Surah At-Takwir (The Overthrowing)

سُورَةُ التكوير

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1. إِذَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ كُوِّرَتۡ ﴿١﴾

   81:1 When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]

2. وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتۡ ﴿٢﴾

   81:2 And when the stars fall, dispersing,

3. وَإِذَا ٱلۡجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتۡ ﴿٣﴾

   81:3 And when the mountains are removed

4. وَإِذَا ٱلۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡ ﴿٤﴾

   81:4 And when full-term she-camels[1865] are neglected

   Notes

   [1865] Those ten months pregnant and nearing delivery. This verse alludes to distraction from the most valued of possessions.

5. وَإِذَا ٱلۡوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتۡ ﴿٥﴾

   81:5 And when the wild beasts are gathered

6. وَإِذَا ٱلۡبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتۡ ﴿٦﴾

   81:6 And when the seas are filled with flame[1866]

   Notes

   [1866] Or "when the seas have overflowed [into each other]."

7. وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتۡ ﴿٧﴾

   81:7 And when the souls are paired[1867]

   Notes

   [1867] With another like soul. It can also mean "joined" (with their groups or sects) .

8. وَإِذَا ٱلۡمَوۡءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتۡ ﴿٨﴾

   81:8 And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked

9. بِأَيِّ ذَنۢبٖ قُتِلَتۡ ﴿٩﴾

   81:9 For what sin she was killed

10. وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡ ﴿١٠﴾

    81:10 And when the pages[1868] are spread [i.e., made public]

    Notes

    [1868] On which are recorded the deeds of all people.

11. وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡ ﴿١١﴾

    81:11 And when the sky is stripped away

12. وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتۡ ﴿١٢﴾

    81:12 And when Hellfire is set ablaze

13. وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُزۡلِفَتۡ ﴿١٣﴾

    81:13 And when Paradise is brought near,

14. عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡ ﴿١٤﴾

    81:14 A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].[1869]

    Notes

    [1869] i.e., all of one's deeds from worldly life, which have accompanied the soul to the Hereafter.

15. فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلۡخُنَّسِ ﴿١٥﴾

    81:15 So I swear by the retreating stars -

16. ٱلۡجَوَارِ ٱلۡكُنَّسِ ﴿١٦﴾

    81:16 Those that run [their courses] and disappear [i.e., set]

17. وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا عَسۡعَسَ ﴿١٧﴾

    81:17 And by the night as it closes in[1870]

    Notes

    [1870] An alternative meaning is "as it departs."

18. وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ ﴿١٨﴾

    81:18 And by the dawn when it breathes [i.e., stirs]

19. إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ ﴿١٩﴾

    81:19 [That] indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger [i.e., Gabriel]

20. ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي ٱلۡعَرۡشِ مَكِينٖ ﴿٢٠﴾

    81:20 [Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],

21. مُّطَاعٖ ثَمَّ أَمِينٖ ﴿٢١﴾

    81:21 Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.

22. وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجۡنُونٖ ﴿٢٢﴾

    81:22 And your companion [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) ] is not [at all] mad.[1871]

    Notes

    [1871] Literally, "possessed by jinn."

23. وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ﴿٢٣﴾

    81:23 And he has already seen him [i.e., Gabriel] in the clear horizon.[1872]

    Notes

    [1872] i.e., the eastern horizon, where the sun rises. See footnote to 53:6.

24. وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِينٖ ﴿٢٤﴾

    81:24 And he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.[1873]

    Notes

    [1873] Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) did not withhold that knowledge of the unseen which Allāh had revealed to him in the Qur’ān.

25. وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطَٰنٖ رَّجِيمٖ ﴿٢٥﴾

    81:25 And it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].

26. فَأَيۡنَ تَذۡهَبُونَ ﴿٢٦﴾

    81:26 So where are you going?[1874]

    Notes

    [1874] In your denial of the Qur’ān and in your accusations against the Prophet (ﷺ) . The meaning is essentially "Surely, you have strayed far from Allāh's path."

27. إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿٢٧﴾

    81:27 It is not except a reminder to the worlds

28. لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَ ﴿٢٨﴾

    81:28 For whoever wills among you to take a right course.

29. وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾

    81:29 And you do not will except that Allāh wills - Lord of the worlds.