بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
An-Nazi'at 79:1
Those who drag forth · Juz 30 · Page 583
وَٱلنَّٰزِعَٰتِ غَرۡقٗا ١
By those [angels] who extract with violence1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., those who tear out the souls of those destined for Hell. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 79:1
Commentary
وَالنَّازِعَاتِ غَرْقًا (I swear by those [ angels ] who pull out [ the souls of the infidels ] vigorously ...79:1). The word naziat is derived from naz' and it means 'to draw vigorously'. The word gharqan is its corroborative because the word gharq is used here in the sense of ighraq and means 'to exert oneself much or to the utmost extent in the thing'. The Arabic idiom has it اغرق النّازع فی القوس 'He drew the bow with great vigour'. The Surah begins with an oath by certain characteristics of the angels to affirm that the Resurrection is a certainty. The subject of the oath, however, has been contextually deleted. The oath of the angels is probably apt on this occasion because they are all the time involved in the administration and running of the world. They are executing their duties loyally. On the Day of Judgment, all material causes will be severed. Unusual events will occur and the angels will be involved in them.
Five characteristics of the angels are mentioned which are concerned with or related to the extraction of the soul at the time of death. The purport of the verses is to affirm that Resurrection is a certainty. It starts with human death. Every man's death is his partial Day of Doom, and this has an important impact on his belief in Resurrection. The five qualities are as follows:
The first quality of the angels:
وَالنَّازِعَاتِ غَرْقًا I swear by those (angels) who pull out (the souls of the infidels) vigorously.
This refers to the angels of punishment who draw the souls of the infidels vigorously and harshly. The words 'vigorously' refer to spiritual pain. The humans around the dying person may not be sensitive to the pain. Often it is noticed that the soul of an infidel apparently slips out easily, but this ease is perceived by humans around the dying man. The pain is felt by the soul of the dying person. Who can perceive it? We are aware of it only because Allah has informed us about it in this verse.
Page 583
78:31
إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا ٣١
Indeed, for the righteous is attainment1 -
1 translator’s note
- Of security, success and reward, including escape and safety from Hell. ↩
78:32
حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعۡنَٰبٗا ٣٢
Gardens and grapevines
78:33
وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتۡرَابٗا ٣٣
And young women [companions] of equal age.
78:34
وَكَأۡسٗا دِهَاقٗا ٣٤
And a full cup.1
1 translator’s note
- Of wine which is delicious and does not intoxicate. ↩
78:35
لَّا يَسۡمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغۡوٗا وَلَا كِذَّٰبٗا ٣٥
No ill speech will they hear therein or any falsehood -
78:36
جَزَآءٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابٗا ٣٦
[As] reward from your Lord, [a generous] gift [made due by] account,1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., as a result of both their own righteous deeds and the limitless generosity of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) . Another meaning is "a gift calculated [to be adequate]." ↩
78:37
رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِۖ لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ مِنۡهُ خِطَابٗا ٣٧
[From] the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Most Merciful. They possess not from Him [authority for] speech.1
1 translator’s note
- None of Allāh's creatures can plead with Him on the Day of Judgement except by His permission. ↩
78:38
يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ صَفّٗاۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابٗا ٣٨
The Day that the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] and the angels will stand in rows, they will not speak except for one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will say what is correct.
78:39
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمُ ٱلۡحَقُّۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ مَـَٔابًا ٣٩
That is the True [i.e., certain] Day; so he who wills may take to his Lord a [way of] return.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., a direct route through correct beliefs and righteous deeds. ↩
78:40
إِنَّآ أَنذَرۡنَٰكُمۡ عَذَابٗا قَرِيبٗا يَوۡمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلۡكَافِرُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي كُنتُ تُرَٰبَۢا ٤٠
Indeed, We have warned you of an impending punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth1 and the disbeliever will say, "Oh, I wish that I were dust!"
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the deeds he did in this world, which await him in the Hereafter. ↩
سورة النازعات
An-Nazi'at
Those who drag forth · Meccan · 46 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
79:1
وَٱلنَّٰزِعَٰتِ غَرۡقٗا ١
By those [angels] who extract with violence1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., those who tear out the souls of those destined for Hell. ↩
79:2
وَٱلنَّٰشِطَٰتِ نَشۡطٗا ٢
And [by] those who remove with ease1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., those angels who ease out the souls of those destined for Paradise. ↩
79:3
وَٱلسَّٰبِحَٰتِ سَبۡحٗا ٣
And [by] those who glide [as if] swimming1
1 translator’s note
- Speeding to execute Allāh's commands. ↩
79:4
فَٱلسَّٰبِقَٰتِ سَبۡقٗا ٤
And those who race each other in a race1
1 translator’s note
- Racing to deliver the souls of the believers to Paradise. ↩
79:5
فَٱلۡمُدَبِّرَٰتِ أَمۡرٗا ٥
And those who arrange [each] matter,1
1 translator’s note
- According to Allāh's decree. ↩
79:6
يَوۡمَ تَرۡجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ ٦
On the Day the blast [of the Horn] will convulse [creation],
79:7
تَتۡبَعُهَا ٱلرَّادِفَةُ ٧
There will follow it the subsequent [one].
79:8
قُلُوبٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ وَاجِفَةٌ ٨
Hearts,1 that Day, will tremble,
1 translator’s note
- Those of the disbelievers who denied the Resurrection. ↩
79:9
أَبۡصَٰرُهَا خَٰشِعَةٞ ٩
Their eyes1 humbled.
1 translator’s note
- Those of the disbelievers. ↩
79:10
يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرۡدُودُونَ فِي ٱلۡحَافِرَةِ ١٠
They are [presently] saying, "Will we indeed be returned to [our] former state [of life]?
79:11
أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَٰمٗا نَّخِرَةٗ ١١
Even if we should be decayed bones?"1
1 translator’s note
- The disbelievers say this in ridicule of the warning. ↩
79:12
قَالُواْ تِلۡكَ إِذٗا كَرَّةٌ خَاسِرَةٞ ١٢
They say, "That, then, would be a losing return."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., "If that were so, we would not be able to escape punishment." ↩
79:13
فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجۡرَةٞ وَٰحِدَةٞ ١٣
Indeed, it will be but one shout,
79:14
فَإِذَا هُم بِٱلسَّاهِرَةِ ١٤
And suddenly they will be [alert] upon the earth's surface.
79:15
هَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ ١٥
Has there reached you the story of Moses? -