Question:
Assalamualaikum. I have a question on the meaning of al-awwalin and al-akhirin mentioned in Surah al-Waqi’ah. Are they from among the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam w.b.t.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Al-Waqi’ah
Surah al-Waqi’ah is a makkiyyah surah and consists of 96 verses. Imam al-Qurtubi cited the opinion of al-Hasan, ‘Ikrimah, Jabir and ‘Ata’ in his tafsir which states that this surah contains 97 verses. Ibn Abbas and Qatadah state that Surah al-Waqi’ah was revealed in Mecca except for one verse which is: (وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ تُكَذِّبُونَ). Al-Kalbi is of the opinion that this surah is makkiyyah except for four verses. Imam al-Qurtubi cited the opinion of Mashruk which says, who wants to know on the story of al-Awwalin, al-Akhirin, the people of Paradise, Dwellers of Hellfire and the people of the hereafter, then recite Surah al-Waqi’ah. (See Tafsir al-Qurtubi, 17/194).
Besides, among the advantages of this surah is cited by Imam al-Suyuti from Ibn Mas’ud RA:
مَنْ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ الْوَاقِعَةِ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ لَمْ تُصِبْهُ فَاقَةٌ أَبَداً
Whoever recites surah al-Waqi’ah every night, then he shall never be afflicted with poverty forever
See al-Jamie’ al-Soghir, al-Suyuti (12546)
Tafsir of Surah al-Waqi’ah Verse 13-14 and 39-40
Coming back to the above question, here we bring the verses which explains about the group of people who are named as al-Awwalin and al-Akhirin as the saying of Allah SWT:
ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿١٣﴾ وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ الْآخِرِينَ ﴿١٤﴾
A [large] company of the former peoples (13) And a few of the later peoples, (14)
Surah al-Waqi’ah (13-14)
Besides, in the same surah, Allah SWT says:
ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْآخِرِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾
A company of the former peoples (39) And a company of the later peoples (40)
Surah al-Waqi’ah (39-40)
In explaining the above verses, we gather the opinions of the tafsir scholars in commenting on these verses so that we may understand this in detail as well as the meaning of some keywords which are related to the commentary of the above verses.
- (السَّابِقُونَ) the group of al-Sabiqun is the people who are among the first people in accepting faith without any delay.
- (أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ) the group of ashab al-Yamin is the people who receive their books of deeds in their right hand on the day of Judgement.
- (ثُلَّةٌ) group or cluster in large or small numbers.
- (مِّنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ) which is a group or a cluster from among the people of the past
- (مِّنَ الْآخِرِينَ) which is a group of a cluster from among the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH
Imam al-Qurtubi cited the opinion of Imam Hassan al-Basri which states that (ثُلَّةٌ) the large company is among the people of the past before this nation (the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH) and (وَقَلِيلٌ) a few from the ashab of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. It is mentioned with (قَلِيلًا) which is the fewer group as a comparison with the people of the past in terms of numbers. This is because the past prophets AS are more in numbers and they are included among the people who are named as al-Sabiqun (those who are among the first to accept faith). Therefore, there are a lot more people of the past among the believers in compared to this nation (the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH).
Besides, according to another opinion, when this verse was revealed, the Companions was in despair, then Allah SWT revealed the verse (ثلة من الأولين. وثلة من الآخرين). Imam Hassan al-Basri states, al-Sabiqun among the people of the past is more compared to al-Sabiqun among our people, therefore, it is stated (وقليل من الآخرين). And the people among the (أصحاب اليمين) is stated because their numbers are the same between the people of the past and the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH, as the saying of Allah SWT (ثلة من الأولين. وثلة من الآخرين). Imam al-Qurtubi cited an athar from Sayyidina Abu Bakar al-Siddiq RA which states, these two groups (al-Awwalin and al-Akhirin) are among the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Al-Awwalin is the nation of Prophet Muhammad among the earliest and al-Akhirin is the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH among the latest.
Imam al-Qurtubi also states that the verse (ثلة من الأولين. وثلة من الآخرين) refers back to the ashab al-Yamin in the saying of Allah SWT (وأصحاب اليمين ما أصحاب اليمين) which is al-Awwalin among the people of the past and al-Akhirin is the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
(See Tafsir al-Qurtubi, 17/200-211)
Sheikh al-Maraghi commented on the verse (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ. وَقَلِيلٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ) by saying that the large company is among the past nations and the few is from among the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. And verily, the rewards of their (ahl al-yamin) good deeds will not be reduced the same as the rewards given to al-sabiqun.
(See Tafsir al-Maraghi, 27/139)
Dr Wahbah al-Zuhayli states (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ، وَقَلِيلٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ) is al-sabiqun, which is among the past nations who were close to Allah SWT and their numbers are uncountable. They are among the nation of Prophet Adam AS until the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH and a few come from this nation. And it is said as a few because it is compared to the past nations as the past nations also include the past prophets AS as a whole.
In the verse (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ، وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ), Dr Wahbah al-Zuhayli states that this verse is for a large number of the ashab al-yamin among the people of the past who are the believers and a large number of al-Akhirin among the believers from the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH to the day of judgement.
Besides, there is no difference in the context of the verse (وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ) and the verse (وَقَلِيلٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ). This is because, the verse (وَقَلِيلٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ) refers to al-Sabiqin and the verse (وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ) is for the ashab al-yamin.
(See al-Tafsir al-Munir, 27/256)
Sheikh al-Shanqiti stated in his tafsir that what is meant with al-Awwalin and al-Akhirin is from among this nation which is the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Those who are named as al-Awwalin is among the companions of the Prophet PBUH. This is as what is stated in the hadith of the Prophet PBUH (خَيْرُ الْقُرُونِ قَرْنِي ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ) which means 'The best of my followers are those living in my generation (i.e. my contemporaries). and then those who will follow the latter’.
Besides, Sheikh al-Shanqiti states, according to the opinion of some other scholars, what is meant by al-Awwalin is the people from the past nations and al-Akhirin is the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. The verse (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَقَلِيلٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ) is specific for al-Sabiqun while the verse (ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ) is specific for ashab al-yamin. (See Adwa’ al-Bayan fi Bayan al-Quran al-Karim 7/515)
Conclusion
Based on several opinions of the scholars of tafsir in this matter, it can be concluded that
- Al-Awwalin are those among the past nations starting from the nation of Prophet Adam AS to the nation before Prophet Muhammad PBUH. And al-Akhirin is specific towards the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
- Besides, according to another opinion, al-Awwalin is among the first companions of the Prophet PBUH. While al-Akhirin is among the nation of Prophet Muhammad PBUH among the latest.
May Allah SWT give us all understanding in practising all deed so that what we do will be aligned with what is intended by Allah SWT and the Prophet PBUH.