Commentary on the Koran: Surah 56 (No. Q056)

Pickthall Translation; Bible Quotes are from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

Introduction

Al-Waqi’ab “The Event” takes its name from the event referred to in verse 1. It is an Early Beccan Surah introducing the Faith to the idolaters at Becca and those of the Converted being called from among them. Its purpose was to explain the Day of the Lord and the Last Days (No. 192) and the texts of the Resurrections of the Dead (No. 143) and The First Resurrection (No. 143A) and the Second Resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment (No. 143B).

Verse 40 is said to have been revealed at al Madinah as a later revelation that the Resurrection would have a later element called in the Millennial System and translated at the Second Resurrection.

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56.1. When the event befalleth –

56.2. There is no denying that it will befall –

56.3. Abasing (some), exalting (others);

56.4. When the earth is shaken with a shock

56.5. And the hills are ground to powder

56.6. So that they become a scattered dust,

See 2Peter 3:10 in Surah 55 at ayat 39.

Matthew 24:36 But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Joshua 21:45 Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

Isaiah 48:3 The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

1Thessalonians 5:2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Revelation 16:18-20 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. ¹⁹The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. ²⁰And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.

56.7. And ye will be three kinds:

56.8. (First) those on the right hand; what of those on the right hand?

56.9. And (then) those on the left hand; what of those on the left hand?

Refer to John 5:28-29 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 20 (No. Q020) at ayat 55 and Daniel 12:2 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 31 (No. Q031) at ayat 28.

Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

The group on the right hand side attains eternal life in the kingdom in the First Resurrection. This group is made up of the 144,000, the foremost in the race, and the Great Multitude. The group on the left hand are the rest of humanity that are consigned to the Second Resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment.

56.10. And the foremost in the race, the foremost in the race:

56.11. Those are they who will be brought nigh

56.12. In gardens of delight;

56.13. A multitude of those of old

56.14. And a few of those of later time.

56.15. On lined couches,

56.16. Reclining therein face to face.

56.17. There wait on them immortal youths

56.18. With bowls and ewers and a cup from a pure spring

56.19. Wherefrom they get no aching of the head nor any madness,

56.20. And fruit that they prefer

56.21. And flesh of fowls that they desire.

56.22. And (there are) fair ones with wide, lovely eyes,

56.23. Like unto hidden pearls,

56.24. Reward for what they used to do.

56.25. There hear they no vain speaking nor recrimination

56.26. (Naught) but the saying: Peace, (and again) Peace.

Ayats 10 to 26 above refer to those who are foremost in the race and are brought near unto God. Those of later time are those who are resurrected and translated at the Second Resurrection who did not fail their test at the final rebellion and the last war before the destruction of the Djinn.

Refer to Revelation 20:6 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 18 (No. Q018) at ayat 31.

Revelation 5:10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.

Revelation 7:3-4 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” ⁴And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel,

Revelation 14:1-5 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. ²And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, ³and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, ⁵and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

56.27. And those on the right hand; what of those on the right hand?

56.28. Among thornless lote-trees

56.29. And clustered plantains

56.30. And spreading shade,

56.31. And water gushing,

56.32. And fruit in plenty

56.33. Neither out of reach nor yet forbidden,

56.34. And raised couches;

56.35. Lo! We have created them a (new) creation

56.36. And made them virgins,

56.37. Lovers, friends,

56.38. For those on the right hand;

56.39. A multitude of those of old

56.40. And a multitude of those of later time.

As stated in the introduction to this Surah, this verse is said to have been revealed at al Madinah as a later revelation that the Resurrection would have a later element called in the Millennial System and translated at the Second Resurrection.

Ayats 27 to 40 refer to the Great Multitude.

Revelation 7:9-17 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” ¹¹And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹²saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” ¹³Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” ¹⁴I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ¹⁶They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. ¹⁷For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

56.41. And those on the left hand: What of those on the left hand?

56.42. In scorching wind and scalding water

56.43. And shadow of black smoke,

56.44. Neither cool nor refreshing.

56.45. Lo! heretofore they were effete with luxury

56.46. And used to persist in the awful sin.

56.47. And they used to say: When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then, forsooth, be raised again,

56.48. And also our forefathers?

56.49. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Lo! those of old and those of later time

56.50. Will all be brought together to the tryst of an appointed day.

56.51. Then lo! ye, the erring, the deniers,

56.52. Ye verily will eat of a tree called Zaqqum

56.53. And will fill your bellies therewith;

56.54. And thereon ye will drink of boiling water,

56.55. Drinking even as the camel drinketh.

56.56. This will be their welcome on the Day of Judgment.

Refer to Ecclesiastes 12:7 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 19 (No. Q019) at ayat 19; John 5:28-Commentary on the Koran: Surah 20 (No. Q020) 29 at ayat 55 and Daniel 12:2 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 31 (No. Q031) at ayat 28.

Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Ezekiel 37:4-6 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. ⁵Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”

The elect, the 144,000 (1st group) and the great multitude (2nd group), are resurrected to eternal life in the First Resurrection. The third group as noted here in the Koran are the rest of humanity that were consigned to the Second Resurrection to undergo the intensive corrective training to assist them to come to repentance during the 100 years of the Great White Throne Judgment.

Refer to Revelation 20:11-15 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 17 (No. Q017) at ayat 15.

56.57. We created you. Will ye then admit the truth?

56.58. Have ye seen that which ye emit?

56.59. Do ye create it or are We the Creator?

56.60. We mete out death among you, and We are not to be outrun,

56.61. That We may transfigure you and make you what ye know not.

56.62. And verily ye know the first creation. Why, then, do ye not reflect?

Refer to Ecclesiastes 12:7 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 19 (No. Q019) at ayat 40; John 5:28-29 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 20 (No. Q020) at ayat 55 and Nehemiah 9:6 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 40 (No. Q040) at ayat 63.

Ecclesiastes 7:29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

Genesis 38:9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother.

1Corinthians 15:42-46 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. ⁴³It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. ⁴⁴It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.

See Hebrews 9:27 at ayat 56 above.

56.63. Have ye seen that which ye cultivate?

56.64. Is it ye who foster it, or are We the Fosterer?

Genesis 1:11-12 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. ¹²The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Psalm 104:14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth

1Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

56.65. If We willed, We verily could make it chaff, then would ye cease not to exclaim:

56.66. Lo! we are laden with debt!

56.67. Nay, but we are deprived!

If God wills not to provide the growth the seed will die and become like the chaff that is blown away by the wind.

Psalm 1:4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Hosea 13:3 Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window.

Colossians 2:14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (stauros or stake).

If the debt is not cancelled the individual is deprived and does not receive the Holy Spirit.

56.68. Have ye observed the water which ye drink?

56.69. Is it ye who shed it from the raincloud, or are We the Shedder?

56.70. If We willed We verily could make it bitter. Why then, give ye not thanks?

Job 5:10 he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields,

Psalm 68:9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished

Psalm 147:8 He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills.

God provides us with living water, the Holy Spirit, if we are devoted to God. Water aids life and we too are nourished and guided by the Spirit. Wisdom and understanding help man to appreciate the blessings showered on him by the Beneficent God.

Job 28:28 And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

56.71. Have ye observed the fire which ye strike out;

56.72. Was it ye who made the tree thereof to grow, or were We the grower?

56.73. We, even We, appointed it a memorial and a comfort for the dwellers in the wilderness.

Refer to Revelation 4:11 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 39 (No. Q039) at ayat 4.

Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

1Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

The fire in the wilderness points out to the traveler a habitation of men where he can be refreshed and fed. It is also a reminder to men of the future lake of fire that awaits the wicked who will not repent during the 100 years of the White Throne Judgment.

The pillar of fire in the wilderness allowed the congregation of Israelites to move by day and by night. It would have also kept undesirable creatures away from them – a comfort indeed.

Exodus 13:21-22 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. ²²The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

Refer to Revelation 20:14-15 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 17 (No. Q017) at ayat 15.

56.74. Therefor (O Muhammad), praise the name of thy Lord, the Tremendous.

Refer to Revelation 4:11 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 39 (No. Q039) at ayat 4; Jude 1:25 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 40 (No. Q040) at ayat 12, and 1Timothy 1:17 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 42 (No. Q042) at ayat 5.

56.75. Nay, I swear by the places of the stars –

56.76. And lo! that verily is a tremendous oath, if ye but knew –

56.77. That (this) is indeed a noble Qur'an

56.78. In a Book kept hidden

56.79. Which none toucheth save the purified,

56.80. A revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.

See Amos 3:7 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 46 (No. Q046) at ayat 9, and refer also to 2Timothy 3:16 and Deuteronomy 29:29 Commentary on the Koran: Surah 20 (No. Q020) at ayat 6.

Isaiah 55:11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Daniel 12:10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

See Isaiah 28:13 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 53 (No. Q053) at ayat 10.

The Book is hidden from the wicked but the understanding of it is revealed to the elect. It is revealed a portion at a time for us to understand.

56.81. Is it this Statement that ye scorn,

56.82. And make denial thereof your livelihood?

2Timothy 4:4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Philippians 3:19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

They deny the truth in favor of lies to keep their livelihood intact. Some, as we are aware, refuse to tell the truth to their congregations so that their rice bowl is not affected.

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

56.83. Why, then, when (the soul) cometh up to the throat (of the dying)

56.84. And ye are at that moment looking

Some will only confess when they are on their deathbed but that may be just too late as they would have been consigned to the Second Resurrection for reeducation and training.

Proverbs 26:26 though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

56.85. - And We are nearer unto him than ye are, but ye see not –

Luke 8:17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

Psalm 94:9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?

56.86. Why then, if ye are not in bondage (unto Us),

56.87. Do ye not force it back, if ye are truthful?

The evildoers cannot delay their demise nor can they cancel their debt to sin.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

Colossians 2:14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

56.88. Thus if he is of those brought nigh,

56.89. Then breath of life, and plenty, and a Garden of delight.

56.90. And if he is of those on the right hand,

56.91. Then (the greeting) "Peace be unto thee" from those on the right hand.

Refer to Romans 2:7 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 45 (No. Q045) at ayat 15, and Revelation 20:6 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 18 (No. Q018) at ayat 31.

Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Daniel 7:27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

56.92. But if he is of the rejecters, the erring,

56.93. Then the welcome will be boiling water

56.94. And roasting at hell-fire.

56.95. Lo! this is certain truth.

Refer to Revelation 20:11-15 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 17 (No. Q017) at ayat 15.

56.96. Therefor (O Muhammad) praise the name of thy Lord, the Tremendous.

Refer to Jude 1:25 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 40 (No. Q040) at ayat 12 and 1Timothy 1:17 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 42 (No. Q042) at ayat 5.

Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Philippians 4:20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Thus in this Surah we are directed to the First and the Second Resurrections and with those Resurrections the Millennium and the Second Resurrection and the translation of the innocent.

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