Tafseer: A Description of Events From Death to Your Final Abode

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وَجَاءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَعَهَا سَائِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ [21] لَقَدْ كُنْتَ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِنْ هَٰذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنْكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ [22] وَقَالَ قَرِينُهُ هَٰذَا مَا لَدَيَّ عَتِيدٌ [23] أَلْقِيَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ [24] مَنَّاعٍ لِلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ مُرِيبٍ [25] الَّذِي جَعَلَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ فَأَلْقِيَاهُ فِي الْعَذَابِ الشَّدِيدِ [26] قَالَ قَرِينُهُ رَبَّنَا مَا أَطْغَيْتُهُ وَلَٰكِنْ كَانَ فِي ضَلَالٍ بَعِيدٍ [27] قَالَ لَا تَخْتَصِمُوا لَدَيَّ وَقَدْ قَدَّمْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ بِالْوَعِيدِ [28] مَا يُبَدَّلُ الْقَوْلُ لَدَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ[29] يَوْمَ نَقُولُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلِ امْتَلَأْتِ وَتَقُولُ هَلْ مِنْ مَزِيدٍ [30] وَأُزْلِفَتِ الْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ [31] هَٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٍ [32] مَنْ خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَجَاءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُنِيبٍ [33] ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَامٍ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ [34] لَهُمْ مَا يَشَاءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيْنَا مَزِيدٌ[35] وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ بَطْشًا فَنَقَّبُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ هَلْ مِنْ مَحِيصٍ [36]إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ [37]

19. And the stupor of death will come in truth: "This is what you have been avoiding!"
20. And the Trumpet will be blown, that will be the Day whereof warning (had been given) (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).
21. And every person will come forth along with an (angel) to drive (him), and an (angel) to bear witness.
22. (It will be said to the sinners): "Indeed you were heedless of this, now We have removed your covering, and sharp is your sight this Day!"
23. And his companion (angel) will say: "Here is (this Record) ready with me!"
24. (And it will be said): "Both of you throw (Order from Allah to the two angels) into Hell, every stubborn disbeliever (in the Oneness of Allah, in His Messengers, etc.).
25. "Hinderer of good, transgressor, doubter,
26. "Who set up another ilah (god) with Allah, then (both of you) cast him in the severe torment."
27. His companion (Satan devil)] will say: "Our Lord! I did not push him to transgress, (in disbelief, oppression, and evil deeds) but he was himself in error far astray."
28. Allah will say: "Dispute not in front of Me, I had already, in advance, sent you the threat.
29. The Sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed, and I am not unjust (to the least) to the slaves."
30. On the Day when We will say to Hell: "Are you filled?" It will say: "Are there any more (to come)?"
31. And Paradise will be brought near to the Muttaqun (pious - see V.2:2) not far off.
32. (It will be said): "This is what you were promised, - (it is) for those oft-returning (to Allah) in sincere repentance, and those who preserve their covenant with Allah (by obeying Him in all what He has ordered, and worship none but Allah Alone, i.e. follow Allah's Religion, Islamic Monotheism).
33. "Who feared the Most Beneficent (Allah) in the Ghaib (unseen): (i.e. in this worldly life before seeing and meeting Him), and brought a heart turned in repentance (to Him - and absolutely free from each and every kind of polytheism),
34. "Enter you therein in peace and security; this is a Day of eternal life!"
35. There they will have all that they desire, and We have more (for them, i.e. a glance at the All-Mighty, All-Majestic Ìá ÌáÇáå ).
36. And how many a generation We have destroyed before them, who were stronger in power than them, and (when Our Torment came) they ran for a refuge in the land! Could they find any place of refuge (for them to save themselves from destruction)?
37. Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful.

[Surah Qaaf 50:19-37]

19. And the stupor of death will come: meaning the pangs and the pains of death will afflict everyone, turning his sanity to state of vacancy.

19. “…in truth”: the wording truth refers to the reality of death, it escapes no one. It was also said to mean that man will realise the truth reality of death when he sees it, turning his state of joy and relaxation on the earth into a state of wretchedness in the hereafter. Some also said it means that the pangs of death are deserved prescription of pain for the one who is dying.

19. "This is what you have been avoiding!": what you were trying to avoid. Hasan al-Basree said it means what they were trying to escape from. Ibn ’Abbaas said it means the death which you abhor. 

20. And the Trumpet will be blown that will be the Day whereof warning (had been given) (i.e. the Day of Resurrection): This is the promised Day, the Day promised to the Kuffaar and the punishment that awaits them.

21. And every person will come forth and every person will come forth along with an (angel) to drive (him), and an (angel) to bear witness: driven to their station of reckoning by the Angels that record the deeds of an individual and they will be witnesses for or against the actions of that person. This was mentioned by ad-Dahhaak and Ibn ‘Abbaas.

22. (It will be said to the sinners): "Indeed you were heedless of this, now We have removed your covering": You were negligent in the Dunyaa but today your heart will be exposed, likewise your hearing and your seeing.

22. and sharp is your sight this Day!: Your eyes will be fixed on the scales of reckoning.

23. And his companion (angel) will say: referring to the Angel of death.

23. "Here is (this Record) ready with me!": I have with me the records of the individual, ready to present and set forth.

24. (And it will be said): "Both of you throw (Order from Allah to the two angels) into Hell: Both referring to two Angels, the one who drives and the others who witnesses.

24. …every stubborn: every single arrogant disbeliever, rejecter of the truth.

25. "Hinderer of good, transgressor, doubter: meaning the one who refused to do any good deed, pay any charity or fulfil any obligation - a self-oppressor to at-Tawheed.

26. "Who set up another ilah (god) with Allah, then (both of you) cast him in the severe torment.": A painful punishment in the fire.

27. His companion (Satan devil)] will say: Meaning, the Shaytan that the person had whispering to him to do bad deeds in the Dunyaa will seek to excuse himself on this Day. He will try to plea innocence by claiming that the person he led astray was arrogant to the truth.

27. "Our Lord! I did not push him to transgress, but he was himself in error far astray.": Sa’eed Ibn Jubayr said it means that the person going to be thrown into the fire will plea to Allaah by claiming that the Angel recording his deeds has oppressed him by adding extra bad deeds to his account. Upon this, the Angel will respond, "Our Lord! I did not push him to transgress by adding to his account but he was himself in error far astray as he rejected the truth.”

28. Allah will say: "Dispute not in front of Me, I had already, in advance, sent you the threat: the decision of punishment of eternal fire will not be reversed, so stop arguing, as there has already come to you a warner.

29. The Sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed, and I am not unjust (to the least) to the slaves.": i.e. I have already foretold you in the Quraan that the Hellfire will be filled with Man and Jinn, and this Decree will not be overturned. This information had already reached you and no lie departs from Me. This is the Decree and I Know all of the Unseen. 

30. On the Day when We will say to Hell: "Are you filled?" It will say: "Are there any more (to come)?": This question will be asked as a form of rebuke whilst simultaneously confirming a Forgone Word.

31. And Paradise will be brought near to the Muttaqun (pious - see V.2:2) not far off: those who feared Shirk will clearly see Jannah and what it contains even before they enter it.

32. (It will be said): "This is what you were promised, - (it is) for those oft-returning (to Allah) in sincere repentance, and those who preserve their covenant with Allah (by obeying Him in all what He has ordered, and worship none but Allah Alone, i.e. follow Allah's Religion, Islamic Monotheism): those who repented regardless of how many times they sinned. Ibn ‘Abbaas said it means this is the promised reward for those who protected the commands of Allaah and abstained from the acts of disobedience against Him, turning back to him in repentance.

33. "Who feared the Most Beneficent (Allah) in the Ghaib (unseen): (i.e. in this worldly life before seeing and meeting Him), and brought a heart turned in repentance (to Him - and absolutely free from each and every kind of polytheism): those who obeyed Allaah because they believed in the unseen. Ad-Dahhaak said it means those who obeyed Allaah whilst in their unseen private sittings. This is the reward for those who were sincere in obeying Allaah.

34. "Enter you therein in peace and security; this is a Day of eternal life!": meaning those who fulfill the previous set of characteristics will  receive this greeting, greeted by the Angels with a Salaam (peace) that will never expire from that Day forth.

35. There they will have all that they desire, and We have more (for them, i.e. a glance at the All-Mighty, All-Majestic): meaning every wish they ask for will be granted but they will be given even more. “More” referred to here is the bliss and pleasure of looking at the Noble Face of Allaah.

36. And how many a generation We have destroyed before them, who were stronger in power than them, and (when Our Torment came) they ran for a refuge in the land! Could they find any place of refuge (for them to save themselves from destruction)?: meaning how many people have trod on this earth, some having travelled great distances, yet none of them were able to escape death.  

37. Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful: meaning in their destruction and punishment is an admonishment for those who have common sense.
In this Quraan, so listen to it, there is life given to the hearts of those who are heedless.

[Taken from Mukhtasar Tafseer al-Baghawee (Pg. 893-895)]