Tafseer of Taa-Haa · Taa-Haa · 20:102
The Day the Horn will be blown. And We will gather the criminals, that Day, blue-eyed.
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.
His words يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ (the Day on which the Trumpet is blown): He — exalted be His praise — says: how dreadful it will be for them on the Day of Resurrection, the Day on which the Trumpet is blown. His words يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ refer back to "the Day of Resurrection." We have already explained the meaning of the blowing of the Trumpet, as well as the differences of opinion concerning the meaning of "the Trumpet" (al-Ṣūr), and the most correct view concerning it in my estimation along with the proofs for it, in an earlier place — which makes repeating it here unnecessary.
The Qurʾān-reciters differed in its reading. The great majority of the reciters in all the regions read it as يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ with the yāʾ and its vocalization in the passive construction without mention of the one performing the act, with the meaning: the Day on which Allah commands Isrāfīl and he blows the Trumpet. Abū ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAlāʾ read it as يَوْمَ نَنْفُخُ فِي الصُّورِ with the nūn, with the meaning: the Day on which We blow the Trumpet — evidently what prompted him to this was the striving for agreement with the words وَنَحْشُرُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ (and We gather the criminals), since there is no disagreement among the reciters concerning (naḥshuru) that it is with the nūn.
Abū Jaʿfar says: the reading I prefer in this is (yawma yunfakhu) with the yāʾ in the passive construction, for that is the reading upon which the reciters of all the regions are found, even though the reading that Abū ʿAmr recited has an aspect that is not incorrect.
His words وَنَحْشُرُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ زُرْقًا (and We gather the criminals on that Day blue-eyed): He — exalted be His praise — says: and We drive together the disbelievers in Allah on that Day to the gathering-place of the Resurrection, blue-eyed. It has been said: by "blue" in this place is meant what appears in their eyes of the severity of the thirst that will afflict them at the gathering — appearing as blueness to the eye. And it has been said: by it is meant that they are driven together blind, as Allah says: وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًا (and We gather them on the Day of Resurrection, upon their faces, blind).
