Surah An-Naba' (78): the great news

The text: Surah An-Naba' (78), verses 1 to 40 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ ﴿١﴾ عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ ﴿٢﴾ الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٣﴾ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٤﴾ ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٥﴾ أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا ﴿٦﴾ وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا ﴿٧﴾ وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا ﴿٨﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا ﴿٩﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا ﴿١٠﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا ﴿١١﴾ وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا ﴿١٢﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا ﴿١٣﴾ وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا ﴿١٤﴾ لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا ﴿١٥﴾ وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا ﴿١٦﴾ إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَاتًا ﴿١٧﴾ يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا ﴿١٨﴾ وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا ﴿١٩﴾ وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا ﴿٢٠﴾ إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا ﴿٢١﴾ لِلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا ﴿٢٢﴾ لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا ﴿٢٣﴾ لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا ﴿٢٤﴾ إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا ﴿٢٥﴾ جَزَاءً وِفَاقًا ﴿٢٦﴾ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًا ﴿٢٧﴾ وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كِذَّابًا ﴿٢٨﴾ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ كِتَابًا ﴿٢٩﴾ فَذُوقُوا فَلَنْ نَزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا ﴿٣٠﴾ إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا ﴿٣١﴾ حَدَائِقَ وَأَعْنَابًا ﴿٣٢﴾ وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا ﴿٣٣﴾ وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا ﴿٣٤﴾ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّابًا ﴿٣٥﴾ جَزَاءً مِنْ رَبِّكَ عَطَاءً حِسَابًا ﴿٣٦﴾ رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الرَّحْمَٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًا ﴿٣٧﴾ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّا ۖ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا ﴿٣٨﴾ ذَٰلِكَ الْيَوْمُ الْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَنْ شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ مَآبًا ﴿٣٩﴾ إِنَّا أَنْذَرْنَاكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا يَوْمَ يَنْظُرُ الْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ الْكَافِرُ يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ تُرَابًا ﴿٤٠﴾

Listen to the recitation while following the text with your eyes, then read the meaning in the next block.

Arabic text: Tanzil Quran Text (Simple, version 1.0.2), © 2008-2010 Tanzil.net, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence, reproduced without any change (http://tanzil.net). Each verse is on its own line, followed by its number; the basmala, which the Tanzil file places at the start of the first verse, is written on its own line.

The name and the context An-Naba' means "the news". The surah opens with a question: what were the idolaters of Makkah discussing among themselves? "The great news" (verse 2). For many commentators it is the Resurrection; for others it is the Qur'an itself, which announces it. Ibn Kathir cites both views; Al-Mukhtasar combines them: the Qur'an, which contains the news of the Resurrection. The Makkans mocked the idea of living again after death; the surah answers them.

The meaning, passage by passage • Verses 1 to 5: a question, then a repeated warning: "No! They will soon know!" Those who deny will see the reality. • Verses 6 to 16: eleven signs of Allah's power: the earth spread out like a cradle, the mountains like pegs, human beings created in pairs, sleep that rests, the night that covers like a garment, the day for earning a living, the seven firm heavens, the sun as a blazing lamp, the rain from the clouds, and grain, plants and gardens. The reasoning is simple: He who created all this can create the human being again. • Verses 17 to 20: the "Day of Sorting" (yawm al-faṣl) is a fixed appointment: the Trumpet will be blown, people will come in crowds, the sky will be opened, the mountains will vanish like a mirage. • Verses 21 to 30: Hell lies in wait for those who transgressed. They will taste neither coolness nor any pleasant drink there: a recompense "exactly suited" (verse 26) to what they did. They did not expect a reckoning and denied the signs; yet everything has been counted and written (verse 29). • Verses 31 to 36: for the God-fearing, success: gardens, companions, a full cup, and above all no idle talk and no lies. It is a reward and a "sufficient" gift from Allah. • Verses 37 to 40: the Most Merciful, Lord of the heavens and the earth. On that Day the Spirit (Jibriil, according to many commentators) and the angels will stand in rows; no one will speak without His permission. "So whoever wills, let him take a path of return to his Lord" (verse 39). The disbeliever will say: "Alas! If only I were dust!" (verse 40).

A word to notice Verse 40: on that day "a person will see what his hands have sent ahead". Ibn Kathir reports that, according to narrations, the animals will be judged among themselves and then turned back to dust; it is then that the disbeliever will wish the same [À VÉRIFIER].

Exercise: reread verses 6 to 16 and, for each sign, find a moment in your day when you benefit from it (sleep, the night, the rain…). Thank Allah for each one.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation The surah follows a line of reasoning the Qur'an often uses: look at what Allah has already done, and you will understand that He can do it again. The earth, the mountains, sleep, the night and the rain are so familiar that we no longer see them; the surah puts them back before our eyes as proofs. As-Sa'di stresses that these signs are also blessings: whoever benefits from them every day owes his Creator gratitude and worship. Passing from sleep to waking each morning is, moreover, a small image of death and resurrection. The Day of Sorting is perfect justice: nothing is forgotten ("And everything We have recorded in writing", meaning of verse 29), and each person receives a fitting recompense. Paradise is described by what it brings the body, but also by the peace of its speech: neither idle talk nor lies. The end of the surah opens a door: "So whoever wills, let him take a path of return to his Lord." As long as we are alive, there is still time.

Lessons to draw from it • Look at creation as a book of signs, not as mere scenery. • Remember that every deed is written down, good and bad. • Seek peaceful speech already in this world: avoid lies and idle talk. • Do not put off your return to Allah.

Key points to remember • An-Naba' (78), 40 verses, Makkan: "the great news". • Verses 6 to 16: the signs of creation, proofs of the Resurrection. • Verse 17: the Day of Sorting is a fixed appointment. • Verse 39: "a path of return to his Lord".

The main message He who created the world with such precision will gather human beings to judge them: the great news is true, and there is still time to return to Him.