As-Sajdah 32:18 - Linguistic Miracle

Then is one who was a believer like one who was a Fāsiq? They are not equal. This verse bears remarkable truths if reflected on. It is enough by itself to demolish any belief system that does not believe in a hereafter and in the reckoning of deeds. It is obvious that the believer and the disbeliever are not alike. So why ask this question to begin with?

To start off, we need to look at the word fāsiq. At its root, it was used for a date which slipped out of its skin. The central meaning of this root is for something to emerge out of its boundaries or for it to exceed its limits.¹³¹ Instead of calling them disbelievers as He does earlier in this surah, Allah calls them fāsiq. They are people who transgressed and exceeded the boundaries and limits set by Allah, just as a date breaks out of its skin. This is perfectly consistent with the theme of this surah. Recall that in verse 14, Allah stated that denial of the Hereafter and of the meeting with Allah led the disbelievers to commit such actions that landed them in the Fire — just as a criminal who, if he knows he will not be caught, will only commit more crimes.

The word mu‘min -translated as believer -is beautiful when paired with the word fāsiq.

Muʾmin at its very root means peace and security.¹³² A Muʾmin is a person who remains secured inside God’s covenant and boundaries unlike the fāsiq who escapes and breaks out of them. This parallel will be alluded to in the next two verses so it is important to keep in mind.

To understand this verse, we need to remember that this surah is directed to the disbelievers. Allah is addressing the disbelievers who accuse the prophet ﷺ of forging the Qurʾān, who deny the hereafter and hence believe that death is the end of it all and they will not be repaid for their actions.

This verse is actually condensing this whole surah and what has been stated thus far in it in one sentence.

The disbelievers believe that death is the end of everything and that people are not recompensed for their actions, as mentioned in verse 10. If this were true, would there really be any difference between a believer and a fāsiq? Both would die, be buried, and disappear into the same earth forever. They would have the same outcome, go to the same place, and thus be equal. It would not matter what one did in this life— whether as a muʾmin or a fāsiq—since death would end it all. Actions would be irrelevant, as both would end up in the same place with the same fate. If there is no judgment Day, if there is no resurrection after death, then indeed there is no difference between a believer and a disbeliever.

When Allah asks whether a believer can be equal to a fāsiq, He is simply stating the disbelievers’ belief in the form of a question. They believe death is the ultimate end, so the believer and the disbeliever will have the same outcome and destination, making them equal. Thus Allah asks, “Then is one who was a believer like one who was a

fasiq?”

The disbelievers believe they are equal. What did Allah do in this surah? He refuted them. He showed that death is not the end, that there is indeed a meeting with Allah after death where every person will be repaid for their deeds. He said that disbelievers will enter Hell while believers will be comforted by Allah. Their outcomes will be exact opposite, and thus the believer and disbeliever are not equal.

لَا يَسْتَوُۥنَ

They are not equal The very notion that good and evil will bear the same consequences is enough by itself to demonstrate the false nature of such a belief system. Good and evil, two opposite things, cannot bear the same result. But when you deny resurrection, this is exactly what you believe. Without an afterlife, there would really be no difference between good and bad. They would both lead to the same outcome. How absurd is it to believe that they are the same? How absurd hence, it is to believe that there will be no reckoning of deeds after death.

¹³¹ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 3, p. 1673
¹³² Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 4, p. 2125