Surah Ar-Rahmaan (55): Read Online and Download - English Translation

Allah is the Ever Living, Free of all Need

Allah states that all the residents of earth will perish and die. The residents of the heavens will die, except whomever Allah wills. Only Allah's Honorable Face will remain, because our Lord, the Exalted, the Blessed, is the Ever Living Who never dies. Qatadah said, "First, Allah mentioned His creatures and then He said that all of this will perish." And in the reported supplication: `O You the Ever Living Who sustains all that exists! O You Who created the heavens and the earth without precedence. O You, Who Owns the glory and the honor, none has the right to be worshipped except You. We seek refuge with Your mercy. Grant Us success in all of our matters. Please, do not abandon us to rely on ourselves even for an instant nor on any of Your creation." Ash-Sha`bi said, "When you have recited,

(Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish.) do not stop, continue reading,

(And the Face of your Lord Dhul-Jalal wal-Ikram will remain forever.)" This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement,

(Everything will perish save His Face.)(28:88) In this Ayah, Allah describes His Noble Face as being Dhul-Jalal wal-Ikram, indicating that He is Worthy of being revered, and thus, never defied; and obeyed, and thus, never disobeyed,

(And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His Face.)(18:28), And as He said about those giving charity:

(We feed you seeking Allah's Face only.)(76:9) Ibn `Abbas commented on the meaning of Dhul-Jalal wal-Ikram, by saying, "Owner of greatness and pride." After Allah stated that all of the inhabitants of the earth will die and end up in the Hereafter when He, Dhul-Jalal wal-Ikram, will judge them by His fair judgement, He said,

(Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny) Allah said,

(Whosoever is in the heavens and on the earth begs of Him. Every day He is (engaged) in some affair.) In this Ayah, Allah affirms that He is Rich, Free of all wants for anyone else and that all creatures stand in need of Him, in all conditions and situations. They all seek His help willingly or unwillingly. Everyday, He is engaged in some affair. Al-A`mash reported from Mujahid, from `Ubayd bin `Umayr,

(Every day He is (engaged) in some affair.) He said, "Of His affairs is that He answers the supplicant, or gives to the one requesting, or removing adversity, or cures the one seeking to be cured."

A Warning for Humans and Jinn

Ibn Jurayj said that the Ayah,

(We shall attend to you,) means, `We shall judge you,' while Al-Bukhari said that it means, "We shall recompense you. Surely, nothing will busy Allah from attending to anything else." This type of speech pattern is common in the Arabic language. For example, one would say, "I will attend to you," even when one is not busy with anything else. Allah's saying;

(O you Thaqalan!) refers to the humans and the Jinns, as in the Hadith;

(Everyone will be able to hear it, except the Thaqalayn.) In another narration that explains it, the Prophet said,

(...except mankind and the Jinns.) Allah said,

(Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny), then,

(O assembly of Jinn and men! If you are able to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)! But you will never be able to pass them, except with authority (from Allah)!) meaning, `you will never be able to escape Allah's orders and decrees, because it encompasses you. You will never be able to avoid or avert His rule and judgement over you, you are surrounded by it wherever you may be.' This is also about the Gathering when the angels, comprising seven lines in every direction, will surround the creatures. None of the creatures will be able to escape on that Day,

(except with authority) meaning, except with the commandment from Allah,

(On that Day man will say: "Where (is the refuge) to flee" No! There is no refuge! Unto your Lord will be the place of rest that Day.)(75:10-12),

(And those who earned evil deeds, the recompense of an evil deed is the like thereof, and humiliating disgrace will cover them. No defender will they have from Allah. Their faces will be covered as it were with pieces from the darkness of night. They are the dwellers of Fire, they will abide therein forever.)(10:27) Allah's statement,

(There will be sent against you both, Shuwaz of fire and Nuhas, and you will not be able to defend yourselves.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that Shuwaz is the flame of fire. Abu Salih said, "It is the flame above the fire below the smoke." Ad-Dahhak said,

(Shuwaz of fire) "A flood of fire." Allah said;

(and Nuhas) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas; "The smoke of the fire." Similar was reported from Abu Salih, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Abu Sinan. Ibn Jarir said that the Arabs used to call the smoke of the fire, Nuhas and Nihas. But he said that the scholars of Qur'anic recitation said that in this Ayah, the word recited is Nuhas. Mujahid said, "Molten brass poured over their heads." Qatadah held the same view. Ad-Dahhak said,"Nuhas is liquid copper." The Ayah means, `if you, mankind and the Jinns, try to escape on the Day of Resurrection, then the angels, including those among them who guard Hellfire, will bring you back by directing smoke of fire and molten brass on you.' Allah's statement,

(and you will not be able to defend yourselves. Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)

The Horrors of the Day of Resurrection

Allah said,

(Then when the heaven is rent asunder,) on the Day of Resurrection; this meaning is clear in this and similar Ayat, such as,

(And the heaven will be rent asunder, for that Day it (the heaven) will be frail and torn up.)(69:16),

(And (remember) the Day when the heaven shall be rent asunder with clouds, and the angels will be sent down, with a grand descending.)(25:25) and,

(When the heaven is split asunder, and listens to and obeys its Lord -- and it must do so.)(84:1-2) Allah's statement,

(and it becomes Wardah like Dihan.) This means they will melt just as sediment and silver are melted when heated. And they will be colored, just as dies stain something, sometimes red, sometimes yellow, or blue, or green. This demonstrates the extent of the horrors of the Mighty Day of Resurrection. As-Suddi said, "It will be as rosy color and as filth oil." Mujahid said

(like Dihan), "Like the colors of dyes." Allah said;

(So on that Day he will not be questioned about his sins, (neither) human nor Jinn.) this is similar to His saying;

(That will be a Day when they shall not speak, and they will not be permitted to put forth any excuse.)(77:35-36) This is the case at the time, then all the creatures will be questioned about their deeds. Allah said;

(So, by your Lord, We shall certainly call all of them to account. For all that they used to do.)(15:92-93) Qatadah said, "On that they will be questioned and then their mouths will be sealed and their hands and feet will reveal what they used to do." Allah the Exalted said,

(The criminals will be known by their marks,) i.e., by special marks that distinguish them. Al-Hasan and Qatadah said, "They will be known by their dark faces and their blue eyes." I say that this contrasts to the marks that will distinguish the believers, such as the light that will appear on the parts of the body that they used to wash while performing ablution. Allah said,

(and they will be seized by their foreheads and feet.) meaning, the angels of punishment will bend their heads down to their feet and throw them like this into the Hellfire. Al-A`mash said that Ibn `Abbas said, "He will be taken by his forehead and his feet and be broken just as a stick is broken to be thrown into an oven." Allah said,

(This is the Hell which the criminals denied.) meaning, `this is the Fire that you used to deny existed that it; now you see it before your eyes!' While being chastised, criticized, disgraced and belittled, this will be said to the disbelievers.

(They will go between it and Hamim An!) meaning, they will sometimes be punished with fire and they will sometimes be given Hamim which is a drink like molten copper tearing their intestines and internal organs,

(When the iron collars will be rounded over their necks, and the chains, they shall be dragged along, in the Hamim, then they will be burned in the Fire.)(40:71-72) Allah said

(An) meaning hot, due to the fierce and intense heat that is impossible to bear. Ibn `Abbas said;

(They will go between it and Hamim An!) "That has reached the ultimate temperature and boiling fiercely." Similar was said by Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Ath-Thawri and As-Suddi. Qatadah also commented, "Its boiling started when Allah created the heavens and the earth!" Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi said, "The (disobedient) servant will be seized by the forehead and stirred in that boiling water until his flesh melts and only the bones and the eyes in his head remain. This is the meaning of Allah's statement,

(In the Hamim, then they will be burned in the Fire.)(40:72) And Al-Hamim Al-An means hot." There is another report from Al-Qurazi;

(Hamim An) that it means "prepared. " This is also the view of Ibn Zayd. And saying that it means "prepared" does not contradict the first report from Al-Qurazi which says that it means hot, for Allah said:

(They will be given to drink from a spring, Aniyah.) (88:5) which means severe unbearable heat, and His saying;

(not to wait for it to be prepared)(33:53) which means properly cooking and preparing it. So His saying;

(Hamim An.) Hamim, that is very hot. Surely, punishing the disobedient criminals as well as favoring those who had Taqwa, is from Allah's grace, mercy, justice, compassion and kindness for His creatures. His warnings against His torment and punishment, such as mentioned in these Ayat, should encourage all creatures to abandon the Shirk and disobedience they engage in, and this is why Allah reminded them of this favor;

(Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)