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QUR’AN · SURAH 81

At-Takwir

The Overthrowing · undefined verses · Meccan

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Translation of meaning: Muhammad Asad. Transliteration is a learning aid; it cannot capture every Arabic sound. Recitation: Mishary Rashid Alafasy via Islamic Network. Recitation is streamed from Islamic Network and requires internet access.
81:1
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِذَا ٱلشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

Izash shamsu kuwwirat

WHEN THE SUN is shrouded in darkness,

81:2
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتْ

Wa izan nujoomun kadarat

and when the stars lose their light,

81:3
وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

Wa izal jibaalu suyyirat

and when the mountains are made to vanish,

81:4
وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

Wa izal 'ishaaru 'uttilat

and when she-camels big with young, about to give birth, are left untended,

81:5
وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

Wa izal wuhooshu hushirat

and when all beasts are gathered together,

81:6
وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

Wa izal bihaaru sujjirat

and when the seas boil over,

81:7
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

Wa izan nufoosu zuwwijat

and when all human beings are coupled [with their deeds],

81:8
وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ

Wa izal maw'oodatu su'ilat

and when the girl-child that was buried alive is made to ask

81:9
بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍۢ قُتِلَتْ

Bi ayyi zambin qutilat

for what crime she had been slain,

81:10
وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

Wa izas suhufu nushirat

and when the scrolls [of men's deeds] are unfolded,

81:11
وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتْ

Wa izas samaaa'u kushitat

and when heaven is laid bare,

81:12
وَإِذَا ٱلْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

Wa izal jaheemu su'-'irat

and when the blazing fire [of hell] is kindled bright,

81:13
وَإِذَا ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

Wa izal jannatu uzlifat

and when paradise is brought into view:

81:14
عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ

'Alimat nafsum maaa ahdarat

[on that Day] every human being will come to know what he has prepared [for himself].

81:15
فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ

Falaaa uqsimu bil khunnas

BUT NAY! I call to witness the revolving stars,

81:16
ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْكُنَّسِ

Al jawaaril kunnas

the planets that run their course and set,

81:17
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

Wallaili izaa 'as'as

and the night as it darkly falls,

81:18
وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

Wassubhi izaa tanaffas

and the morn as it softly breathes:

81:19
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍۢ كَرِيمٍۢ

Innahoo laqawlu rasoolin kareem

behold, this [divine writ] is indeed the [inspired] word of a noble apostle,

81:20
ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍۢ

Zee quwwatin 'inda zil 'arshi makeen

with strength endowed, secure with Him who in almightiness is enthroned

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English translation of meaning: Muhammad Asad. Use the interactive reader above for transliteration, recitation and verse controls.

Qur’an 81:1

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِذَا ٱلشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

WHEN THE SUN is shrouded in darkness,

Qur’an 81:2

وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتْ

and when the stars lose their light,

Qur’an 81:3

وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

and when the mountains are made to vanish,

Qur’an 81:4

وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

and when she-camels big with young, about to give birth, are left untended,

Qur’an 81:5

وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

and when all beasts are gathered together,

Qur’an 81:6

وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

and when the seas boil over,

Qur’an 81:7

وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

and when all human beings are coupled [with their deeds],

Qur’an 81:8

وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ

and when the girl-child that was buried alive is made to ask

Qur’an 81:9

بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍۢ قُتِلَتْ

for what crime she had been slain,

Qur’an 81:10

وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

and when the scrolls [of men's deeds] are unfolded,

Qur’an 81:11

وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتْ

and when heaven is laid bare,

Qur’an 81:12

وَإِذَا ٱلْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

and when the blazing fire [of hell] is kindled bright,

Qur’an 81:13

وَإِذَا ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

and when paradise is brought into view:

Qur’an 81:14

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ

[on that Day] every human being will come to know what he has prepared [for himself].

Qur’an 81:15

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ

BUT NAY! I call to witness the revolving stars,

Qur’an 81:16

ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْكُنَّسِ

the planets that run their course and set,

Qur’an 81:17

وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

and the night as it darkly falls,

Qur’an 81:18

وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

and the morn as it softly breathes:

Qur’an 81:19

إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍۢ كَرِيمٍۢ

behold, this [divine writ] is indeed the [inspired] word of a noble apostle,

Qur’an 81:20

ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍۢ

with strength endowed, secure with Him who in almightiness is enthroned

Qur’an 81:21

مُّطَاعٍۢ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍۢ

[the word] of one to be heeded, and worthy of trust!

Qur’an 81:22

وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍۢ

For, this fellow-man of yours is not a madman:

Qur’an 81:23

وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْمُبِينِ

he truly beheld [the angel - beheld] him on the clear horizon;

Qur’an 81:24

وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍۢ

and he is not one to begrudge others the knowledge [of whatever has been revealed to him] out of that which is beyond the reach of human Perception.

Qur’an 81:25

وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَٰنٍۢ رَّجِيمٍۢ

Nor is this [message] the word of any satanic force accursed.

Qur’an 81:26

فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ

Whither, then, will you go?

Qur’an 81:27

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

This [message] is no less than a reminder to all mankind –

Qur’an 81:28

لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ

to everyone of you who wills to walk a straight way.

Qur’an 81:29

وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

But you cannot will it unless God, the Sustainer of all the worlds, wills [to show you that way].