and he will be called to account for them in this life as well, so that he is accountable for them in all three abodes: the abode of this world(1), the Barzakh, and the final abode of permanence. Qatadah(2) said, “Two questions will be put to both the earliest and the latest generations: ‘Whom did you worship?’ and ‘What answer did you give to the messengers?’”

These two questions embody the very meaning of the two testimonies of faith. The Almighty said, “But no—by your Lord—they will not truly believe until they make you judge in all that arises between them; then they will find within themselves no discomfort regarding what you have decided, and will submit in full submission” (65)(3).

Thus He, exalted is He, swore by the most majestic Being by whom an oath may be sworn—namely, Himself—that faith is not affirmed for them, nor do they belong to its people, until they refer every point of contention to His Messenger. That includes everything that arises among them of disputed matters(4) in every branch of the religion. The particle ma in the verse is a term of totality; as a relative pronoun it indicates that faith is negated whenever his judgment is not sought(5) in everything they dispute about.

Nor did the verse stop there: it also required that their hearts be open to his ruling, so that they find(6) within themselves no constriction or unease from his verdict. Rather, they must receive his judgment(7) with wholehearted openness and meet it with acceptance(8), not that they