Sūrat al-Ghāshiya

سورۃ الغاشیہ

Sūrat al-Ghāshiya was revealed in Makkah and contains twenty-six (26) āyāt.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ

hal atāka ḥadīthu l-ghāshiya.

"Has there come to you the account of the Overwhelming Event?" (al-Ghāshiya 88:1)

Hal atāk — has it come to you? What has come? Ḥadīth — report, news, account; according to usage in hadīth it refers to what begins from a Companion who directly received it from the Prophet ﷺ who forbade something or permitted something. Al-ghāshiya — the overwhelming thing; that which descends, covers, wraps; ghishāwa, ghishyan — a cover, a veil. The intended meaning here is the Day of Resurrection.

Translation: Has the account of the happenings of the Day of Resurrection reached you?

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَاشِعَةٌ

wujūhun yawmaʾidhin khāshiʿa.

"Some faces, that Day, will be humbled." (al-Ghāshiya 88:2)

Wujūh — faces; the intended meaning here are the persons themselves. Yawmaʾidhin — on that day; the Day of Resurrection. Khāshiʿa — humbled, downcast; khashara, yakhshaʿu — to humble oneself, to show humility, to manifest submission and abasement. Khushūʿ — submission, lowering of the voice, humility — the display of weakness and humbleness.

Translation: Some faces on that day will be lowly and downcast.

عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ

ʿāmilatun nāṣiba.

"Laboring, exhausted." (al-Ghāshiya 88:3)

ʿĀmila — laboring, doing deeds, working hard. Nāṣiba — toil-stricken, the one who bears affliction; nāṣibatan — exhausted, afflicted, laboring to bear hardship, fallen into calamity.

Translation: Some faces on the Day of Resurrection will be worn out from bearing hardship.

تَصْلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةً

taṣlā nāran ḥāmiya.

"Entering a scorching Fire." (al-Ghāshiya 88:4)

Taṣlā — will enter. Nārā — fire. Ḥāmiya — blazing hot, heated, burning; khumā — hot, burning.

Translation: (These people) will enter the burning fire (to be burned in fire).

تُسْقَىٰ مِنْ عَيْنٍ آنِيَةٍ

tusqā min ʿaynin āniya.

"They will be given drink from a boiling spring." (al-Ghāshiya 88:5)

Tusqā — they will be given drink. Min ʿaynin — from a spring. Āniya — boiling; a spring that is boiling.

Translation: (Those people) will be given to drink from a boiling spring.

لَّيْسَ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِن ضَرِيعٍ

laysa lahum ṭaʿāmun illā min ḍarīʿ.

"For them there will be no food except from a thorny plant." (al-Ghāshiya 88:6)

Laysa lahum — they will have no portion of it, no food will be their lot. Ṭaʿām — food. Illā — except, but. Min ḍarīʿin — from a grass of a particular kind.

For this grass is to be eaten the work done by the animals acting irrationally.

Translation: They will have no food except the thorny pasture grass — and eating that will not be their lot.

لَّا يُسْمِنُ وَلَا يُغْنِي مِن جُوعٍ

lā yusminu wa-lā yughnī min jūʿ.

"Which neither nourishes nor avails against hunger." (al-Ghāshiya 88:7)

Lā yusminu — it does not fatten, this grass produces no strength and power in the body. Wa-lā yughnī — and it does not avail; it is not sufficient. Min jūʿ — from hunger; it does not satisfy hunger.

Translation: (This grass) can neither fatten nor drive away hunger.

This was the state of the people of Hell! Now listen to the state of the people of Paradise.

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاعِمَةٌ

wujūhun yawmaʾidhin nāʿima.

"Some faces, that Day, will be in bliss." (al-Ghāshiya 88:8)

Wujūh — faces — the beautiful faces. Yawmaʾidhin — on that day; the Day of Resurrection. Nāʿima — in bliss, fresh and tender; nāʿimatan — blissful, fresh and tender, nurtured in luxury and grace.

Translation: Some faces on the Day of Resurrection will be radiant and fresh.

لِسَعْيِهَا رَاضِيَةٌ

li-saʿyihā rāḍiya.

"Pleased with their effort." (al-Ghāshiya 88:9)

Li-saʿyihā — because of their own striving, their effort. Rāḍiya — pleased, contented; their striving they are pleased with — the effort of their labors was accepted in the Divine court.

Translation: Pleased and content with their own striving.

فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ

fī jannatin ʿāliya.

"In an elevated Garden." (al-Ghāshiya 88:10)

Fī — in. Janna — Paradise, a garden. ʿĀliya — elevated, lofty, of high dignity.

Translation: (They will be in Paradise,) in lofty gardens.

لَّا تَسْمَعُ فِيهَا لَاغِيَةً

lā tasmaʿu fīhā lāghiya.

"Wherein you will not hear ill speech." (al-Ghāshiya 88:11)

Lā tasmaʿu — will not be heard. Fīhā — in it, in Paradise. Lāghiya — vain speech, idle talk — worthless words will not be heard there.

Translation: In paradise no idle, worthless talk will be heard.

فِيهَا عَيْنٌ جَارِيَةٌ

fīhā ʿaynun jāriya.

"Within it is a flowing spring." (al-Ghāshiya 88:12)

Fīhā — in this paradise. ʿAynun — a spring, plural ghuyūn. Jāriya — flowing, running.

Translation: Within it there will be flowing springs.

فِيهَا سُرُرٌ مَّرْفُوعَةٌ

fīhā sururun marfūʿa.

"Within it are couches raised high." (al-Ghāshiya 88:13)

Fīhā — in paradise. Sururun — couches; plural of sarīr — a throne-couch, a seat. Marfūʿa — elevated, raised high — of the highest level, possessing truly great dignity.

Translation: Within it there will be couches of the highest rank (and for the Ṣūfīs, under the throne).

وَأَكْوَابٌ مَّوْضُوعَةٌ

wa-akwābun mawḍūʿa.

"And cups put in place." (al-Ghāshiya 88:14)

Wa-akwāb — and cups, goblets, vessels. Mawḍūʿa — placed down, set down; waḍaʿa, yaḍaʿu — to place, to put. Mawḍūʿ — the word itself means something that is placed.

Translation: And cups set down and placed.

وَنَمَارِقُ مَصْفُوفَةٌ

wa-namāriqu maṣfūfa.

"And cushions lined up." (al-Ghāshiya 88:15)

Wa-namāriqu — and cushions, little pillows. Maṣfūfa — arranged in rows, lined side by side; that is, these little cushions of the Ṣūfīs — the cushion-rows of the devout — lined in rows.

Translation: And little cushions (one close to another) arranged side by side in rows.

وَزَرَابِيُّ مَبْثُوثَةٌ

wa-zarābiyyu mabthūtha.

"And carpets spread around." (al-Ghāshiya 88:16)

Wa-zarābī — and carpets; plural of zarbiyya — a carpet. Mabthūtha — spread out, scattered; baththa, yabthuthu — to scatter, to spread, to unfold; batt — that which is unfolded.

Translation: And carpets spread around everywhere.

أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ

a-fa-lā yanẓurūna ilā l-ibili kayfa khuliqat.

"Then do they not look at the camels — how they are created?" (al-Ghāshiya 88:17)

A-fa-lā yanẓurūna — do these people not look and reflect? Ilā l-ibil — toward the camels. Kayfa khuliqa — how were they created, how were they made? This camel — how was such a creature made? The sun's heat of the sun that rises from the water of rain that arose from the "Monsoon" winds and the beneficial winds that reach the entire earth from there and make the earth green and fresh.

Translation: Do they not reflect (not look) on how the camel is created?

وَإِلَى السَّمَاءِ كَيْفَ رُفِعَتْ

wa-ilā l-samāʾi kayfa rufiʿat.

"And at the sky — how it is raised?" (al-Ghāshiya 88:18)

Wa-ilā l-samāʾ — and the sky, the cloud, the heaven; kayfa rufiʿat — how is it raised and how does it stand so elevated and lofty?

Translation: And (do they not look) at how the cloud is raised so high (and they want to descend to the world)?

وَإِلَى الْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ

wa-ilā l-jibāli kayfa nuṣibat.

"And at the mountains — how they are erected?" (al-Ghāshiya 88:19)

Wa-ilā l-jibāl — and do they not look at the mountains? Kayfa nuṣibat — how were they erected? They are erected as pegs, they stand as if fixed in place, they stand upright, they stand erect.

Friends! This is a point — that when the cloud comes and reaches the mountains and stops there, the cold freezes it and it turns into rain and it becomes rain. Or it passes over the cold atmosphere and becomes rain.

Translation: And (do they not look) at the mountains — how they are erected as pegs?

وَإِلَى الْأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ

wa-ilā l-arḍi kayfa suṭiḥat.

"And at the earth — how it is spread out?" (al-Ghāshiya 88:20)

Wa-ilā l-arḍ — and do they not look at the earth? Kayfa suṭiḥat — how is it leveled? How was it spread out as a surface and made flat? How was the earth made flat and leveled? If it were not flat and leveled, how could agriculture have been possible?

Translation: And (do they not look) at the earth — how it has been leveled out and made flat as a surface.

Allah created the cloud and by bringing rain from the mountains He makes the earth suitable for cultivation — and the same God who brought out fruits from the earth and produced the same things; whatever He produces from Paradise He will give you — and He will also make the provisions of your worldly pleasure available there.

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ

fa-dhakkir innamā anta mudhakkir.

"So remind; you are only a reminder." (al-Ghāshiya 88:21)

Fa-dhakkir — so you give admonition and give reminders; just go and give admonition and be an exhorter. Innamā anta mudhakkir — your sole obligation is to give admonition and exhortation. Your duty is to give admonition and exhortation — fulfill your own obligation and do not worry about whether anyone accepts it.

Translation: So (O Prophet ﷺ!) you only go on giving admonition (and reminder) — you are only a reminder (and reminder).

لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ

lasta ʿalayhim bi-muṣayṭir.

"You are not over them a controller." (al-Ghāshiya 88:22)

Lasta ʿalayhim — you are not over them. Bi-muṣayṭir — a controller, a compeller; ṣayyaṭara, yuṣayṭiru — to dominate, to exercise authority, i.e., a ruler. The reading of Hishām has musīṭir while others read it with ṣ.

Translation: You are not one who forces them.

إِلَّا مَن تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ

illā man tawallā wa-kafar.

"However, he who turns away and disbelieves —" (al-Ghāshiya 88:23)

Illā man tawallā — but the one who turns his face away, who retreats, who turns back. Wa-kafara — and who covers the truth, who denies, who turns his back on the true thing.

Translation: (Do not take them into account) but the one who turns away and covers the truth —

فَيُعَذِّبُهُ اللَّهُ الْعَذَابَ الْأَكْبَرَ

fa-yuʿadhdhibuhu llāhu l-ʿadhāba l-akbar.

"Allah will punish him with the greatest punishment." (al-Ghāshiya 88:24)

Fa-yuʿadhdhibuhu llāhu — then Allah will punish him with punishment. Al-ʿadhāba l-akbar — the greatest punishment, the most severe torment; very great punishment.

Where will he flee from our hands?

Translation: Allah will give this (irreligious person) a most severe punishment.

إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ

inna ilaynā iyābahum.

"Indeed, to Us is their return." (al-Ghāshiya 88:25)

Inna ilaynā — indeed toward Us; coming to Our court is certain for them. Iyābahum — their return, their coming back. Āba, yaʾūbu, awban — to return, to come back, to go back; iyāb — the return to one's destination.

Translation: Indeed, it is certain that they must come to Our court (be brought to account).

We do not leave them anywhere.

ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُمْ

thumma inna ʿalaynā ḥisābahum.

"Then indeed, upon Us is their account." (al-Ghāshiya 88:26)

Thumma — then. Inna ʿalaynā — then it is certainly upon Us, it is our obligation. Ḥisābahum — their reckoning; to take account of them, to settle accounts with them.

Translation: Then certainly it is upon Us to take account of them (to take them to account, settle the reckoning with them).