Surah Al-Infitar

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The Rending

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

This chapter is called Surah Al-Infitar and the name has been taken from its first verse, where it talks about the splitting and tearing of the sky in the threshold of the Day of Judgement. [1] [2] This chapter is also referred to as Surah Al-Infatarat. [3]

Chapter Number

Surah Al-Infitaar is the 82nd chapter of the Holy Quran, and it was revealed after Surah Al-Naziaat. [4]

Number of Verses

This chapter has 19 verses. [5] [6]

Place of Revelation

There is a consensus amongst the commentators that this chapter was revealed in Mecca, especially since it refers to the circumstances around the Day of Judgement. There is no difference in opinion about the whereabouts on the revelation of this chapter. [7] [6]

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verses 1-5

Reference to the dreadful events about the end of this world, and the beginning of the foundations for the Day of Judgement. The first few verses of this chapter mention several incidences that will occur as signs of the coming of the Day of Judgement, and the nearing of mankind’s accounts - such as the splitting and tearing of the sky, the dispersal of the stars, the joining of the seas, the turnover of the graves and the ejection of bodies. [7] [8]

====Verses 6-8====Reference to the disobedience of man in front of their Lord; and the creation of man. These verses refer to the haughtiness of mankind with regard to their Lord who created them as the best of creations. [9] [7] [8] [6]

Verses 9-12

Mentions about the denial of the Day of Judgement and the recording of man’s deeds by the angels. These verses mention man’s denial about the day of reward and punishment, and also the angels who are the writers of man’s deeds and their keepers. [10] [11] [12] [13]

Verses 13-19

A description about the end of the good doers and the bad doers and the Day of Judgement; and the ownership of Allah on that Day. These verses speak about the entering of the good doers into the eternal heaven, and the entering of the bad doers into the eternal hell. It specifically talks about the dreadful Day of Judgement and the dissolution of all ownership on that Day except the ownership of Allah. [10] [14] [15] [16]

Controversial Verses in this Chapter

Verse 7

“Who created you and proportioned you, and gave you an upright nature.”

الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ٧

Some commentators have taken this verse to mean (physically) standing upright and as such they say: “…who created you;” and that Allah created you from a sperm while you were nothing, “…and gave you an upright nature.” Then He made you an upright human being so that you may hear and see; “…and proportioned you” that He made you well-proportioned. [7] [8] Some other commentators take adjustment and proportion in this verse to mean in terms of body parts. As such, they say that this sentence shows the duality of Allah’s Lordship and generosity; and one of their interpretations of this is that He created man with all of the parts for his existence. Thereafter, He proportioned them and upon the basis of wisdom, he placed each body part in an appropriate position, and placed them in balance and equilibrium. Allah, the Almighty imparted these blessings without wanting anything in return, and man’s ungratefulness is not an obstacle to His continued mercy. [9] [17]

Verses 10-12

“Indeed, there are over you watchers, noble writers, who know whatever you do.”

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ١٠ كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ١١ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ١٢

The deeds of man are preserved by another avenue rather than just the remembrance of the doer of the deed, and that is through the recording of man’s good and bad deeds by the angels. Throughout the lives of every person, angels are appointed upon each human being. The rewards and punishments of a person’s deeds are upon this criterion. “Noble writers” are preservers who possess greatness and respect near Allah. This description is indicative of the infallibility of the angels. The intended meaning of writing the word Katibeen is the recording of deeds, therefore Allah says, “…who know whatever you do.” These angels know of all your actions - whether they are committed through compulsion or reasoning, and whether they are performed openly or in hiding. [11] [18] [13] Zamakhshari says that this verse is a warning for the sinners and good tidings for the believers. [10]

Discussions on this Chapter

According to the Sunni Traditions

Verses 7 and 8: “Who created you and proportioned you, and gave you an upright nature, and composed you in any form that He wished?”

الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ٧ فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ مَا شَاءَ رَكَّبَكَ٨ قال ابن جریر حدثنی محمد بن سنان القزاز حدثنا مطهر بن الهیثم حدثنا موسی بن علی بن رباح حدثنی أبی عن جدی أن رسول الله قال له ما ولد لک قال یا رسول بالله ما عسی ان یولد لی إما غلام وإما جاریة قال فمن یشبه قال یا رسول الله من عسی أن یشبه إما أباه وإما أمه فقال النبی عندها مه لا تقولن هکذا إن النطفة إذا استقرت فی الرحم أحضرها الله تعالی کل نسب بین‌ها وبین آدم أما قرأت هذه الآیة فی کتاب الله تعالی ) فی أی صورة ما شاء رکبک

Ibn Jarir says that Muhammad ibn Sinan al-Qazzaz narrates from Mutahhar ibn al-Haytham, who narrates from Musa ibn Ali ibn Ribah, from his father, from his grandfather that the Prophet of Allah said: “There is no child for you.” The man said, “O Prophet of Allah, I desire a child for myself, whether it is a boy or a girl.” The Prophet asked him: “Do you want your child to be similar?” He replied that he wanted the child to be similar to his mother or father.” The Prophet told him: “Do not say such because when the clot takes hold in the womb, Allah gives any relation between him and Adam.” Then he continued: “Have you not read this verse where Allah says ‘and composed you in any form that He wished?’ that is, between you and Adam.” [19] [20]

عن مجاهد عن ابن عباس قال قال رسول الله إن الله ینهاکم عن التعری فاستحییوا من ملائکة الله الذین معکم الکرام الکاتبین الذین لا یفارقونکم إلا عند إحدی ثلاث حالات الغائط والجنابة والغسل فإذا اغتسل أحدکم بالعراء فلیستتر بثوبه أو بجرم حائط أو ببعیره

It has been narrated from Mujaahid, from Ibn Abbas who quotes the Prophet of Allah as having said, “Surely Allah has forbidden you from nudity so be shy from the angels of Allah who are the Holy Scribes for you, who do not separate from you except in one of three states: when you are passing excrement, when you are in the state of ritual impurity, and when you are taking a ritual bath. When one of you showers while bare, he must cover (himself) with a garment or be behind a wall or…” [21]

According to the Shia Traditions

عَنِ الْحُسَینِ بْنِ أَبِی الْعَلَاءِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع یقُولُ مَنْ قَرَأَ هَاتَینِ السُّورَتَینِ وَ جَعَلَهُمَا نُصْبَ عَینِهِ فِی صَلَاةِ الْفَرِیضَةِ وَ النَّافِلَةِ لَمْ یحْجُبْهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ حَاجَةٍ وَ لَمْ یحْجُزْهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَاجِزٌ وَ لَمْ یزَلْ ینْظُرُ إِلَیهِ حَتَّی یفْرُغَ مِنْ حِسَابِ النَّاس

It has been narrated from Husayn ibn Abu al-Ala who quotes Abu Abdillah as having said: “Whoever recites these two chapters (what are these 2 surahs??) and ordains them in one’s obligatory and recommended prayers, Allah will not hide his requests, nor will He deny him access, nor will He let him fall in the eyes of those who observe him - even if he is empty according to man’s accounting.” [22]


Verse 5: “Then a soul shall know what it has sent ahead and left behind.”

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ وَأَخَّرَتْ٥ عن حذیفة: فَقَالَ النَّبِی ص مَنِ اسْتَنَّ خَیراً فَاسْتُنَّ بِهِ فَلَهُ أَجْرُه وَ مِثْلُ أُجُورِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ مِنْ غَیرِ مُنْتَقَصٍ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ وَ مَنِ اسْتَنَّ شَرّاً فَاسْتُنَّ بِهِ فَعَلَیهِ وِزْرُهُ وَ مِثْلُ أَوْزَارِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ مِنْ غَیرِ مُنْتَقَصٍ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ قَالَ فَتَلَا حُذَیفَةُ بْنُ الْیمَانِ عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ ما قَدَّمَتْ وَ أَخَّرَت

Hudayfah quotes the Prophet as having said: “Whoever follows a good tradition, and he himself acts upon it - for him is the reward of the action and the reward of those who follow him, and the reward for those who follow him is not lessened. But whoever follows a bad tradition, and he himself acts on it, he has the inconvenience of his own action, and the trouble of those who follow him, and the outcome of those who follow him is not lessened.” After narrating these words, he recited this verse: ‘Then a soul shall know what it has sent ahead and left behind.’” [23]

References

  1. ↑ Fadhl ibn Hasan Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Volume 10, Page 679
  2. ↑ Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Volume 20, Page 223
  3. ↑ Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Volume 10, Page 679
  4. ↑ Mahmud Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil (1986), Volume 4, Page 714
  5. ↑ Ismail ibn Umar ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim (1998), Volume 4, Page 482
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Volume 20, Page 223
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim (1998), Volume 4, Page 482
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Volume 10, Page 682
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil (1986), Volume 4, Page 716
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil (1986), Volume 4, Page 717
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim (1998), Volume 4, Page 483
  12. ↑ Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Volume 10, Page 683
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Volume 20, Page 226
  14. ↑ Ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim (1998), Volume 4, Page 484
  15. ↑ Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Volume 10, Page 684
  16. ↑ Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Volume 20, Page 228
  17. ↑ Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Volume 20, Page 225
  18. ↑ Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Volume 10, Page 683
  19. ↑ Ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim (1998), Page 482
  20. ↑ Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Page 682
  21. ↑ Ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim (1998), Page 483
  22. ↑ Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Page 679
  23. ↑ Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Page 228


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