39. Surah Az-Zumar
The Quranic text and Ali’s version
وَمَا
قَدَرُوا
اللَّهَ
حَقَّ
قَدْرِهِ...
39:67. No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him:
C4341. Cf. 6:91, and n. 909; and 22:74.
In running after false gods or the powers of nature they have forgotten that all creatures are as nothing before Allah.
... وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ...
on the Day of Judgement the whole of the earth will be but His handful,
C4342. See last note.
The whole earth will be no more to Allah than a thing that a man might enclose in the hollow of his hand, nor will the heavens with their vast expanse be more than a scroll, which a man might roll up with his right hand, the hand of power and action.
... وَالسَّماوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ...
and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand:
... سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٦٧﴾
Glory to Him!
High is He above the Partners they attribute to Him!
وَنُفِخَ
فِي
الصُّورِ...
39:68. The Trumpet will (just) be sounded,
...فَصَعِقَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَاء اللَّهُ...
when all that are in the heavens and on earth will swoon, except such as it will please Allah (to exempt).
C4343. Saiqa implies the idea of a swoon, or loss of all consciousness of being: it implies a cessation of the normal functioning of the usual powers of life or feeling.
- With the first Trumpet of the Resurrection the whole world will cease to be in the form and the relations which we see now:
- there will be a new heaven and a new earth, see 14:48, n. 1925;
- human souls will for the time being be dazed and lose all memory or consciousness of time or place or personality.
- With the second one, they will stand in a new world; they will see with clearer vision than ever before; and judgment will proceed. (R).
... ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَى...
Then will a second one be sounded,
... فَإِذَا هُم قِيَامٌ يَنظُرُونَ ﴿٦٨﴾
when behold, they will be standing and looking on!
وَأَشْرَقَتِ
الْأَرْضُ
بِنُورِ
رَبِّهَا...
39:69. And the Earth will shine with the glory of its Lord:
C4344. It will be a new Earth. All traces of injustice or inequality, darkness or evil, will have gone.
There will be the one universal Light, the Glory of Allah, which will now illuminate all.
Falsehood, pretence, and illusion will have disappeared. Everything will be seen in its true light.
... وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ وَجِيءَ بِالنَّبِيِّينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء...
the Record (of Deeds) will be placed (open);
the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward:
... وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ ﴿٦٩﴾
and a just decision pronounced between them; and they will not be wronged (in the least).
C4345. It is in such a scene of Reality that Judgment will be held. Before the Throne of Allah, the book of each man's deeds and motives will be placed wide open, which all may see; the Prophets and Preachers of Truth and the martyrs who gave their lives or made their real sacrifices in the cause of Truth, will be in the Court, to give evidence; and the decision pronounced will be absolutely just, for the Judge will not only be just, but He will know every fact and circumstance, and His wisdom will give due weight to everything, great or small. (R).
وَوُفِّيَتْ
كُلُّ
نَفْسٍ
مَّا
عَمِلَتْ...
39:70. And to every soul will be paid in full (the fruit) of its deeds;
... وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾
and (Allah) knoweth best all that they do.
C4346. In an earthy court, a decision may possibly go wrong because the judge is deceived; here no deceit or mistake will be possible, for Allah knows all, and knows it better than any one else can. (R).
Asad’s version:
(39:67) And no true understanding of God have they [who worship aught beside Him], inasmuch as the whole of the earth will be as a [mere] handful to Him on Resurrection Day, and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand:" limitless is He in His glory, and sublimely exalted above anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!
39:68 And [on that Day,] the trumpet [of judgment] will be sounded, and all [creatures] that are in the heavens and all that are on earth will fall down senseless, unless they be such as God wills [to exempt]. 67 And then it will sound again - and lo! standing [before the Seat of Judgment], they will begin to see [the truth]! 68
39:69 And the earth will shine bright with her Sustainer's light. 69 And the record [of everyone's deeds] will be laid bare, 70 and all the prophets will be brought forward, and all [other] witnesses; 71 and judgment will be passed on them all injustice. And they will not be wronged, (39:70) for every human being will be repaid in full for whatever [good or evil] he has done: 72 and He is fully aware of all that they do.