Muhammad al ghazali surah al waqiah

The following is excerpted Shaykh Hamzah Abdul Malik’s The Endless Banquet, Volume III, as well as from Imam al-Qushayri’s Tafsir of Surah al-Waqi’ah, which will be published in full as part of IGI’s Tafsir Reimagined series.

Introduction and Thematic Explanation

Allah’s punishment and mercy have been established in the previous two surahs, Surah al-Qamar and Surah al-Rahman.

Now, in Surah al-Waqiah, Allah brings us to the different levels that people will be at on the Day of Judgment, which will determine what their outcome will be.  

On the Day of Judgment, people will be divided into three groups:

• Those who are foremost in their efforts to serve Allah

• Those who are average

• Those who are misguided deniers of the truth.  

Each of these will receive a reward that is appropriate to their status.  

Allah also explains how He is the One who provides the four core components of life: reproductive fluids, agriculture, wa