Tafsir An Naba

SURA 78
An-Naba (La Noticia)

Perodo de Mecca
L TEMA de este sura, que pertenece sin duda a la ltima fase del perodo de Mecca (Suyuti),
es la continuidad de la vida humana despus de la muerte fsica, e.d., la resurreccin y el
juicio final de Dios. Su ttulo convencional procede de la palabra naba en su segundo versculo.
EN EL NOMBRE DE DIOS, EL MS MISERICORDIOSO, EL DISPENSADOR DE GRACIA:
(1) SOBRE QU se preguntan [con frecuencia] unos a otros? (2) Sobre la tremenda noticia
[de la resurreccin], (3) acerca de la cual discrepan [tan profundamente].1
(4) No, pero en su momento [lo] entendern!
(5) Y una vez ms:2 No, pero en su momento entendern!
(6) NO HEMOS hecho de la tierra un lecho [para vosotros], (7) y de las montaas [sus] estacas?3
1
La cuestin que preocupa al hombre por encima de todas las dems la interrogante de si existe vida
despus de la muerteha obtenido muy distintas respuestas a lo largo de los siglos. Es imposible, desde
luego, reflejar las innumerables variaciones que presentan esas respuestas; sin embargo, pueden discernirse claramente algunas lneas maestras de pensamiento, y mencionarlas aqu puede ser de ayuda para una
mejor comprensin del tratamiento que el Qurn da a este problema. Algunas gentes probablemente una
minoraparecen estar convencidas de que la muerte fsica equivale a una extincin total e irreversible, y
que, por tanto, cualquier planteamiento sobre el ms all es simplemente fruto de la fantasa. Otros son de
la opinin de que tras la muerte del individuo, su esencia vital regresa a su supuesta fuente de origen
concebida como el alma universaly se funde por completo con ella. Algunos creen en la sucesiva
transmigracin del alma individual, en el momento de la muerte, a otro cuerpo, humano o animal, pero sin
continuidad en la conciencia individual. Otros, por su parte, piensan que lo que sobrevive a la muerte es
slo el alma y no la personalidad humana completa o sea, en una forma puramente espiritual e incorprea. Y, por ltimo, algunos creen en una supervivencia ntegra de la personalidad y de la conciencia individuales, y consideran la muerte y la resurreccin como etapas gemelas de un acto positivo de re-creacin de
la personalidad humana en su totalidad, en la forma que esto exija necesariamente: y esta es la perspectiva
cornica de la Otra Vida.
2
Acerca de esta traduccin de la partcula zumma, vase sura 6, nota 31.
908
Sura 78. An-Naba
(La Noticia)
(8) Y os hemos creado en parejas;4 (9) y hemos hecho de vuestro sueo [smbolo de la] muerte5
(10) y hemos hecho de la noche [su] manto (11) y hemos hecho del da [smbolo de la] vida.6
(12) Y hemos construido sobre vosotros siete firmamentos,7 (13) y hemos puesto [en ellos al
sol,] una lmpara resplandeciente.
(14) Y de las nubes que el viento arrastra hacemos caer agua en abundancia, (15) y mediante ella
hacemos brotar grano y hierbas, (16) y frondosos jardines.8
(17) REALMENTE, el Da de la Distincin [entre lo verdadero y lo falso]9 tiene en verdad su
hora sealada: (18) el Da en que se haga sonar la trompeta [de la resurreccin] y acudis en
multitudes; (19) y sean abiertos los cielos y se vuelvan puertas [abiertas de par en par]10 (20)
y se haga desaparecer a las montaas como si fueran un espejismo.11
(21) [Ese Da,] realmente, el infierno estar al acecho [de los que niegan la verdad] (22) la meta
de los que solan transgredir los lmites de lo correcto!
Vase 16:15 Ha puesto firmes montaas sobre la tierra, para que no se desplace con vosotrosy la
nota 11 correspondiente, que explica la referencia a las montaas como estacas. Todo este pasaje
(versculos 6-16) quiere ilustrar la omnipotencia de Dios y Su poder creador, como diciendo: No es
capaz quien ha creado el universo de resucitar tambin y re-crear al hombre de cualquier forma que l
estime conveniente?
4
E.d., con el mismo poder creador hemos creado la milagrosa polaridad de los dos sexos, en vosotros y
en otros animales. El fenmeno de la polaridad, evidente en todo el universo (vase 36:36 y la nota 18
correspondiente), se ilustra as mismo en los versculos 9-11.
5
As lo explica Samajshari, destacando el significado primario de subat como corte (qatan), e.d.,
muerte; tambin el famoso fillogo del siglo II, Abu Ubaida Maamar ibn al-Muzanna (citado por Rasi),
quien explica esta frase cornica como una analoga (shibh) de la muerte.
6
Segn Samajshari, el trmino maash (aquello mediante lo cual uno subsiste) es aqu sinnimo de
vida. En la polaridad entre sueo (o muerte) y vigilia (o vida) vemos una alusin a la muerte fsica
y la posterior resurreccin, como ha sido mencionado en 6:60.
7
Lit., siete firmes, indicando con ello la multiplicidad de sistemas csmicos (vase sura 2, nota 20).
8
Dando a entender que la abrumadora evidencia de propsito y de planificacin en toda la naturaleza
observable apunta a la existencia de un Creador consciente que no ha creado [nada de] esto sin un significado y un propsito (3:191), y que como se pone de manifiesto en lo que siguejuzgar un da la
voluntad de cada ser humano de acatar o desobedecer las normas de moralidad que su instinto innato y la
revelacin divina le indicaron claramente.
9
Vase la nota 6 a 77:13. Este pasaje enlaza con los versculos 4-5.
10
Alegricamente: sus misterios quedarn desvelados a la comprensin del hombre ampliando as an
ms el concepto de el Da de la Distincin entre lo verdadero y lo falso.
11
Vase la nota 90 a 20:105-107, y tambin la nota 62 a 14:48.
909
Sura 78. An-Naba
(La Noticia)
(23) En l permanecern por mucho tiempo.12 (24) No probarn all nada refrescante ni bebida
alguna [que sacie la sed] (25) slo ardiente desesperacin y glida oscuridad:13 (26) ajustada retribucin [por sus pecados]!
(27) Ciertamente, no esperaban ser llamados a rendir cuentas, (28) pues desmintieron Nuestros
mensajes rotundamente: (29) pero hemos anotado en un registro todas las cosas [que hicieron].
(30) [Y entonces diremos:] Saboread, pues, [el fruto de vuestras malas acciones,] ya que no os
daremos sino ms y ms castigo!14
(31) [Pero,] realmente, a quienes son conscientes de Dios les aguarda la plenitud suprema:15 (32)
exuberantes jardines y viedos, (33) y esplndidos acompaantes, afines en todo [a ellos],16 (34) y
una copa [de felicidad] rebosante.
12
E.d., no eternamente, puesto que el trmino huqb o hiqba (del que ahqab es plural) denota nicamente
un perodo de tiempo o mucho tiempo (Yauhari) segn algunas autoridades, ochenta aos, segn
otras, un ao o simplemente aos (Ass, Qams, Lisn al-Aarab, etc.). Pero como quiera que se defina, es evidente que este trmino significa un perodo limitado de tiempo y no la eternidad: y esto se corresponde con numerosas indicaciones en el Qurn acerca de que el sufrimiento descrito como infierno
no es eterno (vase la nota 114 al ltimo prrafo de 6:128), y tambin con varios dichos autnticos del
Profeta (p.e., el citado en la nota 10 a 40:12).
13
Acerca de mi traduccin de hamim por ardiente desesperacin, vase sura 6, nota 62. El significado
de gassaq ha sido explicado en la nota 47 a 38:57-58.
14
Lit., no os incrementaremos sino en castigo: e.d., hasta que los pecados cometidos en este mundo
sean expiados mediante un sufrimiento proporcional en el ms all pues quien se presente [ante Dios]
con una mala accin ser retribuido slo con otro tanto; y nadie ser tratado injustamente (6:160).
15
E.d., la obtencin de cuanto un ser humano pueda desear (Rasi), simbolizada por los jardines exuberantes, etc., que se mencionan a continuacin.
16
Acerca de esta traduccin de atrab, vase sura 56, nota 15. En cuanto a mi traduccin de kawaiib por
esplndidos acompaantes, debe recordarse que el trmino kaab del que se deriva el participio kaiib
tiene muchos significados, y que uno de esos es prominencia, eminencia o gloria (Lisn al-Aarab);
as, cuando el verbo kaaba se refiere a una persona significa l hizo [a alguien] prominente o afamado o esplndido (ibid.). Tomando este significado figurado del verbo kaaba y del nombre kaab, el
participio kaiib se emplea a menudo, en lenguaje popular, para designar a una joven cuyos pechos empiezan a hacerse prominentes o turgentes: de ah que muchos comentaristas vean en ello una alusin a
algn tipo de compaeras que entretendran a los moradores [supuestamente masculinos] del paraso.
Pero aparte del hecho de que todas las alegoras cornicas de los goces del paraso se refieren sin excepcin tanto a hombres como a mujeres, esta interpretacin de kawaiib pasa por alto el origen puramente
derivado del uso popular antedicho basado en la connotacin figurada de prominencia inherente al
nombre kaaby sustituye este evidente tropismo por el significado literal de algo que es fsicamente
prominente: y esto est, a mi entender, del todo injustificado. Si tenemos presente que las descripciones
cornicas de las bienaventuranzas del paraso son siempre alegricas, comprenderemos que en el contexto
presente el trmino kawaiib no puede tener otro significado que el de seres maravillosos o esplndidos, sin especificar sexo; y que, asociado al trmino atrab, denota: esplndidos acompaantes, afines en
todo a ellos aludiendo as a las relaciones de los bienaventurados entre s, y destacando la absoluta
compatibilidad mutua e igual dignidad de todos ellos. Vase tambin la nota 13 a 56:34.
910
Sura 78. An-Naba
(La Noticia)
(35) No oirn all conversaciones vanas, ni mentiras.

(36) [Todo esto como] recompensa de tu Sustentador, un regalo conforme a [Su] estimacin17 -(37) [recompensa de] el Sustentador de los cielos y la tierra y de cuanto hay entre ellos, el Ms Misericordioso!
Nadie podr dirigirle la palabra (38) el Da en que todas las almas [humanas]18 y todos los ngeles
se dispongan en filas: nadie hablar sino aquel a quien el Ms Misericordioso haya dado Su venia; y
[todos] dirn [slo] lo correcto.19
(39) Ese ser el Da de la Suprema Verdad:20 as pues, que quien quiera busque refugio en su
Sustentador!
(40) Realmente, os hemos advertido de un castigo prximo [el castigo de] un Da en que el
hombre ver [con claridad] lo que han adelantado sus manos, y el que haya negado la verdad diga:
Ay! Ojal fuera tierra...!21
17
E.d., no un mero pago de sus buenas acciones sino muy superior a ellas, de acuerdo con la infinita generosidad de Dios.
18
Lit., el alma, en singular pero denotando plural. Segn Ibn Abbs, Qatada y Al-Hasan (citados todos
por Tabari) este es el significado de ar-ruh en este contexto.
19
Esto incluye el derecho simblico de los profetas a interceder por los pecadores en el Da del Juicio
(vase 10:3 Nadie intercede ante l a menos que obtenga autorizacin Suya para hacerloy la nota 7
correspondiente, que hace patente que tal intercesin implica la aceptacin a priori por parte de Dios
del arrepentimiento del pecador). En un sentido ms amplio, la afirmacin de que aquel a quien Dios
permita hablar dir [slo] lo correcto implica la imposibilidad de que alguien mienta en el Da del Juicio.
20
Cf. 69:1 y la nota 1 correspondiente. Objetivamente, ser el momento en que se hagan accesibles por
completo a la comprensin del hombre la realidad ltima de la vida humana y su propsito.
21
Cf. 69:27.
911
Compendio del Tafsir Al-Qurtub
Sura An-Naba' (La Noticia)

Mequinense
y consta de cuarenta o cuarenta y una ayt
Dice Allh, el Altsimo, en el Noble Corn:
@O@ @ ts>uy@ x.@ @ t=tG@ @ /@ %!$#@ @ y9$#@ *t69$#@ t@ @ t9u!$|tFt@ t@

@ @@@@ts>uy@x.
Sobre qu se preguntan? (1) Sobre la Gran Noticia (2)
acerca de la cul difieren. (3) Pero no! Ya sabrn, (4) sabrn de verdad (5)
Significa: Acerca de qu cosa se preguntan unos a otros los hombres de Quraish? Relataron Abu Sleh e Ibn Abbs que dijeron: Los hombres de Quraish solan sentarse a hablar
entre ellos cada vez que se revelaba el Corn, y haba quienes le daban crdito y haba quienes
lo desmentan. Y fue entonces cuando se revel: Sobre qu se preguntan? Sobre la Gran
Noticia. Por su inmensidad y trascendencia. Acerca de la cul difieren. Es decir, que unos
creen en ella y otros la desmienten. Y esa gran noticia es el Corn, segn relat Abu Sleh, de
Ibn Abbs. Como lo indica claramente cuando dice Allh:
(6867- ).( . )
Di: Es una inmensa noticia. Vosotros os apartis de ella. (Sad-38:67,68)
El Corn es noticia y relato; son noticias de enorme trascendencia. Se transmiti de
Qatada: Se refiere a la Resurreccin despus de la muerte y esto caus discusin entre los
hombres de Quraish: hubo quien dio veracidad a la noticia y quien la desminti. Y de Ibn
Abbs: Los judos preguntaron al Profeta acerca de muchas cosas y Allh le inform de
ellas con sus discrepancias hacia ello, y despus les amenaz Allh cuando dijo: Pero no! Ya
sabrn. Sabrn el objetivo final del Corn, o sabrn realmente si la Resurreccin ser verdadera o falsa. Y parece ser que era sobre esto ltimo acerca de lo que se preguntaban, como lo
indica la ya: Verdaderamente, el Da de la Resurreccin tiene un plazo fijado. Despus.
83
78.Sura An-Naba (La Noticia)
Pero no! Ya sabrn. Es decir, los infieles al final de su desmentido. Es una amenaza tras
otra.
@/3tt@ $u=yy_u@ @ %[ùr&@ /3o)n=yzu@ @ #Y$s?r&@ t$t7g:$#u@ @ #Yy@ uF{$#@ ygw@ s9r&@
@@ #Y#y@ $Y7y@ 3s%s@ $utt/u@ @ $V$yt@ u$p]9$#@ $u=yy_u@ @ $U$t79@ 9$#@ $u=yy_u@ @ $Y?$t7
@@$Y?$t7tu@${7ym@/@ylj9@@%[`$gwR@[!$t@Nu9$#@z@$u9tr&u@@%[`$u@%[`#u@$u=yy_u
@ @@@$$x9r&@BMy_u
Acaso no hemos hecho de la tierra un lecho, (6) hemos
puesto las montaas como estacas, (7) os hemos creado en
parejas, (8) hemos hecho de vuestro sueo reposo, (9)
hemos hecho de la noche un vestido, (10) hemos hecho del
da un medio de vida, (11) hemos edificado sobre vosotros
siete firmamentos, (12) hemos puesto una lmpara reluciente, (13) y hacemos caer de las nubes agua de lluvia
abundante, (14) con la que hacemos que broten granos y
plantas (15) y vergeles de espeso arbolado? (16)
Acaso no hemos hecho de la tierra un lecho?. Es una indicacin clara del poder de
Allh sobre la Resurreccin; es decir, que Nuestro poder para posibilitar estos asuntos es ms
inmenso que el de resucitar de nuevo a los hombres. Y como dice Allh en otra ya:
(22- ).(
)
Aquel que ha hecho para vosotros de la tierra
un lecho. (La Vaca-2:22)
Hemos puesto las montaas como estacas. Para que se fije firmemente y no se incline con el peso de su gente. Os hemos creado en parejas: Varones y hembras. Y tambin entran en la descripcin de parejas, los guapos y feos, altos y bajos, etc., para que con la diferencia surja la reflexin del agradecimiento por parte del ms agraciado y la paciencia por parte
del que ha sido menos agraciado. Hemos hecho de vuestro sueo reposo: es decir, descanso
para vuestros cuerpos. De ah el sbado (subt) el da de descanso. Se dijo a los Hijos de Israel: Descansad en ese da y no trabajis! Hemos hecho de la noche un vestido: El vestido
de la noche es su oscuridad para cubriros. Dijeron Ibn Yubair y As-Sud: Es decir, hizo de la
noche una morada para vosotros. Hemos hecho del da un medio de vida. Es decir, un
tiempo para ir en busca de todo lo necesario para la vida, en cuanto a comida, bebida y otros.
Hemos edificado sobre vosotros siete firmamentos. Siete cielos en perfecta y firme ejecucin. Hemos puesto una lmpara reluciente: es decir, una fuente de energa, que es el sol.
Aqu poner significa crear. Dijo Ibn Abbs: Un astro luminoso y resplandeciente. Y hacemos caer de las nubes agua de lluvia abundante. Dijeron Muyahid y Qatada: Son los vientos. Y aadi Ibn Abbs: Como si estos exprimieran las nubes e hicieran caer el agua. Pues,
84
como se ha dicho, los vientos que vienen con la lluvia son al-muasirt, que es el trmino al
que hace referencia el Corn. En definitiva y lo ms generalizado es que el significado sea el de
las nubes cargadas de agua abundante. Con la que hacemos que broten granos y plantas y
vergeles de espeso arbolado: es decir, con ese agua hacemos que broten granos como el trigo
y la cebada, y hierba para que coman los animales. Adems de huertas con rboles que se entremezclan y se lan sus ramas unas con otras. Esto significa que los rboles de las huertas
estn prximos unos a otros y por consiguiente sus ramas se tocan y tienen una fuerza parecida.
@!$y9$#@MysGu@@%[`#ur&@t?'tFs@9$#@@x@tt@@$\Fs)@t%x.@x9$#@tt@)
@ @@@$/#u|@Mt%s3s@$t7g:$#@Nuiu@@$\/u/r&@Mt%s3s
Ciertamente, el da de la Distincin ser en un momento fijado. (17) El da en que se sople en el cuerno y vengan en
grupos. (18) El cielo se abrir y ser todo puertas. (19) Y las
montaas sern transportadas cul espejismo (20)
Ciertamente, el da de la Distincin tiene un plazo fijado. Es decir, un tiempo fijado
y una congregacin prometida, tanto para los primeros como para los ltimos. Por lo que
Allh prometi de recompensa. Se ha llamado el Da de la Distincin, porque ese Da Allh
distinguir entre Sus criaturas. El da en que se sople en el cuerno y acudan en grupos. Es
decir, acudan para la Resurreccin al lugar de la congregacin por pueblos, cada uno con su
lder.
Se relat un hadiz de Mudh ibn Yabal. Pregunt: Mensajero de Allh qu piensas de
las palabras de Allh: El Da en que se sople en el cuerno y acudan en grupos? Contest el
Profeta : Mudh ibn Yabal, has preguntado por algo inmenso!. Despus sus ojos derramaron lgrimas, y aadi: Sern congregados diez clases por separado de mi pueblo, de los que
Allh haya distinguido de las comunidades de los musulmanes. Les habr cambiado la imagen: unos tendrn la imagen de los monos; otros con la de los cerdos; otros estarn invertidos
con las piernas por arriba y sacando sus rostros entre ellas; otros estarn ciegos y dubitativos;
otros sordos y mudos, sin poder razonar; otros masticando sus lenguas, fluir el pus de sus
bocas; otros con sus manos y piernas cortadas; otros crucificados en troncos de fuego; otros
ms pestilentes que la carroa; y otros vestidos con chilabas teidas de alquitrn y pegadas a
sus pieles. En cuanto a los de forma de mono, sern los murmuradores. Los de forma de cerdo
sern los que obtienen la ganancia ilcitamente. Los invertidos de cabezas y rostros sern los
usureros. Los ciegos sern los gobernantes opresores. Los sordomudos sern aquellos que se
vanaglorian de sus acciones. Los que mastican sus lenguas sern los sabios y charlatanes que
dicen lo que no hacen. Los de pies y manos cortadas sern los que daan a sus vecinos. Los
crucificados en troncos del fuego sern los que van tras el poder. Los que son ms pestilentes
que la carroa sern los que se regodean en los placeres y apetitos, mientras no pagan los derechos de Allh por sus riquezas. Y los de las chilabas de alquitrn sern los soberbios petulantes.
85
El cielo se abrir y ser todo puertas. Es decir, para la bajada de los ngeles, como
dijo Allh:
(25- ).(

)
Y el Da en que el cielo se raje con las nubes y
se hagan descender los ngeles sucesivamente.
(El Discernimiento-25:25)
Se ha dicho que cada siervo tendr dos puertas en el cielo: una para sus acciones y otra
para su provisin. Y en el hadiz del Viaje Nocturno: Despus se nos ascender al cielo y Yibril
pedir abrir la puerta y se le preguntar: Quin eres? Dir: Yibril! Se le dir: Y quin est
contigo? Dir: Muhammad! Se dir: Ha sido enviado? Dijo: Ha sido enviado! Y se nos abrir.
Y las montaas sern transportadas cul espejismo. Es decir, se evaporarn sin que
quede nada, como si hubiesen sido un espejismo.
@#Yt/@$p@t%t@@@$\/$s)mr&@!$p@tV79@@$\/$tt@t=j9@@#Y$|@Mt%x.@zyy_@)@
@@ $\/$|m@ t_t@ @ (#$2@ )@ @ $%$s@ [!#ty_@ @ $]%$xu@ $Vxq@ )@ @ $/#u@ u
@)@ .y@ n=s@ (#%s@ @ $Y7tG2@ o|mr&@ >_x@ .u@ @ $\/#.@ $uGt$t/@ (#/x.u
@ @@@$/#xt
Yahannam es un lugar acechante, (21) un lugar de retorno
para los que se excedieron, (22) en el que permanecern
eternidades. (23) No probarn all ni frescor ni bebida, (24)
tan slo agua hirviendo y pus. (25) Apropiada recompensa.
(26) Ellos no esperaban tener que rendir cuentas (27) y negaron rotundamente la verdad de Nuestros signos. (28) Pero cada cosa la registramos en un libro. (29) Degustad
pues! Slo habr aumento del castigo (30)
Yahannam es un lugar acechante. Habr vigilancia en el Fuego. Y no entrar nadie
en el Jardn sin que antes tenga que pasar por el puesto de vigilancia: si trae salvoconducto
pasar y si no quedar retenido. De Sufin se transmiti que dijo: Sobre el Fuego habr tres
puentes. Los ngeles vigilarn a los infieles hasta que entren en el Yahannam. Un lugar de
retorno para los que se excedieron. Es decir, ser la morada a la retornarn los que se sobrepasaron en su Din por la incredulidad, o en su Dunia por las injusticias en las que incurrieron.
En el que permanecern eternidades. Permanecern all todo el tiempo que duren las eternidades (huquban), una tras otra. Esa es la expresin usada, entre los rabes, para indicar la
mayor duracin posible de tiempo en sentido metafrico.
Relat Ibn Umar del Profeta , y dijo Abu Huraira: Al-huqub (la eternidad) dura
ochenta aos y el ao trescientos sesenta das, y el da equivale a mil aos en relacin a los
86
das del mundo. De Abu Umama y ste del Profeta : Ciertamente, al-huqub son treinta mil
aos. Se transmiti de Umar ibn al-Jattb, que dijo el Profeta : Por Allh! No saldr del
Fuego quien entre en l hasta que permanezca ahqb (eternidades), cada huqub (eternidad)
ser de ochenta y tantos aos, y el ao de trescientos sesenta das, y cada da sern mil aos de
los que contis. Pues, que nadie se confe de que saldr del Fuego [una vez que entre]. Dijo
Al-Quradh: Al-ahqb son cuarenta y tres huqub, y cada huqub setenta otoos, cada otoo
setecientos aos, y cada ao trescientos sesenta das, y cada da mil aos.
No probarn all ni frescor ni bebida. Es decir, en esas eternidades no degustarn el
frescor del aire ni bebida, ni sombra ni sueo, ni nada que represente descanso y reposo. Tan
slo agua hirviendo y pus. El hamm es el agua hirviendo y de ah proviene el hammm o
bao de agua caliente; y tambin se deriva al-humma que es la fiebre. Mientras que algassq es la pus segregada por la propia gente del Fuego. Apropiada recompensa. Es decir,
de acuerdo con sus obras. Ellos no esperaban tener que rendir cuentas. No teman el Ajuste
de Cuentas por sus acciones, de manera que si no crean en la Resurreccin tampoco crean
que tendran que dar cuentas de sus acciones. Y negaron rotundamente la veracidad de
Nuestros signos. Los que trajeron los profetas, contenidos en los libros revelados. Pero cada
cosa la registramos en un libro. Es decir, todo est escrito y se refiere al conocimiento para
ponerlo a salvo del olvido. Se ha dicho: Lo hemos estrito en las Tablas Protegidas para que lo
sepan los ngeles. O tambin se refiere: Lo que se ha escrito sobre las acciones de los siervos,
por los ngeles encargados de ello, por mandato expreso de Allh, como lo indican Sus palabras en el Corn:
(11- ).(
.
)
Y verdaderamente, sobre vosotros hay guardianes que son nobles escribas. (La Hendidura-82:10,11)
Degustad pues! Slo habr aumento del castigo. Dijo Abu Barza, a propsito de la
ya: Pregunt al Profeta acerca de la ya ms dura del Corn y dijo: Es cuando dice Allh:
Degustad pues! Slo habr aumento del castigo. Es decir:
(56- ).(

)
Y cada vez que les queme la piel, se la cambiaremos por otra. (Las Mujeres-4: 56)
(97- ).(
)
Y cada vez que se calme lo avivaremos. (El
Viaje Nocturno-17:97)
@@ @ $]%$y@ $U(.x u@ @ $\/#t?r&@ |=#ux.u@ @ $Y6ur&u@ t,!#ytn@ @ #$xt@ t)F=9@ )
@ @@@$\/$|m@!$st@y7i/@i@[!#ty_@@$\/.@u@#Ys9@$p@tyo
87
Ciertamente, los temerosos tendrn un lugar de triunfo:

(31) Jardines y viedos (32) y doncellas de senos turgentes y
edad invariable, (33) y una copa rebosante. (34) All no oirn vanidad ni mentira alguna. (35) Como recompensa de
tu Seor un gran regalo (36)
Menciona Allh, el Altsimo, como ser la recompensa de los que han temido discrepar
de los mandatos de Allh. Y esa ser la salvacin pura del destino de la gente del Fuego. Y ms
bien sern conducidos a un Jardn de huertas y viedos, y habr para ellos doncellas de senos
turgentes siempre con la misma edad. Dispondrn siempre de una copa llena a rebosar [de
vino no embriagante] de forma continuada. All, en el Jardn, no oirn falsedades ni palabras
vanas de ninguna clase. La gente cuando bebe no le hace cambiar su mente ni le hace desvariar ni mentir. Eso ser un gran regalo y en medida suficiente como recompensa de tu Seor
por las buenas acciones. Y dice Allh, el Altsimo:
(10- ).(
)
Y a los pacientes se les pagar su recompensa
debidamente. (Los Grupos-39:10)
@y9$#@ )t@ tt@ @ $\/$sz@ @ t3=s@ @ @( uq9$#@ $ys]t/@ $tu@ F{$#u@ Nuy9$#@ b>@
@(@ ,pt:$#@ u9$#@ y79s@ @ $\/#u|@ t$s%u@ oq9$#@ &s!@ tr&@ t@ )@ =s3tGt@ @ @( $y|@ s3n=y9$#u
@#yt@Mts%@$t@y9$#@t@ ut@$Y6s%@$\/#xt@3txr&@!$)@@ $/$tt@n/u@4n<)@xsB$#@u$! x@ys
@ @@@$R/t?@M.@_tFn=t@%s39$#@)tu
El Seor de los cielos y la tierra, y lo que hay entre ambos,
el Misericordioso. No tienen el poder de dirigirle la palabra.
(37) El Da que el espritu y los ngeles se pongan en filas,
no hablarn sino aquellos que autorice el Misericordioso y
hablen correctamente. (38) Ese es el Da de la verdad.
Quien quiera que tome la morada de su Seor. (39) Os
hemos advertido de un castigo prximo. El Da en que el
hombre contemple lo que sus manos ofrecieron y diga el incrdulo: Ay de m! Ojal fuera polvo (40)
El Seor de los cielos y la tierra, y lo que hay entre ambos, el Misericordioso. No tienen el poder de dirigirle la palabra. Es decir, no son dueos de hacer preguntas, excepto a
quien se le de permiso; o no tienen el poder de interceder, excepto con Su permiso; o no tienen el derecho de hablar a su Seor, excepto con Su permiso. Y la prueba est cuando dice:
(105- ).( )
88
Ningn alma hablar, excepto con Su permiso.

Entre ellos estar el desgraciado y el feliz.
(Hud-11:105)
Se ha dicho en otra interpretacin de la ya que se refiere a los incrdulos, que no tienen derecho a hablar, en cambio los creyentes pueden interceder. Aade Al-Qurtub en esta
ltima interpretacin: Despus de que se les d permiso, como dice Allh repetidamente en el
Corn:
(255- ).(
)
Quin puede interceder por alguien ante l, si
no es con Su permiso?. (La Vaca-2:255)
(109- ).(

)
Ese da ninguna intercesin servir de nada,
excepto a quien le d permiso el Misericordioso
y est complacido de su palabra. (Ta.Ha.20:109)
El da que el espritu y los ngeles se pongan en filas. En cuanto a la referencia al
espritu hay varias interpretaciones: la primera, de Ibn Abbs, es que se refiere a uno de
entre los ngeles cuando dice: Allh no ha creado nada ms inmenso despus del Trono que
este ngel, pues cuando llegue el Da del Juicio se pondr en pie y formar una fila l solo, y el
resto de los ngeles se levantarn haciendo otra fila. La inmensidad de su creacin ser como
la de las filas. Ibn Masd tambin abunda en la misma versin cuando dice: Ar-Ruh (El Espritu) es un ngel ms inmenso que los siete cielos y que las siete tierras, y que las montaas.
l est cerca del cuarto cielo, y glorifica a Allh cada da doce mil veces. Y Allh crea
con cada glorificacin un ngel que vendr l slo el da del Juicio haciendo una fila y el resto
de los ngeles otra.
La segunda interpretacin del espritu se refiere al ngel Yibril, sobre l la paz, como
dijeron Ash-Shaab, Ad-Dahhk y Sad Ibn Yubair. Se transmiti de Ibn Abbs: Ciertamente, a
la derecha del trono habr un ro de luz como los siete cielos, las siete tierras y los siete mares.
Yibril entrar cada da en l fascinado y se baar aumentando en luz sobre su luz, en belleza
sobre su belleza y en inmensidad sobre su inmensidad. Despus se sacudir y de cada gota de
agua que caiga de sus plumas Allh crear setenta mil ngeles. De ellos cada da entrarn setenta mil en la Casa Frecuentada y otros setenta mil a la Kaaba y no volvern a ellas hasta el
Da del Juicio. Dijo Wahb: Yibril, sobre l la paz, estar de pie frente a Allh, el Altsimo, y
tronarn sus costados, y de cada tronido crear Allh mil ngeles. Los ngeles harn filas frente a Allh, el Altsimo, con sus cabezas invertidas. Cuando Allh les diera permiso para hablar
diran: La ilaha il-la Anta. Y eso es a lo que se refiere Allh en la ya: El da que el espritu
y los ngeles se pongan en filas, no hablarn sino aquellos que autorice el Misericordioso.
Es decir, que autorice a hablar. Y hablen correctamente. Es decir, que digan: La ilaha il-la
Anta.
La tercera, relat Ibn Abbs, del Profeta , que dijo: El Espritu en esta ya es uno de
los soldados de Allh, el Altsimo, y no son ngeles: tienen cabezas, manos y pies y se alimen-
89
tan de comida. A continuacin, recit: El da que el espritu y los ngeles se pongan en filas.
Los soldados tendrn la forma del hijo de Adn como la gente, pero sin serlo.@
La cuarta versin es que se refiere a los nobles de entre los ngeles. La quinta es que
sern los guardianes de los propios ngeles. La sexta es que se refiere a los hijos de Adn. Dijo: El Espritu es una de las criaturas de Allh a la imagen del hijo de Adn, y no ha descendido un ngel del cielo que no vaya acompaado de un Espritu. La sptima es que los espritus
de los hijos de Adn se pondrn en pie en filas y los ngeles tambin se pondrn en filas. Y eso
ocurrir en el intervalo de los dos soplos de cuerno, antes de ser devueltos los espritus a sus
cuerpos respectivos. Y la octava y ltima versin es que se refiere al Corn, como dijo Zaid ibn
Aslam. Y recit:
(49- ).(

)
Asimismo te hemos inspirado un espritu por
orden Nuestra. (La Consulta-42:49)
El da que el espritu y los ngeles se pongan en filas. Es decir, el espritu se pondr
en fila y los ngeles se pondrn en fila, de manera que formarn dos filas, como dice en otra
ya:
(22- ).(

)
Y vengan tu Seor y los ngeles en filas. (El
Amanecer-89:22)
No hablarn. Es decir, no intercedern. Sino aquellos que autorice el Misericordioso. En la intercesin. Y hablen correctamente. Es decir, la verdad de La ilaha il-la Allh.
Y segn Ibn Abbs, intercedern por los que digan: La ilaha il-la Allh.
En otra interpretacin de la ya se ha dicho: No hablarn el espritu y los ngeles
formados en filas de forma majestuosa, excepto que Allh les d permiso en la intercesin y
hablarn correcta y sinceramente por la unicidad de Allh y Su glorificacin. Dijo Al-Hasan:
El Espritu dir el Da de la Resurreccin: Nadie entrar en el Jardn, excepto por misericordia ni en el Fuego, excepto por la accin. Y eso es cuando dice la ya: Y hablen correctamente.
Ese es el da de la verdad. Quien quiera que tome la morada [el camino] de su Seor. Es decir, con la prctica sincera y justa. Si hace el bien es devuelto a Allh, y si hace el
mal se enemista con l.
Os hemos advertido de un castigo prximo. Les habla a los incrdulos de Quraish y a
los idlatras rabes, porque dijeron: no seremos resucitados. El castigo es en la Otra Vida. Y
todo lo que tenga que venir est cerca. Como dice Allh:
(46- ).(

)
El da que la vean les parecer que no permanecieron sino una tarde o su maana. (Los
Que Arrancan-79:46)
Dijo Qatada: Se refiere al castigo de este mundo, porque es el ms cercano de los dos.
Dijo Muqatil: Se refiere a la muerte de los de Quraish en Badr. Pero lo que ms prevalece es
90
la referencia al castigo de la Otra Vida. Es la muerte seguida del Da de la Resurreccin. Quien

muera estar listo para su resurreccin: si es de la gente del Jardn, ver su asiento en l; si es
de la gente del Fuego, ver su pesar y desasosiego. Por eso dijo Allh, el Altsimo:
El da que el hombre contemple lo que sus manos ofrecieron. Aclara el yat el momento en el que ser el castigo: es decir, os hemos advertido de un prximo castigo en ese Da,
que ser el Da que el hombre mirar lo que sus manos hayan adelantado. En el caso del creyente encontrar para s mismo acciones a su favor; y en cuanto al incrdulo, no las hallar y
desear, por eso, ser polvo de la tierra.
Y diga el incrdulo: Ay de m! Ojal fuera polvo. Abu Yahl y, segn otros, se refiere
en general a todo aquel que vea en ese Da la recompensa de lo que haya hecho. Dijo AzZaalab: He odo decir a Abul-Qasem ibn Hubaib: Aqu el incrdulo es Ibls, porque desde
al hijo de Adn por haber sido creado de barro, mientras que l se enorgulleca por haber sido
creado de fuego.
Y cuando vio el Da de la Resurreccin y la recompensa adems de la misericordia cosechada por Adn y sus hijos, y vio la dureza del castigo, por otra parte, dese verse en el lugar
de Adn. Se ha dicho: Es decir, dir Ibls: Ojal hubiera sido creado de tierra y no hubiera
dicho: yo soy mejor que Adn.
Se transmiti de Ibn Umar: Cuando sea el da del Levantamiento y la tierra se prolongue para la Humanidad, y sean congregados los bichos, animales domsticos y fieras. Despus
se les dar a los animales la posibilidad de resarcirse uno por uno de quien le caus algn dao, y una vez terminado esto se les dir: Polvo seris! Y aqu ser cuando diga el incrdulo:
Ojal fuese yo polvo!
De Abu Huraira se transmiti, que dijo: Ciertamente, Allh, el Altsimo, congregar a
todas las criaturas, ya sean bichos, pjaros u hombres. A los bichos y los pjaros se les dir:
Sed polvo! Entonces dir el incrdulo: Ojal fuese yo polvo! Quiere decir, para no ser resucitado. En otra versin se dijo: Cuando se hubiese juzgado a la gente, y la gente del Fuego fuese conducida al mismo, y la del Jardn, a su vez, al Jardn. Mientras que al resto de los seres y
genios se les dir: Volveos polvo! Se volvern polvo y en ese momento dir el incrdulo al
verlos: Ojal fuese yo polvo!
91
[77:48]
(When it is said unto them) to the disbelievers when they were in the life of the world: (Bow down) submit
to Allah by believing in His divine Oneness, (they bow not down!) they did not submit to Allah by accepting
His divine Oneness; it is also said that they will be asked to do so in the Hereafter, when Allah will say to
them: "bow down, if you are truthful that you believed in that which you now claim", this is because they
said: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not idolaters". But they will not be able to bow down and their bodies will
remain erect and stiff. It is also said that this verse was revealed about Thaqif who said: "we will not bend
down to bow or prostrate".
[77:49]
(Woe) severe punishment (unto the repudiators) to the disbelievers in Allah, His Messenger, Scripture and
the resurrection (on that day) the day of Judgement!
[77:50]
(In what statement) in what Scripture, (after this) after the Book of Allah, (will they believe) if they do not
believe in these tidings?'
And of the surah in which the Tidings are mentioned, which is all Meccan and consists of 40 verses, 130
words and 690 letters:
Surah 78: The Tidings (al-Naba)

And of the surah in which the Tidings are mentioned, which is all Meccan and consists of 40 verses, 130 words and 690
letters:
[78:1]
And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's
saying (Whereof do they question one another?): He says: 'what are they-meaning the people of Qurayshtalking about?'
[78:2]
((It is) of the awful tidings) they are talking about the tidings of the noble, glorious and great Qur'an,
[78:3]
(Concerning which they are in disagreement) some of them disbelieve in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the
Qur'an while others believe in them. This is because whenever Gabriel brought down a section of the Qur'an
to the Prophet (pbuh) and he recited it to them, they used to talk about it, and some of them would believe
while others would persist in their disbelief.
[78:4]
(Nay) this is a reply to the disbelievers, (but they will come to know!) They will come to know upon the
advent of death what will be done with them.
[78:5]
(Nay) truly, (again, but they will come to know!) They will come to know in the grave what will be done with
them. This is a threat from Allah to those who disbelieved in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the Qur'an.
722
[78:6]
Allah then mentioned the blessings He bestowed upon them, saying: (Have We not made the earth an
expanse) and a place to sleep,
[78:7]
(And the high hills bulwarks) for it so that it does not sway?
[78:8]
(And We have created you in pairs) male and female,
[78:9]
(And have appointed your sleep for repose) a repose for your bodies; and it is said this means: nice and
beautiful,
[78:10]
(And have appointed the night as a cloak) and it is said this means: a dwelling,
[78:11]
(And have appointed the day for livelihood) for seeking livelihood.
[78:12]
(And We have built) and We have created (above you) above your heads (seven strong (heavens)) seven
thick heavens,
[78:13]
(And have appointed a dazzling lamp) and have appointed a radiant sun for the children of Adam,
[78:14]
(And have sent down from the rainy clouds abundant Water,
[78:15]
Thereby to produce grain and plant) to produce through the rain all kinds of grains and plants,
[78:16]
(And gardens of thick foliage) and it is also said this means: different kinds of foliage.
[78:17]
(Lo! the Day of Decision is a fixed time) it is the appointed time when the people of old and later
generations will be gathered,
[78:18]
(A day when the trumpet is blown) the blowing of the resurrection, (and ye come in multitudes) host after
723
host and group after group,

[78:19]
(And the heaven is opened) and the gates of heaven are opened (and becometh as gates) and becomes
different roads,
[78:20]
(And the hills are set in motion) on the face of the earth (and become as a mirage.
[78:21]
Lo! Hell lurketh in ambush) the Fire is a detention and prison,
[78:22]
(A home for the rebellious) a point of return for the disbelievers.
[78:23]
(They will abide therein for ages) they will abide in the Fire for ages and ages, each age consisting of 80
years, each year being 360 days and each day is the equivalent of 1,000 years of the years of the life of the
world; it is also said that none knows the exact duration of these ages save Allah, and therefore these ages
are never interrupted.
[78:24]
(Therein) in the Fire (taste they neither coolness) cool water; and it is also said this means: sleep (nor (any)
drink) cold drink
[78:25]
(Save boiling water and a paralysing cold) and it is also said this means: filthy water:
[78:26]
(Reward proportioned (to their evil deeds)) a reward which is commensurate with their works.
[78:27]
(For lo! they looked not) while in the life of the world (for a reckoning) they did not fear the chastisement of
the Hereafter nor did they believe in it;
[78:28]
(They called Our revelations) Our Scripture and Messenger (false with strong denial.
[78:29]
Everything) regarding the works of the children of Adam (have We recorded in a Book) We wrote it down in
the Guarded or Preserved Tablet.
[78:30]
(So taste) the chastisement in the Fire. (No increase do We give you) in the Fire (save of torment) one kind
724
of torment after another.

[78:31]
(Lo! for the duteous) for those who ward off disbelief, idolatry and indecencies (is achievement) safety from
the Fire and nearness of Allah
[78:32]
(Gardens) of trees and palm-trees (enclosed and vineyards,
[78:33]
And maidens for companions) who are all of the same age: 33 years of age,
[78:34]
(And a full cup) one cup after another.
[78:35]
(There) in Paradise (hear they) the inhabitants of the Garden (never vain discourse) oaths or falsehood, (nor
lying) they do not lie to each other.
[78:36]
(Requital) a reward (from thy Lord a gift) that He bestows upon them in the Garden (in payment) ten
rewards for each good deed; and it is also said this means: reward in proportion to their good deeds
[78:37]
(Lord of the heavens and the earth, and (all) that is between them) of creation and marvels, (the
Beneficent) He is the Beneficent; (with Whom none) none of His slaves, i.e. the angels as well as others
(can converse) with regard to intercession until Allah gives them permission to do so.
[78:38]
(On the day when the angels and the Spirit) Gabriel; and it is also said: this is a created being whose
tremendousness only Allah knows; Ibn Mas'ud also said: the Spirit is an angel greater than every thing save
the Throne, and this angel glorifies Allah each day 12,000 formulas of glorification, and which each
glorification he utters Allah creates an angel who seeks forgiveness for the believers until the Day of
Judgement; it is also said this refers to a group of angels who have feet and hands like those of humans
(stand arrayed, they speak not) to intercede, (saving him whom the Beneficent alloweth) to intercede (and
who speaketh right) truly there is no deity save Allah.
[78:39]
(That is the True Day) in which will happen what I have mentioned. (So whoso will should seek recourse)
whoever will believe in Allah's divine Oneness and seek through his belief in Allah's divine Oneness a way of
return (unto his Lord.
[78:40]
Lo! We warn you) O people of Mecca (of a doom at hand) which will surely happen, (a day whereon a man
will look) when the believer will look; and it is also said: when the disbeliever will look (on that which his
own hands have sent before) have earned of good or evil, (and the disbeliever will cry: Would that I were
725
dust!) with the beasts. Because of the horrors, severity and torment of that day, the disbeliever will wish to
be turned into dust along with beasts. This will occur on the day when the first trumpet resounds'.
And of the surah in which Those Who Drag Forth are mentioned, which is all Meccan and consists of 45
verses, 173 words and 953 letters:
Surah 79: Those Who Drag Forth (al-Naziat)

And of the surah in which Those Who Drag Forth are mentioned, which is all Meccan and consists of 45 verses, 173
words and 953 letters:
[79:1]
And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said concerning the interpretation of Allah's
saying (By those who drag forth): '(By those who drag forth) He says: Allah swears by the angels who take
away the souls of the disbelievers (to destruction) the souls of the disbelievers,
[79:2]
(By the meteors rushing) and it is also said that He is here swearing by the angels who busy the disbelievers
with grief and anxiety; it is also said that this refers to the souls of the believers which hasten to come out
of their bodies in order to go to the Garden.
[79:3]
(By the lone stars floating) and it is also said that He is here swearing by the angels who take away the
souls of the righteous slowly and gently and then let them rest; it is also said this refers to the souls of the
believers,
[79:4]
(By the angels hastening) and He swears by the angels who hasten to Paradise with the souls of the
believers and to the Fire with the souls of the disbelievers; it is also said this refers to the souls of the
believers that hasten to Paradise,
[79:5]
(And those who govern the event) and He swears by the angels who govern the matters of the slaves,
meaning Gabriel, Michael, Seraphiel and the angel of death. It is said that (those who govern the event)
refers to the spears of soldiers, (the meteors rushing) refers to the ropes of soldiers and (the lone stars
floating) refers to the ships of soldiers who fight at sea, (the ones who do the hastening) refers to the
horses of soldiers, while (those who govern the event) refers to the generals of soldiers; it is also said that
(the lone stars floating) refer to the sun, the moon, the day and the night. Allah swore by all these that the
two blowings of the trumpet will take place, with an interval of 40 years separating the two blowings.
[79:6]
So Allah said: (On the day when the first trump resoundeth) this refers to the first blowing of the trumpet
when everything will quake.
[79:7]
(And the second followeth it) this is the final blowing on the trumpet,
[79:8]
726
Eat and enjoy addressing the disbelievers in this world for a little, time, at the end of which comes
death this is meant as a threat for them. Indeed you are guilty!
[77:47]
Woe to the deniers on that day!
[77:48]
For when it is said to them, Bow down!, perform prayer, they do not bow down, they do not perform
prayer.
[77:49]
Woe to the deniers on that day!
[77:50]
In what discourse, then, after this, namely, the Qurn, will they believe? In other words, they cannot
believe in any other of Gods Scriptures after having denied this [Qurn], since it comprises that inimitability
(ijz) which none of the others do.
Meccan, consisting of 40 or 41 verses.
(An-Naba)
[78:1]
About what, about what thing, are they, the people of Quraysh, questioning one another?
[78:2]
About the awesome tiding ([this is] the explication of that thing; the interrogative is meant to emphasise its
magnitude) this [awesome tiding] is the Qurn, comprising [news of] the Resurrection and so on, which
the Prophet (s) brought
[78:3]
concerning which they are at variance, for the believers affirm it, while the disbelievers repudiate it.
[78:4]
No indeed! a disavowal they will come to know, what will befall them for their rejection of it.
[78:5]
Again, no indeed! They will come to know! ([reiterated] for emphasis; thumma is added here to declare that
the second threat of chastisement is more severe than the first). God, exalted be He, then alludes to His
power to resurrect, saying:
[78:6]
Have We not made the earth a cradle, a bed, like a cradle,
[78:7]
715
and the mountains pegs?, with which the earth is tied down like tents are tied down with pegs (the
interrogative is meant as an affirmative).
[78:8]
And created you in pairs?, males and females,
[78:9]
and made your sleep for rest?, repose for your bodies,
[78:10]
and made the night a cloak?, to cover you with its darkness,
[78:11]
and made the day for livelihood?, a time for seeking livelihood,
[78:12]
and built above you seven mighty ones?, seven heavens (shidd is the plural of shadda) that is to say,
strong and sturdy unaffected by the passage of time,
[78:13]
and set a radiant lamp?, namely, the sun,
[78:14]
and sent down from the rain-clouds (musirt), the clouds due to give rain (similar to [the term] musir,
which denotes a girl nearing menstruation) cascading water?, pouring forth,
[78:15]
that with it We may bring forth grains, such as wheat, and plants, such as figs,
[78:16]
and gardens, orchards, of intertwining foliage? (alff is the plural of laff, similar [in pattern] to sharf,
noble, [plural] ashrf).
[78:17]
Verily the Day of Decision, for creatures, is the tryst, a time [fixed] for reward and punishment,
[78:18]
the day the Trumpet, the Horn, is blown (yawma yunfakhu fl-sri is either a substitution for, or an
explication of, yawmal-fasli, the Day of Decision, the blower being Isrfl) and you come, forth from your
graves to the site [of the Resurrection], in droves, in diverse groups,
[78:19]
and the heaven is opened (read futtihat or futihat), sundered for the descent of the angels, and becomes as
gates, it becomes [a heaven] with gates,
716
[78:20]
and the mountains are set in motion, dislocated from their positions, and become as a mirage, as fine dust,
that is to say, like it in terms of its levity when in motion.
[78:21]
Verily Hell lurks in ambush (mirsdan, in the sense of rsidatan or mursidatan, lying in wait)
[78:22]
for the rebellious, the disbelievers, who will not be able to avoid it, [it is] a resort, a retreat for them, and so
they will enter it,
[78:23]
to remain (lbithna is an implied circumstantial qualifier, in other words, their remaining therein will be
decreed [to be]) therein for ages, for endless epochs (ahqb is the plural of huqb),
[78:24]
tasting in it neither coolness, [neither] sleep, [something] which they will not taste [therein], nor drink, [nor]
anything that is imbibed for the sake of its delightful taste,
[78:25]
except boiling water, of extreme temperatures, and pus (read ghasqan or ghassqan, which is the vile
matter that is emitted by the [bodies of the] inhabitants of the Fire), which is what they will [indeed] taste.
They are given this pair [of tortures],
[78:26]
as a fitting requital, one that accords with [the nature of] their deeds, for there is no sin greater than
disbelief, and no chastisement greater than the Fire.
[78:27]
Indeed they never feared any reckoning, given their rejection of the Resurrection,
[78:28]
and they denied Our signs, the Qurn, mendaciously,
[78:29]
and everything, in the way of deeds, have We kept count of, have We recorded precisely, in a Book, as
[individual] written records in the Preserved Tablet, in order to requite [creatures] in accordance with them,
including [the record of] their denial of the Qurn.
[78:30]
So [now] taste! in other words, it will be said to them in the Hereafter, when the chastisement has
befallen them: taste [now] your requital! For We will increase you in nothing but chastisement, in addition
to your [due] chastisement.
717
[78:31]
Truly for the God-fearing there will be a triumph, a place of triumph, in Paradise:
[78:32]
gardens, orchards (hadiqa is either a substitution for, or an explication of, mafzan, a triumph) and
vineyards (wa-anban is a supplement to mafzan, a triumph),
[78:33]
and buxom maidens (kawib is the plural of kib) of equal age (atrb is the plural of tirb),
[78:34]
and a brimming cup, wine filling the vessels in which it is in; in srat al-Qitl [it is said], and rivers of wine
[Q. 47:15].
[78:35]
They will not hear in it, that is, [in] Paradise, when they drink wine and in other situations, any vain talk, any
words of falsehood, or lies, between one another (read kidhban, to mean kadhiban, lies, or kidhdhban to
mean takdhban, lying), in contrast to what happens in this world when wine is drunk,
[78:36]
[this will be] a reward from your Lord, in other words, God has rewarded them with this reward as, a gift
(atan substitutes for jazan, reward) that is sufficing, [that is] abundant (hisban, [as meaning
abundant] derives from their saying atn fa-ahsaban, he gave me so abundantly that I said, that is
enough for me [hasb]),
[78:37]
[from] the Lord of the heavens and the earth (read rabbi, [from] the Lord of, or rabbu, [He is] the Lord of)
and all that is between them, the Compassionate One (likewise [read rahmni or rahmnu], or read
rahmnu with rabbi [for the preceding]), Whom, exalted be He, they, that is, creatures, will not be able to
address, that is to say, not one of them will be able to address Him for fear of Him,
[78:38]
on the day (yawma is the adverbial qualifier for l yamlikna, they will not be able to) when the Spirit,
Gabriel, or Gods hosts, and the angels stand arrayed (saffan is a circumstantial qualifier, in other words,
mustaffna). They, creatures, will not speak, except him whom the Compassionate One permits, to speak,
and who says what is right, from among the believers and the angels: as if [meaning] that they will
intercede for he whom He approves of.
[78:39]
That is the True Day, whose coming to pass is definite, namely, the Day of Resurrection. So whoever wishes
[to], let him seek resort with his Lord, a return [to Him], that is to say, [let him] return to God by being
obedient to Him, so that he may be secure from chastisement in it.
[78:40]
Lo! We have warned you, O disbelievers of Mecca, of a chastisement that is near, the chastisement of the
impending Day of Resurrection for anything that is impending is [also] near the day (yawma
718
adverbially qualifies adhban, a chastisement, by describing it) when a person, [when] every person, will
behold what his hands have sent ahead, of good and evil, and the disbeliever will say, O (y is a particle
used to call attention to something) would that I were dust!, in other words, and not be chastised. He says
this when God, exalted be He, says to the beasts, after each of them has retaliated against the other, Be
dust!.
Meccan, consisting of 46 verses.
(An-Nzit)
[79:1]
By those that wrest, [by] the angels who wrest the souls of disbelievers, violently;
[79:2]
by those that draw out, [by] the angels who draw out the souls of believers, gently;
[79:3]
by those that glide serenely, [by] the angels who descend from the heavens with His command, exalted be
He;
[79:4]
by those that race forward, [by] the angels who race forward to Paradise with the souls of believers;
[79:5]
and by those that direct the affair, [by] the angels who direct the affairs of this world, that is to say, they
descend with the directions for it [from God] (the response to all of these oath clauses has been omitted,
understood to be [something like], la-tubathunna y kuffra Makka, you shall certainly be resurrected, O
disbelievers of Mecca!, which is also the operator of [the following clause]):
[79:6]
the day when the Tremor quakes, that is to say, the first blast, as a result of which everything will be shaken
violently (thus it [the subject] has been described in terms of the effect it produces),
[79:7]
and is followed by the Aftershock, the second blast; between the two [blasts] is a span of forty years (the
sentence [tatbauhl-rdifatu] is a circumstantial qualifier referring to al-rjifa, the Tremor, in other words,
the day can [adverbially] accommodate both blasts and other events, and so for this reason it can also
properly function as the adverbial qualifier for the Resurrection that will take place after the second [blast]);
[79:8]
on that day hearts will be trembling, frightened and anxious,
[79:9]
their eyes humbled, abject, because of the terror that they see.
[79:10]
They, those of the [mentioned] hearts and eyes, will say, mockingly and in rejection of the Resurrection:
719
78 Al-Naba
His words, Exalted is He:

[78:11] and [have We not] made the day for livelihood,
That is, the lights of the heart and its illumination (tanwr) through Our remembrance (dhikr),
are the livelihood (aysh) of the spiritual self (nafs al-r) and the intellect (aql), as they are
the livelihood of the angels. However, the other kind of livelihood is the way of the generality
of people (awmm).
Then he said:
It is not [good] character for the believer to grovel (tadhallul) in times of poverty (fqa), and
it is distasteful for the poor to wear thread-bare clothes, and to carry the concerns related to
their provisions (arzq) in their hearts.2 [The cure] at the root of these matters consists of three
[things]: dependence on God, Majestic and Mighty is He; fleeing from people, and doing the
least [possible] harm to others.
mir b. Abd al-Qays used to say when he rose in the morning, O God! Verily people have
dispersed in pursuit of their needs, but I have only one need, which is that You forgive me.3
His words, Mighty and Majestic is He:
[78:26] As a fitting requital,
The Fire is a fitting punishment for association [idolatry] (shirk), because both of them are
momentous (am). There is no punishment greater than the Fire and no sin greater than
association.4
[78:33] and buxom maidens
He said:
Young and attractive concubines, atrb means of equal age.
[78:34] and a brimming cup.
That is, continuously full.
Once, a wise man (akm) met another wise man in Mosul and said to him, Do you long for
the dark-eyed houris? He replied: Should I not long for them, when the light of their faces is
from the light of God, Majestic and Mighty is He? At this he [the wise man] fell into a swoon
and was carried to his home. For a month afterwards people would visit him due to his sickness.
1 All the MSS give this sra the title: Amm yatasaln.
2 In other words the correct behaviour for the believer is not to burden others with displaying his poverty to the world at
large, just as he should not burden his heart with concerns for his provision, since he should trust that God will provide
for him. It is interesting that among the three guidelines that Tustar puts forward to avoid the former situation, the
inner is addressed first, i.e. depending on God.
3 Ibn Ab im, Kitb al-Zuhd, p. 225.
4 The addition is made on the basis of all three MSS: Z515, f. 127b, F638, f. 61a and F3488, f. 309b.
263
Tafsr al-Tustar
Ibn Abbs, said, If one of the maidens [of Paradise] were to spit into the seven seas, they
would become sweeter than honey.5
But God, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows best.
5 Mundhir, al-Targhb, vol. 4, p. 299.
264
17/02/13
78. Surah An Naba (The News) - Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an

englishtafsir.com
Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an
78. Surah An Naba (The News)

Name
The Surah derived its name from the word an-Naba in the second verse. This is not only a name
but also a title of its subject matter, for Naba implies the news of Resurrection and Hereafter
and the whole Surah is devoted to the same theme.
Period of Revelation
As we have explained in the introduction to Surah Al-Mursalat, the theme of all the Surahs, from
Al-Qiyamah to An-Naziat, closely resembles one another's, and all these seem to have been
revealed in the earliest period at Makkah.
Theme and Subject Matter
Its theme also is the same as of Surah Al-Mursalat, i. e. to affirm the Resurrection and Hereafter,
and to warn the people of the consequences of acknowledging or disacknowledging it.
When the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) first started to preach Islam in Makkah, his
message consisted of three elements: (1) That none be held as an associate with Allah in
Godhead; (2) that Allah had appointed him as His Messenger; (3) that this world will come to an
end one day and then another world will be established when all the former and the latter
generations will be resurrected with the same bodies in which they lived and worked in the
world; then they will be called to account for their beliefs and deeds and those who emerge as
believing and righteous in this accountability will go to Paradise and those who are proved to be
disbelieving and wicked will live in Hell for ever.
Of these although the first thing was highly unpleasant for the people of Makkah, yet in any case
they were not disbelievers in the existence of Allah. They believed in His Being the Supreme
Sustainer, Creator and Providence and also admitted that all those beings whom they regarded
as their deities, were themselves Allah's creatures. Therefore, in this regard the only thing they
disputed was whether they had any share in the attributes and powers of Divinity and in the
Divine Being itself or not.
As for the second thing, the people of Makkah were not prepared to accept it. However, what
they could not possibly deny was that during the 40 years life that the Holy Prophet (upon whom
be peace) had lived among them before his claim to Prophethood, they had never found him a
lying deceitful person or the one who would adopt unlawful methods for selfish ends. They
themselves admitted that he was a man possessed of wisdom, righteousness and moral
www.englishtafsir.com/Quran/78/index.html
1/12
17/02/13
superiority. Therefore, in spite of charging him with a thousand false accusations, nothing to say
of making others believe, they were finding it difficult even for themselves to believe that
although he was an honest and upright man in every other affair and dealing of life, yet, God
forbid, a liar only in his claim to be a Prophet.
Thus, the first two things were not in fact so perplexing for the people of Makkah as the third
thing. When this was presented before them, they mocked it most of all, expressed unusual
wonder at it, and regarding it as remote from reason and impossible, started talking against it
as incredible, even inconceivable, in their assemblies. But in order to bring them to the way of
Islam it was absolutely essential that the doctrine of the Hereafter should be instilled into their
minds, for without belief in this doctrine, it was not at all possible that they could adopt a serious
attitude with regard to the truth and falsehood, could change their standard of values in respect
of good and evil, and giving up worship of the world, could be inclined to follow the way that
Islam urged them to follow. That is why in the earliest Surahs revealed at Makkah the doctrine of
the Hereafter has been impressed and stressed more than anything else. However, the
arguments for it have been given in such a way that the doctrine of the Oneness of God (Tauhid)
also is impressed on the minds automatically. This also contains brief arguments, here and
there, to confirm the truth of the Holy Messenger of Allah and the Qur'an.
After understanding well why the theme of the Hereafter has been so frequently repeated in the
Surahs of this period, let us now have a look at the subject matter of this Surah. In it first of all,
allusion has been made to the common talk and the doubts that were being expressed in every
street of Makkah and in every assembly of the people of Makkah on hearing the news about
Resurrection. Then, the deniers have been asked: "Don't you see this earth which We have
spread as a carpet for you? Don't you see the high mountains which we have so firmly placed in
the earth?Don't you consider your own selves how We have created you as pairs of men and
women?Don't you consider your sleep by which We make you seek a few hours rest after every
few hours labour and toil so as to keep you fit for work in the world? Don't you see the
alternation of the night and day which We are so regularly perpetuating precisely according to
your needs and requirements?Don't you see the strongly fortified system of the heavens above
you? Don't you see the sun by means of which you are receiving your light and heat? Don't you
see the rains which fall from the clouds and help produce corns and vegetables and luxuriant
gardens? Do these things only tell you that the power of the Almighty Being Who has created
them, will be unable to bring about Resurrection and establish the Next World? Then, from the
supreme wisdom which is clearly working in this world around you, do you only understand this
that although each part of it and each function of it is purposive, yet life is meaningless? Nothing
could be more absurd and meaningless that after appointing man to the office of foreman and
granting him vast powers of appropriation, in this workhouse, when he leaves the world after
fulfilling his role, he should be let off without any accountability. He should neither be rewarded
and granted pension on satisfactory work, nor subjected to any accountability and punishment
on unsatisfactory performance of duty.
After giving these arguments it has been emphatically stated that the Day of Judgment shall
certainly come to pass on its appointed time. No sooner is the Trumpet sounded than whatever
is being foretold shall appear before the eyes, and whether you believe in it today, or not, at that
time you will come out in your multitudes from wherever you would be lying dead and buried to
render your account. Your denial cannot in any way avert this inevitable event.
Then, in vv. 21-30; it has been stated that every single misdeed of those who do not expect any
accountability to take place and have thus belied Our Revelations, lies reckoned and recorded
with Us, and Hell is ever lying an ambush to punish them and punish them fully for all their
doings. Then, in vv. 31-36, the best rewards of those who lived as responsible people in the
2/12
17/02/13
world and have provided for their Hereafter beforehand have been mentioned. They have been
reassured that they will not only be rewarded richly for their services but in addition they will also
be given sufficient gifts.
In conclusion, the Divine Court in the Hereafter has been depicted, making it plain that there will
be no question of somebody's being adamant in the matter of getting his followers and
associates forgiven, none will speak without leave, and leave will be granted on the condition
that intercession be made only for the one to whom leave of intercession will have been given,
and the intercessor will say only what is right. Moreover, leave for intercession will be given only
for those who had acknowledged the Truth in the world but were sinners; rebels of God and
rejectors of the Truth will deserve no intercession at all.
The discourse has been concluded with this warning: The Day the coming of which is being
foretold, shall certainly come to pass. Do not think it is yet far off, it is close at hand. Now,
whoever wills, let him believe in it and take the way towards his Lord. But he who disbelieves, in
spite of the warning, "will have all his deeds placed before him: and he will exclaim regretfully:
"Oh, would that I were not born in the world!" At that time, his regrets will be about the same
world of which he is so enamored today!
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
[1-5] About what are they inquiring? Is it about the Great News concerning which they are at
variance?1 By no means! 2 They shall soon know. Yes, by no means! They shall soon know! 3
3/12
17/02/13
4/12
17/02/13
[6-16] Is it not a fact that We have made the earth a bed4 and set the mountains as pegs5 and
created you as pairs (of men and women),6 and made your sleep for rest7 and the night a
covering and the day for seeking livelihood,8 and established above you seven strong heavens,9
and set a bright, blazing lamp,10 and rained water from the clouds in abundance that We may
produce thereby corn and vegetables and lush gardens?11
[17-20] Surely the Day of Decision is an appointed time. The day the Trumpet is blown, you shall
come out in multitudes,12 and the heaven shall be opened so as to become all doors, and the
mountains shall be set in motion till they become as a mirage.13
5/12
17/02/13
[21-30] Hell, in fact, is an ambush,14 the abode for the rebellious in which they shall remain
lodged for ages.15 In it they shall not taste any coolness nor any drink, except boiling water and
the washing from wounds,16 a full recompense (for their misdeeds). They did not expect any
reckoning and had treated Our Revelations as utterly false,17 whereas We had counted and
preserved everything in writing.18 Now taste it, for We shall never increase anything for you
except the torment.
6/12
17/02/13
[31-37] Surely for the righteous19 there is an abode of success. Gardens and vineyards and
maidens of equal age20 and brimful cups. There they shall neither hear idle talk nor any
falsehood,21 a reward and sufficient gift22 from your Lord, from the All-Merciful God, Who is the
Owner of the heavens and the earth and of everything lying between them, before Whom none
can have the power to speak.23
[38-39] The Day when the Spirit24 and the angels shall be standing up in ranks, none shall speak
except the one whom the Merciful may permit, and who speaks what is right.25 That Day is sure
to come. Now whoever wills, let him take the path back to his Lord.
[40] We have warned you of the torment which is near at hand.26 The Day when man will see all
that his hands have sent forward, and the disbeliever will cry out: "Would that I were mere
dust!"27
1"The Great News": the news of the Resurrection and Hereafter, which the people of Makkah
heard with amazement, then raised questions and doubts about it in their assemblies. When
7/12
17/02/13
they met each other they would ask: "Did you ever hear that the dead will be resurrected to
life? Is it credible that life will be infused once again into the bones which have decayed and
become rotten? Does it stand to reason that the former and the latter generations will rise up
and gather together at one place? Is it possible that these huge mountains which are so
firmly set in the earth will fly about like flakes of wool? Can it so happen that the sun and the
moon and the stars should be extinguished and the order and system of the world be
overturned and upset? What has happened to him who was until yesterday a sane and wise
man among us? Today he is giving us strange, impossible news. Where were this Hell and
Heaven of which we had never heard from him before? where from have they appeared
suddenly so that he has started depicting them so vividly before us?"
Another meaning of fi-hi mukhtalifun also can be: "As these people themselves are not agreed
on any one view about the end of the world, they hold varying views about it." Some one has
been influenced by the Christian belief and believes in the life after death but thinks that the
second life would not be a physical but only a spiritual life. Another does not deny the
Hereafter absolutely but doubts whether it was possible or not. The Qur'an relates the view of
these very people when it says: "We do only guess: we are not certain." (Al-Jathiyah: 32).
And another plainly said: "There is no other life than this present life, and we shall never be
raised back to life after our death." (Al-Anàm: 29). Then, there were some atheists, who
said: "Life is only this worldly life of ours. Here we shall die and live and nothing but the
change of time destroys us." (Al-Jathiyah: 24). There were some others who were not
atheistic but they regarded the second life as impossible. According to them it was beyond
the power of God to raise the dead back to life. They said, "Who will give life to these bones
when they are rotten." (Ya Sin: 78). Their different views by themselves were a proof that they
had no knowledge in this regard; they were only conjecturing and guessing. Had they any
knowledge they would have agreed on one view. (For further explanation, see E.N. 6 of
Surah Adh-Dhariyat).
2That is, whatever they say about the Hereafter is false, and all their concepts about it are
wrong.
3That is, the time is not far off when the same thing about which they are expressing all sorts of
meaningless doubts and misgivings, will appear before them as a reality. Then they will
realize that what the Messenger had foretold was absolutely true and what they were saying
on the basis of conjecture and speculation had no truth in it.
4Enough light has been thrown at several places in The Meaning of the Qur'an on the supreme
wisdom and power of Allah that underlies His making the earth a carpet, i.e. an abode of
perfect peace and rest. For explanation, see E.N.'s 73, 74, 81 of An-Naml, E.N. 29 of Ya Sin,
E.N.'s 90, 91 of Al-Mu'min, E.N. 7 of Az-Zukhruf, E.N. 7 of Al-Jathiyah, E.N. 18 of Surah Qaf.
5For the wisdom of creating mountains on the earth, see E.N. 12 of AnNahl, E.N. 74 of AnNaml, E.N. 15 of Al-Mursalat.
6For explanation of the supreme wisdom that underlies the creation of men and women into
pairs, see E.N. 69 of AI-Furgan, E. N.'s 28 to 30 of Ar-Rum, E.N. 31 of Ya Sin, E.N. 77 of
Ash-Shura, E N.12 of Az-Zukhruf, E.N. 25 of Al Qiyamah.
7The explanation of the wisdom for which Allah Almighty has placed a desire for sleep in man's
nature in order to make him fit for work in the world, and which impels him to a few hours'
sleep after every few hours of work, has been given in E.N. 33 of Surah Ar-Rum.
8/12
17/02/13
8That is, "The night has been made dark so that protected from light, you could enjoy a peaceful
sleep- more easily and made the day bright for the reason that you could work for your
livelihood with greater ease and facility. Reference has been made to only one benefit out of
countless benefits of the continuous alternation of night and day regularly on the earth to tell
that all this is not happening without a purpose or accidentally, but there is supreme wisdom
underlying it, which has a deep connection with your own immediate interests. The darkness
that was needed for the peace and rest of your body in view of its structure has been
provided in the night and the light that was needed for earning livelihood has been provided
in the day. This arrangement that has been made precisely in accordance with your needs by
itself testifies that it could not be possible without the wisdom of a Wise Being." (For further
explanation, see E.N. 65 of Yunus, E.N. 32 of Ya Sin, E.N. 85 of AI-Mu'min, E.N. 4 of AzZukhruf).
9"Strong" in the sense that their boundaries are so strongly fortified that no change whatever
occurs in them, nor does any of the countless stars and planets in the heavens, violating
these boundaries, collide with the other, nor falls down to the earth. (For further explanation,
see E.N. 34 of Al-Baqarah, E.N. 2 of Ar Ra'd, E.N.'s 8, 12 of Al-Hijr, E.N. 15 of AI-Mu'minun,
E.N. 13 of Luqman, E.N. 37 of Ya Sin, E.N.'s 5, 6 of As-Saaffat, E.N. 90 of Al-Mu'min, E.N.'s
7, 8 of Surah Qaf).
10"A bright, blazing lamp": the sun. The word wahhaj used for the sun means both intensely hot
and intensely bright. Hence our rendering. In this brief sentence, allusion has been made to a
most wonderful and glorious sign of Allah Almighty's power and wisdom which the sun is. Its
diameter is 109 times that of the earth's and its size more than 333,000 tunes that of the
earth's. Its temperature is 14,000,000 C. In spite of shining 93,000,000 miles away from the
earth, its light and brightness is dazzling, and man can look at it with the naked eye only at the
risk of losing his eye-sight. As for its heat, temperature in some parts of the earth reaches
140 F. because of its radiation. It is only Allah Who by His wisdom has placed the earth at
the right distance from it, neither it is too hot for being close to it, nor too cold for being very
far away from it. For this very reason life of man, animal and vegetable became possible on
it. Measureless treasures of energy from it are reaching the earth and sustaining life. It helps
ripen our crops to provide sustenance to every creature; its heat causes vapors to rise from
the seas, which spread to different parts of the earth by means of the winds and fall as rain. In
the sun Allah has kindled such a mighty furnace that has been constantly radiating light, heat
and different kinds of rays throughout the entire solar system since millions and millions of
years.
11For the details of the wonderful manifestations of Allah Almighty's power and wisdom in
making arrangements for the rain and the growth of vegetation thereby, set E.N. 53 (a) of AnNahl, E.N. 17 of AI-Mu'minun, E.N. 5 of Ash-Shua'ra', E.N. 35 of Ar-Rum E.N. 19 of Fatir E.N.
29 of Ya Sin, E.N. 20 of Al-Mu'min, E.N.'s 10, 11 of Az-Zukhruf, E.N.'s 28 to 30 of Al-Waqi'ah.
After presenting a number of the signs and testimonies, one after the other, in these verses, the
deniers of the Resurrection and Hereafter have been exhorted, so as to say: "If you consider
the earth and the mountains and your own creation, your sleep and wakefulness, and the
system of the day and night intelligently, and consider the well-fortified system of the universe
and the shining sun in the heavens, the rain falling from the clouds and the vegetables
growing thereby, you will see two things very clearly: first, that all this could neither come into
existence without a mighty power, nor continue to exist and function so regularly; second, that
in each of these great wisdom is working and nothing that happens here is purposeless.
Now, only a foolish person could say that the Bring Who by His power has brought these
9/12
17/02/13
things into existence, does not have the power to destroy them and create them once again
in some other form, and this also could be said only by an unreasonable person that the Wise
Bring Who has not done anything without purpose in this universe, has given to man in His
world understanding and intelligence, discrimination between good and evil, freedom to obey
or disobey, and powers of appropriation over countless of His creatures, without any purpose
and design: whether man uses and employs the things granted by Him in the right way or the
wrong way, it does not make any difference; whether man continues to do good throughout
life till death, he will end up in the dust, or continues to do evil till death, he will likewise end up
in the dust; neither the virtuous man will receive any reward for the good deeds nor the bad
man will be held accountable for his evil deeds. These very arguments for life after death and
Resurrection and Hereafter have been given here and there in the Qur'an, e.g. see E.N. 7 of
Ar Ra'd, E.N. 9 of Ai-Hajj, E.N. 6 of Ar-Rum, .E.N.'s 10, 12 of Saba, E.N.'s 8, 9 of As-Saaffat.
12This implies the final sounding of the Trumpet at which all dead men will rise back to life
forthwith. "You" implies not only those who were the addressees at that time but all those
humans who will have been born from the beginning of creation till Resurrection. (For
explanation, see E.N. 57 of Ibrahim, E.N. 1 of Al Hajj, E.N.'s 46, 47 of Ya Sin, E.N. 79 of AzZumar).
13One should bear in mind the fact that here also, as at many other places in the Qur'an, the
different states of Resurrection have been mentioned all together. In the first verse, mention
has been made of what will happen at the final sounding of the Trumpet and in the following
two verses of the state which will appear at the second sounding of the Trumpet. This we
have already explained in E.N. 10 of Surah Al-Haaqqah above. "The heavens shall be
opened" means: All obstacles in the heavens will be removed and every heavenly calamity
from every side will be befalling freely as though all doors for it were open and no door had
remained closed to obstruct its happening. "The mountains will be set in motion till they
become as a mirage" means: In no time will the mountains be uprooted from their places and
then will be scattered away in particles leaving nothing but vast, empty sand plains behind.
"This same state has been described in Surah Ta Ha, thus: They ask you: well, where will the
mountains go on that Day? Say to them: My Lord will reduce them to fine dust and scatter it
away. He will turn the earth into an empty level plain, wherein you will neither see any curve
nor crease." (vv. 105-107 and the corresponding E. N . 83)
14"An ambush": a place contrived to entrap game by surprise. Hell has been described as an
ambush, because the rebels of God are fearless of it and are enjoying life thinking that the
world is a haven of bliss for them. They do not know that Hell is lying in ambush for them,
which will trap them suddenly and keep them trapped.
15The word ahqab as used in the original means successive periods of long time appearing
continuously one after the other. From this word some people have tried to argue that there
will be eternity in the life of Paradise but no eternity. in the life of Hell. For however long these
ages may be, they will not be endless but will come to an end at some time. But this
argument is wrong for two reasons. First, that lexically, the word haqab (sing. of ahqab) itself
contains the meaning that one haqab should be closely followed by another haqab; therefore,
ahqab will necessarily be used only for such periods of time as continue to appear
successively one after the other and there should be no period which is not followed by
another period. Second, that as a rule it is wrong to put a meaning on a verse of the Qur'an
pertaining to a particular theme which clashes with other statements of the Qur'an pertaining
to the same theme. At 34 places in the Qur'an the word khulud (eternity) has been used
concerning the dwellers of Hell. At three places not only the word khulud has been used but
10/12
17/02/13
the word abad an (for ever and ever) also has been added to it; and at one place it has been
clearly stated: "They will wish to get out of Hell but shall not be able to come out of it and
theirs shall be an everlasting torment." (AI-Ma'idah: 37). At another place it has been said:
"Therein they shall abide for ever, as long as the earth and the heavens shall last, unless your
Lord ordains otherwise." And the same thing has been said about the dwellers of Paradise
too:" "They shall dwell in Paradise for ever, as long as the earth and the heavens shall last,
unless your Lord wills something else." (Hud: 107-108). After these explanations, how can
one argue, on the basis of the word abqab, that the stay of the rebels of God in Hell will not
be eternal, but it will come to an end at some stage in time?
16The word ghassaq as used in the original applies to pus, blood, pus-blood and all those fluids
that flow out from the eyes and skins as a result of a grievous penalty. Besides, this word is
also used for a thing which stinks and gives out horrid, offensive smell.
17This is the reason for which they will deserve this dreadful penalty of Hell. Firstly, they lived in
the world thinking that the time will never come when they will have to appear before God and
render an account of their deeds; second, that they utterly refused to accept and
acknowledge the Revelations that Allah had sent through His Prophets for their instruction
and treated them as falsehood.
18That is, "We were continuously preparing a complete record of their sayings and doings, their
movements and occupations, even of their intentions. thoughts and aims in life and nothing
was being left un-recorded, whereas the foolish people in their heedlessness thought that
they were living in a lawless kingdom where they were free to do whatever they pleased and
desired. and there was no power to call them to account."
19Here, the word "righteous" has been used in contrast to those who did not expect any
accountability and who had belied Allah's Revelations. Therefore, this word inevitably implies
those people who believed in Allah's Revelations and lived in the world with the
understanding that they had to render an account of their deeds ultimately.
20This may mean that they will be of equal age among themselves as well as that they will be of
equal age with their husbands. This same theme has already occurred in Surah Suad 52 and
Al-Waqiàh :37 above.
21At several places in the Qur'an this has been counted as among the major blessings of
Paradise. Human ears there will remain secure against idle, false and indecent talk. There
will be no nonsensical, meaningless gossiping in Paradise; no one will tell lies nor belie
others; nor will there be any use of abusive language, slandering; calumnies and false
accusations which are so common in the world. (For further explanations, see E.N. 28 of
Surah Maryam, E.N.'s 13, 14 of Al Waqiàh).
22"A reward and sufficient gift": that is, they will not only be given their due rewards which they
will deserve for their good deeds, but over and above these they will be given additional and
sufficient gifts and prizes as well. Contrary to this, in respect of the dwellers of Hell it has
been said: "They will be recompensed fully for their misdeeds." That is, they will neither be
punished less than what they will deserve for their crimes nor more. This theme has been
explained at length at many places in the Qur'an, for example, see Yunus: 26-27, An-Naml:
89-90, Al-Qasas: 84, Saba: 33-38, Al-Mu'min: 40.
23That is, the Court of Allah Almighty will be so awe-inspiring that no one, whether belonging to
11/12
17/02/13
the earth or to the heavens, will dare open his mouth of his own will before Allah, nor interfere
in the Court's work and proceedings.
24According to most commentators, "the Spirit" implies the Angel Gabriel (peace be on him),
who has been mentioned separately from the angels because of his high rank and position
with Allah. (For further explanation, see E.N. 3 of Al-Maàrij).
25"To speak": to intercede, and intercession has been made conditional upon two things:
(1) That the person who is granted permission by Allah to intercede for a sinner will alone be
allowed to intercede and for the particular sinner only; and
(2) that the intercessor will say only what is right and proper, and nothing derogatory, and the
one for whom he is interceding should have at least acknowledged the Truth in the world.
That is, he should only be a sinner, not an unbeliever. (For further explanation, see E.N. 281
of Al-Baqarah, E.N. 5 of Yunus, E.N. 106 of Hud, E.N. 52 of Maryam, E.N.'s 85, 86 of Ta Ha,
E.N. 27 of Al-Anbiya', E.N.'s 40, 41 of Saba. E.N. 32 of Al-Mu'min, E.N 63 of Az-Zukhruf, E N.
21 of An-Najm, E.N. 36 of Al-Muddaththir).
26Apparently, one might think that the people who were the audience of this verse died fourteen
centuries ago, ,and even now it cannot be said how many hundreds or thousands or millions
of years Resurrection will take to come. Then, in what sense has it been said: "The torment of
which you have been warned, has approached near at hand?" And what is the meaning of
saying in the beginning of the Surah: "Soon they shall know?" The answer is that man can
have the feeling of time only until he is passing a physical life in the world within the bounds of
space and time. After death when only the soul will survive, he will lose every feeling and
consciousness of time, and on the Day of Resurrection when man will rise back to life, he will
feel as though some one had aroused him from sleep suddenly. He will not at all be
conscious that he has been resurrected after thousands of years. (For further explanation,
see E.N. 26 of An-Nahl, E.N. 56 of Bani Isra'il, E.N. 80 of Ta Ha, E.N. 48 of Ya Sin).
27"Would ......dust": "Would that I had not been born in the world, or had become mere dust after
death, and thus reduced to nothingness."
12/12
SRAH 78
Al-Naba
(The Tiding)
ijk
In the Name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful.
About what are they asking? (1)
t9u!$|tFt t
About the fateful tiding (2)
y9$# *t69$# t
on which they dispute. (3)

t=tG / %!$#
No indeed; they shall certainly know! (4)
ts>uy x.
Again, no indeed; they shall certainly

know! (5)
ts>uy x. O
Have We not spread and levelled the earth,

(6)
#Yy uF{$# ygw s9r&

#Y$s?r& t$t7g:$#u
and made the mountains as pegs? (7)

We created you in pairs, (8)
%[ùr& /3o)n=yzu
and made your sleep a cessation of activity.

(9)
$Y?$t7 /3tt $u=yy_u

$U$t79 9$# $u=yy_u
We made the night a mantle, (10)
and appointed the day for gaining a

livelihood. (11)
$V$yt u$p]9$# $u=yy_u
We built above you seven mighty ones, (12)
#Y#y $Y7y 3s%s $utt/u

%[`$u %[`#u $u=yy_u
and placed therein a blazing lamp. (13)
%[`$gwR [!$t Nu9$# z $u9tr&u
We send down out of the rain- clouds water

in abundance, (14)
$Y?$t7tu ${7ym / ylj9
by which We bring forth grain and varied

plants, (15)
$$x9r& BMy_u
and gardens thick with trees. (16)
$\Fs) t%x. x9$# tt )
Fixed is the Day of Decision. (17)
%[`#ur& t?'tFs 9$# x tt
On that day the Trumpet is blown and you

shall come in crowds, (18)
$\/u/r& Mt%s3s $! y9$# MysGu
and heaven is opened, and becomes gates,

(19)
$/#u| Mt%s3s $t7g:$# Nuiu
and the mountains are made to move away,

and seem to have been a mirage. (20)
#Y$| Mt%x. zyy_ )
Hell stands as a vigilant watch guard,

(21)
$\/$tt t=j9
$\/$s)mr& $! p tV79
a home for the tyrants and the

transgressors. (22)
$/#u u #Yt/ $p t%t
Therein they shall abide for ages, (23)

tasting neither coolness nor any drink, (24)
$]%$xu $Vxq )
except boiling fluid and decaying filth: (25)
$%$s [!#ty_
a fitting recompense. (26)
$\/$|m t_t (#$2 )
They did not expect to be faced with a

reckoning, (27)
$\/#. $uGt$t/ (#/x.u
and roundly denied Our revelations. (28)
$Y7tG2 o|mr& >_x .u
But We have placed on record every single

thing, (29)
$/#xt ) .y n=s (#%s
[and We shall say]: Taste this, then; the

only increase you shall have is increase of
torment. (30)
#$xt t)F=9 )
$Y6ur&u t,!#ytn
The God-fearing shall have a place of

security, (31)
$\/#t?r& |=#ux.u
gardens and vineyards, (32)
$]%$y $U(x.u
and high-bosomed maidens, of equal age,

for companions, (33)
$\/. u #Ys9 $p tyo
and a cup overflowing. (34)

There they shall hear no idle talk, nor any
falsehood. (35)
$\/$|m !$st y7i/ i [!#ty_
Such is the recompense of your Lord, a

truly sufficient gift. (36)
$ys]t/ $tu F{$#u Nuy9$# b>

$\/$sz t3=s ( uq9$#
Lord of the heavens and earth and all that

lies between them, the Most Gracious, with
whom they have no power to speak. (37)
( $y| s3n=y9$#u y9$# )t tt

oq9$# &s! tr& t ) =s3tGt
On the day when the Spirit and the angels

stand in ranks, they shall not speak,
except those to whom the Most Gracious
$\/#u| t$s%u
has given leave, and who shall say what is

right. (38)
y 9s
4n<)
x sB$# u!$x ys ( ,
pt:$# u9$# 7
$/$tt n/u
That day is a certainty. Let him who will

seek a way back to his Lord. (39)
t ut $Y6s% $\/#xt 3txr& !$)

%s39$# )tu #yt Mts% $t y9$#
We have forewarned you of an imminent

scourge, on the day when man will look on
what his hands have forwarded and the
unbeliever will cry: Would that I were
dust! (40)
$R/t? M. _tFn=t
Overview
This volume contains 37 srahs forming what is traditionally known as the
thirtieth part of the Qurn, on the basis that divides the Qurn into 30 parts of equal
length, so as to make it easy to read the whole book once a month. Yet this part has a
special, distinctive colour. All the srahs it includes are Makkan, except two, The
Clear Proof and Divine Help, which take numbers 98 and 110 respectively. Although
they vary in length, they are all short. More significant, however, is the fact that they
form a single group with more or less the same theme. They enjoy the same
characteristics of rhythm, images, connotations and overall style. They are, indeed,
like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or a series of loud shouts seeking to
awaken those who are fast asleep, or those who are drunk and have lost
consciousness, or are in a night club, completely absorbed in their dancing or
entertainment. The knocks and the shouts come one after the other: Wake up! Look
around you! Think! Reflect! There is a God! There is planning, trial, liability,
reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss. The same warning is
repeated time after time. A strong hand shakes them violently. They seem to open
their eyes, look around for a second and return to unconsciousness. The strong hand
shakes them again. The shouts and knocks are repeated even more loudly. They may
wake up once or twice to say obstinately, No! They may stone the person warning
them or insult him and then resume their position of inattention. He shakes them
anew.
This is how I feel when I read this part of the Qurn. It places much emphasis on
a small number of significant facts and strikes certain notes which touch peoples
hearts. It concentrates on certain scenes in the universe and in the world of the
human soul, as well as certain events which take place on the Day of Decision. I note
Al-Naba (The Tiding)
how they are repeated in different ways, which suggests that the repetition is
intended.
This is how one feels when one reads: Let man reflect on the food he eats. (80: 24)
Or: Let man then reflect of what he is created. (86: 5) Or: Let them reflect on the camels,
how they were created; and heaven, how it is raised aloft; and the mountains, how they are
hoisted; and the earth, how it is spread out. (88: 17-20) Or: Which is stronger in
constitution: you or the heaven He has built? He raised it high and gave it its perfect shape,
and gave darkness to its night, and brought out its daylight. After that He spread out the
earth. He brought out water from it, and brought forth its pastures; and the mountains He set
firm, for you and your cattle to delight in. (79: 2733) Or: Have We not spread and levelled
the earth, and made the mountains as pegs? We created you in pairs, and made your sleep a
cessation of activity. We made the night a mantle, and appointed the day for gaining a
livelihood. We built above you seven mighty ones, and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send
down out of the rain- clouds water in abundance, by which We bring forth grain and varied
plants, and gardens thick with trees. (78: 6-16)
We entertain similar feelings when we read: Let man reflect on the food he eats: how
We pour down the rain in torrents, and cleave the earth in fissures; how We bring forth the
corn, the grapes and the fresh vegetation, the olive and the palm, the dense-treed gardens, the
fruit-trees and the green pastures, for you and your cattle to delight in. (80: 24-32) Or: O
man, what has lured you away from your gracious Lord, who created and moulded you and
gave you an upright form. He can give you whatever shape He wills. (82: 6-8) Or: Extol
the limitless glory of the name of your Lord, the Most High, who creates and proportions well,
who determines and guides, who brings forth the pasturage, then turns it to withered grass.
(87: 1-5) Or: We indeed have created man in the finest form, then We brought him down to
the lowest of the low, except for those who believe and do good deeds; for theirs shall be an
unfailing recompense. Who, then, can henceforth cause you to deny the Last Judgement? Is
not God the most just of judges? (95: 4-8) Or: When the sun is darkened, when the stars
fall and disperse, when the mountains are made to move away, when the camels, ten months
pregnant, are left untended, when the wild beasts are brought together, when the seas are set
alight, when peoples souls are paired (like with like), when the infant girl, buried alive, is
asked for what crime she was slain, when the records are laid open, when the sky is stripped
bare; when hell is made to burn fiercely, when paradise is brought near, every soul shall know
what it has put forward. (81: 1-14) Or: When the sky is cleft asunder, when the stars are
scattered, when the oceans are made to explode, when the graves are hurled about, each soul
shall know its earlier actions and its later ones. (82: 1-5) Or: When the sky is rent asunder,
obeying her Lord in true submission; when the earth is stretched out and casts forth all that is
within her and becomes empty, obeying her Lord in true submission. (84: 1-5) Or: When
the earth is rocked by her [final] earthquake, when the earth shakes off her burdens, and man
asks: What is the matter with her? On that day she will tell her news, for your Lord will
have inspired her. (99: 1-5)
We experience the same feeling as we meditate on the scenes of the universe

portrayed at the beginning or in the middle of some of the srahs in this part of the
Qurn: I swear by the turning stars, which move swiftly and hide themselves away, and by
the night as it comes darkening on, and by the dawn as it starts to breathe. (81: 1518) Or: I
swear by the twilight, and by the night and what it envelops, and by the moon in her full
perfection. (84: 16-18) Or: By the dawn, by the ten nights, by that which is even and that
which is odd, by the night as it journeys on! (89: 1-4) Or: By the sun and his morning
brightness, by the moon as she follows him, by the day, which reveals his splendour, by the
night, which veils him. By the heaven and its construction, by the earth and its spreading, by
the soul and its moulding and inspiration with knowledge of wickedness and righteousness.
(91: 1-8) Or: By the night when she lets fall her darkness, by the day in full splendour, by
Him who created the male and the female. (92: 1-3) Or: By the bright morning hours, and
the night when it grows still and dark. (93: 1-2)
Strong emphasis is laid, throughout this part of the Qurn, on the origin of man
as well as on the origin of life, in both its vegetable and animal forms. Emphasis is
also given to various scenes in the universe, such as the Day of Resurrection, which is
described in different places as the Greatest Catastrophe, the Stunning Blast, the
Enveloper, etc. Scenes of the reckoning, fine reward and severe retribution are also
given prominence. They are drawn with images which leave a stunning effect. All
these are given as a proof of the reality of creation and the elaborate planning of the
universe by God, as well as evidence confirming the reality of the life to come, and its
decisive reckoning. These scenes are, at times, combined with scenes of the fate of
some of the communities which rejected the divine messages. The whole of this part
exemplifies all this. We will make, however, a brief reference in this introduction to
some examples.
The present srah, The Tiding, lays its emphasis on the realities of creation and
resurrection, and on scenes of the universe and the hereafter. The same applies to the
next srah, The Pluckers. The third srah in this part, The Frowning, begins with a
reference to a certain incident during the early days of Islam. The rest of the srah is
devoted to a discussion of the origins of man and plants before it tackles what it
terms the Stunning Blast:
On that day everyone will forsake his brother, his mother and his father, his wife and
his children: for each one of them will on that day have enough preoccupations of his
own. Some faces on that day shall be beaming, smiling and joyful. Some other faces on
that day shall be covered with dust, veiled with darkness. (80: 34-41)
Srah 81, The Darkening, portrays scenes of the great upheaval which envelops
the whole universe on the Day of Resurrection. It also draws some fine and inspiring
scenes of the universe in the context of affirming the reality of revelation and the
Prophets honesty. The next srah, Cleaving Asunder, also contains scenes of
universal upheaval, coupled with scenes of perfect happiness and eternal suffering in
the hereafter. As it portrays these it aims to shake and awaken peoples hearts: 0
man, what has lured you away from your gracious Lord? (82: 6) Scenes of both types are
also portrayed in Srah 84, The Rending. Srah 85, The Constellations, touches very
briefly on aspects of the universe and the hereafter by way of introduction to its main
theme. The srah then tackles the history of a group of believers who were subjected
to extreme fire torture by the unbelievers. It also states how God will inflict greater
and more severe torture with fire on those unbelievers.
The next srah, The Night Visitor, draws some scenes of the universe and speaks
of the origins of man and plants prior to an oath, by all these, affirming that This is
surely a decisive word; it is no idle talk. (86: 13-14) Srah 87, The Most High, speaks of
creation, planning, divine guidance and the various stages of the growth of pastures.
All this is given by way of introduction to the theme of the hereafter, reckoning,
reward and retribution. The next srah, The Enveloper, provides some images of the
believers happiness in the hereafter, and the unbelievers misery. It also draws
attention to the creation of camels, heaven, earth and the mountains. The same
applies right through to the end of this part, with the exception of a few srahs which
are devoted to the exposition of the fundamental principles of faith, such as those
srahs entitled Purity of Faith, The Unbelievers, Small Kindness, The Declining Day,
Power, and Divine Help. Also excepted are a few srahs which give encouragement
and solace to the Prophet and direct him to seek refuge with his Lord against all evil,
such as those entitled, The Morning Hours, Solace, Abundance, The Daybreak, and
Mankind.
Another aspect of this part is its artistic use of fine expressions, images, rhythm,
meter and rhyme to touch upon areas of exceptional beauty in the human soul and in
the universe at large. It does this in order to achieve better results as it addresses
those who have lost sight of the truth, trying to attract their attention and awaken
their feelings. This is clearly evident, for example, in its portrait of the stars as they
turn in their orbits, rise and set, in the image of deer disappearing in their dens then
appearing again, its image of the night as a living being walking quietly in the dark,
and the dawn breathing with the first rays of light: I swear by the turning stars, which
move swiftly and hide themselves away, and by the night as it comes darkening on, and by the
dawn as it starts to breathe. (81: 15-18)
It is also clear in the description of sunset, the night and the moon: I swear by the
twilight, and by the night and what it envelops, and by the moon in her full perfection. (84:
16-18) And in the scenes of dawn and the travelling night: By the dawn, by the ten
nights, by that which is even and that which is odd, by the night as it journeys on! (89: 1-4)
Or: By the bright morning hours, and the night when it grows still and dark. (93: 1-2)
Again it is markedly evident in the inspiring address to the human heart: O man,
what has lured you away from your gracious Lord, Who created and moulded you and gave
you an upright form? He can give you whatever shape He wills. (82: 6-8) The same
applies to scenes from heaven: Other faces on that day are jocund, well pleased with their
striving, in a sublime garden, where they hear no babble.(88: 8-11) And in a similar
fashion it applies to scenes from hell: But he whose weight is light in the balance, shall
have the abyss for his home. Would that you knew what that is like! It is a scorching fire.
(101: 8-11)
Allegory is often employed and an unusual derivation is sometimes preferred in
order to obtain the intended musical effect. All this shows the artistry which so
entirely pervades this part of the Qurn.
The present srah is a good example of the general bent of this part, its themes, the
fundamental principles it seeks to establish, the scenes and images it portrays, its
inferences, its music and its fine touches, as well as its artistic selection and
manipulation of terms and expressions to enhance its effect. It opens with a form of
question imparting a sense of gravity to the matter in dispute, yet it is something that
admits of no dispute. This is followed by an immediate warning of what will happen
on the day when they will realize its nature: About what are they asking? About the
fateful tiding on which they dispute. No indeed; they shall certainly know! Again, no indeed;
they shall certainly know! (Verses 1-5) Discussion of this fateful tiding is then
temporarily dropped. The srah draws attention to what we see around us in the
universe and what we feel in our souls which give an unmistakable indication of
what will follow: Have We not spread and levelled the earth, and made the mountains as
pegs? We created you in pairs, and made your sleep a cessation of activity. We made the night
a mantle, and appointed the day for gaining a livelihood. We built above you seven mighty
ones, and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send down out of the rain- clouds water in
abundance, by which We bring forth grain and varied plants, and gardens thick with trees.
(Verses 6-16)
After this multitude of images taken from actual life the srah takes up the issue of
the event of which they have been warned. It explains to them its nature and how it
takes place: Fixed is the Day of Decision. On that day the Trumpet is blown and you shall
come in crowds, and heaven is opened, and becomes gates, and the mountains are made to
move away, and seem to have been a mirage. (Verses 17-20)
Then follows a scene of misery, that is at once both violent and infinitely powerful:
Hell stands as a vigilant watch guard, a home for the tyrants and the transgressors. Therein
they shall abide for ages, tasting neither coolness nor any drink, except boiling fluid and
decaying filth, a fitting recompense. They did not expect to be faced with a reckoning, and
roundly denied Our revelations. But We have placed on record every single thing, [and We
shall say]: Taste this, then; the only increase you shall have is increase of torment. (Verses
21-30) The scene of happiness, on the other hand, overflows with beauty: The Godfearing shall have a place of security, gardens and vineyards and high-bosomed maidens, of
equal age, for companions, and a cup overflowing. There they shall hear no idle talk, nor any
falsehood. Such is the recompense of your Lord, a truly sufficient gift. (Verses 31-36)
The srah closes with a distinctive note which accompanies a majestic scene of the
day when all this takes place: Lord of the heavens and earth and all that lies between
them, the Most Gracious, with whom they have no power to speak. On the day when the
Spirit and the angels stand in ranks, they shall not speak, except those to whom the Most
Gracious has given leave, and who shall say what is right. That day is a certainty. Let him
who will seek a way back to his Lord. We have forewarned you of an imminent scourge, on the
day when man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the unbeliever will cry:
Would that I were dust! (Verses 37-40)
This is the fateful tiding about which they ask, and this is what will happen on the
day when they realize the true nature of this great event.
Needless Enquiry
About what are they asking? About the fateful tiding on which they dispute. No
indeed; they shall certainly know! Again, no indeed; they shall certainly know!
(Verses 1-5)
The srah opens by shunning the enquirers and the enquiry. It wonders that
anyone should raise doubts about resurrection and judgement, which were central
points of bitter controversy. For the unbelievers could hardly imagine that
resurrection were possible, despite the fact that it is most logical. The srah asks what
they are talking about: About what are they asking? (Verse 1) We are then given the
answer. The question is not meant to solicit information but rather draws attention to
the subject of their questions and stating its nature: About the fateful tiding on which
they dispute. (Verses 2-3) The answer does not name the event but describes it to
enhance the feeling of wonder and amazement at such people. The dispute was
between those who believed in resurrection and those who denied it, but the
questions were raised by the latter only.
The srah does not provide any more details about the event in question. It simply
describes it as great before adding an implicit threat which is much more frightening
than a direct answer. No indeed, they shall certainly know! Again, no indeed, they shall
certainly know! (Verses 4-5) The phrase, no indeed, is used here as the nearest
possible rendering of the Arabic term, kall, which denotes strong shunning. The
whole sentence is repeated to add force to the threat implied.
Around Mans World

The srah then puts aside, apparently, that great event which is at the centre of
controversy, only to pick it up later on. We are then taken on a quick round of the
universe in which we see a multitude of scenes, creatures and phenomena.
Contemplation of which strongly shakes any human heart: Have We not spread and
levelled the earth, and made the mountains as pegs? We created you in pairs, and made your
sleep a cessation of activity. We made the night a mantle, and appointed the day for gaining a
livelihood. We built above you seven mighty ones, and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send
down out of the rain-clouds water in abundance, by which We bring forth grain and varied
plants, and gardens thick with trees. (Verses 6-16)
In this round we traverse the vast universe, observing a great multitude of scenes
and phenomena, which are sketched out with great economy of words. This helps
make the rhythm sharp and penetrating, like an incessant hammering. The form of
questioning implying a statement is also used here deliberately. It may be likened to
a strong hand shaking those who are still unaware. It draws their attention to all
these creatures and phenomena which provide strong evidence of the deliberate
planning and designing which go into their creation, the ability to create and recreate, and the wisdom behind creation, which dictates that no creature will be left
out of the great reckoning. Hence we come back to the fateful tiding, the subject of
the argument.
The first leg in this round takes us across the earth and the mountains: Have We
not spread and levelled the earth, and made the mountains as pegs? (Verses 6-7) Both facts
mentioned here can be easily recognized and appreciated by everyone. Indeed, even
primitive man can be affected by them once his attention is drawn to them.
As human knowledge advances and man acquires better insight into the nature of
the universe and its varied phenomena, his appreciation of these two aspects is
enhanced. He recognizes more fully Gods elaborate planning of the universe, the
accurate balance maintained between the individual kinds of creation and their
respective needs, the preparation of the earth for human existence and mans
adaptability to his environment. That the earth has been specially prepared as a
comfortable home for human life in particular is irrefutable evidence of the careful
designing of this existence. It is sufficient to break one relation in the conditions
available on earth or in the conditions and proportions required for life and the earth
would no longer be that comfortable home for mankind to tread on.
Man recognizes easily, by eyesight, that the mountains are very much like the
pegs of a tent. From the Qurn we learn that they steady the earth and keep its
balance. This may be because the height of the mountains offsets the depth of the
seas and oceans. An alternative explanation is that mountains balance out the inner
10
with the outer movements of our planet. Or probably they merely increase the
weight of the earth at certain spots to prevent its violent shaking with earthquakes,
volcanoes or internal tremors. There may be another explanation not yet known to
man. In the Qurn we find numerous references to natural laws the essence of which
was completely unknown to man at the time of revelation, but knowledge of which
was acquired a few centuries later.
In its second leg, this round touches upon various aspects of human existence:
We created you in pairs. (Verse 8) Again, this is a well established phenomenon,
easily recognized by every human being. God has made the survival and continuity
of mankind conditional on each of the two different sexes, male and female, playing
its role in life fully. Not much knowledge is required to appreciate what this involves
of comfort, pleasure and recreation. Hence the Qurnic statement stands to be
appreciated by every generation in every society according to its abilities and
knowledge.
Beyond the primitive importance of this fact there is the wider scope of
contemplation as mans knowledge increases and his feelings become more refined.
We may contemplate how one sperm produces a male child while another,
absolutely similar to the first, produces a female one. Our contemplation, however
penetrating, is bound to lead us to the inescapable conclusion that it is Gods perfect
planning which gives each sperm its distinctive characteristics, so that we may
eventually have a male and a female, for life to continue.
And made your sleep a cessation of activity. We made the night a mantle, and appointed
the day for gaining a livelihood. (Verses 9-11) God has willed that sleep should
overpower man and make him lose consciousness and activity. When asleep, man is
in a state which is unlike life and unlike death. It ensures rest for his body and mind
and compensates both for whatever effort they have exerted during wakefulness. All
this happens in a way the true nature of which man cannot conceive. His will plays
no part in it and it is impossible for him to discover how it happens. When awake,
man does not know his condition while he is asleep. He is also unable, when asleep,
to observe his condition and how sleep affects him. It is one of the secrets of mans
constitution and of all living creatures, unknown except to the Creator Who has
made sleep essential for life. For there is no living creature who can stay without
sleep except for a limited period. If he were forced, by external means, to stay awake,
he would certainly die.
Sleep does not merely satisfy some of mans physical and mental needs. It is,
indeed, a truce for the human soul from the fierce struggle of life. It is a respite which
allows man to lay down his armour, willingly or unwillingly, and enjoy a period of
perfect peace which he needs no less than he needs food and drink. Sometimes, when
one is low-spirited, mentally exhausted, possessed by fear and alarm, sleep may
11
overpower one, for a few minutes perhaps, and bring about a total change in ones
condition. Sleep does not merely renew ones strength, but it may revive one in such
a way as to wake up a new person altogether. This is miraculous, yet very true. It
happened on a large scale to the early Muslims who fought in the Battles of Badr and
Uud. God mentions both occasions in the Qurn, reminding the Muslims of His
favours. He made slumber fall upon you, as an assurance from Him. (8: 11) Then, after
sorrow, He let peace fall upon you, in the shape of a slumber which overtook some of you. (3:
154) Many other people have had the same experience in similar conditions.
Cessation of activity and consciousness through sleep is a prerequisite for the
continuity of life. Yet it can be given only by God. It is mentioned here by way of
inviting man to contemplate his own creation and constitution.
Gods perfection of creation has provided a correspondence between the
movement of the universe and that of living creatures. As man requires sleep after
his days work, so God has provided the night as a covering mantle for man to enjoy
his slumber. Day is also provided as a period of activity for man to pursue his
livelihood. Thus perfect harmony is established. The world is perfectly suited to the
creatures who live in it, and Gods creation is endowed with those characteristics
which fit in easily and gently with the universe. What perfect planning by a
scrupulous Designer!
The final leg of this round touches on the creation of heaven: We built above you
seven mighty ones, and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send down out of the rain-clouds
water in abundance, by which We bring forth grain and varied plants, and gardens thick with
trees. (Verses 12-16) The seven mighty ones God has built above the earth are the
seven heavens or skies, the precise nature of which is known only to God. They may
be seven galaxies which have a bearing on our planet or on our solar system. The
phrase may also refer to something else that is unknown to us. What we know for
certain, however, is that these seven have a strong constitution and do not easily
disintegrate. This much we know about the stars and we observe in what we call the
sky. The srah also points out that the construction of the seven mighty ones is in
perfect harmony with the creation of the earth and the world of man. This is implied
in the following verses: And placed therein a blazing lamp. (Verse 13) This is a
reference to the sun which shines and gives the heat necessary for the earth and its
living creatures. It also plays an important part in forming the clouds by evaporating
sea water: We send down out of the rain-clouds water in abundance. (Verse 14) The
Arabic text refers to these clouds as something squeezable. But who squeezes them to
extract their juice? The winds, maybe, or perhaps some kind of electric charge in the
atmosphere! Beyond both types, however, there is the hand of the Designer, who has
assigned to everything in the universe its respective qualities.
The use of the word lamp to refer to the sun is very apt, for a lamp gives heat and
12
light. It also shines as if it is ablaze. The heat and the light provided by the sun
combine with the water flowing in abundance, time after time, from the squeezable
clouds to help the seeds send out their shoots. This is how grains, vegetables, bushes
and wide-branching trees grow. This consonance in the design of the universe could
not have been achieved without Gods careful planning. Any man can appreciate this
if his attention is drawn to it. If he acquires advanced knowledge, he finds even more
consonance and congruity in the universe, which leaves him wondering in complete
amazement. He then finds completely insupportable the argument that all this is the
result of coincidence. He considers those who evade admitting the fact of elaborate
and conscious planning pigheaded and unworthy of respect.
Reckoning and Reward
All this has been for work and pleasure, but there are reckoning and reward to
follow, on the appointed day: Fixed is the Day of Decision. On that day the Trumpet is
blown and you shall come in crowds, and heaven is opened and becomes gates, and the
mountains are made to move away, and seem to have been a mirage. (Verses 17-20)
Creation is not without purpose. The Creator, who has accurately measured human
life and carefully provided perfect harmony between it and the universe, will not let
people just live and die in vain. Reason cannot accept that those who do good and
the evildoers should both end in dust. The rightly-guided and the straying folk, the
just and the tyrants cannot all share the same fate. There must be a day when
everything is judged and evaluated. The day is appointed by God: Fixed is the Day of
Decision. (Verse 17)
It is a day when upheaval overtakes the universe and destroys its systems. On
that day the Trumpet is blown and you shall come in crowds, and heaven is opened and
becomes gates, and the mountains are made to move away, and seem to have been a mirage.
(Verses 18-20) The Trumpet is a kind of horn of which we know nothing except its
name and that it will be blown. We need not waste our time trying to discover how,
for such discovery will not strengthen our faith.
God has revealed to us what we need to know of the secrets of the universe so that
we may not waste our energy in the futile pursuit of useless knowledge. We can
imagine, however, a blast on a Trumpet which people answer by arriving in droves.
We can visualize the scene whereby all the generations of mankind rise up, walking
in their multitudes, from all directions, to attend the great reckoning. We can imagine
the fearful sight of people rising from their graves and the great, huge, endless crowd
they form. We can feel the horror of the day, peoples helplessness and fear. We do
not know where all this will happen, nor when, for the universe is full of great
events: And heaven is opened and becomes gates, and the mountains are made to move
13
away, and seem to have been a mirage. (Verses 19-20)

Heaven, the mighty heaven, is opened up so that it becomes gates. It is, as
described elsewhere in the Qurn, rent asunder. So, it will look very unfamiliar to
us. The firmly dug-in pegs, i.e. the mountains, are made to move away. They are
hammered, scattered, turned into dust, blown by the wind, as other Qurnic verses
describe. Hence, they become non-existent, like a mirage which has no reality. Or,
probably, different rays are reflected against them after they have been turned into
dust and they look like a mirage.
All in all, horror is apparent in the upheaval which envelops the universe as well
as in mens resurrection after the Trumpet is blown. Such is the Day of Decision
carefully and wisely fixed.
The Fateful Day
The srah takes another step, beyond resurrection, to describe the fate of the tyrant
unbelievers and also that of the righteous. It begins with the former group who raise
doubts about the fateful tiding: Hell stands as a vigilant watch guard, a home for the
tyrants and the transgressors. Therein they shall abide for ages, tasting neither coolness nor
any drink, except boiling fluid and decaying filth: a fitting recompense. They did not expect to
be faced with a reckoning, and roundly denied Our revelations. But We have placed on record
every single thing, [and We shall say]: Taste this, then; the only increase you shall have is
increase of torment. (Verses 21-30)
Hell has been created so that it may watch the tyrants and transgressors and await
their arrival. They find it well prepared to receive them, as if they are returning to
their natural home after having sojourned on earth a while. It is a home in which
they stay endlessly. But they taste neither coolness nor any drink. (Verse 24) The next
verse provides an exception to this, but the exception is even worse: except boiling
fluid and decaying filth. (Verse 25) Their throats and stomachs burn as they drink the
boiling fluid, which is the only coolness they have, while their other drink is the filth
of the burning bodies, decaying in the enormous heat. The Qurn comments that
this is a fitting recompense. It is in keeping with what they have done in their lives.
For they thought they would never return to God: They did not expect to be faced with
a reckoning, and roundly denied Our revelations. (Verses 27-28) Their denial, as the
Arabic verse suggests, is strongly emphatic and stubbornly upheld. But God keeps a
meticulous record which does not leave out anything they do or say: But We have
placed on record every single thing. (Verse 29) Then follows a reproach coupled with
the tiding that they can hope for no change in their condition and no abatement of its
intensity: Taste this, then; the only increase you shall have is increase of torment. (Verse
30)
14
We then have the corresponding scene of the righteous in complete bliss. The
God-fearing shall have a place of security, gardens and vineyards, and high-bosomed maidens,
of equal age, for companions, and a cup overflowing. There they shall hear no idle talk, nor
any falsehood. Such is the recompense of your Lord, a truly sufficient gift. (Verses 31-36) If
hell is a vigilant watch guard which the tyrants cannot escape, the righteous, the
God-fearing will end in a place of security. What a place it is: gardens and vineyards.
(Verse 32) The vine tree is specifically mentioned because it is well known to the
addressees. The God-fearing will also have companions who are described here as
high-bosomed and of equal age. They also drink from a cup overflowing with
refreshing beverage.
These luxuries are given a physical description so that we may better appreciate
them. The precise nature of these luxuries and how they may be enjoyed remain
unknown to us as our understanding is restricted by our limited world. But the
enjoyment provided to the righteous is not purely physical. There they shall hear no
idle talk, nor any falsehood. (Verse 35) So it is a pure life there, free of the idle chatting
and falsehood which give rise to controversy. The reality is known to everyone,
which means that there is no room for futile argument. It is a sublime state of affairs
suitable for eternal life. Then follows the Qurnic comment: Such is the recompense of
your Lord, a truly sufficient gift. (Verse 36)
In Gods Presence
The srah closes with the final scene of the day when all this happens. It is a scene
in which we see the angel Gabriel, who is the Holy Spirit, and all the angels standing
in ranks before God, their Most Merciful Lord. They stand in awe of Him; no one
dares utter a word without prior permission from Him. Lord of the heavens and earth
and all that lies between them, the Most Gracious, with whom they have no power to speak.
On the day when the Spirit and the angels stand in ranks, they shall not speak, except those to
whom the Most Gracious has given leave, and who shall say what is right. (Verses 37-38)
The recompense given to the righteous and to the tyrant transgressors, which was
detailed in the previous section, is from your Lord. Lord of the heavens and earth and
all that lies between them, the Most Gracious. (Verse 37) What a befitting context to
reaffirm the eternal truth of Godhead. God is the Supreme Lord of man, the heavens
and earth, this life and the next, who metes out reward for righteousness and
punishment for transgression and tyranny. But above all He is the Most Gracious.
The reward He assigns to each group is a manifestation of His mercy. Even the
torment endured by the transgressors originates from Gods mercy. For it is indeed
part of mercy that evil should be punished and that it should not have the same end
as good.
15
The other divine attribute implied here is majesty: with whom they have no power to
speak. (Verse 37) In this awesome situation neither man nor angel can speak without
permission from the Most Gracious. Whatever is said will be right because He does
not permit anyone to speak whom He knows will not be saying what is right.
When we think that the angels, who are favoured by God, and absolutely pure
from sin, stand silent in front of God and dare not speak without His permission, we
are bound to feel how awesome the atmosphere is. Having motivated such a feeling,
the srah delivers a warning to those who have chosen not to hear or see: That day is
a certainty. Let him who will seek a way back to his Lord. We have forewarned you of an
imminent scourge, on the day when man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the
unbeliever will cry: Would that I were dust! (Verses 39-40)
Those who raise doubts and question the reality of the Day of Resurrection are
here shaken violently: That day is a certainty. (Verse 39) There is no room left for
doubt and controversy. Yet there is time for mending ones erring ways before the
fearful watch guard, i.e. hell, becomes a permanent home: Let him who will seek a way
back to his Lord. (Verse 39) The warning is stern enough to make the drunken awake:
We have forewarned you of an imminent scourge. (Verse 40) It will not be long coming,
for mans life is but a short period. The scourge is so fearful that the unbelievers,
when faced with it, will send up that great cry expressing the wish that they had
never lived: On the day when man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the
unbeliever will cry: Would that I were dust! (Verse 40)
This is the cry of one who is in great distress, who feels ashamed for what he has
been and what he has done. He feels that it is better not to be, or to be something as
worthless as dust, than to witness such a fearful occasion. The terrible position of the
unbelievers is the subject of the questions and doubts they raise concerning that
fateful tiding.
16
17/02/13
About
Surah Naba (the Great News) [78] Linguistic Miracle

Advice
Blog
Dictionary/Glossary
En Franais
Espaol
Forum
Meaningful Prayer
Power of Arabic Letters
Whats New?
Quran Challenge
Contact
Jannah Network
Translate
Select Language
Linguistic Miracle
TAFSIR
GEMS
LANGUAGE
LINGUISTIC MIRACLES
Surah Naba (the Great News) [78]

Tw eet
LEARN ARABIC
Search
Home
The Tafsir
Surah Naba (the Great New s) [78]
26
Like
Tafseer of Surah Naba Dream Tafseer [Transcribed]
StumbleUpon
Submit
Original Talk By Nouman Ali Khan
Download in PDF/Adobe Reader Format.
Quick Navigation: Intro | Ayah: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |

31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | End Comments.
subm it
reddit
Introduction:
My intention for picking this section of the Quran is because this is the most commonly memorized and most commonly recited portion of the Quran, so it is probably the
most beneficial to the average Muslim.
What I would recommend to anyone who is listening, is to read at least one tafsir as you listen to this such as Ibn Katheers rahimahullah. Ibn Katheer is available in
English. InshaAllah what we will be sharing here is what complements what you have researched and read.
One of the fundamental purposes of these surahs is to demonstrate how every surah in the Quran has a cohesive argument; it is unified and its subject matter is presented
in a cohesive fashion. This is an aspect often overlooked in tafseer. When you go so far in depth to each little thing, such as a grammatical nuance which is great you
sometimes lose sight of the big picture. You must understand that this was originally recited without any tafseer.
First and foremost, we understand that Makkan Quran [Quran revealed during the beginning of Islam] was predominantly being recited to a non believing audience. [And the
last juz is mostly Makkan.] We are going to try and explore some of the clarity of the Quran and the organization of ideas in each and every surah.
One of the common misconceptions in my opinion is translating the word surah as chapter. A chapter is basically one fundamental lesson; one central idea.
A surah, however, can have many, many ideas. In academic discussions, the closest thing you have to a surah is a course of study. A surah is almost an independent study
in and of itself, even though each of the surahs in the Quran is connected.
There are a few reasons why a surah isnt really a chapter:
It covers more than one topic, as we mentioned.
A chapter has a chronological or numerical sequence. For example, if you learn something in chapter 4, you dont have to repeat it in 5. If there is a need to refer back, the
author will just say refer to chapter 5. In the Quran, Allah does repeat things.
In the Quraan, Allah calls a surah kitaab (such as in Suran An-Nur).
4. A surah is different from a chapter for linguistic reasons. The word surah comes from the outer walls of a city. If you can visualize: in the old days, they didnt have borders
www.linguisticmiracle.com/tafsir/naba
1/16
17/02/13
4. A surah is different from a chapter for linguistic reasons. The word surah comes from the outer walls of a city. If you can visualize: in the old days, they didnt have borders
and signs saying
Welcome to such-and-such city. Rather, there were outer walls that you had to go through; it was a security measure. Inside of the city, there are a bunch of things
happening commerce, residences, markets, etc but it is all connected. That is kind of what is going on in a surah theres a lot going on, but its all connected somehow.
Two things that we are also going to try and look at that are not documented very well in English literature:
How the beginning of a surah and the end of it are connected. This is a consistent feature in the Quran. The beginning (mafatihisoor) and the end (khawateen) of every
surah are somehow connected.
Also, there is cohesion between the last thing you will read about in the previous surah and the first thing you will read about in the next surah. So the end of a surah and the
introduction of the next are linked.
Surah AnNaba`
[img]file:///C:/Users/A/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/img]
Section 1: the Denial
The Connection
The surah before it is surah Mursalaat (number 77). In Mursalaat, we found two groups of people. One group is the people of taqwa, the mutaqeena fi dhalim oyoon (ayah
41). Also, the people who are mentioned over and over are the mukadhibeen. The oft repeated ayah of the surah is way lil yowma idhil lil mukhadhibeen: they are those who
deliberately lie against truth and accuse those who do telltruth of wrong and try to invalidate their character. They are those who propagate falsehood.
Surah Naba` begins with the phrase amma ya ta sa àloon.
Ayah 1:
amma yatasaaaloon
What are they asking (one another)?
Lets talk about tasaaù to understand the connection. Allah is commenting on a discussion between three groups of disbelievers. There are three opinions about the
tafseer of the word yatasaaàlu (they are asking one another).
It is a depiction of believers being asked by disbelievers.
This is a discourse that is taking place between the disbelievers.
Both the disbelievers and the believers are asking the Messenger of Allah.
The one that is most true and is supported by the text is #2 the disbelievers asking one another.
In language, if you are asking one another a question, it could be done for one of two reasons. One could be because you are curious and dont know, so youre asking
someone else the question would have and inquisitive intent. Another intention could be to undermine or wage sarcasm at someone else. For example, the Messenger of
Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam presents these truths about the afterlife the oceans boiling over, people coming back to life, etc. As a means of undermining him or
making him look insane, they say, Do you know what hes talking about? No. Do you know?
This is a means of insulting the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The previous surah talked about those doing taqleed. One of the most effective ways to do this is to
undermine others by making sarcastic comments.
The Disbelievers Mock
Understand and appreciate this: the one responding to this is Allah. Obviously the Messenger and the believers who are making dawah are part of this sarcastic
conversation, but from the very beginning, Allah is the third party. What we learn in the beginning is that Allah has taken offense to their comments. Allah has taken offense to
the way they speak about the akhirah. Allah says: What are they asking one another?
They have been asking all over the Quran: Are we going to be raised again, after we have been withered away in our graves?
When Allah said, On the hell fire, nineteen guardians of the angels have been appointed. One of the disbelievers said, There are only nineteen? I can handle nineteen.
These were the kinds of criticisms and questions they had they were poking at the Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
A lot of the time these days youth get caught up on these missionary sites trying to respond to these sort of things. This is not new; these sorts of allegations have always
been made.
Naba` vs. Khabr
2/16
17/02/13
Ayah 2:
AAani-nnaba-i al atheem
Concerning the Great News,

Then Allah continues: Are they really asking about naba` ul adheem? An Naba` means news. There are two words in Arabic for news: naba` and khabr. What is the
difference? First of all, Naba` is a greater kind of news`. If the store closes at seven, that is khabr. If someone won the election or a war started, that would be naba`.
Khabr is used twice in the Quran; both in the same context. When Musa alayhis salaam is with hisfamily in the dark and he sees a light from a distance, he tells them,
Maybe Ill get some khabr from there. He doesnt know what the news will be. When Allah speaks of nations that were destroyed in the past, Allah speaks of the naba`
news of those who came before.
The second difference is that naba` always has some benefit for the person receiving it.
Naba` demands a reaction/action. When you hear it, it demands that you change something aboutyourself. For example, if you get the naba` of a fire in the building, it
demands that you get out and also let others know that they should get out.
Finally, naba` has bahool in it, as the linguists argue. What that means is that it is a manifest event. There are abstract ideas and actual physical events. Naba` is a tangible
thing. When Allah speaks of the resurrection as naba`, He is referring to its tangible nature. Some religions believe that the afterlife is just spiritual. We know that the akhirah
[hereafter] is physical and real; it is not a state of mind. Jannah and Naar are actual places; they are not figments of the imagination.
Are they really asking about this enormous naba`? Even though naba` is already something important and big the word adheem is still added as an adjective. Allah is
asking them, in that sarcastic nature, are they really asking about this enormous event. And instead of preparing for it, they are ridiculing it.
The Ayah in Ismiyya Form:
Ayah 3:
Allathee hum feehi mukhtalifoon

About which they are in disagreement.
Allah then adds another rhetorical question: Alladhee hum feehi mukhtalifoon. Alladhi is mowsoof, and hum feehi mukhtalifoon is called silatul mowsoof in grammar. So
the whole of ayah #3 is actually an adjective of naba`. The first adjective was al adheem and the second adjective is the entire third ayah. A course translation is: that which
they themselves are in disagreement with.
The way the ayah is structured is in the ismiyya, or the nominal, form. The benefit of this has is that we know this is something that they do all the time. Allah does not say
yakhtalifoon; He says mukhtalifoon. The noun usage shows us something that is continuous, just like a noun is permanent and a verb is temporary.
Then the word feehi has been positioned between hum and mukhtalifoon. Instead of Allah saying, Alladheen mukhtalifoona feehi, which is norm in Arabic, Allah says it this
way. This produces a shock, Isit really about that which they are disagreeing about amongst themselves?
Ikhtilaaf
The word ikhtilaaf indicates two things: a manifest disagreement an actual physical disagreement. Not only did they disagree about it, but they all had their own ideas of
what is going to happen. Some of them thought that Allah has daughters that are the angels which would put in a good word for them. Others said, Allah has so many things
going on, how does He have time to keep track of what I am doing? Aoothubillah. And so on and so forth.
Ikhtilaaf also means to have a friction or discord within ones self. This implies that not only did theydisagree with one another, but they had uncertainty within themselves.
They werent adamant about being saved or there being no afterlife, but they were uncertain.
Kalla!
3/16
17/02/13
Ayah 4:
Kalla sayalamoon
Nay, they will come to know!
Allah says: kalla sa yalamoon, thumma kalla sa yalamoon. This has been repeated. Often times, it is argued that this is done only for mubalagha, or in English, hyperbole
to emphasize something. In Old English, it is commonly translated as nay!
According to many grammarians from Basra, they say it has to do with stop. The disbelievers are running their mouths, and all of a sudden, Allah says stop!
If you say kalla, pause, and then continue, it means one thing. On the other hand, if you say it together, as it is in the ayah, it means something else. Some grammarians say
that it is ok to read kalla, stop, and then continue. Meaning, Stop! Stop this nonsense!
On the other hand, if you continue and dont stop which is the text of the ayah then kalla is associated with haqqan. Which is, truly you are going to find out. For example,
like we would say, No,
for real, Im going to get in trouble. We dont mean the no. We mean that we are really going to be in trouble for sure! The reality is they are going to find out.
The sa in sa yalamoon is short for sowfa. It implies that whatever is coming is very close. Allah makes sure that we understand it is very close by the letter seen here and
again at the end of the surah. It is a punishment that is qareeb (close).
Repetition
Ayah 5:
Thumma kalla sayalamoon

Nay, again, they will come to know!
So lets talk about the repetition of the ayah now. There are two opinions amongst the scholars as to why the ayah is repeated twice.
The first opinion is that the ayah is repeated to stress the point or to show anger/tension/friction. For example, how we sometimes say, Im going to get you man! Im going
to get you! Or Wait! Wait!
The other opinion, which a lot of the mufassiroon favor is: there are two predominant things that the Quran warns of: resurrection and hell fire. It is believed that they will first
know the truth at two separate times: first, in qiyamah. They will realize how obnoxious they were about the hereafter when they face qiyamah. And the second time, when
they see the fire.
Whoever dies, his qiyamah has already begun. He doesnt have to wait for the signs of the Day of Judgment, the rising of the sun from the west, etc.
Ali radiyallahu anhu used to say, The people are sleeping. When they die, they wake up. In that sense, when a person dies, they will immediately find out the
consequences of the words they were uttering.
The first passage of the surah has just finished (which was the first five verses).
Youll notice a rhyming scheme in the Quran: there are paragraphs in each surah, according to the rhyming scheme. Until now, everything rhymed except for perhaps ayah
number two. If you study the grammar of the ayah, youll see that ayah is actually connected to the next ayah; it is one sentence.
One of the remarkable features of the Quran is that the rhyming scheme tells where the paragraph begins or ends.
If you listen to the next few ayaat, youll notice a new rhyme scheme.
Section 2: Human Inability and the Power of Allah
So Blessed Be Allah, the Best of Creators
Sometimes the transitions in the Quran seem unrelated to each other. But SubhaanaAllah the transitions are all related to one another, and we should understand and
appreciate them.
4/16
17/02/13
There is a transition to another subject: Did we not make the earth a smooth plain [mihaad] for you?
Ayah 6:
Alam najalil-arda mihada

Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse?
Another word related to mihaad is mahd. The word mahd is the cradle, or even the womb of the mother, or the cradle in which the child is comfortable. Allah says, Didnt We
make the earth a place in which you would be comfortable? In classical Arabic, mihaad is used for bed. This is a place where you find peace and tranquility.
Next, Allah talks about His favor. What does this have to do with resurrection and their criticism? A lot of their criticism has to do with the earth cracking open, and all of these
things that are talked about in the Resurrection seem too monumental to them. What sort of God is capable of all of these things?
Human beings are aware of what they themselves are capable of: making a bed or a place of comfort for ourselves. Allahs however, made the earth.
Compare what we can do to just some of Allahs creation and Allahs ability.
No comparison.
Ayah 7:
Waljibala awtada
And the mountains as pegs?
Allah uses analogies and references in the Quran that the reader can relate to. In the old days, they would pitch tents; it was very common. Allah says He made the
mountains as pegs. The tent is known by the most important element the peg. Things are known by their most important element. For example, a soldier could be called a
sword. What kind of pegs/tents does Allah put up? Mountains! Compare that to what we erect of tents.
These were all big things that we mentioned thus far, but now were going to look at the creation of human beings themselves.
Ayah 8:
Wakhalaqnakum azwaja
And We have created you in pairs (male and female, tall and short, good and bad, etc.).
Allah says: We created all of you in pairs. We didnt create ourselves in pairs. Man didnt create woman; women didnt create man. Were not even capable over our creation
our own gender!
Ayah 9:
5/16
17/02/13
Wajaalna nawmakum subata

And We made your sleep to be rest (to you),
Allah then says: And made your sleep [a means for] rest Nowm is deep sleep. Allah says He made your sleep subaata. Sabatas sayra would be to cut a string. Literally,
this subaat is that which cuts off. So Allah speaks of the night as something that cuts you off. What does it cut you off from? First of all, it cuts you off from your body your
soul departs from your body. It also cuts you off from daily affairs, business, tasks, family, etc. Youre dead to the world. This foreshadows what Allah will talk about later the
resurrection. One essential feature of resurrection day: all human beings will be cut off from each other that day. A man will run from his family. The kind of cutting off that will
be permanent, we will see later. But we experience a little something of that every single day.
Sleep will overcome a man eventually; the power of Allah overcomes humans, even those who deny Him.
You are so adamant about disbelieving in Allah. Here are the powers Allah has over you and the powers of Allah over creation. You think that the One Who created all of this
cannot create life again?
Ayah 10:
Wajaalna al layla libasa

And have made the night as a covering (through its darkness),
And We made the night as a garment. Why is the night a garment? Because is covers you up and takes over you as a blanket. A garment is something you hide
underneath. Crimes take place at night. Secret,
ambush and robbery are all associated with night. This is a libaas (cloth) that you are not capable of getting rid of or taking off. The night overcomes everyone just as the day
does.
Ayah 11:
Wajaalna an-nahara maaasha

And We made the day for seeking livelihood.
We made the daytime a means of livelihood and a time of livelihood.
This is particularly true in the desert because there are few places in the desert where there is farmland. That food is critical to feed everyone else; it will not grow until it has
sunlight. Daytime is a means because you need the sun for agriculture. Also, the average work time is day time. Most people work during the day.
Ayah 12:
Wabanayna fawqakum saban shidada

And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
Then Allah speaks finally: We constructed/built above you. If you look at the other ayaat that just came, there was some implication (if indirect) of the human being.
Everything comes back to us and our powerlessness even over the creation of Allah. Again, here Allah says We made above you these seven heavens. Human beings
construct things to. Compare that to what Allah creates. SubhaanAllah It puts us in our place. We need to know how weak and powerless we are.
6/16
17/02/13
Ayah 13:
Wajaalna sirajan wahhaja

And We made a shining lamp,
And then, on top of this then We installed siraaj.
Siraaj in Arabic refers to anything that emits light. In the Quran, it consistently refers to the sun. Wahhaaja means brilliant and blazing. Of all the fires we can kindle on the
earth, or the chandeliers we create, what can compare to this creation of Allah? It is an illustration of the powerlessness of the human being.
Ayah 14:
Wa anzalna minalmusirati maaan thajjaja

And have sent down from the rainy clouds abundant water.
Minal musiraat Asaara or Isaar is to squeeze. One opinion is that it is referring to the wind squeezing the clouds, then the clouds drip rain. It is also used for the clouds full
of so much water that they drip rain.
Maa an thajaaja: Thajaaja means overflow of heavy rain, or profuse rain. The water overpowers humans by being too much or too less. If Allah doesnt send it, it can create
death and famine. If it comes too much, then there can also be death and destruction. Allah is again illustrating His power over the human being. SubhaanAllah
The Mercy of My Lord
Now, you will find a change in tone to the mercy of Allah and the favors He has given us.
Ayah 15:
Linukhrija bihi habban wanabata
That We may bring out thereby grain and growth,

By means of water, all kinds of grain and vegetation
The word habban is used for all kinds of grain, wheat and crop. Nabaat is used for all kinds of grass or vegetation. Basically, it is all the sustenance of the earth. Without
vegetation, there is no life on earth. Whatever we consume of animals and food consumes plant life.
Ayah 16:
7/16
17/02/13

Wajannaatin alfafa
And gardens of luxurious growth
Beyond that lush gardens. Alfaaf is the plural of lafeef (though there are other opinions), which means that which wraps around. So the idea is that the plants are intricately
tangled. The plants are so lush and abundant that you cant tell where one begins or ends. That is the imagery being presented.
Section 3 That Which You Denied
Al Fasl
So, to look back, the first section was about the denial of the hereafter. The second section was about human inability and the power of Allah. The third section, now that Allah
has put everyone in their place, is about that which you denied.
Ayah 17:
Inna yawma alfasli kaana meeqata

Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time Al Fasl is to take two things and separate them so much that they are clearly apart from one another. Yowm al Fasl is a day of clear separation. The Ulamaa` [scholars]
commented that the Day of Judgmentis the day truth will be separated from falsehood. The mushrik believed in Allah and other gods. People who do evil do some good and
say, Well, at least were doing such and such. They mix truth with falsehood. That day,a person will be separated from their false hopes. A person will be separated from
their false gods. Allah talks about followers being separated from their leaders (see AlBaqarah). Perhaps the most graphic separation: mother shall be separated from her
child. May Allah save us on that day.
Allah says this day of clear distinction has already been appointed. This day of fasl has already been fixed. It has to strike. Many of the things Allah talks about the creation
of pairs, the sun, night and day all have an appropriate, fixed time. Just like that, this life is paired with something: that is the Hereafter.Yowm al faslis fixed. Whether you like
it or not. Human being, you better realize you aremarching forward toward your Lord, minute by minute, second by second, without your knowledge, even, and youre going to
get to meet Him. No matter what you do, whether you realize it or not, were heading towards our Lord.
The Day They Deny
Ayah 18:

Yawma yunfakhu fee assoorifatatoona afwaaja
The Day the Horn is blown and you will come forth in multitudes
Now that the Day of Judgment has been introduced, the following ayahs will describe the event of that day. Allah says, the day on which it will be blown. The breath will be
blow into the soor (trumpet). Literally, soor means horn either the horn of an animal or the horn that is blown into.
All of you will come forth as a result, in multitudes Allah began the surah using third person. Now Allah is talking to them. In the beginning, He was expressing His
disgust at them by not even addressing them directly. This is called tabeed in Arabic: to distance yourself from the one you are not happy with. This is done in Arabic to show
disgust at first not even addressing them and then turning to them and hitting them by surprise.
An example of this could be the classroom. Say a student failed a big exam. The teacher comes into the room and says, Some of you didnt do very well on your exam All
of the students are on edge, and then suddenly the teacher turns to one student and singles him out.
Another place this happens in the Quran is when Allah is talking about them associating a son with him. Then Allah transitions to second person and addresses them
directly.
Ata ya`ti doesnt just mean to come. Ata means to submit. Fa ta`toona afwaaja not only will you come forward in multitudes, but you will give yourselves up. This is to show
the contrast between how you are now and how you will be then.
Ayah 19:
8/16
17/02/13
Ayah 19:
Wafutihati assamaau fakanat abwaba

And the heaven is opened and will become gateways
Wa futihatis samaaù fakaanat abwaaba
Those same seven heavens that Allah talked about earlier, Hehas the power to destroy. He described their power in this surah, and then He is talking about those skies
being ripped open, as though they were doors. What does it mean that they will be like doors? In construction what is the loosest part of the room? The door is the loosest
because it has hinges; it is the weakest part of the construction. Allah talks about this magnificent construction and then He says that it will all be as a door; very weak. Youll
see cracks all over the place. This is in contrast with what we see now we can keep looking and not see any flaws.
Ayah 20:
Wasuyyiratil jibaalu fakanat saraaba

And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.
Allah then speaks of those same mountains whose magnificence He described before and how they will be suyyirah. Suyyira is talking about how the mountains will be
easily moved. The last thing that you think of when you imagine something that is easily moved is mountains! SubhaanAllah.
Allah then says Fakaanat saraaba. This is talking about how the humans will see the mountains moving, and because such a sight is so unbelievable, they will think they
are seeing a mirage.
This is the first reality that they would know about the Day of Judgment now Allah will depict for them the Fire which they will come to know of.
Again, They Will Know!
Ayah 21:
Inna jahannama kanat mirsada

Truly, Hell is a place of ambush,
No doubt, the hell fire has always been waiting in ambush. Mirsaad comes from rasada. Mursad is one who is trying to ambush. Allah describes hell fire as Mirsaad: a
place ideal for ambush. It is designed with the only intent to hide and attack the enemy.
Hasan al Basri uses this ayah to explain There is no one from you at all who will not go over it [the hell fire] (Surah Maryam). We will get to experience what we have
escaped. For
the believers, they will be able to pass by, but the disbelievers will be ambushed by it.
Ayah 22:
9/16
17/02/13
Littagheena maaaba
For the rebellious, a place of destination:
Who is it in ambush for for at Tagheen.
So many other words could have been used, but Allah says at Tagheen. Kufr is on the outside. Tughyaan is what is on the inside rebellion. On the outside, even
thephilosophy majors or atheists, etc dont want to acknowledge Islam or God. It is not because they have intellectual arguments, but because they want to live their life the
way they want to live. They dont want to live according to a higher authority; they want to rebel. That is the root of this whole problem. Its not that they are curious about an
naba` it is their rebellion. And the Hell Fire is waiting for the rebellious.
It is ma aaba a place that they will have to keep going back to. This illustrates they are going to try to escape, but they keep being sucked back in.
Ayah 23:
Labitheena feeha ahqaba

In which they will remain for ages [unending].
It is a place of stay and stay itself.
They are going to be staying there for a very long time. That long period of time has been given a quantity ahqaaba. Ahqaaba is the plural of haqb. According to Ali
radiyallahu anhu and aqb is eighty years, every day of which is 1,000 years (and this is the most popular opinion). Regardless of what the time is, the number if finite. This
led some mufasiroon to say that hell will eventually end. This opinion has been negated heavily. Hasan al Basri said that Allah did not say haqb; He said ahqaaban, which
means they are multiple. The plural illustrates that there is no end to it.
This illustrates hopelessness. It is a means of psychological torture. They are given the hope that one haqb is ending, but then another beings.
Ayah 24:
La yathooqoona feehabardan wala sharaba

They will not taste therein [any] coolness or drink.
They will not get to taste in it neither coolness nor any kind of drink.
Lafha is a warm breeze and nafha is a cool breeze. Allah speaks of the least punishment in hell and says that even if the coolest breeze of hell fire reached them, it is so hot
that they will cry out over and over again: Destruction has fallen upon us! We had continuously been the wrong doers!
In desert life, the two joys you can have of relief from the desert are drinks and cool breezes. The expression in the Arabic language his eyes became cool is used for a
mans eyes getting relief after a sandstorm. Allah uses this expression to describe joy from wife and family. So we can see that coolness, in the Arabic culture, is a great
pleasure. Allah will take that pleasure away in Hell.
Ayah 25:
Illa hameeman wa ghassaqa

Except boiling water, and dirty wound discharges.
Allah adds only two more things in place of those: boiling, scorching water and infected blood or pus of the other companions in hell.
10/16
17/02/13
Allah adds only two more things in place of those: boiling, scorching water and infected blood or pus of the other companions in hell.
Justice:
Ayah 26:
Jazaaan wifaqa
An exact recompense (according to their evil crimes).
If you describe this to a non believer, what do you think they would say? Man, this is pretty intense. Do you think somebody could deserve this? The next ayah says: jazaa an
wifaaqa. Jazaa` means payback; in it is included you get what you work for. But then Allah adds: wifaaq. The normal Arabic would expect muqafiqun. When you say wifaaq, it
illustrates that there could be no punishment more appropriate. This is exactly down to the last ounce what they deserved. There is no torture or oppression; this is
justice.
[Personal note by transcriber: If you read Jamal Az-Zarabozos explanation of the 40 hadith of An-Nawawi, under the explanation of the first hadith, he addresses a similar
issue. Some people may ask, well, a disbeliever did not disbelieve for eternity, so how can he be punished for eternity? The answer is that, had he lived for eternity, he would
have disbelieved for eternity. So he had the intention to do that as long as he lived. The same way if he had believed, he would be in Paradise for eternity, but he rejected that
offer. Allah knows best.]
Ayah 27:
Innahum kanoo la yarjoona hisaba

Surely they did not hope for a reckoning,
What is it exactly that they did? They were the one who had no hopes of accountability. The wording is very careful. Allah does not say that they didnt expect accountability; He
says that they didnt hope for it. If you dont expect something, that means you had no idea. When you dont hope for it, it means that you heard and knew about it, but you
hoped it wouldnt come. You let your false hopes that the accounting would not come delude you.
There are often Muslims even within our own families, that dont want to talk about accountability. If you tell them, for example, Well have to answer for how we earned our
money, they may brush it off and say something like, Dont depress me. I want to talk about something else. They want to stay in their false hopes.
Ayah 28:
Wakaththaboo bi-ayatinaa kiththaba

They called Our revelations false with strong denial.
This crime we just spoke of was inside of them. And that false hope led them to commit the second crime on the outside: they denied the ayaat. They did two things here:
lied against themselves and then lied against the miraculous ayaat of Allah.
There are two types of ayaat: ayaat kowniyya (ayaat in existence) and Quraniyyah. This person refused to reflect on either of them. This includes lying against the
Messengers, lying against the truth, character assassination, etc.
Ayah 29:
11/16
17/02/13
Ayah 29:
Wakulla shay-in ahsaynahu kitaba

And all things We have recorded in a Book.
Dont be shocked that each and every last thing We have completely encompassed. Ad means to count and ihsaa means to not only count it, but protect it and archive it.
The scholars comment that this ayah of the Quran is the worse about adhaab (punishment): every time they try to escape the punishment, they are entered into one that is
worse than what they came out of.
Ayah 30:
Fathooqoo falan nazeedakum illaathaaba
So taste [the penalty], and never will We increase you except in torment.
Allah says, then go ahead and taste all of you. Allah is speaking to them.
This is showing His extreme anger with them. But Allah does not use His Name next to them. According to other excerpts in the Quran, we learn that Allah will not even turn
towards them or face them that day.
What will they be begging for? A little relief, a little drink, but all they will get is punishment. May Allah protect us from hell.
The Muttaqeen:
Ayah 31:
Inna lilmuttaqeena mafaza

Verily, for the Righteous, there will be a success (Paradise);
There are two audiences in this Surah: the kuffaar and the muttaqeen. When Allah speaks to the muttaqeen, He speaks to them. Allah then addresses the people of taqwa.
Why this particular title forthem?
Taqwa is commonly translated as fear, but that is not correct. That would be khowf. Taqwa, here, refers to the precautions you take as a result of fear, the things you do
because you are afraid. For example, locking your doors at night because you are afraid would be out of precaution. So taqwa is to take precaution. Taqwa is a feeling that
results in some kind of action.
What is waiting for them? Mafaaz has a lot of meanings wrapped up into it success, the place of success (Jannah) and an appointed time when they enjoy success (its
coming, be patient).
Ayah 32:
Hada-iqa wanaaba
12/16
17/02/13

Gardens and grapeyards;
Then Allah describes the place: gardens.

Hadeeqa is a garden with a tall fence, so it is a private type of garden No one else has access to it. Hadaqa is also related to the word hadeeqa, and it refers to the pupil
of the eye, which in turn refers to the beautiful color surrounding it.
The food that is mentioned is grapes and this is a two in one because it is a food that already has a drink in it SubhaanAllah.
Ayah 33:
Wa kawaAiba atraba
And full-breasted [companions] of equal age
Kawaaib is the plural of kaaib. Kaaib is a really gorgeous woman. They will be at the most compatibleage for the believers.
Ayah 34:
Wakasan dihaqa
And a cup full (to the brim).
Ka`s nowadays means a cup or glass, but in classical Arabic ka`s was only used when the glass was full ofwine, or some expensive drink. So these glasses will be full of
expensive and exotic drinks. The color of the drinks will be exotic, and it will also be splashing.
Ayah 35:
La yasmaAoona feeha laghwan wa laa kidhzaba

No ill speech will they hear therein or any falsehood Then Allah says they will not hear in those gardens laghw (useless talk) or kidhaab (when one person lies against another). Why does Allah mentioned these two specific
things? In the beginning of the surah, the disbelievers are making useless talk. When they get to Jannah, the believers will not have to hear any of this. In Al Imran, Allah
says you will have to endure a lot of painful words from the kuffaar. Even the messengers were told to have beautiful patience. Once in Jannah, the believers will not have to
worry about any of this.
Also, believers are working for the deen constantly hear kidhaab in the media. They hear people lying about the messengers, about the book of Allah, etc. In Jannah, they
will no longer be tortured with these things.
Ayah 36:
13/16
17/02/13
Jazaaan min rabbika ataaan hisaba

A reward from your Lord, an ample calculated gift (according to the best of their good deeds).
With the disbelievers, Allah said jazaaàn wifaaq not more or less, but exactly what they deserve. Allah does not say wifaaq for Jannah, because He will give us more than
what we deserve, subhaana wa taaala.
Allah says mir rabbika (from their rabb). Allah is the One Who gives, provides, nourishes, creates, takes care of all of these positive connotations are included inside of the
word rabb. Rabb was not used with the disbelievers, because there was no mention of mercy with them.
Another way Allah mentions His Mercy is that He says rabbika your Lord. Anywhere in the Quran where Allah speaks to His messengers, those are the most merciful
places in the Quran. Allah adds on to that, saying ataa`. Ataa` is a grant/gift to someone who doesnt deserve it. So the believers will be showered with gifts.
Qataadah radiyallahu anhu explained hisaab saying that this is like a saying in Arabic, in which you give so much to a person that they say, stop, I cant take any more. May
Allah make us worthy of this. Ameen.
Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem:
Ayah 37:
Rabbi assamawati wal-ardi wamaa baynahuma arrahmani laa yamlikoona minhu khitaba
[From] the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Most Merciful. They possess not from Him [authority for] speech.
The Lord of the heavens and the earth that same Lord is excessively merciful. Some things you should know about Ar-Rahmaan (which is used here) as opposed to ArRaheem:
Ar-Raheem is potential. You can say a person is merciful. That doesnt mean he is always merciful, doing something merciful at every moment. When Allah is speaking of a
mercy He is doing right in the moment, He doesnt use ar-Raheem; He uses ar-Rahmaan. When there is a specific mercy mentioned, ar-Rahmaan is used. Ar-Raheem is
more general.
This special mercy of Allah is being given to the believers on the Day of Judgment. It is perfectly suited here because of all of the different levels of mercy Allah will bestow on
the believers which were mentioned in the previous ayahs.
From the disbelievers side after hearing such a strong warning in this surah may lose hope. Allah mentioning His Name, Ar-Rahmaan, gives hope to the disbeliever as
well. Allah is exceedingly, unexpectedly merciful.
None Shall Speak:
Ayah 38:
Yawma yaqoomu arroohu walmalaaikatusaffan la yatakallamoona illa man athina lahu arrahmanu waqaala sawaba
The Day that Ar-Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel) or another angel] and the angels will stand forth in rows, none shall speak except him whom the Most Beneficent (Allah) allows, and he
will speak what is right.
They will have no control, no ability or power in regards to Him on that day in terms of addressing Him or making a case. This is for the kuffaar.
But then Allah says: the day when ar-Ruh will stand and malaaìka. There is almost ijmaa` [consensus] of the mufassiroon [the scholars of tafseer] that ar-Ruh refers to
Jibreel alayhis salaam (Gabriel) almost every time in the Quran. Usually in the Quran, we see the reverse order the angels are mentioned first and then Jibreel. This is a
reversal in the sequence. One of the scholars of balaagha [literary beauty?], sh-Sha`raabi, commented on this: whenever you find a lot of movement, then angels are
associated with going up and down and being in constant movement. There, you find malaaìka mentioned first. When you find responsibility, Jibreel is mentioned first
because he has the most responsibility. That is why Jibreel is mentioned first.
Another benefit of knowing this is that one of the theories of the mushrikoon [polytheists] was that the angels would come and save them. Who is the greatest of the angels?
14/16
17/02/13
Another benefit of knowing this is that one of the theories of the mushrikoon [polytheists] was that the angels would come and save them. Who is the greatest of the angels?
Ar-Ruh [Jibreel/Gabriel]! And they will all be standing before Allah in straight rows, not uttering a single word. So if the disbelievers had some hope that the angels would
save them, then they are mistaken. The angels will be standing silent as well.
Only to whom Allah gives permission will speak and he will say that which is true and upright. Allah was using present tense up until now, but He switches to past tense to
show that even one who does speak will be very brief. People will be spoken to rather than them speaking.
Ayah 39:
Dhalika alyawmu alhaqqu famanshaa ittakhatha ila rabbihi maaba

That is without doubt the True Day, so, whosoever wills, let him seek a place with (or a way to) His Lord (by obeying Him in this worldly life)!
Dhaalikal yowm al haqq . There are three ways to translate this:
That is the true day
That day is in fact the ultimate the truth this is favored by most scholars.
This is that true day which is coming
You Have Been Warned:
Ayah 40:
Inna antharnakum athaaban qareeban yawma yanthuru almaru maa qaddamatyadahu wayaqoolu alkafiru ya laytanee kuntu turaba
Verily, We have warned you of a near torment, the Day when man will see that (the deeds) which his hands have sent forth, and the disbeliever will say: Woe/destruction to
me! Would that I were dust!
Then, whoever wants, let find maaab towards his Lord. Whoever wants, let him hold on to a path that will lead towards his Lord. Allah already spoke about jahannam being
maàab. Now He is speaking about another maàab your goal in this life to return to your Lord. May Allah make us of those who return to their Lord. Ameen.
In conclusion of this surah, Allah says, Inna andharnakum. It is indeed We who have warned you. The kaafir thinks that Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is warning
him, but Allah is telling them thatthis is the Lord of the worlds Who is warning them. They see it far away, but We see it very close.
We said before that the sa in the beginning was for closeness. The conclusion is also closeness.
The day on which every single person will see whatever their hands have sent forward. This expression is often misunderstood in English. It requires some explanation:
most of our actions are done by our hands. When our hands do an action, it is recorded and is then sent forward. Whatever we have done is archived and sent into archives.
It will later be bought out of those archives and displayed before you on a day that is coming ahead. Every person will see what both his hands sent forward.
As a result, the disbeliever will say la laytani and there are no words in English to translate this. In modern language, we are much less articulate. The closest thing in our
times is: a person so sad and overwhelmed that you have no words. It is when you are speechless and dumbfound. All you can do is sigh or scream. Destruction is upon
them, but they cant say it. Allah is describing the emotion of that person. They will say, If only I had been reduced to nothing but dust!
Before this day, the arrogant kaafir was walking around in arrogance, thinking he had no accountability, but on that day he will wish he was dust. In Arabic tradition, dust was
associated with humiliation. To put dust on someone or kick it in their face were expressions of humiliating someone. The last thing someone wants is to be associated
with dust. He will face Allah and will wish he was that humiliated dust.
The Cohesion of Beginning and End

15/16
17/02/13
How the beginning of this surah correlates to the beginning: in the beginning, the kuffaar were adamant and arrogant, in total disregard of the hereafter. In the end, their state
will be that they will not be able to speak. Now, let them run their mouth, but a time will come when their mouth will be silent.
In the beginning they had disagreement over what would happen in the hereafter. That Day, there will be only one true opinion.
Finally, Allah warned them that they will know the consequences of their speech. In the end, the will say, Oh, I wish that I were dust!
FIND US ON
LINGUIS TIC MIRAC LE

BLOG
DONATIONS 2012
Allah Almighty says, Son of Adam,
Quran, Translations and Tafsir, Miracles
spend and you will be spent on. -Hadith
and Inimitabiliity
Arabic Grammar and Vocabulary Books
in English
in Urdu
in Arabic
The Book Free of Doubt The Quran,
Quranic Keywords a Reference Guide,
Binaa al Afaal English Explanation
Arabic English Dictionary : The Hans
Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic
4th edition
A Grammar of Classical Arabic by
Wolfdietrich Fischer 3rd edition
QuranGems.blogspot.com
Juzz 1 17 Detailed Nouman Ali Khan
Tafsir Notes Download HERE!
Pattern Wise, Root Wise and Letter Wise
Concordance of The Quran
Hosted by JannahStudios | In Association w ith the Jannah Netw ork

COPYRIGHT
Links
YouTube
Translate
Bayyinah
NAKCollection.com Dow nloads
Top
Fabric Sofas | Leather Sofas | Chesterfield Sofas | Chesterfield Suites | Leather Sofas UK
16/16
Siirah An-Naba' : 78 : 1 - 40
680
Siirah An-Naba'
(The Great Event)
This Siirah is Makki, and it has 40 verses and 2 sections
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful,the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 40
,
b
'
,,, JI
/)/
4:) dl;$ ,iJ

4:) I;L;~I JGI;
,
4:) I&&$I
C& i$@l es? a,' I 4,i$ lilhl~WJ4,0+ L.@J ~z

I
'>,
-,
0JI
1c-
*/JI
8 ,
, 'g
Y
d3
(\A)
4191 aJb
#
, J ~ , , J ~ , ,
,, J
*,,
,
2 @-ey.4,
V)
*,
'
4, q) 4131 &G
J
j$l
447.) 4 1 y &a JGI

, +fl
,
JI
?,JI
*.Y/
/U'
JI
"
h&
, 1;2;@v)
r
, ' .,
,
cG 3 ~ ) \>s
?! 477) 6G;,
& ++=-I
j $; 4:~) ():I$
5
>
J,,,
9 ,
$ 9
SGrah An-Naba' : 78 : 1 - 40
About what are they asking each other? [I] About the
Great Event [21 in which they dispute! [3l Truly, they
will soon know. [41Again, truly, they will soon know. [51
Did We not make the e a r t h as a floor, [61 and the
mountains as pegs? [71 And We have created you in
pairs, [81 and made your sleep a source of rest, [91 and
made the night a covering, [ l o ] and made the day a
source of livelihood. [ I l l And We have built seven strong
(skies), [I21 and created a luminous lamp (the sun). [I31
And We have sent down from the rain-laden clouds
abundant water, [I41 so that We bring out therewith
grain and vegetation, [I51 and thick gardens. [I61
Surely the Day of Decision is an appointed time, [I71 a
day when the trumpet will be blown, so you will come
in multitudes, [I81 and the sky will be opened, so it will
become as gates, [I91 and the mountains will be set in
motion, so they will be as mirage. [20] Surely Jahannam
(the Hell) is set in ambush. [21] (It is) an abode for the
rebellious people [221 who will be abiding in it for ages.
[231 They will taste nothing cool in it, nor a drink, [24l
except boiling w a t e r a n d pus, [ 2 5 l t h i s being a
recompense in full accord (with their deeds). [26l They
did not expect (to face) accounting (of their deeds), [27l
and they rejected Our signs totally. [281 And everything
(from their deeds) is thoroughly recorded by Us in
writing. [29l "So now taste! We will never add to you
681
682
anything except torment." [301

I
For the God-fearing there is sure achievement, [31]

gardens a n d grapes, [32] a n d buxom maidens of
matching age, [33] and goblets filled up to the brim. [341
They will not hear therein any vain talk, nor lies, [351
this being a reward from their Lord, a sufficing grant,
[361 (from) the Lord of the heavens and the earth and
what is between them, the All-Merciful. No one will
have power to address Him, [371 on the Day when the
Spirit and the angels will stand in rows. They will not
speak, except the one who is permitted by the RahmZn
(the All-Merciful)and speaks aright. [381 That is the Day
which is sure to come. So whoever so wishes may take
refuge with his Lord. [391 We have warned you of an
approaching torment (that will be inflicted) on a day
when one will see what his hands have sent ahead, and
the disbeliever will say, "0would that I had become
dust!" [40]
Commentary
:$ ;% (About what are they asking each other?...78:l). The word
'amma is made up of two particles: [I]The preposition
'an (about); and
121 the interrogative particle L 'ma' (what?) (the last letter, that is, 'ma'
has been omitted according to the grammatical composition. The sense is :
About what are they asking each other?' Allah Himself replies to the
question when He says:
;w + 2
01j
(About the Great Event in which they

dispute!....78:2,3). The word naba' means 'news' but not every news is
naba'. It means a 'momentous news of a great event'. This refers to the
news of the Day of Judgement. The verse purports to convey that the
inhabitants of Makkah ask about the Day of Judgement in which they
dispute [while some of them believed in Resurrection, others did not.]
~ $ 1#I
SayyidnZ Ibn 'AbbZs & reports that when the revelation of Qur'an
started, the pagan Arabs used to form circles and discuss and criticise it,
especially about the tremendous import of Resurrection and Judgement
referred to in the Qur'Zn. The pagans thought this was impossible, and
they used to have protracted discussion. The disbelievers persuade
themselves to believe t h a t the predicted event will never take place,
SGrah An-Naba' : 78 : 1 - 40
I
683
though there were others who believed in the event. The Siirah opens by
shunning the enquirers and the enquiry, it wonders that anyone should
raise any doubts about Resurrection and Judgement. Some of the
commentators express the opinion that their enquiry was not a genuine
one where they were keen to learn about the t r u t h . So they ask
half-mockingly and half in doubt, when that event, so loudly pronounced,
will happen. Qur'Zn has responded by asserting one statement twice for
emphasis, thus:
n, @ { ,,>,
M( ,+ .3+
,,I,,,,
will soon know. Again, truly, they

will soon know ....78:5) The particle kallZ is negative, and means 'never,
by no means'. It means here that this matter cannot be understood by
question and answer or by disputation and debate. Its reality will be
understood by them when they will face it. It is such a reality that has no
room for questions, disputation or denial. The Qur'Zn says that soon they
will come to know about it [and this statement is repeated twice for
emphasis]. In other words, when they die, they will discover the realities
of the next world. They will see the horrors of the Hereafter with their
eyes.
d+
M( (Truly, they
Then the Holy Qur'Zn has pointed to different demonstrations of His

power to prove that it is not impossible for Allah to destroy this entire
world and re-create it once again. Reference is made to the creation of
earth, mountains, human beings, males and females and the creation of
suitable conditions for human life, health and activities. One of the things
mentioned in this connection is :
+
,>
EL,
,&a L&',,,,
,
(and made your sleep a source of rest, ...78:9). The word
A,,'
subat is derived from sabt which means 'to cut off. Sleep is something
that cuts off the worries and tensions one may have, and thus gives him
such a rest that cannot be attained from anything else. Therefore, some
scholars translate the word subat as 'rest'.
Sleep Is a Great Gift

After mentioning in verse [8] that Allah has created mankind in pairs,
Allaah Ta'ZlZ states in verse [9] that among the means of their comfort,
He created sleep, which is a great divine gift. Sleep is a great source of
relaxation for the entire creation - for rich as well as for poor, for learned
684
people, as well as for the illiterate ones, for kings as well as for labourers.
This gift is made available equally and simultaneously for all. Rather,
experience shows that this gift is most readily available to the poor and
labouring class, as compared to the affluent and the elite class. The latter
class has all the means of comfort, they have comfortable homes, they
have moderately warm and cold places, they have comfortable mattresses
and pillows that are rarely available to the poor. But the gift of sleep is
not dependent upon the mattresses, pillows, cottages and bungalows. It is
purely a divine gift that is given directly by Allah. Often the poor, with no
means of comfort and without bed or bedding, enjoy the best sleep in an
open space. Sometimes, the affluent and the men of means suffer from
insomnia and can only get sleep when they take sleeping pills. Often the
pills do not work either. Not only t h a t this great gift is given to all
creatures - humans as well as animals - and it is given free of charge,
without working for it. Allah has made it compulsory for everyone in a
way that even if he wishes to keep awake because of load of work, sleep is
imposed on him by Allah's mercy, so that his tiredness is removed and he
is refreshed to work further. This arrangement is a wonderful means of
providing rest and peace for man.
LQ$1 &j (and made the night a covering...78:lO) This points to the
fact that man naturally feels sleepy when light decreases and darkness
prevails, when there is tranquillity all around and there is absence of
noises. The verse under comment additionally signifies that Allah did not
only give man sleep, but created in the entire world conditions that are
suitable for sleep. That is to say: [I] darkness of night; [21 the state of
sleep is imposed on all humans and animals simultaneously, so that they
sleep at the same time. In this way, there will be peace and tranquillity
throughout the world. Like other works, if there are different times for
different people to sleep, no one will have peace and tranquillity.
Thereafter the verse reads:
;QI&; (and made the day a sourcc of livelihood....7 8 : l l ) . Man

requires, together with sleep, other essentials of life, such as livelihood.
Otherwise, the sleep will turn into death. If the world would have had
only nights and no days, and man would have continued to sleep all the
time, how would he have obtained his livelihood and other essentials,
I
1
Stirah An-Naba' : 78 : 1 - 40
685
whereas day is the time when he could work hard and make activities in
the daylight in order to earn a living. Thus the verses under comment
purport to say that Allah has, in order to complete the comforts of life,
", ,
made the night a cloak and the day for earning a living. g6; GI> \;Lrj.
I
Now attention is drawn to the comforts we get from the sky. The most
useful thing in the sky is the light of the sun. It is mentioned in the
",,,
following verse: g6; \;I> & j (and created a luminous lamp [the
sun]. ...78:13).Then, among the useful things below the sky, the most
beneficial and the most essential thing is the raining clouds which are
'
,
, ',,,,,
mentioned thus: \;G
r~ ++I
;r:U j I j (And We have sent down from the
rain-laden clouds abundant water,. ..78:14). The word mu'siriit is the
plural of mu'sirah 'rain-laden cloud'. This indicates that rain comes down
from the cloud. There are verses, however, that indicate that rain comes
down from the sky. Those verses too probably refer to 'upper atmosphere'.
There are many verses in the Qur'an where the word sama' is used in
that sense. Having mentioned these Divine blessings, the Siirah reverts
to its original theme of Resurrection and Judgement:
5
',,
6-,
I,
6L& Sc'J.21 ,r 31 (Surely the Day of Decision is a n appointed

time ...78:17). 'The Day of Decision' refers to the Day of Resurrection. It is
"
a fixed appointment. Other verses indicate that the trumpet will be blown
twice. When it is blown the first time, the entire world will come to an end.
When it is blown the second time, people of the entire world, the earlier
generations as well as the latter generations, will be resurrected and come
in multitudes and droves. Sayyidna Abu Dharr GhifZ6 & reports that
the Holy Prophet $&$! said: "On the Day of Resurrection, people will come
in three different groups: [I] a group will come in the Plain of Gathering
whose stomach will be full, wearing clothes and riding mounts; another
group will come to the Plain of Gathering bare feet; and a third group will
be brought on the Plain of Gathering being dragged on their faces."
[Mazhari cites the following authorities: Nasa'i, Hiikim and Baihaqil
Some narratives report ten types of group. Some scholars say that the
groups on the Plain of Gathering will be divided according to their deeds
and character. The narratives are not conflicting. All of them may be true.
r
r r
+>;
J ~ I (and the mountains will be set in motion, so they

will be as mirage ....i8:zo).The word suyyirat 'set in motion' signifies that
mountains, which are taken as an example of firmness and strength, will
686
be shifted from their positions, and will become like little particles of dust
flying about in the atmosphere. The word sarab literally means 'to
disappear' and it also refers to 'mirage' or an optical illusion, as of a sheet
of water, that sometimes appears in a desert, because it seems to be a
sheet of water from a distance, but when a person comes near it, it
disappears. [Sihaand RZghib].
I%>
' ' ,a,,
(Surely Jahannam [the Hell] is set in ambush. 78:21).

The word mirsEd means 'an ambush' or 'lying in wait to attack unawares'
or 'a secret position for surprise attack'. Here Hell refers to the bridge of
Hell. The angels of reward and punishment will lie in wait. The angels of
punishment will make a surprise attack on the inmates of Hell, and the
angels of reward will lie in wait to accompany the inmates of Paradise and
take them to their abode. [Mazhari]
,++ 3!
SayyidnZ Hasan Bae6 ;

ll;&I -J said that there will be an outpost of
guardian angels on the bridge of Hell. If anyone has a permit to enter
Paradise, he will be permitted to enter; but if anyone does not have the
permit to enter Paradise, he will be prevented from entering it. [Qur$ubIl
GIG
&,([It is] a n abode for the rebellious people ...78:22). The
combined sense of verses 21 and 22 is that the bridge of Hell is set in

ambush for all, the good and the bad. They will have to go over it. But
Hell is the abode of the rebellious people. The word t E g h k is the plural of
taghi, being derived from tughyan, meaning 'rebellion'. Thus the word
(%hi refers to a 'person who exceeds the limit in disobeying the authority
[of Allah]'. This is possible only when he gives up his faith. Hence, the
word tGghin in this context would refer to the disbelievers. It may also
refer to the stray groups of Muslims who have deviated from the limits of
Qur'Zn and Sunnah, though they may not have adopted kufr expressly,
such as Rawafid, KhawZrij, Mu'tazilah and others. [as in Mazhari].
(who will be abiding in it for ages ....78:23). The word
ZGbithin is the plural of ZGbith which means 'one who abides'. The word
ahqab is the plural of hiqbah and means 'ages or a long time'. Scholars
differ on the exact length or specific amount of time meant by this word.
Ibn J a r s has recorded that SayyidnZ 'Ali & states that hiqbah is eighty
years, and the year constitutes twelve months, and every month
comprises thirty days, and each day is equivalent to one thousand years,
thus one hiqbah totalling about twenty million and eighty-eight hundred
G&.il&&!
SIirah An-Naba' : 78 : 1 - 40
687
thousand years . Sayyidna AbG Hurairah, 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar, Ibn

'AbbZs
& and others say that one hiqbah is seventy years instead
of eighty years. The rest of the calculation remains the same. [Ibn Kathirl.
In Musnad of Bazzar, Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar & traces the
following HadTth to the Holy Prophet
g:
,,j;ih4~.~,~,~U~3(
"Those who will be put in Hell for punishment of their sins,
they will not be able to come out until they tarry therein for a
fewAhq3. One hiqbah will be a little over eighty years, and the
year has three hundred and sixty days according to your
reckoning [in this life]."
This Tradition, though does not interpret this verse, it does explain
the sense of the word ahgab. Some of the Companions mention that one
day is equivalent to a thousand years. If they had heard this from the
Holy Prophet @, there is conflict in the narratives. In the face of such
conflict, it is not possible to settle on one narration. However, there is a
common denominator between the two conflicting narratives, that hiqbah
means 'an extremely long period of time'. Therefore, Baidawi has
interpreted the word as 'many long periods of time successively following
the others.
Problem of Eternity of Hell

If it be argued, as some do, that the inmates of Hell, after serving the
long ages in Hell, will be released because no matter what the length of
hiqbah, it is, nonetheless, finite and limited and will come to an end some
time or other. But looking a t other clear verses of the Qur'an, the
argument does not hold up. We come across express text like:
e l - , ,
\-+I
h.2&
;
'[They, the disbelievers] shall remain therein [in the Fire] for
ever'.
Therefore, there is the consensus of Ummah that neither Hell will
perish, nor will the disbelievers be released at anytime.
Suddi reports from SayyidnZ Murrah Ibn 'Abdullah & that if the
inmates of Hell are informed that they will abide in Hell for the number
of pebbles in the entire world, they will be happy even at this information,
688
because these pebbles though will count into billions or zillions, still they
are finite. If so, their punishment will, some time or the other, come to an
end. If the same information is given to the inmates of Paradise that they
will abide therein to the count of billions of pebbles in the entire world, it
will sadden them, because, in that case, no matter how long the space of
time they will live in Paradise, they will be expelled after this period.
[Mazhar;]
In any case, the notion that after a few ahqab the disbelievers will be
released from Hell is contrary to the explicit texts and common consent of
the Ummah, and as such it is unworthy of consideration, because the
verse does not mention what will happen after the ahqab. I t merely
mentions that they will have to abide in Hell 'for ages [ahqab]'. This does
not necessarily imply t h a t there will be no Hell after ahqab or its
non-believing inmates will be released. Therefore, SayyidnZ Hasan &
says that no specific period has been defined for the inmates of Hell, so
that they will be released after that. It is that which has no end to it.
Whenever one hiqbah [era] is over, a new hiqbah will start; when the
second era come to an end, a third hiqbah will start; when the third
hiqbah ends, the fourth hiqbah will start; and it will carry on ad
infinitum. Sayyidna Sa'id Ibn Jubair @ also interprets the word ahqtib
as referring to 'the time which has no end to it. Whenever one era ends, a
new era follows it until eternity'. [Ibn KathIr and Mazhari]. Ibn KathTr
describes another possibility which Qurtubi supports and Mazhari adopts.
The possibility is that the word {Eghin 'rebellious people' probably does
not refer to the disbelievers, but to the people of Tauhid, who, on account
of their false beliefs, fall into one of the categories of deviant groups.
Traditionalists refer to them as ahl-ul-ahwa' 'heretics whose beliefs are
not in keeping with the common consent of the People of Ahl-us-sunnah
wal-jama'ah. In this case, the verse purports to say that they are the
people of Tauhid, but bordered on the boundary of disbelief on account of
false beliefs. They, however, did not cross into the boundary of explicit
disbelief. They will therefore abide in Hell for the period of ahqab, and
then discharged therefrom by virtue of the creed of tauhrd.
Mazhari, in support of this possibility, has cited the Prophetic Hadith
which was reported earlier on the authority of Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn
'Umar @ with reference to Musnad of BazzZr, in which the Holy Prophet
689
& said that after the period of ahqiib has passed, these people will be
taken out of Hell. AbG Hayyiin, however, disputes this on the grounds of
the verses that follow the present verse:
(They did not expect [to face] accounting [of their deeds], and
they rejected Our signs totally ....78:28)
These verses contradict the possibility that t?ighln 'rebellious people'
could be referring to people of Tauhid and deviant groups, because in the
concluding verses it is expressly mentioned that they explicitly reject
reckoning and utterly deny the Prophets (.M-JI+. Likewise AbC 'Hayyiin
rejects out of hand Muqatil's opinion that this verse is abrogated.
A group of commentators find a third interpretation of this verse. A
" ,'
statement after this verse, namely, ~ L J
?! L I g YJ 9 & ,$ $ Y' (They
will taste nothing cool in it, nor a drink, except boiling water and
pus ...78:25) - is circumstantial clause to ahqab, in which case the verse
purports to say that for the countless aeons of ahqab that they will be in
Hell they will not be tasting any coolness of air nor any food or drink
excepting for boiling water and [scalding] pus. When the ahqab is over,
the condition may change, and other kinds of punishment may be
imposed. The word hamim means 'intensely boiling water if brought near
the face, it would burn its flesh, and when put into the stomach it would
cut into pieces the internal organs'. The word g h a s s k means 'blood and
pus, and washings of wounds that will ooze from the inmates of Hell'.
+
I'd
5 ' 5
' 5
( t h i s being a recompense i n full accord [with t h e i r

deeds].....78:26). The punishment given to them in Hell will be based on
justice and equity - a fitting recompense - on account of their false beliefs
and evil deeds. They will not be wronged in the least.
<,
, ' ,, ,,, ,',<,
("So now taste! We will never add to you anything
L i b Y! 4 4 9 &
except torment." ....78:30). In other words, in the world they continued to
add disbelief. If death did not overtake them by coercion, they would have
continued to add disbelief, and today their punishment will be increased.
bLJsT9
Thus far the punishment of disbelievers was depicted. As opposed to

this, the reward and blessings of the righteous believers are depicted
below.
&& ;&
(this being a reward from their Lord, a sufficing
Surah An-Naba' : 78 : 1 - 40
690
grant.. .78:36). The blessings of Paradise described above is the reward of

the believers and is an abundant grant from their Lord. Here two things
are mentioned. First, these blessings are a reward of their deeds.
Secondly, they a r e a Divine grant. Apparently, they seem to be
contradictory, because reward means receiving something in lieu of doing
some service, whereas grant is given gratis. The Qur7Enhas combined the
two words in order to indicate that the blessings of Paradise are reward
for the inmates of Paradise only apparently, and in reality they are a
Divine grant given to them gratis, because human deeds cannot be the
reward of even those blessings which were given to him in the world, let
alone the blessings of the Hereafter which depend entirely on Divine
grace as is confirmed by the Tradition of the Holy Prophet
"No one can
enter Paradise merely by virtue of his deeds, unless Allah shows His
grace." The Companions asked: "What about you, Messenger of Allah." He
replied: "Nor will I enter Paradise merely by virtue of my action."
g:
The word hisaban has two meanings: [I] a grant [that is] sufficient
[and] abundant. This meaning is adapted from the following idiom: Gi
&& L
GI L% 'ahsabtu means that I gave him so much so
;-l;JG
that it was sufficient for him until he yelled out "enough, this is too much
for me"; and [2] the second meaning 'balancing of account' and
'comparing'. Sayyidnii MujZhid & says that in this context the verse
purports to say that the Divine grant will be given gratis to the inmates of
Paradise. The grant will be in keeping with the degree of sincerity as
reported in authentic Traditions. The deeds of the noble Companions are
greater than the deeds of the rest of the Ummah. If a Companion were to
spend in t h e way of Allah one mudd = [815,39 grams I a n d a
non-Companion were to spend to the equivalent of Mount Uhud, the
Companion's one mudd will weigh heavier than the mountain. And Allah
knows best!
6@ 4" ~d: G' . ,",
3 ' (...NOone will have power to address Him, ...78:37)
'a
,."a
.."
l r /
This sentence is probably connected to the preceding verse: &, 8 J6L& ;& (this being a reward from their Lord, a sufficing grant.. .78:36) In
this case, it would mean that when Allah grants a certain grade of
reward, no one dare speak about the grade as to why someone got more
and others got less. But if this sentence is treated as an isolated one, it will
mean that no one in the Plane of Gathering will have the power to speak
to Him without His permission. This permission will be granted in some of
691
the positions of Gathering, and not in others.

b
',, ", ,
,, G ,,,s,/,
J #
> > d ',', ,,,
4 1 9 J E j &>I
3 3 Y! 3&Y Y irb wl; cJ>i rj.& r% (on the Day
when the Spirit and the angels will stand in rows. They will not speak,
except the on who is permitted by the RahmZn [the All-Merciful] and
speaks aright -78:38). Riih (Spirit), according to some of the commentators,
refers to the angel Jibra'il @I. He has been mentioned before the other
angels in general in order to show the greatness of his status. According
to certain Prophetic traditions, REh is not an angel but a huge army of
Allah. They have heads, hands and legs. In this interpretation, there will
be two rows. One row will be that of RGh and the other will be that of the
angels.
,,, ,,, ,,,, >:, ,,,
614
;d $41
A (...on a day when one will see what his hands
have sent ahead.. ..78:40) Apparently, this refers to the Day of Judgement.
Every person will see his deeds with his own eyes in the Plane of
Gathering. This might happen in one of two ways: [I]his ledger of deeds
will be given in his hands and he will see it; or [2] his deeds will appear in
the Plane of Gathering, epitomized in a visible shape, as certain
narratives confirm this. Still a third possibility exists. The word 'day' may
refer to 'the day of death1.And the words 'will see' means to see in the
grave or barzakh, as explained by Mazhari.
g
J / -
+ a
>,
*,
,,
,<
47C;( a j d ~J&, (and the disbeliever will say, " 0 would that I had
become dust.. .78:40) SayyidnE 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar & reports that on
the Day of Resurrection the entire earth will become a plane surface
where all human beings, Jinn, domesticated animals and wild animals
will be gathered. If one animal had wronged another animal in the world,
it will be given the opportunity to take its revenge. If a goat with horns
had wronged a goat without horns, it will be granted the opportunity to
take its avenge. When this phase is over, all animals will be commanded
to become dust. They will become dust. At that moment the disbelievers
will wish that they were also animals and would become dust like them, so
t h a t they would have been spared the torment of reckoning and
punishment of Hell. We seek refuge in Allah from it! Allah knows best!
A1hamdulillah
The Commentary on
Siirah An-Naba'
Ends here

Tafsir An Naba

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Tafsir An Naba

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

SURA 78

An-Naba (La Noticia)

EN EL NOMBRE DE DIOS, EL MS MISERICORDIOSO, EL DISPENSADOR DE GRACIA:

Sura 78. An-Naba

Sura 78. An-Naba

Sura 78. An-Naba

(35) No oirn all conversaciones vanas, ni mentiras.

Compendio del Tafsir Al-Qurtub

Sura An-Naba' (La Noticia)

Dice Allh, el Altsimo, en el Noble Corn:

@O@ @ ts>uy@ x.@ @ t=tG@ @ /@ %!$#@ @ y9$#@ *t69$#@ t@ @ t9u!$|tFt@ t@

78.Sura An-Naba (La Noticia)

Compendio del Tafsir Al-Qurtub

78.Sura An-Naba (La Noticia)

Compendio del Tafsir Al-Qurtub

78.Sura An-Naba (La Noticia)

Ciertamente, los temerosos tendrn un lugar de triunfo:

Compendio del Tafsir Al-Qurtub

Ningn alma hablar, excepto con Su permiso.

78.Sura An-Naba (La Noticia)

Compendio del Tafsir Al-Qurtub

la referencia al castigo de la Otra Vida. Es la muerte seguida del Da de la Resurreccin. Quien

Surah 78: The Tidings (al-Naba)

host and group after group,

of torment after another.

Surah 79: Those Who Drag Forth (al-Naziat)

His words, Exalted is He:

5 Mundhir, al-Targhb, vol. 4, p. 299.

78. Surah An Naba (The News)

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

About the fateful tiding (2)

on which they dispute. (3)

Again, no indeed; they shall certainly

Have We not spread and levelled the earth,

#Yy uF{$# ygw s9r&

and made the mountains as pegs? (7)

and made your sleep a cessation of activity.

$Y?$t7 /3tt $u=yy_u

We made the night a mantle, (10)

and appointed the day for gaining a

$V$yt u$p]9$# $u=yy_u

We built above you seven mighty ones, (12)

#Y#y $Y7y 3s%s $utt/u

and placed therein a blazing lamp. (13)

%[`$gwR [!$t Nu9$# z $u9tr&u

We send down out of the rain- clouds water

$Y?$t7tu ${7ym / ylj9

by which We bring forth grain and varied

and gardens thick with trees. (16)

$\Fs) t%x. x9$# tt )

Fixed is the Day of Decision. (17)

%[`#ur& t?'tFs 9$# x tt

On that day the Trumpet is blown and you

$\/u/r& Mt%s3s $! y9$# MysGu

and heaven is opened, and becomes gates,

$/#u| Mt%s3s $t7g:$# Nuiu

and the mountains are made to move away,

#Y$| Mt%x. zyy_ )

Hell stands as a vigilant watch guard,

a home for the tyrants and the

$/#u u #Yt/ $p t%t

Therein they shall abide for ages, (23)

except boiling fluid and decaying filth: (25)