Surah 78 · Meccan · 40 Verses
النبأ
SURAH AN-NABA
The Tidings
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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
About what are they asking one another?
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ٱلَّذِى هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ
That over which they are in disagreement.
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كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ
No! They are going to know.
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ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ
Then, no! They are going to know.
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أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَٰدًۭا
Have We not made the earth a resting place?
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وَخَلَقْنَٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا
And We created you in pairs
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وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًۭا
And made your sleep [a means for] rest
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وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشًۭا
And made the day for livelihood
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وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًۭا شِدَادًۭا
And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
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وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًۭا وَهَّاجًۭا
And made [therein] a burning lamp
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وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمُعْصِرَٰتِ مَآءًۭ ثَجَّاجًۭا
And sent down from the rain clouds pouring water
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لِّنُخْرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبًّۭا وَنَبَاتًۭا
That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation
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وَجَنَّٰتٍ أَلْفَافًا
And gardens of entwined growth.
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إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَٰتًۭا
Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time -
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يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًۭا
The Day the Horn is blown and you will come forth in multitudes
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وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَٰبًۭا
And the heaven is opened and will become gateways
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وَسُيِّرَتِ ٱلْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا
And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.
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إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًۭا
Indeed, Hell has been lying in wait
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لِّلطَّٰغِينَ مَـَٔابًۭا
For the transgressors, a place of return,
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لَّٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًۭا
In which they will remain for ages [unending].
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لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًۭا وَلَا شَرَابًا
They will not taste therein [any] coolness or drink.
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إِلَّا حَمِيمًۭا وَغَسَّاقًۭا
Except scalding water and [foul] purulence -
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إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًۭا
Indeed, they were not expecting an account
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وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كِذَّابًۭا
And denied Our verses with [emphatic] denial.
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وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَٰهُ كِتَٰبًۭا
But all things We have enumerated in writing.
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فَذُوقُوا۟ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا
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حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعْنَٰبًۭا
Gardens and grapevines
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وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًۭا
And young women [companions] of equal age.
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لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًۭا وَلَا كِذَّٰبًۭا
No ill speech will they hear therein or any falsehood -
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جَزَآءًۭ مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابًۭا
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رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًۭا
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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.
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ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ مَـَٔابًا
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إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَٰكُمْ عَذَابًۭا قَرِيبًۭا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا
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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
This section develops dispute over the great news across verses 1-5. Read it as part of Surah An-Naba’s complete sequence; it does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, or guaranteed outcome.
Verses 6-16: Earth, sleep, sky, rain, and provision — 6-16
This section develops earth, sleep, sky, rain, and provision across verses 6-16. Read it as part of Surah An-Naba’s complete sequence; it does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, or guaranteed outcome.
Verses 17-30: The Day of Decision and consequence — 17-30
This section develops the day of decision and consequence across verses 17-30. Read it as part of Surah An-Naba’s complete sequence; it does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, or guaranteed outcome.
Verses 31-40: Reward, truthful speech, and final regret — 31-40
This section develops reward, truthful speech, and final regret across verses 31-40. Read it as part of Surah An-Naba’s complete sequence; it does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, or guaranteed outcome.
Reading Guide
Safety-focused reading step 1
Keep this boundary visible: Creation signs should not be marketed as a complete modern scientific model. Compare the relevant passage with the complete surah before drawing any contemporary conclusion.
Safety-focused reading step 2
Keep this boundary visible: The appointed Day supplies no calendar date or current-event calculation. Compare the relevant passage with the complete surah before drawing any contemporary conclusion.
Safety-focused reading step 3
Keep this boundary visible: Paradise imagery, especially verse 78:33, must not be sexualized or used as clickbait. Compare the relevant passage with the complete surah before drawing any contemporary conclusion.
Safety-focused reading step 4
Keep this boundary visible: No reader may assign final judgment outcomes to named people. Compare the relevant passage with the complete surah before drawing any contemporary conclusion.
Key Passages
Dispute over the great news — 1-5
Verses 1-5 address dispute over the great news. Their placement in Surah An-Naba supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, or guaranteed worldly result.
Earth, sleep, sky, rain, and provision — 6-16
Verses 6-16 address earth, sleep, sky, rain, and provision. Their placement in Surah An-Naba supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, or guaranteed worldly result.
The Day of Decision and consequence — 17-30
Verses 17-30 address the day of decision and consequence. Their placement in Surah An-Naba supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, or guaranteed worldly result.
Reward, truthful speech, and final regret — 31-40
Verses 31-40 address reward, truthful speech, and final regret. Their placement in Surah An-Naba supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, or guaranteed worldly result.
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.