Tafsir of Ya seen 36:12

إنا نحن نحيي الموتى

Verily, We give life to the dead, means, on the Day of Resurrection. This also indicates that Allah gives life to the heart of whomever He wills among the disbelievers, those whose hearts have died in misguidance, by guiding them after that to the truth. As Allah says after mentioning hardness of the heart:

اعلموا أن الله يحى اﻻرض بعد موتها قد بينا لكم اﻻيت لعلكم تعقلون

Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat to you, that you may understand. (57:17)

ونكتب ما قدموا

and We record that which they send before (them), means, their deeds.

وآثارهم

and their traces, means, `We write down the deeds which they used to do themselves, and the legacy they left behind, so We will requite them for that: if it is good, then We will reward them, and if it is evil, then We will punish them.' This is like the Hadith:

من سن في اﻻسﻼم سنة حسنة كان له أجرها وأجر من عمل بها من بعده من غير أن ينقص من أجورهم شييا

ومن سن في اﻻسﻼم سنة سيية كان عليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها من بعده من غير أن ينقص من أوزارهم شييا

Whoever starts (or sets an example of) something good in Islam, will have a reward for it, and a reward equal to that of everyone who does it after him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. Whoever starts (or sets an example of) something evil in Islam, will bear the burden for that, and a burden equal to that of everyone who does it after him, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest. This was recorded by Muslim from Jarir bin Abdullah Al-Bajali, may Allah be pleased with him in which is detailed a story of the people from the Mudar tribe, who were wearing woolen rags. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this Hadith in full from Jarir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him. In it the Prophet then recited:

ونكتب ما قدموا وآثارهم

(and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces), Muslim also recorded it with a different chain of narration. There is also another Hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "The Messenger of Allah said:

إذا مات ابن آدم انقطع عمله إﻻ من ثﻼث

من علم ينتفع به

أو ولد صالح يدعو له

أو صدقة جارية من بعده

When the son of Adam dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: knowledge which is beneficial to others, a righteous child who prays for him, or ongoing charity which he leaves behind.'' Sufyan Ath-Thawri reported that Abu Sa`id said, "I heard Mujahid say concerning the Ayah:

إنا نحن نحيي الموتى

ونكتب ما قدموا وآثارهم

(Verily, We give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces), `What they left behind of misguidance.''' Ibn Abi Najih and others said, narrating from Mujahid:

ما قدموا

(that which they send before (them), "Their deeds.''

وآثارهم

(and their traces). "Their footsteps.'' This was also the view of Al-Hasan and Qatadah

وآثارهم

(and their traces). "Their footsteps.'' Qatadah said, "If Allah were to have neglected anything with regard to you, O son of Adam, He would have neglected what the wind could remove of these footsteps.'' But He takes into account the footsteps of the son of Adam and all his deeds; He even takes into account these footsteps and whether they are for the purpose of obeying Allah or disobeying Him. So, whoever can have his footsteps recorded for the purpose of obeying Allah, let him do that. Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "There was an empty area around the Masjid, and Banu Salamah wanted to move to be closer to the Masjid. When the Messenger of Allah heard about that, he said to them: I have heard that you want to move close to the Masjid. They said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah, that is what we want.' He said:

يا بني سلمة دياركم تكتب آثاركم

دياركم تكتب آثاركم

O Banu Salamah, stay where you are, and your footsteps will be recorded, stay where you are, and your footsteps will be recorded.'' This was also recorded by Muslim from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "A man died in Al-Madinah and the Prophet prayed over him, and said,

يا ليته مات في غير مولده

Would that he had died somewhere other than in his place of birth! A man among the people said, `Why, O Messenger of Allah!' The Messenger of Allah said:

إن الرجل إذا توفي في غير مولده قيس له من مولده إلى منقطع أثره في الجنة

When a man dies somewhere other than in his place of birth, it will be measured for him from where he was born to where his footsteps no longer appear, (and this is the space that will be allocated for him) in Paradise.'' It was also recorded by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. Ibn Jarir narrated that Thabit said, "I was walking with Anas and I began to walk quickly. He took my hand and we walked slowly, and when we had finished praying, Anas said, `I walked with Zayd bin Thabit and I was walking quickly, and he said: O Anas! Do you not feel that your footsteps are being written down''' There is no contradiction between this and the first report; on the contrary, this indicates the same thing somewhat more forcefully. Because these footsteps are being recorded, then those which are setting an example, whether good or bad, are more likely to be recorded. And Allah knows best.

وكل شيء أحصيناه في إمام مبين

and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in Imam Mubin (a Clear Book). means, everything that exists is precisely dictated in a record in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz. Al-Imam Al-Mubin here refers to the source of all records. This was the view of Mujahid, Qatadah and Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Similarly, Allah also says:

يوم ندعوا كل أناس بٳممهم

(And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam (record of good and bad deeds. (17:71) meaning the Book of their deeds which will testify as to their deeds, whether they were good or bad. This is like the Ayat:

ووضع الكتب وجء بالنبيين والشهدآء

and the Book will be placed (open), and the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward, (39:69) and,

ووضع الكتب فترى المجرمين مشفقين مما فيه ويقولون يويلتنا ما لهذا الكتب ﻻ يغادر صغيرة وﻻ كبيرة إﻻ أحصاها ووجدوا ما عملوا حاضرا وﻻ يظلم ربك أحدا

And the Book (one's Record) will be placed, and you will see the criminals, fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say: "Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!'' And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice. (18:49)