Al-Qasas (The Stories)

65. “And on that Day He will call them and say: ‘What was the answer you gave to the messengers?’”

66. “On that Day (all) tidings will be dimmed for them, nor will they ask each other.”

67. “But anyone that (in this life) repents, and believes, and works righteousness, perhaps he shall be one of the prosperous ones.”

Every body is responsible before the call and invitation of the Divine prophets.

On the Hereafter Day, people cannot prepare any answer for the just court of Allah (s.w.t.) by means of cooperation, consultation and asking questions from each other.

Next to the question about their objects of worship, the pagans will be asked another question about their reaction before the Divine prophets.

The verse says:

“And on that Day He will call them and say: ‘What was the answer you gave to the messengers?’”

It is certain that, like the first question, they will not have any answer for this question. If they say that they answered their invitation, it will be a lie, and a lie will have no room there.

If they say that they rejected the prophets, denigrated them, called them sorcerers and insane ones, and struggled against them with weapons and killed both them and their followers, their statement will be the cause of their disgrace and misery.

On the Hereafter Day, when the prophets will be questioned that what people did in answer to their invitation and they will answer:

“…‘We have no knowledge, verily You are the All-knowing of the Unseen’.”,

what can these blind-hearted pagans say in answer to this question?

Therefore, in the next verse the Qur’an implicitly says that they will have no answer to deliver, nor can they hear any answer from each other.

The verse says:

“On that Day (all tidings will be dimmed for them, nor will they ask each other.”

It is worthy to note that, in the above verse, blindness and dumbness are attributed to ‘tidings’ not to them. It does not say that they will become blind, but it implies that all tidings will be blind to find them.

The reason is that many times it happens that a person is not aware of something but it seems that the news turns round by tongues and finally comes to him, as many social news are scattered through this very way where neither are persons aware of them, nor are the news worthy of being scattered.

Thus, all tidings will be covered for them, and they will find no answer for the question that what they answered to the Divine prophets and, therefore, there will remain an absolute silence for them as an answer.

And, since the Qur’an always leaves the door open for the sinners and pagans to return to the truth in what stage of mischief and pollution they may be, by the next verse it adds:

“But anyone that (in this life) repents, and believes, and works righteousness, perhaps he shall be one of the prosperous ones.”

Therefore, the way of felicity is summed up in three phrases: returning to Allah, Faith and righteous deeds in this world the result of which will certainly be: deliverance, salvation and prosperity.

Though whoever has true Faith and righteous deed will surely be prosperous, the usage of the word /‘asa/ (perhaps) in the verse may be for the sake that this prosperity is conditioned to the existence and continuation of this state, and since the existence and continuation of this state is not certain for all the repentant, the word ‘haply’ has been used for it.

Some commentators have also said that when this word, perhaps, is said by a generous personality, its concept is the certainty of the matter, and Allah is ‘The Most Generous’.