Table Of Contents

Meet the Key Figures in Surah Qiyamah: Roles, Significance & Takeaways

This Character Compendium provides a definitive resource on the key archetypes and powerful symbols within Surah Al-Qiyamah, the 75th chapter of the Holy Qur’an. A powerful Makkan Surah, its name, “The Resurrection,” announces its central theme. The chapter opens with a divine oath by the Day of Judgment itself, affirming its absolute certainty. It provides a visceral and dramatic depiction of the final hours, the terror of the cosmic upheaval, the agony of the moment of death, and the ultimate accountability of the human soul. The Surah masterfully contrasts the two ultimate destinies of humanity: the radiant faces of the believers that will gaze upon their Lord, and the gloomy, despairing faces of the deniers. Each character card delves into the specific portrayal of these figures and concepts, extracting the timeless lessons on the certainty of the Hereafter, the folly of procrastination, and the true purpose of our existence.

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Al-‘Ajilah (The Fleeting Life)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-‘Ajilah, The Fleeting or The Hastening One, is a powerful name for the worldly life (*dunya*). It characterizes this life by its most defining feature: it is transient, ephemeral, and passes by in a hurry. It is the direct opposite of the eternal and abiding Hereafter.

Role in the Surah

The love for the Fleeting Life is presented as the root cause of humanity’s denial of the Hereafter. The Surah provides a profound diagnosis of the human condition: “No! But you love the fleeting life and leave behind the Hereafter.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:20-21).

Personality & Attributes

The Fleeting Life is the archetype of **deceptive and transient allure**. It is characterized by its immediacy and its ability to captivate the human heart, causing it to forget the more important and lasting reality that is to come. It is the ultimate distraction.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A primary spiritual disease of the human heart is the love for this immediate, fleeting world at the expense of the eternal Hereafter.
• A believer must consciously cultivate a love for the Hereafter and a correct, balanced perspective on the transient nature of this world.
• The choice between prioritizing the Fleeting Life or the Hereafter is the central test that determines one’s ultimate destiny.

Supporting References

The entire Surah is a cure for this disease. By describing the terrifying and certain reality of the Day of Resurrection in such vivid detail, it seeks to shatter the human being’s preoccupation with this fleeting world and to reorient their heart towards the eternal reality that truly matters.

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Al-Banan (The Fingertips)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-Banan, the fingertips, are the tips of the human fingers. They are a symbol of the unique and intricate individuality of each human being, as they contain the fingerprints, a pattern that is unique to every single person who has ever lived.

Role in the Surah

The Fingertips are mentioned as a specific and powerful proof of Allah’s ability to resurrect the dead with perfect precision. After the disbeliever questions the possibility of reassembling decayed bones, Allah responds: “Yes. [We are] Able to fashion in perfect order his very fingertips.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:4).

Personality & Attributes

The Fingertips are the archetype of **perfect individuality and meticulous creative power**. They represent the principle that Allah’s recreation of man will not be a generic approximation, but a perfect and precise restoration of his unique and individual identity, down to the most intricate of details.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The power of Allah is absolute and perfect. His ability to create is not general, but is meticulous and detailed.
• This verse is a profound sign for those who reflect on the unique nature of their own fingerprints.
• A believer should have absolute certainty that their resurrection will be a perfect and complete one, restoring their unique identity for the final judgment.

Supporting References

This verse is one of the most celebrated scientific miracles of the Qur’an. The fact that every human being’s fingerprints are unique was a fact not discovered by science until the 19th century. The Qur’an’s specific mention of the fingertips as a sign of the precision of divine recreation is a testament to its divine origin and its timeless, multi-layered wisdom.

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Al-Fajir (The Wicked)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-Fajir, the wicked or the transgressor, is the archetype of the person who not only disbelieves, but who desires to live a life of continuous and unchecked sin. The word *fujur* implies a tearing apart of the veil of righteousness and a shameless indulgence in wrongdoing.

Role in the Surah

This character’s desire is presented as the true, underlying psychological reason for their denial of the Day of Judgment. The human being does not deny the Resurrection because it is illogical; he denies it because it is inconvenient. “But man desires to continue in sin. He asks, ‘When is the Day of Resurrection?'” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:5-6).

Personality & Attributes

The Wicked is characterized by **heedlessness, a love for sin, and a desire for immediate gratification**. They are the ultimate procrastinators. Their denial of the Hereafter is a psychological trick they play on themselves to remove the barrier of accountability, so they can continue to sin freely in the time “before them.”

Major Lessons & Morals

• The denial of the Hereafter is often not an intellectual problem, but a moral one. People deny it because they do not want to be held accountable for their actions.
• A believer must be wary of the human tendency to procrastinate in repentance and to desire a life free from moral constraints.
• The only cure for the desire to be a “fajir” is the certainty of the Day of Judgment.

Supporting References

This is a profound psychological insight into the roots of atheism and agnosticism. It reveals that the question “When is the Day of Resurrection?” is often not a sincere inquiry, but a mocking dismissal, a way of pushing the concept of accountability into a distant and irrelevant future so that one can live a life of transgression now.

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Al-Insan (The Human Being)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-Insan, the human being, is presented in this Surah as a complex creation: capable of profound insight, yet prone to denial; created for accountability, yet desirous of unchecked freedom; and ultimately helpless in the face of death and judgment.

Role in the Surah

The Human Being is the central subject of the Surah’s discourse. The Surah begins with an oath by the human’s “self-reproaching soul.” It diagnoses the human’s desire to “continue in sin” as the reason for denying the Resurrection. It describes the human’s state at the moment of death, desperately seeking an escape. It also affirms that the human being is not “left in neglect,” but has been created with a purpose. On the Day of Judgment, the human will be “a witness against himself,” with no excuse left.

Personality & Attributes

The Human Being is the archetype of the **accountable, yet heedless and argumentative creation**. We are characterized by our forgetfulness of our own creation and our love for the fleeting, worldly life. Yet, we also possess a conscience, the “self-reproaching soul,” that is a witness to our own moral nature.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A human being’s existence is not purposeless; we have been created for accountability.
• On the Day of Judgment, our own selves will become the primary witnesses against us, and we will be unable to make any excuses.
• A wise person is one who heeds the inner voice of their “self-reproaching soul” in this life, before it becomes a voice of eternal regret in the next.

Supporting References

The Surah presents a complete life-cycle of the heedless human. In life, he asks, “When is the Day of Resurrection?” At death, he asks, “Where is the place of escape?” And on the Day of Judgment, he will ask, “Where is the escape?” The answer is always the same: there is no escape; the only destination is the return to your Lord.

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Al-Kafir (The Disbeliever)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-Kafir, the disbeliever, is the one who rejects the clear message of Allah and denies the truth of the Resurrection. In this Surah, their state on the Day of Judgment is one of profound and utter despair.

Role in the Surah

The disbeliever is the one who will cry out in terror on the Day the sun and moon are joined together. On the Day of Judgment, their faces will be “gloomy,” certain that a back-breaking calamity is about to befall them. The Surah concludes by stating that the God who created man from a sperm-drop is surely able to give life to the dead, a final refutation of the disbeliever’s core denial.

Personality & Attributes

The Disbeliever is characterized by **arrogance, denial, and ultimate despair**. In this life, they deny and turn away. In the next, they are defined by their gloomy, despairing faces and their absolute certainty of their own doom. They are the ones who loved the fleeting life and neglected the Hereafter.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The path of disbelief is a path that ends in a state of profound and eternal despair.
• The arrogance of this world will be transformed into the ultimate gloom and humiliation in the next.
• A believer must avoid the path of the disbeliever and hold fast to the guidance that leads to a radiant face in the Hereafter.

Supporting References

The Surah presents two ultimate human destinies, symbolized by the two types of faces on the Day of Judgment. The face of the believer will be radiant and looking at its Lord. The face of the disbeliever will be gloomy and filled with terror. The choice between these two outcomes is the central theme of the Surah.

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Al-Qamar (The Moon)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-Qamar, the Moon, is the Earth’s natural satellite, the luminary that lights up the night sky. The Qur’an consistently presents it as a majestic sign of the power and wisdom of its Creator.

Role in the Surah

The Moon is mentioned as one of the great cosmic bodies that will be thrown into disarray on the Day of Judgment. Its regular, beautiful light will be extinguished. “And the moon is eclipsed…” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:8).

Personality & Attributes

The Moon on the Last Day is the archetype of a **magnificent creation whose order is undone**. It is a symbol of the cosmic upheaval that will signal the end of the world. Its eclipsing is not a normal astronomical event, but a final and permanent extinguishing of its light.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must have firm faith in the reality of the cosmic events that will accompany the Day of Judgment.
• The stability of the natural world is temporary and will be replaced by a new and terrifying reality on the Last Day.
• This powerful image should instill in a believer a profound sense of awe and fear for the Day of Judgment.

Supporting References

The eclipsing of the moon is mentioned as part of a terrifying sequence of three events: the sight is dazzled, the moon is eclipsed, and the sun and moon are joined together. This is a picture of the complete and utter collapse of the celestial order as we know it, a sign of the awesome and terrible power that will be unleashed on that Day.

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Allah (The One God)

Brief Biography / Background

Allah is the proper name for the One, True God, the sole Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all existence. Surah Al-Qiyamah is a powerful testament to His absolute power over life, death, and resurrection, and His ultimate justice.

Role in the Surah

Allah is the ultimate authority and actor in the Surah. He is the one who swears the opening oaths by the Day of Resurrection and the self-reproaching soul. He is the one who has the power to perfectly reassemble the fingertips of man. He is the one to whom is the “drive” on the Day of Judgment. He is the one who will gather and then explain the Qur’an. He is the one to whom the radiant faces will be “looking.” He is the Creator who fashioned man from a sperm-drop and is surely “Able to give life to the dead.”

Personality & Attributes

This Surah magnificently illustrates Allah’s attributes:

• Al-Qadir (The All-Powerful): His power is demonstrated in His ability to create, to resurrect, and to bring about the end of the cosmos.
• Al-Hakim (The All-Wise): His plan for judgment and recompense is perfectly wise.
• Al-Jam’ (The Gatherer): He is the one who will gather all of humanity for the final reckoning.
• Al-Bari’ (The Maker): The one who fashioned the human being from a clinging clot.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must have a profound sense of awe for the majesty and power of Allah.
• The justice of Allah is perfect and inescapable.
• The ultimate goal of a believer is to be among those who are honored with the ultimate bliss of looking upon the Face of their Lord.

Supporting References

The Surah concludes with the most powerful and unanswerable of all rhetorical questions: “Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?” (75:40). The entire Surah, from its opening oath to its detailed descriptions of creation and the Hereafter, is a comprehensive and multi-layered proof that the only rational answer to this question is “Bala!” – “Yes, indeed!”

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An-Nafs al-Lawwamah (The Self-Reproaching Soul)

Brief Biography / Background

An-Nafs al-Lawwamah, the Self-Reproaching or Blaming Soul, is one of the states of the human soul described in the Qur’an. It is the soul that is in a state of constant self-examination and remorse for its shortcomings. It is a sign of a living conscience.

Role in the Surah

The Self-Reproaching Soul is the second of the two realities by which Allah swears an oath at the beginning of the Surah. “And I swear by the self-reproaching soul.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:2). Its role is to be a witness from within the human being to the reality of moral accountability. By swearing by it, Allah honors this state of inner conscience and presents it as a proof against the heedless who deny judgment.

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by its **self-awareness, its conscience, and its state of inner struggle**. This can be the soul of a believer who constantly blames themselves for any shortcoming in their duty to Allah. It can also be the soul of the sinner who, on the Last Day, will be in a state of ultimate self-blame.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A healthy and living conscience, one that reproaches oneself for wrongdoing, is an honored state in the sight of Allah.
• A believer should cultivate this state of self-examination and not be complacent about their sins.
• The very existence of a moral conscience within us is a sign that points to a moral law and a final Day of Accounting.

Supporting References

Tafsir literature celebrates this as the soul of the believer. Unlike the soul that commands evil or the soul that is at peace, the *Nafs Lawwamah* is the soul in the midst of the struggle. It is the striving, repenting, and self-correcting soul, and its struggle is so honored that Allah swears an oath by it.

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Ash-Shams (The Sun)

Brief Biography / Background

The Sun (Ash-Shams) is the star at the center of our solar system, the source of light and heat that sustains all life on Earth. The Qur’an presents its perfect and precise movement as a majestic sign of the power and wisdom of its Creator.

Role in the Surah

The Sun is mentioned as one of the great cosmic bodies that will be thrown into disarray on the Day of Judgment. Its regular, beautiful light and its separate existence from the moon will be brought to an end. **”And the sun and the moon are joined…” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:9).

Personality & Attributes

The Sun on the Last Day is the archetype of a **magnificent creation whose order is undone**. It is a symbol of the cosmic upheaval that will signal the end of the world. Its joining with the moon is a sign of the complete collapse of the celestial system as we know it.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must have firm faith in the reality of the cosmic events that will accompany the Day of Judgment.
• The stability of the natural world is temporary and will be replaced by a new and terrifying reality on the Last Day.
• This powerful image should instill in a believer a profound sense of awe and fear for the Day of Judgment.

Supporting References

The joining of the sun and moon is a terrifying and final event. It is the culmination of the dazzling of the sight and the eclipsing of the moon. It is a picture of the complete and utter collapse of the celestial order, a sign of the awesome and terrible power that will be unleashed on that Day.

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The Believers (who look to their Lord)

Brief Biography / Background

The Believers are those who have sincere faith in Allah and live a life of righteousness. In this Surah, their ultimate reward and their state in the Hereafter are described with a beauty and honor that is unparalleled.

Role in the Surah

The believers are the ones whose faces will be “radiant” on the Day of Judgment. Their role is to be the recipients of the single greatest of all the blessings of the Hereafter: the honor of gazing directly upon their Lord. “[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:22-23).

Personality & Attributes

The Believers are the archetype of the **successful, joyful, and supremely honored servant**. They are characterized by their radiant beauty, which is a reflection of the light of faith that was in their hearts. Their defining act in Paradise is to be “nazirah” – gazing upon the face of Allah, the ultimate success and pleasure.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The ultimate reward for a life of faith is not just the physical delights of Paradise, but the spiritual bliss of seeing Allah.
• A believer should make this ultimate vision their highest aspiration and the ultimate goal of their spiritual journey.
• This beautiful promise is a source of immense hope and motivation for the believers.

Supporting References

This verse is the primary textual proof for the orthodox Sunni creed that the believers will physically see Allah in the Hereafter. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked by his companions if they would see their Lord, and he replied, “Do you have any doubt in seeing the full moon on a cloudless night? …you will see Him just like that.” This is considered the greatest of all rewards, the ultimate fulfillment of a life of faith.

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The Creator of Pairs

Brief Biography / Background

This is an archetype representing Allah in His specific role as the one who created all life based on the principle of pairs (zawjayn), specifically male and female. This principle is a profound sign of a single, unified designer.

Role in the Surah

The creation of pairs is mentioned as the final stage in the creation of man from a sperm-drop, a proof of God’s complete and masterful power over creation. “Then He made from it the two mates, the male and the female.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:39).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype represents **perfect design, boundless creativity, and the principle of complementarity**. The Creator is the one who designed life based on this harmonious and productive system of pairs. This act is presented as the final proof of His ability to resurrect the dead.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The creation of life from a humble sperm-drop into the distinct forms of male and female is a profound sign of a wise and powerful Creator.
• A believer should reflect on this universal principle of pairing and see in it the wisdom of the Creator.
• This act of creation is the final argument in the Surah’s case for the Resurrection.

Supporting References

The Surah’s concluding question, “Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?” is a direct and logical conclusion from this verse. The argument is that the one who can take a single, undifferentiated fluid and from it fashion the two distinct and complementary sexes, male and female, surely has the power to bring the dead back to life.

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The Creator from a Sperm-Drop

Brief Biography / Background

The Creator from a Sperm-Drop is an archetype representing Allah in His specific role as the originator of human life from a humble and seemingly insignificant fluid. This process is presented in the Qur’an as a profound and personal sign of His creative power.

Role in the Surah

The creation of man from a sperm-drop (nutfah) is mentioned as a direct proof of God’s power and as a refutation of human arrogance and denial of the Resurrection. “Does man think that he will be left neglected? Had he not been a sperm from semen emitted? Then he was a clinging clot, and [Allah] created [him] and proportioned [him].” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:36-38).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype represents **masterful, life-giving, and transformative creative power**. It is the power that can take the most humble of fluids and fashion it into a complex, intelligent human being. He is Al-Khaliq, The Creator, in the most intimate and personal sense.

Major Lessons & Morals

• Reflecting on our humble origin from a sperm-drop should instill in us a profound sense of humility and awe.
• The miracle of our own existence is the most immediate and undeniable proof of God’s creative power.
• The God who could create us from this fluid the first time can surely bring us back from dust a second time for the Resurrection.

Supporting References

This is the final rational argument of the Surah. It answers the denier by pointing to their own life. The question “Does man think that he will be left neglected?” is a powerful one. It argues that the one who was created with such intricate purpose and design cannot possibly be left without a final purpose and accountability.

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The Day of Resurrection (Yawm al-Qiyamah)

Brief Biography / Background

Yawm al-Qiyamah, the Day of Resurrection, is the inevitable day when all of humanity will be raised from the dead to be held accountable for their deeds. It is the central theme and the namesake of this Surah.

Role in the Surah

The Day of Resurrection is the reality by which Allah swears the opening oath of the Surah: “I swear by the Day of Resurrection.” (75:1). The entire Surah is a powerful and vivid depiction of its events and a rational proof of its certainty. It is the day the denier mockingly asks about, the day when the cosmos will be overturned, and the day when humanity will be sorted into the two groups with radiant and gloomy faces.

Personality & Attributes

The Day of Resurrection is the archetype of **ultimate certainty, perfect justice, and the final reckoning**. It is the great “Qiyamah” (the great standing), when all will stand before their Lord. It is the day that gives meaning and purpose to our entire worldly existence.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must have absolute and unwavering certainty in the reality of the Day of Resurrection.
• The events of this Day will be of a terrifying and awesome cosmic scale.
• Preparation for this Day, through faith and righteousness, is the ultimate purpose of this worldly life.

Supporting References

The fact that Allah swears an oath *by* the Day of Resurrection is a testament to its immense gravity and certainty. An oath is only sworn by something that is great and honored. This opening verse immediately establishes the theme and the absolute, undeniable reality of the Day that is to be described.

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The Despairing Soul at Death

Brief Biography / Background

The Despairing Soul at Death is the archetype of the human being at the moment when their life is ending and they are faced with the terrifying and undeniable reality of the departure to the next life. This is a moment of ultimate helplessness and regret for the disbeliever.

Role in the Surah

This character’s final moments are described with a vivid, step-by-step depiction of the agony of death. “No! When the soul has reached the collar bones, and it is said, ‘Who can cure [him]?’ And he is certain that it is the parting. And the leg is wrapped about the leg. To your Lord, that Day, will be the procession.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:26-30).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by **desperation, certainty of doom, and utter helplessness**. They are the one who is desperately looking for a “raq” (a healer, a charmer, an exorcist) to save them, but it is too late. They reach a state of “zanna” (certainty) that this is the final “firaq” (parting). Their final journey is the helpless “drive” to their Lord.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The moment of death is an absolute certainty, and no worldly cure or helper can prevent it when its time has come.
• A believer should prepare for this moment of parting throughout their life, so that their certainty is one of hope, not of despair.
• This vivid depiction of death is a mercy, a powerful warning designed to awaken the heedless before they reach this state of futile regret.

Supporting References

The imagery of “the leg wrapped about the leg” is a powerful one. It can refer to the physical state of the dying person, or it can be a metaphor for the affliction of the worldly life being combined with the affliction of the Hereafter. It is a state of being completely and utterly trapped, with no escape.

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The Gloomy Faces

Brief Biography / Background

The Gloomy Faces are the archetype of the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment. Their physical appearance will be a direct and visible manifestation of their inner state of terror, despair, and the certainty of their impending doom.

Role in the Surah

Their state is presented as the direct and stark contrast to the radiant faces of the believers. “And [some] faces, that Day, will be gloomy, thinking that there is about to be done to them a back-breaking calamity.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:24-25).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by **gloom (basirah), despair, and terror**. Their faces are contorted with the certainty of their punishment. They are “thinking” or “certain” (tazunnu) that a “faqirah” (a spine-breaking, crushing calamity) is about to befall them. Their state is one of absolute and hopeless dread.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The arrogance of the disbelievers in this world will be transformed into the ultimate gloom and humiliation in the next.
• A person’s physical state in the Hereafter will be a direct reflection of their spiritual state in this world.
• This terrifying image should serve as a powerful deterrent, motivating a believer to embrace the path that leads to a radiant, not a gloomy, face.

Supporting References

The contrast between the two types of faces is the central human drama of the Day of Judgment as depicted in this Surah. One group is radiant, looking at their Lord in bliss. The other is gloomy, looking at their impending punishment in terror. The Surah forces the reader to ask themselves: “Which of these two faces will be mine?”

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The Hasty Reciter (Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Brief Biography / Background

The Hasty Reciter is a loving and gentle description of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ during the moments he was receiving revelation. Out of his intense zeal to memorize and preserve the divine word, he would move his tongue quickly to repeat the verses as the Angel Jibril was reciting them to him.

Role in the Surah

His role is to be the recipient of a direct and reassuring divine instruction. The Surah momentarily pivots from its description of the Last Day to address him directly: “Do not move your tongue with it, [O Muhammad], to hasten with it. Indeed, upon Us is its collection and its recitation. So when We have recited it, then follow its recitation. Then upon Us is its clarification.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:16-19).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by its **sincerity, its zeal, and its profound love for the revelation**. The Prophet’s haste was not a sign of impatience, but of his immense commitment to his sacred trust. The verses are a divine reassurance, telling him to be at peace and that Allah Himself will guarantee the preservation of the Qur’an in his heart.

Major Lessons & Morals

• This story is a profound proof of the divine origin of the Qur’an. The Prophet is being corrected by the very revelation he is receiving.
• A believer should have absolute confidence that the Qur’an has been perfectly preserved, as Allah Himself took on the responsibility for its “collection and recitation.”
• The proper etiquette for receiving knowledge is to listen quietly and patiently first, and only then to speak or to ask for clarification.

Supporting References

This incident is a beautiful and intimate glimpse into the process of revelation. It shows the very human sincerity of the Prophet and the direct, loving, and reassuring nature of the divine communication. It is a testament to the fact that the Qur’an is a protected revelation, whose preservation is a divine guarantee.

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The One who Walks with Insolent Pride

Brief Biography / Background

The One who Walks with Insolent Pride is the archetype of the arrogant disbeliever who not only denies the truth but also displays his arrogance in his very physical demeanor. This refers to the way they would walk among their people with a boastful and conceited swagger.

Role in the Surah

This character is described after their act of denying the truth and turning away. “Then he went to his people, swaggering [in pride].” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:33). This action is the physical manifestation of his inner state of arrogance and his feeling of superiority over the message he has just heard.

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by **arrogance, pride, and a boastful demeanor**. Their walk (“yatamatta”) is one of insolent pride. They are the ones who are so deluded by their worldly status that they look down upon the humble truth of the revelation. They are the epitome of the arrogant rejecter.

Major Lessons & Morals

• Humility is an essential characteristic of a believer, and it must be reflected in one’s social interactions and even in the way one walks.
• Arrogance and a prideful swagger are qualities that are hated by Allah and are a sign of a heart that is sealed from the truth.
• A believer must actively cultivate a state of inner humility that will naturally lead to a humble and respectful outward demeanor.

Supporting References

This verse is part of a sequence that describes the complete profile of the denier: “He did not believe or pray, but rather denied and turned away. Then he went to his people, swaggering.” It is a complete picture of a failed soul, moving from inner rejection to outward arrogance. The Surah then gives a final, damning verdict: “Woe to you, and woe! Then woe to you, and woe!”

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The Onlookers to their Lord

Brief Biography / Background

The Onlookers to their Lord are the archetype of the successful believers in the Hereafter. They are the ones who have been granted the ultimate and most magnificent of all the rewards of Paradise: the honor of gazing directly upon the Face of their Lord, Allah.

Role in the Surah

Their state is described as the peak of the bliss of the Hereafter. They are the ones whose faces are “radiant,” and the reason for their radiance is this very act. “[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:22-23).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by **ultimate bliss, supreme honor, and perfect fulfillment**. They are “nazirah” (radiant) because they are “nazirah” (gazing) upon the source of all beauty and all light. Their state is one of speechless, awe-filled, and blissful contemplation.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The ultimate reward for a life of faith is not just the physical delights of Paradise, but the spiritual bliss of seeing Allah.
• A believer should make this ultimate vision their highest aspiration and the ultimate goal of their spiritual journey.
• This beautiful promise is a source of immense hope and motivation for the believers.

Supporting References

This verse is the primary textual proof for the orthodox Sunni creed that the believers will physically see Allah in the Hereafter. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked by his companions if they would see their Lord, and he replied, “Do you have any doubt in seeing the full moon on a cloudless night? …you will see Him just like that.” This is considered the greatest of all rewards, the ultimate fulfillment of a life of faith.

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Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)

Brief Biography / Background

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is the final messenger of Allah, to whom the Qur’an was revealed. Surah Al-Qiyamah was revealed to him in Makkah, and it contains a direct and intimate address to him concerning the nature of revelation.

Role in the Surah

He is the one who is being taught the Qur’an by Jibril and who, out of his sincerity and zeal, was moving his tongue hastily to memorize it. He is the one who is gently and reassuringly commanded: “Do not move your tongue with it, [O Muhammad], to hasten with it. Indeed, upon Us is its collection and its recitation.” (75:16-17). His role is to be the calm and patient recipient of the divine word, with the full assurance that Allah Himself is its guarantor.

Personality & Attributes

He is the archetype of the **sincere, zealous, and divinely-reassured messenger**. His haste is a sign of his profound love for the Qur’an and his sense of responsibility. The divine intervention is a sign of his beloved status with his Lord, who comforts him and makes his task easy for him.

Major Lessons & Morals

• This story is a profound proof of the divine origin of the Qur’an. The Prophet is being corrected by the very revelation he is receiving.
• A believer should have absolute confidence that the Qur’an has been perfectly preserved, as Allah Himself took on the responsibility for its “collection and recitation.”
• The proper etiquette for receiving knowledge is to listen quietly and patiently first, and only then to speak or to ask for clarification.

Supporting References

This incident is a beautiful and intimate glimpse into the process of revelation. It shows the very human sincerity of the Prophet and the direct, loving, and reassuring nature of the divine communication. It is a testament to the fact that the Qur’an is a protected revelation, whose preservation is a divine guarantee.

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The Radiant Faces

Brief Biography / Background

The Radiant Faces are the archetype of the successful believers on the Day of Judgment. Their physical appearance will be a direct and visible manifestation of their inner state of joy, peace, and the light of their faith.

Role in the Surah

Their state is presented as the first of the two ultimate destinies of humanity. “[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord.” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:22-23). Their radiance (nadirah) is a direct result of their gazing (nazirah) upon their Lord.

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by **radiant beauty, profound joy, and supreme honor**. They are the ones whose faces are shining with the light of bliss and contentment. Their state is the ultimate success story, the culmination of a life of faith and righteousness.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A person’s physical state in the Hereafter will be a direct reflection of their spiritual state in this world.
• The ultimate joy and the cause of this radiance is the beatific vision of seeing Allah Himself.
• This beautiful image should serve as a powerful motivation for a believer to strive for the deeds that lead to a radiant face on that Day.

Supporting References

The Qur’an frequently uses the imagery of faces to describe the states of the people in the Hereafter. There will be “faces that are bright, laughing, and rejoicing,” and there will be “faces that are dark and covered with dust.” The radiant faces in this Surah are the epitome of the successful, their joy reaching its peak in the vision of their Creator.