Quran Universe
56:86

فَلَوۡلَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ غَيۡرَ مَدِينِينَ

Falawla in kuntum ghayra madeeneena

Then why do you not, if you are not to be recompensed,

Word by word
  1. فَلَوۡلَآThen why not
  2. إِنif
  3. كُنتُمۡyou are
  4. غَيۡرَnot
  5. مَدِينِينَto be recompensed
Al-Waqi'ah · 56:86Makkah

If you will never be judged, then why not...

A challenge to those who deny the reckoning

The challenge
no reckoningtheir claim
then prove it
stop the deaththe next verse
The claim
we answer to no onefree of reckoning
we are ownedwe cannot even keep our souls

Sa'id bin Jubayr and Al-Hasan explained: if you do not believe you will be reckoned and recompensed, then why do you not return this soul to its body? Mujahid said it means: if you are not certain.

You act as if your choices are yours alone, nobody's business. Answerable to no one. But you did not choose to be born, and you cannot choose the day you leave. You are owned.

My life is mine; I answer to no one.

If I can't keep my soul in my body, I don't fully own my life.

Try this

Make one decision today by first asking: how would I answer for this?

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 56:83)

Then why do you not (intervene) when it reaches Al-Hulqum (83)And you at the moment are looking (84)But We are nearer to him than you, but you see not (85)Then why do you not – if you are not Madini (86)Return the soul, if you are truthful (87)

When the Soul reaches the Throat at the Time of Death, it cannot be brought back; this proves Reckoning shall occur

Allah the Exalted said,

فَلَوْلَا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ

(Then why do you not (intervene) when it reaches), in reference to the soul,

الْحُلْقُومَ

(Al-Hulqum), i.e., the throat, at the time of death. Allah the Exalted said in other Ayat,

كَلَّا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِيَ - وَقِيلَ مَنْ ۜ رَاقٍ - وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ الْفِرَاقُ - وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ - إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ

(Nay, when (the soul) reaches to the collar bone, and it will be said: "Who can cure him (and save him from death)?" And he will conclude that it was (the time) of parting (death); And one leg will be joined with another leg (shrouded). The drive will be on that Day to your Lord (Allah).)(75:26-30) Allah said here,

وَأَنْتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنْظُرُونَ 

(And you at the moment are looking,) at the dying person and witnessing the stupor of death that he is experiencing,

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكُمْ 

(But We are nearer to him than you,) with Our angels,

 وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ

(but you see not.) you cannot see the angels. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ - ثُمَّ رُدُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ ۚ أَلَا لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ

(He is the Irresistible over His servants, and He sends guardians (angels) over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers (angel of death and his assistants) take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. Then they are returned to Allah, their true Protector. Surely, for Him is the judgement and He is the swiftest in taking account.)(6:61-62) Allah's statement,

فَلَوْلَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ - تَرْجِعُونَهَا

(Then why do you not – if you are not Madinin – return the soul,) means, 'Will you not return this soul, that has reached the throat, to its body as it used to be, if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense?'

Sa'id bin Jubayr and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said:

فَلَوْلَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ

(Then why do you not – if you are not Madinin...), "If you do not believe that you will be reckoned, recompensed, resurrected and punished, then why do you not return this soul to its body?" Mujahid said that,

غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ 

(...if you are not Madinin), means, "if you are not certain."