Surah 56: Al-Waqi'ah
The Holy Qur’an with English Translation and Commentary (Five Volume Commentary)
[a]In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.[4091]
[4091] Commentary:
See 1:1.
[a] See 1:1.
When the Event comes to pass[b]—[4092]
[4092] Commentary:
The "Inevitable Event" referred to in the verse is the Final Resurrection. Or it may signify total annihilation of idolatry from Arabia and complete defeat and discomfiture of the idolatrous Quraish. It may also signify the appearance of a great religious Reformer when the forces of darkness are routed, particularly the great reformation brought about by the Holy Prophet.
[b] 52:8; 70:2.
None can say that its coming to pass is a lie[c]—[4093]
[4093] Commentary:
The word کاذبة is fem. act. part. from کذب and means, one who tells a lie. It is used here as مصدر to impart emphasis to its meaning (Jarir). The verse means that nothing can avert that great event. Or that there is no belying its coming to pass or denying the fact that it will come to pass. Its happening is as sure as anything. It is a dead certainty.
[c] 52:9; 70:3.
Some it will bring low, others it will exalt.[4094]
[4094] Commentary:
The verse means that the "Inevitable Event" referred to in the preceding verse will bring about a great revolution in the lives of men. A new world will come into being, the high and the mighty will be laid low and the despised and downtrodden will be exalted. In fact, the advent of every great Divine Reformer is attended with changes of far-reaching consequences. Elsewhere speaking about the object of Moses’ advent the Holy Qur’an says:
وَ نُرِیْدُ اَنْ نَّمُنَّ عَلَی الَّذِیْنَ اسْتُضْعِفُوْا فِی الْاَرْضِ وَ نَجْعَلَھُمْ اَئِمَّةً وَّ نَجْعَلَھُمُ الْوٰارِثِیْنَ وَ نُمَکِّنَ لَھُمْ فِی الْاَرْضِ
i.e. And We desired to show favour unto those who had been considered weak in the earth, and to make them leaders and to make them inheritors of Our favours, and to establish them in the earth (28:6-7).
When the earth will be shaken with a terrible shaking[a], [4095]
[4095] Important Words:
رجت (shall be shaken). رجه means, he put it in motion or in a state of commotion or agitation; he put it in a state of violent motion; or convulsion or made it to shake, quake or quiver. رج الباب means, he shook the door violently (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The verse means that the whole land of Arabia will be shaken to its foundations. Old beliefs, ideas, moral values, customs, ways of living, etc., will undergo a complete change. In fact, the whole old order will die, giving place to a completely new one.
The verse along with its predecessor and successors is equally applicable to Resurrection after death, to the Last Judgement.
[a] 50:45; 84:4.
And the mountains will be shattered—a complete shattering[b].[4096]
[4096] Important Words:
بست (shall be shattered). بسه means, he crumbled it. بست الجبال بساً means, the mountains shall be crumbled with a vehement crumbling like flour and levelled to earth and reduced to powder and scattered in the wind (Lane).
Commentary:
الجبال (the high and the mighty) shall be laid low.
[b] 20:106; 70:10; 101:6.
They shall all become like dust particles scattered about,[4097]
[4097] Commentary:
What a graphic description of the great change that was to be brought about by the Holy Prophet, and of how the prophecy was fulfilled!
And you shall be divided into three groups:[4098]
[4098] Commentary:
The verse applies particularly to the time of the Holy Prophet. But it can also be applied to the time of every great Divine Reformer. Whenever a Prophet of God or a great Divine Reformer preaches his Message, people become divided into three groups which have been mentioned in detail in the verses that follow.
First, those on the right hand—how lucky are those on the right hand!—[4099]
[4099] Commentary:
In v. 28 below اصحاب المیمنة have been described as اصحاب الیمین i.e. fellows or companions of the right hand. Elsewhere (75:3) the Holy Qur’an applies the term النفس اللوامة i.e. self-accusing spirit, to this group of believers, since they work out such a transformation in their souls as to become moral beings in the true sense of the word.
Second, those on the left hand—how unlucky are those on the left hand!—[4100]
[4100] Important Words:
اصحاب المشئمة (those on the left hand). مشئمة is derived from أشأم which means, he desired the left, as أیمن signifies, he desired the right. ما أشأمه means, how unlucky he is! مشئمة means, the left side or direction; contrary to یمنة and میمنة. They say نظرت یمنة وشأمة i.e. I looked in the right and in the left direction (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
In v. 42 this group of disbelievers have been called اصحاب الشمال i.e. companions of the left hand. In 12:54 the Holy Qur’an describes them as النفس الامارة (the spirit prone to evil), i.e. those who choose not to walk in the light of wisdom and knowledge but are led into iniquities and immoral paths.
Third, the foremost; they are the foremost; [4101]
[4101] Commentary:
السابقون (foremost) are those believers who have scaled the highest peaks of spiritual progress. They are completely united with their Creator and cannot, as it were, exist in separation from Him. In terminology in the Holy Qur’an (89:28) they are called النفس المطمئنة (the soul at rest). This is the highest stage of spiritual perfection which a believer can attain.
They will have achieved nearness to God.