Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Isra Verse 71

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Think of) the Day when We will call every people with their books of deeds. Then the ones who will be given their book in their right hands will read their book (happily) and will not be wronged even to the measure of a fine thread.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Beware of˺ the Day We will summon every people with their leader.[[ Other meanings include: with their record of deeds, or their prophet, or their scripture. ]] So whoever will be given their record in their right hand will read it ˹happily˺ and will not be wronged ˹even by the width of˺ the thread of a date stone.

Ruwwad Translation Center

On the Day when We will summon every community with its leader. Those who are given their record in their right hand will read their record [happily]; they will not be wronged even as much as the thread of a date stone.

A. J. Arberry

On the day when We shall call all men with their record, and whoso is given his book in his right hand -- those shall read their book, and they shall not be wronged a single date-thread.

Abdul Haleem

On the Day when We summon each community, along with its leader, those who are given their record in their right hand will read it [with pleasure]. But no one will be wronged in the least:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Remember the Day whereon We shall call all man kind with their record: then whosoever will be vouchsafed his book in his right hand, those shall read their book, and they shall not be wronged a whit.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams; those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure), and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.

Abul Ala Maududi

Then think of the Day We shall summon every community with its leader. Those who are given their Record in their right hand shall read the Record of their deeds and shall not be wronged a whit.

Ahmed Ali

The day We shall summon all men with their leaders, whosoever is given his record in his right hand will be able to read his account, and none will be wronged the breadth of a thread.

Ahmed Raza Khan

On the day when We shall summon every group along with its leader; so whoever is given his register in his right hand – these will read their accounts and their rights will not be suppressed even a thread. (* They will be given the full reward.)

Ali Quli Qarai

The day We shall summon every group of people along with their imam, then whoever is given his book in his right hand—they will read it, and they will not be wronged so much as a single date-thread.

Ali Ünal

On the Day when We will call every human community with its leader: whoever (has followed a leader towards true faith and righteousness and accountability in the Hereafter) is given his Record (of his life) in his right hand – those will read their book with contentment and they will not be wronged by even so much as a tiny hair.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Beware of) the day when We shall call all people along with their leaders. Now whoever is given his book (- recording his deeds) in his right hand, such will read their book (eagerly) and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.

English Literal

A day/time We call every people with their leader/example, so who was given/brought his Book/judgment with his right (hand), so those read their Book/judgment , and they are not being caused injustice to/oppressed (the equivalent of) a cleft in a seed/a twine/a wick.

Faridul Haque

On the day when We shall summon every group along with its leader; so whoever is given his register in his right hand - these will read their accounts and their rights will not be suppressed even a thread. (* They will be given the full reward.)

Hamid S. Aziz

On the Day when We will summon all men by their record (or leaders or scriptures); and he whose book (of records) is given in his right hand shall read it (with joy), nor shall they be wronged a straw.

Hilali & Khan

(And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam [their Prophets, or their records of good and bad deeds, or their Holy Books like the Quran, the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), etc.]. So whosoever is given his record in his right hand, such will read their records, and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And surely We have honoured the children of Adam, and We carry them in the land and the sea, and We provide them with good things, and We have made them to excel highly most of those whom We have created.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

(Remember) the day when We will call every people with their Imam; then whoever is given his book in his right hand, these shall read their book; and they shall not be dealt with a whit unjustly.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

On the day when We shall summon all men with their record, whoso is given his book in his right hand - such will read their book and they will not be wronged a shred.

Muhammad Sarwar

On the day when We call every nation with their leaders, those whose record of deeds are given to their right hands will read the book and the least wrong will not be done to them.

Qaribullah & Darwish

On the Day when We call all the people with their record, whosoever is given his book in his right hand shall read their book, and they shall not be wronged by as much as a single datefiber.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam (i.e. the Book of deeds). So whosoever is given his record in his right hand, such will read their records, and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.

Wahiduddin Khan

The Day will surely come when We shall summon every people with their leader. Then those who are given their records in their right hands will read their records [eagerly] and shall not in the least be wronged:

Talal Itani

On the Day when We call every people with their leader. Whoever is given his record in his right hand—these will read their record, and they will not be wronged one bit.

Tafsir jalalayn

Mention, the day when We shall summon all men with their leader, their prophet, and it will be said, `O community of so-and-so'; or [it bi-immihim means] `with the record of their deeds', in which case it will be said, `O one of good [deeds], O one of evil [deeds]!'; this is [on] the Day of Resurrection. And whoever, from among them, is given his book in his right hand, these being the fortunate, those possessors of understanding in this world -- those will read their book, and they will not be wronged, they will [not] be diminished of their deeds, [so much as] a single date-thread.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Everyone will be called by his Imam on the Day of Resurrection

Allah tells;

يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ

(And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam (i.e. the Book of deeds).

Allah tells us that on the Day of Resurrection, he will call each people to account by its Imam.

The scholars differed as to the meaning of this (i.e. Imam).

Mujahid and Qatadah said that;

it meant each nation would be called to account by its Prophet.

Some of the Salaf said;

this is the greatest honor for the people of Hadith, because their leader is the Prophet.

Ibn Zayd said it means;

they would be called to account by their Book which was revealed to their Prophet with its laws.

This was also the view favored by Ibn Jarir.

Ibn Abi Najih narrated that Mujahid said,

"With their Books."

It may be that what is meant here is what Al-Awfi narrated from Ibn Abbas concerning this Ayah,
يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ
((And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam),

which is that it refers to the Book (or record) of their deeds.

This was also the view of Abu Al-Aliyah, Al-Hasan and Ad-Dahhak.

This view is the most correct, because Allah says;

وَكُلَّ شىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَـهُ فِى إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ

and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in a Clear Book (Fi Imamin Mubin). (36;12)

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ

And the Book (one's record) will be placed, and you will see the criminals, fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. (18;49)

وَتَرَى كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً كُلُّ أمَّةٍ تُدْعَى إِلَى كِتَـبِهَا الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

هَـذَا كِتَـبُنَا يَنطِقُ عَلَيْكُم بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنسِخُ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

And you will see each nation humbled to their knees, each nation will be called to its record (of deeds). This Day you shall be recompensed for what you used to do. This Our record speaks about you with truth. Verily, We were recording what you used to do. (45;28-29)

This does not contradict the fact that the Prophet will be brought forward when Allah judges between his Ummah, for he will inevitably be a witness against his Ummah over their deeds. But what is meant here by Imam is the Book of deeds.

Allah says;

يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ فَمَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَأُوْلَـيِكَ يَقْرَوُونَ كِتَابَهُمْ

(And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam. So whosoever is given his record in his right hand, such will read their records,

means, because of their happiness and joy at what is recorded therein of good deeds - they will read it and want to read it.

As Allah says;

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـبَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَيَقُولُ هَأوُمُ اقْرَوُاْ كِتَـبيَهْ

Then as for him who will be given his record in his right hand will say;"Here! read my record!) until His saying,

وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـبَهُ بِشِمَالِهِ

But as for him who will be given his record in his left hand, (69;19-29)

وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلً



and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least (Fatilan).

We have already mentioned that the Fatil is the long thread in the groove of a date-pit.

Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar recorded a Hadith from Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet said, concerning the Ayah,
يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ
(And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam.

يُدْعَى أَحَدُهُمْ فَيُعْطَى كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ وَيُمَدُّ لَهُ فِي جِسْمِهِ وَيَبْيَضُّ وَجْهُهُ وَيُجْعَلُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ تَاجٌ مِنْ لُوْلُوَةٍ يَتَلَْلَاُ فَيَنْطَلِقُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَيَرَوْنَهُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ فَيَقُولُونَ

اللَّهُمَّ اتِنَا بِهَذَا وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي هَذَا

فَيَأْتِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ لَهُمْ أَبْشِرُوا فَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ مِثْلَ هَذَا

وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ فَيَسْوَدُّ وَجْهُهُ وَيُمَدُّ لَهُ في جِسْمِهِ وَيَرَاهُ أَصْحَابُهُ فَيَقُولُونَ

نَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ هَذَا أَوْ مِنْ شَرِّ هَذَا اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ

فَيَأْتِيهُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُمَّ أَخْزِهِ

فَيَقُولُ أَبْعَدَكُمُ اللهُ فَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ مِثْلَ هَذَا

One of you will be called and will be given his Book in his right hand. He will be in a good physical state, with a white face, and there will be placed on his head a crown of shining pearls. He will go to his companions and they will see him from afar, and will say,

"O Allah, let him come to us and bless us with this."

Then he will come to them and will say to them, "Rejoice, for every man among you will be like this."

As for the disbeliever, his face will be black and his body will be enlarged. His companions will see him from afar and will say,

"We seek refuge in Allah from this, or from the evil of this, O Allah, do not let him come to us."

Then he will come to them and they will say, "O Allah, humiliate him!"

He will say, "May Allah cast you away, every man among you will be like this."

Then Al-Bazzar said;

"This was only reported through this chain.