English tafsir abridged from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Hafiz Ibn Kathir), abridgement by Shaykh Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri (Darussalam), via Quran.com.
Mention of the Qur'an's Revelation and the Command to be Patient and remember Allah
Allah reminds His Messenger of how He blessed him by revealing the Magnificent Qur'an to him.
فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ(Therefore be patient with constancy to the command of your Lord.,) meaning, `just as you have been honored by what has been revealed to you, then be patient with His decree and decision and know that He will handle your affairs in a good manner.'
وَلاَ تُطِعْ مِنْهُمْ ءَاثِماً أَوْ كَفُوراً(And obey neither a sinner (Athim) nor a disbeliever (Kafur) among them.) meaning, `do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites if they wish to deter you from what has been revealed to you. Rather convey that which has been revealed to you from your Lord and put your trust in Allah, for verily, Allah will protect you from the people.' The Athim is the sinner in his deeds and the Kafur is the disbeliever in his heart.
وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً(And remember the Name of your Lord every morning and afternoon.) meaning, at the beginning of the day and at its end.
وَمِنَ الَّيْلِ فَاسْجُدْ لَهُ وَسَبِّحْهُ لَيْلاً طَوِيلاً(And during the night, prostrate yourself to Him, and glorify Him a long night through.) This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَمِنَ الَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَاماً مَّحْمُودًا(And in some parts of the night offer the Salah with it (the Qur'an), as an additional prayer (Tajhajjud) for you. It may be that you Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud.) (17:79) Similarly, Allah also says,
يأَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ - قُمِ الَّيْلَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً - نِّصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلاً - أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلاً(O you wrapped! Stand all night, except a little. Half of it or a little less than that, or a little more. And recite the Qur'an Tartil.) (73:1-4)
The Censure of Love for the World and informing about the Day of the Final Return
Allah reprimands the disbelievers and those similar to them who love the world and are devoted and dedicated to it, who put the abode of the Hereafter behind them in disregard. He says;
إِنَّ هَـؤُلاَءِ يُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرُونَ وَرَآءَهُمْ يَوْماً ثَقِيلاً(Verily, these love the present life of this world, and put behind them a heavy Day.) meaning, the Day of Judgement. Then Allah says,
نَّحْنُ خَلَقْنَـهُمْ وَشَدَدْنَآ أَسْرَهُمْ(It is We Who created them, and We have made them of strong build.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others have said, "This means their creation."
وَإِذَا شِئْنَا بَدَّلْنَآ أَمْثَـلَهُمْ تَبْدِيلاً(And when We will, We can replace them with others like them with a complete replacement.) meaning, `when We wish, We will resurrect them on the Day of Judgement and change them, repeating their creation in a new form.' Here the beginning of their creation is a proof for the repetition of their creation. Ibn Zayd and Ibn Jarir both said,
وَإِذَا شِئْنَا بَدَّلْنَآ أَمْثَـلَهُمْ تَبْدِيلاً(And when We will, We can replace them with others like them with a complete replacement.) "This means, if We wish We can bring another group of people besides them (in their place)." This is like Allah's statement,
إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَيَأْتِ بِـاخَرِينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى ذلِكَ قَدِيراً(If He wills, He can take you away, O people, and bring others. And Allah is capable over that.) (4:133) This is also like His statement,
إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُـمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ وَمَا ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ(If He wills, He can remove you and bring a new creation! And for Allah that is not hard or difficult.) (14:19-20)
The Qur'an is a Reminder, and Guidance comes from the Help of Allah
Allah then says,
إِنَّ هَـذِهِ تَذْكِرَةٌ(Verily, this is an admonition,) meaning, this Surah is a reminder.
فَمَن شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ سَبِيلاً(so whosoever wills, let him take a path to his Lord.) meaning, a path and a way. This means, whoever wishes to be guided by the Qur'an. This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ(And what loss have they if they had believed in Allah and in the Last Day.) (4:39) Then Allah says,
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ(But you cannot will, unless Allah wills.) meaning, no one is able to guide himself, enter into faith or bring about any benefit for himself,
إِلاَّ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً(Unless Allah wills. Verily, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) meaning, He is Most Knowledgeable of who deserves to be guided. So, He makes guidance easy for him and He predestines for him that which will be a cause for it. However, whoever deserves misguidance, He averts guidance from him. Unto Him belongs the most excellent wisdom and the most irrefutable argument. Thus, He says,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً(Verily, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) Then He says,
يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَآءُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِ وَالظَّـلِمِينَ أَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً(He will admit to His mercy whom He wills and as for the wrongdoers -- He has prepared a painful torment.) meaning, He guides whomever He wishes and He leads astray whomever He wishes. Whoever He guides, there is no one who can lead him astray; and whoever He leads astray, there is no one who can guide him. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Insan. And all praise and thanks are due to Allah.
Which was revealed in Makkah
The Revelation of this Surat and its Recitation in the Maghrib Prayer
Al-Bukhari recorded from `Abdullah - that is Ibn Mas`ud -- that he said, "While we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a cave at Mina,
وَالْمُرْسَلَـتِ
(By the Mursalat.) was revealed to him. He was reciting it and I was learning it from his mouth. Verily, his mouth was moist with it when a snake leaped out at us. The Prophet said,
«اقْتُلُوهَا»
(Kill it!) So we quickly went after it, but it got away. Then the Prophet said,
«وُقِيَتْ شَرَّكُمْ، كَمَا وُقِيتُمْ شَرَّهَا»
(It was saved from your harm just as you all were saved from its harm.)" Muslim also recorded this Hadith by way of Al-A`mash. Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Abbas, who reported from his mother that she heard the Prophet reciting
وَالْمُرْسَلَـتِ عُرْفاً
(By the Mursalat.) in the Maghrib prayer. In a report from Malik on the authority of Ibn `Abbas, he narrated that Umm Al-Fadl (his mother) heard him (Ibn `Abbas) reciting
وَالْمُرْسَلَـتِ عُرْفاً
(By the Mursalat `Urfa.) (77:1) so she said, "O my son! You reminded me with your recitation of this Surat. Verily, it is the last thing I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He recited it in the Maghrib prayer (i.e., before he died)." Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this report in the Two Sahihs by way of Malik.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Allah's swearing by Different Creatures about the Occurrence of the Hereafter
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said,
وَالْمُرْسَلَـتِ عُرْفاً
(By the Mursalat `Urfa.) "The angels." From Masruq, Abu Ad-Duha, Mujahid in one narrations from him, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, statements similar to this have been reported. It has been reported from Abu Salih that he said, "These are the Messenger ﷺ." In another narration from him (Abu Salih) he said that it means the angels. Abu Salih has also said the meaning of Al-`Asifat, An-Nashirat, Al-Fariqat and Al-Mulqiyat, that they all refer to the angels. Ath-Thawri narrated from Salamah bin Kuhayl, who reported from Muslim Al-Batin, who reported from Abu Al-`Ubaydayn that he asked Ibn Mas`ud about the meaning of Al-Mursalat `Urfa, and he (Ibn Mas`ud) said, "The wind." He said the same about Al-`Asifat `Asfa and An-Nashirat Nashra, that they all refer to the wind. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah all said the same. Ibn Jarir confidently affirmed that Al-`Asifat `Asfa means the wind just as Ibn Mas`ud and those who followed him said.However, he (Ibn Jarir) did not affirm whether An-Nashirat Nashra are the angels or the wind as has preceded. It has been reported from Abu Salih that An-Nashirat Nashra is the rain. The most obvious meaning is as Allah says,
وَأَرْسَلْنَا الرِّيَاحَ لَوَاقِحَ
(And we send the winds fertilizing.) (15:22) He also says,
وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرىً بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ
(And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy (rain).) (7:57) Similarly, Al-`Asifat are winds. It is said (in Arabic) that the winds `Asifat when they make noise with their blowing. Likewise, An-Nashirat are the winds that scatter into clouds in the horizons of the sky according to the will of the Lord. Allah then says,
فَالْفَـرِقَـتِ فَرْقاً - فَالْمُلْقِيَـتِ ذِكْراً - عُذْراً أَوْ نُذْراً
(The Fariqat that separate, the Mulqiyat that remind, excusing or warning.) meaning, the angels. This was said by Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Masruq, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi and Ath-Thawri. There is no difference of opinion here, because they (the angels) are the ones who descend with Allah's command to the Messengers, separating between the truth and falsehood, guidance and misguidance, and the lawful and the forbidden. They bring the revelation to the Messengers, which contains exemption or absolvement for the creatures and a warning for them of Allah's torment if they oppose His command. Allah said,
إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَقِعٌ
(Surely, what you are promised will occur.) This is the subject of these oaths. This means, what you all have been promised concerning the establishment of the Hour (Judgement Day), the blowing of the horn, the resurrection of the bodies, the gathering of those of old and those of latter times on one common ground and the rewarding of every doer of a deed based upon his deed. If he did good, then his reward will be good, and if he did evil, then his reward will be evil. All of this will occur, meaning it will come to pass and there is no avoiding it.
A Mention of some of what will occur on the Day of Judgement
Then Allah says,
فَإِذَا النُّجُومُ طُمِسَتْ
(Then when the stars lose their lights.) meaning, their light will leave. This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انكَدَرَتْ
(And when the star fall.) (81:2) It is also similar to His statement,
وَإِذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ انتَثَرَتْ
(And when the stars have fallen and scattered.) (82:2) Then Allah says,
وَإِذَا السَّمَآءُ فُرِجَتْ
(And when Furijat the heaven.) meaning, it is cleft asunder, becomes split, its sides fall and its edges become weak.
وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ نُسِفَتْ
(And when the mountains are blown away.) meaning, they will be removed and no sight or trace of them will remain. This is as Allah says,
وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ فَقُلْ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسْفاً
(And they ask you concerning the mountains: Say, "My Lord will blast them and scatter them as particles of dust.") (20:105) Allah also says,
" وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ الْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى الاٌّرْضَ بَارِزَةً وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً
(And (remember) the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away (like clouds of dust), and you will see the earth as a leveled plain, and we shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind.) (18:47) Then He says,
وَإِذَا الرُّسُلُ أُقِّتَتْ
(And when the Messengers are Uqqitat.) Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas that he said that Uqqitat means "Gathered." Ibn Zayd said, "This is similar to Allah's statement,
يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ الرُّسُلَ
(On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together.) Mujahid said,
أُقِّتَتْ
(Uqqitat.) "This means postponed." Ath-Thawri narrated from Mansur, who narrated from Ibrahim that he said concerning the word,
أُقِّتَتْ
(Uqqitat.) "This means promised." It seems as though he holds this to be similar to Allah's statement,
وَأَشْرَقَتِ الاٌّرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ وَجِـىءَ بِالنَّبِيِّيْنَ وَالشُّهَدَآءِ وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ
(And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord: and the Book will be produced; and the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward; and it will be judged between them with truth, and they will not be wronged.) (39:69) Then Allah says,
لأَيِّ يَوْمٍ أُجِّلَتْ - لِيَوْمِ الْفَصْلِ - وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ - وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
(For what Day are these signs postponed For the Day of Sorting Out. And what will explain to you what is the Day of Sorting Out Woe that Day to the deniers!) Allah is saying, `for which day are the Messengers postponed and their matter expected, so that the Hour will be established' This is as Allah says,
فَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْلِفَ وَعْدِهِ رُسُلَهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انتِقَامٍ - يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الاٌّرْضُ غَيْرَ الاٌّرْضِ وَالسَّمَـوَتُ وَبَرَزُواْ للَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ
(So think not that Allah will fail to keep His promise to His Messengers. Certainly, Allah is Almighty, All-Able of Retribution. On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens, and they will appear before Allah, the One, the Irresistible.) (14:47, 48) This is the Day of Sorting Out, as Allah says,
لِيَوْمِ الْفَصْلِ
(the Day of Sorting Out.) Then Allah says, in magnifying its matter,
وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ - وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
(And what will explain to you what is the Day of Sorting Out Woe that Day to the deniers.) meaning, woe unto them from Allah's torment that is coming in the future.
The Call to contemplate the various Manifestations of Allah's Power
Allah says,
أَلَمْ نُهْلِكِ الاٌّوَّلِينَ(Did We not destroy the ancients) meaning, those who rejected the Messengers and opposed what they came to them with.
ثُمَّ نُتْبِعُهُمُ الاٌّخِرِينَ(So shall We make later generations to follow them.) meaning, from those who are similar to them. Thus, Allah says,
كَذَلِكَ نَفْعَلُ بِالْمُجْرِمِينَ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ(Thus do We deal with the criminals. Woe that Day to the deniers!) Ibn Jarir said this. Then Allah reminding His creatures of His favor, and using the beginning of creation to support the idea of repeating it, He says:
أَلَمْ نَخْلُقكُّم مِّن مَّآءٍ مَّهِينٍ(Did We not create you from a despised water) meaning, weak and despised in comparison to the power of the Creator. This is similar to what has been reported in the Hadith of Busr bin Jahhash (that Allah says),
«ابْنَ آدَمَ أَنْى تُعْجِزُنِي وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِنْ مِثْلِ هَذِهِ؟»("(O) Son of Adam ! How can you think that I am unable, and yet I created you from something like this (i.e., semen)")
فَجَعَلْنَـهُ فِى قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ(Then We placed it in a place of safety,) meaning, `We gathered him in the womb, where the fluid of the man and the woman settles. The womb has been prepared for this, as a protector of the fluid deposited in it. Allah said:
إِلَى قَدَرٍ مَّعْلُومٍ(For a known period) meaning, for a fixed period of time, which is from six months to nine months. Thus, Allah says,
فَقَدَرْنَا فَنِعْمَ الْقَـدِرُونَ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ(So We did measure; and We are the best to measure. Woe that Day to the deniers!) Then Allah says,
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الاٌّرْضَ كِفَاتاً - أَحْيَآءً وَأَمْوتاً(Have We not made the earth Kifat for the living and the dead) Ibn `Abbas said, "Kifat means a place of shelter." Mujahid said, "It holds the dead so that nothing is seen of it." Ash-Sha`bi said, "Its interior is for your dead and its surface is for your living." Mujahid and Qatadah also said this.
وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِىَ شَـمِخَـتٍ(And have placed therein fixed towers,) meaning, the mountains. The earth is held in place with them so that it does not shake and sway.
وَأَسْقَيْنَـكُم مَّآءً فُرَاتاً(and have given you Furat water) meaning, cold and delicious water from the clouds or from what He causes to gush forth from the springs of the earth.
وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ(Woe that Day to the deniers!) meaning, woe to whoever reflects upon these created things which demonstrate the greatness of their Creator, then after that continues to reject Him and disbelieve in Him.