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78: The Announcement (An-Naba)

Revealed at Makkah

This chapter is entitled Al-Naba’ or the Announcement, from the mention in v. 2 of the tremendous or very great announcement. It announces to humanity that God will give life to a dead earth through the Holy Prophet. It speaks also of the day of Decision to show that Truth will ultimately triumph over opposition to it. Its revelation belongs to the early period at Makkah.

Section 1 (Verses 78:1–78:30): The Day of Decision

78:1

عَمَّ یَتَسَآءَلُوۡنَ ۚ﴿۱﴾

About what do they ask one another?

78:2

عَنِ النَّبَاِ الۡعَظِیۡمِ ۙ﴿۲﴾

About the tremendous announcement

78:3

الَّذِیۡ ہُمۡ فِیۡہِ مُخۡتَلِفُوۡنَ ؕ﴿۳﴾

concerning which they differ.

Note 78:3

Some commentators take the “tremendous announcement” to signify the Quran, others the prophethood of Muhammad and still others the day of Resurrection. In fact, all three are included. The Quran was revealed as the greatest of the Divine messages hitherto given to humanity, because it was a message for the whole of humanity, compared with the smaller messages to this or that nation. It was, moreover, the most complete message. It gave the great news that the whole of humanity would receive life through it. They differed about it not only in the sense that they rejected it, but also because they put in different suggestions, some saying that the Prophet was a madman, others that he was a dreamer, others still that he was a poet or a fabricator, and so on.

78:4

کَلَّا سَیَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ۙ﴿۴﴾

No, they will soon know;

78:5

ثُمَّ کَلَّا سَیَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۵﴾

no, again, they will soon know.

78:6

اَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ الۡاَرۡضَ مِہٰدًا ۙ﴿۶﴾

Have We not made the earth an expanse

78:7

وَّ الۡجِبَالَ اَوۡتَادًا ﴿۪ۙ۷﴾

and the mountains as pegs?

78:8

وَّ خَلَقۡنٰکُمۡ اَزۡوَاجًا ۙ﴿۸﴾

And We have created you in pairs,

78:9

وَّ جَعَلۡنَا نَوۡمَکُمۡ سُبَاتًا ۙ﴿۹﴾

and made your sleep for rest,

78:10

وَّ جَعَلۡنَا الَّیۡلَ لِبَاسًا ﴿ۙ۱۰﴾

and made the night a covering,

78:11

وَّ جَعَلۡنَا النَّہَارَ مَعَاشًا ﴿۪۱۱﴾

and made the day for seeking livelihood.

78:12

وَّ بَنَیۡنَا فَوۡقَکُمۡ سَبۡعًا شِدَادًا ﴿ۙ۱۲﴾

And We have made above you seven strong (bodies),

78:13

وَّ جَعَلۡنَا سِرَاجًا وَّہَّاجًا ﴿۪ۙ۱۳﴾

and made a shining lamp,

Note 78:13

The seven strong bodies of v. 12 are apparently the seven major planets of the solar system, the words above you clearly showing that the earth itself belongs to the same class, and the sun, the centre of the solar system, is spoken of in the words a shining lamp.

78:14

وَّ اَنۡزَلۡنَا مِنَ الۡمُعۡصِرٰتِ مَآءً ثَجَّاجًا ﴿ۙ۱۴﴾

and We send down from the clouds water pouring forth in abundance,

78:15

لِّنُخۡرِجَ بِہٖ حَبًّا وَّ نَبَاتًا ﴿ۙ۱۵﴾

that We may bring forth with it grain and vegetation,

78:16

وَّ جَنّٰتٍ اَلۡفَافًا ﴿ؕ۱۶﴾

and luxuriant gardens.

78:17

اِنَّ یَوۡمَ الۡفَصۡلِ کَانَ مِیۡقَاتًا ﴿ۙ۱۷﴾

Surely the day of Decision is appointed —

Note 78:17

That there is a day of Decision in this life too, which is synonymous with the ultimate triumph of Truth and the doom of opposition to its spread, is amply clear from all these early chapters.

78:18

یَّوۡمَ یُنۡفَخُ فِی الصُّوۡرِ فَتَاۡتُوۡنَ اَفۡوَاجًا ﴿ۙ۱۸﴾

the day when the trumpet is blown, so you come forth in companies,

78:19

وَّ فُتِحَتِ السَّمَآءُ فَکَانَتۡ اَبۡوَابًا ﴿ۙ۱۹﴾

and the heaven is opened so it becomes as doors,

78:20

وَّ سُیِّرَتِ الۡجِبَالُ فَکَانَتۡ سَرَابًا ﴿ؕ۲۰﴾

and the mountains are moved off, so they remain a (mere) semblance.

Note 78:20

The description contained in verses 18–20 is a prophetical description of the final triumph of Truth. People will come forth in companies to accept the Truth (see ch. 110: “when the help of Allah and victory comes and you see people entering the religion of Allah in companies”); the heaven is opened and the dead earth receives life (v. 19); the mountains — the great opposing forces — melt away, and all that remains of opposition is a mere semblance.

78:21

اِنَّ جَہَنَّمَ کَانَتۡ مِرۡصَادًا ﴿۪ۙ۲۱﴾

Surely hell lies in wait,

78:22

لِّلطَّاغِیۡنَ مَاٰبًا ﴿ۙ۲۲﴾

a destination for the inordinate,

78:23

لّٰبِثِیۡنَ فِیۡہَاۤ اَحۡقَابًا ﴿ۚ۲۳﴾

living in it for long years.

Note 78:23

The use of the word aḥqāb (long years), which signifies a limited period, leaves no doubt that the punishment of hell is not eternal. Such words are never used regarding the bliss of heavenly life, which is a clear indication that the latter will never come to an end, while the former shall; see 11:107 footnote.

78:24

لَا یَذُوۡقُوۡنَ فِیۡہَا بَرۡدًا وَّ لَا شَرَابًا ﴿ۙ۲۴﴾

They do not taste therein coolness nor drink,

78:25

اِلَّا حَمِیۡمًا وَّ غَسَّاقًا ﴿ۙ۲۵﴾

but boiling and intensely cold water,

78:26

جَزَآءً وِّفَاقًا ﴿ؕ۲۶﴾

a recompense corresponding.

Note 78:26

The punishment of hell is described here as a recompense corresponding to the sin. Various names are given to hell itself, and various sorts of punishment are spoken of. Thus every sinner has his own hell, corresponding to his sin.

78:27

اِنَّہُمۡ کَانُوۡا لَا یَرۡجُوۡنَ حِسَابًا ﴿ۙ۲۷﴾

Surely they did not fear the reckoning,

78:28

وَّ کَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِنَا کِذَّابًا ﴿ؕ۲۸﴾

and rejected Our messages, denying (them).

78:29

وَ کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ اَحۡصَیۡنٰہُ کِتٰبًا ﴿ۙ۲۹﴾

And We have recorded everything in a book,

78:30

فَذُوۡقُوۡا فَلَنۡ نَّزِیۡدَکُمۡ اِلَّا عَذَابًا ﴿٪۳۰﴾

so taste, for We shall add to you nothing but punishment.

Note 78:30

As they in their inordinacy added evil to evil, they shall have correspondingly punishment added to punishment. The addition in punishment lasts only until the evil is requited.

Section 2 (Verses 78:31–78:40): The Day of Decision

78:31

اِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ مَفَازًا ﴿ۙ۳۱﴾

Surely for those who keep their duty is achievement,

Note 78:31

The reward of good is achievement — achievement of the object of this life as also of the great goal of the next life. It is this achievement which becomes a Garden.

78:32

حَدَآئِقَ وَ اَعۡنَابًا ﴿ۙ۳۲﴾

gardens and vineyards,

78:33

وَّکَوَاعِبَ اَتۡرَابًا ﴿ۙ۳۳﴾

and youthful (companions), equals in age,

Note 78:33

It should be noted that neither the word kawā‘ib (“youthful”) nor atrāb (“equals in age”) is preceded or followed by any qualifying words. Hence kawā‘ib only means showing freshness of youth. For “equals in age” see 38:52 footnote. For further explanation see 52:20 footnote.