التكوير

إِذَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ كُوِّرَتۡ 1

When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]

وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتۡ 2

And when the stars fall, dispersing,

وَإِذَا ٱلۡجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتۡ 3

And when the mountains are removed

وَإِذَا ٱلۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡ 4

And when full-term she-camels[1865] are neglected

Translation notes

[1865] Those ten months pregnant and nearing delivery. This verse alludes to distraction from the most valued of possessions.

وَإِذَا ٱلۡوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتۡ 5

And when the wild beasts are gathered

وَإِذَا ٱلۡبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتۡ 6

And when the seas are filled with flame[1866]

Translation notes

[1866] Or "when the seas have overflowed [into each other]."

وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتۡ 7

And when the souls are paired[1867]

Translation notes

[1867] With another like soul. It can also mean "joined" (with their groups or sects) .

وَإِذَا ٱلۡمَوۡءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتۡ 8

And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked

بِأَيِّ ذَنۢبٖ قُتِلَتۡ 9

For what sin she was killed

وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡ 10

And when the pages[1868] are spread [i.e., made public]

Translation notes

[1868] On which are recorded the deeds of all people.

وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡ 11

And when the sky is stripped away

وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتۡ 12

And when Hellfire is set ablaze

وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُزۡلِفَتۡ 13

And when Paradise is brought near,

عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡ 14

A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].[1869]

Translation notes

[1869] i.e., all of one's deeds from worldly life, which have accompanied the soul to the Hereafter.

فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلۡخُنَّسِ 15

So I swear by the retreating stars -

ٱلۡجَوَارِ ٱلۡكُنَّسِ 16

Those that run [their courses] and disappear [i.e., set]

وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا عَسۡعَسَ 17

And by the night as it closes in[1870]

Translation notes

[1870] An alternative meaning is "as it departs."

وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ 18

And by the dawn when it breathes [i.e., stirs]

إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ 19

[That] indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger [i.e., Gabriel]

ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي ٱلۡعَرۡشِ مَكِينٖ 20

[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],

مُّطَاعٖ ثَمَّ أَمِينٖ 21

Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.

وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجۡنُونٖ 22

And your companion [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) ] is not [at all] mad.[1871]

Translation notes

[1871] Literally, "possessed by jinn."

وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ 23

And he has already seen him [i.e., Gabriel] in the clear horizon.[1872]

Translation notes

[1872] i.e., the eastern horizon, where the sun rises. See footnote to 53:6.

وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِينٖ 24

And he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.[1873]

Translation notes

[1873] Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) did not withhold that knowledge of the unseen which Allāh had revealed to him in the Qur’ān.

وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطَٰنٖ رَّجِيمٖ 25

And it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].

فَأَيۡنَ تَذۡهَبُونَ 26

So where are you going?[1874]

Translation notes

[1874] In your denial of the Qur’ān and in your accusations against the Prophet (ﷺ) . The meaning is essentially "Surely, you have strayed far from Allāh's path."

إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ 27

It is not except a reminder to the worlds

لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَ 28

For whoever wills among you to take a right course.

وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ 29

And you do not will except that Allāh wills - Lord of the worlds.