The Ocean of the Quran

A verse by verse explanation of The Ultimate Scripture

Al-Zumar – Verse 31

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُم يَومَ القِيامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُم تَختَصِمونَ

Then on the Day of Resurrection you will indeed contend before your Lord.

EXEGESIS

Takhtaṣimūna: contend, dispute. Its root denotes a general sense of enmity,‎[1] and thus has it been used in the Quran, where it includes any dispute or difference in this world or the next, between good and evil sides, as well as between two evil sides.

EXPOSITION

So far, this chapter has provided several comparisons between guided and misguided individuals. This may raise the question: when will the final judgement be made, and how will these differences and disagreements be settled? These verses say that the decision is left for the Day of Resurrection, when you will indeed contend before your Lord. There are many verses in the Quran that say that God will judge between the people on the Day of Resurrection (10:93, 22:17, 22:56, 22:69, 27:78, 32:25, 40:20, 45:17, and verse 3 of this surah).

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

  1. Many exegetes have quoted several narrations from the Prophet, the companions, and the early exegetes that provide examples of contentions and disputes on the Day of Resurrection. According to these narrations, there will be disputes between: believers vs. disbelievers, the guided vs. the misguided, the truthful vs. liars, Muslims vs. People of the Book, different Muslim sects, neighbours against one another, husband vs. wife, owner vs. slave, oppressors vs. the oppressed, idolaters vs. their idols, wrongdoers vs. the devils they obeyed, followers vs. leaders of misguidance, those who belong entirely to one master vs. those who are owned by several contending masters (see verse 29), spirit vs. body, and even the animals that had hit each other.‎[2]

Note: Indeed, the Holy Quran establishes all of these contentions either explicitly or implicitly, because, after all, that is a day of separation (yawm al-faṣl) between different groups, judgement between them, and settlement of disputes. However, given the last two verses, the primary contention meant in this verse is a dispute between the Prophet and those who deny or doubt his message or mission.

[1] Raghib; Tahqiq, under kh-ṣ-m.
[2] Tabari, 24/2-3; Tibyan, 9/25; Tabrisi, 8/776; Qurtubi, 15/254-255; Suyuti, 5/327-328; Alusi, 12/254.