هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلْغَـٰشِيَةِ
Has there reached you the report of the Overwhelming [event]?
Surah 88 · Makkan · 26 ayahs
الغاشية
The Overwhelming
Arabic in the Uthmani script. English translation by Saheeh International. Every ayah below carries its own reference.
Scholarly explanation
Name The Surah takes its name from the word al-ghishiyah in the first verse. Period of Revelation The whole subject matter of the Surah indicates that this too is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed; but this was the period when the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) had started preaching his message publicly, and the people of Makkah were hearing it and ignoring it carelessly and thoughtlessly. Theme and Subject Matter To understand the subject matter well one should keep in view the fact that in the initial stage the preaching of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) mostly centered around two points which he wanted to instill in the people's minds: Tauhid and the Hereafter: and the people of Makkah were repudiating both. Let us now consider the subject matter and the style of this Surah.
Reference · Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an — The Meaning of the Quran
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلْغَـٰشِيَةِ
Has there reached you the report of the Overwhelming [event]?
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَـٰشِعَةٌ
[Some] faces, that Day, will be humbled,
عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ
Working [hard] and exhausted.
تَصْلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةً
They will [enter to] burn in an intensely hot Fire.
تُسْقَىٰ مِنْ عَيْنٍ ءَانِيَةٍ
They will be given drink from a boiling spring.
لَّيْسَ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِن ضَرِيعٍ
For them there will be no food except from a poisonous, thorny plant
لَّا يُسْمِنُ وَلَا يُغْنِى مِن جُوعٍ
Which neither nourishes nor avails against hunger.
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاعِمَةٌ
[Other] faces, that Day, will show pleasure.
لِّسَعْيِهَا رَاضِيَةٌ
With their effort [they are] satisfied
فِى جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ
In an elevated garden,
لَّا تَسْمَعُ فِيهَا لَـٰغِيَةً
Wherein they will hear no unsuitable speech.
فِيهَا عَيْنٌ جَارِيَةٌ
Within it is a flowing spring.
فِيهَا سُرُرٌ مَّرْفُوعَةٌ
Within it are couches raised high
وَأَكْوَابٌ مَّوْضُوعَةٌ
And cups put in place
وَنَمَارِقُ مَصْفُوفَةٌ
And cushions lined up
وَزَرَابِىُّ مَبْثُوثَةٌ
And carpets spread around.
أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى ٱلْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ
Then do they not look at the camels - how they are created?
وَإِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيْفَ رُفِعَتْ
And at the sky - how it is raised?
وَإِلَى ٱلْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ
And at the mountains - how they are erected?
وَإِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ
And at the earth - how it is spread out?
فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ
So remind, [O Muḥammad]; you are only a reminder.
لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ
You are not over them a controller.
إِلَّا مَن تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ
However, he who turns away and disbelieves
فَيُعَذِّبُهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ٱلْأَكْبَرَ
Then Allāh will punish him with the greatest punishment.
إِنَّ إِلَيْنَآ إِيَابَهُمْ
Indeed, to Us is their return.
ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُم
Then indeed, upon Us is their account.
Ayah 1 of 26
Recited by Mishari Rashid al-Afasy