Surah 88. Al-Ghashiyah

wherein thou wilt hear no empty talk.

  - Mohammad Asad

Therein they shall hear no loose talk.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

where no idle talk will be heard.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Where they hear no idle speech,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Where they shall hear no (word) of vanity:

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Countless springs³ will flow therein,

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "a spring" - but, as Zamakhshari and Ibn Kathir point out, the singular form has here a generic import, implying "a multitude of springs". This metaphor of the life-giving element is analogous to that of the "running waters" (anhar) frequently mentioned in Qur'anic descriptions of paradise.

Therein they shall have running springs.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

In it will be a running spring,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Wherein is a gushing spring,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Therein will be a bubbling spring: ⁶¹⁰²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Instead of the boiling hot spring (verse 5) there will be a bubbling spring of sparkling water. Instead of the grovelling and grumbling in the place of Wrath, there Will be couches, with all the accompaniments of a brilliant assembly.

[and] there will be thrones [of happiness] raised high,⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [34] on 15:47 .

Therein they shall be reclining on raised soft couches,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

along with thrones raised high,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Wherein are couches raised

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Therein will be Thrones (of dignity) raised on high.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and goblets placed ready,

  - Mohammad Asad

with goblets placed before them;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and cups set at hand,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And goblets set at hand

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Goblets placed (ready).

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and cushions ranged,

  - Mohammad Asad

silky cushions ranged in order

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and 'fine' cushions lined up,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And cushions ranged

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And Cushions set in rows

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and carpets spread out....

  - Mohammad Asad

and fine carpets richly spread.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and 'splendid' carpets spread out.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And silken carts spread

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And rich carpets (All) spread out.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

DO, THEN, they [who deny resurrection] never gaze at the clouds pregnant with water, [and observe] how they are created?⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Implying that a denial of resurrection and life in the hereafter renders the concept of a conscious Creator utterly meaningless; hence my interpretation of the words "who deny resurrection" in the first part of this verse. - As regards the noun ibil, it denotes, as a rule, "camels": a generic plural which has no singular form. But one must remember that it also signifies "clouds bearing rain-water" (Lisan al-'Arab, Qamus, Taj al-'Arus) - a meaning which is preferable in the present context. If the term were used in the sense of "camels", the reference to it in the above verse would have been primarily - if not exclusively - addressed to the Arabian contemporaries of the Prophet, to whom the camel was always an object of admiration on account of its outstanding endurance, the many uses to which it could be put (riding, load-bearing, and as a source of milk, flesh and fine wool) and its indispensability to people living amid deserts. But precisely because a reference to "camels" would restrict its significance to people of a particular environment and a particular time (without even the benefit of a historical allusion to past events), it must be ruled out here, for the Qur'anic appeals to observe the wonders of the God-created universe are invariably directed at people of all times and all environments. Hence, there is every reason to assume that the term ibil relates here not to camels but to "clouds pregnant with water": the more so as such an allusion to the miraculous, cyclic process of the evaporation of water, the skyward ascension of vapour, its condensation and, finally, its precipitation over the earth is definitely more in tune with the subsequent mention (in verses {18-20}) of sky, mountains and earth, than would be a reference to "camels", however admirable and noteworthy these animals may be.

Do they not look at the camels, how they were created?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Do they not ever reflect on camels- how they were 'masterfully' created;¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Another possible translation: “Do they not ever reflect on rainclouds—how they are formed?”

Will they not regard the camels, how they are created?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Do they not look at the Camels how they are made? ⁶¹⁰³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In case men neglect the Hereafter as of no account, they are asked to contemplate four things, which they can see in every-day life, and which are full of meaning, high design, and the goodness of Allah to man. The first mentioned is the domesticated animal, which for Arab countries is par excellence the Camel. What a wonderful structure has this Ship of the Desert? He can store water in his stomach for days. He can live on dry and thorny desert shrubs. His limbs are adapted to his life. He can carry men and goods. His flesh can be eaten. Camel's hair can be used in weaving. And withal, he is so gentle! Who can sing his praises enough?

And at the sky, how it is raised aloft?

  - Mohammad Asad

The heaven, how it was raised high?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and the sky- how it was raised 'high';

  - Mustafa Khattab

And the heaven, how it is railed?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And at the Sky how it is raised high? ⁶¹⁰⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The second thing they should consider is the noble blue vault high above them,-with the sun and moon, the stars and planets, and other heavenly bodies. This scene is full of beauty and magnificence, design and order, plainness and mystery. And yet we receive our light and warmth from the sun, and what would our physical lives be without these influences that come from such enormous distance&

And at the mountains, how firmly they are reared?

  - Mohammad Asad

The mountains, how they were firmly set?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and the mountains- how they were firmly set up;

  - Mustafa Khattab

And the hills, how they are set up?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And at the Mountains How they are fixed firm? ⁶¹⁰⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

From every-day utility and affection in the Camel, to the utility in grandeur in the heavens above us, we had two instances touching our individual as well as our social lives. In the third instance, in the Mountains we come to the utility to human kind generally in the services the Mountains perform in storing water, in moderating climate, and in various other ways which it is the business of Physical Geography to investigate and describe.

And at the earth, how it is spread out?

  - Mohammad Asad

And the earth, how it is spread out?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and the earth- how it was levelled out?

  - Mustafa Khattab

And the earth, how it is spread?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And at the Earth how it is spread out? ⁶¹⁰⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The fourth and last instance given is that of the Earth as a whole, the habitation of mankind in our present phase of life. The Earth is a globe, and yet how marvellously it seems to be spread out before us in plains, valleys, hills, deserts, seas, etc! Can man, seeing these things, fail to see a Plan and Purpose in his life, or fail to tum to the great Creator before Whom he will have to give an account after this life is done?

And so, [O Prophet,] exhort them; thy task is only to exhort:

  - Mohammad Asad

So keep on giving admonition, for you are an admonisher

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So, 'continue to' remind 'all, O Prophet', for your duty is only to remind.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Remind them, for thou art but a remembrancer,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Therefore do thou give admonition for thou art one to admonish.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

thou canst not compel them [to believe].⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "thou hast no power over them".

not a taskmaster over them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

You are not 'there' to compel them 'to believe'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thou art not at all a warder over them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thou art not one to manage (men's) affairs. ⁶¹⁰⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Prophet of Allah is sent to teach and direct people on the way. He is not sent to force their will, or to punish them, except in so far as he may receive authority to do so. Punishment belongs to Allah alone. And Punishment is certain in the Hereafter, when true values will be restored.

However, as for him who turns away, being bent on denying the truth,

  - Mohammad Asad

As for those who turn their backs and disbelieve,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But whoever turns away, persisting in disbelief,

  - Mustafa Khattab

But whoso is averse and disbelieveth,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But if any turn away and reject Allah

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

him will God cause to suffer the greatest suffering [in the life to come]:

  - Mohammad Asad

Allah will punish them with the mighty punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

then Allah will inflict upon them the major punishment.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The Hellfire is the major punishment. The minor punishment includes disasters in this life as well as torments in the grave. See 32:21.

Allah will punish him with direst punishment.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Allah will punish him with a mighty Punishment.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

for, behold, unto Us will be their return,

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely to Us is their return,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Surely to Us is their return,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! unto Us is their return

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For to Us will be their Return;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali