Surah 75 of 114 · Makki · 40 ayat
Al-Qiyamah القيامة
The Resurrection
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ
PickthallNay, I swear by the Day of Resurrection;
Yusuf AliI do call to witness the Resurrection Day;
The agreed readingI swear by the Day of Resurrection — the commentaries take the opening as an oath, and the thing sworn to is the raising itself, which the next verses put as a question.
وَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلنَّفْسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ
PickthallNay, I swear by the accusing soul (that this Scripture is true).
Yusuf AliAnd I do call to witness the self-reproaching spirit: (Eschew Evil).
The agreed readingand I swear by the self that reproaches itself. The commentaries agree the self meant is the one that blames itself even for its good, and that what the two oaths swear to is the raising, named in the question that follows.
أَيَحْسَبُ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ أَلَّن نَّجْمَعَ عِظَامَهُۥ
PickthallThinketh man that We shall not assemble his bones?
Yusuf AliDoes man think that We cannot assemble his bones?
The agreed readingDoes man think We shall not gather his bones? The commentaries agree the question is the denial itself, put back to him as a question.
بَلَىٰ قَٰدِرِينَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّسَوِّىَ بَنَانَهُۥ
PickthallYea, verily. We are Able to restore his very fingers!
Yusuf AliNay, We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers.
The agreed readingYes indeed — We are able to shape his very fingertips again. The commentaries take the fingertips as the point: if the smallest and finest parts can be restored exactly, the rest is no difficulty at all.
بَلْ يُرِيدُ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُۥ
PickthallBut man would fain deny what is before him.
Yusuf AliBut man wishes to do wrong (even) in the time in front of him.
The agreed readingRather, man wants to go on sinning in the time ahead of him. The commentaries agree the denial of the raising is not a conclusion he reached but a permission he wants: with nothing coming, nothing is owed.
يَسْـَٔلُ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ
PickthallHe asketh: When will be this Day of Resurrection?
Yusuf AliHe questions: "When is the Day of Resurrection?"
The agreed readingHe asks: when is this Day of Resurrection? — asked in mockery, the commentaries agree, and not to be told.
فَإِذَا بَرِقَ ٱلْبَصَرُ
PickthallBut when sight is confounded
Yusuf AliAt length, when the sight is dazed,
The agreed readingSo when the sight is dazzled — fixed and bewildered, the commentaries gloss, at the sight of what it had been denying.
وَخَسَفَ ٱلْقَمَرُ
PickthallAnd the moon is eclipsed
Yusuf AliAnd the moon is buried in darkness.
The agreed readingand the moon is eclipsed — its light gone out of it altogether, the commentaries agree, not dimmed but extinguished.
وَجُمِعَ ٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ
PickthallAnd sun and moon are united,
Yusuf AliAnd the sun and moon are joined together,-
The agreed readingand the sun and the moon are brought together — the commentaries agree these are the signs of that Day: the eye fixed in astonishment at what it had denied, and the two lights gone.
يَقُولُ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَيْنَ ٱلْمَفَرُّ
PickthallOn that day man will cry: Whither to flee!
Yusuf AliThat Day will Man say: "Where is the refuge?"
The agreed readingman says on that Day: where is the escape? The commentaries note he asks it as he used to ask it in every danger of this life, out of habit.
كَلَّا لَا وَزَرَ
PickthallAlas! No refuge!
Yusuf AliBy no means! No place of safety!
The agreed readingNo — there is no refuge. The commentaries gloss the word as any stronghold or shelter a man might reach, and there is none.
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلْمُسْتَقَرُّ
PickthallUnto thy Lord is the recourse that day.
Yusuf AliBefore thy Lord (alone), that Day will be the place of rest.
The agreed readingTo your Lord, that Day, is the place of settling — no other place of return exists, the commentaries agree, so the question of escape is already answered.
يُنَبَّؤُا۟ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ
PickthallOn that day man is told the tale of that which he hath sent before and left behind.
Yusuf AliThat Day will Man be told (all) that he put forward, and all that he put back.
The agreed readingOn that Day man is told what he sent ahead and what he left behind — his first deeds and his last, the commentaries agree, and also what he set going that outlived him.
بَلِ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ بَصِيرَةٌ
PickthallOh, but man is a telling witness against himself,
Yusuf AliNay, man will be evidence against himself,
The agreed readingRather, man is a clear witness against himself — his own limbs speaking of what he did, the commentaries agree, so no informing is needed.
وَلَوْ أَلْقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَهُۥ
PickthallAlthough he tender his excuses.
Yusuf AliEven though he were to put up his excuses.
The agreed readingeven if he puts forward every excuse. The commentaries agree the excuses are offered and not accepted, because what testifies against him is himself.
لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِۦ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِۦٓ
PickthallStir not thy tongue herewith to hasten it.
Yusuf AliMove not thy tongue concerning the (Qur'an) to make haste therewith.
The agreed readingDo not move your tongue with it to hurry it. The commentaries carry the same occasion: revelation would come and he would move his tongue with it as it came, fearing it would slip away from him.
إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُۥ وَقُرْءَانَهُۥ
PickthallLo! upon Us (resteth) the putting together thereof and the reading thereof.
Yusuf AliIt is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it:
The agreed readingUpon Us is its gathering and its recitation — its gathering in your breast, the commentaries agree, and its running on your tongue afterwards.
فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَٰهُ فَٱتَّبِعْ قُرْءَانَهُۥ
PickthallAnd when We read it, follow thou the reading;
Yusuf AliBut when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital (as promulgated):
The agreed readingSo when We have recited it, follow its recitation — listen while it is being recited, the commentaries agree, and recite after.
ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُۥ
PickthallThen lo! upon Us (resteth) the explanation thereof.
Yusuf AliNay more, it is for Us to explain it (and make it clear):
The agreed readingThen upon Us is its explaining. The commentaries take the whole passage as one assurance: the keeping of it, the reciting of it, and the understanding of it are all guaranteed, so haste is not needed.
كَلَّا بَلْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱلْعَاجِلَةَ
PickthallNay, but ye do love the fleeting Now
Yusuf AliNay, (ye men!) but ye love the fleeting life,
The agreed readingNo — rather you love the fleeting thing, the world that is in front of you and passing, the commentaries gloss.
وَتَذَرُونَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ
PickthallAnd neglect the Hereafter.
Yusuf AliAnd leave alone the Hereafter.
The agreed readingand leave the Hereafter. The commentaries agree the pair is the whole diagnosis: what is at hand is loved, and what is coming is not worked for.
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ
PickthallThat day will faces be resplendent,
Yusuf AliSome faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty);-
The agreed readingFaces that Day are radiant — bright and at ease, the commentaries gloss, and the brightness is the mark of what they are given.
إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ
PickthallLooking toward their Lord;
Yusuf AliLooking towards their Lord;
The agreed readinglooking towards their Lord — the commentaries stop here rather than pass over it, and the sūrah sets these faces directly against the ones described next.
وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بَاسِرَةٌ
PickthallAnd that day will other faces be despondent,
Yusuf AliAnd some faces, that Day, will be sad and dismal,
The agreed readingAnd faces that Day are darkened — drawn and scowling, the commentaries gloss, from what they can already see coming.
تَظُنُّ أَن يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٌ
PickthallThou wilt know that some great disaster is about to fall on them.
Yusuf AliIn the thought that some back-breaking calamity was about to be inflicted on them;
The agreed readingcertain that a back-breaking blow is to fall on them. The commentaries gloss the word as a calamity so heavy it breaks the spine.
كَلَّآ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ ٱلتَّرَاقِىَ
PickthallNay, but when the life cometh up to the throat
Yusuf AliYea, when (the soul) reaches to the collar-bone (in its exit),
The agreed readingNo — when it reaches the collarbones: when the soul comes up to the bones of the throat, the commentaries agree, and the dying is nearly done.
وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ
PickthallAnd men say: Where is the wizard (who can save him now)?
Yusuf AliAnd there will be a cry, "Who is a magician (to restore him)?"
The agreed readingand it is said: who can heal him? Said by those around him, the commentaries agree, looking for anyone who might still cure him.
وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ ٱلْفِرَاقُ
PickthallAnd he knoweth that it is the parting;
Yusuf AliAnd he will conclude that it was (the Time) of Parting;
The agreed readingand he is certain that it is the parting — the parting from the world, the commentaries gloss, known for certain now rather than feared.
وَٱلْتَفَّتِ ٱلسَّاقُ بِٱلسَّاقِ
PickthallAnd agony is heaped on agony;
Yusuf AliAnd one leg will be joined with another:
The agreed readingand one leg is wound about the other — the commentaries read it both as the legs themselves at death and as the hardship of leaving this world twisted together with what is coming.
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلْمَسَاقُ
PickthallUnto thy Lord that day will be the driving.
Yusuf AliThat Day the Drive will be (all) to thy Lord!
The agreed readingto your Lord that Day is the driving. The commentaries carry the death-scene together: those around him looking for anyone who could cure him, and the dying man knowing he is leaving the world.
فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّىٰ
PickthallFor he neither trusted, nor prayed.
Yusuf AliSo he gave nothing in charity, nor did he pray!-
The agreed readingFor he neither affirmed the truth nor prayed — he did not believe it, the commentaries gloss, and he did not do what belief requires.
وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
PickthallBut he denied and flouted.
Yusuf AliBut on the contrary, he rejected Truth and turned away!
The agreed readingbut denied and turned away — denied the Qur'ān, the commentaries agree, and turned his back on believing.
ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ يَتَمَطَّىٰٓ
PickthallThen went he to his folk with glee.
Yusuf AliThen did he stalk to his family in full conceit!
The agreed readingthen went off to his people, swaggering. The commentaries agree the three describe the same man, and that the strutting is what he did after refusing.
أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَىٰ
PickthallNearer unto thee and nearer,
Yusuf AliWoe to thee, (O men!), yea, woe!
The agreed readingNearer to you and nearer — a threat, the commentaries agree, of what he would rather not have come near him at all.
ثُمَّ أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَىٰٓ
PickthallAgain nearer unto thee and nearer (is the doom).
Yusuf AliAgain, Woe to thee, (O men!), yea, woe!
The agreed readingthen nearer to you and nearer. The commentaries take the doubling as a threat pressed twice over, the second saying nothing new except that it is said again.
أَيَحْسَبُ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى
PickthallThinketh man that he is to be left aimless?
Yusuf AliDoes man think that he will be left uncontrolled, (without purpose)?
The agreed readingDoes man think he will be left to himself, with nothing required of him and nothing asked?
أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِّن مَّنِىٍّ يُمْنَىٰ
PickthallWas he not a drop of fluid which gushed forth?
Yusuf AliWas he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)?
The agreed readingWas he not a drop of fluid poured out — poured into the womb, the commentaries gloss, with nothing about it to build a claim on.
ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ
PickthallThen he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashioned
Yusuf AliThen did he become a leech-like clot; then did (Allah) make and fashion (him) in due proportion.
The agreed readingthen a clinging clot? Then He created and shaped him — set his limbs in order, the commentaries gloss, and made him even.
فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ ٱلزَّوْجَيْنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ
PickthallAnd made of him a pair, the male and female.
Yusuf AliAnd of him He made two sexes, male and female.
The agreed readingand made of him the two kinds, male and female. The commentaries take the stages as the argument: the One who brought him through all of that is not unable to bring him back.
أَلَيْسَ ذَٰلِكَ بِقَٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُحْـِۧىَ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ
PickthallIs not He (Who doeth so) Able to bring the dead to life?
Yusuf AliHas not He, (the same), the power to give life to the dead?
The agreed readingIs that One not able to bring the dead to life? The commentaries agree the question closes the sūrah by answering the one it opened with.