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The foundational premise of Surah An-Naba (The Tiding) is the absolute certainty of the Resurrection, a truth vehemently disputed by the disbelievers. The Surah opens by invoking the gravity of their dispute: "About what are they asking one another?" (amma yatasa'alun; s-'-l). This rhetorical question highlights their state of confusion and denial regarding "the great tiding" (an-naba' al-'adhim; n-b-'), the Day of Judgment, "about which they are in disagreement" (mukhtalifun; kh-l-f). Allah immediately counters their skepticism with an emphatic, repeated warning: "No, indeed! They will soon know" (kalla sa-ya'lamun; '-l-m), and "Again, no indeed! They will soon know." This structured repetition (takrar) serves as a severe threat (tahdid), guaranteeing that the reality they mock will inevitably become their known reality.

• The discourse then shifts from this direct warning to a powerful logical argument, presenting Allah's manifest power (qudrah; q-d-r) in creation as proof of His ability to resurrect. "Have We not made the earth" (al-ard; '-r-d) "a resting place" (mihada; m-h-d), smooth and prepared like a cradle, "and the mountains" (al-jibal; j-b-l) "as pegs" (awtada; w-t-d) to stabilize it? This argument extends to human existence: "And We created you" (khalaqnakum; kh-l-q) "in pairs" (azwaja; z-w-j), ensuring propagation and companionship. Daily cycles are cited as profound signs (ayat): "your sleep" (nawm; n-w-m) is "a cessation" (subata; s-b-t), a form of temporary death providing rest; "the night" (al-layl; l-y-l) is "a covering" (libasa; l-b-s); and "the day" (an-nahar; n-h-r) is for "livelihood" (ma'asha; '-y-sh). The argument moves from the terrestrial to the celestial: "We built above you seven strong [heavens]" (sab'an shidada; sh-d-d), and "placed therein a blazing lamp" (sirajan wahhaja; w-h-j), the sun. This creative power culminates in the life-giving cycle: "We sent down from the rain clouds" (al-mu'sirat; '-s-r) "water pouring abundantly" (ma'an thajjaja; th-j-j), using it "to bring forth" (li-nukhrija; kh-r-j) "grain" (habban; h-b-b), "vegetation" (nabata; n-b-t), and "lush gardens" (jannatin alfafa; l-f-f). This entire sequence proves that the One who originates life from nothingness and manages this vast, interconnected system can certainly restore life after death.

• Having established the proof of His power, the Surah pivots back to the subject of the dispute: the tiding itself. "Indeed, the Day of Decision" (yawm al-fasl; f-s-l)—so named because it definitively separates truth from falsehood and people into their eternal abodes—"is an appointed time" (miqata; w-q-t). The terrifying finality of this event is then detailed: "The Day the trumpet" (as-sur; s-w-r) "is blown" (yunfakhu; n-f-kh), "you will come forth in crowds" (afwaja; f-w-j), gathered by nations or types. The very fabric of the cosmos will be undone: "the heaven" (as-sama'; s-m-w) "will be opened" (futihat; f-t-h), appearing "like gateways" (abwaba; b-w-b) for the descent of angels, and "the mountains will be set in motion" (suyyirat; s-y-r), dissolving until they become "like a mirage" (saraba; s-r-b), an illusion devoid of substance.

• The "Decision" (fasl) leads to two distinct outcomes. The first detailed is Hell (Jahannam; j-h-n-m), which "is truly an ambush" (mirsada; r-s-d), lying in wait for "the transgressors" (lit-taghin; t-gh-y) who rebelled against Allah, as "their destination" (ma'aba; '-w-b). They will "remain therein for ages" (ahqaba; h-q-b), an immense and debated duration. Their torment (adhab; '-dh-b) is described sensory detail: "They will not taste therein" (la yudhuquna; dh-w-q) "any coolness" (bardan; b-r-d) "nor any drink" (sharaba; sh-r-b), "except boiling water" (hamiman; h-m-m) "and foul pus" (ghassaqa; gh-s-q). This is declared "a fitting recompense" (jaza'an wifaqa; w-f-q), perfectly matching their crimes. The reason for this justice is their mindset: "Indeed, they were not expecting" (la yarjuna; r-j-w) "any reckoning" (hisaba; h-s-b), living as if unaccountable, and "they denied Our signs" (kadhdhabu bi-ayatina; k-dh-b) "with utter denial" (kidh-dhaba), an emphatic verbal noun stressing their total rejection. Allah’s omniscience is asserted—"everything We have recorded" (ahsaina; h-s-y) "in a Book" (kitaba; k-t-b)—before the final, terrifying verdict: "So taste [your punishment]! We will not increase you except in torment."

• In a stark rhetorical contrast (muqabala), the Surah then illustrates the reward for the righteous. "Indeed, for the God-conscious" (lil-muttaqin; w-q-y), those who maintained awareness of Allah and guarded against evil, "is attainment" (mafaza; f-w-z), an escape from the Fire and the achievement of ultimate success. Their bliss is depicted in "gardens" (hada'iqa; h-d-q) "and vineyards" (a'naba; '-n-b), "and full-breasted companions" (kawa'iba; k-'-b) "of equal age" (atraba; t-r-b), and "an overflowing cup" (ka'san dihaqa; d-h-q). Unlike the chaotic din of the world and the lies of the disbelievers, in Paradise "They will not hear therein" (la yasma'una; s-m-') "any vain speech" (laghwan; l-gh-w) "nor any falsehood" (kidhdhaba). This is "a reward" (jaza'an; j-z-y) "from your Lord, a gift" (ata'an; '-t-w) "fully sufficient" (hisaba), given generously by the "Lord of the heavens and the earth... the Most Merciful" (ar-Rahman; r-h-m), whose majesty on that Day is such that "none will have power to address Him."

• The Surah concludes by returning to the awesome spectacle of the Judgment Day, summarizing its absolute truth and offering a final warning. "The Day that the Spirit" (ar-Ruh; r-w-h)—interpreted as the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) or another immense creation—"and the angels" (al-mala'ikah; l-'-k) "stand in rows" (saffa; s-f-f), "none will speak" (la yatakallamuna; k-l-m) "except him whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will speak what is right" (sawaba; s-w-b). This scene affirms that "That is the True Day" (al-yawm al-haqq; h-q-q). The 'tiding' is thus confirmed, and the choice is laid bare: "So whoever wills, let him take" (ittakhadha; '-kh-dh) "to his Lord a way of return" (ma'aba). The Surah closes by bringing the initial warning full circle, directed now to all of humanity: "Indeed, We have warned you" (andharnakum; n-dh-r) "of a near punishment" (adhaban qariba; q-r-b). This punishment is imminent on "the Day when a man will see what his hands have sent forth," and the disbeliever (kafir; k-f-r), finally grasping the reality he denied, will cry out in ultimate despair: "Oh, I wish I were dust!" (ya laytani kuntu turaba; t-r-b), preferring non-existence to the reckoning.

বিসমিল্লাহির রাহমানির রাহীম।

78:1. ‘আম্মা (About what [ʿan – about; mā – what]) ইয়াতাসাআ’লূন (are they asking one another? [s-ʾ-l – ask (form VI)])।

78:2. ‘আনিন নাবা’ইল (About the news [n-b-ʾ – news, announcement]) ‘আযীম (the great [ʿ-ẓ-m – great, mighty])।

78:3. আল্লাযী হুম (That which they [alladhī – that which; hum – they]) ফীহি (about it [fī – in; hi – it]) মুখতালিফূন (are in disagreement [kh-l-f – differ (VIII)])।

78:4. কাল্লা (Nay, [kallā – no, indeed]) সাইয়া‘লামূন (they will soon know! [sa – soon; ʿ-l-m – know])।

78:5. সুম্মা কাল্লা (Then, nay, [thumma – then; kallā – no]) সাইয়া‘লামূন (they will soon know! [sa – soon; ʿ-l-m – know])।

78:6. আলাম নাজ‘আলিল (Have We not made [a-lam – query; j-ʿ-l – make]) আরদা (the earth [a-r-ḍ – earth]) মিহা-দা (a resting place? [m-h-d – level, cradle])।

78:7. ওয়াল জিবা-লা (And the mountains [j-b-l – mountain]) আওতা-দা (as pegs? [w-t-d – peg, stake])।

78:8. ওয়া খালাক্বনা-কুম (And We created you [kh-l-q – create; kum – you (pl)]) আযওয়া-জা (in pairs [z-w-j – pair, mate])।

78:9. ওয়া জা‘আলনা (And We made [j-ʿ-l – make]) নাওমাকুম (your sleep [n-w-m – sleep; kum – you]) সুবা-তা (for rest [s-b-t – cut off, rest])।

78:10. ওয়া জা‘আলনাল (And We made [j-ʿ-l – make]) লাইলা (the night [l-y-l – night]) লিবা-সা (as a covering [l-b-s – clothe, cover])।

78:11. ওয়া জা‘আলনান (And We made [j-ʿ-l – make]) নাহা-রা (the day [n-h-r – day]) মা‘আ-শা (for livelihood [ʿ-y-sh – live, livelihood])।

78:12. ওয়া বানাইনা (And We built [b-n-y – build]) ফাওক্বাকুম (above you [f-w-q – above; kum – you]) সাব‘আন (seven [s-b-ʿ – seven]) শিদা-দা (strong [sh-d-d – strong, firm])।

78:13. ওয়া জা‘আলনা (And We placed [j-ʿ-l – make, place]) সিরা-জান (a lamp [s-r-j – lamp]) ওয়াহহা-জা (blazing [w-h-j – blaze, glow])।

78:14. ওয়া আনযালনা (And We sent down [n-z-l – send down]) মিনাল মু‘সিরা-তি (from the rain clouds [ʿ-ṣ-r – press, squeeze]) মা-আন (water [m-w-h – water]) সাজ্জা-জা (pouring abundantly [th-j-j – pour forth])।

78:15. লিনুখরিজা বিহী (That We may bring forth thereby [kh-r-j – bring out (IV); bihi – with it]) হাব্বান (grain [ḥ-b-b – grain, seed]) ওয়া নাবা-তা (and vegetation [n-b-t – grow, plant])।

78:16. ওয়া জান্না-তিন (And gardens [j-n-n – garden, paradise]) আলফা-ফা (of thick foliage [l-f-f – wrap, dense])।

78:17. ইন্না (Indeed, [inna – particle of emphasis]) ইয়াওমাল ফাসলি (the Day of Separation [y-w-m – day; f-ṣ-l – separate, decide]) কা-না (is [k-w-n – be]) মীকা-তা (an appointed time [w-q-t – appointed time])।

78:18. ইয়াওমা (The Day [y-w-m – day]) ইউনফাখু (is blown [n-f-kh – blow]) ফিস সূরি (into the Trumpet [ṣ-w-r – trumpet]) ফাতা’তূনা (then you will come [a-t-y – come]) আফওয়া-জা (in crowds [f-w-j – group, crowd])।

78:19. ওয়া ফুতিহাতিস (And is opened [f-t-ḥ – open]) সামা-উ (the heaven [s-m-w – sky]) ফাকা-নাত (and will become [k-w-n – be]) আবওয়া-বা (gateways [b-w-b – gate, door])।

78:20. ওয়া সায়্যিরাতিল (And are set in motion [s-y-r – travel, move (II)]) জিবা-লু (the mountains [j-b-l – mountain]) ফাকা-নাত (and will become [k-w-n – be]) সারা-বা (a mirage [s-r-b – mirage])।

78:21. ইন্না জাহান্নামা (Indeed, Hell [inna – indeed; jahannam – Hell]) কা-নাত (is [k-w-n – be]) মিরসা-দা (lying in wait [r-ṣ-d – watch, ambush])।

78:22. লিত ত্ব-গ়ীনা (For the transgressors [ṭ-gh-y – transgress]) মাআ-বা (a destination [a-w-b – return, destination])।

78:23. লা-বিসীনা ফীহা (Remaining therein [l-b-th – remain; fīhā – in it]) আহক্বা-বা (for ages [ḥ-q-b – long period, age])।

78:24. লা ইয়াযূক্বূনা (They will not taste [dh-w-q – taste]) ফীহা (therein [fīhā – in it]) বারদান (coolness [b-r-d – cool]) ওয়ালা শারা-বা (nor any drink [sh-r-b – drink])।

78:25. ইল্লা Hামীমান (Except boiling water [ḥ-m-m – heat, boil]) ওয়া গ়াসসা-ক্বা (and purulence [gh-s-q – flow dark, pus])।

78:26. জাযা-আন (A recompense [j-z-y – recompense]) উইফা-ক্বা (appropriate [w-f-q – fit, conform])।

78:27. ইন্নাহুম কা-নূ (Indeed, they were [inna – indeed; k-w-n – be]) লা ইয়ারজূনা (not expecting [r-j-w – hope, expect]) Hisa-বা (a reckoning [ḥ-s-b – reckon, account])।

78:28. ওয়া কাযযাবূ (And they denied [k-dh-b – lie, deny (II)]) বিআ-য়া-തിനാ (Our signs [a-y-h – sign]) কিযযা-বা (utterly [k-dh-b – (masdar/intensifier)])।

78:29. ওয়া কুল্লা শাই’ইন (And every thing [k-l-l – all; sh-y-ʾ – thing]) আহসাইনা-হু (We have enumerated it [ḥ-ṣ-y – count, enumerate (IV)]) কিতা-বা (in a record [k-t-b – write, book])।

78:30. ফাযূক্বূ (So taste! [dh-w-q – taste (impv)]) ফালান নাযীদাকুম (for We will not increase you [z-y-d – increase]) ইল্লা ‘আযা-বা (except in torment [ʿ-dh-b – torment])।

78:31. ইন্না (Indeed, [inna – indeed]) লিলমুত্তাক্বীনা (for the God-fearing [w-q-y – protect, (VIII)]) মাফা-যা (is success [f-w-z – succeed, be safe])।

78:32. Hada-'ইক্বা (Gardens [ḥ-d-q – surround, garden]) ওয়া আ‘না-বা (and grapevines [ʿ-n-b – grape])।

78:33. ওয়া কাওয়া-‘ইবা (And full-breasted companions [k-ʿ-b – be full, swell]) আত্বরা-বা (well-matched [t-r-b – contemporary, equal age])।

78:34. ওয়া কা’সান (And a cup [k-a-s – cup]) দিহা-ক্বা (overflowing [d-h-q – fill, overflow])।

78:35. লা ইয়াসমা‘ঊনা (They will not hear [s-m-ʿ – hear]) ফীহা (therein [fīhā – in it]) লাগ়ওয়ান (idle talk [l-gh-w – vain talk]) ওয়ালা কিযযা-বা (nor any falsehood [k-dh-b – lie, falsehood])।

78:36. জাযা-আম (A reward [j-z-y – recompense]) মির রাব্বিকা (from your Lord [r-b-b – lord]) ‘আত্ব-আন (a gift [ʿ-ṭ-w – give]) Hisa-বা (sufficient [ḥ-s-b – reckon, suffice])।

78:37. রাব্বিস সামা-ওয়া-তি (Lord of the heavens [r-b-b – lord; s-m-w – sky]) ওয়াল আরদি (and the earth [a-r-ḍ – earth]) ওয়া মা বাইনাহুমার (and what is between them [b-y-n – between]) রাHমা-নি (the Most Merciful [r-ḥ-m – mercy]) লা ইয়ামলিকূনা (they will not possess [m-l-k – possess]) মিনহু (from Him [min – from; hu – Him]) খিত্ব-বা ([power of] address [kh-ṭ-b – speak, address])।

78:38. ইয়াওমা ইয়াক্বূমুর (The Day [when] stands [y-w-m – day; q-w-m – stand]) রূহু (the Spirit [r-w-ḥ – spirit, soul]) ওয়াল মালা-ইকাতু (and the angels [m-l-k – angel]) সাফফা (in rows [ṣ-f-f – arrange in rows]) লা ইয়াতাকাল্লামূনা (they will not speak [k-l-m – speak (V)]) ইল্লা মান (except one [man – who]) আযিনা লাহু (permits him [a-dh-n – permit]) আর-রাHমা-নু (the Most Merciful [r-ḥ-m – mercy]) ওয়া ক্ব-লা (and he says [q-w-l – say]) সাওয়া-বা (what is right [ṣ-w-b – be right, correct])।

78:39. যা-লিকাল (That is [dhālika – that]) ইয়াওমুল (the Day [y-w-m – day]) Hак্বকু (the True [ḥ-q-q – truth, right]) ফামান শা-আ (So whoever wills [m-n – who; sh-y-ʾ – wish]) ত্তাখাযা ইলা রাব্বিহী (let him take to his Lord [a-kh-dh – take (VIII); r-b-b – lord]) মাআ-বা (a way back [a-w-b – return, destination])।

78:40. ইন্না (Indeed, We [inna – indeed]) আনযারনা-কুম (have warned you [n-dh-r – warn (IV)]) ‘আযা-বান (a punishment [ʿ-dh-b – torment]) ক্বারība (near [q-r-b – near]) ইয়াওমা ইয়াযুরুল (the Day [when] looks [y-w-m – day; n-ẓ-r – look]) মার’উ (the man [m-r-ʾ – man]) মা ক্বাদ্দামাত (at what [has] sent forth [mā – what; q-d-m – send forth]) ইয়া-দা-হু (his hands [y-d – hand]) ওয়া ইয়াক্বূলুল (and says [q-w-l – say]) কা-ফিরু (the disbeliever [k-f-r – disbelieve]) ইয়া লাইতানী (Oh, would that I [layta – wish]) কুনতু (I were [k-w-n – be]) তুরা-বা (dust [t-r-b – dust, earth])।

Summary: • The text opens by questioning the subject of the Meccan Quraysh's dispute: the "Great Tiding" (an-Naba al-Azim). This tiding is identified by exegetes as the Resurrection (al-Ba'th) and the Quran itself, which the Meccans met with fractured skepticism, denial, or mockery. This denial is sharply rebuked with the emphatic particle "Kalla" (Nay!). A severe threat, repeated for intensification, warns that they "will soon know" (saya'lamun) the truth—a knowledge some exegetes link first to the grave, and second to the Day of Resurrection itself.

• A series of rhetorical questions establishes Allah's creative power as evidence for resurrection. Terrestrial signs are listed: the earth made a stable cradle (mihadan), mountains as pegs (awtadan) to prevent shaking, and humanity created in pairs (azwajan). The divine order includes sleep as repose (subatan), the night as a concealing garment (libasan), and the day for seeking livelihood (ma'ashan). This argument extends to the cosmos: the seven strong heavens (sab'an shidadan) built above, and the sun, a blazing lamp (sirajan wahhajan), placed within.

• The text's argument culminates with the water cycle as the prime analogy for life from death. Allah sends down abundant water (ma'an thajjajan) from the "squeezing" rainclouds (al-mu'sirat). This water brings forth grain (habban), vegetation (nabatan), and dense, luxuriant gardens (jannatin alfafan). Having proven the power to create, the text pivots to the "Great Tiding": the Day of Separation (Yawm al-Fasl) is an unchangeable, appointed time (miqatan).

• This Day is described apocalyptically: the Trumpet (as-Sur) is blown, gathering humanity in crowds (afwajan). The heavens rupture into gateways (abwaban), and the stabilizing mountains are pulverized into a mere mirage (saraban). Hell (Jahannam), originating from the Hebrew "Gehinnom," is an ambush (mirsadan) and a final abode (ma'aban) for the transgressors (at-taghin). They abide for endless ages (ahqaban), tasting no coolness (bard) or drink (sharab).

• The transgressors' only drink is boiling water (hamim) and a putrid, filthy fluid (ghassaq). This is declared a "fitting recompense" (jaza'an wifaqan) because they denied the possibility of a reckoning (hisaban) and vehemently rejected Allah's signs (kadhdhabu... kidhdhaban). Every action is perfectly enumerated in a Book (kitaban), and their torment will only increase (fa-lan nazidakum illa adhaban).

• A sharp pivot contrasts this fate with that of the God-fearing (al-muttaqin), who are promised success (mafazan). Their reward includes enclosed gardens (hada'iq) with grapes (a'naban), youthful, full-bosomed companions (kawa'iba) of equal age (atraban), and an overflowing cup (ka'san dihaqan) of pure wine. This paradise is a place of peace, free from the vain talk (laghw) and lying (kidhdhaban) that defined the deniers.

• This reward is both a recompense (jaza'an) and a bountiful gift (ata'an hisaban) from the Lord (Rabb), the Most Merciful (ar-Rahman), the absolute sovereign of all. The final scene returns to the Day of Judgment's solemnity: The Spirit (ar-Ruh) and angels stand in ranks (saffan), speaking only by permission (adhina) and saying what is right (sawaban). The text concludes that this "True Day" (al-haqq) is a final warning of a "near torment" (adhaban qariban), on which the disbeliever (kafir), seeing his deeds, will wish he were mere dust (turaban).

Tafsīr

Theme: The "Great News" (Resurrection) contrasted with proofs from creation.
78:1-5 (The Query): Begins by noting the Meccans' dispute (mukhtalifūn) about the "Great News" (An-Naba’ al-‘Aẓīm)—the Day of Judgment. Allah issues a sharp, repeated warning (Kallā... Thumma Kallā...) that their denial will be replaced by certain, experiential knowledge.
78:6-16 (The Proofs - Adillah): The Sūrah shifts to logical proofs (istidlāl) of God's power. It argues that the One Who created this intricate world can surely resurrect the dead (cf. Q 36:78-79). These proofs include:
- Geology: The earth as a "cradle" (mihādā) and mountains as "pegs" (awtādā) [Q 16:15].
- Biology: Creation in "pairs" (azwājā) [Q 51:49]; sleep as "rest" (subātā - a cutting off); the cycle of night ("covering" - libāsā) and day ("livelihood" - ma'āshā) [Q 25:47].
- Cosmology: The seven "strong" heavens (sab'an shidādā) [Q 67:3] and the sun, a "blazing lamp" (sirājan wahhājā).
- Botany/Hydrology: Rain from clouds (mu'ṣirāt) producing grain (ḥabban), plants (nabātā), and dense "gardens" (jannātin) [Q 50:9-11].
78:17-20 (The Appointed Day): This section connects the proofs (6-16) back to the initial query (1-5). The power that created the cosmos has set a "Day of Separation" (Yawm al-Faṣl) as an "appointed time" (mīqātā) [Q 44:40].
Events of the Day: The Sūrah describes the cosmic collapse:
1. The Trumpet (Ṣūr) is blown [Q 39:68].
2. Humanity gathers in "crowds" (afwājā).
3. The sky splinters, becoming "gateways" (abwābā) [Q 69:16].
4. The mountains, once firm "pegs," are set in motion and vanish like a "mirage" (sarābā) [Q 20:105-107].
Parallels: The arguments from creation (Job 38-39). The apocalyptic imagery of the heavens opening and mountains moving (Isaiah 34:4; Revelation 6:14).

78:21-30 (The Ambush of Hell): This section details the fate of the ṭāghīn (transgressors). Jahannam is an "ambush" (mirṣādā), actively waiting [Q 89:14]. Their punishment is described:
- Duration: Aḥqāb (ages), signifying an immense, unending period.
- Torment: A contrast of extremes—no "coolness" (bardan), only "boiling water" (ḥamīm) and "purulence" (ghassāq). This is a jazā'an wifāqā (an appropriate recompense), perfectly matching their arrogance and disbelief.
- The Cause (v. 27-28): Their crime was denying the Ḥisāb (Reckoning) and "utterly" rejecting (kidhābā) the Āyāt (Signs).
- The Record (v. 29): Everything is recorded (kitābā), underscoring divine omniscience and the precision of justice [Q 36:12].
- The Final Verdict (v. 30): "So taste! We will only increase you in torment." This highlights despair; there is no relief, only escalation.
78:31-37 (The Triumph of the Pious): A sharp contrast (muqābalah) to the previous section. For the muttaqīn (God-fearing) is mafāzā (success, salvation).
- Rewards: Gardens (ḥadā'iq), grapes (aʿnābā), pure companions (kawāʿiba atrābā), and an "overflowing" cup (ka'san dihāqā)—understood by commentators as pure, non-intoxicating wine.
- Atmosphere: A place of peace where no "idle talk" (laghw) or "falsehood" (kidhdhāb) is heard [Q 56:25-26].
- The Source: This is a ʿaṭā'an ḥisābā—a "sufficient gift" or "reward based on reckoning" from Ar-Raḥmān, the Lord of all creation.
78:38-40 (The Day of Truth): The Sūrah returns to the Day of Judgment, emphasizing its awesome solemnity.
- The Court: The Rūḥ (The Spirit, identified by many as Angel Gabriel/Jibrīl) and all angels stand in silent ranks (ṣaffā). None speak (lā yatakallamūna) [Q 20:108].
- Intercession: No intercession is possible, except by the permission of Ar-Raḥmān and only for one who speaks ṣawābā (what is right). This refutes the polytheists' hope in their idols. [Q 10:3].
- The Choice (v. 39): This is "The True Day" (al-Yawm al-Ḥaqq). The path of return (ma'ābā) to Allah is open now.
- The Final Cry (v. 40): The warning is of a "near punishment." On that Day, the disbeliever (kāfir) will see the record of "what his hands sent forth" [Q 99:7-8]. In ultimate regret, he will cry: "Oh, would that I were dust!" (yā laytanī kuntu turābā). He wishes for the non-existence of earth, rejecting the high station of humanity which he failed to live up to. (Cf. Bukhārī, ḥadīth on animals being turned to dust after justice is served, prompting this cry).

Full Surah.

Verse 78:1 – The Question

78:1a:

عَمَّ

About what (ʿamma, আম্মা; ʿ-n / আইন-ন – about // ʿan // Cognate: Hebrew: ʿal "on, about" ; m-ā / ম-আ – what // mā // Cognate: Hebrew: māh "what")

78:1b:

يَتَسَاءَلُونَ

do they ask one another? (yatasāʾalūna, ইয়াতাসা~আলূন্; s-ʾ-l / স-হামযা-ল – to ask // yatasāʾalūn // Cognate: Hebrew: shāʾal "he asked")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. About what [ʿamma: contraction of ʿan mā, 'about what', cf. Hebrew ʿal "about" and māh "what"], do they ask one another [yatasāʾalūna: reflexive verbal form (VI) from s-ʾ-l "to ask," implying mutual questioning, cf. Hebrew shāʾal "he asked"]?

b. আম্মা ইয়াতাসা~আলূন্? [আইন-ন + ম-আ/ (সন্বন্ধে) কি; স-হামযা-ল/ তারা পরস্পরকে জিজ্ঞাসা করছে; // cf. হিব্রু 'শা’আল' "জিজ্ঞাসা করা"]।

Tafsīr 78:1: The Great Inquiry.

Ṭabarī and other exegetes state this abrupt question sets a dramatic tone, referring to the Quraysh in Mecca who were disputing amongst themselves. The object of their questioning, left unstated here, is clarified in the next verse. This connects to 38:67 (Say, "It is a great tiding...") and 77:50 (In what statement... will they believe?). Revealed in Mecca, this verse immediately confronts the central point of contention: the denial of resurrection. This echoes the skepticism faced by other prophets, such as in Ezekiel 37:12-13.

Verse 78:2 – The Tiding Identified

78:2a:

عَنِ النَّبَإِ

About the Tiding (ʿani n-nabaʾi, আனின்্-নাবাই; ʿ-n / আইন-ন – about // ʿan // [Cognate: see 78:1] ; n-b-ʾ / ন-ব-হামযা – tiding, news // nabaʾ // Cognate: Hebrew: nābīʾ "prophet")

78:2b:

الْعَظِيمِ

the Great (l-ʿaẓīmi, ল্-'আযীম্; ʿ-ẓ-m / আইন-য-ম – to be great, mighty // ʿaẓīm // Cognate: Syriac: ʿzam "he was strong")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. About the Tiding [ʿani n-nabaʾi: 'nabaʾ' (news/tiding) from n-b-ʾ, the root for "prophet," one who brings news, cf. Hebrew nābīʾ], the Great [l-ʿaẓīmi: the adjective "great" from ʿ-ẓ-m "to be mighty," cf. Syriac ʿzam "he was strong"].

b. আনিন্-নাবাইল্-'আযীম্। [আইন-ন/ সম্বন্ধে; ন-ব-হামযা/ মহাসংবাদ; আইন-য-ম/ মহান; // cf. হিব্রু 'নাবী' "নবী/সংবাদবাহক"]।

Tafsīr 78:2: The Subject of Dispute.

Classical exegetes (Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr) confirm an-Nabaʾ al-ʿAẓīm (The Great Tiding) is the Resurrection (al-Baʿth) and the Day of Judgment, which the Meccans denied. It also encompasses the Qurʾān itself, the "tiding" brought by the Prophet (n-b-ʾ). This connects to 38:67 (Say, "It is a great tiding [nabaʾun ʿaẓīm]"), 6:67 (For every tiding [nabaʾ] there is a term), and 27:66 (They are in doubt about the Hereafter). The verse identifies the core of the Meccan rejection. Parallels 1 Corinthians 15:12 ("How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?").

Verse 78:3 – The State of Disagreement

78:3a:

الَّذِي هُمْ

(That) which they (alladhī hum, আল্লাযী হুম্; dh-ī / য-ঈ – which // alladhī // [Cognate: none] ; h-m / হ-ম – they // hum // Cognate: Hebrew: hēm "they")

78:3b:

فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ

(are) therein differing. (fīhi mukhtalifūna, ফীহি মুখ্তালিফূন্; f-y / ফ-য় – in // fīhi // [Cognate: none] ; kh-l-f / খ-ল-ফ – to differ, be behind // mukhtalifūn // Cognate: Syriac: ḥlap "he changed")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. (That) which [alladhī: relative pronoun] they [hum: 3rd person plural pronoun, cf. Hebrew hēm], (are) therein [fīhi: 'fī' (in) + 'hi' (it)], differing [mukhtalifūn: plural participle from kh-l-f "to differ," implying various opinions, cf. Syriac ḥlap "he changed"].

b. আল্লাযী হুম্ ফীহি মুখ্তালিফূন্। [য-ঈ/ যে; হ-ম/ তারা; ফ-য়/ বিষয়ে; খ-ল-ফ/ মতভেদকারী; // cf. হিব্রু 'হেম' "তারা"]।

Tafsīr 78:3: The Spectrum of Denial.

Qurṭubī explains mukhtalifūn (differing) as capturing the Meccans' various positions: some denied resurrection outright, some (like the philosophers) affirmed the soul's survival but denied bodily resurrection, and others mocked it. This connects to 50:2-3 (They wonder... "When we are dust...?"), 17:49 (They say, "When we are bones... will we be raised?"), and 45:24 (They say, "There is only our worldly life"). The Prophet ﷺ faced a fractured audience united only in their general skepticism. This echoes the Sadducees' denial of resurrection (Matthew 22:23).

Verse 78:4 – The First Rebuke

78:4a:

كَلَّا

Nay! (kallā, কাল্লা-; k-l-l / ক-ল-ল – to stop, ward off // kallā // [Cognate: none])

78:4b:

سَيَعْلَمُونَ

Soon they will know. (sayaʿlamūna, সায়া'লামূন্; s-ī-n / স-ঈ-ন – soon (future) // sa- // [Cognate: none] ; ʿ-l-m / আইন-ল-ম – to know // yaʿlamūn // Cognate: Syriac: yelaʿ "he knew")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Nay! [kallā: an emphatic particle of rebuke and negation, "Stop!"], Soon they will know [sayaʿlamūna: 'sa-' (future particle "soon") + 'yaʿlamūn' (they know) from ʿ-l-m "to know," cf. Syriac yelaʿ "he knew"].

b. কাল্লা- সায়া'লামূন্। [ক-ল-ল/ কখনো নয় (জোরালো ধমক); স-ঈ-ন/ অচিরেই; আইন-ল-ম/ তারা জানতে পারবে; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'ইয়েলা' "সে জানত"]।

Tafsīr 78:4: The Warning.

Kallā (Nay!) is a sharp, definitive rebuke, cutting off their dispute and dismissing their doubts. Ibn Kathīr states this is a severe threat (tahdīd shadīd). Their mukhtalifūn (differing) will be replaced by ʿilm (knowledge). This connects to 102:3 (Nay, you will soon know), 69:51 (It is the truth of certainty), and 56:95 (This is the certain truth). The Prophet ﷺ is instructed to pivot from their questions to this divine threat. This Meccan warning establishes the inevitability of the Tiding. Parallels Revelation 1:7 ("Behold, he is coming... and every eye will see him").

Verse 78:5 – The Second Rebuke

78:5a:

ثُمَّ كَلَّا

Then, nay! (thumma kallā, ছুম্মা কাল্লা-; th-m-m / ছ-ম-ম – then, thereupon // thumma // [Cognate: none] ; k-l-l / ক-ল-ল – to stop, ward off // kallā // [Cognate: see 78:4])

78:5b:

سَيَعْلَمُونَ

Soon they will know. (sayaʿlamūna, সায়া'লামূন্; s-ī-n / স-ঈ-ন – soon // sa- // [Cognate: see 78:4] ; ʿ-l-m / আইন-ল-ম – to know // yaʿlamūn // [Cognate: see 78:4])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Then, nay! [thumma kallā: 'thumma' (then/again) adds emphasis and sequence to the rebuke 'kallā'], Soon they will know [sayaʿlamūna: identical to 78:4b, repeating the warning].

b. ছুম্মা কাল্লা- সায়া'লামূন্। [ছ-ম-ম/ অতঃপর; ক-ল-ল/ কখনো নয়; স-ঈ-ন/ অচিরেই; আইন-ল-ম/ তারা জানতে পারবে]।

Tafsīr 78:5: The Emphatic Warning.

Classical exegetes explain the repetition (thumma kallā sayaʿlamūn) as an intensification of the threat (taʾkīd). Ṭabarī suggests the first sayaʿlamūn (78:4) refers to the knowledge they will gain upon dying or in the grave, and the second (78:5) refers to the full, undeniable knowledge on the Day of Resurrection itself. This connects to 102:4 (Then, nay, you will soon know). This repetition creates a powerful rhetorical effect, ending the opening polemic and preparing for the evidence of God's power (starting in 78:6).

Bengali Script Collation: Sūrah An-Naba' (78:1-5)

৭৮: ১. আম্মা ইয়াতাসা~আলূন্?

(আইন-ন + ম-আ/ (সন্বন্ধে) কি; স-হামযা-ল/ তারা পরস্পরকে জিজ্ঞাসা করছে; // cf. হিব্রু 'শা’আল' "জিজ্ঞাসা করা")।

৭৮: ২. আনিন্-নাবাইল্-'আযীম্।

(আইন-ন/ সম্বন্ধে; ন-ব-হামযা/ মহাসংবাদ; আইন-য-ম/ মহান; // cf. হিব্রু 'নাবী' "নবী/সংবাদবাহক")।

৭৮: ৩. আল্লাযী হুম্ ফীহি মুখ্তালিফূন্।

(য-ঈ/ যে; হ-ম/ তারা; ফ-য়/ বিষয়ে; খ-ল-ফ/ মতভেদকারী; // cf. হিব্রু 'হেম' "তারা")।

৭৮: ৪. কাল্লা- সায়া'লামূন্।

(ক-ল-ল/ কখনো নয়; স-ঈ-ন/ অচিরেই; আইন-ল-ম/ তারা জানতে পারবে; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'ইয়েলা' "সে জানত")।

৭৮: ৫. ছুম্মা কাল্লা- সায়া'লামূন্।

(ছ-ম-ম/ অতঃপর; ক-ল-ল/ কখনো নয়; স-ঈ-ন/ অচিরেই; আইন-ল-ম/ তারা জানতে পারবে)।

Verse 78:6 – The Earth as a Bed

78:6a:

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ

Have We not made (alam najʿali, আলাম্ নাজ্ব্'আলিল; h-m-z / হ-ম-জ – interrogative // 'a // [Cognate: none] ; l-m / ল-ম – not // lam // [Cognate: none] ; j-ʿ-l / জ-আইন-ল – to make, place // najʿal // [Cognate: none])

78:6b:

الْأَرْضَ

the earth (l-arḍa, ল্-আরদ্বা; a-r-ḍ / অ-র-দ – earth, land // arḍ // Cognate: Hebrew: 'erets "earth")

78:6c:

مِهَادًا

a cradle/expanse (mihādan, মিহা-দান্; m-h-d / ম-হ-দ – to spread out, make a bed // mihād // Cognate: Syriac: mhadya "to smooth")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Have We not made [alam najʿal: rhetorical question 'Have not We' from j-ʿ-l "to make"], the earth [l-arḍa: from a-r-ḍ "earth," cf. Hebrew 'erets], a cradle/expanse [mihādan: noun from m-h-d "to spread out," implying a bed or prepared surface, cf. Syriac mhadya "to smooth"]?

b. আলাম্ নাজ্ব্'আলিল্আরদ্বা মিহা-দা? [হ-ম-জ/ (প্রশ্নবোধক); জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা কি করিনি; অ-র-দ/ পৃথিবীকে; ম-হ-দ/ শয্যা/বিস্তার; // cf. হিব্রু 'এরেত্স' "পৃথিবী"]।

Tafsīr 78:6: The Foundation of Creation.

Classical exegetes (Ṭabarī/Qurṭubī) establish mihād (cradle/expanse) as Allah's act of making the earth stable, habitable, and spread out for human life, like a bed prepared for rest. This connects to 20:53 (He Who made for you the earth a cradle), 51:48 (the earth We spread out), and 43:10 (He Who made the earth for you a cradle). This begins a series of rhetorical questions proving Allah's power to resurrect. Revealed in Mecca to challenge denial of the Afterlife. Parallels Genesis 1:9-10 (God gathering the waters so dry land appears) and Isaiah 42:5 (He who spread out the earth).

Verse 78:7 – The Mountains as Pegs

78:7a:

وَالْجِبَالَ

And the mountains (wa-l-jibāla, অল্-জ্বিবা-লা; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // Cognate: Hebrew: wə "and" ; j-b-l / জ-ব-ল – mountain // jibāl // Cognate: Aramaic: geblā "mountain")

78:7b:

أَوْتَادًا

as pegs/stakes (awtādan, আওতা-দান্; w-t-d / ও-ত-দ – to drive in, peg // awtād // Cognate: Syriac: watdā "peg, stake")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And the mountains [wa-l-jibāla: 'wa' (and) + plural of jabal from j-b-l "mountain," cf. Aramaic geblā], as pegs/stakes [awtādan: plural of watad from w-t-d "to peg," used for tent stakes stabilizing a structure].

b. অল্-জ্বিবা-লা আওতা-দা। [ও-আ/ এবং; জ-ব-ল/ পর্বতমালাকে; ও-ত-দ/ পেরেক/স্থিতিশীলকারী রূপে; // cf. আরামাইক 'গেবলা' "পর্বত"; সিরিয়াক 'ওয়াতদা' "পেরেক"]।

Tafsīr 78:7: The Stabilizers.

Ibn Kathīr explains awtād (pegs) as illustrating the mountains' function in stabilizing the earth's crust, preventing it from shaking violently (compare with tent pegs securing a tent). This connects to 16:15 (He cast mountains lest it shake), 21:31 (We placed mountains... lest it shake), and 31:10 (He cast mountains lest it shake). This Meccan verse uses a familiar Bedouin image (the tent peg) to demonstrate divine power and design. Parallels Psalm 104:5 ("He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved").

Verse 78:8 – Creation in Pairs

78:8a:

وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ

And We created you (wa-khalaqnākum, অ-খলাক্ব্ণা-কুম্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; kh-l-q / খ-ল-ক – to create, measure // khalaqnā // Cognate: Syriac: khlaq "he created" ; k-m / ক-ম - you (plural) // kum // Cognate: Hebrew: -khem "you")

78:8b:

أَزْوَاجًا

in pairs (azwājan, আয্‌ওয়া-জ্বান্; z-w-j / য-ও-জ – pair, mate // azwāj // Cognate: Syriac: zawgā "pair, yoke")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And We created you [wa-khalaqnākum: 'wa' (and) + 'khalaqnā' (We created) from kh-l-q "to create," cf. Syriac khlaq + 'kum' (you pl.), cf. Hebrew -khem], in pairs [azwājan: plural of zawj from z-w-j "one of a pair," referring to male and female, cf. Syriac zawgā "pair"].

b. অ-খলাক্ব্ণা-কুম্ আয্‌ওয়া-জ্বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; খ-ল-ক/ আমরা সৃষ্টি করেছি; ক-ম/ তোমাদেরকে; য-ও-জ/ জোড়ায় জোড়ায় (নারী-পুরুষ); // cf. সিরিয়াক 'খলাক্ব' "সৃষ্টি করা"; হিব্রু '-খেম' "তোমাদের"]।

Tafsīr 78:8: The Principle of Duality.

Exegetes like Ṭabarī emphasize azwāj (pairs) as meaning male and female, the basis of human generation. This connects to 30:21 (He created for you mates from yourselves), 51:49 (Of all things We created pairs), and 4:1 (He created... its mate). This Meccan verse points to the order in creation—specifically the pairing of opposites—as a sign of the Creator, analogous to the duality of life and death, which necessitates resurrection. Parallels Genesis 1:27 ("male and female he created them") and Genesis 2:18 ("I will make him a helper fit for him").

Verse 78:9 – Sleep as Rest

78:9a:

وَجَعَلْنَا

And We made (wa-jaʿalnā, অ-জ্বা'আক্না-; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; j-ʿ-l / জ-আইন-ল – to make, place // jaʿalnā // [Cognate: see 78:6])

78:9b:

نَوْمَكُمْ

your sleep (nawmakum, নাঅমা কুম্; n-w-m / ন-ও-ম – sleep // nawm // Cognate: Hebrew: nūm "to slumber" ; k-m / ক-ম - you (plural) // kum // [Cognate: see 78:8])

78:9c:

سُبَاتًا

a repose/cessation (subātan, সুবা-তান্; s-b-t / স-ব-ত – to cut off, rest, cease // subāt // Cognate: Hebrew: shabbat "sabbath, rest")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And We made [wa-jaʿalnā: 'wa' (and) + 'jaʿalnā' (We made) from j-ʿ-l "to make"], your sleep [nawmakum: 'nawm' (sleep) from n-w-m "to slumber," cf. Hebrew nūm + 'kum' (your)], a repose/cessation [subātan: from s-b-t "to cut off/cease," implying a break from activity, cf. Hebrew shabbat "Sabbath, rest"].

b. অ-জ্বা'আক্না- নাঅমা কুম্ সুবা-তা। [ও-আ/ এবং; জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা করেছি; ন-ও-ম/ তোমাদের ঘুমকে; স-ব-ত/ বিশ্রাম/কাটা (কর্ম থেকে); // cf. হিব্রু 'নূম' "তন্দ্রা"; হিব্রু 'শাব্বাত' "বিশ্রাম/শনিবার"]।

Tafsīr 78:9: The Mercy of Repose.

Ṭabarī and Qurṭubī define subāt (repose) as a "cutting off" (q-ṭ-ʿ) of movement and consciousness, providing essential rest. The connection to the Hebrew shabbat (s-b-t) underscores this concept of cessation. This connects to 25:47 (He Who made... sleep a repose) and 30:23 (And of His signs is your sleep by night). Sleep is presented as a "minor death," a daily sign analogous to the resurrection (the "major awakening"). Parallels Psalm 127:2 ("It is in vain that you rise up early... for he gives to his beloved sleep").

Verse 78:10 – The Night as a Garment

78:10a:

وَجَعَلْنَا

And We made (wa-jaʿalnā, অ-জ্বা'আক্না-; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; j-ʿ-l / জ-আইন-ল – to make, place // jaʿalnā // [Cognate: see 78:6])

78:10b:

اللَّيْلَ

the night (l-layla, ল্-লাইলা; l-y-l / ল-য়-ল – night // layl // Cognate: Hebrew: laylāh "night")

78:10c:

لِبَاسًا

a garment/covering (libāsan, লিবা-সান্; l-b-s / ল-ব-স – to wear, clothe, cover // libās // Cognate: Aramaic: lebūshā "garment")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And We made [wa-jaʿalnā: 'wa' (and) + 'jaʿalnā' (We made) from j-ʿ-l "to make"], the night [l-layla: from l-y-l "night," cf. Hebrew laylāh], a garment/covering [libāsan: from l-b-s "to wear/clothe," implying concealment and protection, cf. Aramaic lebūshā "garment"].

b. অ-জ্বা'আক্না-ল্-লাইলা লিবা-সা। [ও-আ/ এবং; জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা করেছি; ল-য়-ল/ রাতকে; ল-ব-স/ আবরণ/পোশাক; // cf. হিব্রু 'লায়লাহ' "রাত"; আরামাইক 'লেবুশা' "পোশাক"]।

Tafsīr 78:10: The Veil of Night.

Exegetes establish libās (garment) as a metaphor: the night "clothes" and "conceals" the world with its darkness, providing privacy and peace. This connects to 25:47 (He Who made the night for you a covering [libāsan]), 92:1 (By the night as it covers), and 27:86 (We made the night that they may rest therein). This theme of cycles (night/day) reinforces the power of Allah over creation, mirroring the cycle of death/resurrection. Parallels Genesis 1:5 ("God called the darkness Night") and Psalm 104:20 ("You make darkness, and it is night").

Verse 78:11 – The Day as Livelihood

78:11a:

وَجَعَلْنَا

And We made (wa-jaʿalnā, অ-জ্বা'আক্না-; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; j-ʿ-l / জ-আইন-ল – to make, place // jaʿalnā // [Cognate: see 78:6])

78:11b:

النَّهَارَ

the day (n-nahāra, ন্-নাহা-রা; n-h-r / ন-হ-র – day, daytime // nahār // Cognate: Aramaic: nəhar "light, day")

78:11c:

مَعَاشًا

(for) livelihood (maʿāshan, মা'আ-শান্; ʿ-y-sh / আইন-য়-শ – to live, subsist // maʿāsh // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And We made [wa-jaʿalnā: 'wa' (and) + 'jaʿalnā' (We made) from j-ʿ-l "to make"], the day [n-nahāra: from n-h-r "daytime," cf. Aramaic nəhar "light"], (for) livelihood [maʿāshan: noun of time/place from ʿ-y-sh "to live," meaning "time/place of seeking subsistence"].

b. অ-জ্বা'আক্না-ন্-নাহা-রা মা'আ-শা। [ও-আ/ এবং; জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা করেছি; ন-হ-র/ দিনকে; আইন-য়-শ/ জীবিকা (অন্বেষণের সময়); // cf. আরামাইক 'নাহার' "আলো, দিন"]।

Tafsīr 78:11: The Time for Subsistence.

Ibn Kathīr explains maʿāsh as the time allocated for humans to seek their sustenance and work. The light of the nahār (day) facilitates this activity. This connects to 27:86 (We made... the day allowing sight), 40:61 (He made... the day giving sight), and 28:73 (Of His mercy He made... the day that you may seek His bounty). The alternation of libās (night/rest) and maʿāsh (day/work) is a profound sign of divine wisdom. Parallels Genesis 1:5 ("God called the light Day") and Psalm 104:22-23 ("The sun rises... Man goes out to his work").

Verse 78:12 – The Seven Strong Heavens

78:12a:

وَبَنَيْنَا

And We built (wa-banaynā, অ-বানাইনা-; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; b-n-y / ব-ন-য় – to build, construct // banaynā // Cognate: Hebrew: bānah "he built")

78:12b:

فَوْقَكُمْ

above you (fawqakum, ফাওক্বাকুম্; f-w-q / ফ-ও-ক – above, over // fawqa // [Cognate: none] ; k-m / ক-ম - you (plural) // kum // [Cognate: see 78:8])

78:12c:

سَبْعًا شِدَادًا

seven strong (ones) (sabʿan shidādan, সাব্'আন্ শিদা-দান্; s-b-ʿ / স-ব-আইন – seven // sabʿan // Cognate: Hebrew: shevaʿ "seven" ; sh-d-d / শ-দ-দ – to be strong, firm // shidād // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And We built [wa-banaynā: 'wa' (and) + 'banaynā' (We built) from b-n-y "to build," cf. Hebrew bānah], above you [fawqakum: 'fawqa' (above) + 'kum' (you)], seven strong (ones) [sabʿan shidādan: 'sabʿan' (seven) cf. Hebrew shevaʿ + 'shidād' (pl. of shadīd) from sh-d-d "to be strong/firm"].

b. অ-বানাইনা- ফাওক্বাকুম্ সাব্'আন্ শিদা-দা। [ও-আ/ এবং; ব-ন-য়/ আমরা নির্মাণ করেছি; ফ-ও-ক + ক-ম/ তোমাদের উপরে; স-ব-আইন/ সাত; শ-দ-দ/ মজবুত/শক্তিশালী; // cf. হিব্রু 'বানা' "নির্মাণ করা"; হিব্রু 'শেভা' "সাত"]।

Tafsīr 78:12: The Celestial Structure.

Classical exegetes identify sabʿan shidād (seven strong) as the seven heavens. The verb banaynā (We built) emphasizes their nature as a vast, strong, and flawless construction. This connects to 67:3 (He Who created seven heavens in layers), 71:15 (how Allah has created seven heavens in layers?), and 23:17 (We created above you seven paths [heavens]). This Meccan verse transitions from terrestrial signs to celestial ones, demonstrating Allah's vast power. Parallels ancient Mesopotamian cosmology which often depicted seven tiered heavens.

Verse 78:13 – The Blazing Lamp

78:13a:

وَجَعَلْنَا

And We made (wa-jaʿalnā, অ-জ্বা'আক্না-; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; j-ʿ-l / জ-আইন-ল – to make, place // jaʿalnā // [Cognate: see 78:6])

78:13b:

سِرَاجًا

a lamp (sirājan, সিরা-জ্বান্; s-r-j / স-র-জ – lamp, light // sirāj // Cognate: Syriac: shrāgā "lamp")

78:13c:

وَهَّاجًا

blazing/intensely burning (wahhājan, ওয়াহ্হা-জ্বান্; w-h-j / ও-হ-জ – to blaze, glow intensely // wahhāj // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And We made [wa-jaʿalnā: 'wa' (and) + 'jaʿalnā' (We made) from j-ʿ-l "to make"], a lamp [sirājan: from s-r-j "lamp," cf. Syriac shrāgā], blazing/intensely burning [wahhājan: intensive adjective from w-h-j "to blaze," implying both light and heat].

b. অ-জ্বা'আক্না- সিরা-জ্বান্ ওয়াহ্হা-জ্বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা করেছি; স-র-জ/ একটি প্রদীপ; ও-হ-জ/ অত্যন্ত প্রজ্জ্বলিত/উজ্জ্বল; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'শরাগা' "প্রদীপ"]।

Tafsīr 78:13: The Celestial Lamp.

Exegetes (Ṭabarī, Kathīr) identify the sirājan wahhājan (blazing lamp) as the sun, the source of dazzling light and heat. This connects to 71:16 (He made... the sun a lamp [sirājan]) and 25:61 (He placed therein a lamp [the sun]). The Prophet ﷺ is also called a "sirājan munīran" (illuminating lamp) in 33:46. This verse highlights the sun as a crucial component of the celestial design. Parallels Psalm 19:4-6 (He has set a tent for the sun... its rising is from the end of the heavens).

Verse 78:14 – The Pouring Rain

78:14a:

وَأَنزَلْنَا

And We sent down (wa-anzalnā, অ-আন্যালনা-; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; n-z-l / ন-য-ল – to descend // anzalnā // Cognate: Syriac: nzal "he went down")

78:14b:

مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ

from the rainclouds (mina l-muʿṣirāti, মিনাল্-মু'স্বিরা-তি; m-n / ম-ন - from // min // Cognate: Hebrew: min "from" ; ʿ-ṣ-r / আইন-স-র – to squeeze, press // muʿṣirāt // [Cognate: none])

78:14c:

مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا

water pouring abundantly (māʾan thajjājan, মা~আন্ ছাজ্জ্বা-জ্বান্; m-w-h / ম-ও-হ – water // māʾ // Cognate: Hebrew: mayim "water" ; th-j-j / ছ-জ-জ – to gush, pour forth // thajjāj // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And We sent down [wa-anzalnā: 'wa' (and) + 'anzalnā' (We caused to descend) from n-z-l "to descend," cf. Syriac nzal], from the rainclouds [mina l-muʿṣirāti: 'min' (from) + pl. participle of ʿ-ṣ-r "to squeeze," meaning "the squeezers," i.e., clouds heavy with rain], water pouring abundantly [māʾan thajjājan: 'māʾ' (water) cf. Hebrew mayim + 'thajjāj' (intensive adjective) from th-j-j "to gush"].

b. অ-আন্যালনা- মিনাল্-মু'স্বিরা-তি মা~আন্ ছাজ্জ্বা-জ্বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; ন-য-ল/ আমরা নাযিল করেছি; ম-ন/ থেকে; আইন-স-র/ (বৃষ্টি-গর্ভ) মেঘমালা (যা চেপে রস বের করে); ম-ও-হ/ পানি; ছ-জ-জ/ যা প্রবল বেগে বর্ষণশীল; // cf. হিব্রু 'মিন' "থেকে"; হিব্রু 'মায়িম' "পানি"]।

Tafsīr 78:14: The Life-Giving Water.

Ibn Kathīr reports al-muʿṣirāt (the squeezers) as the wind, or the clouds themselves, "squeezed" to release māʾan thajjājan (abundantly pouring water). This connects to 56:68-69 (Have you seen the water... Is it you who send it down?), 50:9 (We sent down blessed water), and 25:48 (We send down pure water). This is the climax of the natural signs: the water cycle that enables life. Parallels Job 36:27-28 ("He draws up the drops of water... which the skies pour down") and Deuteronomy 32:2 ("May my teaching drop as the rain").

Verse 78:15 – The Purpose of Rain: Produce

78:15a:

لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ

That We may bring forth thereby (li-nukhrija bihi, লি-নুখ্রিজ্বা বিহি; l-m / ল-ম - so that // li // [Cognate: none] ; kh-r-j / খ-র-জ – to go out, emerge // nukhrija // Cognate: Aramaic: nakhreg "he will bring out" ; b-h / ব-হ - with it // bihi // [Cognate: none])

78:15b:

حَبًّا

grain (ḥabban, হাব্বান্; ḥ-b-b / হ-ব-ব – seed, grain // ḥabb // [Cognate: none])

78:15c:

وَنَبَاتًا

and vegetation (wa-nabātan, অ-নাবা-তান্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; n-b-t / ন-ব-ত – to grow, sprout // nabāt // Cognate: Syriac: nbat "he sprouted")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. That We may bring forth thereby [li-nukhrija bihi: 'li' (purpose) + 'nukhrija' (We bring forth) from kh-r-j "to go out," cf. Aramaic nakhreg + 'bihi' (with it)], grain [ḥabban: from ḥ-b-b "seed/grain"], and vegetation [wa-nabātan: 'wa' (and) + 'nabāt' (plants) from n-b-t "to grow," cf. Syriac nbat].

b. লি-নুখ্রিজ্বা বিহি হাব্বান্ অ-নাবা-তা। [ল-ম/ যেন; খ-র-জ/ আমরা বের করতে পারি; ব-হ/ তা (পানি) দ্বারা; হ-ব-ব/ শস্যদানা; ও-আ/ এবং; ন-ব-ত/ উদ্ভিদ; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'নবাত' "অঙ্কুরিত হওয়া"]।

Tafsīr 78:15: The Result of Rain.

Ṭabarī clarifies ḥabban (grain) as staple foods (wheat, barley) and nabātan (vegetation) as fodder for animals. This states the explicit purpose of the rain from 78:14: to produce sustenance. This connects to 80:27 (We caused grain to grow), 6:99 (We bring forth... grain), and 50:9 (We produce... grain for harvest). This act of bringing life (plants) from dead earth (soil) is the primary analogy for human resurrection. Parallels Genesis 1:11 ("Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed").

Bengali Script Collation: Sūrah An-Naba' (78:6-15)

৭৮: ৬. আলাম্ নাজ্ব্'আলিল্আরদ্বা মিহা-দা?

(হ-ম-জ/ (প্রশ্নবোধক); জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা কি করিনি; অ-র-দ/ পৃথিবীকে; ম-হ-দ/ শয্যা/বিস্তার; // cf. হিব্রু 'এরেত্স' "পৃথিবী")।

৭৮: ৭. অল্-জ্বিবা-লা আওতা-দা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; জ-ব-ল/ পর্বতমালাকে; ও-ত-দ/ পেরেক/স্থিতিশীলকারী রূপে; // cf. আরামাইক 'গেবলা' "পর্বত")।

৭৮: ৮. অ-খলাক্ব্ণা-কুম্ আয্‌ওয়া-জ্বা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; খ-ল-ক/ আমরা সৃষ্টি করেছি; ক-ম/ তোমাদেরকে; য-ও-জ/ জোড়ায় জোড়ায়; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'খলাক্ব' "সৃষ্টি করা")।

৭৮: ৯. অ-জ্বা'আক্না- নাঅমা কুম্ সুবা-তা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা করেছি; ন-ও-ম/ তোমাদের ঘুমকে; স-ব-ত/ বিশ্রাম/কাটা (কর্ম থেকে); // cf. হিব্রু 'শাব্বাত' "বিশ্রাম")।

৭৮: ১০. অ-জ্বা'আক্না-ল্-লাইলা লিবা-সা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা করেছি; ল-য়-ল/ রাতকে; ল-ব-স/ আবরণ/পোশাক; // cf. হিব্রু 'লায়লাহ' "রাত")।

৭৮: ১১. অ-জ্বা'আক্না-ন্-নাহা-রা মা'আ-শা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা করেছি; ন-হ-র/ দিনকে; আইন-য়-শ/ জীবিকা (অন্বেষণের সময়); // cf. আরামাইক 'নাহার' "আলো, দিন")।

৭৮: ১২. অ-বানাইনা- ফাওক্বাকুম্ সাব্'আন্ শিদা-দা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; ব-ন-য়/ আমরা নির্মাণ করেছি; ফ-ও-ক + ক-ম/ তোমাদের উপরে; স-ব-আইন/ সাত; শ-দ-দ/ মজবুত; // cf. হিব্রু 'বানা' "নির্মাণ করা")।

৭৮: ১৩. অ-জ্বা'আক্না- সিরা-জ্বান্ ওয়াহ্হা-জ্বা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; জ-আইন-ল/ আমরা করেছি; স-র-জ/ একটি প্রদীপ; ও-হ-জ/ অত্যন্ত প্রজ্জ্বলিত; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'শরাগা' "প্রদীপ")।

৭আ: ১৪. অ-আন্যালনা- মিনাল্-মু'স্বিরা-তি মা~আন্ ছাজ্জ্বা-জ্বা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; ন-য-ল/ আমরা নাযিল করেছি; ম-ন/ থেকে; আইন-স-র/ মেঘমালা; ম-ও-হ/ পানি; ছ-জ-জ/ প্রবল বেগে বর্ষণশীল; // cf. হিব্রু 'মায়িম' "পানি")।

৭৮: ১৫. লি-নুখ্রিজ্বা বিহি হাব্বান্ অ-নাবা-তা।

(ল-ম/ যেন; খ-র-জ/ আমরা বের করতে পারি; ব-হ/ তা দ্বারা; হ-ব-ব/ শস্যদানা; ও-আ/ এবং; ন-ব-ত/ উদ্ভিদ; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'নবাত' "অঙ্কুরিত হওয়া")।

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Verse 78:16 – The Verdant Gardens

78:16a:

وَجَنَّاتٍ

And gardens (wa-jannātin, অ-জান্না-তিন্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; j-n-n / জ-ন-ন – to conceal, garden // jannāt // Cognate: Hebrew: gan "garden")

78:16b:

أَلْفَافًا

luxuriant/densely-wound (alfāfan, আল্ফা-ফান; l-f-f / ল-ফ-ফ – to wrap, twist // alfāf // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And gardens [wa-jannātin: 'wa' (and) + plural of jannah from j-n-n "to conceal," a garden dense with foliage, cf. Hebrew gan "garden"], luxuriant/densely-wound [alfāfan: plural of lafīf from l-f-f "to wrap," implying trees/plants twisted densely together].

b. অ-জান্না-তিন্ আল্ফা-ফা। [ও-আ/ এবং; জ-ন-ন/ উদ্যানসমূহ (যা ঘন পাতা দ্বারা আবৃত); ল-ফ-ফ/ ঘন/জড়ানো (গাছপালা); // cf. হিব্রু 'গান' "বাগান"]।

Tafsīr 78:16: The Conclusion of Signs.

Ṭabarī and Kathīr note alfāf (luxuriant) signifies gardens where the trees are so dense they appear "wrapped" (l-f-f) together. This verse concludes the sequence of earthly signs (78:6-16) demonstrating Allah's power to create complex life from simple inputs (soil, water), arguing that He Who did this can certainly resurrect. Connects to 56:30 (shade, close-growing), 80:30 (and gardens of dense foliage), 55:66 (two dark-green gardens). This imagery of provision contrasts sharply with the judgment that follows. Parallels Genesis 2:8-9 (The Garden of Eden) and Psalm 65:9-10 (You... water its furrows... it yields its crops).

Verse 78:17 – The Appointed Day of Separation

78:17a:

إِنَّ يَوْمَ

Indeed, the Day (inna yawma, ইন্না ইয়াওমা; a-n-n / অ-ন-ন – indeed // inna // [Cognate: none] ; y-w-m / য়-ও-ম – day // yawm // Cognate: Hebrew: yōm "day")

78:17b:

الْفَصْلِ

of Separation/Decision (l-faṣli, ল্-ফাস্ব্লি; f-ṣ-l / ফ-স্ব-ল – to separate, decide // faṣl // Cognate: Syriac: pṣal "he cut off")

78:17c:

كَانَ مِيقَاتًا

(it) is an appointed time (kāna mīqātan, কা-না মীকা-তান্; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kāna // Cognate: Hebrew: kūn "to be firm, established" ; w-q-t / ও-ক-ত – appointed time // mīqāt // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Indeed, the Day [inna yawma: 'inna' (verily) + 'yawm' (day) cf. Hebrew yōm], of Separation [l-faṣli: from f-ṣ-l "to cut/separate," implying the day that separates truth from falsehood, cf. Syriac pṣal], is [kāna: from k-w-n "to be," cf. Hebrew kūn] an appointed time [mīqātan: noun of time/place from w-q-t "appointed time"].

b. ইন্না ইয়াওমাল্ ফাস্ব্-লি কা-না মীকা-তা। [অ-ন-ন/ নিশ্চয়ই; য়-ও-ম/ দিন; ফ-স্ব-ল/ ফয়সালার/বিচ্ছেদের; ক-ও-ন/ (নির্দিষ্ট) আছে; ও-ক-ত/ নির্ধারিত সময়; // cf. হিব্রু 'ইয়োম' "দিন"; সিরিয়াক 'প্সাল' "সে কেটে ফেলেছে"]।

Tafsīr 78:17: The Inevitable Pivot.

This verse pivots from the signs of creation (78:6-16) to the "Great Tiding" (78:2): the Resurrection. Ṭabarī explains Yawm al-Faṣl (Day of Separation) as the day Allah will "separate" (f-ṣ-l) the righteous from the wicked. Mīqāt (appointed time) emphasizes it is fixed, unchangeable, and known only to Allah. Connects to 37:21 (This is the Day of Separation), 44:40 (The Day of Separation is the appointed time), 77:14 ("What is the Day of Separation?"). The Prophet ﷺ said, "No one knows the time of the Hour except Allah" (Bukhārī). Parallels Joel 3:14 ("Multitudes... in the valley of decision").

Verse 78:18 – The Blowing of the Trumpet

78:18a:

يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ

The Day (it) is blown (yawma yunfakhu, ইয়াওমা ইয়ুন্ফাখু; y-w-m / য়-ও-ম – day // yawma // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; n-f-kh / ন-ফ-খ – to blow // yunfakhu // Cognate: Hebrew: nāfaḥ "he blew")

78:18b:

فِي الصُّورِ

in the Trumpet (fi ṣ-ṣūri, ফিস্-স্বূরি; f-y / ফ-য় – in // fī // [Cognate: none] ; ṣ-w-r / স্ব-ও-র – trumpet, horn // ṣūr // Cognate: Hebrew: shōfār "ram's horn")

78:18c:

فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا

and you will come in crowds/troops (fa-taʾtūna afwājan, ফাতা'তূনা আফ্ওয়া-জ্বান্; f-ā / ফ-আ – so, then // fa // [Cognate: none] ; a-t-y / অ-ত-য় – to come // taʾtūn // Cognate: Aramaic: ātā "he came" ; f-w-j / ফ-ও-জ – crowd, group // afwāj // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. The Day [yawma: cf. Hebrew yōm] (it) is blown [yunfakhu: passive verb from n-f-kh "to blow," cf. Hebrew nāfaḥ], in the Trumpet [fi ṣ-ṣūri: 'fi' (in) + 'ṣūr' (horn/trumpet), cf. Hebrew shōfār], so you will come [fa-taʾtūna: 'fa' (so) + 'taʾtūna' (you come) from a-t-y "to come," cf. Aramaic ātā], in crowds/troops [afwājan: plural of fawj, a "group" or "troop"].

b. ইয়াওমা ইয়ুন্ফাখু ফিস্-স্বূরি ফাতা'তূনা আফ্ওয়া-জ্বা। [য়-ও-ম/ যেদিন; ন-ফ-খ/ ফুঁক দেওয়া হবে; স্ব-ও-র/ শিংগায়; ফ-আ/ অতঃপর; অ-ত-য়/ তোমরা আসবে; ফ-ও-জ/ দলে দলে; // cf. হিব্রু 'শোফার' "শিংগা"; আরামাইক 'আতা' "সে এসেছে"]।

Tafsīr 78:18: The Gathering.

This describes the how of the Yawm al-Faṣl. Ibn Kathīr specifies this is the second blowing of the Ṣūr (Trumpet) for the resurrection. Afwājan (in crowds) means people will come in distinct groups or nations, each following their prophet or leader. Connects to 39:68 (The Trumpet will be blown), 18:99 (We will gather them all), 20:102 (The Day the Trumpet is blown). The Prophet ﷺ described the terror of the Trumpet (Tirmidhī). Parallels 1 Corinthians 15:52 ("In a moment... at the last trumpet... the dead will be raised") and Matthew 24:31 ("He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call").

Verse 78:19 – The Celestial Opening

78:19a:

وَفُتِحَتِ

And (it) is opened (wa-futiḥati, অ-ফুতিহাতি; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; f-t-ḥ / ফ-ত-হ – to open // futiḥat // Cognate: Hebrew: pātaḥ "he opened")

78:19b:

السَّمَاءُ

the heaven (s-samāʾu, স্-সামা~উ; s-m-w / স-ম-ও – sky, heaven // samāʾ // Cognate: Hebrew: shāmayim "heavens")

78:19c:

فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا

and it becomes gateways (fa-kānat abwāban, ফাকা-নাত্ আব্ওয়া-বান্; f-ā / ফ-আ – so, then // fa // [Cognate: none] ; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kānat // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; b-w-b / ব-ও-ব – gate, door // abwāb // Cognate: Akkadian: bābu "gate")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And (it) is opened [wa-futiḥati: 'wa' (and) + passive verb 'futiḥat' (she was opened) from f-t-ḥ "to open," cf. Hebrew pātaḥ], the heaven [s-samāʾu: from s-m-w "sky/heaven," cf. Hebrew shāmayim], so it becomes [fa-kānat: 'fa' (so) + 'kānat' (she was/became) from k-w-n "to be"], gateways [abwāban: plural of bāb "gate," cf. Akkadian bābu].

b. অ-ফুতিহাতিস্-সামা~উ ফাকা-নাত্ আব্ওয়া-বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; ফ-ত-হ/ খুলে দেওয়া হবে; স-ম-ও/ আসমান; ফ-আ/ ফলে; ক-ও-ন/ তা হয়ে যাবে; ব-ও-ব/ বহু দরজা; // cf. হিব্রু 'পাতাহ' "সে খুলেছে"; হিব্রু 'শামায়িম' "আকাশমন্ডলী"; আক্কাদিয়ান 'বাবু' "দরজা"]।

Tafsīr 78:19: The Rupturing of Heaven.

This verse describes the catastrophic celestial event accompanying the Resurrection. Exegetes (Ṭabarī) explain abwāban (gateways) as the sky literally tearing apart, opening paths for the angels to descend. This connects to 69:16 (The heaven will be rent asunder), 82:1 (When the sky breaks apart), and 77:9 (When the heavens are cleft open). This powerful Meccan imagery reinforces the totality of the Day of Judgment, affecting both earth and heaven. Parallels Revelation 6:14 ("The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up") and Isaiah 34:4 ("All the host of heaven shall rot away...").

Verse 78:20 – The Vanishing Mountains

78:20a:

وَسُيِّرَتِ

And (they) are moved (wa-suyyirati, অ-সুইয়্যিরাতি; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; s-y-r / স-য়-র – to move, travel // suyyirat // [Cognate: none])

78:20b:

الْجِبَالُ

the mountains (l-jibālu, ল্-জ্বিবা-লু; j-b-l / জ-ব-ল – mountain // jibāl // [Cognate: see 78:7])

78:20c:

فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا

and they become a mirage (fa-kānat sarāban, ফাকা-নাত্ সারা-বান্; f-ā / ফ-আ – so, then // fa // [Cognate: none] ; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kānat // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; s-r-b / স-র-ব – mirage, to flow // sarāb // Cognate: Syriac: sharbā "mirage, shimmering heat")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And (they) are moved [wa-suyyirati: 'wa' (and) + passive verb 'suyyirat' (she was moved) from s-y-r "to travel"], the mountains [l-jibālu: plural of jabal, cf. Aramaic geblā], so they become [fa-kānat: 'fa' (so) + 'kānat' (she was/became) from k-w-n "to be"], a mirage [sarāban: from s-r-b "to flow," a mirage that looks like water, cf. Syriac sharbā "mirage"].

b. অ-সুইয়্যিরাতিল্-জ্বিবা-লু ফাকা-নাত্ সারা-বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; স-য়-র/ চালিত করা হবে; জ-ব-ল/ পর্বতমালাকে; ফ-আ/ ফলে; ক-ও-ন/ তা হয়ে যাবে; স-র-ব/ মরীচিকা; // cf. আরামাইক 'গেবলা' "পর্বত"; সিরিয়াক 'শারবা' "মরীচিকা"]।

Tafsīr 78:20: The Terrestrial Collapse.

This is the earthly counterpart to 78:19. Ṭabarī explains the mountains, the very symbols of stability (78:7), are uprooted, pulverized to dust, and scattered, becoming sarāban (a mirage)—an illusion, nothingness. This connects to 56:5 (Mountains will be crumbled to dust), 77:10 (Mountains are blown away), 20:105 (He will blast them... as scattered dust). The Prophet ﷺ recited 18:47 describing this (Bukhārī). This vision of total geological collapse underscores the power that brings resurrection. Parallels Revelation 16:20 ("Every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found").

Verse 78:21 – Hell Awaits

78:21a:

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ

Indeed, Hell (inna jahannama, ইন্না জ্বাহান্নামা; a-n-n / অ-ন-ন – indeed // inna // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; j-h-n-m / জ-হ-ন-ম – Hell // jahannam // Cognate: Hebrew: Gehinnom "Valley of Hinnom")

78:21b:

كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا

is an ambush/waiting place (kānat mirṣādan, কা-নাত্ মিরস্বোয়া-দান্; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kānat // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; r-ṣ-d / র-স্ব-দ – to watch, ambush // mirṣād // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Indeed, Hell [inna jahannama: 'inna' (indeed) + 'jahannam' (Hell), from Hebrew Gehinnom, a valley of fire near Jerusalem], is [kānat: 'she was/is' from k-w-n "to be"], an ambush/waiting place [mirṣādan: noun of place from r-ṣ-d "to watch/ambush," a place of observation and waiting].

b. ইন্না জ্বাহান্নামা কা-নাত্ মিরস্বোয়া-দা। [অ-ন-ন/ নিশ্চয়ই; জ-হ-ন-ম/ জাহান্নাম; ক-ও-ন/ আছে; র-স্ব-দ/ ওৎ পেতে/প্রতীক্ষাস্থল; // cf. হিব্রু 'গেহিন্নোম' "হিন্নোম উপত্যকা"]।

Tafsīr 78:21: The Waiting Ambush.

After describing the Day of Separation, the text introduces the destinations. Jahannam (Hell) is personified as mirṣādan, an "ambush" or "watchtower" (Ibn Kathīr), actively lying in wait for the transgressors. This connects to 89:14 (Indeed, your Lord is in ambush [la-bi-l-mirṣād]), 50:30 (We will say to Hell, "Are you full?"), 67:7 (When they are cast... they hear its inhaling). This Meccan verse creates a sense of imminent, inescapable danger. Parallels Matthew 25:41 ("Depart from me... into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels").

Verse 78:22 – The Transgressors' Abode

78:22a:

لِّلطَّاغِينَ

For the transgressors (li-ṭ-ṭāghīna, লিত্ব্-ত্বোয়া-ঘীনা; l-m / ল-ম – for // li // [Cognate: none] ; ṭ-gh-y / ত্ব-গ-য় – to transgress, exceed // ṭāghīn // [Cognate: none])

78:22b:

مَآبًا

a destination/abode (maʾāban, মাআ-বান্; a-w-b / অ-ও-ব – to return // maʾāb // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. For the transgressors [li-ṭ-ṭāghīna: 'li' (for) + plural participle of ṭ-gh-y "to exceed all bounds, transgress"], a destination/abode [maʾāban: noun of place/return from a-w-b "to return," the ultimate place one returns to].

b. লিত্ব্-ত্বোয়া-ঘীনা মাআ-বা। [ল-ম/ জন্য; ত্ব-গ-য়/ সীমালঙ্ঘনকারীদের; অ-ও-ব/ প্রত্যাবর্তনস্থল/আবাস]।

Tafsīr 78:22: The Destination Defined.

This verse specifies who Hell (78:21) is waiting for: aṭ-ṭāghīn (the transgressors), those who exceeded the bounds set by Allah, primarily through shirk (polytheism) and denial. Maʾāb (destination) reinforces this as their final, inescapable "home" or "place of return." This connects to 38:55 (This... and for the transgressors is an evil destination [maʾāb]), 18:29 (We have prepared... a fire), 4:168-169 (Allah will not forgive... except the way to Hell). The Prophet ﷺ warned against transgression (Muslim). This clarifies the Faṣl (Separation) of 78:17.

Verse 78:23 – The Ages of Abode

78:23a:

لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا

Abiding therein (lābithīna fīhā, লা-বিছীনা ফীহা-; l-b-th / ল-ব-ছ – to stay, abide // lābithīn // [Cognate: none] ; f-y / ফ-য় – in // fīhā // [Cognate: see 78:18])

78:23b:

أَحْقَابًا

for ages/eons (aḥqāban, আহ্ক্বা-বান্; ḥ-q-b / হ-ক-ব – long period, age // aḥqāb // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Abiding therein [lābithīna fīhā: 'lābithīna' (pl. participle) from l-b-th "to stay/abide" + 'fīhā' (in it)], for ages/eons [aḥqāban: plural of ḥuqub, an undefined, extremely long period of time; an age].

b. লা-বিছীনা ফীহা~ আহ্ক্বা-বা। [ল-ব-ছ/ তারা অবস্থানকারী; ফ-য়/ তার মধ্যে; হ-ক-ব/ যুগ যুগ ধরে]।

Tafsīr 78:23: The Unimaginable Duration.

Lābithīn (abiding) emphasizes their state. Aḥqāb (ages) has been discussed by exegetes. Ibn Kathīr reports differing opinions, but the majority view, supported by other verses, is that it signifies endless, consecutive eons, one "age" following another, implying eternity. This connects to 4:169 (abiding therein forever [abadan]), 33:65 (abiding... forever). The Prophet ﷺ confirmed the eternity of Hell for its permanent dwellers (Bukhārī). The term aḥqāb evokes an almost unimaginable duration, countering the Meccan belief that any punishment would be temporary.

Verse 78:24 – The Great Deprivation

78:24a:

لَّا يَذُوقُونَ

They will not taste (lā yadhūqūna, লা- ইয়াযূক্বূনা; l-ā / ল-আ – not // lā // [Cognate: none] ; dh-w-q / য-ও-ক – to taste // yadhūqūn // [Cognate: none])

78:24b:

فِيهَا بَرْدًا

therein (any) coolness (fīhā bardan, ফীহা- বারদান্; f-y / ফ-য় – in // fīhā // [Cognate: see 78:18] ; b-r-d / ব-র-দ – cool, cold // bard // [Cognate: none])

78:24c:

وَلَا شَرَابًا

nor (any) drink (wa-lā sharāban, অলা- শারা-বান্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; l-ā / ল-আ – not // lā // [Cognate: none] ; sh-r-b / শ-র-ব – to drink // sharāb // Cognate: Hebrew: shārab "heat, mirage" [note: semantic shift])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. They will not taste [lā yadhūqūna: 'lā' (not) + 'yadhūqūn' (they taste) from dh-w-q "to taste"], therein [fīhā: 'in it'], (any) coolness [bardan: from b-r-d "cold," i.e., relief from the heat], nor (any) drink [wa-lā sharāban: 'wa' (and) + 'lā' (not) + 'sharāb' (drink) from sh-r-b "to drink"].

b. লা- ইয়াযূক্বূনা ফীহা- বারদান্ অলা- শারা-বা। [ল-আ/ না; য-ও-ক/ তারা আস্বাদন করবে; ফ-য়/ তার মধ্যে; ব-র-দ/ কোন শীতলতা; ও-আ/ এবং; ল-আ/ না; শ-র-ব/ কোন পানীয়]।

Tafsīr 78:24: The Torment of Thirst.

This verse begins detailing the nature of the punishment. The primary torment is fire, so bard (coolness) is the first thing denied. Sharāb (drink) is also denied, highlighting an agonizing thirst, which sets up the horrifying contrast in the next verse (78:25). This connects to 38:57 (This... a boiling fluid and a filthy fluid [ghassāq]), 56:42 (In scorching wind and boiling water), 14:16 (He will be given... boiling water). The Prophet ﷺ described Hell as 70 times hotter than worldly fire (Bukhārī). This deprivation directly opposes the Jannah (gardens) promised later.

Bengali Script Collation: Sūrah An-Naba' (78:16-24)

৭৮: ১৬. অ-জান্না-তিন্ আল্ফা-ফা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; জ-ন-ন/ উদ্যানসমূহ; ল-ফ-ফ/ ঘন/জড়ানো; // cf. হিব্রু 'গান' "বাগান")।

৭৮: ১৭. ইন্না ইয়াওমাল্ ফাস্ব্-লি কা-না মীকা-তা।

(অ-ন-ন/ নিশ্চয়ই; য়-ও-ম/ দিন; ফ-স্ব-ল/ ফয়সালার/বিচ্ছেদের; ক-ও-ন/ (নির্দিষ্ট) আছে; ও-ক-ত/ নির্ধারিত সময়; // cf. হিব্রু 'ইয়োম' "দিন")।

৭৮: ১৮. ইয়াওমা ইয়ুন্ফাখু ফিস্-স্বূরি ফাতা'তূনা আফ্ওয়া-জ্বা।

(য়-ও-ম/ যেদিন; ন-ফ-খ/ ফুঁক দেওয়া হবে; স্ব-ও-র/ শিংগায়; ফ-আ/ অতঃপর; অ-ত-য়/ তোমরা আসবে; ফ-ও-জ/ দলে দলে; // cf. হিব্রু 'শোফার' "শিংগা")।

৭৮: ১৯. অ-ফুতিহাতিস্-সামা~উ ফাকা-নাত্ আব্ওয়া-বা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; ফ-ত-হ/ খুলে দেওয়া হবে; স-ম-ও/ আসমান; ফ-আ/ ফলে; ক-ও-ন/ তা হয়ে যাবে; ব-ও-ব/ বহু দরজা; // cf. হিব্রু 'শামায়িম' "আকাশমন্ডলী")।

৭৮: ২০. অ-সুইয়্যিরাতিল্-জ্বিবা-লু ফাকা-নাত্ সারা-বা।

(ও-আ/ এবং; স-য়-র/ চালিত করা হবে; জ-ব-ল/ পর্বতমালাকে; ফ-আ/ ফলে; ক-ও-ন/ তা হয়ে যাবে; স-র-ব/ মরীচিকা; // cf. আরামাইক 'গেবলা' "পর্বত")।

৭৮: ২১. ইন্না জ্বাহান্নামা কা-নাত্ মিরস্বোয়া-দা।

(অ-ন-ন/ নিশ্চয়ই; জ-হ-ন-ম/ জাহান্নাম; ক-ও-ন/ আছে; র-স্ব-দ/ ওৎ পেতে/প্রতীক্ষাস্থল; // cf. হিব্রু 'গেহিন্নোম' "হিন্নোম উপত্যকা")।

৭৮: ২২. লিত্ব্-ত্বোয়া-ঘীনা মাআ-বা।

(ল-ম/ জন্য; ত্ব-গ-য়/ সীমালঙ্ঘনকারীদের; অ-ও-ব/ প্রত্যাবর্তনস্থল/আবাস)।

৭৮: ২৩. লা-বিছীনা ফীহা~ আহ্ক্বা-বা।

(ল-ব-ছ/ তারা অবস্থানকারী; ফ-য়/ তার মধ্যে; হ-ক-ব/ যুগ যুগ ধরে)।

৭আ: ২৪. লা- ইয়াযূক্বূনা ফীহা- বারদান্ অলা- শারা-বা।

(ল-আ/ না; য-ও-ক/ তারা আস্বাদন করবে; ফ-য়/ তার মধ্যে; ব-র-দ/ কোন শীতলতা; ও-আ/ এবং; ল-আ/ না; শ-র-ব/ কোন পানীয়)।

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Verse 78:25 – The Appalling Drink

78:25a:

إِلَّا حَمِيمًا

Except boiling water (illā ḥamīman, ইল্লা- হামীমান্; a-l-l / অ-ল-ল – except // illā // [Cognate: none] ; ḥ-m-m / হ-ম-ম – to heat, hot water // ḥamīm // Cognate: Hebrew: ḥam "hot")

78:25b:

وَغَسَّاقًا

and a filthy fluid (wa-ghassāqan, অ-গাস্সা-ক্বান্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; gh-s-q / গ-স-ক – to be dark, flow // ghassāq // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Except [illā: particle of exception], boiling water [ḥamīman: 'hot water' from ḥ-m-m "to heat," cf. Hebrew ḥam "hot"], and a filthy fluid [wa-ghassāqan: 'wa' (and) + 'ghassāq' (an intensely cold, foul-smelling fluid) from gh-s-q "to flow" or "to be dark/cold"].

b. ইল্লা- হামীমান্ অ-গাস্সা-ক্বা। [অ-ল-ল/ কিন্তু/ব্যতীত; হ-ম-ম/ ফুটন্ত পানি; ও-আ/ এবং; গ-স-ক/ (ক্ষত-নিঃসৃত) পূঁজ (বা তীব্র ঠান্ডা); // cf. হিব্রু 'হাম' "গরম"]।

Tafsīr 78:25: The Torment Defined.

This verse provides the horrifying exception to 78:24 ("nor any drink"). Ṭabarī and Ibn Kathīr report ḥamīm (boiling water) is scalding water, and ghassāq is the putrid, intensely cold, or foul discharge (pus/blood) from the dwellers of Hell. This combines extreme heat and extreme cold/filth. This connects to 38:57 (boiling fluid and a filthy fluid [ghassāq]), 14:16 (drinking boiling water which tears his intestines), 47:15 (given to drink boiling water). The Prophet ﷺ said ghassāq is a fluid so vile, "if one bucket of it were poured onto the world, it would putrefy all its inhabitants" (Tirmidhī). Parallels Revelation 14:10 ("He also will drink the wine of God's wrath... and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur").

Bengali Script Collation: Sūrah An-Naba' (78:25)

৭৮: ২৫. ইল্লা- হামীমান্ অ-গাস্সা-ক্বা।

(অ-ল-ল/ কিন্তু/ব্যতীত; হ-ম-ম/ ফুটন্ত পানি; ও-আ/ এবং; গ-স-ক/ (ক্ষত-নিঃসৃত) পূঁজ (বা তীব্র ঠান্ডা); // cf. হিব্রু 'হাম' "গরম")।

Verse 78:26 – The Fitting Recompense

78:26a:

جَزَاءً

A recompense (jazāʾan, জ্বাযা~আন্; j-z-y / জ-য-য় – to recompense, reward // jazāʾ // [Cognate: none])

78:26b:

وِفَاقًا

fitting/in accord (wifāqan, অফা-ক্বান্; w-f-q / ও-ফ-ক – to agree, be suitable // wifāq // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. A recompense [jazāʾan: noun from j-z-y "to recompense," a payment for deeds], fitting/in accord [wifāqan: noun from w-f-q "to be suitable/concordant," implying it perfectly matches their deeds].

b. জ্বাযা~আন্ অফা-ক্বা। [জ-য-য়/ প্রতিদান; ও-ফ-ক/ যা যথাযথ/উপযুক্ত]।

Tafsīr 78:26: The Just Retribution.

Ibn Kathīr explains jazāʾan wifāqan (a fitting recompense) as a declaration of perfect justice: their punishment (78:24-25) is not tyranny but an exact, suitable consequence that "agrees with" (w-f-q) their evil deeds. This connects to 40:17 (Today, every soul is recompensed), 45:28 (recompensed for what you used to do), 6:160 (recompensed only... its like). The Prophet ﷺ affirmed God's justice (Bukhārī). This Meccan verse establishes that their suffering is a direct result of their choices, primarily their denial (78:27). Parallels Galatians 6:7 ("A man reaps what he sows").

Verse 78:27 – The Root of Transgression

78:27a:

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا

Indeed, they were (ones who) (innahum kānū, ইন্নাহুম্ কা-নূ; a-n-n / অ-ন-ন – indeed // inna // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; h-m / হ-ম – they // hum // [Cognate: see 78:3] ; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kānū // [Cognate: see 78:17])

78:27b:

لَا يَرْجُونَ

did not expect/hope for (lā yarjūna, লা- ইয়ারজ্বূনা; l-ā / ল-আ – not // lā // [Cognate: none] ; r-j-w / র-জ-ও – to hope, expect // yarjūn // Cognate: Syriac: ragyā "hope")

78:27c:

حِسَابًا

a reckoning (ḥisāban, হিসা-বান্; ḥ-s-b / হ-স-ব – to reckon, count // ḥisāb // Cognate: Hebrew: ḥishshēv "he calculated")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Indeed, they [innahum: 'inna' (indeed) + 'hum' (they)] were (ones who) [kānū: 'they were' from k-w-n "to be"], did not expect/hope for [lā yarjūna: 'lā' (not) + 'yarjūn' (they hope) from r-j-w "to hope," cf. Syriac ragyā], a reckoning [ḥisāban: from ḥ-s-b "to count/calculate," cf. Hebrew ḥishshēv "he calculated"].

b. ইন্নাহুম্ কা-নূ লা- ইয়ারজ্বূনা হিসা-বা। [অ-ন-ন + হ-ম/ নিশ্চয়ই তারা; ক-ও-ন/ ছিল; ল-আ/ না; র-জ-ও/ আশা (বা ভয়) করত; হ-স-ব/ হিসাবের; // cf. হিব্রু 'হিশ্শেভ' "সে গণনা করেছে"]।

Tafsīr 78:27: The Core Denial.

This verse diagnoses the cause for their "fitting recompense" (78:26). Ṭabarī states they "did not expect" (lā yarjūna) a ḥisāb (reckoning) because they fundamentally denied the Resurrection and accountability. This denial freed them to transgress (ṭ-gh-y, 78:22). This connects to 17:49 (They say, "When we are bones... will we be raised?"), 38:16 (They say, "Our Lord, hasten... our share"), and 45:24 ("There is only our worldly life"). The Prophet ﷺ said, "He who is brought to account will be punished" (Bukhārī), emphasizing the severity of the ḥisāb. Parallels 1 Corinthians 15:32 ("If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die'").

Verse 78:28 – The Active Rejection

78:28a:

وَكَذَّبُوا

And they denied (wa-kadhdhabū, অ-কায্যাব্যূ; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; k-dh-b / ক-য-ব – to lie, deny // kadhdhabū // Cognate: Syriac: kaddeb "he lied")

78:28b:

بِآيَاتِنَا

Our Signs/Verses (bi-āyātinā, বিআ-য়া-তিনা-; b-ī / ব-ঈ – with // bi // [Cognate: none] ; a-y-y / অ-য়-য় – sign // āyāt // Cognate: Hebrew: ōt "sign" ; n-ā / ন-আ - Our // nā // Cognate: Hebrew: -nū "our")

78:28c:

كِذَّابًا

an utter denial (kidhdhāban, কিয্যা-বান্; k-dh-b / ক-য-ব – to lie, deny // kidhdhāb // [Cognate: see 78:28a])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And they denied [wa-kadhdhabū: 'wa' (and) + intensive verb 'kadhdhabū' (they strongly denied) from k-dh-b "to lie," cf. Syriac kaddeb], Our Signs/Verses [bi-āyātinā: 'bi' (with) + 'āyāt' (signs) from a-y-y, cf. Hebrew ōt + 'nā' (Our)], an utter denial [kidhdhāban: intensive verbal noun from k-dh-b, "a great lying"].

b. অ-কায্যাব্যূ বিআ-য়া-তিনা- কিয্যা-বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; ক-য-ব/ তারা চরমভাবে অস্বীকার করেছিল; ব-ঈ + অ-য়-য় + ন-আ/ আমাদের আয়াত/ নিদর্শনসমূহকে; ক-য-ব/ পুরোপুরি মিথ্যা প্রতিপন্ন করে]।

Tafsīr 78:28: The Rejection of Truth.

This verse details their action (denial), while 78:27 detailed their belief (no reckoning). Kadhdhabū... kidhdhāban (they denied an utter denial) is an emphatic construction (mafʿūl muṭlaq) signifying total, vehement, and persistent rejection of the āyāt (signs)—both the verses of the Qurʾān and the signs in creation (78:6-16). Connects to 50:5 (They denied the truth), 25:11 (They have denied the Hour), 6:33 (It is the verses of Allah they reject). The Prophet ﷺ was deeply grieved by this denial (Bukhārī). This rejection is the core crime for which Hell (78:21) is the jazāʾ (recompense).

Verse 78:29 – The Perfect Record

78:29a:

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ

And every thing (wa-kulla shayʾin, অ-কুল্লা শাই’ইন্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; k-l-l / ক-ল-ল – all, every // kull // Cognate: Hebrew: kōl "all" ; sh-y-ʾ / শ-য়-হামযা – thing // shayʾ // [Cognate: none])

78:29b:

أَحْصَيْنَاهُ

We have enumerated it (aḥṣaynāhu, আহ্স্বাইনা-হু; ḥ-ṣ-y / হ-স্ব-য় – to count, enumerate // aḥṣaynāhu // [Cognate: none] ; h-ū / হ-উ - it // hū // Cognate: Hebrew: hū "he, it")

78:29c:

كِتَابًا

in a Book/record (kitāban, কিতা-বান্; k-t-b / ক-ত-ব – to write // kitāb // Cognate: Hebrew: kətāv "writing, document")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And every [wa-kulla: 'wa' (and) + 'kull' (all), cf. Hebrew kōl] thing [shayʾin: from sh-y-ʾ "thing"], We have enumerated it [aḥṣaynāhu: 'aḥṣaynā' (We counted) from ḥ-ṣ-y "to enumerate" + 'hū' (it)], in a Book/record [kitāban: from k-t-b "to write," cf. Hebrew kətāv].

b. অ-কুল্লা শাই’ইন্ আহ্স্বাইনা-হু কিতা-বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; ক-ল-ল/ প্রত্যেক; শ-য়-হামযা/ জিনিস; হ-স্ব-য় + হ-উ/ আমরা তা গণনা (লিপিবদ্ধ) করে রেখেছি; ক-ত-ব/ কিতাবে/রেকর্ডে; // cf. হিব্রু 'কোল' "সব"; হিব্রু 'কেতাভ' "লিপি"]।

Tafsīr 78:29: The Divine Enumeration.

This verse refutes their denial (78:28) by confirming the divine record. Ṭabarī explains aḥṣaynāhu kitāban (We enumerated it in a Book) as Allah's perfect recording of every single deed, small or large, in the Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ (Preserved Tablet). This connects to 58:6 (Allah has enumerated it, while they forgot it), 18:49 (This book leaves nothing... but has enumerated it), 36:12 (We... enumerate all things in a clear register). The Prophet ﷺ said, "The pen has been lifted and the pages have dried" (Tirmidhī). Parallels Malachi 3:16 ("A scroll of remembrance was written before him") and Revelation 20:12 ("The books were opened...").

Verse 78:30 – The Concluding Threat

78:30a:

فَذُوقُوا

"So taste! (fa-dhūqū, ফাযূক্বূ; f-ā / ফ-আ – so, then // fa // [Cognate: none] ; dh-w-q / য-ও-ক – to taste // dhūqū // [Cognate: see 78:24])

78:30b:

فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ

for never will We increase you (fa-lan nazīdakum, ফালান্ নাযীদা কুম্; f-ā / ফ-আ – for // fa // [Cognate: none] ; l-n / ল-ন – never (emphatic) // lan // [Cognate: none] ; z-y-d / য-য়-দ – to increase // nazīda // [Cognate: none] ; k-m / ক-ম - you (plural) // kum // [Cognate: see 78:8])

78:30c:

إِلَّا عَذَابًا

except in torment." (illā ʿadhāban, ইল্লা- 'আযা-বান্; a-l-l / অ-ল-ল – except // illā // [Cognate: see 78:25] ; ʿ-dh-b / আইন-য-ব – torment // ʿadhāb // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. "So taste! [fa-dhūqū: 'fa' (so) + imperative 'dhūqū' (you taste) from dh-w-q "to taste"], for never will We increase you [fa-lan nazīdakum: 'fa' (for) + 'lan' (emphatic future negative) + 'nazīda' (We increase) from z-y-d + 'kum' (you)], except [illā: "in"] torment." [ʿadhāban: from ʿ-dh-b "torment"].

b. ফাযূক্বূ ফালান্ নাযীদা কুম্ ইল্লা- 'আযা-বা। [ফ-আ/ অতএব; য-ও-ক/ তোমরা আস্বাদন কর; ফ-আ + ল-ন/ অতঃপর আমরা কখনো বৃদ্ধি করব না; য-য়-দ + ক-ম/ তোমাদের জন্য; অ-ল-ল/ ব্যতীত; আইন-য-ব/ আযাব/শাস্তি]।

Tafsīr 78:30: The Eternal Increase.

Ibn Kathīr calls this the most severe verse in the Qurʾān for the people of Hell. Fa-dhūqū (So taste!) is a command of humiliation. Fa-lan nazīdakum illā ʿadhāban (We will never increase you except in torment) confirms that their punishment is not static; it only intensifies. This connects to 4:56 (When their skins are roasted... We replace them with other skins so they may taste the torment), 35:37 (They will cry... "Taste!"), 14:17 (He cannot swallow... and death comes... but he does not die). This is the final, terrifying conclusion to the jazāʾ wifāq (fitting recompense).

Verse 78:31 – The Reward for the Righteous

78:31a:

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

Indeed, for the God-fearing (inna li-l-muttaqīna, ইন্না লিল্-মুত্তাক্বীনা; a-n-n / অ-ন-ন – indeed // inna // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; l-m / ল-ম – for // li // [Cognate: none] ; w-q-y / ও-ক-য় – to guard, fear // muttaqīn // [Cognate: none])

78:31b:

مَفَازًا

is a place of success/triumph (mafāzan, মাফা-যান্; f-w-z / ফ-ও-য – to succeed, escape // mafāz // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Indeed, for the God-fearing [inna li-l-muttaqīna: 'inna' (indeed) + 'li' (for) + 'muttaqīn' (pl. participle) from w-q-y "to guard oneself," i.e., against evil], is a place of success/triumph [mafāzan: noun of place/source from f-w-z "to attain success/escape danger"].

b. ইন্না লিল্-মুত্তাক্বীনা মাফা-যা। [অ-ন-ন/ নিশ্চয়ই; ল-ম/ জন্য; ও-ক-য়/ মুত্তাকীদের (যারা [আল্লাহকে] ভয় করে, আত্মরক্ষা করে); ফ-ও-য/ সাফল্য/মুক্তিস্থল]।

Tafsīr 78:31: The Great Contrast (The Pivot).

This verse marks the Sūrah's major pivot (in "indeed"), contrasting the fate of the ṭāghīn (78:22) with the muttaqīn (God-fearing). Ṭabarī defines mafāz (place of success) as a place of fawz (triumph) where they have "escaped" (f-w-z) the Hellfire described prior. This connects to 39:61 (Allah will deliver the God-fearing to their place of success [mafāz]), 3:185 (He who is... admitted to the Garden, has triumphed [fāz]), 9:72 (That is the great triumph [fawz]). The Prophet ﷺ said Jannah is "light, fragrance, and vast provision" (Ibn Mājah). Parallels Revelation 21:7 ("The one who conquers will have this heritage").

Verse 78:32 – The Gardens and Grapes

78:32a:

حَدَائِقَ

Gardens (ḥadāʾiqa, হাদা~ইক্বা; ḥ-d-q / হ-দ-ক – to encircle // ḥadīqa // Cognate: Syriac: ḥdāq "he surrounded")

78:32b:

وَأَعْنَابًا

and vineyards (grapes) (wa-aʿnāban, অ-আ'না-বান্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; ʿ-n-b / আইন-ন-ব – grape // aʿnāb // Cognate: Hebrew: ʿēnāv "grape")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Gardens [ḥadāʾiqa: plural of ḥadīqa, a lush garden, from ḥ-d-q "to encircle" (implying a walled/enclosed garden), cf. Syriac ḥdāq], and vineyards (grapes) [wa-aʿnāban: 'wa' (and) + 'aʿnāb' (grapes) from ʿ-n-b, cf. Hebrew ʿēnāv].

b. হাদা~ইক্বা অ-আ'না-বা। [হ-দ-ক/ বাগানসমূহ (যা প্রাচীর-বেষ্টিত); ও-আ/ এবং; আইন-ন-ব/ আঙ্গুরসমূহ; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'হদাক' "সে বেষ্টন করেছে"; হিব্রু 'এনাভ' "আঙ্গুর"]।

Tafsīr 78:32: The Details of Triumph.

This verse begins detailing the mafāz (78:31). Ḥadāʾiq (gardens) are specified, implying lush, enclosed estates, and aʿnāb (grapes) are mentioned specifically as a prized fruit, a symbol of luxury and delight. This connects to 18:32 (We made for one... two gardens of grapes), 23:19 (We produce... gardens of date-palms and grapes), 2:266 (a garden of date-palms and grapes). This provides a direct contrast to the ḥamīm (boiling water) of 78:25. Parallels Song of Solomon 7:12 ("Let us go early to the vineyards... see if the pomegranates are in bloom").

Verse 78:33 – The Companions

78:33a:

وَكَوَاعِبَ

And full-bosomed (companions) (wa-kawāʿiba, অ-কাওয়া-'ইবা; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; k-ʿ-b / ক-আইন-ব – to be full, swell (of a breast) // kawāʿib // [Cognate: none])

78:33b:

أَتْرَابًا

of equal age (atrāban, আত্ব্রা-বান্; t-r-b / ত-র-ব – contemporary, equal age // atrāb // Cognate: Syriac: tarbā "contemporaneous")

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And full-bosomed (companions) [wa-kawāʿiba: 'wa' (and) + 'kawāʿib' (pl. of kāʿib) from k-ʿ-b "to swell," referring to maidens with full, rounded breasts], of equal age [atrāban: pl. of tirb from t-r-b "contemporary," implying they are of the same age as each other, or matching the age of their spouses, cf. Syriac tarbā].

b. অ-কাওয়া-'ইবা আত্ব্রা-বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; ক-আইন-ব/ পূর্ণ-যৌবনা (স্ফীতবক্ষ) কুমারীগণ; ত-র-ব/ সমবয়সী; // cf. সিরিয়াক 'তারবা' "সমসাময়িক"]।

Tafsīr 78:33: The Blessed Companionship.

Exegetes (Ṭabarī, Kathīr) explain kawāʿib as youthful, full-breasted virgins, and atrāb as being of a single, matching age (in the prime of youth), enhancing compatibility. This describes the Ḥūr al-ʿĪn (Companions) of Paradise. This connects to 56:35-37 (We produced them... [made them] virgins, loving, and of equal age [atrāban]), 55:72 (Companions... in pavilions), 38:52 (Companions... of equal age [atrāb]). This promise of pure, blissful companionship contrasts with the solitary nature of torment.

Verse 78:34 – The Overflowing Cup

78:34a:

وَكَأْسًا

And a cup (wa-kaʾsan, অ-কা'সান্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; k-ʾ-s / ক-হামযা-স – cup // kaʾs // Cognate: Hebrew: kōs "cup")

78:34b:

دِهَاقًا

overflowing (dihāqan, দিহা-ক্বান্; d-h-q / দ-হ-ক – to fill, press full // dihāq // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. And a cup [wa-kaʾsan: 'wa' (and) + 'kaʾs' (a cup, esp. for wine), cf. Hebrew kōs], overflowing [dihāqan: 'full to the brim' or 'successive,' from d-h-q "to fill full"].

b. অ-কা'সান্ দিহা-ক্বা। [ও-আ/ এবং; ক-হামযা-স/ পানপাত্র; দ-হ-ক/ যা কানায় কানায় পূর্ণ/ উপচে পড়া; // cf. হিব্রু 'কোস' "পানপাত্র"]।

Tafsīr 78:34: The Drink of Paradise.

This verse details the drink of the righteous, contrasting with the ghassāq (78:25) of the wicked. Kaʾsan dihāqan (an overflowing cup) implies abundance and generosity, filled with the pure wine of Paradise. This connects to 83:25 (They are given... pure sealed wine), 47:15 (a river of wine... delicious), 56:18 (With cups... from a flowing spring). The Prophet ﷺ described the vessels of Paradise (Bukhārī). Parallels Psalm 23:5 ("Thou preparest a table before me... my cup runneth over").

Verse 78:35 – The Absence of Falsehood

78:35a:

لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ

They will not hear (lā yasmaʿūna, লা- ইয়াস্মা'ঊনা; l-ā / ল-আ – not // lā // [Cognate: none] ; s-m-ʿ / স-ম-আইন – to hear // yasmaʿūn // Cognate: Hebrew: shāmaʿ "he heard")

78:35b:

فِيهَا لَغْوًا

therein (any) vain talk (fīhā laghwan, ফীহা- লাগ্ওয়াঁ; f-y / ফ-য় – in // fīhā // [Cognate: see 78:18] ; l-gh-w / ল-গ-ও – idle/vain talk // laghw // [Cognate: none])

78:35c:

وَلَا كِذَّابًا

nor (any) lying (wa-lā kidhdhāban, অলা- কিয্যা-বান্; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; l-ā / ল-আ – not // lā // [Cognate: none] ; k-dh-b / ক-য-ব – to lie, deny // kidhdhāb // [Cognate: see 78:28a])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. They will not hear [lā yasmaʿūna: 'lā' (not) + 'yasmaʿūn' (they hear) from s-m-ʿ "to hear," cf. Hebrew shāmaʿ], therein [fīhā: 'in it'], (any) vain talk [laghwan: from l-gh-w "idle/frivolous/false talk"], nor (any) lying [wa-lā kidhdhāban: 'wa' (and) + 'lā' (not) + 'kidhdhāb' (lying/denial), same root as 78:28].

b. লা- ইয়াস্মা'ঊনা ফীহা- লাগ্ওয়াঁ অলা- কিয্যা-বা। [ল-আ/ না; স-ম-আইন/ তারা শুনবে; ফ-য়/ তার মধ্যে; ল-গ-ও/ কোন অসার/বাজে কথা; ও-আ/ এবং; ল-আ/ না; ক-য-ব/ কোন মিথ্যাচার]।

Tafsīr 78:35: The Pure Environment.

This describes the psychological and social bliss of Paradise. Unlike the world, which is full of laghw (vain/hurtful talk) and kidhdhāb (lying)—the very sin of the deniers (78:28)—Paradise is pure. This connects to 88:11 (They will not hear... vain talk), 56:25 (They will not hear... ill speech), 19:62 (They will not hear... ill speech, but only "Peace"). The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever believes... let him speak good or remain silent" (Bukhārī). This purity contrasts with the arguments of the disbelievers on Earth (78:1-3). Parallels Revelation 21:27 ("Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is... false").

Verse 78:36 – The Source of the Reward

78:36a:

جَزَاءً مِّن

A recompense from (jazāʾan min, জ্বাযা~আম্ মিন্; j-z-y / জ-য-য় – to recompense, reward // jazāʾ // [Cognate: see 78:26] ; m-n / ম-ন - from // min // [Cognate: see 78:14])

78:36b:

رَّبِّكَ عَطَاءً

your Lord, a gift (rabbika ʿaṭāʾan, রব্বিকা 'আত্বোয়া~আন্; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – lord, master // rabb // Cognate: Hebrew: rav "master" ; k-ā / ক-আ - your // ka // Cognate: Hebrew: -kā "your" ; ʿ-ṭ-w / আইন-ত্ব-ও – to give // ʿaṭāʾ // [Cognate: none])

78:36c:

حِسَابًا

sufficient/bountiful (ḥisāban, হিসা-বান্; ḥ-s-b / হ-স-ব – to reckon, suffice // ḥisāb // [Cognate: see 78:27])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. A recompense [jazāʾan: from j-z-y "to recompense"] from [min: "from"] your Lord [rabbika: 'rabb' (Lord) cf. Hebrew rav + 'ka' (your) cf. Hebrew -kā], a gift [ʿaṭāʾan: noun from ʿ-ṭ-w "to give"], sufficient/bountiful [ḥisāban: from ḥ-s-b "to calculate/suffice," here meaning "sufficient" or "abundant"].

b. জ্বাযা~আম্ মির রব্বিকা 'আত্বোয়া~আন্ হিসা-বা। [জ-য-য়/ প্রতিদান; ম-ন/ পক্ষ থেকে; র-ব-ব + ক-আ/ আপনার রবের; আইন-ত্ব-ও/ দান; হ-স-ব/ যা যথেষ্ট/পরিপূর্ণ হিসাব মত]।

Tafsīr 78:36: The Gift of Grace.

This verse clarifies the nature of the reward. It is a jazāʾ (recompense) but also an ʿaṭāʾ (gift). Ṭabarī notes ḥisāban (sufficient) implies it is a "sufficient" gift far exceeding their actual deeds, given by grace. This connects to 11:108 (a gift... uninterrupted), 38:54 (This is Our provision... without end), 76:22 (This is... your effort is appreciated). The Prophet ﷺ said, "No one will enter Paradise by his deeds alone... except by the mercy of Allah" (Bukhārī). This balances divine justice (78:26) with divine grace.

Verse 78:37 – The Lord of All

78:37a:

رَّبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ

Lord of the heavens (rabbi s-samāwāti, রব্বিস্ সামা-ওয়া-তি; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – lord, master // rabb // [Cognate: see 78:36] ; s-m-w / স-ম-ও – sky, heaven // samāwāt // [Cognate: see 78:19])

78:37b:

وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا

and the earth and whatever (wa-l-arḍi wa-mā, অল্-আরদ্বি অমা-; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; a-r-ḍ / অ-র-দ – earth, land // arḍ // [Cognate: see 78:6] ; m-ā / ম-আ – what // mā // [Cognate: see 78:1])

78:37c:

بَيْنَهُمَا الرَّحْمَٰنِ

is between them, the Most Merciful (baynahumā r-raḥmāni, বাইনাহুমার রহ্-মা-নি; b-y-n / ব-য়-ন – between // bayna // [Cognate: none] ; r-ḥ-m / র-হ-ম – mercy // raḥmān // Cognate: Aramaic: raḥmānā "merciful")

78:37d:

لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ

they do not possess from Him (lā yamlikūna minhu, লা- ইয়াম্লিকূনা মিন্হু; l-ā / ল-আ – not // lā // [Cognate: none] ; m-l-k / ম-ল-ক – to possess // yamlikūn // Cognate: Hebrew: melek "king" ; m-n / ম-ন - from // minhu // [Cognate: see 78:14])

78:37e:

خِطَابًا

any address/speech (khiṭāban, খিত্বোয়া-বান্; kh-ṭ-b / খ-ত্ব-ব – to speak, address // khiṭāb // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Lord [rabbi: from r-b-b "Lord"] of the heavens [s-samāwāti: from s-m-w "heaven," cf. Hebrew shāmayim] and the earth [wa-l-arḍi: 'and' + a-r-ḍ "earth," cf. Hebrew 'erets] and whatever [wa-mā: 'and' + 'mā' (what)] is between them, the Most Merciful [baynahumā r-raḥmāni: 'bayna' (between) + 'r-raḥmān' (the Merciful) from r-ḥ-m, cf. Aramaic raḥmānā], they do not possess [lā yamlikūna: 'lā' (not) + 'yamlikūn' (they possess) from m-l-k "to own/rule," cf. Hebrew melek "king"] from Him [minhu: "from Him"] any address/speech [khiṭāban: from kh-ṭ-b "to address"].

b. রব্বিস্ সামা-ওয়া-তি অল্-আরদ্বি অমা- বাইনাহুমার রহ্-মা-নি লা- ইয়াম্লিকূনা মিন্হু খিত্বোয়া-বা। [র-ব-ব/ রব; স-ম-ও/ আসমানসমূহের; অ-র-দ/ ও পৃথিবীর; ব-য়-ন/ ও উভয়ের মধ্যবর্তী; র-হ-ম/ দয়াময় (আল্লাহ); ল-আ/ না; ম-ল-ক/ তারা ক্ষমতা রাখবে; ম-ন + হ-উ/ তাঁর; খ-ত্ব-ব/ সাথে কথা বলার; // cf. হিব্রু 'মেলেখ' "রাজা"; আরামাইক 'রাহমানা' "দয়াময়"]।

Tafsīr 78:37: The Absolute Authority.

This verse identifies the "Lord" (78:36) as ar-Raḥmān (The Most Merciful), the absolute sovereign of all creation (heavens, earth, and between). The scene shifts back to the Day of Judgment. Lā yamlikūna minhu khiṭāban ("They do not possess any address from Him") means no one has the power or permission to speak or intercede on their own authority; absolute silence reigns. Connects to 20:108 (Voices are hushed before ar-Raḥmān), 2:255 (Who is he that can intercede... except by His permission?), 78:38 (They will not speak...). This establishes the terrifying majesty of the court.

Verse 78:38 – The Day of Standing

78:38a:

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ

The Day (he) stands (yawma yaqūmu, ইয়াওমা ইয়াক্বূমু; y-w-m / য়-ও-ম – day // yawma // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; q-w-m / ক-ও-ম – to stand // yaqūm // Cognate: Hebrew: qūm "to rise, stand")

78:38b:

الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ

the Spirit and the angels (r-rūḥu wa-l-malāʾikatu, র রূহু অল্-মালা~ইকাতু; r-w-ḥ / র-ও-হ – spirit, wind // rūḥ // Cognate: Hebrew: rūaḥ "spirit, wind" ; m-l-k / ম-ল-ক – angel, messenger // malāʾika // [Cognate: see 78:37])

78:38c:

صَفًّا

in ranks (ṣaffan, স্বোয়াফ্ফান্; ṣ-f-f / স্ব-ফ-ফ – to align, rank // ṣaff // [Cognate: none])

78:38d:

لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ

they will not speak (lā yatakallamūna, লা- ইয়াতাকাল্লামূনা; l-ā / ল-আ – not // lā // [Cognate: none] ; k-l-m / ক-ল-ম – to speak // yatakallamūn // Cognate: Syriac: klem "word")

78:38e:

إِلَّا مَنْ

except (he) who (illā man, ইল্লা- মান্; a-l-l / অ-ল-ল – except // illā // [Cognate: see 78:25] ; m-n / ম-ন - who // man // [Cognate: none])

78:38f:

أَذِنَ لَهُ

permits him (adhina lahu, আযিনা লাহু; a-dh-n / অ-য-ন – to permit // adhina // [Cognate: none] ; l-m / ল-ম – for // lahu // [Cognate: none])

78:38g:

الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ

the Most Merciful, and he says (r-raḥmānu wa-qāla, র রহ্-মা-নু অ-ক্বা-লা; r-ḥ-m / র-হ-ম – mercy // raḥmān // [Cognate: see 78:37] ; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to speak // qāla // [Cognate: see 109:1 example])

78:38h:

صَوَابًا

(what is) right (ṣawāban, স্বোয়া-বান্; ṣ-w-b / স্ব-ও-ব – to be right, correct // ṣawāb // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. The Day [yawma: cf. Hebrew yōm] (he) stands [yaqūmu: from q-w-m "to stand," cf. Hebrew qūm] the Spirit [r-rūḥu: from r-w-ḥ "spirit," cf. Hebrew rūaḥ] and the angels [wa-l-malāʾikatu: 'and' + 'malāʾika' (angels) from m-l-k "messenger"], in ranks [ṣaffan: from ṣ-f-f "to align"], they will not speak [lā yatakallamūna: 'lā' (not) + 'yatakallamūn' (they speak) from k-l-m, cf. Syriac klem], except (he) who [illā man: 'except who'] permits him [adhina lahu: 'adhina' (he permitted) from a-dh-n + 'lahu' (to him)] the Most Merciful [r-raḥmānu: cf. Aramaic raḥmānā], and he says [wa-qāla: 'and' + 'qāla' (he said) from q-w-l "to speak"] (what is) right [ṣawāban: from ṣ-w-b "to be correct"].

b. ইয়াওমা ইয়াক্বূমুর রূহু অল্-মালা~ইকাতু স্বোয়াফ্ফাল লা- ইয়াতাকাল্লামূনা ইল্লা- মান্ আযিনা লাহুর রহ্-মা-নু অ-ক্বা-লা স্বোয়া-বা। [য়-ও-ম/ যেদিন; ক-ও-ম/ দাঁড়াবে; র-ও-হ/ রূহ; ম-ল-ক/ ও ফেরেশতাগণ; স্ব-ফ-ফ/ সারিবদ্ধভাবে; ল-আ/ না; ক-ল-ম/ তারা কথা বলবে; অ-ল-ল/ ব্যতীত; ম-ন/ সে; অ-য-ন/ অনুমতি দেন; র-হ-ম/ দয়াময়; ক-ও-ল/ এবং সে বলে; স্ব-ও-ব/ সঠিক কথা; // cf. হিব্রু 'রুয়াহ' "আত্মা"; হিব্রু 'ক্বুম' "দাঁড়ানো"]।

Tafsīr 78:38: The Majesty of Judgment Day.

This details the Yawm al-Faṣl (Day of Separation). Ar-Rūḥ (The Spirit) is identified by Ṭabarī and Kathīr as either a mighty angel (like Gabriel) or a unique creation. The angels stand in silent ranks (ṣaffan). This reinforces 78:37: lā yatakallamūn (they will not speak) except on two conditions: 1) permission from ar-Raḥmān and 2) saying ṣawāban (what is right, i.e., truth or intercession for the deserving). This connects to 20:109 (Intercession will not benefit... except him whom ar-Raḥmān permits) and 2:255. The Prophet ﷺ will be the first granted permission to intercede (Bukhārī).

Verse 78:39 – The Inevitable Day

78:39a:

ذَٰلِكَ الْيَوْمُ

That (is) the Day (dhālika l-yawmu, যা-লিকাল্ ইয়াওমুল্; dh-l-k / য-ল-ক – that // dhālika // [Cognate: none] ; y-w-m / য়-ও-ম – day // yawm // [Cognate: see 78:17])

78:39b:

الْحَقُّ

the True (l-ḥaqqu, ল্-হাক্ব্; ḥ-q-q / হ-ক-ক – truth, reality // ḥaqq // Cognate: Hebrew: ḥōq "law, decree")

78:39c:

فَمَن شَاءَ

So whoever wills, (fa-man shāʾa, ফামান্ শা~আ; f-ā / ফ-আ – so, then // fa // [Cognate: none] ; m-n / ম-n - who // man // [Cognate: none] ; sh-y-ʾ / শ-য়-হামযা – to will, wish // shāʾa // [Cognate: see 78:29])

78:39d:

اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ

let him take to (ittakhadha ilā, ত্ত্তাখাযা ইলা-; a-kh-dh / অ-খ-য – to take // ittakhadha // Cognate: Hebrew: ʾāḥaz "he seized" ; a-l-y / অ-ল-য় – to // ilā // Cognate: Hebrew: ʾel "to")

78:39e:

رَبِّهِ مَآبًا

his Lord a place of return (rabbihi maʾāban, রব্বিহী মাআ-বা; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – lord, master // rabb // [Cognate: see 78:36] ; h-ī / হ-ঈ - his // hī // [Cognate: none] ; a-w-b / অ-ও-ব – to return // maʾāb // [Cognate: see 78:22])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. That (is) the Day [dhālika l-yawmu: 'dhālika' (that) + 'yawm' (day)], the True [l-ḥaqqu: 'the Truth/Reality' from ḥ-q-q, cf. Hebrew ḥōq "decree"], So whoever [fa-man: 'fa' (so) + 'man' (who)] wills, [shāʾa: 'he willed' from sh-y-ʾ "to will"], let him take [ittakhadha: from a-kh-dh "to take," cf. Hebrew ʾāḥaz] to [ilā: "to," cf. Hebrew ʾel] his Lord [rabbihi: 'rabb' (Lord) + 'hi' (his)] a place of return [maʾāban: noun of place from a-w-b "to return," i.e., a good destination].

b. যা-লিকাল্ ইয়াওমুল্ হাক্ব্। ফামান্ শা~আত্তাখাযা ইলা- রব্বিহী মাআ-বা। [য-ল-ক/ ওটা; য়-ও-ম/ দিন; হ-ক-ক/ সত্য/বাস্তব; ফ-আ/ সুতরাং; ম-ন/ যে; শ-য়-হামযা/ ইচ্ছা করে; অ-খ-য/ সে গ্রহণ করুক; অ-ল-য়/ দিকে; র-b-ব + হ-ঈ/ তার রবের; অ-ও-ব/ প্রত্যাবর্তনস্থল; // cf. হিব্রু 'হোক' "বিধি, আইন"]।

Tafsīr 78:39: The Call to Return.

This verse declares dhālika al-yawm al-ḥaqq (That is the True Day)—the ultimate reality, confirmed after the description of judgment. It then pivots from warning to invitation: fa-man shāʾa (So whoever wills). Ṭabarī explains this as an offer of free will: now that the reality is stated, choose to ittakhadha ilā rabbihi maʾāban (take a path of return to your Lord), i.e., through faith and good deeds. This connects to 73:19 (So whoever wills... let him take a path), 76:29 (So whoever wills... takes a way). This verse encapsulates the Qurʾān's core message: warning and invitation. Parallels Revelation 22:17 ("Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life").

Verse 78:40 – The Final Warning

78:40a:

إِنَّا أَنذَرْنَاكُمْ

Indeed, We have warned you (innā andharnākum, ইন্না~ আন্যার্না-কুম্; a-n-n / অ-ন-ন – indeed // inna // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; n-dh-r / ন-য-র – to warn // andharnā // Cognate: Hebrew: nāzar "to separate, dedicate" [note: semantic shift] ; k-m / ক-ম - you (plural) // kum // [Cognate: see 78:8])

78:40b:

عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا

(of) a torment near (ʿadhāban qarīban, 'আযা-বান্ ক্বারীবা; ʿ-dh-b / আইন-য-ব – torment // ʿadhāb // [Cognate: see 78:30] ; q-r-b / ক-র-ব – near // qarīb // Cognate: Hebrew: qārōv "near")

78:40c:

يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ

(on) the Day (he) looks (yawma yanẓuru, ইয়াওমা ইয়ানযুরু; y-w-m / য়-ও-ম – day // yawma // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; n-ẓ-r / ন-য-র – to look, see // yanẓur // [Cognate: none])

78:40d:

الْمَرْءُ مَا

the man at what (l-marʾu mā, ল্-মার’উ মা-; m-r-ʾ / ম-র-হামযা – man // marʾ // [Cognate: none] ; m-ā / ম-আ – what // mā // [Cognate: see 78:1])

78:40e:

قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ

his hands have sent forth (qaddamat yadāhu, ক্বাদ্দামাত্ ইয়াদা-হু; q-d-m / ক-দ-ম – to send forth // qaddamat // [Cognate: none] ; y-d-y / য়-দ-য় – hand // yadā // Cognate: Hebrew: yād "hand")

78:40f:

وَيَقُولُ الْكَافِرُ

and the disbeliever says (wa-yaqūlu l-kāfiru, অ-ইয়াক্বূলুল্ কা-ফিরু; w-ā / ও-আ - and // wa // [Cognate: see 78:7] ; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to speak // yaqūl // [Cognate: see 109:1 example] ; k-f-r / ক-ফ-র – to disbelieve // kāfir // [Cognate: see 109:1 example])

78:40g:

يَا لَيْتَنِي

"O, would that I (yā laytanī, ইয়া- লাইতানী; y-ā / য়-আ – O (vocative) // yā // [Cognate: see 109:1 example] ; l-y-t / ল-য়-ত – would that // layta // [Cognate: none])

78:40h:

كُنتُ تُرَابًا

were dust!" (kuntu turāban, কুন্তু তুরা-বা; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kuntu // [Cognate: see 78:17] ; t-r-b / ত-র-ব – dust, earth // turāb // [Cognate: none])

Linguistic Gloss:

a. Indeed, We have warned you [innā andharnākum: 'inna' (indeed) + 'andharnā' (We warned) from n-dh-r "to warn" + 'kum' (you)], (of) a torment [ʿadhāban: from ʿ-dh-b "torment"] near [qarīban: from q-r-b "near," cf. Hebrew qārōv], (on) the Day [yawma: cf. Hebrew yōm] (he) looks [yanẓuru: from n-ẓ-r "to see"] the man [l-marʾu: "the man"] at what [mā: "what"] his hands have sent forth [qaddamat yadāhu: 'qaddamat' (she sent forth) + 'yadā' (two hands) from y-d-y "hand," cf. Hebrew yād], and the disbeliever says [wa-yaqūlu l-kāfiru: 'and' + 'yaqūl' (he says) from q-w-l + 'kāfir' (disbeliever) from k-f-r], "O, would that I [yā laytanī: 'yā' (O) + 'layta' (would that) + 'nī' (I)], were [kuntu: 'I was' from k-w-n "to be"] dust!" [turāban: from t-r-b "dust"].

b. ইন্না~ আন্যার্না-কুম্ 'আযা-বান্ ক্বারীবা। ইয়াওমা ইয়ানযুরুল্ মার’উ মা- ক্বাদ্দামাত্ ইয়াদা-হু অ-ইয়াক্বূলুল্ কা-ফিরু ইয়া- লাইতানী কুন্তু তুরা-বা। [অ-ন-ন/ নিশ্চয়ই; ন-য-র/ আমরা তোমাদের সতর্ক করছি; আইন-য-ব/ শাস্তি; ক-র-ব/ আসন্ন; য়-ও-ম/ যেদিন; ন-য-র/ দেখবে; ম-র-হামযা/ মানুষ; ম-আ/ যা; ক-দ-ম/ প্রেরণ করেছে; য়-দ-য়/ তার দু'হাত; ক-ও-ল/ এবং বলবে; ক-ফ-র/ কাফির; য়-আ + ল-য়-ত/ হায়! যদি; ক-ও-ন/ আমি হতাম; ত-র-ব/ মাটি; // cf. হিব্রু 'ক্বারোভ' "নিকট"; হিব্রু 'ইয়াদ' "হাত"]।

Tafsīr 78:40: The Final Cry of Regret.

The Sūrah concludes with a final warning (andharnākum). The "near torment" (ʿadhāban qarīban) is the Day of Judgment, which Ṭabarī notes is "near" because all that is coming is near. On this day, every person (al-marʾ) will see their deeds (mā qaddamat yadāhu). The climax is the cry of the kāfir (disbeliever): yā laytanī kuntu turāban ("Would that I were dust!"). Ibn Kathīr reports this is said when Allah judges the animals and turns them to dust; the disbeliever, seeing this, wishes for non-existence over facing the ḥisāb. Connects to 69:25 (O, would that I had not been given my record), 25:27 (O, would that I had taken a path...). Parallels Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 (Man has no advantage over the beasts... all turn to dust).

Summary:

People question one another about the "great news," a matter over which they are in deep disagreement. A stern warning is issued, and repeated, that they will soon know its reality. This news concerns the Day of Separation, a fixed, appointed time. On that Day, the Trumpet will be blown, and humanity will come forth in crowds. The heavens will be opened like gateways, and the mountains will be set in motion until they become a mirage.

• The text points to evidences of divine power in creation as proof. The earth was made a resting place, stabilized by mountains as pegs. Humankind was created in pairs, with sleep for rest, night as a covering, and day for livelihood. Above, seven strong heavens were built, and a blazing lamp, the sun, was placed. Abundant water is sent from clouds, which produces grain, vegetation, and dense gardens.

• The destinations on that Day are contrasted. Hell lies in wait for transgressors, who will remain for ages tasting no coolness, only boiling water and purulence. This is an appropriate recompense for denying the signs and ignoring the reckoning, where all deeds were recorded. Conversely, the God-fearing will achieve success, receiving gardens, grapevines, well-matched companions, and an overflowing cup. They will hear no idle talk or falsehood, as a sufficient reward from their Lord.

• The scene concludes with the majesty of the Lord of the heavens and earth, the Most Merciful. On that True Day, none will possess the power to address Him. The Spirit and the angels will stand in rows, silent, speaking only what is right if permitted. A final warning is given of this near punishment, when every person will see what their hands have sent forth, and the disbeliever will wish they were merely dust.

A comprehensive analysis.

Verse (Qur'an 78:1-5)	Exegetical Commentary (Tafsir & Islamic Tradition)	Cross-References (Quranic & Biblical)	Quran & Hadith References (Adapted: Comparative Theology)	Parallels and Analogues in Ancient Literature	Philosophy / Psychoanalytic / Esoteric / Scientific
Qur'an 78:1-5. "People question... about the 'great news' (Arabic: النبأ العظيم, an-Naba' al-'Aẓīm)... a matter over which they are in deep disagreement... they will soon know." Etymology: * Naba' (نبأ): Root ن-ب-أ (n-b-'). To announce, inform, give news. * Semitic: Hebrew nāḇî' (נָבִיא, 'prophet'); Akkadian nabû ('to proclaim'). * 'Aẓīm (عظيم): Root ع-ظ-م ('-ẓ-m). To be great, mighty.	Context: Makkan Surah. Addresses Qurayshi skepticism. Exegesis: * "The Great News": Tafsirs identify this as the Resurrection (al-Ba'th) and Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Qiyāmah), which the polytheists denied (Al-Tabari, Jāmi' al-Bayān). Also interpreted as the Qur'an itself or the prophethood of Muhammad (Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Tafsir al-Kabir). * "Disagreement": Refers to the various skeptic positions: total denial, uncertainty, or mockery (Ibn Kathir, Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-ʿAẓīm). * "They will soon know": A direct threat (wa'īd). Knowledge will come either at death, on the Day of Judgment (consensus), or through the victory of Islam (Al-Qurtubi, Al-Jāmi' li-Aḥkām). * Kalam (Theology): Establishes the core Islamic tenet of Ma'ād (the return/eschatology), a fundamental point of dispute between revelation and pre-Islamic Arab skepticism.	Quranic (Intra-textual): * Q 38:67: "Say, 'It is great news [ naba'un 'aẓīm]...'" * Q 50:2-3: "But they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves, and the disbelievers say, 'This is a strange thing. When we have died and become dust...?'" Biblical (Thematic Parallels): * Acts 17:31-32: (Paul in Athens) "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness... And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked..." * 1 Corinthians 15:12: "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?" * Psalm 14:1: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." (Parallel to the denial of divine truths).	Comparative Theology: * Islamic: Resurrection is physical and central. Denial is kufr (disbelief). The "news" is a public proclamation demanding response. * Jewish (Rabbinic): Belief in Teḥiyyat ha-Metim (Resurrection of the Dead) is a core principle (Maimonides' 13 Principles). Debated by Sadducees (cf. Mark 12:18). * Christian (Patristic): The Resurrection (of Christ first, then the general resurrection) is the central kerygma (proclamation/news) (Augustine, City of God, Book XXII). The "disagreement" mirrors Gnostic denials of the physical resurrection in favor of spiritual ascent. Hadith: * The Prophet recited this Surah in prayer, emphasizing its importance (Musnad Ahmad).	Mesopotamian: No direct parallel to a single "great news" of universal resurrection. Eschatology focused on a gloomy underworld (Irkalla). Egyptian: Strong belief in afterlife and judgment (e.g., Book of the Dead, Papyrus of Ani). The "news" of judgment before Osiris is central, but not a collective, singular-event resurrection. Greco-Roman: Philosophic debate on the soul's immortality (Plato, Phaedo). General skepticism of bodily resurrection (see Acts 17:32). Zoroastrian: Strong parallel. Belief in Frashokereti—the final renovation of the world, resurrection of the dead (Ristāxēz), and last judgment. This is a central "news" of the Avestan tradition. (e.g., Bundahishn 30). Scholarly debate on influence vs. independent development (H.W. Bailey, Zoroastrian Problems).	Philosophy: • Plato: The 'great news' as a truth (like the Form of the Good) that people, dwelling in the 'cave' of illusion, dispute. / Ibn Sīnā: Resurrection (Ma'ād) as a philosophical necessity for divine justice, distinguishing spiritual (intelligible) from corporeal (imaginable) return. / Kant: Resurrection as a necessary postulate of practical reason to ensure the summum bonum (union of virtue and happiness). Psychoanalytic: • The 'great news' (of judgment/mortality) is the ultimate repressed knowledge. Disagreement and denial are defense mechanisms (Freud) against the death-drive (Thanatos) and castration anxiety (symbolic loss of self). • Question: How does collective denial of an existential truth (like death or judgment) shape a culture's identity? Esoteric & Fringe: • Akashic Records: The 'great news' as a final revelation of the complete cosmic record of all events, which humanity is unprepared to accept. • The Bicameral Mind (Jaynes): The 'news' as the emergent consciousness or prophetic voice, which "disagreeing" bicameral minds interpret differently. • Law of One/Ra Material: The 'news' as the impending 'Harvest' or density shift. Scientific Engagement: • Sociology: Cognitive dissonance in groups confronted with paradigm-shifting information (Festinger). / Cosmology: The 'great news' as a scientific revelation (e.g., Big Bang, dark energy) that overturns previous models, causing disagreement.
Qur'an 78:17-20. "The Day of Separation (يوم الفصل, Yawm al-Faṣl), a fixed time (mīqāt)... Trumpet (الصور, aṣ-Ṣūr) will be blown... heavens opened... mountains... become a mirage (سرابا, sarāban)." Etymology: * Faṣl (فصل): Root ف-ص-ل (f-ṣ-l). To separate, divide, decide. * Ṣūr (صور): Trumpet, horn. Etymology debated; possibly related to Hebrew shofar (שופר). * Sarāb (سراب): Root س-ر-b (s-r-b). Mirage. * Semitic: Akkadian sarābu ('mirage').	Exegesis: * "Day of Separation": A primary name for Judgment Day. God separates truth from falsehood, righteous from wicked (Al-Tabari). * "Trumpet": Traditional Tafsir states the angel Israfil will blow it twice: once to destroy, once to resurrect (Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi). * "Heavens opened": Literal (Al-Tabari) or symbolic of barriers removed, angels descending (Al-Razi). * "Mountains... a mirage": Vivid imagery of cosmic dissolution. Mountains, symbols of permanence, are pulverized and vanish like an illusion (cf. Q 73:14, 81:3). This highlights the deceptive nature of worldly permanence (Ibn Kathir). * Sitz im Leben: Counters the pre-Islamic Arab sense of dahr (impersonal, cyclical time) with a linear, finite, and decisive eschatology.	Quranic (Intra-textual): * Q 37:21: "This is the Day of Separation which you used to deny." (Also 44:40, 77:13-14). * Q 39:68: "And the Trumpet will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and... earth will fall dead, except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on." * Q 81:3: "And when the mountains are set in motion..." Biblical (Thematic Parallels): * Joel 2:1: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion... for the day of the LORD cometh..." * 1 Thessalonians 4:16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." * Revelation 20:11-13: "And I saw a great white throne... from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away... and the dead were judged..." * Isaiah 34:4: "And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll..."	Comparative Theology: * Eschatological Trumpet: A common motif in Abrahamic eschatology. * Jewish: The Shofar is blown at Rosh Hashanah (Day of Judgment/Remembrance) and is associated with the future messianic redemption and resurrection (cf. Targum on Zechariah 9:14). * Christian: The "last trump" (1 Cor 15:52) signals the Parousia (Second Coming) and the resurrection of the dead. * Islamic: The event is cosmic, precise (mīqāt), and initiated by God's command via an angel (Israfil). The focus is on separation and justice. Cosmic Deconstruction: * The imagery of dissolving heavens/mountains is a key Quranic theme, emphasizing God's absolute power over a creation that is not eternal. This contrasts with Greek philosophical ideas of an eternal, unchanging cosmos (Aristotle).	Mesopotamian: Cosmic dissolution in Enuma Elish is primordial (Tiamat's body split to create heavens/earth), not eschatological. Egyptian: Judgment is personal, post-mortem, not tied to a cosmic trumpet-blast or dissolution of the world. Zoroastrian: Parallel in the final judgment (Frashokereti). A river of molten metal will flow, testing all. The saoshyant (savior figure) oversees the resurrection. The trumpet motif is less central than the fire/metal test. Norse Mythology: Strong parallel in Ragnarök. The horn Gjallarhorn is blown by Heimdallr to signal the final battle, leading to the destruction of the world (stars fall, earth sinks). (Source: Völuspá, Gylfaginning). Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS): The War Scroll (1QM) describes a final eschatological battle between sons of light and darkness, preceded by trumpet calls for assembly and battle.	Philosophy: • Heraclitus: Panta rhei (everything flows). The mountains becoming a mirage as the ultimate expression of universal flux, revealing the illusion of permanence. / Ibn Arabi: The "Day of Separation" as the ultimate tajalli (self-disclosure) of God, where all relative existence (the 'mirage' of the world) dissolves back into the one Reality (al-Ḥaqq). / Hegel: The end of history as the moment of 'separation' where Spirit achieves absolute self-knowledge. Psychoanalytic: • The Trumpet as the 'call' of the Superego (divine law) or the Real (Lacan), shattering the Ego's illusory reality ('mirage'). The 'opening' of heavens symbolizes the collapse of psychic defenses, exposing the Unconscious. • Question: What personal 'mountains' (rigid beliefs, attachments) must become a 'mirage' for psychological transformation? Esoteric & Fringe: • Cymatics: The Trumpet as a creative/destructive sound frequency that alters physical reality, dissolving matter (mountains). • Holographic Principle: The world as a 'mirage' (sarāb) or holographic projection, which is 'rolled up' or 'opened' at the final reckoning. • Cataclysmic Pole Shift: The mountains moving as a literal geophysical event, a common fringe cataclysm theory. Scientific Engagement: • Physics (Entropy): Cosmic dissolution reflects the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, leading to 'Heat Death' (though the text implies active deconstruction, not just decay). / Geology: Mountains are not permanent; they erode, and plates move. The "mirage" is a metaphor for this deep-time reality accelerated. / Cosmology: "Heavens opened" as a tearing of spacetime (wormhole?) or dissolution of cosmic structures (cf. 'Big Rip' scenarios).
Qur'an 78:6-16. "Evidences of divine power... earth... a resting place (مهادا, mihādan), stabilized by mountains as pegs (أوتادا, awtādan). Humankind created in pairs (أزواجا, azwājan), with sleep for rest... night as covering... day for livelihood... seven strong heavens... a blazing lamp (سراجا, sirājan)... abundant water... produces grain... gardens." Etymology: * Mihād (مهاد): Root م-ه-د (m-h-d). To make smooth, spread out (like a bed/cradle). * Awtād (أوتاد): Root و-ت-د (w-t-d). Peg, stake (like for a tent). * Sirāj (سراج): Lamp. Persian loanword (čirāğ).	Exegesis: * This section is a "Teleological Argument" (Dalīl al-'Ināyah), proving God's power to resurrect by pointing to His power in initial creation. * "Mountains as pegs": A key Quranic image. Classical Tafsir (e.g., Al-Tabari, Al-Razi) explains this as mountains stabilizing the earth, preventing it from shaking or trembling (tamīd), much as tent pegs secure a tent. * *"Seven strong heavens" (sab'an shidādan):* Refers to the heavens' perfect construction, impervious to flaws (Ibn Kathir). Often understood literally as seven distinct skies or spheres (Al-Qurtubi). * "Blazing lamp": The Sun. A sign of God's provision of light and warmth (Tafsir al-Jalalayn). * Purpose: The entire passage highlights ni'mah (blessing) and rahmah (mercy) in creation's design (pairs, sleep, day/night cycle), arguing that the One who designed this system for life can also recreate it.	Quranic (Intra-textual): * Q 79:32: "And the mountains He set firmly [ arsāhā]." (Also 13:3, 31:10). * Q 30:21: "And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates [ azwājan] that you may find tranquillity in them..." * Q 67:3: "He who created seven heavens in layers..." * Q 25:61: "Blessed is He who has placed in the sky great stars and placed therein a [burning] lamp [ sirājan] and a shining moon." Biblical (Thematic Parallels): * Genesis 1: The structured creation account (light/dark, day/night, plants, sun/moon, living creatures, humans male/female). * Psalm 104:5-6, 19: "He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved... The mountains rose... He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting." * Proverbs 8:25: "Before the mountains were settled..." * Job 38: God's "wisdom speech" challenging Job with questions about creation's design ("Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?").	Comparative Theology: * Teleological Argument: A common theme. * Jewish/Christian: Creation ex nihilo (out of nothing) demonstrates God's omnipotence (Genesis 1, John 1:3). The order of creation is a sign of His wisdom (Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God"). * Islamic: Creation proves resurrection (Qiyās). The argument is: He who did the first creation (al-khalq al-awwal) can surely do the second (resurrection) (cf. Q 36:78-79). * "Mountains as Pegs": Unique Quranic metaphor. While the Bible sees mountains as "foundations" (Ps 104:5), the "peg" image implies a specific function of stabilization, anchoring the "bed" (mihād) of the earth's crust. * "Seven Heavens": Common ancient cosmology (see Col 5). Rabbinic literature also discusses seven heavens (sheva reqi'im) (e.g., Hagigah 12b).	Mesopotamian: Creation myths (Enuma Elish) involve conflict (Marduk vs. Tiamat). The world is constructed from a divine carcass, not designed ex nihilo as a tranquil "bed." Egyptian: Creation by Atum-Ra. The sun (sirāj) is the central deity (Ra). The earth (Geb) and sky (Nut) are separated. Order (Ma'at) is established. Indo-European (Vedic): Parallel in the Rigveda (e.g., 10.129, Nasadiya Sukta). Creation from a primordial unity. Mountains are sometimes described as stabilizers (e.g., trapping the serpent Vritra). The Sun (Surya) is a blazing lamp/eye. Greek Philosophy: Plato's Timaeus describes a Demiurge (craftsman) fashioning an ordered cosmos from pre-existing chaos, pointing to intelligent design. Aristotle's Physics posits an Unmoved Mover as the ultimate cause of motion and order. Zoroastrian: Ahura Mazda creates the world in seven stages (sky, water, earth, plant, animal, human). The sky is a 'strong' shell of stone or metal.	Philosophy: • Aristotle: The teleological argument; nature's design (pairs, sleep, water cycle) points to a final cause and an intelligent designer (Unmoved Mover). / Ibn Rushd: Emphasized the "Argument from Providence" (Dalīl al-'Ināyah), as seen here, as the most powerful proof of God for all people. / Hume: Critiques the teleological argument (Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion), questioning the analogy between human design (a lamp) and cosmic design (the sun). Psychoanalytic: • Creation as bringing order from chaos. Earth ('bed') and Night ('covering') as symbols of the Mother Archetype (Jung), providing security and rest (containment). The Sun ('lamp') as the Father Archetype (Logos, consciousness, order). 'Pairs' as the syzygy (anima/animus). • Question: How does the balance of 'night/covering' (rest, unconscious) and 'day/livelihood' (action, ego) function in your own life? Esoteric & Fringe: • Hollow Earth / Expanding Earth Theory: Mountains as 'pegs' taken literally as structural anchors or results of planetary expansion. • Anthroposophy (Steiner): The 'seven' heavens as sequential phases of planetary evolution (Old Saturn, Old Sun, etc.) or spiritual planes. • Gaia Hypothesis (literal): The earth as a 'resting place' and the water cycle as a self-regulating system (mihād), implying a conscious planet. Scientific Engagement: • Geology (Plate Tectonics): The 'pegs' metaphor is remarkably consonant with the modern concept of isostasy, where mountains have deep crustal "roots" that 'float' on the denser mantle, stabilizing the crust. This scientific parallel is often highlighted in modern Islamic apologetics (e.g., Bucaille). / Biology: 'Pairs' (azwājan) as sexual reproduction, a fundamental mechanism of life. / Neuroscience: Sleep (subātan - 'a cutting off') as a vital restorative state for the brain, not mere inactivity. / Astrophysics: The Sun ('blazing lamp') as a fusion reactor (star). 'Seven heavens' interpreted by some as atmospheric layers (troposphere, stratosphere, etc.).
Qur'an 78:21-30. "Hell (جهنم, Jahannam) lies in wait... for transgressors (ṭāghīn)... remain for ages (aḥqāban)... no coolness, only boiling water (ḥamīm) and purulence (ghassāq). An appropriate recompense... they denied the signs... all deeds recorded." Etymology: * Jahannam (جهنم): Traditionally seen as an Arabicized form of Hebrew Gehinnom (גיהנום, Valley of Hinnom), a place of fire outside Jerusalem. * Aḥqāb (أحقاب): Plural of ḥuqb. A long, indefinite period of time. Exegesis debates if this means eternal or just "long ages" (Al-Razi). Consensus leans toward eternal for disbelievers.	Exegesis: * *"Lies in wait" (mirṣādan):* Hell depicted as an ambush, a place of surveillance waiting to trap the arrogant. * *"Transgressors" (ṭāghīn):* From ṭughyān (to rebel, exceed limits). Refers to those who rebel against God's authority. * "Boiling water and purulence": Lex Talionis (law of retaliation). A fitting punishment (jaza'an wifāqan). They sought 'coolness' (relief) in sin; they receive the opposite. The sensory detail is characteristic of Makkan surahs, intended as a powerful deterrent (Al-Qurtubi). * "All deeds recorded": Emphasizes divine omniscience and precise justice. Nothing is forgotten (cf. kirāman kātibīn, Q 82:11). * Kalam: Debates on the eternity of Hell. Mu'tazilites argued for eventual annihilation (based on aḥqāban as finite); Ash'ari orthodoxy (consensus) affirms eternity, interpreting aḥqāban as "age after age, forever" (Ibn Kathir).	Quranic (Intra-textual): * Q 38:55-57: "This... But indeed, for the transgressors is an evil return. Hell... an evil resting place! This - so let them taste it - is boiling water and purulence [ ḥamīm wa ghassāq]." (Direct parallel). * Q 18:49: "And the book [of deeds] will be placed... and they will find what they did present [in it]." Biblical (Thematic Parallels): * Matthew 25:41, 46: "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire... And these shall go away into everlasting punishment..." * Mark 9:48: "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Ref. Isaiah 66:24). * Revelation 20:12: "And I saw the dead... and the books were opened... and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." * Luke 16:24: (Parable of Rich Man) "...for I am tormented in this flame... dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue." (Parallel to "no coolness").	Comparative Theology: * *Hell (Gehinnom/Jahannam):* All three Abrahamic faiths have a concept of a post-mortem place of purification or punishment by fire. * Jewish: Gehinnom in Rabbinic literature is typically a temporary (max 12 months) place of purification for most, not eternal torment (e.g., Rosh Hashanah 17a). * Christian: Traditionally (Catholicism, Orthodoxy, conservative Protestantism) Hell is eternal punishment for the unrepentant (Dante's Inferno). Some traditions (e.g., Annihilationism) argue for finite punishment. * Islamic: Jahannam is eternal for kāfirūn (disbelievers) but can be temporary purification for mu'minūn (believers) who committed major sins. * "Book of Deeds": Precise justice based on a record is a key theme (see Col 5).	Egyptian: Book of the Dead, Spell 125 (Negative Confession). The heart is weighed against the feather of Ma'at (truth). If it fails, the soul is devoured by Ammit—a 'second death' or annihilation, rather than eternal torment. The "record" is the person's own heart. Zoroastrian: Denkard and Bundahishn describe a Hell (Dushox) of cold and heat, stench, and darkness, where souls are punished "according to their deeds." The duration is finite, ending at the Frashokereti. Greek: Tartarus (Hesiod, Theogony; Plato, Gorgias) as a place of eternal punishment for specific transgressors (e.g., Tantalus, Sisyphus). The Hades of Homer is mostly a gloomy, neutral shadow-land. Gnostic Texts: (e.g., Apocalypse of Paul, Apocalypse of Peter - though Christian apocrypha, influenced by Gnosticism). Detail horrific, specific torments matching specific sins (e.g., blasphemers hung by their tongues). This parallels the ḥamīm and ghassāq as specific, fitting punishments.	Philosophy: • Plato: The Myth of Er (Republic, Book X) as a philosophical analogue: souls judged and sent to reward or punishment (torment) for 1000 years, based on their deeds, before reincarnation. Justice is cosmic. / Al-Ghazali: Defends the literal, physical reality of Hell's torments (Tahāfut al-Falāsifa) against philosophers (like Ibn Sīnā) who spiritualized them as metaphors for psychic pain. / Sartre: "Hell is other people." Hell as the subjective state of bad faith or the inescapable gaze of the Other, an 'appropriate recompense' for denying one's own freedom. Psychoanalytic: • Hell as the Unconscious breaking through: the domain of raw, unmediated Drives (libido and Thanatos) ('boiling water'). The ṭāghīn (transgressors) are those ruled by the Id. The "record" is the inescapable psychic memory of trauma and transgression. • Question: Is the concept of an external, "recorded" judgment a projection of the internal, inescapable work of the Superego? Esoteric & Fringe: • Akashic Records: The "book of deeds" as a literal, non-local record of all actions and thoughts, accessed at the life review. • Law of Attraction: Hell as the manifest result of a life lived in low-frequency/negative vibration ('appropriate recompense'). • Reincarnation (Fringe): Aḥqāban ('ages') interpreted not as eternal torment, but as repeated, difficult reincarnations (karmic debt). Scientific Engagement: • Neuroscience: "Hell" as a metaphor for chronic pain syndromes or extreme psychological states (e.g., 'locked-in' syndrome, severe depression), where sensory input is distorted ('boiling water') and relief ('coolness') is impossible. / Physics (Entropy): Hell as a state of maximum entropy/chaos, contrasted with the order (niẓām) of paradise.
Qur'an 78:31-36. "The God-fearing (muttaqīn) will achieve success (mafāzan)... gardens (ḥadā'iq), grapevines... well-matched companions (kawā'ib atraban)... overflowing cup (ka'san dihāqan). No idle talk (laghw) or falsehood... a sufficient reward." Etymology: * Muttaqīn (متقين): Root و-ق-ي (w-q-y). To guard, protect (oneself). Hence, one who is conscious/mindful of God, pious. * Kawā'ib (كواعب): Root ك-ع-ب (k-'-b). (Of a girl) to have swelling/prominent breasts. (pl. kā'ib). * Atrāban (أترابا): Root ت-ر-ب (t-r-b). (Of) the same age; peers. * Dihāq (دهاقا): Root د-ه-ق (d-h-q). To fill (a cup) to the brim; overflowing.	Exegesis: * Symmetrical Contrast: This passage directly mirrors the previous one. Jahannam (v. 21) vs. Mafāzan (v. 31). Ṭāghīn (transgressors) vs. Muttaqīn (God-fearing). Ḥamīm/Ghassāq (v. 25) vs. Ka'san Dihāqan (v. 34). * "Well-matched companions": Classical Tafsir (Tabari, Ibn Kathir) interprets kawā'ib atraban as the Ḥūr al-'Ayn (Houris), virgins of paradise, of the same age as their husbands. * Modernist Exegesis: Some modern interpreters (e.g., Fazlur Rahman) view the specific imagery (gardens, companions) as metaphorical Tashbīh (analogy) for a state of indescribable bliss, using imagery familiar to the 7th-century Arab audience. * "No idle talk": Paradise is a place of peace, truth, and spiritual nourishment, free from the laghw (futility, falsehood, hurtful speech) of the world (Al-Razi). * *"Sufficient reward" ('aṭā'an ḥisāban):* A reward that is both a gift ('aṭā') from God's grace and also 'sufficient' or 'reckoned' (ḥisāban) according to one's deeds. Balances grace and works.	Quranic (Intra-textual): * Q 56:17-19, 22-24: "There will circulate among them... cups... from which they will have no headache or intoxication... And [for them are] fair companions (ḥūr 'īn)... A reward for what they used to do." * Q 88:10-11: "In a lofty garden, wherein they will hear no idle talk (lāghiyah)." Biblical (Thematic Parallels): * Genesis 2:8-9: "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden... and every tree that is pleasant to the sight..." * Revelation 22:1-2: "...a pure river of water of life... on either side of the river, was there the tree of life... bearing twelve manner of fruits..." (cf. gardens/grapevines). * Isaiah 25:6: "And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees..." (cf. overflowing cup). * Matthew 26:29: "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."	Comparative Theology: * Paradise Imagery: * Islamic: Highly sensory (gardens, rivers, fruit, drink, companions). This physicality is affirmed by orthodox Kalam as literal, though its reality (kayfiyyah) is unknown. * Jewish: Gan Eden (Garden of Eden). Rabbinic thought often de-emphasizes physical pleasures, focusing on the spiritual bliss of "basking in the radiance of the Shekhinah (Divine Presence)" (e.g., Berakhot 17a). * Christian: The "New Jerusalem" (Revelation 21-22) is described with physical imagery (gold, jewels, fruit), but the central joy is the unmediated presence of God ("the Lord God giveth them light"). Patristic writers (e.g., Augustine) often interpret sensory descriptions allegorically. * "Companions": The Houri concept is specific to the Qur'an. Christian theology speaks of the communio sanctorum (communion of saints) and resurrection of the body (1 Cor 15), but not of specific new companions created for paradise.	Egyptian: The "Field of Reeds" (Aaru), a paradisiacal afterlife resembling an idealized Egypt, with plentiful food, drink, and servants. (Source: Pyramid Texts, Book of the Dead). Mesopotamian: No true paradise. The "Dilmun" of the Gilgamesh epic is an "abode of the blessed" for one immortal man (Utnapishtim), not a general reward. Greek: Elysian Fields (Homer, Odyssey 4; Virgil, Aeneid 6), a blissful land for heroes, with pleasant weather, no toil. Zoroastrian: Garō-demāna ("House of Song"), the paradise of Ahura Mazda. Souls are met by their Daena (conscience) as a beautiful maiden (parallel to Houri?). Bliss consists of spiritual and sensory delights. (Source: Hadhokht Nask). Indo-Iranian (Vedic): Svarga (Indra's heaven), a place of sensory pleasures, feasting, and Apsaras (celestial nymphs), parallel to Houri. This is a temporary reward, not eternal.	Philosophy: • Epicurus: Paradise as Ataraxia (tranquility, 'no idle talk') and Aponia (absence of pain). The sensory pleasures (gardens, cup) as a higher, stable form of pleasure, not base hedonism. / Ibn Sīnā: Allegorized paradise imagery. The 'gardens' are intelligible truths, 'companions' are purified intellectual faculties, and the 'cup' is the overflowing Gnosis from the Active Intellect. / Spinoza: The 'reward' is not a future prize, but virtue itself; the Beatitudo (blessedness) of understanding God/Nature, which is 'no idle talk' but pure intellectual love (Amor Dei Intellectualis). Psychoanalytic: • Paradise as the ultimate Wish-Fulfillment (Freud), satisfying the Pleasure Principle. A return to the pre-oedipal 'oceanic feeling' or the primal bliss of the womb (the 'garden'). The 'overflowing cup' and 'companions' are symbols of reunion with the nurturing Mother Archetype ( anima). • Question: If 'Hell' is the eruption of the raw Id, is 'Heaven' the total satisfaction of the Id, or its perfect integration by the Ego and Superego? Esoteric & Fringe: • Theosophy (Blavatsky): Paradise as Devachan, a subjective state of bliss entered by the soul after death, where it lives out its highest spiritual aspirations (a 'sufficient reward'). • Law of Attraction: Paradise as the final, stable manifestation of a consciousness that has vibrated at the frequency of 'success' (mafāzan) and abundance ('overflowing cup'). Scientific Engagement: • Neuroscience: The 'reward' as the ultimate activation of the brain's reward circuitry (mesolimbic dopamine pathway), a state of permanent bliss, security ('gardens'), and connection ('companions') without laghw (anxiety, cognitive noise). / Psychology (Maslow): Paradise as the state of permanent Self-Actualization, where all deficiency needs are met, and one exists in a state of 'peak experience'.
Qur'an 78:37-40. "Lord of heavens and earth, the Most Merciful (Ar-Raḥmān)... none... power to address Him... The Spirit (الروح, Ar-Rūḥ) and the angels stand in rows... silent... A final warning... near punishment... person will see what their hands have sent forth... disbeliever will wish they were dust." Etymology: * Raḥmān (رحمن): Root ر-ح-م (r-ḥ-m). To have mercy, compassion. An intensive form, unique as a divine name. * Rūḥ (روح): Root ر-و-ح (r-w-ḥ). Spirit, breath, wind. * Semitic: Hebrew Ruaḥ (רוח, 'wind, spirit, breath').	Exegesis: * "Ar-Raḥmān": The Surah's eschatological severity is framed by God's ultimate attribute: Mercy. His judgment is not arbitrary, but an expression of a just and merciful order (Al-Razi). * "None... power to address Him": Emphasizes God's absolute majesty (haybah) on that Day. Intercession is only by His permission (cf. Q 2:255). * *"The Spirit" (Ar-Rūḥ):* Exegetes differ. 1) The angel Gabriel (Jibrīl), as in Q 16:102 (Al-Tabari). 2) A massive angel, greater than all others (Ibn Kathir). 3) The collected souls of humanity. 4) The Qur'an. (1) is the strongest view. * "See what their hands... sent": The core of accountability. Actions have consequences. * "Wish they were dust": The ultimate despair. The disbeliever, who denied being recreated from 'dust' (Q 50:3), now wishes for that very state of non-existence to escape judgment. A final, devastating irony (Ibn Kathir).	Quranic (Intra-textual): * Q 20:108: "...and all voices are humbled before the Most Merciful (Ar-Raḥmān), so you will not hear except a whisper." * Q 97:4: "The angels and the Spirit [ ar-rūḥ] descend therein by permission of their Lord..." (Ref. Rūḥ = Gabriel). * Q 18:49: "And the book will be placed... 'Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?' And they will find what they did present." * Q 69:27: "Oh, I wish that my death had been the end! [wishing for non-existence]." Biblical (Thematic Parallels): * Revelation 4:8-11: The angelic host ('living creatures') and elders worship God on His throne, proclaiming His majesty. * Zephaniah 1:7: "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand..." (cf. 'silent'). * Ecclesiastes 3:19-21: "For that which befalleth the sons of men... as the one dieth, so dieth the other... all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again." (The state the disbeliever wishes for). * Revelation 6:16: "And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne..." (cf. wishing for oblivion).	Comparative Theology: * Divine Silence & Majesty: The awesome silence before the throne (Mysterium Tremendum) is a common motif. * Jewish: God as Ha-Raḥaman (The Merciful One) is central in liturgy. The Day of Judgment (Yom HaDin) is also characterized by awesome silence and the opening of books (e.g., Unetanneh Tokef prayer). * Christian: Christ as Judge (Matthew 25) but also as merciful Advocate (1 John 2:1). The Rūḥ (Spirit) in Islam (as Gabriel) is distinct from the Holy Spirit (Ruaḥ HaKodesh / Pneuma Hagion) as the Third Person of the Trinity. * "Wish for Dust": This expresses the Islamic view of kufr (disbelief). The disbeliever rejected their high purpose as a conscious being (khalīfah) and, in the end, desires the state of the inanimate, which they (ironically) claimed was their final end.	Egyptian: The "Great Silence" in the Hall of Two Truths during the weighing of the heart. The deceased stands silently before Osiris and the 42 judges. (Source: Book of the Dead, Spell 125). Mesopotamian: The Anunnaki (great gods) assemble and "fix the fates" in silence. Majesty and silence are linked. Zoroastrian: At the final judgment, all stand before Ahura Mazda, and the Spirit of Truth (Spenta Mainyu) is present with the angels (Yazatas). Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS): The "Angels of Mastemoth" (evil) and the "Prince of Light" (Michael?) stand in array, but ultimate judgment belongs to God. Greek (Orphism/Pythagoreanism): The soul (psyche, cf. rūḥ?) faces judgment, and its deeds ('what hands sent forth') determine its fate—transmigration or release.	Philosophy: • Plotinus: The soul's ascent to 'the One', which is beyond address or description. The final vision is one of silent, ecstatic union, not dialogue. / Ibn Arabi: Ar-Raḥmān as the All-Merciful, whose "Breath" (Nafas ar-Raḥmān) is the very existence of creation. On the True Day, creation (angels, Rūḥ) stands silent as this reality is fully revealed. / Heidegger: The disbeliever's wish for 'dust' as the ultimate retreat from Dasein (being-there) and the Angst (anxiety) of authentic existence, preferring the 'they-self' or in-itself (dust) over being-for-itself. Psychoanalytic: • The final scene as the integration of the Superego (Judgment, Ar-Raḥmān as the merciful Judge) and the Ego. The 'angels' and 'Spirit' (archetypal forces) stand silent, their conflicts resolved. The 'disbeliever' is the part of the psyche (the Shadow) that refuses integration and wishes for dissolution ('dust') rather than self-knowledge ('see what hands sent forth'). • Question: What does the 'silence' of the highest spiritual forces (Spirit, angels) in the face of ultimate Truth suggest about the nature of a fully realized consciousness? Esoteric & Fringe: • The Bicameral Mind (Jaynes): The 'Spirit' as the personified 'divine voice' of the bicameral mind, now standing 'in rows' (integrated, silent) before the emergent, singular consciousness of God. • German New Medicine (Hamer): The "near punishment" is the 'crisis' phase of a 'biological conflict' (sin/denial), and the 'judgment' is the body's final reckoning with this unresolved conflict. • No close parallel for 'wishing to be dust' in most fringe systems, which are typically optimistic about consciousness. Scientific Engagement: • Cosmology (Anthropic Principle): The universe ('heavens and earth') is governed by Ar-Raḥmān (a fine-tuned, life-giving principle). / Psychology: 'Wishing to be dust' as a known psychological state: suicidal ideation or profound depression, where the desire for cessation of consciousness (to be inanimate 'dust') overwhelms the survival instinct. / Law (Forensics): "What their hands have sent forth" as the principle of Locard's exchange principle—every action leaves a trace, a record.

Verse (Qur'an 78:1-5)

Exegetical Commentary (Tafsir & Islamic Tradition)

Cross-References (Quranic & Biblical)

Quran & Hadith References (Adapted: Comparative Theology)

Parallels and Analogues in Ancient Literature

Philosophy / Psychoanalytic / Esoteric / Scientific

Qur'an 78:1-5. "People question... about the 'great news' (Arabic: النبأ العظيم, an-Naba' al-'Aẓīm)... a matter over which they are in deep disagreement... they will soon know."

Etymology:

* Naba' (نبأ): Root ن-ب-أ (n-b-'). To announce, inform, give news.

* Semitic: Hebrew nāḇî' (נָבִיא, 'prophet'); Akkadian nabû ('to proclaim').

* 'Aẓīm (عظيم): Root ع-ظ-م ('-ẓ-m). To be great, mighty.

Context: Makkan Surah. Addresses Qurayshi skepticism.

Exegesis:

* "The Great News": Tafsirs identify this as the Resurrection (al-Ba'th) and Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Qiyāmah), which the polytheists denied (Al-Tabari, Jāmi' al-Bayān). Also interpreted as the Qur'an itself or the prophethood of Muhammad (Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Tafsir al-Kabir).

* "Disagreement": Refers to the various skeptic positions: total denial, uncertainty, or mockery (Ibn Kathir, Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-ʿAẓīm).

* "They will soon know": A direct threat (wa'īd). Knowledge will come either at death, on the Day of Judgment (consensus), or through the victory of Islam (Al-Qurtubi, Al-Jāmi' li-Aḥkām).

* Kalam (Theology): Establishes the core Islamic tenet of Ma'ād (the return/eschatology), a fundamental point of dispute between revelation and pre-Islamic Arab skepticism.

Quranic (Intra-textual):

* Q 38:67: "Say, 'It is great news [ naba'un 'aẓīm]...'"

* Q 50:2-3: "But they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves, and the disbelievers say, 'This is a strange thing. When we have died and become dust...?'"

Biblical (Thematic Parallels):

* Acts 17:31-32: (Paul in Athens) "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness... And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked..."

* 1 Corinthians 15:12: "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?"

* Psalm 14:1: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." (Parallel to the denial of divine truths).

Comparative Theology:

* Islamic: Resurrection is physical and central. Denial is kufr (disbelief). The "news" is a public proclamation demanding response.

* Jewish (Rabbinic): Belief in Teḥiyyat ha-Metim (Resurrection of the Dead) is a core principle (Maimonides' 13 Principles). Debated by Sadducees (cf. Mark 12:18).

* Christian (Patristic): The Resurrection (of Christ first, then the general resurrection) is the central kerygma (proclamation/news) (Augustine, City of God, Book XXII). The "disagreement" mirrors Gnostic denials of the physical resurrection in favor of spiritual ascent.

Hadith:

* The Prophet recited this Surah in prayer, emphasizing its importance (Musnad Ahmad).

Mesopotamian: No direct parallel to a single "great news" of universal resurrection. Eschatology focused on a gloomy underworld (Irkalla).

Egyptian: Strong belief in afterlife and judgment (e.g., Book of the Dead, Papyrus of Ani). The "news" of judgment before Osiris is central, but not a collective, singular-event resurrection.

Greco-Roman: Philosophic debate on the soul's immortality (Plato, Phaedo). General skepticism of bodily resurrection (see Acts 17:32).

Zoroastrian: Strong parallel. Belief in Frashokereti—the final renovation of the world, resurrection of the dead (Ristāxēz), and last judgment. This is a central "news" of the Avestan tradition. (e.g., Bundahishn 30). Scholarly debate on influence vs. independent development (H.W. Bailey, Zoroastrian Problems).

Philosophy:

• Plato: The 'great news' as a truth (like the Form of the Good) that people, dwelling in the 'cave' of illusion, dispute. / Ibn Sīnā: Resurrection (Ma'ād) as a philosophical necessity for divine justice, distinguishing spiritual (intelligible) from corporeal (imaginable) return. / Kant: Resurrection as a necessary postulate of practical reason to ensure the summum bonum (union of virtue and happiness).

Psychoanalytic:

• The 'great news' (of judgment/mortality) is the ultimate repressed knowledge. Disagreement and denial are defense mechanisms (Freud) against the death-drive (Thanatos) and castration anxiety (symbolic loss of self). • Question: How does collective denial of an existential truth (like death or judgment) shape a culture's identity?

Esoteric & Fringe:

• Akashic Records: The 'great news' as a final revelation of the complete cosmic record of all events, which humanity is unprepared to accept.

• The Bicameral Mind (Jaynes): The 'news' as the emergent consciousness or prophetic voice, which "disagreeing" bicameral minds interpret differently.

• Law of One/Ra Material: The 'news' as the impending 'Harvest' or density shift.

Scientific Engagement:

• Sociology: Cognitive dissonance in groups confronted with paradigm-shifting information (Festinger). / Cosmology: The 'great news' as a scientific revelation (e.g., Big Bang, dark energy) that overturns previous models, causing disagreement.

Qur'an 78:17-20. "The Day of Separation (يوم الفصل, Yawm al-Faṣl), a fixed time (mīqāt)... Trumpet (الصور, aṣ-Ṣūr) will be blown... heavens opened... mountains... become a mirage (سرابا, sarāban)."

Etymology:

* Faṣl (فصل): Root ف-ص-ل (f-ṣ-l). To separate, divide, decide.

* Ṣūr (صور): Trumpet, horn. Etymology debated; possibly related to Hebrew shofar (שופר).

* Sarāb (سراب): Root س-ر-b (s-r-b). Mirage.

* Semitic: Akkadian sarābu ('mirage').

Exegesis:

* "Day of Separation": A primary name for Judgment Day. God separates truth from falsehood, righteous from wicked (Al-Tabari).

* "Trumpet": Traditional Tafsir states the angel Israfil will blow it twice: once to destroy, once to resurrect (Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi).

* "Heavens opened": Literal (Al-Tabari) or symbolic of barriers removed, angels descending (Al-Razi).

* "Mountains... a mirage": Vivid imagery of cosmic dissolution. Mountains, symbols of permanence, are pulverized and vanish like an illusion (cf. Q 73:14, 81:3). This highlights the deceptive nature of worldly permanence (Ibn Kathir).

* Sitz im Leben: Counters the pre-Islamic Arab sense of dahr (impersonal, cyclical time) with a linear, finite, and decisive eschatology.

Quranic (Intra-textual):

* Q 37:21: "This is the Day of Separation which you used to deny." (Also 44:40, 77:13-14).

* Q 39:68: "And the Trumpet will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and... earth will fall dead, except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on."

* Q 81:3: "And when the mountains are set in motion..."

Biblical (Thematic Parallels):

* Joel 2:1: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion... for the day of the LORD cometh..."

* 1 Thessalonians 4:16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first."

* Revelation 20:11-13: "And I saw a great white throne... from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away... and the dead were judged..."

* Isaiah 34:4: "And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll..."

Comparative Theology:

* Eschatological Trumpet: A common motif in Abrahamic eschatology.

* Jewish: The Shofar is blown at Rosh Hashanah (Day of Judgment/Remembrance) and is associated with the future messianic redemption and resurrection (cf. Targum on Zechariah 9:14).

* Christian: The "last trump" (1 Cor 15:52) signals the Parousia (Second Coming) and the resurrection of the dead.

* Islamic: The event is cosmic, precise (mīqāt), and initiated by God's command via an angel (Israfil). The focus is on separation and justice.

Cosmic Deconstruction:

* The imagery of dissolving heavens/mountains is a key Quranic theme, emphasizing God's absolute power over a creation that is not eternal. This contrasts with Greek philosophical ideas of an eternal, unchanging cosmos (Aristotle).

Mesopotamian: Cosmic dissolution in Enuma Elish is primordial (Tiamat's body split to create heavens/earth), not eschatological.

Egyptian: Judgment is personal, post-mortem, not tied to a cosmic trumpet-blast or dissolution of the world.

Zoroastrian: Parallel in the final judgment (Frashokereti). A river of molten metal will flow, testing all. The saoshyant (savior figure) oversees the resurrection. The trumpet motif is less central than the fire/metal test.

Norse Mythology: Strong parallel in Ragnarök. The horn Gjallarhorn is blown by Heimdallr to signal the final battle, leading to the destruction of the world (stars fall, earth sinks). (Source: Völuspá, Gylfaginning).

Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS): The War Scroll (1QM) describes a final eschatological battle between sons of light and darkness, preceded by trumpet calls for assembly and battle.

Philosophy:

• Heraclitus: Panta rhei (everything flows). The mountains becoming a mirage as the ultimate expression of universal flux, revealing the illusion of permanence. / Ibn Arabi: The "Day of Separation" as the ultimate tajalli (self-disclosure) of God, where all relative existence (the 'mirage' of the world) dissolves back into the one Reality (al-Ḥaqq). / Hegel: The end of history as the moment of 'separation' where Spirit achieves absolute self-knowledge.

Psychoanalytic:

• The Trumpet as the 'call' of the Superego (divine law) or the Real (Lacan), shattering the Ego's illusory reality ('mirage'). The 'opening' of heavens symbolizes the collapse of psychic defenses, exposing the Unconscious. • Question: What personal 'mountains' (rigid beliefs, attachments) must become a 'mirage' for psychological transformation?

Esoteric & Fringe:

• Cymatics: The Trumpet as a creative/destructive sound frequency that alters physical reality, dissolving matter (mountains).

• Holographic Principle: The world as a 'mirage' (sarāb) or holographic projection, which is 'rolled up' or 'opened' at the final reckoning.

• Cataclysmic Pole Shift: The mountains moving as a literal geophysical event, a common fringe cataclysm theory.

Scientific Engagement:

• Physics (Entropy): Cosmic dissolution reflects the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, leading to 'Heat Death' (though the text implies active deconstruction, not just decay). / Geology: Mountains are not permanent; they erode, and plates move. The "mirage" is a metaphor for this deep-time reality accelerated. / Cosmology: "Heavens opened" as a tearing of spacetime (wormhole?) or dissolution of cosmic structures (cf. 'Big Rip' scenarios).

Qur'an 78:6-16. "Evidences of divine power... earth... a resting place (مهادا, mihādan), stabilized by mountains as pegs (أوتادا, awtādan). Humankind created in pairs (أزواجا, azwājan), with sleep for rest... night as covering... day for livelihood... seven strong heavens... a blazing lamp (سراجا, sirājan)... abundant water... produces grain... gardens."

Etymology:

* Mihād (مهاد): Root م-ه-د (m-h-d). To make smooth, spread out (like a bed/cradle).

* Awtād (أوتاد): Root و-ت-د (w-t-d). Peg, stake (like for a tent).

* Sirāj (سراج): Lamp. Persian loanword (čirāğ).

Exegesis:

* This section is a "Teleological Argument" (Dalīl al-'Ināyah), proving God's power to resurrect by pointing to His power in initial creation.

* "Mountains as pegs": A key Quranic image. Classical Tafsir (e.g., Al-Tabari, Al-Razi) explains this as mountains stabilizing the earth, preventing it from shaking or trembling (tamīd), much as tent pegs secure a tent.

* "Seven strong heavens" (sab'an shidādan): Refers to the heavens' perfect construction, impervious to flaws (Ibn Kathir). Often understood literally as seven distinct skies or spheres (Al-Qurtubi).

* "Blazing lamp": The Sun. A sign of God's provision of light and warmth (Tafsir al-Jalalayn).

* Purpose: The entire passage highlights ni'mah (blessing) and rahmah (mercy) in creation's design (pairs, sleep, day/night cycle), arguing that the One who designed this system for life can also recreate it.

Quranic (Intra-textual):

* Q 79:32: "And the mountains He set firmly [ arsāhā]." (Also 13:3, 31:10).

* Q 30:21: "And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates [ azwājan] that you may find tranquillity in them..."

* Q 67:3: "He who created seven heavens in layers..."

* Q 25:61: "Blessed is He who has placed in the sky great stars and placed therein a [burning] lamp [ sirājan] and a shining moon."

Biblical (Thematic Parallels):

* Genesis 1: The structured creation account (light/dark, day/night, plants, sun/moon, living creatures, humans male/female).

* Psalm 104:5-6, 19: "He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved... The mountains rose... He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting."

* Proverbs 8:25: "Before the mountains were settled..."

* Job 38: God's "wisdom speech" challenging Job with questions about creation's design ("Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?").

Comparative Theology:

* Teleological Argument: A common theme.

* Jewish/Christian: Creation ex nihilo (out of nothing) demonstrates God's omnipotence (Genesis 1, John 1:3). The order of creation is a sign of His wisdom (Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God").

* Islamic: Creation proves resurrection (Qiyās). The argument is: He who did the first creation (al-khalq al-awwal) can surely do the second (resurrection) (cf. Q 36:78-79).

* "Mountains as Pegs": Unique Quranic metaphor. While the Bible sees mountains as "foundations" (Ps 104:5), the "peg" image implies a specific function of stabilization, anchoring the "bed" (mihād) of the earth's crust.

* "Seven Heavens": Common ancient cosmology (see Col 5). Rabbinic literature also discusses seven heavens (sheva reqi'im) (e.g., Hagigah 12b).

Mesopotamian: Creation myths (Enuma Elish) involve conflict (Marduk vs. Tiamat). The world is constructed from a divine carcass, not designed ex nihilo as a tranquil "bed."

Egyptian: Creation by Atum-Ra. The sun (sirāj) is the central deity (Ra). The earth (Geb) and sky (Nut) are separated. Order (Ma'at) is established.

Indo-European (Vedic): Parallel in the Rigveda (e.g., 10.129, Nasadiya Sukta). Creation from a primordial unity. Mountains are sometimes described as stabilizers (e.g., trapping the serpent Vritra). The Sun (Surya) is a blazing lamp/eye.

Greek Philosophy: Plato's Timaeus describes a Demiurge (craftsman) fashioning an ordered cosmos from pre-existing chaos, pointing to intelligent design. Aristotle's Physics posits an Unmoved Mover as the ultimate cause of motion and order.

Zoroastrian: Ahura Mazda creates the world in seven stages (sky, water, earth, plant, animal, human). The sky is a 'strong' shell of stone or metal.

Philosophy:

• Aristotle: The teleological argument; nature's design (pairs, sleep, water cycle) points to a final cause and an intelligent designer (Unmoved Mover). / Ibn Rushd: Emphasized the "Argument from Providence" (Dalīl al-'Ināyah), as seen here, as the most powerful proof of God for all people. / Hume: Critiques the teleological argument (Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion), questioning the analogy between human design (a lamp) and cosmic design (the sun).

Psychoanalytic:

• Creation as bringing order from chaos. Earth ('bed') and Night ('covering') as symbols of the Mother Archetype (Jung), providing security and rest (containment). The Sun ('lamp') as the Father Archetype (Logos, consciousness, order). 'Pairs' as the syzygy (anima/animus). • Question: How does the balance of 'night/covering' (rest, unconscious) and 'day/livelihood' (action, ego) function in your own life?

Esoteric & Fringe:

• Hollow Earth / Expanding Earth Theory: Mountains as 'pegs' taken literally as structural anchors or results of planetary expansion.

• Anthroposophy (Steiner): The 'seven' heavens as sequential phases of planetary evolution (Old Saturn, Old Sun, etc.) or spiritual planes.

• Gaia Hypothesis (literal): The earth as a 'resting place' and the water cycle as a self-regulating system (mihād), implying a conscious planet.

Scientific Engagement:

• Geology (Plate Tectonics): The 'pegs' metaphor is remarkably consonant with the modern concept of isostasy, where mountains have deep crustal "roots" that 'float' on the denser mantle, stabilizing the crust. This scientific parallel is often highlighted in modern Islamic apologetics (e.g., Bucaille). / Biology: 'Pairs' (azwājan) as sexual reproduction, a fundamental mechanism of life. / Neuroscience: Sleep (subātan - 'a cutting off') as a vital restorative state for the brain, not mere inactivity. / Astrophysics: The Sun ('blazing lamp') as a fusion reactor (star). 'Seven heavens' interpreted by some as atmospheric layers (troposphere, stratosphere, etc.).

Qur'an 78:21-30. "Hell (جهنم, Jahannam) lies in wait... for transgressors (ṭāghīn)... remain for ages (aḥqāban)... no coolness, only boiling water (ḥamīm) and purulence (ghassāq). An appropriate recompense... they denied the signs... all deeds recorded."

Etymology:

* Jahannam (جهنم): Traditionally seen as an Arabicized form of Hebrew Gehinnom (גיהנום, Valley of Hinnom), a place of fire outside Jerusalem.

* Aḥqāb (أحقاب): Plural of ḥuqb. A long, indefinite period of time. Exegesis debates if this means eternal or just "long ages" (Al-Razi). Consensus leans toward eternal for disbelievers.

Exegesis:

* "Lies in wait" (mirṣādan): Hell depicted as an ambush, a place of surveillance waiting to trap the arrogant.

* "Transgressors" (ṭāghīn): From ṭughyān (to rebel, exceed limits). Refers to those who rebel against God's authority.

* "Boiling water and purulence": Lex Talionis (law of retaliation). A fitting punishment (jaza'an wifāqan). They sought 'coolness' (relief) in sin; they receive the opposite. The sensory detail is characteristic of Makkan surahs, intended as a powerful deterrent (Al-Qurtubi).

* "All deeds recorded": Emphasizes divine omniscience and precise justice. Nothing is forgotten (cf. kirāman kātibīn, Q 82:11).

* Kalam: Debates on the eternity of Hell. Mu'tazilites argued for eventual annihilation (based on aḥqāban as finite); Ash'ari orthodoxy (consensus) affirms eternity, interpreting aḥqāban as "age after age, forever" (Ibn Kathir).

Quranic (Intra-textual):

* Q 38:55-57: "This... But indeed, for the transgressors is an evil return. Hell... an evil resting place! This - so let them taste it - is boiling water and purulence [ ḥamīm wa ghassāq]." (Direct parallel).

* Q 18:49: "And the book [of deeds] will be placed... and they will find what they did present [in it]."

Biblical (Thematic Parallels):

* Matthew 25:41, 46: "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire... And these shall go away into everlasting punishment..."

* Mark 9:48: "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Ref. Isaiah 66:24).

* Revelation 20:12: "And I saw the dead... and the books were opened... and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."

* Luke 16:24: (Parable of Rich Man) "...for I am tormented in this flame... dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue." (Parallel to "no coolness").

Comparative Theology:

* Hell (Gehinnom/Jahannam): All three Abrahamic faiths have a concept of a post-mortem place of purification or punishment by fire.

* Jewish: Gehinnom in Rabbinic literature is typically a temporary (max 12 months) place of purification for most, not eternal torment (e.g., Rosh Hashanah 17a).

* Christian: Traditionally (Catholicism, Orthodoxy, conservative Protestantism) Hell is eternal punishment for the unrepentant (Dante's Inferno). Some traditions (e.g., Annihilationism) argue for finite punishment.

* Islamic: Jahannam is eternal for kāfirūn (disbelievers) but can be temporary purification for mu'minūn (believers) who committed major sins.

* "Book of Deeds": Precise justice based on a record is a key theme (see Col 5).

Egyptian: Book of the Dead, Spell 125 (Negative Confession). The heart is weighed against the feather of Ma'at (truth). If it fails, the soul is devoured by Ammit—a 'second death' or annihilation, rather than eternal torment. The "record" is the person's own heart.

Zoroastrian: Denkard and Bundahishn describe a Hell (Dushox) of cold and heat, stench, and darkness, where souls are punished "according to their deeds." The duration is finite, ending at the Frashokereti.

Greek: Tartarus (Hesiod, Theogony; Plato, Gorgias) as a place of eternal punishment for specific transgressors (e.g., Tantalus, Sisyphus). The Hades of Homer is mostly a gloomy, neutral shadow-land.

Gnostic Texts: (e.g., Apocalypse of Paul, Apocalypse of Peter - though Christian apocrypha, influenced by Gnosticism). Detail horrific, specific torments matching specific sins (e.g., blasphemers hung by their tongues). This parallels the ḥamīm and ghassāq as specific, fitting punishments.

Philosophy:

• Plato: The Myth of Er (Republic, Book X) as a philosophical analogue: souls judged and sent to reward or punishment (torment) for 1000 years, based on their deeds, before reincarnation. Justice is cosmic. / Al-Ghazali: Defends the literal, physical reality of Hell's torments (Tahāfut al-Falāsifa) against philosophers (like Ibn Sīnā) who spiritualized them as metaphors for psychic pain. / Sartre: "Hell is other people." Hell as the subjective state of bad faith or the inescapable gaze of the Other, an 'appropriate recompense' for denying one's own freedom.

Psychoanalytic:

• Hell as the Unconscious breaking through: the domain of raw, unmediated Drives (libido and Thanatos) ('boiling water'). The ṭāghīn (transgressors) are those ruled by the Id. The "record" is the inescapable psychic memory of trauma and transgression. • Question: Is the concept of an external, "recorded" judgment a projection of the internal, inescapable work of the Superego?

Esoteric & Fringe:

• Akashic Records: The "book of deeds" as a literal, non-local record of all actions and thoughts, accessed at the life review.

• Law of Attraction: Hell as the manifest result of a life lived in low-frequency/negative vibration ('appropriate recompense').

• Reincarnation (Fringe): Aḥqāban ('ages') interpreted not as eternal torment, but as repeated, difficult reincarnations (karmic debt).

Scientific Engagement:

• Neuroscience: "Hell" as a metaphor for chronic pain syndromes or extreme psychological states (e.g., 'locked-in' syndrome, severe depression), where sensory input is distorted ('boiling water') and relief ('coolness') is impossible. / Physics (Entropy): Hell as a state of maximum entropy/chaos, contrasted with the order (niẓām) of paradise.

Qur'an 78:31-36. "The God-fearing (muttaqīn) will achieve success (mafāzan)... gardens (ḥadā'iq), grapevines... well-matched companions (kawā'ib atraban)... overflowing cup (ka'san dihāqan). No idle talk (laghw) or falsehood... a sufficient reward."

Etymology:

* Muttaqīn (متقين): Root و-ق-ي (w-q-y). To guard, protect (oneself). Hence, one who is conscious/mindful of God, pious.

* Kawā'ib (كواعب): Root ك-ع-ب (k-'-b). (Of a girl) to have swelling/prominent breasts. (pl. kā'ib).

* Atrāban (أترابا): Root ت-ر-ب (t-r-b). (Of) the same age; peers.

* Dihāq (دهاقا): Root د-ه-ق (d-h-q). To fill (a cup) to the brim; overflowing.

Exegesis:

* Symmetrical Contrast: This passage directly mirrors the previous one. Jahannam (v. 21) vs. Mafāzan (v. 31). Ṭāghīn (transgressors) vs. Muttaqīn (God-fearing). Ḥamīm/Ghassāq (v. 25) vs. Ka'san Dihāqan (v. 34).

* "Well-matched companions": Classical Tafsir (Tabari, Ibn Kathir) interprets kawā'ib atraban as the Ḥūr al-'Ayn (Houris), virgins of paradise, of the same age as their husbands.

* Modernist Exegesis: Some modern interpreters (e.g., Fazlur Rahman) view the specific imagery (gardens, companions) as metaphorical Tashbīh (analogy) for a state of indescribable bliss, using imagery familiar to the 7th-century Arab audience.

* "No idle talk": Paradise is a place of peace, truth, and spiritual nourishment, free from the laghw (futility, falsehood, hurtful speech) of the world (Al-Razi).

* "Sufficient reward" ('aṭā'an ḥisāban): A reward that is both a gift ('aṭā') from God's grace and also 'sufficient' or 'reckoned' (ḥisāban) according to one's deeds. Balances grace and works.

Quranic (Intra-textual):

* Q 56:17-19, 22-24: "There will circulate among them... cups... from which they will have no headache or intoxication... And [for them are] fair companions (ḥūr 'īn)... A reward for what they used to do."

* Q 88:10-11: "In a lofty garden, wherein they will hear no idle talk (lāghiyah)."

Biblical (Thematic Parallels):

* Genesis 2:8-9: "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden... and every tree that is pleasant to the sight..."

* Revelation 22:1-2: "...a pure river of water of life... on either side of the river, was there the tree of life... bearing twelve manner of fruits..." (cf. gardens/grapevines).

* Isaiah 25:6: "And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees..." (cf. overflowing cup).

* Matthew 26:29: "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

Comparative Theology:

* Paradise Imagery:

* Islamic: Highly sensory (gardens, rivers, fruit, drink, companions). This physicality is affirmed by orthodox Kalam as literal, though its reality (kayfiyyah) is unknown.

* Jewish: Gan Eden (Garden of Eden). Rabbinic thought often de-emphasizes physical pleasures, focusing on the spiritual bliss of "basking in the radiance of the Shekhinah (Divine Presence)" (e.g., Berakhot 17a).

* Christian: The "New Jerusalem" (Revelation 21-22) is described with physical imagery (gold, jewels, fruit), but the central joy is the unmediated presence of God ("the Lord God giveth them light"). Patristic writers (e.g., Augustine) often interpret sensory descriptions allegorically.

* "Companions": The Houri concept is specific to the Qur'an. Christian theology speaks of the communio sanctorum (communion of saints) and resurrection of the body (1 Cor 15), but not of specific new companions created for paradise.

Egyptian: The "Field of Reeds" (Aaru), a paradisiacal afterlife resembling an idealized Egypt, with plentiful food, drink, and servants. (Source: Pyramid Texts, Book of the Dead).

Mesopotamian: No true paradise. The "Dilmun" of the Gilgamesh epic is an "abode of the blessed" for one immortal man (Utnapishtim), not a general reward.

Greek: Elysian Fields (Homer, Odyssey 4; Virgil, Aeneid 6), a blissful land for heroes, with pleasant weather, no toil.

Zoroastrian: Garō-demāna ("House of Song"), the paradise of Ahura Mazda. Souls are met by their Daena (conscience) as a beautiful maiden (parallel to Houri?). Bliss consists of spiritual and sensory delights. (Source: Hadhokht Nask).

Indo-Iranian (Vedic): Svarga (Indra's heaven), a place of sensory pleasures, feasting, and Apsaras (celestial nymphs), parallel to Houri. This is a temporary reward, not eternal.

Philosophy:

• Epicurus: Paradise as Ataraxia (tranquility, 'no idle talk') and Aponia (absence of pain). The sensory pleasures (gardens, cup) as a higher, stable form of pleasure, not base hedonism. / Ibn Sīnā: Allegorized paradise imagery. The 'gardens' are intelligible truths, 'companions' are purified intellectual faculties, and the 'cup' is the overflowing Gnosis from the Active Intellect. / Spinoza: The 'reward' is not a future prize, but virtue itself; the Beatitudo (blessedness) of understanding God/Nature, which is 'no idle talk' but pure intellectual love (Amor Dei Intellectualis).

Psychoanalytic:

• Paradise as the ultimate Wish-Fulfillment (Freud), satisfying the Pleasure Principle. A return to the pre-oedipal 'oceanic feeling' or the primal bliss of the womb (the 'garden'). The 'overflowing cup' and 'companions' are symbols of reunion with the nurturing Mother Archetype ( anima). • Question: If 'Hell' is the eruption of the raw Id, is 'Heaven' the total satisfaction of the Id, or its perfect integration by the Ego and Superego?

Esoteric & Fringe:

• Theosophy (Blavatsky): Paradise as Devachan, a subjective state of bliss entered by the soul after death, where it lives out its highest spiritual aspirations (a 'sufficient reward').

• Law of Attraction: Paradise as the final, stable manifestation of a consciousness that has vibrated at the frequency of 'success' (mafāzan) and abundance ('overflowing cup').

Scientific Engagement:

• Neuroscience: The 'reward' as the ultimate activation of the brain's reward circuitry (mesolimbic dopamine pathway), a state of permanent bliss, security ('gardens'), and connection ('companions') without laghw (anxiety, cognitive noise). / Psychology (Maslow): Paradise as the state of permanent Self-Actualization, where all deficiency needs are met, and one exists in a state of 'peak experience'.

Qur'an 78:37-40. "Lord of heavens and earth, the Most Merciful (Ar-Raḥmān)... none... power to address Him... The Spirit (الروح, Ar-Rūḥ) and the angels stand in rows... silent... A final warning... near punishment... person will see what their hands have sent forth... disbeliever will wish they were dust."

Etymology:

* Raḥmān (رحمن): Root ر-ح-م (r-ḥ-m). To have mercy, compassion. An intensive form, unique as a divine name.

* Rūḥ (روح): Root ر-و-ح (r-w-ḥ). Spirit, breath, wind.

* Semitic: Hebrew Ruaḥ (רוח, 'wind, spirit, breath').

Exegesis:

* "Ar-Raḥmān": The Surah's eschatological severity is framed by God's ultimate attribute: Mercy. His judgment is not arbitrary, but an expression of a just and merciful order (Al-Razi).

* "None... power to address Him": Emphasizes God's absolute majesty (haybah) on that Day. Intercession is only by His permission (cf. Q 2:255).

* "The Spirit" (Ar-Rūḥ): Exegetes differ. 1) The angel Gabriel (Jibrīl), as in Q 16:102 (Al-Tabari). 2) A massive angel, greater than all others (Ibn Kathir). 3) The collected souls of humanity. 4) The Qur'an. (1) is the strongest view.

* "See what their hands... sent": The core of accountability. Actions have consequences.

* "Wish they were dust": The ultimate despair. The disbeliever, who denied being recreated from 'dust' (Q 50:3), now wishes for that very state of non-existence to escape judgment. A final, devastating irony (Ibn Kathir).

Quranic (Intra-textual):

* Q 20:108: "...and all voices are humbled before the Most Merciful (Ar-Raḥmān), so you will not hear except a whisper."

* Q 97:4: "The angels and the Spirit [ ar-rūḥ] descend therein by permission of their Lord..." (Ref. Rūḥ = Gabriel).

* Q 18:49: "And the book will be placed... 'Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?' And they will find what they did present."

* Q 69:27: "Oh, I wish that my death had been the end! [wishing for non-existence]."

Biblical (Thematic Parallels):

* Revelation 4:8-11: The angelic host ('living creatures') and elders worship God on His throne, proclaiming His majesty.

* Zephaniah 1:7: "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand..." (cf. 'silent').

* Ecclesiastes 3:19-21: "For that which befalleth the sons of men... as the one dieth, so dieth the other... all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again." (The state the disbeliever wishes for).

* Revelation 6:16: "And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne..." (cf. wishing for oblivion).

Comparative Theology:

* Divine Silence & Majesty: The awesome silence before the throne (Mysterium Tremendum) is a common motif.

* Jewish: God as Ha-Raḥaman (The Merciful One) is central in liturgy. The Day of Judgment (Yom HaDin) is also characterized by awesome silence and the opening of books (e.g., Unetanneh Tokef prayer).

* Christian: Christ as Judge (Matthew 25) but also as merciful Advocate (1 John 2:1). The Rūḥ (Spirit) in Islam (as Gabriel) is distinct from the Holy Spirit (Ruaḥ HaKodesh / Pneuma Hagion) as the Third Person of the Trinity.

* "Wish for Dust": This expresses the Islamic view of kufr (disbelief). The disbeliever rejected their high purpose as a conscious being (khalīfah) and, in the end, desires the state of the inanimate, which they (ironically) claimed was their final end.

Egyptian: The "Great Silence" in the Hall of Two Truths during the weighing of the heart. The deceased stands silently before Osiris and the 42 judges. (Source: Book of the Dead, Spell 125).

Mesopotamian: The Anunnaki (great gods) assemble and "fix the fates" in silence. Majesty and silence are linked.

Zoroastrian: At the final judgment, all stand before Ahura Mazda, and the Spirit of Truth (Spenta Mainyu) is present with the angels (Yazatas).

Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS): The "Angels of Mastemoth" (evil) and the "Prince of Light" (Michael?) stand in array, but ultimate judgment belongs to God.

Greek (Orphism/Pythagoreanism): The soul (psyche, cf. rūḥ?) faces judgment, and its deeds ('what hands sent forth') determine its fate—transmigration or release.

Philosophy:

• Plotinus: The soul's ascent to 'the One', which is beyond address or description. The final vision is one of silent, ecstatic union, not dialogue. / Ibn Arabi: Ar-Raḥmān as the All-Merciful, whose "Breath" (Nafas ar-Raḥmān) is the very existence of creation. On the True Day, creation (angels, Rūḥ) stands silent as this reality is fully revealed. / Heidegger: The disbeliever's wish for 'dust' as the ultimate retreat from Dasein (being-there) and the Angst (anxiety) of authentic existence, preferring the 'they-self' or in-itself (dust) over being-for-itself.

Psychoanalytic:

• The final scene as the integration of the Superego (Judgment, Ar-Raḥmān as the merciful Judge) and the Ego. The 'angels' and 'Spirit' (archetypal forces) stand silent, their conflicts resolved. The 'disbeliever' is the part of the psyche (the Shadow) that refuses integration and wishes for dissolution ('dust') rather than self-knowledge ('see what hands sent forth'). • Question: What does the 'silence' of the highest spiritual forces (Spirit, angels) in the face of ultimate Truth suggest about the nature of a fully realized consciousness?

Esoteric & Fringe:

• The Bicameral Mind (Jaynes): The 'Spirit' as the personified 'divine voice' of the bicameral mind, now standing 'in rows' (integrated, silent) before the emergent, singular consciousness of God.

• German New Medicine (Hamer): The "near punishment" is the 'crisis' phase of a 'biological conflict' (sin/denial), and the 'judgment' is the body's final reckoning with this unresolved conflict.

• No close parallel for 'wishing to be dust' in most fringe systems, which are typically optimistic about consciousness.

Scientific Engagement:

• Cosmology (Anthropic Principle): The universe ('heavens and earth') is governed by Ar-Raḥmān (a fine-tuned, life-giving principle). / Psychology: 'Wishing to be dust' as a known psychological state: suicidal ideation or profound depression, where the desire for cessation of consciousness (to be inanimate 'dust') overwhelms the survival instinct. / Law (Forensics): "What their hands have sent forth" as the principle of Locard's exchange principle—every action leaves a trace, a record.

Study Quran

78 - An-Naba, সূরা আন-নাবা’

عَمَّ

يَتَسَاءَلُونَ

عَنِ النَّبَإِ

الْعَظِيمِ

الَّذِي هُمْ

فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ

كَلَّا

سَيَعْلَمُونَ

ثُمَّ كَلَّا

سَيَعْلَمُونَ

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ

الْأَرْضَ

مِهَادًا

وَالْجِبَالَ

أَوْتَادًا

وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ

أَزْوَاجًا

وَجَعَلْنَا

نَوْمَكُمْ

سُبَاتًا

وَجَعَلْنَا

اللَّيْلَ

لِبَاسًا

وَجَعَلْنَا

النَّهَارَ

مَعَاشًا

وَبَنَيْنَا

فَوْقَكُمْ

سَبْعًا شِدَادًا

وَجَعَلْنَا

سِرَاجًا

وَهَّاجًا

وَأَنزَلْنَا

مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ

مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا

لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ

حَبًّا

وَنَبَاتًا

وَجَنَّاتٍ

أَلْفَافًا

إِنَّ يَوْمَ

الْفَصْلِ

كَانَ مِيقَاتًا

يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ

فِي الصُّورِ

فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا

وَفُتِحَتِ

السَّمَاءُ

فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا

وَسُيِّرَتِ

الْجِبَالُ

فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ

كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا

لِّلطَّاغِينَ

مَآبًا

لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا

أَحْقَابًا

لَّا يَذُوقُونَ

فِيهَا بَرْدًا

وَلَا شَرَابًا

إِلَّا حَمِيمًا

وَغَسَّاقًا

جَزَاءً

وِفَاقًا

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا

لَا يَرْجُونَ

حِسَابًا

وَكَذَّبُوا

بِآيَاتِنَا

كِذَّابًا

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ

أَحْصَيْنَاهُ

كِتَابًا

فَذُوقُوا

فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ

إِلَّا عَذَابًا

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ