The 11th verse gives us a new meaning and that is the handing over of the Book of Deeds to a person. On the Day of Reckoning the Books of deeds of the sinners will be given to them in the left hand and the pious people will be given them in the right hand and this is one of the signs of the bad and good people on that Day. It says:

“Then the one who will be given the record in the right hand will say, “Here! Read my record.”

The verse says: “And the one who will be given his record in the left hand will say, “I wish that I had not been given my record. And I never realized how my account stood.”

Is the mention of the right and left hand a hint about a special part of the human body or is does it denote goodness and sin because the right hand is taken for the good deeds and the left for the bad ones?

This has mentioned in Tafsir Fi Zalal-ol- Qura’n but there is no need for it because indeed the books of deeds will be given to the pious in their hand hands and to the sinners in their left so that they can be identified on the Day of Reckoning.

Many commentators and linguists have taken the word “ haa-‘um to be an amalgam of two words one is the word “ Ha’a” which is a verb and “Khaz” means to hold or catch and the second is “Miim” which is masculine and singular.

The “haa’ behind “Kitabiyah” and Hisaabiyah” is called “Haa silent” and has been introduced only to make it easy with no special meaning.

Hunzala is famous as “the one who was bathed by the angles” and is one of the martyrs of Uhud and his son narrates a tradition which is as follows:

“On the Day of Reckoning God will stop his servant, and will exhibit his sins and ask him “did you commit this sin?’ He will answer “Yes my Lord” and then he will be told “I have not insulted or defamed you (so I ordered that your sins be written on the other side of the Book of Deeds so that none should see them) and I have forgiven you these sins because of your good deeds. Here the believer will cry out in joy, “(O people) Here! Read my record.” The accounting of the one who has the book of deeds in the right hand will be done easily and swiftly and he will return happy to his family on the Day of Reckoning. (1)

 The 12th verse mentions the handing over of the books of deeds in the right and left hand but with a little difference. It is said:

“And as for him who will be given his record in the right hand will surely have an easy reckoning and will return to his family in happiness. But he who is given his record (tied) behind his neck shall invoke destruction and shall be thrown into the blazing fire.”

The first verse speaks about the books of deeds of the sinful people in their left hand but the books will be given to them from behind their backs and this is because they will keep their hands in the back out of shame when they are handed over their books of deeds and that they do not want others to see the proof. Or it may be because their left hands will be tied behind their backs just as they had kept the Book of God behind them. Their books of Deeds will be behind them on the Day of Reckoning or it may be because their faces will be turned backwards and they will keep their books in the right hand to see them.

Which ever meaning is adopted from the three it will not be contrary to the fact that their deeds will be in their left hands.

What does the family mean here? Some commentators have said that it means those women, children and close relatives who were believers and have entered Paradise before them.

Another group of commentators have said they are the wives who are in Paradise and others have said this means all the believers who have entered Paradise earlier because all believers are related to each other and truly they are like one big family.

The first interpretation seem better specially when we consider that in the same Surah verse 13 this is the definition of the word “Ahl”, family, wives, children and close relative and so it is proper that they be taken in the same context.

In the 13th verse the same grouping (people with their books in the left and in the right hands) is in another style. It is said:

“And those on the right hand; who will be those on the right hand? They will be among the thorn less lote trees. And those on the left hand who will be those on the left hand? (They shall be in) the fierce blast of a fiery wind and boiling water.” (Verse 8)

The word “may-manah” is derived from the word “Yemen” which means the fortune of well being. Some people have taken it to be derived from “Yameen” that means the right hand.

They say these are those whose Books of Deeds will be given in their right hands (It is true that “Yemen” and “Yameen” are from the same source but the first meaning is better.

Raghib in his Mafuradat has seconded the idea of the right hand because the works done by the right hand are more fortunate and so this word is used for well being and fortune.

The opposite word is “mash-‘amah’ which is derived from the word “Shom”. According to Maqayis-ol-Loghata its real meaning is left hand but since the work done by the left hands are unsuccessful and less fortunate so the word “Shom” is used for it. So the terms “Ashabol May-manah” and “Ashabol Mash-‘amah” are about such persons whose books of deeds will be given in their right or left hands. This same interpretation is also valid for the fortunate and the unfortunate people.

Fakhr Razi has called the “Ashabol May-manah” as the people in Paradise. He says:

“It may be because the right hand symbolizes goodness and the Arabs regarded the birds that flew on the right side to be a good omen and those that flew on the left side as the bad omen.”(1) Verse 12 of Surah Hadid says:

“The light running before them on their right hands.” (2)

The question rose after both these terms denote that the one of the right means he who has an elevated status and the one on the left means he who is lowly. The rewards for the first group are beyond human perception. This is a very beautiful hint about these people.

Keeping the other verses of the Qura’n in mind in which the two have been used the first seems more appropriate.

The 14th verse is the extension of the verse of Surah Waqiah that says: “And those on the right hand; who will be those on the right hand? They will be among the thorn less lote trees.

The verse then adds:

“And those on the left hand; who will be those on the left hand? (They shall be in) the fierce blast of a fiery wind and boiling water.”

While discussing this verse most of the commentators have adopted the first verse. It is sometimes said that it means those people whose book of deeds will be given in their right or left hands and sometimes they are called those that are rewarded and those who are punishable and damned.

Sometimes they are taken as people who will enter the Paradise from the right side and those who will enter Hell from the left side. (3)

1. Tafsir Durre Manshur vol.6. Page 261, Tafsir Fi Zalal-ol-Qura’n vol.8 page 256 is attributed to Abdullah bin Hunzala but actually he had heard it from the Messenger.

2. Tafsir Kabeer vol.9 page 142

3. Tafsir Tibiyanvol.9 page 493, Tafsir Majmaul Bayan, Tafsir Kabeer, and Tafsir Fi Zalalol Qura’n.