النبإ
Surah An-Naba
The Tidings · Surah 78 · Meccan · 40 verses
1عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ١Whereof do they question one another.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the vagueness here conveys the magnitude of the subject: “About what great matter are they asking?”2عَنِ ٱلنَّبَإِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ٢(It is) of the awful tidings.InsightElmalılı explains “naba’” as important news that must be taken seriously; “great” shows it is in itself the greatest of news.3ٱلَّذِي هُمۡ فِيهِ مُخۡتَلِفُونَ ٣Concerning which they are in disagreement.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, before this news some affirmed, some denied and some remained in doubt.4كَلَّا سَيَعۡلَمُونَ ٤Nay, but they will come to know.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this rejects the disagreement and denial and affirms the certainty of the news: when the time comes, the truth will be revealed and they will see it.5ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعۡلَمُونَ ٥Nay, again, but they will come to know.6أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مِهَٰدࣰا ٦Have We not made the earth an expanse.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the verses that follow prove the truth of that news by signs in the world. Reflecting on these undeniable truths, one understands there is a reckoning at the end.7وَٱلۡجِبَالَ أَوۡتَادࣰا ٧And the high hills bulwarks.InsightElmalılı says this is a fine comparison: mountains are like pegs driven into the ground.8وَخَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجࣰا ٨And We have created you in pairs.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, being created in pairs, male and female, is life’s first diversification and the first social step towards peace.9وَجَعَلۡنَا نَوۡمَكُمۡ سُبَاتࣰا ٩And have appointed your sleep for repose.InsightElmalılı explains “subat” as a cutting off, a rest; in being cut off from senses and work it is a kind of death.10وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلَّيۡلَ لِبَاسࣰا ١٠And have appointed the night as a cloak.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, “libas” here means not inner clothing but a cover like a quilt: the night wraps and rests a person.11وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشࣰا ١١And have appointed the day for livelihood.InsightElmalılı explains “ma‘ash” as livelihood, living; according to Raghib, the word is used mostly for animate life.12وَبَنَيۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمۡ سَبۡعࣰا شِدَادࣰا ١٢And We have built above you seven strong (heavens).InsightAccording to Elmalılı, calling them “strong” conveys that they do not wear out with time like human buildings.13وَجَعَلۡنَا سِرَاجࣰا وَهَّاجࣰا ١٣And have appointed a dazzling lamp.InsightElmalılı explains “wahhaj” as a fire flaring up and blazing brightly: the sun.14وَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡمُعۡصِرَٰتِ مَآءࣰ ثَجَّاجࣰا ١٤And have sent down from the rainy clouds abundant water.InsightElmalılı says “mu‘sirat” comes from squeezing: clouds are like things from which water is pressed out.15لِّنُخۡرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبࣰّا وَنَبَاتࣰا ١٥Thereby to produce grain and plant.16وَجَنَّـٰتٍ أَلۡفَافًا ١٦And gardens of thick foliage.InsightElmalılı explains “alfaf” as gardens dense and intertwined.17إِنَّ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ كَانَ مِيقَٰتࣰا ١٧Lo! the Day of Decision is a fixed time.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, like waking from sleep and seeds sprouting from the soil, people being raised and judged also has an appointed time.18يَوۡمَ يُنفَخُ فِي ٱلصُّورِ فَتَأۡتُونَ أَفۡوَاجࣰا ١٨A day when the trumpet is blown and ye come in multitudes.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is not the blast of destruction but the second blast, of rising and awakening.19وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتۡ أَبۡوَٰبࣰا ١٩And the heaven is opened and becometh as gates.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the world’s order has changed, and the sky, a closed and solid building today, has opened and split in many places.20وَسُيِّرَتِ ٱلۡجِبَالُ فَكَانَتۡ سَرَابًا ٢٠And the hills are set in motion and become as a mirage.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, nothing remains of the mountains; they have been scattered like dust and become like a mirage.21إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتۡ مِرۡصَادࣰا ٢١Lo! hell lurketh in ambush.InsightElmalılı explains “mirsad” as a lookout: Hell is like an ambush watching for the arrogant.22لِّلطَّـٰغِينَ مَـَٔابࣰا ٢٢A home for the rebellious.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, Hell is both an ambush and the final destination for those who transgress.23لَّـٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحۡقَابࣰا ٢٣They will abide therein for ages.InsightElmalılı says “ahqab” means long periods following one after another.24لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرۡدࣰا وَلَا شَرَابًا ٢٤Therein taste they neither coolness nor (any) drink.25إِلَّا حَمِيمࣰا وَغَسَّاقࣰا ٢٥Save boiling water and a paralysing cold.InsightElmalılı explains “hamim” as boiling water and “ghassaq” as the pus flowing from the bodies of the people of Hell.26جَزَآءࣰ وِفَاقًا ٢٦Reward proportioned (to their evil deeds).InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this punishment fits exactly, because denial is also an everlasting rejection.27إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ لَا يَرۡجُونَ حِسَابࣰا ٢٧For lo! they looked not for a reckoning.28وَكَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كِذَّابࣰا ٢٨They called Our revelations false with strong denial.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is an emphatic expression showing that the denial was complete and total.29وَكُلَّ شَيۡءٍ أَحۡصَيۡنَٰهُ كِتَٰبࣰا ٢٩Everything have We recorded in a Book.30فَذُوقُواْ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمۡ إِلَّا عَذَابًا ٣٠So taste (of that which ye have earned). No increase do We give you save of torment.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is clear evidence that the punishment does not end. Then the passage turns from the state of the arrogant to that of the mindful.31إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا ٣١Lo! for the duteous is achievement.InsightElmalılı explains “mafaz” as deliverance and victory: being freed from fears and pains and reaching one’s goal.32حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعۡنَٰبࣰا ٣٢Gardens enclosed and vineyards.InsightElmalılı explains “hadiqah” as a walled garden with water, holding many fruit trees and flowers.33وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتۡرَابࣰا ٣٣And voluptuous women of equal age.34وَكَأۡسࣰا دِهَاقࣰا ٣٤And a full cup.35لَّا يَسۡمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغۡوࣰا وَلَا كِذَّـٰبࣰا ٣٥There hear they never vain discourse, nor lying.36جَزَآءࣰ مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابࣰا ٣٦Requital from thy Lord - a gift in payment.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is a full and abundant gift, until one says “enough”: a grace to the mindful, in contrast to the fitting punishment of the arrogant.37رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِۖ لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ مِنۡهُ خِطَابࣰا ٣٧Lord of the heavens and the earth, and (all) that is between them, the Beneficent; with Whom none can converse.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this conveys the greatness and majesty of the Most Merciful’s lordship and His independence in punishing and giving: none can speak without His permission.38يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ صَفࣰّاۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابࣰا ٣٨On the day when the angels and the Spirit stand arrayed, they speak not, saving him whom the Beneficent alloweth and who speaketh right.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this reinforces the previous verse: that day no one can speak without permission.39ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمُ ٱلۡحَقُّۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ مَـَٔابًا ٣٩That is the True Day. So whoso will should seek recourse unto his Lord.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the day of rising and separation that was foretold is a true day; whoever knows it should take a path that returns to his Lord.40إِنَّآ أَنذَرۡنَٰكُمۡ عَذَابࣰا قَرِيبࣰا يَوۡمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلۡكَافِرُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي كُنتُ تُرَٰبَۢا ٤٠Lo! We warn you of a doom at hand, a day whereon a man will look on that which his own hands have sent before, and the disbeliever will cry: “Would that I were dust.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the punishment is near; that day everyone faces their deeds, and the disbeliever wishes he had never existed.