Al-Mutaffifin: (7) Nay! Indeed, the record...

After clarifying the gravity of this sin (fraud in weighing/measuring), the Almighty follows it by mentioning its consequences and rulings.

The first of these is His saying: {Kallā} (Nay!/Indeed not!). The exegetes have mentioned several interpretations for this:

1. It is a reprimand and a warning, meaning the situation is not as they conduct themselves—in cheating and heedlessness regarding the Resurrection and Reckoning. They should therefore desist. This completes the discourse here.
2. Abu Hātim said: {Kallā} is an introductory word connected to what follows, meaning "truly." Thus, {Inna kitāb al-fujjār lafī sijīn} (Indeed, the record of the wicked is in Sijjīn). This is the view of Al-Hasan.

The second type of statement is that the Almighty described the record of the wicked with contempt and baseness, as a form of scorn toward them. Several questions arise here:

We have two opinions:

1. The First Opinion (The Majority View): It is a proper noun for a specific entity. They then differed on what that entity is:
   • The majority hold that it is the seventh lowest layer of the earth. This is the view of Ibn ‘Abbās (in the narration of ‘Aṭā’), Qatādah, Mujāhid, Al-Ḍaḥḥāk, and Ibn Zayd. Al-Barā’ narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Sijjīn is the lowest of the seven earths."
   • ‘Aṭā’ al-Khurāsānī said: Iblīs and his offspring are in it.
   • Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Sijjīn is a pit in Hell."
   • Al-Kalbī and Mujāhid said: Sijjīn is a rock beneath the seventh earth.

2. The Second Opinion: It is a derived noun, named Sijjīn from the root sajn (imprisonment/confinement), similar to how fasīq (sinner) is derived from fisq (sinfulness). This is the view of Abū ‘Ubaydah, Al-Mubarrid, and Al-Zajjāj. Al-Wāḥidī considered this weak. The evidence that the Arabs were not familiar with Sijjīn is His saying: {Wa mā adrāka} (And what will make you know?), implying it is not something you or your people knew. However, I would not say this view is weak, as perhaps this was mentioned to magnify the matter of Sijjīn, similar to His saying: {Wa mā adrāka mā yawm ad-dīn} (And what will make you know what the Day of Judgment is?) (Al-Infiṭār: 17).

The author of Al-Kashshāf said: The correct view is that Sijjīn is fa‘īl derived from sajn. However, in this context, it functions as a proper noun transferred from an adjective like ḥātim (generous), and it is declinable because it has only one cause for being a proper noun: designation.

Knowing this, we state that God has established matters concerning His servants according to their common dealings with their great leaders. Paradise is described with loftiness, purity, spaciousness, and the presence of the near angels. Sijjīn is described with lowness, darkness, confinement, and the presence of the accursed devils. Loftiness, purity, and spaciousness, along with the presence of near angels, are certainly attributes of perfection and honor. Their opposites are attributes of deficiency and humiliation. Therefore, when the disbelievers and their record were intended to be described with humiliation and baseness, it was said that their record is in a place of lowness, darkness, confinement, and the presence of devils. Conversely, when the record of the righteous was described with honor, it was said to be {fī ‘illiyyīn} (in ‘Illiyyīn) (Al-Muṭaffifīn: 18) and {yashhaduhu al-muqarrabūn} (witnessed by those brought near).

Al-Qaffāl answered: His saying {kitāb marqūm} is not an explanation of Sijjīn. Rather, the structure is: "Nay! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in Sijjīn, and indeed, the record of the wicked is a written book." Thus, this provides two descriptions for the record of the wicked: first, that it is in Sijjīn, and second, that it is marqūm. The phrase {Wa mā adrāka mā sijīn} (And what will make you know what Sijjīn is?) occurs as an interjection between these two descriptions.

Alternatively, we can say: What is strange about one book being inside another? Either the record of the wicked is placed within the original book that serves as the reference for detailing the states of the wretched, or what is in the record of the wicked is transferred to that book called Sijjīn.

A third view is that kitāb (book) here means writing. The meaning then becomes: "The writing of the wicked is in Sijjīn," meaning the writing of their deeds is in Sijjīn. Then, Sijjīn is described as {kitāb marqūm} containing all the deeds of the wicked.

We have several views:

1. Marqūm means their deeds are written therein.
2. Qatādah said: It is "marked for evil" (ruqima lahum bi-sū’), meaning it was written for them necessitating the Fire.
3. Al-Qaffāl suggested: It might mean that this book was made marqūm (marked) just as a merchant marks his garment to indicate its value. Similarly, the record of the wicked is marked with a mark indicating their wretchedness.
4. Marqūm here means sealed (makhtūm). Al-Wāḥidī affirmed this, as a seal is a mark, so marqūm can be called makhtūm.
5. The meaning is a record fixed upon them, like a mark on a garment that fades.

As for {Waylun yawma’idhin lil-mukadhdhibīn} (Woe on that Day to those who deny!), there are two interpretations:

1. It is connected to {Yawma yaqūmu an-nāsu} (The Day when mankind will stand) (Al-Muṭaffifīn: 83). Woe to him who denied God's news.
2. The meaning of marqūm is that they are marked with a mark indicating wretchedness on the Day of Resurrection. Then He says: {Waylun yawma’idhin lil-mukadhdhibīn} concerning that Day, because of that Book.

Then, the Almighty informed us about the description of those who deny the Day of Judgment: {Wa mā yukadhdhibu bihi illā kullu mu‘tadin athīm} (And none denies it except every transgressor, sinful one).

This means that no one denies the Day of Judgment except one who possesses these three characteristics:

1. Mu‘tadin (Transgressor): Transgression is exceeding the true path.
2. Athīm (Sinful): This is an intensification of committing sin and disobedience.

I argue that man has two powers: a theoretical power, perfected by knowing the truth for its own sake, and a practical power, perfected by knowing the good for the sake of acting upon it. The opposite of the first power is describing God with what is impermissible. Anyone who denies the possibility of Resurrection and Judgment does so either because they do not know that God’s knowledge encompasses all universals and particulars, or because they do not know that God’s power encompasses all possibilities. This transgression is the opposite of the practical power, which is being preoccupied with desire and anger. The one characterized by this is the athīm, because one preoccupied with desire and anger rarely dedicates time to worship and obedience, and this preoccupation might even prevent them from believing in the Resurrection.

{Idhā tutlā ‘alayhi āyātunā qāla asāṭīr al-awwalīn} (When Our verses are recited to him, he says: "Legends of the former peoples!").

This refers to those who deny Prophethood. The meaning is: when the Qur’an is recited to him, he says it is the legends of the former peoples. There are two interpretations:

1. The lies of the former peoples.
2. The tales of the former peoples, implying that the Qur’an took its source from them, thereby attacking its divine origin.

There is another discussion: Are these three characteristics referring to a specific person or are they general?

1. The First Opinion (Al-Kalbī’s view): It refers to Al-Walīd ibn Al-Mughīrah. Others said it was Al-Nuḍr ibn Al-Ḥārith. Those who said Al-Walīd cited that in Sūrah Nūn (Al-Qalam), God says: {Wa lā tuṭi‘ kullu ḥallāfin mahīn}... up to {mu‘tadin athīm}... up to {idhā tutlā ‘alayhi āyātunā qāla asāṭīr al-awwalīn} (68:10-15). They concluded this refers to Al-Walīd ibn Al-Mughīrah. Under this interpretation, the meaning is: "And none among the Quraysh or your people denies the Day of Judgment except every transgressor, sinful one." This points to a specific individual.
2. The Second Opinion: It is general and applies to everyone described by these characteristics.

As for {Kallā bal rāna ‘alā qulūbihim mā kānū yakṣibūn} (Nay! But what they used to earn has rusted over their hearts), the meaning is: The situation is not as they claim—that it is mere legends of the former peoples. Rather, their past deeds have become the cause for the rust (rayn) to settle upon their hearts.

Linguists and exegetes have different views on the word rayn:

• Linguists: Abū ‘Ubaydah said rāna ‘alā qulūbihim means it overwhelmed their hearts. Wine yarīn (rusts/overwhelms) the mind of the drunkard, and death yarīn (overwhelms) the deceased, taking him away. Al-Layth said rāna in the head means it settled firmly, referring to rayn or riyūn. This is supported by the narration concerning ‘Umar regarding Asīfa‘ Juhaynah when debt overwhelmed him: "He woke up having been rāna upon." Abū Zayd said: Rīna bi-r-rajul means he fell into something from which he cannot escape. Abū Ma‘ādh Al-Naḥwī said rayn is when the heart turns black due to sins. Ṭab‘ (sealing) is more severe than rayn, and aqfāl (locks) are more severe than ṭab‘. Al-Zajjāj said rāna ‘alā qulūbihim means it covered their hearts. Sin yarīn on the heart, meaning it covered it. Rayn is like rust that covers the heart, similar to eye-glaucoma (‘ayn).
• Exegetes: Al-Ḥasan and Mujāhid said it is sin upon sin, until the sins encompass the heart and cover it, causing the heart to die. A narration from the Prophet (PBUH) states: "Beware of the seemingly minor sins, for sin upon sin ignites a huge blaze for its perpetrator." Mujāhid also said: The heart is like a fist; when a sin occurs, it contracts. When another sin occurs, it contracts again, and then it is sealed—that is rayn. Others said: Every time a person sins, a black spot forms on his heart until the entire heart turns black. This is narrated from Abū Hurayrah.

I assert that the repetition of actions is certainly the cause for the formation of a psychological disposition (malakah nafsāniyyah). If someone intends to learn writing, the more frequently they perform the act of writing, the more complete their ability to write becomes, until they can write without deliberation or thought. Since this psychological state arises from those numerous actions, each action has an effect on forming that state. Knowing this, we say: When a person persists in committing certain types of sins, a psychological disposition is formed in his heart to commit that sin. The essence of sin is anything that distracts you from God, and everything that distracts you from God is darkness. Therefore, all sins are darkness and blackness. Each of the preceding deeds that collectively caused that disposition has an effect on its formation. This is what is meant by their saying: Every time a person sins, a black spot forms on his heart until the heart turns black. Since the degrees of these dispositions vary in intensity and weakness, the degrees of this blackness and darkness must also vary. Some of it is rayn, some is ṭab‘, and some is aqfāl.

Al-Qāḍī said the meaning of rayn is not that their hearts have changed and a barrier has formed, but rather that they have become increasingly emboldened to commit the sin, and their incentives to abandon repentance and cessation have strengthened. Thus, they persist, and the matter becomes difficult for them. This is why He explained that the cause of rayn is their earning (deeds). It is known that their abundance of earning sins does not prevent cessation and repentance.

I argue that we have previously established that the occurrence of an action at the point of equilibrium between the incentive to act and the incentive to refrain is impossible (due to the impossibility of preferring one possibility without a preference factor). Therefore, it is more likely that it is impossible when one side is already preferred. Since Al-Qāḍī conceded that they became rajīḥ (preferred/weighted) due to past actions, refraining must be impossible in this state. The full discussion on this has been presented multiple times in this book.

As for His saying: {Kallā innahum ‘an rabbihim yawma’idhin la-maḥjūbūn} (Nay! Indeed, they, that Day, from their Lord will be veiled), know that they mentioned several interpretations for {Kallā} here:

1. The author of Al-Kashshāf said: {Kallā} is a reprimand against the earning that causes the rust (rayn) on their hearts.
2. Al-Qaffāl said: In other Sūrahs, God recounted that this transgressor and sinful one used to say: "If the Hereafter is true, God will surely grant me wealth and children." God then refuted this claim by saying: {Aṭṭala‘a al-ghayba am ittakhadha ‘inda ar-raḥmāni ‘ahdā} (Has he looked into the unseen, or has he taken a covenant with the Most Merciful?) (Maryam: 78), and {Wa la’in ruji‘tu ilā rabbī la-inn lī ‘indahu lil-ḥusnā} (And if I am returned to my Lord, indeed, for me is a good return with Him) (Fuṣṣilat: 50). Since this statement was frequently mentioned in the Qur’an, God omitted it here and said: {Kallā innahum ‘an rabbihim yawma’idhin la-maḥjūbūn}, meaning: The situation is not as they say—that they will have a good return in the Hereafter. Rather, they will be veiled from their Lord that Day.
3. It could be a repetition, and this {Kallā} is the same one mentioned in {Kallā bal rāna}.

Regarding {Innahum ‘an rabbihim yawma’idhin la-maḥjūbūn} (Indeed, they, that Day, from their Lord will be veiled):

The Companions used this verse to argue that the believers will see the Almighty. They argued that otherwise, the specification (veiling the wicked) would be meaningless. Another argument is that God mentioned this veiling as a threat and warning to the disbelievers; what serves as a threat to the disbelievers cannot occur to the believers, so this veiling must not happen to the believers.

The Mu‘tazilah responded in several ways:

1. Al-Jubbā’ī said: It means they are veiled from the Mercy of their Lord, i.e., prevented, just as in inheritance law it is said: "Brothers veil the mother from one-third [of the inheritance]." One who is prevented from entering is called a ḥājib (one who veils/prevents access).
2. Abū Muslim said: {La-maḥjūbūn} means they are not brought near (ghayr muqarrabīn). Veiling (ḥijāb) is rejection, the opposite of acceptance. The meaning is that these deniers of the Resurrection are not accepted by God, which is what is meant by His saying: {Wa lā yukallimuhum Allāhu wa lā yanẓuru ilayhim yawm al-qiyāmah wa lā yuzakkīhim} (And God will not speak to them, nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them) (Āl ‘Imrān).
3. Al-Qāḍī said: Veiling is not synonymous with the absence of sight. One might say, "So-and-so was veiled from the Prince," even if he saw him from afar. If veiling does not mean absence of sight, the argument falls, and it must be interpreted as being prevented from attaining God’s Mercy.
4. The author of Al-Kashshāf said: Their being veiled from Him is a metaphor for their contempt and humiliation, because only those honored by kings are allowed to knock on their doors, and only the humiliated are veiled from them.

The Response: There is no doubt that one prevented from seeing something is said to be veiled from it. Also, one prevented from entering upon a prince is said to be veiled from him. Furthermore, the mother is said to be veiled from one-third [of the inheritance] due to the brothers. Since we find these usages, the word must be interpreted as having a common meaning across these contexts, which is **prevention (man‘)**. In the first case, the prevention is from sight; in the second, from reaching closeness; and in the third, from deserving one-third. Thus, the verse means: "Nay! Indeed, they, that Day, are prevented from their Lord." Prevention is realized relative to what is established for the servant concerning God, which is either knowledge or sight. It cannot be knowledge, as knowledge of the disbelievers is agreed upon. Therefore, it must be interpreted as sight. Changing it to "mercy" is deviating from the apparent meaning without evidence, as is the view of the author of Al-Kashshāf.

What confirms our argument are the statements of the exegetes:

• Muqātil said the meaning is that after the reckoning, they will not see their Lord, while the believers will see Him.
• Al-Kalbī said they are veiled from the sight of their Lord, and the believer is not veiled from seeing his Lord.
• When Mālik ibn Anas was asked about this verse, he said: Since His enemies are veiled so they do not see Him, it is necessary that He reveals Himself to His allies so they may see Him.
• From Al-Shāfi‘ī: Since God veiled a people with displeasure, it indicates that a people will see Him with pleasure.

As for {Thumma innahum la-ṣālū al-jaḥīm} (Then indeed, they will be cast into the Hellfire): The meaning is that once they are veiled on the Plain of Resurrection—either from seeing God (according to our view) or from God's mercy and honor (according to the Mu‘tazilah)—they are then commanded to the Fire. When they enter the Fire, they will be rebuked for denying the Resurrection and the Recompense, and it will be said to them: {Hādhā alladhī kuntum bihi tukadhdhibūn} (This is what you used to deny) in the world; now you have witnessed it, so taste it!

7 < { Nay! Indeed, the record of the righteous is in ‘Illiyyīn * And what will make you know what ‘Illiyyīn is? * A written book * Witnessed by those brought near. } > 7 !