Tafsir of Ar-Rahman 55:29

{ يَسْأَلُهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ } Every inhabitant of the heavens and the earth is in need of Him. The inhabitants of the heavens ask Him for what pertains to their religion, and the inhabitants of the earth ask Him for what pertains to both their religion and their worldly affairs.

{ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ } Meaning: At every moment and time, He brings about matters and renews conditions.

It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that when he recited this verse, he was asked: "What is that 'shān' (matter/state)?" He replied: "It is His state to forgive a sin, relieve a distress, raise a people, and lower others."

Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: "Time, in the sight of Allah, consists of two days. The first is the duration of the life of this world, in which His 'shān' is commanding, forbidding, causing death, giving life, granting, and withholding. The second is the Day of Resurrection, in which His 'shān' is recompense and reckoning."

It is said that this was revealed regarding the Jews when they claimed: "Allah does not decree anything on the Sabbath."

A king once asked his vizier about this verse. The vizier requested time until the next day and went away distressed, pondering it. A black servant of his said: "My master, tell me what troubles you, perhaps Allah will make it easy for you through me." He told him, and the servant said: "I will interpret it for the king." He informed the king, saying: "O King, the 'shān' of Allah is that He causes the night to enter the day and the day to enter the night; He brings the living from the dead and the dead from the living; He heals the sick and makes the healthy sick; He afflicts the healthy and restores the afflicted; He honors the lowly and humbles the mighty; He impoverishes the rich and enriches the poor." The king said: "You have done well," and ordered the vizier to bestow upon the servant the garments of the vizierate. The servant said: "My master, this too is from the 'shān' of Allah."

It is narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Tahir summoned al-Husayn ibn al-Fadl and said: "Three verses have perplexed me, and I have called you to clarify them for me:

1. His saying: { فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ النَّادِمِينَ } (Al-Ma'idah: 31), yet it is established that regret is repentance.
2. His saying: { كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ }, yet it is established that the Pen has dried with all that will be until the Day of Resurrection.
3. His saying: { وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ } (An-Najm: 39), so what of the multiplication of rewards?"

Al-Husayn replied:

1. "It is possible that regret was not repentance in that nation, but is repentance in this nation, for Allah has distinguished this nation with characteristics not shared by others. Or, it is said that Qabil’s regret was not for killing Habil, but for carrying his corpse."
2. "As for { وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ }, it means: He has nothing except what he strove for as a matter of justice, but it is for Me to reward him for one deed with a thousand as a matter of bounty."
3. "As for { كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ }, these are states He manifests, not states He initiates (anew)."

‘Abdullah stood up, kissed his head, and granted him his tax revenues.

{ سَنَفْرُغُ لَكُمْ أَيُّهَ الثَّقَلَانِ * فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ }