In the Name of Almighty Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
40 آية
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Surah An-Naba is the 78th chapter of the Quran, containing 40 verses. Revealed in Makkah, it opens by asking what the disbelievers are disputing about, the Great News of the Resurrection over which they differ. The surah points to Allah’s signs in creation, the earth spread as a cradle, the mountains as pegs, the pairing of male and female, sleep as rest, the night as a cover and the day for livelihood, as proof of His power to resurrect, then describes the Day of Decision, the punishment awaiting the transgressors in Hell, and the gardens, companions and abundant reward awaiting the righteous, closing with a warning that the Hour is near and the disbeliever will wish he were mere dust. Below you can read the full Surah An-Naba 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.
1. Each time the Arab polytheists would meet together at one of their gatherings, they would talk about the holy Prophet and discuss the Message he had brought, and they would ask one another and ask others: “Is he a sorcerer or a poet? Or is he mad?” They would talk about the Quran and say: “Is the Quran sorcery or soothsaying?” They would talk about the Hereafter and the Resurrection. Some denied life after death and said that once they had died and were buried, the earth would be their final destination: “The matter is nothing but wombs giving forth babies and the earth swallowing us; time is the only thing that destroys us.” Others said that the souls are resurrected but not the physical bodies. This chapter was an answer to such people and their likes, to treat what they said as a lie and to establish an argument against them. Allah Almighty criticizes the doubts of the polytheists concerning the Hereafter and the time of its occurrence, and their questions which arise from a belief in its improbability. Allah Almighty says to them: “What are these unbelievers disputing about?”
4. Allah Almighty says that the matter is not as these polytheists claimed, namely that there is no resurrection or gathering. No! For there is a resurrection and a bringing to account. Allah Almighty warns them that they should soon come to know that what they denied is indeed true when they see it for themselves, and when each man is asked about and held liable for his deeds in his life on earth.
5. Allah Almighty repeats the warning that they should indeed soon come to know the Truth of what they denied, when the punishment of the Hereafter falls upon them.
6. He says: “How do these deny Resurrection and doubt it when they see all that proves Allah Almighty’s power, His knowledge which encompasses everything and His divine wisdom? Let them look and see how Allah levelled the earth so that man can live and benefit from all its goods.
9. “He made sleep at night a cessation from movement, and rest after a day’s work; for if there were no sleep, the human body would soon lose its liveliness, become fatigued and cease to work.”
15. that He may cause to grow grains that people can eat or store and feed their cattle, as well as green vegetables, thus turning a dry land to a fertile one.
16. And with this rain which comes down from the sky, He causes to grow gardens and orchards with trees that carry fruit of various tastes, colours, and odours.
17. Thus Judgement Day, which is the day of decision, is a predetermined appointed time for resurrection when Allah Almighty gathers all creatures, the first and the last, to decide among them and call them to account for their deeds and to compensate each according to what he deserves.
18. On that Day the appointed angel sounds the trumpet by order of Allah Almighty, and all the people rise from their graves and rush forward in crowds following the Caller to the place of assembly.
19. And the heavens shall crack and the strong bond will break, the perfect harmony of the upper universe will be disturbed, and cracks will appear in the heavens as if they were doors. (Some commentators said that the heavens will crack open and become routes and paths for the angels to descend by.)
20. The mountains will lose their stability and vanish; they will be like a mirage seen from afar, but which disappears as one draws near it. Thus the mountains on that terrible Day; the onlooker will imagine that they are something whereas in reality they are nothing because of the dispersal of their particles and the dissemination of their treasures. Then the winds will carry them away.
21. On that day, Hell will be laid in ambush, awaiting the transgressors. The keepers of Hell will be waiting for people who have, through their wrong-doings on earth, deserved Hell.
28. And they treated as a lie all the evidence and signs which prove the existence of Allah Almighty and His Oneness, the veracity of the prophecies and the truth of what is mentioned in the Quran sent down by Allah.
29. Allah Almighty has counted all their deeds and the purified angels have written them down in their record. Therefore, they cannot deny anything they did.
30. The people in the Fire will be told: “Taste the grievous punishment you are in. We shall grant you an increase in nothing else but torment of its kind.”
31. Allah Almighty speaks of the happy, the dignity and lasting felicity that has been prepared for them. He says: “The believers who fear their Lord will have gardens and fresh parks. They will gain bliss and a good reward, and will escape punishment.
33. “They will have in Paradise maidens with beautiful faces, whose breasts are swelling but not flabby (this is an indication that they are young). They are virgins of equal age.
34. They will have a cup filled to the brim with wine that is passed around from drinker to drinker. Allah describes the wine in another verse as wine that does not confuse the reason, unlike the wine of earthly life.
36. What Allah has given them is His reward to them for their good deeds in their life on earth, which He increased out of His generosity and favour. It is an ample and sufficient gift from Allah Almighty.
37. Allah Almighty speaks about His greatness and majesty. He is Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them. He is their Creator and Owner, and He disposes of all their affairs. No one among its inhabitants can initiate speech with Him or address Him without His permission.
38. The commentators have differed over the meaning of “spirit” here. Ibn Abbas says it is the spirit of the sons of Adam. Others say it is the angel Gabriel. Others say it is a great angel. The meaning of this verse is: The angels in spite of their exalted ranks and high esteem will stand before their Lord in ranks, and will not be able speak on this day in honour of their great Lord and in deference to their standing except when permitted by the Lord, and they say what is right and truthful.
39. That day will undoubtedly and ineluctably come. Secrets will be wrenched and tested and consciences revealed. He who wishes will do good deeds to draw him closer to his Lord and to his reward and generosity and remove him from His punishment.
40. We warn you of the punishment of Judgement Day, which will soon be here. On that day each human being will see all his deeds in his life on earth; if his deeds were good, then he will rejoice and be happy; but if his deeds were evil, then he will repent, but it would be too late for repentance. On that Day, the unbeliever will wish he had been mere dust or stone on earth because those are not expected to worship, and therefore he would not receive this grievous punishment in the Hereafter.
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.