Tazkirul Quran · Tafsir · in English
التكوير
At-Takwir
The Overthrowing · Meccan · 29 ayahs
81:1–14Page 586
إِذَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ كُوِّرَتۡ ١
When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتۡ ٢
And when the stars fall, dispersing,
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتۡ ٣
And when the mountains are removed
وَإِذَا ٱلۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡ ٤
And when full-term she-camels1 are neglected
وَإِذَا ٱلۡوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتۡ ٥
And when the wild beasts are gathered
وَإِذَا ٱلۡبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتۡ ٦
And when the seas are filled with flame1
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتۡ ٧
And when the souls are paired1
وَإِذَا ٱلۡمَوۡءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتۡ ٨
And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked
بِأَيِّ ذَنۢبٖ قُتِلَتۡ ٩
For what sin she was killed
وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡ ١٠
And when the pages1 are spread [i.e., made public]
وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡ ١١
And when the sky is stripped away
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتۡ ١٢
And when Hellfire is set ablaze
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُزۡلِفَتۡ ١٣
And when Paradise is brought near,
عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡ ١٤
A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].1
The scenes of Doomsday, or the Day of Judgement, have been described at various points in the Quran. When Doomsday arrives, the present balance of the world will break down, and man will feel himself helpless. On that Day, all things except good deeds will lose their value. Then the oppressed person will have the right to take his revenge upon his oppressor.
81:15–18Page 586
فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلۡخُنَّسِ ١٥
So I swear by the retreating stars -
ٱلۡجَوَارِ ٱلۡكُنَّسِ ١٦
Those that run [their courses] and disappear [i.e., set]
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا عَسۡعَسَ ١٧
And by the night as it closes in1
وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ ١٨
And by the dawn when it breathes [i.e., stirs]
The occurrence of day and night on the earth and the change of position of the stars as observed by man are due to the rotation of the earth on its axis. In this context, the meaning of these verses is that the system of axial rotation of the earth is a witness to the fact that Muhammad is the prophet of God and that the Quran is the word of God which has been revealed to him through an angel. The axial rotation of the earth is one of the truly remarkable phenomena of this universe. It is, so to say, a model which makes the matter of revelation understandable to us. When you imagine that the earth, while rotating on its axis, also revolves round the sun in the vastness of outer space, you will feel as if there is a powerful remote control system which directs its movements with the utmost precision. The establishment of contact between man and God through an angel is also on a parallel with this. The controlled movement of the earth symbolically helps us in understanding the miraculous nature of man’s contact with God through the angel.
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]
Angel-messenger, who brings divine revelation to man.
81:20–29Page 586
ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي ٱلۡعَرۡشِ مَكِينٖ ٢٠
[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
مُّطَاعٖ ثَمَّ أَمِينٖ ٢١
Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجۡنُونٖ ٢٢
And your companion [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) ] is not [at all] mad.1
وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ٢٣
And he has already seen him [i.e., Gabriel] in the clear horizon.1
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِينٖ ٢٤
And he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.1
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطَٰنٖ رَّجِيمٖ ٢٥
And it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].
فَأَيۡنَ تَذۡهَبُونَ ٢٦
So where are you going?1
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٧
It is not except a reminder to the worlds
لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَ ٢٨
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٩
And you do not will except that Allāh wills - Lord of the worlds.
The Quran informs us that the Day of Judgement will finally come: all of humanity will be assembled on that Day and will be rewarded or punished according to their deeds. These tidings are absolutely consistent with the present condition of the world. Indeed, the meaningful creation of man has its justification in this announcement. Moreover, a system exists in the present world for the recording of the words and deeds of man. That becomes understandable in the light of what the Quran tells us. (For details regarding the recording of words and deeds, see the commentator’s book titled: God Arises).
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences