78. Sūrat al-Nabaʾ

٧٨۔ سُورَةُ النـَّبأ

Qurʾān > Chapter 78
القرآن > كتاب ٧٨

The Announcement (Meccan)

quran:78:1 – In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

About what are they asking one another?  

About what, about what thing, are they, the people of Quraysh, questioning one another?
القرآن:٧٨:١ – بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ  

{عمَّ} عن أي شيء {يتساءلون} يسال بعض قريش بعضا.
quran:78:2 –

About the great news -  

About the awesome tiding (˹this is˺ the explication of that ‘thing’; the interrogative is meant to emphasise its magnitude) — this ˹awesome tiding˺ is the Qur’ān, comprising ˹news of˺ the Resurrection and so on, which the Prophet (s) brought —
القرآن:٧٨:٢ –

عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ  

{عن النبأ العظيم} بيان لذلك الشيء والاستفهام لتفخيمه وهو ما جاء به النبي ﷺ من القرآن المشتمل على البعث وغيره.
quran:78:3 –

That over which they are in disagreement.  

concerning which they are at variance, for the believers affirm it, while the disbelievers repudiate it.
القرآن:٧٨:٣ –

الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ  

{الذي هم فيه مختلفون} فالمؤمنون يثبتونه والكافرون ينكرونه.
quran:78:4 –

No! They are going to know.  

No indeed! — a disavowal — they will come to know, what will befall them for their rejection of it.
القرآن:٧٨:٤ –

كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ  

{كلا} ردع {سيعلمون} ما يحل بهم على إنكارهم له.
quran:78:5 –

Then, no! They are going to know.  

Again, no indeed! They will come to know! (˹reiterated˺ for emphasis; thumma is added here to declare that the second threat of chastisement is more severe than the first). God, exalted be He, then alludes to His power to resurrect, saying:
القرآن:٧٨:٥ –

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ  

{ثم كلا سيعلمون} تأكيد وجيء فيه بثم للإيذان بأن الوعيد الثاني أشد من الأول، ثم أومأ تعالى إلى القدرة على البعث فقال:
quran:78:6 –

Have We not made the earth a resting place?  

Have We not made the earth a cradle, a bed, like a cradle,
القرآن:٧٨:٦ –

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا  

{ألم نجعل الأرض مهادا} فراشا كالمهد.
quran:78:7 –

And the mountains as stakes?  

and the mountains pegs?, with which the earth is tied down like tents are tied down with pegs (the interrogative is meant as an affirmative).
القرآن:٧٨:٧ –

وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا  

{والجبال أوتادا} تثبت بها الأرض كما تثبت الخيام بالأوتاد، والاستفهام للتقرير.
quran:78:8 –

And We created you in pairs  

And created you in pairs?, males and females,
القرآن:٧٨:٨ –

وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا  

{وخلقناكم أزواجا} ذكورا وإناثا.
quran:78:9 –

And made your sleep ˹a means for˺ rest  

and made your sleep for rest?, repose for your bodies,
القرآن:٧٨:٩ –

وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا  

{وجعلنا نومكم سباتا} راحة لأبدانكم.
quran:78:10 –

And made the night as clothing  

and made the night a cloak?, to cover you with its darkness,
القرآن:٧٨:١٠ –

وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا  

{وجعلنا الليل لباسا} ساترا بسواده.
quran:78:11 –

And made the day for livelihood  

and made the day for livelihood?, a time for seeking livelihood,
القرآن:٧٨:١١ –

وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا  

{وجعلنا النهار معاشا} وقتا للمعايش.
quran:78:12 –

And constructed above you seven strong ˹heavens˺  

and built above you seven mighty ones?, seven heavens (shidād is the plural of shadīda) that is to say, strong and sturdy unaffected by the passage of time,
القرآن:٧٨:١٢ –

وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا  

{وبنينا فوقكم سبعا} سبع سماوات {شدادا} جمع شديدة، أي قوية محكمة لا يؤثر فيها مرور الزمان.
quran:78:13 –

And made ˹therein˺ a burning lamp  

and set a radiant lamp?, namely, the sun,
القرآن:٧٨:١٣ –

وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا  

{وجعلنا سراجا} منيرا {وهاجا} وقادا: يعني الشمس.
quran:78:14 –

And sent down, from the rain clouds, pouring water  

and sent down from the rain-clouds (mu‘sirāt), the clouds due to give rain (similar to ˹the term˺ mu‘sir, which denotes a girl nearing menstruation) cascading water?, pouring forth,
القرآن:٧٨:١٤ –

وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا  

{وأنزلنا من المعصرات} السحابات التي حان لها أن تمطر، كالمعصر الجارية التي دنت من الحيض {ماءً ثجاجا} صبابا.
quran:78:15 –

That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation  

that with it We may bring forth grains, such as wheat, and plants, such as figs,
القرآن:٧٨:١٥ –

لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا  

{لنخرج به حبا} كالحنطة {ونباتا} كالتين.
quran:78:16 –

And gardens of entwined growth.  

and gardens, orchards, of intertwining foliage? (alfāf is the plural of lafīf, similar ˹in pattern˺ to sharīf, ‘noble’, ˹plural˺ ashrāf).
القرآن:٧٨:١٦ –

وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا  

{وجنات} بساتين {ألفافا} ملتفة، جمع لفيف كشريف وأشراف.
quran:78:17 –

Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time -  

Verily the Day of Decision, for creatures, is the tryst, a time ˹fixed˺ for reward and punishment,
القرآن:٧٨:١٧ –

إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَاتًا  

{إن يوم الفصل} بين الخلائق {كان ميقاتا} وقتا للثواب والعقاب.
quran:78:18 –

The Day the Horn is blown and you will come forth in multitudes  

the day the Trumpet, the Horn, is blown (yawma yunfakhu fī’l-sūri is either a substitution for, or an explication of, yawma’l-fasli, ‘the Day of Decision’, the blower being Isrāfīl) and you come, forth from your graves to the site ˹of the Resurrection˺, in droves, in diverse groups,
القرآن:٧٨:١٨ –

يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا  

{يوم ينفخ في الصور} القرن بدل من يوم الفصل أو بيان له والنافخ إسرافيل {فتأتون} من قبوركم إلى الموقف {أفواجا} جماعات مختلفة.
quran:78:19 –

And the heaven is opened and will become gateways  

and the heaven is opened (read futtihat or futihat), sundered for the descent of the angels, and becomes as gates, it becomes ˹a heaven˺ with gates,
القرآن:٧٨:١٩ –

وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا  

{وفُتِّحت السماء} بالتشديد والتخفيف شققت لنزول الملائكة {فكانت أبوابا} ذات أبواب.
quran:78:20 –

And the mountains are removed and will be ˹but˺ a mirage.  

and the mountains are set in motion, dislocated from their positions, and become as a mirage, as fine dust, that is to say, like it in terms of its levity when in motion.
القرآن:٧٨:٢٠ –

وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا  

{وسيِّرت الجبال} ذهب بها عن أماكنها {فكانت سرابا} هباء، أي مثله في خفة سيرها.
quran:78:21 –

Indeed, Hell has been lying in wait  

Verily Hell lurks in ambush (mirsādan, in the sense of rāsidatan or mursidatan, ‘lying in wait’)
القرآن:٧٨:٢١ –

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا  

{إن جهنم كانت مرصادا} راصدة أو مرصدة.
quran:78:22 –

For the transgressors, a place of return,  

for the rebellious, the disbelievers, who will not be able to avoid it, ˹it is˺ a resort, a retreat for them, and so they will enter it,
القرآن:٧٨:٢٢ –

لِلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا  

{للطاغين} الكافرين فلا يتجاوزونها {مآبا} مرجعا لهم فيدخلونها.
quran:78:23 –

In which they will remain for ages ˹unending˺.  

to remain (lābithīna is an implied circumstantial qualifier, in other words, their remaining therein will be decreed ˹to be˺) therein for ages, for endless epochs (ahqāb is the plural of huqb),
القرآن:٧٨:٢٣ –

لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا  

{لابثين} حال مقدرة، أي مقدَّرا لبثهم {فيها أحقابا} دهورا لا نهاية لها جمع حقب بضم أوله.
quran:78:24 –

They will not taste therein ˹any˺ coolness or drink  

tasting in it neither coolness, ˹neither˺ sleep, ˹something˺ which they will not taste ˹therein˺, nor drink, ˹nor˺ anything that is imbibed for the sake of its delightful taste,
القرآن:٧٨:٢٤ –

لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا  

{لا يذوقون فيها بردا} نوما فإنهم لا يذوقونه {ولا شرابا} ما يشرب تلذذا.
quran:78:25 –

Except scalding water and ˹foul˺ purulence -  

except boiling water, of extreme temperatures, and pus (read ghasāqan or ghassāqan, which is the vile matter that is emitted by the ˹bodies of the˺ inhabitants of the Fire), which is what they will ˹indeed˺ taste. They are given this pair ˹of tortures˺,
القرآن:٧٨:٢٥ –

إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا  

{إلا} لكن {حميما} ماءً حارا غاية الحرارة {وغسَّاقا} بالتخفيف والتشديد ما يسيل من صديد أهل النار فإنهم يذوقونه جوزوا بذلك.
quran:78:26 –

An appropriate recompense.  

as a fitting requital, one that accords with ˹the nature of˺ their deeds, for there is no sin greater than disbelief, and no chastisement greater than the Fire.
القرآن:٧٨:٢٦ –

جَزَاءً وِفَاقًا  

{جزاءً وفاقا} موافقا لعملهم فلا ذنب أعظم من الكفر ولا عذاب أعظم من النار.
quran:78:27 –

Indeed, they were not expecting an account  

Indeed they never feared any reckoning, given their rejection of the Resurrection,
القرآن:٧٨:٢٧ –

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًا  

{إنهم كانوا لا يرجون} يخافون {حسابا} لإنكارهم البعث.
quran:78:28 –

And denied Our verses with ˹emphatic˺ denial.  

and they denied Our signs, the Qur’ān, mendaciously,
القرآن:٧٨:٢٨ –

وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كِذَّابًا  

{وكذبوا بآياتنا} القرآن {كِذَّابا} تكذيبا.
quran:78:29 –

But all things We have enumerated in writing.  

and everything, in the way of deeds, have We kept count of, have We recorded precisely, in a Book, as ˹individual˺ written records in the Preserved Tablet, in order to requite ˹creatures˺ in accordance with them, including ˹the record of˺ their denial of the Qur’ān.
القرآن:٧٨:٢٩ –

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ كِتَابًا  

{وكل شيءٍ} من الأعمال {أحصيناه} ضبطناه {كتابا} كتبا في اللوح المحفوظ لنجازي عليه ومن ذلك تكذيبهم بالقرآن.
quran:78:30 –

"So taste ˹the penalty˺, and never will We increase you except in torment."  

‘So ˹now˺ taste! — in other words, it will be said to them in the Hereafter, when the chastisement has befallen them: taste ˹now˺ your requital! For We will increase you in nothing but chastisement’, in addition to your ˹due˺ chastisement.
القرآن:٧٨:٣٠ –

فَذُوقُوا فَلَنْ نَزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا  

{فذوقوا} أي فيقال لهم في الآخرة عند وقوع العذاب ذوقوا جزاءكم {فلن نزيدكم إلا عذابا} فوق عذابكم.
quran:78:31 –

Indeed, for the righteous is attainment -  

Truly for the God-fearing there will be a triumph, a place of triumph, in Paradise:
القرآن:٧٨:٣١ –

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا  

{إن للمتقين مفازا} مكان فوز في الجنة.
quran:78:32 –

Gardens and grapevines  

gardens, orchards (hadā’iqa is either a substitution for, or an explication of, mafāzan, ‘a triumph’) and vineyards (wa-a‘nāban is a supplement to mafāzan, ‘a triumph’),
القرآن:٧٨:٣٢ –

حَدَائِقَ وَأَعْنَابًا  

{حدائق} بساتين بدل من مفازا أو بيان له {وأعنابا} عطف على مفازا.
quran:78:33 –

And full-breasted ˹companions˺ of equal age  

and buxom maidens (kawā‘ib is the plural of kā‘ib) of equal age (atrāb is the plural of tirb),
القرآن:٧٨:٣٣ –

وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا  

{وكواعب} جواري تكعبت ثديهن جمع كاعب {أترابا} على سن واحد، جمع تِرب بكسر التاء وسكون الراء.
quran:78:34 –

And a full cup.  

and a brimming cup, wine filling the vessels in which it is in; in sūrat al-Qitāl ˹it is said˺, and rivers of wine ˹Q. 47:15˺.
القرآن:٧٨:٣٤ –

وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا  

(وكأسا دهاقا) خمرا مالئة محالها، وفي سورة القتال: "" وأنهار من خمر "".
quran:78:35 –

No ill speech will they hear therein or any falsehood -  

They will not hear in it, that is, ˹in˺ Paradise, when they drink wine and in other situations, any vain talk, any words of falsehood, or lies, between one another (read kidhāban, to mean kadhiban, ‘lies’, or kidhdhāban to mean takdhīban, ‘lying’), in contrast to what happens in this world when wine is drunk,
القرآن:٧٨:٣٥ –

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّابًا  

{لا يسمعون فيها} أي الجنة عند شرب الخمر وغيرها من الأحوال {لغوا} باطلا من القول {ولا كذَابا} بالتخفيف، أي: كذبا، وبالتشديد أي تكذيبا من واحد لغيره بخلاف ما يقع في الدنيا عند شرب الخمر.
quran:78:36 –

˹As˺ reward from your Lord, ˹a generous˺ gift ˹made due by˺ account,  

˹this will be˺ a reward from your Lord, in other words, God has rewarded them with this reward as, a gift (‘atā’an substitutes for jazā’an, ‘reward’) that is sufficing, ˹that is˺ abundant (hisāban, ˹as meaning ‘abundant’˺ derives from their saying a‘tānī fa-ahsabanī, ‘he gave me so abundantly that I said, “that is enough for me”’ ˹hasbī˺),
القرآن:٧٨:٣٦ –

جَزَاءً مِنْ رَبِّكَ عَطَاءً حِسَابًا  

{جزاءً من ربك} أي جزاهم الله بذلك جزاء {عطاءً} بدل من جزاء {حسابا} أي كثيرا، من قولهم: أعطاني فأحسبني، أي أكثر علي حتى قلت حسبي.
quran:78:37 –

˹From˺ the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Most Merciful. They possess not from Him ˹authority for˺ speech.  

˹from˺ the Lord of the heavens and the earth (read rabbi, ‘˹from˺ the Lord of’, or rabbu, ‘˹He is˺ the Lord of’) and all that is between them, the Compassionate One (likewise ˹read rahmāni or rahmānu˺, or read rahmānu with rabbi ˹for the preceding˺), Whom, exalted be He, they, that is, creatures, will not be able to address, that is to say, not one of them will be able to address Him for fear of Him,
القرآن:٧٨:٣٧ –

رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الرَّحْمَٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًا  

{ربِّ السماوات والأرض} بالجر والرفع {وما بينهما الرحمنِ} كذلك وبرفعه مع جر رب {لا يملكون} أي الخلق {منه} تعالى {خطابا} أي لا يقدر أحد أن يخاطبه خوفا منه.
quran:78:38 –

The Day that the Spirit and the angels will stand in rows, they will not speak except for one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will say what is correct.  

on the day (yawma is the adverbial qualifier for lā yamlikūna, ‘they will not be able to’) when the Spirit, Gabriel, or God’s hosts, and the angels stand arrayed (saffan is a circumstantial qualifier, in other words, mustaffīna). They, creatures, will not speak, except him whom the Compassionate One permits, to speak, and who says what is right, from among the believers and the angels: as if ˹meaning˺ that they will intercede for he whom He approves of.
القرآن:٧٨:٣٨ –

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّا ۖ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا  

{يوم} ظرف لـ لا يملكون {يقوم الروح} جبريل أو جند الله {والملائكة صفا} حال، أي مصطفين {لا يتكلمون} أي الخلق {إلا من أذن له الرحمن} في الكلام {وقال} قولا {صوابا} من المؤمنين والملائكة كأن يشفعوا لمن ارتضى.
quran:78:39 –

That is the True Day; so he who wills may take to his Lord a ˹way of˺ return.  

That is the True Day, whose coming to pass is definite, namely, the Day of Resurrection. So whoever wishes ˹to˺, let him seek resort with his Lord, a return ˹to Him˺, that is to say, ˹let him˺ return to God by being obedient to Him, so that he may be secure from chastisement in it.
القرآن:٧٨:٣٩ –

ذَٰلِكَ الْيَوْمُ الْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَنْ شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ مَآبًا  

{ذلك اليوم الحق} الثابت وقوعه وهو يوم القيامة {فمن شاء اتخذ إلى ربه مآبا} مرجعا، أي رجع إلى الله بطاعته ليسلم من العذاب فيه.
quran:78:40 –

Indeed, We have warned you of a near punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth and the disbeliever will say, "Oh, I wish that I were dust!"  

Lo! We have warned you, O disbelievers of Mecca, of a chastisement that is near, the chastisement of the impending Day of Resurrection — for anything that is impending is ˹also˺ near — the day (yawma adverbially qualifies ‘adhāban, ‘a chastisement’, by describing it) when a person, ˹when˺ every person, will behold what his hands have sent ahead, of good and evil, and the disbeliever will say, ‘O (yā is a particle used to call attention to something) would that I were dust!’, in other words, and not be chastised. He says this when God, exalted be He, says to the beasts, after each of them has retaliated against the other, ‘Be dust!’. Meccan, consisting of 46 verses.
القرآن:٧٨:٤٠ –

إِنَّا أَنْذَرْنَاكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا يَوْمَ يَنْظُرُ الْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ الْكَافِرُ يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ تُرَابًا  

{إنا أنذرناكم} يا كفار مكة {عذابا قريبا} عذاب يوم القيامة الآتي، وكل آت قريب {يوم} ظرف لعذابا بصفته {ينظر المرء} كل امرئ {ما قدمت يداه} من خير وشر {ويقول الكافر يا} حرف تنبيه {ليتني كنت ترابا} يعني فلا أعذب يقول ذلك عندما يقول الله تعالى للبهائم بعد الاقتصاص من بعضها لبعض: كوني ترابا.