1
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ١
He frowned and turned away,
2
أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ ٢
when the blind man came to him[1].
Footnotes
[1] Abdullah ibn Um Maktūm, an early Muslim who was blind, came to the Prophet (ﷺ) seeking knowledge and guidance, while the Prophet (ﷺ) was in the middle of a discussion with some leading pagans of Makkah, calling them to Islam. The Prophet (ﷺ) frowned and turned his attention from him. So this Makkan surah was revealed.
3
وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ ٣
How would you know? Perhaps he might be purified[2],
Footnotes
[2] Through the knowledge he learns from you.
4
أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ ٤
or he might take heed and benefit from the reminder?
5
أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ ٥
But he who was indifferent[3],
Footnotes
[3] Towards faith. Here it is referring to that influential pagan of the Quraysh whom the Prophet (ﷺ) had hoped to embrace Islam.
6
فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ ٦
you give him your full attention,
7
وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ ٧
although you are not to be blamed if he does not purify himself[4].
Footnotes
[4] The Prophets are only responsible to convey the message, not for people’s guidance.
8
وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ ٨
But as for the one who came to you striving [for purification],
10
فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ ١٠
you let yourself be distracted from him.
11
كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةࣱ ١١
No indeed; this is a reminder –
12
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ ١٢
so whoever wills may give heed to it –
13
فِي صُحُفࣲ مُّكَرَّمَةࣲ ١٣
14
مَّرۡفُوعَةࣲ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ ١٤
15
بِأَيۡدِي سَفَرَةࣲ ١٥
[preserved] in the hands of angel-scribes,
17
قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ ١٧
Woe to man; how ungrateful he is[5]!
Footnotes
[5] i.e., the disbelievers.
18
مِنۡ أَيِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ ١٨
From what did He create him?
19
مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ ١٩
He created him from a drop of semen and proportioned him[6],
Footnotes
[6] His creation, provisions, life span, etc.
20
ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ ٢٠
then He made the way easy for him[7];
Footnotes
[7] i.e., the way out of his mothers’ wombs (his birth), or the way to guidance.
21
ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ ٢١
then He caused him to die and be buried;
22
ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ ٢٢
then when He wills, He will resurrect him.
23
كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقۡضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ ٢٣
Yet he has not fulfilled what He commanded him.
24
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ ٢٤
Let man consider the food he eats:
25
أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبࣰّا ٢٥
How We pour down rainwater in torrents,
26
ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقࣰّا ٢٦
and cause the soil to split open [for sprouts],
27
فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبࣰّا ٢٧
and cause grains to grow in it,
28
وَعِنَبࣰا وَقَضۡبࣰا ٢٨
as well as grapes and fodder,
29
وَزَيۡتُونࣰا وَنَخۡلࣰا ٢٩
and olive trees and date palms,
30
وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبࣰا ٣٠
31
وَفَٰكِهَةࣰ وَأَبࣰّا ٣١
32
مَّتَٰعࣰا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ ٣٢
as provision for you and your livestock.
33
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ ٣٣
But when the Deafening Blast[8] comes,
Footnotes
[8] The piercing Blast; the second Blast for resurrection.
34
يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ ٣٤
on that Day everyone will flee from his brother,
35
وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ ٣٥
and from his mother and father,
36
وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ ٣٦
and from his wife and children.
37
لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذࣲ شَأۡنࣱ يُغۡنِيهِ ٣٧
On that day, everyone will have enough concern of his own[9].
Footnotes
[9] Thus forgetting all others.
38
وُجُوهࣱ يَوۡمَئِذࣲ مُّسۡفِرَةࣱ ٣٨
On that Day, some faces will be bright,
39
ضَاحِكَةࣱ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةࣱ ٣٩
40
وَوُجُوهࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةࣱ ٤٠
while other faces will be dust-stained,
41
تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ ٤١
42
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ ٤٢
Such are the disbelievers, the wicked.
