“Hastening forward...

“Hastening forward, their heads upraised, their eyes (and eyelids) not blinking and their hearts void.” There are several meanings proposed for the Arabic term /muhti‘in/ which is derived from /’iht a‘/ in the sense of: upraising the head, to speed up, looking pleasurably, all of which meanings can be implied in this verse.

The chastisements of the Resurrection Day are so horrifying that these oppressors stiffen their necks, raising their heads towards the sky, they even may fix their eye-lids in a state of motionlessness, while their hearts are becoming void because of their intensive fear, distress, anxiety and despair.

The verse says: “Hastening forward, their heads upraised, their eyes (and eyelids) not blinking and their hearts void.” Those persons who considered themselves as think tanks and considered others as stupid will lose their reasoning in such a way that their looks resemble not the lunatics but that of the dead. Their looks will be ‘empty’, indifferent, motionless and full of fear and horror.

“And warn the people as to the day when the chastisement comes to them; then those who did injustice will say: ‘Our Lord, defer us to a near term, (that) we will answer Your call and follow the messengers’. (They will be told:) ‘Did you not swear before that there would be no end for you?’” The Qur’anic term /’inŏar/ (warning) is the antonym of /biš arat/ (glad tidings) both of which were the mission of the prophets who were the bearers of the good news as well as the warners.

They were bearer of the good news regarding faith, righteous acts, virtue, and being characterized by attributes which lead one to salvation, happiness, Divine blessings, and ushering one to Paradise. And they were warners as to the cases of paganism, ingratitude, darkness, sins, and evil attributes and characteristics which lead one to wretchedness misery, Divine Wrath, and awful consequences and punishments in this world and in the Hereafter.