Benefits and Virtues of Surah 70 Al-Ma’arij

70. Al-Ma`arij

70.1 Al-Wahidi recorded

(A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall) [70:1]. This verse was revealed about al-Nadr ibn al-Harith when he said [as reported in the Qur’an] (O Allah! if this be indeed the truth from Thee, then rain down stones on us or bring on us some painful doom!) [8:32], and so he prayed against himself and asked for chastisement. He got what he asked for at the Battle of Badr when he was killed in captivity. And the verse (A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall) was revealed about him.

(Asbab Al-Nuzul)

70.2 Al-Wahidi recorded

(Doth every man among them hope to enter the Garden of Delight? Nay…) [70:38-39]. The commentators of the Qur’an said: “The idolaters used to gather round the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, to listen to him but did not benefit from him. Instead, they gave him the lie and mocked him. They said: ‘If these were to enter Paradise, we shall certainly enter it before them, and we will have more wealth therein than they will ever have’. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”.

(Asbab Al-Nuzul)

70.3 Ibn Kathir related about 

﴾ تعرج الملائكة والروح إليه في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة ﴿

The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years (70:4)

That Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu `Umar Al-Ghudani that he said, “I was with Abu Hurayrah when a man from Bani `Amir bin Sa`sa`ah passed and it was said: `This man is the wealthiest man of Bani `Amir.’ So Abu Hurayrah said, `Bring him back to me.’ So they brought the man back to Abu Hurayrah. Then Abu Hurayrah said, `I have been informed that you are a man of great wealth.’ The man from Bani `Amir replied, `Yes, by Allah. I have one hundred red-colored camels, one hundred brown-colored camels…’ and so on he counted numerous colored camels, the races of the slaves and the types of fetters for his horses that he owned. So Abu Hurayrah said, `Beware of the hooves of the camels and the cloven hooves of the cattle.’ He continued repeating that to him until the color of the man began to change.

Then the man said, `O Abu Hurayrah what is this’ Abu Hurayrah replied, `I heard the Messenger of Allah say, “Whoever has camels and does not give their due (Zakah) in their Najdah and their Risl…” We interrupted saying, `O Messenger of Allah! What is their Najdah and Risl’ He said, “It is their difficulty and their ease, for verily, they will come on the Day of Resurrection healthier than before. They will be more in number, fatter and more lively and unruly. Then a soft, level plain will be spread out for them and they will trample him with their hooves. When the last of them has passed over him, the first of them will return to trample him again during a day whose measure will be fifty thousand years. This will continue until the case of all the people is decided between them. Then he (the with holder of Zakah) will see his path (i.e., either to Paradise or Hell).

If he had cows that he did not pay the Zakah in their ease and their difficult times, then they will come on the Day of Judgement healthier than they were before. They will be more in number, fatter and more lively and unruly. Then a soft, level plain will be spread out for them and they will trample him. Every one of them that has cloven hooves will trample him with its hooves, and every one of them that has a horn will butt him with its horn. There will not be any hornless or bent horned animals among them. When the last of them has passed over him, the first of them will return to trample him again during a day whose measure will be fifty thousand years. This will continue until the case of all the people is decided between them. Then he (the with holder of Zakah) will see his path (i.e., either to Paradise or Hell).

If he has any sheep that he does not pay the due Zakah in their difficulty and their ease, then they will come on the Day of Judgement healthier than they were before. They will be more (in number) fatter and more lively and unruly. Then a soft, level plain will be spread out for them and they will trample him. Every one of them that has a cloven hoof will trample him with its hooves, and every one of them that has a horn will butt him with its horn. There will not be any hornless or bent horned animals among them. When the last of them has passed over him, the first of them will return to trample him again during a day whose measure will be fifty thousand years. This will continue until the case of all the people is decided between them. Then he (the with holder of Zakah) will see his path (i.e., either to Paradise or Hell).”

Then, the man from Bani `Amir said, `What is the due of the camel, O Abu Hurayrah’ Abu Hurayrah said, `It is that you give (in your Zakah payment) from your most valuable camels, that you lend a milking she-camel, that you lend your mount for riding, that you give the milk (to the people) for drinking, and you lend the male camel for breeding.”’

Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said, “There is not any owner of treasure who does not pay its due except that it will be made into heated metal plates and branded upon him in the fire of Hell. His forehead, side and back will be scorched with these metal plates. This will continue until Allah judges between His servants on a Day whose measure is fifty thousand years of what you count. Then he will see his path, either to Paradise or to the Fire.”

(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

70.4 Mufti Shafi Usmani related about

﴾ في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة ﴿

In a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years (70:4)

That Sayyidna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) narrates that the blessed Companions asked the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) about the length of the day that measures fifty thousand years. He replied: “I swear by the Being in Whose control is my life! The day for the believers will be lighter and less than the time during which they would perform an obligatory Salah.” (Transmitted by Ahmad, Abu Yala, Ibn Hibban, Baihaqi through a Hasssan chain of narrators – Mazhari)

And the following Hadlth is reported from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه), “The time on this day for the believers will be like that between ‘Asr and Maghrib“. (This Hadith is reported both in marfu’ and mauquf ways, that is, in some versions, this is the statement of Abu Hurairah himself, while in others it is attributed by him to the Holy Prophet)

(Ma’ariful Quran)

70.5 Ibn Kathir related about 

﴾ وجمع فأوعى ﴿

And collected [wealth] and hoarded (70:18)

That it has been recorded in a Hadith that the Prophet said, “Do not hold back (your wealth) or else Allah will hold back from you.”

(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

70.6 Ibn Kathir related about 

﴾ وإذا مسه الخير منوعا ﴿

And when good touches him, withholding [of it] (70:21)

Imam Ahmad narrated from Abu Hurayrah saying, “The Messenger of Allah said, ‘The worst thing that can be in a man is greedy impatience and unrestrained cowardice’.”

(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

70.7 Ibn Kathir related about 

﴾ الذين هم على صلاتهم دائمون ﴿

Those who are constant in their prayer (70:23)

That it has been recorded in the Sahih on the authority of `A’ishah that the Messenger of Allah said, “The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are few.”

(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

70.8 Ibn Kathir related about 

﴾ والذين هم لأماناتهم وعهدهم راعون ﴿

And those who are to their trusts and promises attentive (70:32)

That it is reported in the authentic Hadith, “The signs of the hypocrites are three. When he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise, and when he is given a trust he behaves treacherously (with it).” In another narration it states, “When he speaks he lies, when he makes a covenant he breaks it, and when he argues he is abusive.”

(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)