Surah At-Tariq (The Night Visitant)

الطارق

17 Verses

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

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Surah At-Tariq is the 86th chapter of the Quran, containing 17 verses. Revealed in Makkah, it takes its name from its opening oath by the sky and At-Tariq, the piercing night-star. The surah affirms that every soul has a guardian watching over it, points to man’s creation from a spurting fluid issuing from between the loins and ribs as proof of Allah’s power to bring him back to life, and describes the Day when secrets will be put to the test and man will have neither strength nor helper. It closes affirming that the Quran is a decisive word and no mere jest, granting the disbelievers a little respite before their reckoning. Below you can read the full Surah At-Tariq 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

{ وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ }
(1) – يُقْسِمُ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِالسَّمَاءِ وَنُجُومِهَا الثَّاقِبَةِ الضَّوْءِ، التِي تَظْهَرُ لَيْلاً. (الطَّارِقُ هُوَ الذِي يَطْرُقُ البَابَ لَيْلاً، وَسُمِّي النَّجْمُ طَارِقاً لأَِنَّهُ يَظْهَرُ فِي اللَّيْلِ).
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 1
1. Allah Almighty swears by the sky and its stars of piercing brightness which appear at night. (Al-tarek is one who knocks at the door at night, and the star is called al-tarek (or night visitant) because it appears at night).
{ وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ }
{ أَدْرَاكَ }

(2) – وَأَيُّ شَيءٍ يُعْلِمُكَ حَقِيقَةَ هَذَا الطَّارِقِ، فَهُوَ لَيْسَ مِمَّا تُمْكِنُ الإِحَاطَةُ بِهِ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 2
2. What thing will explain to you what the night visitant is? It is something you cannot know.
{ ٱلنَّجْمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ }
(3) – ثُمَّ فَسَّرَ اللهُ تَعَالَى مَعْنَى هَذَا الطَّارِقِ الذِي أَقْسَمَ بِهِ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ الذِي تَثْقُبُ شِدَّةُ ضَوْئِهِ وَلَمَعَانِهِ الظَّلاَمَ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 3
3. Allah Almighty explains what the night visitant which He swore by is. He says: “It is the piercing star whose brightness and radiance pierce the darkness of night.”
{ إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ }
(4) – أَقْسَمَ تَعَالَى بِالسَّمَاءِ وَالنَّجْمِ الثَّاقِبِ، عَلَى أَنَّ كُلَّ نَفْسٍ عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ مِنَ اللهِ، يُدَبِّرُ شُؤُونَهَا فِي جَمِيعِ أَطْوَارِ حَيَاتِهَا، وَهَذَا الحَافِظُ المُدَبِّرُ هُوَ رَبُّهَا، خَالِقُهَا وَمُصَرِّفُ أُمُورِهَا فِي مَعَاشِهَا وَحَيَاتِهَا وَمََعَادِهَا.

(وَقِيلَ أَيْضاً إِنَّ المَقْصُودَ بِالحَافِظِ هُنَا المَلَكُ المُكَلَّفُ بِحِفْظِ الإِنْسَانِ وَمُرَاقَبَتِهِ كَمَا جَاءَ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى{ لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِّن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ }
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 4
4. Allah Almighty swore by the sky and the piercing star that each soul has a protector from Allah over it. This guardian manages its affairs in all the stages of its life. It is its Lord, its Creator, the Disposer of its affairs in life and after death. (It is said that the protector here refers to the angel assigned to protect man and watch over him, as is mentioned in chapter 13- Al-Ra’ad (Thunder), 11: “For each person, there are angels in succession before and behind him; they guard him by the command of Allah.”)
{ فَلْيَنظُرِ ٱلإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ }
{ ٱلإِنسَانُ }

(5) – يَلْفِتُ اللهُ تَعَالَى نَظَرَ الإِنْسَانِ إِلَى مَبْدَأ خَلْقِهِ لِيَتَّضِحَ لَهُ قُدْرَةُ خَالِقِهِ وَوَاهِبِهِ الحَيَاةَ وَالرِّزْقَ، لِيَعْرِفَ فَضْلَهُ وَمِنَنَهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَلاَ يَكْفُرُ بِرَبِّهِ، وَلاَ يُنْكِرُ البَعْثَ وَالمَعَادَ، لأَِنَّ مَنْ خَلَقَهُ مِنَ النُّطْفَةِ المَهِينَةِ، قَادِرٌ عَلَى إِعَادَةِ خَلْقِهِ وَإِنْشَائِهِ، وَلِيَعْرِفَ الإِنْسَانُ ضَعْفَهُ وَتَفَاهَةَ أَصْلِهِ فَلاَ يَطْغَى وَلاَ يَتَجَبَّرُ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 5
5. Allah Almighty draws the attention of man to the origin of his creation to clarify to him the power of his Creator who gives him life and sustenance. Thus he could appreciate His favours and His blessings on Him and will not disbelieve in his Lord and deny the Resurrection and the return to Allah. For He who created him from a lowly sperm can re-create him. Also, so that man could know his weakness and the insignificance of his origins and will not be haughty and tyrannical.
{ خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٍ دَافِقٍ }
(6) – ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَى: إِنَّ الإِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ مِنْ مَاءٍ مُتَدَفِّقٍ.

دَافِقٍ – مَصْبُوبٍ بِدَفْعٍ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 6
6. Allah Almighty then says: “Man is created from gushing water.”
{ يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ ٱلصُّلْبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبِ }
(7) – يَخْرُجُ مِنْ صُلْبِ الرَّجْلِ وَيَسْتَقِرُّ فِي رَحِمِ الأُنْثَى.

(والصُّلْبُ أَسْفَلُ الظَّهْرِ، وَالتَّرَائِبُ هِيَ عِظَامُ الصَّدْرِ).

(وَقَالَ الأُسْتَاذُ المَرَاغِي فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ: إِنَّ العِلْمَ الحَدِيثَ أَثْبَتَ أَنَّ الخِصْيَةَ وَالمَبِيضَ يَكُونَانِ فِي بَدْءِ تَكُوُّنِ الجَنِينِ مَا بَيْنَ مُنْتَصَفِ العَمُودِ الفِقَرِيِّ مُقَابِلَ الضُّلُوعِ فِي بَدْءِ أَيَّامِ الحَملِ).

الصُّلْبِ – أَسْفَلِ عِظَامِ الظَّهْرِ.

التَّرَائِبِ – عِظَامِ الرَّقَبَةِ وَالصَّدْرِ
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 7
7. It proceeds from man’s loins and settles in the womb of the female. (Professor Al-Muraghee says in his interpretation: “Science has lately proven that at the beginning of the formation of the foetus, the testicles and ovaries are halfway up the middle of the backbone, opposite the ribs, in the first days of pregnancy.)
{ إِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ }
(8) – وَالذِي خَلَقَ الإِنْسَانَ مِنْ مَاءٍ دَافِقٍ ابْتِدَاءً قَادِرٌ عَلَى إِعَادَةِ خَلْقِهِ وَرَدِّهِ حَيّاً بَعْدَ أَنْ يَمُوتَ وَيَبْلَى.

رَجْعِهِ – إِعَادَةِ خَلْقِ الإِنْسَانِ بَعْدَ فَنَائِهِ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 8
8. He, who created man from gushing water in the beginning, is able to restore him after he dies and turns to dust.
{ يَوْمَ تُبْلَىٰ ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ }
{ ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ }

(9) – وَهُوَ تَعَالَى القَادِرُ عَلَى أَنْ يُعِيدَ الإِنْسَانَ حَيّاً فِي يَوْمِ البَعْثِ وَالنُّشُورِ الذِي تَنْكَشِفُ فِيهِ السَّرَائِرُ، وَتَتَّضِحُ الضَّمَائِرُ، فَلاَ يَبْقَى فِي سَرِيرَةٍ سِرٌّ.

تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ – تُكْشَفُ مَكْنُونَاتُ القُلُوبِ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 9
9. Allah Almighty is able to raise man on the Day of Resurrection and Assembly when all secrets are revealed and all hidden matters are cleared.
{ فَمَا لَهُ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلاَ نَاصِرٍ }
(10) – وَفِي ذَلِكَ اليَوْمِ لاَ تَكُونُ لِلإِنْسَانِ قُوَّةٌ يُدَافِعُ بِهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَلاَ يَجِدُ لَهُ نَاصِراً يَنْصُرُهُ مِنْ حِسَابِ اللهِ وَعِقَابِهِ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 10
10. On that Day, man will have no power to defend himself and he will find no one to help or save him from Allah’s punishment.
{ وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجْعِ }
(11) – قَسَماً بِالسَّمَاءِ التِي تُنْزِلُ المَطَرَ.

(وَالرَّجْعُ هُوَ إِعَادَةُ الشَّيْءِ إِلَى مَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ قَبْلاً، وَيُرَادُ بِهِ هُنَا المَطَرُ لأَِنَّهُ يُعَادُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ).

(وَهَذِهِ إِشَارَةٌ إِلَى أَنَّ المَطَرَ يَنْشَأُ مِمَّا يَتَصَاعَدُ مِنَ الأَرْضِ مِنْ بُخَارٍ).
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 11
11. Allah swears here by the sky which sends down rain. (Al-raj’u is to return something to what it was. Here it means the rain because it is returned to earth from the sky.) (This is an indication that rain originates from the vapour that rises from earth).
{ وَٱلأَرْضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدْعِ }
(12) – وَقَسَماً بِالأَرْضِ التِي يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهَا المَاءُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَنْشَقُّ وَتَتَصَدَّعُ، وَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا النَّبَاتُ.

الصَّدْعِ – النَّبَاتِ الذِي تَنْشَقُّ الأَرْضُ عَنْهُ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 12
12. He swears by the earth upon which the rain falls from the sky, causing it thus to crack and the vegetation to grow.
{ إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ }
(13) – بَعْدَ أَنْ أَقْسَمَ تَعَالَى بِالسَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ، قَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا القَوْلَ، الذِي جَاءَكُمْ بِهِ مُحَمَّدٌ، هُوَ قَوْلٌ حَقٌّ فَاصِلٌ بَيْنَ الحَقِّ وَالبَاطِلِ، وَقَاطِعٌ لِلْجَدَلِ.

فَصْلٌ – فَاصِلٌ بَيْنَ الحَقِّ وَالبَاطِلِ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 13
13. After Allah Almighty has sworn by the sky and earth, He says that what Mohammad brought to you is the Truth that distinguishes right from wrong and eliminates argumentation.
{ وَمَا هوَ بِٱلْهَزْلِ }
(14) – وَهُوَ قَوْلٌ جِدٌّ لاَ هَزلَ فِيهِ، فَمِنْ حَقِّهِ أَنْ تَخْضَعَ لَهُ الرِّقَابُ، وَتَذِلَّ جِبَاهُ العُتَاةِ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 14
14. What he has brought you is the truth without mockery. Therefore, it is deserving of it that the servants of Allah should submit to it and that the rebellious should bow their heads to it.
{ إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْداً }
(15) – إِنَّ هَؤُلاَءِ المُكَذِّبِينَ المُجْرِمِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ بِالنَّاسِ وَيَكِيدُونَ لَهُمْ بِدَعْوَتِهِمْ إِيَاهُمْ إِلَى مُخَالَفَةِ القُرْآنِ بِإِلْقَاءِ الشُّبُهَاتِ كَقَوْلِهِمْ: (إِنْ هِيَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلاَّ الدَّهْرُ).
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 15
15. Those sinful criminals deceive people and plot against them by calling them to oppose the Quran. They do this by casting doubt on facts like saying, for example: “This is nothing other than our life on earth; we live and die and only time can destroy us.”
{ وَأَكِيدُ كَيْداً }
(16) – وَيَقُولُ تَعَالَى إِنَّهُ يُقَابِلُ كَيْدَهُمْ بِكَيْدٍ يُفْسِدُهُ وَيُبْطِلُهُ، لِيُظْهِرَ الحَقَّ وَلَو كَرِهَ الكَافِرُونَ، وَلِيَدْفَعَ مَا جَاؤُوا بِهِ مِنَ البَاطِلِ، وَلِيَعْلَمَ الخَلْقُ بِهَذا مَنْ يَكُونُ الغَالِبَ أَهُوَ اللهُ أَمِ العَبْدُ الكَافِرُ؟ إِنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الغَالِبُ لأَِنَّ العَبْدَ أَضْعَفُ وَأَحْقَرُ مِنَ أَنْ يُغَالِبَ اللهَ القَوِيَّ العَلِيمَ فِي كَيْدِهِ.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 16
16. Allah Almighty says that He meets their plots with other plots to invalidate theirs so that truth is revealed even if the unbelievers do not like it, and to repel the wrong that they have worked. Thus, creatures would know by this who triumphs, Allah or the unbelievers. Indeed it is Allah Who is victorious. The servant is too weak and humble to defeat Allah the Mighty, the All-Knowing in His plotting.
{ فَمَهِّلِ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْداً }
{ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ }

(17) – ثُمَّ يَقُولُ تَعَالَى لِرَسُولِهِ الكَرِيمِ: سِرْ فِي دَعْوَتِكَ، وَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلْ بِالعَذَابِ فَإِنَّنَا سَنُمْهِلُهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْماً حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ، أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِحَقٍّ. وَعَادَ تَعَالَى فَأَكَّدَ طَلَبَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِهِ إِمْهَالَهُمْ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّنَا سَنُمْهِلُهُمْ قَلِيلاً، وَسَتَرى مَا سَيَحِلُّ بِهِمْ مِنَ العَذَابِ وَالنَّكَالِ.

رُوَيداً – قَلِيلاً أَوْ قَرِيباً.
Surah At-Tariq: Verse 17
17. Then He tells His noble Messenger: “Proceed with your call, and do not hasten their punishment. We will give them respite so that they may increase their sins and be justly punished.” Then Allah reiterates His request of His Messenger and says: “We will give them respite for a while and you will see the punishment that will be inflicted on them.”

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.