Surah Al-Mursalaat (77): Read Online and Download - English Translation

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْ‌ضَ كِفَاتًا أَحْيَاءً وَأَمْوَاتًا (Did We not make the earth a container that collects the living and the dead?....25, 26) The word kit is derived from kaft. It means 'to gather things together'. Thus kit is a thing that embodies many things within itself. Earth is created by Allah in a fashion that humans when alive, remain on its back, and when dead, in its belly.

إِنَّهَا تَرْ‌مِي بِشَرَ‌رٍ‌ كَالْقَصْرِ كَأَنَّهُ جِمَالَتٌ صُفْرٌ‌ ‌ (It emits sparks [ as huge ] as castles...77:32) The word gasr means a 'huge, magnificent castle'. The word jimalah is used in the sense of jamal, and means 'camel'. The word sufr is the plural of asfar which means 'yellow'. The verse describes the fire of Hell. It will emit such huge sparks of fire, as if they were huge and magnificent castles. Then they will break up into little splinters, as if they were yellowish camels. Some scholars have translated the word 'sufr' as 'black' because yellowish colour of camels tends to blackness. [ Ruh ].

هَـٰذَا يَوْمُ لَا يَنطِقُونَ وَلَا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُمْ فَيَعْتَذِرُ‌ونَ (This is a day when they will not speak, nor will they be allowed to offer excuses....77:35, 36) In other words, this is the Day in which they will not be able to talk, nor will they be permitted to offer pleas for their misdeeds. However, other verses of the Qur'an inform us that they will speak and will be permitted to offer excuses. There is no discrepancy between the two verses, because there will be various stages on the Plain of Gathering (Mahshar) through which people will have to pass. Sometimes they will pass through a stage where it would be forbidden for them to speak or offer excuses; and at another stage they will be permitted. [ Ruh ].

كُلُوا وَتَمَتَّعُوا قَلِيلًا إِنَّكُم مُّجْرِ‌مُونَ ("Eat and drink for a while! You are guilty ones...77:46) This verse addresses the infidels through the Holy Prophet ﷺ . They may eat and drink and enjoy themselves in this world, but the span is short, and then there will be nothing but punishment for them. [ Abu Hayyan ].

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْ‌كَعُوا لَا يَرْ‌كَعُونَ (And when it is said to them, "Bow down", they do not bow down...77:48) According to most commentators, the word ruku' is used here in its primitive sense 'to bow down and submit'. The verse signifies that when they were told to submit to the Divine commands, they refused to comply. Some scholars take the word ruku` in its technical sense and interpret the verse to signify 'when they are called to prayer, they refused to pray.' The ruku` is a part of the prayer, but it refers here to the whole prayer. [ Ruh ]

فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ (Now, in which discourse, after this, will they believe? ...77:50) The Holy Qur'an is the last Book of Allah which explains its message and wisdom most lucidly, excellently, eloquently, elegantly, and its arguments most convincingly. Its style is extremely effective and the admonition soul-capturing. If they do not believe in such a Book, then for which word are they waiting? This is to express disappointment in them. A Hadith narrative instructs that when one recites this verse, he should say 'I believe in Allah'. This statement must be made outside the prayer, or in voluntary prayer. He must abstain from this statement in obligatory and Sunnah prayer. Hadith narratives are clear on this point. And Allah knows best!