There are many means adopted in Al Qur'an to better understand a verse and Divine wisdom hidden therein. These means may include metaphors, parable and imageries for many a man understand such methods interesting and attracted to the substance to reflect deeply on what is being indirectly said. We have already shared many such means of understanding in our exclusive reference page: Why Metaphors and Parables are used in Al Qur'an
This publication also dwells on an imagery which is found in the opening passage of Surah Yā-Sīn, especially verses 8–12. Two ideas are deliberately placed side by side: Some people become spiritually unable to see the truth because of persistent rejection and arrogance (36:8–10), yet every deed—and even the effects we leave behind—is recorded by Allah (36:12).
The key verses
1. In 36:9, Allah says:
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّا وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّا فَأَغْشَيْنَاهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ
“We have placed a barrier before them and a barrier behind them and covered them, so they do not see.”
1. Then, only a few verses later, 36:12 says:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ
“Indeed, We give life to the dead, and We record what they have sent ahead and the traces they leave behind; and We have recorded everything in a clear Record.”
Combined together, the theme could very accurately be expressed as:
“A person may close his eyes to the truth, but Allah never loses sight of what he does.”
What is the context?
Surah Yā-Sīn is a Makkan Surah. Its opening passage addresses the resistance faced by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from the Makkan unbelievers. Verses 2–6 first affirm that Muhammad ﷺ is indeed a Messenger and that the Qur’an is Divine revelation sent to awaken a heedless people. Verses 7–10 then describe those who had become deeply entrenched in rejection, while verse 11 contrasts them with those whose hearts remain receptive to the Reminder.
Therefore the image of shackles and barriers is primarily spiritual and moral imagery. They possess physical eyes, but pride, stubbornness and repeated rejection have prevented them from recognizing what is directly before them.
This is important: the passage does not teach that Allah arbitrarily blinds innocent people and then punishes them. Rather, the imagery describes the condition reached by those who repeatedly and arrogantly reject guidance.
Why “barriers before them and behind them”?
Eminent scholar and exegete Maududi gives a particularly thought-provoking explanation. The barrier behind them means they refuse to learn properly from the past; the barrier before them means they do not seriously consider where their present choices will lead in the future. Their arrogance effectively surrounds them until obvious realities become invisible to them.
Thus a person can be highly educated, intelligent and worldly-wise—and nevertheless become morally blind. He may see everything except what he does not want to see.
Ibn Kathir interprets verses 8–10 as a vivid picture of people whose obstinate rejection has made guidance extremely difficult for them. The shackles around their necks symbolize their constrained spiritual condition: their heads are held high and they cannot lower themselves humbly before the truth.
The imagery is therefore connected with kibr—pride.
One of the Qur’an's recurring warnings is that intellectual evidence alone may not guide a person whose heart has become dominated by arrogance.
Maududi Maududi interprets the “fetters” as obduracy and pride. The raised head symbolizes the stiffness of arrogance: they have reached the point where even clear signs fail to move them. The barriers signify their inability to benefit either from history or from reflection upon the consequences awaiting them.
This interpretation gives 36:9 a timeless psychological dimension: Sometimes the greatest obstacle between a person and truth is not absence of evidence—but unwillingness to bow before it.
Then why does verse 12 suddenly speak about records?
This transition is extremely significant. After describing those who refuse to see, Allah declares:
“We record what they send forward and their آثار—āthār.”
Āthār literally means traces, footprints, effects or things left behind. So Allah records two dimensions of our lives:
- مَا قَدَّمُوا — “what they sent ahead” - that is What we ourselves actually did.
- وَآثَارَهُمْ — “their traces” - that is What continued because of us after the original act.
This makes 36:12 much deeper than merely saying “Allah records your deeds.”
Let us understand this way:
- Suppose someone teaches another person something good, establishes a charity, raises righteous children, shares beneficial knowledge, or inspires someone toward Allah. The original action may finish, but its trace continues.
- Conversely, a person may spread falsehood, normalize corruption, teach someone an evil practice or circulate something harmful. He may have forgotten it years later—but its consequences may continue travelling through society.
That is why Allah says those traces are also recorded.
The remarkable contrast of 36:9 and 36:12
Now let us read these verses together: (36:9): They cannot see. (36:12): But We record everything.
That creates a sobering Qur’anic contrast: Man may become blind to his actions, but Allah is never unaware of them. A person may convince himself: “There is nothing wrong with what I am doing.” He may silence his conscience. He may surround himself with people who agree with him. He may reinterpret wrongdoing until it appears acceptable.
But changing our perception does not change Allah's record.
An extraordinary lesson for our age
Verse 36:12 has perhaps become even easier to appreciate in the modern world because we now understand how far a person's “traces” can travel. A sentence written online can be copied thousands of times. A video can influence millions. A false accusation can destroy someone's reputation long after the speaker has forgotten it.
But the reverse is equally true. (1) A Qur’anic reflection you share may guide someone years later. (2) A child you teach may teach another generation. (3) A charitable institution you help establish may continue benefiting people after your death.
One sincere action can produce a chain of goodness whose full extent even the original person may never know.
Yet Allah knows every link in that chain.
- Therefore 36:12 asks us a deeper question than simply: “What deeds are you doing?”
- It asks: “What traces are you leaving behind?”
And this is where verses 8–12 become a complete moral warning for us today:
Do not allow pride to blind you to truth. Remain receptive when Allah's guidance challenges your desires. Remember that every decision leaves a footprint—and although human beings may forget those footprints, Allah preserves them all.
Perhaps the most powerful personal reflection from this passage is therefore: When my life is over, what will my āthār—my footprints—still be doing in this world: leading people toward Allah, or away from Him?
This imagery and the verses are rather difficult to understand, as it did with me. But when you deeply reflect over it, the Divine wisdom will start to unfold. Let us make sure that none of our actions or words leave behind footprints that may come haunting to us on the Day of Judgement.
The Quran is full of wisdom, and those who do not follow its guidance are indeed unfortunate. However only those who believe in God and fear His punishment will take heed of the warning. God keeps a clear record of everything.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 36. Yā-Sīn already published.
You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages:
- Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
- Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
- Selected Verses from the Qur'an.
You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
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