English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 56: Al-Waqiah — The Event (Revealed at Makkah: 3 sections, 96 verses)
Section 2 (Verses 56:39–56:74): The Guilty
Translation:
ثُلَّۃٌ مِّنَ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۳۹﴾
56:39 A multitude from among the first,
وَ ثُلَّۃٌ مِّنَ الۡاٰخِرِیۡنَ ﴿ؕ۴۰﴾
56:40 and a multitude from among those of later times.1
وَ اَصۡحٰبُ الشِّمَالِ ۬ۙ مَاۤ اَصۡحٰبُ الشِّمَالِ ﴿ؕ۴۱﴾
56:41 And those on the left hand; how (wretched) are those on the left hand!
فِیۡ سَمُوۡمٍ وَّ حَمِیۡمٍ ﴿ۙ۴۲﴾
56:42 In hot wind and boiling water,
وَّ ظِلٍّ مِّنۡ یَّحۡمُوۡمٍ ﴿ۙ۴۳﴾
56:43 and shadow of black smoke,
لَّا بَارِدٍ وَّ لَا کَرِیۡمٍ ﴿۴۴﴾
56:44 neither cool nor refreshing.
اِنَّہُمۡ کَانُوۡا قَبۡلَ ذٰلِکَ مُتۡرَفِیۡنَ ﴿ۚۖ۴۵﴾
56:45 Surely they lived before that in ease.
وَ کَانُوۡا یُصِرُّوۡنَ عَلَی الۡحِنۡثِ الۡعَظِیۡمِ ﴿ۚ۴۶﴾
56:46 And they persisted in the great violation.2
وَ کَانُوۡا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ ۬ۙ اَئِذَا مِتۡنَا وَ کُنَّا تُرَابًا وَّ عِظَامًا ءَاِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوۡثُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۴۷﴾
56:47 And they used to say: When we die and become dust and bones, shall we then indeed be raised,
اَوَ اٰبَآؤُنَا الۡاَوَّلُوۡنَ ﴿۴۸﴾
56:48 or our forefathers?
قُلۡ اِنَّ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ وَ الۡاٰخِرِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۴۹﴾
56:49 Say: The ancients and those of later times
لَمَجۡمُوۡعُوۡنَ ۬ۙ اِلٰی مِیۡقَاتِ یَوۡمٍ مَّعۡلُوۡمٍ ﴿۵۰﴾
56:50 will surely be gathered together for the appointed hour of a known day.
ثُمَّ اِنَّکُمۡ اَیُّہَا الضَّآلُّوۡنَ الۡمُکَذِّبُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۵۱﴾
56:51 Then shall you, O you who are in error and deny,
لَاٰکِلُوۡنَ مِنۡ شَجَرٍ مِّنۡ زَقُّوۡمٍ ﴿ۙ۵۲﴾
56:52 eat from the tree of Zaqqūm,
فَمَالِـُٔوۡنَ مِنۡہَا الۡبُطُوۡنَ ﴿ۚ۵۳﴾
56:53 and fill (your) bellies with it;
فَشٰرِبُوۡنَ عَلَیۡہِ مِنَ الۡحَمِیۡمِ ﴿ۚ۵۴﴾
56:54 then drink after it boiling water;
فَشٰرِبُوۡنَ شُرۡبَ الۡہِیۡمِ ﴿ؕ۵۵﴾
56:55 and drink as drinks the thirsty camel.
ہٰذَا نُزُلُہُمۡ یَوۡمَ الدِّیۡنِ ﴿ؕ۵۶﴾
56:56 This is their entertainment on the day of Recompense.
نَحۡنُ خَلَقۡنٰکُمۡ فَلَوۡ لَا تُصَدِّقُوۡنَ ﴿۵۷﴾
56:57 We have created you, why do you not then accept?
اَفَرَءَیۡتُمۡ مَّا تُمۡنُوۡنَ ﴿ؕ۵۸﴾
56:58 Do you see (the semen) which you emit?
ءَاَنۡتُمۡ تَخۡلُقُوۡنَہٗۤ اَمۡ نَحۡنُ الۡخٰلِقُوۡنَ ﴿۵۹﴾
56:59 Is it you that create it or are We the Creator?
نَحۡنُ قَدَّرۡنَا بَیۡنَکُمُ الۡمَوۡتَ وَ مَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوۡقِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۶۰﴾
56:60 We have ordained death among you and We are not to be overcome,
عَلٰۤی اَنۡ نُّبَدِّلَ اَمۡثَالَکُمۡ وَ نُنۡشِئَکُمۡ فِیۡ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۶۱﴾
56:61 that We may change your state and make you grow into what you do not know.3
وَ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُمُ النَّشۡاَۃَ الۡاُوۡلٰی فَلَوۡ لَا تَذَکَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۶۲﴾
56:62 And certainly you know the first growth, why do you not then be mindful?
اَفَرَءَیۡتُمۡ مَّا تَحۡرُثُوۡنَ ﴿ؕ۶۳﴾
56:63 Do you see what you sow?
ءَاَنۡتُمۡ تَزۡرَعُوۡنَہٗۤ اَمۡ نَحۡنُ الزّٰرِعُوۡنَ ﴿۶۴﴾
56:64 Is it you that cause it to grow, or are We the Causer of growth?
لَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلۡنٰہُ حُطَامًا فَظَلۡتُمۡ تَفَکَّہُوۡنَ ﴿۶۵﴾
56:65 If We pleased, We would make it chaff, then would you lament:
اِنَّا لَمُغۡرَمُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۶۶﴾
56:66 Surely we are burdened with debt,
بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُوۡمُوۡنَ ﴿۶۷﴾
56:67 indeed, we are deprived.
اَفَرَءَیۡتُمُ الۡمَآءَ الَّذِیۡ تَشۡرَبُوۡنَ ﴿ؕ۶۸﴾
56:68 Do you see the water which you drink?
ءَاَنۡتُمۡ اَنۡزَلۡتُمُوۡہُ مِنَ الۡمُزۡنِ اَمۡ نَحۡنُ الۡمُنۡزِلُوۡنَ ﴿۶۹﴾
56:69 Do you bring it down from the clouds, or are We the Bringer?
لَوۡ نَشَآءُ جَعَلۡنٰہُ اُجَاجًا فَلَوۡ لَا تَشۡکُرُوۡنَ ﴿۷۰﴾
56:70 If We pleased, We could make it saltish; why do you not then give thanks?
اَفَرَءَیۡتُمُ النَّارَ الَّتِیۡ تُوۡرُوۡنَ ﴿ؕ۷۱﴾
56:71 Do you see the fire which you kindle?
ءَاَنۡتُمۡ اَنۡشَاۡتُمۡ شَجَرَتَہَاۤ اَمۡ نَحۡنُ الۡمُنۡشِـُٔوۡنَ ﴿۷۲﴾
56:72 Is it you that produce the trees for it, or are We the Producer?
نَحۡنُ جَعَلۡنٰہَا تَذۡکِرَۃً وَّ مَتَاعًا لِّلۡمُقۡوِیۡنَ ﴿ۚ۷۳﴾
56:73 We have made it a reminder and an advantage for the travellers of the desert.4
فَسَبِّحۡ بِاسۡمِ رَبِّکَ الۡعَظِیۡمِ ﴿٪ؓ۷۴﴾
56:74 So glorify the name of your Lord, the Incomparably Great.
Commentary:
- These verses do not contradict verses 13 and 14, as the earlier verses speak only of those who were foremost in accepting the Holy Prophet. ↩
- That is, the violation of Divine commandments. ↩
- In the next life, the present state will be changed, and people will be made to grow into a new creation, which they do not know. It is not the material body of this life, but a new body which grows out of the deeds of a person. ↩
- The fire burned at night points out to the desert traveller a habitation of people, where he will be welcome. ↩