Surah Qaaf (50) — Ayah 18

(Ayah 18){ مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ اِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيْبٌ عَتِيْدٌ: ’’ رَقِيْبٌ ‘‘} Watcher and {’’ عَتِيْدٌ ‘‘} ready. The verses close in meaning to this verse are: « وَ اِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحٰفِظِيْنَ (10) كِرَامًا كَاتِبِيْنَ (11) يَعْلَمُوْنَ مَا تَفْعَلُوْنَ» [ الانفطار : ۱۰ تا ۱۲ ] “Whereas, indeed, appointed over you are surely guardians. Honorable writers. They know what you do.” Although every word, deed, and intention of a human is within Allah Almighty’s knowledge, the preparation of the Book of Deeds through angels is to establish proof against him on the Day of Resurrection. He said: «وَ نُخْرِجُ لَهٗ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ كِتٰبًا يَّلْقٰىهُ مَنْشُوْرًا (13) اِقْرَاْ كِتٰبَكَ كَفٰى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيْبًا » [ بني إسرائیل:۱۳، ۱۴ ] “And on the Day of Resurrection We will bring forth for him a book which he will find spread open. Read your book; today you are sufficient as an accountant against yourself.” Nowadays, through audio and video, almost every word and deed of a person is completely recorded. Human inventions cannot be compared at all to the abilities granted by Allah Almighty to the angels. The state of the servants upon seeing this book has been described by Allah Almighty in Surah Al-Kahf: «وَ وُضِعَ الْكِتٰبُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِيْنَ مُشْفِقِيْنَ مِمَّا فِيْهِ وَ يَقُوْلُوْنَ يٰوَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هٰذَا الْكِتٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيْرَةً وَّ لَا كَبِيْرَةً اِلَّاۤ اَحْصٰىهَا وَ وَجَدُوْا مَا عَمِلُوْا حَاضِرًا وَ لَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ اَحَدًا » [ الکھف : ۴۹ ] “And the book will be placed, then you will see the criminals fearful of what is in it, and they will say, ‘Woe to us! What is with this book? It leaves nothing small nor great except that it has enumerated it.’ And they will find whatever they did present, and your Lord does not wrong anyone.”