Surah Al-Qiyamah

The Resurrection

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

The name of this chapter is Surah Al-Qiyamah and it has been taken from its first verse which mentions the Day of Resurrection.

Chapter Number

Surah Al-Qiyamah is the 75th chapter of the Quran.

Number of Verses

This chapter contains 40 verses.

Place of Revelation

This surah was revealed in Mecca.

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verses 6-13

Description of the signs of the Day of Resurrection. These verses give news about the Day of Resurrection and describe the signs and events which will take place on that day.

Verses 20-25

Description of the characteristics of the good and evil doers on the Day of Resurrection.

Verses 26-30

Mentioning the circumstances at the time of death and the journey from this world to the next. These verses explain the circumstances surrounding someone in the state of dying, and the hardships that a person will face while leaving this world and moving on to the next.

Verses 36-40

Mentioning the purpose of creation of man and its connection with the resurrection. By describing how man was created, the concluding verses of this chapter refute those who think that the Day of Resurrection is improbable. These verses present the argument that since Allah had the power to create man from nothing in the beginning, He certainly has the power to bring man back on the Day of Resurrection.

Discussions on this Chapter

According to the Sunni Traditions

Benefits of Reciting this Surah

عن رسول‌الله صلی‌الله علیه و سلم: «من قرأ سورة القیامة شهدت له أنا و جبریل یوم القیامة أنه کان مؤمنا بیوم القیامة

Prophet Muhammad has said: “A person who recites Surah al-Qiyamah, Jibrail and I will bear witness for him on the Day of Resurrection that certainly he believed in the Day of Resurrection.”

According to the Shia Traditions

Benefits of Reciting this Surah

عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: مَنْ أَدْمَنَ قِرَاءَةَ لا أُقْسِمُ وَ کانَ یعْمَلُ بِهَا بَعَثَهُ الله عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَعَ رسول‌الله ص مِنْ قَبْرِهِ فِی أَحْسَنِ صُورَةٍ وَ یبَشِّرُهُ وَ یضْحَک فِی وَجْهِهِ حَتَّی یجُوزَ عَلَی الصِّرَاطِ وَ الْمِیزَان

Abu Baseer narrates from Abu Jafar that: “Whoever devotes himself to reciting Surah al-Qiyamah and acts on it, Allah will raise him from his grave accompanied by the Prophet of Allah with the most beautiful face. He (the Prophet) will give him good news and he will have a smile on his face until he passes the siraat and the mizaan.” Verses 14 and 15: “Rather man is a witness to himself, though he should offer his excuses.”

بَلِ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌ١٤ وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ١٥ عَنْ عُمَر بْنِ یزِیدَ قَالَ: إِنِّی لَأَتَعَشَّی مَعَ أَبِی عَبْدِ الله إِذْ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآیةَ- بَلِ الْإِنْسانُ عَلی نَفْسِهِ بَصِیرَةٌ وَ لَوْ أَلْقی مَعاذِیرَهُ یا أَبَا حَفْصٍ مَا یصْنَعُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَنْ یتَقَرَّبَ إِلَی الله عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِخِلَافِ مَا یعْلَمُ الله تَعَالَی- إِنَّ رسول‌الله ص کانَ یقُولُ مَنْ أَسَرَّ سَرِیرَةً رَدَّاهُ الله رِدَاءَهَا إِنْ خَیراً فَخَیرٌ وَ إِنْ شَرّاً فَشَرٌّ

Umar ibn Yazeed said: “I was having dinner with Abu Abdillah when suddenly he recited these verses ‘Rather man is a witness to himself, though he should offer his excuses’ and then he said: ‘Oh Abu Hafs, [these excuses are] whatever people make up to get closer to Allah, while in reality they are in opposition to what Allah knows. Surely, the Prophet of Allah would say: ‘Whoever hides a secret, Allah destroys/covers him with the secret’s clothing. If he is good, then [he will be covered with something] good; but if he is evil, then [he will be covered with something] evil.’’”

عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ الله قَالَ: مَا یصْنَعُ أَحَدُکمْ أَنْ یظْهِرَ حَسَناً وَ یسِرَّ سَیئاً أَ لَیسَ إِذَا رَجَعَ إِلَی نَفْسِهِ یعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لَیسَ کذَلِک وَ الله سُبْحَانَهُ یقُولُ بَلِ الْإِنْسانُ عَلی نَفْسِهِ بَصِیرَةٌ إِنَّ السَّرِیرَةَ إِذَا صَلَحَتْ قَوِیتِ الْعَلَانِیةُ

Muhammad ibn Muslim narrates from Abu Abdillah: “Whatever one of you try to do to show off good deeds and cover faults, isn’t it the case that when someone thinks to himself, deep down he knows that what he is making up is not true? Allah says ‘Rather man is a witness to himself.’ Certainly, if a secret should be kept, openness will be strengthened.” Verses 27-30: “And it is said, ‘Who will take him up?’ And he knows that it is the [time of] parting, and each shank clasps the other shank, that day he shall be driven towards your Lord.”

وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ٢٧ وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ الْفِرَاقُ٢٨ وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ٢٩ إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ٣٠ فی الکافی، بإسناده جَابِر عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله تَبَارَک وَ تَعَالَی وَ قِیلَ مَنْ راقٍ وَ ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ الْفِراقُ قَالَ فَإِنَّ ذَلِک ابْنُ آدَمَ إِذَا حَلَّ بِهِ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ هَلْ مِنْ طَبِیبٍ إِنَّهُ الْفِرَاقُ أَیقَنَ بِمُفَارَقَةِ الْأَحِبَّةِ قَالَ وَ الْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ الْتَفَّتِ الدُّنْیا بِالْآخِرَةِ ثُمَ إِلی رَبِّک یوْمَئِذٍ الْمَساقُ قَالَ الْمَصِیرُ إِلَی رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ

It has been reported in Al-Kafi with a chain of transmission from Jabir from Abu Jafar where he says: “I asked him about the words of Allah, ‘and it is said, ‘Who will take him up?’ And he knows that it is the [time of] parting.’ He replied: ‘Surely this is [referring to] the children of Adam when they are close to death. [The person near death will say] ‘Is there anyone that can help me?’ [This is when] death is near and he is certain about being separated from his loved ones. ‘And each shank clasps the other shank.’ The physical world is [very close] to the hereafter [as if they are connected]. ‘That day he shall be driven towards your Lord.’ The ending is towards the Lord of the worlds.’”