وَإِذَا النُّفوسُ زُوِّجَت

When the souls are paired.

EXEGESIS

The passive perfect tense verb zuwwijat in this verse has been defined as: two things which are connected in some way, to be paired up, to be coupled,^{‎[1]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’ānic Usage, pp. 405-406.} and to be joined in pairs.^{‎[2]Hans Wehr, p. 385.}

EXPOSITION

This verse begins the description of a new phase in the eschatological events which this surah attempts to describe. Heretofore, the verses were describing the first phase – that of the destruction of the solar system and the earth. Beginning from this verse, the description has turned to the explication of events that pertain to the second phase, which is the resurrection of all, the accounting of their deeds, and their resultant fates.^{‎[3]Amthal, 19/449.} Whereas this verse refers to the pairing of the souls, it is silent with regards to what the souls will be paired with.

One suggestion is that this verse alludes to the joining of the souls of mankind with their bodies^{‎[4]Al-Balāgh fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān bil-Qurʾān, p. 586; Kashif, 7/525; Tabyīn al-Qurʾān, p. 608.} when they are raised from the dead. Ṭūsī attributed this opinion to ʿIkramah and al-Shaʿbī.^{‎[5]Tibyan, 10/282.} In light of this understanding, this verse would be a reference to the phenomenon of resurrection, which is amply illustrated in the Quran as something that will occur on the Day of Judgement. This is mentioned in 3:158, 6:36, 11:7, 16:38, 18:99, 19:15, 19:33, 20:102, 22:5-7, 23:16, 36:51-52, 39:68, 58:18, 78:18, 80:22, and 100:9. Resurrection will happen so that mankind can learn what they had done (verse 14), including what they had forgotten of what they had done (58:6, 64:7). Indeed, the phenomenon of resurrection has already been displayed by God well before the Day of Judgement, with respect to both humans (2:259, 2:56) and animals (2:260).

Another suggestion offered is that paired alludes to the pairing of man with his deeds^{‎[6]Al-Balāgh fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān bil-Qurʾān, p. 586.} and its resultant effects, which would either be blissful salvation in paradise or wretched punishment in hell.

However, the different interpretations of this verse may be combined, in that the first phase in the process of resurrection would involve the pairing of the souls with their bodies, which seems to make chronological sense here as the next verse mentions the murdered infant girl being asked for what sin she had been killed. This understanding is supported by 39:68: And the trumpet will be blown and whoever is in the heavens and the earth will swoon, except whomever Allah wishes. Then it will be blown a second time, behold, they will rise up, looking on!

Thereafter, the people will be classified into groups on the basis of their deeds as mentioned in 56:7-10, 90:17-20, and 99:6. And then these groups will be sent to paradise or hell, as mentioned in, The faithless will be driven to hell in throngs (39:71) and, Those who are wary of their Lord will be led to paradise in throngs (39:73).

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

With regards to the suggestion made earlier – that this verse refers to the pairing of man with his deeds and its resultant effects – there are the following traditions:

1. In al-Durr al-Manthūr, the Prophet is attributed to have said the following regarding this verse: ‘This refers to two men, each of whom carries out an act respectively, and as a result one enters paradise and the other hell.’^{‎[7]Mizan, 20/215.}
2. The motif of the pairing of mankind with their deeds is further enhanced in its scope, both in the Quran and hadith literature to include the pairing of man with his ilk due to the similarity in their deeds. Thus the Prophet is attributed to have said regarding this verse: ‘It means matching, or pairing like with like.’^{‎[8]Ibn Kathir, 8/331; Tabari, 30/45.}

Note: Every person will be placed with the group whose actions were akin to his own, and this is the meaning of You will be three groups,^{‎[9]Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah treats this concept of the grouping of people and the recompense due to each group on the Day of Judgement in considerable length; see 56:27,38,41,90-91, and see also 37:22.} the people of the right hand – and what are the people of the right hand? And the people of the left hand – and what are the people of the left hand? And the foremost ones are the foremost ones. They are the ones brought near [to Allah] (56:7-11).

3. Imam al-Bāqir (a) is reported to have said with respect to this verse: ‘As for those worthy of paradise, they will be paired with the good and pure ones;^{‎[10]See 4:57 and 44:54.} as for those worthy of hell, then along with every human being is a devil, thus the souls of the unbelievers and hypocrites will be paired with the devils, and they will be their companions and mates.’^{‎[11]Al-Aṣfā fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān, 2/1410.}

[1] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’ānic Usage, pp. 405-406.
[2] Hans Wehr, p. 385.
[3] Amthal, 19/449.
[4] Al-Balāgh fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān bil-Qurʾān, p. 586; Kashif, 7/525; Tabyīn al-Qurʾān, p. 608.
[5] Tibyan, 10/282.
[6] Al-Balāgh fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān bil-Qurʾān, p. 586.
[7] Mizan, 20/215.
[8] Ibn Kathir, 8/331; Tabari, 30/45.
[9] Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah treats this concept of the grouping of people and the recompense due to each group on the Day of Judgement in considerable length; see 56:27,38,41,90-91, and see also 37:22.
[10] See 4:57 and 44:54.
[11] Al-Aṣfā fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān, 2/1410.