Surah Al-Inshiqaq
The ˹Sky˺ Bursting Open • Surah 84 • 25 verses
Introduction
As a follow-up to the previous chapters, this Meccan chapter elaborates upon what to expect on Judgment Day. The believers will receive their records of deeds in their right hands and rejoice after an easy judgment, whereas the disbelievers will receive their records in their left hands and cry for instant destruction. The disbelievers are criticized for failing to submit to Allah, contrasted with the full submission of the sky and the earth in verses 1-5. More warnings to the evildoers appear in the next chapter.
إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتْ
When the sky bursts open,
وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ
obeying its Lord as it must,
وَإِذَا ٱلْأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ
and when the earth is flattened out,
وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ
and ejects ˹all˺ its contents and becomes empty,
وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ
obeying its Lord as it must, ˹surely you will all be judged˺.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَـٰقِيهِ
O humanity! Indeed, you are labouring restlessly towards your Lord, and will ˹eventually˺ meet the consequences.
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ
As for those who are given their record in their right hand,
فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا
they will have an easy reckoning,
وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ مَسْرُورًا
and will return to their people joyfully.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ وَرَآءَ ظَهْرِهِۦ
And as for those who are given their record ˹in their left hand˺ from behind their backs,
فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُوا۟ ثُبُورًا
they will cry for ˹instant˺ destruction,
وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيرًا
and will burn in the blazing Fire.
إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فِىٓ أَهْلِهِۦ مَسْرُورًا
For they used to be prideful among their people,
إِنَّهُۥ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ
thinking they would never return ˹to Allah˺.
بَلَىٰٓ إِنَّ رَبَّهُۥ كَانَ بِهِۦ بَصِيرًا
Yes ˹they would˺! Surely their Lord has always been All-Seeing of them.
فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلشَّفَقِ
So, I do swear by the twilight!
وَٱلَّيْلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ
And by the night and whatever it envelops!
وَٱلْقَمَرِ إِذَا ٱتَّسَقَ
And by the moon when it waxes full!
لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ
You will certainly pass from one state to another.
فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
So what is the matter with them that they do not believe,
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ ۩
and when the Quran is recited to them, they do not bow down ˹in submission˺?
بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُكَذِّبُونَ
In fact, the disbelievers persist in denial.
وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ
But Allah knows best whatever they hide.
فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
So give them good news of a painful punishment.
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍۭ
But those who believe and do good will have a never-ending reward.
