English tafsir abridged from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Hafiz Ibn Kathir), abridgement by Shaykh Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri (Darussalam), via Quran.com.
The Great Success will be for Those Who have Taqwa
Allah informs about the happy people and what He has prepared for them of esteem, and eternal pleasure. Allah says,
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازاً(Verily, for those who have Taqwa, there will be a success;) Ibn `Abbas and Ad-Dahhak both said, "A place of enjoyable recreation." Mujahid and Qatadah both said, "They are successful and thus, they are saved from the Hellfire." The most obvious meaning here is the statement of Ibn `Abbas, because Allah says after this,
حَدَآئِقَ(Hada'iq) And Hada'iq are gardens of palm trees and other things.
حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعْنَـباً - وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَاباً(And vineyards, and Kawa`ib Atrab,) meaning, wide-eyed maidens with fully developed breasts. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others have said,
كَواعِبَ(Kawa`ib) "This means round breasts. They meant by this that the breasts of these girls will be fully rounded and not sagging, because they will be virgins, equal in age. This means that they will only have one age." The explanation of this has already been mentioned in Surat Al-Waqi`ah. Concerning Allah's statement,
وَكَأْساً دِهَاقاً(And a cup Dihaq.) Ibn `Abbas said, "Continuously filled." `Ikrimah said, "Pure." Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, and Ibn Zayd all said,
دِهَاقاً(Dihaq) "This means completely filled." Then Allah says,
لاَّ يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْواً وَلاَ كِذَباً(No Laghw shall they hear therein, nor lying;) This is similar to Allah's statement,
لاَّ لَغْوٌ فِيهَا وَلاَ تَأْثِيمٌ(Free from any Laghw, and free from sin.) (52:23) meaning, there will not be any vain, worthless speech therein, nor any sinful lying. Rather, it will be the abode of peace, and everything that is in it will be free of any shortcomings. Allah then says,
جَزَآءً مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَاباً(Rewarded from your Lord with a sufficient gift.) meaning, `this that We have mentioned to you is what Allah will reward them with, and they will be given it by His favor and from Him. It will be a kindness, mercy, gift, and recompense from Him. It will be sufficient, suitable, comprehensive and abundant.' The Arabs say, "He gave me and he sufficed me." This means that he sufficiently provided for me." From this comes the saying, "Allah is sufficient for me."
No one will dare to speak before Allah -- not even the Angels - without first receiving Permission
Allah informs of His magnificence and His majesty, and that He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is in them and between them. He explains that He is the Most Gracious, Whose mercy covers all things. Then He says,
لاَ يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَاباً(With Whom they cannot dare to speak.) meaning, no one is able to begin addressing Him except by His permission. This is as Allah says,
مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ(Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission) (2:255) It is also similar to His statement,
يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لاَ تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ(On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His leave.) (11:105)
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ صَفّاً لاَّ يَتَكَلَّمُونَ(The Day that Ar-Ruh and the angels will stand forth in rows, they will not speak) (78:38) The word Ruh here is referring to the angel Jibril. This has been said by Ash-Sha`bi, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak. This is as Allah says,
نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ - عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ(Which the trustworthy Ruh has brought down. Upon your heart that you may be of the warners.) (26:193-194) Muqatil bin Hayyan said, "The Ruh is the noblest of the angels, the closest of them to the Lord, and the one who delivers the revelation." Allah said;
إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـنُ(except him whom Ar-Rahman allows,) This is similar to Allah's statement,
يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لاَ تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ(On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His leave.) (11:105) This is similar to what has been confirmed in the Sahih, that the Prophet said,
«وَلَا يَتَكَلَّمُ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلَّا الرُّسُل»(And none will speak on that Day except the Messengers.)" Allah said,
وَقَالَ صَوَاباً(and he will speak what is right.) meaning, the truth. And from the truth is the fact that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah. This is as Abu Salih and `Ikrimah both said. In reference to Allah's statement,
ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ الْحَقُّ(That is the True Day.) meaning, it will come to pass and there is no avoiding it.
فَمَن شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ مَـَاباً(So, whosoever wills, let him seek a place with His Lord!) meaning, a place of return, a path that leads to Him, and a way that he may pass by to get to Him.
The Day of Judgement is Near
Allah said,
إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَـكُمْ عَذَاباً قَرِيباً(Verily, We have warned you of a near torment) meaning, the Day of Judgement. It is mentioned here to emphasize the fact that its occurrence has become close, because everything that is coming will certainly come to pass.
يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ الْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ(the Day when man will see that which his hands have sent forth,) meaning, all of his deeds will be presented to him -- the good and bad, and the old and new. This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَوَجَدُواْ مَا عَمِلُواْ حَاضِرًا(And they will find all that they did, placed before them.) (18:49) t It is also similar to His statement,
يُنَبَّأُ الإِنسَـنُ يَوْمَئِذِ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ(On that Day man will be informed of what he sent forward, and what he left behind.) (75:13) Then Allah says,
وَيَقُولُ الْكَافِرُ يَـلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَباً(and the disbeliever will say: "Woe to me! Would that I were dust!") meaning, the disbeliever on that Day will wish that he had only been dust in the worldly life.
He will wish that he had not been created and that he had never come into existence. This will be when he sees the torment of Allah and he looks at his wicked deeds that will be written down against him by the noble righteous scribes among angels. It has been said that he will only wish for that when Allah passes judgement between all of the animals that were in the worldly life. He will rectify matters between them with His just wisdom that does not wrong anyone. Even the hornless sheep will be allowed to avenge itself against the sheep with horns.
Then, when the judgement between them is finished, He (Allah) will say to them (the animals), "Be dust." So they will all become dust. Upon witnessing this the disbeliever will say,
يَـلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَباً(Would that I were dust!) meaning, `I wish I was an animal so that I would be returned to dust.' Something of similar meaning to this has been reported in the well-known Hadith about the Sur. There are also narrations recorded from Abu Hurayrah, `Abdullah bin `Amr, and others concerning this. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat An-Naba'. And all praise and thanks are due to Allah. He is the Giver of success and protection from error.
The Tafsir of Surat An-Nazi`at (Chapter - 79) Which was revealed in Makkah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِIn the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Swearing by Five Characteristics that the Day of Judgement will occur
Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Masruq, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Salih, Abu Ad-Duha and As-Suddi all said,
وَالنَّـزِعَـتِ غَرْقاً(By those who pull out, drowning.) "These are the angels who remove the souls from the Children of Adam." Among them are those whose souls are removed by the angels with difficulty, as if he is being drowned during its removal. There are those people whose souls the angels remove with ease, as if they were unraveling him (i.e., his soul from him) due to their briskness. This is the meaning of Allah's statement,
وَالنَّـشِطَـتِ نَشْطاً(By those who free briskly.) This has been mentioned by Ibn `Abbas. In reference to Allah's statement,
وَالسَّـبِحَـتِ سَبْحاً(And by the swimmers, swimming.) Ibn Mas`ud said, "They are the angels." Similar statements have been reported from `Ali, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, and Abu Salih. Concerning Allah's statement,
فَالسَّـبِقَـتِ سَبْقاً(And by the racers, racing.) It has been narrated from `Ali, Masruq, Mujahid, Abu Salih, and Al-Hasan Al-Basri that this means the angels. Then Allah says,
فَالْمُدَبِّرَتِ أَمْراً(And by those who arrange affairs.) `Ali, Mujahid, `Ata', Abu Salih, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, and As-Suddi all said, "They are the angels." Al-Hasan added, "They control the affairs from the heaven to the earth, meaning by the command of their Lord, the Mighty and Majestic."
The Description of the Day of Judgement, the People, and what They will say
Then Allah says,
يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الرَّاجِفَةُ - تَتْبَعُهَا الرَّادِفَةُ(On the Day the Rajifah shakes, followed by the Radifah.) Ibn `Abbas said, "These are the two blasts (of the Trumpet) -- the first and the second." Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others have made similar statements. It has been reported from Mujahid that he said, "In reference to the first, it is the statement of Allah,
يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الرَّاجِفَةُ(On the Day the Rajifah shakes,) This is similar to Allah's statement,
يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الاٌّرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ(On the Day the earth and the mountains shake.) (73:14) The second is Ar-Radifah, and it is like the Allah's statement,
وَحُمِلَتِ الاٌّرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةً وَحِدَةً(And the earth and mountains shall be removed from their places, and crushed with a single crushing.) (69:14)" Concerning Allah's statement,
قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ(Hearts that Day will tremble.) Ibn `Abbas said, "This means afraid." Mujahid and Qatadah also said this.
أَبْصَـرُهَا خَـشِعَةٌ(Their vision humiliated.) meaning, the eyes of the people. It means that the eyes will be lowly and disgraced from what they will witness of terrors. Allah then says,
يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِى الْحَـفِرَةِ(They say: "Shall we indeed be brought back from Al-Hafirah") meaning, the idolators of the Quraysh and whoever rejects the Hereafter as they did. They consider the occurrence of the resurrection after being placed in Al-Hafirah -- which are the graves -- as something farfetched. This has been said by Mujahid. They feel that this is something impossible after the destruction of their physical bodies and the disintegration of their bones and their decaying. Thus, Allah says,
أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَـٰمًا نَّخِرَةً(Even after we are bones Nakhirah) It has also been recited: (نَاخِرَةً) (Nakhirah) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah, all said, "This means decayed." Ibn `Abbas said, "It is the bone when it has decayed and air enters into it." Concerning their saying,
تِلْكَ إِذاً كَرَّةٌ خَـسِرَةٌ(It would in that case be a return with loss.) (79:12) Muhammad bin Ka`b said that the Quraysh said, "If Allah brings us back to life after we die, then surely we will be losers." Allah then says,
فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ - فَإِذَا هُم بِالسَّاهِرَةِ(But it will be only a single Zajrah. When behold, they are at As-Sahirah.) meaning, this is a matter that is from Allah that will not occur twice, nor will there be any opportunity to affirm it or verify it. The people will be standing and looking. This will be when Allah commands the angel Israfil to blow into the Sur, which will be the blowing of the resurrection. At that time the first people and the last people will all be standing before their Lord looking. This is as Allah says,
يَوْمَ يَدْعُوكُمْ فَتَسْتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمْدِهِ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً(On the Day when He will call you, and you will answer with His praise and obedience, and you will think that you have stayed but a little while!) (17:52) Allah has also said,
وَمَآ أَمْرُنَآ إِلاَّ وَحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍ بِالْبَصَرِ(And our commandment is but one as the twinkling of an eye.) (54:50) Allah also says,
وَمَآ أَمْرُ السَّاعَةِ إِلاَّ كَلَمْحِ الْبَصَرِ أَوْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ(And the matter of the Hour is not but as a twinkling of the eye, or even nearer.) (16:77) Allah then says,
فَإِذَا هُم بِالسَّاهِرَةِ(When behold, they are at As-Sahirah.) Ibn `Abbas said, "As-Sahirah means the entire earth." Sa`id bin Jubayr, Qatadah and Abu Salih have all said this as well. `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, and Ibn Zayd have all said, "As-Sahirah means the face of the earth." Mujahid said, "They will be at its (the earth's) lowest part, and they will be brought out to highest part." Then he said, "As-Sahirah is a level place." Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said,
فَإِذَا هُم بِالسَّاهِرَةِ(When behold, they are at As-Sahirah.) "Allah says,
يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الاٌّرْضُ غَيْرَ الاٌّرْضِ وَالسَّمَـوَتُ وَبَرَزُواْ للَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ(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.) (14:48) and He says,
وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ فَقُلْ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسْفاً - فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعاً صَفْصَفاً - لاَّ تَرَى فِيهَا عِوَجاً وَلا أَمْتاً(And they ask you concerning the mountains: say, "My Lord will blast them and scatter them as particles of dust. Then He shall leave them as a level smooth plain.You will see therein nothing crooked or curved.) (20:105-107) and Allah says,
" وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ الْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى الاٌّرْضَ بَارِزَةً(And the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away, and you will see the earth as a leveled plain.) (18:47) and the earth will be brought forth which will have mountains upon it, and it will not be considered from this earth (of this life). It will be an earth that no sin will be performed on it, nor will any blood be shed upon it."
Mentioning the Story of Musa and that it is a Lesson for Those Who fear Allah
Allah informs His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ about His Messenger Musa. He mentions that he sent Musa to Fir`awn and He aided him with miracles. Yet, even after this, Fir`awn continued in his disbelief and transgression until Allah seized him with a mighty and powerful punishment. Thus is the punishment of whoever opposes you (Muhammad ﷺ) and rejects that which you have been sent with. This is why Allah says at the end of the story,
إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى
(In this is a Lesson for whoever fears.) Allah begins by saying,
هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَى
(Has there come to you the story of Musa) meaning, have you heard of his story
إِذْ نَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ
(When his Lord called him) meaning, He called out speaking to him.
بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ
(in the holy valley) meaning purified
طُوًى
(Tuwa) According to what is correct, it is the name of a valley, as preceded in Surah Ta Ha. So, He said to him:
اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى
(Go to Fir`awn; verily, he has transgressed all bounds.) meaning, he has become haughty, rebellious and arrogant.
فَقُلْ هَل لَّكَ إِلَى أَن تَزَكَّى
(And say to him: "Would you purify yourself") meaning, say to him, "Will you respond to the path and way that will purify you" This means, `will you submit (accept Islam) and be obedient'
وَأَهْدِيَكَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ
(And that I guide to your Lord,) meaning, `I will guide you to the worship of your Lord.'
فَتَخْشَى
(so that you fear) meaning, `so that your heart will become humble, obedient, and submissive to Him after it was hard, evil, and far away from goodness.'
فَأَرَاهُ الاٌّيَةَ الْكُبْرَى
(Then he showed him the great sign.) This means that Musa showed him -- along with this truthful call -- a strong evidence and a clear proof of the truthfulness of what he had come up with from Allah.
فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَى
(But he denied and disobeyed.) meaning, he (Fir`awn) rejected the truth and opposed what Musa commanded him with of obedience. So what happened with him was that his heart disbelieved, and Musa (i.e., his call) could not internally or externally affect it. Along with this, his knowledge that what Musa had come to him with was the truth, did not necessitate his being a believer in it. This is because recognition is the knowledge of the heart, and faith is its action. And it (faith) is to comply with the truth and submit to it. Concerning Allah's statement,
ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَى
(Then he turned back, striving.) meaning, in responding to the truth with falsehood. This was by his gathering the group of magicians in order to confront that which Musa had come up with of spectacular miracles.
فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى
(So he gathered (his people) and called out) meaning, among his people.
فَقَالَ أَنَاْ رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى
(Saying; I am your lord, most high.") Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid both said, "This is the word which Fir`awn said after he said,
مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى
(`I have not known of any other god for you all other than me) for the past forty years."' Allah then says,
فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى
(So Allah seized him with a punishing example for the Hereafter and the first (life). ) meaning, Allah avenged Himself against him with a severe vengeance, and He made an example and admonition of him for those rebellious people in the world who are like him.
وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ بِئْسَ الرِّفْدُ الْمَرْفُودُ
(And on the Day of Resurrection, evil indeed is the gift gifted i.e., the curse (in this world) pursued by another curse (in this world) pursued by another curse (in the Hereafter).) (11:99) This is as Allah says,
وَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيـمَةِ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ
(And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire: and on the Day of Resurrection, they will not be helped.) (28:41) Allah said;
إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى
(In this is a lesson for whoever fears.)