Chapter 79, 46 verses
By the (angels) who tear out (the souls of the wicked) 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.
By those who gently draw out (the souls of the blessed);
والناشطات نشطا
By those (angels) who gently take out (the souls of the believers).
And by those who glide along (on errands of mercy),
والسابحات سبحا
And by those that swim along (i.e. angels or planets in their orbits).
Then press forward as in a race,
فالسابقات سبقا
And by those that press forward as in a race (i.e. the angels or stars or the horses).
Then arrange to do (the Commands of their Lord),
فالمدبرات أمرا
And by those angels who arrange to do the Commands of their Lord, (so verily, you disbelievers will be called to account).
One Day everything that can be in commotion will be in violent commotion,
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).
Followed by oft - repeated (commotions):
تتبعها الرادفة
The second blowing of the Trumpet follows it (and everybody will be resurrected).
Hearts that Day will be in agitation;
قلوب يومئذ واجفة
(Some) hearts that Day will shake with fear and anxiety.
Cast down will be (their owners') eyes.
أبصارها خاشعة
Their eyes will be downcast.
They say (now): "What! shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state?
يقولون أإنا لمردودون في الحافرة
They say: "Shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state of life?
"What! - when we shall have become rotten bones?"
أإذا كنا عظاما نخرة
"Even after we are crumbled bones?"
They say: "It would, in that case, be a return with loss!"
قالوا تلك إذا كرة خاسرة
They say: "It would in that case, be a return with loss!"
But verily, it will be but a single (Compelling) Cry,
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).
When, behold, they will be in the (full) awakening (to Judgment).
فإذا هم بالساهرة
When behold, they find themselves on the surface of the earth alive after their death,
Has the story of Moses reached thee?
هل أتاك حديث موسى
Has there come to you the story of Musa (Moses)?
Behold, thy Lord did call 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 thou to Pharaoh for he has indeed transgressed all bounds:
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, 'Wouldst thou that thou shouldst be purified (from sin)? -
فقل هل لك إلى أن تزكى
And say to him: "Would you purify yourself (from the sin of disbelief by becoming a believer)?"
"'And that I guide thee to thy Lord, so thou shouldst fear Him?'"
وأهديك إلى ربك فتخشى
"And that I guide you to your Lord, so you should fear Him?"
Then did (Moses) show him the Great Sign.
فأراه الآية الكبرى
Then [Musa (Moses)] showed him the great sign (miracles).
But (Pharaoh) rejected it and disobeyed (guidance);
فكذب وعصى
But [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] belied and disobeyed.
Further, he turned his back, striving hard (against Allah).
ثم أدبر يسعى
Then he turned his back, striving (against Allah).
Then he collected (his men) and made a proclamation,
فحشر فنادى
Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud,
Saying, "I am your Lord, Most High".
فقال أنا ربكم الأعلى
Saying: "I am your lord, most high."
But Allah did punish him, (and made an) example of him, - in the Hereafter, as in this life.
فأخذه الله نكال الآخرة والأولى
So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression. [Tafsir At-Tabari]
Verily in this is an instructive warning for whosoever feareth (Allah).
إن في ذلك لعبرة لمن يخشى
Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allah.
What! Are ye the more difficult to create or the heaven (above)? (Allah) hath constructed it:
أأنتم أشد خلقا أم السماء ۚ بناها
Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed?
On high hath He raised its canopy, and He hath given it order and perfection.
رفع سمكها فسواها
He raised its height, and has perfected it.
Its night doth He endow with darkness, and its splendour doth He bring out (with light).
وأغطش ليلها وأخرج ضحاها
Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light)
And the earth, moreover, hath He extended (to a wide expanse);
والأرض بعد ذلك دحاها
And after that He spread the earth,
He draweth out therefrom its moisture and its pasture;
أخرج منها ماءها ومرعاها
And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.
And the mountains hath He firmly fixed; -
والجبال أرساها
And the mountains He has fixed firmly,
For use and convenience to you and your cattle.
متاعا لكم ولأنعامكم
(To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.
Therefore, when there comes the great, overwhelming (Event), -
فإذا جاءت الطامة الكبرى
But when there comes the greatest catastrophe (i.e. the Day of Recompense) -
The Day when man shall remember (all) that he strove for,
يوم يتذكر الإنسان ما سعى
The Day when man shall remember what he strove for.
And Hell - Fire shall be placed in full view for (all) to see, -
وبرزت الجحيم لمن يرى
And Hell-fire shall be made apparent in full view for (every) one who sees.
Then, for such as had transgressed all bounds,
فأما من طغى
Then for him who transgressed all bounds, (in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allah).
And had preferred the life of this world,
وآثر الحياة الدنيا
And preferred the life of this world (by following his evil desires and lusts),
The Abode will be Hell - Fire;
فإن الجحيم هي المأوى
Verily, his abode will be Hell-fire;
And for such as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord's (tribunal) and had restrained (their) soul from lower desires,
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.
Their abode will be the Garden.
فإن الجنة هي المأوى
Verily, Paradise will be his abode.
They ask thee about the Hour, - 'When will be its appointed time?
يسألونك عن الساعة أيان مرساها
They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) about the Hour - when will be its appointed time?
Wherein art thou (concerned) with the declaration thereof?
فيم أنت من ذكراها
You have no knowledge to say anything about it.
With thy Lord in the Limit fixed therefor.
إلى ربك منتهاها
To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof?
Thou art but a Warner for such as fear it.
إنما أنت منذر من يخشاها
You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are only a warner for those who fear it,
The Day they see it, (It will be) as if they had tarried but a single evening, or (at most till) the following morn!
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.