سُوْرَةُ الْوَاقِعَةِ
Surah Al-Waaqia (56) — Ayah 13
ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
A multitude of those (foremost) will be from the first generations (who embraced Islâm).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ثُلَّةٌۭ
thullatun
A company
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
l-awalīna
the former (people)
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.
(Tafsir of Ayah 14,13)
Tanween on {ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ (13) وَ قَلِيْلٌ مِّنَ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ: ’’ ثُلَّةٌ ‘‘} is for magnification, meaning a large group. Allah Almighty said about the Sabiqoon in {’’ ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ (13) وَ قَلِيْلٌ مِّنَ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘} and about the Companions of the Right in {’’ ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ (39) وَ ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘}. Now, the point to consider is what is meant by {’’ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ ‘‘} and {’’ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘} in both places? Regarding this, the scholars have two opinions: one is that {’’ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ ‘‘} refers to the previous nations and {’’ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘} refers to our Ummah. They are called {’’ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘} because they are the last Ummah among all the nations. The meaning is that the Sabiqoon from the previous nations are a large group, and from the last Ummah, they are few. Tabari has mentioned only this opinion in his Tafsir and did not mention any other opinion, and this also appears to be the preferred opinion, because from Adam (peace be upon him) to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), according to the well-known opinion, more than one hundred thousand Prophets have passed, and the Sabiqoon from their nations, including the Prophets, will certainly be a very large group. In comparison, the number of Sabiqoon from our Ummah will be less. However, the Companions of the Right will be a very large group from both the previous nations and our Ummah, to the extent that the individuals of our Ummah will be half of the people of Paradise, as is mentioned in the Ahadith in the Tafsir of {’’ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘}.
Another reason for the preference of this opinion is that the mention in this Surah is of the Day of Judgment, and on that day, these three groups will not be only from our Ummah, but from Adam (peace be upon him) to the last son of Adam, all people will be divided into three groups. In this regard, the "first" refers to the previous nations and the "last" refers to the people of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). This opinion is also supported by the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), in which he said: [ نَحْنُ الْآخِرُونَ السَّابِقُوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بَيْدَ أَنَّهُمْ أُوْتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا، ثُمَّ هٰذَا يَوْمُهُمُ الَّذِيْ فُرِضَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاخْتَلَفُوْا فِيْهِ، فَهَدَانَا اللّٰهُ، فَالنَّاسُ لَنَا فِيْهِ تَبَعٌ، الْيَهُوْدُ غَدًا وَالنَّصَارٰی بَعْدَ غَدٍ ] [ بخاري، الجمعۃ، باب فرض الجمعۃ… : ۸۷۶، عن أبي ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] "We are the last to come, but the first on the Day of Resurrection. Because the Book was given to those people before us, then this (Friday) day was made obligatory for them, but they differed about it, so Allah guided us. Thus, the people are behind us in this, the Jews the next day and the Christians the day after that."
The second opinion, which Ibn Kathir preferred, is that in both places, the "first" and "last" refer to the first and last of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the meaning is that the Sabiqoon from the early people of this Ummah will be a very large group, and from the later people, they will be fewer in number. However, the Companions of the Right from the early people of the Ummah will be a very large group, and from the later people as well, they will be a very large group. The early people refer to the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those close to their time. Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِيْ ثُمَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَلُوْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَلُوْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَجِيْءُ قَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ شَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ يَمِيْنَهُ وَيَمِيْنُهُ شَهَادَتَهُ ] [ بخاري، فضائل الصحابۃ، باب فضائل أصحاب النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم … : ۳۶۵۱ ] "The best of all people is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them, then there will come people whose testimony will precede their oath and their oath will precede their testimony." Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned a third opinion, that in every Ummah, there was a large group of Sabiqoon among the early people, while among the later people, they were few. In reality, there is no contradiction among these three opinions; each is correct in its own place, but according to the context of the verses, the first meaning appears to be preferred here. (And Allah knows best)
Tanween on {ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ (13) وَ قَلِيْلٌ مِّنَ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ: ’’ ثُلَّةٌ ‘‘} is for magnification, meaning a large group. Allah Almighty said about the Sabiqoon in {’’ ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ (13) وَ قَلِيْلٌ مِّنَ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘} and about the Companions of the Right in {’’ ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ (39) وَ ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘}. Now, the point to consider is what is meant by {’’ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ ‘‘} and {’’ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘} in both places? Regarding this, the scholars have two opinions: one is that {’’ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ ‘‘} refers to the previous nations and {’’ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘} refers to our Ummah. They are called {’’ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘} because they are the last Ummah among all the nations. The meaning is that the Sabiqoon from the previous nations are a large group, and from the last Ummah, they are few. Tabari has mentioned only this opinion in his Tafsir and did not mention any other opinion, and this also appears to be the preferred opinion, because from Adam (peace be upon him) to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), according to the well-known opinion, more than one hundred thousand Prophets have passed, and the Sabiqoon from their nations, including the Prophets, will certainly be a very large group. In comparison, the number of Sabiqoon from our Ummah will be less. However, the Companions of the Right will be a very large group from both the previous nations and our Ummah, to the extent that the individuals of our Ummah will be half of the people of Paradise, as is mentioned in the Ahadith in the Tafsir of {’’ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْاٰخِرِيْنَ ‘‘}.
Another reason for the preference of this opinion is that the mention in this Surah is of the Day of Judgment, and on that day, these three groups will not be only from our Ummah, but from Adam (peace be upon him) to the last son of Adam, all people will be divided into three groups. In this regard, the "first" refers to the previous nations and the "last" refers to the people of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). This opinion is also supported by the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), in which he said: [ نَحْنُ الْآخِرُونَ السَّابِقُوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بَيْدَ أَنَّهُمْ أُوْتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا، ثُمَّ هٰذَا يَوْمُهُمُ الَّذِيْ فُرِضَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاخْتَلَفُوْا فِيْهِ، فَهَدَانَا اللّٰهُ، فَالنَّاسُ لَنَا فِيْهِ تَبَعٌ، الْيَهُوْدُ غَدًا وَالنَّصَارٰی بَعْدَ غَدٍ ] [ بخاري، الجمعۃ، باب فرض الجمعۃ… : ۸۷۶، عن أبي ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] "We are the last to come, but the first on the Day of Resurrection. Because the Book was given to those people before us, then this (Friday) day was made obligatory for them, but they differed about it, so Allah guided us. Thus, the people are behind us in this, the Jews the next day and the Christians the day after that."
The second opinion, which Ibn Kathir preferred, is that in both places, the "first" and "last" refer to the first and last of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the meaning is that the Sabiqoon from the early people of this Ummah will be a very large group, and from the later people, they will be fewer in number. However, the Companions of the Right from the early people of the Ummah will be a very large group, and from the later people as well, they will be a very large group. The early people refer to the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those close to their time. Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِيْ ثُمَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَلُوْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَلُوْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَجِيْءُ قَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ شَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ يَمِيْنَهُ وَيَمِيْنُهُ شَهَادَتَهُ ] [ بخاري، فضائل الصحابۃ، باب فضائل أصحاب النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم … : ۳۶۵۱ ] "The best of all people is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them, then there will come people whose testimony will precede their oath and their oath will precede their testimony." Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned a third opinion, that in every Ummah, there was a large group of Sabiqoon among the early people, while among the later people, they were few. In reality, there is no contradiction among these three opinions; each is correct in its own place, but according to the context of the verses, the first meaning appears to be preferred here. (And Allah knows best)
