Al-Qiyaama (The Resurrection)

31. So he neither believed nor established ritual prayer.

32. But on the contrary, he belied and turned away.

33. Then he walked in conceit to his family.

Proceeding with the discussion on death as the first step taken on the path toward the Hereafter, the blessed Verses in question say that the disbelievers lack the provisions required for the journey.

The first two blessed Verses say that one who belied Resurrection might neither believe, nor acknowledge Divine Revelation, nor establish ritual prayers for Him, but he followed the path of denial and turned away from Divine Command.

The Arabic clause fa-la saddaqa implies that he did not acknowledge Resurrection, reckoning of deeds, Divine Revelation, monotheism, and the Prophetic Call of Allah’s Messenger (S).

Some exegetes suggests that a reference is herein made to the disbelievers ceasing from expending in Allah’s Cause, as it is accompanied by the establishment of ritual prayers. However, the second Verse clearly indicates that denial is the opposite of such acknowledgement. Therefore, the first exegesis sounds more accurate.

The blessed Verse 33 says that he walked arrogantly to his family. Having imagined that he attained to a great triumph though indifference and belying the Noble Prophet (S) and Divine Revelation, he walked in conceit to his family to recount, as usual, his glorious deeds and in doing so, the manner of his gait was indicative of such arrogance and self-conceit.

The Arabic verbal form yatammata, derived from the root m-t-w, originally denotes “he stretched his body,” though it herein implies that he walked proudly, strutted, or swaggered. The word may also connote walking listlessly and lethargically, though the former sense fits the context herein.