(Revealed before Hijrah)

Date of Revelation and Context
All competent authorities assign the revelation of this Surah to the early Meccan period. Its tenor and contents support this view. The preceding two Surahs had dealt with the prospects of a great and glorious future for Islam, and also with the social and political problems that arise when power and wealth come to a people. The present Surah, having the abbreviated letter Qaf in its beginning, points to the fact that the Almighty God has the power to make the weak and disorganized Arabs into a powerful nation, and that He will certainly bring about this consummation, using the Qur'an as the means and instrument for achieving this purpose.

Subject-Matter
The Surah is the first of a group of seven Chapters which end with Surah AI-Waqi'ah. Like all Meccan Chapters it lays special stress, in emphatic and prophetic language, on the Qur'an being the revealed Word of God, on Resurrection being an undoubted reality, and particularly on the ultimate triumph of the cause of Islam. The Surah points to the phenomena of nature and to the histories of the past Prophets as guides which lead to this inevitable conclusion. It opens to deal with the all-important subject of Resurrection, and in order to prove the truth of this primal fact, uses as an argument the phenomenon that a people, who for long centuries had remained spiritually dead and defunct, will receive a new and vigorous life through the Qur'an.

The Surah further says that disbelievers cannot bring themselves to accept the fact that a Warner can appear from among them to tell them that they will be raised to life after “they are dead and have become dust.” They are told to study the wonderful creation of the celestial firmament with the beautiful stars and planets which adorn it and which work with a regularity and punctuality that knows no deviation, and to ponder over the creation of the vast expanse of the earth which grows all sorts of fruits and foods for its dwellers. They will then realize that the Author and Architect of this great and complex universe possesses the power and wisdom to give man a new life after his physical habitat has disintegrated.

The Surah then points to the purposefulness of the creation of man-God's supreme creature and His noblest handiwork and to his discretion and complete responsibility and accountability for his actions. The Surah ends on the note that the creation of the universe and of man, its apex and acme, shows that the wise Creator could not have brought into existence this complex universe without a great purpose behind its creation. This leads to the conclusion that there must be and there is a life beyond the grave.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[50:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

ق وَالْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ
[50:2] Qaf[2799]. By the glorious Qur’an[2800], thou art a Messenger of God.

بَلْ عَجِبُوا أَنْ جَاءَهُمْ مُنْذِرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَذَا شَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ
[50:3] But they wonder that there has come to them a Warner from among themselves. And the disbelievers say, ‘This is a strange thing!

أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا ذَلِكَ رَجْعٌ بَعِيدٌ
[50:4] ‘What! when we are dead and have become dust, shall we be raised to life again? That is a return far from possible.’

قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنْقُصُ الأَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ وَعِنْدَنَا كِتَابٌ حَفِيظٌ
[50:5] We know how much the earth diminishes of them and with Us is a Book that preserves everything[2801].

بَلْ كَذَّبُوا بِالْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ فَهُمْ فِي أَمْرٍ مَرِيجٍ
[50:6] Nay, they rejected the truth when it came to them, and so they are in a state of confusion.

أَفَلَمْ يَنْظُرُوا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَوْقَهُمْ كَيْفَ بَنَيْنَاهَا وَزَيَّنَّاهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِنْ فُرُوجٍ
[50:7] Have they not looked at the sky above them, how We have made it and adorned it, and there are no flaws[2802] in it?

وَالأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَاهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ وَأَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَهِيجٍ
[50:8] And the earth — We have spread it out, and placed therein firm mountains; and We have made to grow therein every kind of beautiful species,

تَبْصِرَةً وَذِكْرَى لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُنِيبٍ
[50:9] As a means of enlightenment and as a reminder[2803] to every servant that turns to God.

وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً مُبَارَكًا فَأَنْبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيدِ
[50:10] And We send down from the sky water which is full of blessings, and We produce therewith gardens and grain harvests,

وَالنَّخْلَ بَاسِقَاتٍ لَهَا طَلْعٌ نَضِيدٌ
[50:11] And tall palm-trees, with spathes piled one above the other,

رِزْقًا لِلْعِبَادِ وَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَيْتًا كَذَلِكَ الْخُرُوجُ
[50:12] As a provision for Our servants; and We quicken thereby a dead land. Even so shall be the Resurrection[2804].

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ
[50:13] The people of Noah rejected the truth before them and so did the People of the Well, and Thamud,

وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ وَإِخْوَانُ لُوطٍ
[50:14] And ‘Ad, and Pharaoh and the brethren of Lot,

وَأَصْحَابُ الأَيْكَةِ وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ
[50:15] And the Dwellers of the Wood, and the people of Tubba‘. All of them rejected the Messengers with the result that My threatened punishment befell them.

أَفَعَيِينَا بِالْخَلْقِ الأَوَّلِ بَلْ هُمْ فِي لَبْسٍ مِنْ خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
[50:16] Have We then become weary with the first creation[2805]? Nay, but they are in confusion about the new creation.

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ
[50:17] And assuredly, We have created man and We know what his physical self whispers to him, and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein.

إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنْ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنْ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ
[50:18] When the two Recording angels record the deeds of men, one sitting on the right and the other on the left[2806],

مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلاَّ لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ
[50:19] He utters not a word but there is by him a guardian angel ready to record it.

وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنْتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ
[50:20] And the stupor of death certainly comes. ‘This is what thou wast trying to run from.’

وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ ذَلِكَ يَوْمُ الْوَعِيدِ
[50:21] And the trumpet shall be blown: ‘This is the Day of Promise.’

وَجَاءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَعَهَا سَائِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ
[50:22] And every soul shall come forth and along with it there will be an angel to drive and an angel to bear witness[2807].

لَقَدْ كُنْتَ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِنْ هَذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنْكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ
[50:23] ‘Thou wast heedless of this; now We have removed from thee thy veil, and sharp is thy sight this day.[2808]’

وَقَالَ قَرِينُهُ هَذَا مَا لَدَيَّ عَتِيدٌ
[50:24] And his companion will say, ‘This is what I have of the record ready.

أَلْقِيَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ
[50:25] ‘Cast ye twain[2809] into Hell every ungrateful enemy of truth,

مَنَّاعٍ لِلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ مُرِيبٍ
[50:26] ‘Hinderer of good, transgressor, doubter,

الَّذِي جَعَلَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ فَأَلْقِيَاهُ فِي الْعَذَابِ الشَّدِيدِ
[50:27] ‘Who sets up another God beside Allah. So do ye twain cast him into the dreadful torment.’

قَالَ قَرِينُهُ رَبَّنَا مَا أَطْغَيْتُهُ وَلَكِنْ كَانَ فِي ضَلاَلٍ بَعِيدٍ
[50:28] His associate will say, ‘O our Lord, I did not cause him to rebel; but he himself was too far gone in error.[2810]’

قَالَ لاَ تَخْتَصِمُوا لَدَيَّ وَقَدْ قَدَّمْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ بِالْوَعِيدِ
[50:29] God will say, ‘Quarrel not in My presence, I gave you the warning beforehand.

مَا يُبَدَّلُ الْقَوْلُ لَدَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا بِظَلاَّمٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ
[50:30] ‘The sentence passed by Me cannot be changed, and I am not at all unjust to My servants.’

يَوْمَ نَقُولُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلْ امْتَلَأْتِ وَتَقُولُ هَلْ مِنْ مَزِيدٍ
[50:31] On that day We will say to Hell, ‘Art thou filled up?’, and it will answer[2811], ‘Is there more?[2812]’

وَأُزْلِفَتْ الْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ
[50:32] And Heaven will be brought near[2813] to the righteous, no longer remote.

هَذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٍ
[50:33] ‘This is what was promised to you — to everyone who always turned to God and was watchful of his actions,

مَنْ خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَنَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَجَاءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُنِيبٍ
[50:34] ‘Who feared the Gracious God in private and came to Him with a penitent heart.

ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلاَمٍ ذَلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ
[50:35] ‘Enter ye therein in peace. This is the Day of Eternity.[2814]’

لَهُمْ مَا يَشَاءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيْنَا مَزِيدٌ
[50:36] They will have therein whatever they desire, and with Us is a good deal more[2815].

وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ بَطْشًا فَنَقَّبُوا فِي الْبِلاَدِ هَلْ مِنْ مَحِيصٍ
[50:37] And how many a generation who were greater than they in power have We destroyed before them! But when the punishment came, they went about the lands[2815A]. Was there any place of refuge for them?

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَذِكْرَى لِمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ
[50:38] Therein, verily, is a reminder for him who has a heart[2816], or who gives ear, and is attentive.

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِنْ لُغُوبٍ
[50:39] And verily, We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six periods[2817], and no weariness touched Us[2818].

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ
[50:40] So bear with patience what they say, and glorify thy Lord with His praise, before the rising of the sun and before its setting;

وَمِنْ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَأَدْبَارَ السُّجُودِ
[50:41] And in a part of the night also do thou glorify Him, and after prescribed prostrations.

وَاسْتَمِعْ يَوْمَ يُنَادِ الْمُنَادِي مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ
[50:42] And listen! The day when the crier[2819] will cry from a place nearby[2820],

يَوْمَ يَسْمَعُونَ الصَّيْحَةَ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُرُوجِ (ق: 42).
[50:43] The day when they will hear the blast in truth[2821] that will be the day of coming forth from the graves.

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي وَنُمِيتُ وَإِلَيْنَا الْمَصِيرُ
[50:44] Verily, it is We Who give life and cause death, and to Us is the final return.

يَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ الأَرْضُ عَنْهُمْ سِرَاعًا ذَلِكَ حَشْرٌ عَلَيْنَا يَسِيرٌ
[50:45] On the day when the earth will cleave asunder from over them and they will come forth hastening — that will be a gathering together, quite easy for Us.

نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِجَبَّارٍ فَذَكِّرْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَنْ يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ
[50:46] We know best what they say; and thou hast not been appointed to compel them in any way. So admonish, by means of the Qur’an[2822], him who fears My warning.

2799. The letter Qaf may stand for the Divine Attribute Qadir meaning, the Mighty God, or for the expression, Al-Qiyimatu Haqqun, i.e., the Resurrection is an undoubted reality.

2800. The Qur'an is cited as an evidence that the Great Resurrection will, certainly, take place.

2801. The verse refutes the disbelievers' objection mentioned in the preceding verse, viz., how when they are dead and reduced to broken bones and particles of dust they would beraised again. It is the physical body, it says, that disintegrates and perishes. The soul isimperishable and will be given a new body in the next world to account for the deeds done inthis world which are recorded in 'a Book that preserves everything.' The verse may also meanthat even the particles of objects which the earth disintegrates are well preserved in God'sknowledge. It may also signify that as complete knowledge about all the details of a thingpresupposes the power to create it, and God is the Possessor of full knowledge of humananatomy and of the process of its disintegration, He, therefore, could and would recreate itafter it had perished.

2802. This and the following few verses draw attention to the marvels of creation –the wonderful design in the universe, the celestial firmament with its countless beautiful planets and stars, the earth and its wide expanse teeming with human and animal life-and then points to the inevitable inference that the Great and Wise Designer, the Architect and the Controller, Who could bring into being this wonderful universe and Who placed man at its centre, does possess the power to recreate it after its disintegration and to give man a new life after he is dead.

2803. It is logical to assume a purpose behind physical nature. The concept of God as Designer and Creator of all things gives a coherent and complete picture of origin, design and purpose. And the existence of a purpose behind the creation implies the existence of a Life after death because the very idea, that with the dissolution of its physical tabernacle the human soul suffers death, militates against the whole design and wisdom of God and against His purpose in creating the universe.

2804. Just as God sends down rain from heaven and causes a dry, dead land to bloom and blossom and pulsate with a new vigorous life, and brings forth from the earth all sorts of flowers and fruits, similarly He can and will give a new life to man after he is dead.

2805. In all these verses 'creation,' besides its ordinary meaning, signifies spiritual awakening or revolution which is brought about by a Prophet among his people.

2806. According to some Commentators the angel sitting on man's right records his good actions and that on his left his bad actions-the words 'on the right' standing for his good actions and 'on the left' for his bad actions. Every deed or spoken word leaves its impress in the atmosphere and thus is preserved. Elsewhere in the Qur'an (24:25 & 36:66) it is stated that the limbs of man-his hands, feet and tongue-will bear witness against him on the Judgment Day. Thus the different parts of a man's body may also be 'the recorders' referred to in the present verse as the Recording Angels.

2807. Sa'iq may be the angel that sits on man's left and records his bad deeds and as a punishment for them will drive him to Hell, and Shahid may be the angel that sits on his right and records his good actions and will bear witness in his favor. Or, the two words metaphorically may stand respectively for man's misused limbs and faculties and those well and properly used.

2808. In the next world the veil will be lifted from the eyes of man and his vision and mental perception will become clearer and sharper. He will see the consequences of his actions in an embodied form which were hidden from his eyes in this world and will realize that, which he used to regard merely as an illusion, was a hard and stark reality.

2809. The dual form of Alqiya is used either because the command is given to the two angels-the Sa'iq and the Shahid, or, in order to impart emphasis to the command. This form of expression is also used in
23:100 where a plural verb is used for the subject in the singular. This is quite in consonance with the rules of Arabic grammar.

2810. It is human nature that when an evil-doer is confronted with the evil consequences of his deeds, he seeks to shift his responsibility to others. It is this state of mind of the disbeliever which is depicted in this verse. He will hold Satan responsible for his own transgressions and sins.

2811. The dialogue is metaphorical. Hell has been personified here and words are put in its mouth to express its state or condition and not that it will actually speak, or, for that matter, it can speak. The word, Qala, has also been used in this sense in 41:12 where the heaven and the earth have been described as saying that they obey Divine laws willingly. It is one of the peculiarities and beauties of the Arabic language that it uses words and expressions for inanimate things which are used for human beings. See also 57and 18:78.

2812. The expression, in fact, points to man's unlimited capacity for committing sins and his inordinate desire for worldly comforts by which he paves his way to Hell.

2813. Whereas in the preceding verse, it is mentioned that more and more persons will be thrown into Hell in order to be purged and purified of their spiritual maladies, the present verse says that Heaven will also be brought near for the righteous and the God-fearing.

2814. However dreadful its punishments may appear, Hell, according to the Qur'an, is a temporary penitentiary; while Heaven is an eternal abode; its blessings know no limit or end (11:109).

2815. The righteous will have in Paradise what they desire to their heart's content, but as man's desires at best are limited, they will be given much more than what they desire or deserve, much more than what they would even contemplate or conceive.

2815A. The words in the text literally mean: 'Burrowed into the earth to save themselves,' and seem to refer to the present day underground trenches as protection against bombing attacks.

2816. Qalb; means; the heart; the soul; the conscience; the mind; and signifies the best part of a thing. They say ma la-hu Qalbun, i.e., he has no intellect or intelligence (Lane).

2817. See 984 and 41:10-13.

2818. It is characteristic of the Qur'an that not only does it exonerate God's noble Prophets from all the vices and immoralities imputed to them in the Bible but also clears the Divine Being of the flaws and defects which are inconsistent with His Majesty and Holiness. The Bible depicts God as 'having rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made' (Gen. 2:2), but according to the Qur'an no weariness can touch Him.

2819. The 'crier' may refer to the Holy Prophet. The context supports this, as the next few verses seem to refer to the spiritual resurrection brought about by him among his people who at his call rose, as it were, from their graves.

2820. The words 'from a place nearby' may also signify that the call of the Holy Prophet will not remain a call in the wilderness, a distant cry, but will be listened to and accepted.

2821. 'The blast' may also signify the stentorian call of the Holy Prophet.

2822. The resurrection to which reference has been made in the Surah has been brought about by the Qur'an.