Ahmed Ali Translation:
I CALL TO WITNESS those who dive and drag, (1) And those who undo the bonds gently, (2) And those who glide swimmingly, (3) Then outpace the others swiftly (4) And direct affairs by command, (5) The day the convulsive (first blast) shatters convulsively (6) Followed by the second blast, (7) Hearts will pound loudly on that day, (8) Eyes be lowered in submission. (9) They say: "Shall we go back to our original state (10) After having turned to carious bones?" (11) They say: "Then this returning will be a dead loss." (12) It will only be a single blast, (13) And they will wake up suddenly. (14) Has the story of Moses come to you (15) When his Lord called to him in Tuwa's holy vale? (16) "Go to the Pharaoh who has become refractory, (17) And say: 'Would you like to grow (in virtue)? (18) Then I will guide you to your Lord that you may come to fear Him.'" (19) So he showed him the greater sign; (20) But (the Pharaoh) disavowed and disobeyed. (21) Then he turned away, deliberating, (22) And assembled (his council) and proclaimed, (23) Saying: "I am alone your lord, the highest of them all." (24) So God seized him for the punishment of the Hereafter and this world. (25) Truly there is a lesson in this for those who fear (the consequences). (26) Are you more difficult to create or the heavens? He built it, (27) Raised it high, proportioned it, (28) Gave darkness to its night, and brightness to its day; (29) And afterwards spread out the earth. (30) He brought out its water and its pastures from it, (31) And stabilized the mountains (32) As convenience for you and your cattle. (33) When the great calamity comes, (34) The day when man remembers all that he had done, (35) And Hell made visible to him who can see, (36) Then he who had been rebellious (37) And who preferred the life of the world, (38) Will surely have Hell for his abode. (39) But he who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained his self from vain desires, (40) Will surely have Paradise for abode. (41) They ask you: "When will the Hour be? When is its time fixed?" (42) What do you have to do with explaining it? (43) The extent of its knowledge goes to your Lord. (44) Your duty is only to warn him who fears it. (45) The day they see it, it will seem they had stayed in the world but only an evening or its turning into dawn. (46)
Shakir + Pooya/Ali Commentary
[Shakir 79:1] I swear by the angels who violently pull out the souls of the wicked,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:1]
The souls of the wicked are averse to part with their body at death, but their choice will not count. The angel of death will drag forth their souls vehemently.
Wa in verses 1 to 5 means "I swear" just as the early verses of al Mursalat.
[Shakir 79:2] And by those who gently draw out the souls of the blessed,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:2]
In contrast to the wicked, the souls of the righteous will be drawn out gently to their new life. They are always ready for it. For them death is a release from the temptations of this world. They welcome the approach of the day of judgement.
[Shakir 79:3] And by those who float in space,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:3]
There are angels who traverse all frontiers of the universe to carry out divine commands. They never lag behind or leave anything undone while executing the will of Allah.
Aqa Mahdi Puya says:
The first 3 verses refer to the preparatory work before any divine will takes effect which sets in motion that which is willed. Verses 4 and 5 refer to the administration or operation of the consequences of the divine will. The forces working in the universe operate in harmony under the laws made by the creator. There is no reason to restrict its application or reference to any particular agency. Refer to the commentary of Saffat: 1 to 3; Dhariyat: 1 to 4 and Mursalat: 1 to 5.
[Shakir 79:4] Then those who are foremost going ahead,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:4] (see commentary for verse 3)
[Shakir 79:5] Then those who regulate the affair.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:5] (see commentary for verse 3)
[Shakir 79:6] The day on which the quaking one shall quake,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:6]
The whole world as we see it will be in a violent commotion at the dawn of the day of resurrection.
[Shakir 79:7] What must happen afterwards shall follow it.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:7]
The commotion referred to in verse 6 is a preliminary to its disappearance in order to make way for the new world that will then come into being.
[Shakir 79:8] Hearts on that day shall palpitate,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:8]
All hearts will be in agitation and all eyes will be cast down: The hearts of the righteous to see the beginning of the fulfilment of their Lord's promise with their eyes cast down in humble modesty and obedience; the hearts of the beliers for fear of His just punishment in utter humiliation and shame for their past arrogance and insolence.
[Shakir 79:9] Their eyes cast down.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:9] (see commentary for verse 8)
[Shakir 79:10] They say: Shall we indeed be restored to (our) first state?
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:10]
Refer to the commentary of Rad: 5. The beliers of the inevitable day of resurrection used to say that death was the end of an things and their rotten bones and limbs would never be restored again. On the day of resurrection they will indeed be in a terrible loss; indeed they will go to perdition.
[Shakir 79:11] What! when we are rotten bones?
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:11] (see commentary for verse 10)
[Shakir 79:12] They said: That then would be a return occasioning loss.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:12] (see commentary for verse 10)
[Shakir 79:13] But it shall be only a single cry,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:13] (see commentary for verse 10)
[Shakir 79:14] When lo! they shall be wakeful.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:14]
The Holy Prophet said:
"People are asleep. They will awake when they die."
[Shakir 79:15] Has not there come to you the story of Musa?
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:15]
Refer to the commentary of Ta Ha: 9 to 98.
[Shakir 79:16] When his Lord called upon him in the holy valley, twice,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:16] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:17] Go to Firon, surely he has become inordinate.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:17] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:18] Then say: Have you (a desire) to purify yourself:
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:18] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:19] And I will guide you to your Lord so that you should fear.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:19] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:20] So he showed him the mighty sign.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:20] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:21] But he rejected (the truth) and disobeyed.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:21] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:22] Then he went back hastily.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:22] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:23] Then he gathered (men) and called out.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:23] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:24] Then he said: I am your lord, the most high.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:24] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:25] So Allah seized him with the punishment of the hereafter and the former life.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:25] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:26] Most surely there is in this a lesson to him who fears.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:26] (see commentary for verse 15)
[Shakir 79:27] Are you the harder to create or the heaven? He made it.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:27]
This verse draws attention to the insignificance of pride and arrogance man displays in his ignorance and thoughtlessness. The whole universe which, willingly or unwillingly, submits to His will shall disappear at His command. So man has no ability whatsoever to avoid that which Allah wills.
[Shakir 79:28] He raised high its height, then put it into a right good state.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:28]
Refer to the commentary of Rahman: 5 and Jathiyah: 3 to 11.
[Shakir 79:29] And He made dark its night and brought out its light.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:29]
[Shakir 79:30] And the earth, He expanded it after that.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:30]
Aqa Mahdi Puya says:
Daha means further expansion of the earth. It may refer to the upper soil of the earth which grows food for all the created beings.
[Shakir 79:31] He brought forth from it its water and its pasturage.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:31]
[Shakir 79:32] And the mountains, He made them firm,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:32]
Refer to the commentary of Nahl: 15.
[Shakir 79:33] A provision for you and for your cattle.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:33]
By Allah's bountiful beneficence, everything on earth has been made available to man for his sustenance.
[Shakir 79:34] But when the great predominating calamity comes;
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:34]
As said in verse 14, on the day of judgement man will be fully aware of what he used to strive for in the life of the world. He will not only remember every detail of his deeds but also clearly see the fire of punishment. The eternal punishment will be given to those who had wilfully and persistently disobeyed Allah and transgressed all bounds. The punishment will not touch those who had repented and have been forgiven; and those who are guilty of minor sins through human frailty, their good deeds will be weighed in the balance against their bad deeds. Those who feared the punishment, paid heed to Allah's warnings and restrained their souls from lust, will dwell in paradise.
[Shakir 79:35] The day on which man shall recollect what he strove after,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:35] (see commentary for verse 34)
[Shakir 79:36] And the hell shall be made manifest to him who sees
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:36] (see commentary for verse 34)
[Shakir 79:37] Then as for him who is inordinate,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:37] (see commentary for verse 34)
[Shakir 79:38] And prefers the life of this world,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:38] (see commentary for verse 34)
[Shakir 79:39] Then surely the hell, that is the abode.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:39] (see commentary for verse 34)
[Shakir 79:40] And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul
from low desires,
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:40] (see commentary for verse 34)
[Shakir 79:41] Then surely the garden-- that is the abode.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:41] (see commentary for verse 34)
[Shakir 79:42] They ask you about the hour, when it will come.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:42]
Refer to the commentary of Araf: 187.
The Holy Prophet announced the sure arrival of the day of resurrection as a warner. Its exact hour is known to Allah alone. Our time has no connection with timeless state in the spiritual world in which the final judgement win take place.
Aqa Mahdi Puya says:
The whole system of universe is in motion and progress. It is Allah unto whom the motion shall terminate.
In the awakening, referred to in verse 14, the conscious self shall be in a state free from the bounds of time and space. The whole system of four dimensions will appear to him even less than a part of an ordinary day of this world.
[Shakir 79:43] About what! You are one to remind of it.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:43] (see commentary for verse 42)
[Shakir 79:44] To your Lord is the goal of it.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:44] (see commentary for verse 42)
[Shakir 79:45] You are only a warner to him who would fear it.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:45] (see commentary for verse 42)
[Shakir 79:46] On the day that they see it, it will be as though they had not tarried but the latter
part of a day or the early part of it.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 79:46] (see commentary for verse 42)
