(S. 83) - Sijjin, 'Illiyyun = "Inscribed Book"?

Iyyaka

Salam aleykoum,

VOCABULARY QUESTIONS

The symmetrical antithetical verses 7-8 and 18-20 have given rise to various interpretations, both due to the obscure terms Sijjîn and 'Illiyyûn and uncertain grammatical construction.

According to most commentators, Sijjîn is a proper noun. However, they debate whether Sijjîn refers to the Writing, the register where the deeds of the deviants-depraved are recorded, or an infernal place where this writing is kept.

Verse 8 mentions an "Inscribed Book". Does this refer to Sijjîn, as opined by Razi or Zamakhshari, or to the "register of the deviants-depraved", as believed by al-Qaffal (d. 336/947) and later adopted by Qurtubi (d. 671/1272) ? In the latter case, the question "And what could make thee conceive what that Sijjîn is ?" is merely a rhetorical parenthesis without an answer, after which the sentence begun in verse 7 continues "Nay, verily, the record of the depraved ones is indeed in the Sijjîn, - And what could make thee conceive what that Sijjîn is? - an Inscribed Book". This says nothing about what Sijjîn is, but suggests viewing it as an infernal place, a destination for the depraved ones.

Commentators, to support this meaning, relate the term to the root SJN from which sijn (prison) is derived, which would here be the prison of Hell. The form sijjîn, unknown in Arabic but created here by the Quran, would be an intensive form (fi''il) emphasizing the severity of the infernal prison in the form of a furnace.

The same questions arise for the term 'Illiyyûn (verse 1, symmetrical to Sijjîn. The word is, however, less obscure. Philologists agree that it derives from the Hebrew 'elyon, a name given to God the "Most High", but which can also simply mean "the highest, the superior". It can therefore designate the highest place in heaven, precisely where "those brought near" (to God) reside, as mentioned in verse 21. If this is the case, Sijjîn corresponds to its opposite the deepest place in hell.

INTERTEXTUALITY and RHETORICAL ANALYSIS (through Semitic rhetoric or structural analysis)

Intertextuality and rhetorical analysis confirm the meaning of Sijjîn and 'Illiyûn as an infernal place and a celestial place respectively, as well as the grammatical structure proposed by al-Qaffal, as mentioned above.

COMPOSITION

The text of Surah 83 is divided into 3 parts 1-6, 7-28, and 29-36. The extreme parts (1-6; 29-36) are a condemnation of fraudsters, first in this worldly life, with the threatening perspective of Judgment (first part, 1-6), then in the hereafter (third part, 29-36). The central part is subdivided into two sub-parts, contrasting the eschatological destiny of the depraved (7-17) and the righteous (18-2.

The entire sub-part (7-17)

https//reveniraucoran.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/S.-83-part-7-17.jpg

The extreme sections begin with the doubled negation Kallâ (7, 14a). The part is framed by the terms "Sijjîn" (7) and "blazing Fire" (16); this symmetry makes it highly likely that this is a synonymy the register of the depraved is found where they will suffer punishment for their actions, in the Furnace. The synonymous terms "depraved" (7) and "those who deny" (10) connect the first two sections. "On that Day" (10 and 15) links the second section to the third. These two sections end with a declaration (from "those who deny", in 13b; from God in 17a-b).

-The entire sub-part (18-2

https//reveniraucoran.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/S.-83-part-18-28.jpg

The two passages are framed by the same terms "righteous" (18,22) and "those who are brought near" (21,2. They begin with very similar terms

In truth (inna), the record of the RIGHTEOUS is indeed in (la-fi) the 'Illiyûn
In truth (inna), the RIGHTEOUS are indeed in (la-fi) bliss

This parallelism allows us to understand that the answer to the central question about 'Illiyûn (19) is given not in the following verse (20), but in verse 22 the 'Illiyûn where the record of the Righteous is kept is the Paradise of delights.

Mazhar

Rhetorical question is a device used to persuade and subtly influence the audience. It is a question not asked for the answer, but for the effect. It is used to emphasize a point or just to get the audience thinking. It is a very powerful persuasive and thought provoking tool.

Hypophora rhetoric is when the speaker asks the audience a question and then immediately answers the question.

It is immediately clarified what is referred by those words
The original text of Qur’ān is stated as inscribed on (لَوْحٛ) a wide and thin, gleamed and glistened plate which is all time safe (مَّحْفُوظِۭ). Both the books, Mother/Principal Book and Qur’ān, share the qualitative attribute of explicitly explicative—conveyor of information in succinct, individuated, distinct and crystallized manner, functioning like an exegete. It reveals it has distinct chapters which in itself constitute a book of distinct concept. The biographies of different type of peoples are assigned distinct name and how are they penned is disclosed which further confirms that the Principal Book is in the language resembling the code language of the Computer

كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٟبَ ٱلْفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّيـنٛ ٧وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا سِجِّيـنٚ ٨كِتَٟبٚ مَّرْقُومٚ ٩

Nay, that will not avail; the fact is that the Book/biography of fearless transgressors/wicked is detailed in that given the title Sijjeen — And what is that which could give you the perception as to what is Sijjeen — That is a book which has the characteristic of written with dots.

24.21. As against the Book of the people who will be imprisoned in the Hell-Prison, the biographies of those destined to Paradise is in separate Book recorded in the same manner

كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَٟبَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّيـنَ١٨وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ ١٩كِتَٟبٚ مَّرْقُومٚ ٢٠

Nay, indeed the Book/biography of the pious is certainly incorporated in Illiyin — And what is that which could give you the perception as to what is Illiyun — That is a book (record of elevated/honoured people) which has the characteristic of written with dots —

24.22. The last elliptical sentence (كِتَٟبٚ مَّرْقُوم) with subject elided described how those books are penned/inscribed. Passive participle as adjective is descriptive term for the said book from Root ر ق م which embeds the perception of streak, calligraphy, penmanship and writing and that which resembles it; writing with dots or points.

An excerpt from
https//haqeeqat.pk/TranslationMethadology2.htm#24.SourcePrincipal