Surah Al-Nazi'at (Arabic: النازعات) is the 79th chapter of the Qur’an, revealed in Mecca, consisting of 46 verses. Its name, derived from the first verse, refers to "those who pull out," traditionally interpreted as either angels pulling out souls (the snatchers) or celestial events signaling the end times. This surah focuses on the themes of resurrection, judgment, and the consequences of human actions in both this life and the hereafter.
Connection with Previous Surahs
In the order of the Qur'an, Surah Al-Nazi'at was revealed after Surah An-Naba (Surah 78), during the early years of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ mission in Mecca, when he was heavily focused on establishing belief in the Hereafter among the Quraysh. Both surahs share the theme of the afterlife, resurrection, and the Day of Judgment. Surah An-Naba discusses the resurrection and humanity's disbelief in it, while Surah Al-Nazi'at builds on this by providing further warnings and details about the fates awaiting people on the Day of Resurrection.
Revelation:
Like many Meccan surahs, Al-Nazi'at was revealed during a period when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ faced opposition from the Quraysh. They doubted the concept of life after death, and this surah was revealed to warn them about the reality of the resurrection and the impending Day of Judgment. The surah uses vivid imagery to describe the events of the Day of Judgment, aiming to instill fear in those who deny it.
Translation:
- Verse 1: By those [angels] who extract with violence
- Verse 2: And by those who gently release
- Verse 3: And by those who glide as if swimming
- Verse 4: And those who race each other in a race
- Verse 5: And those who arrange [each] matter
- Verse 6: On the Day the blast [of the Horn] will convulse [creation]
- Verse 7: There will follow it the subsequent [one]
- Verse 8: Hearts, that Day, will tremble
- Verse 9: Their eyes humbled
- Verse 10: They are [presently] saying, "Will we indeed be returned to [our] former state [of life]?
- Verse 11: Even if we should be decayed bones?"
- Verse 12: They say, "That, then, would be a losing return."
- Verse 13: But it will be only one shout
- Verse 14: And suddenly they will be [awakened] upon the earth's surface
- Verse 15: Has there reached you the story of Moses?—
- Verse 16: When his Lord called to him in the sacred valley of Tuwa,
- Verse 17: "Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed.
- Verse 18: And say to him, 'Would you [be willing to] purify yourself
- Verse 19: And let me guide you to your Lord so you would fear [Him]?'"
- Verse 20: And he showed him the greatest sign,
- Verse 21: But Pharaoh denied and disobeyed.
- Verse 22: Then he turned his back, striving [against Allah].
- Verse 23: And he gathered [his people] and called out
- Verse 24: And said, "I am your most exalted lord."
- Verse 25: So Allah seized him in exemplary punishment for the last and the first [transgression].
- Verse 26: Indeed, in that is a warning for whoever would fear [Allah].
- Verse 27: Are you a more difficult creation or is the heaven? Allah constructed it:
- Verse 28: He raised its ceiling and proportioned it.
- Verse 29: And He darkened its night and extracted its brightness.
- Verse 30: And after that He spread the earth.
- Verse 31: He extracted from it its water and its pasture,
- Verse 32: And the mountains He set firmly
- Verse 33: As provision for you and your grazing livestock.
- Verse 34: But when there comes the greatest Overwhelming Calamity—
- Verse 35: The Day when man will remember that for which he strove,
- Verse 36: And Hellfire will be exposed for [all] those who see—
- Verse 37: So as for he who transgressed
- Verse 38: And preferred the life of the world,
- Verse 39: Then indeed, Hellfire will be [his] refuge.
- Verse 40: But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,
- Verse 41: Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.
- Verse 42: They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival?
- Verse 43: In what [position] are you that you should mention it?
- Verse 44: To your Lord is its finality.
- Verse 45: You are only a warner for those who fear it.
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Verse 46: It will be, on the Day they see it, as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.
In Depth:
1. Verses 1-5: The surah begins with a series of oaths by the angels who pull out the souls of the wicked and the righteous. These angels perform their tasks swiftly and in perfect harmony, illustrating the controlled chaos of death and resurrection. Some scholars interpret the "pulling" as referring to the souls of the wicked being yanked from their bodies harshly, while the souls of the righteous are drawn out gently.
"But how [will it be] when the angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs?"
2. Verses 6-14: The Day of Resurrection is described vividly, with cataclysmic events such as the trembling of the earth and the resurrection of the dead. The Quraysh mock the concept of resurrection, but these verses make it clear that the return to life is inevitable, emphasizing that it will happen in an instant.
"Say, "Allāh causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt, but most of the people do not know.""
Surah Al-Jathiyah (45:26)
4.Verses 27-33: Allah ﷻ invites humanity to reflect on His creation, especially the heavens and the earth. These verses affirm that the creation of the universe is far greater than the creation of mankind, and if Allah ﷻ can create the heavens and the earth, He can certainly resurrect humans.
5. Verses 34-41: A clear division is made between the fates of the wicked and the righteous. Those who have transgressed will be cast into Hell, while those who fear Allah ﷻ and restrain themselves will find refuge in Paradise.
This verse in Surah Al-Ahzab shows how the believers reaffirm their faith when they see the impending trials and say that Allah and His messenger spoke the truth. This reflects the believers' unwavering belief in Allah's promise, a theme echoed in Surah Al-Nazi'at (79:41), where it says that the one who fears standing before their Lord and restrains their desires will be rewarded with Paradise. Both surahs emphasize the fulfillment of Allah’s promises to those who believe and the severe consequences for those who reject them.
6.Verses 42-46: The surah concludes with questions about the timing of the Day of Judgment. The response is that only Allah ﷻ knows its exact time, but it will feel as though people had only lived in this world for a brief moment when it finally arrives.
"Glorious is the One to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between them. With Him is the knowledge of the Hour; and towards Him you are to be returned."
Surah Al-Zukhruf (43:85)
Themes and Reflections
- The certainty of resurrection: It reminds the disbelievers of their inevitable return to life for judgment.
- Divine power in creation: It highlights Allah’s ﷻ supreme control over both life and death, inviting people to reflect on the wonders of creation as evidence of the resurrection.
- Warning to disbelievers: It emphasizes the severe consequences of denying Allah’sﷻ message, using the example of Pharaoh.
- Reward for the righteous: Those who fear Allah ﷻ and control their desires are promised Paradise.
Translation and Pronunciation:
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