The Momentous News
An-Naba'
النَّبَا
LEARNING POINTS
This surah gives many examples of Allah's ability to create, and proves that He is able to bring everyone back to life for judgment.
Each person will be rewarded or punished according to their choices and actions in this life.
The wicked (who question and deny life after death) will regret their sins on Judgment Day.
The believers will enjoy themselves in Jannah.
BACKGROUND STORY
The idol-worshippers were busy making fun of Islam. They argued with each other about whether the news of life after death was a lie, magic, or a fairy tale. So Allah revealed this Surah to tell them that life after death is true. They are told that they should think about all the great things that Allah has created in the universe, which will prove to them that He has the power to bring everyone back to life for judgment. This argument is repeated in many places in the Quran. (Recorded by Imam Al-Qurtubi)
WORDS OF WISDOM
The topic of judgment is repeated in many surahs. As we mentioned in the Introduction of this book, not everyone will read the entire Quran. This is why important topics are repeated in different places, so no matter where you read, you will come across lessons about Allah, life in this world, and Judgment Day. However, the focus changes from one surah to another. For example, many surahs talk about Jannah and Jahannam–but one surah focuses on the quality of life, another focuses on food and drink, a third focuses on shade and clothing, and so on.
SIDE STORY
A university professor did a social experiment with his students. He asked 2 volunteers (whom the students didn't know) to enter the class from the front door, one chasing the other with a hockey stick, and leave from the back door. The class was interrupted for about 7 seconds before the professor continued his talk for 5 minutes. Then he asked his students to write down some details about the 2 people who interrupted the class—for example, what they looked like, the colour of their clothes, and the stick the second man had. He was surprised that his 20 students gave him more than 7 different descriptions of something that happened only 5 minutes earlier.
WORDS OF WISDOM
The Quran was revealed to the Prophet (who couldn't read or write) over a period of 23 years. Yet all stories and details in the Quran are perfectly consistent, with no contradictions whatsoever. This is a proof that the Quran was revealed by Allah, not made up by the Prophet. As the Word of Allah, the Quran is perfectly put together. Even if some topics are repeated, they complete each other, giving us the full picture. Similarly, Allah gave you repeated body parts: 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 lips, 5 fingers in each hand, 5 toes in each foot, and many teeth. These repeated body parts make us complete, not imperfect.
MAKING FUN OF LIFE AFTER DEATH
1What are they asking each other about? 2About the big news, 3over which they Disagree. 4But no! They will soon know. 5Again, no! They will soon know.
عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ 1عَنِ ٱلنَّبَإِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ 2ٱلَّذِي هُمۡ فِيهِ مُخۡتَلِفُونَ 3كَلَّا سَيَعۡلَمُونَ 4ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعۡلَمُونَ5
WORDS OF WISDOM
Allah has placed the earth in the perfect position that allows life to exist on our planet. First, according to National Geographic, the earth is at the exact right distance from the sun—if it was any farther, the earth would freeze, and if it was any closer, the earth would burn. Second, the ozone layer protects the earth from harmful radiation from the sun. Third, some planets in our solar system act as a shield for the earth. Moreover, life is supported by air, water, energy, and gravity. The earth rotates on its axis which causes the day and night as well as the seasons. Mountains make the earth stable, just like pegs for a tent. We only see the top of mountains above ground, but their roots go deeper into the earth.
According to the following passage, it is absolutely ridiculous for someone to say that Allah (Who created these amazing things) is not able to bring people back to life for judgment.
1 National Geographic: (https://on.natgeo.com/2Zg6i1K). Website visited on July 22, 2019..
THE MIRACLE OF CREATION
6Have We not smoothed out the earth 'like a bed', 7and 'made' the mountains as 'its' pegs, 8and created you in pairs, 9and made your sleep for rest, 10and made the night as a cover, 11and made the day for work, 12and built above you seven mighty heavens', 13and placed the sun within as' a shining lamp, 14and sent down from the clouds pouring rain, 15producing with it grain and 'all kinds' of plants, 16and thick gardens?
أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مِهَٰدٗا 6وَٱلۡجِبَالَ أَوۡتَادٗا 7وَخَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا 8وَجَعَلۡنَا نَوۡمَكُمۡ سُبَاتٗا 9وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلَّيۡلَ لِبَاسٗا 10وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشٗا 11وَبَنَيۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمۡ سَبۡعٗا شِدَادٗا 12وَجَعَلۡنَا سِرَاجٗا وَهَّاجٗا 13وَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡمُعۡصِرَٰتِ مَآءٗ ثَجَّاجٗا 14لِّنُخۡرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبّٗا وَنَبَاتٗا 15وَجَنَّٰتٍ أَلۡفَافًا16
HORRORS OF JUDGMENT DAY
17Surely the Day of 'Final' Decision is a set time— 18'it is' the Day the Trumpet will be blown, and you will 'all' come out in crowds. 19The sky will be 'split' open, becoming 'many' gates, 20and the mountains will be blown away, becoming 'like' an illusion.
إِنَّ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ كَانَ مِيقَٰتٗا 17يَوۡمَ يُنفَخُ فِي ٱلصُّورِ فَتَأۡتُونَ أَفۡوَاجٗا 18وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتۡ أَبۡوَٰبٗا 19وَسُيِّرَتِ ٱلۡجِبَالُ فَكَانَتۡ سَرَابًا20
PUNISHMENT OF THE DENIERS
21Surely Jahannam is waiting like a trap. 22as the final home for those who have gone too far in evil, 23where they will remain for 'endless' ages. 24There they will not taste any coolness or drink, 25except boiling water and nasty filth 26a fair punishment. 27This is because they never expected any judgment, 28and totally rejected Our signs. 29And We have everything recorded precisely. 30So the deniers will be told, "Taste this', for all you will get from Us is more punishment."
إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتۡ مِرۡصَادٗا 21لِّلطَّٰغِينَ مََٔابٗا 22لَّٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحۡقَابٗا 23لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرۡدٗا وَلَا شَرَابًا 24إِلَّا حَمِيمٗا وَغَسَّاقٗا 25جَزَآءٗ وِفَاقًا 26إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ لَا يَرۡجُونَ حِسَابٗا 27وَكَذَّبُواْ بَِٔايَٰتِنَا كِذَّابٗا 28وَكُلَّ شَيۡءٍ أَحۡصَيۡنَٰهُ كِتَٰبٗا 29فَذُوقُواْ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمۡ إِلَّا عَذَابًا30
REWARD OF THE BELIEVERS
31Surely the faithful will win 'Paradise; 32with Gardens, grapes, 33and heavenly wives of perfect shape and equal age, 34and full cups 'of pure drink', 35never hearing any nonsense or lying there— 36a 'proper' reward as a generous gift from your Lord, 37the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, the Most Kind. No one will dare speak to Him 38on the Day the holy' spirit and other angels will stand in perfect rows. None will dare talk, except those given permission by the Most Kind and whose words are true. 39That Day is the 'perfect' truth. So let whoever wants, take the path leading back to their Lord.
إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا 31حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعۡنَٰبٗا 32وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتۡرَابٗا 33وَكَأۡسٗا دِهَاقٗا 34لَّا يَسۡمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغۡوٗا وَلَا كِذَّٰبٗا 35جَزَآءٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابٗا 36رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِۖ لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ مِنۡهُ خِطَابٗا 37يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ صَفّٗاۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابٗا 38ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمُ ٱلۡحَقُّۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ مََٔابًا39
Verse 39: no one can talk or defend anyone without his permission
BACKGROUND STORY
On. Judgment Day, Allah will give justice to all of His creation, including animals that were unfairly abused by others. At the end, all these animals will become dust after judgment. When evil people see this, they will wish that they too become dust so they do not have to go to the Fire. {Recorded by Imam At-Tabari)
WAKE-UP CALL TO HUMANITY
40We have surely warned you of a punishment coming soon—the Day every person will see the consequences of what their hands have done, and the disbeliever will cry, "Oh no! I wish I were dust."
إِنَّآ أَنذَرۡنَٰكُمۡ عَذَابٗا قَرِيبٗا يَوۡمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلۡكَافِرُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي كُنتُ تُرَٰبَۢا40