This, to my mind, is the meaning of the conjunctive particle wa in the above context.

Cf. 2:216-"it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you, and it may well be that you love a thing the while it is bad for you: and God knows, whereas you do not know": in other words, divine guidance is the only objective criterion as to what is good and what is bad.

Regarding the primary meaning of the term ayah, see note 2 above. In the present context, the expression ayatayn ("two symbols") refers - as the subsequent clause shows - to the symbols of spiritual darkness and light.

I.e., the message of the Qur'an, which is meant to lead man out of spiritual ignorance and error into the light of faith and reason.

Lit., "the count (`adad) of years". Since, as the Qamus points out, this phrase denotes also "the years of [a person's] life, which he counts", it obviously implies here a call to spiritual self-criticism in view of the ephemeral nature of one's worldly life.

Le., everything that man may be in need of in the domain of ethics and religion.

The word ta'ir literally signifies a "bird" or, more properly, a "flying creature". Since the pre-Islamic Arabs often endeavoured to establish a good or bad omen and, in general, to foretell the future from the manner and direction in which birds would fly, the term ta'ir came to be tropically used in the sense of "fortune", both good and evil, or "destiny". (See in this connection surah 3, note 37, and surah 7, note 95.) It should, however, be borne in mind that the Qur'anic concept of "destiny" relates not so much to the external circumstances of and events in man's life as, rather, to the direction which this life takes in result of one's moral choices: in other words, it relates to man's spiritual fate-and this, in its turn, depends-as the Qur'an so often points out-on a person's inclinations, attitudes and conscious actions (including self-restraint from morally bad actions or, alternatively, a deliberate omission of good actions). Hence, man's spiritual fate depends on him-self and is inseparably linked with the whole tenor of his personality; and since it is God who has made man responsible for his behaviour on earth, He speaks of Himself as having "tied every human being's destiny to his neck".

The "record" and the subsequent "account" represent man's total comprehension, on Judgment Day, of all his past life (Razi). This allegory occurs in the Qur'an in many formulations, e.g., in 37:19 or 39:68, and perhaps most incisively in 50:22 "now We have lifted from thee thy veil, and sharp is thy sight today!"

See 6:164, 35:18 and 39:7, as well as the corresponding notes; also 53:38, which represents the earliest Qur'anic statement of this fundamental principle of ethics.

Sc., "so that they might fully understand the meaning of right and wrong": cf. 6:131-132 and the corresponding note 117, as well as 29:59 (which, in the chronology of revelation, immediately precedes the present surah!).

Lit.. "Our command", i e., to mend their ways. The term qaryah (ht., "town") denotes usually - though not always - a "community" or "people of a community".

Le., to the exclusion of all moral considerations. (por the above rendering of the expression mutraf, see surah 11, note 147.) The people referred to here are those who, by virtue of their wealth and social position, embody the real leadership of their community and are, therefore, morally responsible for the behaviour of their followers.

lit., "We assign [or "shall assign"] hell to him".

Since caring and striving for the good of the hereafter presupposes belief in God and in man's responsibility before Him, it is obvious that the term "believer" relates, in this context, to a cognition of God's absolute oneness and uniqueness as well as to a willing acceptance of the guidance offered to man through prophetic revelation. - In the original, the whole preceding sentence has the singular form ("he who cares ... and strives ... and is a believer"); but in view of the next clause, which is expressed in the plural, it is preferable to render these pronouns, agreeably with Arabic usage, uniformly in the plural.

6:97, 10:5. Reckon every day, month and year to see what you have gained and lost in your self-development

The Eternal messenger now is the Book of God

And the leaders and the public are left blaming one another. 7:38, 10:28, 14:21, 16:86

2:200, 11:15-16

2:201

42:20

All our intentions, words, and actions are recorded in a record. We will be impeached by this record on the Day of Judgment. See 57:22.

This verse confirms the Biblical verse Ezekiel 18:20. However, the Bible also contains verses claiming collective punishment: Exodus 20:5; Lamentations 5:7; Psalms 109:9-10.

Your life is already recorded, as if on a video tape, from birth to death. This same record will be made accessible to us upon resurrection.57:22 &Appendix 14..