| 1. Izash shamsu kuwwirat إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up; |
| 2. Wa izan nujoomun kadarat وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انْكَدَرَتْ When the stars fall, losing their lustre; |
| 3. Wa izal jibaalu suyyirat وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ When the mountains vanish (like a mirage); |
| 4. Wa izal 'ishaaru 'uttilat وَإِذَا الْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ When the she-camels, ten months with young, are left untended; |
| 5. Wa izal wuhooshu hushirat وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ When the wild beasts are herded together (in the human habitations); |
| 6. Wa izal bihaaru sujjirat وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ When the oceans boil over with a swell; |
| 7. Wa izan nufoosu zuwwijat وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ When the souls are sorted out, (being joined, like with like); |
| 8. Wa izal maw'oodatu su'ilat وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned - |
| 9. Bi ayyi zambin qutilat بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَتْ For what crime she was killed; |
| 10. Wa izas suhufu nushirat وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ When the scrolls are laid open; |
| 11. Wa izas samaaa'u kushitat وَإِذَا السَّمَاءُ كُشِطَتْ When the world on High is unveiled; |
| 12. Wa izal jaheemu su'-'irat وَإِذَا الْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ When the Blazing Fire is kindled to fierce heat; |
| 13. Wa izal jannatu uzlifat وَإِذَا الْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ And when the Garden is brought near;- |
| 14. 'Alimat nafsum maaa ahdarat عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا أَحْضَرَتْ (Then) shall each soul know what it has put forward. |
| 15. Falaaa uqsimu bil khunnas فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ So verily I call to witness the planets - that recede, |
| 16. Al jawaaril kunnas الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ Go straight, or hide; |
| 17. Wallaili izaa 'as'as وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ And the Night as it dissipates; |
| 18. Wassubhi izaa tanaffas وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ And the Dawn as it breathes away the darkness;- |
| 19. Innahoo laqawlu rasoolin kareem إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ Verily this is the word of a most honourable Messenger, |
| 20. Zee quwwatin 'inda zil 'arshi makeen ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ Endued with Power, with rank before the Lord of the Throne, |
| 21. Mutaa'in samma ameen مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ With authority there, (and) faithful to his trust. |
| 22. Wa maa saahibukum bimajnoon وَمَا صَاحِبُكُمْ بِمَجْنُونٍ And (O people!) your companion is not one possessed; |
| 23. Wa laqad ra aahu bilufuqil mubeen وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ بِالْأُفُقِ الْمُبِينِ And without doubt he saw him in the clear horizon. |
| 24. Wa maa huwa 'alal ghaibi bidaneen وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ Neither doth he withhold grudgingly a knowledge of the Unseen. |
| 25. Wa maa huwa biqawli shaitaanir rajeem وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَانٍ رَجِيمٍ Nor is it the word of an evil spirit accursed. |
| 26. Fa ayna tazhaboon فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ When whither go ye? |
| 27. In huwa illaa zikrul lil'aalameen إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ Verily this is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds: |
| 28. Liman shaaa'a minkum ai yastaqeem لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ (With profit) to whoever among you wills to go straight: |
| 29. Wa maa tashaaa'oona illaaa ai yashaaa 'al laahu Rabbul 'Aalameen وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ But ye shall not will except as Allah wills,- the Cherisher of the Worlds. |
Recitation by Mishary Al-Alfasy
It is derived from the word kuwwirat in the first verse. Kuwwirat is passive
voice from takvir in the past tense, and means "that which is folded up",
thereby implying that it is a Surah in which the "folding up" has been
mentioned:
Period of Revelation
The subject matter
and the style clearly show that it is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed
at Makkah.
Theme and Subject Matter
It has two
themes: the Hereafter and the institution of Prophethood.
In the first
six verses the first stage of the Resurrection has been mentioned when the sun
will lose its light, the stars will scatter, the mountains will be uprooted and
will disperse, the people will become heedless of their dearest possessions, the
beasts of the jungle will be stupefied and will gather together, and the seas
will boil up. Then in the next seven verses the second stage has been described
when the souls will be reunited with the bodies, the records will be laid open,
the people will be called to account for their crimes, the heavens will be
unveiled, and Hell and Heaven will be brought into full view. After depicting
the Hereafter thus, man has been left to ponder his own self and deeds, saying:
"Then each man shall himself know what he has brought with him."
After
this the theme of Prophethood has been taken up. In this the people of Makkah
have been addressed, as if to say "Whatever Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace
and blessings) is presenting before you, is not the bragging of a madman, nor an
evil suggestion inspired by Satan, but the word of a noble, exalted and
trustworthy messenger sent by God, whom Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and
blessings) has seen with his own eyes in the bright horizon of the clear sky in
broad day light. Whither then are you going having turned away from this
teaching?"