Surah 17:14
Show Full Scripture Context (17:13-14) — 2 Verses
وَكُلَّ إِنسَٰنٍ أَلۡزَمۡنَٰهُ طَـٰٓئِرَهُۥ فِي عُنُقِهِۦۖ وَنُخۡرِجُ لَهُۥ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ كِتَٰبٗا يَلۡقَىٰهُ مَنشُورًا
And every human – We have fastened his fate to him on his neck, and We shall bring forth a book for him on the Day of Resurrection, which he will find unrolled.
ٱقۡرَأۡ كِتَٰبَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفۡسِكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكَ حَسِيبٗا
‘Read your book! You are sufficient today as a reckoner against yourself.’
13. And We have fastened every man's Ta'irah (deeds) to his neck, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a Book which he will find wide open.
14. (It will be said to him): "Read your Book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day."
Every Person will have the Book of his Deeds with Him
After mentioning time, and the deeds of the son of Adam that take place therein, Allah says:
And We have fastened every man's Ta'irah (deeds) to his neck,
The word Ta'irah (lit. something that flies) refers to man's deeds which fly from him, as Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid and others said. It includes both good deeds and bad deeds, he will be forced to acknowledge them and will be rewarded or punished accordingly.
Allah says:
You are only being requited for what you used to do. (52:16)
whosoever works evil, will have the recompense thereof. [4:123]
The meaning is that the deeds of the sons of Adam are preserved, whether they are great or small, and they are recorded night and day, morning and evening.
and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a Book which he will find wide open.
meaning, 'We will collect all of his deeds for him in a Book which will be given to him on the Day of Resurrection, either in his right hand, if he is one of the blessed, or in his left hand if he is one of the wretched.'
wide open means, it will be open for him and others to read all of his deeds, from the beginning of his life until the end.
Allah says:
(It will be said to him): "Read your Book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day."
meaning, you have not been treated unjustly and nothing has been recorded against you except what you have done, because you remember everything that you have done, and no one will forget anything that he did. Everyone will be able to read his Book, whether he is literate or illiterate.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 5, Page 588)