Surah Yaseen (36) — Ayah 12

(Ayah 12) ➊ { اِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِ الْمَوْتٰى :} That is, We will resurrect all of them after death, those also who persisted in disbelief despite your warnings, and those who, after hearing your admonition, followed it, so that We may reward them for their deeds. Some commentators have interpreted the revival of the dead as bringing the polytheists out of polytheism into faith, but in context, the first meaning is more apparent.

➋ { وَ نَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوْا :} And whatever good or bad deeds they have done, We are writing all of them. By this is meant those deeds which they themselves performed in their lifetime.

➌ { وَ اٰثَارَهُمْ : ’’ اٰثَارَ ‘‘ ’’أَثَرٌ‘‘} is the plural. There are two interpretations regarding its explanation: one is that it refers to the good or bad deeds of other people, performed during their lifetime or after their death, for which they became the cause, and due to their words, actions, or any state, others adopted those deeds. Thus, due to their invitation, admonition, enjoining good, forbidding evil, or striving in the way of Allah, or due to their teaching or writing, whatever good deeds people performed during their life or after their death, or if they built a mosque, school, or anything beneficial for people from which people continued to benefit after their death, all will be written in their record of deeds. The same applies to bad deeds which, due to them, people performed during their life or after their death; those too will be recorded in their book of deeds. Jarir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَلَهُ أَجْرُهَا وَ أَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَّنْقُصَ مِنْ أُجُوْرِهِمْ شَيْءٌ وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً سَيِّئَةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهَا وَ وِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْءٌ] [ مسلم، الزکاۃ، باب الحث علی الصدقۃ… : ۱۰۱۷ ] "Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam (i.e., something from the Book and Sunnah), he will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him, without their reward being diminished in the least. And whoever introduces a bad practice in Islam (i.e., something against the Book and Sunnah or an innovation), he will bear its burden and the burden of those who act upon it after him, without their burden being diminished in the least." Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُوْ لَهُ ] [ مسلم، الوصیۃ، باب ما یلحق الإنسان … : ۱۶۳۱ ] "When a person dies, his deeds are cut off except for three things: ongoing charity, or knowledge from which people benefit, or a righteous child who prays for him." From this verse and these hadiths, the greatness and virtue of the acts of invitation, teaching, and striving in the way of Allah are known.

The second interpretation of {’’ اٰثَارَهُمْ ‘‘} is that it means that even the traces of the steps taken towards good or evil are written by Allah Almighty. Thus, Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that when some plots of land around the Prophet's Mosque became vacant, the tribe of Banu Salamah intended to move closer to the mosque. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was informed of this, he said: "I have been informed that you intend to move closer to the mosque?" They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah! We have intended this." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يَا بَنِيْ سَلِمَةَ! دِيَارَكُمْ! تُكْتَبْ آثَارُكُمْ دِيَارَكُمْ! تُكْتَبْ آثَارُكُمْ ] [ مسلم، المساجد، باب فضل کثرۃ الخطا إلی المساجد : ۶۶۵ ] "O Banu Salamah! Stay in your homes, your footsteps will be recorded. (O Banu Salamah!) Stay in your homes, your footsteps will be recorded." Ibn Kathir said, there is no contradiction between this interpretation and the first; rather, according to this interpretation, taking {’’ اٰثَارَهُمْ ‘‘} to mean deeds performed due to following someone is even more appropriate, because when even the traces of footsteps are recorded, then certainly the deeds in which a person becomes an example for others are even more deserving to be recorded.

➍ By { وَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ اَحْصَيْنٰهُ فِيْۤ اِمَامٍ مُّبِيْنٍ: ’’ اِمَامٍ مُّبِيْنٍ ‘‘} is meant the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz), in which Allah Almighty has already recorded every event that will occur, or it is the record of deeds of every person in which every small or great deed is recorded in full detail, as Allah Almighty has said: «يَوْمَ نَدْعُوْا كُلَّ اُنَاسٍۭ بِاِمَامِهِمْ » [ بني إسرائیل : ۷۱ ] "The Day We will call every people with their Imam." Here, Imam means their book of deeds. The mention of this clear book is found in several places in the Noble Qur'an. See Surah Az-Zumar (69) and Al-Kahf (49). Here, taking {’’ اِمَامٍ مُّبِيْنٍ ‘‘} to mean the record of deeds is more appropriate, although after coming into existence, only that will be recorded in it which has already been recorded in the Preserved Tablet.

12. 1 That is, by mentioning the revival of the dead here (an act associated with the Day of Resurrection), it is also intended to indicate that Allah, from among the disbelievers, gives life to whomever He wills, who have become dead due to disbelief and misguidance. Thus, they accept guidance and faith.

12. 2 By this is meant the Preserved Tablet, and some have taken it to mean the Books of Deeds.

12. Surely, We alone give life to the dead [12]. We record what they have sent ahead and what traces [13] they leave behind. And We have recorded everything in a clear Book [14] (the Preserved Tablet).

[12] One meaning of this is clear, and this very meaning is constantly observed in the world. And this meaning is the foundation of the belief in the Hereafter. The second meaning is that, in some places, the Quran has taken "the dead" to mean the disbelievers with dead hearts. In this regard, this sentence can also mean that the Arab nation, whose moral and spiritual powers have completely died, Allah Almighty has the power to breathe the spirit of life into them again so that they may accomplish great feats in the world and leave behind their magnificent traces for the generations to come.

The Literal Meaning of Athar:

The meaning of "athar" is, in fact, the marks of footsteps that remain on the ground after a person walks. Then, this word is also applied to the footprints left on the earth, as Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ states that the people of the tribe of Banu Salamah (whose houses were far from Masjid Nabawi) intended to leave their homes and come to live near the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (so that they could easily join the congregational prayer). The Prophet ﷺ disliked the idea of the outskirts of Madinah becoming deserted, so he ﷺ said to them: "Do you not wish for the reward of your footsteps?" Mujahid says that by ﴿اٰثَارَهُم﴾ is meant the marks of feet left on the earth by walking. [بخاری۔ کتاب الاذان۔ باب احتساب الآثار]
[13]
The Deeds Recorded in the Book of Deeds After Life:

There are three types of entries in every person's book of deeds. First, those deeds and words which he performed during his lifetime. Second, the effects of deeds that are imprinted on a person's own body, his limbs and organs, or on the earth or in the atmosphere as a result of his actions. And third, those deeds whose good or bad effects remain even after his life. For example, if a person wrote a beneficial book or taught people religious knowledge and this continued on, or he endowed something in the way of Allah. All of these are the effects of his actions, and their reward will continue to be recorded in his book of deeds even after this life. Similarly, if someone introduced a polytheistic belief, an innovation, or a bad custom, then whoever adopts these things, a share of their sin will continue to be recorded in the book of deeds of the one who originated them.
[14]
The Names and Attributes of the Preserved Tablet:

By "the clear book" is meant the Preserved Tablet (Lawh Mahfuz), whose other names, "Umm al-Kitab" and "Kitab Maknun," are also mentioned in the Noble Quran. The complete comprehension of this "Imam Mubeen" is beyond human grasp; however, from narrations, it is known that it is a tablet or book in which all matters related to the destiny of the universe have been written beforehand, and there is no alteration in them. It is the source of all divine commands, decrees, and words, and it is "maknun" (concealed) in the sense that no one except Allah Almighty knows its contents. Thus, the books of deeds being prepared for people, which are written after the occurrence of deeds and effects, are exactly according to the knowledge of Allah, in accordance with which He has already recorded everything in the "Imam Mubeen."