أَلا يَظُنُّ أُولٰئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَبعوثونَ
لِيَومٍ عَظيمٍ
يَومَ يَقومُ النّاسُ لِرَبِّ العالَمينَ
Do they not know that they will be resurrected,
on a tremendous day,
a day when mankind will stand before the Lord of all the worlds?
EXEGESIS
In verse 4, the root word for yaẓunnu is ẓanna. It is used to describe that which is believed based on a sign such that when the sign becomes clearer and stronger it leads to certainty, whereas when the sign gets very weak it leads to illusion. It is used in the Quran in different contexts with complementary significations to indicate either certainty of knowledge (2:46, 2:249, 75:28, 69:20, 18:53), or doubt and uncertainty (4:157, 6:116, 6:148, 10:36, 45:24, 45:32).
EXPOSITION
Verse 4 poses a question to express exclamation and denounce the transgressors. Using the word ulāʾika (they) to point to the muṭaffifīn indicates the far distance that such people have positioned themselves from the mercy of God. This is because justice is an attribute of God, and these people have distanced themselves from it, and hence they have distanced themselves from God.
The root word ẓann is used in many verses in the Quran to describe the type of belief that people have about the Day of Judgement or returning to God. These verses can be classified into three groups, and each group describes one belief about the Day of Judgement: 1. Those who believe in it with certainty (2:46, 69:20). 2. Those who have doubts about it (18:36, 41:50, 45:32). 3. Those who reject it and have a false belief that there is no return to God and nor is there a Day of Resurrection (28:39, 84:14). In the context of verse 4, ẓann means doubt or uncertainty. It is as if the verse is saying: had these people possessed only a doubt that they will be resurrected and will be questioned on the Day of Judgement about cheating and diminishing the rights of others then that doubt should have been enough of a deterrent to stop them from practicing such transgression.
When people stand on the Day of Judgement before the Lord of all the worlds they will see that the fraud (taṭfīf) which they thought was very small will accumulate and become significant and apparent before their sight; hence, they will regret.
Verses 1-6 include four kinds of threats to the defrauders. First, the use of wayl which is normally used when an infliction occurs. Second, the exclamation question which indicates that even a doubt in the possibility of returning to God prevents one from committing such a sin. Third, describing the Day of Judgement as a tremendous day. Finally, a reminder that mankind will stand before the Lord of all the worlds.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- In a long narration, Imam Ali (a) said about the exegesis of the verse, The guilty will see the fire and know (ẓannū) that they will fall into it (18:53): ‘It means they are certain that they will enter it, and the same applies to the verse, Indeed I knew (ẓanantu) that I shall encounter my account [69:20]. However, when addressing the hypocrites, the verse, and you entertained misgivings about Allah (wa taẓunnūna bi-llāhi al-ẓunūnā) [33:10] means doubt and not certainty. Thus, ẓann has two possible meanings: ẓann of doubt and ẓann of certainty. Whenever it is used in the context of the Day of Judgement it means certainty, and whenever it is used in the context of this life then it means doubt.’
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Qurṭubī and Makārim Shīrāzī hold the opinion that the indicated meaning of ẓann is certainty. In this case, verse 4 would read: Are they not certain that they will be resurrected? However, since the purpose of the statement is to threaten the defrauders and deter the malpractice, the other opinion, which is held by Tabatabai that ẓann in this context means doubt, may fit better as it has a stronger signification.
[1] Raghib, p. 539.
[2] Raghib, p. 539.
[3] Mizan, 20/231.
[4] Mizan, 20/231.
[5] Mizan, 20/231.
[6] Razi, 31/85.
[7] Razi, 31/85.
[8] Bihar, 90/104.
[9] Qurtubi, 20/254; Amthal, 20/17.
[10] Mizan, 20/231.