Introduction
This forty-four verse chapter is named for the
different paths and ways in which the angels ascend to God. These are
mentioned in verses three and four. The Ways of Ascent was revealed in Mecca
and thus discusses the fundamentals of faith. In this particular case, God
describes the Day of Judgment. Many of these shorter chapters describe
different aspect of the Day of Judgement and the Resurrection. Particularly
because the disbelievers of Mecca refused to accept as true that a Day of
Judgment was possible, and they mocked Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and
blessings of God be upon him, asking him to hasten the punishment if it was a real
threat.
In the previous chapter, the terrifying upheaval that
will take place in the universe on the Day of Judgement was described. This
chapter aims more at the psychology of the Day; the human soul rather than the
universe is the setting. Fear takes hold of the human soul and induces an
inner panic.
Verses 1 – 18 The truth about the Hereafter
A questioner asks about the punishment of the Hereafter.
He was one of many of the disbelievers that continuously challenged Prophet
Muhammad to bring on the punishment he was trying to warn them about. The
truth is that it will fall on the disbelievers and no one way to prevent it or
delay it. It is inevitable because it is from God Himself, the Lord of the ways
of ascent. This is an expression of God’s loftiness. Throughout the Quran, He
is mentioned as The Most High.
Having established the inevitability of the punishment,
the chapter then describes the length of the Day of Judgment. We must remember
that God does not measure time in the same way that we measure it. The duration
of the Day of Judgment is equivalent to fifty thousand years of this world. All
the angels and the Spirit will ascend to God on that Day. The majority of
scholars agree that the Spirit refers to the angel Gabriel because he is
mentioned in this way in other places of the Quran. It is an image that points
to their ascent being very important and happening on a very significant Day.
Prophet Muhammad is told to be patient with their
constant questioning and demands. They (the disbelievers) see the punishment
and the Day of Judgment as being a long time away, but God on the other hand
sees it as being something that will happen soon. If one day, according to
God’s judgment is fifty thousand years long, then the Day of Judgment is
certainly quite near, almost upon us.
This is the Day when many celestial events will take
place; some of them were mentioned in the previous chapter. The sky will be
like molten metal and the mountains like tufts of wool. No person will ask
about his friend even when they are within sight of one another. What is
happening is so momentous that nothing else is worth thinking about it, all
pales into insignificance.
To save themselves from the punishment the wicked will
wish to ransom themselves by their children, their spouses, their siblings, their
relatives, or even everyone on earth altogether. But no! There is nothing that
can be a ransom. There is no escape. The punishment is the blazing fire. It
will burn all those who turned away from the truth and hoarded wealth, not
spending it the way of God.
Verses 19 – 35 Qualities of the righteous
Indeed humankind was created anxious. Whenever
misfortune or evil touch him he is fretful, despondent and impatient. And when
good fortune comes his way, he is tight-fisted and stingy, withholding his good
fortune from everyone else. However, this is not the behavior of the righteous—those
who are constant in their prayers. They give what is required of them in the
form of obligatory charity to the beggars and the deprived. They also fear the
Day of Judgment and the punishment knowing that no one is secure from it. They
guard their chastity (or their private parts) from all except those who are
lawful to them. They keep their trusts, honor their pledges and promises, give
honest testimonies when required to do so, and carefully maintain their prayers.
Those with these attributes will be honored in the gardens of Paradise.
Verses 36 – 44 The unbelievers’ attitude
God asks, what is the matter with these disbelievers?
They rush towards you (Prophet Muhammad) from the right and the left and even
in crowds. They hurry to sit close enough to hear but far enough to mock and
oppose your words. Do they seriously think they will enter Paradise before the
believers? Do they all aspire to enter the Garden of pleasure? No! They know
they have been created from an insignificant sperm-drop and this should be
enough for them to understand that God has complete authority over their affairs,
and He has the power to resurrect them. How can they expect to enter Paradise
except by the will of God?
God swears an oath by Himself that indeed He has the power
to replace them with others better than them. Nothing is able to prevent Him
from doing this. Leave them (Prophet Muhammad) to wallow in their vain talk
and blunder about until they face the promised Day. That Day they will rush
out of their graves as if they are rushing towards some goal with their eyes
downcast and bodies humbled and ashamed.