Verses 13–37
This section represents the second set of verses that describe “The Inevitable” (al-Hāqqah) along with some of its signs and provides a summary of the events that transpire during it.
Commentary
فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ نَفْخَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ ١٣
(69:13) When the Trumpet is blown with a single blast
It has been explained previously that the act of blowing of the Trumpet symbolizes the resurrection and the gathering for the final judgment. The singular nature of the blast signifies the conclusive and powerful execution of God’s decree without any weakness such that there is no need for a repeat of the blast. From the context of the verses, it is understood to refer to the second blast, which is the one that revives the dead.
وَحُمِلَتِ الأَرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةً وَاحِدَةً ١٤
(69:14) and the earth and the mountains are lifted and levelled with a single leveling,
This describes the utter destruction as the most severe form of leveling, where the earth and mountains are broken down into minute pieces. The carrying of the earth and mountains refers to God’s all-encompassing power, and the “single leveling” highlights the swiftness of their obliteration, so swift that a second act of leveling is unnecessary.
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ ١٥
(69:15) then, on that day, will the Imminent (Hour) befall
The term ‘the Imminent’ refers to the establishment of the Day of Resurrection.
وَانشَقَّتِ السَّمَاء فَهِيَ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاهِيَةٌ ١٦
(69:16) and the sky will be split open —for it will be frail that day—
The splitting of something means parting one segment from another. The term ‘frail’ suggests a state of weakness. Alternatively, it is described as akin to the tearing of leather or cloth.
The verse, “and the sky will be split open —for it will be frail that day,” followed by “and the angels will be all over it” () could correspond in meaning to the verse “The day when the sky with its clouds will split open and the angels will be sent down (in a majestic) descent” ().
وَالْمَلَكُ عَلَى أَرْجَائِهَا وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمَانِيَةٌ ١٧
(69:17) and the angels will be on the sides thereof, and above them the Throne of your Lord will be borne that day by eight.
Al-Rāghib said: “The term raja refers to the edge of the well, and the sky, and others besides them are its side, and the plural is arjā (corners, sides). God says: “and the angels will be on the sides thereof (arjā’ihā).” It has been said that al-malik (the angels) is used for singular and plural and what is meant in the verse is plural.”
As for the phrase, “and above them the Throne of your Lord will be borne that day by eight,” the pronoun fawqahum (above them) is commonly understood within the context to refer to the angels, though some say it refers to others.
The apparent meaning of the verse is: The Throne of your Lord that day has bearers among the angels as God has said: “Those who bear the Throne, and those around it, celebrate the praise of their Lord and have faith in Him” (). Some narrations have mentioned that they are four, yet what is apparent from the statement, “the Throne of your Lord will be borne that day by eight” is that the bearers on that day are eight. The question remains whether these bearers are angels of from others? The verse is silent about this, although the context hints that they may well be angels.
It is possible—as alluded to earlier—that the mention of the sky splitting, angels positioned at its sides, and that there will be eight bearers of the Throne, might be intended to illustrate the visibility of angels, the sky, and the Throne to humans on that day. The Qur’an clarifies this vision: “And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne, celebrating the praise of their Lord” ().
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُعْرَضُونَ لا تَخْفَى مِنكُمْ خَافِيَةٌ ١٨
(69:18) That day you will be exposed: none of your secrets will remain hidden.
This suggests presentation before God. It echoes the verse, “And they will be set before your Lord in ranks” (), illustrating a metaphor of a merchant displaying goods openly to a buyer. On the Day of Judgment, the exposition before God will reveal all human possessions in beliefs and actions, leaving no hidden belief or action obscured. It aligns with the transformation from the unseen to the witnessed and the covert to the overt, as affirmed by “On the day when the innermost thoughts will be examined” () and “On the day they will appear before God, with nothing concealed from Him” ().
In our earlier discussions, we’ve established that the attributes of the Day of Judgment listed in God’s discourse—such as God’s sole kingdom, His supreme command, the inevitability of His ruling, and the emergence of all creation in full transparency before Him—are eternally affirmed attributes of God. The intent is to highlight that, on that day, these realities will be unveiled without any concealment or uncertainty.
The essence therefore is: On that day, it will be apparent that you are presented before God’s all-encompassing knowledge, and every concealed action of yours will be revealed.
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَيَقُولُ هَاؤُمُ اقْرَؤُوا كِتَابِيَهْ ١٩
(69:19) As for him who is given his book in his right hand, he will say, ‘Here, take and read my book!
It is explained in al-Mujam: hā’um (Here) is a command addressed to a group similar to saying hākum (here you are). You would say to an individual man: hā yā rajul (Here O man) and to two men: ha’umā yā rijalān (Here you two, O men) and to a group of men: hā’um yā rijāl (Here, O men) and to an individual woman: hā’ yā imra’ah (here, O woman) and to two women: hā’umā (Here you two) and to a group of women: hā’unn (Here you all). This form of address is typical of the dialect from the Hijaz region.
The tribes of Tamim and Qays use “Here, O man” in the same way as the Hijazi people, hā yā rajul. They say hā’ā for two individuals, hā’ū for a group, hā’ī for a single woman, and hā’unn when addressing multiple women.
Some Arab groups prefer using kaf instead of hamza, articulating hāk for an individual, hākumā for two, hākum for a group, hāk for a woman, hākumā for two women, and hākun for multiple women. These terms convey the action of taking or accepting something and are used to address commands rather than prohibitions.
The verse in question, along with the subsequent lines until “the iniquitous,” () elaborates on the distinct conditions of people on that day, divided between happiness and misery. This has been preceded by a detailed exegesis of the verse, “So whoever is given his book in his right hand” from , which discussed the significance of receiving the book in the right hand. It appears that the phrase “Here, take and read my book” is addressing the angels. The ‘hā’ in “my book” (kitābīyah) and in similar positions in the following verses serves as a pause for rest, known as the ‘hā’ of respite.
The meaning is thus: As for the one who receives his book in his right hand, he will say to the angels, “Take this and read my book,” signifying that the book decrees his felicity.
إِنِّي ظَنَنتُ أَنِّي مُلاقٍ حِسَابِيَهْ ٢٠
(69:20) Indeed I knew that I shall encounter my account.’
The phrase “Indeed I knew” conveys a sense of certainty. This verse explains the rationale introduced in the preceding one. The essence is: my book was designated as that of the right hand which dictates my felicity due to my firm conviction in the worldly life that I would face my reckoning. As a result, I placed my trust in my Lord and conscientiously minded my deeds.
فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ ٢١
(69:21) So he will have a pleasant life,
The verse implies a life that satisfies him, assigning pleasure to life as a form of intellectual metaphor.
فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ ٢٢
(69:22) in an elevated garden,
This verse signifies his abode in a sublime paradise offering delights unfathomable to sight, unheard by the ear, and inconceivable to human perception.
قُطُوفُهَا دَانِيَةٌ ٢٣
(69:23) whose clusters (of fruits) will be within easy reach.
This describes how the fruits in paradise are presented in easy reach, illustrating the ease and comfort that awaits in the afterlife. The term ‘qutūf’ (clusters) is the plural of ‘qutf’ (cluster) and refers to bunches of fruit signifying abundance and accessibility. The description implies that the inhabitants of paradise can effortlessly enjoy the fruits at their leisure.
كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِي الأَيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ ٢٤
(69:24) (He will be told): ‘Enjoy your food and drink, for what you had sent in advance in past days.’
This verse addresses the recipients: enjoy the variety of foods and drinks available, which are now made delightful for you in return for the faith and righteous actions you carried out in the world, whose days are now over.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِشِمَالِهِ فَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُوتَ كِتَابِيَهْ ٢٥ وَلَمْ أَدْرِ مَا حِسَابِيَهْ٢٦
(69:25-26) But as for him who is given his book in his left hand, he will say, ‘I wish I had not been given my book, nor had I ever known what my account is!
This refers to the second category of people: the wretched criminals who are handed their record of deeds in their left hands. The meaning of this has been previously discussed in (the exegesis of) Sūrah Al-Isra. These individuals yearn for the impossibility of not having been presented with their records and not having realized their accounts due to the severe torment awaiting them that they now witness.
يَا لَيْتَهَا كَانَتِ الْقَاضِيَةَ ٢٧
(69:27) I wish death had been the end of it all!
The pronoun “it” (in the phrase, the end of it) refers to the first death experienced by humans in this world, as mentioned (by commentators).
The meaning of the verse is: “Oh I wish the death I previously experienced had been the final, resulting in my annihilation so that I would not have been revived. Such a finality would have prevented me from facing the perpetual torment and witnessing what I now perceive.
مَا أَغْنَى عَنِّي مَالِيَهْ ٢٨ هَلَكَ عَنِّي سُلْطَانِيَهْ ٢٩
(69:28-29) My wealth did not avail me. My authority has departed from me.’
This reflects deep remorse spoken by one who realizes the emptiness of his worldly pursuits. He had believed that wealth and power were the safeguards of his happiness, protecting him from misfortune and granting him control over his desires. In pursuit of these, he neglected his duty to his Lord, ignored the call to truth, and dismissed the message of the summoner. However, faced with the ultimate disconnection of all means and standing on a day when neither wealth nor offspring can be of any use, he mourns the ineffectiveness of his wealth and the dissolution of his power. And of what benefit is the regret?”
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ ٣٠ ثُمَّ الْجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ ٣١ ثُمَّ فِي سِلْسِلَةٍ ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًا فَاسْلُكُوهُ٣٢
(69:30-32) (The angels will be told:) ‘Seize him, and fetter him! Then put him into hell. Then, in a chain whose length is seventy cubits, bind him.
This recounts the Almighty’s directive to the angels to apprehend the individual and to consign him to the fire. The presumed context is the angels being ordered to ‘seize him,’ etc. The phrase “fetter him” stems from ‘al-ghal,’ (pronounced with an open ‘a,’) signifying the act of binding with a shackle that connects the hands, feet, and neck.
Further, the verse “Then put him into hell” signifies the command to thrust him into the formidable fire and compel him to it.
Regarding the verse, “Then, in a chain whose length is seventy cubits, bind him,” the term ‘chain’ refers to a shackle, and ‘cubit’ is a unit of length. A ‘cubit’ specifically measures the distance from the elbow to the fingertips, which is used as a standard measure of length. Thus, the directive is to confine him within a shackle measuring seventy cubits in length.”
إِنَّهُ كَانَ لا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ ٣٣ وَلا يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ ٣٤
(69:33-34) Indeed he had no faith in Allah, the All-supreme, and he did not urge the feeding of the needy,
In this context, “urging” (he did not urge) refers to the act of inciting and enticing. These verses serve to justify the order (in the preceding verses) to apprehend (the iniquitous) and consign into the fire. The order to seize and then to consign into the fire, followed by the binding through chains, is given because he neither believed in God the Great nor encouraged the feeding of the poor, which indicates his apathy towards the needy and his disregard for their suffering.
فَلَيْسَ لَهُ الْيَوْمَ هَاهُنَا حَمِيمٌ ٣٥ وَلا طَعَامٌ إِلاَّ مِنْ غِسْلِينٍ ٣٦ لا يَأْكُلُهُ إِلاَّ الْخَاطِؤُونَ٣٧
(69:35-37) so he has no friend here today, nor any food except pus, which no one shall eat except the iniquitous.’
The term ḥamīm (“friend”) refers to an intimate friend. This verse () branches from the previous discourse which states, “Indeed he had no faith,” elaborating that since he lacked faith in God the Great, he lacks a beneficial friend today—essentially, there is no one to intercede on his behalf because a disbeliever receives no forgiveness and, consequently, no intercession.
Further, the verse “Nor any food except pus,” where “pus” symbolizes the discharges from the bodies of the inhabitants of hell. This statement builds on the prior reference to “an intimate friend” and is related to the previous verse’s phrase, “he did not urge the feeding of the needy.” The gist is that since he did not encourage feeding the poor, his only sustenance now is the abhorrent discharge of the people of hell.
The verse, “which no one shall eat except the iniquitous” characterizes the discharge, with “iniquitous” denoting those who are mired in sin and transgression.
Examining Narrations
- In Al-Durr al-manthūr, regarding the exalted verse: “the Throne of your Lord will be borne that day by eight,” Ibn Jarir extracted from Ibn Zayd who said: The Messenger of God stated: “Today, four bear it, but on the Day of Resurrection, eight will.”
Author’s comment: The specification of the bearers in the verse with “that day” hints, indeed demonstrates, that the number is particular to the Day of Resurrection.
- In Tafsīr al-Qummī, another narration states: “Eight will carry it, four from the former ones and four from the latter ones.” As for the four former ones, they are Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. And the latter four are Muḥammad, ʿAlī, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn.
Author’s comment: In more than one narration, it is mentioned that the eight are specific to the Day of Resurrection, and in some, that the bearers of the throne—and the throne signifies knowledge—“are four of us and four whom God wills.”
- In Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, from Abū Baṣīr from Abū ʿAbd Allah who said: “On the Day of Resurrection, every group will be called by the leader of their time. If their leader is confirmed (to be rightful), they will receive their book in their right hand, as stated: “The day We will summon every group of people with their imam…” (). Those given their book in their right hand will read their record, with the ‘right hand’ signifying the confirmation of the leader, as it is his book that he reads.” He (the Imām) continued: “And those who deny are among the People of the Left Hand whom God has said: ‘And the People of the Left Hand—what are the People of the Left Hand? Amid infernal miasma and boiling water and the shadow of dense black smoke…’” ().
Author’s comment: In several narrations, the verse: “As for him who is given his book in his right hand…,” is applied to ʿAlī, and in some, to him and his followers, as well as the verse: “ But as for him who is given his book in his left hand…,” to his enemies. These are among the narratives that precede traditional interpretation.
- In Al-Durr al-manthūr, al-Hakim authenticated a narration from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri about the Prophet: If a bucket of discharges (from the inmates of the fire) were spilled in this world, it would foul the earth with its stench.
- In the same source, al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Īmān related from Sa’sa’ah bin Suhan who said: A Bedouin came to ʿAlī bin Abī Ṭālib and asked: “How about this verse: ‘No one shall eat except the iniquitous?’” By God, everyone stumbles. ʿAlī smiled and said: “O Bedouin, ‘No one shall eat except the iniquitous,’” and he affirmed, “By God, O Commander of the Faithful, God would not neglect his servant.” Then ʿAlī turned to Abu al-Aswad and said: “Foreign languages have entered into the religion entirely, so set something for people that they may use to correct their speech,” and he outlined for them the raising (nominative), the subjecting (accusative), and the lowering (genitive).
- In Tafsīr al-Burhān, from Ibn Bābawayh in al-Durūʿ al-Wāqiya in a narration about the Prophet: If an arm’s length of the chain mentioned by God in His book () were placed upon all the mountains of the world, they (that is, the mountains) would melt from its heat.
This suggests a parallel in the imagery of the sky being rent and the presence of angels during these momentous events. (Trans.) ↩︎
Meaning, the ‘hamza’ is pronounced with an ‘e’ sound and not ‘ya’ following it. (Auth.) ↩︎
This is also includes following the rightful Imam of his time. (Trans.) ↩︎
See English Vol. 25 under verses . (Trans.) ↩︎
The individual’s lamentation in this passage underscores a profound transformation—a realization that material success is ephemeral and, ultimately, powerless in the face of existential truths. The Qur’an frequently alludes to the notion that wealth and progeny, often prized as symbols of worldly achievement, cannot alter one’s ultimate standing before God. In this context, the passage serves as a cautionary tale reminding us of the transitory nature of worldly endeavors and the paramount importance of spiritual accountability. (Trans.) ↩︎
The forgiveness here is particular to the Day of Judgment. (Trans.) ↩︎