Surah 78. An-Naba

[On that Day,] verily, hell will lie in wait [for those who deny the truth] -

  - Mohammad Asad

For sure, the hell shall lie in ambush,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! hell lurketh in ambush,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

a goal for all who are wont to transgress the bounds of what is right!

  - Mohammad Asad

to become a home for the transgressors.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

A home for the rebellious.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

In it shall they remain for a long time.¹²

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., not forever, since the term huqb or hiqbah (of which ahqab is the plural) denotes no more than "a period of time" or "a long time" (Jawhari) - according to some authorities, "eighty years" according to others, "a year" or simply "years" (Asas, Qamus, Lisan al-'Arab, etc.). But however one defines this term, it is obvious that it signifies a limited period of time, and not eternity: and this is in tune with many indications in the Qur'an to the effect that the suffering described as "hell" is not eternal (see note [114] on the last paragraph of 6:128 ), as well as with several authentic sayings of the Prophet (e.g., the one quoted in note [10] on 40:12 ).

There they shall live for ages,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will abide therein for ages.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Neither coolness shall they taste therein nor any [thirst-quenching] drink -

  - Mohammad Asad

in it they shall taste neither refreshment nor drink,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Therein taste they neither coolness nor (any) drink

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

only burning despair and ice-cold darkness:¹³

  - Mohammad Asad

For my rendering of hamim as "burning despair", see surah {6}, note [62]. The meaning of ghassaq is explained in note [47] on {38:57-58}.

except scalding water and decaying filth:

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Save boiling water and a paralyzing cold:

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

a meet requital [for their sins]!

  - Mohammad Asad

a fitting recompense for their deeds.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Reward proportioned (to their evil deeds).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold, they were not expecting to be called to account?

  - Mohammad Asad

For they never expected to be accountable,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

For lo! they looked not for a reckoning;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

having given the lie to Our messages one and all:

  - Mohammad Asad

and wittingly rejected Our revelations.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They called Our revelations false with strong denial.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

but We have placed on record every single thing [of what they did].

  - Mohammad Asad

But We had recorded everything in a Book.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Everything have We recorded in a Book.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[And so We shall say:] "Taste, then, [the fruit of your evil doings,] for now We shall bestow on you nothing but more and more suffering!"¹⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "We shall not increase you in anything but suffering": i.e., until the sins committed in this world are atoned for by commensurate suffering in the hereafter - for "whoever shall come [before God] with an evil deed will be requited with no more than the like thereof; and none shall be wronged" 6:160 .

It will be said: "Taste the fruits of your deeds! You shall have nothing but increase in punishment."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So taste (of that which ye have earned). No increase do We give you save of torment.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[But,] verily, for the God-conscious there is supreme fulfilment in store:¹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the fulfilment of all that a human being may ever desire (Razi), symbolized by the "luxuriant gardens", etc., of the sequence.

On that Day, the righteous will certainly achieve their Heart's desires:

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! for the duteous is achievement

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

luxuriant gardens and vinyards,

  - Mohammad Asad

beautiful gardens, vineyards;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Gardens enclosed and vineyards,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and splendid companions well-matched,¹⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

For the above rendering of atrab, see surah {56}, note [15]. As regards my rendering of kawa'ib as "splendid companions", it is to be remembered that the term ka'b - from which the participle ka'ib is derived - has many meanings, and that one of these meanings is "prominence", "eminence" or "glory" (Lisan al-'Arab); thus, the verb ka'ba, when applied to a person, signifies "he made [another person] prominent", "glorious" or "splendid" (ibid.) Based on this tropical meaning of both the verb ka'ba and the noun ka'b, the participle ka'ib has often been used, in popular parlance, to denote "a girl whose breasts are becoming prominent" or "are budding": hence, many commentators see in it an allusion to some sort of youthful "female companions" who would entertain the (presumably male) inmates of paradise. But quite apart from the fact that all Qur'anic allegories of the joys of paradise invariably apply to men and women alike, this interpretation of kawa'ib overlooks the purely derivative origin of the above popular usage - which is based on the tropical connotation of "prominence" inherent in the noun ka'b - and substitutes for this obvious tropism the literal meaning of something that is physically prominent: and this, in my opinion, is utterly unjustified. If we bear in mind that the Qur'anic descriptions of the blessings of paradise are always allegorical, we realize that in the above context the term kawa'ib can have no other meaning than "glorious [or "splendid"] beings", without any definition of sex; and that, in combination with the term atrab, it denotes, "splendid companions well-matched" - thus alluding to the relations of the blest with one another, and stressing the absolute mutual compatibility and equal dignity of all of them. See also note [13] on 56:34 .

and young women of their own age,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And maidens for companions,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and a cup [of happiness] overflowing.

  - Mohammad Asad

and overflowing cups;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And a full cup.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

No empty talk will they hear in that [paradise], nor any lie.

  - Mohammad Asad

they shall hear no vanity, nor any falsehood;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There hear they never vain discourse, nor lying

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[All this will be] a reward from thy Sustainer, a gift in accordance with [His Own] reckoning¹⁷ -

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., not merely in accordance with their good deeds but far in excess of them, in accordance with God's unlimited bounty.

- a recompense from your Rabb and a gift beyond their account

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Requital from thy Lord a gift in payment

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[a reward from] the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the Most Gracious! [And] none shall have it in their power to raise their voices unto Him

  - Mohammad Asad

from the Compassionate, Who is the Rabb of the heavens, the earth and all that lies between them; before Whom no one shall be able to speak.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lord of the heavens and the earth, and (all) that is between them, the Beneficent; with Whom none can converse.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

on the Day when all [human] souls¹⁸ and all the angels will stand up in ranks: none will speak but he to whom the Most Gracious will have given leave; and [everyone] will say [only] what is right.¹⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the soul", in the singular but implying a plural. This is, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Qatadah and Al-Hasan (all of them quoted by Tabari), the meaning of ar-ruh in the above context.

This includes the symbolic right of the prophets to "intercede" for the sinners on Judgment Day (see 10:3 - "There is none that could intercede with Him unless He grants leave therefor" - and the corresponding note [7], which makes it clear that such "intercession" implies God's a-priori acceptance of the sinner's repentance). In a wider sense, the statement that he whom God will allow to speak "will say [only] what is right" implies the impossibility of anyone's being untruthful on Judgment Day.

On that Day, the Spirit (Gabriel) and the angels shall stand in their ranks; none shall speak except the one to whom the Compassionate (Allah) shall grant permission to speak, and he will speak straight to the point.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

On the day when the angels and the Spirit stand arrayed, they speak not, saving him whom the Beneficent alloweth and who speaketh right.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

That will be the Day of Ultimate Truth²⁰ whoever wills, then, let him take the path that leads towards his Sustainer!

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 69:1 and the corresponding note [1]. Objectively, it will be the moment when the ultimate reality of human life and its purpose will become fully accessible to man's understanding.

That Day is a sure reality. Let him who desires, seek a way back to his Rabb.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That is the True Day. So whoso will should seek recourse unto his Lord.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily, We have warned you of suffering near at hand - [suffering] on the Day when man shall [clearly] see what his hands have sent ahead, and when he who has denied the truth shall say, "Oh, would that I were mere dust...!"²¹

  - Mohammad Asad

Indeed We have forewarned you of an imminent punishment which lies close-at-hand, on the Day when man shall see what his hands have sent forth and the unbeliever will cry: "I wish! I could remain merely dust."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! We warn you of a doom at hand, a day whereon a man will look on that which his own hands have sent before, and the disbeliever will cry: "Would that I were dust!"

  - Marmaduke Pickthall