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:
- The description applies to every opponent. ↩
- 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. ↩
- 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. ↩
- The giving of “life to the dead” not only signifies raising after death, but also spiritually raising a dead people to life. ↩