سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 104
يَوْمَ نَطْوِى ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَىِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ ۚ كَمَا بَدَأْنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُهُۥ ۚ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَآ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَـٰعِلِينَ ﴿104﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) the Day when We shall roll up the heaven like a scroll rolled up for books. As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَوْمَ
yawma
(The) Day
نَطْوِى
naṭwī
We will fold
ٱلسَّمَآءَ
l-samāa
the heaven
كَطَىِّ
kaṭayyi
like (the) folding
ٱلسِّجِلِّ
l-sijili
(of) a scroll
لِلْكُتُبِ ۚ
lil'kutubi
for records
كَمَا
kamā
As
بَدَأْنَآ
badanā
We began
أَوَّلَ
awwala
(the) first
خَلْقٍۢ
khalqin
creation
نُّعِيدُهُۥ ۚ
nuʿīduhu
We will repeat it
وَعْدًا
waʿdan
a promise
عَلَيْنَآ ۚ
ʿalaynā
upon Us
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, We
كُنَّا
kunnā
We are
فَـٰعِلِينَ
fāʿilīna
(the) Doers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 104) ➊ {يَوْمَ نَطْوِي السَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ : ’’طَوٰي يَطْوِيْ طَيًّا‘‘} Wrapping up. {’’ السِّجِلِّ ‘‘} also means scripture and book, and also scribe. (Qamus) Here, the meaning of scribe is more appropriate, because after writing the papers, the scribe wraps them up and gathers them together. (Ibn Ashur) Some people have said that "Sijill" is the name of an angel, and some have said that it is the name of a scribe of the Prophet (peace be upon him), but both are not correct; neither is it proven that any angel is named "Sijill," nor any companion.
➋ {’’ يَوْمَ ‘‘} That is, all the things mentioned above will happen on the day when... ({أَيْ تَكُوْنُ هٰذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءَ يَوْمَ}). (Biqai)
➌ {نَطْوِي السَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ :} That is, just as a scribe wraps up his papers, in the same way We will wrap up the heavens. In another place in the Qur'an, this matter is mentioned in more detail, as it is said: « {وَ مَا قَدَرُوا اللّٰهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهٖ وَ الْاَرْضُ جَمِيْعًا قَبْضَتُهٗ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ وَ السَّمٰوٰتُ مَطْوِيّٰتٌۢ بِيَمِيْنِهٖ} » [ الزمر : ۶۷ ] "And they did not appraise Allah with true appraisal, while the whole earth will be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand." And Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَقْبِضُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْأَرْضَ وَتَكُوْنُ السَّمَاوَاتُ بِيَمِيْنِهِ ] [ بخاري، التوحید، باب قول اللّٰہ تعالٰی : «لما خلقت بیدی» : ۷۴۱۲ ] "Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, will take all the earths in His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and all the heavens will be in His right hand." See further details in Surah Az-Zumar (67). The consensus of the righteous predecessors is that the attributes of Allah should be believed in as they have come in the Qur'an and Hadith, and should be stated as such; neither should they be denied nor interpreted away, nor should it be said that we do not know the meaning of these words. However, it is necessary that the attributes of Allah should not be considered similar to the attributes of the creation.
➍ {كَمَا بَدَاْنَاۤ اَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيْدُهٗ … :} Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood among us to give a sermon for admonition and said: [ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ! إِنَّكُمْ تُحْشَرُوْنَ إِلَی اللّٰهِ حُفَاةً عُرَاةً غُرْلًا ] [ مسلم، الجنۃ وصفۃ نعیمہا، باب فناء الدنیاء : 2860/58۔ بخاري : ۴۷۴۰ ] "O people! You will be raised towards Allah barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised." Then he recited this verse: « {كَمَا بَدَاْنَاۤ اَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيْدُهٗ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا اِنَّا كُنَّا فٰعِلِيْنَ} »
➋ {’’ يَوْمَ ‘‘} That is, all the things mentioned above will happen on the day when... ({أَيْ تَكُوْنُ هٰذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءَ يَوْمَ}). (Biqai)
➌ {نَطْوِي السَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ :} That is, just as a scribe wraps up his papers, in the same way We will wrap up the heavens. In another place in the Qur'an, this matter is mentioned in more detail, as it is said: « {وَ مَا قَدَرُوا اللّٰهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهٖ وَ الْاَرْضُ جَمِيْعًا قَبْضَتُهٗ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ وَ السَّمٰوٰتُ مَطْوِيّٰتٌۢ بِيَمِيْنِهٖ} » [ الزمر : ۶۷ ] "And they did not appraise Allah with true appraisal, while the whole earth will be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand." And Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَقْبِضُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْأَرْضَ وَتَكُوْنُ السَّمَاوَاتُ بِيَمِيْنِهِ ] [ بخاري، التوحید، باب قول اللّٰہ تعالٰی : «لما خلقت بیدی» : ۷۴۱۲ ] "Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, will take all the earths in His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and all the heavens will be in His right hand." See further details in Surah Az-Zumar (67). The consensus of the righteous predecessors is that the attributes of Allah should be believed in as they have come in the Qur'an and Hadith, and should be stated as such; neither should they be denied nor interpreted away, nor should it be said that we do not know the meaning of these words. However, it is necessary that the attributes of Allah should not be considered similar to the attributes of the creation.
➍ {كَمَا بَدَاْنَاۤ اَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيْدُهٗ … :} Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood among us to give a sermon for admonition and said: [ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ! إِنَّكُمْ تُحْشَرُوْنَ إِلَی اللّٰهِ حُفَاةً عُرَاةً غُرْلًا ] [ مسلم، الجنۃ وصفۃ نعیمہا، باب فناء الدنیاء : 2860/58۔ بخاري : ۴۷۴۰ ] "O people! You will be raised towards Allah barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised." Then he recited this verse: « {كَمَا بَدَاْنَاۤ اَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيْدُهٗ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا اِنَّا كُنَّا فٰعِلِيْنَ} »
