Tafsir of Surah An-Naba' - Verse 24

Explaining the Day of Decision and what occurs during it

Allah says about the Day of Decision -- and it is the Day of Judgement -- that it is at a fixed time, with a set appointment. Its time cannot be added to or decreased. No one knows its exact time except Allah. This is as Allah says,

وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلاَّ لاًّجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ

(And We delay it only for a term fixed.) (11:104)

يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجاً

(The Day when the Trumpet will be blown, and you shall come forth in crowds.) Mujahid said, "Groups after groups." Ibn Jarir said, "This means that each nation will come with its Messenger. It is similar to Allah's statement,

يَوْمَ نَدْعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَـمِهِمْ

(The Day when We shall call together all human beings with their Imam.) (17:71)" Al-Bukhari reported concerning the explanation of Allah's statement,

يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجاً

(The Day when the Trumpet will be blown, and you shall come forth in crowds.) Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«مَا بَيْنَ النَّفْخَتَيْنِ أَرْبَعُون»

(That which is between the two blowings is forty.) Someone asked, "Is it forty days, O Abu Hurayrah" But he (Abu Hurayrah) refused to reply, saying "no comment." They then asked, "Is it forty months" But he (Abu Hurayrah) refused to reply, saying "no comment." They asked again, "Is it forty years" But he (Abu Hurayrah) refused to reply, saying "no comment." (Abu Hurayrah added:) "Then the Prophet went on to say,

«ثُمَّ يُنْزِلُ اللهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَيَنْبُتُونَ كَمَا يَنْبُتُ الْبَقْلُ، لَيْسَ مِنَ الْإنْسَانِ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا يَبْلَى، إِلَّا عَظْمًا وَاحِدًا، وَهُوَ عَجْبُ الذَّنَبِ، وَمِنْهُ يُرَكَّبُ الْخَلْقُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة»

(Then Allah will send down a rain from the sky and the dead body will sprout just as a green plant sprouts. Every part of the last person will deteriorate except for one bone, and it is the coccyx bone (tailbone). From it the creation will be assembled on the Day of Judgement.)"

وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَباً

(And the heaven shall be opened, and it will become as gates.) meaning, paths, and routes for the descending of the angels.

وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَاباً

(And the mountains shall be moved away from their places and they will be as if they were a mirage.) This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَتَرَى الْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِىَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ

(And you will see the mountains and think them solid, but they shall pass away as the passing away of the clouds.) (27:88) He also says,

وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنفُوشِ

(And the mountain will be like carded wool.) (101:5) And Allah says here,

فَكَانَتْ سَرَاباً

(As if they were a mirage.) meaning, they appear to the one who looks at them as if they are something, but they are actually nothing. After this they will be completely removed. Nothing will be seen of them, and there will be neither base nor trace of them. This is as Allah says,

وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ فَقُلْ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسْفاً - فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعاً صَفْصَفاً - لاَّ تَرَى فِيهَا عِوَجاً وَلا أَمْتاً

(And they ask you concerning the mountains, say: "My Lord will blast them and scatter them as particles of dust. Then He shall leave them as a level smooth plain. You will see therein nothing crooked or curved.") (20:105-107) And He says,

" وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ الْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى الاٌّرْضَ بَارِزَةً

(And the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away, and you will see the earth as a leveled plain.) (18:47) Allah then says,

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَاداً

(Truly, Hell is a place of ambush) meaning, it is waiting in preparation.

لِلطَّـغِينَ

(for the Taghun) These are the disobedient rejectors who oppose the Messengers.

مَـَاباً

(A dwelling place) meaning, a place of return, final destination, final outcome, and residence. Allah said,

لَّـبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَاباً

(They will abide therein Ahqab.) meaning, they will remain in it for Ahqab, which is the plural of Huqb. Huqb means a period of time. Khalid bin Ma`dan said, "This Ayah, and the Ayah,

إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ

except your Lord wills. )11:107( both refer to the people of Tawhل0d. Ibn Jar0r recorded this statement. Ibn Jar0r also recorded from Sa0lim that he heard Al-Hلasan being asked about Allah s statement,

لَّـبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَاباً

(They will abide therein Ahqab) "In reference to Ahqab, it has no specific amount of time other than its general meaning of eternity in the Hellfire. However, they have mentioned that the Huqb is seventy years, and every day of it is like one thousand years according to your reckoning (in this life)." Sa`id reported from Qatadah that he said, "Allah says,

لَّـبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَاباً

(They will abide therein Ahqab.) (78:23) And it is that which has no end to it. Whenever one era comes to an end, a new era follows it. It has been mentioned to us that the Huqb is eighty years." Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said,

لَّـبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَاباً

(They will abide therein Ahqab) "No one knows how much time this Ahqab is, except for Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. It has been mentioned to us that one Huqb is eighty years, and the year is three hundred and sixty days, and each day is equivalent to one thousand years according to your reckoning (in this life)." Ibn Jarir has recorded both of these statements. Allah's statement:

لاَّ يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْداً وَلاَ شَرَاباً

(Nothing cool shall they taste therein, nor any drink.) meaning, they will not find any coolness in Hell for their hearts, nor any good drink for them to partake of. Thus, Allah says,

إِلاَّ حَمِيماً وَغَسَّاقاً

(Except Hamim, and Ghassaq) Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "The Hamim has been made an exception to the coolness, and Ghassaq is the exception to the drink." This has also been said by Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. In reference to the Hamim, it is the heat that has reached its maximum temperature and point of boiling. The Ghassaq is gathered from the pus, sweat, tears, and wounds of the people of Hellfire. It is unbearably cold with an intolerable stench. May Allah save us from that by His beneficence and grace. Then He continues,

جَزَآءً وِفَـقاً

(An exact recompense.) meaning, that which will happen to them of this punishment is in accordance with their wicked deeds, which they were doing in this life. Mujahid, Qatadah, and others have said this. Then Allah said,

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ لاَ يَرْجُونَ حِسَاباً

(For verily, they used not to look for a reckoning.) (78:27) meaning, they did not believe that there would be an abode in which they would be taken to account.

وَكَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا كِذَّاباً

(But they denied Our Ayat Kidhdhaba.) meaning, they used to deny the evidences of Allah and His proofs for His creation, which He revealed to His Messengers. So they met these proofs with rejection and obstinance. His statement,

كِذَّاباً

(Kidhdhaba) it means rejection, and it is considered a verbal noun that does not come from a verb. Allah said;

وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَـهُ كِتَـباً

(And all things We have recorded in a Book.) meaning, `surely We know the deeds of all of the creatures, and We have written these deeds for them. We will reward them based upon this.' If their deeds were good then their reward will be good, and if their deeds were evil their reward will be evil. Allah then says,

فَذُوقُواْ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ إِلاَّ عَذَاباً

(So taste you. No increase shall We give you, except in torment.) This means that it will be said to the people of the Hellfire, "Taste that which you were in. We will never increase you in anything except torment according to its type (of sin), and something else similar to it." Qatadah reported from Abu Ayyub Al-Azdi, who reported from `Abdullah bin `Amr that he said, "Allah did not reveal any Ayah against the people of the Hellfire worse than this Ayah,

فَذُوقُواْ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ إِلاَّ عَذَاباً

(So taste you. No increase shall We give you, except in torment.)" Then he said, "They will continue increasing in torment forever."

لَّابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا (who will be abiding in it for ages....78:23). The word labithin is the plural of labith which means 'one who abides'. The word ahqab is the plural of hiqbah and means 'ages or a long time'. Scholars differ on the exact length or specific amount of time meant by this word. Ibn Jarir has recorded that Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ states that hiqbah is eighty years, and the year constitutes twelve months, and every month comprises thirty days, and each day is equivalent to one thousand years, thus one hiqbah totalling about twenty million and eighty-eight hundred thousand years . Sayyidna Abu Hurairah, ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar, Ibn ` Abbas ؓ and others say that one hiqbah is seventy years instead of eighty years. The rest of the calculation remains the same. [ Ibn Kathir ]. In Musnad of Bazzar, Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ traces the following Hadith to the Holy Prophet ﷺ :

لا یخرج احدکم من النّار حتّٰی یمکث فیہ احقاباً ، والحقب بضع و ثمانون سنۃ، کل سنۃ ثلثمایٔۃ وستّون یوما ممّا یعدّون

"Those who will be put in Hell for punishment of their sins, they will not be able to come out until they tarry therein for a few Ahqib. One hiqbah will be a little over eighty years, and the year has three hundred and sixty days according to your reckoning [ in this life ]."

This Tradition, though does not interpret this verse, it does explain the sense of the word ahqab. Some of the Companions mention that one day is equivalent to a thousand years. If they had heard this from the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، there is conflict in the narratives. In the face of such conflict, it is not possible to settle on one narration. However, there is a common denominator between the two conflicting narratives, that hiqbah means 'an extremely long period of time'. Therefore, Baidawi has interpreted the word as 'many long periods of time successively following the others.

Problem of Eternity of Hell

If it be argued, as some do, that the inmates of Hell, after serving the long ages in Hell, will be released because no matter what the length of hiqbah, it is, nonetheless, finite and limited and will come to an end sometime or other. But looking at other clear verses of the Qur'an, the argument does not hold up. We come across express text like:

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا

'[ They, the disbelievers ] shall remain therein [ in the Fire ] for ever'.

Therefore, there is the consensus of Ummah that neither Hell will perish, nor will the disbelievers be released at anytime.

Suddi reports from Sayyidna Murrah Ibn ` Abdullah ؓ that if the inmates of Hell are informed that they will abide in Hell for the number of pebbles in the entire world, they will be happy even at this information, because these pebbles though will count into billions or zillions, still they are finite. If so, their punishment will, some time or the other, come to an end. If the same information is given to the inmates of Paradise that they will abide therein to the count of billions of pebbles in the entire world, it will sadden them, because, in that case, no matter how long the space of time they will live in Paradise, they will be expelled after this period. [ Mazhari ]

In any case, the notion that after a few ahqab the disbelievers will be released from Hell is contrary to the explicit texts and common consent of the Ummah, and as such it is unworthy of consideration, because the verse does not mention what will happen after the ahqab. It merely mentions that they will have to abide in Hell for ages [ ahqab ] '. This does not necessarily imply that there will be no Hell after ahqab or its non-believing inmates will be released. Therefore, Sayyidna Hasan ؓ says that no specific period has been defined for the inmates of Hell, so that they will be released after that. It is that which has no end to it. Whenever one hiqbah [ era ] is over, a new hiqbah will start; when the second era come to an end, a third hiqbah will start; when the third hiqbah ends, the fourth hiqbah will start; and it will carry on ad infinitum. Sayyidna Said Ibn Jubair ؓ also interprets the word ahqab as referring to 'the time which has no end to it. Whenever one era ends, a new era follows it until eternity'. [ Ibn Kathir and Mazhari ]. Ibn Kathir describes another possibility which Qurtubi supports and Mazhari adopts. The possibility is that the word taghin 'rebellious people' probably does not refer to the disbelievers, but to the people of Tauhid, who, on account of their false beliefs, fall into one of the categories of deviant groups. Traditionalists refer to them as ahl-ul-ahwa' 'heretics whose beliefs are not in keeping with the common consent of the People of Ahl-us-sunnah wal-jama'ah. In this case, the verse purports to say that they are the people of Tauhid, but bordered on the boundary of disbelief on account of false beliefs. They, however, did not cross into the boundary of explicit disbelief. They will therefore abide in Hell for the period of ahqab, and then discharged therefrom by virtue of the creed of tuhid.

Mazhari, in support of this possibility, has cited the Prophetic Hadith which was reported earlier on the authority of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ with reference to Musnad of Bazzar, in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ said that after the period of ahqab has passed, these people will be taken out of Hell. Abu Hayyan, however, disputes this on the grounds of the verses that follow the present verse:

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْ‌جُونَ حِسَابًا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كِذَّابًا

(They did not expect [ to face ] accounting [ of their deeds ], and they rejected Our signs totally....78:27-28)

These verses contradict the possibility that taghin 'rebellious people' could be referring to people of Tauhid and deviant groups, because in the concluding verses it is expressly mentioned that they explicitly reject reckoning and utterly deny the Prophets (علیہم السلام) . Likewise Abu Hayyan rejects out of hand Muqatil's opinion that this verse is abrogated.

A group of commentators find a third interpretation of this verse. A statement after this verse, namely, لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْ‌دًا وَلَا شَرَ‌ابًا إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا will taste nothing cool in it, nor a drink, except boiling water and pus...78:25) - is circumstantial clause to ahqab, in which case the verse purports to say that for the countless aeons of ahqab that they will be in Hell they will not be tasting any coolness of air nor any food or drink excepting for boiling water and [ scalding ] pus. When the ahqab is over, the condition may change, and other kinds of punishment may be imposed. The word hamim means 'intensely boiling water if brought near the face, it would burn its flesh, and when put into the stomach it would cut into pieces the internal organs'. The word ghassaq means 'blood and pus, and washings of wounds that will ooze from the inmates of Hell'.

In this world arrogance appears pleasurable to a man because it satisfies his ego. But, when man’s ego appears in its real shape in the Hereafter, the position will be entirely different. Whatever seemed delightful in the world will become a horrible torture for him in the Hereafter.