Tafsir of Al-Ghashiyah 88:25

Al-Ghashiyah (88): 25

إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ (Indeed, to Us is their return.)

This verse appears to be connected to the preceding one: {فَيُعَذِّبَهُ اللَّهُ الْعَذَابَ الْأَكْبَرَ} (So Allah will punish him with the greatest punishment) (Al-Ghashiyah: 24).

The Almighty mentioned this [promise of return and reckoning] to remove the sorrow from the heart of the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding their disbelief. He said: Be content concerning them; even if they persist in obstinacy, deny, and reject, their return is to the promised destination. For upon Us is their reckoning.

The reckoning of the disbelievers is for the purpose of delivering punishment to them, which is a right belonging to Allah Almighty. Is it obligatory for the Owner (Allah) to fully claim His own right?

The Answer: It is obligatory upon Him either by virtue of the promise, which cannot be broken, or by the dictates of Wisdom. For if He did not take vengeance for the oppressed from the oppressor, it would resemble a situation where He is pleased with that injustice, and Allah is exalted above that. For this reason, the reckoning is obligatory.

The First Issue: Abu Ja'far al-Madani recited {إِيَابَهُمْ} (their return) with a shaddah (doubling of the 'yā' - iyyābahum). The author of Al-Kashshāf explains its justification: It could be fi'ālan (a verbal noun form) derived from ayaba (to return), following the pattern fi'al from iyāb. Or, its origin might be awāban (another verbal noun form) following the pattern fa'āl from awaba. Then, it was changed to iyāban like dīwān for dūn, and subsequently treated as the original form sayyid (master).

The Second Issue: The benefit of presenting the adverbial phrase (إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا - Indeed, to Us) is to emphasize the severity of the warning. Their return (إِيَابَهُمْ) is only to the Mighty, the One capable of vengeance. And their reckoning is only incumbent upon Him, the One who reckons concerning the smallest deed (naqīr and qamīr).

And Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, knows best. And peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad, his family, and his companions.