Ibrahim (Verses 48–52)

When Allah Almighty said, {Mighty, Vengeful} (Ibrahim: 4), He clarified the time of His vengeance by saying:

He magnified the state of that Day, for nothing is greater than the minds and souls being affected by the change of the heavens and the earth. In this verse, there are several issues:

Issue 1: Grammatical Analysis of Yawm (The Day)

Al-Zajjaj mentioned two possibilities for the grammatical case (nasb) of Yawm (The Day):

1. As an adverb of time (ẓarf) related to the vengeance.
2. As a substitute (badal) for the preceding phrase, such as {the Day the punishment comes to them}.

Issue 2: The Meaning of "Changing" (Tabdīl)

Know that the word tabdīl (changing/exchanging) admits of two interpretations:

1. The essence (dhāt) remains, but its attribute (ṣifah) is changed to another attribute.
2. The first essence perishes, and a new essence is created.

The evidence that the term tabdīl can refer to a change in attribute is seen in the saying: "He changed the ring into a signet ring" (meaning he melted it and reshaped it into a signet ring, moving it from one form to another). Similarly, Allah says: {So those, Allah will change their evil deeds into good deeds} (Al-Furqan: 70). Also, "I changed my shirt for a cloak" means transferring the object from one state to another. Tabaddala Zayd (Zayd changed) means his circumstances changed.

However, the term tabdīl is used when the essence itself is changed, as in "He exchanged dirhams for dinars," and as in Allah’s saying: {We replaced them with skins other than them} (An-Nisa: 56) and {We replaced them with two gardens} (Saba: 16).

Since the term is potentially applicable to both concepts (change of attribute or change of essence), there are two views regarding the verse:

This view holds that the intended meaning is a change in attribute, not the essence.

• Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "It is this same earth, but its attributes change. Its mountains will travel, its seas will burst forth, and it will be leveled, so you will see no crookedness nor any unevenness in it."
• Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: "Allah will change the earth to other than the earth; He will spread it out and extend it like the stretching of a tanned hide, and you will see no crookedness nor any unevenness in it."

The phrase {and the heavens} means the heavens will be changed to other heavens. This is analogous to the Prophet’s saying: "A believer shall not be killed for a disbeliever, nor shall one under a covenant be killed for a disbeliever." The changing of the heavens involves the scattering of their stars, their splitting apart, the rolling up of their sun, the eclipsing of their moon, their becoming gates, and their being sometimes like molten brass and sometimes like ointment.

Ibn Mas'ud said: "It will be replaced by an earth like pure, white silver, upon which no blood has been shed, and no sin has been committed."

Some scholars favored the first view because the phrase {vengeance on the Day the earth will be changed} implies that this specific earth is intended. Since tabdīl is an attribute ascribed to it, the subject (the earth) must exist when the attribute occurs. If the earth remained with its current attributes during that change, the change itself would be impossible. Therefore, the essence that remains must be the underlying substance. This view supports the idea that when the Resurrection occurs, Allah does not annihilate the existing essences and bodies; rather, He annihilates their attributes and states.

It is also plausible to suggest that the changing of the earth and heavens means Allah will make the earth Hell and the heavens Paradise. Evidence for this is found in Allah’s saying: {Nay! Indeed, the record of the righteous is in ‘Illiyyin} (Al-Mutaffifin: 18) and {Nay! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in Sijjin} (Al-Mutaffifin: 7). And Allah knows best.

Regarding {brought forth before Allah}, we have already explained this in the commentary on {And they will all be brought forth before Allah} (referring to a previous verse).

The reason for mentioning {the One, the Prevailing} (al-Wāḥid al-Qahhār) here is that when sovereignty belongs to a single, overwhelming King who cannot be resisted, and a Prevailing One who cannot be overcome, there is no refuge for anyone elsewhere. This indicates the extreme severity of the situation, similar to His saying: {To whom belongs the sovereignty this Day? To Allah, the One, the Prevailing} (Ghafir: 16).

When Allah described Himself as Prevailing, He highlighted their helplessness and humiliation, saying: {And you will see the criminals that Day...}

Allah Almighty mentioned several characteristics describing their helplessness and humiliation:

The phrase muqarranīn means being tightly bound or joined together. Qirān is the rope used to tie two things together. The plural form aṣfād (fetters) is used here to denote the multitude of those people.

There are three interpretations for {bound} (muqarranīn):

1. Bound with their Satans: Al-Kalbī said that every disbeliever will be bound in a shackle with his Satan. Al-Atta said this relates to {And when the souls are paired} (At-Takwir: 7), meaning they are paired: Allah pairs the souls of the believers with the Houris, and the souls of the disbelievers with their counterparts among the Satans.
   • Scholarly Insight: When a person leaves the world, his soul either has disciplined itself toward divine knowledge, obedience, and love, or it has remained immersed in bodily pleasures and illusory fantasies. If the former, the soul departs toward the Divine Presence and eternal felicity. If the latter, the soul departs with intense regret, sorrow, and severe affliction due to its attachment to the physical realm. This is what is meant by {And when the souls are paired}. The Satan of the disbelieving soul is the corrupt ingrained habits (malakāt) and the destructive impulses, which aligns with Al-Atta’s view that every disbeliever is bound with his Satan in fetters.

2. Bound to Each Other: This means that these wretched, dark souls, being of the same nature, will be joined together. The darkness of each one calls out to the other, and their descent into those darknesses and losses is what is meant by {bound in fetters}.

3. Limbs Bound to Necks: Zayd ibn Arqam said their hands and feet will be shackled to their necks.
   • Scholarly Insight: The habits (malakāt) formed in the essence of the soul result from repeated actions of the limbs. If these habits are dark and corrupt, it will be metaphorically as if their hands and feet are chained and bound to their necks.
   • Regarding {in the fetters} (fī al-aṣfād), there are two possibilities: a. It is related to muqarranīn, meaning they are bound by means of the fetters. b. It is not related, meaning they are bound, and the fetters are the state they are in (as explained by the scholarly insight above).

Sarābīl is the plural of sirbāl (shirt). There are three accepted pronunciations for qaṭrān (pitch/tar). It is a substance that oozes from a tree called al-Abhal. When boiled, it is used to treat mangy camels, burning the scab with its heat and sharpness, sometimes penetrating to the interior. It is highly flammable, black in color, and foul-smelling. This substance will be applied to the skins of the people of the Fire, becoming like shirts (sarābīl). This results in four types of torment: the stinging and burning of the pitch, the rapid ignition of fire on their skin, the repulsive color, and the foul odor. Furthermore, the pitch of the Hereafter will be far worse than the pitch of this world, just as the two fires differ.

• Scholarly Insight: The essence of the spirit is luminous and radiant, belonging to the realm of holiness and the hidden Majesty. The body serves as its garment or shirt. All pain and sorrow experienced by the soul result from this body. Thus, this body causes stinging and burning in the soul's essence because desire, greed, and anger are rapidly transmitted to the spirit through it. Its density, murkiness, and darkness obscure the spirit's radiance, causing the foulness and putrefaction. Hence, this body is likened to garments of pitch. Some recited {from qaṭrān and qaṭr}, where qaṭr means molten copper or brass, which is intensely hot. Abu Bakr ibn al-Anbārī noted that the Fire will not destroy this pitch, just as the Fire does not destroy their bodies or the shackles upon them.

This is similar to His saying: {Is he who guards himself with his face from the severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection better, or he who comes secure?} (Az-Zumar: 24) and {On the Day they will be dragged into the Fire upon their faces} (Al-Qamar: 48).

Know that the seat of knowledge and ignorance is the heart (qalb), and the seat of thought, illusion, and imagination is the head (ra’s). The effects of these states manifest on the face. For this reason, Allah specifically mentioned these two organs as the sites where the effects of punishment appear: concerning the heart, He said: {The Fire of Allah, [that which is] kindled, Which mounts up to the hearts} (Al-Humazah: 6–7); and concerning the face: {And fire will cover their faces} (meaning it will envelop them).

After mentioning these three characteristics, Allah said: {That Allah may recompense every soul for what it earned}. Al-Wāḥidī interpreted this as referring specifically to the disbelievers, as the preceding description is not fitting for the believers. However, the wording can be taken generally, as the verse indicates that Allah recompenses every person according to their deeds. Since the earning of these disbelievers was disbelief and disobedience, their recompense is this mentioned punishment. Since the earning of the believers was faith and obedience, they deserve reward. Moreover, since Allah punished the criminals for their crimes, it is even more fitting that He rewards the obedient for their obedience.

This means Allah will not wrong them or add to the punishment they deserve.

• Scholarly Insight: The dark moral dispositions (akhlāq ẓulmāniyyah) are the origins of spiritual pains. The presence of these dispositions in the soul corresponds to the extent of their actions in the worldly life. Since psychological habits are formed in the soul's essence through repeated actions, those pains will vary according to the frequency, intensity, and weakness of those actions, which resembles the process of reckoning (ḥisāb).

This reminder and admonition are sufficient (balāgh) for mankind. They differed on what "This" refers to:

1. Some said it refers to the entire Qur'an.
2. Others said it refers to this entire Surah.
3. Others said it refers only to what was mentioned from {And do not think} up to {swift in taking account}.

As for {and that they may be warned by it}, it is connected to an implied phrase, meaning "so that they may take heed: {and that they may be warned by it}, meaning by this message."

There are several issues here:

We have repeatedly mentioned in this book that the human soul has two branches:

1. The Theoretical Faculty (al-Quwwah an-Naẓariyyah): Its perfection lies in knowing all existing things—their categories, species, and kinds—until the soul becomes like a mirror reflecting the holiness of the Divine Realm (Malakūt) and manifesting the Majesty of the Godhead (Lāhūt). The chief of these knowledges is knowing the Oneness of Allah according to His Essence, Attributes, and Actions.
2. The Practical Faculty (al-Quwwah al-’Amaliyyah): Its happiness lies in being adorned with virtuous moral qualities that lead to the issuance of perfect actions. The chief happiness of this faculty is obedience to and service of Allah.

Given this, {and that they may know that He is but one God} refers to what is primary for the perfection of the theoretical faculty. And {and that those of understanding will remember} refers to what is primary for the perfection of the practical faculty. The benefit of this remembrance is turning away from false deeds and turning toward righteous deeds. This conclusion serves as definitive proof that human happiness is only achieved through these two avenues.

These verses indicate that being reminded by these admonitions and advice necessitates recognizing Monotheism and turning toward righteous action. The reason is that when a person hears these warnings and threats, their fear increases, and they engage in contemplation and reflection, leading them to the knowledge of Monotheism and Prophethood, and subsequently engaging in righteous deeds.

The Judge (Al-Qadi) stated that the beginning and the end of this Surah indicate that the servant is independent in his actions: he may obey if he wills, or disobey if he wills.

• The beginning is Allah’s saying: {to bring mankind out of darknesses into the light} (Ibrahim: 1). We explained there that the purpose of sending down the Book is to guide all creation toward religion and piety and to prevent them from disbelief and sin.
• The end is His saying: {and that those of understanding will remember}, which indicates that Allah sent down this Surah and mentioned these admonitions precisely so that people might benefit from them, becoming believing and obedient, and abandoning disbelief and sin. Thus, the beginning and the end of the Surah align in conveying this meaning. The comprehensive answer to the question raised is mentioned at the beginning of the Surah, so there is no need to repeat it.

This verse demonstrates that human virtue and merit are solely based on intellect (’aql). This is because Allah explained that He sent down these Books and sent these Messengers specifically to remind those of understanding (ūlī al-albāb). If those of understanding did not possess great honor and high rank, this command would not have been given.