English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 77: Al-Mursalat — Those Sent Forth (Revealed at Makkah: 2 sections, 50 verses)
Section 1 (Verses 77:1–77:40): Consequences of Rejection
Translation:
بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
وَ الۡمُرۡسَلٰتِ عُرۡفًا ۙ﴿۱﴾
77:1 By those sent forth to spread goodness!
فَالۡعٰصِفٰتِ عَصۡفًا ۙ﴿۲﴾
77:2 Then those driving off the chaff!
وَّ النّٰشِرٰتِ نَشۡرًا ۙ﴿۳﴾
77:3 And those spreading (goodness), far and wide!
فَالۡفٰرِقٰتِ فَرۡقًا ۙ﴿۴﴾
77:4 Then those making a distinction!
فَالۡمُلۡقِیٰتِ ذِکۡرًا ۙ﴿۵﴾
77:5 Then those offering the Reminder,
عُذۡرًا اَوۡ نُذۡرًا ۙ﴿۶﴾
77:6 to clear or to warn! —
اِنَّمَا تُوۡعَدُوۡنَ لَوَاقِعٌ ؕ﴿۷﴾
77:7 Surely what you are promised will come to pass.1
فَاِذَا النُّجُوۡمُ طُمِسَتۡ ۙ﴿۸﴾
77:8 So when the stars are made to disappear,
وَ اِذَا السَّمَآءُ فُرِجَتۡ ۙ﴿۹﴾
77:9 and when the heaven is torn apart,
وَ اِذَا الۡجِبَالُ نُسِفَتۡ ﴿ۙ۱۰﴾
77:10 and when the mountains are carried away as dust,
وَ اِذَا الرُّسُلُ اُقِّتَتۡ ﴿ؕ۱۱﴾
77:11 and when the messengers are made to reach their appointed time,2
لِاَیِّ یَوۡمٍ اُجِّلَتۡ ﴿ؕ۱۲﴾
77:12 to what day is the doom fixed?
لِیَوۡمِ الۡفَصۡلِ ﴿ۚ۱۳﴾
77:13 To the day of Decision.
وَ مَاۤ اَدۡرٰىکَ مَا یَوۡمُ الۡفَصۡلِ ﴿ؕ۱۴﴾
77:14 And what will make you comprehend what the day of Decision is?
وَیۡلٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ لِّلۡمُکَذِّبِیۡنَ ﴿۱۵﴾
77:15 Woe on that day to the rejectors!
اَلَمۡ نُہۡلِکِ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ ﴿ؕ۱۶﴾
77:16 Did We not destroy the former generations?
ثُمَّ نُتۡبِعُہُمُ الۡاٰخِرِیۡنَ ﴿۱۷﴾
77:17 Then We followed them up with later ones.
کَذٰلِکَ نَفۡعَلُ بِالۡمُجۡرِمِیۡنَ ﴿۱۸﴾
77:18 Thus do We deal with the guilty.
وَیۡلٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ لِّلۡمُکَذِّبِیۡنَ ﴿۱۹﴾
77:19 Woe on that day to the rejectors!3
اَلَمۡ نَخۡلُقۡکُّمۡ مِّنۡ مَّآءٍ مَّہِیۡنٍ ﴿ۙ۲۰﴾
77:20 Did We not create you from a worthless seeming water?
فَجَعَلۡنٰہُ فِیۡ قَرَارٍ مَّکِیۡنٍ ﴿ۙ۲۱﴾
77:21 Then We placed it in a secure resting-place,
اِلٰی قَدَرٍ مَّعۡلُوۡمٍ ﴿ۙ۲۲﴾
77:22 till an appointed term,
فَقَدَرۡنَا ٭ۖ فَنِعۡمَ الۡقٰدِرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۳﴾
77:23 so We determined — how well are We at determining!
وَیۡلٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ لِّلۡمُکَذِّبِیۡنَ ﴿۲۴﴾
77:24 Woe on that day to the rejectors!
اَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ الۡاَرۡضَ کِفَاتًا ﴿ۙ۲۵﴾
77:25 Have We not made the earth draw to itself
اَحۡیَآءً وَّ اَمۡوَاتًا ﴿ۙ۲۶﴾
77:26 the living and the dead,4
وَّ جَعَلۡنَا فِیۡہَا رَوَاسِیَ شٰمِخٰتٍ وَّ اَسۡقَیۡنٰکُمۡ مَّآءً فُرَاتًا ﴿ؕ۲۷﴾
77:27 and made in it lofty mountains, and given you to drink sweet water?
وَیۡلٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ لِّلۡمُکَذِّبِیۡنَ ﴿۲۸﴾
77:28 Woe on that day to the rejectors!
اِنۡطَلِقُوۡۤا اِلٰی مَا کُنۡتُمۡ بِہٖ تُکَذِّبُوۡنَ ﴿ۚ۲۹﴾
77:29 Walk on to that which you called a lie.
اِنۡطَلِقُوۡۤا اِلٰی ظِلٍّ ذِیۡ ثَلٰثِ شُعَبٍ ﴿ۙ۳۰﴾
77:30 Walk on to the shadow, having three branches,5
لَّا ظَلِیۡلٍ وَّ لَا یُغۡنِیۡ مِنَ اللَّہَبِ ﴿ؕ۳۱﴾
77:31 neither cool, nor availing against the flame.
اِنَّہَا تَرۡمِیۡ بِشَرَرٍ کَالۡقَصۡرِ ﴿ۚ۳۲﴾
77:32 It sends up sparks like palaces,
کَاَنَّہٗ جِمٰلَتٌ صُفۡرٌ ﴿ؕ۳۳﴾
77:33 as if they were yellow camels.6
وَیۡلٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ لِّلۡمُکَذِّبِیۡنَ ﴿۳۴﴾
77:34 Woe on that day to the rejectors!
ہٰذَا یَوۡمُ لَا یَنۡطِقُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۳۵﴾
77:35 This is the day on which they do not speak,
وَ لَا یُؤۡذَنُ لَہُمۡ فَیَعۡتَذِرُوۡنَ ﴿۳۶﴾
77:36 nor are they allowed to offer excuses.
وَیۡلٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ لِّلۡمُکَذِّبِیۡنَ ﴿۳۷﴾
77:37 Woe on that day to the rejectors!
ہٰذَا یَوۡمُ الۡفَصۡلِ ۚ جَمَعۡنٰکُمۡ وَ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ ﴿۳۸﴾
77:38 This is the day of Decision; We have gathered you and the ancients.7
فَاِنۡ کَانَ لَکُمۡ کَیۡدٌ فَکِیۡدُوۡنِ ﴿۳۹﴾
77:39 So if you have a plan, plan against me (now).8
وَیۡلٌ یَّوۡمَئِذٍ لِّلۡمُکَذِّبِیۡنَ ﴿٪۴۰﴾
77:40 Woe on that day to the rejectors!
Commentary:
- As stated in 37:1 footnote, attention is drawn in what are called oaths to certain indisputable facts, which lead to a conclusion. The conclusion here is that the opponents are doomed (v. 12). The characteristics described in the first six verses apply to prophets whose opponents were destroyed. This is made clear by the mention of the appointed time of the messengers in v. 11, by which, of course, is meant the appointed time of the destruction of the enemies of Truth. They are told to consider how Truth was spread by former prophets. In v. 1 they are spoken of as being sent with goodness; in v. 2, as driving off the chaff of falsehood before them; in v. 3, as scattering the seed of goodness far and wide or giving life to dead earth; in v. 4, as ultimately bringing about a distinction between truth and falsehood, and in v. 5 and 6 as giving the Reminder that one party may be cleared and the other warned. These considerations about the former prophets should lead the opponents to the certain conclusion that the same Divine law was working in the case of the Holy Prophet, and their doom was also certain. ↩
- The disappearance of the stars (v. 8) was a sign for the Arabs of the befalling of a calamity. The tearing apart of the heaven (v. 9) indicated the same, because the heaven was considered a protection. Compare 21:32: And We have made the heaven a guarded canopy; see 73:18 footnote. The passing away of the mountains (v. 10) signified the disappearance from among them of their great men, whose protection they sought in time of distress. All these things would be brought about when came the appointed time of the messengers, i.e., the time of the destruction of their opponents. ↩
- Note the clear words of verses 16–19. The former generations were destroyed because of their wickedness and others were brought up in their place; such will always be the fate of the guilty — the day of their doom is the day of Decision. A complete manifestation of that day is, however, reserved for the Hereafter. ↩
- This refers to the law of gravitation. It further shows that the belief relating to the ascent of Jesus to the fourth heaven is erroneous. ↩
- The word ẓill, translated here as “shadow”, is extensively used to carry a number of other significances, such as covering, protection, a plentiful or an easy state of life. The three branches of it are the three characteristics thereof stated in the verses that follow; see the next footnote. ↩
- They reject the Truth and seek comfort and ease in material benefits. They are given a shade, but it does not serve the purpose of shade. It is devoid of the coolness of shade — they cannot find solace in it. Nor does it avail them against flames, which stand here for the distresses of life. More than this, what they mistook for ease and plenty is itself a source of distress. Sparks arise therefrom, sparks as big as palaces. In fact, the very palaces which they make for their comfort turn into sparks, which set fire to all around them. Perhaps there is a deeper reference here to the modern implements of destruction on account of their magnitude and extensive destructive effect. These sparks are further compared to yellow camels, which is true not only as regards their colour but also because of the succession with which these big sparks follow one another, like camels walking one after another in a line. ↩
- This gathering together will take place in the Resurrection, but the opponents of Truth, earlier as well as later, are gathered together in punishment in this life, too. ↩
- The opponents are even so early challenged to execute their plans against the Holy Prophet. ↩