English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)

by Maulana Muhammad Ali

Chapter 75: Al-Qiyamah — The Resurrection (Revealed at Makkah: 2 sections, 40 verses)

Section 2 (Verses 75:31–75:40): The Dead Rise

Translation:

فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَ لَا صَلّٰی ﴿ۙ۳۱﴾

75:31 So he did not accept the truth, nor did he pray,

وَ لٰکِنۡ کَذَّبَ وَ تَوَلّٰی ﴿ۙ۳۲﴾

75:32 but denied and turned back,

ثُمَّ ذَہَبَ اِلٰۤی اَہۡلِہٖ یَتَمَطّٰی ﴿ؕ۳۳﴾

75:33 then he went to his people arrogantly.1

اَوۡلٰی لَکَ فَاَوۡلٰی ﴿ۙ۳۴﴾

75:34 Nearer to you and nearer;

ثُمَّ اَوۡلٰی لَکَ فَاَوۡلٰی ﴿ؕ۳۵﴾

75:35 again, nearer to you and nearer (is woe).2

اَیَحۡسَبُ الۡاِنۡسَانُ اَنۡ یُّتۡرَکَ سُدًی ﴿ؕ۳۶﴾

75:36 Does man think that he will be left aimless?3

اَلَمۡ یَکُ نُطۡفَۃً مِّنۡ مَّنِیٍّ یُّمۡنٰی ﴿ۙ۳۷﴾

75:37 Was he not a small life-germ in sperm emitted?

ثُمَّ کَانَ عَلَقَۃً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوّٰی ﴿ۙ۳۸﴾

75:38 Then he was a clot; so He created (him), then made (him) perfect.

فَجَعَلَ مِنۡہُ الزَّوۡجَیۡنِ الذَّکَرَ وَ الۡاُنۡثٰی ﴿ؕ۳۹﴾

75:39 Then He made of him two kinds, the male and the female.

اَلَیۡسَ ذٰلِکَ بِقٰدِرٍ عَلٰۤی اَنۡ یُّحۡیَِۧ الۡمَوۡتٰی ﴿٪۴۰﴾

75:40 Is not He Powerful to give life to the dead?4

Commentary:

  1. The description applies to every opponent.
  2. The haughty opponent is warned that destruction is very near. The repetition shows that the opponents were threatened with a double punishment, namely, in this life and in the Hereafter. In fact, the double punishment is spoken of throughout the chapter.
  3. The verse draws attention to the seriousness of life and to man’s res­ponsibility for his actions — a doctrine denied as much today as it was by the Arabs.
  4. The giving of “life to the dead” not only signifies raising after death, but also spiritually raising a dead people to life.

Top