بَل يُريدُ الإِنسانُ لِيَفجُرَ أَمامَهُ

Rather, man desires to go on living viciously.

EXEGESIS

Bal (rather) serves as an emphatic retort following the preceding verse. It declares that their questioning of the possibility of resurrection is disingenuous and that God will now reveal the true reason behind such enquiries.

Yafjura (go on living viciously): is the imperfect form of the verb fajara, which means to cleave something wide open. The morning is called fajr because it cleaves open the veil of the night.^{‎[1]Raghib, pp. 625-626, f-j-r.} Fajara is used to describe sinning and vice because it splits apart the veil of virtue.^{‎[2]Mizan, 20/104.}

Amāmahu: amām means that which is in front of something.^{‎[3]Bahrayn, 6/15.}

The verse hence means: man wishes to corrupt and sin that which lies before him. It has been understood here to mean that he wishes to keep on sinning for all his life,^{‎[4]Tibyan, 10/191; Tabrisi, 10/597; Tabari, 29/111.} and delays repentance.^{‎[5]Reported from Zajjāj (Tibyan, 10/191).} Or that he wishes to deny his inevitable future: the Day of Judgement.^{‎[6]Tibyan, 10/191; Tabari, 29/111.} In fact, it is his desire to not give up his sinful lifestyle that leads him to deny the inevitable day.^{‎[7]Tabrisi, 10/597.} These two meanings are complementary and not mutually exclusive.

EXPOSITION

This verse explores the underlying reason behind man’s denial of the Day of Resurrection. At its core, this rejection is not born of a theoretical doubt about God’s ability to revive the dead, but from man’s desire to repudiate the notion of a day of reckoning – a day that necessarily entails accountability and responsibility.

The term insān (man) was already mentioned in verse 3 and is repeated in this verse (and in verses 10, 13, and 14) to give more weight to the criticism.^{‎[8]Mizan, 20/105; Tantawi, 15/199.} By addressing it to all mankind, it ensures that the reader does not foolishly think himself free from flaws, and allows him to listen more carefully to his self-blaming soul, which would allow him to identify his flaws.

The generality of the declaration also drives across the point that this verse applies to all times as well. No doubt, one of the driving causes behind the increasingly materialistic and short-term thinking of today’s age is tied to an increased denial of life after death and ultimate judgement, but also to a lack of taking responsibility for the consequences of our actions. Because man wishes to continue living carefree, he ignores even the obvious worldly consequences of his actions. What else could be the reason for the wanton destruction of our planet and environment? Corruption has appeared in land and sea because of the doings of the people’s hands (30:41).

Not only a denial of judgement though, but a denial of death. Of course every person knows that they will die, but strangely most still live and act in wilful denial of that reality. The thought of death is shoved down to the deep recesses of the heart, it is ignored and not talked about. When such a person is reminded of it, they quickly get anxious and depressed, suffering the pangs of existential crisis. He then seeks to silence this inner voice by numbing his thoughts with intoxicants or engrossing himself in worldly diversions.

Some even delude themselves into thinking they can deny death; that some technological advances will allow them to extend their life or even live forever. These can all be considered examples of to go on living viciously.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some have considered it possible that the suffix hu in amāmahu refers to God, meaning that man practices his sinful lifestyle ‘in front of God’, that is, he does so shamelessly, despite God being a witness.^{‎[9]Mudarrisi, 17/139; Tantawi, 15/199.} This is not a very obvious meaning though and should not be considered the primary intention of the verse, especially as God has not been named in the preceding verses for the pronoun to refer to Him.

The suggestion of Rāzī – whilst more justifiable – is also not very strong, namely that the pronoun is referring to the Day of Judgement that is awaiting in man’s future, meaning: man wishes to sin even though the Day of Accounting awaits him.^{‎[10] Razi, 30/722.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. ‘A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.’^{‎[11] Proverbs 13:19.}

[1] Raghib, pp. 625-626, f-j-r.
[2] Mizan, 20/104.
[3] Bahrayn, 6/15.
[4] Tibyan, 10/191; Tabrisi, 10/597; Tabari, 29/111.
[5] Reported from Zajjāj (Tibyan, 10/191).
[6] Tibyan, 10/191; Tabari, 29/111.
[7] Tabrisi, 10/597.
[8] Mizan, 20/105; Tantawi, 15/199.
[9] Mudarrisi, 17/139; Tantawi, 15/199.
[10] Razi, 30/722.
[11] Proverbs 13:19.