إِنّا أَنذَرناكُم عَذابًا قَريبًا يَومَ يَنظُرُ المَرءُ ما قَدَّمَت يَداهُ وَيَقولُ الكافِرُ يا لَيتَني كُنتُ تُرابًا

Indeed We have warned you of a punishment near at hand – the day when a person will observe what his hands have sent ahead and the faithless one will say: ‘I wish I were dust!’

EXEGESIS

What his hands have sent ahead is a Quranic expression for what one earns for his afterlife. It has an aspect of sending ahead (qaddamat), which means that one should prepare his eternal abode while he is in this life, otherwise it will be too late: He will say: ‘Alas, had I sent ahead for my life!’ (89:24). The mention of two hands is to make it more tangible, as it compares our actions to the work of a manual labourer. Mentioning two hands instead of one could be to include all actions and everything that one earns, which suggests the inclusion of actions that are earned by the other limbs.^{‎[1]Alusi, 15/223, narrated from al-Taftāzānī, with some elaboration.} The verse could also hint that on that day one will only observe, receive, and benefit from what he has sent ahead. In other words, one’s only asset on that day will be his own actions and acquisitions. O you who have faith! Spend out of what We have provided you before there comes a day on which there will be no bargaining, neither friendship, nor intercession. And the faithless – they are the wrongdoers (2:254; also see 2:48, 2:123, 14:31). Indeed it is one of the greatest [signs] – a warner to all humans, [alike] for those of you who like to advance ahead and those who would linger behind. Every soul is hostage to what it has earned, except the people of the right hand (74:35-39).

EXPOSITION

This verse is a closure to the entire chapter. It summarises and wraps up the main theme of the whole chapter: warning about the great news of the Day of Resurrection. This was indeed one of the primary tasks and missions of the Prophet: he is just a warner to you before [the befalling of] a severe punishment (34:46).

A punishment near at hand: this is not saying that the punishment will be near at hand only on that day!^{‎[2]Alusi, 15/223.} Rather, it is apparently saying that the punishment of that day is close to you right now. This is because the hereafter is indeed very close (17:51, 27:72, 33:63, 42:17) and the life of this world compared to the eternal afterlife is like a single hour (10:45, 30:55, 46:35), a day, or part of a day (23:113, 79:46). A punishment near at hand refers to what was mentioned at the beginning of the chapter: They will soon know (verses 4 and 5).^{‎[3]Qaraati, 10/359.} It could also be a way of saying that it will happen inevitably and undoubtedly.^{‎[4]Mizan, 20/175.} An asker asked for a punishment bound to befall – which none can avert from the faithless … Indeed they see it to be far off, and We see it to be near (70:1-2, 70:6-7).

The day when a person will observe what his hands have sent ahead: that is a day when one will be paid in full what he has earned and sent ahead for his eternal life. It is the day of finding out about the results of the test (75:13, 81:14, 82:5). The day when every soul will find present whatever good it has done; and as to whatever evil it has done it will wish there were a far distance between it and itself. Allah warns you to beware of [disobeying] Him, and Allah is most kind to [His] servants (3:30). This is not just for the faithless, but for all individuals, as the first part of the verse says al-marʾ (a person, a man), as opposed to the last part which says al-kāfir (the faithless).^{‎[5]Nonetheless the Quran has made some exceptions to this: the chosen servants of God (37:39-40, 37:127-128).} Furthermore, the previous verse was a general admonition that includes everyone including the God-wary: So let anyone who wishes take resort with his Lord (verse 39).^{‎[6]Alusi, 15/223.} This is indeed a great alert for everyone to plan and prepare ahead: O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah, and let every soul consider what it sends ahead for tomorrow, and be wary of Allah. Allah is indeed well aware of what you do (59:18). The expression in this verse (a person will observe) implicitly alludes to a veil (of heedlessness and corporeal engagement) that blocks us from observing what we are earning for our eternal life (50:22).

At a secondary level, one could deduce from the verse that the scene of observing what one’s hands have sent ahead necessitates warning. In other words, if one were to be left to his own actions, then there is no hope for salvation. The only hope is if one should take resort with his Lord (verse 39).^{‎[7]Razi, 31/26, with some elaboration.}

Without the help of God and his saints and friends,

Even if you’re an angel, you’ll fail to ascend.^{‎[8]Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 1, line 1888.}

There are many verses in the Quran with different expressions to the effect that each soul is bound by his own actions, and that no soul shall bear the burden of anyone else. In other words, one’s good and evil actions will return to him and only him. This is a result of God’s justice, as the wrongdoers in hell will be told on that day: That [punishment] is because of what your hands have sent ahead, and because Allah is never unjust to the servants (22:10).

Seeing what they have sent ahead and the evil abode that they have created for themselves by their evil actions, the faithless will realise their great loss on that day: You will see them being exposed to it [i.e. the punishment], humbled by abasement, looking askance secretly. And the faithful will say: ‘Indeed the losers are those who have ruined themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Look! The wrongdoers are indeed in lasting punishment’ (42:45). These verses depict an extremely dreadful scene and depressing picture in front of our eyes, where one realises that he has exhausted all of his chances, there is absolutely no hope, and there is no resolution but to endure the excruciating fate that he has voluntarily chosen for himself.

‘I wish I were dust!’ This, of course, is a wish never to be. It is an expression of utmost regret and sorrow, such that the person wishes he had remained dust as he was originally, and had not ever evolved to a human being. The penalty for losing this contest and failing this exam of life is so severe that the losers will wish they had not taken it to begin with. Another possibility is that the expression does not refer to the original state of being dust, but the disintegration of the body into dust after death. In other words, they will wish that they had never been resurrected from their graves. Either way it is a wish for nonexistence and eternal termination, which is much stronger than the wish to be returned to this world to act otherwise, as mentioned in many verses in the Quran (6:27, 23:99-100, 32:12, 35:37, 44:10-12, 63:10). A similar wish to this is seen in these verses: But as for him who is given his book in his left hand, he will say: ‘I wish I had not been given my book, nor had I ever known what my account is! I wish death had been the end of it all! My wealth did not avail me. My authority has departed from me’ (69:25-29).

Another similar interpretation is that they will feel so ashamed and despaired that they will wish they could have been swallowed by the earth and hid from their Lord. On that day those who were faithless and [who] disobeyed the Apostle will wish the earth were levelled with them, and they will not conceal any matter from Allah (4:42).

It is such an inferior and painful position that it cannot justly be labelled as life, nor will there be a death to relieve them and terminate their anguish. Whoever comes to his Lord laden with guilt, indeed for him shall be hell where he will neither live nor die (20:74; also see 87:13). They will be in a state that is worse than death and non-existence. That is why They will call out: ‘O Mālik! Let your Lord finish us off!’ He will say: ‘Indeed you will stay on’ (43:77; Mālik is the name of the guardian angel of hell). What is sad and ironic is that these are individuals who were most averse to death and most afraid of it. Death was the last thing that they wanted to hear about, speak of, or see. Yet a day shall come when their only wish – which they will desire with all their being – will be to die.^{‎[9]Tabari, 30/18, narrated from Qatādah, with some elaboration.} As for the faithless there is for them the fire of hell: they will neither be done away with so that they may die, nor shall its punishment be lightened for them. Thus do we requite every ingrate (35:36). May God protect us from the evils of our souls.

Life without the Friend

Is only a façade;

Being presently dead

Is to be absent from God!^{‎[10]Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 5, line 771.}

Another possible – and secondary – interpretation for the last part of the verse is that dust is a symbol of humility, submission, and lowliness. Therefore, ‘I wish I were dust!’ could be their wish to have been submissive to the truth: Much will the faithless wish that they had been Muslims [or submitters] (15:2). Indeed, the foremost quality that blocks one from salvation, paradise, and God’s proximity is kibr (pride, arrogance). This is what caused Satan’s fall (2:34, 7:12-13, 38:74-75), and it has been emphasised by the Prophet and the Imams that: ‘One in whose heart is as much as an atom’s weight of arrogance will not enter paradise.’^{‎[11]Ahmad, 1/399, 412, 416, 451; Ibn Majah, 1/23, h. 59; Tirmidhi, 3/244; Kafi, 2/310, h. 6; Tuhaf, p. 396; Maani, p. 241, h. 1; Amali.T, p. 538.}

The ladder of ego is what the people pursue,

Distinguished by ‘I’, ‘we’ and ‘you’.

Everyone on this ladder is bound to fall;

Sooner or later there will be a call.

Those who climb higher are the maddest of all:

Their bones will break more upon their fall.^{‎[12]Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 4, lines 2764-2765.}

The dust is the place

Where He manifests and shows;

Be humble as soil

That flowers may grow.^{‎[13]Bursawi, 10/312.}

After all, dust and soil can be rather fertile and fruitful. When provided with water, air, and sunlight, it grows vegetation and results in life. However, even though the rains of God’s infinite blessings showered over the faithless, even though they were given the air of respite during their lifetime, and even though the light of guidance and revelation shone upon them, they chose to kill their potentials, destroy all of these bounties, and ruin their true life. Thus they are even less fruitful than dust. He will say: ‘Alas, had I sent ahead for my life!’ (89:24).

Alas, our life, so precious, it passed;

But our sins and errors we failed to cast.

The days of youth and old age with ache

Have passed by us but we aren’t awake.

If the Prophet does not intercede for us:

The stylist is faultless when we don’t have a tress.

We’re doing the actions of the people of Hell;

So Heaven is far from our sight and smell.

Our hope is but His mercy and grace;

Otherwise with these acts we’ll lose the race.

From the harvest of saints you should seek and plead

For Saʿdī you haven’t sown a single seed.^{‎[14]Saʿdī, Mawāʾiẓ, ghazal 47.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. The Prophet said: ‘Whoever dies, his resurrection takes place.’^{‎[15]Daylami, 1/18; Kanz, 15/548, h. 42123 and 15/686, h. 42748.}

Notes: 1. This could be one explanation for why the verse talks about hell as a punishment near at hand.^{‎[16]Kashif, 7/504.} 2. The Day of Resurrection is yet far away after death, however this hadith may concern the idea that one’s book of actions is complete when he dies and the person will be judged according to that. Therefore, it is as if one’s resurrection (qiyāmah) has taken place.

2. There is a famous expression that has been narrated from the Prophet, Imam Ali (a), and from God as a sacred tradition: ‘Everything that is bound to come is near at hand.’^{‎[17]Kafi, 8/82, 135; Nahj, sermon 103; Ghurar, h. 3210.}
3. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘May God have pity on you! Hasten towards [building] your houses which you have been commanded to build, towards which you have been persuaded, and to which you have been called. Seek the completion of God’s blessings upon you by having patience in His obedience and abstaining from His disobedience, for indeed tomorrow is close to today. How fast are the hours of the day! How fast are the days in the month! How fast are the months in the years! And how fast are the years in one’s lifetime!’^{‎[18]Nahj, sermon 188.}

Note: These words are the best interpretation and elaboration of this verse and they closely match the different concepts that are discussed in the verse.

4. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Glory be to God! How near is the living to the dead – as he shall join him soon – and how far is the dead from the living – as he has been cut off from him.’^{‎[19]Nahj, sermon 114.}
5. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Given that death is heading towards you and you are heading back [from this world], how soon shall the encounter be!’^{‎[20]Nahj, saying 29.}

Note: The last two hadiths show why the hereafter and its punishment are so close to us. ‘How near is today to the dawning of tomorrow!’^{‎[21]Nahj, sermon 150.}

6. Imam al-Sajjād (a) supplicates to God: ‘I wish I knew: did my mother bear me for wretchedness? Did she nurture me for suffering? If so, then I wish she had not borne me and had not nurtured me!’^{‎[22]Sahifah, whispered prayer 3, translated by William Chittick.}

Note: This is the sincere prayer of one who has realised the extent and immensity of the punishment of hell.

7. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘Do not be deceived by the people [i.e. by how they are living out their lives or by what they say about you], for indeed the results of your deeds will hit you and not them. Do not spend your days with this and that [i.e. futile speech about other people or various events], for indeed there is someone [i.e. a guardian angel] who records all that you do. I have not seen any pursuer that is as quick and fast in reaching, as a good deed toward an old sin. Do not belittle anything of good, for indeed you will see it tomorrow in a form that will gladden you. And do not belittle anything of evil, for indeed you will see it tomorrow in a form that will sadden you. Indeed God, mighty and majestic is He, says: Indeed good deeds efface misdeeds. That is an admonition for the mindful [11:114].’^{‎[23]Zuhd, p. 16, h. 31; Mufīd, al-Ikhtiṣāṣ, p. 231; Mishkat, p. 71.}

Note: Overall, this verse points to two causes that can lead to our eternal wretchedness, failure, and regret: 1. Not realising that the hereafter is truly near at hand.^{‎[24]Qaraati, 10/368, with some elaboration.} 2. Not having really understood as we should, that whatever we do, we shall see it one day, and we will be paid the consequences of our deeds in full.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some exegetes have narrated that on the Day of Judgement, God will resurrect all the animals and will take the right of the hornless ones from the horned ones. Then He will turn them back into dust. Seeing this, the disbelievers will wish that they could also be relieved of punishment by being turned into dust.^{‎[25]Tabari, 30/17-18; Tibyan, 10/250; Suyuti, 6/310; Tabrisi has provided a more elaborate account of this: 10/648.}

It should be noted: 1. This interpretation should be verified in terms of narration. 2. The idea that even the animals will be resurrected and will go through God’s justice is seen in several narrations.^{‎[26]Barqi, 1/7, h. 18; Kafi, 2/433, h. 1; Bihar, 61/4-7; Mustadrak.W, 18/261-262.} 3. Overall, the meaning of the claim ‘I wish I were dust!’ is clear and it is apparently not limited to a specific situation. 4. A similar idea is narrated about the believers among jinn and other intelligent species, who will be turned to dust on that day.^{‎[27]Tabari, 30/118; Suyuti, 6/310.} This view is particularly unacceptable as it contradicts verses 72:13-14.

The faithless one has also been interpreted as Satan. This is because he disdained Adam (and mankind in general) for being made out of dust and clay, while Satan himself was made of fire (7:12, 15:33, 38:76). So when he sees the high status and reward of Adam and his children on the Day of Judgement, he will wish that he had been of dust as well – especially because he will be under God’s curse and punishment.^{‎[28]Tabrisi, 10/648.}

Indeed, Satan has been described as one of the faithless in the Quran (2:34, 38:74). However, this itself shows that the verse is not limited to Satan, but it equally includes all faithless individuals. In other words, the article al- of al-kāfir would indicate the genus (jins) of all disbelievers, notwithstanding Satan being their chief and head.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death.^{‎[29]Job 10:18-21.}

These passages are clearly not typical of the Quran’s picture of Prophet Job (a): Indeed we found him to be patient. What an excellent servant! Indeed he was a penitent [soul] (38:44). Yet, they could provide insight to some common threads between the two scriptures. Perhaps some of these passages were initially intended as descriptions of the hereafter, as is the case in the Quran.

2. For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.^{‎[30]Obadiah 1:15. This verse could also provide insight to verse 26.}
3. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.^{‎[31]Revelation 9:6.}

[1] Alusi, 15/223, narrated from al-Taftāzānī, with some elaboration.
[2] Alusi, 15/223.
[3] Qaraati, 10/359.
[4] Mizan, 20/175.
[5] Nonetheless the Quran has made some exceptions to this: the chosen servants of God (37:39-40, 37:127-128).
[6] Alusi, 15/223.
[7] Razi, 31/26, with some elaboration.
[8] Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 1, line 1888.
[9] Tabari, 30/18, narrated from Qatādah, with some elaboration.
[10] Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 5, line 771.
[11] Ahmad, 1/399, 412, 416, 451; Ibn Majah, 1/23, h. 59; Tirmidhi, 3/244; Kafi, 2/310, h. 6; Tuhaf, p. 396; Maani, p. 241, h. 1; Amali.T, p. 538.
[12] Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 4, lines 2764-2765.
[13] Bursawi, 10/312.
[14] Saʿdī, Mawāʾiẓ, ghazal 47.
[15] Daylami, 1/18; Kanz, 15/548, h. 42123 and 15/686, h. 42748.
[16] Kashif, 7/504.
[17] Kafi, 8/82, 135; Nahj, sermon 103; Ghurar, h. 3210.
[18] Nahj, sermon 188.
[19] Nahj, sermon 114.
[20] Nahj, saying 29.
[21] Nahj, sermon 150.
[22] Sahifah, whispered prayer 3, translated by William Chittick.
[23] Zuhd, p. 16, h. 31; Mufīd, al-Ikhtiṣāṣ, p. 231; Mishkat, p. 71.
[24] Qaraati, 10/368, with some elaboration.
[25] Tabari, 30/17-18; Tibyan, 10/250; Suyuti, 6/310; Tabrisi has provided a more elaborate account of this: 10/648.
[26] Barqi, 1/7, h. 18; Kafi, 2/433, h. 1; Bihar, 61/4-7; Mustadrak.W, 18/261-262.
[27] Tabari, 30/118; Suyuti, 6/310.
[28] Tabrisi, 10/648.
[29] Job 10:18-21.
[30] Obadiah 1:15. This verse could also provide insight to verse 26.
[31] Revelation 9:6.