1. About what are they (Quraysh) asking one another?

2. About the momentous news – clarifying what it is that they are asking about, meaning the parts of the Qur’an that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had brought, containing information about the Resurrection and other things:

3. …the thing about which they differ. The believers affirm it and the unbelievers deny it.

4. No indeed! They will soon know! They will know, when the things they denied happen to them.

5. Again, no indeed! They will soon know! The repetition is for emphasis. The announcement of a second threat is stronger than the first. Then Allah indicates His power to resurrect them.

6. Have We not made the earth a flat carpet, spread out like a bed,

7. …and the mountains its pegs? They make the earth stable, as a tent is made stable by pegs. The question demands a positive response.

8. We have created you in pairs – male and female.

9. We made your sleep a break – rest for your bodies.

10. We made the night a cloak which veils things with its darkness.

11. We made the day a time for earning a living.

12. We built seven firm layers above you – referring to the seven heavens, which are strong and firm and not affected by the passage of time.

13. We installed a blazing lamp – referring to the sun. The word for “blazing”, wahhj, refers to a kind of burning that gives out strong light.

14. We sent down cascading water (rain) from the clouds – when it is the time for rain. Mu‘sir are rain clouds which are on the point of having the rain pressed out of them. The word is also used for a girl who is about to menstruate, but has not done so yet –

15. …so that by it We might bring forth grains such as wheat and plants such as figs,

16. …and luxuriant gardens.

17. The Day of Decision is a fixed appointment: the Day when decision is rendered between creatures. It is the time appointed for the delivery of reward and punishment,

18. …the Day the Trumpet is blow n by Isrfıl and you come in droves – different groups, from your graves for the Gathering;

19. …and heaven is opened (read as futihat and futtihat) – for the descent of the angels – and becomes doorways,

20. …and the mountains are shifted from their places, turning into dust, and become a mirage. They are like a mirage in that they are so insubstantial.

21. Hell lies in wait –

22. …a homecoming for the profligate (the unbelievers) – they will not go beyond it. It is where they will return to and enter,

23. …to remain in it for countless aeons – ages without end,

24. …not tasting any coolness there or any drink – they have no sleep in it, no escape from the heat and nothing pleasant to drink –

25. …except for boiling water – as hot as it is possible to be – and scalding pus (read as ghassaq and ghasaq) – which oozes from the people of the Fire, and which they drink –

26. …a fitting recompense for what they did. There is no wrong action worse than unbelief and no punishment more terrible than the Fire.

27. They did not expect to have a reckoning – they did not fear that there would be a reckoning, because they denied the Resurrection,

28. …and utterly denied Our Signs (the Qur’an).

29. We have recorded all things in writing. “We have written down all actions exactly. Every single thing is recorded on the Preserved Tablet so that We may repay people for their actions.” One of those actions is their disbelief in the Qur’an.

30. This will be said to them in the Next World when the punishment is inflicted on them: So taste your repayment! We will increase you only in punishment – a punishment on top of your punishment.

31. For the godfearing there is triumph: the Garden.

32. …gardens and grapevines – describing the form their triumph takes –

33. …and nubile maidens – with swelling breasts – of similar age,

34. …and an overflowing cup of wine which is filled to the brim. Surat Muhammad mentions “rivers of wine” (47:15).

35. In it they will hear no prattle and no denial (read as kidhdhab and kidhab) – in the Garden when they drink the wine and in other states, they will hear no useless words, lies or denial, which is different from what happens in this world when someone drinks wine –

36. …a recompense from your Lord, a commensurate gift – which is so abundant that you would say, “It is enough for me”.

37. Lord (read as Rabbi and Rabbu) of the heavens and earth and everything between them, the All-Merciful (read as ar-Rahmani and ar-Rahmanu). They (creatures) will not have the power to speak to Him – out of fear of Him.

38. On the Day when the Spirit (Jibrıl or the army of Allah) and the angels stand in ranks, no one will speak, except for him who is authorised by the All-Merciful to speak and says what is right – among the believers and the angels who will intercede for those whom He is pleased with.

39. That will be the True Day. The occurrence of this Day is confirmed: it is the Day of Rising. So whoever wills should take the way back to his Lord. He should return to Allah by obeying Him so that he may be safe from the Punishment on that day.

40. We have warned you, unbelievers of Makka, of an imminent punishment which is coming on the Day of Resurrection when a man will see what his hands have produced – everyone will see what they have done, be it good or evil – and the unbeliever will say, ‘Oh, if only I were dust!’ He will wish that he were dust so that he could not be punished. He will say that when Allah Almighty says to the animals, after they have exacted retaliation from one another: “Be dust”.