Al-Mukhtasar · Tafsir · in English
الطارق
At-Tariq
The Nightcommer · Meccan · 17 ayahs
Allah took an oath by the sky and He took an oath by the star that knocks at night.
O Messenger! What will tell you the status of this great star?!
It is the star that pierces the sky with its glowing light.
86:4Page 591
إِن كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ لَّمَّا عَلَيۡهَا حَافِظٞ ٤
There is no soul but that it has over it a protector.
There is no soul except that Allah has assigned to it an angel to record its deeds for the reckoning on the day of judgment.
So let man reflect over what Allah created him from, so that Allah’s power and man’s inability becomes clear to him.
Allah created him from a spurting liquid that is split into the womb.
86:7Page 591
يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ ٱلصُّلۡبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبِ ٧
Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.
This liquid emerges from between the spinal column of a man and the bones of the chest.
86:8Page 591
إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَجۡعِهِۦ لَقَادِرٞ ٨
Indeed, He [i.e., Allāh], to return him [to life], is Able.
He, may He be glorified - since He created him from that despised liquid - has the power to bring him back to life after death for the reckoning and recompense.
On the day when secrets will be tried and the intentions, beliefs etc. that the hearts conceal will be exposed, and the righteous will be distinguished from the corrupt.
86:10Page 591
فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن قُوَّةٖ وَلَا نَاصِرٖ ١٠
Then he [i.e., man] will have no power or any helper.
On that day man will not have any power to protect himself from Allah’s punishment, nor any helper to assist him.
Allah took an oath by the sky that contains rain, because it comes down from its direction time after time.
He took an oath by the earth that cracks open to reveal the plants, fruit and trees in it.
This Qur’ān that is revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a word that separates truth from falsehood, and fact from lie.
It is not a game and falsehood, but it is serious and the truth.
Those who deny what their messenger brought to them plot and scheme to reject and refute his call.
I too plot and scheme to make the religion victorious and to disprove falsehood.
86:17Page 591
فَمَهِّلِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ أَمۡهِلۡهُمۡ رُوَيۡدَۢا ١٧
So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them awhile.1
So give respite, O Messenger, to these disbelievers. Give them respite for a short while, and do not seek to hasten their punishment and destruction.
Text: Quranic Universal Library (Tarteel), via spa5k/tafsir_api (MIT), at a fixed version. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences