وَأَشرَقَتِ الأَرضُ بِنورِ رَبِّها وَوُضِعَ الكِتابُ وَجِيءَ بِالنَّبِيّينَ وَالشُّهَداءِ وَقُضِيَ بَينَهُم بِالحَقِّ وَهُم لا يُظلَمونَ

وَوُفِّيَت كُلُّ نَفسٍ ما عَمِلَت وَهُوَ أَعلَمُ بِما يَفعَلونَ

And the earth will glow with the light of her Lord, and the book will be set up, and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought, and judgement will be made between them with justice, and they will not be wronged.

Every soul will be recompensed fully [for] what it has done, and He is best aware of what they do.

EXEGESIS

Ashraqat: shine, glow. The earth will be illuminated by God’s light. It is as if God’s light will rise like the sun and remove all darkness from the earth. The reality of what is meant here is very mystical and mysterious. This is the only verse in the Quran with such an expression, which makes it difficult to interpret. It might be related to the ‘advent’ of God on that day along with the angels, which is referred to in some other verses (2:210, 6:158, 89:22) and which is also difficult to fathom.^{‎[1]Alusi, 12/285.}

Al-kitāb: apparently the article al- indicates the genus (jins) of all books, meaning the records of deeds for all individuals. It could also be that al- is a definite article (for taʿrīf), referring to the mother-book (umm al-kitāb) or the protected tablet (al-lawḥ al-maḥfūẓ), which include the deeds of all individuals as they refer to God’s eternal, infinite, and all-encompassing knowledge to all universals and particulars.^{‎[2]Mizan, 17/296.} Another possibility, suggested by Suddī, is that al-kitāb refers to the stage of reckoning (al-ḥisāb) on that day.^{‎[3]Alusi, 12/285.} This usage might be a concise way of conveying both ideas (reckoning and records of deeds).

Wuffiyat: see yuwaffā under verse 10 and yatawaffā under verse 42.

The verse literally says that every soul will be given what it has done, not the reward of what it has done. This is a Quranic principle, sometimes referred to as the embodiment of actions (tajassum al-aʿmāl), which says that one’s reward or punishment in the hereafter consists of nothing but the actual acts that he performed. The person will be paid back his acts in full, in their real forms which will appear on that day (according to their otherworldly reality).^{‎[4]Furqan, 25/389.} This is because rewards and punishments in the hereafter are not arbitrary retributions that are conventionally legislated, but they are the inevitable, existential, and cosmological echoes of what one has done and achieved in his life.

Aʿlam: best aware, most knowing. This might be relative to any other being including oneself, because Allah intervenes between a man and his heart (8:24). It could also mean (at a higher level) that God is the only knower. This is because in Arabic sometimes comparative adjectives are used to show an exclusive attribute. He indeed knows the secret and what is still more hidden (20:7). Either way, it shows either or both of two points: 1. There shall be no disagreement between individuals at that point, and all judgement will belong to God. 2. No one can dispute God’s judgement, for it is according to His infinite and perfect knowledge. When We gather them on a day in which there is no doubt, and every soul shall be recompensed fully for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged (3:25).

It is interesting that the verse literally says what they do (in present tense), not what they did (past). This might be a subtle hint to God’s infinite and eternal knowledge. He knows everything even in this world; it is only that His knowledge will become evident in the hereafter.

EXPOSITION

The main theme of these two verses is the final judgement that will take place on the Day of Resurrection. This process is discussed through five things that will happen on that day after the trumpet is blown and everyone is raised back to life:

1. The earth will glow with the light of her Lord. God’s light will shine upon the earth. There are two points that should be clarified here: firstly, what is meant by the earth. To us, ‘the earth’ refers to a piece of land, a physical location, or the terrestrial ball on which we live. However, this verse is about The day the earth is transformed into another earth (14:48; see also 69:14, 84:3, and 89:21). What is meant by the earth here is the setting in which the hereafter occurs. The word earth is used because of this common element: it is the equivalent of earth in this world. Secondly, what is meant by the light of her Lord. There are three plausible meanings for this, which are three aspects of the same common theme: 1. The illumination of the earth by God’s light refers to the unveiling of the secrets on that day: When the trumpet is blown with a single blast … That day you will be exposed: none of your secrets will remain hidden (69:13 and 69:18). This is confirmed by the subsequent parts of the verse which talk about the book, the witnesses, and the judgement. Therefore, the rest of the verse could be an elaboration of what is said here.^{‎[5]Furqan, 25/387-388.} 2. The light of God is mentioned in three other verses in the Quran (9:32, 24:35, 61:8). Given these verses, as well as many other verses that talk about light, God’s light can be interpreted as His guidance, i.e. His religion. The truth of God’s religion and the realities of its tenets and injunctions will become evident on that day. 3. The illumination of the earth by God’s light on that day refers to the manifestation of the reality and truth in general. All hidden realities will appear on that day, and this appearance of realities is by nothing other than God’s light, just like all other existential qualities, which are all rooted in God. It is a day when all illusion, misconception, and façade will fade away. It will become evident to everyone that God is the one and only reality, and everything else is only a limited determination and reflection of His light. On that day Allah will pay them in full their due recompense, and they shall know that Allah is the manifest reality (24:25). The day when they will emerge [from their graves], nothing about them will be hidden from Allah. ‘To whom does the sovereignty belong today?’ ‘To Allah, the one, the all-paramount!’ (40:16). This is why the verse refers to God as the rabb of the earth, meaning its Lord who has full control over it: the entire earth will be in His fist on the Day of Resurrection (verse 67). Referring to God as the Lord of the earth could also be a subtle negation of the idols that the polytheists had assumed to be lords of the universe.^{‎[6]Mizan, 17/295-296.} Therefore, even though God is eternally and universally the light of the heavens and the earth (24:35), this reality will become evident and manifest on that day.^{‎[7]Furqan, 25/387.} These three meanings are in line with one another – the first one being a specific aspect of the second, and the second one being a specific aspect of the third.

Furthermore, there are other suggested meanings for the ascription of light to God: 1. It means that the earth will glow with the light of justice, which is a crucial and necessary requirement for judgement.^{‎[8]Tibyan, 9/47; Tabrisi, 8/792, narrated from Hasan al-Baṣrī and Suddī.} This is confirmed by the subsequent part of the verse: and judgement will be made between them with justice, and they will not be wronged.^{‎[9]Zamakhshari, 4/145.} 2. It refers to the vanishing of all misguidance, corruption, sin, and injustice, for they are all forms of darkness.^{‎[10]Kashif, 6/432.} 3. It is a light which God will create directly and without any means or instruments (such as the sun or the moon). This would be similar to the description of Prophet Ṣāliḥ’s (a) camel as Allah’s she-camel (7:73, 11:64, 91:13). This is confirmed by several verses that say that the sun, the moon, and the stars will lose their light on that day (75:7-8, 77:8, 81:1-2, 82:2).^{‎[11]Mizan, 17/295.} See Insights from Hadith for more on this.

2. The book will be set up. This is another stage of the Day of Judgement, When the records [of deeds] are unfolded (81:10). Again, it is important not to have a strictly physical or material impression of the book.
3. The prophets and the witnesses will be brought. The Day of Judgement is a day when the witnesses rise up (40:51). These are the prophets and righteous people from every nation, as well as other beings that have observed the acts of the people in this world. The prophets will be questioned on that day along with their people (7:6, 5:109, 28:65, 33:7-8). They will bear witness that they delivered God’s message to their people, and therefore their people cannot say: Our Lord! Why did You not send us an apostle so that we might follow Your signs before we were abased and disgraced? (20:134). Apostles, as bearers of good news and warners, so that mankind may not have any argument against Allah, after the [sending of the] apostles; and Allah is all-mighty, all-wise (4:165). This could by extension include the successors and representatives of the prophets who were charged with conveying their message to the people of other places and times;^{‎[12]Kashif, 6/433.} the witnesses might be a reference to them, albeit not limited to them. There will be witnesses that will disclose what they have observed of people’s actions, just as there are witnesses in the legal courts of this world.
4. Judgement will be made between them with justice, and they will not be wronged. This refers to the realisation of what was previously claimed in this chapter: Allah will indeed judge between them concerning that about which they differ (verse 3); Say: ‘O Allah! … You will judge between Your servants concerning that about which they used to differ’ (verse 46). The illumination of the earth, the placement of the book, and the summoning of the prophets and the witnesses will all set the grounds for the final judgement by the best and fairest of all judges (7:87, 10:109, 11:45, 12:80, 95:8). No one will be wronged because that is the day of truth (78:39).
5. Every soul will be recompensed fully [for] what it has done. This is according to God’s own command to His servants: observe fully the measure and the balance with justice (6:152; see also 7:85, 17:35, 26:181). It is a further elaboration on the previous point. There are two possible explanations for the difference between this verse and the last part of the previous verse: the previous verse refers to judgement between the people, meaning the settlement of their disputes between one another. More specifically, judgement will be made between the people on the one hand, and the prophets and the witnesses on the other. This is inferred directly from the sequence of the last two parts of the previous verse.^{‎[13]Tabari, 24/23.} This verse, however, refers to all of one’s acts, including the fulfilment of one’s duties towards God. Or, the previous verse refers to the stage of judgement and verdict, and this verse refers to the fulfilment and implementation of that judgement. Then the subsequent verses would be an elaboration of this, describing the retribution of each group.^{‎[14]Mizan, 17/297.}

He is best aware of what they do. This statement could show a few things: 1. It indicates that it is God (and no one else) who will recompense every soul, for He is best aware of everyone’s actions. 2. It emphasises that no one will be wronged, because judgement on that day will be according to God’s infinite and perfect knowledge to every soul’s actions. No one can question, challenge, or object to His judgement because He is best aware of what they do.^{‎[15]Razi, 27/478.} As Imam Ali (a) said: ‘His judgement is based on knowledge.’^{‎[16]Nahj, sermon 160.} 3. After speaking about the book and the witnesses, this statement clarifies that God alone suffices as a witness and judge, and that the books and the witnesses are only to emphasise His perfect judgement and proof. Otherwise, His knowledge does not depend on them such that He would be ignorant without them; glorified is He of that.^{‎[17]Tabrisi, 8/793; Mizan, 17/297.} That is, the book and the witnesses are only His means, instruments, and deputies. 4. Similar to the third point, it says that God is best aware of what they do even today and in this world. He does not increase in knowledge in the hereafter, but His eternal knowledge will manifest and become evident.

The overall message and theme of these two verses is that the Day of Judgement is a day when everything will become clear and evident, when the truth will manifest. The following verses from chapter 18 are very similar to the current verses and provide more insight to them: you will see the earth in full view, We shall muster them, and We will not leave out anyone of them. They will be presented before your Lord in ranks … The book will be set up. Then you will see the guilty apprehensive of what is in it. They will say: ‘Woe to us! What a book is this! It omits nothing, big or small, without enumerating it.’ They will find present whatever they had done, and your Lord does not wrong anyone (18:47-49).

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. The Prophet said: ‘By the one who has sent me with the truth as a bearer of good news, even if there remains a single day from the life of this world, God will certainly prolong that day until my son Mahdī rises in it. Then He will send down His spirit, Jesus son of Mary, to pray behind him: the earth will glow with the light of her Lord, and his kingdom will extend to the east and the west.’^{‎[18]Al-Irbilī, Kashf al-Ghummah, 2/507.}

Note: In Arabic and in the Quran, the word rabb often refers to the owner of something, which would be anyone with authority over it. For example: the rabb of this land, the rabb of this house, the rabb of this damsel. Hence, it is totally possible that the Lord of this earth means its king.^{‎[19]Razi, 27/477.} Yet, God has identified Himself as the Lord of the heavens and the earth in several verses in the Quran. Therefore, the lordship of the Imams over the earth should be interpreted as an extension of God’s authority, not as an ownership against or parallel to His.

2. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Indeed the Almighty God was referring to us [i.e. the household of the Prophet] when He said, that you may be witnesses to the people [2:143]. So the Messenger of God (s) is a witness to us, and we are witnesses to His creatures, and we are His proofs on His earth. We are the ones about whom the Almighty God said: Thus We have made you a middle nation that you may be witnesses to the people, and that the Apostle may be a witness to you [2:143].’ It has also been said that this is what is meant by the prophets and the witnesses will be brought.^{‎[20]Manaqib, 3/87.}
3. Ibn Abbas said: ‘On the Day of Resurrection, God will transform earth into another earth [14:48] and will extend its width and length significantly. Then, when all of the people, including the good-doers and evildoers, stand on it on their feet, God will make them hear His speech: “Indeed My scribes used to write whatever you did openly, but they had no knowledge of things you held within. However, I am aware of what you did openly and what you held within; I will take account of you for both; then I will forgive whomever I will.”’^{‎[21]Maybudi, 8/437.}
4. According to some narrations, on the Day of Judgement the tablet will be brought forth to be questioned, trembling in fear. It will be asked: ‘Did you convey the message to Isrāfīl?’ ‘Yes, my Lord, I did convey it to him,’ it will reply. Then Isrāfīl will be brought while he trembles, and he will be asked: ‘Did the tablet convey the message to you?’ He will confirm: ‘Yes, my Lord.’ It is only then that the tablet’s terror will subside. Then Isrāfīl will be asked: ‘Did you convey the message to Gabriel?’ ‘Yes, my Lord,’ he will answer. So Gabriel will be brought forth while he trembles, and he will be asked: ‘Did Isrāfīl convey the message to you?’ He will confirm: ‘Yes, my Lord.’ Thus Isrāfīl’s terror will subside. Then Gabriel will be asked: ‘And you, did you convey the message [to the messengers]?’ He will reply: ‘Yes, my Lord.’ So the messengers will be brought while they tremble, and they will be asked: ‘Did Gabriel convey the message to you?’ ‘Yes,’ they will confirm. Therefore Gabriel’s terror will subside. Then the messengers will be asked: ‘And you, did you convey the message [to your people]?’ ‘Yes,’ they will say. So their people will be asked: ‘Did the messengers convey the message to you?’ The disbelievers among them will claim: There did not come to us any bearer of good news nor any warner [5:19]. This will intensify the condition and worry of the messengers. They will be asked: ‘Who would testify in your favour?’ They will respond: ‘The unschooled Prophet and his nation.’ So the Muhammadan nation will be brought forth, where they will bear witness that the messengers conveyed the message to their people. ‘How do you know?’ they will be asked. ‘We know this from a book that the Almighty God sent upon us,’ they will reply, ‘where He, glorified is He, said that the messengers conveyed the message to their people.’ And the Prophet will purify them [i.e. confirm their testimony].^{‎[22]Alusi, 12/285.}

Note: Although this narration is found in only one source, it does not contradict any established narrations or rational principles. Hence, it could be an elaboration of the stages of questioning, reckoning, and judgement on the Day of Resurrection. It is also confirmed by verses 2:143 and 22:78.

5. Imam al-Sajjād (a) has described some of the events on the Day of Judgement in a supplication to God: ‘My God, give me sanctuary from Thy painful wrath and Thy mighty anger! O All-Loving, O All-Kind! O Compassionate, O Merciful! O Compeller, O Subduer! O All-Forgiver, O All-Covering! Deliver me through Thy mercy from the chastisement of the fire and the disgrace of shame, when the good are set apart from the evil, forms are transformed, terrors terrify, the good-doers are brought near, the evildoers taken far, and Every soul will be recompensed fully [for] what it has done, and they will not be wronged!’^{‎[23]Sahifah, whispered prayer 3.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.^{‎[24]Psalms 97:4-5.}
2. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD.^{‎[25]Habakkuk 2:14.}

There are many verses in the Bible that talk about God’s judgement of the people. For example:

3. Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously … Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.^{‎[26]Psalms 96:10 and 96:13.}
4. God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.^{‎[27]Ecclesiastes 3:17.}
5. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.^{‎[28]2 Corinthians 5:10.}
6. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.^{‎[29]Revelation 20:12.}
7. … every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.^{‎[30]1 Corinthians 3:8.}
8. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.^{‎[31]Galatians 6:7.}

TOPICAL ARTICLES

See Topical Article: The Record of Deeds (Kitāb).

See Topical Article: Witnesses.

[1] Alusi, 12/285.
[2] Mizan, 17/296.
[3] Alusi, 12/285.
[4] Furqan, 25/389.
[5] Furqan, 25/387-388.
[6] Mizan, 17/295-296.
[7] Furqan, 25/387.
[8] Tibyan, 9/47; Tabrisi, 8/792, narrated from Hasan al-Baṣrī and Suddī.
[9] Zamakhshari, 4/145.
[10] Kashif, 6/432.
[11] Mizan, 17/295.
[12] Kashif, 6/433.
[13] Tabari, 24/23.
[14] Mizan, 17/297.
[15] Razi, 27/478.
[16] Nahj, sermon 160.
[17] Tabrisi, 8/793; Mizan, 17/297.
[18] Al-Irbilī, Kashf al-Ghummah, 2/507.
[19] Razi, 27/477.
[20] Manaqib, 3/87.
[21] Maybudi, 8/437.
[22] Alusi, 12/285.
[23] Sahifah, whispered prayer 3.
[24] Psalms 97:4-5.
[25] Habakkuk 2:14.
[26] Psalms 96:10 and 96:13.
[27] Ecclesiastes 3:17.
[28] 2 Corinthians 5:10.
[29] Revelation 20:12.
[30] 1 Corinthians 3:8.
[31] Galatians 6:7.