Tanwir al-Miqbas · Tafsir · in English
التكوير
At-Takwir
The Overthrowing · Meccan · 29 ayahs
And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (When the sun is overthrown): '(When the sun is overthrown) it is also said that He says: when the sun is turned around as one turns a turban and is then thrown into the veil of light; it is also said this means: when the light of the sun vanishes.
(And when the stars fall) on the face of the earth,
(And when the hills are moved) from above the surface of the earth
(And when the camels big with young are abandoned) because they are preoccupied with their own selves,
(And when the wild beasts are herded together) for retaliation; and it is also said this means: when they are dead,
(And when the seas rise) and mix with each other, the sweet seas and the salty seas, such that they become one sea; and it is also said this means: when they become a burning site,
(And when souls are reunited) in pairs; it is also said this means: when souls are reunited with their companions: the believer with the maiden of Paradise and the disbeliever with Satan; the righteous with the righteous and the sinful with the sinful,
(And when the girl child that was buried alive is asked) i.e. when she asks her father
(For what sin she was slain) for what sin did you kill me; it is also said that this means: when the one who killed her is asked: for what sin did you kill her,
(And when the pages) the registers of good and bad deeds (are laid open) for reckoning; it is also said this means: when they fly about in people's hands,
(And when the sky is torn away,
And when hell is lighted) for the disbelievers
(And when the Garden is brought nigh) for the believers
81:14Page 586
عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡ ١٤
A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].1
((Then) every soul will know) every soul whether it is righteous or sinful will know at that point (what it hath made ready) what it has sent forth of good or evil.
(Oh, but I call to witness) He says: I swear by (the planets) which appear at night and disappear during the day,
(The stars which rise and set) they move at night in the galaxy sweeping away the day and then go back to their positions and disappear; the reference here is to five planets: Venus, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, and Mercury;
(And the close of night,
And the breath of morning) and when the morning and brightens come; Allah swore by all these
81:19Page 586
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ ١٩
[That] indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger [i.e., Gabriel]
(That this) i.e. the Qur'an (is in truth the word of an honoured messenger) Allah says: it is brought down by Gabriel to a messenger who is honoured by Allah, i.e. Muhammad (pbuh)
81:20Page 586
ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي ٱلۡعَرۡشِ مَكِينٖ ٢٠
[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
(Mighty) against his enemies, i.e. Gabriel, (established in the presence of the Lord of the Throne) he has standing and esteem with his Lord,
((One) to be obeyed) i.e. Gabriel is obeyed in Heaven: the angels obey him, (and trustworthy) in conveying the message to the prophets;
81:22Page 586
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجۡنُونٖ ٢٢
And your companion [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) ] is not [at all] mad.1
(And your comrade) your Prophet Muhammad, O Quraysh (is not mad) bewitched as you claim.
81:23Page 586
وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ٢٣
And he has already seen him [i.e., Gabriel] in the clear horizon.1
(Surely he beheld him) Muhammad (s)aw Gabriel (on the clear horizon) on the high setting of the sun.
81:24Page 586
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِينٖ ٢٤
And he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.1
(And he is not) i.e. Muhammad (pbuh) (avid of the Unseen) he is accused with regard to the revelation; and it is also said this means: he is not avaricious.
81:25Page 586
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطَٰنٖ رَّجِيمٖ ٢٥
And it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].
(Nor is this) i.e. the Qur'an (the utterance of a devil worthy to be stoned) the utterance of an accursed, rebellious devil whose name is al-Marmi.
(Whither then go ye) from Allah's chastisement, commands and prohibitions, O disbelievers? It is also said this means: why do you lie? And it is also said this means: why do you deviate from the Qur'an and refuse to believe in it?
(This is) i.e. the Qur'an (naught else than a reminder) an admonition from Allah (unto creation) the jinn and humankind,
81:28Page 586
لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَ ٢٨
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
(Unto whomsoever of you willeth to walk straight) to whoever wills to conform to the commands of Allah: the belief in Allah's divine Oneness and other things.
81:29Page 586
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٩
And you do not will except that Allāh wills - Lord of the worlds.
(And ye will not) conform with or believe in Allah's divine Oneness, (unless (it be) that Allah willeth) it for you, (the Lord of Creation) the Lord of all that which has a soul and creeps on the face of the earth, from the inhabitants of the heaven and of the earth'.
Text: Quranic Universal Library (Tarteel), via spa5k/tafsir_api (MIT), at a fixed version. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences