English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (1951/2002)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
سُوۡرَۃُ الۡغَاشِیَۃِ مَکِّیَّۃٌ
Chapter 88
Al-Ghashiyah
The Overwhelming Event
Revealed at Makkah
(1 section; 26 verses)
Introductory Note by Translator: The Overwhelming Event, whose mention in the first verse supplies a name to this chapter, is the doom of the opponents in this life and their punishment in the Hereafter. The date of revelation is placed about the fourth year of the Prophet’s call.
بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
ہَلۡ اَتٰىکَ حَدِیۡثُ الۡغَاشِیَۃِ ؕ﴿۱﴾
88:1 Has there come to thee the news of the Overwhelming Event?a
1a (Commentary on 88:1) The Overwhelming Event is no doubt the Resurrection, but the overwhelming event of this life is the doom of the opponents of Truth. The description of the two parties that follows applies to an utterly discomfited and disappointed enemy and to the faithful in the hour of their triumph.
وُجُوۡہٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ خَاشِعَۃٌ ۙ﴿۲﴾
88:2 Faces on that day will be downcast,
عَامِلَۃٌ نَّاصِبَۃٌ ۙ﴿۳﴾
88:3 Labouring, toiling,
تَصۡلٰی نَارًا حَامِیَۃً ۙ﴿۴﴾
88:4 Entering burning Fire,
تُسۡقٰی مِنۡ عَیۡنٍ اٰنِیَۃٍ ؕ﴿۵﴾
88:5 Made to drink from a boiling spring.
لَیۡسَ لَہُمۡ طَعَامٌ اِلَّا مِنۡ ضَرِیۡعٍ ۙ﴿۶﴾
88:6 They will have no food but of thorns,
لَّا یُسۡمِنُ وَ لَا یُغۡنِیۡ مِنۡ جُوۡعٍ ؕ﴿۷﴾
88:7 Neither nourishing nor satisfying hunger.
وُجُوۡہٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ نَّاعِمَۃٌ ۙ﴿۸﴾
88:8 Faces on that day will be happy,
لِّسَعۡیِہَا رَاضِیَۃٌ ۙ﴿۹﴾
88:9 Glad for their striving,
فِیۡ جَنَّۃٍ عَالِیَۃٍ ﴿ۙ۱۰﴾
88:10 In a lofty Garden,
لَّا تَسۡمَعُ فِیۡہَا لَاغِیَۃً ﴿ؕ۱۱﴾
88:11 Wherein thou wilt hear no vain talk.
فِیۡہَا عَیۡنٌ جَارِیَۃٌ ﴿ۘ۱۲﴾
88:12 Therein is a fountain flowing.
فِیۡہَا سُرُرٌ مَّرۡفُوۡعَۃٌ ﴿ۙ۱۳﴾
88:13 Therein are thrones raised high,
وَّ اَکۡوَابٌ مَّوۡضُوۡعَۃٌ ﴿ۙ۱۴﴾
88:14 And drinking-cups ready placed,
وَّ نَمَارِقُ مَصۡفُوۡفَۃٌ ﴿ۙ۱۵﴾
88:15 And cushions set in rows,
وَّ زَرَابِیُّ مَبۡثُوۡثَۃٌ ﴿ؕ۱۶﴾
88:16 And carpets spread out.
اَفَلَا یَنۡظُرُوۡنَ اِلَی الۡاِبِلِ کَیۡفَ خُلِقَتۡ ﴿ٝ۱۷﴾
88:17 See they not the clouds,a how they are created?
17a (Commentary on 88:17) Ibil means clouds that bear the water for rain (T, LL). As this significance suits the context better, I adopt this instead of the usual rendering, the camels, the mention of the clouds along with the heavens, where they exist, and with mountains, which cool the vapours so that they pour down water, and the earth, which benefits by that water, being in accordance with what is said in many other places.
وَ اِلَی السَّمَآءِ کَیۡفَ رُفِعَتۡ ﴿ٝ۱۸﴾
88:18 And the heaven, how it is raised high?
وَ اِلَی الۡجِبَالِ کَیۡفَ نُصِبَتۡ ﴿ٝ۱۹﴾
88:19 And the mountains, how they are fixed?
وَ اِلَی الۡاَرۡضِ کَیۡفَ سُطِحَتۡ ﴿ٝ۲۰﴾
88:20 And the earth, how it is spread out?
فَذَکِّرۡ ۟ؕ اِنَّمَاۤ اَنۡتَ مُذَکِّرٌ ﴿ؕ۲۱﴾
88:21 So remind. Thou art only one to remind.
لَسۡتَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ بِمُصَۜیۡطِرٍ ﴿ۙ۲۲﴾
88:22 Thou art not a warder over them —
اِلَّا مَنۡ تَوَلّٰی وَ کَفَرَ ﴿ۙ۲۳﴾
88:23 But whoever turns back and disbelieves,
فَیُعَذِّبُہُ اللّٰہُ الۡعَذَابَ الۡاَکۡبَرَ ﴿ؕ۲۴﴾
88:24 Allah will chastise him with the greatest chastisement.
اِنَّ اِلَیۡنَاۤ اِیَابَہُمۡ ﴿ۙ۲۵﴾
88:25 Surely to Us is their return.
ثُمَّ اِنَّ عَلَیۡنَا حِسَابَہُمۡ ﴿٪۲۶﴾
88:26 Then it is for Us to call them to account.