Surah 78. An-Naba

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

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Quran Text of Verse 31-4078. An-Naba Page 583اِنَّIndeedلِلْمُتَّقِیْنَfor the righteousمَفَازًاۙ(is) success حَدَآىِٕقَGardensوَ اَعْنَابًاۙand grapevines وَّ كَوَاعِبَAnd splendid companionsاَتْرَابًاۙwell-matched وَّ كَاْسًاAnd a cupدِهَاقًاؕfull لَاNotیَسْمَعُوْنَthey will hearفِیْهَاthereinلَغْوًاany vain talkوَّ لَاand notكِذّٰبًاۚany falsehood جَزَآءً(As) a rewardمِّنْfromرَّبِّكَyour Lordعَطَآءًa giftحِسَابًاۙ(according to) account رَّبِّLordالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthوَ مَاand whateverبَیْنَهُمَا(is) between both of themالرَّحْمٰنِthe Most Graciousلَاnotیَمْلِكُوْنَthey have powerمِنْهُfrom Himخِطَابًاۚ(to) address یَوْمَ(The) Dayیَقُوْمُwill standالرُّوْحُthe Spiritوَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُand the Angelsصَفًّا ۙۗؕ(in) rowsلَّاnotیَتَكَلَّمُوْنَthey will speakاِلَّاexceptمَنْ(one) whoاَذِنَpermitsلَهُ[for] himالرَّحْمٰنُthe Most Graciousوَ قَالَand he (will) sayصَوَابًا (what is) correct ذٰلِكَThatالْیَوْمُ(is) the Dayالْحَقُّ ۚthe TrueفَمَنْSo whoeverشَآءَwillsاتَّخَذَlet him takeاِلٰیtowardsرَبِّهٖhis Lordمَاٰبًا a return اِنَّاۤIndeed Weاَنْذَرْنٰكُمْ[We] have warned youعَذَابًا(of) a punishmentقَرِیْبًا ۖۚ۬nearیَّوْمَ(the) Dayیَنْظُرُwill seeالْمَرْءُthe manمَاwhatقَدَّمَتْhave sent forthیَدٰهُhis handsوَ یَقُوْلُand will sayالْكٰفِرُthe disbelieverیٰلَیْتَنِیْO I wishكُنْتُI wereتُرٰبًا۠dust!

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Translation of Verse 31-40

(78:31) Surely the state of triumph awaits the God-fearing:¹⁹

(78:32) gardens and vineyards,

(78:33) and youthful maidens of like age,²⁰

(78:34) and an overflowing cup.

(78:35) Therein they shall hear no idle talk, nor any falsehood;²¹

(78:36) a recompense from your Lord and an ample reward²²

(78:37) from the Lord of the heavens and the earth and of that which is between them; the Most Merciful Lord before Whom none dare utter a word.²³

(78:38) The Day when the Spirit²⁴ and the angels are ranged row on row. None shall speak save he whom the Merciful Lord will permit; and he too will speak what is right.²⁵

(78:39) That Day is sure to come. So let him who will seek a resort with his Lord.

(78:40) Lo! We warn you of a chastisement near at hand;²⁶ the Day when a man will look on what his own hands have sent forth, and the unbelievers shall say: “Oh would that I were utter dust.”²⁷

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Commentary

19. “The God fearing ones” are in a sharp contrast to the rebellious unbelievers who reject both the concept of divine recompense and divine signs. On the contrary, the God-fearing sincerely believe in divine signs and lead their lives, fully realizing that they have to present an account of their deeds to Allah.

20. These youthful maidens may be of the same age group.

Alternatively, it might mean that their spouses will be of the same age group. This point also features in Sad 38: 52 and al-Waqi‘ah 56: 37.

21. According to the Qur’an, -one of the major bounties of Paradise is that its dwellers shall hear no idle talk nor any falsehood.

No one there will indulge in gossip, vain talk, lying, and accusation. This will be in sharp contrast to the flood of abuses, obscenities, scandal mongering, calumnies, accusations and counter-accusations which mar our social life. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. V, Maryam 19: n. 38, p. 166 and al-Waqi‘ah 56: nn. 13-14.)

22. The words “a recompense from your Lord and an ample reward” convey the sense that the God-fearing will not simply receive due recompense for their good deeds; in addition, Allah will also bestow upon them a special reward, one that will be “ample”.

As opposed to this, only this much is said regarding the inmates of Hell that they will be punished in full for their misdeeds. In other words, their punishment will be perfectly proportionate to their misdeeds. The same truth is stated at several places in the Qur’an, for example in Yunus 10: 26-27; al-Naml 27: 89-90; al-Qasas 28: 84; Saba’ 34: 33-38 and al-Mu’min 40: 40.

23. Awe will overwhelm everyone in the Grand Assembly so much so that none - whether they dwell on earth or in the heavens — will be able to utter a word in Allah’s presence. Nor will they dare to interfere in the Reckoning, to which they will all be subject.

24. Most Qur’anic scholars think that the word “Spirit” stands - for Gabriel. The very high position with which Allah invested him called for his being mentioned independently of all the other angels.

25. The reference here is to intercession, which will be subject to these two conditions: (i) only those whom Allah permits will speak for any other person and (ii) he will only speak what is right. No one will be able to make. any unfair or undue intercession.

The person for whom intercession is made must have been a believer, though he may be a sinner. (For a detailed discussion on the concept of intercession see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. I, al-Baqarah 2: n. 281, p. 196; Vol. IV, Yunus 10: n. 5, p. 7 and Hud 11: n. 106, p. 134; Vol. V, Maryam 19: n. 52, pp. 172-173; Ta Ha 20: nn. 85-86, pp. 227-229; al-Anbiya’ 21: n. 27, p. 262; Vol. IX, Saba’ 34: nn. 40-41, pp. 184-185; al-Mu’min 40: n. 32; al-Zukhruf 43: n. 68; al-Najm 53: n. 21, and al-Muddaththir 74: n. 36.)

26. In the Qur'an it is said that divine chastisement is near at hand. This statement was made fourteen hundred years ago, and countless people had died prior to its revelation. Moreover, even now it cannot be said with certainty that the Last Day will occur after how many hundreds, thousands or even millions of years. Given this, how can this chastisement be described as something “near at hand”? Furthermore, this Surah opens with an almost similar note: “Is it about the awesome tiding that they are in utter disagreement? No indeed! Soon will they come to know. Again, no indeed, soon will they come to know,” (Verses 2-5). Time is actually relative to man’s life. As long as he is alive, he is fully cognizant of it. After his death, only his soul survives, which does not have any consciousness of time. So, when man is resurrected on the Day of Judgement he will think that he has been woken up only after a few hours’ sleep. It will not occur to him that he had been lying dead for thousands of years. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. IV, al-Nahl 16: n. 26, pp. 324-325; Vol. V, Bani Isra’il 17: n. 56, p. 50; Ta Ha 20: n. 80, pp. 224-225, and Vol. IX, Ya Sin 36: n. 48, pp. 266-267.)

27. Full of regret, the unbelievers will wish on the Day of Judgement that they had not been born. They will be full of remorse as they are brought back to life.