Surah 78 · Meccan · 40 Verses
النبأ
SURAH AN-NABA
The Tidings
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
About what are they asking one another?
ٱلَّذِى هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ
That over which they are in disagreement.
كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ
No! They are going to know.
ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ
Then, no! They are going to know.
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَٰدًۭا
Have We not made the earth a resting place?
وَخَلَقْنَٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا
And We created you in pairs
وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًۭا
And made your sleep [a means for] rest
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشًۭا
And made the day for livelihood
وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًۭا شِدَادًۭا
And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًۭا وَهَّاجًۭا
And made [therein] a burning lamp
وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمُعْصِرَٰتِ مَآءًۭ ثَجَّاجًۭا
And sent down from the rain clouds pouring water
لِّنُخْرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبًّۭا وَنَبَاتًۭا
That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation
وَجَنَّٰتٍ أَلْفَافًا
And gardens of entwined growth.
إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَٰتًۭا
Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time -
يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًۭا
The Day the Horn is blown and you will come forth in multitudes
وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَٰبًۭا
And the heaven is opened and will become gateways
وَسُيِّرَتِ ٱلْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا
And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.
إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًۭا
Indeed, Hell has been lying in wait
لِّلطَّٰغِينَ مَـَٔابًۭا
For the transgressors, a place of return,
لَّٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًۭا
In which they will remain for ages [unending].
لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًۭا وَلَا شَرَابًا
They will not taste therein [any] coolness or drink.
إِلَّا حَمِيمًۭا وَغَسَّاقًۭا
Except scalding water and [foul] purulence -
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًۭا
Indeed, they were not expecting an account
وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كِذَّابًۭا
And denied Our verses with [emphatic] denial.
وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَٰهُ كِتَٰبًۭا
But all things We have enumerated in writing.
حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعْنَٰبًۭا
Gardens and grapevines
وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًۭا
And young women [companions] of equal age.
لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًۭا وَلَا كِذَّٰبًۭا
No ill speech will they hear therein or any falsehood -
رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًۭا
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ صَفًّۭا ۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًۭا
The Day that the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] and the angels will stand in rows, they will not speak except for one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will say what is correct.
إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَٰكُمْ عَذَابًۭا قَرِيبًۭا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا
About This Surah
Surah An-Naba addresses dispute over the great news of resurrection, points to earth, mountains, human pairs, sleep, night, day, layered heavens, sun, rain, grain, and gardens, then describes the Day of Decision and contrasting outcomes. Its paradise language should be translated and explained with dignity, not sexualized for clicks, while its judgment scenes provide no date or private authority.
An-Naba opens with people questioning the great news about which they disagree. The surah answers by directing attention to a prepared world: earth as a resting place, mountains, human pairs, sleep, night, day, layered heavens, a radiant lamp, rain, grain, vegetation, and gardens.
These signs support resurrection and dependence. They should not be promoted as a complete scientific model or forced into modern terminology beyond what the text states.
The Day of Decision has an appointed time, the trumpet is blown, heaven opens, and mountains appear like a mirage. The appointed time belongs to God; the chapter does not disclose a calendar date or justify calculations from current events.
The outcome sections contrast transgression and denial with gardens, vineyards, companionship, drink, and freedom from harmful speech. Translation of paradise imagery—especially verse 33—requires linguistic care and dignity. It must not be sexualized, rendered as pornography-adjacent clickbait, or used to objectify women.
The final scene presents ranks before the Most Merciful, truthful speech, and a near punishment in which people see what they sent ahead. The unbeliever’s wish to be dust expresses regret. No reader receives authority to assign these outcomes to named individuals.
Core Themes
- The great news of resurrection
- Created order and human dependence
- The appointed Day of Decision
- Cosmic transformation without date-setting
- Paradise language handled with dignity
- Truthful speech before the Most Merciful
Structure
Verses 1-5: Dispute over the great news — 1-5
Verses 1-5 focus on dispute over the great news.
Verses 6-16: Earth, sleep, sky, rain, and provision — 6-16
Verses 6-16 focus on earth, sleep, sky, rain, and provision.
Verses 17-30: The Day of Decision and consequence — 17-30
Verses 17-30 focus on the day of decision and consequence.
Verses 31-40: Reward, truthful speech, and final regret — 31-40
Verses 31-40 focus on reward, truthful speech, and final regret.
Key Passages
Dispute over the great news — 1-5
Verses 1-5 address dispute over the great news.
Earth, sleep, sky, rain, and provision — 6-16
Verses 6-16 address earth, sleep, sky, rain, and provision.
The Day of Decision and consequence — 17-30
Verses 17-30 address the day of decision and consequence.
Reward, truthful speech, and final regret — 31-40
Verses 31-40 address reward, truthful speech, and final regret.
Recitation Note
No exclusive time, fixed repetition count, or guaranteed worldly outcome is asserted here for reciting Surah An-Naba. Reading it is worship and study; any claim about protection, healing, provision, family outcomes, or a prescribed number requires separate exact evidence and narrow wording.
Interpretation Limits
- Creation signs should not be marketed as a complete modern scientific model.
- The appointed Day supplies no calendar date or current-event calculation.
- Paradise imagery, especially verse 78:33, must not be sexualized or used as clickbait.
- No reader may assign final judgment outcomes to named people.