Exegesis of An-Nāzi'āt (Q. 79)

In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful the Most Gracious...
He was asked about the exegesis of the statement: {By the extractors who extract excessively, by the movers who move forcefully, by the swimmers who swim gracefully, by the racers who proceed, by the arrangers of affairs...}
The {extractors} are clouds of rain water from the oceans and seas in course.
As well as what is in the earth from moisture and vapour, as narrated in reports.
{...who extract excessively...}: that which is abundant in rain. It also indicates
The utmost of something, as one says: "I‟ve reached the utmost of extracted state."
They are the {movers} regarding their extraction, and {...move forcefully} is:
Strong in waning and gushing, and what is extracted from it by shaking it.
The "moving" of water refers to its undulation back and forth.
Grammatically, {who move forcefully} is a verbal noun of sorts.
The {swimmers} are the clouds that swim through the sky by wind,
Just as one may float left, right, back, and forth, when they swim.
This can be said to take place due to Allah‟s Desire and Will.
The term {who swim gracefully} is also a verbal noun that‟s real.
They are the {racers} by the rain and abundant showers from Allah‟s Grace.
There would be no "racing" if Allah were to withhold rain from the earth‟s face.
Another meaning of {racers} could be: lightning. This is because lightning
Moves very quickly, causes things to tremble, and urges fleeing upon sighting.
The clouds are {the arrangers} because by such, Allah showers plants, herbs, and trees.
All of the aforementioned are wonders to every holder of intellect and great mental capacity!
Regarding the {the arrangers},
They are said to refer to the angels.
{A Day when a severe shaking will shake, followed by a quaking}
The {severe shaking} is: the Resurrection. It‟s called a {shaking} because of its horror.
One may say: "So-n-so is shaking." {...quaking} refers to what follows horror more.
{Hearts on that Day...}: that particular Day {...will be trembling}: in conflict turned.
{Their eyes will be lowly}: will be downcast. {They will say: "Shall we be returned
To our former state...}. {They}: Those who belie returning to their original state.
They are those who will be made to cast down their eyes and will be humiliated.
The {former state} means: the stage of debasement. {...though we have become
Decaying bones?!"} By such they are asserting that they shall not be returned once
They have become rotting bones. The term {decaying} means: worn and crumbs.
Then, they will say: {"That would be a losing return!"}: a point of loss.
Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, responds to their lies with the following talk:
{It will only be one loud sounding}
In reality, {sounding} is only a parable. It refers to a sudden awakening from death to life.
Similar is the case when one who is sleeping is suddenly awaken by a loud sound in fright.
{...when they will be fully awakened}
It refers to a toiling affair for the one in it. As one may declare:
"So-n-so was overtaken awake", which means: He wasn‟t aware.
{Has the story of Moses reached thee? Behold! His Lord called him from the sacred valley of Tuwa: "Go to Pharaoh, for he has exceeded the bounds. Then say: „Would it be that thou shall purify thyself?! I shall guide thee to thy Lord so that thou may be fearful.‟" Then he caused him to see a great sign!}
{Has} indicates a question which calls attention to the account and its understanding.
It is as one may say: "Has the account of Moses reached you?" or with similar saying.
Allah says {His Lord called him} which means: By speech, He addressed.
{...the sacred valley...} is called Tuwa, a blessed place of great holiness.
{"Go to Pharaoh, for he has exceeded the bounds"} is:
Overstepped the boundaries in injustice, blindness, and ignorance.
{Would it be that thou...} It is that which encourages good and regulation.
{...shall purify thyself?!}: It‟s also an encouragement towards purification
From the filth of this world and the ugliness of disobedience and disbelief.
{I shall guide thee to thy Lord...}: You will be shown to your Lord by me
So that in your heart shall be fear for you Master. {Then he caused him to see a great sign!}:
A major proof. {He gathered and called...}: He brought together his companions and assigned.
{So, He said: "I am your Lord, Most Great!}. {So} means "Then." Both are conjunctions.
{I am your Lord} means: I am your Master. "Lord" and "Master" have the same function.
The poet says:
"...or maybe your lord was absent so you have a merit due.
Perhaps your lord will return with his aided support to you."
{So, Allah seized him and made him an example in the next world and this world}
{...seized} is: a punishment from Allah, both in this life and the next.
{In this is an example ('ibra) for those who fear} It refers to a lesson.
As the poet says:
"Regarding the family of Barmak, there‟s an example and wonders
As well as a lesson for the one with intellect who reflects and ponders."
{Are thou more difficult to create or the heaven He constructed? He raised its ceiling and proportioned it}
(...raised its ceiling}: raised its place by elevation.
The {ceiling} is anyplace raised to a high station.
As the poet says:
"It is the ceiling of heaven raised that‟s built for us
As a house of eternity made lofty and with tallness."
{He proportioned it} means: He made even its form and shape.
{He darkened its night and extracted its light} {darkened}: shaded.
{He made firm the mountains as a benefit for thee and thy livestock}
He settled and established them, as well as made them stable, locked.
As the poet says:
"I met his settlement in its dangerous situation;
Established in its firmness then by its manifestation."
{He extracted from it its water and its pasturage. He made firm the mountains as a benefit for thee and thy livestock}
He did all of this as a benefit for you. The interpretation is:
"He is the One who extracted from it its water and its pasturage
As a benefit for you. The mountains he made firm..." and so forth.
But, it is impermissible to recite the Qur‟an other than how it came forth,
As it was revealed by Allah, Mighty and Majestic be He.
One does not do such except in the case that it is a means
Of expounding upon the correct affair.
Otherwise, the entire Book is made clear.
{But when there comes the Great Calamity...} means: the Resurrection viewed.
It is only called a "calamity" due to its greatness, magnanimity, seriousness, and magnitude.
The origin of the word "calamity" relates to rising in the air with speed imbued.
As the poet says:
"There came to you a calamity over calamity
When al-„Akāži was thick with painful misery."
{...a Day when humankind will remember for what s/he had striven}
This means: s/he will remember what deeds they‟ve done in this existence.
To strive is: to struggle, exert, bring forward and back, descent and ascension.
Sayyid al-„Abidīn „Ali bin al-Hussein, Allah‟s blessings be upon him and his purified fathers, said:
"If one were to strive for the life of this world by great force,
And be distracted from the Hereafter, he‟d be a loser, of course."
{The Hellfire shall be exposed for one to see}
It will be brought forth and manifested. {for one to see} What‟s meant:
He will cause one to see as well as to know that they deserve punishment.
{Regarding the one who has transgressed...}
Those who exceeded the bounds and oppressed
Themselves with disbelief and disobedience.
{...and preferred the life of this world...}: gave it priority over the Next.
{...the Hellfire is his final destination} is: his final place, his abode, his rest.
{Regarding the one who feared the position of his Lord...} amounts
To the place by which the slaves have taken [themselves] into account.
{...and prevented the soul from caprice, Paradise is his final destination}
He prevented himself from following his caprice. Concerning caprice‟s designation,
It is that which one is not able to avoid because caprice is passion.
Passion also cannot be avoided. One can only differ from its action.
It is possible that one can refrain from obeying it. This is being succinct.
It is mentioned many times in the Qur‟an, made clear to those who think.
Praise be to Allah, who taught us by means of the Criterion!
We ask by His Mercy that He increase us in the Exposition.
{They ask thee concerning the Hour. "At what point shall it take place?"}
"When is its arrival? When is its onset? When will it descend?"
In the language, {At what point...} is the same as saying: "When..."
As the poet says:
"At the point that you paid for them with spears,
O money, before my death and my departure."
{Where are thou in mentioning it?}
It is the stopping of the people at the behest of the Messenger, Allah bless him.
What is it regarding the panic, horror, and grief that occurs when it is mentioned?
{To your Lord is its end}
To your Lord is its finality and the time of its onset until the Last Hour.
The destination of the righteous is bliss and the destination of the sinner is sour;
The Hour at that incident in which Allah‟s rule will be manifest to the slaves.
All will be destined to his/her place based on their actions: righteous or depraved.
{You are only a warner to the one who fears it. As they see it on that Day, it will seem to them that they only remained a night or a morning}
On that Day, it will seem to them that they were in this world for only a morning or evening.
It is a limit of what has passed from this world. Similar is the case when man dies and ceases.
It will be as if he didn‟t exist or were created. However, at the Hour that seizes them,
The people can‟t deny it except the blind. It is due to falling short in following wise men.
Instead, they engaged in games, devastation, and ignorance.
They were indifferent towards the right, religion, and guidance.
Allah will increase them in destruction and distance.
He will not cause them to ever increase in assistance.