Every Soul will be Detained for what it has Done, Except the people of the right, Surah Al Muddassir
Channel: Islam The Great
Date: 2022-12-21

What will take place in the Discussion between the People of Paradise and the People of the Hellfire
Allah informs that,

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ
(Every person is a pledge for what he has earned,) meaning, bound to his deed on the Day of Judgement. Ibn `Abbas and others have said this.

إِلاَّ أَصْحَـبَ الْيَمِينِ
(Except those on the Right.) For verily, they will be

فِى جَنَّـتٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ - عَنِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ
(In Gardens they will ask one another, about criminals (and they will say to them)) meaning, while they are in lofty rooms they will ask the criminals, who will be in the lowest levels (of Hell), saying to them,

مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِى سَقَرَ - قَالُواْ لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ - وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَ
("What has caused you to enter Hell" They will say: "We were not of those who used to offer the Salah, nor did we feed the poor.") meaning, `we did not worship Allah, nor did we do good to His creatures of our own species (i.e., other people).'

وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ الُخَآئِضِينَ
(And we used to speak falsehood with vain speakers.) meaning, `we used to speak about what we had no knowledge of.' Qatadah said, "It means that every time someone went astray we would go astray with them."

وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ - حَتَّى أَتَـنَا الْيَقِينُ
(And we used to deny the Day of Recompense, until the certainty (Al-Yaqin) came to us.) meaning, death. This is as Allah says,

وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ
(And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty.) (15:99) The Messenger of Allah said,

«أَمَّا هُوَ يعني عثمان بن مظعون فَقَدْ جَاءَهُ الْيَقِينُ مِنْ رَبِّه»
(Concerning him verily, Al-Yaqin (death) came to him from his Lord.)" Allah then says,

فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمْ شَفَـعَةُ الشَّـفِعِينَ
(So no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to them.) meaning, whoever has these characteristics, then the intercession of whoever tries to intercede for him will be of no benefit on the Day of Judgement. This is because intercession is only useful if the conditions for it are met. However, whoever comes before Allah as a disbeliever on the Day of Judgement, then he will get the Hellfire and there is no way of avoiding it. He will abide in it (Hell) forever.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِيْنَةٌ اِلَّآ اَصْحٰبَ الْيَمِيْنِ (Everyone will be detained [ in the Hell ] because of what he did, [ 38] except the People of the Right, [ i.e. those who will be given their Book of Deeds in their right hands ] 74:38-39)

The word rahinah is used in the sense of marhunah 'will be detained'. The word is derived from rahn 'to give something valuable to a pawnbroker as a security for a debt. 
The valuable thing is thus merely detained by the pawnbroker. He cannot use it or take advantage of it. Likewise, every person on the Day of Judgment will be detained in lieu of his sins, except those who will be given their Book of Deeds in their right hands.
 In this context, 'detention' could refer to being detained in Hell. In this case, the statement would mean that every person will be held in pledge in Hell against his sins to receive punishment, except the People of the Right. 

The context indicates that the People of the Right are those who have repaid their debt, i.e. they have fulfilled their obligations in this world towards Allah and other human beings. In these instances there is no need for them to be detained. 

This interpretation seems to be plain, simple and straightforward. However, if 'detention' refers to being held at some other place before giving account or before admission into Paradise or Hell, it signifies that every person will be held to give an account of his deeds.

 No person will be permitted to move out unless the account is taken. In this case, the exception of the People of the Right could refer to the sinless who are not accountable, such as minors or immature children as explained by Sayyidna ` Ali. According to a Tradition, a segment of the Holy Prophet's community would be exempted from accountability. They will enter Paradise without having to account for actions. Possibly, it could be referring to this segment.

 According to Surah .Al-Waqi` ah, there will be three categories of people on the Plain of Gathering: [ 1] sabiqun 'the Foremost' and muqarrabun 'who have attained nearness to Allah'; [ 2] the People of the Right; and [ 3] the People of the Left. On this occasion, the muqarrabun have been merged with the People of the Right', and only the latter people have been mentioned. From this point of view, there is no express text which states that all the People of the Right will be excepted, and will not be detained for accountability. The first interpretation, that is being held in Hell, appropriately fits the context. And Allah knows best!
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