Surah 81. At-Takwir The Rolling - English Translation

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Verses : 29
التكوير
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

bookmark 1. When the sun is rolled up.

1. إِذَا ٱلشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

bookmark 2. When the stars are dimmed.

2. وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتْ

bookmark 3. When the mountains are set in motion.

3. وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

bookmark 4. When the relationships are suspended.

4. وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

bookmark 5. When the beasts are gathered.

5. وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

bookmark 6. When the oceans are set aflame.

6. وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

bookmark 7. When the souls are paired.

7. وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

bookmark 8. When the girl, buried alive, is asked:

8. وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ

bookmark 9. For what crime was she killed?

9. بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍۢ قُتِلَتْ

bookmark 10. When the records are made public.

10. وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

bookmark 11. When the sky is peeled away.

11. وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتْ

bookmark 12. When the Fire is set ablaze.

12. وَإِذَا ٱلْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

bookmark 13. When Paradise is brought near.

13. وَإِذَا ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

bookmark 14. Each soul will know what it has readied.

14. عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ

bookmark 15. I swear by the galaxies.

15. فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ

bookmark 16. Precisely running their courses.

16. ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْكُنَّسِ

bookmark 17. And by the night as it recedes.

17. وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

bookmark 18. And by the morn as it breathes.

18. وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

bookmark 19. This is the speech of a noble messenger.

19. إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍۢ كَرِيمٍۢ

bookmark 20. Endowed with power, eminent with the Lord of the Throne.

20. ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍۢ

bookmark 21. Obeyed and honest.

21. مُّطَاعٍۢ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍۢ

bookmark 22. Your friend is not possessed.

22. وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍۢ

bookmark 23. He saw him on the luminous horizon.

23. وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْمُبِينِ

bookmark 24. And He does not withhold knowledge of the Unseen.

24. وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍۢ

bookmark 25. And it is not the word of an accursed devil.

25. وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَٰنٍۢ رَّجِيمٍۢ

bookmark 26. So where are you heading?

26. فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ

bookmark 27. It is only a Reminder to all mankind.

27. إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

bookmark 28. To whoever of you wills to go straight.

28. لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ

bookmark 29. But you cannot will, unless God wills—The Lord of the Worlds.

29. وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

Context of Revelation

Surah At-Takwīr (“The Overturning”) is a Meccan surah consisting of 29 verses. It was revealed in the early phase of the Prophet’s ﷺ mission. The name At-Takwīr means “the folding up,” referring to the opening verse that describes the moment when the sun will be rolled up at the end of the world.

According to Ibn Kathīr and Al-Qurtubī, the surah portrays the cosmic upheavals of the Day of Judgment and confirms the truthfulness of the Prophetic message. As reported in a hadith from At-Tirmidhī (no. 3333), the Prophet ﷺ said: Whoever wishes to see the Day of Resurrection as if before his eyes, let him recite At-Takwīr, Al-Infitar, and Al-Inshiqaq.

Main Teachings and Key Insights

Surah At-Takwīr vividly depicts the signs of the Last Hour and reaffirms the authenticity of the Prophet’s mission. Its key lessons include:

  • Depiction of the cosmic cataclysm that will accompany the end of the world: the sun will fold up, the stars will fade, and the mountains will be set in motion. (vv. 1–6)
  • Reference to the resurrection of all beings and the reckoning of souls. (vv. 7–14)
  • Affirmation of the truthfulness of the Prophet ﷺ and the divine origin of revelation. (vv. 15–25)
  • Refutation of the disbelievers’ claims that the Prophet was possessed: he conveys an inspired message, confirmed by the Angel Gabriel. (vv. 19–25)
  • A final call to reflect on destiny and personal accountability. (vv. 26–29)

This surah combines powerful apocalyptic imagery with theological affirmation: the end of the world is certain, and the Qur’an is an authentic divine revelation.

Structure and Main Themes

  • Cosmic signs of the Last Hour (vv. 1–14): universal upheaval and resurrection.
  • Authenticity of the Prophetic message (vv. 15–25): oaths by celestial bodies and confirmation of Gabriel’s role as bearer of revelation.
  • Free will and divine will (vv. 26–29): guidance is available to those who seek it, by God’s permission.

The tone of the surah is vivid, urgent, and revelatory: it seeks to awaken human consciousness through a vision of the world’s end and the certainty of divine truth.

Key Verses

The central verses of the surah are verses 27–29:

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ * لِمَن شَاءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ * وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

It is nothing but a reminder to all worlds — for whoever among you wills to walk straight. But you will not will unless God, Lord of the worlds, wills it.

Why these verses are key:

  • They summarize the balance between human choice and divine will: man chooses, yet his will operates within God’s decree.
  • They affirm the universal scope of the Qur’anic message: a reminder for all beings.
  • They close the surah by emphasizing the interconnection between revelation, guidance, and submission to God.

In summary, Surah At-Takwīr offers a striking vision of the Last Day while confirming the truth of the Qur’anic revelation. It highlights God’s power, the authenticity of the Prophetic mission, and each person’s moral responsibility in choosing their path of faith.

Surah At-Takwir
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