Surah An-Nazi'at (Those who drag forth) — Full Text
Ayah 1
وَٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ غَرْقًا
By those [angels] who extract with violence1
The surah opens with a powerful oath by the angels who yank the souls of disbelievers out of their bodies with intense force. The word nazi'at means to pull or extract with great effort, and gharqa emphasizes how deeply they have to reach in, like drawing a bow all the way back. It is a jarring image on purpose: the very first thing you hear about in this surah is the reality of death and what happens to the soul the moment it leaves the body. For those who lived in denial, the extraction is violent and painful.
Ayah 2
وَٱلنَّـٰشِطَـٰتِ نَشْطًا
And [by] those who remove with ease1
In contrast, these are the angels who gently release the souls of the believers, untying them smoothly like loosening a knot. The word nashitat means to undo or unravel with ease. While the previous verse described a harsh extraction for the defiant, this one describes a calm, easy departure for those who lived faithfully. Even if the physical process of dying looks difficult to people watching, the spiritual experience for a believer is one of gentleness and relief.
Ayah 3
وَٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ سَبْحًا
And [by] those who glide [as if] swimming1
These angels then glide swiftly through the atmosphere, carrying the souls they have collected. The word sabh means to swim or float, painting an image of effortless movement with no obstacles in their path. Once the soul has been extracted, the angels waste no time transporting it upward toward the heavens. The whole process is seamless and purposeful, not chaotic.
Ayah 4
فَٱلسَّـٰبِقَـٰتِ سَبْقًا
And those who race each other in a race1
Then they race forward at incredible speed to carry out their mission. The angels do not delay in transporting souls to where they belong. A believer's soul is rushed toward the atmosphere and blessings of Paradise, while a disbeliever's soul is taken toward its place of torment. There is urgency and precision in everything the angels do, following Allah's command down to the finest detail.
Ayah 5
فَٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ أَمْرًا
And those who arrange [each] matter,1
Finally, these angels manage and arrange all the affairs they have been commanded to handle. Once souls reach their destinations, the angels organize everything needed for that soul's experience, whether reward or punishment, comfort or pain. This verse wraps up the five qualities of the angels mentioned in the oath and confirms that the afterlife, starting from the grave itself, is real and already being administered. All of this is sworn upon to affirm one thing: the Day of Judgment is absolutely happening.
Ayah 6
يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ
On the Day the blast [of the Horn] will convulse [creation],
Now the surah shifts to describe that Day itself, starting with the first blast of the Trumpet. The Rajifah is the first blast that will cause everything in existence to shake and tremble violently, killing all living things. This is the event that ends the world as we know it. The earth, the mountains, the skies, everything will be rocked to its core. It is called the Rajifah because it literally means the one that causes violent shaking.
Ayah 7
تَتْبَعُهَا ٱلرَّادِفَةُ
There will follow it the subsequent [one].
Immediately following the first blast will come the second one, called the Radifah, which means the one that follows right behind. This second blast is the one that resurrects everyone, bringing all of creation back to life for judgment. If the first blast was about destruction, the second is about revival. Together, they represent the complete reset of reality: the end of this world and the beginning of the next.
Ayah 8
قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ
Hearts,1 that Day, will tremble,
On that Day, hearts will be pounding with terror and anxiety. The word wajifah describes a heart that is racing and trembling uncontrollably. People will not be calm or collected; they will be overwhelmed with fear because they know exactly what is at stake. Every soul will sense that this is the moment of ultimate accountability, and there is no running from it.
Ayah 9
أَبْصَـٰرُهَا خَـٰشِعَةٌ
Their eyes1 humbled.
And their eyes will be cast down in humiliation and dread. The word khashi'ah means humbled, lowered, and defeated. People who were once arrogant and dismissive will not be able to look up. The combination of a racing heart and downcast eyes paints a picture of complete helplessness. The confidence and swagger of this world will be completely gone on that Day.
Ayah 10
يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِى ٱلْحَافِرَةِ
They are [presently] saying, "Will we indeed be returned to [our] former state [of life]?
Now the surah captures what the disbelievers used to say mockingly: they would ask, are we really going to be returned to our original state? The word hafirah refers to being sent back to the beginning, restored to life after death. They said this sarcastically, like it was the most absurd claim they had ever heard. This is the same kind of dismissive attitude people have always had toward the idea of resurrection.
Ayah 11
أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَـٰمًا نَّخِرَةً
Even if we should be decayed bones?"1
They would push the mockery even further: even after we have become decayed, crumbled bones? The word nakhirah describes bones that are hollow, rotted, and completely decomposed. In their minds, this was the ultimate proof that resurrection was impossible. How could a pile of dust and brittle bones ever become a living, breathing person again? They were basically saying: be serious right now.
Ayah 12
قَالُوا۟ تِلْكَ إِذًا كَرَّةٌ خَاسِرَةٌ
They say, "That, then, would be a losing return."1
Then they would say, with full sarcasm, that if resurrection is real, then that would be a losing deal for them. The word kharrah here implies a return that results in loss. They were so confident in their denial that they joked about it, treating the whole concept as ridiculous. Their attitude was not one of genuine confusion but of deliberate, mocking rejection.
Ayah 13
فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَٰحِدَةٌ
Indeed, it will be but one shout,
But the reality is that it will only take a single mighty shout, one commanding blast, and everything changes in an instant. The word zajrah means a loud, powerful cry that compels obedience. No lengthy process, no complex procedure, just one command from Allah and the entire resurrection happens. The same people who mocked the idea will find themselves standing on the plain of judgment with no warning.
Ayah 14
فَإِذَا هُم بِٱلسَّاهِرَةِ
And suddenly they will be [alert] upon the earth's surface.
And just like that, they will all be on the open, level plain, fully awake and conscious. The word sahirah refers to the surface of the earth after it has been flattened and leveled for the gathering of all humanity. One moment they were dust in their graves, the next they are standing before their Lord. The transition from death to resurrection is instantaneous, and the mockers will realize too late that everything they laughed at was completely real.
Ayah 15
هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ
Has there reached you the story of Moses? -
The surah now shifts to a powerful historical example: has the story of Musa reached you? This question is addressed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and by extension to all of us. The story of Musa and Pharaoh is brought up here as a warning, a case study in what happens when someone hears the truth and rejects it. If Pharaoh with all his power could not escape Allah's punishment, nobody can.
Ayah 16
إِذْ نَادَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ بِٱلْوَادِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى
When his Lord called to him in the sacred valley of Ṭuwā,
When his Lord called out to him in the holy valley of Tuwa. This is the moment Allah directly spoke to Musa, making him a prophet with a critical mission. The valley of Tuwa was a sacred, purified place, and this divine encounter changed everything. Musa went from being a shepherd to carrying the weight of confronting the most powerful ruler on earth with nothing but the truth and Allah's support.
Ayah 17
ٱذْهَبْ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ
"Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed.
Allah told Musa to go to Pharaoh because he had transgressed all bounds. The word tagha means to rebel and cross every limit, and that is exactly what Pharaoh did. He did not just reject Allah; he set himself up as a god, enslaved an entire nation, and murdered innocent children. When someone goes that far in oppression, Allah does not let it slide. This verse sets up the confrontation between the ultimate truth and the ultimate arrogance.
Ayah 18
فَقُلْ هَل لَّكَ إِلَىٰٓ أَن تَزَكَّىٰ
And say to him, 'Would you [be willing to] purify yourself
Musa was told to approach Pharaoh with a gentle, inviting question: would you like to purify yourself? The word tazakka means to cleanse and grow spiritually. Notice how the approach was not aggressive or threatening; it was an invitation to become a better person. Even the worst tyrant in history was given a chance to change, which tells you a lot about how merciful Allah's approach is. The door to repentance was wide open.
Ayah 19
وَأَهْدِيَكَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَتَخْشَىٰ
And let me guide you to your Lord so you would fear [Him]?'"
And Musa offered to guide Pharaoh to his Lord so that he might develop real consciousness of Allah. The goal was not to humiliate Pharaoh but to lead him to something better than the false power he clung to. True guidance means recognizing that there is a Lord above you and developing a healthy reverence for Him. Musa was essentially saying: I am not your enemy, I am here to help you find the truth.
Ayah 20
فَأَرَىٰهُ ٱلْـَٔايَةَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
And he showed him the greatest sign,1
Then Musa showed Pharaoh the greatest sign, the most convincing miracle. This refers to the staff turning into a massive serpent and his hand shining bright white, among other miracles. These were not small tricks; they were undeniable, reality-bending proofs that no human could produce on their own. Pharaoh saw all of this with his own eyes. The evidence was overwhelming and impossible to explain away.
Ayah 21
فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَىٰ
But he [i.e., Pharaoh] denied and disobeyed.
But Pharaoh denied the truth and disobeyed. Despite seeing miracles that should have shattered any doubt, he chose rejection. This was not a case of insufficient evidence; it was pure arrogance. He understood that accepting Musa's message would mean giving up his throne, his god-status, and his control over people. So he chose his ego over the truth, his power over his own soul.
Ayah 22
ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَىٰ
Then he turned his back, striving [i.e., plotting].1
Then Pharaoh turned his back and went to work gathering his forces against the truth. Instead of reflecting on what he saw, he doubled down and actively opposed it. He gathered his magicians, his army, and his propaganda machine to fight against Musa. This is what unchecked arrogance does: it does not just passively reject the truth, it actively tries to destroy it and anyone who carries it.
Ayah 23
فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَىٰ
And he gathered [his people] and called out.
He assembled his people and made a grand proclamation. Pharaoh was not content with private denial; he needed a public stage. He gathered the masses to reinforce his authority and make sure no one dared to follow Musa. Tyrants always need crowds because their power depends on people's compliance. This verse shows how Pharaoh weaponized his influence to keep people trapped in falsehood.
Ayah 24
فَقَالَ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ
And said, "I am your most exalted lord."
And he declared: I am your lord, the most high. This is the peak of human arrogance, literally claiming to be God. Pharaoh was not just a political dictator; he positioned himself as a deity who demanded worship. This statement captures the essence of his crime: he took the rights that belong exclusively to Allah and claimed them for himself. It is the ultimate form of transgression, and it sealed his fate.
Ayah 25
فَأَخَذَهُ ٱللَّهُ نَكَالَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَٱلْأُولَىٰٓ
So Allāh seized him in exemplary punishment for the last and the first [transgression].1.
So Allah seized him with an exemplary punishment, both in this life and the next. The word nakal means a punishment so severe it serves as a deterrent for everyone who witnesses it. In this world, Pharaoh and his entire army were drowned in the sea. In the Hereafter, an even worse punishment awaits him. His story is preserved in the Quran precisely so that future generations learn the lesson: no amount of power can protect you from Allah's grip.
Ayah 26
إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَىٰٓ
Indeed in that is a lesson [i.e., warning] for whoever would fear [Allāh].
Indeed, in that story there is a powerful lesson for anyone who has consciousness of Allah. The key phrase is for whoever fears, meaning the story only benefits people who are willing to reflect and take warnings seriously. If your heart is open, Pharaoh's destruction is all the proof you need that defying Allah never ends well. But if you are just as stubborn as Pharaoh, you will hear this story and still not change.
Ayah 27
ءَأَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ ۚ بَنَىٰهَا
Are you a more difficult creation or is the heaven? He [i.e., Allāh] constructed it.
Now the surah pivots to a different kind of proof: are you harder to create, or is the sky? This is a direct challenge to people who doubt resurrection. Allah is saying: look up at the heavens, that massive, flawless structure above you. If I can build something that enormous and complex, why would you think bringing you back to life is difficult? Creating the entire universe from nothing is infinitely harder than reassembling a human body.
Ayah 28
رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّىٰهَا
He raised its ceiling and proportioned it.
He raised the sky to an incredible height and perfected it with flawless precision. The word samk refers to its elevation and vastness, and sawwaha means He made it perfectly balanced and proportioned. No cracks, no flaws, no inconsistencies. The sky stands as a permanent exhibit of Allah's creative power, held up without any visible pillars, stretching beyond what the human eye can comprehend.
Ayah 29
وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَىٰهَا
And He darkened its night and extracted its brightness.1
He darkened its night and brought out its daylight. With a simple command, Allah created the cycle of night and day, darkness and light. This is not a random process; it is a precisely designed system that sustains all life on earth. The contrast between the dark of night and the brightness of morning is something we experience every single day, yet most people never stop to think about the One who engineered it.
Ayah 30
وَٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَىٰهَآ
And after that He spread the earth.
And after that, He spread out the earth and made it livable. The word dahaha means He expanded it, shaped it, and made it suitable for human life. While the heavens were raised high, the earth was spread wide, providing a stable surface for people to live, walk, and build upon. Everything about its design, from its terrain to its resources, was arranged for the benefit of its inhabitants.
Ayah 31
أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرْعَىٰهَا
He extracted from it its water and its pasture,
He brought out from the earth its water and its vegetation. Think about that: water stored deep underground, gushing out as springs and rivers, and pastures growing from what seemed like dead soil. Allah embedded everything we need to survive right inside the earth itself. The water cycle, agriculture, ecosystems, all of it was programmed into the planet from the start. None of this happened by accident.
Ayah 32
وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَرْسَىٰهَا
And the mountains He set firmly
And the mountains, He firmly anchored them in place. Mountains serve as stabilizers for the earth, like pegs driven into the ground to keep a tent steady. They also store water as snowcaps and glaciers, feeding rivers that sustain entire civilizations. The fact that these massive formations are rooted deep into the earth's crust, providing stability and resources, is another undeniable sign of intentional design.
Ayah 33
مَتَـٰعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَـٰمِكُمْ
As enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock.
All of this, the heavens, the earth, the water, the mountains, was created as a provision and benefit for you and your livestock. Allah is connecting the dots: everything in creation is not random, it is a carefully designed support system for your life. The One who built all of this for you is obviously capable of bringing you back after death. That is the whole point of this passage: creation itself is the proof of resurrection.
Ayah 34
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلطَّآمَّةُ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
But when there comes the greatest Overwhelming Calamity1 -
Now comes the climax: when the Great Catastrophe arrives. At-Tammah al-Kubra literally means the overwhelming event that engulfs everything, and it refers to the Day of Judgment. After walking through the evidence, creation, Pharaoh's story, the oaths by the angels, the surah now brings you face to face with the moment itself. This is the event that overrides everything, the ultimate reality that nothing and no one can escape.
Ayah 35
يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مَا سَعَىٰ
The Day when man will remember that for which he strove,
On that Day, every person will remember exactly what they worked for in this life. Every deed, every choice, every moment of obedience or rebellion will flash before their eyes with perfect clarity. There will be no forgetting, no excuses, no spin. The tragedy is that this remembering will come too late for those who wasted their lives. They will see with total clarity what they should have done differently, but the window for action will have already closed.
Ayah 36
وَبُرِّزَتِ ٱلْجَحِيمُ لِمَن يَرَىٰ
And Hellfire will be exposed for [all] those who see -
And the Hellfire will be made clearly visible for all to see. It will not be hidden or distant; it will be right there, exposed and undeniable. Everyone, whether destined for Paradise or Hell, will see it. For the people of faith, it will be a moment of immense gratitude that they were saved. For those who denied, it will be the horrifying confirmation that everything they dismissed was absolutely real.
Ayah 37
فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَىٰ
So as for he who transgressed
As for the one who transgressed and lived in rebellion against Allah, this is where their story leads. The word tagha is the same word used to describe Pharaoh earlier, drawing a direct parallel. Anyone who followed in Pharaoh's footsteps, crossing Allah's limits and living by their own rules, will share a similar fate. The surah is connecting the historical warning to the personal one: the same arrogance that destroyed Pharaoh can destroy you.
Ayah 38
وَءَاثَرَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا
And preferred the life of the world,
And chose the life of this world over the Hereafter, making temporary pleasures their priority. This is the second characteristic of the people of Hell: not just rebellion, but a conscious decision to prioritize worldly comfort over eternal consequences. Whenever they had to choose between what felt good now and what would benefit them forever, they consistently chose the short-term gain. It is not that enjoying this life is wrong; it is that making it your ultimate goal at the expense of your soul is the problem.
Ayah 39
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ
Then indeed, Hellfire will be [his] refuge.
Then indeed, the Hellfire will be their final home. Simple and direct: rebellion plus prioritizing this world equals Hellfire. There is no ambiguity, no loophole, no negotiation. The surah does not sugarcoat the outcome. Two characteristics, transgression and preferring the temporary over the eternal, are enough to land someone in the worst possible destination. It is a wake-up call wrapped in just one verse.
Ayah 40
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ
But as for he who feared the position of his Lord1 and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,
But as for the one who feared standing before their Lord and held their soul back from following its base desires, their story is completely different. Two characteristics define the people of Paradise: awareness of accountability before Allah, and self-discipline. They lived knowing they would one day stand before God, and that awareness kept them in check. When their ego wanted something harmful, they had the courage to say no.
Ayah 41
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَنَّةَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ
Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.
Then indeed, Paradise will be their home. Just as the previous group was defined by two traits and given their destination, this group also has two traits and their reward is Paradise. The beautiful symmetry here makes the choice crystal clear: fear Allah and restrain your desires, and you get Paradise; rebel and chase the world, and you get Hellfire. The surah breaks it down to the simplest possible formula for success.
Ayah 42
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival?1
They ask you about the Hour, when exactly is it going to happen? The Quraysh and other skeptics kept pressing the Prophet for a specific date, as if knowing the exact timing would somehow change their behavior. This is a classic deflection tactic: instead of dealing with the message, focus on an unanswerable question. The reality is that knowing the date would not help anyone; what matters is being prepared for it.
Ayah 43
فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَىٰهَآ
In what [position] are you that you should mention it?1
What do you have to do with mentioning its exact time? This rhetorical question makes it clear that even the Prophet, peace be upon him, was not given knowledge of when the Hour will strike. It is not part of his mission to announce a date. His job is to warn people and deliver the message, not to satisfy curiosity about timelines. The knowledge of the Hour belongs to Allah alone, and He has kept it hidden for a reason.
Ayah 44
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَىٰهَآ
To your Lord is its finality.1
To your Lord alone belongs the knowledge of when it will occur. Full stop. No angel, no prophet, no human being has access to this information. Allah has kept the timing of the Hour as one of the keys of the unseen that He shares with nobody. This should humble anyone who tries to predict the end times or claims special knowledge about it. If the Prophet himself did not know, nobody does.
Ayah 45
إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰهَا
You are only a warner for those who fear it.
Your role is simply to warn those who are mindful of the Hour. The Prophet's mission was clear: deliver the warning to those whose hearts are open enough to fear it and take it seriously. You cannot force anyone to believe, and you are not responsible for people's choices. The warning is for those who have the spiritual awareness to actually benefit from it. If someone refuses to listen, that is between them and Allah.
Ayah 46
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا
It will be, on the Day they see it,1 as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.
On the Day they finally see it, it will feel like they only lived in this world for a single afternoon or its morning. That is the surah's devastating closing image: all of life, every year, every decade, every century, will feel like it passed in a few hours. The world that people fought over, killed for, and sold their souls to chase will shrink down to the length of one afternoon. It puts everything in perspective and leaves you with one question: if life is really that short, what are you doing with it?