Surah At-Takwir 81:1-29 - Quran Translation Commentary

1. Folding up the sun means that this heavenly lamp whose light is spread over crores of miles and which provides light to the entire world will be extinguished as soon as there will be explosion of the Doomsday. A mere thought of such a happening makes a man shiver.

Sun is the greatest known source of energy. According to the modern scientific discoveries, the earth’s surface receives four million horse power of energy per square mile. Thus the sun is a veritable power house for the earth. Quran informs us that a day will come when this sun will lose all its power and energy, and that day will be the Doomsday. This information is being given by Allah Himself, who is the Creator of the entire universe; including the sun. This is a sufficient ground for unhesitatingly believing in this information. Science also accepts this reality that eventually the sun is to lose its energy:

“and eventually the sun will become a black, dwarf, a very dense, non-luminous object of degenerate matter.” (The New Encyclopedia Britannica Vol. 17. P.808).

At one time man used to worship the sun, considering him a god. And even today despite the modern scientific discoveries, there is no dearth of sun worshippers. However, according to Quran, the sun is not a god but is part of the universe created by Allah and is obedient to Him. It will give light till it receives the final command from Allah when the entire system of the world will be folded up. The day this command is received, the sun will lose ‘all its light, its energy.

2. On seeing the bright sun and the shining stars, man thinks that this world is everlasting and that its glamour and splendor are not going to end. But Quran very emphatically informs man that he is under a deception, time will definitely come and is very near when all the lamps will be extinguished and this world will be left in total darkness, so that after this complete destruction a new world may be brought into being, in which man may face the consequences of his deeds.

3. It seems that at the very first impact of Qiyamat (Doomsday) the earth will lose its power of gravity. The devastation that will be caused on the earth’s loss of its gravitational power is not difficult to imagine. Quran has at different places mentioned the moving about or the flying away of the mountains.

4.The time and the environment at the revelation of the Quran were such that the shecamels that were carrying for ten months, i.e. were, about to deliver, their off-springs were considered very precious, and the Arabs considered them as very desirable Possession. A reference to such she-camels in this verse has been made as an example to make it clear that on the explosion of the Doomsday man will forget his dearest possessions, and such precious shecamels will be roaming about untended and nobody will care for them. At the beginning of the Doomsday, man will lose his senses.

It may be noted that a mention of the she-camel has been made in view of the Arabs’ social condition, to point out to them that their precious possessions were of no value. Such a mode of address has created a very effective impression. From this example the purpose is to bring home to the people that on the sounding of the bugle of the Doomsday the worldly possession and the wealth, which they had made their main aim and for whose sake they were not prepared to accept the real purpose of life will be totally useless and will be destroyed, irrespective of these properties being in the form of the she-camels or the grand buildings and palaces.

5. On the occurrence of the Doomsday the conditions will be so horrible that not only men but wild beasts also, will run away in horror from the jungles and will be herded together with men and other animals.

6. Apparently it appears strange that the oceans would be made to boil. But the occurrence of Doomsday itself is very strange. Its very first impact will end all the strange things in the world, because the meaning of Qiyamat (Doomsday) is that it will effect a change in the very structure of the universe and a great upheaval will take place. As is known, water is made of oxygen and hydrogen gases and a slight indication from Allah is sufficient to separate these components. These gases are known for their burning and explosive properties. According to Quran, the earth will be turned Dawatul Quran 927 S. 81 into a vast maidan for the Day of Judgment. It appears that the seas and the oceans of the world will be filled up, and before this water will be boiled and evaporated.

7. From here is described the happenings that would take place for giving final judgment, when all the people will be revived with their bodies.

Dividing in groups means that people will be divided in groups according to their beliefs and conducts in the world. In the world believers and non-believers, Muslims and criminals, evil and virtuous people oppressors and oppressed live together, but on the Day of Judgment the modern structure of the society will be abolished and in the maidan of Hashr (Qiyamat) people will be grouped according to their deeds and conduct and beliefs in this world. (For details see Surah Waqia —(The Event-Verses 7 to 44).

8. The practice of burying alive was followed by certain tribes of Arabia. One reason for this was the fear of poverty and economic backwardness. They did not like that in their family there should be any addition of a consumer of food and with this view they had adopted this uncivilized and inhuman way of limiting the numbers and family planning. They used to bury the infants as soon as they were born. The second reason was that they considered the birth of a female child in the family as a burden on them. This sense of false honour prompted them to indulge in this evil practice. Quran very strongly questioned them on this inhuman practice and warned that on the Day of Judgment the perpetrators of this crime will be hauled up in the Court of Allah and will receive their due punishment. This question to the female child, who was buried alive, that for what sin or crime was she killed focuses our attention on her being innocent and the seriousness of the crime of the killers. It is interesting to note that this statement of Quran in the matter of the reform of the society was so effective that this barbarous custom was abolished for good.

9. Whatever a man does in this world, whether it may be good or bad, whether it may be related to beliefs or conduct, ideas or principles, movements or activities words or actions, speeches or writings, even man’s movements and actions, and behaviour are all being put on record. This record is being prepared secretly by Allah’s angels in this world. These angels are attached to each individual. This record, in the words of the Quran, is known as “Sahifa” or “Kitab” and in Urdu it is called “Nama-e-A’mal” On man’s death this record is kept aside safely, and on the Day of Judgment it will be presented and opened in the Court of Allah so that he may see his own deeds or misdeeds with his own eyes.

A man’s full record of this whole life to be written on one sheet was a proposition which seemed rather very astounding at the time when the Quran was being revealed. But in the modern times when science has made such a progress that books are being converted into micro films which are very very minute in size, such a proposition now does not appear to be strange at all.

10. Means unveiling of the world beyond the skies. Today our sight is stopped by the blue sky and we cannot see beyond it. But on the Day of Judgment we will be able to see what is beyond the sky and the things which our eyes are unable to see today. But today Quran gives us information about that Day, when man will get the correct idea of the vastness of Allah’s kingdom and His universe. Today man considers that this world --this capsule —- within which he is confined, is the whole universe, and the facts which are being disclosed to him about the worlds beyond this world, he is not prepared to accept. It is like the case of the chicken which is confined within the egg and considers that the inside of the egg is the whole world.

11. On the Doomsday the measures to gauge time and space will be different. On that Day man will know that the Paradise will be very near to the maidan of Hashr (gathering) and those people who will be considered eligible to enter it will neither have to wait for it nor will they require to walk a long distance. They will feel that the Paradise itself has come to welcome them. The detailed facts will be known on the Day of Judgment only. Today on account of our limited knowledge we are unable to understand it.

12. This is the central theme of these verses. It means that when the Doomsday will be launched with all its devastating details which have been narrated above, that day will be the day of appearing in the court of Allah. On that day man will appear with the record of his whole life so that he may be able to answer for his deeds before his Creator. It will be the most terrifying day, and the most horrifying time.

13. This is the refutation of the rejecter’s statement that this Quran which gives information about the Doomsday is the meaningless talk of a mad man or is inspired by Satan.

14. Oaths of this type are not taken to stress the sacredness or importance of the things concerned but to call them as witnesses. This is a style of effective and beautiful writing in Arabic. Non-Arabic knowing readers being ignorant of this style of Arabic writing are generally unable to understand the correct importance and significance of such writing.

15. In the text the word “Al-khunnas is used, which means the stars that set. It means that people should not be deceived by the brightness of the stars, but should also keep in mind the fact that they also set, which shows that they are quite helpless and have to follow the law laid down for them by God. In order to bring into focus this aspect of the stars, their property of setting is mentioned before their property of shining.

16. The word “Al-Jawar” is used in the text, which means the stars which keep on moving. The movement of the stars referred to herein may be according to the general observation, irrespective of the detail as to which are the moving planets and which are the stationary stars, or possibly this reference may be in accordance with the latest discovery of the modern science that the stars in the space are moving:

“The stars themselves are moving through space-some at tremendous speeds —but so vast is our distance from them that their positions do not appear to the naked eye to alter, even in a century.’ (The Marvels and Mysteries of science P.82)

17. The word “Al-Kunnas” used in the text means stars (planets) which hide or disappear. During the day the stars are not visible, and disappear while moving. On account of this attribute, its mention is made in this verse.

18. Here the movement of the stars and their rising and setting has been mentioned as an evidence of the fact that Quran is the revelation from Allah and not an inspiration from Satan. Their rising and setting at the appointed time and regularly points to the fact that they are bound by a Divine Law and cannot deviate an inch from it. To hang on in the crores of miles of the vast space from times immemorial and to be part of this wonderful system is a clear proof that this order and system of the universe is the wise system and order, and is the result of the wise and willful planning of The Most Wise and The Most-knowing. Being Quran explains the points of this planning, and the attributes of the Creator of the universe to which this orderly system of the stars and planets points, Quran Dawatul Quran 931 S. 81 clearly elucidates. In other words Quran’s image can be seen in the mirror of this universe and its truth can be Judged from the manifestations of the universe and the nature all around us.

The planets and the stars, on account of their wonderful physical properties, invite man to think seriously about their reality. But the result of man’s thinking has been erroneous, as he thought these stars and planets to be self-created and self-sufficient and therefore fell into the wrong practice of worshipping them and taking omens from them. This helped in creating and promoting astrology, and the practice of soothsaying became popular. In this way the way was cleared for misleading man. Or else man went on collecting information about their structure and their distances from the earth which gave birth to the science of astronomy and Science flourished. Although this aspect of man’s progress was useful, but only to the extent of increasing his knowledge. It did not help him to learn the real purpose of his creation or that of the universe. The thinking which Quran wants man to adopt is of the nature that by observing the universe around him man should try to find out who their Creator is, because these planets and stars are, the manifestations of the magnificent attributes of their Creator. As a beautiful picture speaks of the masterly art and creativeness of its artist similarly the bright stars and their wonderful system speak of the Might, Over lordship, Knowledge, Rule, Justice, Wisdom and other attributes of the Creator of the universe. In other words, the introduction of their Creator which the stars present to man is completely harmonious with the detailed and complete introduction of the Creator of the universe which Quran presents. And this is a clear proof of its being True. Then to dub this perfectly wise book as a creation of man or to consider it to have been inspired by Satan, or because it informs man of the coming Doomsday, to treat it as a sooth saying book, are the most reprehensible attempts to veil the truth. How unjust are these attempts!

19. The time of the departure of the night and the appearance of the morning is among the wonders of the nature. At that time it appears as if the morning is born by slitting open the darkness of the night. And when the morning breeze flows, one feels that the morning itself breathing. To present these sensibilities here as witnesses is to suggest that the Being who has established this coming and going of the day and night can only produce a more wonderful system and His wisdom demands that such a system and order be produced. Therefore the information which is being imparted by Quran about the occurrence of the Day of Judgment and the establishment of a new order and system where is rewards and punishments would be awarded is quite appropriate and is not at all irrational. It is demanded by the existing system of the universe.

20. It is the same thing which has been argued in the foregoing verses, that is Quran is the word of Allah, and of none else. Honoured is Messenger refers to the Archangel Jibreel (Gabriel), who is a very respected angel of Allah. He brought Allah’s message to, Prophet Muhammad (P.b.u.h.) and communicated the same in the very words in which he received them.

Since the Message of Allah was conveyed through the agency of the angel and not through any devilish source, it is stated that the word was of the messenger, that is brought by the angel.

21. This is the attribute of the Messenger Jibreel, who brought the revelation. Allah has given him extra-ordinary might and power, and therefore, devils cannot interfere with his duty. He is able to fly beyond the heavens and is fully capable of conveying Allah’s Message to His Prophets.

22. This is the second attribute of the Archanel, Jibreel. He can directly approach the Lord and the Ruler of the universe and he holds a very high rank before Allah and is held in high esteem.

23. That is Jibreel is the Chief of the angels, who obey his commands. The Archangel who has an army of angels to follow his orders cannot have his duty and work interfered with by the devils.

24. The attribute of being trustworthy is a guarantee that Hazrat Jibreel conveys Allah’s Message to the Prophet (P.b.u.h.) without any change or modification. There is no possibility S. 81 932 Dawatul Quran of any addition or alteration in the words of Allah.

The purpose of introducing the angel who brought the Quran to the Prophet in these words is to show that the Word of God is being conveyed to Hazrat Muhammad (P.b.u.h.) word by word, with a very elaborate arrangement and by a very honoured and honest messenger There is absolutely no possibility of any kind of adulteration or variation in the message.

25. Companion here refers to the Prophet Muhammad (P.b.u.h.) Here the addressees are the people of Makka, in whose midst he spent his whole life. He has been known to them as a wise person. To dub such a man as mad was absurd But the rejecters of the Quran were so much blinded in their opposition to this Divine Book, that they did not hesitate to utter anything, however absurd it might be. Even today there is no dearth of people who consider the Prophet’s claim to prophethood as his mental aberration. They totally Ignore and forget that the Book presented by him contains such wise and decent teachings that the whole world is unable to produce its equal. Has a mad man ever reformed the characters of men? As an Urdu poet has rightly remarked. “Wisdom has been termed as madness, and madness wisdom.”

26. It means that the Prophet had seen the revelation-bearing angel in his original form on the clear horizon, and therefore, there is no room for any doubts. It is stated in Hadith (Tradition) that the Prophet saw Jibreel in his original form and he had six hundred wings, and his great body had covered the entire space between the earth and the sky (Muslim -Kitabul Iman). It gives an idea of the strength and might of the Archangel.

27. That is: The revelation which is brought to the Prophet contains facts about the creatures of the heaven (angels) and also about the Hereafter. In informing people about these facts, the Prophet is not being miserly, but considers it his duty and imparts the information to the people as he has received it, without any alterations, so that the people may come to their senses and accept the guidance of their Lord.

In other words, this entire link of the revelation from Allah from the heavens to the earth is a golden chain, of which not a single loop or part is imperfect, and there is, therefore, no room for man to doubt about the fact of Quran being the word of Allah.

28. At the time when the Quran was being revealed, Soothsayers were quite popular. These soothsayers claimed to have information about the Unseen. It was also believed that the devils used to fly to the heavens and bring information about the Unseen things and conveyed this information to the soothsayers who used to impart it to the people with their own additions. As they claimed to impart information about the future, they had ample opportunity of receiving gifts from the people and making lots of money.

On hearing from the Prophet of the revelation from Allah and of the impending destruction of the world on Doomsday, the rejecter of the Quran accused him of being a soothsayer and tried to paint the revelation of Allah as inspired from Satan. Here this accusation of the rejecters is refuted. What connection can the devil have with this sacred word! Is it possible for any words of the devil to guide people to Allah’? To kindle the light of faith in man? To reform his conduct? To purify his thought? To elevate his character’? And to prepare him to provide virtue in the society; If these are the characteristics of Satan’s words, then, we will have to admit that Satan is the most virtuous being and a commendable reformist, while the fact is that nobody utters the name of Satan without cursing him. Or else it will cannot have to be admitted that those who accuse the Divine Message to be the one inspired by Satan are themselves inspired by Satan, or one may ask how such an obvious thing cannot be understood by them?

29. It means that Quran is a reminder and advice for the people of all the worlds, but that only those people can benefit from it who would desire to adopt the right path. Those who are not desirous of seeking truth and guidance, cannot benefit from the source of virtue and guidance.

30. The first condition for receiving guidance for a man is to have the desire to be guide; however this guidance can be received with the desire and will of Allah only. Allah’s will is superimposed on the will of man. Therefore, man should not feel proud that he can do anything he desires.