وَكُلُّ شَيءٍ فَعَلوهُ فِي الزُّبُرِ
Everything they have done is in the books.
EXEGESIS
Zubur (books) is the plural of zabūr which is derived from the verb zabara, which has two meanings: one is to fortify and strengthen something (see 18:96) and the other is to collect. Zabartu al-biʾr means ‘I fortified the well’. Zabartu al-kitāb means ‘I collected a book’. It is said that the meaning connecting these two concepts is to make a distinct line by fortifying it. Such a line can be a line of written word, or anything else.[1] Thus, zabūr refers to a book, since it collects words and letters. The Quran uses the word zabūr and its plural zubur for heavenly books (3:184, 4:163, 16:43, 17:55, 21:105, 23:53, 26:196, 35:25), and for the book of deeds as in this verse only.
The verse could be an address to the Holy Prophet or to the people of Mecca. Based on the former, the pronoun they in the verse would refer to the people of Mecca. Based on the latter, they would refer to your likes in the previous verse. In this case, the verse warns the deniers in Mecca that every action of the former nations is recorded and they will be taken to account for it, hence you should also be wary.
EXPOSITION
This verse serves to remind that nothing is effaced from the knowledge of God and all deeds are recorded by trusted scribes (see also 17:13-14, 50:18, and 82:10-11).
Recording the deeds may happen in different ways. One way is to write down the record of every action performed by the individual in a book. Obviously, this cannot be the meaning of recording here since there is no point in writing down what Allah knows in His knowledge. Furthermore, on what type of paper, with what type of pen, and in which calligraphy are they penned down? These questions tell us that we should not expect a simple recording similar to what we see in this world.
The other way of recording may be keeping it in the memory of the angels who are witnesses to the deeds, and the recollection of other testifying objects, like the earth (99:4), bodily organs (37:65), etc. However, this cannot be called books, since a book is an item of organised collections.
Therefore, zubur in this sense may be the books of actions, the pages of which are deeds themselves, which are received and preserved by the guarding angels in a metaphysical form, and are collated and given back to the individual on the Day of Resurrection. Then as for him who is given his book in his right hand, he shall soon receive an easy reckoning, and he will return to his folks joyfully. But as for him who is given his book from behind his back, he will pray for annihilation, and he will enter the blaze (84:7-12). For more see 18:49.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Some exegetes take the word zubur to be a reference to the protected tablet.[2] However, this understanding is weakened by the fact that zubur is in the plural form, and if it was referring to the protected tablet it would have been more appropriate to use the singular form.[3]
Another opinion is that zubur could mean the divine revelations. This is in line with zubur as used in verse 43 of this chapter. As such, ‘this verse refers to God’s warnings in all of the previous revelations that people failed to heed and for which they were punished. As God’s Mercy encompasses all things (7:156) and His Mercy precedes His Wrath, God provides every human collective with both guidance and warnings of what will befall them if they do not follow His Guidance before He brings His wrath upon them’.[4] What weakens such an interpretation is the context of the verse as well as the next verse which makes it clear that it is the book of deeds that is intended here.
[1] Tahqiq, 4/318-319.
[2] Qushayri, 3/500; Qurtubi, 17/149.
[3] Amthal, 17/347.
[4] Nasr, p. 2379.