Period of Revelation
This too is one of the earliest suras to be revealed at Makkah. Its subject matter shows that it was sent down at the time when opposition to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) had started but had not yet become tyrannical. Musnad Ahmad contains a tradition from Hadrat Umar
saying: "Before embracing Islam one day I came out of my house with a view to causing trouble to the Holy Prophet
but he had entered the Masjid al-Haram before me. When I arrived I found that he was reciting sura Al-Haaqqah in the Prayer. I stood behind him and listened. As he recited the Qur'an I wondered at its literary charm and beauty. Then suddenly an idea came to my mind that he must be a poet as the Quraishalleged. Just at that moment he recited the words: "This is the Word of an honour- able Messenger: it is not the word of a poet." I said to myself: Then
he must be a soothsayer
if not a poet. Thereupon be recited the words:"Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little it is that you reflect. It is a Revelation from the Lord and Sustainer of the worlds. On hearing this Islam entered deep into my heart." This tradition of Hadrat Umar shows that this sura had been sent down long before his acceptance of Islam
for even after this event he did not believe for a long time
and he continued to be influenced in favour of Islam by different incidents from time to time
till at last in the house of his own sister he came by the experience that made him surrender?and submit to the Faith completely. (For details
see introduction to sura Maryamand Introduction to sura Al- Waqiah).
Theme and Subject Matter
The first section (vv. 1-37) is about the Hereafter and the second (vv. 38-52) about the Qur'an's being a revelation from Allah and the Holy Prophet's being a true Messenger of Allah. The first section opens with the assertion that the coming of the Resurrection and the occurrence of the Hereafter is a truth which has to take place inevitably. Then in vv. 4-12
it has been stated that the communities that denied the Hereafter in the past became worthy of Allah's scourge ultimately. In vv. 13-17 the occurrence of Resurrection has heen depicted. In vv. 18-37 the real object for which Allah has destined a second life for mankind after the present worldly life has been enunciated. In it we are told that on that Day all men shall appear in the Court of their Lord
where no secret of theirs shall remain hidden each man's record will be placed in his hand. Those who had spent lives in the world with the realization that one day they would have to render an account of their deeds before their Lord
and who had worked righteously in the world and provided beforehand for their well being in the Hereafter
will rejoice when they see that they have been acquitted and blessed with the eternal bliss of Paradise. On the contrary
those who neither recognized the rights of Allah
nor discharged the rights of men
will have no one to save them from the punishment of Allah
and they will be cast into Hell. In the second section (vv. 38-52) the disbelievers of Makkah have been addressed and told: "You think this Qur'an is the word of a poet or soothsayer
whereas it is a Revelation sent dawn by Allah
which is being presented by the noble Messengers. The Messenger by himself had no power to increase or decrease a word in it. If he forges something of his own composition into it
We will cut off his neck-vein (or heart- vein). For this is the Truth absolute and pure: and those who give it a lie
will have ultimately to regret and repent.