Surah Al Jathiyah Tafseer

The Life and the Death of the Believers and the Disbelievers are not Equal

Allah the Exalted states here that the believers and the disbelievers are never equal. Allah said in another Ayah,

لَا يَسْتَوِى أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ وَأَصْحَـبُ الْجَنَّةِ أَصْحَـبُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمُ الْفَأيِزُونَ

Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise. It is the dwellers of Paradise that will be successful. (59:20)

Allah said here,

أًمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّيَاتِ

Or do those who earn evil deeds think,

those who commit and practice evil,

أّن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ امَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ

سَوَاء مَّحْيَاهُم وَمَمَاتُهُمْ

that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous good deeds, in their life and their death,

i.e. treat them equally in the present life of the world and in the Hereafter

سَاء مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

Worst is the judgement that they make.

`worst is the thought that they have about Us and about Our justice, thinking that We will ever make the pious and the wicked equal in the Hereafter or this life.'

At-Tabarani recorded that Shubah said that Amr bin Murrah narrated that Abu Ad-Duha said that Masruq said that;

Tamim Ad-Dari once stood in voluntary prayer through the night until the morning only reciting this Ayah,

أًمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّيَاتِ

أّن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ امَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ

Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous good deeds...

Allah said in reply:

سَاء مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

(Worst is the judgement that they make.)

Allah said