Surah Nazi’at - ‘Abas

 

Qur’anic Exegesis

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Both these surahs form a pair in relation to the subject discussed in them. In the first surah, the Quraysh have been warned of their insolent behaviour through certain references from the episode of Moses (sws) and Pharaoh and through the  words ‘You are but a warner for those who fear it’ while in the second surah, this behaviour has been condemned in an extremely severe tone in the wake of an event.

In these surahs, particularly the second one, the Prophet (sws) is seemingly addressed, but a little deliberation shows that both are directed at the arrogant leadership of the Quraysh, and it is evident from their contents that, like the previous surahs, they were revealed in Makkah in the phase of indhar-i-‘am of the Prophet’s mission (sws).

In the first surah, arguments on the actual theme are presented from various signs in the world around man and history, while in the second one, along with evidence from the world around man, the testimony of the various manifestations of Allah’s providence and power and control is also presented.

The central themes of both surahs is to substantiate the Day of Judgement, to warn the Quraysh with its reference and to admonish them on their behaviour towards it. In the second surah however, this admonishment has taken the form of a severe reprimand.

 

EXPLANATION

Surah Naz’iat

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِیْمِِ

وَالنَّازِعَاتِ غَرْقاً (1) وَالنَّاشِطَاتِ نَشْطاً (2) وَالسَّابِحَاتِ سَبْحاً (3) فَالسَّابِقَاتِ سَبْقاً (4) فَالْمُدَبِّرَاتِ أَمْراً (5) یَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الرَّاجِفَۃُ (6) تَتْبَعُہَا الرَّادِفَۃُ (7) قُلُوبٌ یَوْمَءِذٍ وَاجِفَۃٌ (8) أَبْصَارُہَا خَاشِعَۃٌ (9) یَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِیْ الْحَافِرَۃِ (10) أَءِذَا کُنَّا عِظَاماً نَّخِرَۃً (11) قَالُوا تِلْکَ إِذاً کَرَّۃٌ خَاسِرَۃٌ (12) فَإِنَّمَا ہِیَ زَجْرَۃٌ وَاحِدَۃٌ (13) فَإِذَا ہُم بِالسَّاہِرَۃِ (14) ہَلْ أتَاکَ حَدِیْثُ مُوسَی (15) إِذْ نَادَاہُ رَبُّہُ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًی (16) اذْہَبْ إِلَی فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّہُ طَغَی (17) فَقُلْ ہَل لَّکَ إِلَی أَن تَزَکَّی (18) وَأَہْدِیَکَ إِلَی رَبِّکَ فَتَخْشَی (19) فَأَرَاہُ الْآیَۃَ الْکُبْرَی (20) فَکَذَّبَ وَعَصَی (21) ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ یَسْعَی (22) فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَی (23) فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّکُمُ الْأَعْلَی (24) فَأَخَذَہُ اللَّہُ نَکَالَ الْآخِرَۃِ وَالْأُولَی (25) إِنَّ فِیْ ذَلِکَ لَعِبْرَۃً لِّمَن یَخْشَی (26) ءَ اَنْتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَاء بَنَاہَا (27) رَفَعَ سَمْکَہَا فَسَوَّاہَا (28) وَأَغْطَشَ لَیْْلَہَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَاہَا (29) وَالْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِکَ دَحَاہَا (30) أَخْرَجَ مِنْہَا مَاء ہَا وَمَرْعَاہَا (31) وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَاہَا (32) مَتَاعاً لَّکُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِکُمْ (33) فَإِذَا جَاء تِ الطَّامَّۃُ الْکُبْرَی (34) یَوْمَ یَتَذَکَّرُ الْإِنسَانُ مَا سَعَی (35) وَبُرِّزَتِ الْجَحِیْمُ لِمَن یَرَی (36) فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَی (37) وَآثَرَ الْحَیَاۃَ الدُّنْیَا (38) فَإِنَّ الْجَحِیْمَ ہِیَ الْمَأْوَی (39) وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّہِ وَنَہَی النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْہَوَی (40) فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّۃَ ہِیَ الْمَأْوَی (41) یَسْأَلُونَکَ عَنِ السَّاعَۃِ أَیَّانَ مُرْسَاہَا (42) فِیْمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِکْرَاہَا (43) إِلَی رَبِّکَ مُنتَہَاہَا (44) إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن یَخْشَاہَا (45) کَأَنَّہُمْ یَوْمَ یَرَوْنَہَا لَمْ یَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا عَشِیَّۃً أَوْ ضُحَاہَا (46)

These winds1 which tear out from the roots, and these winds which blow very gently, and these clouds which drift in the air, then outrun each other2, then conduct orders3 – they all testify [that what you are being promised with is bound to happen]. 1-5

The day4 when a shudder will take place, followed by another5; on that day many a heart will be trembling, their6 eyes downcast.  (6-9)

They ask: Shall we be restored to life [after death]? What! when we become decayed out bones7? They said: Then this return would be of sheer loss!8 (10-12)

[They will keep making fun like this; they should know:] This will be just a single shout9, then all of a sudden, they will be standing in an open expanse [of land].  (13-14)

[If you do not believe in this Day, then listen:] Has the story of Moses reached you10? The [story] when his Lord called out to him in the sacred valley of Tuwasaying: Go you to the Pharaoh; he has transgressed all bounds11. And ask him: Do you desire to reform yourself? Shall I show you the way to your Lord that you may become fearful of Him?12 Then he showed him the great sign [ the sign of the staff turning into a snake] but he denied it and did not accept it13. Then he turned back striving [against this call]. Then he summoned [his] people and proclaimed: It is Me who is your supreme Lord14. Then at last Allah seized him in the chastisement of the Hereafter and the present. Indeed in this [account O Quraysh!] there is a great lesson for those15 who fear. (15-26)

16[If you do not believe in that Day then speak up:] Are you more difficult to create or the heaven He has built. He has made it and raised high its dome and perfected it, and covered its night [which was spread over it] and [thereby] uncovered its day17, and this earth of yours, after that, He spread, and He brought forth from it, its water and its fodder, and set firm its  mountains over it18 -- as a means of sustenance for you and your cattle.  (27-33)

So [this is a fact O People! that] when that great upheaval takes place [all of this will be annihilated]. On that Day, man will remember whatever he had done, and Hell will be unveiled for those who will encounter it19. Then he who transgressed all bounds and preferred the life of this world20, this Hell shall be his abode, and he who feared the standing before his Lord and restrained his soul from lowly desires, then for him Paradise shall be the abode.  (34-41)

About this hour of doom, they ask you O Prophet!: When will it come to port21? What have you to do with this ? Unto your Lord rests its knowledge. You are but a warner for those who fear it22. The day when they will see it, they will think that they have remained in this world for not more than one evening or one of its mornings.  (42-46)

 

 

Surah ‘Abas

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِیْمِِ

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّی (1) أَن جَاء ہُ الْأَعْمَی (2) وَمَا یُدْرِیْکَ لَعَلَّہُ یَزَّکَّی (3) أَوْ یَذَّکَّرُ فَتَنفَعَہُ الذِّکْرَی (4) أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَی (5) فَأَنتَ لَہُ تَصَدَّی (6) وَمَا عَلَیْْکَ أَلَّا یَزَّکَّی (7) وَأَمَّا مَن جَاء کَ یَسْعَی (8) وَہُوَ یَخْشَی (9) فَأَنتَ عَنْہُ تَلَہَّی (10) کَلَّا إِنَّہَا تَذْکِرَۃٌ (11) فَمَن شَاء ذَکَرَہُ (12) فِیْ صُحُفٍ مُّکَرَّمَۃٍ (13) مَّرْفُوعَۃٍ مُّطَہَّرَۃٍ (14) بِأَیْْدِیْ سَفَرَۃٍ (15) کِرَامٍ بَرَرَۃٍ (16) قُتِلَ الْإِنسَانُ مَا أَکْفَرَہُ (17) مِنْ أَیِّ شَیْْءٍ خَلَقَہُ (18) مِن نُّطْفَۃٍ خَلَقَہُ فَقَدَّرَہُ (19) ثُمَّ السَّبِیْلَ یَسَّرَہُ (20) ثُمَّ أَمَاتَہُ فَأَقْبَرَہُ (21) ثُمَّ إِذَا شَاء أَنشَرَہُ (22) کَلَّا لَمَّا یَقْضِ مَا أَمَرَہُ (23) فَلْیَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ إِلَی طَعَامِہِ (24) أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا الْمَاء صَبّاً (25) ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا الْأَرْضَ شَقّاً (26) فَأَنبَتْنَا فِیْہَا حَبّاً (27) وَعِنَباً وَقَضْباً (28) وَزَیْْتُوناً وَنَخْلاً (29) وَحَدَاءِقَ غُلْباً (30) وَفَاکِہَۃً وَأَبّاً (31) مَّتَاعاً لَّکُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِکُمْ (32) فَإِذَا جَاء تِ الصَّاخَّۃُ (33) یَوْمَ یَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِیْہِ (34) وَأُمِّہِ وَأَبِیْہِ (35) وَصَاحِبَتِہِ وَبَنِیْہِ (36) لِکُلِّ امْرِءٍ مِّنْہُمْ یَوْمَءِذٍ شَأْنٌ یُغْنِیْہِ (37) وُجُوہٌ یَوْمَءِذٍ مُّسْفِرَۃٌ (38) ضَاحِکَۃٌ مُّسْتَبْشِرَۃٌ (39) وَوُجُوہٌ یَوْمَءِذٍ عَلَیْْہَا غَبَرَۃٌ (40) تَرْہَقُہَا قَتَرَۃٌ (41) أُوْلَءِکَ ہُمُ الْکَفَرَۃُ الْفَجَرَۃُ (42)

He frowned and turned away23 -- [this Prophet of Ours] --because there came to him that blind man [interrupting his meeting with the leadership of the Quraysh].And whatdo you know [O Prophet!] that he might have sought to reform [himself] or might have heard the admonition [when you delivered it]24 and might have gained from this admonition. (1-4)

And these who show indifference, you go after them even though you are not responsible if they are not reformed25; and he who comes to you with zeal and also fears [Allah], you neglect him.  (5-10

Certainly not! [there is no need to go after them]. This is but a  reminder26 so  whoever  wishes,  can  be  reminded through  it [and whoever wishes can turn a deaf ear towards it] -- [It is set down] on honoured27 pages28, exalted and untouched29, in the custody of scribes, honourable and faithful30.  (11-16)

Woe to man31! How ungrateful he is! [Does he not know from] what [his Lord] created him? From32 a drop of fluid. He made him33 and proportioned him. Then smoothed  out  for  him [the path of life]. He then gave him death; then He had him put in a grave. Then [with no difficulty at all] He will bring him back to life again whenever He desires.  (17-22)

Certainly not! [He shall never be left without being held accountable for] he has still not complied with what his Lord had asked him34. [He needs evidence!] Then he should only see the food [he eats]: that We poured forth water in abundance then cleaved the earth asunder, then produced grain in it, and grapes and vegetables and olives and dates and luxurious gardens and fruits and fresh herbage as means of sustenance for you and your cattle35.  (23-32)