English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)

by Maulana Muhammad Ali

Quran: Search & listen

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. ↩︎

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