Surah Al-Inshiqaq (The Rending Asunder)

الانشقاق

25 Verses

In the Name of Almighty Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
25 آية

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Surah Al-Inshiqaq is the 84th chapter of the Quran, containing 25 verses. Revealed in Makkah, it takes its name from its opening verse describing the sky splitting open and obeying its Lord, as the earth too is spread out and casts out what is within it. The surah affirms that every human being is toiling steadily toward his Lord and will meet Him, describes the joy of receiving one’s record of deeds in the right hand against the despair of receiving it from behind the back, and swears that man shall surely pass through stage after stage, closing with a rebuke of those who refuse to believe or prostrate and a promise of an unfailing reward for those who believe and do righteous deeds. Below you can read the full Surah Al-Inshiqaq in Arabic with a clear English translation and a verse-by-verse tafsir (explanation of the meaning) from Aysar al-Tafaseer, with the option to jump to any specific verse.

Tafsir of the Verses

{ إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتْ }
(1) – حِينَمَا يَحِينُ قِيَامُ السَّاعَةِ تَحْدُثُ أَحْدَاثٌ عَجِيبَةٌ فِي الكَوْنِ، وَيَضْطَرِبُ نِظَامُهُ، وَتَنْشَقُّ السَّمَاءُ، وَتَتَصَدَّعُ.

انْشَقَّتْ – انْصَدَعَتْ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 1
1. When the time of the Hour comes, strange things will happen in the universe whose order will become disturbed. The sky will crack.
{ وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ }
(2) – وَاسْتَمَعَتِ السَّمَاءُ لأَِمْرِ رَبِّهَا، وَأَطَاعَتْهُ فِيمَا أَمَرَهَا بِهِ مِنَ الانْشِقَاقِ (أَذِنَتْ)، وَحُقَّ لَهَا أَنْ تُطِيعَ أَمْرَ رَبِّهَا، لأَِنَّهَا تَعْرِفُ عَظَمَتَهُ وَجَلاَلَهُ، وَتَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ تَعَالَى لاَ يُمَانَعُ وَلاَ يُغَالَبُ.

أَذِنَتْ – اسْتَمَعَتْ وَانْقَادَتْ.

حُقَّتْ – مِنْ حَقِّ اللهِ عَلَيْهَا الانْقِيَادُ لأَِمْرِهِ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 2
2. The sky listens to its Lord’s command to crack and it obeys Him. For it knows His greatness and that none can resist Him. It must do so.
{ وَإِذَا ٱلأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ }
(3) – وَتَضْطَرِبُ الأَرْضُ فِي ذَلِكَ اليَوْمِ المَهُولِ، وَتَنْدَكُّ جِبَالُهَا، وَتَنْبَسِطُ فَتُصْبحُ الأَرْضُ كَالفِرَاشِ، وَتَمْتَدُّ كَمَا يَمْتَدُّ الجِلْدُ المَدْبُوغُ (كَمَا قَالَهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ).

مُدَّتْ – بُسِطَتْ وَسُوِّيَتْ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 3
3. On that horrible Day, the earth will move, the mountains will tumble down and flatten; the earth will be as flat as a mat. Ibn Abbas said that it will stretch just as the dyed leather stretches.
{ وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ }
(4) – وَتَقْذِفُ الأَرْضُ مَا فِي جَوْفِهَا مِنْ أَمْوَاتٍ وَمَعَادِنَ وَسَائِلٍ مُنْصَهِرٍ، وَتَتَخَلَّى عَنْ جَمِيعِ ذَلِكَ.

أَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا – لَفَظَتْ مَا فِي جَوْفِهَا.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 4
4. The earth will cast out the dead bodies, minerals and melted liquid which are within it. It will give them all up.
{ وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ }
(5) – وَهِيَ إِنَّمَا تَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ اسْتِجَابَةً لأَِمْرِ رَبِّهَا العَظِيمِ، وَحَقِيقٌ عَلَيْهَا أَنْ تَسْتَجِيبَ لأَِمْرِهِ، لأَِنَّهَا تَعْرِفُ عَظَمَةَ جَلاَلِهِ، وَتُدْرِكُ أَنَّهَا فِي قَبْضَةِ القُدْرَةِ الإِلَهِيَّةِ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 5
5. The earth only bows in obedience to its Lord’s command. It must respond, for it knows His greatness and knows it is under His divine authority.
{ يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلإِنسَٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحاً فَمُلاَقِيهِ }
{ ٱلإِنسَانُ } { فَمُلاَقِيهِ } { يٰأَيُّهَا }

(6) – يَا أَيُّهَا الإِنْسَانُ إِنَّكَ عَامِلٌ فِي حَيَاتِكَ، وَمُجِدٌّ فِي عَمَلِكَ، إِلَى أَنْ تَنْتَهِيَ حَيَاتُكَ، وَكُلُّ خُطْوَةٍ فِي عَمَلِكَ هِيَ خُطْوَةٌ فِي أَجَلِكَ، وَالمَوْتُ يَكْشِفُ غِطَاءَ الغَفْلَةِ عَنِ الرُّوحِ، وَيَجْلُو لَهَا وَجْهَ الحَقِّ، فَتَعْرِفُ مِنَ اللهِ مَا كَانَتْ تُنْكِرُهُ، وَيَوْمَ الحَشْرِ يَجِدُ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ صَحِيفَةَ عَمَلِهِ حَاضِرَةً، وَقَدْ حَوَتْ جَمِيعَ أَعْمَالِهِ خَيْرِهَا وَشَرِّهَا، وَيُجَازِيهِ اللهُ وَفْقَهَا.

كَادِحٌ – جَاهِدٌ فِي عَمَلِكَ لِرَبِّكَ.

فَمُلاَقِيهِ – وَسَتُلاَقِي جَزَاءَ عَمَلِكَ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 6
6. O man! you toil all your life and work diligently until your life ends, and each step that you take in your work is a step towards your last day on earth. Death will take the veil of inattentively off the soul before which appears the face of truth. The soul will then know from Allah what it had been denying. On the Day of Resurrection each person will find his record of deeds present. It will comprise all his deeds, good and evil, and Allah will recompense him according to them.
{ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَـٰبَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ }
{ كِتَابَهُ }

(7) – فَأَمَّا مَنْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ سِجِلُّ عَمَلِهِ فَتَنَاوَلَهُ بِيَدِهِ اليُمْنَى.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 7
7. Then he who is given his record and takes it in his right hand,
{ فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَاباً يَسِيراً }
(8) – فَإِنَّهُ يُحَاسَبُ أَيْسَرَ حِسَابٍ، إِذْ يُثِيبُهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِ الصَّالِحَةِ، وَيَتَجَاوَزُ الرَّحْمَنُ عَمَّا كَانَ مِنْهُ مِنْ هَفَوَاتٍ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 8
8. will be given the easiest of reckonings. Allah Almighty will compensate him for his good deeds and disregard his minor lapses.
{ وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُوراً }
(9) – وَمَنْ حُوسِبَ هَذَا الحِسَابَ اليَسِيرَ رَجَعَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ المُؤْمِنِينَ مَسْرُوراً مُبْتَهِجاً قَائِلاً:{ هَآؤُمُ ٱقْرَؤُاْ كِتَابيَهْ }
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 9
9. He who is given a lenient judgement will return joyfully to his family of believers and say: “Come read my Book.” (See chapter 69- Al-Haqqa (The Sure Reality), 19.
{ وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُ وَرَآءَ ظَهْرِهِ }
{ كِتَابَهُ }

(10) – وَأَمَّا الذِي ارْتَكَبَ المَعَاصِي، وَاجْتَرَحَ السَّيِّئَاتِ، فَيُؤْتَى كَتَابَهُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظَهْرِهِ تَحْقِيراً لَهُ، وَيَتَنَاوَلُهُ بِشِمَالِهِ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 10
10. But he who has sinned and committed evil deeds will be given his record behind his back as a sign of humiliation; he will take it in his left hand.
{ فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُواْ ثُبُوراً }
{ يَدْعُواْ }

(11) – فَيُدْرِكُ أَنَّهُ هَالِكٌ فَيَدْعُو هَلاَكاً وَخَسَاراً وَيَقُولُ: وَاثُبُورَاهْ.

ثُبُوراً – هَلاَكاً وَخَسَاراً.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 11
11. He will know that he is doomed and will cry for destruction and will say: “Perdition and destruction!”
{ وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيراً }
(12) – وَيُقْذَفُ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ لِيَصْلَى سَعِيرَهَا.

يَصْلَى – يُقَاسِي حَرَّ جَهَنَّمَ أَوْ يَدْخُلُهَا.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 12
12. He will be thrust in the blazing fire of Hell.
{إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِيۤ أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُوراً }
(13) – فَقَدْ كَانَ فِي الحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا بَطِراً لاَ يُفَكِّرُ فِي أُمُورِ الآخَرَةِ، وَيُقْدِمُ عَلَى المَعَاصِي وَهُوَ يَظُنُّ أَنَّ لَذَّاتِهَا لَنْ تَعْقُبَهَا حَسْرَةٌ، وَلَنْ تُؤَدِّيَ بِهِ إِلَى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَلِذَلِكَ يُبَدِّلُهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِالنَّعِيمِ الزَّائِلِ الذِي كَانَ فِيهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا، بِالعَذَابِ الدَّائِمِ فِي الآخِرَةِ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 13
13. In his life on earth, he was careless and ungrateful and did not think about the Hereafter. He sinned, believing that the pleasures of this life would neither bring ruin and sorrow nor lead him to the Fire of Hell. Thus, Allah Almighty will replace the temporary bliss he enjoyed on earth with an eternal punishment in the Hereafter.
{ إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ }
(14) – فَقَدْ ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَرْجِعَ إِلَى اللهِ، وَأَنَّ اللهَ لَنْ يَبْعَثَ الخَلاَئِقَ لِيُحَاسِبَهُمْ عَلَى أَعْمَالِهِمْ.

لَنْ يَحُورَ – لَنْ يَرْجِعَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 14
14. He thought that he would not return to Allah and that Allah would not resurrect the creatures to judge them for their deeds.
{ بَلَىٰ إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيراً }
(15) – بَلَى إِنَّهُ سَيَرْجِعُ إِلَى اللهِ لِيُحَاسِبَهُ عَلَى جَمِيعِ أَعْمَالِهِ، إِن خَيْراً فَخَيْراً، وَإِنْ شَرّاً فَشَراً، فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى كَانَ مُطَّلِعاً عَلَى جَمِيعِ مَا عَمِلَ فِي الحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 15
15. Indeed, he will return to Allah to be judged for all his deeds: the good with good and the evil with evil. Allah Almighty was ever mindful of all that he did in his life on earth.
{ فَلاَ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلشَّفَقِ }
(16) – يَقُولُ تَعَالَى إِنَّهُ لاَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُقْسِمَ بِمَا ذَكَرَهُ مِنَ الأَشْيَاءِ التِي ذَكَرَهَا عَلَى إِثْبَاتِ مَا سَيَذْكُرُهُ، لأَِنَّهُ أَمْرٌ ظَاهِرٌ لاَ يَحْتَاجُ ثُبُوتُهُ إِلَى حَلْفٍ.

(وَقِيلَ إِنَّ المَعْنَى هُوَ أُقسِمُ قَسَماً مُؤَكَّداً بِحُمْرَةِ الأُفُق بَعْدَ الغُرُوبِ أَوْ قَبْلَ طَلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ). وَلاَ لِتَوْكِيدِ القَسَمِ. وَقِيلَ إِنَّهَا صِلَةٌ مِثْلُهَا فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى{ لِئَلاَّ يَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ الكِتَابِ } الشَّفَقُ – الحُمْرَةُ فِي السَّمَاءِ بَعْدَ الغُرُوبِ أَوْ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 16
16. Allah Almighty says that He does not want to swear by all that He has already mentioned to prove that what He will mention is true. For it is an evident matter and does not need an adjuration to testify to its truth. (It was said that the meaning is as follows: I firmly swear by the red glow after sunset or before sunrise …) (The use of the negative “No!” here is to approve the oath. It was said that it is grammatically a relative as the one used in Allah’s words in verse 29 of chapter 57- Al-Hadid (Iron): “that the people of the Book may know.”)
{ وَٱللَّيْلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ }
{ ٱللَّيْلِ }

(17) – ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَى: إِنَهُ لاَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُقْسِمَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَمَا جَمَعَ، وَمَا لَفَّ فِي ظُلْمَتِهِ مِنَ الخَلاَئِقِ، لِوُضُوحِ المَوْضُوعِ المُقسَمِ عَلَيْهِ.

(وَقِيلَ وَمَا وَسَقَ تَعْنِي وَمَا سَاقَ مِنْ ظُلْمَةٍ فَكَأَنَّهُ تَعَالَى أَقْسَمَ بِالضِّيَاءِ وَالظَّلاَمِ).

وَسَقَ – ضَمَّ وَجَمَعَ – أَوْ مَا سَاقَ مِنْ ظُلْمَةٍ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 17
17. Allah Almighty says that He does not want to swear by the night and everything it envelops in its darkness, because what He will swear to is very evident. (It was said that “what it envelops” means “the darkness that it drives”. Thus, it is as if Allah Almighty swears by the light and the darkness.
{ وَٱلْقَمَرِ إِذَا ٱتَّسَقَ }
(18) – وَإِنَّهُ تَعَالَى لاَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُقْسِمَ بِالقَمَرِ إِذَا اجْتَمَعَ نُورُهُ، وَتَكَامَلَ وَأَصْبَحَ بَدْراً.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 18
18. And He does not want to swear by the moon as it gathers its light to become a full moon.
{ لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقاً عَن طَبقٍ }
(19) – لَتُلاَقُنَّ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ حَالاً بَعْدَ حَالٍ، وَأُمُوراً بَعْدَ أُمُورٍ، إِلَى أَنْ تَصِيرُوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ، وَهُنَاكَ الخُلُودُ فِي الجَنَّةِ أَوْ فِي النَّارِ (وَهَذَا جَوَابُ القَسَمِ).

(أَيْ لَتَنْتَقِلُنَّ مِنْ طَوْرٍ مِنْ أَطْوَارِ حَيَاتِكُمْ إِلَى طَوْرٍ آخَرَ مُنْذُ أَنْ كُنْتُمْ نُطْفَةً حَتَّى يُدْرِكَكُمُ المَوْتُ).

لَتَرْكَبُنَّ – لَتُلاَقُنَّ.

طَبَقاً – أَحْوَالاً مُتَطَابِقَةً – أَوْ حَالاً بَعْدَ حَالٍ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 19
19. You will face, O people, stage after stage, and matter after matter, until you return to your Lord. There you will dwell eternally either in Heaven or in Hell. (You will move from one phase of your life to another, from the time when you were a sperm until you die).
{ فَمَا لَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ }
(20) – فَمَا الذِي يَمْنَعُهُمْ عَنِ الإِيْمَانِ بِاللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ واليَوْمِ الآخِرِ؟ وَلِمَاذَا يَجْحَدُونَ بِقُدْرَةِ اللهِ، وَيُنْكِرُونَ صِحّةَ البَعْثِ.. وَكُلُّ شَيءٍ أَمَامَهُمْ يَدُلُّ عَلَى بَاهِرِ قُدْرَةِ اللهِ، وَعَظِيمِ سُلْطَانِهِ؟.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 20
20. So what prevents them from believing in Allah, His messengers and Judgement Day? Why do they repudiate His power and deny the Resurrection when everything before them shows them the splendid might of Allah and His great authority?
{ وَإِذَا قُرِىءَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقُرْآنُ لاَ يَسْجُدُونَ }
{ ٱلْقُرْآنُ }

(21) – وَمَا لَهُمْ إِذَا قُرِىءَ القُرْآنُ لاَ يَسْجُُدُونَ إِعْظَاماً للهِ وَإِكْرَاماً؟.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 21
21. And when the Quran is recited to them, why do they not prostrate themselves in respect and honour to Allah?
{ بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُكَذِّبُونَ }
(22) – إِنَّ كُلَّ الدَّلاَئِلِ تُوجِبُ عَلَيْهِم الإِيْمَانَ بِاللهِ لَكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ مُعَانِدُونَ مُكَابِرُونَ، يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى الكُفْرِ وَالتَّكْذِيبِ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 22
22. All the signs demand that they have faith in Allah, but they are stubborn, insolent people and they persevere in their disbelief and denial.
{ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ }
(23) – وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُضْمِرُونَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مِنَ الأَسْبَابِ التِي تَحْمِلُهُمْ عَلَى الإِصْرَارِ عَلَى الشِّرْكِ، وَالاسْتِمْرَارِ عَلَى مَا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ.

يُوعُونَ – يَكْتمُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ، أَوْ يَجْمَعُونَ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ.

وَأَوْعَى – جَمَعَ فِي وِعَاءٍ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 23
23. Allah knows the reasons for their insistence on idolatry and their persistence in their disbelief which they conceal.
{ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ }
(24) – وَجَزَاءُ الإِصْرَارِ عَلَى التَّكْذِيبِ وَالكُفْرِ وَالعِنَادِ العَذَابُ الأَلِيمُ فِي الآخِرَةِ، وَقَدْ بَشَّرَهُم اللهُ بِهِ اسْتِهْزَاءً بِهِمْ لأَِنَّ البُشْرَى تَكُونَ فِي الأُمُورِ الحَسَنَةِ السَّارَّةِ عَادَةً.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 24
24. The payment for their persistence in their denial, disbelief and stubbornness is a severe torture in the Hereafter. Allah Almighty mockingly announces to them the good news (because an announcement of glad tidings is usually used for happy events).
{ إِلاَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ }
{ آمَنُواْ } { ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ }

(25) – لَكِنَّ الذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأْولَئِكَ لَهُم عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَزَاءٌ حَسَنٌ، لاَ يَنْقَطِعُ مَدَدُهُ، وَلاَ يَنْضُبُ مَعِينُهُ.

غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ – غَيْرُ مُنْقَطِعٍ عَنْهُمْ.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq: Verse 25
25. Except for those who believe and do good deeds, they will receive an everlasting good reward.

Tafsir by Dr. Assaad Homad (1917–2011), Syrian scholar and jurist, author of Aysar al-Tafaseer, an accessible interpretation of the Quran reviewed by Sheikh Muhammad Mutwally Al-Shaarawi and certified by the Ministries of Awqaf in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. English translation by the Homad family. Read more about the author and this tafsir →

Source: This series of Tafsir books has been made available online by the family of Dr. Assaad Homad (may Allah have mercy on him). These volumes were entirely digitized to provide an accessible and easy format for todays digital age. Please keep Dr. Assaad and his family in your sincere prayers.
تم إتاحة هذه السلسلة من كتب التفسير عبر الإنترنت من قبل عائلة الدكتور أسعد حومد (رحمه الله). لقد قمنا برقمنة هذه المجلدات بالكامل لتوفير تنسيق يسهل الوصول إليه واستخدامه في عصرنا الرقمي الحالي. نرجو منكم ألا تنسوا الدكتور أسعد وعائلته من صالح دعائكم.