الحاقة
Al-Haqqah
About this surah
Name
The Surah takes its name from the word al-Haaqqah with which it opens.
Period of Revelation
This too is one of the earliest surahs to be revealed at Makkah. Its subject matter shows that it was sent down at the time when opposition to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) had started but had not yet become tyrannical. Musnad Ahmad contains a tradition from Hadrat Umar, saying: "Before embracing Islam one day I came out of my house with a view to causing trouble to the Holy Prophet, but he had entered the Masjid al-Haram before me. When I arrived I found that he was reciting surah Al-Haaqqah in the Prayer. I stood behind him and listened. As he recited the Qur'an I wondered at its literary charm and beauty. Then suddenly an idea came to my mind that he must be a poet as the Quraish alleged. Just at that moment he recited the words: "This is the Word of an honorable Messenger: it is not the word of a poet." I said to myself: Then, he must be a soothsayer, if not a poet. Thereupon be recited the words:"Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little it is that you reflect. It is a Revelation from the Lord and Sustainer of the worlds. On hearing this Islam entered deep into my heart." This tradition of Hadrat Umar shows that this surah had been sent down long before his acceptance of Islam, for even after this event he did not believe for a long time, and he continued to be influenced in favor of Islam by different incidents from time to time, till at last in the house of his own sister he came by the experience that made him surrender and submit to the Faith completely. (For details, see introduction to surah Maryam and Introduction to surah Al-Waqiah).
Theme and Subject Matter
The first section (vv. 1-37) is about the Hereafter and the second (vv. 38-52) about the Qur'an's being a revelation from Allah and the Holy Prophet's being a true Messenger of Allah.
The first section opens with the assertion that the coming of the Resurrection and the occurrence of the Hereafter is a truth which has to take place inevitably. Then in vv. 4-12, it has been stated that the communities that denied the Hereafter in the past became worthy of Allah's scourge ultimately. In vv. 13-17 the occurrence of Resurrection has been depicted. In vv. 18-37 the real object for which Allah has destined a second life for mankind after the present worldly life has been enunciated. In it we are told that on that Day all men shall appear in the Court of their Lord, where no secret of theirs shall remain hidden each man's record will be placed in his hand. Those who had spent lives in the world with the realization that one day they would have to render an account of their deeds before their Lord, and who had worked righteously in the world and provided beforehand for their well being in the Hereafter, will rejoice when they see that they have been acquitted and blessed with the eternal bliss of Paradise. On the contrary, those who neither recognized the rights of Allah, nor discharged the rights of men, will have no one to save them from the punishment of Allah, and they will be cast into Hell.
In the second section (vv. 38-52) the disbelievers of Makkah have been addressed and told: "You think this Qur'an is the word of a poet or soothsayer, whereas it is a Revelation sent dawn by Allah, which is being presented by the noble Messengers. The Messenger by himself had no power to increase or decrease a word in it. If he forges something of his own composition into it, We will cut off his neck-vein (or heart- vein). For this is the Truth absolute and pure: and those who give it a lie, will have ultimately to regret and repent.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 69:1ٱلۡحَآقَّةُThe Inevitable Reality -
- 69:2مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُWhat is the Inevitable Reality?
- 69:3وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُAnd what can make you know what is the Inevitable Reality?
- 69:4كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ وَعَادُۢ بِٱلۡقَارِعَةِThamud and 'Aad denied the Striking Calamity.
- 69:5فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهۡلِكُواْ بِٱلطَّاغِيَةِSo as for Thamud, they were destroyed by the overpowering [blast].
- 69:6وَأَمَّا عَادٞ فَأُهۡلِكُواْ بِرِيحٖ صَرۡصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٖAnd as for 'Aad, they were destroyed by a screaming, violent wind
- 69:7سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ سَبۡعَ لَيَالٖ وَثَمَٰنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُومٗاۖ فَتَرَى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ فِيهَا صَرۡعَىٰ كَأَنَّهُمۡ أَعۡجَازُ نَخۡلٍ خَاوِيَةٖWhich Allah imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so you would see the people therein fallen as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees.
- 69:8فَهَلۡ تَرَىٰ لَهُم مِّنۢ بَاقِيَةٖThen do you see of them any remains?
- 69:9وَجَآءَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَمَن قَبۡلَهُۥ وَٱلۡمُؤۡتَفِكَٰتُ بِٱلۡخَاطِئَةِAnd there came Pharaoh and those before him and the overturned cities with sin.
- 69:10فَعَصَوۡاْ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمۡ فَأَخَذَهُمۡ أَخۡذَةٗ رَّابِيَةًAnd they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, so He seized them with a seizure exceeding [in severity].
- 69:11إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا ٱلۡمَآءُ حَمَلۡنَٰكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡجَارِيَةِIndeed, when the water overflowed, We carried your ancestors in the sailing ship
- 69:12لِنَجۡعَلَهَا لَكُمۡ تَذۡكِرَةٗ وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٞ وَٰعِيَةٞThat We might make it for you a reminder and [that] a conscious ear would be conscious of it.
- 69:13فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِ نَفۡخَةٞ وَٰحِدَةٞThen when the Horn is blown with one blast
- 69:14وَحُمِلَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَٱلۡجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗAnd the earth and the mountains are lifted and leveled with one blow -
- 69:15فَيَوۡمَئِذٖ وَقَعَتِ ٱلۡوَاقِعَةُThen on that Day, the Resurrection will occur,
- 69:16وَٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَهِيَ يَوۡمَئِذٖ وَاهِيَةٞAnd the heaven will split [open], for that Day it is infirm.
- 69:17وَٱلۡمَلَكُ عَلَىٰٓ أَرۡجَآئِهَاۚ وَيَحۡمِلُ عَرۡشَ رَبِّكَ فَوۡقَهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ ثَمَٰنِيَةٞAnd the angels are at its edges. And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [of them].
- 69:18يَوۡمَئِذٖ تُعۡرَضُونَ لَا تَخۡفَىٰ مِنكُمۡ خَافِيَةٞThat Day, you will be exhibited [for judgement]; not hidden among you is anything concealed.
- 69:19فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ ٱقۡرَءُواْ كِتَٰبِيَهۡSo as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, "Here, read my record!
- 69:20إِنِّي ظَنَنتُ أَنِّي مُلَٰقٍ حِسَابِيَهۡIndeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account."
- 69:21فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٖ رَّاضِيَةٖSo he will be in a pleasant life -
- 69:22فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٖIn an elevated garden,
- 69:23قُطُوفُهَا دَانِيَةٞIts [fruit] to be picked hanging near.
- 69:24كُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ هَنِيٓـَٔۢا بِمَآ أَسۡلَفۡتُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَيَّامِ ٱلۡخَالِيَةِ[They will be told], "Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth in the days past."
- 69:25وَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِشِمَالِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أُوتَ كِتَٰبِيَهۡBut as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, "Oh, I wish I had not been given my record
- 69:26وَلَمۡ أَدۡرِ مَا حِسَابِيَهۡAnd had not known what is my account.
- 69:27يَٰلَيۡتَهَا كَانَتِ ٱلۡقَاضِيَةَI wish my death had been the decisive one.
- 69:28مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنِّي مَالِيَهۡۜMy wealth has not availed me.
- 69:29هَلَكَ عَنِّي سُلۡطَٰنِيَهۡGone from me is my authority."
- 69:30خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ[Allah will say], "Seize him and shackle him.
- 69:31ثُمَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُThen into Hellfire drive him.
- 69:32ثُمَّ فِي سِلۡسِلَةٖ ذَرۡعُهَا سَبۡعُونَ ذِرَاعٗا فَٱسۡلُكُوهُThen into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him."
- 69:33إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِIndeed, he did not used to believe in Allah, the Most Great,
- 69:34وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِNor did he encourage the feeding of the poor.
- 69:35فَلَيۡسَ لَهُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ هَٰهُنَا حَمِيمٞSo there is not for him here this Day any devoted friend
- 69:36وَلَا طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِنۡ غِسۡلِينٖNor any food except from the discharge of wounds;
- 69:37لَّا يَأۡكُلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡخَٰطِـُٔونَNone will eat it except the sinners.
- 69:38فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِمَا تُبۡصِرُونَSo I swear by what you see
- 69:39وَمَا لَا تُبۡصِرُونَAnd what you do not see
- 69:40إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ[That] indeed, the Qur'an is the word of a noble Messenger.
- 69:41وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَاعِرٖۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تُؤۡمِنُونَAnd it is not the word of a poet; little do you believe.
- 69:42وَلَا بِقَوۡلِ كَاهِنٖۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَNor the word of a soothsayer; little do you remember.
- 69:43تَنزِيلٞ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ[It is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.
- 69:44وَلَوۡ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيۡنَا بَعۡضَ ٱلۡأَقَاوِيلِAnd if Muhammad had made up about Us some [false] sayings,
- 69:45لَأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُ بِٱلۡيَمِينِWe would have seized him by the right hand;
- 69:46ثُمَّ لَقَطَعۡنَا مِنۡهُ ٱلۡوَتِينَThen We would have cut from him the aorta.
- 69:47فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ عَنۡهُ حَٰجِزِينَAnd there is no one of you who could prevent [Us] from him.
- 69:48وَإِنَّهُۥ لَتَذۡكِرَةٞ لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَAnd indeed, the Qur'an is a reminder for the righteous.
- 69:49وَإِنَّا لَنَعۡلَمُ أَنَّ مِنكُم مُّكَذِّبِينَAnd indeed, We know that among you are deniers.
- 69:50وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَسۡرَةٌ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَAnd indeed, it will be [a cause of] regret upon the disbelievers.
- 69:51وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَقُّ ٱلۡيَقِينِAnd indeed, it is the truth of certainty.
- 69:52فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِSo exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.