50: Qaf (Qaf)
Revealed at Makkah
This chapter takes its name from its initial letter Qāf, referring to the great power of God, and deals with the Resurrection, both the spiritual resurrection of this life and the greater Resurrection of the life after death. It begins by drawing attention to the testimony of nature and then to the fate of some former peoples. Then it shows that every action has a consequence and these consequences are made manifest on the day of Judgment. Finally, it states that the good and the bad must receive their due, and refers to the two resurrections. From the 50th to the 56th chapter, there is a group of seven chapters all belonging to the early period at Makkah.
Section 1 (Verses 50:1–50:15): The Resurrection — Signs in Nature
The letter Qāf, with which v.1 begins, stands for the name Qādir (or Qadīr) of the Divine Being, meaning Omnipotent or All-Powerful, or for al-Qiyāmat, the Resurrection.
50:2
بَلۡ عَجِبُوۡۤا اَنۡ جَآءَہُمۡ مُّنۡذِرٌ مِّنۡہُمۡ فَقَالَ الۡکٰفِرُوۡنَ ہٰذَا شَیۡءٌ عَجِیۡبٌ ۚ﴿۲﴾
Yet they wonder that a warner has come to them from among themselves; so the disbelievers say: This is a wonderful thing!
50:3
ءَاِذَا مِتۡنَا وَ کُنَّا تُرَابًا ۚ ذٰلِکَ رَجۡعٌۢ بَعِیۡدٌ ﴿۳﴾
When we die and become dust — that is a far return.
50:4
قَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا مَا تَنۡقُصُ الۡاَرۡضُ مِنۡہُمۡ ۚ وَ عِنۡدَنَا کِتٰبٌ حَفِیۡظٌ ﴿۴﴾
We know indeed what the earth diminishes of them and with Us is a book that preserves.
What the earth diminishes is the body, dust going to dust. The book that preserves is the record of the deeds which a person has done. The consequences of deeds are preserved in their entirety and out of them grows a new life in the Resurrection.
50:5
بَلۡ کَذَّبُوۡا بِالۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَہُمۡ فَہُمۡ فِیۡۤ اَمۡرٍ مَّرِیۡجٍ ﴿۵﴾
But they reject the Truth when it comes to them, so they are in a state of confusion.
50:6
اَفَلَمۡ یَنۡظُرُوۡۤا اِلَی السَّمَآءِ فَوۡقَہُمۡ کَیۡفَ بَنَیۡنٰہَا وَ زَیَّنّٰہَا وَ مَا لَہَا مِنۡ فُرُوۡجٍ ﴿۶﴾
Do they not look at the sky above them? — how We have made it and adorned it and it has no flaws.
50:7
وَ الۡاَرۡضَ مَدَدۡنٰہَا وَ اَلۡقَیۡنَا فِیۡہَا رَوَاسِیَ وَ اَنۡۢبَتۡنَا فِیۡہَا مِنۡ کُلِّ زَوۡجٍۭ بَہِیۡجٍ ۙ﴿۷﴾
And the earth, We have spread it out, and cast in it mountains, and We have made to grow in it (things) of every beautiful kind —
50:8
تَبۡصِرَۃً وَّ ذِکۡرٰی لِکُلِّ عَبۡدٍ مُّنِیۡبٍ ﴿۸﴾
as an insight and a reminder to every servant who turns (to Allah).
50:9
وَ نَزَّلۡنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً مُّبٰرَکًا فَاَنۡۢبَتۡنَا بِہٖ جَنّٰتٍ وَّ حَبَّ الۡحَصِیۡدِ ۙ﴿۹﴾
And We send down from the clouds water abounding in good, then We cause to grow with it gardens and the grain that is reaped,
50:10
وَ النَّخۡلَ بٰسِقٰتٍ لَّہَا طَلۡعٌ نَّضِیۡدٌ ﴿ۙ۱۰﴾
and the tall palm-trees having flower spikes piled one above another —
50:11
رِّزۡقًا لِّلۡعِبَادِ ۙ وَ اَحۡیَیۡنَا بِہٖ بَلۡدَۃً مَّیۡتًا ؕ کَذٰلِکَ الۡخُرُوۡجُ ﴿۱۱﴾
a sustenance for the servants, and We give life with it to a dead land. Thus is the rising.
The rising here includes both the spiritual resurrection of a dead people in this life and also the greater Resurrection in a life after death.
50:12
کَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَہُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوۡحٍ وَّ اَصۡحٰبُ الرَّسِّ وَ ثَمُوۡدُ ﴿ۙ۱۲﴾
Before them the people of Noah rejected (the Truth) and (so did) the dwellers of Rass and Thamūd
50:14
وَّ اَصۡحٰبُ الۡاَیۡکَۃِ وَ قَوۡمُ تُبَّعٍ ؕ کُلٌّ کَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِیۡدِ ﴿۱۴﴾
and the dwellers of the grove and the people of Tubba. They all rejected the messengers, so My threat came to pass.
For the dwellers of Rass, see 25:38 footnote; for dwellers of the grove, 15:78 footnote; for Tubba, 44:37 footnote.
50:15
اَفَعَیِیۡنَا بِالۡخَلۡقِ الۡاَوَّلِ ؕ بَلۡ ہُمۡ فِیۡ لَبۡسٍ مِّنۡ خَلۡقٍ جَدِیۡدٍ ﴿٪۱۵﴾
Were We then fatigued with the first creation? Yet they are in doubt about a new creation.
The meaning is that Allah did not lack power in dealing with the former generations so that they should doubt His power in dealing with a new one. Or, the first creation is the physical creation of man, and the second creation his spiritual regeneration.
Section 2 (Verses 50:16–50:29): The Resurrection — Consequences made Manifest
50:16
وَ لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا الۡاِنۡسَانَ وَ نَعۡلَمُ مَا تُوَسۡوِسُ بِہٖ نَفۡسُہٗ ۚۖ وَ نَحۡنُ اَقۡرَبُ اِلَیۡہِ مِنۡ حَبۡلِ الۡوَرِیۡدِ ﴿۱۶﴾
And certainly We created man, and We know what his mind suggests to him — and We are nearer to him than his life-vein.
50:17
اِذۡ یَتَلَقَّی الۡمُتَلَقِّیٰنِ عَنِ الۡیَمِیۡنِ وَ عَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِیۡدٌ ﴿۱۷﴾
When the two receivers receive, sitting on the right and on the left,
50:18
مَا یَلۡفِظُ مِنۡ قَوۡلٍ اِلَّا لَدَیۡہِ رَقِیۡبٌ عَتِیۡدٌ ﴿۱۸﴾
he does not utter a word but there is by him a watcher at hand.
The three verses 16–18 impress upon man that all his deeds and words bear fruit, that nothing is said or done in vain.
50:19
وَ جَآءَتۡ سَکۡرَۃُ الۡمَوۡتِ بِالۡحَقِّ ؕ ذٰلِکَ مَا کُنۡتَ مِنۡہُ تَحِیۡدُ ﴿۱۹﴾
And the stupor of death comes in truth; that is what you would try to avoid.
50:20
وَ نُفِخَ فِی الصُّوۡرِ ؕ ذٰلِکَ یَوۡمُ الۡوَعِیۡدِ ﴿۲۰﴾
And the trumpet is blown. That is the day of threatening.
50:21
وَ جَآءَتۡ کُلُّ نَفۡسٍ مَّعَہَا سَآئِقٌ وَّ شَہِیۡدٌ ﴿۲۱﴾
And every soul comes, with it a driver and a witness.
The driver signifies the impeller to evil, and the witness the caller to the truth.
50:22
لَقَدۡ کُنۡتَ فِیۡ غَفۡلَۃٍ مِّنۡ ہٰذَا فَکَشَفۡنَا عَنۡکَ غِطَآءَکَ فَبَصَرُکَ الۡیَوۡمَ حَدِیۡدٌ ﴿۲۲﴾
You were indeed heedless of this, but now We have removed from you your veil, so your sight is sharp this day.
This verse shows clearly that the consequences of evil actions which remain hidden from the human eye in this life are made manifest after death. This is the significance of the sight being made sharp, so that man will then see what he is unable to see here. Such is hell, according to the teachings of the Quran, namely, the hidden consequences of evil deeds, when made manifest to a person, become his hell.
50:23
وَ قَالَ قَرِیۡنُہٗ ہٰذَا مَا لَدَیَّ عَتِیۡدٌ ﴿ؕ۲۳﴾
And his companion will say: This is what is ready with me.
The evil companion or the devil is meant, at whose suggestion a person commits evil deeds. What is ready is the record of man’s evil deeds, which will be palpably manifest to him on the day of Resurrection.
50:24
اَلۡقِیَا فِیۡ جَہَنَّمَ کُلَّ کَفَّارٍ عَنِیۡدٍ ﴿ۙ۲۴﴾
Cast into hell every ungrateful, rebellious one,
50:25
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلۡخَیۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ مُّرِیۡبِۣ ﴿ۙ۲۵﴾
forbidder of good, exceeder of limits, doubter,
50:26
الَّذِیۡ جَعَلَ مَعَ اللّٰہِ اِلٰـہًا اٰخَرَ فَاَلۡقِیٰہُ فِی الۡعَذَابِ الشَّدِیۡدِ ﴿۲۶﴾
who sets up another god with Allah, so cast him into severe punishment.
50:27
قَالَ قَرِیۡنُہٗ رَبَّنَا مَاۤ اَطۡغَیۡتُہٗ وَ لٰکِنۡ کَانَ فِیۡ ضَلٰلٍۭ بَعِیۡدٍ ﴿۲۷﴾
His companion will say: Our Lord, I did not cause him to rebel but he himself went far in error.
50:28
قَالَ لَا تَخۡتَصِمُوۡا لَدَیَّ وَ قَدۡ قَدَّمۡتُ اِلَیۡکُمۡ بِالۡوَعِیۡدِ ﴿۲۸﴾
He will say: Do not dispute in My presence, and indeed I gave you warning beforehand.
50:29
مَا یُبَدَّلُ الۡقَوۡلُ لَدَیَّ وَ مَاۤ اَنَا بِظَلَّامٍ لِّلۡعَبِیۡدِ ﴿٪۲۹﴾
My sentence cannot be changed, nor am I in the least unjust to the servants.
Section 3 (Verses 50:30–50:44): The Resurrection
50:30
یَوۡمَ نَقُوۡلُ لِجَہَنَّمَ ہَلِ امۡتَلَاۡتِ وَ تَقُوۡلُ ہَلۡ مِنۡ مَّزِیۡدٍ ﴿۳۰﴾
On the day when We say to hell: Are you filled up? And it will say: Are there any more?
This is metaphorical. One people after another continue to do evil without taking a lesson from the fate of previous people. It is also an expression of man’s desire to have more and more of wealth and material comfort.
50:31
وَ اُزۡلِفَتِ الۡجَنَّۃُ لِلۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ غَیۡرَ بَعِیۡدٍ ﴿۳۱﴾
And the Garden is brought near for those who guard against evil — (it is) not distant.
If a person used his inner sight, he could see that the keeping away from evil and the doing of good brought him nearer and nearer to true happiness, for which the Garden stands here, in this very life.
50:32
ہٰذَا مَا تُوۡعَدُوۡنَ لِکُلِّ اَوَّابٍ حَفِیۡظٍ ﴿ۚ۳۲﴾
This is what you are promised — for everyone turning (to Allah), keeping (the limits) —
50:33
مَنۡ خَشِیَ الرَّحۡمٰنَ بِالۡغَیۡبِ وَ جَآءَ بِقَلۡبٍ مُّنِیۡبِۣ ﴿ۙ۳۳﴾
who fears the Beneficent in secret, and comes with a penitent heart:
50:34
ادۡخُلُوۡہَا بِسَلٰمٍ ؕ ذٰلِکَ یَوۡمُ الۡخُلُوۡدِ ﴿۳۴﴾
Enter it in peace. That is the day of abiding.
50:35
لَہُمۡ مَّا یَشَآءُوۡنَ فِیۡہَا وَلَدَیۡنَا مَزِیۡدٌ ﴿۳۵﴾
They shall have in it all they wish, and with Us is yet more.
This is to show that the doing of good gives man all that he desires. But as his desires are limited, he is told that God will give him more than he desires. This is explained by some as meaning the sight of the Divine Being, which is the highest blessing of the next life.
50:36
وَ کَمۡ اَہۡلَکۡنَا قَبۡلَہُمۡ مِّنۡ قَرۡنٍ ہُمۡ اَشَدُّ مِنۡہُمۡ بَطۡشًا فَنَقَّبُوۡا فِی الۡبِلَادِ ؕ ہَلۡ مِنۡ مَّحِیۡصٍ ﴿۳۶﴾
And how many a generation We destroyed before them who were mightier in prowess than they, so they went about in the lands! Is there a place of refuge?
50:37
اِنَّ فِیۡ ذٰلِکَ لَذِکۡرٰی لِمَنۡ کَانَ لَہٗ قَلۡبٌ اَوۡ اَلۡقَی السَّمۡعَ وَ ہُوَ شَہِیۡدٌ ﴿۳۷﴾
Surely there is a reminder in this for him who has a heart or he listens and is a witness.
50:38
وَ لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ وَ مَا بَیۡنَہُمَا فِیۡ سِتَّۃِ اَیَّامٍ ٭ۖ وَّ مَا مَسَّنَا مِنۡ لُّغُوۡبٍ ﴿۳۸﴾
And certainly We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six periods, and no fatigue touched Us.
The Bible says: “And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made” (Genesis, 2:2). The Quran negatives any such idea in relation to God, Who does not stand in need of rest: No fatigue touched Us. For the creation of the heavens and the earth in six periods or six days, see 7:54.
50:39
فَاصۡبِرۡ عَلٰی مَا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَ سَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّکَ قَبۡلَ طُلُوۡعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَ قَبۡلَ الۡغُرُوۡبِ ﴿ۚ۳۹﴾
So bear patiently what they say, and celebrate the praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before the setting.
50:40
وَ مِنَ الَّیۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡہُ وَ اَدۡبَارَ السُّجُوۡدِ ﴿۴۰﴾
And glorify Him in the night and after prostration.
Prostration here stands for prayer. The significance is that one should not get tired of glorifying God; prayer is in its entirety a glorification of God, but even after prayer, one should continue the glorification of God.
50:41
وَ اسۡتَمِعۡ یَوۡمَ یُنَادِ الۡمُنَادِ مِنۡ مَّکَانٍ قَرِیۡبٍ ﴿ۙ۴۱﴾
And listen on the day when the crier cries from a near place —
50:42
یَّوۡمَ یَسۡمَعُوۡنَ الصَّیۡحَۃَ بِالۡحَقِّ ؕ ذٰلِکَ یَوۡمُ الۡخُرُوۡجِ ﴿۴۲﴾
the day when they hear the cry in truth. That is the day of coming forth.
The crier (v. 41) is the Prophet; see 3:193: “Our Lord, surely we have heard a Crier calling to the Faith, saying: Believe in your Lord”. This cry was a distant cry at first, but, as we are told in v. 41, it will be a cry from a near place in the end, so that people will listen to it in truth. Note that the spiritual resurrection to be brought about in this life by the Prophet is spoken of in the whole of this chapter, along with the greater Resurrection of the next life.
50:43
اِنَّا نَحۡنُ نُحۡیٖ وَ نُمِیۡتُ وَ اِلَیۡنَا الۡمَصِیۡرُ ﴿ۙ۴۳﴾
Surely We give life and cause to die, and to Us is the eventual coming —
50:44
یَوۡمَ تَشَقَّقُ الۡاَرۡضُ عَنۡہُمۡ سِرَاعًا ؕ ذٰلِکَ حَشۡرٌ عَلَیۡنَا یَسِیۡرٌ ﴿۴۴﴾
the day when the earth splits apart from (under) them, they hastening forth. That is a gathering easy to Us.
50:45
نَحۡنُ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَ مَاۤ اَنۡتَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ بِجَبَّارٍ ۟ فَذَکِّرۡ بِالۡقُرۡاٰنِ مَنۡ یَّخَافُ وَعِیۡدِ ﴿٪۴۵﴾
We know best what they say, and you are not one to compel them. So remind by means of the Quran him who fears My threat.
The words, you are not one to compel them, refer plainly to the spiritual resurrection, which the Prophet desired to see immediately; he is told that he will see the dead coming to life but he could not compel people to accept the truth. The splitting apart of the earth in v. 44 and their hastening forth to life spiritual and their gathering in Islam were all witnessed in the lifetime of the Prophet, and may be witnessed again in the near future. This spiritual resurrection is treated as an evidence of the greater Resurrection, and that is the reason why both resurrections are spoken of in the same words.