Surah 79. An-Nazi'at

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Verses [Section]: 1-26[1], 27-46 [2]

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Quran Text of Verse 27-46ءَاَنْتُمْAre youاَشَدُّa more difficultخَلْقًاcreationاَمِorالسَّمَآءُ ؕthe heavenبَنٰىهَاۥHe constructed it رَفَعَHe raisedسَمْكَهَاits ceilingفَسَوّٰىهَاۙand proportioned it وَ اَغْطَشَAnd He darkenedلَیْلَهَاits nightوَ اَخْرَجَand brought outضُحٰىهَا۪its brightness وَ الْاَرْضَAnd the earthبَعْدَafterذٰلِكَthatدَحٰىهَاؕHe spread it اَخْرَجَHe brought forthمِنْهَاfrom itمَآءَهَاits waterوَ مَرْعٰىهَا۪and its pasture وَ الْجِبَالَAnd the mountainsاَرْسٰىهَاۙHe made them firm مَتَاعًا(As) a provisionلَّكُمْfor youوَ لِاَنْعَامِكُمْؕand for your cattle فَاِذَاBut whenجَآءَتِcomesالطَّآمَّةُthe Overwhelming Calamityالْكُبْرٰیؗۖthe great یَوْمَ(The) Dayیَتَذَكَّرُwill rememberالْاِنْسَانُmanمَاwhatسَعٰیۙhe strove (for) وَ بُرِّزَتِAnd will be made manifestالْجَحِیْمُthe Hell-Fireلِمَنْto (him) whoیَّرٰی sees فَاَمَّاThen as forمَنْ(him) whoطَغٰیۙtransgressed وَ اٰثَرَAnd preferredالْحَیٰوةَthe lifeالدُّنْیَاۙ(of) the world فَاِنَّThen indeedالْجَحِیْمَthe Hell-Fireهِیَitالْمَاْوٰیؕ(is) the refuge وَ اَمَّاBut as forمَنْ(him) whoخَافَfearedمَقَامَstandingرَبِّهٖ(before) his Lordوَ نَهَیand restrainedالنَّفْسَhis soulعَنِfromالْهَوٰیۙthe vain desires فَاِنَّThen indeedالْجَنَّةَParadiseهِیَit (is)الْمَاْوٰیؕthe refuge یَسْـَٔلُوْنَكَThey ask youعَنِaboutالسَّاعَةِthe Hourاَیَّانَwhenمُرْسٰىهَاؕ(is) its arrival فِیْمَIn whatاَنْتَ(are) youمِنْ[of]ذِكْرٰىهَاؕ(to) mention it اِلٰیToرَبِّكَyour Lordمُنْتَهٰىهَاؕ(is) its finality اِنَّمَاۤOnlyاَنْتَyouمُنْذِرُ(are) a warnerمَنْ(for him) whoیَّخْشٰىهَاؕfears it كَاَنَّهُمْAs though theyیَوْمَ(the) Dayیَرَوْنَهَاthey see itلَمْnotیَلْبَثُوْۤاthey had remainedاِلَّاexceptعَشِیَّةًan eveningاَوْorضُحٰىهَا۠a morning thereof

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Translation of Verse 27-46

(79:27) Is¹³ it harder to create you or the heaven?¹⁴ But Allah built it,

(79:28) and raised its vault high and proportioned it;

(79:29) and covered its night with darkness and brought forth from it its day;¹⁵

(79:30) and thereafter spread out the earth,¹⁶

(79:31) and brought out of it its water and its pasture,¹⁷

(79:32) and firmly fixed in it mountains;

(79:33) all this as provision for you and your cattle.¹⁸

(79:34) But when the great calamity will come about¹⁹

(79:35) on the Day when man will recall all his strivings,²⁰

(79:36) and Hell will be brought in sight for anyone to see:

(79:37) then he who transgressed

(79:38) and preferred the life of this world,

(79:39) most surely his abode shall be Hell.

(79:40) But he who feared to stand before his Lord, and restrained himself from evil desires,

(79:41) most surely his abode shall be Paradise.²¹

(79:42) They ask you about the Hour: “When will it be?”²²

(79:43) What concern do you have to speak about that?

(79:44) Its knowledge rests with your Lord.

(79:45) You are only a warner to him who has a fear of it.²³

(79:46) On the Day they see it, they will feel as though they had stayed (in the grave) no more than one evening or one morning.²⁴

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Commentary

13. This marks the beginning of the discourse on the rationale and plausibility of the Last Day and Life-after-Death.

14. The reference here is to mankind’s resurrection. Heaven in this verse stands for the whole celestial system: stars, planets, solar systems and galaxies. The unbelievers regard resurrection as impossible. They contend as to how the dead can be brought back to life once their bones have disintegrated. Do they ever reflect how this vast universe was created in the first place? Is its creation harder or resurrection of the dead? Since it was not hard for Allah to create the universe and the heaven, He can easily re-create it. This argument for Life-after-Death recurs in the Qur’an: “Has He Who created the heavens and the earth no power to create the likes of them? He is the Superb Creator,” (Ya Sin 36: 81). “Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater act than the creation of human beings. But most people do not know,” (al-Mu’min 40: 57).

15. Both night and day are mentioned in the context of the sky. For, as the sun sets on the sky, night falls. Likewise, the rising of the sun on the horizon marks dawn. That night covers signifies that its darkness envelopes the earth.

16. “And thereafter spread out the earth” does not necessarily mean that it happened at a later stage than the sky’s creation. Rather, it states two simultaneous actions. The two are mentioned in succession, not in chronological order, but with a view to drawing attention to one and then the another. Take this Quranic statement as illustrative: “The coarse-grained, and above all mean and ignoble,” (al-Qalam 68: 13). This does not relate that the first ‘characteristic was later followed by others. What is meant is that the person in question has all these features. Another instance in point is: “It is freeing someone’s neck from slavery... and then, besides this, he be one of those who believed...” (al-Balad 90: 13 and 17). Once again, this does not mean that one should first perform some good deeds and then embrace faith. Essentially, these verses portray a believer who, apart from being blessed with faith, does many good deeds. It is also worth clarifying that at some places the Qur’an speaks first of the creation of the sky, and in others of - the earth. There is no internal contradiction. It is not the Qur'an’s concern to state which of the two was created first — the earth or the sky. Rather, in the context of Allah’s creative wonders, creation of the sky is mentioned first. Whenever the context demands that man’s attention be drawn to the bounties he receives from the earth, the creation of the earth takes precedence. (For further details see, Ha’ Mim al-Sajdah 41: nn. 13-14.)

17. “Pasture” is not to be taken in its narrow, specific sense of fodder for cattle. Rather, it embraces the whole range of plant life which is used by both men and animals. In Surah Yusuf the same expression is used with reference to the young Joseph, when his elder brothers sought their father’s permission to take Joseph with them so that he may “move about and pluck and eat fruits in the forest,” (Yusuf 12: 12).

18. These verses affirm the reality of the Last Day and Life-after- Death with the help of two arguments. As Allah is All-Powerful, it is not hard for Him to bring about these. He has created a vast universe with a remarkable balance and interconnection. The earth, once again, created by Him abounds in an amazing variety of resources. Furthermore, Allah’s perfect wisdom, of which undeniable manifestations are scattered around us makes it clear that there is nothing vain or without purpose in the universe. Instead, there is perfect balance and coordination amid the numerous stars, planets and galaxies. All this testifies that it is not some haphazard show. Rather, it represents an elaborate and purposive scheme of things. The constant alternation of day and night demonstrates that the earth has been created as part of a wise plan. In most regions on earth, the cycle of day and night is completed in an equal measure within twenty-four hours. Yet, there are some regions which have unusually long nights or days. Life in such regions is relatively more difficult. Significantly enough, there is less population there as well. Such remote regions in which day and night last for six months each are the least habitable. This wide discrepancy in the duration of day and night on the same planet earth is devised by Allah in order to stress the truth that the regular alternation of day and night is not a chance happening. Rather, it has been put in place wisely and to make life easy. Likewise, the earth has been spread out like a bed. It has been provided with water that sustains human, plant and animal life. Mountains have been fixed on it, once again, to provide ample means for human and animal life. The creation of the universe is, thus, not some sport. Natural phenomena are not chance happenings. Each and every object in the universe has been prudently placed by the All- Wise, All-Knowing Lord. It is for every thinking person to reflect upon whether the Hereafter is the next logical step or not. Those who reject the doctrine of the Hereafter in the face of these signs tend to dismiss man’s existence as something pointless. For they observe first-hand the wisdom and purpose underlying each and every object of the universe. It is a totally untenable proposition that man not be called to account after his death. As man is invested with so many faculties, powers and authorities, he must be held accountable for his own conduct. This is a simple, logical position, supported by the dictates of common sense and justice.

19. The Last Day is branded as “the great calamity,” for it will afflict everyone. The expression thus, befits the enormity of the occasion.

20, On the Day of Reckoning when man will be faced with the tidings he has been told of, he will be obliged to recall his record of deeds. Even in this world when one feels that death is approaching, the main events of one’s life flash before one’s eyes.

21. This succinctly lays down the criteria that will be applied on the Day of Judgement. One may revolt against Allah, transgressing His bounds as His servant, and be engrossed wholly in worldly pleasures, even if procured lawfully. The other option is that of piety, leading life with God-consciousness and an acute sense of accountability. A pious person refrains from base desires and illegitimate gains out of the fear of Allah. Every human being will be adjudged on the basis of his outlook on life. Rebels will be hurled into Hell forever, whereas the pious will enjoy the eternal abode of Paradise.

22. The Makkan unbelievers often posed this question to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) but not because they were sincere about finding out about the inevitable Last Day. On | the contrary, they did so in order to scoff at the concept of the Hereafter. (For details see al-Mulk 67: n. 35.)

23. This point is addressed in note 36 of Surah al-Mulk. The Prophet's warning will benefit only those who have a fear of the Day of Judgement.

24. For an elucidation of this point see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. IV, Yunus 10: n. 53, p. 40; Vol. V, Bani Isra’il 17: n. 56, p. 50; Ta Ha 20: n. 80, pp. 224-225; Vol. VI, al-Mu'minun 23: n. 101, p. 128; Vol. VII, al-Rum 30: nn. 81-82, p. 115, Vol. IX, Ya Sin 36: n. 48, pp. 266-267, and al-Ahqaf 46: n. 35.