At-Tariq

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

1. Allah took an oath by the sky and He took an oath by the star that knocks at night.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

2. O Messenger! What will tell you the status of this great star?!

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

actually denotes any thing that conies by night, including Stars, because they come out at night). [86:2] And what will tell you what the night-visitor is? ( mal-tariq is a subject and predicate, Standing as the second object of [the verb] adra, ‘tell’; and what comes after the firSt ma, ‘what’, is the predicate thereof [of this firSt ma]) — this [Statement] emphasises the magnificence of the ‘night-visitor’, which is explained in what follows.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

3. It is the star that pierces the sky with its glowing light.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

4. There is no soul except that Allah has assigned to it an angel to record its deeds for the reckoning on the day of judgment.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ing [the constellation] Pleiades; or [it refers to] all Stars (the response to the oath [follows]): [86:4] Over every soul there is a keeper (if read la-ma, then ma is extra, and in, is softened in place of the hardened form with its subject omitted, that is to say, innahu; the lam is [a particle] for separation; if read lammd, then in is for negation and lamma means ilia, ‘except that’) — the watcher is an angel that keeps a record of its deeds, both the good and the evil. [86:5] So let man consider, by way of reflection, from what he was created, from what thing: [86:6] the reSJionse i…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

5. So let man reflect over what Allah created him from, so that Allah’s power and man’s inability becomes clear to him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

6. Allah created him from a spurting liquid that is split into the womb.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

7. This liquid emerges from between the spinal column of a man and the bones of the chest.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

nto the womb, [86:7] issuingfrom between the loins, of the man, and the breaft-bones, of the woman. [86:8] Assuredly He, exalted be He, is able to bring him back, to resurrect man after his death; and so when he reflects on his origins, he will realise that the One who was able to do this is also able to resurrecft him, [86:9] on the day when [all] secrets, the hidden convictions and intentions of the hearts, are inipetded, [when] they are examined and revealed, [86:10] whereat he, the one who denies resurrection, will have neither strength, to defend himself against chastisement, nor a…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

8. He, may He be glorified - since He created him from that despised liquid - has the power to bring him back to life after death for the reckoning and recompense.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

9. On the day when secrets will be tried and the intentions, beliefs etc. that the hearts conceal will be exposed, and the righteous will be distinguished from the corrupt.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

10. On that day man will not have any power to protect himself from Allah’s punishment, nor any helper to assist him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

11. Allah took an oath by the sky that contains rain, because it comes down from its direction time after time.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

12. He took an oath by the earth that cracks open to reveal the plants, fruit and trees in it.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

time and again, [86:12] and [by] the earth of fissures. Splitting with [the growth of] vegetation, [86:13] assuredly it, the Qur’an, is a decisive word, distinguishing between truth and falsehood, [86:14] and it is not ajeft, frivolity or falsehood. [86:15] Indeed they, that is, the disbelievers, are devising a plot, they are preparing plots againSt the Prophet (s), [86:16] and I [too] am devising a plot, drawing them by degrees [towards destruction] from whence they know not.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

13. This Qur’ān that is revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a word that separates truth from falsehood, and fact from lie.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

14. It is not a game and falsehood, but it is serious and the truth.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

15. Those who deny what their messenger brought to them plot and scheme to reject and refute his call.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

16. I too plot and scheme to make the religion victorious and to disprove falsehood.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

17. So give respite, O Messenger, to these disbelievers. Give them respite for a short while, and do not seek to hasten their punishment and destruction.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

[too] am devising a plot, drawing them by degrees [towards destruction] from whence they know not. [86:17] So respite, O Muhammad (s), the disbelievers; grant them respite ([reiterated as] an emphasis, one enhanced by the use of a different form [mahhil, amhil ]), that is to say, put them off, for a little (ruwayda is a verbal noun emphasising the import of the operator, and is the diminutive form of rud or irwad, with shortening of final consonant [ruwaydan, ruwayda]).…