(Revealed before Hijrah)

Introductory Remarks
The Surah is so similar in style and subject-matter to the one preceding it that it forms, as it were, its counterpart, but with a separate name. It is characteristic of the Qur'an that, in view of their importance, it takes out certain parts of the text of a particular Surah and in order to draw pointed attention to the subject dealt with in the separated parts and in order also that the separated parts may be easily committed to memory, it gives them a distinct name and individuality.

The Surah deals particularly with the conditions that were to prevail in the Latter Days when Christian doctrines and ways of life will have impressed very deeply the conduct and concepts of non-Christian peoples, especially the Muslims. All the prophecies mentioned in the Surah have been literally fulfilled. It was revealed at Mecca in the early years of the Call about the time of the revelation of the preceding Chapter.

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

إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انفَطَرَتْ
2] When the heaven is cleft asunder,[3281]

وَإِذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ انتَثَرَتْ
3] And when the stars are scattered,[3282]

وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ فُجِّرَتْ
4]] And when the rivers are made to flow forth[3283] into canals,

وَإِذَا الْقُبُورُ بُعْثِرَتْ
5] And when the graves are laid open,[3284]

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ وَأَخَّرَتْ
6] Each soul shall then know what it has sent forth and what it has held back.[3285]

يَاأَيُّهَا الإِنسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ
7] O man, what has emboldened thee against thy Gracious Lord,

الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ
8] Who created thee, then perfected thee, then proportioned thee aright?[3286]

فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ مَا شَاءَ رَكَّبَكَ
9] In whatever form He pleased, He fashioned thee.

كَلاَّ بَلْ تُكَذِّبُونَ بِالدِّينِ
10] Nay, but you deny the Judgment.

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ
11] But there are guardians over you

كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ
12] Honoured recorders,[3287]

يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
13] Who know all that you do.

إِنَّ الأَبْرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ
14] Verily, the virtuous will be in bliss;

وَإِنَّ الْفُجَّارَ لَفِي جَحِيمٍ
15] And the wicked will be in Hell;

يَصْلَوْنَهَا يَوْمَ الدِّينِ
16] They will burn therein on the Day of Judgment;

وَمَا هُمْ عَنْهَا بِغَائِبِينَ
17] And they will not be able to escape therefrom.

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ
18] And what should make thee know what the Day of Judgment is!

ثُمَّ مَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ
19] Again, what should make thee know what the Day of Judgment is!

يَوْمَ لاَ تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِنَفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَالأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلَّهِ
20] The day when a soul shall have no power to do aught for another soul! And the command on that day will be Allah’s.

3281. As mentioned in the "Introductory Remarks" the Surah deals particularly with the time when Christianity will be very much in the ascendant and the Christian doctrines of trinity, the sonship of Jesus and atonement will reign supreme. To this dominance of the false Christian doctrines the Qur'an has referred in very strong words; 'The heavens might well-nigh be rent thereat, and the earth cleave asunder, and the mountains fall down into pieces because they ascribe a son to Allah' (19:91, 92). The verse under comment refers to these two verses and signifies that at that time false doctrines of Christianity will dominate the world, and as a result of it God's wrath, will be excited and Divine punishment will overtake the world in various forms.

3282. Metaphorically speaking the verse means that in the Latter Days men possessing true spiritual knowledge and guidance will disappear or become rare.

3283.  At that time great seas and oceans will be made to flow into one another by means of canals; or their mouths will be dug wide open so as to make large ships ply in them. The reference may be to the Panama and Suez Canals.

3284. In the Latter Days graves will be dug open as has been done in the case of the tombs of the ancient Kings of Egypt; or, the verse may mean that towns and monuments, submerged and long forgotten, will be dug out.

3285. In this and the next few verses the address is to the protagonists and propagandists of the false Christian doctrines. They will come to realize the enormity and heinousness of their false teachings.

3286. God has endowed man with great natural powers and faculties in order that he may rise to the highest peaks of spiritual eminence.

3287.  Man is born a free agent and is responsible for the decisions he takes and the deeds he does, which are recorded by "Noble Recorders."