Al-Anbiya: 104
"The Day We shall roll up the heaven..."
The operative factor for "The Day" (yawm) is "they shall not be grieved" (la yahzunuhum), or "the terror" (al-faza'), or "shall receive them" (tatalaqqahum).
It is read as tutwa al-sama’ (the heaven is rolled up) in the passive voice.
"Like the rolling up of the scroll" (ka-tayy al-sijill):
- Al-sijill is on the pattern of al-‘utull (a heavy, coarse person).
- It is also read as al-sijill with the pronunciation of al-dalw (a bucket).
- It is narrated with a kasra (al-sijill): it is the parchment. Meaning: just as a scroll is rolled up for writing—that is, to be written upon, or for what is written in it. This is because "the writing" (al-kitab) is originally an infinitive, like "the building" (al-bina'), then it is applied to what is written. If one uses the plural, it means "for the written things," i.e., for the many meanings written within it.
- It is said: Al-Sijill is an angel who rolls up the records of the children of Adam when they are raised to him.
- It is said: He was a scribe for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). On this view, "the book" (al-kitab) is the name of the parchment in which it is written.
"As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it" (kama bada’na awwala khalqin nu‘iduhu):
- Awwala khalqin is the object of nu‘iduhu (We shall repeat it), which is explained by the verb nu‘iduhu. The ka (as) is restricted by ma (in kama).
- The meaning: We shall repeat the first creation just as We began it, likening the repetition to the origination in terms of the Power’s equal grasp of both.
- If you ask: What is the "first creation" that He will repeat as He began it?
- I say: Its beginning is its creation from nothingness. Just as He created it the first time from nothingness, He will repeat it the second time from nothingness.
- If you ask: Why is khalq (creation) indefinite?
- I say: It is like saying, "He is the first man (awwalu rajulin) who came to me," meaning the first of the men, but you made it singular and indefinite to signify detailing them man by man. Likewise, the meaning of awwala khalqin is "the first of the creation," meaning the first of the created beings, because khalq is an infinitive that is not pluralized.
- Another perspective: The ka is governed by an implied verb explained by nu‘iduhu, and ma is a relative pronoun. Meaning: We repeat the like of that which We began, We repeat it. Awwala khalqin is an adverbial modifier for bada’nahu (We began it), meaning: the first thing We created, or it is a state (hal) of the pronoun of the relative clause—dropped from the wording but established in the meaning.
"A promise binding upon Us" (wa‘dan ‘alayna):
An emphatic infinitive, because His saying "We shall repeat it" is a promise of repetition.
"Indeed, We were capable of doing it" (inna kunna fa‘ilin):
Meaning: Capable of doing that.
"And We have already written in the Psalms after the Reminder that the earth will be inherited by My righteous servants."
