Surah 81. At-Takwir

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Verses [Section]: 1-29[1]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-2981. At-Takwir Page 58681. At-Takwirبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِاِذَاWhenالشَّمْسُthe sunكُوِّرَتْ۪ۙis wrapped up وَ اِذَاAnd whenالنُّجُوْمُthe starsانْكَدَرَتْ۪ۙfall losing their luster وَ اِذَاAnd whenالْجِبَالُthe mountainsسُیِّرَتْ۪ۙare moved away وَ اِذَاAnd whenالْعِشَارُthe full-term she-camelsعُطِّلَتْ۪ۙ(are) left untended; وَ اِذَاAnd whenالْوُحُوْشُthe wild beastsحُشِرَتْ۪ۙare gathered وَ اِذَاAnd whenالْبِحَارُthe seasسُجِّرَتْ۪ۙare made to overflow وَ اِذَاAnd whenالنُّفُوْسُthe soulsزُوِّجَتْ۪ۙare paired وَ اِذَاAnd whenالْمَوْءٗدَةُthe female infant buried aliveسُىِٕلَتْ۪ۙis asked بِاَیِّFor whatذَنْۢبٍsinقُتِلَتْۚshe was killed وَ اِذَاAnd whenالصُّحُفُthe pagesنُشِرَتْ۪ۙare laid open وَ اِذَاAnd whenالسَّمَآءُthe skyكُشِطَتْ۪ۙis stripped away وَ اِذَاAnd whenالْجَحِیْمُthe Hellfireسُعِّرَتْ۪ۙis set ablaze وَ اِذَاAnd whenالْجَنَّةُParadiseاُزْلِفَتْ۪ۙis brought near عَلِمَتْWill knowنَفْسٌa soulمَّاۤwhatاَحْضَرَتْؕit has brought فَلَاۤBut nay!اُقْسِمُI swearبِالْخُنَّسِۙby the retreating planets الْجَوَارِThose that runالْكُنَّسِۙ(and) disappear وَ الَّیْلِAnd the nightاِذَاwhenعَسْعَسَۙit departs وَ الصُّبْحِAnd the dawnاِذَاwhenتَنَفَّسَۙit breathes اِنَّهٗIndeed itلَقَوْلُ(is) surely a wordرَسُوْلٍ(of) a Messengerكَرِیْمٍۙnoble ذِیْPossessor ofقُوَّةٍpowerعِنْدَwithذِی(the) Owner ofالْعَرْشِthe Throneمَكِیْنٍۙsecure مُّطَاعٍOne to be obeyedثَمَّandاَمِیْنٍؕtrustworthy وَ مَاAnd notصَاحِبُكُمْ(is) your companionبِمَجْنُوْنٍۚmad وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyرَاٰهُhe saw himبِالْاُفُقِin the horizonالْمُبِیْنِۚthe clear وَ مَاAnd notهُوَhe (is)عَلَیonالْغَیْبِthe unseenبِضَنِیْنٍۚa withholder وَ مَاAnd notهُوَitبِقَوْلِ(is the) wordشَیْطٰنٍ(of) Shaitaanرَّجِیْمٍۙaccursed فَاَیْنَSo whereتَذْهَبُوْنَؕare you going اِنْNotهُوَitاِلَّا(is) exceptذِكْرٌa reminderلِّلْعٰلَمِیْنَۙto the worlds لِمَنْFor whoeverشَآءَwillsمِنْكُمْamong youاَنْtoیَّسْتَقِیْمَؕtake a straight way وَ مَاAnd notتَشَآءُوْنَyou willاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْthatیَّشَآءَwillsاللّٰهُAllahرَبُّLordالْعٰلَمِیْنَ۠(of) the worlds

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Surah Introduction

This Meccan sûrah describes some of the apocalyptic events leading up to the Day of Judgment, stating that everyone will meet the consequences of their deeds. The sûrah closes by emphasizing that the Quran is Allah's revealed Word and that the Prophet ( ﷺ ) is not insane, as the pagans claim.

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Translation of Verse 1-291. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. When the sun is put out,

2. and when the stars fall down,

3. and when the mountains are blown away,

4. and when pregnant camels are left untended, ¹²⁸³

5. and when wild beasts are gathered together, ¹²⁸⁴

6. and when the seas are set on fire, ¹²⁸⁵

7. and when the souls ˹and their bodies˺ are paired ˹once more˺,

8. and when baby girls, buried alive, are asked

9. for what crime they were put to death, ¹²⁸⁶

10. and when the records ˹of deeds˺ are laid open,

11. and when the sky is stripped away,

12. and when the Hellfire is fiercely flared up,

13. and when Paradise is brought near-

14. ˹on that Day˺ each soul will know what ˹deeds˺ it has brought along.

15. I do swear by the receding stars

16. which travel and hide, ¹²⁸⁷

17. and the night as it falls

18. and the day as it breaks! ¹²⁸⁸

19. Indeed, this ˹Quran˺ is the Word of ˹Allah delivered by Gabriel,˺ a noble messenger-angel,

20. full of power, held in honour by the Lord of the Throne,

21. obeyed there ˹in heaven˺, and trustworthy.

22. And your fellow man ¹²⁸⁹ is not insane.

23. And he did see that ˹angel˺ on the clear horizon, ¹²⁹⁰

24. and he does not withhold ˹what is revealed to him of˺ the unseen.

25. And this ˹Quran˺ is not the word of an outcast devil. ¹²⁹¹

26. So what ˹other˺ path would you take?

27. Surely this ˹Quran˺ is only a reminder to the whole world-

28. to whoever of you wills to take the Straight Way.

29. But you cannot will ˹to do so˺, except by the Will of Allah, the Lord of all worlds.

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Commentary

1283. Ten-month pregnant camels were the most precious thing for nomadic Arabs. These camels were always cared for and treasured.

1284. All animals will be brought together for judgment and then they will be reduced to dust.

1285. On the Day of Judgment the oceans and seas will be on fire.

1286. Some pagan Arabs used to bury their infant daughters alive for fear of shame or poverty. This practice was condemned and abolished by Islam. See 16:58-59.

1287. This probably refers to black holes. Kanasa means to sweep or hide. Miknasah is derived from this, and is the standard word for a vacuum cleaner.

1288. lit., the day as it takes its first breath.

1289. i.e., Muḥammad ( ﷺ ) .

1290. This is first time the Prophet ( ﷺ ) saw Gabriel in his angelic form. He saw him a second time in heaven during the Night Journey. See 53:5-15.

1291. See 26:210-212.