Surah An-Naba’

Part I: Ayaat 1-17

1. Amma Yata Saa Aloon: A discussion taking place between disbelievers:

(yata saa aloon)
a. Believers asked by disbelievers
a. Discourse between disbelievers
i. Most accepted understanding; most true and supported
a. Both groups asking Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
a. When you mutually ask a question, 2 possible intents:
i. Curiosity; inquisitive
i. Sarcasm; undermine argument (ie: can you believe he's
saying the mountains will turn into dust, that we'll come back to
life, us coming out of our graves, etc-->tone of undermining)
i. Allah is listening to their conversation, and He, azzawajal is
responding to this.
i. Allah has taken offense to the way they refer to the Akhirah
(afterlife)
1. ‘Aninn Nab ail Adheem: 'Annaba. Naba vs. Khabr
a. Two types of news.
i. Khabr: The store is closing, election, war
i. Naba: Has some benefit. Demands a reaction/action. You must
change something. Ie: there's a fire; have to get out and tell
others. It's a manifest event. Material/physical event.
a. Allah is referring to the Akhirah with a tangible term. Jannah and
Nar are actual places, not just figments of imagination like some
religions believe
a. "Are they really asking about this ENORMOUS event?"
1. Alladhi hum feehi mukhtalifoon.
a. The whole third ayah is an adjective of the second.
a. "Among themselves, they are in disagreement"
a. Ayah is in ismiya form (nominal form)--> shows that this
disagreement they are having between each other is repetitive.
a. Is it really about this enormous news, that they are disagreeing
about?
a. Psychology of shirk (disbelief): I'm lazy and don't want to be
responsible for my own actions, so I'll *pretend* there is an
intermediary between me and God, so he can put in a good word for
me.
1. Kalla sa ya'lamoon
a. Kalla: Has to do with the word "Stop!" (ie: Nonsense, stop..)
a. "Stop! (pause) Truly you will be in trouble"
a. "Soon they are going to find out"
1. Thumma kalla sa ya'lamoon
 a. Whatever is coming is very close
a. Again, soon they are going to find out
a. Repetition: 2 opinions--
i. Hyperbole: Shows the extent of Allah's anger with them
i. Qur'an's warnings are of two things:
1. Last Day
1. Hell Fire
i. The mufassiroon hold the opinion that the first one is referring
to the Last Day whilst the second one is referring to an-Naar,
Hell Fire.
i. The first time you will realize how wrong you were will be
Qiyamah. And the second time when you face the Hell Fire.
a. Whoever dies, his Qiyamah has already started. He has already
seen what is coming
a. Ali (RA) used to say "People are asleep. When they die, they wake
up."
1. 'Alam naj'alil arda mihada
a. "Did we not make the earth a plane surface for you?"
a. Mahd--cradle, womb of mother, mihad also used for a bed. (didn't
we make the earth comfortable for you?)
i. Place of rest and tranquility
i. Comfort.
a. What does this have to do with their criticism/sarcasm?
i. Remember they were talking about enormous
things/destructions that Allah will do
i. Human beings are aware of their own capabilities
i. This is a comparison of a humans creations with those of Allah
azzawajal
1. Wal Jibala Owtada
a. Install the mountains as pegs
a. Fir'own was known for his pegs. His soldiers would set up tents with
pegs. In classical Arabic, something can be referred to by its most
important element. (ie: sword for soldier, peg for tent)
a. Allah says these are the kinds of tents you can make, look at mine
in comparison to yours.
a. What are Allah's tents? The Mountains. What comparison do you
have to what Allah is capable of?
1. Wa khalaqnakum Azwaja
a. "We created you in a state of pairs"
a. You didn't pair yourselves. Man did not create woman. Woman did
not create man. You are not even capable over your own gender or
your own creation. Two different genders
a. The kaafir even knows that he did not design himself
1. W ja'alna nowmakum Subata
a. Nowm--deep sleep
a. Subata--to cut off.
 a. Allah speaks of night as something that cuts you off. From what?
Your body, your daily affairs, concerns, family, tasks, work. It's like
you're dead. Nothing you do, matters at that point.
a. Alluding to resurrection day, when All humans are cut off from this
temporary reality. The reality of akhirah will be visible.
a. All relationships will be cut off. (Surah 'Abasa, Ayah 34-36): "That
Day shall a man flee from his own brother. And from his mother and
his father. And from his wife and his children."
a. Permanent cutting off to be mentioned later.
a. No matter how hard you try, you must sleep. Allah's power over us.
1. Waja 'alnal laila libasa
a. Night as a garment
a. Hides everything
a. Secrets, robbery, ambush, zina, all take place at night more or less.
a. A cloth that you have not power to get rid of. This night is manifest
over us and overcomes us.
1. Waja 'alnann Nahara Ma'asha
a. "We made the bright day a means of livelihood/time of livelihood"
a. Average job is the day shift.
a. Morning is the time for work/time of sunlight for plants. Time for
ma'ash--earning livelihood
1. Wa banayna fowqakum Sab'an shidada
a. Built above you are 7 heavens.
a. Fowqakum--about you
a. Compare what you have constructed with what Allah has
constructed
a. Allah is constantly putting the human being in his place. Now you're
role, how weak you are.
1. Waja'alna Sirajow Wahhaja
a. And then We have installed Siraj (Sun).
a. Siraj--a brilliant, blazing, incredible lamp installed for you on earth.
a. Compare that with all the little fires you will kind on earth. What will
compare to Allah's creation
a. Again, showing the powerlessness of the human being by talking
about the creative Power of Allah.
1. Wa ja'alna minal mu'sirauti maa anthajaja
a. "And do we not send down water from the clouds in abundance"
a. I'saar--to squeeze. Referring to winds.
i. Squeezing the clouds that drip rain
i. Clouds full of water, and they can't hold any more so they
release.
a. Thajj--Intense water supply. By overflow--death and destruction. By
lack--death and famine
a. Allah is showing all his blessings upon us. These incredible,
enormous creations of His by which we live
1. Linukhrija bihi habbow wana baata
 a. By means of the water, that We may extract all kinds of
wheat(habban) and grass (vegetation--nabata).
a. Whatever we consume, consumes plant life
1. Wa Jannaatin Alfaafaa
a. And gardens of luxurious growth
a. Lafeef--that which is wrapped around
i. A garden where the trees, plants, branches are intertwined.
Intricately connected with each other
i. Tangled. So lush that you can't tell where one begins and the
other ends
1. Inna Yaumal Fausli Kaana Miqaata
a. No doubt, the day of al-Fasl is approaching
a. Fasl--two separate two things so much that they become clearly
apart from one another
a. The day of Resurrection is referred to as the day of separation
because
i. Truth will be separated from falsehood
i. Also, tyrant separated from power, people separated from
leaders, families separated from each other)
i. Mother will be separated from her child--most graphic
description
a. Miqaat--This time was bound to come. Like Clockwork. Fixed time.
i. This life also has a zawj--pair. It's pair is Al-Akhirah
i. You are marching towards Allah every minute, every second,
whether you like it or not.
i. Analogy--conveyor belt to Akhirah.