80. Sūrat ʿAbasa

٨٠۔ سُورَةُ عَبَس

Qurʾān > Chapter 80
القرآن > كتاب ٨٠

He frowned (Meccan)

quran:80:1 – In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

The Prophet frowned and turned away  

He, the Prophet, frowned, glowered with his face, and turned away,
القرآن:٨٠:١ – بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ  

{عبس} النبي: كلح وجهه {وتولى} أعرضَ لأجل:
quran:80:2 –

Because there came to him the blind man, ˹interrupting˺.  

because the blind man came to him: ‘Abd Allāh son of Umm Maktūm, who interrupted him while he was busy with those notables of Quryash whose submission ˹to God˺ he was very eager for. The blind man was not aware that he was busy with these and so he called out to him, ‘Teach me of what God has taught you’. However, the Prophet (s) went off to his house. He was then reproached for this with what was revealed in this sūra. Afterwards, whenever he came to him, the Prophet would say to him, ‘Greetings to him on whose account God reproached me!’, and would lay down his cloak for him.
القرآن:٨٠:٢ –

أَنْ جَاءَهُ الْأَعْمَىٰ  

(أن جاءه الأعمى) عبد الله بن أم مكتوم فقطعه عما هو مشغول به ممن يرجو إسلامه من أشراف قريش الذين هو حريص على إسلامهم، ولم يدر الأعمى أنه مشغول بذلك فناداه: علمني مما علمك الله، فانصرف النبي ﷺ إلى بيته فعوتب في ذلك بما نزل في هذه السورة، فكان بعد ذلك يقول له إذا جاء: "" مرحبا بمن عاتبني فيه ربي "" ويبسط له رداءه.
quran:80:3 –

But what would make you perceive, ˹O Muhammad˺, that perhaps he might be purified  

And how would you know? Perhaps he would cleanse himself (yazzakkā: the original tā’ ˹of yatazakkā˺ has been assimilated with the zāy), that is, ˹perhaps˺ he would purge himself of sins by what he hears from you,
القرآن:٨٠:٣ –

وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّىٰ  

{وما يُدريك} يعلمك {لعله يزكى} فيه إدغام التاء في الأصل في الزاي، أي يتطهر من الذنوب بما يسمع منك.
quran:80:4 –

Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?  

or be admonished (yadhdhakkar: the original tā’ ˹of yatadhakkar˺ has been assimilated with the dhāl) and so the reminder, the admonition heard from you, might benefit him (a variant reading ˹for tanfa‘uhu˺ has tanfa‘ahu as the response to the optative statement).
القرآن:٨٠:٤ –

أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنْفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَىٰ  

{أو يذكَّر} فيه إدغام التاء في الأصل في الذال أي يتعظ {فتنفعُه الذكرى} العظة المسموعة منك وفي قراءة بنصب تنفعه جواب الترجي.
quran:80:5 –

As for he who thinks himself without need,  

But as for the one ˹who thinks himself˺ self-sufficient, through wealth,
القرآن:٨٠:٥ –

أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَىٰ  

{أما من استغنى} بالمال.
quran:80:6 –

To him you give attention.  

to him you ˹do˺ attend (tasaddā: a variant reading has tassaddā, where the original second tā’ ˹of tatasaddā˺ has been assimilated with the sād), ˹him˺ you accept and turn your attention to;
القرآن:٨٠:٦ –

فَأَنْتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّىٰ  

{فأنت له تصدى} وفي قراءة بتشديد الصاد بإدغام التاء الثانية في الأصل فيها: تقبل وتتعرض.
quran:80:7 –

And not upon you ˹is any blame˺ if he will not be purified.  

yet it is not your concern if he does not cleanse himself, ˹if he does not˺ believe.
القرآن:٨٠:٧ –

وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ  

{وما عليك ألا يزكى} يؤمن.
quran:80:8 –

But as for he who came to you striving ˹for knowledge˺  

But as for him who comes to you hurrying (yas‘ā is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of ˹the verb˺ jā’a, ‘comes’)
القرآن:٨٠:٨ –

وَأَمَّا مَنْ جَاءَكَ يَسْعَىٰ  

{وأما من جاءك يسعى} حال من فاعل جاء.
quran:80:9 –

While he fears ˹Allah˺,  

fearful, of God (wa-huwa yakhshā is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of ˹the verb˺ yas‘ā, ‘hurrying’) — this being the blind man —
القرآن:٨٠:٩ –

وَهُوَ يَخْشَىٰ  

{وهو يخشى} الله حال من فاعل يسعى وهو الأعمى.
quran:80:10 –

From him you are distracted.  

to him you pay no heed (talahhā: the original second tā’ ˹of tatalahhā˺ has been omitted), that is to say, from him you are distracted ˹by other things˺.
القرآن:٨٠:١٠ –

فَأَنْتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّىٰ  

{فأنت عنه تَلَهَّى} فيه حذف التاء الأخرى في الأصل أي تتشاغل.
quran:80:11 –

No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder;  

No indeed!, do not behave like this. Truly it, the sūra, is, or the verses ˹are˺, a reminder, an admonition for ˹all˺ creatures —
القرآن:٨٠:١١ –

كَلَّا إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ  

{كلا} لا تفعل مثل ذلك {إنها} أي السورة أو الآيات {تذكرة} عظة للخلق.
quran:80:12 –

So whoever wills may remember it.  

so let whoever will, remember it, preserve it ˹in his memory˺ and thus be admonished by it —
القرآن:٨٠:١٢ –

فَمَنْ شَاءَ ذَكَرَهُ  

{فمن شاء ذكره} حفظ ذلك فاتعظ به.
quran:80:13 –

˹It is recorded˺ in honored sheets,  

on leaves (fī suhufin is the second predicate of innahā, ‘truly it’, and what precedes it is a parenthetical statement) ˹that are˺ honoured, by God,
القرآن:٨٠:١٣ –

فِي صُحُفٍ مُكَرَّمَةٍ  

{في صحف} خبر ثان لأنها وما قبله اعتراض {مكرمة} عند الله.
quran:80:14 –

Exalted and purified,  

elevated, in the heavens, purified, exalted above the touch of devils,
القرآن:٨٠:١٤ –

مَرْفُوعَةٍ مُطَهَّرَةٍ  

{مرفوعة} في السماء {مطهرة} منزهة عن مس الشياطين.
quran:80:15 –

˹Carried˺ by the hands of messenger-angels,  

in the hands of scribes, who write it down from the Preserved Tablet,
القرآن:٨٠:١٥ –

بِأَيْدِي سَفَرَةٍ  

{بأيدي سفرة} كتبة ينسخونها من اللوح المحفوظ.
quran:80:16 –

Noble and dutiful.  

noble, pious, obedient to God, exalted be He: these being the angels.
القرآن:٨٠:١٦ –

كِرَامٍ بَرَرَةٍ  

{كرام بررة} مطيعين لله تعالى وهم الملائكة.
quran:80:17 –

Cursed is man; how disbelieving is he.  

Perish man!, accursed be the disbeliever! What has made him ungrateful? (an interrogative statement meant as a rebuke) — what has driven him to disbelief?
القرآن:٨٠:١٧ –

قُتِلَ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا أَكْفَرَهُ  

{قتل الإنسان} لعن الكافر {ما أكفره} استفهام توبيخ، أي ما حمله على الكفر.
quran:80:18 –

From what substance did He create him?  

From what thing has He created him? (an interrogative meant as an affirmative, which He then explains by saying):
القرآن:٨٠:١٨ –

مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ  

{من أي شيءٍ خلقه} استفهام تقرير، ثم بينه فقال:
quran:80:19 –

From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him;  

From a drop of sperm did He create him then proportion him, ˹in stages˺ as a blood-clot, then an embryo up to the last ˹stage˺ of his creation.
القرآن:٨٠:١٩ –

مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُ فَقَدَّرَهُ  

{من نطفة خلقه فقدره} علقة ثم مضغة إلى آخر خلقه.
quran:80:20 –

Then He eased the way for him;  

Then He made the way, his exit from his mother’s belly, easy for him;
القرآن:٨٠:٢٠ –

ثُمَّ السَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُ  

{ثم السبيل} أي طريق خروجه من بطن أمه {يَسَّره}.
quran:80:21 –

Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.  

then He makes him die and buries him, He places him in a grave that hides him;
القرآن:٨٠:٢١ –

ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُ فَأَقْبَرَهُ  

{ثم أماته فأقبره} جعله في قبر يستره.
quran:80:22 –

Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.  

then, when He wills, He will raise him, for the Resurrection.
القرآن:٨٠:٢٢ –

ثُمَّ إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْشَرَهُ  

{ثم إذا شاء أنشره} للبعث.
quran:80:23 –

No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.  

No indeed! Verily, he has not accomplished, he has not done, what He, his Lord, commanded him, to ˹do˺.
القرآن:٨٠:٢٣ –

كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقْضِ مَا أَمَرَهُ  

{كلا} حقا {لمَّا يقض} لم يفعل {ما أمره} به ربه.
quran:80:24 –

Then let mankind look at his food -  

So let man consider, in reflection, his ˹source of˺ food, how it is determined and procured for him:
القرآن:٨٠:٢٤ –

فَلْيَنْظُرِ الْإِنْسَانُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِ  

{فلينظر الإنسان} نظر اعتبار {إلى طعامه} كيف قدر ودبر له.
quran:80:25 –

How We poured down water in torrents,  

that We pour down water, from the clouds, plenteously;
القرآن:٨٠:٢٥ –

أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا الْمَاءَ صَبًّا  

{أنا صببنا الماء} من السحاب {صبا}.
quran:80:26 –

Then We broke open the earth, splitting ˹it with sprouts˺,  

then We split the earth into fissures, with vegetation,
القرآن:٨٠:٢٦ –

ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا الْأَرْضَ شَقًّا  

{ثم شققنا الأرض} بالنبات {شقا}.
quran:80:27 –

And caused to grow within it grain  

and cause the grains, such as wheat and barley, to grow therein,
القرآن:٨٠:٢٧ –

فَأَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبًّا  

{فأنبتنا فيها حبا} كالحنطة والشعير.
quran:80:28 –

And grapes and herbage  

and vines and herbs (qadb is moist qatt),
القرآن:٨٠:٢٨ –

وَعِنَبًا وَقَضْبًا  

{وعنبا وقضبا} هو القت الرطب.
quran:80:30 –

And gardens of dense shrubbery  

and gardens of dense foliage, orchards teeming with trees,
القرآن:٨٠:٣٠ –

وَحَدَائِقَ غُلْبًا  

{وحدائق غلبا} بساتين كثيرة الأشجار.
quran:80:31 –

And fruit and grass -  

and fruits and pastures (abb is what cattle graze; it is also said to be ‘straw’),
القرآن:٨٠:٣١ –

وَفَاكِهَةً وَأَبًّا  

{وفاكهة وأبّا} ما ترعاه البهائم وقيل التبن.
quran:80:32 –

˹As˺ enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock.  

as sustenance (understand matā‘an as mut‘atan or tamtī‘an, as explained above in the previous sūra) for you and your flocks (also as ˹explained˺ above).
القرآن:٨٠:٣٢ –

مَتَاعًا لَكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِكُمْ  

{متاعا} متعة أو تمتيعا كما تقدم في السورة قبلها {لكم ولأنعامكم} تقدم فيها أيضا.
quran:80:33 –

But when there comes the Deafening Blast  

So when the ˹deafening˺ Cry, the second blast, comes —
القرآن:٨٠:٣٣ –

فَإِذَا جَاءَتِ الصَّاخَّةُ  

{فإذا جاءت الصاخة} النفخة الثانية.
quran:80:34 –

On the Day a man will flee from his brother  

the day when a man will flee from his ˹own˺ brother,
القرآن:٨٠:٣٤ –

يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ  

{يوم يفر المرء من أخيه}.
quran:80:36 –

And his wife and his children,  

and his wife and his sons (yawma, ‘the day ˹when˺’, is a substitution for idhā, ‘when’, the response to which is indicated by ˹what follows˺) —
القرآن:٨٠:٣٦ –

وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ  

{وصاحبته} زوجته {وبنيه} يوم بدل من إذا، وجوابها دل عليه.
quran:80:37 –

For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.  

every person that day will have a matter to preoccupy him, a predicament to distract him from the affairs of others, in other words, every person will be preoccupied with his own self.
القرآن:٨٠:٣٧ –

لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ  

{لكل امرىءٍ منهم يومئذ شأن يغنيه} حال يشغله عن شأن غيره، أي اشتغل كل واحد بنفسه.
quran:80:38 –

˹Some˺ faces, that Day, will be bright -  

On that day some faces will be shining, radiant,
القرآن:٨٠:٣٨ –

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُسْفِرَةٌ  

وجوه يومئذ مسفرة} مضيئة.
quran:80:39 –

Laughing, rejoicing at good news.  

laughing, joyous, happy — these are the believers.
القرآن:٨٠:٣٩ –

ضَاحِكَةٌ مُسْتَبْشِرَةٌ  

{ضاحكة مستبشرة} فرحة وهم المؤمنون.
quran:80:40 –

And ˹other˺ faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.  

And some faces on that day will be covered with dust,
القرآن:٨٠:٤٠ –

وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَيْهَا غَبَرَةٌ  

{ووجوه يومئذ عليها غَبَرة} غبار.
quran:80:41 –

Blackness will cover them.  

overcast, covered, with gloom, darkness and blackness.
القرآن:٨٠:٤١ –

تَرْهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ  

{ترهقها} تغشاها {قترة} ظلمة وسواد.
quran:80:42 –

Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.  

Those, the people of this predicament, are the disbelievers, the profligates, those who have combined disbelief with profligacy. Meccan, consisting of 29 verses.
القرآن:٨٠:٤٢ –

أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَفَرَةُ الْفَجَرَةُ  

{أولئك} أهل هذه الحال {هم الكفرة الفجرة} أي الجامعون بين الكفر والفجور.