Al-Qur'an Surah Ya-Sin Verse 12

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely We will give new life to the dead, and We are recording whatever (deeds) they send before them and whatever effects they leave behind. Every thing is fully computed by Us in a manifest book of record.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

It is certainly We Who resurrect the dead, and write what they send forth and what they leave behind. Everything is listed by Us in a perfect Record.[[ See footnote for {35:11}.]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

It is We Who give life to the dead, and record what they send forth and what they leave behind, and We keep an account of everything in a clear Record.

A. J. Arberry

Surely it is We who bring the dead to life and write down what they have forwarded and what they have left behind; everything We have numbered in a clear register.

Abdul Haleem

We shall certainly bring the dead back to life, and We record what they send ahead of them as well as what they leave behind: We keep an account of everything in a clear Record.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily We! We shall guicken the dead. And We write down that which they send before and their footsteps. And everything We have counted up in a Book luminous.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Verily We shall give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before and that which they leave behind, and of all things have We taken account in a clear Book (of evidence).

Abul Ala Maududi

We shall surely raise the dead to life and We record what they did and the traces of their deeds that they have left behind. We have encompassed that in a Clear Book.

Ahmed Ali

It is We indeed who bring back the dead to life, and write down what they send ahead (of their deeds), and traces that they leave behind. We keep an account of all things in a lucid register.

Ahmed Raza Khan

We will surely bring the dead to life and We record what they send ahead and the signs they will leave behind; and We have accounted all things in a clear Book.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed it is We who revive the dead and write what they have sent ahead and their effects [which they left behind], and We have figured everything in a manifest Imam.

Ali Ünal

Surely it is We Who will bring the dead to life; and We record what they send ahead (to the Hereafter) and what they leave behind (of good and evil). Everything We have written down and kept in a Manifest Record.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Surely, it is We alone Who raise the dead to life. And We shall preserve (their noble deeds) which they send forward and their prints (of virtue and knowledge which they leave behind for others to emulate). Every thing We have comprehensively preserved in a clear record.

English Literal

We (E), We, We revive/make alive the deads and We write/dictate what they advanced/introduced , and their tracks/marks/signs, and every thing We counted/controlled/calculated it in a clear/evident example (model/guide) .

Faridul Haque

We will surely bring the dead to life and We record what they send ahead and the signs they will leave behind; and We have accounted all things in a clear Book.

Hamid S. Aziz

You can only warn him who follows the Reminder (the Quran) and fears the Beneficent Allah in secret; so announce to him forgiveness and an honourable reward.

Hilali & Khan

Verily, We give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces [their footsteps and walking on the earth with their legs to the mosques for the five compulsory congregational prayers, Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause) and all other good and evil they did, and that which they leave behind], and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in a Clear Book.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Thou canst warn him only who follows the Reminder and fears the Beneficent in secret; so give him good news of forgiveness and a generous reward.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely We give life to the dead, and We write down what they have sent before and their footprints, and We have recorded everything in a clear writing.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! We it is Who bring the dead to life. We record that which they send before (them, and their footprints. And all things We have kept in a clear Register.

Muhammad Sarwar

It is We who bring the dead to life and records the deeds of human beings and their consequences (of continual effects). We keep everything recorded in an illustrious Book.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Surely, it is We who revive the dead and write down what they have forwarded and what they have left behind; We have counted everything in a Clear Book.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, We give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces and all things We have recorded with numbers in Imam Mubin (a Clear Book).

Wahiduddin Khan

We shall surely bring the dead back to life and We record what they send ahead and what they leave behind. We have recorded everything in a clear book.

Talal Itani

It is We who revive the dead; and We write down what they have forwarded, and their traces. We have tallied all things in a Clear Record.

Tafsir jalalayn

Truly it is We Who bring the dead to life, for the resurrection, and record, in the Preserved Tablet, what they have sent ahead, during their lives, of good or evil, that they may be requited for it, and their vestiges, what conduct was followed after them as good practice. And everything (kulla shay'in is in the accusative because of the verb that governs it [and is the following]) We have numbered, We have recorded precisely, in a clear register, a clear Book, namely, the Preserved Tablet.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى

Verily, We give life to the dead,

means, on the Day of Resurrection.

This also indicates that Allah gives life to the heart of whomever He wills among the disbelievers, those whose hearts have died in misguidance, by guiding them after that to the truth.

As Allah says after mentioning hardness of the heart;

اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْىِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الاٌّيَـتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat to you, that you may understand. (57;17)

وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا

and We record that which they send before (them),

means, their deeds.

وَاثَارَهُمْ

and their traces,

means, `We write down the deeds which they used to do themselves, and the legacy they left behind, so We will requite them for that;if it is good, then We will reward them, and if it is evil, then We will punish them.'

This is like the Hadith;

مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الاِْسْلَمِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً كَانَ لَهُ أَجْرُهَا وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْيًا

وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الاِْسْلَمِ سُنَّةً سَيِّـــيَـةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهَا وَوِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْيًا

Whoever starts (or sets an example of) something good in Islam, will have a reward for it, and a reward equal to that of everyone who does it after him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest.

Whoever starts (or sets an example of) something evil in Islam, will bear the burden for that, and a burden equal to that of everyone who does it after him, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest.

This was recorded by Muslim from Jarir bin Abdullah Al-Bajali, may Allah be pleased with him in which is detailed a story of the people from the Mudar tribe, who were wearing woolen rags.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this Hadith in full from Jarir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him. In it the Prophet then recited;
وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَاثَارَهُمْ
(and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces),

Muslim also recorded it with a different chain of narration.

There is also another Hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said,

"The Messenger of Allah said;

إِذَا مَاتَ ابْنُ ادَمَ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلَثٍ

مِنْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ

أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ

أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ مِنْ بَعْدِه

When the son of Adam dies, all his deeds come to an end except three;

knowledge which is beneficial to others,

a righteous child who prays for him,

or ongoing charity which he leaves behind."

Sufyan Ath-Thawri reported that Abu Sa`id said, "I heard Mujahid say concerning the Ayah;
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى

وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَاثَارَهُمْ
(Verily, We give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces),

`What they left behind of misguidance."'

Ibn Abi Najih and others said, narrating from Mujahid;

مَا قَدَّمُوا
(that which they send before (them),

"Their deeds."

وَاثَارَهُمْ
(and their traces).

"Their footsteps."

This was also the view of Al-Hasan and Qatadah.

وَاثَارَهُمْ
(and their traces). "Their footsteps." Qatadah said,

"If Allah were to have neglected anything with regard to you, O son of Adam, He would have neglected what the wind could remove of these footsteps."

But He takes into account the footsteps of the son of Adam and all his deeds; He even takes into account these footsteps and whether they are for the purpose of obeying Allah or disobeying Him. So, whoever can have his footsteps recorded for the purpose of obeying Allah, let him do that.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"There was an empty area around the Masjid, and Banu Salamah wanted to move to be closer to the Masjid. When the Messenger of Allah heard about that, he said to them;

I have heard that you want to move close to the Masjid.

They said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah, that is what we want.'

He said;

يَا بَنِي سَلِمَةَ دِيَارَكُمْ تُكْتَبْ اثَارُكُمْ

دِيَارَكُمْ تُكْتَبْ اثَارُكُم

O Banu Salamah, stay where you are, and your footsteps will be recorded,

stay where you are, and your footsteps will be recorded."

This was also recorded by Muslim from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"A man died in Al-Madinah and the Prophet prayed over him, and said,

يَا لَيْتَهُ مَاتَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْلِدِه

Would that he had died somewhere other than in his place of birth!

A man among the people said, `Why, O Messenger of Allah!'

The Messenger of Allah said;

إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا تُوُفِّيَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْلِدِهِ قِيسَ لَهُ مِنْ مَوْلِدِهِ إِلَى مُنْقَطِعِ أَثَرِهِ فِي الْجَنَّة

When a man dies somewhere other than in his place of birth, it will be measured for him from where he was born to where his footsteps no longer appear, (and this is the space that will be allocated for him) in Paradise."

It was also recorded by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.

Ibn Jarir narrated that Thabit said,

"I was walking with Anas and I began to walk quickly. He took my hand and we walked slowly, and when we had finished praying, Anas said, `I walked with Zayd bin Thabit and I was walking quickly, and he said;O Anas! Do you not feel that your footsteps are being written down"'

There is no contradiction between this and the first report; on the contrary, this indicates the same thing somewhat more forcefully. Because these footsteps are being recorded, then those which are setting an example, whether good or bad, are more likely to be recorded. And Allah knows best.

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ



and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in Imam Mubin (a Clear Book).

means, everything that exists is precisely dictated in a record in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz.
Al-Imam Al-Mubin here refers to the source of all records.

This was the view of Mujahid, Qatadah and Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam.

Similarly, Allah also says;

يَوْمَ نَدْعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَـمِهِمْ

(And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam (record of good and bad deeds. (17;71)

meaning the Book of their deeds which will testify as to their deeds, whether they were good or bad.

This is like the Ayat;

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ وَجِـىءَ بِالنَّبِيِّيْنَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ

and the Book will be placed (open), and the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward, (39;69)

and,

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يوَيْلَتَنَا مَا لِهَـذَا الْكِتَـبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ أَحْصَاهَا وَوَجَدُواْ مَا عَمِلُواْ حَاضِرًا وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا

And the Book (one's Record) will be placed, and you will see the criminals, fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say;"Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!" And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice. (18;49