S77. SURATUL MURSALAT
NAME: Oath of Mursalat (winds) has been taken in the first ayah which gives this name to the Surah.
TIME OF REVELATION: It is Makkan and the subject matter gives a hint that it might have been revealed in the last period of the initial era when the polytheists of Makkah were vehemently denying the Day of Resurrection and had started to conspire against the Holy Prophet and his Islamic call. According to a tradition of Bukhari, Abdullah bin Masood said: we were in the cave of Mina when the Surah Mursalat was revealed. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was reciting it and we were learning it from his mouth. (Bukhari: Kitabut Tafseer)
CENTRAL THEME: To warn the deniers of the Day of Judgment, of their bad end and to give good tidings for good deeds to the righteous so that the deniers may become wise and worry about their future. In this Surah the aspect of ‘Inzar (warning) is highlighted whereas in the previous Surah (INSAAN) the aspect of good tiding to the righteous was highlighted.
ORDER OF VERSES: A mention of speedy winds has been made in ayah 1 to 7 in support of Resurrection.
In ayah 8 to 15 a frightening picture of the Qiyamat is given.
In ayah 16 to 28, while citing witnesses in support of Resurrection, man is invited to ponder over its truthfulness.
Ayah 29 to 40 draw a picture of the things which the deniers of Resurrection will have to face on the Final Day.
Ayah 41 to 44 describe the beautiful reward awaiting the righteous.
In ayah 45 to 50 there is a stern warning against the criminal conduct of the deniers.
77. SURATUL MURSALAT Ayah : 50
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
1. By the Winds sent forth in succession. 1
2. (which) then blow with violent speed. 2
3. and spread out the clouds. 3
4. then make (them) separate.4
5. then instill (in hearts) a (thing of) remembrance. 5
6. to establish Proof or to warn. 6
7. that which is promised to you will surely come about. 7
8. Then when the stars will fade out. 8
9. and the sky will he cloven asunder. 9
10. and when the mountains will be turned into dust. 10
11. and when time will be fixed for the Messengers. 11
12. for which day it is being delayed?
1. The swearing here is in the meaning of witness (testimony) to say that these winds, taken oath of, support the Quranic news regarding Resurrection. The winds do not blow at random. They are being blown and the way they blow continuously is a proof of the fact that the ONE controlling them has sent them with a particular purpose, that is, rain.
2. Then the speed of these wind accelerates and sometimes they turn into storms and cyclones.
3. The winds scatter the clouds arising from the oceans in such a manner that they reach out up to the distance of hundreds and thousands of miles.
4. The winds separate the cluster of clouds to make a part go toward one sphere of the earth and the other toward another, so that different parts of the world may get different quantity of rain as determined by the Creator of the universe.
5. The varying movements and features of these winds wake up human conscience, shake up minds and create the fear of the Lord Creator in hearts. When the winds blow furiously in the form of storms and cyclones and tempests, tornadoes, etc everyone whose soul is not dead remembers God. The flashes of lightning and the thunder of clouds instill God’s fear in hearts and make all realise how HE can hit to punish them. On the other hand some winds draw the rain filled clouds on their heads and appear in the form of Allah’s mercy. Thus, in their silent way of talking, the winds announce that the Lord Creator, who controls them, is Omnipotent who is both the Most Merciful and the Severest Tormentor and therefore, to disobey Him is to invite His wrath and to obey Him is to guarantee happiness. This supports the view of reward and punishment presented by Quran.
These winds appear as the signs of the supreme wisdom of the Lord of the worlds. This universal administration of winds is a proof of the truth that this cosmos in not God-less. It has ONE GOD and it is bound by a Divine management. Winds also blow under this regular plan which displays God’s perfect power and super wisdom. It is not at all difficult for Him to order Resurrection and to make dead men alive. His Wisdom demands that he should bring about the Qiyamat and reward or hearts punish man according to his deeds. Otherwise this life becomes meaningless and aimless which is far from wisdom.
In short, the fast-blowing winds draw the attention of men toward his Lord by their various movements. They create the feeling of the presence of a Great Being which, in turn, strengthens the idea of reward and punishment.
6. These winds also testify to the Might. Wisdom and Lordship of the ONLY ONE GOD who directs the universe. Their bangs and blows wake up the slumbering humanity and their noises and roaring serve as an alarm of the ensuing Day of Judgment. In other words, these winds, while passing away, sing the songs of the oneness of God and make man realise his responsibility. In this way the blowing and breezing of the winds serve both as the proof of God’s Might and Wisdom and Mercy and also a warning to the unmindful.
Our attention toward the signs of Allah’s Oneness and of Resurrection provided by the winds has been drawn by the Holy Quran at several places. For instance please see Surah Naziaat. note: 1 to 6.
7. This is the thing to substantiate for which oath of winds is taken. It is being promised that there will be a Day of Resurrection when the dead man be enlivened so that he may get the reward or the punishment for his deeds which he did in his worldly life. This promise is bound to be fulfilled and all the events mentioned in the holy Quran will appear before his eyes as facts.
8. Now some happenings of the Hereafter are being described. When the trumpet will be blown for the first time both the earth and the sky will meet with a catastrophe. The innumerable shining stars will lose their brightness and become dark. It is mentioned in Surah Takveer:-
“And when the stars will lose their luster.” (Takveer:2) What will be the time like when the entire universe will become dark!
9. For example please see Surah Inshiqaq, note: 1.
10. For clarification please see Surah Kahf, note: 66.
11. Now comes the narration of what will happen when the trumpet will be blown for the second time, and all the dead men will be made to assemble in the vast field of Resurrection.
A Court will be held by the Lord of the worlds and all the past Prophets will be called upon to give witness regarding their respective people.
Have WE not created you from a mean water? And kept it in a protected place. For a fixed time. So We prepared a plan and how nice planner are WE ! (Al-Quran)
13. for the Day of Judgment. 12
14. and what do you know, what is the Day of Judgment? 13
15. woe on that Day to the beliers.14
16. Did WE not destroy the earlier people? 15
17. then continued to destroy the latter ones. 16
18. WE deal like this with tile guilty. 17
19. woe on that Day to the beliers. 18
20. Have WE not created you from a mean water? 19
21. and kept it in a protected place. 20
22. for a fixed time. 21
23. So We prepared a plan and how nice planner are WE ! 22
24. Woe on that Day to the beliers.
25. Have WE not made the earth a receptacle?
26. for the living and the dead. 23
27. and placed in it lofty mountains 24 and gave you sweet water to drink. 25
12. That is, do you know for which day all these things have been held up? For the Day of Judgment. If no court is being held now in this world, do not think that it will never beheld and that the offenders will escape punishment. No, but for the Divine court, the Day of Judgment is fixed. Each and every one will have to give an account of his or her deeds on that DAY.
13. Remember very well that the Day of Judgment will be very severe.
14. Those who are denying the Day of Judgment will face terrible destruction on that DAY.
‘Vail’ means every kind of destruction and devastation. According to ‘Lisan-ul- Arab:-
“In vocabulary the original meaning of ‘Vail’ is torment and destruction. It means sorrow, grief, distress, sadness as well as the hardship due to punishment. Therefore, Saibvai says: Vail means (anything bad and miserable.)
(Lisan-ul- Arab Vol:11,p.738)
‘Vail for the falsifier on the Day of Resurrection’ means they will meet with a very difficult’ situation. They will have to suffer severe torment. They will fall in the pit of destruction. Their end will be very bad.
This ayat has been repeated ten times in this Surah. This is a distinctive feature of this Surah. It has been so much repeated so that the deniers and the falsifiers may think of their end and be aware.
15. Means the most ancient disbelieving people like the people of Nooh, the communities of Aad and Thamood etc.
16. Means the people who arrived thereafter like the people of Loot, Shoeb and Firaun who denied the Truth were also destroyed by Us.
17. Sinners or offenders means the disbelievers and deniers. It has always been Allah’s tradition that whenever he sends a Messenger and his people deny and falsify him they were destroyed through Divine calamities so that the truthfulness of the Prophets may become manifest. Also because, such people who deny the Truth despite the perfection of arguments and proofs become like cancerous elements for mankind. It is the biggest truth that a denial even after clear and explicit arguments always brings about Divine torment.
18. When the offenders have been punished even in this place of trial now is it possible that they will be let off unpunished on the Day of Resurrection which is meant for judgment!
19. Means from an insignificant sperm.
20. Means in the womb.
21. Means the duration of pregnancy.
22. This means that the work of man’s creation is being done as per a special plan according to which he becomes an intelligent and the best creation. This planning is Divine. Then now can it ever be imagined that the Being Who is such a great planner and the Best Designer has created man without any aim or intention?!!
23. The earth allows the living people to dwell on it and it also becomes the burial ground for dead bodies. Thus the earth accommodates and keeps within it both the living and the dead both during life and also after death.
24. High mountains stall clouds. Therefore there is much rain in hilly areas and rivers flow from there.
25. HE caused rivers and springs to flow providing sweet water. Are all these not the signs of God’s being the Lord nourishes? And when HE has made so many arrangements for your nourishment how is it possible that HE will not question you about your conduct and not take an account of HIS bounties from you. HIS Lordship demands that HE should bring about the Day of Reckoning, reward the good-doers and punish the wrong-doers.
28. woe on that Day to the beliers.
29. Depart to the thing you used to belie.26
30. Depart to the shadow Having three branches. 27
31. wherein is neither shade nor will it protect from leaping flames. 28
32. That Fire will cast forth (huge) sparkles like palaces. 29
33. as if they are yellow camels. 30
34. woe on that Day to the beliers.
35. This is the Day they will not be able to speak.31
36. Nor will they be allowed to put forth excuse 32
37. woe on that Day to the beliers.
38. This is the Day of Decision. 33 WE have gathered you and also the people before you.34
39. Conspire against ME if you can at all conspire 35
40. woe on that day to the beliers.
41. The God-fearing will be in the shades and springs. 36
26. Means the torment of the Day of Resurrection.
27. The disbelievers will confront with this shade which will be in the form of smoke in the field of Hashr (Resurrection). It will have three branches. This, probably, is a hint toward its three characteristic. The smoke engulfing the sinner will be according to his sin.
28. The flames shooting from the Hell will fall on the sinners in the field of Hashr and the shadow above their heads will not protect them.
29. The sparkles emitting from the Hell fire will be huge and they will also look like palaces so that they may remind the materialist worldworshippers of their beloved palaces which had made them mad.
30. The sparkles shooting out from Hell will be like missiles which will fall upon the offenders assembled in the field of Hashr. Besides palaces they will also look like yellow camels so that the criminals may also remember their precious camels about which they had imagined that they were the only capital for them running after which they had forgotten Hereafter.
31. The criminals will have to pass through various stages in the assembly ground of Hashr. At one stage their mouths will be sealed and then their limbs will speak out what they had done in their worldly life.
“This Day we will seal their mouth so Their hands will speak to Us and their feet will testify to what they had been earning.” (Yaa seen:65)
32. They will have been given the opportunity to defend themselves prior to this. Therefore, at this stage their mouths will be sealed. They will not be allowed to put forth any excuse.
33. Just think what a bad situation the falsifiers will be in.
34. This thing will be said, especially to the opponents of the holy prophet (peace be upon him). They will be told that you were denying the Day of Judgment. Now see that you were wrong. Today is the Day of Judgment and for the verdict WE have called up you and also those who were before you, in whose footsteps you walked. This thing has been mentioned in view of the situation. Otherwise, without any exception, all the people who were born on earth will be brought to life. Thus the entire mankind will be there in the dock.
35. That is, in the world you were conspiring in various ways to defeat my Messenger and to undermine MY Word. You never thought that the Day of Judgment is fixed. Now if you have any guts then do something against Us. What reply will they be able to give’? They will only keep mum. They will bow their heads in utter shame. Thus there will he nothing but shame and sorrow for the falsifiers on that Day.
36. Now comes the description of the reward reserved for the righteous as compared to the punishment for the falsifiers, that is, the Reward for those people who lived their lives with a constant thought of the Day of Judgment in their minds. Here is a mention of the prizes which they, will get from the Almighty. They will dwell in the real shade whereby they will derive every kind of rest and comfort. Is there any limit to the happiness of the one who gets shelter under the shade provided by Almighty? Another thing which will gratify them and which will not make them suffer the pain of thirst will be the springs and rivers of Paradise which will provide them the best kind of sweet and tasty beverages.
42. and among the fruits of their choice 37
43. Eat and drink pleasantly as a reward of your deeds. 38
44. Thus WE reward the good-doers. 39
45. woe on that Day to the beliers. 40
46. Eat and enjoy for a few days you are guilty. 41
47. woe on that Day to the beliers.
48. When they are asked to bow, they do not bow. 42
49. woe on that Day to the beliers.
50. Then in what word after this will they believe? 43
37. The third great bounty for them will be that they will be able to get whatever kinds of fruits they like instantly in an unlimited quantity. Then how pleased will be the people of the Paradise!
38. What a grand reward for good deeds that in Jannat the righteous will get all types of the best delicious desired drinks and food and fruits.
39. This is by way of encouragement for making the people righteous so that they may make them worthy of these rewards.
40. Let the falsifiers think a while how much loss they will suffer and to what extent they will feel deprived on the Day of Resurrection. On the one side the righteous will enjoy the best entertainment in Jannat and on the other side the deniers and falsifiers will be burning in Hell.
41. These are the concluding ayah of the Surah in which the disbelievers are being finally warned with a severe shaking that, o criminals, if you want to remain adamant on your attitude despite all this admonition then enjoy a few more days of your worldly life. You will soon face sure destruction.
42. The Quran and the Messenger are inviting them to bow before God Almighty but they are not prepared to do so. And the one who does not bow to Allah is bound to be destroyed.
‘Ir ka oo’ means ‘bow down’. Bowing before God has a vast meaning. HIS worship and obedience and bowing and prostrating before HIM all come under it.
43. Means the Holy Quran is the Last Word of Allah which has perfected its arguments with solid proofs and wisdom of which is the highest, the style extremely effective and the admonition soul-capturing. If they do not believe in it then for which word are they waiting? If they are unmindful of the Quran then no other book can ever bring them to their senses. No Divine scripture is to come after this Quran. So, whosoever wants to believe should believe in this Quran.