Tafseer of Súra Al-Wáqi’ah

A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bisilláhir rahmánir raheem.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

“As to those who are rebellious and wicked, their abode will be the Fire; every time they wish to get away therefrom, they will be forced thereinto, and it will be said to them:

‘Taste (you) the chastisement of the Fire, the which you were wont to reject as false.”

[Arabic introduction]

To continue with the tafseer of Surat Al-Waqia’a and the introduction that was started a few weeks ago, we find that the second reason that scholars put forward for the torment of the grave is hypocrisy. The evidence advanced for this is ayah 101 of Surat Al-Tawbah

“And among those around you of the wandering Arabs there are hypocrites, and among the townspeople of Al-Madinah, there are some who persist in hypocrisy whom you (O Muhammad) know not, We know them and We shall punish them twice, then they will be relegated to a painful doom”.

Qatadah and Al-Rabie bin Anas stated: ‘One is punishment in this life and the other is the torment of the grave’

The third reason is not thoroughly cleansing oneself after passing water. The hadeeth that deals with this, also deals with the fourth reason, that of (Al-Nemeemah)- to be a messenger of news that causes ill-feeling and inflames hatred between people.

The hadeeth was related by Ibn Abbass, may Allah be pleased with (both of) them.The scholar, Al-Khitaabee, said that ‘it means that they were being tormented for something which was neither hard nor impossible for them to do had they wished to do so, ie.cleansing themselves or stopping spreading (Nemeemah). These are indeed serious matters in the Deen and the sin of not doing the first and not refraining from doing the second is not a minor matter’.

What happens to a person in his / her grave is only a prelude to what is to follow on the Day of Resurrection. On that Day, the first thing a person will have to account for is Al-Salat (prayers), and cleanliness is a prerequisite of salat, however in the grave one is punished if the requirements of salat are not performed properly. This is as far as the duties owed to Allah, the Most Exalted, but the first thing that will be judged regarding inter-personal matters is the blood of one person being unlawfully spilt by another – murder. Quite often what leads to murder is the ill-feelings created when one person or a group act as messengers of bad, though it may be truthful or untruthful news between two people or groups of people.

The fifth and sixth reasons are (Al-Gheebah) back-biting and hurting the feelings of others by subjecting them to all kinds of oral abuse such as lying, mockery and slander. Immoral poetry and songs fall within this category.

The seventh and eighth reasons are to discard the Holy Qur’an after learning it and not to sleep when it is time for a prescribed prayer. In the Hadeeth narrated by Sumrah bin Jundob, the two Angels that accompanied the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, on his journey (in a vision) said in explaining about two men who were being severely punished:

” The man whose head was being split by a stone is he whom Allah has taught the Holy Qur’an but he did not recite it at night and did not act upon it in his daily affairs and misses prescribed prayers sleeping when its time is due. His punishment will continue till the Day of Resurrection’.

The ninth reason is lying. From the same Hadeeth, the two Angels explain to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:

“As for the man whom you saw whose mouth is being torn, he is a liar. He tells a lie and it is spread far and wide. The punishment that you witnessed will continue till the Day of Resurrection.’

The tenth reason is the acceptance of usury. Again the two Angels explained:

“The man that you came across swimming in the river and being fed a stone (every time he approaches the river bank) is he who accepted usury”.

There are ten other reasons for the torment of the grave all of which are evidenced from the Holy Qur’an or the Sunnah or both. I shall now enumerate them:

  1. Fornication
  2. Not to fast in the Holy month of Ramadaan without a reason or breaking fast before sunset.
  3. Turning away from the remembrance of Allah.
  4. To take from the spoils of war before its proper division.
  5. Haughtiness.
  6. A mother who does not breast-feed her children without a valid health reason.
  7. Theft.
  8. A dead person is punished for the sayings of his relatives and friends in mourning.
  9. Imprisoning an animal or tormenting it.
  10. The khateeb who causes (Fitneh) or whose deeds do not match his preaching.

[Arabic dua to close]

Second Khutbah

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

[Arabic introduction]

“And those on the left-hand, what of those on the left-hand * In scorching wind and

scalding water * And a shadow of thick smoke * Neither cool nor refreshing.’

This scene is also described in Surat Al-Mursalaat:

‘Woe unto the repudiators on that Day * It will be said unto them: Depart unto that doom which you used to deny * Depart unto the shadow falling threefold * Which is no relief nor shelter from the flame * It throws up sparks like castles or it might be camels of bright yellow hue * Woe unto the repudiators on that Day”.

‘Heretofore they were effete with luxury * And they used to persist in the awful sin *

And they used to say: ‘when we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then be raised again’ * And also our forefathers * Say unto them O Muhammad those of old and those of later time will all be brought together on a day appointed.’

That Day, the Day of Resurrection is also described in Surat Hud:

‘….That is a Day unto which mankind will be gathered and that is a day that will be witnessed * And We defer as a term already reckoned * On the Day when it comes, no soul will speak except by His permission, some among them will be wretched, others glad * As for those who will be wretched (on that Day), they will be in the fire sighing and writhing will be their portion therein.’

“Then you, the erring, the deniers * You verily will eat of a tree called Zaqqoom * And

will fill your bellies therewith * And thereon you will drink of boiling water * Drinking even as the thirsty camel drinks * This will be their welcome of the Day of Judgement”.

[Arabic dua to close]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!