Surah 88. Al-Ghashiyah

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Verses [Section]: 1-26[1]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-2688. Al-Ghashiyahبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِهَلْHasاَتٰىكَ(there) come to youحَدِیْثُ(the) newsالْغَاشِیَةِؕ(of) the Overwhelming وُجُوْهٌFacesیَّوْمَىِٕذٍthat Dayخَاشِعَةٌۙ(will be) humbled عَامِلَةٌLaboringنَّاصِبَةٌۙexhausted تَصْلٰیThey will burnنَارًا(in) a Fireحَامِیَةًۙintensely hot تُسْقٰیThey will be given to drinkمِنْfromعَیْنٍa springاٰنِیَةٍؕboiling لَیْسَIs notلَهُمْfor themطَعَامٌfoodاِلَّاexceptمِنْfromضَرِیْعٍۙa bitter thorny plant لَّاNotیُسْمِنُit nourishesوَ لَاand notیُغْنِیْit availsمِنْagainstجُوْعٍؕhunger وُجُوْهٌFacesیَّوْمَىِٕذٍthat Dayنَّاعِمَةٌۙ(will be) joyful لِّسَعْیِهَاWith their effortرَاضِیَةٌۙsatisfied فِیْInجَنَّةٍa gardenعَالِیَةٍۙelevated لَّاNotتَسْمَعُthey will hearفِیْهَاthereinلَاغِیَةًؕvain talk فِیْهَاThereinعَیْنٌ(will be) a springجَارِیَةٌۘflowing فِیْهَاThereinسُرُرٌ(will be) thronesمَّرْفُوْعَةٌۙraised high وَّ اَكْوَابٌAnd cupsمَّوْضُوْعَةٌۙput in place وَّ نَمَارِقُAnd cushionsمَصْفُوْفَةٌۙlined up وَّ زَرَابِیُّAnd carpetsمَبْثُوْثَةٌؕspread out اَفَلَاThen do notیَنْظُرُوْنَthey lookاِلَیatالْاِبِلِthe camelsكَیْفَhowخُلِقَتْۥthey are created وَ اِلَیAnd atالسَّمَآءِthe skyكَیْفَhowرُفِعَتْۥit is raised وَ اِلَیAnd atالْجِبَالِthe mountainsكَیْفَhowنُصِبَتْۥthey are fixed وَ اِلَیAnd atالْاَرْضِthe earthكَیْفَhowسُطِحَتْۥit is spread out فَذَكِّرْ ؕ۫So remindاِنَّمَاۤonlyاَنْتَyouمُذَكِّرٌؕ(are) a reminder لَسْتَYou are notعَلَیْهِمْover themبِمُصَۜیْطِرٍۙa controller اِلَّاButمَنْwhoeverتَوَلّٰیturns awayوَ كَفَرَۙand disbelieves فَیُعَذِّبُهُThen will punish himاللّٰهُAllahالْعَذَابَ(with) the punishmentالْاَكْبَرَؕgreatest اِنَّIndeedاِلَیْنَاۤto Usاِیَابَهُمْۙ(will be) their return ثُمَّThenاِنَّindeedعَلَیْنَاupon Usحِسَابَهُمْ۠(is) their account

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Translation of Verse 1-26In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(88:1) Has the news of the overwhelming event reached you?¹

(88:2) Some faces² that Day shall be downcast with fear,

(88:3) be toiling and worn-out;

(88:4) they shall burn in a Scorching Fire;

(88:5) their drink shall be from a boiling spring.

(88:6) They shall have no food except bitter dry thorns³

(88:7) that will neither nourish nor satisfy their hunger.

(88:8) On that very Day some faces shall be radiant with joy,

(88:9) well-pleased with their striving.⁴

(88:10) They will be in a lofty Garden

(88:11) wherein they shall hear no vain talk.⁵

(88:12) In it there shall be a flowing spring,

(88:13) and couches raised high,

(88:14) and goblets laid out,⁶

(88:15) and cushions arrayed in rows,

(88:16) and rich carpets levelled out.

(88:17) Do (these unbelievers) not observe the camels: how they were created?

(88:18) And the sky: how it was raised high?

(88:19) And the mountains: how they were fixed?

(88:20) And the earth: how it was spread out?⁷

(88:21) So render good counsel, for you are simply required to counsel,

(88:22) and are not invested with the authority to compel them.⁸

(88:23) But whoever will turn away (from the Truth),

(88:24) Allah will chastise him with the most terrible chastisement.

(88:25) Surely to Us is their return;

(88:26) and then it is for Us to call them to account.

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Commentary

1. In other words, the Last Day. This event will overwhelm everything. It is worth clarifying that this reference embraces all the stages of the Next Life, including the collapse of the present order, the resurrection of all human beings and divine recompense.

2. The expression “some faces” means “some people”. The word “faces” is used to denote people because the face is the most conspicuous part of a person's body.

3. At other places, the Qur’an informs us that zaqqum or ghislin will be served to the inmates of Hell. In this verse, bitter dry thorns are mentioned as their food. There is no contradiction in these statements. As these inmates will be placed in various spheres of Hell, in line with the degree of their crimes, so different foods will be provided to them. Alternatively, it might be that either zaqqum, ghislin or thorns will be given to them. What is important, however, is that they will not have any good food as sustenance.

4. The believers will be well pleased with the good results of their striving. It will be so gratifying for them that their faith, piety, self-restraint, discharging of duty in the face of all sorts of difficulties, obedience to divine commands, loss on account of shunning evil and deprivation ultimately led to their abiding success.

5. Not hearing any vain talk is adduced as one of the major bounties of Paradise. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. V, Maryam 19: n. 38, p. 166; al-Tur 52: n. 18; al-Waqi‘ah 56: n. 13, and al-Naba’ 78: 21.)

6. Goblets will be laid out for them. They will not have to even ask for these.

7. Those who deny the Hereafter on the grounds that it is beyond the range of possibility should look around and consider some well-known facts pertaining to Allah’s creation of camels, to the establishment of mountains, to His raising the heavens to very lofty heights, and to the spreading out of the earth. They should also ponder on how all this was brought about. If it was possible to bring all these things into existence — and their existence is a tangible reality —- what, then, are their grounds for believing that Resurrection cannot take place? Why can a new world not come about, and what is the basis for thinking that Hell and Heaven are beyond the range of what is possible? Only a fool contends that things beyond his perception do not and cannot exist. One should better reflect on how things around one have come into existence. How was the camel created with the features best suited for life in the desert? How was this sky created, perfect as it is for supporting life, for rainfall, for providing light and heat and for placing the moon and stars? How was this earth spread out, which is the perfect habitat for man’s life, for his sustenance and for storing water? How did these mountains come up, which are of different hues and abound in precious metals and minerals? Did all this happen without the Supreme Lord, the All-Wise Designer? No sane person can answer the above in the negative. If one is not stubborn, one can only concede that the All-Powerful and All-Wise Lord has created everything. The tidings given by the Almighty Lord should, therefore, be unreservedly accepted.

8. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is told not to worry if people do not see reason. He is not supposed to compel them into believing. His mission consists only in alerting them to truth and falsehood and in warning people against following a wrong path. He should continue to discharge only this duty.