Surah No. 74

Introduction
Merits of the Surah1

1. “After the Prophet’s earliest revelation – consisting of the first five verses of surah 96 – a period elapsed during which he received no revelation at all. The length of this break in revelation (fatratu al-wahy) cannot be established with certainty; it may have been as less as six months or as much as three years. It was a time of deepest distress for the Prophet: the absence of revelation almost led him to believe that his earlier experience in the cave of Mount Hira was an illusion; and it was only due to the moral support of wife Khadijah and her undaunted faith in his prophetic mission that he did not entirely lose his courage and hope. At the end of this intermission the Prophet had a vision of the Angel Gabriel ‘sitting between heaven and earth’. Almost immediately afterwards, the present surah was revealed, and then on, in Muhammad’s own words, ‘revelations became intense and continuous’” (Asad).

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ (1)

(74:1) O the one shrouded (in a mantle).2

2. We can start with Yusuf Ali’s soothing remarks: “In these wonderful early verses there is a double thread of thought: (1) A particular occasion or person is referred to; (2) a general spiritual lesson is taught. As to (1), the Prophet was now past the stage of personal contemplation, lying down or sitting in his mantle; he was now to go forth boldly to deliver his Message and publicly proclaim the Lord: his heart had always been purified, but now all his outward doings must be dedicated to Allah, and conventional respect for ancestral customs or worship must be thrown aside; his work as a Messenger was the most generous gift that could flow from his personality, but no reward or appreciation was to be expected from his people, but quite the contrary; there would be much call on his patience, but his contentment would arise from the good pleasure of Allah. As to (2), similar stages arise in a minor degree in the fife of every good man, for which the Prophet's life is to be a universal pattern.”
From among the Salaf, `Ikrimah said that by enwrapment the allusion is to the shrouding of the Prophet with the Prophetic mission (Ibn Jarir). The above has usage in the Arabic language for its support (Razi). However, the majority have believed that the revelation came when the Prophet was enwrapped in a mantle. Details are in hadith collections. A report of this context says that Jabir b. `Abdullah said, (عن) جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ ثُمَّ فَتَرَ عَنِّي الْوَحْيُ فَتْرَةً فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنْ السَّمَاءِ فَرَفَعْتُ بَصَرِي قِبَلَ السَّمَاءِ فَإِذَا الْمَلَكُ الَّذِي جَاءَنِي بِحِرَاءٍ قَاعِدٌ عَلَى كُرْسِيٍّ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ فَجُئِثْتُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى هَوَيْتُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَجِئْتُ أَهْلِي فَقُلْتُ زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ قَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ وَالرِّجْزُ الأَوْثَانُ.‏ He heard the Prophet say, “Thereafter the revelation ceased coming to me for a while. Then, as I was walking, I heard a voice from the heaven. I raised my eyes up and lo, the angel that had come to me in Hira was seated in a chair (spread over) between the heaven and the earth. I felt scared of him and fell down. I went back to my homefolk and said, ‘Cover me up, cover me up,’ and Allah revealed, ‘O the one shrouded (in a mantle). Arise, and warn. Your Lord, magnify. Your clothes purify. And defilement shun.’”
Abu Salamah (one of the narrators) added: “Rijz is for idols.” (Ibn Jarir).
The report is in Muslim. And Bukhari’s report adds that when the Prophet returned he asked to be covered and cold water poured on him, which was done; and Allah revealed this Surah (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
In other words, as Zuhri said, this Surah was revealed immediately after the first revelation which were five verses of Surah al-Iqra’ (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir and others).

قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ (2)

(74:2) Arise, and warn.

وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ (3)

(74:3) Your Lord, magnify.3

3. That is, your Lord alone, and none else should you magnify (Alusi).

وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ (4)

(74:4) Your clothes purify.4

4. The great majority of the Salaf, who cited poetical pieces, said the allusion is to cleansing oneself of sins (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
Arabic usage allows us to include cleansing of the clothes as well as purification of the heart (Razi, Ibn Kathir).
Asad sums up: “.. almost all the classical commentators point out that the noun thawb and its plural thiyab is often metonymically applied to that which a garment encloses, i.e., a person’s ‘body’ or, in a wider sense, his ‘self’ or his ‘heart’ or even his ‘spiritual state’ or ‘conduct’ (Taj al-`Arus). Thus, commenting on the above verse, Zamakhshari draws the reader’s attention to the well-known idiomatic phrase tahir ath-thiyab (lit., ‘one who is clean in his garments’) and danis ath-thiyab (‘one who is filthy in his garments’), and stresses their tropical significance of ‘free from faults and vices’ and ‘vicious and perfidious’, respectively. Razi states with approval that ‘according to most of the [earlier] commentators, the meaning of the verse is, “purify thy heart of all that is blameworthy.””

وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ (5)

(74:5) And the abomination shun.5

5. The translation is literal, but the majority has thought that the allusion is to idols (Ibn Jarir, Razi, Ibn Kathir).

وَلَا تَمْنُنْ تَسْتَكْثِرُ (6)

(74:6) Bestow not (in charity) to gain increase.6

6. That is, offer not a gift in the hope of getting better than that (Ibn Jarir from the Salaf); but many other explanations have come. Qurtubi offers some 11 of them.

وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ (7)

(74:7) And, observe patience for your Lord.7

7. That is, for the sake of your Lord.

فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِي النَّاقُورِ (8)

(74:8) When it is blown into the Trumpet.8

8. The Prophet is reported to have said, عَنْ أَبِى سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِىِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « كَيْفَ أَنْعَمُ وَقَدِ الْتَقَمَ صَاحِبُ الْقَرْنِ الْقَرْنَ وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ وَأَصْغَى سَمْعَهُ يَنْتَظِرُ أَنْ يُؤْمَرَ أَنْ يَنْفُخَ فَيَنْفُخَ ». قَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فَكَيْفَ نَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ « قُولُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ تَوَكَّلْنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّنَا ». “How should I relax when the one in charge of the Trumpet has placed his mouth on the Trumpet, has bent his forehead forward, and is waiting in all-attention to be ordered to blow, so that he may blow.” They asked, “What shall we say, O Messenger of Allah?” He answered, “Say, (see the Arabic text)” – meaning, “Allah is sufficient for us, He is the best of those on whom one can rely. Upon Him we have placed our trust, our Lord” (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).
The hadith is in Tirmidhi who declared it weak, but Hafiz (ibn Hajr) thought it is strong (Sami).

فَذَٰلِكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوْمٌ عَسِيرٌ (9)

(74:9) That Day will be a hard day.

عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ غَيْرُ يَسِيرٍ (10)

(74:10) Upon the unbelievers9 - not (at all) easy.10

9. Asad writes: “(Kafir) is one who denies [or ‘refuses to acknowledge’] the truth, in the widest, spiritual sense of this latter term, i.e., irrespective of whether it relates to a cognition of the supreme truth – namely, the existence of God – or to a doctrine or ordinance enunciated in the divine writ, or to a self-evident moral proposition, or to an acknowledgement of, and therefore, gratitude for, favors received.”

10. It is reported to us that Zurarah b. Awfa – the Qadi of Basrah – led in the Prayers at Fajr. He recited this Surah. When he reached this verse, he gave out a cry and fell down dead (Ibn Kathir).

ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا (11)

(74:11) Leave Me alone with him I alone created.11

11. That is, he came into the world alone, will die alone and will be raised alone (Zamakhshari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). Alternatively, (or additionally) it could mean “He, whom I alone have created, none partnering Me in creation” (Zamakhshari, Razi, Qurtubi).
Although the address is open to anyone who so qualifies, the immediate reference was to al-Walid b. al-Mughirah (Ibn Jarir).
Interestingly, the man was unique in terms of wealth, children, and status among the Quraysh, although he was not one of them, but who attributed himself to them for the honor, and referred to himself as unique (waheed); and, consequently, was nicknamed “Waheed” by his compatriots. There have been differences in opinion over how he ended. Some say he was killed by Najashi of Abyssinia for a murder he had committed (there); others that he was killed at Badr, and, strangely, yet others that he became a Muslim, which idea Ibn Hajr refuted (Alusi). It is possible that the confusion has arisen from the fact that one of his sons was also named Walid, who had become Muslim (Au.).

وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالًا مَمْدُودًا (12)

(74:12) And appointed for him extensive wealth.

وَبَنِينَ شُهُودًا (13)

(74:13) And sons, present.12

12. That is, sons who stood by him to serve him. It is said that Walid had 10 or 13 sons, who never left his company. Khalid b. Walid was one of them. Two others of his sons who embraced Islam were Hisham and Walid b. Walid.

وَمَهَّدْتُ لَهُ تَمْهِيدًا (14)

(74:14) And prepared for him ample comfort.

ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ (15)

(74:15) Yet he is eager that I should grant (him) more.

كَلَّا ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ لِآيَاتِنَا عَنِيدًا (16)

(74:16) By no means!13 He has been hostile to Our revelations.14

13. It is said that thereafter he suffered losses all around (farms, cattle, business across continents, etc.) and died poor (from most commentators).

14. Asad explains: “The noun anid, derived from the verb `anada, denotes one who opposes or rejects something that is true, knowing it to be true (Lisan al-`Arab). The element of human contrariness and stubbornness is implied in the use of the auxiliary verb kana, which indicates here a permanently recurring phenomenon despite its past-tense formation.”

سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُودًا (17)

(74:17) Soon I shall force him to a hard ascent.15

15. (Though literally it means to subject someone to an arduous task), here it means he will be subjected to harsh punishment (Ibn Jarir).

إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ (18)

(74:18) Lo, He reflected, and determined.

فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ (19)

(74:19) So, he be killed, how he determined!

ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ (20)

(74:20) Again, he be killed, how he determined!

ثُمَّ نَظَرَ (21)

(74:21) Then he looked.

ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ (22)

(74:22) Then he frowned and scowled.

ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ (23)

(74:23) Then he turned and waxed proud.

فَقَالَ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ (24)

(74:24) And said, ‘This is nothing but magic16 handed down (from the past).

16. “The term sihr, which usually denotes ‘sorcery’ or ‘magic’, primarily signifies ‘the turning of something from its proper [or “natural”] state of being into another state’, hence, it is often applied to the fascination or enchantment caused by exceptional, ‘spell-bounding’ eloquence (Taj al-`Arus)” – Asad.

إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ (25)

(74:25) This is nothing but words of a human being.’17

17. The following is reported as the cause of revelation of these verses: (روي أنه) الْوَلِيدَ بْنَ الْمُغِيرَةِ اجْتَمَعَ إلَيْهِ نَفَرٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ ، وَكَانَ ذَا سِنّيهِمْ وَقَدْ حَضَرَ الْمَوْسِمَ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ ، إنّهُ قَدْ حَضَرَ هَذَا الْمَوْسِمُ وَإِنّ وُفُودَ الْعَرَبِ سَتَقْدَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيهِ وَقَدْ سَمِعُوا بِأَمْرِ صَاحِبِكُمْ هَذَا ، فَأَجْمِعُوا فِيهِ رَأْيًا وَاحِدًا ، وَلا تَخْتَلِفُوا فَيُكَذّبَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا ، وَيَرُدّ قَوْلُكُمْ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا ؛ قَالُوا : فَأَنْتَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ ، فَقُلْ وَأَقِمْ لَنَا رَأْيًا نَقُولُ بِهِ قَالَ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ فَقُولُوا أَسْمَعْ قَالُوا : نَقُولُ كَاهِنٌ قَالَ لا وَاَللّهِ مَا هُوَ بِكَاهِنِ لَقَدْ رَأَيْنَا الْكُهّانَ فَمَا هُوَ بِزَمْزَمَةِ الْكَاهِنِ وَلا سَجْعِهِ قَالُوا : فَنَقُولُ مَجْنُونٌ قَالَ مَا هُوَ بِمَجْنُونِ لَقَدْ رَأَيْنَا الْجُنُونَ وَعَرَفْنَاهُ فَمَا هُوَ بِخَنْقِهِ وَلا تَخَالُجِهِ وَلا وَسْوَسَتِهِ قَالُوا : فَنَقُولُ شَاعِرٌ قَالَ مَا هُوَ بِشَاعِرِ لَقَدْ عَرَفْنَا الشّعْرَ كُلّهُ رَجَزَهُ وَهَزَجَهُ وَقَرِيضَهُ وَمَقْبُوضَهُ وَمَبْسُوطَهُ فَمَا هُوَ بِالشّعْرِ قَالُوا : فَنَقُولُ سَاحِرٌ قَالَ مَا هُوَ بِسَاحِرِ لَقَدْ رَأَيْنَا السّحّارَ وَسِحْرَهُمْ فَمَا هُوَ بِنَفْثِهِمْ وَلا عَقْدِهِمْ قَالُوا : فَمَا نَقُولُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ ؟ قَالَ وَاَللّهِ إنّ لِقَوْلِهِ لَحَلاوَةً ، وَإِنّ أَصْلَهُ لَعَذِقٌ وَإِنّ فَرْعَهُ لَجُنَاةٌ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِقَائِلِينَ مِنْ هَذَا شَيْئًا إلا عُرِفَ أَنّهُ بَاطِلٌ وَإِنّ أَقْرَبَ الْقَوْلِ فِيهِ لأَنْ تَقُولُوا سَاحِرٌ جَاءَ بِقَوْلٍ هُوَ سِحْرٌ يُفَرّقُ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَأَبِيهِ وَبَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَأَخِيهِ وَبَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَعَشِيرَتِهِ . فَتُفَرّقُوا عَنْهُ بِذَلِكَ فَجَعَلُوا يَجْلِسُونَ بِسُبُلِ النّاسِ حِينَ قَدِمُوا الْمَوْسِمَ لا يَمُرّ بِهِمْ أَحَدٌ إلا حَذّرُوهُ إيّاهُ وَذَكَرُوا لَهُمْ أَمْرَهُ . فَأَنْزَلَ اللّهُ تَعَالَى فِي الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ وَفِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ { ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالا مَمْدُودًا وَبَنِينَ شُهُودًا وَمَهّدْتُ لَهُ تَمْهِيدًا ثُمّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ كَلا إِنّهُ كَانَ لآيَاتِنَا عَنِيدًا } - سيرة ابن هشام (1/ 269) It is reported that when the Hajj season arrived, some of the Quraysh gathered around Walid b. al-Mughira. He was the most senior of them. He told them, “O Quraysh, the season has arrived and the Arabs will enter on you. They will hear about your man (meaning Muhammad). So, come around to one opinion about him. If you differ, you will end up contradicting each other.” They said, “O `Abd Shams, you decide about what we should say.” He said, “Rather, you suggest and I’ll hear.” They said, “We shall say he is a soothsayer.” He said, “That will not do. He is not a soothsayer. We have seen plenty of soothsayers. Neither there is any rumbling nor any murmuring.” They said, “So we will say he is mad.” He objected, “He is not mad. We have seen plenty of mad men. He neither suffers choking, nor any discomfiture, nor yet any vacillation.” They said, “Let us then say that he is a poet.” He responded, “But he is not a poet. We know all classes of poetry… (His material) does not resemble any kind of poetry.” They said, “Then let us say he is a magician.” He disagreed by saying, “He is no magician. We have experienced magicians and their magic. He neither blows nor does he tie knots.” They asked, “Then what shall we say, O Abu `Abd Shams?” He answered, “By Allah what he says has a kind of sweetness; it is fertile; all its branches are fruitful. So, you will not be able to say anything but it will be immediately realized that it is not true. I suppose the nearest of what you can think of is to say that he is a magician who separates a father and his son, a brother from his brother, and a man and his family.”
So they dispersed and thereafter each of them assigned a path to himself, so that when the Hajj season arrived, no one passed by but they warned him about him (the Prophet) and explained to him about his affair. So Allah revealed about Walid b. al-Mughira saying: Leave Me alone with him I alone created ...”
Verse 18 seems to be referring to the above incident when it said, “So, he be killed, how he determined!” And, verse 19, which says, “Again, he be killed, how he determined!”
seems to be referring to the following incident, thus, two incidents required two threats of death: عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا ، أَنَّ الْوَلِيدَ بْنَ الْمُغِيرَةِ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنَ ، فَكَأَنَّهُ رَقَّ لَهُ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ أَبَا جَهْلٍ ، فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ : يَا عَمُّ ، إِنَّ قَوْمَكَ يَرَوْنَ أَنْ يَجْمَعُوا لَكَ مَالاً . قَالَ : لَمَ ؟ قَالَ : لِيُعْطُوكَهُ فَإِنَّكَ أَتَيْتَ مُحَمَّدًا لِتُعْرِضَ لِمَا قِبَلَهُ قَالَ : قَدْ عَلِمَتْ قُرَيْشٌ أَنِّي مِنْ أَكْثَرِهَا مَالاً . قَالَ : فَقُلْ فِيهِ قَوْلاً يَبْلُغُ قَوْمَكَ أَنَّكَ مُنْكِرٌ لَهُ أَوْ أَنَّكَ كَارِهٌ لَهُ قَالَ : وَمَاذَا أَقُولُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا فِيكُمْ رَجُلٌ أَعْلَمَ بِالأَشْعَارِ مِنِّي ، وَلاَ أَعْلَمَ بِرَجَزٍ وَلاَ بِقَصِيدَةٍ مِنِّي وَلاَ بِأَشْعَارِ الْجِنِّ وَاللَّهِ مَا يُشْبِهُ الَّذِي يَقُولُ شَيْئًا مِنْ هَذَا وَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ لِقَوْلِهِ الَّذِي يَقُولُ حَلاَوَةً ، وَإِنَّ عَلَيْهِ لَطَلاَوَةً ، وَإِنَّهُ لَمُثْمِرٌ أَعْلاَهُ مُغْدِقٌ أَسْفَلُهُ ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَعْلُو وَمَا يُعْلَى وَإِنَّهُ لَيَحْطِمُ مَا تَحْتَهُ قَالَ : لاَ يَرْضَى عَنْكَ قَوْمُكَ حَتَّى تَقُولَ فِيهِ . قَالَ : فَدَعْنِي حَتَّى أُفَكِّرَ ، فَلَمَّا فَكَّرَ قَالَ : هَذَا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ يَأْثُرُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ فَنَزَلَتْ {ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا}. - المستدرك - هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحُ الإِسْنَادِ عَلَى شَرْطِ الْبُخَارِيِّ وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ. (وتعليق الذهبي قي التلخيص : على شرط البخاري) Ibn `Abbas reported that Walid b. al-Mughira visited the Prophet. He recited some Qur’an to him. (Or he heard him recite the Qur’an in the Grand Mosque). It seems it struck chord with him to soften him. Abu Jahl came to know about it. He went up to him and said, “Uncle. Your people intend to gather together some money for you.” When he asked why, he said, “In order to gift you. It seems you went to Muhammad for financial gains.” He retorted, “The Quraysh know that I am the richest of them.” Abu Jahl said, “Say something about him so that your people know that you reject him.” He answered, “What can I say? By God there is none among you who knows poetry and its various genre’s better than me – nor yet it is the poetry of the Jinn. By Allah, what he says has no resemblance with these. By Allah, what he says has a sweetness, it is covered by brightness, its upper is fruitful while its bottom is watery; and that it will overcome and will not be overcome; and that it will crush what is below it.” Abu Jahl said, “Your people will not be satisfied with you until you can criticize him.” He replied, “Wait, until I think about it.” Then, having done some thinking he said, “This is nothing but magic handed down; being handed down by others.” So, it was revealed, “Leave Me alone with him I alone created; and appointed for him extensive wealth; and sons, present…”
Other reports suggest that he had gone to Abu Bakr and not to the Prophet (Ibn Jarir, Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
To explain further, two incidents took place where Walid b. al-Mughira acted arrogantly against the Prophetic revelation, apart from being dishonest to himself. This was perhaps the reason why it was said twice, “He be killed ..” He did great damage to the cause of Islam. Its spread among the Bedouin was seriously impaired, which explains why Allah used strong words in reference to him viz. “He be killed ..” (Au.)

سَأُصْلِيهِ سَقَرَ (26)

(74:26) I shall roast him18 in Saqar.19

18. Or, “I shall take him (to Saqar).”

19. Saqar is one of the names of Hell.

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا سَقَرُ (27)

(74:27) And what will make you know what is Saqar?

لَا تُبْقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ (28)

(74:28) It spares not, nor leaves alone.

لَوَّاحَةٌ لِلْبَشَرِ (29)

(74:29) Scorching the skin.

عَلَيْهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ (30)

(74:30) Over it are nineteen.20

20. It could be that these 19 are the angels in charge, with others under their command (Zamakhshari, Razi).
In reference to the figure 19, although not in the context, we have a report: َعن جَابرِ بن عبد الله قَالَ "قَالَ نَاسٌ مِنَ اليَهُودِ لاِنَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: هَلْ يَعْلَمُ نَبِيّكُمْ كَمْ عَدَدُ خَزَنَةِ جَهَنّمَ؟ قَالُوا لا نَدْرِي حَتّى نَسْألَ نَبِيّنَا، فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ إلى النّبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمّدُ غُلِبَ أصْحَابُكَ اليَوْمَ، قَالَ: وَبِمَا غُلِبُوا؟ قَالَ سَأَلَهُمْ يَهُودُ هَلْ يَعْلَمُ نَبِيّكُمْ كَمْ عَدَدُ خَزَنَةِ جَهَنّمَ، قالَ: فَمَا قالُوا؟ قالَ قالُوا لا نَدْرِي حَتّى نَسْألَ نَبِيّنَا، قالَ: أَيُغْلَبُ قَوْمٌ سُئِلُوا عَمّا لا يَعْلَمُونَ فقالُوا: لا نَعْلَمُ حَتّى نَسْألَ نَبِيّنَا، لَكِنّهُمْ قَدْ سألُوا نَبِيّهُمْ فقالُوا أَرِنَا الله جَهْرَةً، عَلَيّ بِأعْدَاءِ الله إِنّي سائِلُهُمْ عَن تُرْبَةِ الْجَنّةِ وَهِيَ الدَرْمَكُ، فَلَمّا جاؤُوا قالُوا يَا أَبَا القاسِمِ كَمْ عَدَدُ خَزَنَةِ جَهَنّمَ؟ قالَ: هَكَذَا، وَهكَذَا في مَرّةٍ عَشرَةٌ وَفي مَرّةٍ تِسْعَةُ، قالُوا نَعَمْ، قالَ لَهم النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ما ترْبَةُ الجَنّةِ؟ قالَ فَسَكَتُوا هُنَيْهَةً ثُمّ قالُوا أخُبْزَةٌ يا أبَا القاسِمِ؟ فقالَ النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: الخُبْزُ مِنَ الدّرْمَكِ." قال أبو عيسى: هَذا حديثٌ إِنّمَا نَعْرِفُه مِنْ هَذَا الوَجْهِ مِنْ حَديثِ مُجَالِدٍ.‏ Some Jews said to the Companions of the Prophet: “Does your Prophet know the number of keepers of Hell?” They said, “We have no idea until we ask him.” So, a man went up to the Prophet and said, “Muhammad. Today your Companions were overcome.” He asked, “In what manner?” He said, “The Jews asked them whether their Prophet knew the number of keepers of Hell.” He asked, “And how did they answer?” He said they did not know until they ask their Prophet. The Prophet remarked, “Are a people overcome when they are asked a thing they do not know and so they say, ‘We have no idea and shall ask our Prophet?’ In fact, the others are a people who asked their Prophet that he show them God, openly. (In any case) bring me those enemies of Allah. I will ask them about the constituent of the surface of Paradise, which, in any case, is made up of fine flour powder.”
When they came they said, “O Abu al-Qasim, what is the number of keepers of Paradise?” He answered them by showing them all the fingers of the two hands, and then once again, all of them, concealing one. They said, “You are right.” The Prophet asked them, “What is the constituent of the surface of Paradise?” They were quiet for a while and then said, “Bread, O Abu al-Qasim.” He said, “Bread from fine flour-powder” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
The hadith was preserved by Tirmidhi (who declared it weak), Ahmad, Bazzar, but is not too weak (Sami).
Although the following would not receive the approval of the Salaf, who did not look for the abstract when the concrete raised no problems for them, which, indeed, afforded them concrete ideas, we reproduce here a note from Razi through Asad, to give our readers an idea of how much of Razi (or even Alusi) is not represented in this work of humbler – though practical – objectives. Asad skillfully translates what this writer could not do: “Whereas most of the classical commentators are of the opinion that the ‘nineteen’ are the angels that act as keepers or guardians of hell, Razi advances the view that we may have here a reference to the physical, intellectual and emotional powers within man himself; powers which raise man potentially far above any other creature, but which, if used wrongly, bring about a deterioration of his whole personality, and, hence, intense suffering in the life to come. According to Razi, the philosophers (ashab al-kalam) identify these powers or faculties with, firstly, the seven organic functions of the animal – and therefore also human – body (gravitation, cohesion, repulsion of noxious foreign matter, absorption of beneficial external matter, assimilation of nutrients, growth, and reproduction); secondly, the five ‘external’ or physical senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste); thirdly, the five ‘internal’ or intellectual senses, defined by Ibn Sina – on whom Razi probably relies – as (1) perception of isolated sense-images, (2) conscious apperception of ideas, (3) memory of sense-images, (4) memory of conscious apperceptions, and (5) the ability to correlate sense-images, and higher apperceptions; and lastly, the emotions of ‘internal’ sense-categories – thus bringing the total of the powers and faculties which preside over man’s spiritual fate to nineteen. In their aggregate, it is these powers that confer upon man the ability to think conceptually, and place him, in this respect, even above the angels.”
We may add the following: Sometime back a person called Rashad Khalifah (perhaps of Swiss origin, though this is not certain) presented a computer-based hypothesis that number 19 is mysteriously related to the Qur'an. He pointed out that there are 19 letters in the basmalah, and, although a difficult number to divide any other number roundly, the number of chapters of the Qur'an, i.e., 114, is divisible by 19, yielding an exact figure of 6. In a 300-page book, full of computer prints and charts, he presented dozens of examples of how 19 could be used to roundly divide the total number of letters, words, verses and other divisions of the Qur'an. For example, since ancient times, Arabic alphabets have been grouped in the following manner: أبجد / هوز / حطي / كلمن / سعفص / قرشت / ثخذ / ضظغ And each letter is allotted a specific number; such as, alif = 1, baa = 2, jeem = 3, daal = 4, haa = 5, waaw = 6, zaa = 7, haa = 8, taa = 9, yaa = 10, kaaf = 20, laam = 30, meem = 40, noon = 50, seen = 60, `ayn = 70, faa = 80, saad = 90, faa = 100, raa = 200, sheen = 300, taa = 400, thaa = 500, khaa = 600, dhall = 700, daa = 800, zaa = 900 and ghayn = 1000.
(Following the above system, the total gematric value of basmalah is 786. That is why, in olden times people placed 786 at the top of their letters to each other, to avoid writing the basmalah that could be desecrated).
Now, the Qur’an has 114 chapters. This figure is divisible by 19, yielding a round figure of 6. The basmalah has 19 letters. Working out the gematric value of Surah al-Fatiah (including the basmalah as the first ayah) gives a figure of 10143. The total number of verses is 7. The total of seven numbers (1+2+3+4+5+6+7) is 28. The total number of letters in the Surah is 139. Summing up, 7 + 28 + 139 + 10143, yields the figure 10317. Now, this 10317, a very odd number, is yet roundly divisible by 19 yielding the round number 543.
His book sold like hot cakes until it was discovered that he had perhaps done some manipulations in determining the numbers before dividing them with the number 19, to obtain round figures. It was also discovered that he was perhaps a Bohri (or Ismaili?), with whom the number 19 has some sort of religious significance. It is said that he opened his own Church in the USA, announced his messengership, and some time later was found murdered.
Nonetheless, it may be of interest to note that the number nineteen is in some ways a curious figure. E.g., it is a prime number (i.e., it cannot be divided by any number except itself). It is composed of the first digit (1) and last digit (9). The sum of 91 and 101 is 19. If you subtract the second power of 9 from the second power of 10, you get 19. (102 = 100, and 92 = 81; and 100-81= 19). Its compliment is 81. Now, when 1 is divided by 81, it yields the following result (1/81 = 0.01234567890,1234567890,1234567890, .. you can go on endlessly with the repetition of 1234567890). Another example: Take any two-digit number whose total is 100 (but where no digit carries a 0) and add up the digits. They will yield the number 19. E.g. 42+58 = 100 and adding up 4+2+5+8 gives us the figure 19. Or, 55+45 = 100; and 5+5+4+5 = 19.
Many examples of strangeness can be quoted. Some examples have been quoted from biology also. For example, proteins in the human body are made up of 20 amino acids. No more, no less. Now, 19 of them are left-handed, whereas one is neither left-handed nor right-handed. Chemists on the other hand point out that the number 19 appears significantly in the periodic table. (Details are complicated to explain without a chart).
It may also be pointed out that for some religious denominations, number 19 holds a special value, and hence, it is possible that with number 19 in the mind, people have searched for strange occurrences, and found them. Perhaps, if another figure is taken and its strange occurrences searched out, similar remarkable results would be discovered (Au.).

وَمَا جَعَلْنَا أَصْحَابَ النَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَائِكَةً ۙ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا عِدَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيَسْتَيْقِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَيَزْدَادَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِيمَانًا ۙ وَلَا يَرْتَابَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۙ وَلِيَقُولَ الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ وَالْكَافِرُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْبَشَرِ (31)

(74:31) And, We have not appointed keepers of the Fire except angels. And We have not appointed their numbers but a trial for the unbelievers;21 so that those who were given the Book may feel convinced,22 and those that have believed, may experience increase in faith;23 and so that those that were given the Book as well as the believers, may not fall in doubt; and in order that those in whose heart is a sickness24 and the unbelievers, may ask, ‘What did Allah mean by such an illustration?’ That is how Allah leads astray whom He will and guide whom He will. And no one knows the forces of your Lord save He.25 And it26 is not but a reminder to mankind.

21. When Abu Jahl heard of this verse he spoke to the Quraysh, “Your companion says that there are 19 keepers of Hell. Now, we are a big group. Can ten of us not handle an angel each?” (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari, Razi, Ibn Kathir).

22. Ibn `Abbas and others said that it is stated in the Bible also that Hell has nineteen keepers (Ibn Jarir).

23. When the believers hear about the number of keepers being 19 in the revelation, they believe therein without questioning. This leads to increase in their faith (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari).

24. That is, the sickness of hypocrisy (Ibn Jarir). They may not have been hypocrites per se, that is, the kind that appeared later in Madinah, but some of the Makkans could have borne doubts about the Prophet and his mission, which has been termed here as “sickness” (Zamakhshari, Razi).

25. With reference to the forces of Allah, that none has the knowledge of but He, we have the Night Journey report in Bukhari and Muslim a part of which says, يُصَلِّى فِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ ، إِذَا خَرَجُوا لَمْ يَعُودُوا إِلَيْهِ آخِرَ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ “Thereat (i.e. at Bayt al-Ma`mur) seventy thousand angels offer prayers every day. After they leave they will never be able to come back again.”
Another report preserved by Ahmad and Tirmidhi, although the latter declared it weak, says, عَنْ أَبِى ذَرٍّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « إِنِّى أَرَى مَا لاَ تَرَوْنَ وَأَسْمَعُ مَا لاَ تَسْمَعُونَ أَطَّتِ السَّمَاءُ وَحُقَّ لَهَا أَنْ تَئِطَّ مَا فِيهَا مَوْضِعُ أَرْبَعِ أَصَابِعَ إِلاَّ وَمَلَكٌ وَاضِعٌ جَبْهَتَهُ سَاجِدًا لِلَّهِ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا أَعْلَمُ لَضَحِكْتُمْ قَلِيلاً وَلَبَكَيْتُمْ كَثِيرًا وَمَا تَلَذَّذْتُمْ بِالنِّسَاءِ عَلَى الْفُرُشِ وَلَخَرَجْتُمْ إِلَى الصُّعُدَاتِ تَجْأَرُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ » On the authority of Abu Dharr, the Prophet said, “I see what you do not see, and hear what you do not hear. The heaven is creaking, and it is right of it that it should creak. There is not a space of four fingers but there is an angel with his forehead on the ground, in prostration before Allah. If you knew what I know, you would have laughed less and cried more, and you would not have laid with women in your beds, but rather you would go out into the open spaces, supplicating to Allah” (Ibn Kathir).
Albani trusted the tradition as trustworthy (Au.).
Thanwi points out that there are other reports that tell us something about the number of angels. One of them preserved by Muslim says, عن عبدالله، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "يؤتى بجهنم يومئذ لها سبعون ألف زمام. مع كل زمام سبعون ألف ملك يجرونها The Prophet said, “Hell will be brought forth with seventy thousand reins, each rein pulled by seventy thousand angels.”
2

6. Qatadah and Mujahid have said that by the pronoun “it” the allusion is to Saqar of verse 34 (Ibn Jarir), being one of the levels of Hell (Razi).
“Hiya” is feminine (rendered here as “it”), that is applicable to Saqar which is also feminine.

كَلَّا وَالْقَمَرِ (32)

(74:32) Nay! By the moon.

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذْ أَدْبَرَ (33)

(74:33) And by the night as it retreats.

وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا أَسْفَرَ (34)

(74:34) And by the morning as it brightens.27

27. Ibn `Ashur comments that the allusion by the three verses above is to the gradual rise of the light of Islam and ultimate fading away of the jahiliyyah.
Sayyid's comment is worth noting:
"The scenes of the moon, of the night when it begins to retreat, and the morning when it brightens up, are scenes that by themselves whisper meanings. They speak several things directly to the human heart; pouring down many secret thoughts into the depth of it; giving rise to several feelings within it. The Qur'an alludes to the secret whisperings and deep feelings of the hearts that it addresses – quite aware of what lies there, deep in its ravines.
Seldom it is that a heart should be conscious of the moon when it appears, when it travels in the azure, and when it disappears … but it should not been affected at all by the scenes, by what they whisper into the hearts, while a little time spent observing the moon can give the feeling of one's heart being bathed by its soothing shine.
Seldom it is that a heart should be conscious of the departing hours of the night, at the quiet hours when the full brightness of the dawn is still away, when the whole of existence opens the eyes to the cures (of the heart), but the heart should not be affected by any feeling at the scene and fail to receive at its depth, flamboyant thoughts and ideas.
Seldom it is that a heart should be conscious of the morning when the brightness has spread, without perceiving a radiance and the feeling of movement from a state to state, preparing him (at the spiritual level) for the glittering blaze that is about to spread in the outside world, as it first enters into the heart.
The Lord who created the human heart is aware of the profound effects that these sceneries have on it, He touches upon it directly, alluding to what thoughts the shining moon, the retreating night, the brightness of the dawn, have on it – bringing it closer to realities of life and existence, and causing awareness of the truths of Revelation."

إِنَّهَا لَإِحْدَى الْكُبَرِ (35)

(74:35) It28 is one of the mighty ones.29

28. Once again, the pronoun is for Saqar (Ibn Jarir from the ancients).

29. That is, Saqar is one of the mighty ones, others being Sa`eer, Jaheem, Hutamah, etc. (Razi).

نَذِيرًا لِلْبَشَرِ (36)

(74:36) A warning to mankind.

لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ أَوْ يَتَأَخَّرَ (37)

(74:37) To whosoever of you choosing to press forward or lag behind.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ (38)

(74:38) Every soul, for what it has earned, is a hostage.30

30. That is, everyone is hostage to his or her deeds. But since the Day of Reckoning will not be the time to pay back with good deeds, the person concerned will have to move on to Hellfire (Au.).

إِلَّا أَصْحَابَ الْيَمِينِ (39)

(74:39) Except the companions of the right hand.31

31. That is, except for those of the right hand, who will not be subjected to reckoning. And who are the ones on the right side? `Ali is reported to have said that the allusion is to children (Ibn Jarir).
Hakim judged Ali’s report as trustworthy (Shawkani).
But the allusion could be to those who were on the right side of Adam when the Prophet visited him in the heaven, or those who will be given their Records in their right hands, which of course does not contradict other opinions (Alusi).
Asad adds: “.. an expression based on the tropical significance of yamin as ‘righteous’, and, consequently, ‘blessedness.’”

فِي جَنَّاتٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ (40)

(74:40) In gardens, inquiring each other.

عَنِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ (41)

(74:41) About the criminals.

مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ (42)

(74:42) What thrust you into Saqar?

قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ (43)

(74:43) They will say, ‘We were not of those who Prayed.

وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَ (44)

(74:44) And were not of those who fed the poor.

وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ الْخَائِضِينَ (45)

(74:45) But we would indulge along with those who indulged.32

32. That is, indulged in such things as prohibited by Allah (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari); or indulged in the Prophet’s person discussing how he could be condemned and his efforts thwarted (Qurtubi).

وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ (46)

(74:46) And would deny the Day of Reckoning.

حَتَّىٰ أَتَانَا الْيَقِينُ (47)

(74:47) Until the Certainty came to us.33

33. That is, death, which is a certainty.

فَمَا تَنْفَعُهُمْ شَفَاعَةُ الشَّافِعِينَ (48)

(74:48) So, the intercession of the intercessors shall profit them not.34

34. This confirms the validity of intercession (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari).
The usage of the words, “intercession of the intercessors” gives rise to the question as to who are the intercessors. In this writer’s knowledge, no commentator dealt with this question. I decided therefore to recount the intercessors, however, in connection with the Hereafter alone. Ahadith explain that the believers, martyrs, Prophets, angels, and Allah Himself will intercede to bring out some of those condemned to Fire. The following hadith mentions a few classes of intercessors, while also touching upon the overarching mercy of Allah. It is from Muslim. It says: عَنْ أَبِى سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِىِّ أَنَّ نَاسًا فِى زَمَنِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ نَرَى رَبَّنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « نَعَمْ ». قَالَ « هَلْ تُضَارُّونَ فِى رُؤْيَةِ الشَّمْسِ بِالظَّهِيرَةِ صَحْوًا لَيْسَ مَعَهَا سَحَابٌ وَهَلْ تُضَارُّونَ فِى رُؤْيَةِ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ صَحْوًا لَيْسَ فِيهَا سَحَابٌ ». قَالُوا لاَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ « مَا تُضَارُّونَ فِى رُؤْيَةِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلاَّ كَمَا تُضَارُّونَ فِى رُؤْيَةِ أَحَدِهِمَا إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ لِيَتَّبِعْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ مَا كَانَتْ تَعْبُدُ. فَلاَ يَبْقَى أَحَدٌ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ غَيْرَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ مِنَ الأَصْنَامِ وَالأَنْصَابِ إِلاَّ يَتَسَاقَطُونَ فِى النَّارِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ مَنْ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ مِنْ بَرٍّ وَفَاجِرٍ وَغُبَّرِ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَيُدْعَى الْيَهُودُ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ قَالُوا كُنَّا نَعْبُدُ عُزَيْرَ ابْنَ اللَّهِ. فَيُقَالُ كَذَبْتُمْ مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِنْ صَاحِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَلَدٍ فَمَاذَا تَبْغُونَ قَالُوا عَطِشْنَا يَا رَبَّنَا فَاسْقِنَا. فَيُشَارُ إِلَيْهِمْ أَلاَ تَرِدُونَ فَيُحْشَرُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ كَأَنَّهَا سَرَابٌ يَحْطِمُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا فَيَتَسَاقَطُونَ فِى النَّارِ. ثُمَّ يُدْعَى النَّصَارَى فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ قَالُوا كُنَّا نَعْبُدُ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ اللَّهِ. فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ كَذَبْتُمْ. مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِنْ صَاحِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَلَدٍ. فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ مَاذَا تَبْغُونَ فَيَقُولُونَ عَطِشْنَا يَا رَبَّنَا فَاسْقِنَا. - قَالَ - فَيُشَارُ إِلَيْهِمْ أَلاَ تَرِدُونَ فَيُحْشَرُونَ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ كَأَنَّهَا سَرَابٌ يَحْطِمُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا فَيَتَسَاقَطُونَ فِى النَّارِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ مَنْ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى مِنْ بَرٍّ وَفَاجِرٍ أَتَاهُمْ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى فِى أَدْنَى صُورَةٍ مِنَ الَّتِى رَأَوْهُ فِيهَا.
قَالَ فَمَا تَنْتَظِرُونَ تَتْبَعُ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ مَا كَانَتْ تَعْبُدُ. قَالُوا يَا رَبَّنَا فَارَقْنَا النَّاسَ فِى الدُّنْيَا أَفْقَرَ مَا كُنَّا إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَمْ نُصَاحِبْهُمْ. فَيَقُولُ أَنَا رَبُّكُمْ. فَيَقُولُونَ نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْكَ لاَ نُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا - مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا - حَتَّى إِنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ لَيَكَادُ أَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ. فَيَقُولُ هَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ آيَةٌ فَتَعْرِفُونَهُ بِهَا فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ. فَيُكْشَفُ عَنْ سَاقٍ فَلاَ يَبْقَى مَنْ كَانَ يَسْجُدُ لِلَّهِ مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ نَفْسِهِ إِلاَّ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِالسُّجُودِ وَلاَ يَبْقَى مَنْ كَانَ يَسْجُدُ اتِّقَاءً وَرِيَاءً إِلاَّ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ ظَهْرَهُ طَبَقَةً وَاحِدَةً كُلَّمَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ خَرَّ عَلَى قَفَاهُ. ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَقَدْ تَحَوَّلَ فِى صُورَتِهِ الَّتِى رَأَوْهُ فِيهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمْ. فَيَقُولُونَ أَنْتَ رَبُّنَا. ثُمَّ يُضْرَبُ الْجِسْرُ عَلَى جَهَنَّمَ وَتَحِلُّ الشَّفَاعَةُ وَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْ سَلِّمْ ». قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا الْجِسْرُ قَالَ « دَحْضٌ مَزِلَّةٌ. فِيهِ خَطَاطِيفُ وَكَلاَلِيبُ وَحَسَكٌ تَكُونُ بِنَجْدٍ فِيهَا شُوَيْكَةٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا السَّعْدَانُ فَيَمُرُّ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ كَطَرْفِ الْعَيْنِ وَكَالْبَرْقِ وَكَالرِّيحِ وَكَالطَّيْرِ وَكَأَجَاوِيدِ الْخَيْلِ وَالرِّكَابِ فَنَاجٍ مُسَلَّمٌ وَمَخْدُوشٌ مُرْسَلٌ وَمَكْدُوسٌ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ. حَتَّى إِذَا خَلَصَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ مِنَ النَّارِ فَوَالَّذِى نَفْسِى بِيَدِهِ مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ بِأَشَدَّ مُنَاشَدَةً لِلَّهِ فِى اسْتِقْصَاءِ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِلَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لإِخْوَانِهِمُ الَّذِينَ فِى النَّارِ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا كَانُوا يَصُومُونَ مَعَنَا وَيُصَلُّونَ وَيَحُجُّونَ. فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَخْرِجُوا مَنْ عَرَفْتُمْ. فَتُحَرَّمُ صُوَرُهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ فَيُخْرِجُونَ خَلْقًا كَثيرًا قَدْ أَخَذَتِ النَّارُ إِلَى نِصْفِ سَاقَيْهِ وَإِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا مَا بَقِىَ فِيهَا أَحَدٌ مِمَّنْ أَمَرْتَنَا بِهِ. فَيَقُولُ ارْجِعُوا فَمَنْ وَجَدْتُمْ فِى قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالَ دِينَارٍ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَأَخْرِجُوهُ. فَيُخْرِجُونَ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا لَمْ نَذَرْ فِيهَا أَحَدًا مِمَّنْ أَمَرْتَنَا. ثُمَّ يَقُولُ ارْجِعُوا فَمَنْ وَجَدْتُمْ فِى قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالَ نِصْفِ دِينَارٍ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَأَخْرِجُوهُ. فَيُخْرِجُونَ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا لَمْ نَذَرْ فِيهَا مِمَّنْ أَمَرْتَنَا أَحَدًا. ثُمَّ يَقُولُ ارْجِعُوا فَمَنْ وَجَدْتُمْ فِى قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَأَخْرِجُوهُ. فَيُخْرِجُونَ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا لَمْ نَذَرْ فِيهَا خَيْرًا ». وَكَانَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِىُّ يَقُولُ إِنْ لَمْ تُصَدِّقُونِى بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فَاقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ (إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ وَإِنْ تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَاعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِنْ لَدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا) « فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَفَعَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَشَفَعَ النَّبِيُّونَ وَشَفَعَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ فَيَقْبِضُ قَبْضَةً مِنَ النَّارِ فَيُخْرِجُ مِنْهَا قَوْمًا لَمْ يَعْمَلُوا خَيْرًا قَطُّ قَدْ عَادُوا حُمَمًا فَيُلْقِيهِمْ فِى نَهْرٍ فِى أَفْوَاهِ الْجَنَّةِ يُقَالُ لَهُ نَهْرُ الْحَيَاةِ فَيَخْرُجُونَ كَمَا تَخْرُجُ الْحِبَّةُ فِى حَمِيلِ السَّيْلِ أَلاَ تَرَوْنَهَا تَكُونُ إِلَى الْحَجَرِ أَوْ إِلَى الشَّجَرِ مَا يَكُونُ إِلَى الشَّمْسِ أُصَيْفِرُ وَأُخَيْضِرُ وَمَا يَكُونُ مِنْهَا إِلَى الظِّلِّ يَكُونُ أَبْيَضَ ». فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَأَنَّكَ كُنْتَ تَرْعَى بِالْبَادِيَةِ قَالَ « فَيَخْرُجُونَ كَاللُّؤْلُؤِ فِى رِقَابِهِمُ الْخَوَاتِمُ يَعْرِفُهُمْ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ هَؤُلاَءِ عُتَقَاءُ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ أَدْخَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ عَمَلٍ عَمِلُوهُ وَلاَ خَيْرٍ قَدَّمُوهُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ فَمَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ.
فَيَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَعْطَيْتَنَا مَا لَمْ تُعْطِ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْعَالَمِينَ. فَيَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِنْدِى أَفْضَلُ مِنْ هَذَا فَيَقُولُونَ يَا رَبَّنَا أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ هَذَا. فَيَقُولُ رِضَاىَ فَلاَ أَسْخَطُ عَلَيْكُمْ بَعْدَهُ أَبَدًا ». (صحيح مسلم)
On the authority of Abu Sa`id al-Khudri, the Prophet was asked, “Messenger of Allah, shall we be able to see our Lord on the Day of Judgment?” He answered, “Very much so.” Then he added, “Do you doubt sighting the sun at noon in a clear sky? Do you doubt seeing the full moon in a cloudless sky?” They said no. He said, “You will not doubt seeing Allah on the Day of Judgment any more than you doubt seeing one of the two (mentioned above).
A caller will call on the Day of Judgment, ‘Let every people follow that which they were worshipping.’ No one will be left of those who worshipped other than Allah of the worshippers of idols and graven images but they would fall upon each other into the Fire (following their deities leading them), until none is left but those who worshipped Allah alone comprising of the pious and the impious. The People of the Book will be left too.
The Jews will be asked, ‘Who is it that you were worshipping?’ They will reply, ‘We were worshipping `Uzayr, the son of God.’ They will be told, ‘You have lied. Allah did not take a spouse, nor a son. In any case, what is it that you want now?’ They will say, ‘We are thirsty Our lord. Give us a drink.’ They will be pointed (to a drink and told), will you not go to that source of drink?’ They will be gathered together near a Fire that will appear as a mirage, waves upon waves. They will fall into the Fire one upon another.
Then the Christians will be called and asked, ‘Who is it that you were worshipping?’ They will reply, ‘We were worshipping Jesus Christ, the son of God.’ They will be told, ‘You have lied. Allah did not take a spouse, nor a son. In any case, what is it that you want now?’ They will say, ‘We are thirsty our Lord. Give us a drink.’ They will be pointed (to a drink and told), will you not go to that source of drink?’ They will be gathered together near a Fire that will appear as a mirage, waves upon waves. They will fall into the Fire one upon another.
When none is left but those who had been worshipping Allah alone, the pious and the impious, the Lord of the worlds, the Blessed, the Exalted, will appear in a form other than the form in which they had known Him. He will ask, ‘What are you waiting for? Let every nation follow what it worshipped.’ They will reply, ‘Our Lord. We parted company with those in the world at a time we needed their company most, yet never took their company.’ He will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will answer, ‘Allah’s refuge from you. We shall not associate aught with Allah’ – twice or thrice, until some of them would be close to turning back. He will ask, ‘Is there a sign between you and Him by which you could recognize Him?’ They will answer, ‘Yes.’ At that point the shank will be bared. Then none will remain who had prostrated himself to Allah by his free will, but will be allowed prostration; and none will remain who prostrated to show off, or in hypocrisy, but Allah will transform his back into a single plate. Every time he wishes to prostrate, he would fall backward. Then they will raise their heads. In the meanwhile, He would have changed to the form in which they saw Him the first time and will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say, ‘Yes, You are our Lord.’
Then the Bridge will be laid on Jahannum, intercession will be allowed, and people will say, ‘O Allah, save (us), save (us).’ The Companions asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what is the Bridge?’ He replied, ‘A slippery (thing) on which are spikes, snatchers, pincers, and tough thorny thistle (plant) of the type that grows in Najd known there as Sa`dan. The believers will cross it in the blink of an eye, like lightning, like the wind, like the birds, like fast horses, like the mounted ones. Thus, (there would be the) escapee unhurt, the spiked but who crossed, and the one pushed into the Fire of Jahannum.
When the believers have escaped the Fire, then, by Him in whose hands is my life, none of you will be less than any other believer in seeking to release their brothers from the Fire. They will say, ‘O our Lord. They used to fast with us, offer Prayers, and perform Hajj!’ They will be told, ‘Take out those you know.’ Their faces will be prohibited to the Fire, so they will remove many of such people whom the Fire would have eaten up to half of their calves, or their knees. They will say, ‘O Lord, none is left as described by You.’ He will say, ‘Return and bring out any one with any good of the weight of a Dinar in his heart.’ So they will remove a huge number of creation and say, ‘O Lord, we have left none there whom You described us.’ He will say, ‘Return and whomsoever you find who has an atom-weight of good in him – remove him.’ So they will remove a lot of creation and say, ‘Our Lord, we have left none who had any good in him.’
At this point Abu Sa`id al-Khudri used to say, ‘Read if you feel like, Allah’s words (4: 40), “Surely, Allah does not wrong (anyone) even so much as by an atom. Rather, if there were to be a good (deed) He shall double it up and shall bestow from Himself a great reward.”
Allah will say, ‘Angels, prophets and believers have interceded, and none is left but the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’ Then He will scoop out a handful and bring out a people who never did any good, ever. They would have become charcoals. He will dip them in the springs at the entrances to Paradise, called the Spring of Life. They will start growing like the grain grows in the passages of the floods; you might have seen them by the side of a stone or a tree, that which faces the sun yellowish green, while that which is in the shade is whitish.’ (They remarked, ‘Messenger of Allah, as if you were brought up in the deserts’). He continued, ‘So, they will emerge as if they are pearls, with rings in their necks. The dwellers of Paradise will know them as Allah’s freed ones whom Allah admitted into Paradise without they ever attempting any virtue, nor sending forward any good.’
He will tell them, ‘Enter Paradise, and whatever you can see there, is yours.’ They will say, ‘Our Lord. You have given us what You have not given anyone else in the worlds.’ He will say, ‘I have for you something better than this.’ They will ask, ‘Our Lord, what can be better than this?’ He will answer, ‘My rida (approval). I shall never be angry with you anytime again.’
Our Prophet will enjoy the Great Intercession (see Surah al-Isra’ note 133 for the concerned hadith). Here are two ahadith in reference to our Prophet’s intercession. عَنْ .. أَنَسًا - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِىَّ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يَقُولُ « إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ شُفِّعْتُ ، فَقُلْتُ يَا رَبِّ أَدْخِلِ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِى قَلْبِهِ خَرْدَلَةٌ . فَيَدْخُلُونَ ، ثُمَّ أَقُولُ أَدْخِلِ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِى قَلْبِهِ أَدْنَى شَىْءٍ » . (البخاري) Anas says he heard the Prophet say, "I shall intercede and say, 'My Lord. Admit into Paradise any one who has a grain of (of faith).' So, they will be admitted. Then I will say, '(My Lord). Admit into Paradise any one who has the littlest (of faith) in his heart" (Bukhari). عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- شَفَاعَتِى لأَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ مِنْ أُمَّتِى (صحيح - سنن الترمذى) Anas reported the Prophet as having said, "My intercession will be for those who committed major sins."
Here is a hadith pertaining to Ibrahim’s intercession (peace upon him): عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : يَقُولُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ : يَا رَبَّاهُ ، فَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ جَلَّ وَعَلاَ : يَا لَبَّيْكَاهُ ، فَيَقُولُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ : يَا رَبِّ حَرَّقْتَ بَنِيَّ ، فَيَقُولُ : أَخْرِجُوا مِنَ النَّارِ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ ذَرَّةٌ أَوْ شَعِيرَةٌ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ. (صحيح ابن حبان) Hudhayfa reports the Prophet, “Ibrahim (asws) will say on the Day of Judgment, ‘My Lord.’ The Lord the Most High will answer, ‘Here I am.’ Ibrahim will say, ‘My Lord. You have burned my progeny.’ He will order, ‘Bring out of the Fire every one who has the littlest of faith in his heart.’”
Martyrs will also intercede: المقدام بن معدي كرب - رضي الله عنه - أن رسولَ الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قال : «لِلشَّهيد عندَ الله ستُّ خِصال : يَغْفِرُ الله له في أول دُفْعَة ، ويُرَى مَقْعَده من الجنة ، ويُجارُ من عذاب القبر ، ويأمَنُ مِنَ الفزَعِ الأكبر ويُوضَعُ على رأسه تاج الوقار، الياقُوتةُ منه خير من الدنيا وما فيها ، ويزوَّج ثنتين وسبعين زوجة من الحور العين ، ويُشفَّع في سبعين من أقاربه». أخرجه الترمذي.[ إسناده صحيح] Miqdam b. Ma`di Karab (ra) reported the Prophet as having said, "The martyr enjoys six advantages: Allah forgives him in the very first instance (of martyrdom); he is shown his place in Paradise and is rescued from punishment in the grave; he will be in peace at the time of the Great Terror (when the Trumpet is blown); a crown of Reverence will be placed on his head, whose pearl will be better than the world and what it contains; he will be paired with seventy wide, black eyed spouses; and he will intercede for seventy of his kinsfolk."
Renowned individuals will also be allowed to intercede. We have a hadith in this connection. The Prophet said, « يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ بِشَفَاعَةِ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِى أَكْثَرُ مِنْ بَنِى تَمِيمٍ ». قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ سِوَاكَ قَالَ « سِوَاىَ ». قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى (الترمذى) هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ “By the intercession of a person of my Ummah, more people will enter Paradise than the population of Banu Tameem.” He was asked, “(Will he be) other than you?” He answered, “Other than me.”
Those will be allowed to intercede whose Hajj was accepted: فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى .. فَيُبَاهِي بِكُمُ الْمَلائِكَةَ (يوم العرفة و) ، يَقُولُ: عِبَادِي جَاءُونِي شُعْثًا مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ يَرْجُونَ جَنَّتِي ، (وفيه) أَفِيضُوا عِبَادِي مَغْفُورًا لَكُمْ وَلِمَنْ شَفَعْتُمْ لَهُ .. وقال الهيثمي في "المجمع": رواه البزار ورجاله موثقون. It is reported in connection with Hajj that Allah says on the day of `Arafah, "My slaves have come from every deep ravine hoping for My Paradise .. scatter now My slaves, forgiven, and whoever you intercede for …"
The Qur’an will also intercede, especially Surah al-Baqarah and Aal-`Imran: أَبُو أُمَامَةَ الْبَاهِلِىُّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ « اقْرَءُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ شَفِيعًا لأَصْحَابِهِ اقْرَءُوا الزَّهْرَاوَيْنِ الْبَقَرَةَ وَسُورَةَ آلِ عِمْرَانَ فَإِنَّهُمَا تَأْتِيَانِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَمَامَتَانِ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَيَايَتَانِ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا فِرْقَانِ مِنْ طَيْرٍ صَوَافَّ تُحَاجَّانِ عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِمَا اقْرَءُوا سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَإِنَّ أَخْذَهَا بَرَكَةٌ وَتَرْكَهَا حَسْرَةٌ وَلاَ تَسْتَطِيعُهَا الْبَطَلَةُ ». قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بَلَغَنِى أَنَّ الْبَطَلَةَ السَّحَرَةُ. (صحيح مسلم) Abu Umama al-Bahili reported the Prophet as having said, "Recite the Qur'an because it is going to appear on the Judgment Day as an intercessor for those who recite it. Read the two roses: Al-Baqarah and Aal-`Imran, for they will appear on the Judgment Day as clouds or as two flight of birds with outspread wings, arguing in favor of those who recited them. Recite surah al-Baqarah for holding on to it is a source of barakah, ignoring which is a matter of remorse, and the magicians have no power over it."
Muslim children who died before attaining puberty will also intercede for their parents: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمَيْنِ يَمُوتُ لَهُمَا ثَلَاثَةُ أَوْلَادٍ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا الْحِنْثَ إِلَّا أَدْخَلَهُمَا اللَّهُ وَإِيَّاهُمْ بِفَضْلِ رَحْمَتِهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَقَالَ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ فَيَقُولُونَ حَتَّى يَجِيءَ أَبَوَانَا قَالَ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَيَقُولُونَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ أَنْتُمْ وَأَبَوَاكُمْ - مسند أحمد بن حنبل، تعليق شعيب الأرنؤوط : إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين On Abu Hurayrah's authority, the Prophet said, "There are no two Muslims (parents) whose three sons die before maturity but they will admit them and the two into Paradise by His grace. They will be told, 'Enter the Paradise.' They will say, "(Not) until our parents arrive.' They will be told that three times, with they replying in the same manner, until they are told, 'Enter the Paradise, you and your parents.'"
Here is another of the above class and a beautiful one: عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ قُرَّةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ رَجُلًا كَانَ يَأْتِي النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَعَهُ ابْنٌ لَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَتُحِبُّهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَحَبَّكَ اللَّهُ كَمَا أُحِبُّهُ فَفَقَدَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ لِي مَا فَعَلَ ابْنُ فُلَانٍ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَاتَ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِأَبِيهِ أَمَا تُحِبُّ أَنْ لَا تَأْتِيَ بَابًا مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ إِلَّا وَجَدْتَهُ يَنْتَظِرُكَ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَهُ خَاصَّةً أَمْ لِكُلِّنَا قَالَ بَلْ لِكُلِّكُمْ - مسند أحمد بن حنبل - تعليق شعيب الأرنؤوط : إسناده صحيح Mu`awiyyah b. Qurrah reports his father that a man used to come to the Prophet along with his son. On one occasion the Prophet asked him, "Do you love your son?" He replied, "Messenger of Allah, may Allah love you the way I love him." Then the Prophet missed him after a while and so asked, "Whatever happened to the son of so and so?" They said, "Messenger of Allah he died." He told his father (when he came), "Do you not approve of it that you do not arrive at any door to Paradise but you find him waiting for you there?" The man asked, "Messenger of Allah, is it especially for me, or common to all?" He replied, "Common to you all."
However, certain class of believers will not be allowed to intercede: عَنْ أَبِى الدَّرْدَاءِ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ « إِنَّ اللَّعَّانِينَ لاَ يَكُونُونَ شُهَدَاءَ وَلاَ شُفَعَاءَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ». (صحيح مسلم) Abu Darda' said that he heard the Prophet say, "Those who curse a lot will never be of the witnesses on Judgment Day nor will they be intercessors.”

فَمَا لَهُمْ عَنِ التَّذْكِرَةِ مُعْرِضِينَ (49)

(74:49) So, what is the matter with them that they turn away from the admonition?

كَأَنَّهُمْ حُمُرٌ مُسْتَنْفِرَةٌ (50)

(74:50) As if they are affrighted donkeys.

فَرَّتْ مِنْ قَسْوَرَةٍ (51)

(74:51) Fleeing from a lion.35

35. Although a few scholars have explained “qaswarah” as archers, or hunters, Abu Hurayrah and others said that the allusion is to lions (Ibn Jarir).
Since there were no forests in Arabia, nor the Arabs ever went to Africa to hunt, it might be assumed with fair amount of accuracy that the allusion is to donkeys wildly fleeing a lion, a sight not visible to man until photography was developed. This is but a beautiful description of donkeys fleeing away from the Prophet, then, as even now into later times. It is also a proof of his authenticity since neither he nor any of the Arabs could have witnessed a pack of donkeys fleeing a lion (Au.).

بَلْ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُؤْتَىٰ صُحُفًا مُنَشَّرَةً (52)

(74:52) But rather, every man of them desires to be given scrolls unrolled.36

36. That is, each one of the Quraysh chieftains demanded that if the Prophet was truly addressed, they too should be addressed, individually, confirming that he was indeed a Messenger, and that they too have been forgiven their sins, if any, inscribed in a parchment, to be discovered under their pillows, one fine morning; the parchment so fresh from heaven, and so raw, as not even rolled (Alusi).

كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ لَا يَخَافُونَ الْآخِرَةَ (53)

(74:53) Nay, but rather, they fear not the Hereafter.

كَلَّا إِنَّهُ تَذْكِرَةٌ (54)

(74:54) Nay, this surely is an exhortation.37

37. That is, this Qur’an (Ibn Jarir).

فَمَنْ شَاءَ ذَكَرَهُ (55)

(74:55) So, whosoever wished, may remember it.

وَمَا يَذْكُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوَىٰ وَأَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ (56)

(74:56) But, they will not remember, except that Allah should will.38 He is worthy of fear, Lord of forgiveness.39

38. None has the power to do anything of his choice, except that Allah should allow him first. It is He who confers the power to man to do what he wills, before he can successfully accomplishes it (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, and others); and the word dhikr as used here, is for Divine inducement (tawfiq) which is granted by Allah to him who deserves it, for the hearts are between the two Fingers of the All-merciful, He turns them as He will. When He knows of the sincerity of a slave, He turns him to obedience. Of course, the slave himself does not know what Allah has willed for him. This is of the Unseen, which remains invisible to him (throughout his life). But he knows what is it that his Lord requires of him. This is something that has been made clear to him. When pure intentions are adopted by the heart, intending to do what Allah has made incumbent on the individual, Allah helps the individual and guides him in accordance with His unrestricted will (Sayyid).
We might add the following verses (4: 78-79) which explain very well the subject: {وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُوا هَذِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَقُولُوا هَذِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ قُلْ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ فَمَالِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثًا (78) مَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَ [النساء: 78، 79] "If a good thing happens to them, they say, ‘This is from Allah.’ But when an evil befalls them they say, ‘This is from you (O Muhammad). Tell them, ‘Everything is from Allah.’ What then is the matter with these people that they come nowhere near to understanding the discourse? Whatever good happens to you, it is from Allah. And whatever evil befalls you, it is from your own self" – (Au.).
Another possible meaning is that the decision of the Makkan unbelievers not to believe is so firm that nothing will make them believe except that Allah Himself should force them to it (Zamakhshari).

39. Ibn `Ahsur offers a nice poetical stanza here which he says he took from Kashshaf. It says: أَلا يَا ارْحَمُونِي يَا إله مُحَمَّد
فإن لم أكُنْ أهْلاً فأنت له أهل Lo! Show me mercy O the Lord of Muhammad
If I am not deserving of it, You are deserving of (exercising) it.