Al-Waqi'ah Verse 13

˹They will be˺ a multitude from earlier generations

many from the early generations,

(a throng of the ancients

many from the past

A multitude from the ancients.

A number of people from those of old,

A throng of the ancients,

A number of the earlier peoples,

A large group from the earlier generations.

A multitude from the former [generations]

A good many of them are from among the first (to have embraced God’s Religion);

A large party of them (will hail) from the early (believers);

A group from the first/beginners.

A large group from the earlier generations.

A multitude of those of old,

A multitude of those (foremost) will be from the first generations (who embraced Islam).

In Gardens of bliss

A numerous company from among the first,

A multitude of those of old

Many of them will be from the ancient people

a host of the ancients

A multitude of those will be from the first ones.

a large group of the early believers,

A throng from the ancients.

a multitude from the former [generations] (thullatun mina'l-awwalna, the subject), that is to say, a group of individuals from communities of old,

The Reward of the Foremost in Faith

Allah states that the foremost of the close believers are a multitude, a crowd among the earlier generations and a few from the latter generations. There is a difference over the meaning of the first generations and the later generations. Some said that the former means earlier (believing) nations, while the later refers to this Ummah. This was reported from Mujahid and Al-Hasan Al-Basri, in the collection of Ibn Abi Hatim, and this is the preference of Ibn Jarir. He considered it supported by the saying of Allah's Messenger;

نَحْنُ الاْخِرُونَ السَّابِقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة

We are the later nation, but the foremost on the Day of Resurrection.

Ibn Jarir did not mention any other interpretation nor did he attribute this view to anyone else. There is another Hadith that could support this meaning. Imam Abu Muhammad bin Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that when these Ayat were revealed,

ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاَْوَّلِينَ



وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ الاْخِرِينَ