Tafsir of Surah Ya-Sin - Verse 12

The State of Those Who are decreed to be among the Doomed

Allah says: `In the case of those who are decreed to be among the doomed, when it comes to the matter of being guided, We have made them like a person who has a chain around his neck and whose hands are tied together beneath his chin so that his head is lifted up.' As Allah says:

فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ

(so that their heads are raised up.) Mentioning the chains around the neck is sufficient and there is no need to mention the hands, although they are referred to by implication. Al-`Awfi said, narrating from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, concerning the Ayah:

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِى أَعْنـقِهِمْ أَغْلَـلاً فَهِىَ إِلَى الاٌّذْقَـنِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ

(Verily, We have put on their necks iron collars reaching to the chins, so that their heads are raised up.) This is like the Ayah:

وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ

(And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck)(17:29). meaning that their hands are tied to their necks and they cannot stretch them forth in order to do any good deeds.

فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ

(so that their heads are raised up.) according to Mujahid it means their heads are raised, and their hands are placed over their mouths, so they are restrained from doing anything good.

وَجَعَلْنَا مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدّاً

(And We have put a barrier before them,) Mujahid said, "Between them and the truth."

ومِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدّاً

(and a barrier behind them,) Mujahid said, "Between them and the truth, so they are confused." Qatadah said, "They move from one form of misguidance to another."

فَأغْشَيْنَـهُمْ

(and We have covered them up,) means, `We have blinded their eyes to the truth.'

فَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ

(so that they cannot see.) means, they cannot benefit from goodness or be guided to it. Ibn Jarir said, "It was narrated from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he used to recite "Fa a`shaynahum" instead of Fa'aghshaynahum, from Al-`Asha (weakness of the sight, blindness), which is a complaint of the eye." `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "Allah placed this barrier between them and Islam and Iman, so that they will never reach it," and he recited:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ

(Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe, Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) (10:96-97). Then he said, "Whoever has been prevented by Allah, will never be able." `Ikrimah said, "Abu Jahl said, `If I see Muhammad, I will do such and such.' Then Allah revealed:

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِى أَعْنـقِهِمْ أَغْلَـلاً

(Verily, We have put on their necks iron collars...) up to:

فَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ

(so that they cannot see.)" He said, "They used to say, `Here is Muhammad,' and he would say, `Where is he Where is he' And he would not be able to see him." Ibn Jarir also recorded this.

وَسَوَآءُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَءَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لاَ يُؤمِنُونَ

(It is the same to them whether you warn them or you warn them not, they will not believe.) means, Allah has decreed that they will be misguided, so warning them will not help them and will not have any effect on them. Something similar has already been seen at the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah, and Allah also says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ

(Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe, Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.)(10:96-97).

إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ

(You can only warn him who follows the Reminder,) means, `only the believers will benefit from your warning, those who follow the Reminder,' which is the Qur'an.

وَخشِىَ الرَّحْمـنَ بِالْغَيْبِ

(and fears the Most Gracious unseen.) means, even when no one sees him except Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, he knows that Allah is watching him and sees what he does.

فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ

(Bear you to such one the glad tidings of forgiveness,) i.e., of his sins,

وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ

(and a generous reward.) means, one that is vast and great and beautiful. This is like the Ayah:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ

(Verily, those who fear their Lord unseen, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.) (67:12).

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى

(Verily, We give life to the dead,) means, on the Day of Resurrection. This also indicates that Allah gives life to the heart of whomever He wills among the disbelievers, those whose hearts have died in misguidance, by guiding them after that to the truth. As Allah says after mentioning hardness of the heart:

اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْىِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الاٌّيَـتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

(Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat to you, that you may understand.) (57:17)

وَنَكْتُبُ مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ

(and We record that which they send before (them),) means, their deeds.

وَءَاثَارَهُمْ

(and their traces) means, `We write down the deeds which they used to do themselves, and the legacy they left behind, so We will requite them for that: if it is good, then We will reward them, and if it is evil, then We will punish them.' This is like the Hadith:

«مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً كَانَ لَهُ أَجْرُهَا، وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا، وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً سَيِّـــئَـةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهَا وَوِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْئًا»

(Whoever starts (or sets an example of) something good in Islam, will have a reward for it, and a reward equal to that of everyone who does it after him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. Whoever starts (or sets an example of) something evil in Islam, will bear the burden for that, and a burden equal to that of everyone who does it after him, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest.) This was recorded by Muslim from Jarir bin `Abdullah Al-Bajali, may Allah be pleased with him in which is detailed a story of the people from the Mudar tribe, who were wearing woollen rags. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this Hadith in full from Jarir bin `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him. In it the Prophet then recited:

وَنَكْتُبُ مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ وَءَاثَارَهُمْ

(and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces) Muslim also recorded it with a different chain of narration. There is also another Hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِذَا مَاتَ ابْنُ آدَمَ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثٍ: مِنْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ، أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ، أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ مِنْ بَعْدِه»

(When the son of Adam dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: knowledge which is beneficial to others, a righteous child who prays for him, or ongoing charity which he leaves behind. )" Sufyan Ath-Thawri reported that Abu Sa`id said, "I heard Mujahid say concerning the Ayah:

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ وَءَاثَارَهُمْ

(Verily, We give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces) `What they left behind of misguidance."' Ibn Abi Najih and others said, narrating from Mujahid:

مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ

(that which they send before (them),) "Their deeds."

وَءَاثَارَهُمْ

(and their traces). He said, "Their footsteps." This was also the view of Al-Hasan and Qatadah.

وَءَاثَارَهُمْ

(and their traces) means their footsteps. Qatadah said, "If Allah were to have neglected anything with regard to you, O son of Adam, He would have neglected what the wind could remove of these footsteps." But He takes into account the footsteps of the son of Adam and all his deeds; He even takes into account these footsteps and whether they are for the purpose of obeying Allah or disobeying Him. So, whoever can have his footsteps recorded for the purpose of obeying Allah, let him do that. Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "There was an empty area around the Masjid, and Banu Salamah wanted to move to be closer to the Masjid. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about that, he said to them:

«إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكُمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَنْتَقِلُوا قُرْبَ الْمَسْجِدِ؟»

(I have heard that you want to move close to the Masjid.) They said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah, that is what we want.' He said:

«يَا بَنِي سَلِمَةَ دِيَارَكُمْ تُكْتَبْ آثَارُكُمْ، دِيَارَكُمْ تُكْتَبْ آثَارُكُم»

(O Banu Salamah, stay where you are, and your footsteps will be recorded, stay where you are, and your footsteps will be recorded.)" This was also recorded by Muslim from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "A man died in Al-Madinah and the Prophet prayed over him, and said,

«يَا لَيْتَهُ مَاتَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْلِدِه»

(Would that he had died somewhere other than in his place of birth!) A man among the people said, `Why, O Messenger of Allah' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا تُوُفِّيَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْلِدِهِ، قِيسَ لَهُ مِنْ مَوْلِدِهِ إِلَى مُنْقَطِعِ أَثَرِهِ فِي الْجَنَّة»

(When a man dies somewhere other than in his place of birth, it will be measured for him from where he was born to where his footsteps no longer appear, (and this is the space that will be allocated for him) in Paradise.)" It was also recorded by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. Ibn Jarir narrated that Thabit said, "I was walking with Anas and I began to walk quickly. He took my hand and we walked slowly, and when we had finished praying, Anas said, `I walked with Zayd bin Thabit and I was walking quickly, and he said: O Anas! Do you not feel that your footsteps are being written down"' There is no contradiction between this and the first report, on the contrary, this indicates the same thing somewhat more forcefully. Because these footsteps are being recorded, then those which are setting an example, whether good or bad, are more likely to be recorded. And Allah knows best.

وَكُلَّ شىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَـهُ فِى إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ

(and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in Imam Mubin (a Clear Book).) means, everything that exists is precisely dictated in a record in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz. Al-Imam Al-Mubin here refers to the source of all records. This was the view of Mujahid, Qatadah and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Similarly, Allah also says:

يَوْمَ نَدْعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَـمِهِمْ

((And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam (record of good and bad deeds)) (17:71). meaning the Book of their deeds which will testify as to their deeds, whether they were good or bad. This is like the Ayat:

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ وَجِـىءَ بِالنَّبِيِّيْنَ وَالشُّهَدَآءِ

(and the Book will be placed (open), and the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward) (39:69), and

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يوَيْلَتَنَا مَا لِهَـذَا الْكِتَـبِ لاَ يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلاَ كَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ أَحْصَاهَا وَوَجَدُواْ مَا عَمِلُواْ حَاضِرًا وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا

(And the Book (one's Record) will be placed, and you will see the criminals, fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say: "Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!" And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice.) (18:49).

In verse 12, by saying: وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَ‌هُمْ (and We are recording whatever (deeds) they send ahead and whatever effects they leave behind.), the doing of deeds has been equated with 'sending ahead' to point out that good or bad deeds done in the mortal world have not gone the way of all flesh right here. Instead of that, these were their wherewithal, their baggage that has gone ahead of them to their destination in the next world that they have to confront. Now, if these deeds were good, they will make them look handsome in Paradise, and if they were bad, the embers of Hell will be their fate. The real purpose of 'recording' these deeds is to keep them preserved. Writing too is a means of doing that, so that there remains no probability of error, forgetfulness, increase or decrease.

The effects of deeds are also recorded like the deeds themselves

The terse statement: وَآثَارَ‌هُمْ (wa 'atharahum: and their effects) in Verse 12 means that the way deeds done by them are written, so are their effects too. The word: آثَارَ‌ (athar: traces, or effects) denotes fruits, outcomes and consequences that show up later and keep surviving. For example, someone helped people learn their religion, told them about its injunctions or wrote a book for to enable them to get the best out of their faith, or instituted some sort of endowment that turned out to be beneficial for people after him and, for that matter, did something that brought benefit to common Muslims, then, as far as the effects of this good deed remain, and as long as they bring fruits, they all will continue to be written in his Book of Deeds. Similar is the case of bad deeds, the evil fruits and effects of which continue to remain in the world. For example, someone instituted oppressive laws, or institutions that tend to corrupt the human deeds and morals, or made people follow the way of evil outcomes of his deed keep taking shape, these will continue to be recorded in his Book of Deeds - as it has been said by the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself while explaining this verse. Narrates Sayyidna Jarir Ibn ` Abdullah al-Bajali ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:

مَن سَنَّ سُنَّۃً حَسَنَۃً فَلہ، اَجرُھَا وَاَجرُ مَن عَمَلَ بِھَا مِن م بَعدِہٖ مِن غَیرِ اَن یُنقَصَ مَن اُجُورِھِم شَیٔاً وَّمن سَنَّ سُنَّۃً کَانَ عَلَیہِ وزرُھا وَ وِزرُ مَن عَمِل بِھَا مِن م بَعدِہٖ لَا یُنقَصُ مِن اَوزَارِھِم شَیٔاً ، ثُمَّ تَلَا وَ نَکتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَ آثارَھُم،

Whoever started a good practice, he will have its reward, and the reward of whoever acts in accordance with it after him, without the least decrease in the reward of others acting upon it. And whoever started a bad practice, on him shall be its sin along with the sin of whoever acts in accordance with it after him, without the least decrease in the sins of others acting upon it" - Ibn Kathir from Ibn Abi Hatim.

۔

The word: آثارَ (athar: traces or effects) is also used in the sense of footprints. As in Hadith, when one walks to the Masjid, one good deed is recorded at every step he takes. Some Hadith narrations seem to indicate that the word: آثارَ (athar: traces) appearing in this verse refers to these very footprints. The way the reward of Salah is written down, similarly, on every step taken while going for Salah, one good deed is recorded. At this stage in his Tafsir, Ibn Kathir has put together all narrations that mention that there were many people in Madinah whose homes were at some distance from the Prophet's Masjid. They thought of setting up their homes closer to the Masjid. The Holy Prophet ﷺ told them not to do that. He advised them: Live where you do. When you walk in from afar, do not take this time to have been wasted. The more your steps, the more shall be your reward.

There could be a possible doubt here in that the present Surah is Makki, while the event mentioned in these Hadith belongs to Madinah. This could be answered by saying that the verse might as well be in its general sense - that is, the traces of deeds are also written - and that this verse may have been revealed in Makkah. But thereafter, when this event came to pass in Madinah, he mentioned this verse in support. Then he counted footprints too within the effects and traces the writing of which has been mentioned in this verse of the Qur'an. This way the apparent contradiction between these two explanations also stands removed (as explicated and preferred by Ibn Kathir).

Modern research has established that whatever a man utters remains preserved in the atmosphere in the form of vibrations or waves. Similarly, the image of the actions which a man performs remains preserved in the form of light waves. In other words, every individual in this world is being constantly video-recorded. It should be borne in mind that in this world, without a man’s knowledge and quite independent of his will, his utterances and actions, being completely recorded and preserved, could be replayed any time later.