Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
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1
١
wal-samāi wal-ṭāriqi
By the sky and the night comer
2
٢
wamā adrāka mā l-ṭāriqu
And what can make you know what is the night comer?
3
٣
al-najmu l-thāqibu
It is the piercing star
4
٤
in kullu nafsin lammā ʿalayhā ḥāfiẓun
There is no soul but that it has over it a protector.
5
٥
falyanẓuri l-insānu mimma khuliqa
So let man observe from what he was created.
6
٦
khuliqa min māin dāfiqin
He was created from a fluid, ejected,
7
٧
yakhruju min bayni l-ṣul'bi wal-tarāibi
Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.
8
٨
innahu ʿalā rajʿihi laqādirun
Indeed, He [i.e., Allāh], to return him [to life], is Able.
9
٩
yawma tub'lā l-sarāiru
The Day when secrets will be put on trial,
10
١٠
famā lahu min quwwatin walā nāṣirin
Then he [i.e., man] will have no power or any helper.
11
١١
wal-samāi dhāti l-rajʿi
By the sky which sends back
12
١٢
wal-arḍi dhāti l-ṣadʿi
And [by] the earth which splits,
13
١٣
innahu laqawlun faṣlun
Indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a decisive statement,
14
١٤
wamā huwa bil-hazli
And it is not amusement.
15
١٥
innahum yakīdūna kaydan
Indeed, they are planning a plan,
16
١٦
wa-akīdu kaydan
But I am planning a plan.
17
١٧
famahhili l-kāfirīna amhil'hum ruwaydan
So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them awhile.
Surah At-Tariq (The Nightcommer) — Full Text
Ayah 1
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ
By the sky and the night comer
The surah opens with a powerful oath: Allah swears by the sky and "the Tariq" — a word that literally means "the night-comer" or "the night-visitor." The name itself builds suspense because anything that arrives at night carries an element of mystery and awe. This dramatic opening is designed to grab your attention and set the stage for a deeply serious message about accountability.
Ayah 2
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ
And what can make you know what is the night comer?
Now Allah builds the suspense even further — and what will make you realize what the Tariq actually is? This rhetorical question is a classic Quranic technique to make you pause and really think. It signals that whatever comes next is beyond ordinary human understanding, something you wouldn't fully grasp on your own without Allah spelling it out for you.
Ayah 3
ٱلنَّجْمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ
It is the piercing star1
Here's the answer: the Tariq is the piercing star — a star so brilliant it cuts through the darkness of the night sky. The word "thaqib" means it literally bores through the darkness with its light. Just like a star watches over the night from above, it's a powerful symbol of the fact that someone is always watching over you, even in the darkest moments when you think nobody sees.
Ayah 4
إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ
There is no soul but that it has over it a protector.
This is the main point the oath was building toward: every single soul has a guardian or watcher appointed over it. This "hafiz" (protector/watcher) refers to the angels assigned to each person — they record every deed you do, big or small, public or private. Another layer of meaning is that it also includes the angels who physically protect you from harm that hasn't been decreed for you. Either way, you're never truly alone and nothing goes unnoticed.
Ayah 5
فَلْيَنظُرِ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
So let man observe from what he was created.
Now the surah shifts gears and tells you to reflect on your own creation — so let a person look at what they were made from. This isn't just a biology lesson; it's a setup for a bigger argument. If you understand how you were created in the first place, you'll realize that the One who pulled that off can absolutely do it again. It's an invitation to use your own existence as proof.
Ayah 6
خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٍ دَافِقٍ
He was created from a fluid, ejected,
Here's the answer: you were created from a gushing, spurting fluid. It's blunt and humbling on purpose. Allah is reminding you that your origin is incredibly humble — before you became this complex, thinking, feeling human being, you started as something so small and seemingly insignificant. That contrast between where you started and where you are now is the whole point.
Ayah 7
يَخْرُجُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ ٱلصُّلْبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبِ
Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.
This fluid emerges from between the backbone and the ribcage — referring to the reproductive regions of both the man and the woman. The point isn't a detailed anatomy lesson but a reminder of how intricate and intentional your creation was. Every part of the process was designed and orchestrated by Allah, from the tiniest cellular level to the fully formed human being.
Ayah 8
إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِۦ لَقَادِرٌ
Indeed, He [i.e., Allāh], to return him [to life], is Able.
Here's the punchline of the whole creation argument: the One who created you from that humble drop of fluid is absolutely capable of bringing you back to life after death. This is the logical slam dunk — if Allah could make you from nothing the first time around, repeating it is even easier. Resurrection isn't some far-fetched concept; it's actually less impressive than the original creation when you think about it.
Ayah 9
يَوْمَ تُبْلَى ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ
The Day when secrets will be put on trial,1
And that resurrection will happen on the Day when all secrets are laid bare and examined. The word "sara'ir" means the deepest, most hidden things — your private beliefs, your true intentions, your secret deeds, the stuff you thought nobody would ever find out about. On that Day, everything hidden will be dragged into the open and tested. The signs of your good and bad deeds will literally show on your face for all to see.
Ayah 10
فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ
Then he [i.e., man] will have no power or any helper.
On that Day, a person will have absolutely no power of their own and no one to help them. You can't save yourself and nobody else can save you either — no connections, no wealth, no status will matter. This is the ultimate reality check: all the power and support systems you rely on in this world completely vanish when you stand before Allah. The only thing that will matter is what you actually did with your life.
Ayah 11
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجْعِ
By the sky which sends back1
Now a second set of oaths begins. Allah swears by the sky that sends rain again and again. The word "raj'" means something that keeps returning, and rain is the perfect example — it cycles repeatedly, sustaining all life on earth. Without this recurring rain, every living creature would perish. It's a reminder of Allah's consistent, ongoing mercy and the systems He put in place to keep everything alive.
Ayah 12
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدْعِ
And [by] the earth which splits,1
And the earth that splits open — cracking to let plants and vegetation emerge. Think about it: hard, dry ground breaks apart so that soft green life can push through. This splitting of the earth to produce growth is a subtle parallel to resurrection itself — life emerging from what seemed dead and finished. If Allah can bring plants out of cracked earth every single season, bringing humans back to life is no different.
Ayah 13
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ
Indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a decisive statement,
This is what both oaths were leading to: the Quran is a decisive word. The word "fasl" means it separates truth from falsehood with absolute clarity — there's no ambiguity, no gray area. It draws a clear line between what's real and what's not, between guidance and misguidance. It's described as the ultimate criterion that settles every debate once and for all.
Ayah 14
وَمَا هُوَ بِٱلْهَزْلِ
And it is not amusement.
And it is absolutely not a joke or something to take lightly. This is a direct rebuttal to anyone who treats the Quran's message casually or dismisses it as ancient stories or poetry. Every word in it is serious, intentional, and carries real weight. The consequences it describes — the Day of Judgment, the accountability, the resurrection — are all completely real and coming whether people take them seriously or not.
Ayah 15
إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا
Indeed, they are planning a plan,
The disbelievers are constantly scheming and plotting against the truth — trying to undermine the message, discredit the Prophet, and turn people away from guidance. They put real effort into their opposition, using every trick they can think of to block people from the straight path. This verse acknowledges that yes, the enemies of truth are active and strategic in their resistance.
Ayah 16
وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا
But I am planning a plan.
But here's the thing — Allah is also planning, and His plan is on a completely different level. No matter how clever or elaborate human schemes get, they are nothing compared to Allah's plan. While they plot to extinguish the truth, Allah's plan ensures that truth prevails and their plots ultimately backfire. There's an almost calm confidence in this verse — like, go ahead and try, but the outcome is already decided.
Ayah 17
فَمَهِّلِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًۢا
So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them awhile.1
The surah closes with a powerful instruction: so give the disbelievers a little time, let them be for just a while. Don't rush, don't panic, don't be anxious about their scheming. This "little while" is their temporary window of freedom before the inevitable consequences catch up. It's both a reassurance to the believers — be patient, justice is coming — and a subtle warning to the deniers that their time is limited and running out.