The Announcement
The first verses ask what people are discussing and describe disagreement about momentous news. Follow the repeated warning that they will know. The opening makes questioning itself part of the reader’s encounter with the message.
Based on Quran 78:1–5. Original study prompt, not a complete tafsir. Compare the passage ↗English Translation - Noor International Center · QuranEnc.com · v1.1.2 ↗
Issued by Noor International Center. Publisher footnotes appear with their verses.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
(1) About what are they asking one another?
عَنِ ٱلنَّبَإِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
(2) About the great news[1821] -
ٱلَّذِى هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ
(3) That over which they are in disagreement.
كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ
(4) No! They are going to know.
ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ
(5) Then, no! They are going to know.
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَٰدًۭا
(6) Have We not made the earth a resting place?
وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًۭا
(7) And the mountains as stakes?[1822]
وَخَلَقْنَٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا
(8) And We created you in pairs
وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًۭا
(9) And made your sleep [a means for] rest
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلَّيْلَ لِبَاسًۭا
(10) And made the night as clothing[1823]
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشًۭا
(11) And made the day for livelihood
وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًۭا شِدَادًۭا
(12) And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًۭا وَهَّاجًۭا
(13) And made [therein] a burning lamp
وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمُعْصِرَٰتِ مَآءًۭ ثَجَّاجًۭا
(14) And sent down from the rain clouds pouring water
لِّنُخْرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبًّۭا وَنَبَاتًۭا
(15) That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation
وَجَنَّٰتٍ أَلْفَافًا
(16) And gardens of entwined growth.
إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَٰتًۭا
(17) Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time -
يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًۭا
(18) The Day the Horn is blown and you will come forth in multitudes
وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَٰبًۭا
(19) And the heaven is opened and will become gateways
وَسُيِّرَتِ ٱلْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا
(20) And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.
إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًۭا
(21) Indeed, Hell has been lying in wait
لِّلطَّٰغِينَ مَـَٔابًۭا
(22) For the transgressors, a place of return,
لَّٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًۭا
(23) In which they will remain for ages [unending].
لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًۭا وَلَا شَرَابًا
(24) They will not taste therein [any] coolness or drink.
إِلَّا حَمِيمًۭا وَغَسَّاقًۭا
(25) Except scalding water and [foul] purulence -
جَزَآءًۭ وِفَاقًا
(26) An appropriate recompense.[1824]
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًۭا
(27) Indeed, they were not expecting an account
وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كِذَّابًۭا
(28) And denied Our verses with [emphatic] denial.
وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَٰهُ كِتَٰبًۭا
(29) But all things We have enumerated in writing.
فَذُوقُوا۟ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا
(30) "So taste [the penalty], and never will We increase you except in torment."[1825]
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا
(31) Indeed, for the righteous is attainment[1826] -
حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعْنَٰبًۭا
(32) Gardens and grapevines
وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًۭا
(33) And young women [companions] of equal age.
وَكَأْسًۭا دِهَاقًۭا
(34) And a full cup.[1827]
لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًۭا وَلَا كِذَّٰبًۭا
(35) No ill speech will they hear therein or any falsehood -
جَزَآءًۭ مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابًۭا
(36) [As] reward from your Lord, [a generous] gift [made due by] account,[1828]
رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًۭا
(37) [From] the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Most Merciful. They possess not from Him [authority for] speech.[1829]
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ صَفًّۭا ۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًۭا
(38) The Day that the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] and the angels will stand in rows, they will not speak except for one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will say what is correct.
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ مَـَٔابًا
(39) That is the True [i.e., certain] Day; so he who wills may take to his Lord a [way of] return.[1830]
إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَٰكُمْ عَذَابًۭا قَرِيبًۭا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا
(40) Indeed, We have warned you of an impending punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth[1831] and the disbeliever will say, "Oh, I wish that I were dust!"