Chapter 79, 46 verses
By those [angels] who extract with violence
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم والنازعات غرقا
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.
And [by] those who remove with ease
والناشطات نشطا
By those (angels) who gently take out (the souls of the believers).
And [by] those who glide [as if] swimming
والسابحات سبحا
And by those that swim along (i.e. angels or planets in their orbits).
And those who race each other in a race
فالسابقات سبقا
And by those that press forward as in a race (i.e. the angels or stars or the horses).
And those who arrange [each] matter,
فالمدبرات أمرا
And by those angels who arrange to do the Commands of their Lord, (so verily, you disbelievers will be called to account).
On the Day the blast [of the Horn] will convulse [creation],
يوم ترجف الراجفة
On the Day (when the first blowing of the Trumpet is blown), the earth and the mountains will shake violently (and everybody will die).
There will follow it the subsequent [one].
تتبعها الرادفة
The second blowing of the Trumpet follows it (and everybody will be resurrected).
Hearts, that Day, will tremble,
قلوب يومئذ واجفة
(Some) hearts that Day will shake with fear and anxiety.
Their eyes humbled.
أبصارها خاشعة
Their eyes will be downcast.
They are [presently] saying, "Will we indeed be returned to [our] former state [of life]?
يقولون أإنا لمردودون في الحافرة
They say: "Shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state of life?
Even if we should be decayed bones?
أإذا كنا عظاما نخرة
"Even after we are crumbled bones?"
They say, "That, then, would be a losing return."
قالوا تلك إذا كرة خاسرة
They say: "It would in that case, be a return with loss!"
Indeed, it will be but one shout,
فإنما هي زجرة واحدة
But it will be only a single Zajrah [shout (i.e., the second blowing of the Trumpet)], (See Verse 37:19).
And suddenly they will be [alert] upon the earth's surface.
فإذا هم بالساهرة
When behold, they find themselves on the surface of the earth alive after their death,
Has there reached you the story of Moses? -
هل أتاك حديث موسى
Has there come to you the story of Musa (Moses)?
When his Lord called to him in the sacred valley of Tuwa,
إذ ناداه ربه بالواد المقدس طوى
When his Lord called him in the sacred valley of Tuwa,
"Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed.
اذهب إلى فرعون إنه طغى
Go to Fir'aun (Pharaoh); verily he has transgressed all bounds (in crimes, sins, polytheism, disbelief).
And say to him, 'Would you [be willing to] purify yourself
فقل هل لك إلى أن تزكى
And say to him: "Would you purify yourself (from the sin of disbelief by becoming a believer)?"
And let me guide you to your Lord so you would fear [Him]?'"
وأهديك إلى ربك فتخشى
"And that I guide you to your Lord, so you should fear Him?"
And he showed him the greatest sign,
فأراه الآية الكبرى
Then [Musa (Moses)] showed him the great sign (miracles).
But Pharaoh denied and disobeyed.
فكذب وعصى
But [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] belied and disobeyed.
Then he turned his back, striving.
ثم أدبر يسعى
Then he turned his back, striving (against Allah).
And he gathered [his people] and called out
فحشر فنادى
Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud,
And said, "I am your most exalted lord."
فقال أنا ربكم الأعلى
Saying: "I am your lord, most high."
So Allah seized him in exemplary punishment for the last and the first [transgression].
فأخذه الله نكال الآخرة والأولى
So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression. [Tafsir At-Tabari]
Indeed in that is a warning for whoever would fear [Allah].
إن في ذلك لعبرة لمن يخشى
Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allah.
Are you a more difficult creation or is the heaven? Allah constructed it.
أأنتم أشد خلقا أم السماء ۚ بناها
Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed?
He raised its ceiling and proportioned it.
رفع سمكها فسواها
He raised its height, and has perfected it.
And He darkened its night and extracted its brightness.
وأغطش ليلها وأخرج ضحاها
Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light)
And after that He spread the earth.
والأرض بعد ذلك دحاها
And after that He spread the earth,
He extracted from it its water and its pasture,
أخرج منها ماءها ومرعاها
And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.
And the mountains He set firmly
والجبال أرساها
And the mountains He has fixed firmly,
As provision for you and your grazing livestock.
متاعا لكم ولأنعامكم
(To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.
But when there comes the greatest Overwhelming Calamity -
فإذا جاءت الطامة الكبرى
But when there comes the greatest catastrophe (i.e. the Day of Recompense) -
The Day when man will remember that for which he strove,
يوم يتذكر الإنسان ما سعى
The Day when man shall remember what he strove for.
And Hellfire will be exposed for [all] those who see -
وبرزت الجحيم لمن يرى
And Hell-fire shall be made apparent in full view for (every) one who sees.
So as for he who transgressed
فأما من طغى
Then for him who transgressed all bounds, (in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allah).
And preferred the life of the world,
وآثر الحياة الدنيا
And preferred the life of this world (by following his evil desires and lusts),
Then indeed, Hellfire will be [his] refuge.
فإن الجحيم هي المأوى
Verily, his abode will be Hell-fire;
But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,
وأما من خاف مقام ربه ونهى النفس عن الهوى
But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts.
Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.
فإن الجنة هي المأوى
Verily, Paradise will be his abode.
They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival?
يسألونك عن الساعة أيان مرساها
They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) about the Hour - when will be its appointed time?
In what [position] are you that you should mention it?
فيم أنت من ذكراها
You have no knowledge to say anything about it.
To your Lord is its finality.
إلى ربك منتهاها
To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof?
You are only a warner for those who fear it.
إنما أنت منذر من يخشاها
You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are only a warner for those who fear it,
It will be, on the Day they see it, as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.
كأنهم يوم يرونها لم يلبثوا إلا عشية أو ضحاها
The Day they see it, (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an afternoon or a morning.