Al Nazaat

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. By those who drag forth to destruction,

1 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. By those (angels) who pull out (the souls of the disbelievers and the wicked) with great violence.

2 By the meteors rushing,

2 By those (angels) who gently take out (the souls of the believers).

3 By the lone stars floating,

3 And by those that swim along (i.e. angels or planets in their orbits).

4 By the angels hastening,

4 And by those that press forward as in a race (i.e. the angels or stars or the horses).

5 And those who govern the event,

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 trump resoundeth.

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 And the second followeth it,

7 The second blowing of the Trumpet follows it (and everybody will be resurrected).

8 On that day hearts beat painfully

8 (Some) hearts that Day will shake with fear and anxiety.

9 While eyes are downcast

9 Their eyes will be downcast.

10 (Now) they are saying: Shall we really be restored to our first state

10 They say: "Shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state of life?

11 Even after we are crumbled bones ?

11 "Even after we are crumbled bones?"

12 They say: Then that would be a vain proceeding.

12 They say: "It would in that case, be a return with loss!"

13 Surely it will need but one shout,

13 But it will be only a single Zajrah [shout (i.e., the second blowing of the Trumpet)], (See Verse 37:19).

14 And lo! they will be awakened.

14 When behold, they find themselves on the surface of the earth alive after their death,

15 Hath there come unto thee the history of Moses ?

15 Has there come to you the story of Musa (Moses)?

16 How his Lord called him in the holy vale of Tuwa,

16 When his Lord called him in the sacred valley of Tuwa,

17 (Saying:) Go thou unto Pharaoh - Lo! he hath rebelled -

17 Go to Fir'aun (Pharaoh); verily he has transgressed all bounds (in crimes, sins, polytheism, disbelief).

18 And say (unto him): Hast thou (will) to grow (in grace) ?

18 And say to him: "Would you purify yourself (from the sin of disbelief by becoming a believer)?"

19 Then I will guide thee to thy Lord and thou shalt fear (Him).

19 "And that I guide you to your Lord, so you should fear Him?"

20 And he showed him the tremendous token.

20 Then [Musa (Moses)] showed him the great sign (miracles).

21 But he denied and disobeyed,

21 But [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] belied and disobeyed.

22 Then turned he away in haste,

22 Then he turned his back, striving (against Allah).

23 Then gathered he and summoned

23 Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud,

24 And proclaimed: "I (Pharaoh) am your Lord the Highest."

24 Saying: "I am your lord, most high."

25 So Allah seized him (and made him) an example for the after (life) and for the former.

25 So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression. [Tafsir At-Tabari]

26 Lo! herein is indeed a lesson for him who feareth.

26 Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allah.

27 Are ye the harder to create, or is the heaven that He built ?

27 Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed?

28 He raised the height thereof and ordered it;

28 He raised its height, and has perfected it.

29 And He made dark the night thereof, and He brought forth the morn thereof.

29 Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light)

30 And after that He spread the earth,

30 And after that He spread the earth,

31 And produced therefrom the water thereof and the pasture thereof,

31 And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.

32 And He made fast the hills,

32 And the mountains He has fixed firmly,

33 A provision for you and for your cattle.

33 (To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.

34 But when the great disaster cometh,

34 But when there comes the greatest catastrophe (i.e. the Day of Recompense) -

35 The day when man will call to mind his (whole) endeavour,

35 The Day when man shall remember what he strove for.

36 And hell will stand forth visible to him who seeth,

36 And Hell-fire shall be made apparent in full view for (every) one who sees.

37 Then, as for him who rebelled

37 Then for him who transgressed all bounds, (in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allah).

38 And chose the life of the world,

38 And preferred the life of this world (by following his evil desires and lusts),

39 Lo! hell will be his home.

39 Verily, his abode will be Hell-fire;

40 But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust,

40 But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts.

41 Lo! the Garden will be his home.

41 Verily, Paradise will be his abode.

42 They ask thee of the Hour: when will it come to port ?

42 They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) about the Hour - when will be its appointed time?

43 Why (ask they) ? What hast thou to tell thereof ?

43 You have no knowledge to say anything about it.

44 Unto thy Lord belongeth (knowledge of) the term thereof.

44 To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof?

45 Thou art but a warner unto him who feareth it.

45 You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are only a warner for those who fear it,

46 On the day when they behold it, it will be as if they had but tarried for an evening or the morn thereof.

46 The Day they see it, (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an afternoon or a morning.