An-Nazi'at: (6) The Day the Quake Strikes (Tarjifu ar-Rājifah)

Issues Discussed:

There are two main views regarding the answer to the preceding oaths (by the wind-scatterers, etc.):

View 1: The Answer is Omitted (Mahdhūf)

Under this view, there are several possibilities for the implied answer:

1. Al-Farra' said: The implied answer is: "You will surely be resurrected" (لَتُبْعَثُنَّ). This is supported by their subsequent question: "When we become crumbling bones, shall we then be brought back to life?" (Q. 11).
2. Al-Akhfash and Al-Zajjaj said: The implied answer is: "The Trumpet will be blown twice" (لَنُفِخَنَّ فِي الصُّورِ نَفْخَتَيْنِ). This is supported by the mention of ar-Rājifah (the first blast) and ar-Rādifah (the second blast).
3. Al-Kisā'ī said: The implied answer is that the Resurrection will occur (أَنَّ الْقِيَامَةَ وَاقِعَةٌ). This is analogous to previous surahs where oaths are followed by a statement of certainty regarding the promised event (e.g., Surah Adh-Dhariyat: $\text{وَالذَّارِيَاتِ ذَرْوًا} \dots \text{إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَصَادِقٌ}$).

View 2: The Answer is Mentioned (Madhkūr)

Under this view, the answer is explicitly stated in the following verses:

1. The subject of the oath is the state described in: "Hearts that Day will be trembling, their eyes downcast" (قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ * أَبْصَارُهَا خَاشِعَةٌ). The implication is: By the wind-scatterers, when the Quake strikes, hearts will be trembling and eyes downcast.
2. The answer is the statement: "Has the story of Moses reached you?" (هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَى). Here, hal (هَلْ) means "indeed" (قَدْ), as in "The story of the Overwhelming Event has indeed reached you" (هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ).
3. The answer is the statement: "Indeed, in that is a lesson for those who fear [Allah]" (Q. 26) (إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى).

There are two ways to account for the accusative case (نَاصِب) of the word Yawm (Day):

1. It is accusative due to the implied answer: The implied structure is: "You will surely be resurrected on the day the Quake strikes" (لَتُبْعَثُنَّ يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الرَّاجِفَةُ). If one objects that resurrection does not occur at the first blast (ar-Rājifah), the response is that the meaning refers to the extended time period encompassing both blasts, during which resurrection certainly occurs at the second blast (ar-Rādifah). This is supported by the subsequent phrase: "followed by the succeeding one" (تَتْبَعُهَا الرَّادِفَةُ), which functions as a circumstantial clause (حال) describing ar-Rājifah.
2. It is accusative due to what is implied by the following statement: The implication of "Hearts that Day will be trembling" (قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ) is that the hearts trembled on the day the Quake struck.

Linguistic Meanings:

• Ar-Rajfah (الرجفة): Has two meanings:
  1. Shaking/Trembling: As in, "The Day the earth and the mountains shake" (Q. 73:14).
  2. A Terrifying, Loud Sound: From the root meaning of thunder shaking and echoing (رَجَفَ الرَّعْدُ). Thus, ar-Rājifah here could be a mighty, terrifying blast like thunder. This is supported by the phrase, "Then the earthquake seized them" (Q. 7:91).
• Ar-Rādifah (الرادفة): Anything that comes after something else; the follower.
• Al-Qulūb al-Wājifah (القلوب الواجفة): Hearts that are agitated, fearful, and trembling (اضْطَرَبَ). It implies extreme agitation, restlessness, and lack of stillness.
• Abṣāruhā Khāshi'ah (أبصارها خاشعة): Their eyes are humbled, submissive, and downcast, as in "looking askance, humbled by degradation" (Q. 42:45).

Contextual Interpretation:

The majority of commentators agree that these descriptions refer to the Events of the Day of Resurrection. Abu Muslim al-Isfahani disagreed, and we will present the majority view first, followed by Abu Muslim's view.

The Majority View (Events of the Resurrection):

Commentators offered several interpretations:

1. Ar-Rājifah is the First Blast: It is named this because the world shakes and trembles at it, or because the sound of the blast itself is the Rajfah. Ar-Rādifah is a second tremor following the first, causing the earth to shake again for the resurrection of the dead (as mentioned in Surah Az-Zumar). It is narrated that forty years separate the two blasts, during which rain falls to cause the dead to grow like seeds—though this detail is unnecessary for establishing God's power.
2. Ar-Rājifah is the First Blast, and Ar-Rādifah is the Hour: Ar-Rādifah follows the first blast, meaning the Hour (Resurrection) is imminent, as in "Perhaps some of what you seek to hasten is close behind you" (Q. 27:72).
3. Ar-Rājifah is the Earth and Mountains: As stated in Q. 73:14. Ar-Rādifah would then be the heavens and the stars, which split and scatter their components afterward.
4. Ar-Rājifah is the Earth's Initial Movement: Ar-Rādifah is a second, subsequent earthquake until the earth is destroyed and annihilated.

The View of Abu Muslim al-Isfahani (Not the Resurrection):

Abu Muslim interpreted the initial oaths (The Wind-Scatterers, The Snatchers, etc.) as referring to the actions of drawing a bow, the arrow shooting out, horses running, and subsequent events in battle.

Based on this:

• Ar-Rājifah and Ar-Rādifah: Refer to two contingents of polytheists who attacked the Prophet (PBUH), one contingent following the other.
• Al-Wājifah Hearts: The agitated hearts of the hypocrites, whose eyes are downcast (like those "whose hearts are diseased," Q. 47:20).
• Context: When the enemy cavalry arrived and was followed by the second group, the hypocrites' hearts trembled in fear, and their eyes became submissive out of cowardice.
• Their Speech: They then said, "Shall we really be returned to our former state?" (Q. 10), meaning returned to the world to endure such fear for its sake. They also said, "That would be a losing return!" (Q. 12).
• Conclusion: The passage narrates the state of the polytheists who fought the Prophet, followed by the state of the hypocrites, and finally the hypocrites' denial of resurrection. God then answers them: "It is but a single blast, and behold, they are on the surface [of the earth]" (Q. 13-14). This interpretation is linguistically possible, though contrary to the majority.

Q.S. 79:8-9: "Hearts that Day will be trembling, their eyes downcast."

It is established by proof that believers will not fear at that time. Therefore, this refers specifically to the hearts of the disbelievers. This is confirmed by their subsequent statement: "Shall we really be returned to our former state?" (Q. 10), which is the speech of disbelievers, not believers.

The downcast eyes (خَاشِعَة) are a natural consequence of the fearful, agitated state, indicating submission and anticipation of the great event.

Question 1: Why the indefinite noun (Qulūb) at the beginning? Answer: Qulūb (Hearts) is the subject (مبتدأ) in the nominative case, and wājifah (trembling) is its adjective. Abṣāruhā (Their eyes) is the predicate (خبر). It is like saying: "And a believing slave is better than a polytheist" (Q. 2:221).

Question 2: How are the eyes attributed to the hearts? Answer: It means the eyes of their owners (أبصار أصحابها), evidenced by the subsequent use of the plural verb "they say" (يقولون).

God then recounts three statements made by those who deny the Resurrection:

• Meaning of al-Hāfirah (الْحَافِرَةِ): It means the path they came upon, which they dug (حَفَرَهَا) with their footsteps. It is metaphorically attributed to the digging. It is used to mean returning to one's original path or state. A Hadith states: "This matter will not be left as it is until it returns to its Hāfirah" (i.e., its initial foundation).
• Variant Reading: Abu Haywah read it as al-Ḥufratu (الْحُفْرَةِ), meaning the dug-out pit.
• Interpretation: The meaning is: Shall we be returned to our initial state and beginning, becoming alive as we once were?

Issue 1: The Reading of Nākhirah vs. Nakhirah

• Readings: Hamzah and 'Āṣim read Nākhirah (with alif). The rest read Nakhirah (without alif). Al-Kisa'i reportedly wavered between the two.
• Abu 'Ubaydah's Preference: He preferred Nakhirah (without alif), stating that texts mentioning decayed bones consistently use al-'iẓām an-nakhirah (the crumbling bones), and he never encountered an-nākhirah.
• Agreement on Validity: Others agree that Nākhirah is a valid linguistic form.
  • View A (Same Meaning): Nākhirah and Nakhirah mean the same thing (like ṭāmi' and ṭama'). Al-Zajjaj and Al-Farra' preferred Nākhirah because it matches the ending sound of other words in the passage (al-Hāfirah, as-Sāhirah). Others argue that the verbal form (Nākhirah) is more emphatic than the noun form (Nakhirah).
  • View B (Different Meanings):
    • Nakhirah (نَخِرَة): From نَخَرَ (to decay), meaning bones that have decayed to the point of crumbling upon touch.
    • Nākhirah (نَاخِرَة): Refers to hollow bones through which the wind passes, creating a sound like a snore (نَخِير), not related to decay but to sound.

Issue 2: Grammatical Analysis of Idhā (When)

• Idhā is accusative due to an implied verb: "When we become crumbling bones, [we will be resurrected]" (إِذَا كُنَّا عِظَامًا نُرَدُّ وَنُبْعَثُ).

Issue 3: Refuting the Denial of Resurrection Based on Physical Decay

The core objection is that the "I" (أنا) refers to this specific physical body. If the body decomposes, its reassembly is impossible for three reasons:

1. Recreating the Identical Entity: Recreating the original entity requires the exact original structure to re-enter existence. This is impossible because the entity that ceased to exist no longer possesses any identity or specific essence (ذات).
2. Scattering of Parts: The constituent parts become dust, mixing inextricably with the earth, water, and air. Distinguishing those specific parts is impossible.
3. Change in Nature: Earthy parts are cold, dry, and rough, making it impossible for them to generate a human being whose temperament must be hot and moist.

Answers to these Objections:

1. The "I" is Not the Body: We deny that the "I" referred to by every person is this physical structure.
   • The parts of this structure are constantly changing and being replaced, whereas the self (الأنا) that one refers to is perceived as unchanging. The changing is different from the unchanging.
   • A person knows they exist even when unaware of their internal or external organs. The perceived self is different from the unperceived matter.
2. The Nature of the Self: If the self is not the body, then:
   • Possibility 1 (Philosophical): It is an existing entity, self-subsistent, neither body nor corporeal (the view of many philosophers and Muslims).
   • Possibility 2 (Substantial Difference): It is a body different in essence from these perishable bodies, permeating them like fire in charcoal or oil in sesame seeds. When the physical structure decays, this essential part contracts but remains alive, perceiving, and rational (in bliss or misery).
   • Possibility 3 (Specific Attribute): It is a body similar in essence to these bodies, but God specifically endowed this set of parts with permanence throughout the person's existence. Other changing parts (gaining or losing mass) are not part of the self referred to by "I." At death, these perishable parts separate, and the essential self remains alive.

These possibilities prove that the corruption and scattering of the body do not necessitate the corruption of the true human essence. This effectively refutes all doubts raised by deniers of the Resurrection.

Addressing the Objections Directly (Even if we concede the self is the body):

1. Objection: The non-existent cannot return.
   • Reply: If it was impossible for the non-existent to return, why is it impossible for us to assert that its return is possible?
2. Objection: The parts are mixed with the elements.
   • Reply: God encompasses all particulars and is capable of all possibilities. It is possible for Him to gather those exact parts and restore life to them.
3. Objection: Rough, dry bodies cannot sustain life.
   • Reply: We observe the salamander living in fire, the ostrich swallowing hot iron, and large snakes being born in snow. Reliance on mere observation (الاستقراء) is therefore void. God guides to truth.

Q.S. 79:12: "They say, 'That would then be a losing return!'" (تِلْكَ إِذًا كَرَّةٌ خَاسِرَةٌ)

This is the continuation of their statement, expressing that returning to life only to face judgment would be a futile and disastrous endeavor.