Allah says truly,
[إِنَّ كِتَـبَ
الْفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّينٍ]
(Nay! Truly, the Record of the wicked is in Sijjin.) meaning, that their
final destination and their abode will be in Sijjin, which is derived from the
word prison (Sijn), and here it means straitened circumstances. Thus, Allah
expresses the greatness of this matter, saying;
[وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا
سِجِّينٌ ]
(And what will make you know what Sijjin is) meaning, it is a great matter,
an eternal prison, and a painful torment. Some have said that it is beneath the
seventh earth. It has been mentioned previously in the lengthy Hadith of
Al-Bara' bin `Azib that the Prophet said,
«يَقُول اللهُ عَزَّ
وَجَلَّ فِي رُوحِ الْكَافِرِ اكْتُبُوا كِتَابَهُ فِي سِجِّينٍ. وَسِجِّينٌ هِيَ
تَحْتُ الْأَرْضِ السَّابِعَة»
(Allah says concerning the soul of the disbeliever, `Record his book in
Sijjin.' And Sijjin is beneath the seventh earth.)'' it is known that the
destination of the wicked people will be Hell, and it is the lowest of the low.
For Allah says,
[ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَـهُ
أَسْفَلَ سَـفِلِينَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ
الصَّـلِحَـتِ]
(Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low. Save those who believe and do
righteous deeds.) (95:5-6) Here Allah says,
[كَلاَّ إِنَّ
كِتَـبَ الْفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّينٍ - وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ ]
(Nay! Truly, the Record of the wicked is in Sijjin. And what will make you
know what Sijjin is) and it is full of hardship and misery. Allah says,
[وَإَذَآ أُلْقُواْ
مِنْهَا مَكَاناً ضَيِّقاً مُّقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوْاْ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُوراً ]
(And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof, chained together,
they will exclaim therein for destruction.) (25:13) Then Allah says,
[كِتَـبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ
]
(A Register inscribed.) This is not an explanation of His statement,
[وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا
سِجِّينٌ ]
(And what will make you know what Sijjin is) It is only an explanation of the
destination that will be recorded for them, which is Sijjin. Meaning, it is
inscribed, written, and completed. No one can add to it and no one can remove
anything from it. This was said by Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi. Then Allah said,
[وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ
لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ]
(Woe, that Day, to those who deny.) meaning, when they come to the
imprisonment, Allah threatened them with, on the Day of Judgement, and the
disgraceful torment. The statement, "Woe,'' has already been discussed
previously and there is no need to repeat it here. Basically, it means
destruction and devastation. This is like what is said, "Woe to so-and-so.''
This is similar to what has been recorded in the Musnad and the Sunan
collections on the authority of Bahz bin Hakim bin Mu`awiyah bin Haydah,
َ مَا سِجِّينٌ
]
(Nay! Truly, ! TrulrsA ? the Record of the wicked is in Sijjin. And what will
make you know what Sijjin is) and it is full of hardship and misery. Allah says,
[وَإَذَآ أُلْقُواْ
مِنْهَا مَكَاناً ضَيِّقاً مُّقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوْاْ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُوراً ]
(And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof, chained together,
they will exclaim therein for destruction.) (25:13) Then Allah says,
[كِتَـبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ
]
(A Register inscribed.) This is not an explanation of His statement,
[وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا
سِجِّينٌ ]
(And what will make you know what Sijjin is) It is only an explanation of the
destination that will be recorded for them, which is Sijjin. Meaning, it is
inscribed, written, and completed. No one can add to it and no one can remove
anything from it. This was said by Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi. Then Allah said,
[وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ
لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ]
(Woe, that Day, to those who deny.) meaning, when they come to the
imprisonment, Allah threatened them with, on the Day of Judgement, and the
disgraceful torment. The statement, "Woe,'' has already been discussed
previously and there is no need to repeat it here. Basically, it means
destruction and devastation. This is like what is said, "Woe to so-and-so.''
This is similar to what has been recorded in the Musnad and the Sunan
collections on the authority of Bahz bin Hakim bin Mu`awiyah bin Haydah, who
reported from his father, who reported from his grandfather that the Messenger
of Allah said,
«وَيْلٌ لِلَّذِي
يُحَدِّثُ فَيَكْذِبُ لِيُضْحِكَ النَّاسَ، وَيْلٌ لَهُ وَيْلٌ لَه»
(Woe unto whoever speaks, and lies in order to make the people laugh. Woe
unto him, woe unto him.) Then Allah says, in explaining who are the wicked,
disbelieving deniers,
[الَّذِينَ
يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ ]
(Those who deny the Day of Recompense.) meaning, they do not believe it will
happen, and they do not believe in its existence. Thus, they consider it a
matter that is farfetched. Allah then says,
[وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ
بِهِ إِلاَّ كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ]
(And none can deny it except every transgressor, sinner.) meaning,
transgressive in his actions by doing that which is forbidden and exceeding the
limits when acquiring the permissible. He is a sinner in his statements, because
he lies whenever he speaks, he breaks his promises whenever he makes them, and
he behaves in an abusive and wicked manner whenever he argues. Concerning
Allah's statement,
[إِذَا تُتْلَى
عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ ]
(When Our Ayat are recited to him, he says: "Tales of the ancients!'')
meaning, whenever he hears the Words of Allah from the Messenger , he denies it
and has ill thoughts about it. Thus, he believes that it is a collection
gathered from the books of the ancients. This is as Allah says,
[وَإِذَا قِيلَ
لَهُمْ مَّاذَآ أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ ]
(And when it is said to them: "What is it that your Lord has sent down'' They
say: "Tales of the men of old!'') (16:24) Similarly Allah says,
[وَقَالُواْ
أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً
وَأَصِيلاً ]
(And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has written down: and they
are dictated to him morning and afternoon.'') (25:5) Then Allah continues
saying,
[كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ
عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ]
(Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which they used to earn.)
meaning, the matter is not as they claim, nor as they say: "Verily, this Qur'an
is tales of the ancients.'' Rather, it is the Word of Allah, His inspiration and
His revelation to His Messenger . The only thing that blocked their hearts from
believing in it is the dark covering cast over it from the many sins and wrong
they committed that has covered up their hearts. Thus, Allah says,
[كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ
عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ]
(Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which they used to earn.)
This dark covering known as Rayn overcomes the hearts of the disbelievers, the
covering of Ghaym is for the righteous, and the covering of Ghayn is for those
who are near to Allah. Ibn Jarir, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisa'i, and Ibn Majah all
recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ
إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا كَانَتْ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ، فَإِنْ تَابَ
مِنْهَا صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ، قu
uA ay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which they used to earn.)
meaning, the matter is not as they claim, nor as they say: "Verily, this Qur'an
is tales of the ancients.'' Rather, it is the Word of Allah, His inspiration and
His revelation to His Messenger . The only thing that blocked their hearts from
believing in it is the dark covering cast over it from the many sins and wrong
they committed that has covered up their hearts. Thus, Allah says, uuA ? "What
is it that your Lord has sent down'' They say: "Tales of the men of old!'')
(16:24) Similarly Allah says,
[وَقَالُواْ
أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً
وَأَصِيلاً ]
(And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has written down: and they
are dictated to him morning and afternoon.'') (25:5) Then Allah continues
saying,
[كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ
عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ]
(Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which they used to earn.)
meaning, the matter is not as they claim, nor as they say: "Verily, this Qur'an
is tales of the ancients.'' Rather, it is the Word of Allah, His inspiration and
His revelation to His Messenger . The only thing that blocked their hearts from
believing in it is the dark covering cast over it from the many sins and wrong
they committed that has covered up their hearts. Thus, Allah says,
[كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ
عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ]
(Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which they used to earn.)
This dark covering known as Rayn overcomes the hearts of the disbelievers, the
covering of Ghaym is for the righteous, and the covering of Ghayn is for those
who are near to Allah. Ibn Jarir, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisa'i, and Ibn Majah all
recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ
إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا كَانَتْ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ، فَإِنْ تَابَ
مِنْهَا صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ، قوَإِنْ زَادَ زَادَتْ، فَذلِكَ قَوْلُ اللهِ
تَعَالَى:
[كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ
عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ]»
(Verily, when the servant commits a sin, a black spot appears in his heart.
If he repents from it, his heart is polished clean. However, if he increases (in
the sin), the spot will continue to increase. That is the statement of Allah:
((Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which they used to earn.))
At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.'' The wording of An-Nasa'i says,
«إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ
إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئَةً نُكِتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ ، فَإِنْ هُوَ
نَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَابَ صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ ، فَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا حَتَّى
تَعْلُو قَلْبَهُ فَهُوَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى:
[كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ
عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ]»
(Whenever the servant commits a wrong, a black spot is put in his heart. So,
if he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished
clean. But if he returns to the sin, the spot will increase until it overcomes
his (entire) heart, and this is the Ran that Allah mentions when He says: (Nay,
but on their hearts is the Ran (covering) which they used to earn.)) Concerning
Allah's statement,
[كَلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ
عَن رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ ]
(Nay! Surely, they will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day.) meaning,
they will have a place on the Day of Judgement, and lodging in Sijjin. Along
with this they will be veiled from seeing their Lord and Creator on the Day of
Judgement. Imam Abu `Abdullah Ash-Shafi`i said, "In this Ayah is a proof that
the believers will see Him (Allah), the Mighty and Sublime, on that Day.''
Concerning Allah's statement,
[ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ
لَصَالُواْ الْجَحِيمِ ]
(Then verily, they will indeed enter the burning flame of Hell.) meaning,
along with this being prevented from seeing the Most Gracious, they will also be
among the people of the Fire.
[ثُمَّ يُقَالُ
هَـذَا الَّذِى كُنتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ ]
(Then, it will be said to them: "This is what you used to deny!'') (83:17)
meaning, this will be said to them by way of scolding, rebuking, belittling, and humi- liation.
[كَلاَّ إِنَّ
كِتَـبَ الاٌّبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ - وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ كِتَـبٌ
مَّرْقُومٌ يَشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ إِنَّ الاٌّبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ عَلَى
الاٌّرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ تَعْرِفُ فِى وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ النَّعِيمِ يُسْقَوْنَ
مِن رَّحِيقٍ مَّخْتُومٍ خِتَـمُهُ مِسْكٌ وَفِى ذَلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ
الْمُتَنَـفِسُونَ وَمِزَاجُهُ مِن تَسْنِيمٍ عَيْناً يَشْرَبُ بِهَا
الْمُقَرَّبُونَ ]
(18. Nay! Verily, the Record of Al-Abrar (the righteous believers) is
(preserved) in `Illiyyin.) (19. And what will make you know what `Illiyyin is)
(20. A Register inscribed,) (21. To which bear witness those nearest.) (22.
Verily, Al-Abrar (the righteous believers) will be in Delight.) (23. On thrones,
looking.) (24. You will recognize in their faces the brightness of delight).
(25. They will be given to drink of pure sealed Rahiq.) (26. Sealed with musk,
and for this let those strive who want to strive.) (27. It will be mixed with
Tasnim:) (28. A spring whereof drink those nearest to Allah.)