[1] (In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)

The meaning

More explanation

[2] 1. One demanding, demanded the chastisement which is about to befall^a

[Then God – be glorified – explained that the chastisement will befall all the disbelievers, and that none can avert them the chastisement, and He said:]

[3] 2. To befallthe unbelievers, which none can repel,

[4] 3. [A penalty]^b from God, ^c the Lord of the ‘stairways of ascent’.

[5] 4. [Whereby] the angels^d and [Gabriel] the [Trustworthy] Spirit ascend to Him in a day the measure of which [to disbelievers and the guilty] is [as], fifty thousand years^e.

[6] 5. Therefore, persevere patiently [the annoyance and mockery of your people, O Mohammed] with fair patience^f.

[7] 6. For they see it^{g as} highly improbable.^h

[8] 7. But We see it drawing nigh.ⁱ

^{1 a} i.e. to befall his people. The ‘demander’ was Nadhir son of Harith son of Kilda.

His demanding or prayer was: "God, if this [Quran] is indeed the truth [coming] from You, then rain down on us [a shower of] stones out of the sky, or bring us a painful chastisement."

He was a denier of the apostle-hood of the Prophet, therefore he demanded the punishment just for mockery.

^{3 b} i.e. the penalty is decreed for them from God, as a punishment for them according to their disbelief and association.

^{3 c} Then God – be glorified – described Himself that He is High in place and that the angels brought close to Him and the Trustworthy Spirit [Gabriel] receive orders from Him and work according to His command, and they do not disdain, so He said:

(the Lord of the ‘stairways of ascent’), by which angels ascend to Him.

This implies His lofty position and high place.

^{4 d} Who have duties on earth; they are the writers, guards and angels of death; they will ascend accompanying Gabriel and under his command.

Similarly, will believers ascend together with the angels to heaven; i.e. souls of believers will ascend; while disbelievers, associaters and the guilty will remain on the earth.

^{4 e} On account of the extreme fear, horror and suffering which will afflict them.

It is the last one of the earth days, in which the earth will stop its axial rotation because it will be depleted of the heat in its core; so that in one of its two [hemispheres] there will be a perpetual night lasting till Doomsday, and in the other side [confronting the sun] there will be a perpetual day till Doomsday. This final day will last for one thousand of our years.

This is in His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 32: 5, which means:

(He directs the 'amr' [: the angels] from the heaven to the earth, then it will ascend to Him [in heaven] in a day, the measure of which is a thousand years of that you [people] count [of your years.])

Moreover, He – be glorified – said in the Quran 22: 47, which means:

(They, [being uncertain about their promised punishment], demand of you [Mohammed] to hasten on the punishment, and God will never break His promise; for a day with your Lord is as [long as] one thousand of your years.)

Therefore, the length of that day is one thousand of our years, but the guilty will deem it as fifty thousand years on account of the severe chastisement which will afflict them.

But as for believers: they will ascend together with the angels to the Paradise or Garden of Refuge, and will not stay on the earth.

^{5 f} i.e. deal with them in good conduct and soft words, so that they may yield to you and may not turn in aversion from you.

^{6 g} i.e. the punishment which they demand.

^{6 h} i.e. because they do not believe about the coming of the punishment.

^{7 i} Because only the death incidence separates them from it; so that they will fall into the punishment once they die.

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[Then God – be glorified – explained some events which will occur on that day which will last one thousand years, and He said:]

[9] 8. The day when the sky shall be [as turbid] as the turbid [boiled] oil [of sesame]^a,

[10] 9. And mountains shall be like the [fluffy] wool.^b

[11] 10. And intimate [friend or relative] shall not ask of his intimate [friend or relative to save him from the chastisement^c.]

[12] 11. They will be put [by the angels] in sight of each other^d.

The sinner would that he could ransom himself from the chastisement of that day [even] by his sons,

[13] 12. his wife, his brother,

[14] 13. his tribe who sheltered him [in the life of the World^e],

[15] 14. And [he will desire to ransom himself with] whoever are in the earth, all together; so that then such [ransom] may deliver him [from the chastisement.]

[Then God – be glorified – said:]

[16] 15. No, assuredly [he will not be saved; for] it is a blaze.^f

[17] 16. That plucks out the scalp^g.

[18] 17. It shall invite [all] such as turn their backs [from believing in God] and turn away [from believing His messenger.]

[19] 18. And hoards [money] and stores it [in the safe.]^h

^{8 a} The ‘sky’ is the gaseous layers, i.e. the atmosphere of the earth. The meaning: The sky will be turbid and unclear, due to many vapors and gases, so that it will be like the smoke.

In fact, God – be glorified – described the ‘muhl’ [which is the Arabic word in the aya] that it has three features:

The first: it is liquid; as in His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 18: 29, which means:

(And if they cry for help [because of the extreme thirst and heat of the fire], they will be helped with a water like the 'boiling turbid oil' [of sesame: the tahini] which will roast [their skin and gut] surfaces.)

The second: it has a dark color, is turbid: about black in color; as in His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 78: 24-25, which means:

(Neither cold [water] shall they taste therein, nor any [fruit] drink, but only boiling water and a black [or dark] liquid.)

The third: it is hot and boiling, as in His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 44: 45-46, which means:

(Like the "turbid oil [of sesame: or Tahini]" seething in their bellies [after its eating], like the seething of boiling water.)

So these three features is applicable to the fried and ground sesame, when it is boiled on the fire in order to separate the oil from it.

So the ‘muhl’ is the sesame oil with its residue, i.e. non-purified; which is called in Baghdad ‘Rashi’, and in Mosil and some other countries it is called ‘Tahini’.

So the sesame, following its frying on fire, will be ground, and if they want to separate the oil from its residue, the ‘Rashi’ or ‘Tahini’ will be boiled on fire, so the oil will separate from the residue. So the oil is called [in Iraq] ‘Sheeraj’, and the residue is called ‘Kusub’.

Moreover, the Arabic word ‘muhl’ in this aya, has also been explained in the interpretation of the Quran, soora or chapter: 44 and 18.

^{9 b} This is like His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 101: 5, which means:

(And mountains shall be like the fluffy wool.)

There are two causative factors for this:

The first is the finishing of the earth gravity, because the reason for the gravity is the heat which is in the earth core, so when this heat will gradually finish, then the gravity will also finish, and then the parts of mountains will be dismantled.

The second factor is the increased sun heat in the side of the perpetual day, and then mountains will be seared and become the calcium oxide, and so they will heap like sands; because most of the constituent of mountains is the calcium carbonate, i.e. the lime stone.

^{10 c} But everyone is concerned for his own soul rather than he is concerned for others.

^{11 d} The angels will say to the disbeliever: “See these are your relatives who believed in God and followed His messenger; they will be admitted into Paradise or the Garden. While you associated others with God and disobeyed His messenger, and so you have gone into the Fire.

That is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 7: 49, which means:

("Behold! Are these not [the believers] of whom you [: unbelievers] swore that God will never show them mercy!?

[But, today, we shall say to them]: "Enter the Garden: No fear shall be on you nor shall you be grieved!")

It means: They shall say to the believers: “Enter the Garden.”

^{13 e} And saved him from his enemies.

^{15 f} i.e. exceeding heat and burning fire; which is the sun and its glowing or glaring.

^{16 g} Due to the extreme heat, because the scalp, or the skin of the head, will be roasted by the sun heat.

^{18 h} So that he keeps it in the vessel and does not spend out of it in the way of God.

The meaning: The ‘Blaze’ will draw them with its gravitational power.

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[20] 19. Surely man has been created fretful^a:

[Then God – be glorified – explained the word ‘fretful’by His saying:]

[21] 20. If evil visits him, will be desperate;

[: Being greatly grieved when evil afflicts him]

[22] 21. And if blessed by wealth, will be stingy.^b

[23] 22. except those who perform the prayers,^c

[24] 23. Who always observe their [daily] prayers [and do not neglect about it.]

[25] 24. And those in whose wealth is a stated due portion^d [which they pay in alms],

[26] 25. For the beggar^e and for the deprived^f.

[27] 26. And those who believe firmly in the Day of Requital^g.

[28] 27. And those who are fearful of the chastisement of their Lord.

[29] 28. From the chastisement of their Lord, none [of disbelievers] may be secure.

[30] 29. And those who guard their private parts [against adultery and homosexual acts.]

[31] 30. Except for their wives or [the maidens] who are legally theirs; for they are not to be blamed [about that.]

[32] 31. But whosoever seeks [for himself] after other than that^h; those then are the transgressors [of God's restrictions.]

[33] 32. And those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenantsⁱ.

[34] 33. And those who stand upright in their testimony.^j

[35] 34. And those who observe their prayers^k.

[36] 35. Those [shall] be in the Gardens, honored^l.

^{19 a} i.e. most of time he is exasperated and impatient.

^{21 b} i.e. he withholds from the poor their due rights, out of his wealth.

The meaning: He has little patience, and he covets the money so that he is stingy towards the poor and needy, on account of his niggardliness.

^{22 c} They will not be desperate, because they train themselves to patience, and they know that the outcome of their patience will make them attain their purpose and gain what they want.

^{24 d} Which is the Zakat alms.

^{25 e} i.e. the poor that begs people to give him.

^{25 f} i.e. the poor that does not beg.

^{26 g} i.e. the day of punishment and reward.

^{31 h} So he commits adultery or a homosexual act.

^{32 i} i.e. they neither betray the deputy in trust, nor break the covenant.

^{33 j} i.e. neither do they deny their testimony, nor do they refuse to give witness.

^{34 k} So that they perform the prayers in its due time.

^{35 l} In the neighborhood of their Lord.

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[37] 36. But what is the matter with those [Meccans] who disbelieve^a that they comply to [Abu-Jahl:] your opponent?^b

[38] 37. Crowding round about him, on [his] right and on [his] left.^c

[39] 38. Does every man of them [: the unbelievers] hope in being admitted into a Garden of prosperity [by doing charity, in spite of his association with God]^d?

[40] 39. No, [he will not be admitted into Paradise.]

Surely, We have created them of [the dust of the earth] that they know.^e

^{36 a} i.e. the associaters among the people of Mecca, who denied the apostle-hood of Mohammed – salam to him – and did not believe him.

^{36 b} The meaning: What’s the matter with those who disbelieve, that they submit themselves to your enemy, and listen to his words; it means: Why should they comply to the words of Abu-Jahl, while he leads them to [the fire of] Hell?

^{37 c} Gathering on his right and on his left, surrounding him and listening to his words.

^{38 d} No, his work will not be accepted from him, nor will his charity avail him anything as long as he is an associater.

^{39 e} They know also that their bodies after death will return to the earth to be dust again, then why do they deny the resurrection and the ‘sending to the Next Life’?

For the One Who created the bodies from dust or earth, and returned them to the dust or earth, is not He All-Able to recreate the bodies once again?

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[41] 40. But [should] I swear [for the future] by the Lord of the rising^{a and} the setting^b [of the sun on the planets]^c that certainly We are Able^d.

[42] 41. [Moreover We are Able even] to substitute [for them new bodies that We recreate] better than theirs^e, but We had not done [such a thing^f] before [save only to manifest a miracle.]

[43] 42. So leave them be to plunge [in their illusions] and to play [in their life of the World] until they encounter their Day [of Doom] which they are promised with.

[44] 43. The day when they shall come forth from the graves^g hastily [toward the 'caller'], as if they were hurrying [and racing] to an altar^h.

[45] 44. Their eye-sights will be subduedⁱ, [and] abasement will bother them^j.

That is the day which they^k were threatened with^l.

^{40 a} The Arabic word in the aya implies the plural.

^{40 b} The Arabic word in the aya implies the plural.

^{40 c} That is because all the planets have rising and setting [i.e. the rising and setting of the sun on the planets.]

So this kind of oath is about the future.

The meaning: It is not their bodies only that will be dust, but even the planets including the earth will tear up and their parts will scatter in the space; it means: Every object on which the sun rises and sets, will tear up at that time.

This is confirmed by His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 82: 2, which means:

(And when the planets [shall break up into pieces that] shall be strewn about [in the space to be meteorites.])

^{40 d} To resurrect and revive dead bodies once again, but there is no need for that, because souls are living and will be perpetual, and the soul is the true man.

^{41 e} It means: Our ability is not confined to resurrect similar bodies only, but We are Able even to make the resurrected body better than the first and fairer in shape and creation, but no need for such a thing.

^{41 f} i.e. We did not do such a thing before -- “that We resurrect the dead body and bring it back to life, then return the soul to it once again” -- but only to make a miracle.

Moreover, it is not logical that We return the bird to its egg out of which he came, after having grown older and flown and after the shell of its egg having torn up.

An aya similar to this has also been explained in the interpretation of the Quran 56: 60.

^{43 g} It means: The souls will go out of graves and of their hiding places.

^{43 h} The ‘altars’ are big stones on which they sacrificed the idols which they present for the idols, and a caller would cry: “Come to take meat.” So they would hurry out of their homes towards it, and they would distribute it among them for free, and which they would take to their families.

The coming forth from graves is special for disbelievers; the indication of this is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 54: 7, which means:

(With humbled eyesights, they will come forth from graves like locusts scattered abroad [in the space.])

In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 36: 52, which means:

(They will say: "Woe to us! Who has sent us from our lying-place? This is what [God] Most Gracious did promise with, and true was the word of the apostles.")

^{44 i} i.e. humiliated and humbled.

^{44 j} i.e. the abasement will be so difficult and bothersome for them among souls.

^{44 k} In the life of the World.

^{44 l} For chastisement and punishment.

By God's help, the interpretation of the soora 70 of the Quran is completed;

So (praise be to God: Lord of the worlds.)

[2] 1. سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ

[3] 2. لِّلْكَافِرينَ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَافِعٌ

[4] 3. مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ

[5] 4. تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

[6] 5. فَاصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا

[7] 6. إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُ بَعِيدًا

[9] 8. يَوْمَ تَكُونُ السَّمَاء كَالْمُهْلِ

[10] 9. وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ

[11] 10. وَلَا يَسْأَلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا

[12] 11. يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيهِ

[13] 12. وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ

[14] 13. وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْويهِ

[15] 14. وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ

[16] 15. كَلَّا إِنَّهَا لَظَى

[17] 16. نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوَى

[18] 17. تَدْعُو مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّى

[20] 19. إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا

[21] 20. إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا

[22] 21. وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا

[23] 22. إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّينَ

[24] 23. الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ

[25] 24. وَالَّذِينَ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُومٌ

[26] 25. لِّلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ

[27] 26. وَالَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ

[28] 27. وَالَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ

[29] 28. إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ

[30] 29. وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ

[31] 30. إِلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ

[32] 31. فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاء ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ

[33] 32. وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ

[34] 33. وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَادَاتِهِمْ قَائِمُونَ

[35] 34. وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

[36] 35. أُوْلَئِكَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ مُّكْرَمُونَ

[37] 36. فَمَالِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ

[38] 37. عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ

[39] 38. أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍ

[40] 39. كَلَّا إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ

[41] 40. فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ الْمَشَارِقِ وَالْمَغَارِبِ إِنَّا لَقَادِرُونَ

[42] 41. عَلَى أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

[43] 42. فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا وَيَلْعَبُوا حَتَّى يُلَاقُوا يَوْمَهُمُ الَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ

[44] 43. يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَى نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ

[45] 44. خَاشِعَةً أَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي كَانُوا يُوعَدُونَ