Sabeel

Surah 81 · Makkan · 29 ayahs

At-Takwir

التكوير

The Overthrowing

Arabic in the Uthmani script. English translation by Saheeh International. Every ayah below carries its own reference.

What is this surah about?

Scholarly explanation

Name It is derived from the word kuwwirat in the first verse. Kuwwirat is passive voice from takwir in the past tense, and means "that which is folded up", thereby implying that it is a Surah in which the "folding up" has been mentioned: Period of Revelation The subject matter and the style clearly show that it is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah. Theme and Subject Matter It has two themes: the Hereafter and the institution of Prophethood. In the first six verses, the first stage of the Resurrection has been mentioned when the sun will lose its light, the stars will scatter, the mountains will be uprooted and will disperse, the people will become heedless of their dearest possessions, the beasts of the jungle will be stupefied and will gather together, and the seas will boil up.

Reference · Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an — The Meaning of the Quran

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

81:1

إِذَا ٱلشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]

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81:2

وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتْ

And when the stars fall, dispersing,

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81:3

وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

And when the mountains are removed

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81:4

وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

And when full-term she-camels are neglected

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81:5

وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

And when the wild beasts are gathered

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81:6

وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

And when the seas are filled with flame

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81:7

وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

And when the souls are paired

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81:8

وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ

And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked

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81:9

بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍ قُتِلَتْ

For what sin she was killed

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81:10

وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

And when the pages are spread [i.e., made public]

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81:11

وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتْ

And when the sky is stripped away

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81:12

وَإِذَا ٱلْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

And when Hellfire is set ablaze

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81:13

وَإِذَا ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

And when Paradise is brought near,

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81:14

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ

A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].

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81:15

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ

So I swear by the retreating stars -

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81:16

ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْكُنَّسِ

Those that run [their courses] and disappear [i.e., set]

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81:17

وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

And by the night as it closes in

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81:18

وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

And by the dawn when it breathes [i.e., stirs]

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81:19

إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

[That] indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger [i.e., Gabriel]

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81:20

ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ

[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],

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81:21

مُّطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ

Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.

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81:22

وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍ

And your companion [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) ] is not [at all] mad.

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81:23

وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْمُبِينِ

And he has already seen him [i.e., Gabriel] in the clear horizon.

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81:24

وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ

And he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.

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81:25

وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَـٰنٍ رَّجِيمٍ

And it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].

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81:26

فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ

So where are you going?

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81:27

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

It is not except a reminder to the worlds

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81:28

لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ

For whoever wills among you to take a right course.

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81:29

وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

And you do not will except that Allāh wills - Lord of the worlds.

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Ayah 1 of 29

Recited by Mishari Rashid al-Afasy