The Tafsīr of Sūrat Al-Inshiqāq (Chapter - 84)

Which was revealed in Makkah

The Prostration of Recitation in Sūrat Al-Inshiqāq It is reported from Abu Salamah that while leading them in prayer, Abu Hurayrah recited,

Qur’an 84:1إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتْ

«When the heaven is split asunder.» and he prostrated during its recitation. Then when he completed the prayer, he informed them that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ prostrated during its recitation. This was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasā'ī on the authority of Mālik.^{1Muslim 1:406, and An-Nasā'ī in Al-Kubrā 6:510.} Al-Bukhāri recorded from Abu Rāfi' that he prayed the Night prayer with Abu Hurayrah, and he (Abu Hurayrah) recited,

Qur’an 84:1إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتْ

«When the heaven is split asunder.» then he prostrated. So Abu Rāfi' said something to him about it (questioning it). Abu Hurayrah replied, "I prostrated behind Abul-Qāsim (the Prophet ﷺ), and I will never cease prostrating during its recitation until I meet him."^{2Fatḥ Al-Bāri 1:292.}

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

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

Qur’an 84:1–14إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتْ وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ وَإِذَا ٱلْأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَٰقِيهِ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ مَسْرُورًا وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ وَرَآءَ ظَهْرِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُوا۟ ثُبُورًا وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيرًا إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فِىٓ أَهْلِهِۦ مَسْرُورًا إِنَّهُۥ

Qur’an 84:14–15ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ بَلَىٰٓ إِنَّ رَبَّهُۥ كَانَ بِهِۦ بَصِيرًا

«1. When the heaven is split asunder,» «2. And listens to and obeys its Lord - and it must do so.» «3. And when the earth is stretched forth,» «4. And has cast out all that was in it and became empty.» «5. And listens to and obeys its Lord - and it must do so.» «6. O man! Verily, you are returning towards your Lord with your deeds and actions, a sure returning, and you will meet.» «7. Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand,» «8. He surely will receive an easy reckoning,» «9. And will return to his family Masrūr (in joy)!» «10. But whosoever is given his Record behind his back,» «11. He will invoke destruction,» «12. And he shall enter a blazing Fire, and made to taste its burning.» «13. Verily, he was among his people in joy!» «14. Verily, he thought that he would never return!» «15. Yes! Verily, his Lord has been ever beholding him!»

Splitting the Heavens asunder and stretching the Earth forth on the Day of Resurrection Allāh says,

Qur’an 84:1إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتْ

«When the heaven is split asunder,» This refers to the Day of Judgement.

Qur’anوَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا

«And listens to and obeys its Lord» meaning, it listens to its Lord and obeys His command to split apart. This will occur on the Day of Judgement.

Qur’anوَحُقَّتْ

«and it must do so.» meaning, it is right for it to obey the command of its Lord, because it is great and cannot be rejected, nor overcome. Rather it overpowers everything and everything is submissive to it. Then Allāh says,

Qur’an 84:3وَإِذَا ٱلْأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ

«And when the earth is stretched forth,» meaning, when the earth is expanded, spread out and extended. Then He says,

Qur’an 84:4وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ

«And has cast out all that was in it and became empty.» meaning, it throws out the dead inside of it, and it empties itself of them. This was said by Mujāhid, Sa'īd, and Qatādah.^{1Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:310.}

Qur’an 84:5وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ

«And listens to and obeys its Lord, and it must do so.» The explanation of this is the same as what has preceded.

The Recompense for Deeds is True Allāh says,

Qur’an 84:6يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا

«O man! Verily, you are returning towards your Lord with your deeds and actions, a sure returning,» meaning, 'verily you are hastening to your Lord and working deeds.’

Qur’an 84:6فَمُلَٰقِيهِ

«and you will meet.» 'Then you will meet that which you did of good or evil.' A proof for this is what Abu Dāwud Aṭ-Ṭayālisi recorded from Jābir, that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said,

Ḥadīthقَالَ جِبْرِيلُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، عِشْ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ، وَأَحْبِبْ [مَنْ] شِئْتَ فَإِنَّكَ مُفَارِقُهُ، وَاعْمَلْ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّكَ مُلَاقِيهِ

«Jibrīl said, "O Muḥammad! Live how you wish, for verily you will die; love what you wish, for verily you will part with it; and do what you wish, for verily you will meet it (your deed)."»^{2Musnad Aṭ-Ṭayālisi no. 242.} There are some people who refer the pronoun back to the statement "your Lord." Thus, they hold the Āyah to mean, "and you will meet your Lord." This means that He will reward you for your work, and pay you for your efforts. Therefore, both of these two views are connected. Al-'Awfi recorded from Ibn 'Abbās that he said explaining,

Qur’an 84:6يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا

«O man! Verily, you are returning towards your Lord with your deeds and actions, a sure returning,» "Whatever deed you do, you will meet Allāh with it, whether it is good or bad."^{3Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:312.}

The Presentation and the Discussion that will take place during the Reckoning Then Allāh says,

Qur’an 84:7–8فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا

«Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand, he surely, will receive an easy reckoning,» (84:7-8) meaning, easy without any difficulty. This means that he will not be investigated for all the minute details of his deeds. For verily, whoever is reckoned like that, he will certainly be destroyed. Imām Aḥmad recorded from 'Ā'ishah that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said,

Ḥadīthمَنْ نُوقِشَ الْحِسَابَ عُذِّبَ

«Whoever is interrogated during the reckoning, then he will be punished.» 'Ā'ishah then said, "But didn't Allāh say,

Qur’an 84:8فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا

«He surely will receive an easy reckoning,»?" The Prophet ﷺ replied,

Ḥadīthلَيْسَ ذَاكِ بِالْحِسَابِ، وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكِ الْعَرْضُ، مَنْ نُوقِشَ الْحِسَابَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عُذِّبَ

«That is not during the Reckoning, rather it is referring to the presentation. Whoever is interrogated during the Reckoning on the Day of Judgement, then he will be punished.»^{4Aḥmad 6:47.} This Ḥadīth has also been recorded by Al-Bukhāri, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasā'ī and Ibn Jarīr.^{5Fatḥ Al-Bāri 8:566, Muslim 4:2204, Tuḥfat Al-Aḥwadhi 9:256, An-Nasā'ī in Al-Kubrā 6:510, and Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:315.} In reference to Allāh's statement,

Qur’an 84:9وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ مَسْرُورًا

«And will return to his family Masrūr!» This means that he will return to his family in Paradise. This was said by Qatādah and Aḍ-Ḍaḥḥāk. They also said, "Masrūr means happy and delighted by what Allāh has given him."^{6Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:315.} Allāh said;

Qur’an 84:10وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ وَرَآءَ ظَهْرِهِۦ

«But whosoever is given his Record behind his back,» meaning, he will be given his Book in his left hand, behind his back, while his hand is bent behind him.

Qur’an 84:11فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُوا۟ ثُبُورًا

«He will invoke destruction,» meaning, loss and destruction.

Qur’an 84:12–13وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيرًا إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فِىٓ أَهْلِهِۦ مَسْرُورًا

«And he shall enter a blazing Fire, and made to taste its burning. Verily, he was among his people in joy!» meaning, happy. He did not think about the consequences, nor feared what (future) was in front of him. His light happiness will be followed by long grief.

Qur’an 84:14إِنَّهُۥ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ

«Verily, he thought that he would never return!» meaning, he used to believe that he would not return to Allāh, nor would Allāh bring him back (to life) after his death. This was said by Ibn 'Abbās, Qatādah and others.^{7Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:317.} Allāh then says,

Arabic quotation as printed; not matched to Tanzil, so not shown as the Qur’anعَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ هَلْ ثُوِّبَ ٱلْكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتْ وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ وَإِذَا ٱلْأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَٰقِيهِ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ مَسْرُورًا وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ وَرَآءَ ظَهْرِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُوا۟ ثُبُورًا وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيرًا إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فِىٓ أَهْلِهِۦ مَسْرُورًا إِنَّهُۥ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ بَلَىٰٓ إِنَّ رَبَّهُۥ كَانَ بِهِۦ بَصِيرًا فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلشَّفَقِ وَٱلَّيْلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ وَٱلْقَمَرِ إِذَا ٱتَّسَقَ لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُكَذِّبُونَ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍۭ

Qur’an 84:15بَلَىٰٓ إِنَّ رَبَّهُۥ كَانَ بِهِۦ بَصِيرًا

«Yes! Verily, his Lord has been ever beholding him!» meaning, certainly Allāh will repeat his creation just as he began his creation, and He will reward him based upon his deeds, whether they were good or bad. He was ever watchful of him, meaning All-Knowing and All-Aware.

Qur’an 84:16–25فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلشَّفَقِ وَٱلَّيْلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ وَٱلْقَمَرِ إِذَا ٱتَّسَقَ لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُكَذِّبُونَ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍۭ

«16. But no! I swear by Ash-Shafaq;» «17. And the night and what it Wasaqa,» «18. And the moon when it Ittasaq.» «19. You shall certainly travel from stage to stage.» «20. What is the matter with them, that they believe not?» «21. And when the Qur'ān is recited to them, they fall not prostrate.» «22. Nay, those who disbelieve deny.» «23. And Allāh knows best what they gather,» «24. So, announce to them a painful torment.» «25. Save those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them is a reward that will never come to an end.»

Swearing by the Various Stages of Man's Journey

It has been reported from 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbās, 'Ubādah bin Aṣ-Ṣāmit, Abu Hurayrah, Shaddād bin Aws, Ibn 'Umar, Muḥammad bin 'Ali bin Al-Ḥusayn, Makhūl, Bakr bin 'Abdullāh Al-Muzani, Bukayr bin Al-Ashaj, Mālik, Ibn Abi Dhi'b, and 'Abdul-'Azīz bin Abi Salamah Al-Mājishūn, they all said, "Ash-Shafaq is the redness (in the sky)."^{1Al-Qurṭubi 19:274.}

'Abdur-Razzāq recorded from Abu Hurayrah that he said, "Ash-Shafaq is the whiteness."^{2'Abdur-Razzāq 3:358.} So Ash-Shafaq is the redness of the horizon, either before sunset, as Mujāhid^{3Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:318.} said or after sunset, as is well known with the scholars of the Arabic Language.

Al-Khalīl bin Aḥmad said, "Ash-Shafaq is the redness that appears from the setting of sun until the time of the last 'Ishā' (when it is completely dark). When that redness goes away, it is said, 'Ash-Shafaq has disappeared.' "^{4Al-Qurṭubi 19:275.}

Al-Jawhari said, "Ash-Shafaq is the remaining light of the sun and its redness at the beginning of the night until it is close to actual nighttime (darkness)." 'Ikrimah made a similar statement when he said, "Ash-Shafaq is that what is between Al-Maghrib and Al-'Isha'."

In the Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim, it is recorded from 'Abdullāh bin 'Amr that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said,

Ḥadīthوَقْتُ ٱلْمَغْرِبِ مَا لَمْ يَغِبِ ٱلشَّفَقُ

«The time of Al-Maghrib is as long as Ash-Shafaq has not disappeared.»"^{5Muslim 1:426.}

In all of this, there is a proof that Ash-Shafaq is as Al-Jawhari and Al-Khalīl have said.

Ibn 'Abbās, Mujāhid, Al-Ḥasan and Qatādah, all said that,

Qur’an 84:17وَمَا وَسَقَ

«and what it Wasaqa» means "What it gathers."^{6Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:319.} Qatādah said, "The stars and animals it gathers."^{7Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:320.} 'Ikrimah said,

Qur’an 84:17وَٱلَّيْلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ

«And by the night and what it Wasaqa,»

"What it drives into due to its darkness, because when it is nighttime everything goes to its home."^{8Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:321.} Concerning Allāh's statement,

Qur’an 84:18وَٱلْقَمَرِ إِذَا ٱتَّسَقَ

«And by the moon when it Ittasaqa.» Ibn 'Abbās said, "When it comes together and becomes complete."^{9Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:321.} Al-Ḥasan said, "When it comes together and becomes full."^{10Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:321.}

Qatādah said, "When it completes its cycle."^{11Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:322.} These statements refer to its light when it is completed and becomes full, as the idea was initiated with "The night and what it gathers." Allāh said,

Qur’an 84:19لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ

«You shall certainly travel from stage to stage.»

Al-Bukhāri recorded from Mujāhid that Ibn 'Abbās said,

Qur’an 84:19لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ

«You shall certainly travel from stage to stage.»

"Stage after stage. Your Prophet ﷺ has said this." Al-Bukhāri recorded this statement with this wording.^{12Fatḥ Al-Bāri 8:567.}

'Ikrimah said,

Qur’an 84:19طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ

«From stage to stage.» "Stage after stage.^{13Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:323.} Weaned after he was breast feeding, and an old man after he was a young man." Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣri said,

Qur’an 84:19طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ

«From stage to stage.» "Stage after stage.^{14Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:323.} Ease after difficulty, difficulty after ease, wealth after poverty, poverty after wealth, health after sickness, and sickness after health."

The Disapproval of Their Lack of Faith, giving Them Tidings of the Torment, and that the Ultimate Pleasure will be for the Believers

Allāh said,

Qur’an 84:20–21فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ

«What is the matter with them, that they believe not? And when the Qur'ān is recited to them, they fall not prostrate.»

meaning, what prevents them from believing in Allāh, His Messenger ﷺ and the Last Day, and what is wrong with them that when Allāh's Āyāt and His Words are recited to them they do not prostrate due to awe, respect and reverence? Concerning Allāh's statement,

Qur’an 84:22بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُكَذِّبُونَ

«Nay, those who disbelieve deny.» meaning, from their mannerism is rejection, obstinacy, and opposition to the truth.

Qur’an 84:23وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ

«And Allāh knows best what they gather,» Mujāhid and Qatādah both said, "What they conceal in their chests."^{15Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:327.}

Qur’an 84:24فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

«So, announce to them a painful torment.»

meaning, 'inform them, O Muḥammad, that Allāh has prepared for them a painful torment.'

Then Allāh says,

Qur’an 84:25إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ

«Save those who believe and do righteous good deeds,»

This is a clear exception meaning, 'but those who believe.' This refers to those who believe in their hearts. Then the statement, "and do righteous good deeds," is referring to that which they do with their limbs.

Qur’an 84:25لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ

«for them is a reward» meaning, in the abode of the Hereafter.

Qur’an 84:25غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍۭ

«that will never come to an end.» Ibn 'Abbās said, "Without being decreased."^{16Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:327.} Mujāhid and Aḍ-Ḍaḥḥāk both said, "Without measure."^{17Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:327.} The result of their statements is that it (the reward) is without end. This is as Allāh says,

Qur’an 11:108عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ

«A gift without an end.» (11:108) As-Suddi said, "Some of them have said that this means without end and without decrease."

This is the end of the Tafsīr of Sūrat Al-Inshiqāq. All praise and thanks are due to Allāh, and He is the giver of success and freedom from error.