Surah At-Takwir (The Overthrowing)
Read in the interactive Mushaf readerAbout this surah
Name
It is derived from the word kuwwirat in the first verse. Kuwwirat is passive voice from takwir in the past tense, and means "that which is folded up", thereby implying that it is a Surah in which the "folding up" has been mentioned:
Period of Revelation
The subject matter and the style clearly show that it is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah.
Theme and Subject Matter
It has two themes: the Hereafter and the institution of Prophethood.
In the first six verses, the first stage of the Resurrection has been mentioned when the sun will lose its light, the stars will scatter, the mountains will be uprooted and will disperse, the people will become heedless of their dearest possessions, the beasts of the jungle will be stupefied and will gather together, and the seas will boil up. Then in the next seven verses, the second stage has been described when the souls will be reunited with the bodies, the records will be laid open, the people will be called to account for their crimes, the heavens will be unveiled, and Hell and Heaven will be brought into full view. After depicting the Hereafter thus, man has been left to ponder his own self and deeds, saying: "Then each man shall himself know what he has brought with him."
After this, the theme of Prophethood has been taken up. In this the people of Makkah have been addressed, as if to say "Whatever Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) is presenting before you, is not the bragging of a madman, nor an evil suggestion inspired by Satan, but the word of a noble, exalted and trustworthy messenger sent by God, whom Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) has seen with his own eyes in the bright horizon of the clear sky in broad daylight. Whither then are you going having turned away from this teaching?"
Surah At-Takwir — Arabic with English translation
وَإِذَا ٱلۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡ ٤
And when full-term she-camels1 are neglected
وَإِذَا ٱلۡمَوۡءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتۡ ٨
And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked
وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡ ١٠
And when the pages1 are spread [i.e., made public]
عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡ ١٤
A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].1
ٱلۡجَوَارِ ٱلۡكُنَّسِ ١٦
Those that run [their courses] and disappear [i.e., set]
وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ ١٨
And by the dawn when it breathes [i.e., stirs]
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ ١٩
[That] indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger [i.e., Gabriel]
ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي ٱلۡعَرۡشِ مَكِينٖ ٢٠
[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجۡنُونٖ ٢٢
And your companion [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) ] is not [at all] mad.1
وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ٢٣
And he has already seen him [i.e., Gabriel] in the clear horizon.1
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِينٖ ٢٤
And he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.1
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطَٰنٖ رَّجِيمٖ ٢٥
And it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٧
It is not except a reminder to the worlds
لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَ ٢٨
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٩
And you do not will except that Allāh wills - Lord of the worlds.