An-Nazi'at 79:35
Those who drag forth · Juz 30 · Page 584
يَوۡمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَا سَعَىٰ ٣٥
The Day when man will remember that for which he strove,
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
Change
Commentary on 79:25–36
فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الْآخِرَةِ وَالْأُولَىٰ (So, Allah seized him for the deterrent punishment in the Hereafter and the present world....79:25). The word nakal means an 'exemplary punishment' or 'an extremely severe punishment given to an offender to deter others against committing a similar offence or sin'. The phrase 'punishment of the 'akhirah' refers to the punishment of the Hereafter that will be meted out to Fir'aun (the Pharaoh). The phrase 'punishment of the 'al a' refers to the punishment meted out to Fir'aun (the Pharaoh) and his army in this world whereby they were destroyed by drowning.
Further, the Qur'an again disposes of the doubt of the rejecters of resurrection who pose the question: "Are we going to be brought back to our former state (of life)? Is it when we will have turned into decayed bones?" [ 10-11] In other words, this is a negative rhetorical question. They purport to say that it is not possible for them to be restored to life after death when they have become perished and worm-eaten bones. Allah responds that the Supreme Creator, Who drew out this universe without any pre-existing matter and without any instrument, certainly has the Supreme power to give existence to things after destroying them. Why should it be a surprise?
In the verses that follow, the horrors of the Day of Judgment are depicted. It is mentioned that on that Day, every person will be presented with his deeds. Described also are the abodes of the inmates of Paradise and Hell. Towards the end, special traits of the people of Paradise and those of Hell are portrayed by which a man can decide in this very world whether, according to the rules, his abode would be Paradise or Hell. The expression 'according to the rules' has been used because many verses and narratives indicate that there could be 'exceptions to the rules'. For example, a person might attain freedom from Hell and enter Paradise by virtue of intercession or directly through the grace of Allah. This is an exception to the rule. The general rule is the same as has been mentioned in these verses.
Page 584
79:16
إِذۡ نَادَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ بِٱلۡوَادِ ٱلۡمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى ١٦
When his Lord called to him in the sacred valley of Ṭuwā,
79:17
ٱذۡهَبۡ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ ١٧
"Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed.
79:18
فَقُلۡ هَل لَّكَ إِلَىٰٓ أَن تَزَكَّىٰ ١٨
And say to him, 'Would you [be willing to] purify yourself
79:19
وَأَهۡدِيَكَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَتَخۡشَىٰ ١٩
And let me guide you to your Lord so you would fear [Him]?'"
79:20
فَأَرَىٰهُ ٱلۡأٓيَةَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰ ٢٠
And he showed him the greatest sign,1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the miracle of his staff becoming a great snake. ↩
79:21
فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَىٰ ٢١
But he [i.e., Pharaoh] denied and disobeyed.
79:22
ثُمَّ أَدۡبَرَ يَسۡعَىٰ ٢٢
Then he turned his back, striving [i.e., plotting].1
1 translator’s note
- An alternative meaning is "running [from the snake]." ↩
79:23
فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَىٰ ٢٣
And he gathered [his people] and called out
79:24
فَقَالَ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ ٢٤
And said, "I am your most exalted lord."
79:25
فَأَخَذَهُ ٱللَّهُ نَكَالَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰٓ ٢٥
So Allāh seized him in exemplary punishment for the last and the first [transgression].1.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., for Pharaoh's setting himself up as a deity and for his previous oppression of the people and denial of Moses. ↩
79:26
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبۡرَةٗ لِّمَن يَخۡشَىٰٓ ٢٦
Indeed in that is a lesson [i.e., warning] for whoever would fear [Allāh].
79:27
ءَأَنتُمۡ أَشَدُّ خَلۡقًا أَمِ ٱلسَّمَآءُۚ بَنَىٰهَا ٢٧
Are you a more difficult creation or is the heaven? He [i.e., Allāh] constructed it.
79:28
رَفَعَ سَمۡكَهَا فَسَوَّىٰهَا ٢٨
He raised its ceiling and proportioned it.
79:29
وَأَغۡطَشَ لَيۡلَهَا وَأَخۡرَجَ ضُحَىٰهَا ٢٩
And He darkened its night and extracted its brightness.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., created the day from within the surrounding darkness. ↩
79:30
وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَىٰهَآ ٣٠
And after that He spread the earth.
79:31
أَخۡرَجَ مِنۡهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرۡعَىٰهَا ٣١
He extracted from it its water and its pasture,
79:32
وَٱلۡجِبَالَ أَرۡسَىٰهَا ٣٢
And the mountains He set firmly
79:33
مَتَٰعٗا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ ٣٣
As enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock.
79:34
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلطَّآمَّةُ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰ ٣٤
But when there comes the greatest Overwhelming Calamity1 -
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the Day of Resurrection. ↩
79:35
يَوۡمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَا سَعَىٰ ٣٥
The Day when man will remember that for which he strove,
79:36
وَبُرِّزَتِ ٱلۡجَحِيمُ لِمَن يَرَىٰ ٣٦
And Hellfire will be exposed for [all] those who see -
79:37
فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَىٰ ٣٧
So as for he who transgressed
79:38
وَءَاثَرَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا ٣٨
And preferred the life of the world,
79:39
فَإِنَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ هِيَ ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰ ٣٩
Then indeed, Hellfire will be [his] refuge.
79:40
وَأَمَّا مَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفۡسَ عَنِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰ ٤٠
But as for he who feared the position of his Lord1 and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 55:46. ↩
79:41
فَإِنَّ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ هِيَ ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰ ٤١
Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.
79:42
يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرۡسَىٰهَا ٤٢
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival?1
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "resting" or "establishment." ↩
79:43
فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكۡرَىٰهَآ ٤٣
In what [position] are you that you should mention it?1
1 translator’s note
- Meaning that Muḥammad (ﷺ) had no knowledge of it, so how could he inform them? ↩
79:44
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَىٰهَآ ٤٤
To your Lord is its finality.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., its destination and termination. And to Him belongs ultimate knowledge of it. ↩
79:45
إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخۡشَىٰهَا ٤٥
You are only a warner for those who fear it.
79:46
كَأَنَّهُمۡ يَوۡمَ يَرَوۡنَهَا لَمۡ يَلۡبَثُوٓاْ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوۡ ضُحَىٰهَا ٤٦
It will be, on the Day they see it,1 as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the Hour, the Resurrection. ↩