That which Comes in the Night (Al-Tariq)
Verses 1-17 GROUP_1570 86.1-17
1
وَالسَّمَاء وَالطَّارِقِ
By the heavens and that which comes in the night—
2
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ
and what could make you know what it is that comes in the night?
3
النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ
It is the shining star—
4
إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ
[for] no human being has been left unguarded.
5
فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
Let man reflect on what he was created from.
6
خُلِقَ مِن مَّاء دَافِقٍ
He was created from spurting fluid,
7
يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ
issuing from between the backbone and the breastbone:
8
إِنَّهُ عَلَى رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ
He certainly has the power to bring him back to life.
9
يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ
On the Day when secrets are disclosed,
10
فَمَا لَهُ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ
[man] will have no power, and no helper.
11
وَالسَّمَاء ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ
By the heavens, ever-revolving,
12
وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ
by the earth cracking open with new growth.
13
إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ
It is surely a decisive utterance;
14
وَمَا هُوَ بِالْهَزْلِ
and is not to be taken lightly.
15
إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا
They are planning a scheme,
16
وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا
and so am I:
17
فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا
so bear with those who deny the truth, and let them be for a little while.
No class discussions published for this verse group yet.
Commentary
(a) A star shining upon a man is a symbolic reminder of the fact that an Observer is watching him. This Observer is recording man’s deeds. He will resurrect man after his death and take the reckoning of all his deeds. It is the period of respite (during which man is put to the test) which acts as a ‘wedge’ between man and the aforesaid event. As soon as the period of trial is over, he will face the consequences—from which he seems to be far away today.