Surah 078
An-Nabaʾ
النبأ
40 verses · Meccan
Key structural observations
- The surah is structured around a radical downgrading of worldly stability: what appears firmly set is only a temporary curtain, useful but dismantlable.
- Its governing image of the pegs teaches that visible stability is provisional, not ultimate; the world can hold for a time without being fit to carry final trust.
- The surah therefore shifts the decisive question from where one stands now to where one chooses one's maʾāb before the curtain is lifted.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ
About what are they asking one another?
عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ
About the great news -
الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ
That over which they are in disagreement.
كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ
No! They are going to know.
ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ
Then, no! They are going to know.
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا
Have We not made the earth a resting place?
وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا
And the mountains as stakes?
وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا
And We created you in pairs
وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا
And made your sleep [a means for] rest
وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا
And made the night as clothing
وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا
And made the day for livelihood
وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا
And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا
And made [therein] a burning lamp
وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا
And sent down, from the rain clouds, pouring water
لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا
That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation
وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا
And gardens of entwined growth.
إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَاتًا
Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time -
يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا
The Day the Horn is blown and you will come forth in multitudes
وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا
And the heaven is opened and will become gateways
وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا
And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.
إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا
Indeed, Hell has been lying in wait
لِلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا
For the transgressors, a place of return,
لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا
In which they will remain for ages [unending].
لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا
They will not taste therein [any] coolness or drink
إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا
Except scalding water and [foul] purulence -
جَزَاءً وِفَاقًا
An appropriate recompense.
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًا
Indeed, they were not expecting an account
وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كِذَّابًا
And denied Our verses with [emphatic] denial.
وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ كِتَابًا
But all things We have enumerated in writing.
فَذُوقُوا فَلَنْ نَزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا
"So taste [the penalty], and never will We increase you except in torment."
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا
Indeed, for the righteous is attainment -
حَدَائِقَ وَأَعْنَابًا
Gardens and grapevines
وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا
And full-breasted [companions] of equal age
وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا
And a full cup.
لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّابًا
No ill speech will they hear therein or any falsehood -
جَزَاءً مِنْ رَبِّكَ عَطَاءً حِسَابًا
[As] reward from your Lord, [a generous] gift [made due by] account,
رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الرَّحْمَٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًا
[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.
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّا ۖ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا
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.
ذَٰلِكَ الْيَوْمُ الْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَنْ شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ مَآبًا
That is the True Day; so he who wills may take to his Lord a [way of] return.
إِنَّا أَنْذَرْنَاكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا يَوْمَ يَنْظُرُ الْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ الْكَافِرُ يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ تُرَابًا
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!"