Surah 78. An-Naba

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Verses [Section]: 1-30[1], 31-40 [2]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-3078. An-Naba Page 58278. An-Nabaبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِعَمَّAbout whatیَتَسَآءَلُوْنَۚare they asking one another عَنِAboutالنَّبَاِthe Newsالْعَظِیْمِۙthe Great الَّذِیْ(About) whichهُمْtheyفِیْهِ(are) concerning itمُخْتَلِفُوْنَؕ(in) disagreement كَلَّاNay!سَیَعْلَمُوْنَۙSoon they will know ثُمَّThenكَلَّاNay!سَیَعْلَمُوْنَ soon they will know اَلَمْHave notنَجْعَلِWe madeالْاَرْضَthe earthمِهٰدًاۙa resting place وَّ الْجِبَالَAnd the mountainsاَوْتَادًا۪ۙ(as) pegs وَّ خَلَقْنٰكُمْAnd We created youاَزْوَاجًاۙ(in) pairs وَّ جَعَلْنَاAnd We madeنَوْمَكُمْyour sleepسُبَاتًاۙ(for) rest وَّ جَعَلْنَاAnd We madeالَّیْلَthe nightلِبَاسًاۙ(as) covering وَّ جَعَلْنَاAnd We madeالنَّهَارَthe dayمَعَاشًا۪(for) livelihood وَّ بَنَیْنَاAnd We constructedفَوْقَكُمْover youسَبْعًاsevenشِدَادًاۙstrong وَّ جَعَلْنَاAnd We placedسِرَاجًاa lampوَّهَّاجًا۪ۙburning وَّ اَنْزَلْنَاAnd We sent downمِنَfromالْمُعْصِرٰتِthe rain cloudsمَآءًwaterثَجَّاجًاۙpouring abundantly لِّنُخْرِجَThat We may bring forthبِهٖtherebyحَبًّاgrainوَّ نَبَاتًاۙand vegetation وَّ جَنّٰتٍAnd gardensاَلْفَافًاؕ(of) thick foliage اِنَّIndeedیَوْمَ(the) Dayالْفَصْلِ(of) the Judgmentكَانَisمِیْقَاتًاۙan appointed time یَّوْمَ(The) Dayیُنْفَخُis blownفِیinالصُّوْرِthe trumpetفَتَاْتُوْنَand you will come forthاَفْوَاجًاۙ(in) crowds وَّ فُتِحَتِAnd is openedالسَّمَآءُthe heavenفَكَانَتْand becomesاَبْوَابًاۙgateways وَّ سُیِّرَتِAnd are movedالْجِبَالُthe mountainsفَكَانَتْand becomeسَرَابًاؕa mirage اِنَّIndeedجَهَنَّمَHellكَانَتْisمِرْصَادًا۪ۙlying in wait لِّلطَّاغِیْنَFor the transgressorsمَاٰبًاۙa place of return لّٰبِثِیْنَ(They will) be remainingفِیْهَاۤthereinاَحْقَابًاۚ(for) ages لَاNotیَذُوْقُوْنَthey will tasteفِیْهَاthereinبَرْدًاcoolnessوَّ لَاand notشَرَابًاۙany drink اِلَّاExceptحَمِیْمًاscalding waterوَّ غَسَّاقًاۙand purulence جَزَآءًA recompenseوِّفَاقًاؕappropriate اِنَّهُمْIndeed theyكَانُوْاwereلَاnotیَرْجُوْنَexpectingحِسَابًاۙan account وَّ كَذَّبُوْاAnd deniedبِاٰیٰتِنَاOur Signsكِذَّابًاؕ(with) denial وَ كُلَّAnd everyشَیْءٍthingاَحْصَیْنٰهُWe have enumerated itكِتٰبًاۙ(in) a Book فَذُوْقُوْاSo tasteفَلَنْand neverنَّزِیْدَكُمْWe will increase youاِلَّاexceptعَذَابًا۠(in) punishment

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Translation of Verse 1-30In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(78:1) About what are they asking one another?

(78:2) Is it about the awesome tiding

(78:3) that they are in utter disagreement?¹

(78:4) No indeed;² soon will they come to know;³

(78:5) again, no indeed; soon will they come to know.

(78:6) Have We not spread the earth like a bed,⁴

(78:7) and fixed the mountains like pegs,⁵

(78:8) and created you in pairs (as men and women),⁶

(78:9) and made your sleep a means of repose,⁷

(78:10) and made the night a covering,

(78:11) and made the day to seek livelihood,⁸

(78:12) and built above you seven strong firmaments,⁹

(78:13) and placed therein a hot, shining lamp,¹⁰

(78:14) and sent down abundant water from the clouds

(78:15) so that We may thereby bring forth grain and vegetation,

(78:16) and gardens dense with foliage?¹¹

(78:17) Surely the Day of Judgement has an appointed time;

(78:18) the Day when the Trumpet shall be blown, and you will come forth in multitudes;¹²

(78:19) and when the sky shall be opened up and will become all doors;

(78:20) and the mountains will be set in motion and become a mirage.¹³

(78:21) Surely the Hell is an ambush,¹⁴

(78:22) a resort for the rebellious;

(78:23) therein they shall abide for ages,¹⁵

(78:24) they shall taste in it no coolness, nor any pleasant drink

(78:25) save boiling water and wash of the wounds;¹⁶

(78:26) a befitting recompense for their deeds.

(78:27) For indeed they did not look forward to any reckoning,

(78:28) and roundly denied Our Signs as false.¹⁷

(78:29) And everything have We recorded in a Book.¹⁸

(78:30) So taste (the fruit of your deeds). We shall only increase your torment.

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Commentary

1. “The awesome tiding” refers to the Last Day and the Day of Judgement. This tiding was found by the Makkans to be somewhat bewildering. They discussed it in their meetings, often in hushed tones. Moreover, they asked one another about it. For them, it was incredible that the dead could rise again. Once the body had decayed and the bones disintegrated, it could not, they reasoned, - be brought back to life. Resurrection on such a grand scale, which involved the restoration of all the dead, astonished them in equal degree. They thought it impossible that the mountains so firmly fixed presently could turn into carded wool and float while the sun, the moon and stars would set for ever. The collapse of the present order was beyond them. They doubted the Prophet's mental state for announcing such tidings. Paradise and Hell were totally unfamiliar to them. Nor had they heard any such account from the Prophet (peace be upon him) at an earlier date. Indeed, they found the whole description as unbelievable.

“That they were in utter disagreement about it” may stand for their questioning one another about it. Or it may underscore the divergence of opinion among them about the ultimate end of this world. They differed widely on this issue. Some of them, under the influence of Christian dogma, did believe in Life-after-Death. However, they thought that such existence would only be on a spiritual plane, not in a physical, corporeal sense. Some were skeptical about this doctrine, as is reported in the Qur’an elsewhere: “We do not know what the Hour (of Resurrection) is. We are simply making conjectures and are not at all certain,” (al-Jathiyah 45: 32). Others rejected this doctrine outright: “They say: ‘There is nothing but the life of this world, and we shall not be raised from the dead” (al-An‘am 6: 29). The atheists among them held this view: “There is no life other than our present worldly life: herein we live and we die, and it is only (the passage of) time that destroys us” (al-Jathiyah 45: 24). Even those who were not atheists rejected the idea of the Next Life, viewing it as. improbable. For them, it was beyond divine power to raise the dead back to life. They argued: “Who will quicken the bones when they have decayed?” (Ya Sin 36: 78). Such divergence of opinion on the issue itself, betrayed their lack of sure knowledge. They were misled by conjecture alone. Had they possessed certain knowledge about this matter, they would not have differed so sharply among themselves. (For further details see al-Dhariyat 51: n. 6.)

2. Their notions about the Hereafter are grossly mistaken. There is no truth in what they imagine.

3. Soon will this reality appear right in front of them, which they dispute. Then they will realize the veracity of the Prophet's tiding and the falsity of their own notions.

4. The wisdom underlying the divine sign of spreading the earth like a bed for man is elucidated in the following explanatory notes: Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. VIL, al-Naml 27: nn, 73, 74 and 81, pp. 171-173 and 176; Vol. IX, Ya Sin 36: n. 29, pp. 256-257, al-Mu’min 40: nn. 90-91, al-Zukhruf 43: n. 7; al-Jathiyah 45: n. 7, and Qaf 50: n. 18.

5. As to the logic behind the placement of mountains on planet earth see these explanatory notes: Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. IV, al-Nahl 16: n. 12, p. 317; Vol. VII, al-Naml 27: n. 74, pp. 172- — 173, and al-Mursalat 77: n. 15.

6. For a discussion on the creation in pairs as man and woman, see these explanatory notes: Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. VIL, al-Furqan 25: n. 69, p. 33; Vol. VIL, al-Ram 30: nn. 28-30, pp. 89-92; Vol. IX, Ya Sin 36: n. 31, p. 258; al- Shura 42: n. 77; al-Zukhruf 43: n. 12, and al-Qiyamah 75: n. 25.

7. Allah has made sleep innate in human nature, which, as a means of repose, provides rest to man. Man feels compelled to sleep after a few hours’ work. For elaboration of this point see the following explanatory note: Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. VIII, al-Rum 30: n. 33, pp. 93-95.

8. In other words, the night. Darkness at night helps man sleep more comfortably. On the contrary, the day has been made bright, enabling man to earn his livelihood in a better way. There are numerous benefits in the alternation of day and night. Of these, attention is drawn to only one. Man is, thus, instructed that it is not some haphazard happening. Rather, this is part of a grand plan, which is best suited for man. Since the human body needs darkness at night for sound sleep and brightness in the day for seeking bread, the same has been provided. This perfect arrangement catering for man’s needs itself underscores the divine wisdom at work. All this has been devised by the All-Knowing, All-Wise Allah. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. IV, Yunus 10: n. 65,-pp. 48-50; al-Mu’min 40: n. 85; Vol. IX, Ya Sin 36: n. 32, pp. 258-259 and al-Zukhruf 43: n. 4.)

9. Allah has built seven strong firmaments, which are unalterable. Furthermore, the numerous planets floating in these do not collide with another. Nor do any of these collapse on the earth. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. L al-Baqarah 2: n.34, p. 58; Vol. IV, al-Ra‘d 13: n. 2, pp- 219-220; al-Hijr 15: nn. 8 and 12, pp. 284, 285 and 286; Vol. VL al-Mu'minun: 23; n. 15, p. 89; Vol. VIII, Luqman 31: n. 13, pp. 127-128; Vol. IX, Ya Sin 36: n. 37, pp. 261-262; al-Saffat 37: nn. 5-6, p. 282; al-Mu’min 40: n. 90, and Qaf 50: nn. 7-8.)

10. The reference here is to the sun. The Qur’anic expression wahhaj signifies both intense heat and bright light. Our rendering is accordingly: “a hot, shining lamp”. This brief statement, once again, draws attention to Allah’s creative power and wisdom. This magnificent divine sign, whose diameter is 109 times more than that of the earth and with a size 333,000 times greater than that of the earth, has a temperature of 14,000,000C°. Although it is at a distance of 93,000,000 miles away from earth, its intense glare is such that any attempt to look at it with the naked eye may lead to blindness. As to its heat, it is widely known that in certain places on earth the temperature rises to as high as 140°F owing to the sunlight. Out of His infinite wisdom, Allah has placed it at such a distance that it does not cause intolerable heat for being too close or chilling cold for being too distant from the earth. Rather, its heat and light are well suited for human, animal and plant life.

Its tremendous energy has been a life-giving source for man. It helps crops ripen, which, in turn, provides sustenance to all living beings. Its heat causes water vapors to rise, which ultimately return to various parts of the earth as rainfall. Since the beginning _ of the universe, the sun has been serving, thanks to Allah’s mercy, - as a unique power house providing light, heat and rays of all sorts across the solar system.

11. Rainfall and its resultant vegetation represent another manifestation of Allah’s power and wisdom. This point is elucidated in the following explanatory notes: Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. IV, al-Nahl 16: n. 53(a), pp. 339-340; Vol. VI, al-Mu’minun 23: n.17, p. 90; Vol. VIL, al-Shu‘ara’ 26: n. 5, p. 55; Vol. VIII, al-Rum 30: n. 35, p- 95; Vol. IX, Fatir 35: n. 19, p. 215; Ya Sin 36: n. 29, p. 256; al-Mu’min 40: n. 20; al-Zukhruf 43: nn. 10-11, and al-Waqi‘ah 56: nn. 28-30.)

These verses adduce a series of divine signs in order to persuade the unbelievers to note, at least, these two outstanding features in their own creation, and of the earth and mountains, in their pattern of sleep and waking up, in the alternation of day and night, — in the working of the universe, in the bright, shining sun and in rainfall and vegetation(:i ) These phenomena could not exist or continue regularly without the will and role of the All-Powerful One, and (ii) Each and every part is marked by a purpose. Nothing happens haphazardly. It could only be a fool’s case that the Supreme One Who brought all this into being in the first place may be unable to destroy re-create the same. Since the All-Wise has invested every object in the universe with a sense of purpose. He cannot let man go scot-free. For, He has endowed man with reason, discernment between good and evil, free will to choose between obedience and disobedience, and authority over many of His creatures. Hence, man must be called to account for properly utilizing or abusing what he has got. Rejection of the Hereafter means that both the most pious and the wicked will die, without reward or punishment. Yet, the pious must be rewarded and the evil punished. These are the main arguments for Life-after-Death, ~ and the Last Day which recur in the Qur’an. (Some instances in point are: Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. IV, al-Ra‘d 13: n. 7, pp. 221-222; Vol. VI, al-Hajj 22: n. 9, pp. 9-11; Vol. VIII, al-Rum 30: n. 6, pp. 76-78; Vol. IX, Saba’ 34: nn. 10 and 12, pp. 155 and 156, and al-Saffat 37: nn. 8-9, pp. 283 and 284.)

12. The allusion here is to the final trumpet, of which the blowing will result in the resurrection of all dead human beings, including the direct addressees of this Surah — so all those born since the beginning until the blowing of the trumpet. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. IV, Ibrahim 14: n. 57, pp. 276-277; Vol. VI, al-Hajj 22: n. 1, pp. 5-6; Vol. IX, Ya Sin 36: nn. 46-47, pp. 265-266, and al-Zumar 39: n. 79.)

13. In this Qur’anic passage, as in others, various stages of the Last Day are lumped together. The first verse describes all that - will happen on the blowing of the first trumpet. The next two verses recount the scene at the blowing of the second trumpet. As stated in the Qur’an: “On that Day the sky will be rent asunder,” (al-Haqqah 69: 16). In other words, all natural barriers will be lifted and calamities will befall the earth, one after another: “As the sky will be opened up and will become all doors, the mountains will be set in motion and become a mirage,” (Verses 19 and 20). On the Last Day, in no time, will the mountains float and disintegrate into vast deserts. Almost the same point is made thus in this Qur’anic passage:

They ask you concerning the mountains: “Where will they go?” Say: “My Lord will scatter them like dust, and leave the earth a levelled plain in which you shall find no crookedness or curvature.” (Ta Ha 20: 105-107)

14. The word mirsad (ambush) denotes a spot which is especially chosen to entrap game; a spot where it is caught unawares. Hell is described as an ambush because God’s rebels, being unaware, are fearless of it. As a result, they strut about, considering the world to be simply a den for their own self-indulgence, altogether incognizant of the possibility of being caught and punished. Thus Hell, being hidden from their eyes, is like an ambush wherein they are likely to be entrapped.

15. The word ahqab used here denotes long periods of time, each period following the other in succession. Some misconstrue this word in the sense that while life in Paradise will be eternal, it will not be so in Hell. For these periods, no matter how long they are, will come to an end at some point. Such reasoning is flawed on the following two grounds: (i) In idiomatic Arabic, ahqab stands for a period of time, which is bound to be followed by another period. These periods appear in quick succession. It is, then, an unending phenomenon and (ii) It is both unfair and reprehensible that a Qur’anic verse be interpreted in a sense that runs contrary to the trust of other Qur’anic verses. On as many as 34 occasions, the Qur’an specifies that the inmates of Hell will remain there for ever. In three instances, the point is further reinforced, adding that it will be their eternal abode. Take this verse as illustrative: “They will wish to come out of the Fire, but they will not. Theirs will be a long-lasting chastisement, “(al-Ma’idah 5: 37). By the same token, the pious will have Paradise as their eternal abode. As for the wretched, they shall be in the Fire, and in it they shall sigh and groan. They shall abide in it as long as the heavens and the earth last, unless Your Lord should will otherwise. Surely your Lord does whatever He wills. And as for those who are blessed, they shall abide in the Gardens of Paradise as long as the heavens and the earth last, unless your Lord should will otherwise. (Hud 11: 106-108) In the face of these clarifications, there is no substance whatsoever in the notion that Allah’s rebels will be in Hell only for a specific or short period of time.

16. Ghassaq is used of such body fluids as pus, blood, pus-blood and other secretions from the eye and skin as a result of some grievous bodily harm. Gassaq is also used to connote something with a horrid smell.

17. This is the reason for their torment in Hellfire. They spent their lives in this world assuming that they would never have to appear before God for rendering an account of their deeds. Moreover, the rejected outright the divine guidance and signs conveyed to them by Allah’s Messengers, dismissing them as lies.

18. Allah has a complete record of their deeds, actions and even motives. It is a complete record. Yet these foolish unbelievers think they can get away with anything, and are free to act as they like. They altogether disregard their accountability.