Tafseer of The letter Qaaf · Qaaf · 50:18
Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].
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 word: مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ ("He utters no word but that with him is a watcher, ready"). The Exalted says: man utters not a single word that he speaks but that, alongside the word he utters, there is a watcher (raqīb), ready (ʿatīd) — that is to say: a guardian who writes it down; "ʿatīd" means: made ready, standing prepared.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of exegesis have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid: عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ ("on the right and on the left seated"), he said: on the right is the one who writes down the good deeds, and on the left is the one who writes down the bad deeds.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Ibrāhīm al-Taymī, concerning His word: إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ ("when the two receivers receive, on the right and on the left seated"), he said: the companion of the right is commander, or overseer, over the companion of the left; and when the servant performs a bad deed, the companion of the right says to the companion of the left: Hold back, perhaps he will turn back in repentance.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, saying: ʿAmr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid: إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ , he said: an angel on his right and another on his left; as for the one on his right, he writes down the good, and as for the one on his left, he writes down the evil.
He [Ibn Ḥumayd] said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid, he said: with every human being are two angels: an angel on his right and an angel on his left. He said: as for the one on his right, he writes down the good, and as for the one on his left, he writes down the evil.
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ ("And We have indeed created man and We know what his soul whispers to him") ... up to عَتِيدٌ , he said: Allah has set over the son of Adam two watchers in the night and two watchers in the day, who preserve his deeds over him and write down his traces.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ , until he reached عَتِيدٌ , al-Ḥasan and Qatāda said concerning مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ ("He utters no word"): that is to say: he speaks nothing but that it is written down against him. And ʿIkrima used to say: that applies only to the good and the evil, both of which are written down against him.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, he said: al-Ḥasan recited عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ and said: O son of Adam, a scroll has been spread out for you, and two noble angels have been entrusted to you, one of them on your right and the other on your left. As for the one on your right, he preserves your good deeds, and as for the one on your left, he preserves your bad deeds. So do what you will, little or much, until your scroll, when you die, is rolled up and placed in your neck, with you in your grave, until you come forth on the Day of Resurrection. At that moment He says: وَكُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ ("And every man's fate We have fastened upon his neck") ... until he reached حَسِيبًا ("as reckoner"): just is Allah toward you, that He has made you a reckoner over yourself.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid: عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ , he said: the writer of the good deeds is on his right, and the writer of the bad deeds is on his left.
He [Ibn Ḥumayd] said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, he said: it has reached me that the writer of the good deeds is commander over the writer of the bad deeds; and when he sins, he says to him: Do not hasten, perhaps he will ask for forgiveness.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ , he said: He has set alongside him one who writes down everything that he utters, and that one is with him as a watcher.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥārith informed me, on the authority of Hishām al-Ḥimṣī, that it had reached him that when the man performs a bad deed, the writer of the right says to the companion of the left: Write it down. But that one says: No, you write it down rather. Then both of them refrain. Thereupon a crier calls out: O companion of the left, write down what the companion of the right has left off.
