THE HOLY QUR'AAN

SURAH 104
Al-Humaza  (The Traducer, The Gossipmonger, The Slanderer)

INTRODUCTION:

This Surah consists of 9 verses, 30 sentences, 103 letters and 1 Ruku'. 

Name

It takes its name from the word humazah occurring in the first verse.

Period of Revelation

All commentators are agreed that it is a Makki Surah; a study of its subject matter and style shows that this too is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah.

Theme and Subject Matter

In it some of the evils prevalent among the materialistic hoarders of wealth in the pre-Islamic days have been condemned. Every Arab knew that they actually existed in their society; they regarded them as evils and nobody thought they were good. After calling attention to this kind of ugly character, the ultimate end in the Hereafter of the people having this kind of character has been stated. Both these things (i.e. the character and his fate in the Hereafter) have been depicted in a way which makes the listener automatically reach the conclusion that such a man fitly deserves to meet such an end. And since in the world, people of such character do not suffer any punishment, but seem to be thriving instead, the occurrence of the Hereafter becomes absolutely inevitable.

 

If this Surah is read in the sequence of the Surahs beginning with Az-Zilzal, one can fully well understand how the fundamental beliefs of Islam and its teachings were impressed on the peoples minds in the earliest stage in Makkah. In Surah Az-Zilzal, it was said that in the Hereafter man's full record will be placed before him and not an atom's weight of good or evil done by him in the world will have been left unrecorded. In Surah Al-Adiyat, attention was drawn to the plunder and loot, blood-shed and vandalism, prevailing in Arabia before Islam; then making the people realize that the way the powers given by God were being abused was indeed an expression of sheer ingratitude to Him; they were told that the matter would not end up in the world, but in the second life after death--not only their deeds but their intentions and motives too would be examined, and their Lord fully well knows which of them deserves what reward or punishment. In Surah Al-Qariah after depicting Resurrection the people were warned that in the Hereafter a man's good or evil end will be dependent on whether the scale of his good deeds was heavier, or the scale of his evil deeds was heavier: In Surah At-Takathur the people were taken to task for the materialistic mentality because of which they remained occupied in seeking increase in worldly benefits, pleasures, comforts and position, and in vying with one another for abundance of everything until death overtook them. Then, warning them of the evil consequences of their heedlessness, they were told that the world was not an open table of food for then to pick and choose whatever they pleased, but for every single blessing that they were enjoying in the world, they would have to render an account to their Lord and Sustainer as to how they obtained it and how they used it. In Surah Al-Asr it was declared that each member, each group and each community of mankind, even the entire world of humanity, was in manifest loss, if its members were devoid of Faith and righteous deeds and of the practice of exhorting others to truth and patience. Immediately after this comes Surah Al-Humazah in which after presenting a specimen of leadership of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, the people have been asked the question: "What should such a character deserve if not loss and perdition?"

 Maududi

 

THE HOLY QUR'AAN

SURAH 104
AL-HUMAZA (THE SLANDERER)

Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi

 

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.


104 : 1

 

1. Waylun likulli humazatin lumazatin

 

Woe to the scandal-monger and traducer,

104 : 2

2. Allathee jamaAAa malan waAAaddadahu

Who acquires worldly assets and stashes them away!

104 : 3

3. Yahsabu anna malahu akhladahu

He thinks that his assets will buy him eternal life!

104 : 4

4. Kalla layunbathanna fee alhutamati

By no means! He will surely be flung into that which churns!

104 : 5

5. Wama adraka ma alhutamatu

What will convey to you what it is that churns?

104 : 6

6. Naru Allahi almooqadatu

The fierce flames set ablaze by Allah!

204 : 7

7. Allatee tattaliAAu AAala al-af-idati

Which consume the human heart!

204 : 8

8. lnnaha AAalayhim mu/sadatun

Verily they will envelop them from all sides -

204 : 9

9. Fee AAamadin mumaddadatin

In the midst of towering columns (R)


1. Woe to every slanderer and backbiter.[]

2. Who has gathered wealth and counted it,

3. He thinks that his wealth will make him last forever!

4. Nay! Verily, he will be thrown into the crushing Fire.

5. And what will make you know what the crushing Fire is?

6. The fire of Allâh, kindled,

7. Which leaps up over the hearts,

8. Verily, it shall be closed in on them,

9. In pillars stretched forth (i.e. they will be punished in the Fire with pillars, etc.).


104.001
YUSUFALI: Woe to every (kind of) scandal-monger and-backbiter,
PICKTHAL: Woe unto every slandering traducer,
SHAKIR: Woe to every slanderer, defamer,

104.002
YUSUFALI: Who pileth up wealth and layeth it by,
PICKTHAL: Who hath gathered wealth (of this world) and arranged it.
SHAKIR: Who amasses wealth and considers it a provision (against mishap);

104.003
YUSUFALI: Thinking that his wealth would make him last for ever!
PICKTHAL: He thinketh that his wealth will render him immortal.
SHAKIR: He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.

104.004
YUSUFALI: By no means! He will be sure to be thrown into That which Breaks to Pieces,
PICKTHAL: Nay, but verily he will be flung to the Consuming One.
SHAKIR: Nay! he shall most certainly be hurled into the crushing disaster,

104.005
YUSUFALI: And what will explain to thee That which Breaks to Pieces?
PICKTHAL: Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Consuming One is!
SHAKIR: And what will make you realize what the crushing disaster is?

104.006
YUSUFALI: (It is) the Fire of (the Wrath of) Allah kindled (to a blaze),
PICKTHAL: (It is) the fire of Allah, kindled,
SHAKIR: It is the fire kindled by Allah,

104.007
YUSUFALI: The which doth mount (Right) to the Hearts:
PICKTHAL: Which leapeth up over the hearts (of men).
SHAKIR: Which rises above the hearts.

104.008
YUSUFALI: It shall be made into a vault over them,
PICKTHAL: Lo! it is closed in on them
SHAKIR: Surely it shall be closed over upon them,

104.009
YUSUFALI: In columns outstretched.
PICKTHAL: In outstretched columns.
SHAKIR: In extended columns.

 Index

SURAH 105