English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

This asks what those who disbelieve in Allah’s signs are questioning one another about.

Those who disbelieve in Allah’s signs question one another.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They are asking about the great tidings: the momentous news concerning which they differed.

The great news over which their disagreement continued for a long time.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They differed over this great news for a long time; many rejected it and regarded it as very unlikely.

Their rejection and disbelief in the great tidings became well known.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They will know the truth when the punishment and the reality they denied come upon them.

They will come to know when what they denied befalls them.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The warning is repeated: they will certainly know when they are driven towards the Fire they used to deny.

The repeated warning confirms the certainty of what they denied.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah spread out the earth and prepared it for cultivation, dwellings, and travel.

The earth was made ready for people to use and live upon.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah made the mountains like pegs to hold the earth firm so that it does not shake and shift.

The mountains hold the earth firm like pegs.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah created people male and female, so that each may find comfort in the other and they may have offspring.

Male and female were created from one race for comfort, love, and offspring.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah made sleep a rest that stops activity and gives the body the relief it needs.

Sleep brings work and physical activity to a needed pause.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah made the night a covering, enveloping people in its darkness so that they may rest.

The darkness of night covers people and supports their rest.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah made the day a time for earning a livelihood and carrying out people’s affairs.

Daylight enables people to seek their livelihood.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah built seven heavens above you, strong, solid, and firm, and holds them by His might.

The seven heavens are strong, solid, and firm.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah placed the sun as a blazing lamp, giving necessary light and beneficial heat.

The sun is a lamp of light and blazing heat from which people benefit.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah sends down abundant and plentiful water from the rainclouds.

Water descends in abundant torrents.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

By that water Allah brings forth grains that people eat and vegetation that serves as fodder for livestock.

Rain brings forth food for people and vegetation for animals.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah brings forth gardens dense with trees and containing all kinds of delicious fruits.

Gardens are thick with trees and filled with varied fruits.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The Day of Judgement is a momentous appointed time fixed for all creatures.

It is the appointed Day on which Allah will judge between all creatures.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

When the Trumpet is blown, people will come forth in crowds amid tremendous troubles and turmoil.

All people will come forth in crowds after the Trumpet is blown.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The heaven will be rent asunder and opened until it becomes like gateways.

The opened heaven will appear as gateways.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The mountains will be moved from their places, scattered, and made to vanish like a mirage.

The mountains will disappear after being moved and scattered.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Hell has been prepared and lies in wait for the evildoers.

The Fire is prepared and waiting for its people.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Hell is the destination and place of return for the transgressors.

The transgressors will return to the Fire as their destination.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They will remain in Hell for countless ages.

Their stay there extends through age after age.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They will find nothing there to cool their skin or to ward off their thirst.

No coolness will relieve their burning skin.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Their only drink will be scalding water that burns and foul pus with a horrible smell and taste.

They are given scalding water and foul pus.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

These punishments are a fitting recompense for the deeds that brought them there; Allah does not wrong them.

The recompense precisely corresponds to what they did.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They did not believe in resurrection or that Allah would requite good and evil, so they did not strive for the hereafter.

They did not expect to be called to account.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They clearly and stubbornly rejected Allah’s revelations even after clear proofs came to them.

Their denial of Allah’s signs was blatant and persistent.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah has recorded every small and great, good and evil deed in the Preserved Record; nothing is forgotten.

Every deed is fully counted and recorded.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They are told to taste the painful punishment, which will increase at every moment.

Their torment will continually increase.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Those who feared their Lord, obeyed Him, and avoided what He dislikes will be saved and kept far from the Fire.

The righteous will attain salvation and be kept away from Hell.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Their salvation includes gardens of many colourful, fruitful trees and abundant vineyards.

They will have fruitful gardens through which rivers flow and abundant grapevines.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They will have youthful companions of equal age, close in age and harmonious with one another.

Their companions will be youthful and of equal age.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They will have cups filled with delicious nectar.

The cup will be full of a delicious drink.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They will hear no useless talk and no sinful lies in Paradise.

Paradise is free of speech that has no benefit and of sinful falsehood.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

This great reward is a generous gift from their Lord, granted by His grace for the deeds He enabled them to do.

It is an ample and generous gift from their Lord.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The giver is the Lord and Controller of the heavens, the earth, and all between them, the Most Merciful; none can address Him without permission.

He created and controls the heavens, the earth, and everything between them.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Jibreel and the angels will stand in rows; none will speak unless the Most Merciful permits and the words spoken are right.

Speech requires Allah’s permission and must be truthful and right.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

That Day is certainly true; whoever wills should prepare a way back to his Lord through righteous deeds.

It is the true Day on which falsehood and lying will be of no benefit.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The punishment is near; each person will see the deeds his hands sent ahead, and the disbeliever will wish to be dust because of intense regret.

Every person will face the deeds he sent forward and their outcome.

Summary of the Meanings:

The disbelievers question the great news and differ over it, but they will know its truth when the punishment they denied comes.

The prepared earth, stabilizing mountains, human pairs, sleep, night, day, seven strong heavens, the sun, rain, crops, and gardens are immense blessings and proofs of Allah’s power.

The Trumpet will be blown, the heaven opened, and the mountains removed. Hell awaits the transgressors as a fitting recompense for denying the reckoning and Allah’s signs.

Those who feared their Lord and obeyed Him will be saved and given gardens, vineyards, harmonious companions, full cups, and pure speech as a generous gift from their Lord.

Jibreel and the angels will stand in rows, and none will speak without permission and truth. Every person will see what he sent forward, and the disbeliever will wish to be dust.