(كَلاَّ إِنَّ كِتَـبَ الْفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّينٍ)
(7. Nay! Truly, the Record of the wicked is in Sijjin.)
(وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ)
(8. And what will make you know what Sijjin is)
(كِتَـبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ)
(9. A Register inscribed.)
(وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ)
(10. Woe, that Day, to those who deny.)
(الَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ)
(11. Those who deny the Day of Recompense.)
(وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِ إِلاَّ كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ)
(12. And none can deny it except every transgressor
beyond bounds, the sinner!)
(إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ)
(13. When Our Ayat are recited to him, he says:
"Tales of the ancients!'')
(كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ)
(14. Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which
they used to earn.)
(كَلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ)
(15. Nay! Surely, they will be veiled from seeing their
Lord that Day.)
(ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُواْ الْجَحِيمِ)
(16. Then verily, they will indeed enter the burning
flame of Hell.)
(ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَـذَا الَّذِى كُنتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ)
(17. Then, it will be said to them: "This is what
you used to deny!'')
The Record of the Wicked and some of what happens to Them
Allah says truly,
﴿إِنَّ كِتَـبَ الْفُجَّارِ لَفِى
سِجِّينٍ﴾
(Nay! Truly, the Record of the wicked is in Sijjin.)
meaning, that their final destination and their abode will be in Sijjin, which
is derived from the word prison (Sijn), and here it means straitened
circumstances. Thus, Allah expresses the greatness of this matter, saying;
﴿وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ
﴾
(And what will make you know what Sijjin is) meaning, it
is a great matter, an eternal prison, and a painful torment. Some have said
that it is beneath the seventh earth. It has been mentioned previously in the
lengthy Hadith of Al-Bara' bin `Azib that the Prophet said,
«يَقُول اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي رُوحِ الْكَافِرِ
اكْتُبُوا كِتَابَهُ فِي سِجِّينٍ. وَسِجِّينٌ هِيَ تَحْتُ الْأَرْضِ السَّابِعَة»
(Allah says concerning the soul of the disbeliever,
`Record his book in Sijjin.' And Sijjin is beneath the seventh earth.)'' it is
known that the destination of the wicked people will be Hell, and it is the
lowest of the low. For Allah says,
﴿ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَـهُ أَسْفَلَ سَـفِلِينَ
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ﴾
(Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low. Save those
who believe and do righteous deeds.) (95:5-6) Here Allah says,
﴿كَلاَّ إِنَّ كِتَـبَ الْفُجَّارِ
لَفِى سِجِّينٍ - وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ ﴾
(Nay! Truly, the Record of the wicked is in Sijjin. And
what will make you know what Sijjin is) and it is full of hardship and misery.
Allah says,
﴿وَإَذَآ أُلْقُواْ مِنْهَا مَكَاناً
ضَيِّقاً مُّقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوْاْ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُوراً ﴾
(And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place
thereof, chained together, they will exclaim therein for destruction.) (25:13)
Then Allah says,
﴿كِتَـبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ ﴾
(A Register inscribed.) This is not an explanation of His
statement,
﴿وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ
﴾
(And what will make you know what Sijjin is) It is only
an explanation of the destination that will be recorded for them, which is
Sijjin. Meaning, it is inscribed, written, and completed. No one can add to it
and no one can remove anything from it. This was said by Muhammad bin Ka`b
Al-Qurazi. Then Allah said,
﴿وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
﴾
(Woe, that Day, to those who deny.) meaning, when they
come to the imprisonment, Allah threatened them with, on the Day of Judgement,
and the disgraceful torment. The statement, "Woe,'' has already been
discussed previously and there is no need to repeat it here. Basically, it
means destruction and devastation. This is like what is said, "Woe to
so-and-so.'' This is similar to what has been recorded in the Musnad and the
Sunan collections on the authority of Bahz bin Hakim bin Mu`awiyah bin Haydah,
َ مَا سِجِّينٌ ﴾
(Nay! Truly, ! TrulrsA ? the Record of the wicked is in
Sijjin. And what will make you know what Sijjin is) and it is full of hardship
and misery. Allah says,
﴿وَإَذَآ أُلْقُواْ مِنْهَا مَكَاناً
ضَيِّقاً مُّقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوْاْ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُوراً ﴾
(And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place
thereof, chained together, they will exclaim therein for destruction.) (25:13)
Then Allah says,
﴿كِتَـبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ ﴾
(A Register inscribed.) This is not an explanation of His
statement,
﴿وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ
﴾
(And what will make you know what Sijjin is) It is only
an explanation of the destination that will be recorded for them, which is
Sijjin. Meaning, it is inscribed, written, and completed. No one can add to it
and no one can remove anything from it. This was said by Muhammad bin Ka`b
Al-Qurazi. Then Allah said,
﴿وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
﴾
(Woe, that Day, to those who deny.) meaning, when they
come to the imprisonment, Allah threatened them with, on the Day of Judgement,
and the disgraceful torment. The statement, "Woe,'' has already been
discussed previously and there is no need to repeat it here. Basically, it
means destruction and devastation. This is like what is said, "Woe to
so-and-so.'' This is similar to what has been recorded in the Musnad and the
Sunan collections on the authority of Bahz bin Hakim bin Mu`awiyah bin Haydah,
who reported from his father, who reported from his grandfather that the
Messenger of Allah said,
«وَيْلٌ لِلَّذِي يُحَدِّثُ فَيَكْذِبُ لِيُضْحِكَ
النَّاسَ، وَيْلٌ لَهُ وَيْلٌ لَه»
(Woe unto whoever speaks, and lies in order to make the
people laugh. Woe unto him, woe unto him.) Then Allah says, in explaining who
are the wicked, disbelieving deniers,
﴿الَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ
الدِّينِ ﴾
(Those who deny the Day of Recompense.) meaning, they do
not believe it will happen, and they do not believe in its existence. Thus,
they consider it a matter that is farfetched. Allah then says,
﴿وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِ إِلاَّ
كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ﴾
(And none can deny it except every transgressor, sinner.)
meaning, transgressive in his actions by doing that which is forbidden and
exceeding the limits when acquiring the permissible. He is a sinner in his
statements, because he lies whenever he speaks, he breaks his promises whenever
he makes them, and he behaves in an abusive and wicked manner whenever he
argues. Concerning Allah's statement,
﴿إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـتُنَا
قَالَ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ ﴾
(When Our Ayat are recited to him, he says: "Tales
of the ancients!'') meaning, whenever he hears the Words of Allah from the
Messenger , he denies it and has ill thoughts about it. Thus, he believes that
it is a collection gathered from the books of the ancients. This is as Allah
says,
﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ مَّاذَآ
أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ ﴾
(And when it is said to them: "What is it that your
Lord has sent down'' They say: "Tales of the men of old!'') (16:24)
Similarly Allah says,
﴿وَقَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ
اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً ﴾
(And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has
written down: and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon.'') (25:5)
Then Allah continues saying,
﴿كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ
مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴾
(Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which
they used to earn.) meaning, the matter is not as they claim, nor as they say:
"Verily, this Qur'an is tales of the ancients.'' Rather, it is the Word of
Allah, His inspiration and His revelation to His Messenger . The only thing
that blocked their hearts from believing in it is the dark covering cast over
it from the many sins and wrong they committed that has covered up their
hearts. Thus, Allah says,
﴿كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ
مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴾
(Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which
they used to earn.) This dark covering known as Rayn overcomes the hearts of
the disbelievers, the covering of Ghaym is for the righteous, and the covering
of Ghayn is for those who are near to Allah. Ibn Jarir, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisa'i,
and Ibn Majah all recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا كَانَتْ
نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ، فَإِنْ تَابَ مِنْهَا صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ، ق
uA ay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which
they used to earn.) meaning, the matter is not as they claim, nor as they say:
"Verily, this Qur'an is tales of the ancients.'' Rather, it is the Word of
Allah, His inspiration and His revelation to His Messenger . The only thing
that blocked their hearts from believing in it is the dark covering cast over
it from the many sins and wrong they committed that has covered up their
hearts. Thus, Allah says, uuA ? "What is it that your Lord has sent down''
They say: "Tales of the men of old!'') (16:24) Similarly Allah says,
﴿وَقَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ
اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً ﴾
(And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has
written down: and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon.'') (25:5)
Then Allah continues saying,
﴿كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ
مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴾
(Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which
they used to earn.) meaning, the matter is not as they claim, nor as they say:
"Verily, this Qur'an is tales of the ancients.'' Rather, it is the Word of
Allah, His inspiration and His revelation to His Messenger . The only thing
that blocked their hearts from believing in it is the dark covering cast over
it from the many sins and wrong they committed that has covered up their
hearts. Thus, Allah says,
﴿كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ
مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴾
(Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which
they used to earn.) This dark covering known as Rayn overcomes the hearts of
the disbelievers, the covering of Ghaym is for the righteous, and the covering
of Ghayn is for those who are near to Allah. Ibn Jarir, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisa'i,
and Ibn Majah all recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا كَانَتْ
نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ، فَإِنْ تَابَ مِنْهَا صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ، قوَإِنْ زَادَ
زَادَتْ، فَذلِكَ قَوْلُ اللهِ تَعَالَى:
﴿كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ
مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴾»
(Verily, when the servant commits a sin, a black spot
appears in his heart. If he repents from it, his heart is polished clean.
However, if he increases (in the sin), the spot will continue to increase. That
is the statement of Allah: ((Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering)
which they used to earn.)) At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.'' The wording
of An-Nasa'i says,
«إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئَةً
نُكِتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ ، فَإِنْ هُوَ نَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَابَ
صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ ، فَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا حَتَّى تَعْلُو قَلْبَهُ فَهُوَ الرَّانُ
الَّذِي قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى:
﴿كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ
مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴾»
(Whenever the servant commits a wrong, a black spot is
put in his heart. So, if he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents,
his heart is polished clean. But if he returns to the sin, the spot will
increase until it overcomes his (entire) heart, and this is the Ran that Allah
mentions when He says: (Nay, but on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which
they used to earn.)) Concerning Allah's statement,
﴿كَلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّبِّهِمْ
يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ ﴾
(Nay! Surely, they will be veiled from seeing their Lord
that Day.) meaning, they will have a place on the Day of Judgement, and lodging
in Sijjin. Along with this they will be veiled from seeing their Lord and
Creator on the Day of Judgement. Imam Abu `Abdullah Ash-Shafi`i said, "In this
Ayah is a proof that the believers will see Him (Allah), the Mighty and
Sublime, on that Day.'' Concerning Allah's statement,
﴿ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُواْ الْجَحِيمِ
﴾
(Then verily, they will indeed enter the burning flame of
Hell.) meaning, along with this being prevented from seeing the Most Gracious,
they will also be among the people of the Fire.
﴿ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَـذَا الَّذِى
كُنتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ ﴾
(Then, it will be said to them: "This is what you
used to deny!'') (83:17) meaning, this will be said to them by way of scolding,
rebuking, belittling, and humi- liation.