Surah At Taghabun Notes (9-13)

Source: Ibn Kathir

The Day of At-Taghabun

(9) (And remember) the Day when He will gather you (all) on the Day of Gathering, that will be the Day of mutual loss and gain (i.e. loss for the disbelievers as they will enter the Hell-fire and gain for the believers as they will enter Paradise). And whosoever believes in Allah and performs righteous good deeds, He will remit from him his sins, and will admit him to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) to dwell therein forever, that will be the great success.

Allah said,

(The Day when He will gather you on the Day of Gathering,) meaning the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day when the earlier and later generations will all be gathered in one area, a caller would be heard by them all, and one's vision would easily see them all. 

Allah said,

(That is the Day whereon mankind will be gathered together, that is a Day when all will be present.) (11:103), and,

(Say: "(Yes) verily, those of old, and those of later times. All will surely be gathered together for appointed meeting of a known Day.'') (56:49-50) Allah's statement,

(that will be the Day of At-Taghabun) Ibn `Abbas said, "It is one of the names of the Day of Judgement, and that is because the people of Paradise will have gained over the people of the Fire.'' Qatadah and Mujahid said similarly. Muqatil bin Hayyan said, "There is no mutual loss and gain greater than these entering Paradise and those being taken to the Fire.'' Allah explained His statement saying;

(And whosoever believes in Allah and performs righteous deeds, He will expiate from him his sins, and will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever; that will be the great success. But those who disbelieved and denied Our Ayat, they will be the dwellers of the Fire, to dwell therein forever. And worst indeed is that destination.) We explained these meanings several times before.

(10) But those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and denied Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they will be the dwellers of the Fire, to dwell therein forever. And worst indeed is that destination.

All that occurs to Mankind is by Allah's Permission

(11) No calamity befalls, but with the Leave [i.e. decision and Qadar (Divine Preordainments)] of Allah, and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart [to the true Faith with certainty, i.e. what has befallen him was already written for him by Allah from the Qadar (Divine Preordainments)], and Allah is the All-Knower of everything.

Allah informs us as He did in Surat Al-Hadid,

(No calamity occurs on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in a record before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.) (57:22) 

Allah said here,

(No calamity occurs, but by the permission of Allah,) Ibn `Abbas said; "By the command of Allah,'' meaning from His decree and will.

(and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart. And Allah is the All-Knower of everything.) meaning, whoever suffered an affliction and he knew that it occurred by Allah's judgement and decree, and he patiently abides, awaiting Allah's reward, then Allah guides his heart, and will compensate him for his loss in this life by granting guidance to his heart and certainty in faith. Allah will replace whatever he lost for Him with the same or what is better. 

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas,

(and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart.) "Allah will guide his heart to certainty. Therefore, he will know that what reached him would not have missed him and what has missed him would not have reached him.'' 

There is an agreed upon Hadith ﴿that Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected and﴾ which states,

(Amazing is the believer: There is no decree that Allah writes for him, but is better for him. If an affliction strikes him, he is patient and this is better for him. If a bounty is granted to him, he is thankful and this is better for him. This trait is only for the faithful believer.)

(12) Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), but if you turn away, then the duty of Our Messenger is only to convey (the Message) clearly.

Allah said,

(Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger;) Allah commands obedience to Him and to His Messenger in all that His legislates and in implementing His orders. Allah also forbids one from all that His Messenger forbids and prohibits. 

Allah the Exalted said,

(but if you turn away, then the duty of Our Messenger is only to convey clearly.) meaning, `if you refrain from abiding by the faith, then the Messenger's mission is to convey and your mission is to hear and obey. 'Az-Zuhri said, "From Allah comes the Message, its deliverance is up to the Messenger, and the adherence is up to us.''

(13) Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and in Allah (Alone), therefore, let the believers put their trust.

Allah states that He is the One, Whom all creations need and seek, the One other than Whom there is no (true) God.

(Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa. And in Allah therefore let the believers put their trust.) So, He first informs about Tawhid and its meaning. The implied meaning is to single Him out for deifica- tion, being purely devoted to Him, and relying upon Him, as He said;

(The Lord of the east and the west; La ilaha illa Huwa. So take Him alone as Trustee.) (73:9)