Al-Hajj · Madani · ayah 17 of 78

Al-Hajj 22:17

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلْمَجُوسَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

“Indeed, those who have believed and those who were Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians and the Magians and those who associated with Allāh - Allāh will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allāh is, over all things, Witness.[919]”

Saheeh International

Essence

Six communities are named in one breath, and the final word between them belongs to the One who witnessed everything.

A reflection

The verdict that is not yours to give

Two drivers stand beside their dented cars at a junction. Each is certain the other pulled out. Each was there, and neither is lying. Their stories still do not match. The only thing that saw the whole of it is the small camera on one dashboard.

Now read the ayah. It names six communities, one after another. Those who believe, the Jews, the Sabians, the Christians, the Magians and those who set up partners with Allah. Then it does not argue with any of them. It says inna Allāha yafṣilu baynahum yawm al-qiyāma: Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. The grammarians note that inna is used twice in one sentence. It is emphasis laid on emphasis. The verdict is certain, and it is His.

The ayah ends on the reason: inna Allāha ʿalā kulli shayʾin shahīd. Allah is witness over everything. The lexicons picture the shāhid as one who stood there, saw with his own eyes and then said so. Every human judge is a driver at that junction. Only He was present for every word, every deed and every hidden motive.

Here the ego is quietly demoted. Most of us keep an inner court where we sentence other people's beliefs, and sometimes their souls. We like that seat. The ayah moves us out of it. You may be certain of the truth and still not be the judge of anyone's end.

Someone may ask: is it not arrogant for God to claim the right to sort all humanity? Arrogance is claiming a rank you do not hold, for something you want. A judge who saw everything, needs nothing from either party and cannot be flattered is simply the one qualified to judge. He gains nothing from the verdict. 'O people, you are the ones in need of Allah, and Allah is the Free of need, the Praised' (35:15).

So the humbling is ours, not His. We are not asked to stop believing that the truth is true. We are asked to step down from a bench that was never ours to sit on.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.