وُجوهٌ يَومَئِذٍ مُسفِرَةٌ

ضاحِكَةٌ مُستَبشِرَةٌ

That day some faces will be bright,

laughing and joyous.

EXEGESIS

Musfirah (bright) comes from the root safara, which was discussed in verse 15. Here it means to be visibly brightened.^{‎[1]Tibyan, 10/278; Tabari, 30/40.}

Mustabshirah (joyous) has the same root as bishārah, which literally means to give good news to someone in a way that delight becomes visible on the skin (basharah) of their face.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 7/61.}
Their faces are described as mustabshirah because they are eagerly anticipating the reward prepared for them.^{‎[3]Tabrisi, 10/668.}

EXPOSITION

The previous verses spoke of how people who are from diametrically opposed poles of morality will flee even from their own family members on that day. The question that remains is how will they know who is good and who is evil? The Quran answers that here telling us how some faces on that day will be bright. The brightening of the faces of the believers on the Day of Judgement is not only emotional, due to them being laughing and joyous, but is apparently also a physical phenomenon. Many Quranic verses speak of this: Some faces will be fresh on that day (75:22); On the day when [some] faces will turn white and [some] faces will turn black (3:106); The guilty will be recognised by their mark; so they will be seized by the forelocks and the feet (55:41).

This marking of the faces is said to also aid the angels in recognising the wicked from the righteous.^{‎[4]Tibyan, 10/278.}

The surah began with a description of a frowning face, and in the eloquent Quranic style its closing verses thematically link to that by describing the state of faces on the Day of Judgement, contrasting the frowning face to joyous faces. It also ties in closely to the surah’s main theme, whereby the final actualisation of man’s hidden potential is now revealed to the extent that it even becomes a part of his very physical appearance and that portion of him which most prominently acts as his unique identifier: his face.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Rāzī cites various pious practices which are believed to result in a brightened face on the Day of Judgement, such as consistently praying night prayers, performing ablutions, or enduring patiently in the way of God. Yet he ultimately argues that it is due to freeing oneself from the bindings of love for the material world, connecting to the sacred divine, and immersing oneself in the delightful mercy of God.^{‎[5]Razi, 31/62.}
Certainly, it is a result of faith and good actions and a reward for the pious who have been promised paradise.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. ‘Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.’^{‎[6]Matthew 13:43.}
   
2. ‘I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.’^{‎[7]Psalms 34:5.}
   

[1] Tibyan, 10/278; Tabari, 30/40.
[2] Tibyan, 7/61.
[3] Tabrisi, 10/668.
[4] Tibyan, 10/278.
[5] Razi, 31/62.
[6] Matthew 13:43.
[7] Psalms 34:5.