بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
At-Tariq 86:4
The Nightcommer · Juz 30 · Page 591
إِن كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ لَّمَّا عَلَيۡهَا حَافِظٞ ٤
There is no soul but that it has over it a protector.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 86:4–5
إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ (there is no human being, but there is a watcher over him....86:4). This is the subject of the oath. The particle in at the beginning of the statement is used in the sense of 'no', that is, a negative particle; and the particle lamma is used in the sense of 'but/except', that is, it is an exceptive particle in the dialect of Banu Hudhail. The verse purports to say that there is not a single person over whom there is not a watcher [ hafiz ]. The word hafiz may mean 'guardian' who may watch over someone's actions and deeds, so that the reckoning is made on that basis. The word hafiz may also be used in the sense of 'one who protects from calamities'. In the first sense, the word hafiz refers to the angels who record the deeds. Here the word hafiz , although appears in the singular form, it is used in the generic sense, because there is not just a single recording angel, but there is a host of them as another verse testifies to this fact:
وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ ﴿10﴾ كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ
'While [ appointed ] over you there are watchers, who are noble, the writers [ of the deeds ],[ 82: 10-11] '
According to the second sense of the word, hafiz refers to the angels who have been appointed to protect man from all kinds of calamities that befall him day and night, except the calamities that Allah has decreed for him, as the following verse explicitly states:
لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِّن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ
'For him there are angels replacing each other, before him and
behind him, who guard him under the command of Allah [ 13:11]
A tradition has reported the Messenger of Allah saying that Allah has appointed three hundred and sixty angels for every believer. They protect every limb of his. Of the three hundred and sixty, seven angels alone protect man's eye. These angels defend man from every calamity that is not decreed, like a fan chases away the flies coming to a vessel containing honey. If there are no security guards for man, the devils will snatch them away. [ Qurtubi ].
Page 591
سورة الطارق
At-Tariq
The Nightcommer · Meccan · 17 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
86:1
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ ١
By the sky and the knocker
86:2
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ ٢
And what can make you know what is the knocker?
86:3
ٱلنَّجۡمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ ٣
It is the piercing star1.
1 translator’s note
- Whose light pierces through the darkness. ↩
86:4
إِن كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ لَّمَّا عَلَيۡهَا حَافِظٞ ٤
There is no soul but that it has over it a protector.
86:5
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ ٥
So let man observe from what he was created.
86:6
خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٖ دَافِقٖ ٦
He was created from a fluid, ejected,
86:7
يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ ٱلصُّلۡبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبِ ٧
Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.
86:8
إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَجۡعِهِۦ لَقَادِرٞ ٨
Indeed, He [i.e., Allāh], to return him [to life], is Able.
86:9
يَوۡمَ تُبۡلَى ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ ٩
The Day when secrets will be put on trial,1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., exposed, examined and judged. ↩
86:10
فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن قُوَّةٖ وَلَا نَاصِرٖ ١٠
Then he [i.e., man] will have no power or any helper.
86:11
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجۡعِ ١١
By the sky which sends back1
1 translator’s note
- Rain, heat, sound waves, etc. ↩
86:12
وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدۡعِ ١٢
And [by] the earth which splits,1
1 translator’s note
- With plant growth or from geological rifts. ↩
86:13
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلٞ فَصۡلٞ ١٣
Indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a decisive statement,
86:14
وَمَا هُوَ بِٱلۡهَزۡلِ ١٤
And it is not amusement.
86:15
إِنَّهُمۡ يَكِيدُونَ كَيۡدٗا ١٥
Indeed, they are planning a plan,
86:16
وَأَكِيدُ كَيۡدٗا ١٦
But I am planning a plan.
86:17
فَمَهِّلِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ أَمۡهِلۡهُمۡ رُوَيۡدَۢا ١٧
So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them awhile.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., Do not be in haste for revenge, for you will see what will become of them. ↩
سورة الأعلى
Al-A'la
The Most High · Meccan · 19 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
87:1
سَبِّحِ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡأَعۡلَى ١
Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,
87:2
ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ ٢
Who created and proportioned
87:3
وَٱلَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ ٣
And who destined and [then] guided
87:4
وَٱلَّذِيٓ أَخۡرَجَ ٱلۡمَرۡعَىٰ ٤
And who brings out the pasture
87:5
فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحۡوَىٰ ٥
And [then] makes it black stubble.
87:6
سَنُقۡرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ ٦
We will make you recite, [O Muḥammad], and you will not forget,
87:7
إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡجَهۡرَ وَمَا يَخۡفَىٰ ٧
Except what Allāh should will. Indeed, He knows what is declared and what is hidden.
87:8
وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلۡيُسۡرَىٰ ٨
And We will ease you toward ease.1
1 translator’s note
- To the path of Allāh's religion, which is easy and natural, or toward Paradise, by giving opportunities for righteous deeds. ↩
87:9
فَذَكِّرۡ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ ٩
So remind, if the reminder should benefit;1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., wherever it will be heard and understood. ↩
87:10
سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخۡشَىٰ ١٠
He who fears [Allāh] will be reminded.
87:11
وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا ٱلۡأَشۡقَى ١١
But the wretched one will avoid it –
87:12
ٱلَّذِي يَصۡلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰ ١٢
[He] who will [enter and] burn in the greatest Fire,
87:13
ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحۡيَىٰ ١٣
Neither dying therein nor living.
87:14
قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ ١٤
He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself
87:15
وَذَكَرَ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ ١٥
And mentions the name of his Lord and prays.