 What Information Can I Get About Nursing Homes?
What information can you get about nursing homes?
Nursing home name & address, including street, city, state, and ZIP code, as well as the distance from the ZIP code where you based your search.
Whether the nursing home participates in Medicare, Medicaid or both. The nursing homes included on Nursing Home Compare are certified by Medicare or Medicaid. Those that aren't certified nursing homes aren't included on Nursing Home Compare. For information about nursing homes not on Nursing Home Compare, contact your State Survey Agency.
Whether the nursing home is within a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) offer multiple housing options and levels of care. A nursing home is typically the most service-intensive housing option. Residents may move from one level to another based on their particular needs, while typically still remaining in the CCRC.
If the nursing home is located within a hospital. Some individuals need a more intensive level of care that can only be provided in a hospital setting. Some Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) are located within a hospital, allowing residents to be transferred to an acute care setting more easily if necessary.
If the nursing home has a resident and family council. Resident and family councils can help communications with staff. Federal law requires nursing homes to allow councils to be set up by residents and families. If a nursing home doesn't have a resident and family council, ask the administrator why. Ask to talk with a council president to get a sense of how the nursing home has acted on their concerns.
Type of ownership. Nursing homes can be owned by for-profit or non-profit entities. The entities themselves can range from sole proprietorships to complex multi-facility corporations. Many nursing homes are owned or managed by religious organizations or government agencies.
Whether the nursing home has submitted staffing data through the Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) reporting program. The program aims to improve the accuracy of publically reported staffing information for nursing homes. Learn more about the PBJ reporting program here.
Nursing homes vary in the quality of care and services they provide to their residents. Health inspection results, staffing data, and quality of resident care information are 3 important ways to measure the quality of a nursing homes. This information, combined in the star rating, gives you a "snapshot" of the quality of each nursing home.
Nursing Home Compare collects information on health and fire safety inspections.
State survey agencies conduct health inspections about once a year on behalf of the federal government, and may inspect nursing homes more often if the nursing home is performing poorly if there are complaints or facility reported incidents. The health inspection team consists of trained inspectors, including at least one registered nurse.
Inspectors also review the residents' clinical records, interview residents and family members, as well as caregivers and administrative staff. The health inspection measures listed on the website show the results from the last 3 yearly inspections and the last 3 years of inspections from complaints.
Fire safety specialists inspect nursing homes to measure if a nursing home meets Life Safety Code (LSC) standards set by CMS, based on codes established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The fire safety inspection covers building design and construction and operational features designed to provide safety from fire, smoke, electrical failures, and gas leaks.
Starting November 17, 2017, health and life safety code surveyors began to inspect facilities for emergency preparedness. The Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers Final Rule requires facilities to implement an emergency preparedness program based off an all-hazards risk approach. There are 4 required core elements: 1) risk assessment; 2) policies and procedures; 3) communication plan and 4) training and testing program. The core elements are designed so that the facilities can adequately plan for emergencies, staff are aware of the procedures, and the safety and welfare of residents are protected during disasters.
Why is health & fire safety inspection information important?
To be part of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, nursing homes must meet certain requirements set by the federal government to protect residents, including those about fire safety. If a nursing home has no citations, it means that it met federal standards at time of its inspections.
Each nursing home that provides services to people with Medicare or Medicaid must make the results of its last full inspection available at the nursing home for anyone to review. Nursing Home Compare shows all reports from the last 3 years.
If an inspection team finds that a nursing home doesn't meet a specific federal standard, it issues a citation. The federal government may impose penalties on nursing homes for serious citations or for citations that the nursing home doesn't correct for a long time. See more information on this in the Penalties section below. State governments may also impose penalties on nursing homes. Nursing Home Compare doesn't report penalties that states assess against nursing homes. Information about them may be available on state websites.
Inspectors also may visit a nursing home when a complaint is registered about a nursing home. Nursing Home Compare includes health citations that result from inspections about a complaint.
You may file a complaint with your state if you have a concern about the quality of care you or your family member gets from a nursing home, and you don't get a satisfactory resolution from your nursing home. Get more information about how to file a complaint.
Each nursing home electronically reports its staffing hours to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) through the Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) system. CMS calculates a ratio of staffing hours per resident day and reports those ratios on Nursing Home Compare.
Staffing hours per resident per day is the total number of hours worked by the staff member(s) divided by the total number of residents. It doesn't necessarily show the number of nursing staff present at any given time, or reflect the amount of care given to any one resident.
What are the differences between the types of staff?
Registered nurses (RNs) are responsible for the overall delivery of care to the residents. Licensed practical and vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs) provide care under the direction of an RN. Together, RNs and LPNs/LVNs make sure each resident's plan of care is being followed and their needs are being met. Nursing homes must have at least one RN for at least 8 straight hours a day, 7 days a week, and either an RN or LPN/LVN on duty 24 hours per day. Certain states may have additional staffing requirements. Nurses must be licensed in the state where they practice.
Nurse aides work under the direction of a licensed nurse to assist residents with activities of daily living like eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, transferring, and toileting. All full time certified nurse aides must have completed a competency evaluation program or nurse assistant training within 4 months of their permanent employment. They must also pursue continuing education each year. Nurse aides provide care to nursing home residents 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Physical therapists (PTs) help residents improve their movement and manage their pain. PTs test muscle strength, the amount of flexibility in joints, and the resident's ability to walk or move. PTs often work with other providers, like doctors, nurses, and occupational therapists to create individualized therapy plans to address and restore the resident's physical function and well-being. All states license PTs. The amount of physical therapist service hours depends on the needs of the resident.
Note: Each state may have its own specific education and training requirements for nursing home staff.
Why is staffing information important?
Federal law requires all nursing homes to provide enough staff to safely care for residents. However, there is no current federal standard for the best nursing home staffing levels. The staffing rating takes into account differences in the levels of residents' care needs in each nursing home. For example, a nursing home with residents that have more health problems would be expected to have more nursing staff than a nursing home where the residents need less health care. Refer to the Nursing Home Checklist to help answer questions about specific nursing homes you're interested in or plan to visit.
The nursing homes that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) certifies regularly report clinical information about each of their residents. CMS uses this information to measure parts of nursing home care quality, like if residents have gotten their flu shots, are in pain, had one or more falls that resulted in a major injury, or are losing weight. These measures are often called the "quality of resident care", and Medicare posts each nursing home's scores for these measures on Nursing Home Compare. By comparing scores, you can see how nursing homes may be different from each other.
Nursing Home Compare has two different types of quality of resident care measures: short- and long-stay resident quality measures.
Short-stay resident quality measures show the average quality of resident care in a nursing home for those who stayed in a nursing home for 100 days or less or are covered under the Medicare Part A Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) benefit. Short-stay residents often are those recovering from surgery or being discharged from a hospital stay. Many short-stay residents get care in a nursing home until they're able to go back home or to the community.
The measures below are used to calculate the quality of resident care star rating and are part of the overall star rating score for each facility.
What does this show you & why is it important?
Percentage of short-stay residents who were re-hospitalized after a nursing home admission What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of short-stay residents who went to the nursing home from a hospital and then were readmitted to a hospital within 30 days for an unplanned stay. Planned readmissions aren't included.
Nursing homes help residents recover after being in the hospital and keep from going back to the hospital. Sometimes residents have to go back to the hospital. If nursing homes send many residents back to the hospital, it may be because the nursing homes aren't assessing or taking care of their residents well.
Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit What does this show you?
Went into or came back to the nursing home from a hospital.
Got care at an emergency department within 30 days of going into the nursing home.
Didn't need to have an inpatient or outpatient stay.
Emergency departments give necessary care for many residents of nursing homes. When nursing homes send many residents to the emergency room, it might be because the nursing homes aren't taking good care of their residents so they need emergency treatment.
Percentage of short-stay residents that got antipsychotic medication for the first time What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of residents who got an antipsychotic medication. Antipsychotic drugs are an important treatment for patients with certain mental health conditions. However, the FDA has warned that antipsychotic medications are associated with an increased risk of death when used in elderly patients with dementia. Also, the medications have side effects. This means these medications must be used in the right ways.
If possible, nursing homes should try to manage behavior without medications first. If antipsychotic medications have to be used, the resident should be watched carefully. You should ask nursing homes how they manage behavior. Managing behavior without using medications, like higher staffing ratios, many and varied activities, and regular assignment of nursing staff, have lowered the use of medications in many cases.
Percentage of short-stay residents with pressure ulcers that are new or worsened What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of residents with pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers, also known as pressure injuries or bed sores, are areas of damaged skin caused by long-term pressure, such as staying in one position for too long.
Some residents may get pressure ulcers even when the nursing home takes good care to prevent them.
Percentage of short-stay residents who report moderate to severe pain What does this show you?
This percentage may include some residents who are getting or have been prescribed treatment for their pain, but either don't take the pain medicine or choose to take less. Some residents may choose to be in some pain so they can take less pain medicine and stay more alert.
Nursing home staff should check often to see if residents are in pain. Residents (or someone on their behalf) should let staff know if they're in pain so staff can find the cause of the pain and make the resident more comfortable.
Not be able to perform daily activities.
Have an overall poor quality of life.
Rate of successful return to home and community from a short-stay What does this show you?
High rates of successful discharge, where a resident is able to stay in the community and out of a nursing home for at least a month, shows the nursing home may be helping to make a resident's function better so that he or she can successfully go back to the community.
Percentage of short-stay residents who improved in their ability to move around on their own What does this show you?
Nursing homes can help residents make their physical functioning better. Short-stay residents admitted to a nursing home often have limited physical functioning because of illness, hospitalization, or surgery. For many short-stay residents, being able to go back to the community or home is most important. Residents who get better at moving independently are more likely to be able to go back home or the community.
Nursing homes promote and provide educational information on preventive services and screenings to maintain the health of the residents within their facilities. Many diseases are preventable through immunizations, screenings, treatment, and lifestyle changes.
Percentage of short-stay residents who needed and got a flu shot for the current flu season What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of residents who received a vaccine to prevent the flu. The "flu" (also called influenza) is a very contagious infection that affects the lungs. Flu is spread very easily from person to person. People are usually infected when a person coughs or sneezes.
People who are 65 and older are at higher risk for developing serious life-threatening medical complications from the flu. If you're 65 or older, you should get the flu shot once every year. Nursing home residents should be given a flu shot during the flu season (October through March). You shouldn't get another flu shot if you have already gotten a flu shot at another place, or if there's a medical reason why you shouldn't get it. Learn more about flu shots and the elderly.
Percentage of short-stay residents who needed and got a vaccine to prevent pneumonia What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of residents who received a vaccine to prevent pneumonia. The pneumococcal shot (pneumococcal vaccination) may help prevent or lower the risk of becoming seriously ill from pneumonia caused by bacteria. It may also help prevent future infections.
Residents should be asked if they've been vaccinated for pneumonia, and if not, should be given the pneumococcal shot unless there's a medical reason why they shouldn't get it.
The Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) provides results for the quality and resource use measures for residents that get skilled care in nursing homes under the Medicare Part A benefit.
Percentage of SNF residents with pressure ulcers that are new or worsened What does this show you?
This measure shows the percentage of residents who developed new pressure ulcers or whose existing pressure ulcers worsened during their stay in the SNF.
Some residents may get pressure ulcers even when the facility provides good preventive care.
Percentage of SNF residents who experience one or more falls with major injury during their SNF stay What does this show you?
This measure shows the percentage of SNF residents who had one or more falls that resulted in a major injury during their stay in the SNF.
Fall-related injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among SNF residents, and an important health outcome for SNFs to monitor. Falls with major injury can cause new physical limitations, disability, and depression. SNFs can prevent or reduce falls by providing appropriate living accommodations and support.
Percentage of SNF residents whose functional abilities were assessed and functional goals were included in their treatment plan What does this show you?
This measure reports the percentage of SNF residents whose ability to perform daily activities like bathing and walking were assessed and goals for improving or maintaining these abilities were included in their treatment plan.
Improving or maintaining physical functioning is an important goal for most SNF residents. The admission assessment helps the SNF team plan the resident's treatment and the assessment at discharge helps to determine the resident's abilities and a plan for follow-up after discharge.
Rate of successful return to home and community from a SNF What does this show you?
This measure shows the rate at which residents returned to home and community with no unplanned hospitalizations and no deaths in the 31 days following discharge from the SNF.
Higher discharge to community rates indicate an overall higher likelihood of discharge to home and community, on average.
Discharge to home and community may not be appropriate for some residents even when the SNF provides good care.
Rate of potentially preventable hospital readmissions 30 days after discharge from a SNF What does this show you?
This measure shows the rate of residents discharged from a SNF stay who were readmitted to a hospital within 30 days for a condition that might have been prevented.
Some SNF residents need to be admitted to the hospitals for problems that were not potentially preventable.
Medicare Spending per Beneficiary (MSPB) for residents in SNFs What does this show you?
This measure shows whether Medicare spends more, less, or about the same on an episode of care for a Medicare resident treated in a specific SNF compared to how much Medicare spends on an episode of care across all SNFs nationally. This measure includes all Medicare Part A and Part B payments made for services provided to a resident with Original Medicare during an episode of care, which begins on the day of SNF admission and ends 30 days after discharge from the SNF.
The data comes from Medicare enrollment and claims data.
The result is a ratio calculated by dividing the amount Medicare spent per resident for an episode of care initiated at this SNF by the median (or middle) amount Medicare spent per episode of care nationally. A lower ratio means that Medicare spent less per resident.
A ratio equal to the national average means that Medicare spends ABOUT THE SAME per resident for an episode of care initiated at this SNF as it does per episode of care across all SNFs nationally.
A ratio that is more than the national average means that Medicare spends MORE per resident for an episode of care initiated at this SNF than it does per episode of care across all SNFs nationally.
A ratio that is less than the national average means that Medicare spends LESS per resident for an episode of care initiated at this SNF than it does per episode of care across all SNFs nationally.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provides information on Medicare spending to support SNFs in their efforts to coordinate resident care and make care more efficient.
Long-stay resident quality measures show the average quality of care for certain care areas in a nursing home for those who stayed in a nursing home for 101 days or more. Residents in a nursing home for a long-stay are usually not healthy enough to leave a nursing home and can't live at home or in a community setting. These residents may be older and have more serious health issues.
Percentage of long-stay residents who got an antipsychotic medication What does this show you?
If possible, nursing homes should try to manage behavior without medications first. If antipsychotics have to be used, the resident should be watched carefully. You should ask nursing homes how they manage behavior. Managing behavior without using medications, like higher staffing ratios, many and varied activities, and regular assignment of nursing staff, have lowered the use of medications in many cases.
Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of residents who had at least one fall with a major injury.
Every year, 1 in every 3 adults 65 and older falls. One third of falls among nursing home residents results in an injury. There are many things nursing homes can do to prevent falls and fall-related injuries. Learn more about fall prevention.
Percentage of long-stay high-risk residents with pressure ulcers What does this show you?
Using soft padding to reduce pressure on the skin.
Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of residents with a urinary tract infection (UTI). Bladder infections are the most common type of UTI, but any part of your urinary tract can become infected—the urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidneys.
To help avoid UTIs, nursing home staff should make sure residents have good hygiene. Finding the cause and getting early treatment for a UTI can keep the infection from spreading and becoming more serious or causing complications like delirium. It's important to find out whether a UTI is caused by a physical problem, like an enlarged prostate, so the right medical treatment can be given.
Percentage of long-stay residents who have or had a catheter inserted and left in their bladder What does this show you?
Some studies have shown that using indwelling catheters for many years may increase the rates of bladder cancer in some patients.
Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of long-stay residents who have a harder time getting around on their own. This is measured by a decrease in how well residents are able to move around their rooms and in hallways on the same floor. For residents in a wheelchair, this measure shows if they became less independent once they started using the chair.
Residents who are less able to move independently also need more staff time than those who are more independent.
Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased What does this show you?
It's important that nursing home staff have residents do as much as they can for themselves. Residents' ability to perform daily functions helps to maintain health status and quality of life.
Some residents will lose function in their basic daily activities even though the nursing home gives good care.
Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained during either the day or night using different devices.
Percentage of long-stay residents who report moderate to severe pain What does this show you?
This percentage may include some residents who are getting or have been prescribed treatment for their pain, but either don't take the pain medicine or choose to take less. Some residents may choose to take less pain medicine so they can stay more alert.
Nursing home staff should check often to see if residents are in pain. Residents (or someone on their behalf) should let staff know if they're in pain so the staff can find the cause of the pain and make the resident more comfortable.
Percentage of long-stay residents who needed and got a flu shot for the current flu season What does this show you?
Percentage of long-stay residents who needed and got a vaccine to prevent pneumonia What does this show you?
The additional long-stay quality measures can help you compare the quality of care provided to residents with an illness or chronic condition.
Number of hospitalizations per 1,000 long-stay resident days What does this show you?
This shows you the number of unplanned hospitalizations (including observation stays) for long-stay residents per 1,000 long-stay resident days. For this measure, long-stay resident days are all days after the resident's 100th cumulative day in the nursing home.
If nursing homes send many residents to the hospital, it may be because the nursing homes aren't assessing or taking care of their residents well.
Percentage of long-stay low-risk residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of residents who, even though they don't have conditions that make it likely, still can't control their bowels or bladder.
Having bowel and bladder control can prevent infections and pressure ulcers. When residents get treatment to help them have bowel and bladder control, it can help their well-being by giving them dignity and helping them be more social.
Usually with the right treatment and help from nursing home staff, residents who are low-risk can control their bowels or bladder.
Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight What does this show you?
This shows you the percentage of residents who had a weight loss of 5% or more in the last month, or 10% in the last 6 months, but weren't on a prescribed weight-loss plan.
To help prevent unhealthy weight loss, it's important that the residents' diets are balanced and nutritious, and that staff spend enough time feeding people who can't feed themselves.
Percentage of long-stay residents who have symptoms of depression What does this show you?
Identifying depression in residents can be hard because the signs may be confused with the normal aging process, a side effect of medication, or the result of a medical condition. Proper treatment may include medication, therapy, or an increase in social support.
Percentage of long-stay residents who got an antianxiety or hypnotic medication What does this show you?
The percentage of residents who received antianxiety and hypnotic medication. These medications treat certain mental health conditions.
High rates of use of these medications may mean that resident assessments have been done poorly and there is over-use of medications. When thinking about choosing a nursing home, ask nursing homes how they manage behavior. Nursing homes that have higher staffing ratios, many and varied activities, and regular assignment of nursing staff, have been successful at lowering the use of medications.
The quality of resident care measures on Nursing Home Compare aren't benchmarks, thresholds, guidelines, or standards of care, and aren't appropriate for use in a lawsuit. They are based on the average quality of care given to all the residents in a nursing home and don't detail a single resident's experience.
Most of these quality measures show residents' health in the 7 days before the assessment was done. This means that the quality measures may not show the residents' health during the entire time between assessments.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may impose penalties on a nursing home when there's a serious health or fire safety citation or if the nursing home fails to correct a citation for a long period of time. For example, Medicare may issue a fine, deny payment to the nursing home, assign a temporary manager, or install a state monitor. Nursing Home Compare only lists penalties that have been imposed in the last 3 years.
What are the types of penalties on Nursing Home Compare?
Fines: Fines may be imposed once per citation or each day until the nursing home corrects the citation.
Payment denials: During a payment denial, the government stops Medicare or Medicaid payments to the nursing home for new residents until the nursing home corrects the citation.
If the nursing home doesn't correct these problems, Medicare will end its agreement with the nursing home. This means the nursing home is no longer certified to provide and be paid for care to people with Medicare or Medicaid. Residents with Medicare or Medicaid who are living in the home at the time of the termination will be moved to a different nursing home that is still certified by CMS.


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An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an vol. 19
What is a 'Commentary'?
The Current Commentary
Attributes Needed for Working on This Kind of Commentary
The Problems in Translating
Translators Note
Arabic, Farsi Commentaries
English Translations of Qur'an
Supporting Technical References
Phraseological and Philological Sources
A Presentation to Muslims
Surah al-Insan Chapter 76
Contents of the Surah
Was the Surah Revealed In Medina?
The Virtue in Studying Surah al-Insan (man)
Surah al-Insan, Verses 1-4
Explanation: The Fetus and its Development
Surah al-Insan, Verses 5 – 11
The Occasion of Revelation
The Great Reward for the Righteous
Feeding the Starved is of the Greatest Good Deeds
Surah al-Insan, Verses 12 - 22
Great Rewards in Heaven
Five Great Instructions for the Fulfillment of Allah's Command
This Is An Admonition; But It Is You Who Choose the Way
Surah Mursalat, Chapter 77
The Virtue of Studying this Surah
Surah Mursalat, Verses 1-15
Allah's Promises Surely Befall! Woe to the Rejecters of Truth!
Contents of the Oaths
Surah Mursalat, Verses 16-28
They See These Signs of Power, Yet They Reject the Resurrection!
They Can Neither Defend Themselves Nor Escape
What Statement Will They Believe In, If They Do Not Believe in Holy Qur'an?
Surah Nabaa, Chapter 78
The Virtue In Studying Surah Nabaa
Surah Nabaa, Verses 1-5
The Great News!
Explanation: The Proposition of 'Vicegerency' and '/naba'‑in‑'ażim/ (The Great News)
Why is the Resurrection Emphasized On So Much?
Surah Nabaa, Verses 6-16
Explanation: The Relation Between These Verses and the Resurrection
Surah Nabaa, Verses 17-20
Finally, the Promised Day Will Come
What are the meanings of 'be opened' and 'gates'?
Hell is a Great Ambush!
Some Great Rewards for the Righteous
Explanation: The Rewards of the Righteous and the Recompense of the Rebels
The Pure Drinks in Heaven
The Clear Solution For Fatalism and Free‑will
Surah Nazi'at, Chapter 79
The Virtue in Studying this Surah
Surah Nazi'at, Verses 1-5
By The Angels Who Try Hard
Surah Nazi'at, Verses 6-14
The Resurrection Will Happen with a Single Great Blast!
Surah Nazi'at, Verses 15-26
Pharaoh Used to Say: I Am Your Lord, Most High
Explanation: A Small Sample of the Elegance of Holy Qur'an
A Reason For the Resurrection: Are You More Difficult to Create or the Heaven He Built?
Those Who Restrain Their Soul From Low Desires
What is the meaning of "the Presence of the Lord"?
The Relation Between the Rebels and Worldliness
There are only Two Groups
Only Allah knows the Final Hour, the Resurrection.
Surah 'Abasa, Chapter 80
Surah 'Abasa, Verses 1-10
Harsh Admonition For Heedlessness Shown to a Truth‑Seeking Blind man
Surah 'Abasa, Verses 11-23
Only the Purified Ones Can Touch the Qur'an
Man Should Look At His food!
Explanation:Wholesome Nutriments
The Resurrection Cry!
Explanation: Self-Perfection
Surah Takwir, Chapter 81
The Virtue in Studying Surah Takwir
Surah Takwir, Verses 1-9
The Day When All the Universe Will be Dissolved
Explanation: The Practice of Female Infanticide
Surah Takwir, Verses 10-14
Explanation: The Order of the Verses
Will the Solar System and the Stars Darken?
Gabriel, the Bringer of Allah's Message Descends to him
Explanation: The Characteristics of a Qualified Messenger
O Neglectful Ones! Where Are You Going?
Surah Infitar, Chapter 82
Surah Infitar, Verses 1-5
The Disturbance in Order and Symmetry
Surah Infitar, Verses 6-12
O man! What Has Seduced You?
Explanation: The Angels; the Scribes
Surah Infitar, Verses 13-19
On That Day, No One Does Anything for Anyone
Surah Mutaffifin, Chapter 83
The Virtue in Studying the Surah
Surah Mutaffifin, Verses 1-6
Woe to Those Who Deal in Fraud
Explanation: 'Dealing in Fraud' is One of the Factors of Mischief in the Land
Surah Mutaffifin, Verses 7-10
What Informs You What 'Sijjin' Is?
Surah Mutaffifin, Verses 11-17
Sin Works as Rust Upon the Heart
Why Does Sin Work As Rust Upon The Heart?
A Curtain Over The Spirit
'Illiyin is Anticipating the Righteous
Explanation: Who are 'the Righteous' and 'the Ones Nearest to Allah'?
Heavenly Drinks
Once They Used to Mock the Believers But, Today…
Surah Inshiqaq, Chapter 84
Surah Inshiqaq, Verses 1-9
A Hard Struggle Towards Absolute Perfection:
A Surprising Narration!
This Life is Full of Pain and Labour
Surah Inshiqaq, Verses 10-15
Those Who Hold Their Record Behind Their Back!
You Are Continuously Changing.
Surah Buruj, Chapter 85
Surah Buruj, Verses 1-9
The Believers and the Pyres
Expbnations
Who Were 'The Makers of The Pit of fire'?
Resistance in Keeping Faith
Surah Buruj, Verses 10-16
Allah's Punishment for the Persecutors
Did You See What Happened to the Forces of Pharaoh and the Tribe of Thamud?
Surah Tariq, Chapter 86
Surah Tariq, Verses 1-10
O man! Consider of What You Are Created!
Surah Tariq, Verses 11-17
We Destroy the Enemies' Plans
Surah A'la, Chapter 87
Contents of Surah A'la
Surah A'la, Verses 1-5
Glorify Allah, The Most High
Surah A'la, Verses 6-13
We Will Make Everything Prepared For You To Do Good
Surah A'la, Verses 14-19
All Divine Books Contained A Definite Law
Surah Ghashiyah, Chapter 88
Contents of Surah Ghashiyah
Surah Ghashiya, Verses 1-7
They Are Weary, But With No Gain
Surah Ghashiyah, Verses 8-16
A Perspective of the Blessings in Heaven
Surah Ghashiyah, Verses 17-26
Look at the Camel; a Sign of Allah
(Those Sent Forth)
Number of Verses: 50
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful
This Surah belongs to the early Meccan period and its name, Mursalat is taken from the first verse. After making some oaths, the text refers to the horrors of the Hereafter for those who reject the Truth.
The refrain,
"Ah woe, that Day to the Rejecters of Truth"
is repeated ten times in the Surah and every time follows a new topic.
In addition to the oaths, the Surah gives some information about the fervent Hereafter and its grievous events, and then repeats the same refrain:
"Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth."
In the second stage, we learn about the woeful story of the sinners of past generations.
In the third stage, it lets us know a little about the creation's specialities.
In the fourth stage, we are informed of some divine Blessings on the Earth.
In the fifth stage, there are some messages in which the rejecters are warned of their painful penalty.
In every stage there is also a hint to an enlightening point and then the refrain follows. Sometimes, the blessings of just men are mentioned to show that both rewards and penalties are found, but the former is used for justification and the latter is for warning.
The refrain, in this Surah, has an association with the refrain in Surah Rahman, No. 55, but with the difference that: Surah Rahman speaks about the Blessings, but Surah Mursalat describes the rejecters' punishments.
It is narrated from the Prophet (S) that:
"One who studies Surah Mursalat will be registered as a non‑pagan".1
Another narration from Imam Sadiq (as) cites that:
"If one studies this Surah, Allah makes him familiar to Muhammad (S)".2
This reward is certainly for a person who studies it, thinks it over and acts accordingly. So, we see by a narration that some of the Prophet's close friends told him:
"Oh Muhammad, how soon you have grown old!"
He answered:
"Hud, Vaqiah, Mursalat, and Nabaa brought old age upon me".3
It is worth considering that in all these Surahs the circumstances of the Here after and the horrors of the Resurrection Day and the Great Judgment are illustrated; and are the very things that affected the Prophet's (S) holy soul.
Obviously, reading without thinking and acting cannot be very fruitful.
وَالْمُرْسَلَاتِ عُرْفًا
فَالْعَاصِفَاتِ عَصْفًا
وَالنَّاشِرَاتِ نَشْرًا
فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا
فَالْمُلْقِيَاتِ ذِكْرًا
عُذْرًا أَوْ نُذْرًا
إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَاقِعٌ
فَإِذَا النُّجُومُ طُمِسَتْ
وَإِذَا السَّمَاءُ فُرِجَتْ
وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ نُسِفَتْ
وَإِذَا الرُّسُلُ أُقِّتَتْ
لِأَيِّ يَوْمٍ أُجِّلَتْ
لِيَوْمِ الْفَصْلِ
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ
وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
1. "By those (Angels)(winds) sent forth one after another,"
2. "And those who move as a hurricane;"
3. "By those who scatter far and wide,"
4. "And those who separate (one from another);"
5. "And by those who reveal the (Divine) Reminder,"
6. "To justify or to warn;"
7. "Surely that which you are promised (for the Resurrection) will befall."
8. "Then when the stars are extinguished;"
9. "And when the heaven is cleft asunder;"
10. "And when the mountains are carried away;"
11. "And when the prophets are called unto their time appointed (for witness);"
12. "For what Day is this (portent) deferred?"
13. "For the Day of Sorting out (right from wrong)".
14. "What do you know about the Day of Sorting out?".
15. "Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth!".
At the beginning of this Surah, there are five oaths in five verses about which many comments have been made and they are:
"By those (Angels) (winds) sent forth one after another,"
"And those who move as a hurricane;"
"And By those who scatter far and wide,"
"And those who separate (one from another);"
"And By those (the prophets) who reveal the (Divine) Reminder,"
"To justify or to warn;"
Now, let us see what these mysterious oaths, which announce some great events, mean.
Here are three known ideas:
1. All five parts mean winds and hurricanes, which have an effective role in nature.
If so, the verses mean:
"By the winds sent forth one after another.
"By the violent hurricanes which move;"
"By those which scatter clouds and bring down, to Earth, the lively droplets of rain through the clouds,"
"By those which scatter clouds after falling rain;"
"By the very winds which remind men of Allah,"
(Some others have said that the winds are of tormenting winds. This idea is opposite to the above, but it is also a reminder).
2. If all the oaths are sworn to Angels, then, the verses would mean:
"By the Angels sent forth (to the prophets) one after another,"
(or, the Angels sent forth with some definite known plans),"
"And by those who move, as a hurricane, to carry out their mission:
"By those who deliver the heavenly verses and scatter them,"
"And those who, by this action, separate purity from evil;"
"And those who give Allah's Messages and instructions to prophets,"
3. The first and the second oaths are about winds and hurricanes, but the third, the fourth and the fifth ones are about Angels and their mission: ie. distributing the verses, sorting out the right from the wrong and revealing Allah's instructions to prophets for justice and warning.
The first factor, which caused the third idea to form and separated these verses into two groups, is the conjunction 'and' in two of the verses, and another form of relative juncture; the Arabic letter 'ف' (f), which occurs in the rest.
The second factor is the important sense that verse seven consists of. All the oaths are for the subject matter of this verse, that is, the reality of the Resurrection and the Hereafter.
We know that at the beginning of the Resurrection there will be many great happenings that will change the world. There will be violent storms, earthquakes, and some other shaking events on the one hand, and on the other hand, formation of the Great Judgment, where Angels divide the individuals' records, and separate the believers from unbelievers, communicating Allah's decree to them.
If the above five verses are stated according to this idea, they are suited to what they are sworn to, and, from this point of view, the last idea is superior to the first two.
The last word in verse five,
/żikr/; 'Reminder',
means either the knowledge bestowed upon the prophets, or the verses revealed to them.
And we know that in the verses of Qur'an the word 'Qur'an', itself, means Reminder; as we see in Surah Al‑Hijr, No. 15, verse 6,
"And they say: O thou to whom the Reminder is revealed! Thou art indeed a mad man!"
Gabriel, who revealed the Message to the holy Prophet (S), was only one angel, but
/mulqiyat/ 'angels'
is in a plural form.
Since, according to some narrations, sometimes large groups of angels accompanied Gabriel to bring the verses; as in Surah Abasa, No. 80, verse 15 which denotes that verses are revealed to the Prophet (S)
"by the hands of Angels".
What are these oaths for? The next verse uncovers the secret:
"Surely that which you are promised (for the Resurrection) will befall."
There is no doubt that resurrection and bringing man to life again, recompense and punishment, reckoning and retribution (judgment) are right and proper.
This verse demands that all of Allah's promises are sure irrespective of the promises to good‑doers and evildoers in this world and in the Hereafter.
There is nothing mentioned about the Resurrection in this verse, but in the former verses there are some hints to Resurrection, which confirm that it exists. For example, giving life to the dead lands by sending down rain, which is an illustrative incident of Resurrection; revealing Allah's instructions to the prophets; and appointing Messengers, all of which would be meaningless without the Hereafter. Then, the promised Resurrection is bound to come.
Similar to that is Surah Zariyat, No. 51, verse 22‑23:
"And in heaven is your sustenance..."
"Then, by the Lord of heaven and earth, this is the very Truth..."
The oath to the Lord /rabb/ 'the Owner, the Cherisher' denotes that our sustenance is seriously true, and it is the Lord's Wisdom which demands that sustenance be provided to the creatures.
Through the following three verses, the signs of that Day are pointed out:
"Then when the stars are extinguished;"
"And when the sky is cleft asunder;"
"And when the mountains are carried away;"
The word /tamasat/ is derived from /tams/ which means 'to efface' or 'to obliterate (to destroy all trace of)', may refer to the extinction of the stars or their dissolution, but the first rendition is more fitting.
A similar meaning is found in Surah Takwir, No. 81, verse 2:
"And when the stars darken;".
The word /nasafat/ is derived from /nasf/ which originally means 'to winnow as chaff, the act of winnowing', but here, it means: 'to reduce the mountains to powder and scatter them abroad'.
In general, from many verses of the Holy Qur'an it is understood that, at last, this physical world will end with some series of extremely horrible events, and its regularity will be terribly destroyed. Then the spiritual world will be substituted by a new order.
The events are so horrible and amazing that no single word or expression can describe them. Are the mountains which are reduced to powder and scattered abroad, and like events, describable?
Some commentators have said that, in comparison with these events, the greatest earthquakes man has ever seen are like tiny firecrackers, which little boys explode for fun, and liken these horrifying events with the greatest atomic bombs.
At any rate, these meanings, in the Holy Qur'an, indicate the great difference between the physical world and the spiritual world.
Then, in the following verse, one of the occurrences at the gathering place, on the Day of Judgment, is defined:
"And when the prophets are called unto their time appointed (for witness)".
The theme of this verse and that of Surah A'raf, No. 7, verse 6 are similar:
"Then shall We question those to whom Our Message was sent and those by whom We sent it."
And then it adds:
"For what Day is this (portent) deferred?"
"For the Day of Sorting out (right from wrong)."
This question, and its answer, shows the greatness of that Day, and what a clear and meaningful answer this is:
"For the Day of Sorting out".
It is the Day of sorting out right from wrong, believers from unbelievers, good‑doers from evildoers, and the Day of Judgment for all.
"What do you know about the Day of Sorting out?"
What are we looking for when the Prophet (S), having such extensive and broad knowledge and keen insight; by which he was able to discover the secrets of that mysterious world, could not deeply appreciate all the dimensions of that Day?
As it was repeatedly mentioned before, it is impossible for us, prisoners in this world of a cage, to understand all the great secrets of the Hereafter; we may only see its silhouette, but we believe in it.
Then, the warning:
The term
/wayl/ 'woe'
is interpreted as 'punishment with destruction, any punishment, or, a site in Hell full of torment'. This word is usually said to anyone or anything for whom or that which falls into misfortune and on whom one does not wish Allah's mercy to descend and, here, it is used for the painful fate of the rejecters on that Day.
'The rejecters of Truth'
are those who do not believe in the Hereafter. And we know that those who reject the Day of Judgment and the Day of Reckoning easily commit any sin or corruption. But a firm belief in the reality of that Day demands virtue and responsibility in human beings.
In the above verses, it swears to the winds and hurricanes. This is because they have an important structural role in nature: they move the clouds and take them over dead lands, pouring down rain, and then scattering them.
Winds scatter seeds far and wide, here and there, and produce forests. They fertilize many of the plants and flowers. They change the weather, hot and cold, or moderate it.
They clear the air of epidemics: they take the fresh air from green fields and bring it into cities to substitute its polluted one. They cause the seas to undulate and oxygenate the water, which is essential to the developing processes of living creatures in the seas. Surely, winds and breezes are beneficial to man in the world.
Some other verses of the above group swear to angels by which Allah's Messages and revelations, that cherish virtue and humanity, were gradually conveyed to the prophets' hearts like the winds that come gently as harbingers with blessings of rain and fertility. Winds are in the physical world while angels are in the spiritual world. Then Allah's oaths are to both the physical cherishers and the spiritual ones.
It is interesting to note that all the oaths are for the belief that His promise of mercy and justice in the Hereafter,
'the Day of Sorting out',
is indeed true.
أَلَمْ نُهْلِكِ الْأَوَّلِينَ
ثُمَّ نُتْبِعُهُمُ الْآخِرِينَ
كَذَٰلِكَ نَفْعَلُ بِالْمُجْرِمِينَ
أَلَمْ نَخْلُقْكُمْ مِنْ مَاءٍ مَهِينٍ
فَجَعَلْنَاهُ فِي قَرَارٍ مَكِينٍ
إِلَىٰ قَدَرٍ مَعْلُومٍ
فَقَدَرْنَا فَنِعْمَ الْقَادِرُونَ
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ كِفَاتًا
أَحْيَاءً وَأَمْوَاتًا
وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ شَامِخَاتٍ وَأَسْقَيْنَاكُمْ مَاءً فُرَاتًا
16. "Did We not destroy the men of old?"
17. "Then shall We make following (generations) follow them."
18. "Thus do We ever deal with men of sin."
19. "Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth."
20. "Did We not create you from a base fluid?"
21. "The which We placed in a safe abode; (firmly fixed)."
22. "For a period (of gestation) determined?"
23. "For We determine; and We are the best to determine (and then Resurrection is easy for Us to portend)"
24. "Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth!"
25. "Have We not made the earth (as a place) to draw together?"
26. "Both for the living and the dead,"
27. "And placed therein high mountains standing firm, and given you to drink (wholesome) sweet water?"
Through these verses, Rejecters are warned in different ways and by various statements.
First, they are reminded of the old generation's fate:
"Did We not destroy the men of old?"
In our own times we can observe relics of old civilizations. Generations such as those of the 'Ad, the Thamud, Noah's, Lot's and Pharaoh's were destroyed as punishment for their evil deeds; partly by flood, lightning and hurricane, and some generations by earthquakes and meteorites.
"Then shall We make following (generations) follow them."
Allah's Law is always the same. Sin or corruption prepares its own destruction. Should some be punished for sinning while others not?
"Thus do We ever deal with men of sin."
In fact, this verse is a confirmation to the destruction of the old generations and for the present and future generations, as well. Since Allah's punishment is neither for revenging nor settling His own personal account, it, therefore, depends on their own sinful deeds and on His superior wisdom.
Some believe that the word
/awwalin/ 'old',
in this verse, refers to the generations of Noah, 'Ad and Thamud; and the word
/akharin/ 'following'
refers to the generations after them; such as those of Lot and Pharaoh.
But taking note of the term
/nutbi'uhum/ "...shall we make follow (generations) follow them",
which is in the future tense and
/alam nuhlik/ "Did We not destroy...",
which is in past tense it, then, becomes clear that 'old' refers to all the old generations who were destroyed by Allah's Will, and 'following' refers to the sinners of the Prophet's (S) time or those who will come into being after that and will commit sins and corruptions.
And, so, the warning:
'that Day'
here, means the Hereafter, when they will have their main punishment and retribution. The repetition of the verse is for emphasis, though they may have a chastisement even in this world.
Then, it attracts their attention to the period of gestation which shows them the power and the authority of the Creator and also the abundance of His blessings to man. Consequently, they understand His force, in regard to the Resurrection, and, they, themselves, owe Allah for His numerous blessings and respect Him.
"Did We not create you from a base fluid?"
"The which We placed in a safe abode, (firmly fixed)".
A place where all the conditions for life, growth and protection of the fetus exist. It is so amazing and interesting that it causes everyone to wonder.
"For a period (of gestation) determined?"
A period of time that no one knows, but Allah. During this period many changes occur and every day the fetus enters a new phase in its development in that abode.
"For We determine; and We are the best to determine, (and then Resurrection is easy for Us to portend)".
This is the same reason for which the Qur'an has emphatically used in proving the possibility of the Resurrection.
For example, in the beginning verses of Surah Hajj, No. 22, mankind's attention is attracted to the process of their own physical growth; from lifeless matter to seed, fertilized ovum, fetus, child, youth, aged and death! How can they doubt that the author of all these wonderful stages in their lives, in this world, each of which is as important as the Resurrection, can also give them another kind of life after the end of this probationary life? How different is dust from sperm!
Woe to those who see these numerous wonders of His power and yet they deny Him.
In this respect, Imam Ali (as) has said:
"O creature who has been equitably created and who has been nourished and looked after in the darkness of wombs with multiple curtains. You were originated from the essence of clay and put in a quiet place for a determined length and ordained time. You used to move in the womb of your mother as an embryo, neither responding to a call nor hearing any voice.
Then you were taken out from the place in which you stayed to a place that you had not seen, and you were not acquainted with awaiting its benefits. Who guided you to obtain your sustenance from the milk of your mother's breast?
Who taught you to express your demands with your cries? Verily, when you cannot fully understand your own self, how can you understand your Creator? It is impossible for you to understand Allah from the attributes which are meant only for His creatures."4
In another part of the verses, the external nature and His blessings, in this great world, are described. These are proofs for both His authority and Mercy, and for the reality of Resurrection, while the former verses were about the creation of man himself.
"Have We not made the earth (as a place) to draw together?"
"Both for the living and the dead".
/kifat/5 'a place where things are gathered together'
is derived from /kaft/ which means 'to gather together', or 'to attach one thing to another'. 'Birds flying fast' is also called /kifat/, since when they fly fast they gather their wings to their sides in order to move more quickly through the air.
It intends to say: Earth is a gathering place for all human beings; it gathers the living men and women over itself and gives them their needs totally, and envelops their dead bodies in its insides. If the ground were not fit for burial, the bad smell and various diseases would arise from the corpses and this would be a disaster for the living ones.
Yes, the land, like a mother who gathers her children around her, gathers individuals over itself, caresses them, feeds them, dresses them, gives them residence, gives them all their needs, keeps their corpses in its inside, dissolves them and then causes their harmful effects to vanish.
Some commentators have used /kifat/ in the sense of 'to fly quickly' and have said that the term refers to the Earth's rotation around the Sun, and other movements, all of which were not known by people at the time of revelation of the Qur'an.
In the next verse, that is:
"...the living and the dead",
it seems that the first meaning is more suitable. Particularly, if we consider the following narration from Imam Ali (as). When he was coming back from the Seffin Battlefield he reached a cemetery outside the gate of Kufa.
He looked across it and said:
"This is the abode of the dead and where they dwell",
and then he looked towards the houses of the city and said:
"This is the abode of the living".
He wanted to tell others that there is not a long distance between the abode of the living and that of the dead, then, he recited the above verses:
"Both for the living and the dead." 6
Then, the Qur'an mentions one of the great blessings of Allah on the earth:
"And placed therein high mountains standing firm..."
These high mountains and their underlying formations united together, on the one hand, protect the earth, armor‑like, against the inner pressures and the pressures resulting from gravity and, on the other hand, they prevent the air's friction with the land by providing a break in the air mass with their peaks, and thirdly, they control the violent winds and storms. Then, in this way, they afford peace and comfort to the earth's dwellers.
And, at the end of this verse, another gift from the mountains is cited:
"...and given you to drink wholesome sweet water?"
'wholesome sweet water'
is useful and lively both for
'you'
and for
'your'
animals, agriculture, and gardens.
It is true that all the sources of sweet water are from rain, but mountains play the primary role in supplying life with water: many headsprings and aqueducts stem from mountains; many of the rivers and streams originate from the heavy thick melting snow on the high mountains tops.
The tops of the mountains, because of their altitude, are the most useful for human beings, as they are far from the plains surface and they are always cold. They can keep the snow there for years and then the sun melts the snow, gradually, flowing into the streams.
The refrain is repeated:
It is they who see these signs and the types of His Bounty and Power; the blessings by which they are continually benefited and, yet, deny the Resurrection, His Justice and His Wisdom.
انْطَلِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَا كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ
انْطَلِقُوا إِلَىٰ ظِلٍّ ذِي ثَلَاثِ شُعَبٍ
لَا ظَلِيلٍ وَلَا يُغْنِي مِنَ اللَّهَبِ
إِنَّهَا تَرْمِي بِشَرَرٍ كَالْقَصْرِ
كَأَنَّهُ جِمَالَتٌ صُفْرٌ
هَٰذَا يَوْمُ لَا يَنْطِقُونَ
وَلَا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُمْ فَيَعْتَذِرُونَ
هَٰذَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ ۖ جَمَعْنَاكُمْ وَالْأَوَّلِينَ
فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ كَيْدٌ فَكِيدُونِ
29. "(On that Day it will be said unto them:) Depart you to that which you used to deny."
30. "Depart to a shadow failing threefold, (stifling smoke from fire)".
31. "(Which yields) no relief nor shelter from the flame".
32. "Indeed it throws about sparks (as big) as castles;".
33. "As if there were (a string of) yellow camels (marching swiftly)".
35. "This is a day wherein they speak not, (they will not be in a position to put forward any valid defense or plea)",
36. "Nor will it be open to them to put forth excuses".
38. "This is the Day of Sorting out (right from wrong). We have brought you and the men of old together".
39. "If you have a trick (to flee away prom punishment) use it against Me!"
The final fate of the rejecters of the Hereafter and the Divine Judgment is stated in these verses: a statement that takes one into deep thought, indeed, because it makes clear the horrors of the Event.
The command is:
"(On that Day it will be said unto them): Depart you to that which you used to deny".
Depart to the blazing fire (Hell) which you used to mock. Depart to the different kinds of punishment which you have prepared for yourselves in your previous life.
The term /inţaliqu/ is based on /inţilaq/ which means: 'to depart, go one's way without stopping, to be free or loose'.
In fact, it is an explanation of their state in the Hereafter. They will be kept a long time for their account, then, being given leave, they will be told to go to Hell promptly without any pause.
The presenter of the case may be Allah, Who commands them directly of the punishment to come, or it may be the angels. The tone of the statement is quite harsh, which is also a kind of torment.
"Depart to a shadow falling threefold, (stifling smoke from fire)".
A column of smoke falls from above, another from the right side, and the third one from the left side. This black and thick hostile smoke surrounds them to envelop them completely.
This shadow gives no comfort, nor coolness, since they themselves are from fire, so it says:
"(Which yields) no relief, nor shelter from the flame".
Some persons may think that a shadow is there which partly reduces the heat of the flames of the fire, but this verse conveys the contrary idea. It suggests that this shadow is not of the kind that you think of, but it is a hot stifling one rising from the thick smoke of fire that reflects the heat of flames, totally.
Surah Waqiah, No. 56, verses 41‑44 attest to the mentioned subject and refer to the companions of the Left Hand:
"The Companions of the Left Hand ‑ What will be the Companions of the Left Hand?".
"(They will be) in the midst of a fierce Blast of Fire and in Boiling Water,"
"And in the shades of Black Smoke."
"Nothing (will there be) to refresh, nor to please:"
It has been said that the threefold shadow denotes a reflection of their present triple rejection to the principles of religion, i.e. monotheism, prophecy, and Resurrection; because, rejection of the Resurrection is not separate from the rejection of the other two.
But some others have said that it refers to the triple source of their faculties of anger, carnality, and suspicion. The triple shadows of smoke illustrate the black stains of sins.
The following is the translation of a Persian poem:
Keep away from anger and carnality.
The smoke of which darkens the insight.
When anger appears, wisdom disappears:
And when lust dominates, the soul is impudent.
"Indeed it throws about sparks (as big) as castles",
They are not like the sparks thrown off by a fire in our human world, which are sometimes very tiny.
/qaşr/ 'castle'
is meaningfully used here. Perhaps, it is more suitable to say: 'spark like the mountains'. But it should not be forgotten that, as it was mentioned for the verses before, mountains are the origin of many blessings as well as the headsprings of the wholesome sweet water, while castles of the oppressors are the source of blazing hot fire.
The next verse conveys another form of descriptive explanation for the sparks of this blazing fire:
"As if there were (a string of) yellow camels (marching swiftly)."
/jimalah/ 'camels'
is a plural form of /jamal/ 'camel', and the word /şufr/ is a plural form of /aşfar/ which means: 'that which is yellow' because sparks of fire are usually a reddish yellow.
In the former verse the sparks, from the point of view of size, were likened to castles and in this verse, from the point of view of number, colour, and speed, they are likened to a number of yellow marching camels.
When the sparks are so, it is obvious what the blazing fire is! And, besides this, how many other punishments are there nearby?
O Lord Please protect all of us against it with Your Mercy.
At the end of this portion, once more, the same refrain is repeated:
Then another explanation about the characteristics of that terrible Day begins.
"This is a day wherein they speak not,
(they will not be in a position to put forward any valid defense or plea)".
Yes, it is true that on that Day the sinners will be dumbfounded.
This fact is also mentioned in Surah Yasin, No. 36, verse 65:
"That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths...".
And, also at the end of the same verse it says:
"...But their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will bear witness to all that they did".
And even more, in some other verses it is said that their skins will speak and bear witness to what should be said.
"Nor will it be open to them to put forth excuses".
They are allowed neither to say anything nor to excuse and defend, because the facts will speak plainly enough, against them, and they do not need to speak.
In the human world, this prevaricating tongue misused its freedom: falsely denied the prophets, mocked the righteous, canceled the right, and substituted the wrong in place of the right. So, in the spiritual world this tongue should be locked and shut as a punishment. The very state is a torment, too, because one cannot defend or excuse oneself.
There is a narration from Imam Sadiq (as) in which he says:
"Allah is greater and more just than not to allow His servant to apologize to Him with his plausible excuse. But they have no plausible excuse, indeed, to bring up."7
From some of the verses, of course, it is understood that sinners can speak sometimes in the Hereafter, since, there are many halting places, therein, where some of their tongues are shut and their limbs bear witness, and in some others, their tongues are allowed to express their intensive begrudging, grief, and disaster.
Again it says:
Next, the sinners are addressed. To describe 'that Day', it says:
"This is the Day of Sorting out (right from wrong). We have brought you and the men of old together".
All members of the human race, from the earliest ones to the latest, with no exception, are gathered for reckoning and the Great Judgment
"If you have a trick (to flee away from punishment) use it against Me!"
Can you escape from My domain?
Or, are you able to defeat My Power?
Or, can you ransom and redeem yourself?
Or, are you able to deceive the Accountants?
Do your best, but do know that you can do nothing.
In fact, this is a term used to show their inability and helplessness; the same demand as that which is made for the Holy Qur'an as we can see in Surah Baqarah No. 2, verse 23:
"And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed (from time to time) to Our servant, then produce a Surah like it..."
As Raqib says in Mufradat: /kayd/ means 'applying or thinking of a remedy, ' which is sometimes blameworthy and sometimes praiseworthy, though the former is more frequently used (as it is used in the above verse).'
On that Day, certainly, they can do nothing because, as we know, there is no means for man, of any kind, to use for his defense, which Surah Baqarah, No. 2, verse 166, points out:
"...and all relations between them would be cut off."
It is interesting to note that, on the one hand, that Day is called 'the Day of Sorting out' and, on the other hand, it is said that:
"We have brought you and the men of old together";
both occurring in the same section. At first, all are gathered in the Great Court of Justice, then they are divided into different rows in accordance with their belief and their deeds. Even those who go to Paradise, having different rows of different degrees; the likes of which are those who go to Hell, having different rows with various steps of descent.
Yes, that Day is the day of sorting out (right from wrong, and oppressor from oppressed).
Again, the warning and enlightening verse is repeated:
إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي ظِلَالٍ وَعُيُونٍ
وَفَوَاكِهَ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ
كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
كُلُوا وَتَمَتَّعُوا قَلِيلًا إِنَّكُمْ مُجْرِمُونَ
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لَا يَرْكَعُونَ
فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ
41. "The righteous are amidst shades and fountains (of Heaven),"
42. "And fruits such as they desire".
43. "Eat ye and drink ye pleasantly (until you are satiated) in return for what ye did".
44. "Thus do We certainly reward the Doers of Good".
46. "(O ye Unjust) Eat and enjoy yourselves (on earth) a little while, (but be warned that an evil End in the Hereafter awaits you) for that ye are sinners".
48. "And when it is said unto them: Bow down, they bow not down".
50. "(If they do not believe in Holy Qur'an) then what statement, after that, will they believe in?"
We know that the Qur'anic style generally couples warning with glad tidings, threats with encouragement, and the fate of the Righteous with that of the sinners, so that the affairs are better understood.
On this basis, after describing various punishments of the sinners, in the Hereafter, in the aforementioned verses, there follows a short, but meaningful verse about the state of the Righteous on that Day:
"The righteous are amidst shades and fountains (of heaven) ".
Meanwhile, the sinners are in the shade of stifling smoke from fire, as it was understood from the previous verses.
The Arabic word
/żilal/ 'shadows'
is the plural form of /żill/ 'shadow'; whether in the shade of a tree and the like, during the day, or in the shadows of the darkness at night, while /fi'/ is 'to cast a shadow by only a single source of light' such as the shadow of trees which intercepts the rays of the sun.
Then it says:
"And fruits such as they desire".
It is clear that fruits, shadows, and fountains are a small part of the Blessings that Allah will bestow on them: a small part, describable in human language, is in comparison with all the Blessings in Heaven, but so plentiful and beyond the imagination of the Earth's dwellers, that it is indescribable.
It is interesting to note that they will be entertained so excellently and abundantly at Allah's feast that they are told:
"Eat ye and drink ye pleasantly (until you are satiated) in return for what you did".
The statement which is said to them directly, whether by Allah or by Angels, is full of kindness and affection; clearly is a sustenance for their soul.
The phrase,
"for what you did",
denotes that these gifts are not given to anyone undeserving, and nothing is obtained by raw claim or imagination but, is actually prepared by good deeds.
As Raqib cited in Mufradat: /hani'/ means anything that is wholesome and has no pain afterward. So, water and the daily meal are thus called and it is sometimes used for life, too.
Therefore, this shows that the fruits, foods and drinks, in Heaven, are not the same as those in this world; of which we sometimes suffer malnutrition, pain and undesirable effects.
Some commentators believe that this imperative sentence denotes to the allowance of using these Blessings, lawfully, while some others believe that this is just a command.
But, on the whole, it should be understood that, at ceremonies, these commands are a kind of hospitality and the host's desire is that the guests would be asked to help themselves, as a kind of respect and dignity shown to them, because he likes that his meal will be eaten completely, by the guests, and this shows that they honor him.
The next verse emphasizes that these gifts are not undeservedly given:
"Thus do We certainly reward the Doers of Good".
Note that the first verse insists on 'righteousness' and 'devotion' then another verse is based on 'deed', and this verse emphasizes on 'doing good'.
'Righteousness' or 'virtuousness' means avoidance of any sin, corruption, paganism and the denial of Allah; and 'doing good' is used for any good action; while 'deed' refers only to the activities which are piously done. So, the blessings bestowed by Allah are for these groups, not for the fake claimants of faith and committers of various kind of sin, though they appear to be among the faithful people.
At the end of this part, the refrain is, again, mentioned:
Woe to those who are deprived of these blessings and affections. The pain of the regret of this deprivation is not minor to the blazing fire of Hell.
Since being busy with worldly pleasures and the desire of having unconditional freedom for following after carnality, is one of the factors of the denial of Resurrection, the next verse addresses the sinners and in a threatening tone says:
"(O ye Unjust) Eat and enjoy yourselves (on earth) a little while, (but be warned that an evil End, in the Hereafter, awaits you) for that ye are sinners".
/qalila/ 'a little'
can refer either to the short period of life in this world, or to the few blessings of this world in comparison with the countless, immense blessings of the next world.
In fact, the righteous are highly regarded in the Hereafter and are addressed with this affectionate sentence:
"Eat ye and drink ye pleasantly (until you are satiated)...",
but worldly men are addressed with this threatening sentence:
"(O ye Unjust) Eat and enjoy yourselves (on earth) a little while...".
The Righteous are told:
"…in return for what ye did",
but the unjust are told:
"...for that ye are sinners".
Further, it makes it clear that it is man's sin, originating from faithlessness or lusts, that paves the way for Allah's punishment.
Then, the aforementioned warning is followed again by:
Woe to those who were deceived by this scintillating world and its lusts, and consequently prepared Allah's punishment for themselves.
In the next verse another source of their disaster, that is: 'pride and self‑conceit', is touched on where it says:
"And when it is said unto them: Bow down, they bow not down".
many of the commentators have said that this verse was revealed about the Thaqif tribe when the Prophet (S) told them to say prayers and they answered that they would never bow; that it would be a disgrace for them.
Then he (S) said:
"Religion is worthless without bowing and prostration".
They not only refused bowing and prostration, but also had this quality of pride throughout their life and permeating their ideas. They resigned neither to Allah's Will nor to the Prophet's instructions nor to people's rights; they were humble neither to the Creator nor to other human beings. In fact, these two elements, 'pride and carnality', are the most important factors in committing crimes, sins, cruelties, and denial.
Then, finally, for the tenth time in this Surah, it says:
In the last verse of Surah Mursalat, in a scorning tone and with profound astonishment, it questions:
"(If they do not believe in Holy Qur'an) then what statement, after that, will the believe in?"
One who does not believe in Qur'an; that which if it were sent down on a mountain, that mountain would humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah, would not resign to believe in any Holy Book or any rational logic, and this is a sign of enmity and obstinacy.
As it was mentioned, at the beginning of this Surah, the verse:
"Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth,"
is repeated ten times for emphasis on one important fact: Resurrection. Repetitions, like this one, are found in the statements of all eloquent speakers for what they want to emphasize on; whether it be prose or verse.
But some commentators believe that each time the verse is repeated, it means that it is about a new subject, and which comes just before the one that the rejecters deny; so, therefore, actually there is no repetition of the verse.
We conclude this Surah with a sentence from 'Ruh-al-Bayan' which says:
"This Surah was revealed to the Prophet (S) in a cave somewhere close to 'Qif Mosque' Mina and I have seen the cave myself ".
O Lord! Bestow on us Your Grace not to reject Your verses.
O Lord! Protect us against pride and carnal desires; the main sources of sin. O Lord! Set us in the Bliss of the Righteous among those who win be highly regarded at Your Feast.
1. Majma'‑al‑Bayan, vol. 10, p. 414.
2. ibid
3. Khisal‑i‑Saduq, Chapter 4, Tradition 10
4. Nahj‑ul‑Balaqa, Sermon No. 162 (Arabic Version); Sermon No. 166 (English Version).
5. /Kifata/ is the second object for its verb, and is infinitive; used as a subjective noun.
6. Tafsir‑i‑Borhan, vol. 4, p. 417.
7. Nur uth‑Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 49.
An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an vol. 1
A Bundle of Flowers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
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backend server.  That's not what's going on in your case, tho.
would probably do the trick (totally untested, to be sure).
poptimeout set to?  I wouldn't be surprised by a bug in prot, BTW.
pop3d's, I'm sure we can pinpoint the issue.
> not to work on the front end.  We're still running cyrus-imapd-2.3.8.
> this for them, after about half an hour of idleness.
> with the keepalive solution.  Otherwise, I'll plan for an upgrade.