ٱقْرَأْ كِتَـٰبَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا 14
Translations
[It will be said], "Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant."
Transliteration
Iqra kitabaka kafā bi-nafsika al-yawma ʿalayka hasībā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when each soul will be commanded to read their own record of deeds. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that every person's actions are meticulously recorded by the angels (kirām al-kātibīn), and on that Day, they will witness their complete book of deeds without any need for external witnesses—their own conscience and the divine record will suffice as evidence against or for them. This emphasizes divine justice and the reality of accountability, as nothing is hidden from Allah and every deed, major or minor, is preserved.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Isra's description of the Day of Judgment and the final accounting. It is part of a broader Meccan passage emphasizing the certainty of the Hereafter and divine justice, which was a central theme during the early Meccan period when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was warning the Quraysh about the consequences of their disbelief and rejection.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'On the Day of Resurrection, each soul will know what it has sent forward and kept back' (Surah Al-Infitar 82:5). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim describes how the books of deeds will be presented to people, with the Prophet saying that the book of the believer will be given in their right hand, and the book of the disbeliever in their left hand or behind their back.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that our actions are constantly being recorded and that we will ultimately face our own deeds on the Day of Judgment without excuse or external witnesses. It should motivate believers to be conscious of their actions in this life, knowing that integrity with oneself and with Allah is the foundation of authentic faith.
Related Ayahs
وَسِيقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوهَا فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَٰبُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكُمْ وَيُنذِرُونَكُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَـٰذَا ۚ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِنْ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَةُ ٱلْعَذَابِ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups until, when they reach it, its gates are opened and its keepers will say, "Did there not come to you messengers from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say, "Yes, but the word [i.e., decree] of punishment has come into effect upon the disbelievers."
يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ لَا بُشْرَىٰ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجْرًا مَّحْجُورًا
The day they see the angels - no good tidings will there be that day for the criminals, and [the angels] will say, "Prevented and inaccessible."
أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى ٱلْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
Or [lest] it say when it sees the punishment, "If only I had another turn so I could be among the doers of good."
يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
On a Day when their tongues, their hands and their feet will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.