Day the Shin is Unveiled (68:42) Interpretation of Ibn Abbas

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ 

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

Allah, holy and exalted is He, says:

یَوۡمَ یُکۡشَفُ عَنۡ سَاقٍ وَّیُدۡعَوۡنَ اِلَی السُّجُوۡدِ فَلَا یَسۡتَطِیۡعُوۡنَ 

The Day the Shin is laid bare; they will be called to prostrate but will be incapable to do so

(Surah 68, Ayah 42)

Based on this Ayah, some Muslims believe Allah literally has a shin. But the superior interpretation of its meaning is reported from the Salaf, including the Prophet’s Companion Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father.

He interpreted it to mean an expression of the severity of the Day of Resurrection, and not a literal shin attributed to God. Hence, the great Mufassir, Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, says:

جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالتَّابِعِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ التَّأْوِيلِ  يَبْدُو عَنْ أَمْرٍ شَدِيدٍ

“A group from the Sahabah and Tabi’in, from the Ahl it-Ta’wil (people of interpretation) interpreted it as a severe matter” (Tafsir at-Tabari, v.23, p.186)

He then brings forth several narrations from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, to that effect:

هُوَ يَوْمُ حَرْبٍ وَشِدَّةٍ

“It is a Day of war and severity”

عَنْ أَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ كَقَوْلِ الشَّاعِرِ

وَقَامَتِ الْحَرْبُ بِنَا عَلَى سَاقِ

“An immense matter, as the poet said: ‘And the war was established upon a Saq (shin)’”

يُكْشَفُ عَنْ أَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ

“Unveiling of an immense matter”

هُوَ الْأَمْرُ الشَّدِيدُ الْمُفْظِعُ مِنَ الْهَوْلِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

“It is a severe and terrifying matter of terror on the Day of Resurrection”

هِيَ أَشَدُّ سَاعَةٍ فِي يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

“It is the severe hour in the Day of Resurrection” (ibid, pp.187-188)