76: The Man (Al-Dahr / Al-Insan)
Revealed at Makkah
This chapter, entitled Man from the occurrence of this word in the first verse, deals with man’s attainment to perfection. It shows that in the attainment of this perfection there are two stages: the suppression of all evil tendencies and the gaining of strength to perform great deeds of sacrifice. Towards the end, the chapter says that if those addressed by the Holy Prophet do not accept his message, Allah will cause another people to take their place, for the Quran must accomplish its object of enabling man to attain to perfection. Its revelation belongs to a very early period at Makkah.
Section 1 (Verses 76:1–76:22): Attainment of Perfection
76:1
ہَلۡ اَتٰی عَلَی الۡاِنۡسَانِ حِیۡنٌ مِّنَ الدَّہۡرِ لَمۡ یَکُنۡ شَیۡئًا مَّذۡکُوۡرًا ﴿۱﴾
Surely there came over man a time when he was nothing that could be mentioned.
76:2
اِنَّا خَلَقۡنَا الۡاِنۡسَانَ مِنۡ نُّطۡفَۃٍ اَمۡشَاجٍ ٭ۖ نَّبۡتَلِیۡہِ فَجَعَلۡنٰہُ سَمِیۡعًۢا بَصِیۡرًا ﴿۲﴾
Surely We have created man from sperm mixed (with ovum), to try him, so We have made him hearing, seeing.
76:3
اِنَّا ہَدَیۡنٰہُ السَّبِیۡلَ اِمَّا شَاکِرًا وَّ اِمَّا کَفُوۡرًا ﴿۳﴾
We have truly shown him the way; he may be thankful or unthankful.
The right way is shown clearly; it is for man himself to walk in it and thus be thankful, or away from it and thus be unthankful. Or the meaning may be he may accept or reject.
76:4
اِنَّاۤ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ سَلٰسِلَا۠ وَ اَغۡلٰلًا وَّ سَعِیۡرًا ﴿۴﴾
Surely We have prepared for the disbelievers chains and shackles and a burning Fire.
See 69:32 footnote.
76:5
اِنَّ الۡاَبۡرَارَ یَشۡرَبُوۡنَ مِنۡ کَاۡسٍ کَانَ مِزَاجُہَا کَافُوۡرًا ۚ﴿۵﴾
The righteous truly drink of a cup tempered with camphor —
The original for camphor is kāfūr, which is derived from kafr meaning to cover or to suppress. Medically camphor is a cool and refreshing aromatic, but here it is used in reference to its original significance. The cup of which the righteous drink is the cup of the love of Allah, and its mixture with kāfūr is to indicate that by this cup all low desires and sexual passions which lead man away from the path of righteousness are suppressed, in the same manner as poisonous matter is suppressed by camphor. Man needs an intoxication and for it he generally resorts to alcoholic drinks, which bring in their train evil and slavery to sexual passions. The Prophet intoxicated his followers with the love of Allah, and as a result of this, their evil tendencies were altogether suppressed. Verses 7 and 8 show clearly that it is of the change brought about in this very life that the Quran is speaking here. In the spiritual advancement of man this is the first stage, because it is not until the evil tendencies of man are completely suppressed that he is able to advance to the higher stages of spiritual perfection.
76:6
عَیۡنًا یَّشۡرَبُ بِہَا عِبَادُ اللّٰہِ یُفَجِّرُوۡنَہَا تَفۡجِیۡرًا ﴿۶﴾
a fountain from which the servants of Allah drink, making it flow in abundance.
The fountain from which the servants of Allah drink is the fountain of the love of God referred to in the previous verse. It is not a cup which may be exhausted with one draught; it is a fountain. The faithful are here spoken of as the servants of Allah — ‘ibād Allāh — because an ‘abd (singular of ‘ibād) is really one who is entirely lost in the love of God. But here we are further told that they not only drink of it themselves but they make it to flow forth in such abundance that others also may partake of it.
76:7
یُوۡفُوۡنَ بِالنَّذۡرِ وَ یَخَافُوۡنَ یَوۡمًا کَانَ شَرُّہٗ مُسۡتَطِیۡرًا ﴿۷﴾
They fulfil (their) vows and fear a day, the evil of which is widespread.
76:8
وَ یُطۡعِمُوۡنَ الطَّعَامَ عَلٰی حُبِّہٖ مِسۡکِیۡنًا وَّ یَتِیۡمًا وَّ اَسِیۡرًا ﴿۸﴾
And they give food, out of love for Him, to the poor and the orphan and the captive.
76:9
اِنَّمَا نُطۡعِمُکُمۡ لِوَجۡہِ اللّٰہِ لَا نُرِیۡدُ مِنۡکُمۡ جَزَآءً وَّ لَا شُکُوۡرًا ﴿۹﴾
We feed you, for Allah’s pleasure only — we desire from you neither reward nor thanks.
The fulfilment of vows spoken of in v. 7 is in relation to the service of God, or the act of bringing themselves closer and closer to God, while the feeding of the poor spoken of in verses 8 and 9 is in relation to the service of humanity. Thus they combine the service of God with the service of humanity. The words for Allah’s pleasure clearly show that it is of the love of God that these verses speak. Man worships Allah for the love of Allah, but the Quran requires him to serve humanity also for the love of Allah.
76:10
اِنَّا نَخَافُ مِنۡ رَّبِّنَا یَوۡمًا عَبُوۡسًا قَمۡطَرِیۡرًا ﴿۱۰﴾
Surely we fear from our Lord a stern, distressful day.
76:11
فَوَقٰہُمُ اللّٰہُ شَرَّ ذٰلِکَ الۡیَوۡمِ وَ لَقّٰہُمۡ نَضۡرَۃً وَّ سُرُوۡرًا ﴿ۚ۱۱﴾
So Allah will guard them from the evil of that day, and cause them to meet with splendour and happiness;
76:12
وَ جَزٰىہُمۡ بِمَا صَبَرُوۡا جَنَّۃً وَّ حَرِیۡرًا ﴿ۙ۱۲﴾
and reward them, for their steadfastness, with a Garden and with silk,
76:13
مُّتَّکِـِٕیۡنَ فِیۡہَا عَلَی الۡاَرَآئِکِ ۚ لَا یَرَوۡنَ فِیۡہَا شَمۡسًا وَّ لَا زَمۡہَرِیۡرًا ﴿ۚ۱۳﴾
reclining in it on raised couches; they will see therein neither (excessive heat of) sun nor intense cold.
76:14
وَ دَانِیَۃً عَلَیۡہِمۡ ظِلٰلُہَا وَ ذُلِّلَتۡ قُطُوۡفُہَا تَذۡلِیۡلًا ﴿۱۴﴾
And close down upon them are its shadows, and its fruits are made near (to them), easy to reach.
76:15
وَ یُطَافُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ بِاٰنِیَۃٍ مِّنۡ فِضَّۃٍ وَّ اَکۡوَابٍ کَانَتۡ قَؔوَارِیۡرَا۠ ﴿ۙ۱۵﴾
And round about them are made to go vessels of silver and goblets of glass,
76:16
قَؔوَارِیۡرَا۠ مِنۡ فِضَّۃٍ قَدَّرُوۡہَا تَقۡدِیۡرًا ﴿۱۶﴾
crystal-clear, made of silver — they have measured them according to a measure.
That is, everyone will receive them according to the measure of his deeds.
76:17
وَ یُسۡقَوۡنَ فِیۡہَا کَاۡسًا کَانَ مِزَاجُہَا زَنۡجَبِیۡلًا ﴿ۚ۱۷﴾
And they are made to drink therein a cup tempered with ginger —
The Arabic word for ginger is zanjabīl. It is said to have a property that is heating or warming, strengthening and exhilarating. The first cup of the love of God is spoken of in v. 5, as being tempered with camphor and bringing about suppression of evil, and this second cup is now spoken of as strengthening and exhilarating, i.e., enabling man to perform great and noble deeds. The love of God thus not only suppresses the evil inclinations of man, but also enables him to attain a still higher stage of spiritual advancement, giving him the strength to perform wonderful deeds of self-sacrifice.
Salsabīl means easy, sweet, rapid-flowing. According to some it is made up of sal, meaning ask, and sabīl, way, as if it meant, Ask your Lord a way to it.
76:19
وَ یَطُوۡفُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وِلۡدَانٌ مُّخَلَّدُوۡنَ ۚ اِذَا رَاَیۡتَہُمۡ حَسِبۡتَہُمۡ لُؤۡلُؤًا مَّنۡثُوۡرًا ﴿۱۹﴾
And round about them will go youths, never altering in age; when you see them you will think them to be scattered pearls.
Because these are heavenly blessings, and decay cannot overtake them; see 56:17.
76:20
وَ اِذَا رَاَیۡتَ ثَمَّ رَاَیۡتَ نَعِیۡمًا وَّ مُلۡکًا کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۲۰﴾
And when you look there, you see blessings and a great kingdom.
The word thamma meaning there or thither is used here in reference to the spiritual kingdom which is granted to the faithful. They are granted blessings and a great kingdom in this life as well, to which man shuts his eyes on account of his ignorance.
76:21
عٰلِیَہُمۡ ثِیَابُ سُنۡدُسٍ خُضۡرٌ وَّ اِسۡتَبۡرَقٌ ۫ وَّ حُلُّوۡۤا اَسَاوِرَ مِنۡ فِضَّۃٍ ۚ وَ سَقٰہُمۡ رَبُّہُمۡ شَرَابًا طَہُوۡرًا ﴿۲۱﴾
On them are garments of fine green silk and thick brocade, and they are adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord makes them to drink a pure drink.
As they led pure lives here, they were made to drink a pure drink in this very life. They will have a pure drink in the Hereafter, too, the heavenly life being the purest that can be imagined.
76:22
اِنَّ ہٰذَا کَانَ لَکُمۡ جَزَآءً وَّ کَانَ سَعۡیُکُمۡ مَّشۡکُوۡرًا ﴿٪۲۲﴾
Surely this is a reward for you, and your striving is recompensed.
Section 2 (Verses 76:23–76:31): Another Generation will be Raised Up
76:23
اِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡکَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ تَنۡزِیۡلًا ﴿ۚ۲۳﴾
Surely We have revealed the Quran to you, in portions.
76:24
فَاصۡبِرۡ لِحُکۡمِ رَبِّکَ وَ لَا تُطِعۡ مِنۡہُمۡ اٰثِمًا اَوۡ کَفُوۡرًا ﴿ۚ۲۴﴾
So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and do not obey a sinner or an ungrateful one among them.
This shows that the blessings mentioned in the previous section will also find a manifestation in this life; the Divine judgment will bring about the fall of one party and the rise of another.
76:25
وَ اذۡکُرِ اسۡمَ رَبِّکَ بُکۡرَۃً وَّ اَصِیۡلًا ﴿ۖۚ۲۵﴾
And glorify the name of your Lord morning and evening.
76:26
وَ مِنَ الَّیۡلِ فَاسۡجُدۡ لَہٗ وَ سَبِّحۡہُ لَیۡلًا طَوِیۡلًا ﴿۲۶﴾
And during part of the night adore Him, and glorify Him throughout a long night.
76:27
اِنَّ ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ یُحِبُّوۡنَ الۡعَاجِلَۃَ وَ یَذَرُوۡنَ وَرَآءَہُمۡ یَوۡمًا ثَقِیۡلًا ﴿۲۷﴾
Surely these (people) love the transitory life and neglect a grievous day before them.
76:28
نَحۡنُ خَلَقۡنٰہُمۡ وَ شَدَدۡنَاۤ اَسۡرَہُمۡ ۚ وَ اِذَا شِئۡنَا بَدَّلۡنَاۤ اَمۡثَالَہُمۡ تَبۡدِیۡلًا ﴿۲۸﴾
We created them and made firm their make, and, when We will, We can bring in their place others like them by change.
The mention of the grievous day in the previous verse and the statement here that another people will take the place of these are clear prophecies for this life. Hence it is called a warning in the verse that follows.
76:29
اِنَّ ہٰذِہٖ تَذۡکِرَۃٌ ۚ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰی رَبِّہٖ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۲۹﴾
Surely this is a Reminder; so whoever wishes, let him take a way to his Lord.
76:30
وَ مَا تَشَآءُوۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ یَّشَآءَ اللّٰہُ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ کَانَ عَلِیۡمًا حَکِیۡمًا ﴿٭ۖ۳۰﴾
And you do not (so) wish, unless Allah please. Surely Allah is ever Knowing, Wise.
The faithful may be spoken of here; v. 29 states that whoever wishes, let him take a way to his Lord, and v. 31 refers to the faithful in the words, He admits whom He pleases to His mercy. The meaning is that true and sincere believers have so completely submitted themselves to the Divine will and are so completely resigned that all their wishes and desires are in accordance with Allah’s pleasure (the words conveying: you do not wish but what Allah pleases). Taking the words as a general statement, note that the chapter opens with the clear statement in v. 3, We have truly shown him the way; he may be thankful or unthankful; so that man has not been constrained by God to adopt a particular course, whether for good or for evil. The end of the chapter is equally clear: Surely this is a Reminder; so whoever wishes, let him take a way to his Lord. The words — you do not wish, unless Allah please — therefore mean that man’s choice would have no effect, if it did not please Allah. There are two things necessary for the guidance of man: firstly, the revelation of the Reminder by Allah, and secondly, the acceptance of that Reminder by man. If Allah had not pleased to reveal the Reminder, man’s choice would have been nowhere.
76:31
یُّدۡخِلُ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ فِیۡ رَحۡمَتِہٖ ؕ وَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ اَعَدَّ لَہُمۡ عَذَابًا اَلِیۡمًا ﴿٪۳۱﴾
He admits whom He pleases to His mercy; and the wrongdoers — He has prepared for them a painful punishment.