INTRODUCTION:
This Surah
consists of 46 verses, 197 sentences, 753 letters and 2 Ruku’s
It is derived from the word wan-nazi'at with which the Sura opens.
According to Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas, this Surah was sent down after Surah An-Naba. Its subject matter also testifies that it belongs to the earliest period at Makkah.
Its theme is affirmation of Resurrection and the life hereafter; it also warns of the consequences of belying the Messenger of God.
The Surah opens with oaths sworn by the angels who take the soul at deaths and those who hasten to carry out Allah's Commands, and those who conduct the affairs of the universe according to Divine Will, to assure that the Resurrection will certainly come to pass and the second life after death will certainly take place. For the angels who are employed to pluck out the soul today can also be employed to restore the soul tomorrow, and the angels who promptly execute Allah's Commands and conduct the affairs of the universe today can also upset the order of the universe tomorrow by orders of the same God and can also bring about a new order.
After this the people have been told, so as to say: "This work which you regard as absolutely impossible, is not any difficult for Allah, for which He may have to make lengthy preparations. Just a single jolt will upset this system of the world and a second jolt will be enough to cause you to appear as living beings in the new world. At that time the same people who were wont to deny it, would be trembling with fear and seeing with awe struck eyes all that they thought was impossible.
Then, relating the story of the Prophet Moses and Pharaoh briefly, the people have been warned to the effect: "You know full well what fate the Pharaoh met in consequence of belying the Messenger and rejecting the guidance brought by him and endeavouring to defeat his mission by trickery and deceit. If you do not learn any lesson from it and do not change your ways and attitude accordingly, you also will have to meet the same fate.
Then, in vv. 27-13, arguments have been given for the Hereafter and life after death. In this regard, the deniers have been asked the question: "Is your resurrection a more difficult task or the creation of the huge Universe which spreads around you to infinite distances with myriads of its stars and planets? Your recreation cannot be difficult for the God for Whom this was an easy task. Thus, after presenting, in a single sentence, a decisive argument for the possibility of the Hereafter, attention has been drawn to the earth and its provisions that have been arranged in it for the sustenance of man and animal and of which everything testifies that it has been created with great wisdom for fulfilling some special purpose. Pointing to this the question has been left for the intellect of man to ponder for itself and form the opinion whether calling man to account after having delegated authority and responsibilities to a creature like him in this wise system would be more in keeping with the demands of wisdom, or that he should die after committing all sorts of misdeeds in the world and should perish and mix in the dust for ever and should never be called to account as to how he employed the authority and fulfilled the responsibilities entrusted to him. Instead of discussing this question, in vv. 34-41, it has been said: "When the Hereafter is established, men's eternal future will be determined on the criterion as to which of them rebelled against his God transgressing the bounds of service and made the material benefits and pleasures his objective of life and which of them feared standing before his Lord and reflrained from fulfilling the unlawful desires of the self." This by itself provides the right answer to the above question to every such person who considers it honestly, free from stubbornness. For the only rational, logical and moral demand of giving authority and entrusting responsibilities to man in the world is that he should be called to account on this very basis ultimately and rewarded or punished accordingly.
In conclusion, the question of the disbelievers of Makkah as to when Resurrection will take place, has been answered. They asked the Holy Prophet this question over and over again. In reply it has been said that the knowledge of the time of its occurrence rests with Allah alone. The Messenger is there only to give the warning that it will certainly come. Now whoever wishes may mend his ways, fearing its coming, and whoever wishes may behave and conduct himself as he likes, fearless of its coming. When the appointed time comes, those very people who loved the life of this world and regarded its pleasures as the only object of life, would feel that they had stayed in the world only for an hour or so. Then they will realize how utterly they had ruined their future for ever for the sake of the short lived pleasures of the world.
Maududi
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
Section 1.
79 : 1
1. WaalnnaziAAati gharqan
By (the angels) who drag forth (the guilty soul) with force,
79 : 2
2. Waalnnashitati nashtan
By those who gather (the righteous soul) with compassion,
79 : 3
3. Waalssabihati sabhan
By those who come floating down from heaven (to diffuse mercy)
79 : 4
4. Faalssabiqati sabqan
By those hastening towards their duties,
79 : 5
5. Faalmudabbirati amran
And by those who conduct the course of events!
79 : 6
6. Yawma tarjufu alrrajifatu
On the day when that which resounds does resound -
79 : 7
7. TatbaAAuha alrradifatu
And then is followed by that which follows it -
79 : 8
8. Quloobun yawma-ithin wajifatun
On that Day hearts constrict with pain, -
79 : 9
9. Absaruha khashiAAatun
While eyelids droop from shame!
79 : 10
10. Yaqooloona a-inna lamardoodoona fee alhafirati
They are saying now : 'Are we really going to become as we were before,
79 : 11
11. A-itha kunna AAithaman nakhiratan
'Even after our bones have crumbled into dust?'
79 : 12
12. Qaloo tilka ithan karratun khasiratun
They say : 'Such a reversal would be an unproductive exercise!'
79 : 13
13. Fa-innama hiya zajratun wahidatun
All it takes to raise them is no more than just one shout -
79 : 14
14. Fa-itha hum bialssahirati
And verily they will wake up!
79 : 15
15. Hal ataka hadeethu moosa
Has news reached you about the times of Moses -
79 : 16
16. Ith nadahu rabbuhu bialwadi almuqaddasi tuwan
How his Lord addressed him in the holy valley of Tuwa -
79 : 17
17. Ithhab ila firAAawna innahu tagha
(Saying) : 'Go to Pharaoh, for verily he has transgressed!'
79 : 18
18. Faqul hal laka ila an tazakka
And say to Him : 'Are you not yet inclined to cleanse your soul?
79 : 19
19. Waahdiyaka ila rabbika fatakhsha
'Then I will guide you to your Lord and you shall submit to Him!'
79 : 20
20. Faarahu al-ayata alkubra
And he showed him a marvellous token.
79 : 21
21. Fakaththaba waAAasa
But he vituperated and disobeyed -
79 : 22
22. Thumma adbara yasAAa
Then he turned away in haste -
79 : 23
23. Fahashara fanada
Then he persisted and assembled his populace -
79 : 24
24. Faqala ana rabbukumu al-aAAla
And proclaimed to them : 'I am your Supreme Sovereign!'
79 : 25
25. Faakhathahu Allahu nakala al-akhirati waal-oola
So Allah seized him and turned him into an example in this life as well as in the Hereafter!
79 : 26
26. Inna fee thalika laAAibratan liman yakhsha
Verily a lesson can be found in this for him who fears! (R)
Section 2.
79 : 27
27. Aantum ashaddu khalqan ami alssamao banaha
Are you harder to create or is it the heaven that He built?
79 : 28
28. RafaAAa samkaha fasawwaha
He raised its dome high above you and rendered it flawless;
79 : 29
29. Waaghtasha laylaha waakhraja duhaha
And He made the night dark and He made the day bright;
79 : 30
30. Waal-arda baAAda thalika dahaha
After that He spread out the vast earth;
79 : 31
31. Akhraja minha maaha wamarAAaha
Then From it He brought out water and grew the meadows;
79 : 32
32. Waaljibala arsaha
And set upon it mountain ranges; -
79 : 33
33. MataAAan lakum wali-anAAamikum
A provision for you and for your cattle!
79 : 34
34. Fa-itha jaati alttammatu alkubra
But when the formidable cataclysm culminates,
79 : 35
35. Yawma yatathakkaru al-insanu ma saAAa
Only then will man review his own performance -
79 : 36
36. Waburrizati aljaheemu liman yara
And hell will stand out visible to the eye of the beholder!
79 : 37
37. Faamma man tagha
Then, as for him who disobeyed -
79 : 38
38. Waathara alhayata alddunya
And preferred the life of this world -
79 : 39
39. Fa-inna aljaheema hiya alma/wa
Verily hell will be his lasting abode!
79 : 40
40. Waama man khafa maqama rabbihi wanaha alnnafsa AAani alhawa
But as for him who was tremulous of standing up in the presence of his Lord and guarded his soul against temporal temptations -
79 : 41
41. Fa-inna aljannata hiya alma/wa
Verily the Garden will be his lasting abode!
79 : 42
42. Yas-aloonaka AAani alssaAAati ayyana mursaha
They ask you about the Hour : 'When is it set to occur?'
79 : 43
43. Feema anta min thikraha
Why ask they of you? What have you to tell them about it?
79 : 44
44. Ila rabbika muntahaha
To your Lord alone belongs the knowledge of the Hour!
79 : 45
45. Innama anta munthiru man yakhshaha
You are only a warner to him who fears!
79 : 46
46. Kaannahum yawma yarawnaha lam yalbathoo illa AAashiyyatan aw duhaha
On the Day when they confront it, it would be as if they sojourned upon the earth for one evening, or a morning that followed it! (R)
MUHSIN:
1. By those (angels) who pull out (the souls of the disbelievers and the wicked) with great violence;
2. By those (angels) who gently take out (the souls of the believers);
3. And by those that swim along (i.e. angels or planets in their orbits, etc.).
4. And by those that press forward as in a race (i.e. the angels or stars or the horses, etc.).
5. And by those angels who arrange to do the Commands of their Lord, (so verily, you disbelievers will be called to account).
6. On the Day (when the first blowing of the Trumpet is blown), the earth and the mountains will shake violently (and everybody will die),
7. The second blowing of the Trumpet follows it (and everybody will be raised up),
8. (Some) hearts that Day will shake with fear and anxiety.
9. Their eyes cast down.
10. They say: "Shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state of life?
11. "Even after we are crumbled bones?"
12. They say: "It would in that case, be a return with loss!"
13. But only, it will be a single Zajrah [shout (i.e., the second blowing of the Trumpet)]. (See Verse 37:19).
14. When, behold, they find themselves over the earth alive after their death,
15. Has there come to you the story of Mûsa (Moses)?
16. When his Lord called him in the sacred valley of Tûwa,
17. Go to Fir'aun (Pharaoh), verily, he has transgressed all bounds (in crimes, sins, polytheism, disbelief, etc.).
18. And say to him: "Would you purify yourself (from the sin of disbelief by becoming a believer)",
19. And that I guide you to your Lord, so you should fear Him?
20. Then [Mûsa (Moses)] showed him the great sign (miracles).
21. But [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] belied and disobeyed;
22. Then he turned his back, striving hard (against Allâh).
23. Then he gathered his people and cried aloud,
24. Saying: "I am your lord, most high",
25. So Allâh, seized him with punishment for his last [i.e. his saying: "I am your lord, most high") (see Verse 79:24)] and first [(i.e. his saying, "O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than I" (see Verse 28:38)] transgression.
26. Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allâh.
27. Are you more difficult to create, or is the heaven that He constructed?
28. He raised its height, and He has equally ordered it,
29. Its night He covers with darkness, and its forenoon He brings out (with light).
30. And after that He spread the earth;
31. And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture;
32. And the mountains He has fixed firmly;
33. (To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.
34. But when there comes the greatest catastrophe (i.e. the Day of Recompense, etc.),
35. The Day when man shall remember what he strove for,
36. And Hell-fire shall be made apparent in full view for (every) one who sees,
37. Then, for him who Taghâ (transgressed all bounds, in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allâh).
38. And preferred the life of this world (by following his evil desires and lusts),
39. Verily, his abode will be Hell-fire;
40. But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires, and lusts.
41. Verily, Paradise will be his abode.
42. They ask you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) about the Hour, - when will be its appointed time?
43. You have no knowledge to say anything about it,
44. To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof?
45. You (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) are only a warner for those who fear it,
46. The Day they see it, (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an afternoon or a morning.
079.001
YUSUFALI: By the
(angels) who tear out (the souls of the wicked) with violence;
PICKTHAL: By those who
drag forth to destruction,
SHAKIR: I swear by the
angels who violently pull out the souls of the wicked,
079.002
YUSUFALI: By those who
gently draw out (the souls of the blessed);
PICKTHAL: By the
meteors rushing,
SHAKIR: And by those
who gently draw out the souls of the blessed,
079.003
YUSUFALI: And by those
who glide along (on errands of mercy),
PICKTHAL: By the lone
stars floating,
SHAKIR: And by those
who float in space,
079.004
YUSUFALI: Then press
forward as in a race,
PICKTHAL: By the
angels hastening,
SHAKIR: Then those who
are foremost going ahead,
079.005
YUSUFALI: Then arrange
to do (the Commands of their Lord),
PICKTHAL: And those
who govern the event,
SHAKIR: Then those who
regulate the affair.
079.006
YUSUFALI: One Day
everything that can be in commotion will be in violent commotion,
PICKTHAL: On the day
when the first trump resoundeth.
SHAKIR: The day on
which the quaking one shall quake,
079.007
YUSUFALI: Followed by
oft-repeated (commotions):
PICKTHAL: And the
second followeth it,
SHAKIR: What must
happen afterwards shall follow it.
079.008
YUSUFALI: Hearts that
Day will be in agitation;
PICKTHAL: On that day
hearts beat painfully
SHAKIR: Hearts on that
day shall palpitate,
079.009
YUSUFALI: Cast down
will be (their owners') eyes.
PICKTHAL: While eyes
are downcast
SHAKIR: Their eyes
cast down.
079.010
YUSUFALI: They say
(now): "What! shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state?
PICKTHAL: (Now) they
are saying: Shall we really be restored to our first state
SHAKIR: They say:
Shall we indeed be restored to (our) first state?
079.011
YUSUFALI: "What! -
when we shall have become rotten bones?"
PICKTHAL: Even after
we are crumbled bones?
SHAKIR: What! when we
are rotten bones?
079.012
YUSUFALI: They say:
"It would, in that case, be a return with loss!"
PICKTHAL: They say:
Then that would be a vain proceeding.
SHAKIR: They said:
That then would be a return occasioning loss.
079.013
YUSUFALI: But verily,
it will be but a single (Compelling) Cry,
PICKTHAL: Surely it
will need but one shout,
SHAKIR: But it shall
be only a single cry,
079.014
YUSUFALI: When,
behold, they will be in the (full) awakening (to Judgment).
PICKTHAL: And lo! they
will be awakened.
SHAKIR: When lo! they
shall be wakeful.
079.015
YUSUFALI: Has the
story of Moses reached thee?
PICKTHAL: Hath there
come unto thee the history of Moses?
SHAKIR: Has not there
come to you the story of Musa?
079.016
YUSUFALI: Behold, thy
Lord did call to him in the sacred valley of Tuwa:-
PICKTHAL: How his Lord
called him in the holy vale of Tuwa,
SHAKIR: When his Lord
called upon him in the holy valley, twice,
079.017
YUSUFALI: "Go thou to
Pharaoh for he has indeed transgressed all bounds:
PICKTHAL: (Saying:) Go
thou unto Pharaoh - Lo! he hath rebelled -
SHAKIR: Go to Firon,
surely he has become inordinate.
079.018
YUSUFALI: "And say to
him, 'Wouldst thou that thou shouldst be purified (from sin)?-
PICKTHAL: And say
(unto him): Hast thou (will) to grow (in grace)?
SHAKIR: Then say: Have
you (a desire) to purify yourself:
079.019
YUSUFALI: "'And that I
guide thee to thy Lord, so thou shouldst fear Him?'"
PICKTHAL: Then I will
guide thee to thy Lord and thou shalt fear (Him).
SHAKIR: And I will
guide you to your Lord so that you should fear.
079.020
YUSUFALI: Then did
(Moses) show him the Great Sign.
PICKTHAL: And he
showed him the tremendous token.
SHAKIR: So he showed
him the mighty sign.
079.021
YUSUFALI: But
(Pharaoh) rejected it and disobeyed (guidance);
PICKTHAL: But he
denied and disobeyed,
SHAKIR: But he
rejected (the truth) and disobeyed.
079.022
YUSUFALI: Further, he
turned his back, striving hard (against Allah).
PICKTHAL: Then turned
he away in haste,
SHAKIR: Then he went
back hastily.
079.023
YUSUFALI: Then he
collected (his men) and made a proclamation,
PICKTHAL: Then
gathered he and summoned
SHAKIR: Then he
gathered (men) and called out.
079.024
YUSUFALI: Saying, "I
am your Lord, Most High".
PICKTHAL: And
proclaimed: "I (Pharaoh) am your Lord the Highest."
SHAKIR: Then he said:
I am your lord, the most high.
079.025
YUSUFALI: But Allah
did punish him, (and made an) example of him, - in the Hereafter, as in this
life.
PICKTHAL: So Allah
seized him (and made him) an example for the after (life) and for the former.
SHAKIR: So Allah
seized him with the punishment of the hereafter and the former life.
079.026
YUSUFALI: Verily in
this is an instructive warning for whosoever feareth (Allah).
PICKTHAL: Lo! herein
is indeed a lesson for him who feareth.
SHAKIR: Most surely
there is in this a lesson to him who fears.
079.027
YUSUFALI: What! Are ye
the more difficult to create or the heaven (above)? (Allah) hath constructed it:
PICKTHAL: Are ye the
harder to create, or is the heaven that He built?
SHAKIR: Are you the
harder to create or the heaven? He made it.
079.028
YUSUFALI: On high hath
He raised its canopy, and He hath given it order and perfection.
PICKTHAL: He raised
the height thereof and ordered it;
SHAKIR: He raised high
its height, then put it into a right good state.
079.029
YUSUFALI: Its night
doth He endow with darkness, and its splendour doth He bring out (with light).
PICKTHAL: And He made
dark the night thereof, and He brought forth the morn thereof.
SHAKIR: And He made
dark its night and brought out its light.
079.030
YUSUFALI: And the
earth, moreover, hath He extended (to a wide expanse);
PICKTHAL: And after
that He spread the earth,
SHAKIR: And the earth,
He expanded it after that.
079.031
YUSUFALI: He draweth
out therefrom its moisture and its pasture;
PICKTHAL: And produced
therefrom the water thereof and the pasture thereof,
SHAKIR: He brought
forth from it its water and its pasturage.
079.032
YUSUFALI: And the
mountains hath He firmly fixed;-
PICKTHAL: And He made
fast the hills,
SHAKIR: And the
mountains, He made them firm,
079.033
YUSUFALI: For use and
convenience to you and your cattle.
PICKTHAL: A provision
for you and for your cattle.
SHAKIR: A provision
for you and for your cattle.
079.034
YUSUFALI: Therefore,
when there comes the great, overwhelming (Event),-
PICKTHAL: But when the
great disaster cometh,
SHAKIR: But when the
great predominating calamity comes;
079.035
YUSUFALI: The Day when
man shall remember (all) that he strove for,
PICKTHAL: The day when
man will call to mind his (whole) endeavour,
SHAKIR: The day on
which man shall recollect what he strove after,
079.036
YUSUFALI: And
Hell-Fire shall be placed in full view for (all) to see,-
PICKTHAL: And hell
will stand forth visible to him who seeth,
SHAKIR: And the hell
shall be made manifest to him who sees
079.037
YUSUFALI: Then, for
such as had transgressed all bounds,
PICKTHAL: Then, as for
him who rebelled
SHAKIR: Then as for
him who is inordinate,
079.038
YUSUFALI: And had
preferred the life of this world,
PICKTHAL: And chose
the life of the world,
SHAKIR: And prefers
the life of this world,
079.039
YUSUFALI: The Abode
will be Hell-Fire;
PICKTHAL: Lo! hell
will be his home.
SHAKIR: Then surely
the hell, that is the abode.
079.040
YUSUFALI: And for such
as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord's (tribunal) and had
restrained (their) soul from lower desires,
PICKTHAL: But as for
him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust,
SHAKIR: And as for him
who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from low
desires,
079.041
YUSUFALI: Their abode
will be the Garden.
PICKTHAL: Lo! the
Garden will be his home.
SHAKIR: Then surely
the garden-- that is the abode.
079.042
YUSUFALI: They ask
thee about the Hour,-'When will be its appointed time?
PICKTHAL: They ask
thee of the Hour: when will it come to port?
SHAKIR: They ask you
about the hour, when it will come.
079.043
YUSUFALI: Wherein art
thou (concerned) with the declaration thereof?
PICKTHAL: Why (ask
they)? What hast thou to tell thereof?
SHAKIR: About what!
You are one to remind of it.
079.044
YUSUFALI: With thy
Lord in the Limit fixed therefor.
PICKTHAL: Unto thy
Lord belongeth (knowledge of) the term thereof.
SHAKIR: To your Lord
is the goal of it.
079.045
YUSUFALI: Thou art but
a Warner for such as fear it.
PICKTHAL: Thou art but
a warner unto him who feareth it.
SHAKIR: You are only a
warner to him who would fear it.
079.046
YUSUFALI: The Day they
see it, (It will be) as if they had tarried but a single evening, or (at most
till) the following morn!
PICKTHAL: On the day
when they behold it, it will be as if they had but tarried for an evening or the
morn thereof.
SHAKIR: On the day
that they see it, it will be as though they had not tarried but the latter part
of a day or the early part of it.