نَحۡنُ جَعَلۡنَٰهَا تَذۡكِرَةٗ وَمَتَٰعٗا لِّلۡمُقۡوِينَ
We have made it a reminder[1] and provision for the travelers,[2]
1- Of the great fire of Hell.
2- In the form of flints or other means by which to ignite fire. Travelers are mentioned because of the special convenience to them, although it is a provision for all people in general.
فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ
So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.
۞فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِمَوَٰقِعِ ٱلنُّجُومِ
Then I swear by the setting of the stars,[1]
1- AllŒh (subúŒnahu wa taÔŒlŒ) confirms absolutely by oath.
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَقَسَمٞ لَّوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ
And indeed, it is an oath – if you could know – [most] great.
إِنَّهُۥ لَقُرۡءَانٞ كَرِيمٞ
Indeed, it is a noble QurÕŒn.
فِي كِتَٰبٖ مَّكۡنُونٖ
In a Register well-protected;[1].
1- The Preserved Slate (al-Lawú al-Maúf´th), which is with AllŒh (subúŒnahu wa taÔŒlŒ).
لَّا يَمَسُّهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُطَهَّرُونَ
None touch it except the purified [i.e., the angels].
تَنزِيلٞ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
[It is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.
أَفَبِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَنتُم مُّدۡهِنُونَ
Then is it to this statement that you are indifferent
وَتَجۡعَلُونَ رِزۡقَكُمۡ أَنَّكُمۡ تُكَذِّبُونَ
And make [the thanks for] your provision that you deny [the Provider]?
فَلَوۡلَآ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ ٱلۡحُلۡقُومَ
Then why, when it [i.e., the soul at death] reaches the throat
وَأَنتُمۡ حِينَئِذٖ تَنظُرُونَ
And you are at that time looking on –
وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُبۡصِرُونَ
And We [i.e., Our angels] are nearer to him than you, but you do not see –
فَلَوۡلَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ غَيۡرَ مَدِينِينَ
Then why do you not, if you are not to be recompensed,
تَرۡجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ
Bring it back,[1] if you should be truthful?
1- i.e., return the soul to the body, meaning that just as you cannot prevent death when it is decreed, you will not escape the recompense when it is decreed.
فَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ
And if he [i.e., the deceased] was of those brought near [to AllŒh],
فَرَوۡحٞ وَرَيۡحَانٞ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٖ
Then [for him is] rest and bounty and a garden of pleasure.
وَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ
And if he was of the companions of the right,
فَسَلَٰمٞ لَّكَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ
Then [the angels will say], "Peace for you; [you are] from the companions of the right."
وَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
But if he was of the deniers [who were] astray,
فَنُزُلٞ مِّنۡ حَمِيمٖ
Then [for him is] accommodation of scalding water
وَتَصۡلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ
And burning in Hellfire.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ ٱلۡيَقِينِ
Indeed, this is the true certainty,
فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ
So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.
سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ
Whatever is in the heavens and earth exalts AllŒh,[1] and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
1- By praising Him and declaring Him far above and beyond any failure or imperfection.
لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ يُحۡيِۦ وَيُمِيتُۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٌ
His is the dominion of the heavens and earth. He gives life and causes death, and He is over all things competent.
هُوَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُ وَٱلۡأٓخِرُ وَٱلظَّـٰهِرُ وَٱلۡبَاطِنُۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ
He is the First[1] and the Last,[2] the Ascendant[3] and the Intimate,[4] and He is, of all things, Knowing.
1- Before whom nothing existed. Also, He who is supreme, foremost or uppermost.
2- Enduring eternally when nothing else remains.
3- Nothing being above Him. Another meaning is "the Apparent," i.e., evident through His creation and revelation.
4- Nothing being nearer than Him by way of His knowledge. Another meaning is "the Unapparent," i.e., concealed from man's physical senses.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ يَعۡلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعۡرُجُ فِيهَاۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٞ
It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne.[1] He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein; and He is with you[2] wherever you are. And AllŒh, of what you do, is Seeing.
1- See footnotes to 2:19 and 7:54.
2- In knowledge – observing and witnessing.
لَّهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرۡجَعُ ٱلۡأُمُورُ
His is the dominion of the heavens and earth. And to AllŒh are returned [all] matters.
يُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِۚ وَهُوَ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
He causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night, and He is Knowing of that within the breasts.