Scattering Winds
Aⱬ-Ⱬâriyât
الذَّارِیات
LEARNING POINTS
Allah has the ability to create and bring everyone back to life for judgment.
He promises a great reward to those who believe and do good.
Many people were punished for rejecting Allah, abusing His prophets, and making fun of Judgment Day.
The people of Makkah are told that they should expect to be punished if they do not change their ways.
They always made fun of the punishment, challenging the Prophet to speed it up.
JUDGMENT IS COMING FOR SURE
1By the winds blowing dust, 2and the clouds carrying heavy rain, 3and the ships sailing with ease. 4and the angels managing matters by Allah's order! 5Surely what you are promised is true. 6And Judgment is coming for sure.
وَٱلذَّٰرِيَٰتِ ذَرۡوٗا 1فَٱلۡحَٰمِلَٰتِ وِقۡرٗا 2فَٱلۡجَٰرِيَٰتِ يُسۡرٗا 3فَٱلۡمُقَسِّمَٰتِ أَمۡرًا 4إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَصَادِقٞ 5وَإِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ لَوَٰقِعٞ6
WARNING TO THE DISBELIEVERS
7'And' by the heavens with their perfect design! 8Surely you are lost 'in confusion' about the truth. 9Only those 'easily' deceived are turned away from it. 10The liars are doomed. 11those who are lost in ignorance not paying attention, 12They ask 'mockingly', When is this Judgment Day?. 13It is 'the Day they will be burned over the Fire. 14They will be told, Taste your burning! This is what you wanted to speed up.
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡحُبُكِ 7إِنَّكُمۡ لَفِي قَوۡلٖ مُّخۡتَلِفٖ 8يُؤۡفَكُ عَنۡهُ مَنۡ أُفِكَ 9قُتِلَ ٱلۡخَرَّٰصُونَ 10ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ فِي غَمۡرَةٖ سَاهُونَ 11يَسَۡٔلُونَ أَيَّانَ يَوۡمُ ٱلدِّينِ 12يَوۡمَ هُمۡ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ يُفۡتَنُونَ 13ذُوقُواْ فِتۡنَتَكُمۡ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ14
GOOD NEWS FOR THE BELIEVERS
15Surely the faithful will be in the middle of Gardens and springs. 16happily receiving what their Lord will give them. Before this 'reward' they really did good in the world'. 17they used to sleep only a short time in the night, 18and pray for forgiveness in the last hours of the night. 19And in their wealth there was a certain share 'given' to those who beg for food 'and those who are poor'.
إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّٰتٖ وَعُيُونٍ 15ءَاخِذِينَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمۡ رَبُّهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَبۡلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُحۡسِنِينَ 16كَانُواْ قَلِيلٗا مِّنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ مَا يَهۡجَعُونَ 17وَبِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ هُمۡ يَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ 18وَفِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ حَقّٞ لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ19
WORDS OF WISDOM
In verses 20-21, Allah invites us to think about His signs within ourselves. Here are some facts about your body:
1. Your heart beats about 35 million times in a year, and more than 2.5 billion times during your life.
2. You breathe around 23,000 times a day.
3. Your eye can distinguish 10 million different colours.
4. Your nose can recognize a trillion different smells.
5. Your brain has a memory of more than 4 terabytes on a hard drive.
6. If you were to put your blood vessels in one straight line, they would stretch for about 60,000 miles—which is enough to circle the earth 3 times!
7. Your body has about 5.6 liters of blood. In one day, the blood travels a total of 12,000 miles—that is four times the distance across the U.S. from coast to coast.
8. Your brain is more powerful than any computer, your kidneys are more effective than any filter, and your eye is better than any camera.
ALLAH'S AMAZING CREATION
20There are 'many' signs on earth for those with sure faith. 21as there are within yourselves. Can you not see? 22In heaven is whatever you need for support and whatever you are promised. 23Then by the Lord of heaven and earth! All 'this' is as true as your ability to speak!
وَفِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ءَايَٰتٞ لِّلۡمُوقِنِينَ 20وَفِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡۚ أَفَلَا تُبۡصِرُونَ 21وَفِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ رِزۡقُكُمۡ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ 22فَوَرَبِّ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِنَّهُۥ لَحَقّٞ مِّثۡلَ مَآ أَنَّكُمۡ تَنطِقُونَ23
IBRAHIM VISITED BY ANGELS
24Did you O Prophet hear the story of Ibrahim's honoured guests? 25Remember 'when they came to him and greeted him with 'Peace! He replied, Peace! Then he said to himself 'These are people I do not know-. 26Then he rushed to his family and brought a fat 'roasted calf', 27and put it in front of them, asking, Will you not eat? 28Then his wife came forward with a loud cry, slapping her forehead 'in shock', saying, A baby from an old woman, unable to give birth! 29They replied, This is what your Lord has already decided. He is truly the One with perfect wisdom and knowledge.
هَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيۡفِ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٱلۡمُكۡرَمِينَ 24إِذۡ دَخَلُواْ عَلَيۡهِ فَقَالُواْ سَلَٰمٗاۖ قَالَ سَلَٰمٞ قَوۡمٞ مُّنكَرُونَ 25فَرَاغَ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهِۦ فَجَآءَ بِعِجۡلٖ سَمِينٖ 26فَقَرَّبَهُۥٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ قَالَ أَلَا تَأۡكُلُونَ 27فَأَوۡجَسَ مِنۡهُمۡ خِيفَةٗۖ قَالُواْ لَا تَخَفۡۖ وَبَشَّرُوهُ بِغُلَٰمٍ عَلِيمٖ 28فَأَقۡبَلَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتُهُۥ فِي صَرَّةٖ فَصَكَّتۡ وَجۡهَهَا وَقَالَتۡ عَجُوزٌ عَقِيمٞ29
Verse 27: According to ancient Middle Eastern culture, if the guest refused to eat, that was a sign that he probably wanted to harm the host..
DESTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE OF LUT
30Later 'Ibrahim asked, What is your mission, O messengers? 31They replied, We have actually been sent against a wicked people, 32to send upon them stones of baked clay, 33marked by your Lord for those who went far in sin. 34Then before the punishment came 'We got the believers out of those cities'. 35But We only found one family that was Muslim. 36And We have left there a sign for those who fear the painful punishment.
قَالُواْ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ 30قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ 31قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّآ أُرۡسِلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ مُّجۡرِمِينَ 32لِنُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حِجَارَةٗ مِّن طِينٖ 33مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ 34فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مَن كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ 35فَمَا وَجَدۡنَا فِيهَا غَيۡرَ بَيۡتٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ36
Verse 34: According to ancient Middle Eastern culture, if the guest refused to eat, that was a sign that he probably wanted to harm the host..
Verse 35: The family of Lut à, except his wife.
Verse 36: The cities of Lut were turned upside down.
DESTRUCTION OF PHARAOH'S PEOPLE
37And in the story of Musa 'was another a lesson,' when We sent him to Pharaoh with a clear proof, 38but Pharaoh was carried away by his power and called 'Musa' A magician or a crazy man! 39So We took him and his soldiers, dumping them into the sea while he was guilty of sin.
وَتَرَكۡنَا فِيهَآ ءَايَةٗ لِّلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ 37وَفِي مُوسَىٰٓ إِذۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ 38فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ وَقَالَ سَٰحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونٞ39
DESTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE OF HUD
40And in 'the story of Ad 'was another lesson,' when We sent against them the destroying wind. 41There was nothing it came upon that it did not turn into dust.
فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُ وَجُنُودَهُۥ فَنَبَذۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٞ 40وَفِي عَادٍ إِذۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلرِّيحَ ٱلۡعَقِيمَ41
DESTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE OF SALIH
43And in the story of Thamud 'was another lesson,' when they were told, You 'only' have a short time to enjoy life. 44Still they kept disobeying the orders of their Lord, so they were hit by a 'mighty' blast while they were watching. 45Then they were not able to rise up, and they were helpless..
وَفِي ثَمُودَ إِذۡ قِيلَ لَهُمۡ تَمَتَّعُواْ حَتَّىٰ حِينٖ 43فَعَتَوۡاْ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِمۡ فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّٰعِقَةُ وَهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ 44فَمَا ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْ مِن قِيَامٖ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُنتَصِرِينَ45
DESTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE OF NUH
46And the people of Nuh 'had also been destroyed' earlier. They were truly troublemakers.
وَقَوۡمَ نُوحٖ مِّن قَبۡلُۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمٗا فَٰسِقِينَ46
WORDS OF WISDOM
The Quran is a book of signs—not a book of science. However, when Allah speaks about His ability to bring people back to life, He usually talks about His power to create, including the creation and expansion of the universe (verse 47 below), earth's rotation (27:88), the growth of babies inside their mothers (22:5 and 23:12-14), and so on.
Islam teaches that it is important to observe, learn, and think. This motivated scholars to make progress in many fields of knowledge, such as medicine, anatomy, mathematics, geography, astronomy, and architecture. Algebra, alchemy, and alcohol are all Arabic words. The Canon of Medicine by Avicenna (Ibn Sina, 980-1037 C.E.) was an important medical text in Europe for more than 700 years. Many surgical tools that are in use today were invented by Albucasis (Alzahrawi, 936-1013 C.E.). Mariam Al-Astrolabiya, a female Muslim scholar who lived in the 10th century in Syria, was famous for designing and making astrolabes, to help travelers and sailors find their way based on the location of the sun, the moon, and stars. Arabic numerals (0, 1, 2, 3, etc.) are used worldwide.
Muslims invented a lot of sciences and developed many others (which they had learned from the Romans, Greeks, Persians, Indians, and others). This paved the way for the European industrial revolution. The invention of cameras, computers, and GPS systems could not have been possible without the contributions of Muslim scholars.
ALLAH'S POWER TO CREATE
47We built the universe with 'great' power, and We are definitely expanding it'. 48As for the earth, We spread it out. How perfectly did We smooth it out! 49And We created pairs of all things so maybe you would keep this in mind.
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيۡنَٰهَا بِأَيۡيْدٖ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ 47وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَرَشۡنَٰهَا فَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡمَٰهِدُونَ 48وَمِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ49
WAKE-UP CALL TO THE DISBELIEVERS
50So 'announce, O Prophet': Turn to Allah quickly! I am truly sent by Him with a clear warning to you. 51And do not set up another god with Allah. I am truly sent by Him with a clear warning to you.
فَفِرُّوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ 50وَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ51
EARLIER DISBELIEVERS
52In the same way, no messenger came to those before them without being called: A magician or a crazy man. 53Have they passed this 'saying' down to each other? In fact, they have all gone far in sin. 54So 'now' turn away from them 'O Prophet', for you will not be blamed for their disbelief. 55But 'continue to' remind, because reminders definitely benefit the believers.
كَذَٰلِكَ مَآ أَتَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا قَالُواْ سَاحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونٌ 52أَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِهِۦۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٞ طَاغُونَ 53فَتَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡ فَمَآ أَنتَ بِمَلُومٖ 54وَذَكِّرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ55
THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
56I have not created jinn and humans except to worship Me. 57I do not need them to provide for Me, and I do not need them to feed Me. 58Surely Allah 'alone' is the Master Provider—Lord of all power and strength.
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ 56مَآ أُرِيدُ مِنۡهُم مِّن رِّزۡقٖ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَن يُطۡعِمُونِ 57إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلرَّزَّاقُ ذُو ٱلۡقُوَّةِ ٱلۡمَتِينُ58
BACKGROUND STORY
According to the next passage, the Prophet warned the idol-worshippers that if they didn't stop their idol-worship, corruption, and abuse, they would be destroyed like all the people mentioned earlier in this surah. However, they challenged him to bring that punishment as soon as possible. (Recorded by Imam Ibn Kathir}
WARNING TO THE DISBELIEVERS
59Those who do wrong will definitely have a share 'of the punishment like those before them. So they better not ask Me to speed it up! 60It will be horrible for the disbelievers when they face their Day which they are warned of!
فَإِنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ ذَنُوبٗا مِّثۡلَ ذَنُوبِ أَصۡحَٰبِهِمۡ فَلَا يَسۡتَعۡجِلُونِ 59فَوَيۡلٞ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن يَوۡمِهِمُ ٱلَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ60