Al-Inshiqaq

See ayat 9 for tafseer.

See ayat 9 for tafseer.

See ayat 9 for tafseer.

See ayat 9 for tafseer.

See ayat 9 for tafseer.

See ayat 9 for tafseer.

See ayat 9 for tafseer.

See ayat 9 for tafseer.

As was explained in the discussion of the themes of this sūrah, its opening verses point to the overwhelming and awe‑inspiring events that mark the end of the world. The Lord of the worlds declares: إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انشَقَّتْ — when the sky is split apart, when the celestial bodies are scattered and the orderly system of the stars is completely disrupted. (Here إِذَا is a conditional particle whose apodosis is omitted, its implied meaning being: when the sky is split… then human beings shall meet their Lord for reckoning and recompense.) A parallel appears in Sūrat al‑Infīṭār: إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انفَطَرَتْ وَإِذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ انتَثَرَتْ — when the sky is cleft asunder and the stars are scattered. This signals the collapse and annihilation of the worldly order. The passage then adds: وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ — and it listens to the command of its Lord, as it rightfully should. Lest one imagine that, despite its magnitude, the cosmos could resist the divine command even for an instant, the verse depicts it as utterly obedient, submitting completely before its Lord. The verb أَذِنَتْ derives from udhun (ear) and literally means attentive listening; here it serves as a metaphor for obedience. حُقَّتْ, from the root ḥaqq, means to be worthy, fitting, or deserving — how could it not submit, when it constantly receives existence and sustenance from God, moment by moment? Were this divine flow to cease even briefly, all would vanish. Indeed, just as the heavens and earth responded obediently at the beginning of creation — as stated in قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ — so too they do so at its end. Some exegetes have suggested that حُقَّتْ indicates that the terror of the Day itself makes it fitting that the heavens should be torn apart, but the former interpretation is more consistent. The discourse then turns to the earth: وَإِذَا الْأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ — when the earth is stretched out. According to numerous Qur’anic passages, the mountains will be pulverized entirely, all elevations and depressions erased, leaving the earth smooth, level, and expansive, prepared to host the gathering of all creatures. As stated in Sūrat Ṭā‑Hā, فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعًا صَفْصَفًا لَّا تَرَىٰ فِيهَا عِوَجًا وَلَا أَمْتًا — a vast, even plain, suited for the universal court of justice. Some commentators have added that the earth itself will be expanded far beyond its present dimensions to accommodate the resurrection of all beings. Next it states: وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ — the earth will cast out what is within it and become emptied. The widely accepted interpretation is that all the dead, resting in graves and soil, will be expelled and clothed anew with life, as in وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا. Others include the emergence of buried treasures and minerals, or even the eruption of molten substances due to catastrophic earthquakes. These interpretations are not mutually exclusive. Then once more it declares: وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ — emphasizing complete submission. These colossal events simultaneously signify the dissolution of the present world, the annihilation of its heavens and earth, and the emergence of a new cosmic order; they also serve as decisive testimony to God’s power, particularly regarding resurrection. At that moment, human beings will behold the outcome of their deeds. Thus the verse addresses humanity directly: يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ. The term كادِح denotes striving accompanied by toil and hardship, affecting both body and soul. Classical lexicons describe its root as signifying abrasion or strain that leaves a mark, hence its application to exertions that wear upon a person. This verse highlights a fundamental truth of human existence: life is inseparable from effort and fatigue — even more so when the aim is eternal felicity and nearness to God, rather than mere worldly gain. Even those who appear most comfortable are not free from difficulty. Meeting one’s Lord may signify witnessing the scene of the Hereafter, confronting divine judgment, or attaining inner realization through spiritual vision. In all cases, the verse indicates that toil continues until this world ends and the purified servant encounters God through righteous deeds. Comfort without struggle is but illusion. Addressing humanity as الإنسان underscores that God has endowed this noblest of creatures with the capacities necessary for this journey, and invoking رَبّ points to the nurturing dimension of this continuous striving as part of the divine plan of human development. Other Qur’anic verses express the same reality, such as وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الْمُنتَهَىٰ and وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ, affirming that all journeys culminate in God. Humanity then divides into two groups. Of the first it says: فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا. These are those who move along the intended axis of creation, utilizing the resources and capacities God granted them for His sake alone. Receiving the record in the right hand symbolizes purity of deeds, soundness of faith, deliverance on the Day of Resurrection, and honor before all creation. Beneath the scale of absolute justice, God eases their reckoning, overlooks their slips, and transforms their misdeeds into good by virtue of faith and righteous action. Regarding حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا, exegetes explain it as an account free of excessive scrutiny, marked by pardon and the rewarding of good deeds. The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny said that whoever combines generosity toward those who withhold, maintaining ties with those who sever them, and forgiving those who wrong him will be admitted to Paradise after an easy reckoning. Other narrations clarify that the intensity of reckoning corresponds to the level of intellect granted to each individual in the world. As for أَهْلِهِ, interpretations vary: believing family members reunited in Paradise; the heavenly companions prepared for the righteous; or the community of believers with whom one shared bonds of love in the world. These meanings are compatible and may all be intended.

In a tradition transmitted from Imam ʿAlī, peace be upon him, concerning the interpretation of إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انشَقَّتْ, he said: (إِنَّهَا تَنْشَقُّ مِنَ الْمَجَرَّةِ) — that is, “the stars will separate from the Milky Way.” (Reported in Rūḥ al‑Maʿānī, vol. 30, p. 87, and al‑Durr al‑Manthūr, vol. 6, p. 329.) This narration is profound and worthy of reflection. It may be counted among the scientific marvels of the Qur’anic explanations, as it unveils a reality that none of the scholars or scientists of that era had reached. In modern times, astronomers—through observation and telescopic study—have established that the universe consists of galaxies, and that each galaxy itself is a collection of solar systems and stars. For this reason, galaxies are often referred to as “cities of stars.” The Milky Way is the most well‑known of these stellar paths, visible to the naked eye. It resembles a vast circular or band‑like system composed of innumerable stars and solar systems. One portion of it is so distant from us that its stars appear as a whitish cloud, whereas in reality they are dense clusters of luminous points located close together. The section nearer to us contains stars that are individually visible—these are the very stars we observe in the night sky. In this way, our solar system is part of this galaxy and not separate from it. According to the above narration, Imam ʿAlī, peace be upon him, indicates that when the Resurrection occurs, these stars—presently seen as constituents of the galaxy—will detach from it, and the entire cosmic order will become disrupted. Who, at that time, could have known that the stars we observe are in fact integral parts of a vast galactic system—except one whose heart was connected to the unseen realm and nourished from the fountain of divine knowledge?

The expression كادح appearing in the above verse denotes striving and exertion that is accompanied by toil and hardship. When one considers that its scope includes all human beings, it clearly conveys the reality that the nature of life in this world is never free, at any stage, from difficulty, pain, and strenuous effort. Whether these hardships are physical, psychological, intellectual, or a combination of all three, no individual is exempt from them. In this regard, there is a profoundly meaningful narration from ʿAlī ibn al‑Ḥusayn, peace be upon him, who said: (الراحة لم تخلق في الدنيا ولا لأهل الدنيا، إنما خلقت الراحة في الجنة ولأهل الجنة، والتعب والنصب خُلقا في الدنيا ولأهل الدنيا، وما أُعطي أحد منها جفنة إلا أُعطي من الحرص مثليها، ومن أصاب من الدنيا أكثر كان فيها أشد فقراً، لأنه يفتقر إلى الناس في حفظ أمواله، ويفتقر إلى كل آلة من آلات الدنيا، فليس في غنى الدنيا الراحة). Comfort and ease were not created for this world, nor for the people of this world; rather, true comfort was created only in Paradise and for the people of Paradise. Toil and hardship were created in this world and for the people of this world. Thus, whenever someone attains even a small share of worldly gain, double that amount of greed accompanies it. The one who acquires more of the world is in fact poorer within it, because he becomes dependent on others to protect his wealth and reliant on numerous worldly means. Hence, there is no true comfort in worldly affluence. Thereafter, the Imam added: (كلا، ما تعب أولياء الله في الدنيا للدنيا، بل تعبوا في الدنيا للآخرة)—the friends of God do not endure hardship in this world for the sake of the world itself; rather, they bear hardship in this world for the sake of the Hereafter. (Reported in al‑Khiṣāl by al‑Ṣadūq, vol. 1, in the chapter “The World and the Hereafter,” cited in al‑Mīzān, Hadith 95.)

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

After the discussion in the preceding verses concerning the People of the Right (Aṣḥāb al‑Yamīn)—the believers who will be given their record of deeds in their right hands—these verses now turn to the disbelieving criminals and the condition of their record, declaring: وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ — as for the one who is given his record behind his back, فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُوا ثُبُورًا — he will cry out for destruction, وَيَصْلَى سَعِيرًا — and he will enter the blazing Fire. Exegetes have offered various explanations regarding how their record will be given from behind and how this accords with verses stating that it will be given in their hand. Some have said their right arms will be chained to their necks and their records handed from behind to their left hands, symbolizing humiliation and disgrace. Others say both hands will be bound behind their back like captives. Some refer to مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِهَا, suggesting that for some criminals their faces will be turned backward, necessitating the record be handed behind them. The more fitting interpretation, however, is that while the People of the Right receive their records openly and joyfully—proclaiming هَاؤُمُ اقْرَؤُوا كِتَابِيَهْ—the sinners receive theirs in the left hand, then instinctively move that hand behind their back out of shame, attempting vainly to hide the evidence of their crime. Yet concealment is impossible, for nothing remains hidden on that Day. The phrase يَدْعُوا ثُبُورًا reflects the anguished cry Arabs utter in moments of catastrophe—“woe, destruction!”—yet this lament finds no answer. Then follows وَيَصْلَى سَعِيرًا, meaning he will enter the scorching blaze of Hell. The reason for this fate is explained: إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا — he used to be delighted among his people with a joy mingled with arrogance, heedlessness, and deep attachment to worldly life, neglectful of the Hereafter. Personal happiness is not condemned in itself; what is blameworthy is joy that leads to forgetfulness of God and enslavement to desire. Thus it continues: إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ يَحُورَ — he assumed he would never return. His core misfortune lay in this corrupt belief—the denial of Resurrection—which gave rise to his arrogance and indulgence, distancing him from God and binding him to base whims. This same condition is described in وَإِذَا انقَلَبُوا إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِمُ انقَلَبُوا فَكِهِينَ, and likewise in the narrative of Qārūn, where the aware among the Israelites warned him: لَا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ. The term يَحُورَ derives from ḥawr, meaning return, fluctuation, or coming back—whether in movement, thought, or direction. It shares a root with maḥwar (axis) and muḥāwarah (exchange), conveying cyclical motion. In this verse it unmistakably signifies return after death, affirming Resurrection. This verse implicitly teaches that denial of the Hereafter is the root source of negligence, arrogance, and immersion in every form of sin. Hence the final verse refutes this false notion: بَلَىٰ إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيرًا — indeed, his Lord was fully aware of him, overseeing all his deeds, recording them, and preserving them for the Day of Reckoning. Just as يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ, this verse stands as a decisive proof of Resurrection. The reliance on the title رَبّ in both verses underscores that humanity’s journey toward its Lord does not end with death and that worldly existence can never be the final goal of perfection. Moreover, God’s complete awareness of human actions and their precise recording serve no purpose except preparation for reckoning, reward, and punishment—otherwise such meticulous oversight would be meaningless.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

See ayat 25 for tafseer.

After the preceding discussion in which the verses spoke about the divinely ordained course of human movement toward perfection, these verses reaffirm and further clarify that meaning. It declares: فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالشَّفَقِ — by the twilight glow; وَاللَّيْلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ — and by the night and that which it gathers together; وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا اتَّسَقَ — and by the moon when it becomes full and complete; لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ — that you will surely move from one state to another. In the phrase فَلَا أُقْسِمُ, the particle لا is, as previously noted, an emphatic addition rather than a negation. Although some have interpreted it as negation—suggesting that the matter is so evident that no oath is required—the first interpretation, that it serves emphasis, is more appropriate. According to al‑Rāghib al‑Iṣfahānī, الشَّفَق refers to the mingling of daylight with the darkness of night. For this reason, the term ishfāq came to be used for that form of care and concern which is accompanied by a degree of fear. When a person loves another and yet fears misfortune befalling them, that state is called ishfāq, and the person mushfiq. Fakhr al‑Rāzī, however, traces the root of shafaq to delicacy and fineness, from which connotations such as thin garments and tenderness of heart are derived—though al‑Rāghib’s analysis appears more accurate. In any case, shafaq denotes the faint light mixed with the onset of darkness at the beginning of night. Since a pale redness appears on the western horizon at dusk and is later replaced by whiteness, scholars differed as to whether shafaq refers to the redness or the whiteness. The prevalent view among linguists and exegetes is the former, and Arabic poetry often likens it to the blood of martyrs. The alternative view is weak, especially since the linguistic notion of delicacy better corresponds to the faint reddish glow of sunset. The oath by twilight signifies a moment of profound transformation, announcing the end of the day and the beginning of the night, while also possessing unique beauty. Beyond this, it also alludes to the time of the sunset prayer, calling people to attentiveness and contemplation of this striking celestial phenomenon. The oath by the night points to the many secrets and effects hidden within it, which have been discussed elsewhere in detail. The phrase وَمَا وَسَقَ—where ما is relative and its referent is implicit—draws upon the meaning of wasq, namely, gathering scattered things together. It alludes to the return of animals, birds, and even humans to their dwellings, nests, and shelters at night, resulting in widespread rest and tranquility, one of the fundamental blessings of the night, as expressed in اللَّهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ. The expression إِذَا اتَّسَقَ derives from the same root and refers here to the moon when it reaches full completion on the fourteenth night. At this stage, the moon appears exceptionally beautiful, casting gentle light upon the earth without disturbing the serenity of the night, while guiding travelers through darkness. Thus it stands as one of the great signs of God, worthy of being sworn by. Notably, all four subjects of these oaths—the twilight glow, the night and what it gathers, and the full moon—are interrelated, forming a harmonious and evocative tableau that stimulates reflection upon creation, rapid transformation, the certainty of resurrection, and the power of God. As the sun withdraws, leaving behind twilight, creatures hasten to their shelters, and the full moon rises early in the night, illuminating these transitions. These oaths serve as a prelude to لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ, which describes the continuous succession of states that human beings experience along the journey of life. Exegetes have offered various interpretations of this phrase: 1. It refers to the successive stages of the human journey toward God—worldly life, the intermediate realm, resurrection, and its diverse conditions. 2. It denotes the many stages from conception to death, some scholars counting as many as thirty‑seven distinct phases. 3. It points to the alternating conditions of health and illness, joy and sorrow, ease and hardship, peace and conflict in worldly life. 4. It signifies the successive trials of the Hereafter until final settlement in Paradise or Hell. 5. It indicates that the experiences of previous nations—both sweet and bitter—will also occur within this community. These meanings are not mutually exclusive; rather, the verse may encompass all such transformations and transitions intrinsic to human existence. Some have even suggested that the verse addresses the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny personally, in reference to the celestial ascents of the Night Journey, though the plural form لَتَرْكَبُنَّ makes this view less fitting, especially given that earlier verses address humanity at large. The continual change of states demonstrates, first, that the human being is a created and dependent entity, for all that changes is contingent and requires a Creator; second, that this world is impermanent; and third, that humanity is engaged in a constant movement toward the Lord—an unmistakable sign of resurrection, as stated elsewhere: يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ. The discourse then draws a general conclusion: فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ — why, despite the clarity of proofs of divine unity and resurrection, do they still not believe? The signs in the horizons—day and night, sun and moon, light and darkness, dawn and dusk—along with the signs within the self, from conception through the stages of life to death, are all manifest, yet humanity persists in disbelief. Turning from the Book of creation to the Book of revelation, it adds: وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ — when the Qur’an is recited to them, why do they not submit? The Qur’an, whose miraculous nature shines in all its aspects and whose content testifies decisively to its divine source, cannot rationally be attributed to an unlettered man raised in an environment steeped in superstition. Here, sujūd signifies humility, submission, and obedience, not merely the physical act of prostration, which itself is but one manifestation of this comprehensive surrender. The next verse states: بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُكَذِّبُونَ — rather, the disbelievers persist in denial. The use of the imperfect tense indicates continuous, deliberate rejection born not of lack of evidence but of obstinacy, fanaticism, material interest, and submission to base desires. Then, in a tone of warning, it declares: وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ — God knows best what they conceal within themselves. The verb yūʿūn derives from wiʿāʾ, meaning a container, and refers to what hearts store of intentions, motives, and hidden impulses. No matter how they attempt concealment, they will inevitably face recompense. This is followed by ironic proclamation: فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ — so give them tidings of a painful punishment. The use of bashārah, ordinarily denoting glad tidings, serves here as bitter reproach. Finally, an exception is made: إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ — except those who believe and perform righteous deeds; for them is a reward unending, uninterrupted, and free from loss or reproach. The term مَمْنُونٍ conveys freedom from diminution, termination, and even the imposition of obligation or reproach. Unlike worldly blessings, which are transient and often accompanied by undesirable conditions, the rewards of the Hereafter are eternal, flawless, and untouched by imperfection. Whether this exception is connected or disconnected has been debated, but the more appropriate understanding is that it opens the door of return before the disbelievers: whoever turns back, believes, and performs righteous deeds will be spared eternal punishment and granted everlasting reward without loss or interruption.

The late al‑Ṭabrisī, in Majmaʿ al‑Bayān, before discussing the final verses of this sūrah, draws upon the fundamental principle of free will and freedom of choice. He states that reproaching people who are compelled for abandoning faith or neglecting prostration would be unbecoming of the All‑Wise God. Therefore, the divine reproach expressed in the words فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ constitutes clear evidence for the doctrine of human choice and volition. Furthermore, blaming them for abandoning prostration demonstrates that the disbelievers are legally accountable not only for the principles of religion but also for its practical obligations. (This discussion applies when sujūd in the verse is understood either as ritual prostration in prayer or in its broader sense, which includes the prostration of prayer.) O God, on the Day when all people will stand before Your court of justice, make our reckoning easy. Our Lord, along the path on which all servants journey toward You, assist us in traversing the straight path. O God, we bow in submission before Your Noble Qur’an—grant us all the grace to act upon it. Āmīn, O Lord of the worlds.