Tafseer of The Night Journey · Al-Israa · 17:14
[It will be said], "Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah the Exalted says: وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ كِتَابًا يَلْقَاهُ مَنْشُورًا (and on the Day of Resurrection We bring forth for him a book which he finds spread open) — and it is said to him: اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا (Read your book; today you suffice for yourself as a reckoner). The mention of the words "We say to him" has been omitted because the context indicates it sufficiently. By His words اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ He means: read the book of your deeds which you performed in the worldly life, which our two scribes have recorded and which We have kept accurately for you. كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا (Today you suffice for yourself as a reckoner): that is, you yourself suffice today as the one who reckons your deeds against you and enumerates them — We have no need of any other witness against you, nor do We seek any other counter against you besides it.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا (Read your book; today you suffice for yourself as a reckoner): "On that day he will read, even he who was not a reader in the worldly life."
