Surah 'Abasa (He Frowned)

سُورَةُ عبس

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1. عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١﴾

   80:1 He [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ) ] frowned and turned away

2. أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ ﴿٢﴾

   80:2 Because there came to him the blind man,[1853] [interrupting].

   Notes

   [1853] ʿAbdullāh, the son of Umm Maktūm.

3. وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ ﴿٣﴾

   80:3 But what would make you perceive, [O Muḥammad], that perhaps he might be purified[1854]

   Notes

   [1854] As a result of what he learns from you.

4. أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ ﴿٤﴾

   80:4 Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?

5. أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ ﴿٥﴾

   80:5 As for he who thinks himself without need,[1855]

   Notes

   [1855] i.e., without need of faith or need of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) . Here it is in reference to a certain influential member of the Quraysh whom the Prophet (ﷺ) had hoped to bring to Islām.

6. فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ ﴿٦﴾

   80:6 To him you give attention.

7. وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ ﴿٧﴾

   80:7 And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.[1856]

   Notes

   [1856] The Prophet (ﷺ) was responsible only for conveying the message, not for ultimate guidance.

8. وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ ﴿٨﴾

   80:8 But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]

9. وَهُوَ يَخۡشَىٰ ﴿٩﴾

   80:9 While he fears [Allāh],

10. فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ ﴿١٠﴾

    80:10 From him you are distracted.

11. كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةٞ ﴿١١﴾

    80:11 No! Indeed, they [i.e., these verses] are a reminder;

12. فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ ﴿١٢﴾

    80:12 So whoever wills may remember it.[1857]

    Notes

    [1857] The revelation. Or "Him," i.e., Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) .

13. فِي صُحُفٖ مُّكَرَّمَةٖ ﴿١٣﴾

    80:13 [It is recorded] in honored sheets,

14. مَّرۡفُوعَةٖ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ ﴿١٤﴾

    80:14 Exalted and purified,

15. بِأَيۡدِي سَفَرَةٖ ﴿١٥﴾

    80:15 [Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels,

16. كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةٖ ﴿١٦﴾

    80:16 Noble and dutiful.

17. قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ ﴿١٧﴾

    80:17 Destroyed [i.e., cursed] is man;[1858] how disbelieving is he.

    Notes

    [1858] i.e., those who deny Allāh's message.

18. مِنۡ أَيِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ ﴿١٨﴾

    80:18 From what thing [i.e., substance] did He create him?

19. مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ ﴿١٩﴾

    80:19 From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him;[1859]

    Notes

    [1859] His proportions, provisions, life span, etc.

20. ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ ﴿٢٠﴾

    80:20 Then He eased the way for him;[1860]

    Notes

    [1860] Into this world (i.e., his birth) . It may also refer to life itself, which has been made easier by Allāh's guidance.

21. ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ ﴿٢١﴾

    80:21 Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.[1861]

    Notes

    [1861] To conceal his decaying body.

22. ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ ﴿٢٢﴾

    80:22 Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.

23. كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقۡضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ ﴿٢٣﴾

    80:23 No! He [i.e., man] has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.

24. فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ ﴿٢٤﴾

    80:24 Then let mankind look at his food -

25. أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبّٗا ﴿٢٥﴾

    80:25 How We poured down water in torrents,

26. ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقّٗا ﴿٢٦﴾

    80:26 Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts],

27. فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبّٗا ﴿٢٧﴾

    80:27 And caused to grow within it grain

28. وَعِنَبٗا وَقَضۡبٗا ﴿٢٨﴾

    80:28 And grapes and herbage

29. وَزَيۡتُونٗا وَنَخۡلٗا ﴿٢٩﴾

    80:29 And olive and palm trees

30. وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبٗا ﴿٣٠﴾

    80:30 And gardens of dense shrubbery

31. وَفَٰكِهَةٗ وَأَبّٗا ﴿٣١﴾

    80:31 And fruit and grass -

32. مَّتَٰعٗا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ ﴿٣٢﴾

    80:32 [As] enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock.

33. فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ ﴿٣٣﴾

    80:33 But when there comes the Deafening Blast[1862]

    Notes

    [1862] The piercing blast of the Horn which signals resurrection. Aṣ-Ṣākhkhah is also a name for the Day of Resurrection.

34. يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ ﴿٣٤﴾

    80:34 On the Day a man will flee from his brother

35. وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ ﴿٣٥﴾

    80:35 And his mother and his father

36. وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ ﴿٣٦﴾

    80:36 And his wife and his children,

37. لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ شَأۡنٞ يُغۡنِيهِ ﴿٣٧﴾

    80:37 For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.[1863]

    Notes

    [1863] i.e., to occupy him. He will be concerned only with himself, thus forgetting all others.

38. وُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ مُّسۡفِرَةٞ ﴿٣٨﴾

    80:38 [Some] faces, that Day, will be bright -

39. ضَاحِكَةٞ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٞ ﴿٣٩﴾

    80:39 Laughing, rejoicing at good news.

40. وَوُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةٞ ﴿٤٠﴾

    80:40 And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.

41. تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ ﴿٤١﴾

    80:41 Blackness will cover them.

42. أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ ﴿٤٢﴾

    80:42 Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.