English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)

by Maulana Muhammad Ali

Chapter 78: An-Naba — The Announcement (Revealed at Makkah: 2 sections, 40 verses)

Section 2 (Verses 78:31–78:40): The Day of Decision

Translation:

اِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ مَفَازًا ﴿ۙ۳۱﴾

78:31 Surely for those who keep their duty is achievement,1

حَدَآئِقَ وَ اَعۡنَابًا ﴿ۙ۳۲﴾

78:32 gardens and vineyards,

وَّکَوَاعِبَ اَتۡرَابًا ﴿ۙ۳۳﴾

78:33 and youthful (companions), equals in age,2

وَّ کَاۡسًا دِہَاقًا ﴿ؕ۳۴﴾

78:34 and a pure cup.

لَا یَسۡمَعُوۡنَ فِیۡہَا لَغۡوًا وَّ لَا کِذّٰبًا ﴿ۚ۳۵﴾

78:35 They do not hear therein vain words nor lying —

جَزَآءً مِّنۡ رَّبِّکَ عَطَآءً حِسَابًا ﴿ۙ۳۶﴾

78:36 a reward from your Lord, a gift sufficient;

رَّبِّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ وَ مَا بَیۡنَہُمَا الرَّحۡمٰنِ لَا یَمۡلِکُوۡنَ مِنۡہُ خِطَابًا ﴿ۚ۳۷﴾

78:37 the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the Beneficent, they are not able to address Him.

یَوۡمَ یَقُوۡمُ الرُّوۡحُ وَ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ صَفًّا ؕ٭ۙ لَّا یَتَکَلَّمُوۡنَ اِلَّا مَنۡ اَذِنَ لَہُ الرَّحۡمٰنُ وَ قَالَ صَوَابًا ﴿۳۸﴾

78:38 The day when the Spirit and the angels stand in ranks;3 none shall speak except he whom the Beneficent permits and he speaks aright.

ذٰلِکَ الۡیَوۡمُ الۡحَقُّ ۚ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰی رَبِّہٖ مَاٰبًا ﴿۳۹﴾

78:39 That is the True Day, so whoever wishes may take refuge with his Lord.

اِنَّاۤ اَنۡذَرۡنٰکُمۡ عَذَابًا قَرِیۡبًا ۬ۚۖ یَّوۡمَ یَنۡظُرُ الۡمَرۡءُ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ یَدٰہُ وَ یَقُوۡلُ الۡکٰفِرُ یٰلَیۡتَنِیۡ کُنۡتُ تُرٰبًا ﴿٪۴۰﴾

78:40 Truly We warn you of a punishment near at hand4 — the day when man will see what (deeds) his hands have sent ahead, and the disbeliever will say: I wish I were dust!

Commentary:

  1. The reward of good is achievement — achievement of the object of this life as also of the great goal of the next life. It is this achievement which becomes a Garden. ↩
  2. It should be noted that neither the word kawā‘ib (“youthful”) nor atrāb (“equals in age”) is preceded or followed by any qualifying words. Hence kawā‘ib only means showing freshness of youth. For “equals in age” see 38:52 footnote. For further explanation see 52:20 footnote. ↩
  3. The word al-rūḥ, translated as the Spirit, really signifies Divine inspi­ration or Divine revelation. See 40:15, 70:4 and footnotes there. Gabriel is called al-rūḥ because he brings the Divine revelation to the Prophet. The human spirit can, in fact, be called al-rūḥ only when it receives light through Divine inspira­tion. The meaning would thus be that on the day of Judgment the faithful and the angels stand in ranks in the presence of God. ↩
  4. The punishment of which the disbelievers are warned throughout the chapter is a punishment near at hand, which term, like the nearer punishment of 32:21, indicates the punishment of this life. ↩

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