التكوير
At-Takwir
About this surah
Name
It is derived from the word kuwwirat in the first verse. Kuwwirat is passive voice from takwir in the past tense, and means "that which is folded up", thereby implying that it is a Surah in which the "folding up" has been mentioned:
Period of Revelation
The subject matter and the style clearly show that it is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah.
Theme and Subject Matter
It has two themes: the Hereafter and the institution of Prophethood.
In the first six verses, the first stage of the Resurrection has been mentioned when the sun will lose its light, the stars will scatter, the mountains will be uprooted and will disperse, the people will become heedless of their dearest possessions, the beasts of the jungle will be stupefied and will gather together, and the seas will boil up. Then in the next seven verses, the second stage has been described when the souls will be reunited with the bodies, the records will be laid open, the people will be called to account for their crimes, the heavens will be unveiled, and Hell and Heaven will be brought into full view. After depicting the Hereafter thus, man has been left to ponder his own self and deeds, saying: "Then each man shall himself know what he has brought with him."
After this, the theme of Prophethood has been taken up. In this the people of Makkah have been addressed, as if to say "Whatever Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) is presenting before you, is not the bragging of a madman, nor an evil suggestion inspired by Satan, but the word of a noble, exalted and trustworthy messenger sent by God, whom Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) has seen with his own eyes in the bright horizon of the clear sky in broad daylight. Whither then are you going having turned away from this teaching?"
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 81:1إِذَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ كُوِّرَتۡWhen the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]
- 81:2وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتۡAnd when the stars fall, dispersing,
- 81:3وَإِذَا ٱلۡجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتۡAnd when the mountains are removed
- 81:4وَإِذَا ٱلۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡAnd when full-term she-camels are neglected
- 81:5وَإِذَا ٱلۡوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتۡAnd when the wild beasts are gathered
- 81:6وَإِذَا ٱلۡبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتۡAnd when the seas are filled with flame
- 81:7وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتۡAnd when the souls are paired
- 81:8وَإِذَا ٱلۡمَوۡءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتۡAnd when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked
- 81:9بِأَيِّ ذَنۢبٖ قُتِلَتۡFor what sin she was killed
- 81:10وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡAnd when the pages are made public
- 81:11وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡAnd when the sky is stripped away
- 81:12وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتۡAnd when Hellfire is set ablaze
- 81:13وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُزۡلِفَتۡAnd when Paradise is brought near,
- 81:14عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡA soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].
- 81:15فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلۡخُنَّسِSo I swear by the retreating stars -
- 81:16ٱلۡجَوَارِ ٱلۡكُنَّسِThose that run [their courses] and disappear -
- 81:17وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا عَسۡعَسَAnd by the night as it closes in
- 81:18وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَAnd by the dawn when it breathes
- 81:19إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ[That] indeed, the Qur'an is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger
- 81:20ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي ٱلۡعَرۡشِ مَكِينٖ[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
- 81:21مُّطَاعٖ ثَمَّ أَمِينٖObeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.
- 81:22وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجۡنُونٖAnd your companion is not [at all] mad.
- 81:23وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡمُبِينِAnd he has already seen Gabriel in the clear horizon.
- 81:24وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِينٖAnd Muhammad is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.
- 81:25وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطَٰنٖ رَّجِيمٖAnd the Qur'an is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].
- 81:26فَأَيۡنَ تَذۡهَبُونَSo where are you going?
- 81:27إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَIt is not except a reminder to the worlds
- 81:28لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَFor whoever wills among you to take a right course.
- 81:29وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَAnd you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.