Surah 86. At-Tariq

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Verses [Section]: 1-17[1]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-1786. At-Tariq Page 59186. At-Tariqبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِوَ السَّمَآءِBy the skyوَ الطَّارِقِۙand the night comer وَ مَاۤAnd whatاَدْرٰىكَcan make you knowمَاwhatالطَّارِقُۙthe night comer (is) النَّجْمُ(It is) the starالثَّاقِبُۙthe piercing! اِنْNotكُلُّ(is) everyنَفْسٍsoulلَّمَّاbutعَلَیْهَاover itحَافِظٌؕ(is) a protector فَلْیَنْظُرِSo let seeالْاِنْسَانُmanمِمَّfrom whatخُلِقَؕhe is created خُلِقَHe is createdمِنْfromمَّآءٍa waterدَافِقٍۙejected یَّخْرُجُComing forthمِنْۢfromبَیْنِbetweenالصُّلْبِthe backboneوَ التَّرَآىِٕبِؕand the ribs اِنَّهٗIndeed Heعَلٰیtoرَجْعِهٖreturn himلَقَادِرٌؕ(is) Able یَوْمَ(The) Dayتُبْلَیwill be testedالسَّرَآىِٕرُۙthe secrets فَمَاThen notلَهٗ(is) for himمِنْanyقُوَّةٍpowerوَّ لَاand notنَاصِرٍؕany helper وَ السَّمَآءِBy the skyذَاتِwhichالرَّجْعِۙreturns وَ الْاَرْضِAnd the earthذَاتِwhichالصَّدْعِۙcracks open اِنَّهٗIndeed itلَقَوْلٌ(is) surely a Wordفَصْلٌۙdecisive وَّ مَاAnd notهُوَitبِالْهَزْلِؕ(is) for amusement اِنَّهُمْIndeed theyیَكِیْدُوْنَare plottingكَیْدًاۙa plot وَّ اَكِیْدُBut I am planningكَیْدًاۚۖa plan فَمَهِّلِSo give respiteالْكٰفِرِیْنَ(to) the disbelieversاَمْهِلْهُمْGive respite to themرُوَیْدًا۠little

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Translation of Verse 1-17In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(86:1) By the heaven, and the night-visitor,

(86:2) what do you know what the night-visitor is?

(86:3) It is the piercing star.

(86:4) There is no living being but there is a protector over it.¹

(86:5) So let man consider of what he was created.²

(86:6) He was created of a gushing fluid,

(86:7) emanating from between the loins and the ribs.³

(86:8) Surely He (the Creator) has the power to bring him back (to life).⁴

(86:9) On the Day when man's deepest secrets shall be put to the test⁵

(86:10) he shall have no power, and no helper.

(86:11) By the heaven with its recurring cycle of rain,⁶

(86:12) and by the earth ever bursting with verdure,

(86:13) this (Qur'an) is surely a decisive Word,

(86:14) not a flippant jest.⁷

(86:15) They are devising a guile,⁸

(86:16) and I too am devising a guile.⁹

(86:17) So leave the unbelievers to themselves; respite them awhile.¹⁰

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Commentary

1. The word “protector” here signifies God Himself Who is looking after and protecting all the creatures of the earth and the heavens, be they large or small. The thrust of the verse is that the countless stars and planets that glisten in the sky at night bear witness that certainly there is a Being Who created them, illuminated them, suspended them in space, and Who protects them in such a manner that they neither fall from their orbits nor collide with the other countless stars in the course of their movement, nor do any other stars and planets collide with them. In like manner, God looks after and protects each and every object in the Universe.

2. Man is asked here to reflect on the process of his own creation. It is Allah Who enables one of numerous sperms ejaculated by a father to fertilize the mother’s egg, which leads to conception. Again it is Allah Who oversees various stages of conception, helping the fetus to grow and to be born as a baby. Inside the womb, He fashions the baby’s form and caters for all his needs from birth until death. Out of His immense mercy, He protects man against diseases, calamities and accidents of all sorts. He provides man with innumerable opportunities and facilities. Man cannot even count these blessings, and what to say of creating them. It is worth reflecting whether all this can happen without the help of the All- Powerful and All-Watchful Allah.

3. The words used here are sulb and tara’ib. The former stands for the spinal cord and the latter for ribs. The life-generating fluid of both men and women issues from that part of their body that lies between the back and the breast. It is being said, therefore, that man was created of a “gushing fluid emanating from between the loins and the ribs”. This fluid is produced even if one’s limbs are cut off. It is, therefore, not correct to say that the whole body is involved in its production; only the vital organs are involved. The brain is not specified in this scheme of things as it is constantly. connected with the spinal cord and the brain controls every part of the body. (See also the Appendix at the end of the Surah.) (Mentioned below - Web Admin)

Appendix to Surah al-Tariq 86: n. 3

Here is the comment on our explanatory note 3 on Surah al-Tariq by a medical doctor:

I have studied carefully your note yet I could not make much of it. As far as observation goes, semen is produced in testicles and through a network it passes through the inguinal canal, which lies parallel to the pelvic bone, into the prostate gland. I could not understand how it can be described as “the gushing fluid emanating from between the loins and the ribs”. It is no doubt controlled by the nervous system embracing the ribs and the spinal cord. But even this is up to an extent. It is eventually controlled by the secretions of a gland in the brain. My query is related to ejaculation. Let me have your opinion on this issue. Since you subscribe to scientific knowledge, I have troubled you with this question. I am sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.

Our response to the above, as published in our journal, Tarjuman al-Qur’an (November 1971) is as follows: “As you are a physician, you may appreciate this point better that although different body parts have their respective functions, none of these does it on its own. Rather, it is accomplished in coordination with others. Testicles are no doubt the site for the production of semen and the latter is ejaculated through a particular passage. However, it is subject to the normal functioning of the vital organs of the body. If these are dysfunctional, semen cannot be produced. Take the example of urine which is produced in the kidney, passes through a passage into the bladder and is released by the penis. However, if all body parts associated with producing and circulating blood are not functioning properly, the kidney on its own cannot send urine to the bladder. The Qur’an does not insist that this life generating fluid is ejaculated from between the loins and the ribs. Rather, reference is to the emanating of this fluid from these. The Qur’anic account does not rule out the mechanism responsible for the production and release of semen, accomplished by certain body parts. However, this mechanism is not complete in itself. It works while other parts are also working normally, especially the body mechanism devised by Allah for the loins and the ribs. That is why I have clarified that the entire body is not involved and even if one’s limbs are cut off, the above mechanism remains in working order. However, if any vital organ placed between the loins and the ribs is not functioning, the above mechanism will not work either.”

Two medical doctors have provided us with the following scientific facts regarding the above ‘issue: It is evident from the study of embryology that the testes, the glands which produce semen are located close to the spine, ribs and kidneys in the fetus. Gradually, testes descend into testicles. At times this happens before and at others a little after delivery. Yet the source of their nerves and veins remains located between the loins and the ribs. Its artery, branching out from aorta, passes through the whole abdomen and supplies blood. Thus testes are essentially part of the backbone which have been relocated in the testicles in order to lower the degree of temperature. Moreover, although semen is produced by testes and it is deposited in the seminal vesicles, its control mechanism is located between the loins and the ribs. It is the brain that triggers the seminal vesicles and semen is discharged as a gushing fluid. In sum, the Qur’an account is fully in accord with the latest medical knowledge on this issue.

4. Allah’s creation of man and His protecting him from conception until his last breath proves beyond any shadow of doubt that He also has the power to bring him back to life. As He is man’s creator and lets man live in the world, there is no ground whatsoever for calling into question His ability to resurrect man. Those who deny resurrection, reject Allah’s creative power. Such silly, insane people may contend that all the books in the world came into existence suddenly by chance or that all the towns in the world emerged one fine morning by chance or that all factories started manufacturing goods of all kinds by accident. It goes without saying that man’s creation, his amazing body, his varied and numerous faculties and abilities and his survival for long as a living being are much more bewildering phenomena than what man himself accomplishes. Only an insane person denies Allah’s existence and ascribes the complex working of the universe, with its remarkable coordination, balance and sense of purpose, to a chance happening.

5. “Man's deepest secrets” signify those actions that are unknown to others. They also signify those matters about which some people might know something about, but whose underlying intent and motive are hidden from others. On the Day of Judgement, all this will be laid bare. One’s deeds and their underlying motives will be examined. One, thus, does not realize the long term impact of one’s deeds. This truth will come out only on the Day of Judgement, as the impact of one’s actions will also be evaluated as part of divine recompense.

6. The heaven is mentioned with its recurring cycle of rain. Raja’ literally means to return. It is metaphorically used here of rain, which-strikes the earth both in and out of season. Since water vapors rising from the seas return to the earth as rain drops, the metaphor of return is aptly employed here.

7. Just as the downpour from the heavens and the vegetation - that pierces through the earth’s crust is a serious reality rather than a jest, so is the Qur’an’s teaching that man is bound to return to his Lord. What is said is not some flippant jest. Rather, it is an eternal, categorical truth that is bound to materialize.

8. The unbelievers have been resorting to guile in order to discredit the Qur’an. They seek to sow doubts into people’s hearts about the Qur’an and level all sorts of false, baseless allegations against the Prophet (peace be upon him) with a view to arresting his call to the truth. They are keen to continue living in the darkness of unbelief, which is what he seeks to drive away.

9. Allah will put an end to the unbelievers’ guile. They will be frustrated in their impious designs. The divine light, which they have been trying to extinguish, is destined to illuminate the whole universe.

10. The unbelievers have been granted respite. Soon, however, they will realize that their guile could not and did not work against the divine plan.