English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Al-Sa‘di explains that this oath is by the noble angels, whose actions show perfect obedience to Allah; they pull out souls with force until the soul is brought out and recompensed for its deeds.

The angels pull out souls by Allah’s command.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Al-Sa‘di explains this among the angels’ actions: they draw souls out gently and easily, as Allah commands.

The angels draw souls by Allah’s command.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Al-Sa‘di explains this as the angels moving swiftly, like those who swim, in carrying out Allah’s command.

The angels move swiftly in obedience.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Al-Sa‘di explains this as the angels hastening and racing to fulfill what Allah commands them.

The angels race to carry out Allah’s command.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Al-Sa‘di explains this as the angels who manage the matters Allah has entrusted to them by His command.

The angels manage assigned matters only by Allah’s command.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Al-Sa‘di explains the quaking event as the standing of the Hour.

The first tremendous quake of the Hour.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Al-Sa‘di explains that another blast follows it, bringing the people to the Resurrection.

The following blast after it.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

On that Day, hearts will be full of fear and disturbance because of what they witness.

Hearts tremble from the terror of that Day.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Their eyes will be humbled and lowered, showing fear and humiliation.

Eyes are humbled by fear.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The deniers say this in rejection: will we really be returned after death to our former state?

The deniers reject return after death.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They mockingly object: will this happen after we have become decayed bones?

They mock resurrection after decay.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They say that such a return would be a losing return, speaking in denial and mockery.

They claim such a return would be loss.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Al-Sa‘di explains that it will only be one shout from Allah’s command.

The resurrection comes by one command.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Then suddenly, after that one shout, they will be gathered upon the open plain.

They will be gathered on the open plain.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah says to His Prophet ﷺ: has the story of Moses come to you? It is a great and certain matter.

The story of Moses is a great confirmed account.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

His Lord called him in the sacred valley of Tuwa.

The place where Allah called Moses.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh, for Pharaoh had transgressed and exceeded the limits.

Pharaoh exceeded all bounds.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Moses was commanded to invite him gently: would he purify himself from disbelief and disobedience?

The invitation was to purification.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Moses would guide him to knowledge of his Lord so that fear of Allah would enter his heart.

Guidance to the Lord produces fear of Him.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Moses showed Pharaoh the great sign, and Al-Sa‘di mentions the clear signs such as the staff and the shining hand.

A clear, great sign was shown to Pharaoh.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Pharaoh denied the truth and disobeyed Allah’s command.

He combined denial with disobedience.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Then he turned away, striving against the truth and opposing it.

He turned away while striving against the truth.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He gathered his people and called out among them.

He gathered and called his people.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He said in arrogance: I am your highest lord.

Pharaoh claimed lordship arrogantly.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

So Allah seized him with the punishment connected to the Hereafter and the first life.

Allah seized him with severe punishment.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

In what happened to Pharaoh there is a lesson for whoever fears Allah.

The story is a lesson for hearts that fear.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah gives a clear proof against those who deny resurrection: the creation of the heaven is greater and stronger than the creation of human beings, and Allah built it.

The heaven is a greater creation than people.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah raised its height and perfected it.

Allah perfected the heaven.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah darkened its night and brought out its daylight.

Allah brings night and daylight.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

After that, Allah spread out the earth.

Allah spread the earth for creation.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah brought from the earth its water and its pasture.

Allah brought out water and pasture.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah set the mountains firmly upon the earth.

The mountains were set firm.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

These are provisions and benefits for people and their livestock.

Allah made these benefits for people and animals.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

When the greatest overwhelming calamity comes, every other hardship becomes small before it.

The greatest calamity is the Resurrection.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

On that Day, the human being will remember what he worked for, good or evil.

People will remember their deeds.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Hellfire will be brought forth and made visible to whoever sees.

Hellfire will be made visible.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

As for the one who transgressed, Al-Sa‘di explains that he exceeded the limits and dared to commit major sins.

Transgression means crossing Allah’s limits.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter.

He chose worldly life over the Hereafter.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Hellfire will be his abode and refuge.

Hellfire becomes his abode.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

As for the one who feared standing before his Lord and being judged with justice, that fear restrained his soul from desires that block obedience.

Fear of standing before Allah restrains desire.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Paradise will be his abode and refuge.

Paradise becomes his abode.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The stubborn deniers of resurrection ask you about the Hour: when will it come and be established?

They ask about the timing of the Hour.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

You have no knowledge by which to specify its exact time.

Its exact time is not for the Prophet to specify.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Its final knowledge and appointed time belong to your Lord alone.

Its knowledge returns to Allah alone.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

You are only a warner to the one who fears the Hour and benefits from warning.

Warning benefits the one who fears it.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

When they see it, they will feel as though they had only remained in the world for an evening or its morning.

Worldly life will seem very short.

Summary of the Meanings:

Al-Sa‘di explains the opening oaths as referring to the noble angels and their complete obedience to Allah’s command.

The story of Mūsā and Pharaoh shows the end of arrogance, denial, and transgression.

The surah reminds people of the Great Calamity, when each person will remember his deeds and see the final outcome.

The surah calls the heart to fear Allah, restrain desire, and prepare for the Hour whose knowledge belongs to Allah alone.