Surah 52. At-Tur

Consider the surf-swollen sea!⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "Consider the immensity and wonderful configuration of the visible universe as an evidence of a conscious Creator."

and the surging ocean,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And by the seas set on fire!¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The seas and oceans will be on fire on Judgment Day.

And the sea kept filled,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And by the Ocean filled with Swell ^{5041 5042}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(5) The Ocean-the vast, limitless, all encircling Ocean. It is expressed to be masjur, full of a mighty swell, boiling over, poured forth all over the earth, as if overwhelming all landmarks; Cf. lxxxi. 6: a fitting description of the final disappearance of our temporal world in the supreme establishment of the judgment.

This completes the five Signs by which man may know for certain of the Judgment to come. Note that they are in a descending order: the highest, or most remote from man's consciousness, being mentioned first, and that nearest to man's consciousness being mentioned last. The truth of Revelation; its embodiment in a Prophet's Message given in human language; the universal appeal of divine worship; the starry world above; and the encircling Ocean, full of life and motion below,-all are evidences that the Day of Allah will finally come, and nothing can avert it.

VERILY, [O man,] the suffering decreed by thy Sustainer [for the sinners] will indeed come to pass:

  - Mohammad Asad

the torment of your Rabb will surely come to pass!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, the punishment of your Lord will come to pass-

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! the doom of thy Lord will surely come to pass;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily the Doom of thy Lord will indeed come to pass

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

here is none who could avert it.

  - Mohammad Asad

There shall be none to avert it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

none will avert it-

  - Mustafa Khattab

There is none that can ward it off.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

There is none can avert it

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[It will come to pass] on the Day when the skies will be convulsed in [a great] convulsion,

  - Mohammad Asad

On that Day, heaven will shake violently

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

on the Day the heavens will be shaken violently,

  - Mustafa Khattab

On the day when the heaven will heave with (awful) heaving,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

On the day when the firmament will be in dreadful commotion. ⁵⁰⁴³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Day of Judgment is typified by two figures. (1) "The firmament will be in dreadful commotion." The heavens as we see them suggest to us peace and tranquillity, and the power of fixed laws which all the heavenly bodies obey. This will all be shaken in the rise of the new world. Cf. Matt. xxiv. 29: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days...the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." For (2) see next note.

and the mountains will move with [an awesome] movement.

  - Mohammad Asad

and the mountain will travel around.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and the mountains will be blown away entirely.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And the mountains move away with (awful) movement,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And the mountain will fly hither and thither. ⁵⁰⁴⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(2) The mountains are a type of firmness and stability. But things that we think of as firm and stable in this material life will be shaken to pieces, and will be no more substantial than a mirage in a desert. Cf. lxxviii. 20.

Woe, then, on that Day to all who give the lie to the truth -

  - Mohammad Asad

On that Day, woe be to the deniers of truth,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then woe on that Day to the deniers-

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then woe that day unto the deniers

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Then woe that Day to those that treat (truth) as Falsehood ⁵⁰⁴⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

That Day will be a Day of Woe to the wrong doers described in two aspects, the rebels against Allah and Allah's Truth, just as it will be a Day of Joy and Thanksgiving to the Righteous, who are described in three aspects in verses 17 to 28. The rebels are here described as being those who openly defied Truth and plunged into wrong-doing, or who trifled with truth, who jested with serious matters, who had not the courage to plunge openly into wrong-doing but who secretly took profit out of it, who wasted their life in doubts and petty quibbles. It is difficult to say which attitude did more harm to themselves and to others. Both are aspects of deep-seated rebellion. But the mercy of Allah was open to all if they had repented and amended their lives.

all those who [throughout their lives] but idly played with things vain -

  - Mohammad Asad

who are engaged in their useless sports.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

those who amuse themselves with falsehood!

  - Mustafa Khattab

Who play in talk of grave matters;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

That play (and paddle) in shallow trifles.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

on the Day when they shall be thrust into the fire with [an irresistible] thrust, [and will be told:]

  - Mohammad Asad

On that Day they shall be driven to the fire of hell with violence,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'It is' the Day they will be fiercely shoved into the Fire of Hell.

  - Mustafa Khattab

The day when they are thrust with a (disdainful) thrust, into the fire of hell.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

That Day shall they be thrust down to the Fire of Hell irresistibly.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"This is the fire which you were wont to call a lie!

  - Mohammad Asad

and it will be said to them: "This is the fire which you denied.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'They will be told,' 'This is the Fire which you used to deny.

  - Mustafa Khattab

(And it is said unto them): This is the Fire which ye were wont to deny.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"This" it will be said "is the Fire which ye were wont to deny! ⁵⁰⁴⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In face of the Realities, it will be borne in on them how wrong it was for them in this life to deny or forget that every wicked thought or deed had its own retributive chain of consequences.

Was it, then, a delusion⁵ - or is it that you failed to see [its truth]?

  - Mohammad Asad

This is obviously the meaning of the term sihr in the present context (see surah {74}. note [12]).

Is this a magic, or do you not see?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Is this magic, or do you not see?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Is this magic, or do ye not see?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Is this then a fake or is it ye that do not see? ⁵⁰⁴⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Perhaps they had said that the Hereafter was a fake, mere old wives' tales! If they had given serious thought to the Signs of Allah, they would have been saved from that serious spiritual blindness: then they will see that the fault was their own, and that the warnings of the messengers of Truth were nothing but pure Truth.

Endure it [now]! But [whether you] bear yourselves with patience or without patience, it will be the same to you: you are but being requited for what you were wont to do."⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "you will have to endure it in either case, for it is but a consequence of your own doings and attitudes": a subtle allusion to the fact that the "punishments" and "rewards" in the life to come are but allegories of the logical consequences of the manner in which one acts or behaves in this life.

Now burn therein; it will be the same for you, whether you bear it patiently or do not bear it patiently. You are being rewarded according to your deeds."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Burn in it! It is the same whether you endure 'it' patiently or not.¹ You are only rewarded for what you used to do.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

 One gets the reward for being patient in difficult times in this world. As for the Hereafter, those who suffer patiently in Hell will not be rewarded for their patience.

Endure the heat thereof, and whether ye are patient of it or impatient of it is all one for you. Ye are only being paid for what ye used to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Burn ye therein: the same is it to you whether ye bear it with patience or not: Ye but receive the recompense of your (own) deeds." ⁵⁰⁴⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

At that stage they will have no justification for anger or impatience; for their whole position will have been due to their own conduct and their rejection of Allah's Grace. Nor will there be time then for patience or repentance, for their period of probation will then have been over.

[But,] verily, the God-conscious will find themselves [on that Day] in gardens and in bliss,

  - Mohammad Asad

As for the righteous, they will be in Gardens and bliss,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, the righteous will be in Gardens and bliss,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! those who kept their duty dwell in gardens and delight,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

As to the Righteous they will be in Gardens and in Happiness ⁵⁰⁴⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Righteous will be in Bliss far beyond their merits: their sins and faults will be forgiven by the grace of Allah, which will save them from the penalties which they may have incurred from human frailty. It will be their own effort or striving which will win them Allah's grace: see verse 19 below. But the fruits will be greater than they could strictly have carned.

rejoicing in all that their Sustainer will have granted them: for their Sustainer will have warded off from them all suffering through the blazing fire.

  - Mohammad Asad

rejoicing in what their Rabb has given them and their Rabb shall shield them from the torment of hell.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

enjoying whatever their Lord will have granted them. And their Lord will have protected them from the torment of the Hellfire.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Happy because of what thee Lord hath given them, and (because) their Lord hath warded off from them the torment of hell fire.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Enjoying the (Bliss) which their Lord hath bestowed on them and their Lord shall deliver them from the Penalty of the Fire.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[And they will be told:] "Eat and drink with good cheer as an outcome of what you were wont to do,

  - Mohammad Asad

It will be said to them: "Eat and drink to your hearts content, this is the reward for your good deeds."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'They will be told,' 'Eat and drink happily for what you used to do.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

(And it is said until them): Eat and drink in health (as reward) for what ye used to do,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(To them will be said:) "Eat and drink ye with profit and health because of your (good) deeds." ^{5050 5051}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The bliss of the Righteous is described in three aspects: (1) their individual bliss, verses 17-20: (2) their social bliss, verses 21-24; and (3) their satisfaction in the dissipation of past shadows, and their full understanding of the goodness of Allah, verses 25-28.

Individual satisfaction is expressed in three types or figures of speech. (1) eating and drinking (2) couches of dignity, and (3) the joy of individual companionship. But the eating and drinking will be free of all drawbacks, such as excess, aftereffects and satiety: here there will be pure health, profit, and enjoyment. So about the other two: see the notes following. Cf. with this the description of heaven in xxxvii 40-49: while the general account is the same, special phases are brought out in the two passages to correspond with the context.

reclining on couches [of happiness] ranged in rows!"⁷ And [in that paradise] We shall mate them with companions pure, most beautiful of eye.⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

As explained by Razi in his comments on the above verse as well as on 18:31 and 55:54 , the "reclining on couches" or "on carpets" in paradise is a symbol of inner fulfilment and peace of mind; and he points out that this is also alluded to in the identity of the verbal root sarra ("he was [or "became"] happy") in both the nouns surur ("happiness") and sarir ("couch").

For an explanation of the expression hur'in, see surah {56}, note [8].

They shall recline on couches arranged in rows; and We shall wed them with beautiful Huris (damsels).

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will be reclining on thrones, 'neatly' lined up 'facing each other'. And We will pair them to maidens with gorgeous eyes.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Reclining on ranged couches. And We wed them unto fair ones with wide, lovely eyes.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They will recline (with ease) on Thrones (of dignity) arranged in ranks; and We shall join them to Companions with beautiful big and lustrous eyes. ^{5052 5053}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Every one will have a couch of dignity, but it does not follow that the dignity will be the same. Every one's Personality will be purified but it will not be merged into one general sameness.

Cf. xliv. 54, and notes 4728 and 4729, where the meaning of Hur is fully explained. This is the special sharing of individual Bliss one with another. The next verse refers to the general social satisfaction shared with all whom we loved in this earthly life.