At-Tur · Makki · ayah 25 of 49

At-Tur 52:25

وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

“And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.”

Saheeh International

Essence

The same words that describe the damned turning on each other in blame describe the blessed turning to each other in wonder: how did you get here?

A reflection

Same words, opposite rooms

This ayah appears, word for word, in another surah. In Aṣ-Ṣāffāt: wa-aqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin yatasāʾalūn (37:27). There, the people turning to one another are those led into the Fire, and what follows is blame: you used to come at us from the right, say the followers; we led you astray, answer the leaders, as we ourselves were astray (37:28-32). In Al-Qalam, owners of a ruined garden turn to one another in nearly the same words, except that they turn yatalāwamūn, blaming each other (68:30).

Here, the same posture belongs to the people of the Garden. They turn towards one another and ask. The commentaries say they ask about each other's states and deeds, and what brought them to this place.

The same movement, people turning to face one another, can be filled with accusation or with gratitude. Which one depends on where they have arrived, and how.

The full entry has 2 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.