Tazkirul Quran · Tafsir · in English
عبس
'Abasa
He Frowned · Meccan · 42 ayahs
80:1–20Page 585
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ١
He [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ) ] frowned and turned away
أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ ٢
Because there came to him the blind man,1 [interrupting].
وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ ٣
But what would make you perceive, [O Muḥammad], that perhaps he might be purified1
أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ ٤
Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?
أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ ٥
As for he who thinks himself without need,1
فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ ٦
To him you give attention.
وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ ٧
And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.1
وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ ٨
But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]
وَهُوَ يَخۡشَىٰ ٩
While he fears [Allāh],
فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ ١٠
From him you are distracted.
كـَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةٞ ١١
No! Indeed, they [i.e., these verses] are a reminder;
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ ١٢
So whoever wills may remember it.1
فِي صُحُفٖ مُّكَرَّمَةٖ ١٣
[It is recorded] in honored sheets,
مَّرۡفُوعَةٖ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ ١٤
Exalted and purified,
بِأَيۡدِي سَفَرَةٖ ١٥
[Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels,
كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةٖ ١٦
Noble and dutiful.
قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ ١٧
Destroyed [i.e., cursed] is man;1 how disbelieving is he.
مِنۡ أَيِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ ١٨
From what thing [i.e., substance] did He create him?
مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ ١٩
From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him;1
ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ ٢٠
Then He eased the way for him;1
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.
80:21–24Page 585
ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ ٢١
Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.1
ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ ٢٢
Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.
كـَلَّا لَمَّا يَقۡضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ ٢٣
No! He [i.e., man] has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ ٢٤
Then let mankind look at his food -
The driving force behind the true godliness required of a man is, in reality, his sense of gratitude. If he gives serious consideration to his creation and the various natural systems in operation around him, a sense of gratitude towards his Lord will eventually develop in him. The state of being resulting from these feelings of gratitude and obligation is known as godliness, or adoration of God in the real sense.
80:25–42Page 585
أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبّٗا ٢٥
How We poured down water in torrents,
ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقّٗا ٢٦
Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts],
فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبّٗا ٢٧
And caused to grow within it grain
وَعِنَبٗا وَقَضۡبٗا ٢٨
And grapes and herbage
وَزَيۡتُونٗا وَنَخۡلٗا ٢٩
And olive and palm trees
وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبٗا ٣٠
And gardens of dense shrubbery
وَفَٰكِهَةٗ وَأَبّٗا ٣١
And fruit and grass -
مَّتَٰعٗا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ ٣٢
[As] enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock.
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ ٣٣
But when there comes the Deafening Blast1
يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ ٣٤
On the Day a man will flee from his brother
وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ ٣٥
And his mother and his father
وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ ٣٦
And his wife and his children,
لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ شَأۡنٞ يُغۡنِيهِ ٣٧
For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.1
وُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ مُّسۡفِرَةٞ ٣٨
[Some] faces, that Day, will be bright -
ضَاحِكَةٞ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٞ ٣٩
Laughing, rejoicing at good news.
وَوُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةٞ ٤٠
And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.
تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ ٤١
Blackness will cover them.
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ ٤٢
Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.
Rejection of truth and being arrogant about it are the worst crimes. Arrogant people will have absolutely no personal worth in the Hereafter, while those who accept the Truth and bow down before it are the ones who will carry weight in the Hereafter. The honour and successes of the Hereafter will be theirs.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences