About the Surah

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

By (the winds) that scatter dust.

And the clouds that carry the weight (of rain water).

And (the ships) that sail smoothly.

And those (angels) who dis-tribute (provisions, rain etc) by (Allah’s) Com-mand (to the people on the earth).

(The answer to the above swearing is) Indeed, that which you are promised (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) is surely true.

And, indeed, the reward and punishment (of deeds) shall surely occur. 

By the heaven which has paths (for the angels to travel). 

(As an answer to this swear-ing) Indeed, you have different ideas (about the Hereafter, about Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)  etc).

Only those (among you) will be turned away (from the concept of the Here-after etc) who is supposed to be turned away (by the Decree and Preordainment).

May those be destroyed who talk about (the Hereafter) without any proof.

Who are lost in carelessness due to their heedlessness.

They ask (jokingly and sarcas-tically): “When will the Day of Judgement be?” 

(It will be) the Day when they will be punished (i.e. burned) in the Fire.

(It will be said): “Taste (the  punishment) of your mischief. That is what you used to hasten for!”

Indeed, the pious persons will be in Gardens and Springs (in Paradise).

They will receive (cheerfully) what their Creator will grant them. They were, indeed, the good-doers even before this.

They used to sleep very little at night (to perform voluntary prayers beyond obligatory prayers).

And before dawn, they used to ask Allah for forgiveness.

And in their wealth there was the right for the beggar who asks and also for the poor who does not ask others for help.

And in the earth there are signs for those who have firm faith.

And there are also signs in yourselves. Will you not then see?

And your provision and what you are promised (i.e. rain, reward etc.) are in the heaven.

By the Creator of the heaven and the earth, it (the Hereafter) is the truth just as it is the truth that you can speak.

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) !] Has the story of the honoured (since they were angels) guests of Ibrahim ( )reached you?

When they came to him [Ibrahim ( ) ], then they said: “Peace be upon you!” He [Ibrahim ( ) ] answered: “Peace be upon you too. (And he said to him-self) these are the people who are strangers to me.”

Then he hurried into his house and brought a roasted calf (to serve his guests).

So he placed it (the roasted calf) close to them and said: “Why don’t you eat?”

Hence, he [Ibrahim ( ) ] felt fear of them within (since they did not eat). They said: “Don’t fear.” And gave him [Ibrahim ( ) ] glad tidings of a son [i.e. Ishaq ( ) ] who will have (beneficial) knowledge (i.e. will be a Prophet since Prophets are the most know-ledgeable among the people).

[Ibrahim’s ( )wife, Sarah, was listening to this news] So his wife came forward speaking loudly. Then she stroke her face (due to surprise) and said: “A barren old woman (giving birth to a child)!”

The angels said: “Your Creator said so. Indeed, He is the All-Knower, All-Wise.” 

       He [Ibrahim ( )] said: “(O messengers!) So what other (major) purpose have you come for?” 

       The angels said: “We are sent to a people who are criminals [i.e. people of Lut ( )].”

       “To send down upon them stones of (baked) clay.”

       “Those stones are marked by your Creator for the transgressors.”

       So We brought out (or sepa-rated) the believers from there. 

       We found there only one house-hold of the believers.

       And We left in this a lesson for those who fear the painful torment.

       (And there is also a lesson) in the story of Musa ( ), when We sent him to Firaun with clear proof (i.e. a miracle).

       (And there is also a lesson) in the story of Musa ( ), when We sent him to Firaun with clear proof (i.e. a miracle).

       So We seized him along with his army and dumped them into the sea (i.e. drowned them) since he deserved to be put to shame.

       (And there is a lesson) in the story of A’d (people). When We sent against them the cursed wind.

       It did not spare anything which it struck, but made it like (the tiny pieces of) rotten bone.

       (And there is a lesson) in the story of Thamud (people), when they were told [by Saleh ( )]: “Enjoy (worldly benefits) for a while! (And quit disbelief otherwise you will be destroyed).”

       (In spite of this warning) they (openly) disobeyed the Com-mand of their Creator. Hence, a thunder-bolt struck them while they were looking (at the torment).

       So they were unable to even stand up nor could they take revenge.

       And the people of Nuh ( ) before them. Indeed, they were very disobedient people. (So they were destroyed too).

       We constructed the sky with Our Power. (Although the sky is vast) We have the Power to further increase its vastness.

       And We have spread the earth. How excellent a spreader We are (i.e. We have put many benefits in it).

       And We created everything in pairs so that you may learn a lesson from it (e.g. male and female, light and darkness, sweet and bitter, negatively and positively charged electrons and protons etc).

       (With these proofs) you should hurry towards (the Mercy of )Allah. Indeed, I am a clear warner to you from your Creator.

       (I further explain and stress this point). And don’t worship other gods along with Allah. I am, indeed, a clear warner to you from your Creator.

       [Allah comforts the Pro-phet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] Similarly, whenever a mes-senger came to the people be-fore them, they called him a magician or a madman.

       Have you been making this will (to one another to call the messengers magicians and mad men)? In fact, all of them (dis-believers) are transgressors (Hence, their actions resemble one another, and they called the prophets magicians).

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] So turn away from them. There shall be no blame on you for this.

       And remind (the believers), since reminder is, indeed, beneficial for the believers (and it is a proof against the disbelievers).

       And I (Allah) did not create jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).

       I don’t seek any provision from them nor do I ask them to feed Me (as they do to their false gods).

       In fact, Allah is the provider (to everybody), the Most Powerful, the Most Strong. (Hence, Allah (Alone) should be worshipped).

       So, indeed, there is a portion (of torment) for the wrong-doers just as there was a portion for the people like them. Hence, they should not ask Me to hasten it.

       So woe to the disbelievers from their Day which they have been promised (for their torment).