Surah No. 77

Introduction
Merits of the Surah1

1. This particular Surah was revealed in a cave as says a hadith of the Sahihayn. Ibn Mas`ud said,
“We were in a cave in Mina with the Prophet, when this Surah came down. He was reciting it and I was taking it right from his mouth when a snake surprised us. The Prophet said, ‘Kill it.’ So we went after it but it escaped. The Prophet said, ‘You were saved from its evil as you were saved from its evil.’” This also happens to be the last Surah the Prophet (saws) recited in his Maghrib Prayer as reported by Umm Fadl. (Ibn Kathir).

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَالْمُرْسَلَاتِ عُرْفًا (1)

(77:1) By the (winds) sent across in gusts.2

2. That the allusion is to the winds is the opinion of `Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others. But Masruq’s opinion was that the allusion is to angels, in which case the word “`urf” will have to be translated as “good.” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

فَالْعَاصِفَاتِ عَصْفًا (2)

(77:2) And by the storms3 (let loose) tempestuously.

3. `Ali, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas and others agreed that “`asifat” refers to (stormy) winds. There is no second opinion about it (Ibn Jarir).

وَالنَّاشِرَاتِ نَشْرًا (3)

(77:3) And by the scatterers scattering (far and wide).4

4. Although Ibn Mas` ud and others believed that the allusion is to winds, others of the Salaf thought that it is to rains, or to angels who will spread the records. All three could have been meant. (Ibn Jarir).

فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا (4)

(77:4) And the separaters,5 separating.

5. Once again, the opinions are divided. Ibn `Abbas said the allusion is to angels who separate the truth from falsehood, others said it is the Qur’an. Both could have been meant. (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

فَالْمُلْقِيَاتِ ذِكْرًا (5)

(77:5) Then by those casting the reminder.6

6. The allusion is to the angels who bring down the Reminder. (Ibn Jarir). There is no difference in opinion over this (Qurtubi).

عُذْرًا أَوْ نُذْرًا (6)

(77:6) By way of excuse or warning.7

7. That is, a justification (`uzr) from Allah, and a warning unto the mankind. (Ibn Jarir).
That is, “justification” for sending down chastisement. (Au.).
All of the above have been understood in a variety of other ways. Those interested might see Qurtubi. (Au.).

إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَاقِعٌ (7)

(77:7) Surely, that which you are promised is bound to happen.8

8. Some commentators have dealt with this passage in detail, describing how it may be understood and how one verse is connected with the other. But the discussions are too complicated for reproduction. One may look into Alusi at this point. But perhaps combining a few notes of Yusuf Ali will help: “This Surah begins with an appeal to five things, as pointing to the substantive statement in verse 7, that the Day of Justice and Judgment is bound to come, and we must prepare for it. It is difficult to translate, but easy to understand, if we remember that a triple thread of allegory runs through this passage (verses 1-7). The five things or phases, which will be presently considered in detail, refer to (a) Winds in the physical world, (b) Angels in the Kingdom of Allah, and (c) Prophets in the human world, connecting it with the Kingdom of Allah.
Understanding the reference to Winds, we can see that they are powerful factors in the government of the physical world. (1) They come gently as harbingers of the blessings of rain and fertility (xv. 22; xxx. 48); but (2) they can come as violent tornadoes, uprooting and destroying (li. 41-42); (3) they can scatter seeds far and wide, and (4) they can separate chaff from grain, or clear the air from epidemics; and (5) they literally carry sound, and therefore Messages. All these things point to the power and goodness of Allah, and we are asked to believe that His promise of Mercy and Justice in the Hereafter is indeed true. Cf. this passage with Ii. 1-6 (Dhariyat) with which it has many affinities.
(With ref. to verse 2) If we understand the reference to be, not to Winds, but to Angels, they are agencies in the Kingdom of Allah, which carry out similar functions, changing and revolutionizing the face of the world. (1) They come softly, on beneficent errands of Mercy; (2) they are charged with the mission of punishment and destruction for sin as in the case of the two angels who came to L ut (xv. 57-66); (3) they distribute Allah’s Mercies as the Winds distribute good seeds; (4) they sort out the good from the evil among men; and (5) they are the agency through which Allah’s Messages and Revelations are conveyed to the Prophets (see No. 5 in the last note).
(With reference to verse 5) If we understand the reference to Prophets or Messengers of Allah, or the verses of Revelation which would be particularly appropriate for verses 5-6, we also get a satisfactory solution of the allegory. (1) The Prophets have followed one another in a series: the verses of the Qur’an came, one after another as needed; in both cases it was for man’s spiritual profit; (2) they caused great disturbance in a spiritually decadent world; they pulled down evil institutions root and branch, and substituted new ones; (3) they proclaimed their truths far and wide, without fear and without favor; (4) through them were sorted out men of Faith and rebels against Allah’s Law; and (5) they gave a Message, through which just men were justified through repentance, and evil men were warned of their sins. Some commentators take one or other of these allegories, and some apply one allegory to a few of these verses, and another to another few. In my opinion the allegory is wide enough to comprehend all the meanings which I have sketched. I wish a translation could do justice to those marvelously terse sentences in the original.”

فَإِذَا النُّجُومُ طُمِسَتْ (8)

(77:8) Then, when the stars are extinguished.

وَإِذَا السَّمَاءُ فُرِجَتْ (9)

(77:9) When the heaven is split.

وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ نُسِفَتْ (10)

(77:10) When the mountains are blown away.

وَإِذَا الرُّسُلُ أُقِّتَتْ (11)

(77:11) And when the Messengers’ appointment is set.9

9. That is, an appointed day when they will be brought together to bear witness against their people. Another, out of several other possible meanings is that the Messengers were sent to their people at predetermined, appointed times. (Qurtubi).

لِأَيِّ يَوْمٍ أُجِّلَتْ (12)

(77:12) To what day was it deferred?

لِيَوْمِ الْفَصْلِ (13)

(77:13) For the day of separation.10

10. That is, the day when the true and the false will be separated: the true ones heading to Paradise while the false ones ushered into Hell-fire. (Ibn Jarir). The word has also been understood as meaning “judgment.” (Qurtubi).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ (14)

(77:14) And what will teach you what the day of separation is?

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (15)

(77:15) Woe that day to those who cried lies.11

11. The repetition of the ayah after description of a variety of crimes indicates that there will be several kinds of punishment meted out to the unbelievers in accordance with their various crimes, to express which a single ayah of threat has been used again and again, but at each point with a different meaning held within. (Qurtubi).

أَلَمْ نُهْلِكِ الْأَوَّلِينَ (16)

(77:16) Did We not destroy the earlier ones?

ثُمَّ نُتْبِعُهُمُ الْآخِرِينَ (17)

(77:17) Then We made later ones follow them?

كَذَٰلِكَ نَفْعَلُ بِالْمُجْرِمِينَ (18)

(77:18) Thus do We deal with the criminals.12

12. And that is how We shall deal with the present-day unbelievers. (Alusi and others).

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (19)

(77:19) Woe that day to those who cried lies.

أَلَمْ نَخْلُقْكُمْ مِنْ مَاءٍ مَهِينٍ (20)

(77:20) Did We not create you of a mean liquid?

فَجَعَلْنَاهُ فِي قَرَارٍ مَكِينٍ (21)

(77:21) Then We placed it in a safe lodging.13

13. That is, in the womb. (Ibn Jarir).

إِلَىٰ قَدَرٍ مَعْلُومٍ (22)

(77:22) Until a known term?14

14. That is, the birth.

فَقَدَرْنَا فَنِعْمَ الْقَادِرُونَ (23)

(77:23) Then we determined, and excellent determiners We are.15

15. That is, He determined their size, weight, color, shape, intelligence, stupidity, etc. There are other opinions too (Qurtubi); some commentators have understood the two verses as: “A term is appointed for every child in the womb, and it is none other than We who have determined this term, so see how perfect is the determination of Ours.”

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (24)

(77:24) Woe that day to those who cried lies.

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ كِفَاتًا (25)

(77:25) Have We not made the earth a container?

أَحْيَاءً وَأَمْوَاتًا (26)

(77:26) (For) aliving and the dead?

وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ شَامِخَاتٍ وَأَسْقَيْنَاكُمْ مَاءً فُرَاتًا (27)

(77:27) And We have placed therein pegs16 standing tall; and have provided you with sweet water as a drink.

16. That is, mountains.

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (28)

(77:28) Woe that day to those who cried lies.

انْطَلِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَا كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ (29)

(77:29) ‘Depart you now17 to what you were wont to crying lies.

17. “At last, after what seemed to be an eternally long time of waiting, after all the suffering through and through, after being held captives in the Field of Resurrection… after all that.. the unbelievers hear: ‘Depart now! You are free to go!’ A word of relief? Rather not. Yes, ‘go.’ But where to? To a three-branched shadow of smoke. A shadow, yes, but which does not offer a shade from the scorching heat from above; but rather from a Fire which rages below it. That is their abode, where flames leap out to kiss their faces. That is where they are now free to go. Depart? ‘Yes.’ But where to? Well, perhaps it is unnecessary to name the place. To a place which shoots out sparks like a huge house. [The Arabs named every house built of stone as ‘qasr,’ even if not very large]. If that is the size of the sparks, how about the fire? Woe indeed, unto those who cried lies.” (Sayyid).

انْطَلِقُوا إِلَىٰ ظِلٍّ ذِي ثَلَاثِ شُعَبٍ (30)

(77:30) Depart you now to a shadow three-pronged.

لَا ظَلِيلٍ وَلَا يُغْنِي مِنَ اللَّهَبِ (31)

(77:31) Neither providing shade nor availing against the flames.

إِنَّهَا تَرْمِي بِشَرَرٍ كَالْقَصْرِ (32)

(77:32) Indeed, it casts sparks like dry faggots.18

18. A number of other renditions are possible but this seems to fit the context. (Au.).

كَأَنَّهُ جِمَالَتٌ صُفْرٌ (33)

(77:33) As if they are yellow camels.19

19. Many of the Salaf understood “sufr” as “dark,” (because the Fire will be dark in color: Qurtubi) although there have been several other interpretations (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (34)

(77:34) Woe that day to those who cried lies.’

هَٰذَا يَوْمُ لَا يَنْطِقُونَ (35)

(77:35) This is the day they shall not speak.20

20. There will be several stages and situations during the long Day of Judgment; during some of them unbelievers will not be allowed to speak, in others they will be questioned, and in yet others they will seek excuses, as Ibn `Abbas explained to the Kh ariji leader N afi` b. Azraq (Qurtubi and others).

وَلَا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُمْ فَيَعْتَذِرُونَ (36)

(77:36) Nor are they allowed so that they can offer excuses.

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (37)

(77:37) Woe that day to those who cried lies.

هَٰذَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ ۖ جَمَعْنَاكُمْ وَالْأَوَّلِينَ (38)

(77:38) This is the day of severance. We have gathered you and the ancients together.

فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ كَيْدٌ فَكِيدُونِ (39)

(77:39) So, if there is a guile with you, then used the guile against Me.21

21. That is, your life, O unbelievers, was filled with guiles against the truth and truth bearers; why do you not try out a new one now? – obviously a taunt, but which is meant to remind them now, in this life, that their guiles are not hidden from their Lord, nor from the believers in Him (Au.).

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (40)

(77:40) Woe that day to those who cried lies.

إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي ظِلَالٍ وَعُيُونٍ (41)

(77:41) Surely, the God-fearing shall be among shades and fountains.

وَفَوَاكِهَ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ (42)

(77:42) And such fruits as they desire

كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (43)

(77:43) ‘Eat and drink freely (O unbelievers), for that you were working.

إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ (44)

(77:44) Indeed, that is how We recompense those who do good.

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (45)

(77:45) Woe that day to those who cried lies.

كُلُوا وَتَمَتَّعُوا قَلِيلًا إِنَّكُمْ مُجْرِمُونَ (46)

(77:46) Eat and enjoy yourselves a little, you are indeed criminals.’

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (47)

(77:47) Woe that day to those who cried lies.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لَا يَرْكَعُونَ (48)

(77:48) When they are told to bow down, they do not bow down.22

22. It has been generally understood that the verse is chiding the unbelievers to be humble (Razi, Qurtubi); i.e., give up your pride, believe in Allah, follow the Messenger, and worship one God. (Thanwi and Ma`arif).
“Rak`a” of the text could also mean to pray. It is said that once when Imam Malik entered into a mosque after `Asr Prayers, he sat down without offering the customary two rak`ah of “tahiyyatu al-masjid,” since he did not believe in any Prayer between `Asr and Maghrib. A young lad reproached him, “Offer the two rak`ah, old man!” Imam Malik stood up and offered two cycles of Prayer. He was asked why he did it when he did not think it desirable. He answered, “I was afraid I would be counted among those mentioned in this verse: ‘When they are told to bow down, they do not bow down.’” (Qurtubi).

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (49)

(77:49) Woe that day to those who cried lies.

فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ (50)

(77:50) So, in what discourse after this will they believe?23

23. That is, if they meet this Qur’an, so full of wonders, with denial, then, in what other discourse will they believe? (Qurtubi and others).