Surah 69. Al-Haqqah

---

Verses [Section]: 1-37[1], 38-52 [2]

---

Quran Text of Verse 1-3769. Al-Haqqahبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِاَلْحَآقَّةُۙThe Inevitable Reality! مَاWhatالْحَآقَّةُۚ(is) the Inevitable Reality وَ مَاۤAnd whatاَدْرٰىكَwill make you knowمَاwhatالْحَآقَّةُؕ(is) the Inevitable Reality كَذَّبَتْDeniedثَمُوْدُThamudوَ عَادٌۢand Aadبِالْقَارِعَةِ the Striking Calamity فَاَمَّاSo as forثَمُوْدُThamudفَاُهْلِكُوْاthey were destroyedبِالطَّاغِیَةِ by the overpowering (blast) وَ اَمَّاAnd as forعَادٌAadفَاُهْلِكُوْاthey were destroyedبِرِیْحٍby a windصَرْصَرٍscreamingعَاتِیَةٍۙviolent سَخَّرَهَاWhich He imposedعَلَیْهِمْupon themسَبْعَ(for) sevenلَیَالٍnightsوَّ ثَمٰنِیَةَand eightاَیَّامٍ ۙdaysحُسُوْمًا ۙ(in) successionفَتَرَیso you would seeالْقَوْمَthe peopleفِیْهَاthereinصَرْعٰی ۙfallenكَاَنَّهُمْas if they wereاَعْجَازُtrunksنَخْلٍ(of) date-palmsخَاوِیَةٍۚhollow فَهَلْThen doتَرٰیyou seeلَهُمْof themمِّنْۢanyبَاقِیَةٍ remains 69. Al-Haqqah Page 567وَ جَآءَAnd cameفِرْعَوْنُFiraunوَ مَنْand (those)قَبْلَهٗbefore himوَ الْمُؤْتَفِكٰتُand the overturned citiesبِالْخَاطِئَةِۚwith sin فَعَصَوْاAnd they disobeyedرَسُوْلَ(the) Messengerرَبِّهِمْ(of) their Lordفَاَخَذَهُمْso He seized themاَخْذَةً(with) a seizureرَّابِیَةً exceeding اِنَّاIndeed Weلَمَّاwhenطَغَاoverflowedالْمَآءُthe waterحَمَلْنٰكُمْWe carried youفِیinالْجَارِیَةِۙthe sailing (ship) لِنَجْعَلَهَاThat We might make itلَكُمْfor youتَذْكِرَةًa reminderوَّ تَعِیَهَاۤand would be conscious of itاُذُنٌan earوَّاعِیَةٌ conscious فَاِذَاThen whenنُفِخَis blownفِیinالصُّوْرِthe trumpetنَفْخَةٌa blastوَّاحِدَةٌۙsingle وَّ حُمِلَتِAnd are liftedالْاَرْضُthe earthوَ الْجِبَالُand the mountainsفَدُكَّتَاand crushedدَكَّةً(with) a crushingوَّاحِدَةًۙsingle فَیَوْمَىِٕذٍThen (on) that Dayوَّقَعَتِwill occurالْوَاقِعَةُۙthe Occurrence وَ انْشَقَّتِAnd will splitالسَّمَآءُthe heavenفَهِیَso itیَوْمَىِٕذٍ(is on) that Dayوَّاهِیَةٌۙfrail وَّ الْمَلَكُAnd the Angelsعَلٰۤی(will be) onاَرْجَآىِٕهَا ؕits edgesوَ یَحْمِلُand will bearعَرْشَ(the) Throneرَبِّكَ(of) your Lordفَوْقَهُمْabove themیَوْمَىِٕذٍthat Dayثَمٰنِیَةٌؕeight یَوْمَىِٕذٍThat Dayتُعْرَضُوْنَyou will be exhibitedلَاnotتَخْفٰیwill be hiddenمِنْكُمْamong youخَافِیَةٌ any secret فَاَمَّاThen as forمَنْ(him) whoاُوْتِیَis givenكِتٰبَهٗhis recordبِیَمِیْنِهٖ ۙin his right handفَیَقُوْلُwill sayهَآؤُمُHereاقْرَءُوْاreadكِتٰبِیَهْۚmy record! اِنِّیْIndeed Iظَنَنْتُwas certainاَنِّیْthat Iمُلٰقٍ(will) meetحِسَابِیَهْۚmy account فَهُوَSo heفِیْ(will be) inعِیْشَةٍa lifeرَّاضِیَةٍۙpleasant فِیْInجَنَّةٍa Gardenعَالِیَةٍۙelevated قُطُوْفُهَاIts clusters of fruitsدَانِیَةٌ hanging near كُلُوْاEatوَ اشْرَبُوْاand drinkهَنِیْٓـًٔۢا(in) satisfactionبِمَاۤfor whatاَسْلَفْتُمْyou sent before youفِیinالْاَیَّامِthe daysالْخَالِیَةِ past وَ اَمَّاBut as forمَنْ(him) whoاُوْتِیَis givenكِتٰبَهٗhis recordبِشِمَالِهٖ ۙ۬in his left handفَیَقُوْلُwill sayیٰلَیْتَنِیْO! I wishلَمْnotاُوْتَI had been givenكِتٰبِیَهْۚmy record وَ لَمْAnd notاَدْرِI had knownمَاwhatحِسَابِیَهْۚ(is) my account یٰلَیْتَهَاO! I wish itكَانَتِhad beenالْقَاضِیَةَۚthe end مَاۤNotاَغْنٰیhas availedعَنِّیْmeمَالِیَهْۚmy wealth هَلَكَIs goneعَنِّیْfrom meسُلْطٰنِیَهْۚmy authority خُذُوْهُSeize himفَغُلُّوْهُۙand shackle him ثُمَّThenالْجَحِیْمَ(into) the Hellfireصَلُّوْهُۙburn him ثُمَّThenفِیْintoسِلْسِلَةٍa chainذَرْعُهَاits lengthسَبْعُوْنَ(is) seventyذِرَاعًاcubitsفَاسْلُكُوْهُؕinsert him اِنَّهٗIndeed, heكَانَ(did)لَاnotیُؤْمِنُbelieveبِاللّٰهِin Allahالْعَظِیْمِۙthe Most Great وَ لَاAnd (did) notیَحُضُّfeel the urgeعَلٰیonطَعَامِ(the) feedingالْمِسْكِیْنِؕ(of) the poor 69. Al-Haqqah Page 568فَلَیْسَSo notلَهُfor himالْیَوْمَtodayهٰهُنَاhereحَمِیْمٌۙany devoted friend وَّ لَاAnd notطَعَامٌany foodاِلَّاexceptمِنْfromغِسْلِیْنٍۙ(the) discharge of wounds لَّاNotیَاْكُلُهٗۤwill eat itاِلَّاexceptالْخَاطِـُٔوْنَ۠the sinners

---

Translation of Verse 1-37In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1. That which is bound to be true! ¹

2. What is that which is bound to be true?

3. And what would you know what is that which is bound to be true ! ²

4. Thamood and Aad denied that clattering calamity. ³

5. So the Thamood were destroyed by a tremendous shriek. ⁴

6. And the Aad were destroyed by a severe roaring wind-storm. ⁵

7. Allah imposed it on them for seven nights and eight days to mow them down⁶ you might have seen them dumped as if they were the trunks of palm-trees uprooted.⁷

8. Can you see any of them remaining? ⁸

9. And Firaun and people before him⁹ and the overturned dwellings committed a serious crime.¹⁰

10. They disobeyed the Messenger of their LORD”¹¹ Hence HE held them tightly.

11. WE loaded you on the ark when the flood crossed limit.¹²

12. So as to make the event a lesson for you¹³ and remembring ears may remember it.¹⁴

13. Then when a breath will be blown once into the trumpet.¹⁵

14. And the earth, along with the mountains, will be lifted up all at once and turned into dust. ¹⁶

15. That day what was to happen will happen. ¹⁷

16. And the sky will split asunder and it will be extremely feeble that day. ¹⁸

17. Angels will be on its borders ¹⁹ and eight angels will bear the Throne of your LORD that day above them.²⁰

18. That Day you will be mustered ²¹ none of your affairs will remain secret.

19. So whosoever will be given his record in his right hand ²² will say: Ah here! Read my record. ²³

20. I knew that I had to face my reckoning. ²⁴

21. So he will be in a pleasing life.

22. In a high paradise.

23. Fruit clusters where of will be bent down ²⁵

24. Eat and drink delightfully, as a reward for which you did in days past.

25. And whosoever will be given his record in his left hand ²⁶ will say: Oh, would that my record were not given me.

26. And would that I knew nothing of my account.

27. Oh, would that very death of mine would have been decisive. ²⁷

28. My wealth availed me not.

29. My power (strength and ruling potency) has ended. ²⁸

30. Seize him and put fetter in his neck. ²⁹

31. Then hurt him in the Hell.

32. Then with a chain seventy cubits long ³⁰ fasten him.

33. He did not believe in Allah, the Great.³¹

34. Nor urged the feeding of the poor.³²

35. So he has no friend here today.

36. Nor any food for him except pus. ³³

37. Which only sinners will eat.

---

Commentary

1. ‘Al Haaq’qah’ is one of the names of Qiyamat (Resurrection). It means that which is bound to be true, which is an inevitable event, a time when truth will come up quite clearly.

2. This style explains the importance of the point under discussion and it is that it will be a very extra-ordinary event. So be well aware.

3. Here a mention has been made by way of example of some of those communities who had falsified their prophets as a result of which divine wrath descended upon them. This is to make people take a lesson there from.

In this ayah Qiyamat has been called ‘Al Qariah’ (A severely shattering calamity).For explanation please see Surah ‘ Al Qariah’.

4. As it has been made clear elsewhere in the Quran the people of Thamood were annihilated by ‘Rajafah’ (shuddering) and ‘Saihah’ (terrible shriek). It seems the unusual thunder of clouds and extraordinary blazes of lightning had made them extremely restless so they tumbled down and died.

5. “Reeh Sarsar” means a cold and speedy wind. It seems the ruin of the people of Aad was caused by the storms of cold wind.

6. That is, that storm dashed them continuously for seven nights and eight days. On the eighth day they were ruined so totally that no trace of them could remain on earth.

7. The trunks of palm-trees are very strong. But when they are uprooted by storms their sight makes man wonder-struck and spellbound. Similar was the fate of Aad. They were very strong but devastating winds felled them in such a way that their corpses were scattered everywhere.

8. The deniers were annihilated so thoroughly that not one from them remained alive. Their progeny was thus ended.

9. There had been many rebellious communities who lived before Firaun too.

10. Means the habitations of the people of Loot who were turned upside down by earthquakes.

11. Not to obey the commands of the Messenger of God is a very big sin.

12. This refers to Noah’s event. When a huge flood was unleashed his community was drowned. But those who had believed were made to ride the ark with Noah and were saved. You are from his progeny. Hence saving them was like saving all of you. So this is a great Divine mercy upon all of you.

13. This event provides a lesson as to how severe is the punishment of rebelling against God and of disobeying His Messenger.

14. This event of human history is the most important event and a happening which is full of lessons. It is a memorable episode. But only those people will remember its lesson who have ears capable of hearing.

15. It means just one blow in the trumpet will cause Resurrection. Allah will not need any preparation to bring about Qiyamat. Just a blow here and everything in the universe will be topsy-turvy instantly. That blow will be like an alarm of Resurrection.

16. None should remain in an illusion that this earth with huge mountains thereon will remain forever. No, they will be reduced to dust at a single shaking of Qiyamat. It is quite easy for Almighty Allah to raise the mountains and to make them dust. And this destruction will be caused so that another earth which will be suitable for the grand gathering of Resurrection may come into existence.

17. That is, the Resurrection will have been established.

18. The sky is a very strong ceiling. But no sooner the trumpet of Resurrection is blown it will become frail. Qiyamat will be established not only on the earth but it will envelop skies also. All these destructions and devastations will be caused in order to bring forth a new universe as planned by the Almighty. But this destruction and demolition will be so catastrophic that its very thought sends a sensation through spines.

19. That is, the angels will concentrate on the borders of skies and there will be a sort of a huge tumult in the entire space between them.

20. This ayah is one of the ‘Mutashabihat’ (ambiguous) passages and to try to elucidate it would be like falling in entanglement. What is desired by the wording of the verse is to present an idea of the Divine Court of Justice which will be established on the Day of Resurrection when the LORD SOVEREIGN of the universe will issue HIS Decrees. What all of it will be like cannot be fully understood before Resurrection. For the explanation of ‘Mutashabihat’ please see Surah Aal-e-Imran Note: 13.

21. That is, all of you will be presented before Almighty Allah on that Day for the reckoning of your deeds.

22. For explanation please see Surah Waqiah, Note: 7.

23. He will be a good-doer and he will become delighted by getting his book of deeds in his right hand, as it is a sign of success. He will like to show it to others too. When a student passes his examination successfully he likes to show his result sheet to others. But the one who fails does not like to show his result sheet to others. Likewise, on the Day of Resurrection, only those people will like to show their Record of Deeds to others who will have been successful in, their worldly examination.

24. I was dead sure that I shall have to give an account of my deeds on the Day of Resurrection and therefore, I spent my life with that thought in my mind.

25. They will come so near that they can be plucked easily.

26. For explanation please see Surah Waqiah, Note: 8.

27. That it would have been better if my death would have destroyed me for ever so that I would not have to see this terrible Day. It can be imagined from this as to how despairing words will the deniers utter on the Day of Resurrection. God Almighty has warned all beforehand so that man may beware and so that he may not have to repent fruitlessly.

28. In this world man becomes proud with the intoxication of ruling power etc. But on the Day of Resurrection he will feel that he is all alone in the Field of Grand Gathering (Al-Hashr). Neither his armies are with him nor his government is in existence. All the ruling powers have been snatched away from him.

What a heart-shaking narration for kings and rulers ! Would it that they read attentively.

29. The denier would yet be uttering such despairing words when the Divine Decree will be issued ordering the angels to catch hold of him and to put fetters in his neck. This fetter will be the punishment for his false pride. Thereafter he will be ordered to be hurled in Hell as has been mentioned hereafter.

30. In his worldly life he had become a slave of his desires and the chain of his wishes was very long. Therefore he will be fastened with a seventy cubits long chain. Thus the punishment will be proportionate to his sins.

31. That is, just see his audacity. He did not recognize Allah’s Majesty and refused to believe in Him. It is no ordinary crime. It is a very serious offence as it is an open rebellion against the Almighty.

32. When man becomes careless about his Lord, he loses all interest in the deeds liked by the Almighty. One of such deeds is feeding the poor and to urge others to do so. Not doing so is a very big offence in the words of the Quran as it is an extremely unsympathetic attitude toward fellow human beings. The poor has a right in whatever is granted by Allah to the wealthy.

33. For drinking, a dirty thing like pus will be given to the people of the Hell. It will be so because the thoughts and deeds of the offender were also very dirty.