom there is no deity, He is the ever living, the One Who sustains, protects everything.
3,4Allah has sent down this book with the truth to confirm its contents. He had sent down Torah and Bible as well as a guidance to the righteous path for the people before. And He is the One Who has sent down the Furqan as well. Surely, the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb; they are the ones for whom a severe punishment will be. Allah is the One Who is the most exalted, the most powerful, the most honorable, the invincible/the subduer, the One Who maintains justice by seizing, recompensing the criminals.
(Ali-Imran/2-4)
The above verses clarify the issue by themselves: “The verses of the Qur’ân” are what is meant by the expression “those who separate as they separate” (fârikât) in Surah al-Mursalât. Because the verses of the Qur’ân distinguish between truth and falsehood, between faith and disbelief, between lawful and unlawful.
MÜLKIYÂT
The word الملقيات [mülkıyât] is the active participle of the infinitive إلقاء [ilkâ’], which means “to leave, to put down, to abandon”. Its derivatives in different forms are used many times in the Qur’an. However, it is also seen that the word ilka’ is used in the Qur’an in the sense of “to leave within, to place firmly in the mind”:
15He is the One Who raises the degrees, the owner of the greatest throne/position: He places the revelation which is from His own command/His own affair to whomever He wills of His servants to warn about the day of meeting.
(Mu’min/15)
6Indeed, this Qur’an is being imposed in you by Allah, the One Who is law maker and the One Who knows best
(Najl/6)
37-39Then, Adam received some words from his Rabb/was revealed; We said: “Descend! All of you. When a guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, there will be no fear for them; they will not grieve either. And as for those who have disbelieved; consciously denied the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb; they are the companions of the fire. They will abide there eternally”. Then, Allah accepted his repentance. Surely, He is the One Who accepts the repentance of His servants, gives many opportunities to repent; the One Who is very merciful.
(Baqara/37-39)
In this case, it is possible to say that the word الملقيات [mülkıyât] is used in the verse in question in the precise sense of “the ones who instill it firmly in the mind”. This feature is also unique to the verses of the Qur’an.
DHIKR
It is well known the word ذكر [dhikr] is used in the senses of “remembrance, religious book [book of admonition], and admonition”.
That the word dhikr in verse 5 means “admonition” is evident from the expressions عذرا , نذرا [‘uzren, nüzren], which, according to the rules of Arabic grammar, is its counterpart in verse 6. This is because the effect reported in verse 6, which is to excuse, excuse [‘uzren] and warn [‘nuzren], is done by the dhikr reported in verse 5. This is only possible through the “admonition” function of dhikr. In other words, dhikr that leads people to repent for their past mistakes and warns them about the future can only be understood as “admonition”. Considering that the admonitions that are taken into consideration definitely motivate people to do these two actions, it becomes even clearer that the dhikr in verse 5 should be understood as “admonition”.
Since it is reported in hundreds of verses in the Qur’an that the Qur’an (all its verses, sent in chunks, najm by najm) is dhikr [admonition], it becomes certain that it is the “verses of the Qur’an” that implant the admonition firmly in the mind.
WARNING:
Allah ascribes the Qur’an with 55 attributes. All of the attributes listed above are attributes of the Qur’an, such as “Messenger, Furqan, Rûh, An-Nur, Zikr, Mubîn”. These features, which make the verses miracles, are not human fictions, but have been bestowed by Allah. Moreover, none of these features are present in books other than the Scripture of Allah.
In the oath sentence formed by verses 1-7 of the surah, some of these features of the Qur’an are emphasized and it is stated that the Power that revealed it [Allah] will surely bring about the Judgment Day, which is foretold by the threatening verses. Thus, the Qur’an is presented as proof that the Judgment Day and the Afterlife are certain.
It should not be forgotten that the miracle in the Qur’an is greater than the miracles in the mountains, stones, angels and winds. It is such a miracle that it is a book whose miracles will not be exhausted until the Day of Resurrection, even though it is always at hand and in sight.
Verses 8-15:
8And when the stars are obliterated/terminated/taken away, 9and when the firmament is torn asunder, 10and when the mountains are scattered, 11-13and when the messengers, who are to witness, are assigned the time for witnessing on the “day of Distinction”, for which they have been kept hold, -“14What has made you know what the day of distinction is?”- 15O woe, on that day, to the deniers!
These and similar scenes describing the state of the universe on the Judgment Day are mentioned in various surahs of the Qur’an. The common image in all these scenes is this: On that day, the order of the universe will be disrupted and this disorganization will be accompanied by terrible noises, explosions and tremors. However, these terrifying events will be nothing like the small-scale natural events such as lightning, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that people have known since time immemorial, and will be of a magnitude and intensity that cannot be compared to any other event in the world. Therefore, the horror of that day will be impossible for the human mind to comprehend. Despite this fact, the repetition of the narratives of the Apocalypse with different scenes is intended to make people accept that this event will take place.
Verse 8:
8And when the stars are obliterated/terminated/taken away,
The word طمست [tumiset] in the verse is a “verb-i-mazi, bina-i mechul, mufred, muennes” derived from the infinitive طمس [tams].
The word tams has the root meaning of “to erase, to leave no trace, to destroy, to remove”. Thus, in Arabic, those who are blind are called طموس البصر [tamūsu’l-basar] in the sense of “their eyes have been erased, their eyes have been destroyed, their eyes have been removed from them”, and those whose hearts have become heartless and corrupt are called طموس القلب [tamūsu’l-kalb] in the sense of “their hearts have been erased, their hearts have been destroyed, their hearts have been removed from them”.[9]
It is possible to see the derivatives of the word Tams in the following verses: Ya-Sin/66, Qamar/37, An-Nisa/47, Yunus/88.
It was only recently discovered that the stars, which are known to be sources of light, are in fact fading and fading away as their energy is exhausted. It is a great miracle that at a time when the stars were thought to shine forever, the Qur’an has mentioned that their existence will come to an end by extinguishing and erasing their light.
Verse 9:
9and when the firmament is torn asunder,
The word فرجت [furicet] in the verse is derived from الفرج [ferc] which means “the space between two things”. This word is often confused with the word فجر [Al-Fajr], which means “to split”. As a result of this confusion, it is assumed that the reproductive organs of female creatures are calledفرج فروج , [ferc, fürûj] because they are cleft. However, the reason is not that these organs are cleft, but that they are between the two feet.[10]
Therefore, the above verse does not refer to the “splitting of the heavens” but to the “opening” of the heavens. However, it is not possible to know what is meant by “the opening of the heavens” today, and perhaps it will not be possible until the Judgment Day. As a guess, it can be said that it means that there will be a gap between the earth and the atmosphere and that the earth will escape the sun’s gravitational pull.
Verse 10:
10and when the mountains are scattered,
This expression indicates that another event will take place on that day when the present order of the universe will be disrupted, i.e. when the stars will be distant, extinguished, destroyed and the heavens will be opened. This event is that the mountains will disintegrate and scatter as dust in the air. The narratives in verses 8-10 are repeated in other surahs such as Infitar, Taqwīr, Al-Muzzammil, Ta-Ha, Furqan, Al-Inshiqaq, Waqiqa, Naba, and Zilzal, emphasizing the seriousness of the event.
Verse 11-13:
11-13and when the messengers, who are to witness, are assigned the time for witnessing on the “day of Distinction”, for which they have been kept hold,
YAWM AL-FASL
This expression, composed of the words يوم [yawm] and الفصل [al-fasl], is a noun phrase meaning “the day of distinction “. al-Yawm means “day” in Arabic. Some derivatives of the word, such as “yevmiye” [daily pay], are also used in Turkish today.
The word al-Fasl, on the other hand, means “the distance between two things” as a noun and “to put distance between two things” as a verb, “to put distance between two things, to separate two separate things that have become contiguous.” The verb meaning of al-Fasl should not be confused with the word shaqq, which means “to split a whole, to divide it in two. On the Day of Resurrection, the whole will not be divided into two, but things that are already separate will be separated. That is, on that Day, the righteous and the unrighteous, the believers and the infidels will be separated. This is why the Judgment Day is called Yawm al-Fasl [the Day of Distinction]. Some have translated this expression as “the day of decision” or “the Judgment Day”, but in our opinion the literal translation without interpretation is the most accurate.
In addition to verse 13, the expression Yawma al-Fasl [the day of Distinction], which will appear in verse 38 of the same surah, is repeated in other verses with different details:
19,20Now it will be a single compelling shout. And you will see that they stand there. And they will say: “O woe to us! This is the Day of Religion!”.
“21That is the Day of Distinction which you have been denying!”
(Saafat/19-23)
41,42On that day, no one will avail the ones who are close to him at all, except for those to whom Allah shows His mercy. And they will not be helped. Indeed, Allah is the One Who is the most exalted, the most powerful, the most honorable, the invincible/the subduer, the possessor of vast mercy.
(Ad-Dukhan/40-42)
17Indeed, the day of Distinction will be a predetermined gathering date.
18On that day, the Sur will be blown; and you will come in groups right away.
(An-Nabah/17-18)
In verses 11-12, in addition to these horrifying scenes, a completely different event is mentioned. This event is the display of the Prophets who have been preaching to mankind throughout the long history of mankind to the people of judgment. The “Day of Distinction” was also set as a general meeting day and all the Prophets were given an appointment for that day. At this meeting, the Prophets will present their final account of that great matter [the issue of accountability] which outweighs the mountains, the earth and the heavens:
6Then surely We will question those to whom the messengers were sent, indeed We will question the messengers as well.
7Then surely We will narrate to them with knowledge; because We were not far away.
8And that day, the weighing will be the truth. Those whose weights are heavier, will be saved.
9And those whose scale/weights are lighter, then they are those who will lose as they were violent against our Ayat.
(Al-A’raf/6-9)
It is clear from the wording of the above verses that they refer to an extremely important event. The horror of the stars going out, the heavens shattering, the mountains crumbling and flying like dust has passed, but now a greater overwhelming dread has gripped everyone: Fear of accountability…
The warning, signaling the approach of the reckoning, is shocking…
when the messengers, who are to witness, are assigned the time
It is stated in many places in the Qur’an that Allah will gather all mankind together in the Judgment and will call our Prophet of every people as a witness. The deviators and criminals will find the Prophets before them as witnesses and proofs of what Allah has conveyed to them, so that it will be revealed that they were the cause of their fall into error:
69And the area on that day will shine with the light of your Rabb, the book will be placed, prophets and witnesses will be brought and it will be judged between them in truth. And they will not be treated unjustly.
(Az-Zumar/69)
41How will it be when We bring a witness from every people and bring you as a witness over them?
(An-Nisa/41)
Verse 14:
14What has made you know what the day of distinction is?
This expression, as will be remembered, is used for matters that are beyond the reach of the human mind, beyond the comprehension of the human intellect, and beyond the dimensions of his mental faculties. The use of the same expression here for Yawm al-Fasl [the Day of Distinction] implies that the horror that will occur on that day is beyond human comprehension. In other words, people are being told, “Whatever troubles you have seen, experienced or thought about in this world, none of them will be as great as the Day of Distinction, so come to your senses!” This is followed by the following warning:
Verse 15:
15O woe, on that day, to the deniers!
This message of warning and encouragement is repeated ten times in this Surah. This phrase is always used at the end of sentences in which both explanations about the states of the Afterlife and reminders about the world. Even though this repeated warning phrase is always composed of the same words, the things that the deniers are said to deny are different in each passage. For example, the first occurrence of this phrase in the surah denies “Yawm al-Fasl” [the Day of Distinction], the second time denies “the punishment of the guilty”, the third time denies “the knowledge and power of Allah”, and the fourth time denies “the needy and limited power of mankind and the all-encompassing power of the Almighty”. In fact, since each repetition of the phrase emphasizes a different subject, it is not appropriate to say that the phrase is repeated.
The word ويل, which is translated as “Woe to you!” is given in detail in Surah Hümeze and will not be repeated here.
Verses 16-17:
16Did We not manipulate/destroy the former ones?
17Then We will lead the later ones to follow them.
In this group of verses, the principle of “giving examples”, which is one of the principles of education applied by our Lord to human beings, is again seen. In the previous part of the Surah, the Qur’an was shown as evidence to those who did not believe in the Judgment Day, and those who denied the Judgment Day were threatened with the expression “Woe to those who deny!” In this chapter, those who deny are reminded of the evil end that befell those like them in history. This reminder is made by referring to concrete examples from the past with the expression, “Did We not destroy those who were before? The purpose of our Lord’s frequently bringing real events before our eyes is explained in another verse as follows:
42And when you were on the near edge of the valley and they were on the far edge. And the caravan was lower than you. Even if you had made an appointment with them, surely you would have had disagreement on the meeting location. But so Allah may fulfill the affair that must be fulfilled; so that those who have been manipulated/destroyed would be destroyed after having seen clear evidence and those who have lived may live after the clear evidence… Surely, Allah is the One Who hears best, knows best.
(Al-Anfal/42)
Our Lord, who has made serious warnings about taking lessons from history, has given us a rich source of lessons by devoting a part of the Qur’an to parables. Some of the hundreds of verses describing the behaviors of past tribes that led to their destruction were presented to the reader in the sections of the previous surahs on the same subject. In this context, we find it useful to read the passages containing the following verses: Al-Baqara/248; Al-Imran/13, 49; Yunus/92; Hud/103; Yusuf/111; Hijr/77; An-Nahl/11, 13, 65, 67, 69; Ash-Shu’ara 8, 67, 103, 121, 139, 139, 158, 174, 190; Naml/52; Ankebut/15, 35, 44; Saba/9; Adh-Dhariyat/37; Qamar/15.
The subject of taking the example of those before them [the past societies] who were destroyed because of their own mistakes was also mentioned in Surah al-Burûj, where the “witness” and the “witnessed” were given as proof of our Lord’s very severe capture, and verses were given there as examples of the necessity of investigating the past.
We recommend a rereading of that chapter in Surah al-Burooj and believe that When the adventures of the “past societies”, which the Qur’an refers to by the word “predecessors”, are researched and learned from historical documents and archaeological remains, it will be seen that all the tribes who denied the Afterlife, who thought that this world was the only life, and who tied their moral values only to the measures and results of this world, perished without exception.
Verses 18-19:
18This is how We do to the criminals. 19O woe, on that day, to the deniers!
That is, this is Our Sunnah [law]. Those who disbelieve in the Afterlife will find that they will inevitably suffer the same fate in the end, just like the nations of the past who perished. No people has been exempted from this fate before, nor will any people be exempted in the future:
40Ways of abundance, happiness will not be opened for those who deny Our Ayat and are arrogant towards them, and they will not enter into Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] until a camel/a noose passes through the eye of a needle. Thus We recompense the criminals.
(Al-A’raf/40)
84And We poured down upon them a rain. See how was the end of those sinners!
(Al-A’raf/84)
69Say: “Travel through the earth and see how was the end of the criminals!”.
(An-Naml/69)
34Surely, this is how We do to the sinners.
(Sâffat/34)
The Identity of “the former and the latter” in the Verse: The classical sources claim that the term “the former” refers to the tribes of ‘Ad and Thamûd, and the term “the latter” refers to the tribes of Lot, Shu’ayb and Moses [Pharaoh and his army].
In our opinion, the former refers to the people of ‘Aad, Thamûd, Lot and Shu’ayb, Pharaoh and his followers, the Ashâb-i Uhdud and Ashâb-i Fīl, who lived before this verse was revealed, and the latter refers to the future disbelievers who will live after these verses were revealed. In verse 17, some of the differences in recitation also support our thesis.
Verses 20-22:
20Did We not form you from a water/liquid disdained?
21,22Then We kept it within a place which is safe for a measurement/until a time predetermined.
In this passage, the gaze is shifted from the previous examples to the subject of the last chapter of Surah al-Qiyamat, namely man himself, and the creation of man is used as evidence for the existence of Allah and the Judgment Day.
Did We not form you from a water/liquid disdained
The expression ماء مهين [mâin mehîn] in the verse means “despicable, contemptible, little and weak water”, and by this is meant the semen of a man. The same expression appears in another verse:
8Then He made his posterity from a semen, a simple water/liquid. 9Then He formed, shaped him and informed him. And He created ears, eyes and hearts for you. Yet how little you repay for the blessings you have been given!
(As-Sajdah/8)
There are interesting contrasts between the “semen” referred to in the verse and the “sperm”, the raw material of man. “Sperm” is only a part of the “semen” in which it floats, but it is the most basic substance of semen. The sperm that fertilizes the egg is only one of 300-400,000,000 sperm. However, this single sperm is the one that swims the fastest among its kind and reaches its destination the earliest. This means that the creation of human beings was planned from the most precious essence of semen, which is considered to be an insignificant amount of water.
Then We kept it within a place which is safe for a measurement/until a time predetermined.
KARÂRIN MEKÎN [FIRM PLACE]:
Indeed, Our Lord has planned it in such a way that the process that begins with the zygote from the moment of conception until birth continues at various stages and in various regions, but with special protection:
“The fetus in the womb is extremely delicate. If the fetus did not have special protection, heat, cold, temperature changes, blows, sudden movements of the mother would either cause great harm to the fetus or kill it. Three areas in the womb protect the fetus from all these external dangers. These areas are: A) the abdominal wall, B) the uterine wall, C) the amniotic sac.
In the 7th century when the Qur’an was revealed, people did not know about the amniotic sac… The fetus develops slowly in a dark place under the protection of these three layers.
The amniotic sac is filled with a clear, viscous fluid. This fluid is like a protective cushion that absorbs shocks, stabilizes the pressure, prevents the amniotic membrane from sticking to the embryo and allows the fetus to rotate freely in the uterus. If the fetus could not move freely because of this fluid, it would collapse like a lump of meat, and because it would be on one side for months at a time, sores would cover its body and many complications would arise. It is also important that the fetus is heated evenly all over. The fluid distributes the heat evenly, so that no matter what the temperature outside, the fetus has a temperature of 31°C all over. At every stage, our Creator has arranged everything in the finest way, meeting our every need in the darkness and protecting our bodies from all the harm of the outside world.”[11]
A CERTAIN MEASURE/TIME
The expression قدر معلوم [qadar ma’lûm] here means not only a certain measure/time known to humans, but also “a measure/time known to Allah”. These characteristics have been determined by Allah, that is, the measurements have been set by Him.
Verse 23:
23For We had the power to do so. How excellent We are in being able to!
This verse can be understood and translated as “We have shaped it, and We are the best shapers”. Other verses elaborate on this subject as follows:
12-16And indeed, We formed human from a chosen clay/elements. Then We made him a drop of semen in a very firm lodging. Then We formed an embryo from that drop of semen. Then We formed a piece of flesh from that embryo. Then We formed bones from that piece of flesh. And at the end, We clothed those bones with flesh. Then We assembled him in another formation. How generous is Allah Who is the best of those who form! Then indeed, you will die after these. Then you will definitely be resurrected on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection].
(Al-Muminoon/12-14)
5O people! If you doubt that you will be resurrected after you die, know that We formed you from dust, and then from a drop of semen, and then from an embryo, and then a disfigured piece of flesh so We may make clear to you what you are. And We keep whom We will in the wombs for a specified term. Then We bring you out as a child so that then you may reach time of maturity. And some of you are reminded that which you did in the past and failed to do while being obliged to/lives of some of you are taken. And some of you are made to reach to miserable time of his life to have no knowledge after his previous knowledge. And then you see the earth barren; then it quivers, swells and grows plants of every beautiful kind when We send down water on it.
6This is because Allah is the truth, He is the only One Who gives life to the dead and indeed He is the only One Who is the most competent over everything.
(Hajj/5-6)
The verses above clearly prove the existence of life after this one. This passage emphasizes that it is very easy for the power that created man from very simple water to recreate him again in order to call him to account for what he has done and to repay him for it: “O infidels! Allah, Who created you out of nothing, out of a simple water, in the form of Ahsen al-Taqîm, is able to create you after your death more easily, more effortlessly.”
Verse 24:
24Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
The threatening message contained in this sentence can be explained with the evidence of other verses on the subject as follows: “They [the infidels] still deny the resurrection after death, while the evidence that We have shown that people will be resurrected after their death is clear, that is, the fact that We created them from dust and then from a seed is known to everyone, yet they [the infidels] still deny the resurrection after death. When the great Day comes which they deny, they will clearly see that it is a day of calamity for them.”
Verse 25-28:
25,26Did We not make the earth a place for the living and the dead to gather/to be held within?
27We formed therein solid, high mountains and made you drink sweet water.
28Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
In the passage of verses 20-24, attention is drawn to man’s own structure, and in the passage of verses 25-28, attention is drawn to the earth on which man lives. Although at first glance these verses seem to be intended only to show the organization of the lives of people living a life based on agriculture and the perfection of this order, they also contain many miracles for today’s knowledgeable people. This is because these verses demonstrate Allah’s plan for human life on this planet and the fact that the earth is equipped with the conditions that make this life possible.
Did We not make the earth a place for the living and the dead to gather/to be held within?
In verse 21, our Lord, who characterized the home of man before his birth as قرار مكين [the mother’s womb], characterized the second home of man after his birth as كفاة [kifat].
The word kifat is derived from the word kift, which means “small pot, bowl, pot, pot, cauldron”. The infinitive of the word means “to gather something in a place and keep it there”. The cave in the mountain where thieves hide their stolen goods is called a kift. The graveyard in Medina called “Baqi al-Ghardad” is also called qafte because it is where the dead are buried. Kifat means “a place on the earth where things are stored and preserved”.[12]
The characterization of the earth with this word again reveals one of the expressions of our Lord’s glory. This is because the earth, which contains all living and non-living beings, not only bears all the conditions for the survival of living beings, but also shelters them after their lives. In other words, the earth, which has been sheltering all kinds of creatures such as plants, animals and human beings for millions of years, meeting their needs for life, and constantly transferring opportunities to them from its treasures, is able to keep all these creatures in its bosom even after their lives. This unique order in the earth, on the one hand, reveals the unique planning of our Lord, and on the other hand, it constitutes another proof of the possibility and plausibility of the Afterlife.
Al-Razī’s explanation of verses 25-26 is also noteworthy:
“It is as if to say, ‘Did We not create the earth in this form, as the bosom of the living and the non-living? Or these expressions are mansub with the verb nekfitu [we collect, we gather], which is implied by the word kifatan. Accordingly, the meaning would be, “We will gather you together, the living and the dead.” In this case, these two words are in the form of the pronoun mef’uI [nekfitkum = we gather you]. This is the linguistic explanation.
As for the meaning, the following explanations can be given:
1) The earth gathers the living on its back and the dead in its belly. Accordingly, the meaning is, “The living sit in their houses and the dead are buried in their graves.” That is why the Arabs called the earth “mother”. Because the earth is like a mother who takes her child into her bosom and takes over his affairs. As people come together on the earth and unite in its bosom, it is as if the earth has taken them into its bosom.
2) The earth is considered to be the kifat, the collector of living things, because it collects the filth and things that are separated from living things. But as for the earth collecting living things when people are on it, no, this is not called kifat.
3) The earth is considered to be the “gatherer of living things” [kifat] because it is a place that contains the things that human beings depend on it for their needs, such as food and drink. Because all these things grow from the earth. The buildings, which are well-built and tidy, capable of repelling harmful things, are also built on and from the earth.
4) The meaning of the words ahyâan and emwâtan in the verse is related to the earth. Accordingly, the living are what the earth produces and the dead are what it does not produce.”[13]
Verse 27:
27We formed therein solid, high mountains and made you drink sweet water.
In this verse, attention is drawn to both the mountains and the fresh water necessary for the continuation of life. Arrangements regarding the earthly environment in which human beings will live are also mentioned in other verses:
15,16And Allah set in the earth mountains standing firm and rivers so they might be table for you and paths and many other evidences for you so you might find the righteous path you are guided. And they find their path with stars/with the divisions of the Ayat of the Qur’an.
(An-Nahl/15, 16)
6,7Have We not made the earth a cradle and the mountains as stakes?
(An-Nabah/6-7)
27-33Are you more difficult in formation or the heavens/universe? It is Allah Who constructed the heavens/universe; then He raised its ceiling, then He organized it, made its night dark and brought out its light. And then He spread the earth as an enjoyment for you and your livestock/He brought forth from the earth its water and its pasture, and He set the mountains firmly.
(Naaziat/27-33)
31And We made firm stakes within the earth so it may be a table for you/it may be suitable for agriculture. And We made many paths there so they may find the paths they are guided.
(Al-Anbiya/31)
These verses, which report these features 14 centuries ago, the accuracy of which has only recently been scientifically recognized, indisputably demonstrate the miraculousness of the Qur’an. Information about mountains and their properties, as well as fresh water, its initial formation and its cycle in nature, can be studied in technical books, especially in the Qur’an, The Never-Exhausting Miracle.
Verse 28:
28Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
This sentence means the following at the end of this passage: “They see the signs of Allah’s power and wisdom, but instead of accepting with reason and logic that the owner of this power can realize the Afterlife, they deny and deny that Allah will establish another order of life after this world and will call people to account in that world. Those who continue to live under this delusion will realize what folly they have fallen into and what a calamity they have prepared for themselves when they finally meet the Day in question.”
Verse 29-34:
29Proceed to that which you deny! 30,31Proceed to a shadow which is owner of three arms that neither shadows nor protects from the fire!
32Indeed, it throws/rains sparks like the palace; 33as though sparks were yellow male camels. 34Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
In this passage, in which a scene from the world of Judgment is portrayed, those who disbelieve and deny despite all the evidence are addressed with the “art of flattery” by turning from the unseen to the addressee [from the third person to the second person], and they are informed of what will happen to them on that day. However, this address is made with an increased warning and threat compared to the warning in al-Taqwīr/26, “Where are you going while this is the case?” and when the previous verses are taken into consideration, it is as if it is said: “We have given you so much wisdom and understanding, We have shown you hundreds of proofs of the Day of Resurrection from yourselves and from your surroundings, and We have sent down the Qur’ân, which is greater than all of them, and yet you have denied. What more can be said to you after that?”
In a different way, the dramatized scene depicts the Judgment Day and the moment when everyone is present before Allah. In this scene, our Lord directs the deniers, “Go towards that which you have been denying! Go towards a shadow (!) that has three branches, no shade and no protection from the flames! We see a similar directive in another verse:
28,29And on the day We will gather all of them and say to those who associated others with Allah “To your places! You and your partners!”, We will definitely separate them and their partners will say: “You have not been worshipping only to us! Now, sufficient is Allah between us and between you as a witness. We were certainly unaware of/apathetic to your worship”.
(Yunus/28, 29)
It is immediately apparent that the passage of verses 30-31 is expressed in a mocking tone. A harsh judicial process is over, the compulsory stay [detention] is over, and the deniers are told that they are free to go. However, there is such a thing on the way that the freedom of movement is actually worse than imprisonment. For what lies ahead is the very thing that those who have to go there keep denying: The three-branched shadow. A shadow that does not shade and does not protect from the flame. A shadow worse than the suffocating, burning, scorching sun… In fact, it’s literally hell… The subtle mockery made by calling such a horrible place a shadow is called “the art of tehekküm” in literature. Tehekkum is a form of sarcasm, an art that is used a lot in the Qur’an to wake up the interlocutor. An example of this art is seen in the expression, “Give them good tidings of punishment”.
The reason why the place where the deniers are sent is called the shadow is because the shadow is a blessing at the Judgment. As verses 41-42 show, the shade there will be available only to the believers:
57And We will admit those who have believed and done amendatory deeds into the gardens of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] underneath of which rivers flow to abide therein eternally. There will be purified spouses [who have not been stained by eye, thought; totally new] for them. And We will admit them in a deep shade.
(An-Nisa/57)
35Example of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] that is promised to those who entered under the guardianship of Allah is as follows: Underneath of it rivers flow, its blessings; fruits, colors, tastes and shadows are eternal. This is the end of those who entered under the guardianship of Allah. End of the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb is the Fire.
(Ar-Ra’d/35)
55Truly, the companions of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] will have an occupation while they are amused.
56They and the partners presented to them will recline on their couches, under shadows.
57Only for them will be the fruits. They will have all they wish.
(Ya-Sin/55-57)
27-34And the companions of the right; what are the companions of the right? They will be among thorne-free lote trees, bananas/acacias lined with fruits, extended shadows, gushing water, many fruits that do not end; deplete and are not forbidden and raised mattresses.
(Al-Waqqa/27-34)
There have been many different interpretations about the shade being described as three-pronged in the verse. Although we do not agree with them, we find it useful to cite the views of al-Razī as an example of the older interpretations, and of Hamdi Yazır of Almalılı as an example of the contemporary interpretations:
Al-Razi’s view:
“THE FLAME OF HELL
First Attribute: That which the verse of Allah Almighty, which is divided into three branches, expresses. There are three ways of explaining this expression:
1) Hasan al-Basri said: “I do not know what this shade is, I have not heard anything about it.”
2) A group of people said, “What is meant by the phrase ‘divided into three branches’ is that the Fire comes from above and below them and encompasses them from all sides. The fact that the Fire is called a shadow here is a metaphor for the fact that it surrounds them from all sides. This is just as in the verse, “Above them are layers of fire and below them are layers (of fire)” (Az-Zumar/16). Allah also said, “The torment has covered them from above them and from below them (al-Ankabut/55).
3) Qatada said: “The truth is this: This means “smoke” [Ad-Dukhan]. This meaning is derived from the verse: “The smoke surrounded them” (Al-Kahf/29). What is meant by the walls of the fire is “smoke”. Then a company of this smoke will pass to its right, another company to its left, and a third company above it.”
I say: This is not impossible. For wrath comes from the right side and lust from the left. The force of Satan is in his mind. There are only three sources of the evils that emanate from man in his beliefs and deeds. From these three sources, various darknesses and darknesses have arisen. It is also possible to say that there are three degrees here: These are feeling, imagination and delusion. They prevent the soul from being illuminated by the lights of the realm of divinity and purity. Each of these three levels has its own darkness and cruelty.
4) Another group said: “This is an allegorical way of saying that this smoke is very big. For the great mass of smoke is divided into many branches and branches.”
5) Abu Muslim said: “It is also possible that what Allah Almighty has said about it after this is what is meant. That is, that it does not shade, that it is useless in the face of flames, and that it emits sparks that are like palaces…”
DOES NOT PROTECT FROM THE FLAME:
The Third Attribute: That which is expressed by the verse “nor does it protect from the flame”. In Arabic, it is said agni ‘anna wajheke, which means “keep your face away from me, so that I may not see your face”. For he who is in need of something moves away from it, just as he who is in need of something moves closer to it.
The owner of Kashshaf said that this word is majrūr in the neighborhood, and that its meaning is “that which does them no good in the face of the flames of the fire”.
Kaffal said: “This may have one of two possible meanings: A) This shadow is only in Hell. Therefore, it does not protect them there from the heat of Hell, nor does it protect them from its flames. Allah Almighty has mentioned the shadow in Surah Al-Waqi’ahh and said, “In a shadow of semoum, hamīm and yahmūm” (Al-Waqi’ahh/42-43) and “Neither cool nor gracious” (Al-Waqi’ahh/44). This is as if they were in Hell when they entered it. Then Allah Almighty said, “Neither cool, nor kind…” (Al-Waqi’ahh/44). It is possible that the phrase lea zalīlin in this verse means lea barid [not cool], and the phrase lea yuğnī mine al-laheb means “not kind”. That is to say, “There is no difference in him from the flame of fire from which it is forbidden to flee.” B) The only way that this can happen is before they enter Hell, even while they are in prison to be reckoned and presented. Then they will be told, “Know that this shade will not protect you from the heat of the sun, nor will it keep the flames of Hell away from you.”
There is a third way of explaining the verse, which is also mentioned by Qutrub. According to him, the word “lahab” here means “thirst”. In Arabic, it is said, “Lahabah leheba leheben” [he was thirsty], “Rajulunlehbânu” [a very thirsty man] and “Imreetun lehba” [a very thirsty woman].[14]
Commentary by Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır:
Come, divorce yourselves from this place and go to the shade of the three-pronged shade, that is, you have no right to dwell in the shade of the Throne, the shade reserved for the believers who recognize the Oneness of Allah. You did not believe in Him, you believed in shirk, in trinity. Now, while the believers are shaded in the shade of the Throne, in that dark shade, take refuge in the three-pronged shade in which you believe. It is narrated from ‘Ata that this three-pronged shadow has been interpreted as “the shadow of the smoke of Hell”, and many commentators have followed this interpretation as an explanation of the previous one and said: The smoke of Hell will rise from three places, and the infidels will run to it thinking that it will protect them from the Fire, and they will find it in the worst state. In this way, this shadow is a declaration of that which you are denying. But Ibn ‘Abbas, as narrated by Abu Hayyan, said: “This will be addressed to those who worship the cross. The believers will be protected by Allah in the shade of the Throne, and it will be said to them [the worshippers of the cross], ‘Go to the shade of the cross, your god. For the cross has three branches [forks]. Shu’ab are the forks that separate from a body. In other words, since it means a branch, the body of the cross, its branches [forks] are three.
In other words, the shadow with three forks is a reminder of the trinitarian belief of Christianity, the trinity; the cross represents it. Christianity does not deny this and the Afterlife, but it believes in it, expecting the greatest salvation from it. Therefore, in the Afterlife, on the Judgment Day, when the Muslims will be shaded under the shadow of the true tawheed in which they have believed, those who believe in the trinity with the ekânim-i selâse [the three principles], “one-three”, will be told, “Go to the shadow of the trinity with its three prongs”. But what is the use of such a three-pronged shadow? Does it provide shade? Can it be of any use to protect from torment?[15]
In our opinion, the word ظلّ [golge], which is used as a mockery, symbolizes hell, fire and torment, not the real shadow, as we have said above. The word شعبة [shu’be], on the other hand, does not mean “a branch of a tree, a fork of a tree”, but rather “a unit with the same function, connected to the head office”.[16] As a matter of fact, it has entered Turkish in this sense, as in the examples of “… Bank … branch, … Police Directorate … branch, … Military branch, Red Crescent … branch”. The branched shadow here, i.e. the “three-branched hell”, indicates that the punishment of the deniers will be three branches, three divisions, three forms of torment, which we have already explained in the analysis of Surah Al-Humezah. That is, the three-branched shadow symbolizes the physical torment, the psychological torment and the torment of conscience [remorse] in Hell.
The verses in this passage are examples of mutashabih verses in that the words in them have multiple meanings.
We are of the opinion that the meanings of the words in verses 32-33 can be interpreted according to the criterion of “greatness” as follows, and that others who study the Qur’an can make similar interpretations according to other criteria.
- Indeed, it throws sparks like a palace.
Indeed, it throws sparks like thick wood.
Indeed, it throws sparks like the stumps of dates.
Indeed it throws sparks like the necks of camels.
Indeed, it throws sparks like horses.
- It is like yellow male camels.
It is like yellow ropes.
It is as if it is like yellow masses of copper.
It is as if it is like yellow lumps of matter.
The expressions “sparks like a palace” and “as if the sparks were like yellow male camels” in the verses clearly state that the punishment is given in the form of deeds. This is because those who deny the Afterlife, resurrection and reckoning commit this crime in order to own palaces and mansions and yellow male camels (today, transportation fleets and the latest luxury cars).
At the moment when the fear of these scenes, similar to what we see in Al-Waqi’ahh/41-56, fills the hearts, the familiar sentence of evaluation appears again: Woe to those who deny on that Day!
Verses 35-36:
35That will be the day on which they will not be able to speak. 36And they will not permitted to make an excuse. 37Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
This passage depicts the moments immediately after the instruction to go to the three-branched shadow, when the deniers begin to experience the material horrors of hell. The command is, “Go!” and the destination is the “fire”. How to get to the fire? Is there anything to do, anything to say, any apology to make? No! This is a moment of helpless silence, a fear that leaves one speechless.
It is well known that the word yawm (day) is used in the Qur’an in the sense of “moment, day, period, era”. Therefore, the word yawm [day] here refers to the state of the deniers who are about to be thrown into Hell before they enter Hell, their “last moments” when they are speechless with fear and regret and they are unable to speak.
The sinners’ regret, remorse, talking to each other, apologizing, swearing, wanting to go back, and asking for help from the people of Paradise before this last moment are mentioned in other verses (Al-Muddaththir/39-47, Az-Zumar/7, Al-Muminūn/106-107, 108 Ash-Shu’ara/96-102, As-Sajdah/12, Tahrīm/7, Rūm/57, Al-Mumin/52) as scenes of the Judgment Day:
For they had previously been warned by prophets and verses that excused and admonished them, as stated in verses 5-6 of this surah.
133,134And the deniers said: “Why does this person, who alleges to be the messenger, not bring us an evidence/a sign from his Rabb?”. Have the explicit evidences which were in the first scriptures not come to them? And had We manipulated/destroyed them with a punishment before this, they would certainly have said: “O our Rabb! If only you had sent us a prophet so we could have followed Your Ayat before we became humiliated and disgraced!”
(Ta-Ha/133-134)
172-173Yet, your Rabb takes from loins of the mankind their lineage and makes them testify against themselves, so that you may not say on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], “We were not aware of these” or you may not say, “Our ancestors before us associated others with Allah, we are the generations that followed them; will You manipulate/destroy us for what those who committed falsehood did?” and they may turn away from denying Our Ayat; “Am I not your Rabb?”. And they say: “Indeed You are our Rabb; we testify”.
(Al-A’raf/172-173)
15Whoever follows the path that is guided, he will follow the path that is guided for his own good. And whoever goes astray, he will go astray against his own good. And no bearer of burdens bears the burden of another. And We have never been the Ones Who would punish unless We sent a messenger.
(Isrâ/15)
59Your Rabb does not manipulate/destroy cities until He has sent a prophet to the mother city who recites Our Ayat to them. Besides, We would not manipulate/destroy the cities people of which are not those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah.
(Al-Qasas/59)
The time for discussion and apologizing has passed, and the horror of the terrible reality they are confronted with has gripped them. The timidity, reticence and cowering of the deniers mentioned in verses 35-36 may be attributed to this terror, or it may be attributed to the following reasons:
1) As the Qur’an foretells, the infidels will make many excuses at the Judgment Day, trying to blame their crimes on others, attacking those who misled them, and even denying their crimes altogether. However, their guilt will be proved by the testimony of their organs against them and their punishment will be finalized. Their silence in verses 35-36 is due to the fact that they have nothing to say in the face of this trial, which will be conducted without any shortcomings in terms of right and justice, and not because they are not given the right to defense… What they are not allowed to do in verse 36 is to apologize, not to defend themselves. All their crimes will be proved in such a way that they will have nothing to say, and their mouths will be helplessly closed.
2) Despite the evidence, the Book, the warnings of the Prophets, and the blessing of reason, he who has come there as a non-believer has been exposed as a criminal before those whom he despised in this world and whom he saw rewarded there. Since all his crimes have been proved, he is openly disgraced, dishonored, exhausted and exhausted. Moreover, after all this disgrace, he saw his destination in front of him. He has nowhere to run to and nothing to say. He is speechless, unable to speak.
Whatever the reason, their timidity, their silence, their cowering here is frightening. This is their last moment of terror before they enter Hell. Indeed, they will be so miserable that it will be said: “Woe to those who deny on that Day”.
Verses 38-40:
38That will be the Day of Distinction, on which We will gather you and the former ones. 39Now, if you have a mischievous plan, implement that mischievous plan against Me! 40Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
In Verse 38, the phrase, “We have gathered you and those before you” explains the phrase, “This is the Day of Discrenment”. The discriminating judgment on that Day will be for all the obligated. Therefore, it is necessary for the obligated to come together in their entirety. All the defendants will be present at the trial and no one will be tried in absentia. Other verses of the Qur’an also tell us that all people will be gathered together at the Judgment, from the first man to the last, and that believers and infidels will be separated from each other and will follow their own paths. One of them is this:
59And o sinners! Stand apart today!
60-62Did I not enjoin upon you, saying: “O mankind! Do not worship satan, indeed he is an explicit enemy to you, but worship Me; this is the straight path and indeed satan already led many generations astray from among you”? Were you still not the ones who used their reason? 63This is Jahannah [Hell] which you have been promised.
64Lean onto it today for that which you denied/disbelieved consciously! 65Today We will seal their mouths; their hands will speak to us and their feet will testify to that which they have earned.
(Ya-Sin/59-64)
Verses 38-40:
38That will be the Day of Distinction, on which We will gather you and the former ones. 39Now, if you have a mischievous plan, implement that mischievous plan against Me! 40Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
It is mentioned in the Qur’an that those who deny the Resurrection console themselves with insidious plans and excuses while they are in the world, and that they continue to do so despite being warned thousands of times:
15And indeed, We left this as an Ayah. So, is there anyone who remembers and thinks?
16So, how were My punishment and warnings?
(At-Tariq/15-16)
42Or, do they intend to plot a heinous plan? Yet the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb are the ones who fall into the heinous plan.
(Tyre/42)
Now these deniers have neither the power nor the opportunity to plot and deceive. This verse is as if this verse is throwing their situation and their unwise behavior in their faces with these words: “Come on, if you have a way, a way, a plan to get out of the situation you are facing, do it now! If you can afford it, if there is any measure you can take, take it and save yourselves from the punishment of Allah!”
The wording of the verse suggests that the criminals will attempt the same behavior here as they did in the world (At-Tariq/15). They will attempt it, but they will quickly realize that there is no way to turn the tables and that they are helpless.
While the deniers are in this state, Allah’s rebuke to them, “If you have an insidious plan, execute it against Me!” is in fact an extremely embarrassing psychological chastisement. That is why our Lord has followed it by saying, “Woe to those who deny on that Day!
Verse 42-45:
41,42Indeed, as for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah will be among shadows, springs and fruits which they desire. –“43Eat and drink; enjoy for what you have done!”- 44Thus We recompense those who do good. 45Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
The word المتّقين, which we translate as “the owners of Taqwa”, is used in this verse as the opposite of المكذّبين, “the liars”. Therefore, those who are meant by the word muttaqîs in this verse are those who refrain from denying the Afterlife and live their lives with the awareness that they will be held accountable for their words and deeds.
TAQWA
Taqwa, which means putting oneself under the protection of Allah and embracing good deeds, avoiding sins, and thus avoiding things that will cause harm and pain to oneself in the Afterlife, was first introduced in the Qur’an in the sense of “avoiding polytheism” and “believing in the Afterlife”, and then expanded to include all deeds that reflect faith. When the verses are analyzed by considering the holistic message of the Qur’an, it is understood that taqwa is an inner world richness [a healthy state of mind] realized through the following concrete actions and attitudes: “Believing, avoiding polytheism, remembering Allah, submitting to Allah and His Messenger, struggling against the infidels, donating from one’s wealth in prosperity and adversity, Salat, practicing Salat, giving Zakat, keeping one’s promises, being patient in hardship, Not being greedy, treating parents well, never trying to justify oneself, repenting, not persisting in wrongdoing, asking for forgiveness, restraining one’s anger, forgiving others, being just and striving to uphold justice. ”
These actions and attitudes are called taqwa, and those who internalize these actions and attitudes and protect their hearts against sin are called muttaqi. People of faith who adopt and internalize these actions and attitudes strengthen their inherent tendency to avoid faqoor against the inherent flaws and tendencies to sin, thus activating a spiritual defense system that can protect them from sin.
The above verses give good news that the pious will be under the shade of the trees of Paradise. These shadows are real shadows, not pseudo shadows that do not provide freshness and protection from fire. Therefore, the pious will not be surrounded by the burning, thirst-inducing, suffocating smoke of hell, but will be at the fountains, alone with the fruits they desire. Even more than these tangible blessings, they will be honored with the following honorable words in the presence of the people of judgment: Eat and drink with pleasure for what you have done! This is how We recompense [reward] those who do good deeds.
This condition of the pious is another type of torment for the infidels. This is because the infidels are maddened by the success achieved by the believers, whom they did not wish any good for when they were in the world, and even hated and considered their mortal enemies. When their own misery is added to the fact that they are receiving rewards they would never have allowed if they could, their pain will be unspeakably deep and they will wish to perish.
At the end of the verses that declare that the pious will be rewarded, it is said, “Woe to those who deny on that Day!” in order to emphasize that this is a psychological [spiritual] torment for the deniers.
Verses 46-47:
46Eat, enjoy for a while, indeed you are criminals. 47Woe, on that day, to the deniers!
In verse 46 there is again the “art of compliment/ the art of address shift”. In accordance with this literary art, the account is changed from the third person to the second person, and the addressee is changed from the previous passage, which was addressed to the pious in the Afterlife, to the criminals in this world: Eat and enjoy a little, for surely you are criminals.
With this address, it is as if to say to those unfortunate ones: “See with your eyes the difference between these two situations. Eat a little in this world and enjoy yourselves in exchange for being deprived of the blessings of the eternal world and being punished there with eternal torment.”
Eat, enjoy for a while, indeed you are criminals.
At first glance, this statement appears to be a positive command, but in fact it is a threat that contains a great deal of prohibition and avoidance. This is the ninth of the threats to the deniers. Our Lord addresses the deniers while they are in this world as follows: “It is only because of your fondness for the pleasures of this world and your excessive desire for the beauties of this world that you will be subjected to the calamities, calamities and tribulations of which We have explained the nature. But the pleasures and beauties of the world are small compared to that great tribulation. Pursuing them is like eating a morsel of dessert that contains deadly poison.”
It has already been mentioned in the previous surahs that attachment to the limited blessings of the world leads one to indulgence in worldly pleasures, arrogance, self-sufficiency, denial of death, and rejection of the Day of Resurrection.The warning about the worthlessness of the world and the fact that the blessings of this world are very small in comparison to the blessings of the Afterlife is an important warning given many times in the Qur’an to both believers and infidels. In view of the importance of the subject, we find it useful to remind a few examples of these warnings to all believers and infidels, especially our Prophet.
3Let them eat, enjoy and be diverted by false hope. But they will know soon.
(Hijr/3)
8When an adversity touches man, he calls upon his Rabb, turning to Him with his deepest devotion. Then when He bestows a favor on him from Himself, he forgets himself when he called upon Him before and he attributes partners to Him to lead astray from the path of Allah. Say: “Enjoy your disbelief; your conscious denial of the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb for a little! Surely you are among the companions of the fire”.
(Az-Zumar/8)
30And the ungrateful ones attributed equals to Allah to lead astray from His path. Say: “Enjoy, your return will definitely be to the fire”.
(Abraham/30)
And Yunus/70, Ta-ha/131, Hijr/88, An-Nahl/117, Luqman/24.
Verses 48-49:
48And when it is said to them: “Refrain from associating others with Allah”, they do not refrain.49On that day, woe to the deniers!
The meaning of verse 48 has been misleading and unsatisfactory in the past, and those who have come after have always been imitators of those who did so. Thus, a meaning of the verse has become established among Muslims with which we disagree.
We first quote al-Razī on this established meaning:
“Ibn ‘Abbas said, ‘When it is said to them, “Bow down,” they do not bow down,’ meaning ‘prayer,’ which is clear. This is because bowing is one of the pillars of prayer. This is because Allah criticized the infidels for not praying when they were infidels.
Others have said that the ruku here means “awe and peace for Allah” and not worshipping anything other than Him.[17]
RUKU’: Indeed, when the word “ruku’ is mentioned, everyone thinks of “bowing down and bending the waist while standing in prayer”. This is because the word was engraved with this meaning centuries ago. In the classical works, it is stated that the meaning of ruku’ in the verse is “the whole prayer” and that the art of “juz’iyet mursal al-majaz al-mursal” is used to refer to the part of the prayer and the whole prayer is meant. All the translations and commentaries have used the word with this meaning, and the expression “bow down” has been understood as “pray”. In this case, the meaning of the verse is, “When they are told to pray, they do not pray. Woe to those who deny on that day!”
In our opinion, this understanding of the verse is wrong. Because at the time of the revelation of this Surah, there was no command or sanction regarding prayer. There is no logic in saying “pray” to those who have not yet believed. Since the correct meanings of the words must be known before the verse can be understood correctly, we consulted Lisan al-‘Arab for the word “ruku” and found the following meanings:
“1) الرّّكوع [ruku] means “hudû” [to bow, to bend, to shrink, to submit and obey fully, to soften one’s words, to speak gently and sweetly].
2) Ruku means “inhina” [to be doubled over]. An old man whose back is bent due to old age is called rakea’sh-sheikhu [the old man has doubled over].
3) Ruku means “when a rich person becomes poorer” (equivalent to the idiom “to break his back”).
4) Ruku means “bowing down to Allah and not worshipping idols” [Hanifah]. The Jahiliyyah Arabs used to call those among them who did not worship idols but worshipped Allah alone, raki [one who bowed] and rakea ilallah [one who bowed to Allah].[18]
In our opinion, the meaning in point 4 is the one that provides the most accurate understanding of the verse. In this case, the verse can be translated as follows: “When it is said to them, “Be Hanifs” [worship Allah alone, not idols], they do not become Hanifs,” or “When it is said to them, “Submit to the truth and obey,” they do not submit to the truth and obey.”
After this judgment, the tenth and final threat to the deniers is presented by saying, “Woe to those who deny the Day! Accordingly, it is as if to say to them: “You loved the world and its pleasures. But if you had believed and did not turn away from the service of your Creator and submitted to Him, and if, in addition to your faith, you had desired worldly pleasures and committed various sins unknowingly, you would have had the hope of avoiding the torment of Hell and obtaining a reward.”
Verse 50:
50And what statement will they believe after the Qur’an?
From the beginning of the Surah to this point, the infidels, who have been threatened ten times with different torments, have been encouraged to hold fast to the true religion by inviting them to contemplate and showing them proofs. This last verse contains an expression of amazement, emphasizing that the infidels who still continue to disbelieve despite such threats and encouragement should be surprised at this state: What will they believe after this [the Qur’an]?
In a way, this expression means, “If they do not accept all the evidence shown to them, they will not accept any other evidence”. It is important to note that the miracle of the Qur’an is the greatest of all miracles. Because the miracle of the Qur’an will continue until the Judgment Day:
21If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain/a massive creature, you would certainly have seen it sincerely respectful, humbled and coming apart out of fear in awe with respect, love and knowledge for Allah. And We present to the people these examples so they may give thought.
(Hashr/21)
In this case, the verse can be understood as follows: “Whoever does not believe in this Word, this Qur’ân, which shakes the rocks and shakes the mountains like an earthquake, does not believe in any other Word. Unhappiness and a bitter fate await this poor wretch.”
Indeed, the greatest event is the revelation of the Qur’an, which tells man the difference between truth and falsehood. What else can show the right path to a person who recognizes the Qur’an but does not believe?
47Thus We sent down to you the Book so those whom We had given the Book believe in the Qur’an. And among those who are other than the People of the Book/among Arabs who believe in it. And only the infidels; those who consciously conceal the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb reject Our Ayat while they know.
48And you did not recite from any book before this; and you are not writing the Qur’an by yourself. If it had been so, those who believe in falsehood would have had doubt.
49Rather, the Qur’an is explicit Ayat within the hearts of those who have been given knowledge. And only those who do wrong; act against their own good consciously reject Our Ayat.
50And they said: “Why have not evidences/signs been sent down to him from his Rabb?”. Say: “Evidences/signs are only with Allah. I am only an explicit warner”.
51And is it not sufficient for them that We have revealed to you the Book that is recited to them? There is absolutely a mercy and a reminder in this for a people who believe.
(Al-Ankabut/47-51)
Allah is the one who knows best.
[1] (Qurtubi; al-Jami’a li Ahkami’l Qur’an)
[2] (Qurtubi; al-Jami’a li Ahkami’l Qur’an)
[3] (Qurtubi; al-Jami’a li Ahkami’l Qur’an)
[4] (Qurtubi; al-Jami’a li Ahkami’l Qur’an)
[5] (Lisan al Arab, article “arf” )
[6] (Lisan al Arab, article “asf” )
[7] (Lisan al Arab, article “nşr” )
[8] (Razi; al Mefatihu’l Gayb, Qurtubi; al Jami’li Ahkami’l Qur’an)
[9] Lisan al Arab, Vol. 5, p.642-643
[10] Lisan al Arab, Vol. 7, p.48-50
[11] The Qur’ān Never-Exhausting Miracle, Qur’ān Research Group, Istanbul Publishing House, 2003, p. 205.
[12] Lisan al Arab, Vol. 7, p.686-687
[13] Razi; al-Mefatih al-Ghayb
[14] Razi; al-Mefatih al-Ghayb
[15] Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır, Hak Dîni Kur’ân Dili.
[17] Razi; al-Mefatih al-Ghayb
[18] Lisan al Arab, Vol. 4, p. 232-233, article “Rakea”