بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
'Abasa 80:8
He Frowned · Juz 30 · Page 585
وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ ٨
But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 80:1–20
The Prophet Muhammad was once preaching to the chiefs of the Quraysh in Makkah, when a blind man, ‘Abdullah ibn Umm al-Maktum, arrived at the gathering and said, ‘O, Prophet of God ! Please teach me something of what God has taught you.’ The arrival of a blind person at this juncture displeased the Prophet. These verses were revealed on that occasion. In these verses the apparent addressee is the Prophet Muhammad, but actually it has been clarified with reference to this incident that, in the eyes of God, those prominent people who have turned away from religion have no value. Before God, the valued person is the one who is imbued with the God-fearing spirit, though apparently he may be a ‘blind’ person.
Page 585
سورة عبس
'Abasa
He Frowned · Meccan · 42 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
80:1
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ١
He [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ) ] frowned and turned away
80:2
أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ ٢
Because there came to him the blind man,1 [interrupting].
1 translator’s note
- ʿAbdullāh, the son of Umm Maktūm. ↩
80:3
وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ ٣
But what would make you perceive, [O Muḥammad], that perhaps he might be purified1
1 translator’s note
- As a result of what he learns from you. ↩
80:4
أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ ٤
Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?
80:5
أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ ٥
As for he who thinks himself without need,1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., without need of faith or need of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) . Here it is in reference to a certain influential member of the Quraysh whom the Prophet (ﷺ) had hoped to bring to Islām. ↩
80:6
فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ ٦
To him you give attention.
80:7
وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ ٧
And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.1
1 translator’s note
- The Prophet (ﷺ) was responsible only for conveying the message, not for ultimate guidance. ↩
80:8
وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ ٨
But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]
80:9
وَهُوَ يَخۡشَىٰ ٩
While he fears [Allāh],
80:10
فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ ١٠
From him you are distracted.
80:11
كـَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةٞ ١١
No! Indeed, they [i.e., these verses] are a reminder;
80:12
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ ١٢
So whoever wills may remember it.1
1 translator’s note
- The revelation. Or "Him," i.e., Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) . ↩
80:13
فِي صُحُفٖ مُّكَرَّمَةٖ ١٣
[It is recorded] in honored sheets,
80:14
مَّرۡفُوعَةٖ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ ١٤
Exalted and purified,
80:15
بِأَيۡدِي سَفَرَةٖ ١٥
[Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels,
80:16
كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةٖ ١٦
Noble and dutiful.
80:17
قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ ١٧
Destroyed [i.e., cursed] is man;1 how disbelieving is he.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., those who deny Allāh's message. ↩
80:18
مِنۡ أَيِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ ١٨
From what thing [i.e., substance] did He create him?
80:19
مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ ١٩
From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him;1
1 translator’s note
- His proportions, provisions, life span, etc. ↩
80:20
ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ ٢٠
Then He eased the way for him;1
1 translator’s note
- Into this world (i.e., his birth) . It may also refer to life itself, which has been made easier by Allāh's guidance. ↩
80:21
ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ ٢١
Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.1
1 translator’s note
- To conceal his decaying body. ↩
80:22
ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ ٢٢
Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.
80:23
كـَلَّا لَمَّا يَقۡضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ ٢٣
No! He [i.e., man] has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.
80:24
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ ٢٤
Then let mankind look at his food -
80:25
أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبّٗا ٢٥
How We poured down water in torrents,
80:26
ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقّٗا ٢٦
Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts],
80:27
فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبّٗا ٢٧
And caused to grow within it grain
80:28
وَعِنَبٗا وَقَضۡبٗا ٢٨
And grapes and herbage
80:29
وَزَيۡتُونٗا وَنَخۡلٗا ٢٩
And olive and palm trees
80:30
وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبٗا ٣٠
And gardens of dense shrubbery
80:31
وَفَٰكِهَةٗ وَأَبّٗا ٣١
And fruit and grass -
80:32
مَّتَٰعٗا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ ٣٢
[As] enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock.
80:33
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ ٣٣
But when there comes the Deafening Blast1
1 translator’s note
- The piercing blast of the Horn which signals resurrection. Aṣ-Ṣākhkhah is also a name for the Day of Resurrection. ↩
80:34
يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ ٣٤
On the Day a man will flee from his brother
80:35
وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ ٣٥
And his mother and his father
80:36
وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ ٣٦
And his wife and his children,
80:37
لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ شَأۡنٞ يُغۡنِيهِ ٣٧
For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., to occupy him. He will be concerned only with himself, thus forgetting all others. ↩
80:38
وُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ مُّسۡفِرَةٞ ٣٨
[Some] faces, that Day, will be bright -
80:39
ضَاحِكَةٞ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٞ ٣٩
Laughing, rejoicing at good news.
80:40
وَوُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةٞ ٤٠
And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.
80:41
تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ ٤١
Blackness will cover them.
80:42
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ ٤٢
Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.