وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ
Allah took an oath by the sky and He took an oath by the star that knocks at night.
Tafsir · Al-Mukhtasar (Tafsir Center)
At-Tariq
ٱلطَّارِقTafsir Center for Quranic Studies · Surah 86 · 17 verses
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ
O Messenger! What will tell you the status of this great star?!
ٱلنَّجۡمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ
It is the star that pierces the sky with its glowing light.
إِن كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ لَّمَّا عَلَيۡهَا حَافِظٞ
There is no soul except that Allah has assigned to it an angel to record its deeds for the reckoning on the day of judgment.
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
So let man reflect over what Allah created him from, so that Allah’s power and man’s inability becomes clear to him.
خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٖ دَافِقٖ
Allah created him from a spurting liquid that is split into the womb.
يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ ٱلصُّلۡبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبِ
This liquid emerges from between the spinal column of a man and the bones of the chest.
إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَجۡعِهِۦ لَقَادِرٞ
He, may He be glorified - since He created him from that despised liquid - has the power to bring him back to life after death for the reckoning and recompense.
يَوۡمَ تُبۡلَى ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ
On the day when secrets will be tried and the intentions, beliefs etc. that the hearts conceal will be exposed, and the righteous will be distinguished from the corrupt.
فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن قُوَّةٖ وَلَا نَاصِرٖ
On that day man will not have any power to protect himself from Allah’s punishment, nor any helper to assist him.
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجۡعِ
Allah took an oath by the sky that contains rain, because it comes down from its direction time after time.
وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدۡعِ
He took an oath by the earth that cracks open to reveal the plants, fruit and trees in it.
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلٞ فَصۡلٞ
This Qur’ān that is revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a word that separates truth from falsehood, and fact from lie.
وَمَا هُوَ بِٱلۡهَزۡلِ
It is not a game and falsehood, but it is serious and the truth.
إِنَّهُمۡ يَكِيدُونَ كَيۡدٗا
Those who deny what their messenger brought to them plot and scheme to reject and refute his call.
وَأَكِيدُ كَيۡدٗا
I too plot and scheme to make the religion victorious and to disprove falsehood.
فَمَهِّلِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ أَمۡهِلۡهُمۡ رُوَيۡدَۢا
So give respite, O Messenger, to these disbelievers. Give them respite for a short while, and do not seek to hasten their punishment and destruction.