النَّازِعَاتِ
- Meccan
- 46 verses
- Surah 79 of 114
Introduction to Surah An-Nazi’at
Forty-six verses, Meccan, seventy-ninth in the written order. It opens on five oaths in five short lines, sworn by things that tear out, draw gently, glide, race and arrange.
The oaths
What they refer to has been read in two main ways since the early commentaries: as angels, engaged in taking souls and carrying out commands, or as stars and the heavenly bodies in their courses. The Arabic is participles without nouns, which is why the question has stayed open. What is not in question is the impression the lines create, which is of something already in motion.
Pharaoh
The surah’s only narrative is Moses sent to Pharaoh in the sacred valley of Tuwa, told to ask him whether he would purify himself. Pharaoh rejected and disobeyed, then turned away and gathered his people and made a proclamation:
Saying, “I am your Lord, Most High”. (79:24)
The surah gives him five words and then says that God seized him for a punishment in the hereafter and in this life, and that in this is a lesson for whoever fears. It does not describe the drowning. It spends more time on the sky being built and the earth spread and the mountains fixed and the pasture brought out, which is the reply it prefers to make to a claim of that kind.
The question at the end
They ask thee about the Hour,-‘When will be its appointed time? Wherein art thou (concerned) with the declaration thereof? (79:42–43)
The answer given is that the final end of it is with the Lord, and that the Prophet is only a warner to those who fear it. The information is withheld from the person being asked, not just from the people asking, which is a distinction the surah makes deliberately.
Its last line says that on the day they see it, it will be as though they had waited only an evening or a morning of it.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيم
وَٱلنَّٰزِعَٰتِ غَرْقًۭا
Wan naazi ‘aati gharqa
By the (angels) who tear out (the souls of the wicked) with violence;
By those who drag forth to destruction,
وَٱلنَّٰشِطَٰتِ نَشْطًۭا
Wan naa shi taati nashta
By those who gently draw out (the souls of the blessed);
By the meteors rushing,
وَٱلسَّٰبِحَٰتِ سَبْحًۭا
Wass saabi-haati sabha
And by those who glide along (on errands of mercy),
By the lone stars floating,
فَٱلسَّٰبِقَٰتِ سَبْقًۭا
Fass saabi qaati sabqa
Then press forward as in a race,
By the angels hastening,
فَٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ أَمْرًۭا
Fal mu dab-bi raati amra
Then arrange to do (the Commands of their Lord),
And those who govern the event,
يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ
Yawma tarjufur raajifa
One Day everything that can be in commotion will be in violent commotion,
On the day when the first trump resoundeth.
تَتْبَعُهَا ٱلرَّادِفَةُ
Tatba’u har raadifa
Followed by oft-repeated (commotions):
And the second followeth it,
قُلُوبٌۭ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ وَاجِفَةٌ
Quloobuny-yau maaiziw-waaji-fa
Hearts that Day will be in agitation;
On that day hearts beat painfully
أَبْصَٰرُهَا خَٰشِعَةٌۭ
Absaa ruhaa khashi’ah
Cast down will be (their owners’) eyes.
While eyes are downcast
يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِى ٱلْحَافِرَةِ
Ya qoo loona a-inna lamar doo doona fil haafirah
They say (now): “What! shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state?
(Now) they are saying: Shall we really be restored to our first state
أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَٰمًۭا نَّخِرَةًۭ
Aizaa kunna ‘izaa man-nakhirah
“What! – when we shall have become rotten bones?”
Even after we are crumbled bones?
قَالُوا۟ تِلْكَ إِذًۭا كَرَّةٌ خَاسِرَةٌۭ
Qaalu tilka izan karratun khaasirah.
They say: “It would, in that case, be a return with loss!”
They say: Then that would be a vain proceeding.
فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌۭ وَٰحِدَةٌۭ
Fa inna ma hiya zajratuw-waahida
But verily, it will be but a single (Compelling) Cry,
Surely it will need but one shout,
فَإِذَا هُم بِٱلسَّاهِرَةِ
Faizaa hum biss saahirah
When, behold, they will be in the (full) awakening (to Judgment).
And lo! they will be awakened.
هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ
Hal ataaka hadeethu Musaa
Has the story of Moses reached thee?
Hath there come unto thee the history of Moses?
إِذْ نَادَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ بِٱلْوَادِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى
Iz nadaahu rabbuhu bil waadil-muqad dasi tuwa
Behold, thy Lord did call to him in the sacred valley of Tuwa:-
How his Lord called him in the holy vale of Tuwa,
ٱذْهَبْ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ
Izhab ilaa fir’auna innahu taghaa.
“Go thou to Pharaoh for he has indeed transgressed all bounds:
(Saying:) Go thou unto Pharaoh – Lo! he hath rebelled –
فَقُلْ هَل لَّكَ إِلَىٰٓ أَن تَزَكَّىٰ
Faqul hal laka ilaa-an tazakka.
“And say to him, ‘Wouldst thou that thou shouldst be purified (from sin)?-
And say (unto him): Hast thou (will) to grow (in grace)?
وَأَهْدِيَكَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَتَخْشَىٰ
Wa ahdi yaka ila rabbika fatakh sha
“‘And that I guide thee to thy Lord, so thou shouldst fear Him?’”
Then I will guide thee to thy Lord and thou shalt fear (Him).
فَأَرَىٰهُ ٱلْءَايَةَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
Fa araahul-aayatal kubra.
Then did (Moses) show him the Great Sign.
And he showed him the tremendous token.
فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَىٰ
Fa kazzaba wa asaa.
But (Pharaoh) rejected it and disobeyed (guidance);
But he denied and disobeyed,
ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَىٰ
Thumma adbara yas’aa.
Further, he turned his back, striving hard (against Allah).
Then turned he away in haste,
فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَىٰ
Fa hashara fanada.
Then he collected (his men) and made a proclamation,
Then gathered he and summoned
فَقَالَ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ
Faqala ana rabbu kumul-a’laa.
Saying, “I am your Lord, Most High”.
And proclaimed: “I (Pharaoh) am your Lord the Highest.”
فَأَخَذَهُ ٱللَّهُ نَكَالَ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ وَٱلْأُولَىٰٓ
Fa-akha zahul laahu nakalal aakhirati wal-oola.
But Allah did punish him, (and made an) example of him, – in the Hereafter, as in this life.
So Allah seized him (and made him) an example for the after (life) and for the former.
إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةًۭ لِّمَن يَخْشَىٰٓ
Inna fee zaalika la’ibratal limaiy-yaksha
Verily in this is an instructive warning for whosoever feareth (Allah).
Lo! herein is indeed a lesson for him who feareth.
ءَأَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ ۚ بَنَىٰهَا
A-antum a shaddu khalqan amis samaa-u banaaha.
What! Are ye the more difficult to create or the heaven (above)? (Allah) hath constructed it:
Are ye the harder to create, or is the heaven that He built?
رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّىٰهَا
Raf’a sam kaha fasaw waaha
On high hath He raised its canopy, and He hath given it order and perfection.
He raised the height thereof and ordered it;
وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَىٰهَا
Wa aghtasha lailaha wa akhraja duhaaha.
Its night doth He endow with darkness, and its splendour doth He bring out (with light).
And He made dark the night thereof, and He brought forth the morn thereof.
وَٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَىٰهَآ
Wal arda b’ada zaalika dahaaha.
And the earth, moreover, hath He extended (to a wide expanse);
And after that He spread the earth,
أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرْعَىٰهَا
Akhraja minha maa-aha wa mar ‘aaha.
He draweth out therefrom its moisture and its pasture;
And produced therefrom the water thereof and the pasture thereof,
وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَرْسَىٰهَا
Wal jibala arsaaha.
And the mountains hath He firmly fixed;-
And He made fast the hills,
مَتَٰعًۭا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَٰمِكُمْ
Mataa’al lakum wali an ‘aamikum.
For use and convenience to you and your cattle.
A provision for you and for your cattle.
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلطَّآمَّةُ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
Fa-izaa jaaa’atit taaam matul kubraa.
Therefore, when there comes the great, overwhelming (Event),-
But when the great disaster cometh,
يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ مَا سَعَىٰ
Yauma Yata zakkarul insaanu ma sa’aa.
The Day when man shall remember (all) that he strove for,
The day when man will call to mind his (whole) endeavour,
وَبُرِّزَتِ ٱلْجَحِيمُ لِمَن يَرَىٰ
Wa burrizatil-jaheemu limany-yaraa.
And Hell-Fire shall be placed in full view for (all) to see,-
And hell will stand forth visible to him who seeth,
فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَىٰ
Fa ammaa man taghaa.
Then, for such as had transgressed all bounds,
Then, as for him who rebelled
وَءَاثَرَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا
Wa aasaral hayaatad dunyaa
And had preferred the life of this world,
And chose the life of the world,
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ
Fa innal jaheema hiyal maawaa.
The Abode will be Hell-Fire;
Lo! hell will be his home.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ
Wa ammaa man khaafa maqaama Rabbihee wa nahan nafsa ‘anil hawaa
And for such as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord’s (tribunal) and had restrained (their) soul from lower desires,
But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust,
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَنَّةَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ
Fa innal jannata hiyal maawaa
Their abode will be the Garden.
Lo! the Garden will be his home.
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا
Yas’aloonaka ‘anis saa’ati ayyaana mursaahaa
They ask thee about the Hour,-‘When will be its appointed time?
They ask thee of the Hour: when will it come to port?
فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَىٰهَآ
Feema anta min zikraahaa
Wherein art thou (concerned) with the declaration thereof?
Why (ask they)? What hast thou to tell thereof?
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَىٰهَآ
Ilaa Rabbika muntahaa haa
With thy Lord in the Limit fixed therefor.
Unto thy Lord belongeth (knowledge of) the term thereof.
إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰهَا
Innamaaa anta munziru maiy yakshaahaa
Thou art but a Warner for such as fear it.
Thou art but a warner unto him who feareth it.
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا
Ka annahum Yawma yarawnahaa lam yalbasooo illaa ‘ashiyyatan aw duhaahaa
The Day they see it, (It will be) as if they had tarried but a single evening, or (at most till) the following morn!
On the day when they behold it, it will be as if they had but tarried for an evening or the morn thereof.
Sources. Arabic text: Tanzil Uthmani edition. Translations: Abdullah Yusuf Ali (original edition, 1934–1938) and Marmaduke Pickthall (1930), both in the public domain. Any introduction above is original writing and is not part of any translation.