Surah Ghafir (40) — Ayah 32

(Ayah 32) ➊ {وَ يٰقَوْمِ اِنِّيْۤ اَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ: ’’ التَّنَادِ ‘‘ ’’نِدَاءٌ‘‘} is from the form "tafā‘ul," meaning to call one another. After warning of worldly punishment, he warned of the punishment of the Hereafter. By {’’ يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ ‘‘} (the Day of mutual calling), what is meant is the Day of Resurrection. On that day, Allah will call His righteous servants with love, and the polytheists will be called to present their partners. On that day, His angels will call the righteous and the wicked according to their status. The people of Paradise will call one another, likewise the people of Hell will call one another. The people of Paradise will call to the people of Hell, and they will call to the people of Paradise. Those who are owed rights will call those who owe them, and the oppressed will call the oppressors. The people of Hell will call the keeper of the Fire, then they will call upon the Lord, the Exalted. Paradise and Hell will also be calling. Death will be slaughtered, and it will be announced to the people of Paradise and the people of Hell that now it is eternity, there is no death. In short, on that day, there will be a strange state of calling one another. Here, a few places from the Noble Qur’an are listed regarding this {’’ يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ ‘‘}; friends may make a little effort to see the details. See Surah Al-A‘raf (43–50), Az-Zukhruf (77), Al-Hadid (14), Al-Qasas (62, 65, 74), Al-Kahf (52), Al-Mu’min (10), Ha Mim As-Sajdah (44), Qaf (41), Bani Isra’il (52, 71), Ya-Sin (52, 60), Al-Haqqah (19–32), ‘Abasa (34–37), and Surah Al-Ma‘arij (17).

➋ Some commentators have said that what is meant by {’’ مِثْلَ يَوْمِ الْاَحْزَابِ ‘‘} is the same as what is meant by {’’ يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ ‘‘}, that is, by {’’ يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ ‘‘} the same worldly punishment is meant: when that day comes, you will call one another for help, but no one will come to help you, and you will run to escape the punishment, but no one will save you from Allah, as Allah the Exalted has said: « فَلَمَّاۤ اَحَسُّوْا بَاْسَنَاۤ اِذَا هُمْ مِّنْهَا يَرْكُضُوْنَ (12) لَا تَرْكُضُوْا وَ ارْجِعُوْۤا اِلٰى مَاۤ اُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيْهِ وَ مَسٰكِنِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْـَٔلُوْنَ » [الأنبیاء : ۱۲، ۱۳ ] "So when they perceived Our punishment, suddenly they were fleeing from it. Flee not, but return to that (luxury) in which you were given ease, and to your dwellings, so that you may be questioned." Although most commentators have taken {’’ يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ ‘‘} to mean the Day of Resurrection, in view of the context of the verses, this interpretation is also possible. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: "({يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ}) The day of the call and drive came upon them, the day they were drowned in the Red Sea, they began to call one another while drowning."

32. 1. The meaning of تنادی is: to call one another. The Day of Judgment is called یَوْمَ التَّنَادِ because on that day, people will call out to each other. The people of Paradise will call to the people of Hell, and the people of Hell will call to the people of Paradise. (وَنَادٰٓي اَصْحٰبُ الْاَعْرَافِ رِجَالًا يَّعْرِفُوْنَهُمْ بِسِيْمٰىهُمْ قَالُوْا مَآ اَغْنٰى عَنْكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ 48؀ اَهٰٓؤُلَاۗءِ الَّذِيْنَ اَقْسَمْتُمْ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ اللّٰهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ ۭ اُدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَآ اَنْتُمْ تَحْزَنُوْنَ 49؀) 7. Al-A'raf: 49-48). Some say that there will be an angel at the scale, and for the one whose scale of good deeds is light, this angel will cry out and announce his misfortune. Some say that people will be called according to their deeds, such as: "O people of Paradise!" and "O people of Hell!" Imam Ibn Kathir says that the statement of Imam Baghawi is very good, that this name has been given for all these reasons.

32. O my people! I fear for you the coming of a Day of crying and wailing [46].

[46]
The Different Meanings of ﴿يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ﴾:

Most commentators have taken ﴿يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ﴾ to mean the Day of Resurrection, the day when those who were obedient will be crying out regarding their leaders (those who were obeyed). The oppressed will be holding onto the oppressor and crying out. The worshippers will be displeased with their objects of worship, and so on. Or it could also mean that the people of Paradise will be calling out to the people of Hell, the people of A'raf to the people of Hell, the inhabitants of Hell to each other, and the people of Paradise to each other. However, those commentators who have taken ﴿يوم التناد﴾ to mean the day when Allah's punishment descends, their interpretation seems more appropriate in the context of the subject matter. That is, at the time of Allah's punishment, all of them will be wailing and lamenting, and in that very state their end will come.