Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 87

(Ayah 87) ➊ For the explanation of {وَ يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّوْرِ:’’ الصُّوْرِ ‘‘}, see Surah Al-An'am (73). In the previous verse (83), the resurrection of specific disbelievers was mentioned; now the resurrection of all creation is mentioned, so that no one thinks that only the disbelievers will be resurrected.

➋ { فَفَزِعَ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَنْ فِي الْاَرْضِ اِلَّا مَنْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ :} Some commentators have mentioned three trumpet blasts: the blast of terror, the blast of swooning, and the blast of resurrection. However, the correct view is that the blast of terror and the blast of swooning are the same, because after both, { ’’ اِلَّا مَنْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ ‘‘ } occurs. The Arabic word *sa'q* refers to both unconsciousness and death. The initial state caused by the first blowing of the trumpet is terror and panic, which will ultimately lead to the destruction and annihilation of everything. Then, after a long interval, the duration of which only Allah knows, the trumpet will be blown again, and all people will be resurrected and presented before Allah. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَا بَيْنَ النَّفْخَتَيْنِ أَرْبَعُوْنَ، قَالَ أَرْبَعُوْنَ يَوْمًا؟ قَالَ أَبَيْتُ، قَالَ أَرْبَعُوْنَ شَهْرًا؟ قَالَ أَبَيْتُ، قَالَ أَرْبَعُوْنَ سَنَةً؟ قَالَ أَبَيْتُ، قَالَ ثُمَّ يُنْزِلُ اللّٰهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَيَنْبُتُوْنَ كَمَا يَنْبُتُ الْبَقْلُ، لَيْسَ مِنَ الْإِنْسَانِ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا يَبْلٰی، إِلَّا عَظْمًا وَاحِدًا وَهُوَ عَجْبُ الذَّنَبِ، وَمِنْهُ يُرَكَّبُ الْخَلْقُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ] [ بخاري، التفیسر، باب : «یوم ینفخ فی الصور فتأتون أفواجا » : ۴۹۳۵ ] "There will be an interval of forty between the two trumpet blasts." People asked, "(Abu Hurairah!) Forty days?" He said, "I do not say that." They said, "Forty months?" He said, "I do not say that." They said, "Forty years?" He said, "I do not say that." And he narrated: "Then Allah will send down rain from the sky, and people will grow like vegetation grows. There will be nothing of man that does not decay except one bone, which is the tailbone. From it, the creation will be reassembled on the Day of Resurrection."

➌ { اِلَّا مَنْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ:} That is, when the trumpet is blown, whoever is in the heavens and the earth will be terrified. In Surah Az-Zumar it is said: «{ فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَنْ فِي الْاَرْضِ اِلَّا مَنْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ }» [ الزمر : ۶۸ ] "Whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allah wills." That is, whoever is present in the heavens and the earth will become unconscious, will perish, except whom Allah wills. Who are these people meant? Some commentators said that it refers to the prophets, some said the martyrs, some said the angels, and some said the houris, but the specification of {’’ اِلَّا مَنْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ ‘‘} is not established by any authentic hadith, so it is better to leave this matter to Allah, for He knows best who are the fortunate ones who will neither be terrified nor become unconscious or perish at the time of this blast. Because it is narrated from Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَلنَّاسُ يَصْعَقُوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَكُوْنُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُّفِيْقُ، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِمُوْسٰی آخِذٌ بِقَائِمَةٍ مِنْ قَوَائِمِ الْعَرْشِ فَلَا أَدْرِيْ أَفَاقَ قَبْلِيْ أَمْ جُوْزِيَ بِصَعْقَةِ الطُّوْرِ؟ ] [ بخاري، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : « و واعدنا موسٰی …» : ۳۳۹۸ ] "People will become unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first to regain consciousness. Suddenly, I will see Musa (peace be upon him) holding one of the pillars of the Throne. So I do not know whether he regained consciousness before me or he was compensated for the unconsciousness he experienced at Tur." So when the leader of creation (peace and blessings be upon him) (who also attained the honor of martyrdom due to poisoning) is not exempt from this swooning, how can this be said about other martyrs or prophets and righteous people? Therefore, it is better to say that Allah will protect whomever He wills from this terror and swooning.

➍ In this {’’ اِلَّا مَنْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ ‘‘} too, the perfect power of Allah will be manifested, that at the time of the terrifying sound of the trumpet, by which jinn, humans, angels, the heavens and the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the mountains—everything—will perish, but Allah will ensure that whomever He wills will not be affected by terror or annihilation at that time.

➎ In the meaning of { وَ كُلٌّ اَتَوْهُ دٰخِرِيْنَ: ’’ دَخَرَ ‘‘}, humility, humiliation, and insignificance are all found, that is, all creation will present itself before Allah in a state of helplessness and insignificance, as He said: «{ اِنْ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ اِلَّاۤ اٰتِي الرَّحْمٰنِ عَبْدًا }» [ مریم : ۹۳ ] "Whoever is in the heavens and the earth will come to the Most Merciful as a servant."

87-1 By "soor" is meant the same horn in which Israfeel (علیہ السلام) will blow by Allah's command. At the first blowing, the whole world will be terrified and fall unconscious, and at the second blowing, all will meet death, and at the third blowing, all people will rise alive from their graves, by which all people will be gathered in the field of resurrection. Which blowing is meant here? According to Imam Ibn Kathir, this is the first blowing, and according to Imam Shawkani, it is the third blowing when people will rise from their graves.

87-2 Who are these "mustathna" people? According to some, they are the Prophets and martyrs; according to others, they are the angels; and according to some, all the people of faith. Imam Shawkani says that it is possible that all those mentioned are included in this, because the true believers will be safe from real terror.

87. And on the Day the Trumpet is blown [92], whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will be terrified, except those whom Allah wills to spare from that terror [93]. And all will come before Him humbled [94].

[92] It is understood from authentic narrations that the blowing of the Trumpet will occur twice. The first time when Hazrat Israfil blows the Trumpet, the Day of Judgment will be established and the entire world will be destroyed and ruined. This system of the universe will also be thrown into disorder, and the second time when the Trumpet is blown, all the dead will rise alive from their respective graves. For further details, see under verse 73 of Surah Al-An'am.

[93] These will be the believers or angels, such as Israfil, Mika'il, Jibril, and others. Because this blowing of the Trumpet will be according to their expectation, the terror that will befall the deniers of the truth will not befall them. This is most likely referring to the second blowing, because at the time of the first blowing, the believers will be extremely few, almost nonexistent. For it has been clarified in authentic ahadith that the Day of Judgment will be established upon the worst of people, and the righteous will be taken away before the establishment of the Day of Judgment.

[94]
Literal Meaning of ﴿دَخَرَ﴾:

In the meaning of ﴿دَخَرَ﴾, three things are found: humility, disgrace, and contempt. And "dakhir" means one who, due to lack of sense and understanding, accepts disgraceful obedience by becoming despised. That is, the entire creation will present itself before Allah in a state of helplessness and insignificance. They will present themselves considering themselves guilty, just as a guilty slave presents himself before his master.