An-Naba النبأ

Regarding what are they asking each other?

The speaker is Allah Himself and this question is not of genuine inquiry, but rather it is phrased as such to disapprove the manner in which they are questioning each other because these people are not asking it out of genuine curiosity or need, rather they do so mockingly.¹ We experience this in our daily lives as well. When someone says something that people do not take kindly to, more often than not their response is, “Did you really just say that?” They are not asking the speaker if he actually said it - he obviously did, they are just mocking him.

Secondly, it could be that they are debating this topic with each other, with some of them mockingly mentioning it to others as a way of pastime, but it could also be that they are directing their mockery at the prophet ﷺ and the believers.²

This surah centers around judgment day and the doubts expressed by people about its authenticity. Allah will use the concept of zawj - the fact that every object has an equal, yet opposite counterpart to prove its authenticity in a most unusual manner.

¹ al-Ālūsī, Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, vol. 28, p. 197
² al-Ālūsī, Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, vol. 28, p. 198; Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol. 30, p. 8

Regarding the great hidden news

The word nabaʾ has been translated as hidden reality. A lot has been said about the

difference between the meaning of this word and khabar, which also means the same thing but not entirely.

Linguistically, nabaʾ is news that was previously unknown, while khabar is news that

is already known beforehand and recounted to the person. Nabaʾ at its root was used for a flood that came from another land, an animal that arrived from another place as well as for a sudden surprise attack. The core meaning is for something unknown to emerge or appear.³ When somebody suddenly notices the arrival of a flood or a wild animal, he originally does not know where it came from just as a surprise attack is hidden at first, and later carried out and revealed.

Now the Qurʾān has not specified what they are mockingly asking each other about. It simply calls it nabaʾ because it will come upon them all of a sudden, and catch them off guard like a surprise attack.

The Qurʾān will not specify what nabaʾ precisely is but as you will see, the Qurʾān will display incredible eloquence by answering their question, not by addressing it directly, but precisely by not specifying what they are asking.

³ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 559

Regarding what they are in disagreement

The pronoun “ they” as well as the words “ in it “ are advanced to show the intensity of disagreement on part of these people specifically regarding this specific topic. They are not in as intense a disagreement over any subject as they are regarding this one.

This can also be for the sake of ( تعجيب amazement). They are in disagreement over

this subject? If there is something that is known to be true, yet someone disagrees with it, we display wonder at that person. How could you possibly disagree with it when it’s a known fact? Same is the case here. This is a known and firm fact and as we will see, this surah itself will prove it.

The use of the word ( مختلفون in disagreement) to make it a nominal sentence shows constant, continuous and longstanding disagreement.

Now how is being in a disagreement related to mocking it? Their disagreement is over the nature of its falsehood, not whether it is true or not. For example, they called prophet Muhammad ﷺ a number of things. Some said he is a madman, some said he is possessed by a demon; some said he is a poet or a magician, while others accused him of being taught the Qurʾān from someone else. They called him a number of different things to come up with explanations, and then debated among themselves which of these is true. Same is the case here. They call this great hidden news, which the Qurʾān has not yet specified what it is, a number of different false things and this is their way of mocking it, because the idea that it could be true is never brought up among them to be even considered. Imagine them in their gathering, with some calling the Prophet ﷺ a madman, some a magician, some saying he is demon-possessed; and then disagreeing which of these is really the case. This is mockery at its peak. The fact that he might be true is never brought up to be sincerely discussed.

No! They are going to know.

كلا - No! This acts as a call to desist from disagreement over this subject, and as a

warning to stop their mockery.⁴ Stop with this disagreement over a known, firm fact. There is no room for mockery or any disagreement over it.

This could also be a call to desist from going against anything the prophet ﷺ preaches to them since he is Allah’s representative. Whatever he says and preaches is absolutely true and so, stop going against anything he says including resurrection.⁵

They will know - The use of the letter sīn with the sentence “ they will know “ denotes

two things. The certainty of them coming to know, as well as it happening in the near future, not far. They will certainly come to know very soon that what they are mocking is indeed true.

⁴ Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol. 30, p. 11
⁵ al-Ālūsī, Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, vol. 28, p. 201

Thumma, no! They are going to know.

Translations normally render this verse as “ Then, no ! They will come to know .” The word Thumma can be used to indicate a sequence in time, but it can also be used to indicate the higher status of something with respect to something else. Allah is saying that there will be another event, greater than the one described earlier, that will prove to them the truth of it.

We will go with the flow of the surah and let it speak for itself rather than presuming what these two great events are.

“Have We not made the earth a Mihād?”

This is the beginning of Allah’s answer to them.

Mihād comes from the root mīm hāʾ dāl which was used for soft butter as well as for the cradle of an infant, made excessively comfortable and soft. The core meaning is of softness and gentleness inside something. This root predominantly came to be used for an infant’s cradle, since it is made excessively soft and comfortable for it.⁶

This is phrased as a question to articulate an undeniable fact. If a father says to his child, did I not bring you up, he is not asking his child if it is true or not. He is simply phrasing it as a question to highlight the undeniable fact that he did in fact raise his child.

What is meant by the earth being soft? The fact that it can be dug up to plant seeds

inside it. You will see this mentioned at the very end in verse 16. This word mihād fits it perfectly. Firstly, since the earth is soft, it can be dug up and seeds planted inside it. Then just as a mother acts as a womb for a child, so does the earth act as the womb of all the seeds inside it, so that it gives rise to plants and vegetation.

⁶ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 559

And the mountains, stakes?

A stake is a peg driven deep into the ground to hold something together. The Arabs would drive the poles holding the tent cloth deep into the ground to prevent the wind from taking their tent away.

Similarly, mountains are embedded deep like stakes, forming part of the earth’s crustal balance with their deep roots.

In this passage, this will be the only verse where Allah will not mention a verb. In each verse, He uses past perfect verbs such as made, created and constructed except this verse. Let us go with the flow of the surah and let it explain itself why that is the case.

And created you as azwāj?

Azwāj is the plural of the word zawj. We need to understand this word as it is the

central point of this surah. It comes from the root zāy wāw jīm which was used for a counterpart, opposite directions (left and right), and for a man and woman. The zawj

of a woman is her husband while the zawj of a man is his wife. The zawj of the moon is the sun and of the sun, the moon.⁷

Zawj is the other half of something that completes it and forms a complete and

working system with it. Like the male and the female who come together to form a family which is what continues life on earth via offspring, the sun and the moon come together to form a day. Two things, not only different but almost opposites of each other, inherently tied with each other to form a complete and working system. Previously, Allah described the earth as a soft and gentle cradle that sustains life. What is the opposite of being soft? Being firm and solid. Hence, the very next ayah describes the mountains as solid stakes that maintain the balance. When something is soft, it naturally fades and melts away. You need something to hold it together. The softness of the earth refers to its ability to be cultivated and hence produce food which sustains life. The mountains are the pegs that hold this soft earth together and hence act as the zawj of the soft earth. They both come together to form a complete and working system. We know that if the deep roots of the mountains are taken away, it would lead to re-adjustment of the crust. It would cause large scale deformations due to the rise and fall of the surrounding regions as the earth seeks to find balance again.

This is why Allah did not use any verb when describing the mountains as pegs. To imply the necessary existence that would sustain the earth and to establish this relationship between earth and mountains as an indication that this is the theme being carried forward in this surah. From this verse onwards, Allah will continue to mention things with their zawj, except one thing; and that is how Allah will answer the disbelievers.

⁷ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 2, p. 878

And made your sleep - subāt?

We will break down the linguistic meanings of the verses and tie them all together at the end in verse 16.

The word subāt at its root was used for a land that did not produce any vegetation as well as for a motionless and unconscious sleeper. It is the cessation of any growth, movement or motion. A state of stillness that does not change, like the barren land that does not produce anything and the sleeper who does not move.⁸ Sleep is a state of unconsciousness. To experience life, you have to be conscious and therefore, sleep is the sister of death.

⁸ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 2, p. 946

And made the night a clothing

Commentary covering verses 10–11

There are two options regarding the word معاش - translated as life/ time of life. It is a verbal noun and hence معاش would mean life itself.

It can also be a ظرف - which denotes the time or the place an action is carried out

on and hence, in this view, it would mean time of life. I have put both options in the translation as both are equally plausible and it will all come together later when I tie everything together.

And made the day, life/ a time of life?

Commentary covering verses 10–11

There are two options regarding the word معاش - translated as life/ time of life. It is a verbal noun and hence معاش would mean life itself.

It can also be a ظرف - which denotes the time or the place an action is carried out

on and hence, in this view, it would mean time of life. I have put both options in the translation as both are equally plausible and it will all come together later when I tie everything together.

And created above you seven strong ones?

This is a very interesting word choice. شداد is translated as strong. At its root, it was

used for not only strengthening something, but also for tightening a knot. It implies firmness and solidity that is obtained as a result of tight binding of its particles; such as the knot tightly bound.⁹ This is important to note because later on, Allah will describe the heavens as being opened up on judgment day, which implies the breakage and untying of these knots.

The seven heavens, unlike the earth, are not soft. They are strong, intense and firm. We can dig the earth up and plant in it, but we cannot subjugate the heavens. We cannot dictate or alter its behaviour in any shape or form. Unlike the earth which is at our disposal, and generates food and all sorts of benefits for us, we cannot make the heavens budge even slightly.

⁹ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 2, p. 1114

And made a burning lamp

The sun.

Commentary covering verses 13–15

That We may bring forth thereby grain and soft plants Grain, such as wheat. The grain gets planted back into the earth and gives rise to nabāt which are the soft and tender plants, in their initial stages of development that appear out of the earth.

Seed turns to plants which ultimately turn into trees. Hence,

And sent down, from the rain clouds, pouring water

بًّۭ

Commentary covering verses 13–15

That We may bring forth thereby grain and soft plants Grain, such as wheat. The grain gets planted back into the earth and gives rise to nabāt which are the soft and tender plants, in their initial stages of development that appear out of the earth.

Seed turns to plants which ultimately turn into trees. Hence,

From this verse onwards, you will see this all coming together.

Commentary covering verses 13–15

That We may bring forth thereby grain and soft plants Grain, such as wheat. The grain gets planted back into the earth and gives rise to nabāt which are the soft and tender plants, in their initial stages of development that appear out of the earth.

Seed turns to plants which ultimately turn into trees. Hence,

And dense, intertwined gardens

Notice the word intertwined.

Now take a step back.

For grains and Nabāt to come out of the earth, the seed has to be already present inside it. Allah mentioned it when He said:

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَٰدًۭا

Have We not made the earth a soft cradle?

As explained there, what is meant by the earth being soft is the fact that it can be dug up to plant seeds inside it. The natural progression of the passage is as such:

Have We not made the earth a soft cradle? The mountains as stakes? And sent down from rain clouds pouring water? So, We may bring out, by it, grain and soft plants. And dense, intertwined gardens?

The sentences

And created you as pairs? And made your sleep - a cessation of consciousness? And made the night a clothing? And made the day a means of livelihood? And constructed above you, seven strong creations? And made a blazing lamp?

are advanced and foregrounded. The natural flow would have been to add the second passage after the first one. To understand what is going on in this passage, we need to consider the whole picture and pay attention to the word in the last verse - ‘ intertwined.’

Life and vegetation appearing out of earth is not a simple one-off sudden event. Rather, it is the result of successive events, all tied and intertwined with each other. Step A leads to step B which leads to step C and so on, until we get life and vegetation out of the earth. It is not a random sudden appearance, but the result of an orderly cycle. This is why the use of the word ‘intertwined’ is important. Allah could have just said, He brought out gardens, or even dense gardens; but the word He uses means extremely dense gardens whose trees are intertwined with each other. He does not merely say gardens, but intertwined gardens, to show that life reaches its peak not in isolated growth, but in dense, interconnected systems where everything wraps into everything else, completing the journey from hidden seed to fully integrated life. Just as the final result of all this is intertwined with each other, so are all the steps leading to it intertwined and connected with each other. The result matches the process. Allah applies the same phenomenon onto humans and life in general. It is all intertwined and connected with each. The male and female connect and intertwine with each other to produce new life. Just as rainwater impregnates the earth, the male impregnates the female. Allah called the night a clothing, something that hides. Just as our clothes hide and cover our bodies, so does the darkness of the night cover us as a whole. This veil of darkness descends and covers everything in darkness.

What happens with the grain? Allah says He brings out the grain and nabāt by means of rainwater. Which means the grain is previously there but hidden inside the earth. The water nourishes it which enables it to start producing the plant. Just as the night covers us in darkness, so does the earth cover the seed under it in darkness. Just as rainwater brings the grain, plants and hence life itself, out of the earth, and into the open, so does the day bring out life by bringing out people into the open, to

earn their livelihood and makes them visible. Life is truly seen in the day, not at night. This is why earlier, I translated معاش as both the time of life and life itself.

And created above you seven strong creations - The seven strong and intense heavens are contrasted with the soft earth. Allah pairs everything together with its zawj. Just as everything inside and on the earth has a zawj, the earth itself has a zawj as well, the

seven strong and intense heavens. This is why Allah, instead of saying seven heavens, says seven strong creations because earlier, he had called the earth soft. Just as the male and the female, day and the night, are intertwined with each other and work in harmony, so does the earth work in harmony with the heavens, to form a complete and working system.

So the soft earth is paired with the strong heavens, the man with the woman, and the day with the night.

This leaves behind two things. Sleep and the burning lamp; they both do not have a pair attached to them, and this is how Allah answers them.

Since everything has been described as a pair, the male with the female, the night with the day, the earth with the heaven, you can quite easily figure out the zawj of sleep yourself. Recall that Allah called sleep Subāt- something that causes the loss of consciousness - death itself. Sleep is the sister of death. Think of it like a mini death. You yourselves can easily answer what is the zawj of sleep can you not? It is waking up. It is coming back to life. The same is the case with death. You will wake up after it.

This is why Allah did not even specify what they were arguing about, and just called it the great hidden reality. It is easy to know what comes after sleep. It is easy to know what they were arguing about. It carries this theme of the answer being extremely obvious and easy to know. I do not even need to tell you what they are arguing about, just as I do not need to tell you what follows loss of consciousness; because the answer is so obvious. This is why Allah expressed wonder at their disagreement over this subject in verse 3.

Now why did He not mention any zawj of the sun?

The zawj is implied by the context and you can easily come to know its conclusion. It is the moon which, unlike the sun, only receives light and reflects it. Now the question is why do this? Why not mention the zawj of the sun even if it is obvious? Recall that daytime was called life itself. What makes the day, day? The sun. It is the rising of the sun that starts the day and its setting that ends it. When Allah described the soft earth, He mentioned sleep - the sister of death - and did not mention its zawj. When Allah mentioned the seven strong heavens, He described the sun - a source of

life - and did not mention its zawj. The distinguishing feature of the earth is death, while that of the heavens, is life. Even the life you see on earth is because of the heavens.

This is why He mentions rain right after the burning lamp. Rain comes down from above and bestows life, to seeds hidden beneath the earth. In the same manner, will Allah’s command come from above and bestow life to the dead bodies buried and hidden inside the earth. He associates the earth with death, and the heavens with life. The heavens are the source of life on earth. We are given life by Allah. Earth is given life from above, from rain. Hearts are given life from above, from revelation. Recall that earlier Allah had said that they will gain the knowledge of the truthfulness of this great event, of judgment day and life after death two times. This was the first time where Allah establishes proof for someone who is sincere, but for the one who still rejects, He has prepared a second event to make him certain of the truth. Imagine a student not paying proper attention to his studies, and indulging in useless past times. First, his professor advises him sincerely to change his behaviour and become serious about studies but he ignores it. After seeing the student carrying on in his behavior, the professor says to him, ‘When you fail the exams and are left stuck in life, then will you come to know.’ Same is the case here. Allah first answers them sincerely. Then, for the one who still rejects it and carries on in his stupidity, Allah says you will come to know when judgment day itself comes.

Indeed, the Day of separation, was the appointed time

The previous verses described things as pairs, man with woman, earth with heaven, and the day with night. It mentioned gardens that were intertwined because everything that led to it, was itself intertwined with each other. Allah now mentions a day that will cause separation, that separates these pairs from each other. The day of separation was the appointed time for the stoppage and breakage of this relationship.

The coming verses will describe this separation. You will see how Allah will describe the breaking apart of the same things He has mentioned thus far in this surah.

A Day the horn is breathed into, so you come forth as distinct groups

Allah described it as a day of separation which is evident here as well. People will be separated into different, distinct groups. fawj, was originally used for distinct batches of camels sent to a watering place, one after another.¹⁰ It implies distinct groups and clusters of creatures, not just one unified gathering. Earlier, Allah had said regarding them:

ٱلَّذِى هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ

Regarding what they are in disagreement They will be grouped as per the view they held.

¹⁰ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 3, p. 1634

The heaven was opened to become gateways

Earlier, Allah had said:

وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًۭا شِدَادًۭا

And created above you seven strong creations?

Remember that Allah had contrasted the seven strong heavens with the soft earth that could be dug and penetrated to plant seeds inside it. The same earth which could then be forced open by the vegetation inside the earth as they appear out of it. Contrasting the heavens with this earth implied its exact opposite, that the sky could not be opened, that it could not be subjugated like the earth. But here, on the day of separation, the tightly bound knots of heaven separate from each other, allowing it to open up, allowing free passage through it like a gateway, just like the earth.

The mountains were floated away and hence, became a mirage

The word سير describes a smooth elongation in a direction.¹¹ The Qurʾān has

described in many places the fate of mountains on judgment day.¹² To summarize, the mountains will be pounded until they become dust that floats in the air. After breaking apart and rising into the air, they appear as if they are a mountain, but they are not at all. They are dense, accumulated dust, seen from a distance as though they were a mountain.

Earlier, Allah had described two strong structures; the mountains and the heavens. The mountains acted as stakes, as the firm support to the earth while the heavens were described as strong, tightly compacted structures with no weakness. Both these structures are now described as being turned into the very opposite. These two strong structures have now become soft, full of holes and openings, and light as dust. When the two strong objects, one of which was the holding blocks of the soft earth and what was on it, and the other intertwined with it to form a complete and working system; are blown apart and their strength converted to weakness and fragility, we need not even know what became of the earth. We can easily deduce it ourselves. Utter destruction. This again carries the theme of the answer being so obvious that it need not even be mentioned. The Qurʾān has repeatedly said that severe earthquakes will strike the earth on judgment day. (Examples include 22:1 and 99:1) The heavens that once formed a complete system by pairing with it have lost their capability to sustain this system because they lost their strength, leading to a full collapse of order.

This is the day of separation from the old system; from the old qualities; from the past strength; from the past system which worked on the relationships of zawj.

¹¹ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 2, p. 988
¹² Q. 27:88 and 101:5

Indeed, Hell has been waiting intently in ambush

The word ( مرصاد ambush) is closely related in meaning to ( ميقات appointed time) in verse 16. Both imply a fixed, determined time and place for the recompense of the

transgressors respectively. ات ‰ ( ميق appointed time) implies the determined time whereas ( مرصاد ambush) implies the determined place. Just as we say in daily language, I will take my revenge on that day, at that place.

Verses 17, 18 and 19 described the events that occur at the determined time, whereas this and the coming verses will describe the events that occur at the determined place. What is meant by Hell waiting in ambush will be explained later.

For the Ṭāghīn, a place of return

Ṭāghīn comes from the root طغو which means the highest point of a mountain that is

difficult to reach. It was also used for a flood that submerged everything inside it. The core meaning is of height and elevation that submerges or covers things around it like the flood that submerged everything inside it.¹³ When applied to a human being, it means a person who summits the heights of sins and arrogance, covering all the good around him or even submerging (oppressing) others around him to attain his desires. This word will be used for Pharaoh in the very next surah because he oppressed the Israelites.

The word maʾāb (place of return) comes from the root أوب which was used for bees, as well as for the deepest point of a well where water gathers. The core meaning is of returning. Bees return back to their hives no matter how far away they fly and the water keeps on returning and collecting to the deepest point of a well or basin whenever water is drawn from it.¹⁴

The imagery drawn is incredible. As mentioned above, طغو was used for the very

summit of a mountain. Consider this arrogant disbeliever. He summits this mountain of sin and arrogance and is at the top of it. While on the earth, this mountain was strong and solid (verse 7) which enabled him to stand on it - to commit sins freely and benefit from them - but ultimately, Allah crushed this mountain and turned it into floating dust. (verse 18) Now, since the mountain on which they were standing was crushed, they are in a freefall. As he is falling down, he looks below and what does he see? He sees Hell with its claws outstretched to grab him.

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًۭا

Indeed, Hell has been waiting intently in ambush Hell has been waiting for God to crush this mountain of sin and pride so it can pounce on them. It has been waiting intently for the day of separation. So they may fall into its clutches. Currently, as they are engrossed in their sins, pride and arrogance, they stand carefree on this mountain, oblivious to the fact that Hell is looking intently at them, lying hidden in ambush for them. This is an imagery drawn from the real events that occur on judgment day that were described earlier. Allah uses those events to draw imagery.

God will crush the pride of the haughty. He will humble the arrogant, and disgrace the boastful. He will crush their very foundation - the mountain of sin and arrogance on whose summit they stand. He will force them to fall from it by crushing this

mountain; and when they do fall, Hell pounces on them then and there. A perfectly set trap.

On earth, people get away with sins. Look around you, you will see many oppressors. They are standing securely on their oppressions and sins right now, but ultimately, Allah will crush their very foundations as Allah says:

فأَ تَى اللَّ هُ بُنْيَانَهُم مِّنَ الْقَوَاعِدِ

Then Allah attacked their buildings from the foundations (16 :26) Secondly, the disbeliever will fall from this mountain of arrogance and sin - He will renounce his arrogance and sin to Allah, admit his faults and hence desire Allah to give him a second chance. He will ask Allah to return him to earth, but:

لِّطَّٰ غِينَ مَـَٔابًۭا

For the Ṭāghīn, a place of return

¹³ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 3, p. 1331
¹⁴ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. ٦٣

Remaining in it for multiple ages

Another interesting choice of words. أحقاب is translated as long ages but at its root, it actually means to tie something. It was then applied to mean long duration of times, as if multiple periods were tied together one after another. When used in this meaning, it implies a period of time with no fixed limit (Muʿjam al Ishtiqaqi)

They will spend ages that do not end, tightly bound to Hell. They will never be free of it at any point in time. Recall how Allah described the heavens as being strong and tightly bound, then opened it up and broke its knots. Unlike the heavens, that were once strong but then made weak and opened up, they will be tightly bound to Hell with no end to this binding because the concept of zawj no longer exists. The day of separation has ended. The binding of the heavens gave away ultimately, but their binding to Hell does not. Hence, they will remain in Hell for Aḥqāb - for eternity.

While not tasting therein any coolness or drink

What is meant by coolness is not just coolness itself, but also comfort, because Allah will pair it later on with spouses that people in paradise have. Spousal relations are a

means of comfort and coolness. These people will not have any comfort, any coolness to reduce their suffering, nor any drink to quench their thirst.

Except scalding water and corrupt discharges

Instead of water to quench their thirst and cool them, they get scalding, boiling water over their heads to make it even worse; and instead of a drink to quench their thirst, they are fed corrupt wound discharges. This is torture further increasing on top of existing torture.

Earned. Wifāq

Why are they punished so sternly? Allah says it is all earned. They earned this punishment. On top of that, He says Wifāq which is normally translated “exact

recompense” but it is an emphatic verbal noun (masdar). Wifāq does not simply mean

an exact, like for like reward. It means that this is the very definition of an exact and like for like reward, or justice in other words. You get what you earned in exact accordance. Allah says that if this is not justice, nothing is as relayed by the emphatic form فِعال . He is emphasizing that Allah is totally just here. How?

Indeed, they were not expecting an account

Remember the word أحقاب - long, multiple ages with no end. These people did not

think they would be taken to account which led them to all sorts of wicked deeds again and again. If a criminal knows he will not be caught, he will only continue to commit more crimes and even more blatantly. These people, thinking they would never be caught, committed one crime after another and hence, they earnt all these horrible punishments. This is why Allah said they will spend multiple ages with no end inside Hell. It is as a response for each crime they committed. For each crime, you get a ( حقب an age). For all these crimes, you get all these long ages.

By deeming our signs as lies.

The letter Waw at the beginning makes this ayah act as a Ḥāl - a circumstantial clause. This means that these people rejected that they will be taken to account for their deeds because they deemed our clear signs as lies. This surah has already proven above that the day of judgment is inevitable. The worldly life necessarily has an afterlife. Just as you wake up after sleeping, so shall you wake up after death. This is a threat from rejecting this surah, these signs that Allah has shown you. Now there is a lot of emphasis placed inside this ayah because of the use of مفعول

مطلق . They denied each and every single sign of Allah, be it the Qurʾān or any other

sign of Allah. It can also mean severely and intensely denying it and the most intense way of denying something is mocking it, which is what they are doing at the start of this surah.

While all things have we enumerated as a book

Every single thing, every single sign they denied, every single action they did, every single crime they committed thinking they would not be caught for it, has all been written in a book. As the Qurʾān states elsewhere, they will be shown every single

crime they committed in writing. The word أحصى - translated as enumerated - implies

understanding as well as knowledge. Every single action they did, Allah is recording not only the action itself, but what is behind it as well. The intention behind it, the reason behind it, why it was carried out, all of it - not just the act itself - is recorded in writing. A display of absolute and complete knowledge of Allah.

So taste, and never will We increase you except in torment

Just as you only increased in sins and crimes because you thought you will never be taken to account, so will you now only be increased in punishment. This is how this punishment is earned and completely just.

So taste - Taste the punishment for the actions you did, that have been recorded justly, with all accompanying intentions and reasons. You are not being treated unjustly. You are merely paying for what you did.

There is no zawj anymore. There is no coupling of things with their pairs. Punishment will not be coupled with relief. The grief of the hereafter, does not have comfort

coupled with it. These criminals did not expect to be taken to account. A criminal will only commit more crimes if he knows he will get away with it. Hence, these people only kept on increasing in their sins, crimes and arrogance.

You will only have punishment, which only keeps on increasing in intensity, just as you kept on increasing in your crimes. Just as you never turned back and did not increase except in crimes, so will we not turn back this punishment and will not increase you except in punishment. Hence,

جَزَآءًۭ وِفَاقًا

Earned. Wifāq He says next:

إِ نَّ لِ تَّ

Indeed, for those who keep safe, is a place of success

Earlier, in verse 12, Allah described events of the determined time and in verse 19, the events of that occur at the determined place. One determined place was Hell, whereas the second determined place is Paradise.

The word ين ‰ ( متق those who keep safe) is foregrounded to place emphasis and

restriction. Success will only be for those who kept themselves safe from breaking Allah’s commandments unlike the Ṭāghīn mentioned earlier. Restriction leads to success. Discipline is the antidote of greatness.

Secured orchards and grapevines

A حديقة is an orchard that has a wall around it. If the orchard is not secured inside a wall, this word is not used for it.¹⁵ This implies secure possession and property.

¹⁵ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 391

Full breasted women, Atrāb

This verse raises many eyebrows but it denotes sexual attraction. Being full breasted implies sexual maturity and the fact that these will be women to whom their spouses are sexually attracted as that is a trait mostly desired by men. Spousal relationships are part of the many blessings in paradise and just as they are a source of comfort in this life, so will they be an even bigger source in the hereafter.

Atrāb is normally taken to mean that these women are equal in age to their husbands

but this is just one aspect. The root of this word means equality.¹⁶ As Ibn ʿĀshūr says, this implies equality in everything including their beauty, their attraction and love towards each other, and the desire they will feel towards each other as well. Full breasted implies sexual attraction and by using the word atrāb, Allah is saying that both spouses will be equally sexually attracted to each other as well in addition to their beauty, age, and all other things. They will be atrāb - equal. Many times in marriages, sexual attraction falls apart, but not in paradise. This also answers the question normally asked, “What will women get in paradise?” Their husbands will be equal to them in all aspects including beauty and will love them back equally. They get equal to what men get. A husband equally handsome and beautiful.

¹⁶ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 205

Cups of vine filled to the brim

In ayah 24, Allah said about the disbelievers:

لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًۭا وَلَا شَرَابًا

While not tasting therein any coolness or drink As explained there, coolness also includes spousal relationships because they are a means of comfort. The disbelievers did not get any comfort, whereas the believers men and women - got spouses equal to them in all aspects. The disbelievers did not get any drink to quench their thirst but the believers will not only have delicious drinks, but the cups will be filled to the brim with them. This also implies that everything will be given at its pinnacle in paradise. The cups could not be more filled. Everything in paradise will be perfect and could not be better just as the cups could not be more filled. Everything will be as cups filled to the brim, utmost perfection, utmost bliss and the absolute peak of all things.

No ill speech will they hear therein or any lie

The word لغو was used for any sound or noise that was meaningless such as the

chirping of birds. It implies any speech or talk that contains no benefit such as gossip.¹⁷ Every single thing that they hear, every sound they encounter, will benefit them. They are already in a state of perfect luxury and comfort and this luxury just keeps on increasing. What is being said is that everything they hear will be to provide and offer them something that is even better and luxurious than what they had before. If they are offered a luxury, then after they have experienced it, they are offered a new luxury that surpasses the one they had before. This goes back to verse 30:

فَذُوقُوا۟ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا So taste, and never will We increase you except in torment The disbelievers were only increased in torment. When a punishment is carried out and completed on them, they then experience a new punishment that is more painful than the one they experienced before. Whereas the believers are offered luxury after luxury, with each new luxury surpassing the one before it. The ayah goes on to say that they will not experience any falsehood either. This is the same that was used in verse 28

وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كِذَّابًۭا

By deeming our signs as lies.

This implies the absolute peak of joy experienced inside paradise. Every luxury they will experience, they will then experience a new luxury that will be even better than the one before and this will continue on and on. Consider a man in paradise being offered one luxury after another, with each surpassing the one before it. When he is offered a new, better luxury, he will be amazed. Are you telling me there is something even better than this? Yes, you heard it right, We are not lying. Here, see it for yourself. And this goes on for eternity Hence,

وَلَا كِذَّٰبًۭا

Or any lie

Secondly, this ayah mocks the disbelievers. Remember how they considered all signs of Allah, including the Qurʾān and hence this surah, as thorough, made up lies? Allah mocks them. You considered this a lie, but look, it is not. It is as if the believers are indulged in blessings inside paradise and Allah lifts the curtains allowing the disbelievers, who considered all this a lie, to actually see it for themselves. This is not a lie is it? It is how the pain of the disbelievers is compounded. Their punishment keeps on increasing while the blessings of the people of paradise keep on increasing. Every time their blessings are increased, is the torment also not increased on the disbelievers because of it? Because the greater the blessing, the greater the regret of missing out on it.

¹⁷ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 4, p. 1982

A recompense from your Rabb—granting far beyond and fully satisfying.

This is a grammatically complex verse but we will keep it simple. When someone does good, Allah gives him much more in return. If you spend a dollar for Allah, He will give you at least 10 dollars in return. We have seen how Allah offers never ending luxury that just keeps on increasing and increasing for eternity. The word jazāʾa at its root means an exact, like for like repayment; like how someone gets his salary according to the work he puts in.¹⁸ Allah says that this concept of jazāʾ, of like for like payment, when applied to Allah, actually means giving much, much more in return than what is actually owed. This is how Allah returns the wage of the worker. By giving him more than what he actually deserves. This is what Jazāʾa is when applied to Allah.

The word ḥisāb is translated as fully satisfying. It is normally translated as “account” but this root also means something that satisfies and satiates.¹⁹ We humans are flawed entities. We lack the ability to achieve utter perfection. Allah says that when He gives, He will give much more than what is actually deserved because He intends to fully and perfectly satisfy the receiver. This satisfaction and bliss will carry on for eternity, with never ending luxury and bliss that just keeps on increasing to maintain perfect euphoria.

Lastly, Allah says Your Rabb- to the Prophet ﷺ . Rabb at its root means caretaking, nurturing and bringing up.²⁰ It was commonly used for raising a child. This is a message to us. This God, the one who rewards so generously, and the only one who can grant you everlasting bliss, is the Lord and caretaker of Muhammad ﷺ , who takes special care of him because He is His prophet ﷺ and chosen messenger ﷺ . If you want to reach this generous, loving God, then obey Muhammad ﷺ . This then goes back to verse 4 where Allah warned people to not disagree over anything that His prophet ﷺ says.

¹⁸ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 307
¹⁹ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 425
²⁰ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 2, p. 737

From the Rabb of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them; from

Raḥmān! They do not possess any authority of speech from Him The first part of this ayah “From the Rabb of the heavens and the earth and whatever is

between them” is a badal - an apposition - of the words Your Rabb in the previous verse. Whereas, the words From Raḥmān, are an apposition of the sentence from the Rabb of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them.

A recompense from your Rabb who is the same one who sustains the heavens, the earth

and whatever is between them. These two descriptions are then substituted with the name of Allah - Raḥmān. All of this boils down to the word Raḥmān. But then the question arises, why not just say Raḥmān? Why start with Your Rabb, then replace it with from the Rabb of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and then replace this in turn, to end at Raḥmān?

Because it shows a beautiful sequence. Allah is the Rabb- the caretaker and nurturer of Muhammad ﷺ , just as He is the caretaker and nurturer of heavens, the earth and whatever is between them. This is not an alien God accessible and loving to only a few. No, He is the loving God who is responsible for all good, who is maintaining and caretaking the heavens, the earth and whatever is between them, which includes the very disbelievers who are mocking God in this surah. He does not want to punish you, He wants to lead you to good. He sent Muhammad ﷺ for this very purpose, to lead you to good out of love for you and so you can attain this everlasting bliss and euphoria inside paradise where He will give you much, much more than what you actually deserve. He does all this, because He is Raḥmān - the strongest possible word in Arabic to denote love.

Raḥmān comes from the root rāʾ ḥāʾ mīm which means the womb of the mother.²¹ The concept is of intense and unwavering love. A mother loves her child, despite undergoing severe discomfort during pregnancy and experiencing excruciating pain during childbirth. She loves it with no regard for all this, as if it never happened. When it comes to Allah, we cannot harm him as a child harms its mother, but we disobey Allah and break His commandments. Yet despite all this, Allah still takes care of us and provides us, and leads us to good and what is beneficial to us. Allah did not create the heavens, the earth and whatever is between them including you, to cast you to Hell. He created you out of love. He wanted you to experience His love and care and ultimately for you to reach paradise to give you eternal comfort. He did not intend for you to land in Hell like those disbelievers. This is why He has sent down the Qurʾān to you, out of love and care for you. This is all rooted in love and mercy. The disbelievers received the justice of Allah, by getting repaid in exact accordance for their actions. While the believers received Allah’s love and mercy, by being gifted more than what they deserved.

They do not possess any authority of speech from Him - None can point to Allah that He is

unjust, or wrong in any matter. Allah is either merciful as He with the believers or just, as He was with the disbelievers. He is never unjust. None can point a finger at Him.

فًّۭ

²¹ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 2, p. 776.

The Day that the Spirit and the angels will stand as a single row, none shall speak

except for one permitted by Raḥmān, and said what is Ṣawāb The Spirit - this is angel Gabriel; who brings the Qurʾān down from Allah to Muhammad ﷺ . The Qurʾān has called him the Rūḥ (spirit) on multiple occasions.22 This ayah explains the last one as well. They do not have the right to address Allah. Only the one given permission by Allah to speak will do so, and even then, they will only say that which is ṣawāb.

Ṣawāb comes from the root ṣād wāw bāʾ which was used for rain, as well as for an arrow hitting its target precisely. The core meaning of this root is the descent of something from up to down (like the rain) and for something to be precise and accurate like the arrow that hit its target.²³ They can only speak by Allah’s permission and even then, they will only be allowed to say whatever Allah sends down on them - whatever Allah tells them to say. Whatever Allah reveals to them to say, will only be correct and accurate. Allah will not lie, nor will he be inaccurate in anything.

The reason for mentioning the spirit is because Gabriel is the angel that brings down the Qurʾān, which the disbelievers were mocking at the beginning of the surah. The permission to speak from Allah will go to the spirit and the angels.²⁴ Ṣawāb can refer to two things. What Allah commands them to say, and secondly, the Qurʾān itself. Ṣawāb means something that descends from above and is accurate. The Qurʾān descends from Allah to the earth via the spirit, and whatever it says will be proven to be accurate on judgment day. The disbeliever who used to mock it will be brought forward, and then he will be shown his mockery of the Qurʾān, the verses that he 22 Q. 16:102 used to mock, will be read to him, as he sees with his own eyes the truth of what he used to mock. Raḥmān Notice again how Allah calls Himself Raḥmān. Again, the obvious feeling induced when reading all of this is fear, but Allah says that the judge on that day is the Raḥmān, the exceedingly loving who forgives and ignores faults. One who is more loving than a mother to her child. Earlier we saw the graphic descriptions of the torments of Hellfire. This verse and the use of the word Raḥmān really force reflection. It forces you to think the other way around. Instead of having pity on them and questioning Allah’s justice, ask what horrid actions must people have done to be subjected to everlasting punishment from Raḥmān Himself.

²³ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 3, p. 1186
²⁴ al-Rāzī, Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb, vol. 31, p. 25

That is the day of truth. Then whosoever so desires, let him take a place of return with

His Rabb That is the day of truth - That is the day characterized by truth and justice. Only the

truth will be spoken that day. No false word will be uttered, nothing inaccurate or faulty will be spoken or done. Everything will be true, accurate and correct. No injustice shall be done, no one will be falsely accused or acquitted, no one will be falsely thrown into the fire, nothing false will occur.

You will either have Allah show you exceedingly profuse love and care, or you will be subjected to justice. No injustice or anything false shall be carried out. Those who entered Hell, were not dealt with unjustly, but truthfully and justly.

Then whosoever so desires, let him take a place of return to His Rabb - Maʾāb (place of return) is the same word that Allah used for Hellfire with regards to the disbelievers in ayah 20

لِّطَّٰ غِينَ مَـَٔابًۭا

For the Ṭāghīn, a place of return Whosoever wants, then let him choose to return to Allah instead of the fire. The use of the word Rabb again is profound which means a caretaker, a nurturer, and an upbringer. The one who takes care of you, who nurtured you, and provided for you, who took care of you and protected you. You have the choice to return to Him and you can deduce yourself what He will do to you. He is your Rabb, your loving caretaker. Go and return to His love and care.

This answers why Allah presented such graphic descriptions of Hellfire coupled with the mentions of extraordinary comfort in paradise. He has shown you the two

destinations. You clearly see what is behind each door. Now, make a choice. Allah, or the fire.

We, like no other, have warned you of a near punishment. The Day man will observe

what his two hands put forth as the disbeliever says, “Oh, I wish that I were dust! The dual use of the majestic pronoun We, creates exclusivity and restriction. We, like none other, have warned you… The descriptions of Hellfire were quite graphic weren’t they? Have you seen any scripture describe it in such graphic details? Such graphic descriptions of Hell are found in only the Qurʾān. Other scriptures like the New Testament will call it a lake of fire, but the Qurʾān describes in such details, it makes you uneasy, which is the entire purpose itself. You can feel it, visualize it, picture it happening in front of you. We have warned you, in this surah, of a punishment that will occur very soon, in a manner no one ever has.

as the disbeliever says, “Oh, I wish that I were dust! - imagine being given your record on judgment day while there is another person beside you who is already reading his record. You have not yet started to read, but you hear that person say “ I wish I were

dust!” What will this do to you? It will terrify you. You will pray for the life of you that things turn out right.