وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن تَقُولَ ٱلۡإِنسُ وَٱلۡجِنُّ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا
And we had thought that mankind and the jinn would never speak about AllŒh a lie.
وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ رِجَالٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمۡ رَهَقٗا
And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden [i.e., sin].
وَأَنَّهُمۡ ظَنُّواْ كَمَا ظَنَنتُمۡ أَن لَّن يَبۡعَثَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٗا
And they had thought, as you thought, that AllŒh would never send anyone [as a messenger].
وَأَنَّا لَمَسۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ فَوَجَدۡنَٰهَا مُلِئَتۡ حَرَسٗا شَدِيدٗا وَشُهُبٗا
And we have sought [to reach] the heaven but found it filled with powerful guards and burning flames.
وَأَنَّا كُنَّا نَقۡعُدُ مِنۡهَا مَقَٰعِدَ لِلسَّمۡعِۖ فَمَن يَسۡتَمِعِ ٱلۡأٓنَ يَجِدۡ لَهُۥ شِهَابٗا رَّصَدٗا
And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing,[1] but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him.
1- Before the prophethood of Muúammad () the jinn used to collect information by eavesdropping on the angels and then pass it on to fortunetellers and soothsayers.
وَأَنَّا لَا نَدۡرِيٓ أَشَرٌّ أُرِيدَ بِمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ أَرَادَ بِهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ رَشَدٗا
And we do not know [therefore] whether evil is intended for those on earth or whether their Lord intends for them a right course.
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَۖ كُنَّا طَرَآئِقَ قِدَدٗا
And among us are the righteous, and among us are [others] not so; we were [of] divided ways.[1]
1- In opinion, belief and religious practice.
وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن نُّعۡجِزَ ٱللَّهَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَن نُّعۡجِزَهُۥ هَرَبٗا
And we have become certain that we will never cause failure to AllŒh upon earth, nor can we escape Him by flight.
وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعۡنَا ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ فَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِرَبِّهِۦ فَلَا يَخَافُ بَخۡسٗا وَلَا رَهَقٗا
And when we heard the guidance [i.e., the QurÕŒn], we believed in it. And whoever believes in his Lord will not fear deprivation or burden.[1]
1- In regard to his account in the Hereafter. Nothing of his good will be diminished, nor will the evil of another be placed upon him.
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلۡمُسۡلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا ٱلۡقَٰسِطُونَۖ فَمَنۡ أَسۡلَمَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ تَحَرَّوۡاْ رَشَدٗا
And among us are Muslims [in submission to AllŒh], and among us are the unjust.[1] And whoever has become Muslim – those have sought out the right course.
1- i.e., those who deviate from the truth and act tyrannically.
وَأَمَّا ٱلۡقَٰسِطُونَ فَكَانُواْ لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبٗا
But as for the unjust, they will be, for Hell, firewood.'
وَأَلَّوِ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ عَلَى ٱلطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰهُم مَّآءً غَدَقٗا
And [AllŒh revealed] that if they had remained straight on the way, We would have given them abundant rain [i.e., provision].
لِّنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيهِۚ وَمَن يُعۡرِضۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّهِۦ يَسۡلُكۡهُ عَذَابٗا صَعَدٗا
So We might test them therein. And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord[1] He will put into arduous punishment.
1- i.e., refuses obedience to Him.
وَأَنَّ ٱلۡمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدۡعُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٗا
And [He revealed] that the masjids[1] are for AllŒh, so do not invoke[2] with AllŒh anyone.
1- The term "masjid" here includes every place of worship or the earth in general.
2- Or "worship."
وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبۡدُ ٱللَّهِ يَدۡعُوهُ كَادُواْ يَكُونُونَ عَلَيۡهِ لِبَدٗا
And that when the Servant [i.e., Prophet] of AllŒh stood up supplicating Him, they almost became about him a compacted mass."[1]
1- Crowding on top of each other in the manner of locusts in order to hear him (). "They" may refer to the jinn or to the disbelievers among the Arabs.
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَدۡعُواْ رَبِّي وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِهِۦٓ أَحَدٗا
Say, [O Muúammad], "I only invoke my Lord and do not associate with Him anyone."
قُلۡ إِنِّي لَآ أَمۡلِكُ لَكُمۡ ضَرّٗا وَلَا رَشَدٗا
Say, "Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction."
قُلۡ إِنِّي لَن يُجِيرَنِي مِنَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٞ وَلَنۡ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدًا
Say, "Indeed, there will never protect me from AllŒh anyone [if I should disobey], nor will I find in other than Him a refuge.
إِلَّا بَلَٰغٗا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِسَٰلَٰتِهِۦۚ وَمَن يَعۡصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا
But [I have for you] only notification from AllŒh, and His messages." And whoever disobeys AllŒh and His Messenger – then indeed, for him is the fire of Hell; they will abide therein forever.
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوۡاْ مَا يُوعَدُونَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ أَضۡعَفُ نَاصِرٗا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدٗا
[The disbelievers continue] until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in helpers and less in number.
قُلۡ إِنۡ أَدۡرِيٓ أَقَرِيبٞ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ أَمۡ يَجۡعَلُ لَهُۥ رَبِّيٓ أَمَدًا
Say, "I do not know if what you are promised is near or if my Lord will grant for it a [long] period."
عَٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ فَلَا يُظۡهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيۡبِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا
[He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone
إِلَّا مَنِ ٱرۡتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٖ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَسۡلُكُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦ رَصَدٗا
Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before him [i.e., each messenger] and behind him observers[1]
1- Guardian angels to protect the messenger and the message.
لِّيَعۡلَمَ أَن قَدۡ أَبۡلَغُواْ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيۡهِمۡ وَأَحۡصَىٰ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عَدَدَۢا
That he [i.e., Muúammad ()] may know[1] that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord; and He has encompassed whatever is with them and has enumerated all things in number.
1- This phrase may also be read: "So He [i.e., AllŒh] may make evident."
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُزَّمِّلُ
O you who wraps himself [in clothing][1]
1- AllŒh (subúŒnahu wa taÔŒlŒ) addresses the Prophet (), who was asleep, wrapped in his garments.
قُمِ ٱلَّيۡلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا
Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little –
نِّصۡفَهُۥٓ أَوِ ٱنقُصۡ مِنۡهُ قَلِيلًا
Half of it – or subtract from it a little
أَوۡ زِدۡ عَلَيۡهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ تَرۡتِيلًا
Or add to it, and recite the QurÕŒn with measured recitation.
إِنَّا سَنُلۡقِي عَلَيۡكَ قَوۡلٗا ثَقِيلًا
Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word.[1]
1- i.e., the revelation, which when descending on the Prophet () bore down upon him with a great weight. Another meaning is "important ordinances."
إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيۡلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطۡـٔٗا وَأَقۡوَمُ قِيلًا
Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue][1] and more suitable for words.[2]
1- Another accepted interpretation of the same words is "Indeed, arising at night is more difficult...," meaning that it will only be done by sincere believers and not others.
2- i.e., for recitation of the QurÕŒn and for hearing and understanding it.