The Incident (Al-Waqi'ah): (49) Say: Indeed, the former ones...

Commentary on Verse 49: {قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَوَّلِينَ} (Say: Indeed, the former ones...)

His statement: {قُلْ} (Say) indicates that the matter is extremely clear. This is because the Message contains secrets that are only revealed to the righteous. Among these secrets is the specification of the Day of Resurrection. If the common people knew the exact time, they would become complacent, and the Prophets (peace be upon them) might know more signs than they reveal. Sometimes, the Prophets reveal signs to the senior Companions, as we will explain.

There are several interpretations regarding the command {قُلْ} (Say):

1. Clarity and Universality: It means this matter has reached such clarity that both the common folk and the elite share in the knowledge. Therefore, He commanded: "Say," meaning this is a general statement. This pattern is seen elsewhere: when a matter is apparent, He says, "Say," such as in {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ} (Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One") and {قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ} (Say, "I am only a man like you") and {قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي} (Say, "The Spirit is of the affair of my Lord"). This implies that the essence of the Spirit is hidden, but the command to say it is apparent.

2. Addressing the Denial (The Order of Mention): His statement {إِنَّ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ} (Indeed, the former ones and the latter ones) mentions the former before the latter in response to their statement: {أَوَ آبَاؤُنَا الْأَوَّلُونَ} (Or our forefathers, the former ones?). They mentioned the forefathers last because the improbability of their resurrection was greater in their minds. Thus, Allah says: "Indeed, the former ones—whom you deem unlikely to be resurrected and put off—Allah will resurrect them, and this matter is prior to the latter ones." This clarifies the affirmation of the state of those whom they postponed in their disbelief, indicating the ease of the matter.

3. Emphasis on Gathering: His statement {لَمَجْمُوعُونَ} (will surely be gathered) refutes their denial of {لَمَبْعُوثُونَ} (will surely be resurrected) (Q 47). He responds that it will happen, with an added element: they will be gathered on the plain of Reckoning. This gathering is a greater feat than mere resurrection. If someone has remained under the earth for a long time, they might lack the ability to move upon being resurrected. Even if someone was alive but confined in their grave for a period, movement would be difficult. Yet, Allah, by His power, moves them with the swiftest motion and gathers them with the strongest movement. Furthermore, the structure {لَمَجْمُوعُونَ} (with the emphatic particle la- and the passive participle) is stronger than simply saying majmū'ūn (gathered), just as saying "He is dying" conveys more emphasis on the ongoing state than saying "He is dead."

4. The Known Appointed Time: His statement {إِلَى مِيْقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ} (to an appointed time of a known Day) indicates that Allah will gather them all on a single, known day. Gathering a number of the dead—whose count is known only to Allah—simultaneously is more astonishing than the resurrection itself. This is like His statement in As-Saffat: {فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجْرَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ} (Then it will be but a single blast). You deem the resurrection itself unlikely, yet what is more astonishing is that He will resurrect them with a single blast (a single cry). {فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ} (And suddenly they will be looking). This includes the added element of their eyes opening and them looking around. In contrast, someone who is drowsy, upon waking, remains still for a while before looking at things. Thus, the act of revival by Allah is easier than waking a sleeper.

5. The Significance of 'Ila (To): The preposition {إِلَى} (to) is more indicative of resurrection/movement than the particle Lām (for). We address why Allah said here {لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَى مِيْقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ} (will surely be gathered to an appointed time of a known Day) and not li-mīqātinā (for Our appointed time), whereas in Surat At-Taghabun He said: {يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُكُمْ لِيَوْمِ الْجَمْعِ} (The Day He will gather you for the Day of Gathering).

Our answer is: Since the mention of gathering here is a response to the deniers who found it improbable, the word {إِلَى} (to) was used, which denotes movement and transition, making it more indicative of an action (resurrection/movement) than just stating the destination. In At-Taghabun, the word Lām is used because the context there does not inherently imply the physical act of rising/moving. This is why here He used the emphatic {لَمَجْمُوعُونَ} and the preposition {إِلَى مِيْقَاتِ} (a destination toward the time).

As for {فَلَمَّا جَاءَ مُوسَى لِمِيقَاتِنَا} (And when Moses came to Our appointed time), the situation there was different. Moses was not required to perform an action of resurrection; his requirement was merely to arrive at the appointed place and time. When a time and place are set for someone, their movement is ultimately directed toward a secondary purpose. However, in the Resurrection context, the primary, greatest matter is standing in that place and time. Therefore, the word whose indication of place and movement is more explicit ({إِلَى}) was used.

Verse 51-54: {ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ أَيُّهَا الضَّالُّونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ * لَآكِلُونَ مِن شَجَرٍ مِّن زَقُّومٍ * فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ * فَشَارِبُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْحَمِيمِ * فَشَارِبُونَ شُرْبَ الْهِيمِ}

Then, indeed, you, O misguided ones, who deny [the truth]— You will eat from a tree of Zaqqum, And fill your bellies with it, Then drink upon it from boiling water, And drink a thirsty camel's drink.