Surah Al-Inshiqaq 84:1-25 - Quran Translation Commentary

1. It is not correct to think that the sky is the name of our limit of sight and it has no material reality. And when it has no material reality, then where is the question of its rending asunder. But the fact is that this statement is made in the name of science to impress and over-awe. our minds, otherwise this is neither a scientific discovery nor has it any solid foundation. So far as the modern science is concerned, it cannot reach the sky as yet. At present it is revolving round the world of planets, It is unable to measure the depths and vastness of the universe. A study of Astronomy shows that the scientists have not been able to estimate the correct measurement of the vastness of the universe. Accordingly, the expert astronomist, W. Bartky, after describing the vastness of the universe in his book, admits that:

“What lies beyond no man knows. Whether the stars continue without end or whether the universe has a definite boundary remains, and perhaps will always remain, a topic for speculative argument.” -( Highlights of Astronomy p. 260).

And when science finds itself helpless to state definitely whether this universe has a boundary or not, then it is a proof that it has not been able so far to ascertain what and where “the four boundaries” (location) of the universe are. In such a case how can it be claimed that the sky has no material reality. The fact is that in the books of Astronomy they have not restricted themselves to state only those facts which have come to their knowledge as a result of scientific experiments and observations, but they add something more from their own conjecture. This amalgam of facts and guesswork is then presented as a scientific reality and the wrong things are also tried to be passed on as scientific facts.

Quran’s statement about the sky is very clear, e.g.

“He made the sky with His own hands.”

“He elevated it”

“He made it a secure roof.”

“He decorated it with stars.”

So also Quran informs that on Doomsday the sky will be rent asunder

“and in that there will be gates and gates”

From this statement of Quran, we can only think of the sky as a material thing, and therefore it will not be correct to explain it in such a way that would be contrary to the obvious meaning of the words.

(For a further explanation please see Surah Infitar Note 1)

2. Do not think that the sky can disobey the command of Allah. Definitely not. It has compulsorily to obey the Divine Command, for Allah is its Creator and Master and His control over it is certain. Therefore, when the Doomsday will occur and Allah will command it to rend asunder, it will crash to smithereens.

3. That is: The earth will not remain in its present form, but it will be stretched and flattened out into the shape of a vast Maidan (ground) in which all humans born from the first day to the last day will be gathered to appear for answering before Allah.

4. Points to the fact that the earth will cast out all the dead bodies and will be as empty and burden less as a pregnant woman becomes free after delivering her child, as if the earth is feeling the burden of the dead bodies and is about to cast them out.

5. That is: The earth will also obey the command of its Lord as soon as it gets the indication. Nothing will come in the way of the occurrence of the Doomsday.

6. Man may have or may not have conscious knowledge of his life’s journey, but he is willynilly going towards his Lord so that he may appear in the Divine Court. As we are revolving with the earth whether we may like to revolve or not, or whether we may or may not have conscious knowledge of this revolution, similarly this boat of life is flowing towards the Lord of the worlds and our last destinations is the next world. But the ignorant people think that this world is their destination, and therefore, they have no worries about the Hereafter.

Billions of men are born in this world and die. But how many of them have contemplated seriously over this most important matter: From where our life’s journey has started and what is our destination after this journey? If we meet a person on the road and ask him from where he is coming, and if he replies that he does not know, and after that if we ask him where he was going and again if he replies that he does not know, will we not be surprised by his replies, and will we not consider him an ignorant fool? But there are innumerable persons in the world, who, if asked about their life’s journey, will reply that they do not know from where this journey started and where it is going to end. They are ignorant of the beginning as well as of the end.

They have continued their journey without fixing their destination. How foolish they are. These persons are careless of their fate and are groping in the dark. Were it that they realize that they are being drawn to the Court of Allah as a magnet draws a needle towards itself.

7. Allah has bestowed this distinction on the right hand that it has become a symbol of goodness. Accordingly, the etiquette taught by the Prophet also include the instructions that all good works should be performed with the right hand, .e.g. eating, drinking, Performing wuzu (ablutions), giving alms, etc. etc. On account of this distinction given by Allah the right hand of the righteous persons will be entitled to receive the records of their masters.

8. The righteous will receive an easy reckoning! Easy reckoning, as explained by the Prophet, is merely appearing before Allah, On this appearance, there will be no strict questioning, but Allah will pardon his slaves. A Tradition of the Prophet (Hadith) has it: “On the Day of Judgment whoever is subjected to reckoning, he is doomed to be punished. Hazrat Ayesha said: ‘Allah says that he will receive an easy reckoning.’ The Prophet answered that it does not mean that strict “questioning will be done, but only appearance is required. Whoever is subjected to strict questioning on the Day of Judgment, is doomed to be punished.” -(Muslim - Kitab-ul- Jannah).

9. His people here means his family members, who will be faithful and whom Allah would have pardoned. They will be gathered in the Paradise together and they will have the good fortune of being with their family members. For this purpose none of them will have his or her status lowered but it will be elevated. (See Surah Tur Verse 21).

10. This will be the fate of those who do not believe in being required to appear before Allah, and their basis of life is rebellion against Allah. Such persons will appear in the Divine Court as criminals, and therefore their records will be given to them from behind their backs in their left hands. They had put the Book of Allah behind their backs, i.e. they did not care for it, and therefore they will be rightly deserving the fate of receiving their records from behind their backs.

11. He was careless of his own as well as his family and children’s fate in the Hereafter, and was busy and lost in earning material benefits and worldly gains.

12. That is: When God was watching him, then how was it possible that he would not call him for accounting for his deeds? Allah’s attribute of being Wise and Watchful demands that He should call His slaves before Him, making them answer for their deeds, and therefore, it is necessary that He raise them from their graves after their death.

13. This is a refutation of the understanding of the rejecters of faith that they will not be revived after death and will not have to appear before Allah.

14. The idea in swearing by certain things is to present those things as proof and evidence in favour of the statement that is being made. For further clarification please see Note No.14 on Surah Takveer.

15. The word “Shafaq” used here means that red glow of the sun which is seen Immediately after the sunset.

16. Enshrouds means the night gathers the stars in her lap during the night.

17. This is the point in support of which certain manifestations in the universe have been described. In other words, man is invited to contemplate over these manifestations that whether the statement of the Quran that there will come a stage when he will have to appear before his Lord for accounting for his deeds is confirmed or not, by their observation.

Appearance of the red glow immediately after the sunset, on the departure of the day, night’s decorating its soiree with the stars, and the gradual development of the crescent into full moon are proofs that in this universe things grow, develop or move gradually and for this Creator has fixed the stages, as the crescent grows gradually and in stages and becomes the full moon. Then how is it possible that man’s career, for whom this world has been created will not have its gradual stages, and that it will end in one stage only? So the information, that is being imparted to men through the Prophet that man has to pass through the stage of death to the next stage of revival and has to appear compulsorily and finally to enter paradise or hell according to the Divine judgment, is confirmed by the natural manifestations in the universe, which have been mentioned above. If man surveys these manifestations in this perspective then there will definitely be a change in the angles of his observation and thought.

18 . People are really strong that even after such clear and unambiguous evidences they are not prepared to admit that man will have to face the stage of accounting for his acts in this world. They are obstinately adhering to their opinion that human life is restricted to this world only and after death there will be no stage through which men will have to pass.

19. The correct reaction should have been that after hearing the realistic statement of Quran people should have admitted its truth, and being impressed by its greatness should have fallen prostrate (in sajda) before Allah, but instead they have adopted the attitude of rejecting it and feeling conceited about it.

At this stage in the Quran it is established that the Prophet fell prostrate. Accordingly, Hazarat Abu Huraira state that he offered prayer (salat) behind the Prophet and the Prophet performed a Sajda (prostration) at this stage, and therefore he (Abu Huraira) would be performing a Sajda at this atage in the Quran. (Muslim)

20. That is The feeling, of opposition to the Truth and hostility toward Islam and the desire for leading a selfish and undisciplined life were what they were hiding in their bosom and Allah has full knowledge of that.

21. To term the news of painful doom as glad tidings has the touch of a light taunt—when you are not prepared to make yourself deserving of receiving the glad tiding, of getting Paradise, then here is the glad tidings of going to hell for you.

22. The reward that the righteous, people will get in the Hereafter will not be temporary and short-lived, but it will be a permanent and everlasting reward, which will continue forever and ever, as if it is flowing river whose flow will never stop. Dawatul Quran 961 S. 84