Key Term: الزُّبُرِ (Az‑Zubur)

What is “Az‑Zubur” here?

  • Refers to different written records which record every last thing that they have done.
  • A record of all peoples’ deeds and everything that they have done.

Previous mention in the Surah

أَمْ لَكُم بَرَاءَةٌ فِي الزُّبُرِ

“Or do you have an immunity in the Zubur (recorded scriptures)?”

Reported insights

  • Al‑Alousiy: It includes everything they have done in terms of disbelief and sins, and refers back to the Ashyaa’ أَشْيَاعَ, as reported from Ibn ‘Abbas, Ad‑Dahhak, Qatadah and Ibn Zaid.

Ar‑Razi on the Scribes (Angels)

Az‑Zubur are the books (or records) of the Katabah (Scribes i.e., Angels):

كَلَّا بَلْ تُكَذِّبُونَ بِالدِّينِ (9) وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ (10) كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ (11) يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ

Al‑Infitar: 9–12

Rhetorical Movement: Second Person → Third Person

“And everything that they have done” refers back to the Ashyaa’ أَشْيَاعَ but shifts into third‑person narration after earlier addresses.

Interjections to Quraish (Second Person)

أَكُفَّارُكُمْ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أُولَٰئِكُمْ أَمْ لَكُم بَرَاءَةٌ فِي الزُّبُرِ
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ نَحْنُ جَمِيعٌ مُّنتَصِرٌ

Two switches to the second person where Allah addresses the Quraish directly.

Return to Third Person: Implication

  • If they don’t take the reminder seriously, everything they do will be remembered.
  • There is no escape for them if they refuse the reminder.

Hastened vs. Deferred Punishment

Ar‑Razi’s Indication

“This is an indication that the matter is not limited to their destruction (in this life); rather, that destruction is what is hastened, while the deferred punishment, which has been prepared for them due to what they did, is written for them”.

Echo within Surah Al‑Qamar

بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوْعِدُهُمْ وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدْهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ

“But the Hour is their appointment [for due punishment], and the Hour is more disastrous and more bitter (or unpleasant)”.

Scope and Certainty of the Records

Comprehensive

Records include “everything they have done,” encompassing their deeds in full.

Inescapable

As the reminder is rejected, the writing affirms there is no escape from accountability.

Linked to the Ashyaa’

“Everything they did” refers back to the Ashyaa’ أَشْيَاعَ.

Terms in Context

Az‑Zubur الزُّبُرِ — written records.
Ashyaa’ أَشْيَاعَ — the ones referred back to here.
Katabah كَتَبَة — Scribes (Angels).
Direct Address — interjections to Quraish.