Surah 17:71
Show Full Scripture Context (17:71-72) — 2 Verses
يَوۡمَ نَدۡعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسِۭ بِإِمَٰمِهِمۡۖ فَمَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ يَقۡرَءُونَ كِتَٰبَهُمۡ وَلَا يُظۡلَمُونَ فَتِيلٗا
On the Day when We shall call all people with their record, whoever is given his book in his right (hand) – those will read their book, and they will not be done evil in the slightest.
وَمَن كَانَ فِي هَٰذِهِۦٓ أَعۡمَىٰ فَهُوَ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَعۡمَىٰ وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلٗا
Whoever is blind in this (world will be) blind in the Hereafter, and farther astray (from the) way.
{speaks about you with truth. Verily, We were recording what you used to do.} (45:28-29)
This does not contradict the fact that the Prophet will be brought forward when Allah judges between his Ummah, for he will inevitably be a witness against his Ummah over their deeds. But what is meant here by Imam is the Book of deeds. Allah says:
means, because of their happiness and joy at what is recorded therein of good deeds - they will read it and want to read it. As Allah says:
We have already mentioned that the Fatil is the long thread in the groove of a date-pit. Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar recorded a Hadith from Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet said, concerning the Ayah,
"One of you will be called and will be given his Book in his right hand. He will be in a good physical state, with a white face, and there will be placed on his head a crown of shining pearls. He will go to his companions and they will see him from afar, and will say, 'O Allah, let him come to us and bless us with this.' Then he will come to them and will say to them, 'Rejoice, for every man among you will be like this.' As for the disbeliever, his face will be black and his body will be enlarged. His companions will see him from afar and will say, 'We seek refuge in Allah from this, or from the evil of this, O Allah, do not let him come to us.' Then he will come to them and they will say, 'O Allah, humiliate him!' He will say, 'May Allah cast you away, every man among you will be like this.'"
Then Al-Bazzar said: "This was only reported through this chain."
Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said: this means in this worldly life.
{blind} means, blind to the signs and proofs of Allah.
{then he will be blind in the Hereafter,} as he was blind in this world.
{and most astray from the path.} most astray as he was in this world. We seek refuge with Allah from that.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Page 55-56)