Ghafir (The Forgiver)

18. [O Prophet!] warn them of the Day [of Resurrection] that is drawing near, when the hearts [out of intensity of fear] will be choking the throats and they can neither return them to their chests nor can they throw [them] out. [On that Day] there will be no friend, nor an intercessor for the wrong-doers who could be given heed to.

19. Allah knows the fraud of the eyes and all that the breasts conceal.

Death and the Day of Resurrection are drawing near. Let us prepare ourselves for them. These two Verses resume the depiction of Resurrection. The two Verses and the following Ones treat of other characteristics of Resurrection and awe inspiring incidents that make believers to deeply ponder.

Verse 18 opens with the clause:

“Warn them of the Day that is drawing near.” The word azifa indicates “near.” What an unusual name!

It is used in lieu of

“Day of Resurrection”

so as the ignorant may not say:

“the Day of Resurrection is too far away. Do not preoccupy yourselves with such empty words.”

It is noteworthy that compared to the Resurrection, the life of the world is but a transient moment and since not specific date has been imparted to Prophets regarding the same, one has to be prepared for it at all times.

The other depiction is that:

“when the hearts [out of intensity of fear] will be choking the throats and they can neither return them to their chests nor can they throw [them] out.” Confronting with dire straits, man may feel that his heart is being displaced, as if it will come out of his throat. The Arabic expression for the same is “the hearts will be choking the throats” (balaghat al-qulub al-hanajir). The English equivalent would be “to reach the end of one’s tether.” The expression is quite figurative, though it literally designates that the heart which pumps blood in veins is displaced and reaches the throat.

The word

“heart”

may connote soul, that is the soul reaches the throat as if the soul gradually exits the body and a little of it is still there.

At any rate, the expression indicates that the fear and anxiety caused by Divine reckoning and fear of being disgraced among all people and entanglement with an excruciating pain from which there is no release inspires such awe in heart that it defies expression.

The third depiction illustrates that their being abounds in grief and sorrow but they may not express it. The word kasim is a present participle and derives from k-s-m which literally indicates tying a skin bag full of water but it is figuratively applied to people who are wrathful but owing to some reasons abstain from venting their wrath.

Afflicted with excruciating grieves and sorrows, one may cry out and alleviate the pain to some extent; but unfortunately there will be no such opportunity on that Day when all secrets will be exposed at Divine Tribunal and in the presence of all people. Will crying be of any avail then?

According to the fourth depiction,

“[On that Day] there will be no friend.”

All fair weather friends who used to pretend that they were faithful, sincere, and devoted friends will be preoccupied with their own affairs. There shall be no one on that Day to sympathize with anyone else.

As per the fifth depiction,

“nor [there will be] an intercessor for the wrong-doers who could be given heed to.”

The point is that true intercessors like Prophets and Saints shall intercede upon Divine Permission. Consequently, polytheists and idolaters may not expect their gods and idols to intercede on their behalf.

The sixth Divine Attribute is depicted in Verse 19 which also serves as a depiction of the manner of Resurrection, saying:

“Allah knows the fraud of the eyes and all that the breasts conceal.”

God Almighty is Aware of the surreptitious movement of eyes and the secrets of hearts and on that Day judges concerning man’s deeds. His Omniscience renders the days of sinners into shadows.

Upon being asked as to the meaning of the Verse in question, Imam Sadiq (as) said:

“Have you not seen that at times man looks at something but pretends that he is not looking at it? Such glances are surreptitious.”1

Looking at people’s honor, i.e., wives and daughters, or looking at other forbidden things may not be concealed from God Almighty:

“not even the weight of an atom or less than that or greater escapes His Omniscience in the heavens or in the earth”2 .

According to a Prophetic tradition, one of his Companions sat in the presence of the Noble Prophet (S) beside one of the bitterest enemies of Islam.

When the latter obtained assurance of safety from the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) and left, the Companion inquired:

“Why did you not command us to behead him prior to his obtaining the assurance of safety from you?”

The Messenger of God (S) replied:

“Prophets never cast surreptitious looks.”3

It is needless to say that there are different types of surreptitious looks: at times, looks may be cast surreptitiously at women outside the circle of close kinship and at times it may aim at humiliating, finding faults, or hatching plots and satanic ruses.

If man knew that such precise reckoning will be carried out on the Day of Resurrection and even glances and thought will be all subject to scrutiny, utmost fear of God would be engendered in him and such faith in the Hereafter and Divine reckoning on the Day of Resurrection would affect the improvement of human souls.

It is said that following the completion of his studies at the hawza (“the educational religious institution”) of Najaf, an eminent scholar intended to return to his hometown. Upon bidding farewell to his professor, he asked for an admonition and the latter said: “Following taking all these troubles, my last admonition is God’s Word. Never forget the Verse ‘Knows he not that Allah does see [what he does]’49?”

It is to note that from the viewpoint of a true believer, all the world is God’s audience. He does see everything. Remembering the same suffices man to abstain from committing sins.