One’s Book of Record [of deeds] on display on Day or Judgment – Complete and Clear Account

17. [al-Israa, Mecca 50]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَكُلَّ إِنسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَآئِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ...

17: 13. Every man's fate We have fastened on his own neck:

C2187. Fate: Tair, literally a bird, hence an omen, an evil omen, fate.

The Arabs, like the ancient Romans, sought to read the mysteries of human fate from the flight of birds. And many of us in our own day seek to read our future fortunes by similar superstitions.

We read in the previous verse that there are Signs of Allah, but they are not meant to subserve the vulgar purpose of disclosing our future destiny in a worldly sense. They are meant for quite other purposes, as we have explained.

Our real fate does not depend upon birds or omens or stars. It depends on our deeds; good or evil, and they hang round our necks. (R).

...وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كِتَابًا يَلْقَاهُ مَنشُورًا ﴿١٣﴾

on the Day of Judgment We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open.

C2188. These deeds, good or evil, will be embodied in a scroll which will be quite open to us in the light of the Day of Judgment, however much we may affect to be ignorant of it now or waste our energies in prying into mysteries that do not concern us.

اقْرَأْ كَتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا ﴿١٤﴾

17: 14. (It will be said to him:) "Read thine (own) record: sufficient is thy soul this day to make out an account against thee."

C2189. Our true accusers are our own deeds.

Why not look to them instead of vainly prying into something superstitious which we call a book of fortune or a book of omens?

مَّنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدي لِنَفْسِهِ...

17: 15. Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit:

...وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا...

who goeth astray doth so to his own loss:

C2190. The doctrine of personal responsibility is insisted on, and the basis of ethics is shown to be our own good or evil as furthering or obstructing our highest development.

...وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى...

no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another:

C2191. The doctrine of vicarious atonement is condemned. Salvation for the wicked cannot be attained by the punishment of the innocent.

One man cannot bear the burden of another: that would be unjust. Every man must bear his own personal responsibility. Cf. 6:164.

But Allah never visits His wrath on anyone until due warning is conveyed to him through an accredited messenger.

...وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً ﴿١٥﴾

nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent a Messenger (to give warning).

وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا...

17: 16. When We decide to destroy a population, We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress;

C2192. Allah's Mercy gives every chance to the wicked to repent. When wickedness gets so rampant that punishment becomes inevitable, even then Allah's Mercy and Justice act together.

Those who are highly gifted from Allah -it may be with wealth or position, or it may be with talents and opportunities- are expected to understand and obey. They are given a definite order and warning. If they still transgress there is no further room for argument. They cannot plead that they were ignorant. The command of the Lord is proved against them, and its application is called for beyond doubt. Then it is that their punishment is completed.

...فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا ﴿١٦﴾

so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them utterly.

C2193. Qaul here has the sense of word, order, law, charge framed against one under a definite law.

وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن بَعْدِ نُوحٍ...

17: 17. How many generations have We destroyed after Noah?

C2194. Noah's Flood is taken as a new starting point in history. But even after that hundreds of empires, towns, and generations have perished for their wickedness.

...وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًَا بَصِيرًا ﴿١٧﴾

And enough is thy Lord to note and see the sins of His servants.

C2195. Let not the wicked think, because they are given a lease of life and luxury for a time, that their wickedness has escaped notice.

Allah notes and sees all things, both open and secret. He knows the hidden motives and thoughts of men, and He has no need of any other evidence. His knowledge and sight are all-sufficient.

مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاء لِمَن نُّرِيدُ...

17: 18. If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life), We readily grant them -- such things as We will, to such persons as We will:

C2196. An explanation is now given of how it is that prosperity sometimes seems to attend the wicked.

The explanation is threefold:

1. the transitory things of this life are worth little in the eternal scheme of things;

2. even they are provided, not just because their recipients wish for them, but according to a definite Plan of Allah; and

3. in the end there is for the wicked the eternal Misery and deprivation of grace,-the Hell which is worse than destruction in the terms of this world.

...ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلاهَا مَذْمُومًا مَّدْحُورًا ﴿١٨﴾

in the end have We provided Hell for them:

they will burn therein, disgraced and rejected.

C2197. All the pride and insolence will then be brought low. The disgrace and the exclusion from the "sight of the Face of Allah" will by themselves be punishments of which the magnitude cannot be measured in the terms of our present material life.

وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الآخِرَةَ ...

17: 19. Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter,

C2198. This is in contrast to the last verse.

Those who wish for mere earthly good sometimes get it and misuse it. Those whose eyes are fixed on the Hereafter, they too share in their Lord's bounty provided they fulfil the conditions explained in the next note; but their wishes and endeavours are more acceptable in the sight of Allah.

... وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ...

and strive therefor with all due striving, and have Faith --

C2199. A mere wish for moral and spiritual good is not enough. It must be backed up by hard endeavour and supported by a lively Faith. On those conditions the wishes are accepted by Allah.

...فَأُولَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا ﴿١٩﴾

they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah).

كُلاًّ نُّمِدُّ هَـؤُلاء وَهَـؤُلاء مِنْ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ...

17: 20. Of the bounties of thy Lord We bestow freely on all -- these as well as those:

...وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ مَحْظُورًا ﴿٢٠﴾

the bounties of thy Lord are not closed (to anyone).

C2200. Allah's favours are showered on all,

- the just and the unjust,

- the deserving and the undeserving.

But there is a difference as explained in the last two verses.

انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ...

17: 21. See how We have bestowed more on some than on others;

...وَلَلآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلاً ﴿٢١﴾

but verily the Hereafter is more in rank and gradation and more in excellence.

C2201. Nor should man suppose that all gifts are of equal value. The spiritual ones rank far higher in dignity and real worth than the transitory ones. Therefore it is altogether wrong to compare the worldly prosperity of a wicked man with the apparent want of it to a man of spiritual worth.

There is no comparison between them when measured by right standards.

لاَّ تَجْعَل مَعَ اللّهِ إِلَـهًا آخَرَ ...

17: 22. Take not with Allah another object of worship;

C2202. The seeming inequality of gifts to men might make short-sighted men impugn the impartiality of Allah. But the fault lies with such men's own want of knowledge and want of Faith. There is no excuse for them to seek other objects of worship than Allah. For there is none worthy of worship except Allah.

... فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًا مَّخْذُولاً ﴿٢٢﴾

or thou (O man!) wilt sit in disgrace and destitution.

C2203. If foolish men turn to false objects of worship, they will not only be disappointed, but they will lose the respect of their own fellow-men, and spiritually they will be reduced to destitution. All their talents and their works will be of no avail.

Other Versions:

17: 13

Pickthall And every man's augury have We fastened to his own neck, and We shall bring forth for him on the Day of Resurrection a book which he will find wide open.

Yuksel We have attached every human's deeds to his own neck, and We bring forth for him a book on the day of Resurrection which he will find on display.*

Transliteration Wa kulla insa_nin alzamna_hu ta_'irahu_ fi 'unuqih(i), wa nukhriju lahu_ yaumal qiya_mati kita_bay yalqa_hu mansyu_ra_(n).

17: 14

Pickthall (And it will be said unto him): Read thy book. Thy soul sufficeth as reckoner against thee this day.

Yuksel Read your book! Today, you suffice as a reckoner against yourself.

Transliteration Iqra' kita_bak(a), kafa_ bi nafsikal yauma 'alaika hasiba_(n).

17: 15

Pickthall Whosoever goeth right, it is only for (the good of) his own soul that he goeth right, and whosoever erreth, erreth only to its hurt. No laden soul can bear another's load. We never punish until We have sent a messenger.

Yuksel Whoever is guided is guided for himself, and whoever is misguided is for his own loss. No person shall carry the load of another, and We were not to punish until We send a messenger.*

Transliteration Man-ihtada_ fa innama_ yahtadi li nafsih(i), wa man dalla fa innama_ yadillu 'alaiha_, wa la_ taziru wa_ziratuw wizra ukhra_, wa ma_ kunna_ mu'azzibina hatta_ nab'asa rasu_la_(n).

[[ Yuksel’s notes - 017:013 All our intentions, words, and actions are recorded in a record. We will be impeached by this record on the Day of Judgment. See 57:22.

017:015 This verse confirms the Biblical verse Ezekiel 18:20. However, the Bible also contains verses claiming collective punishment: Exodus 20:5;Lamentations 5:7; Psalms 109:9-10. ]]

[[ Ruby -Question– Verse 14-15 and verses 16-17 seem to contradict each other regarding collective punishment. The former few verses clearly indicate there should not be collective punishment and the later seems to say that God can destroy a township. If the good people of a township are separated and saved from the punishment then there is no contradiction. However there is no verse confirming that to my knowledge.]]

17: 16

Pickthall And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and We annihilate it with complete annihilation.

Yuksel If We wish to destroy a town, We allow its privileged hedonists to rule it, then they commit evil in it, then it deserves the punishment, then We destroy it completely.

Transliteration Wa iza_ aradna_ an nuhlika qaryatan amarna_ mutrafiha_ fa fasaqu_ fiha_ fa haqqa 'alaihal qaulu fa dammarna_ha_ tadmira_(n).

[[Ali’s notes - 2192 Allah's Mercy gives every chance to the wicked to repent. When wickedness gets so rampant that punishment becomes inevitable, even then Allah's Mercy and Justice act together. Those who are highly gifted from Allah-it may be with wealth or position, or it may be with talents and opportunities-are expected to understand and obey. They are given a definite order and warning. If they still transgress there is no further room for argument. They cannot plead that they were ignorant. The command of the Lord is proved against them, and its application is called for beyond doubt. Then it is that their punishment is completed. (17.16)

2193 Qaul here has the sense of word, order, law, charge framed against one under a definite law. (17.16)]]

17: 17

Pickthall How many generations have we destroyed since Noah! And Allah suffices as knower and Beholder of the sins of His slaves.

Yuksel How many a generation have We destroyed after Noah? It is enough for your Lord [wrong translation] to have knowledge and sight over the sins of His servants.

Transliteration Wa kam ahlakna_ minal quru_ni mim ba'di nu_h(in), wa kafa_ bi rabbika bi zunu_bi 'iba_dihi khabiram basira_(n).

17: 18

Pickthall Whoso desireth that (life) which hasteneth away, We hasten for him therein that We will for whom We please. And afterward We have appointed for him hell; he will endure the heat thereof, condemned, rejected.

Yuksel Whoever seeks the life of haste, We will hasten for Him what he wishes, then We will make hell for him a place which he will reach disgraced and rejected.

Transliteration Man ka_na yuridul 'a_jilata'ajjalna_ lahu_ fiha_ ma_ nasya_'u liman nuridu summa ja'alna_ lahu_ jahannam(a), yasla_ha_ mazmu_mam madhu_ra_(n).

17: 19

Pickthall And whoso desire the Hereafter and strive for it with the effort necessary, being a believer; for such, their effort find favor (with their Lord).

Yuksel Whoever seeks the Hereafter and strives for it as it deserves, and is an acknowledging person, then their effort is appreciated.

Transliteration Wa man ara_dal a_khirata wa sa'a_ laha_ sa'yaha_ wa huwa mu'minun fa ula_'ika ka_na sa'yuhum masyku ra_(n).

17: 20

Pickthall Each do We supply, both these and those, from the bounty of thy Lord. And the bounty of thy Lord can never be walled up.

Yuksel 17:20 For both groups We will bestow from the bounty of your Lord. The bounty of your Lord is never restricted.

Transliteration Kullan numiddu ha_'ula_'i wa ha_'ula_'i min 'ata_'i rabbik(a), wa ma_ ka_na 'ata_'u rabbika mahzu_ra_(n).

[[ Ali’s notes - Allah's favours are showered on all,-the just and the unjust, the deserving and the undeserving. But there is a difference as explained in the last two verses. (17.20)

2201 Nor should man suppose that all gifts are of equal value. The spiritual ones rank far higher in dignity and real worth than the transitory ones. Therefore it is altogether wrong to compare the worldly prosperity of a wicked man with the apparent want of it to a man of spiritual worth. There is no comparison between them when measured by right standards. (17.21) ]]

17: 21

Pickthall See how We prefer one above another, and verily the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment.

Yuksel See how We have preferred some of them over the others; and in the Hereafter are greater levels, and greater preference.

Transliteration Unzur kaifa faddalna_ a'dahum 'ala_ ba'd(in), wa la la_khiratu akbaru daraja_tiw wa akbaru tafdila_(n).

17: 22

Pickthall Set not up with Allah any other god (O man) lest thou sit down reproved, forsaken.

Yuksel Do not set up with God another god; or you will find yourself disgraced, abandoned.

Transliteration La_ taj'al ma'alla_hi ila_han a_khara fa taq'uda mazmu_mam makhzu_la_(n).

[[Ali’s notes - 2192 Allah's Mercy gives every chance to the wicked to repent. When wickedness gets so rampant that punishment becomes inevitable, even then Allah's Mercy and Justice act together. Those who are highly gifted from Allah-it may be with wealth or position, or it may be with talents and opportunities-are expected to understand and obey. They are given a definite order and warning. If they still transgress there is no further room for argument. They cannot plead that they were ignorant. The command of the Lord is proved against them, and its application is called for beyond doubt. Then it is that their punishment is completed. (17.16)

2193 Qaul here has the sense of word, order, law, charge framed against one under a definite law. (17.16)

2194 Noah's Flood is taken as a new starting point in history. But even after that hundreds of empires, towns, and generations have perished for their wickedness. (17.17)

2195 Let not the wicked think, because they are given a lease of life and luxury for a time, that their wickedness has escaped notice. Allah notes and sees all things, both open and secret. He knows the hidden motives and thoughts of men, and He has no need of any other evidence. His knowledge and sight are all-sufficient. (17.17)

2196 An explanation is now given of how it is that prosperity sometimes seems to attend the wicked. The explanation is threefold: (1) the transitory things of this life are worth little in the eternal scheme of things; (2) even they are provided, not just because their recipients wish for them, but according to a definite Plan of Allah; and (3) in the end there is for the wicked the eternal Misery and deprivation of grace,-the Hell which is worse than destruction in the terms of this world. (17.18)

2197 All the pride and insolence will then be brought low. The disgrace and the exclusion from the "sight of the Face of Allah" will by themselves be punishments of which the magnitude cannot be measured in the terms of our present material life. (17.18)

2198 This is in contrast to the last verse. Those who wish for mere earthly good sometimes get it and misuse it. Those whose eyes are fixed on the Hereafter, they too share in their Lord's bounty provided they fulfil the conditions explained in the next note; but their wishes and endeavours are more acceptable in the sight of Allah. (17.19)

2199 A mere wish for moral and spiritual good is not enough. It must be backed up by hard endeavour and supported by a lively Faith. On those conditions the wishes are accepted by Allah. (17.19)

2200