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The Overwhelming Event
al-Ghāshiyah
Al-Ghāshiyah was revealed in Makkah. It takes its name from the mention of the overwhelming event in the first verse, which most maintain refers to the Day of Resurrection. It can be seen as related to the previous sūrah insofar as it elaborates upon the dichotomy between the believers and the disbelievers discussed in 87:11–15. The sūrah begins with a vivid description of the torments suffered in the Fire (vv. 1–7), followed by a description of the blessings enjoyed in the Garden (vv. 8–16). It then calls people to witness the signs of God in His creation (vv. 17–20) and concludes by reminding the Prophet that he is only a warner and is not responsible for the final end of those who do not heed the call (vv. 21–26). It is reported that the Prophet would often recite this sūrah during the Friday congregational prayer along with the previous sūrah (Āl).
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
¡ Hast thou heard tell of the overwhelming event? * Faces that Day shall be humbled, + toiling, weary, J entering a scorching Fire, Z given drink from a boiling spring. j They will have no food, save a vile thorn, z which neither nourishes nor avails against hunger. { Faces that Day shall be blessed, | contented by their endeavoring Ċ in a lofty Garden, Ě wherein they hear no idle talk. Ī Therein lies a flowing spring, ĺ therein are raised couches, Ŋ goblets placed, Ś cushions arrayed, Ū and carpets spread. ź Do they not consider the camels, how they are created; Ɗ the sky, how it is raised; ƚ the mountains, how they are established; Ȋ and the earth, how it is spread? ! So remind! Thou art but a reminder; " thou art not a warder over them. # But whosoever turns away and disbelieves, $ God shall punish him with the greatest punishment. % Truly unto Us is their return, & then truly with Us lies their reckoning.
Commentary
¡ Hast thou heard tell of the overwhelming event?
1 The beginning of the verse can also be rendered, “Thou hast heard tell” (Āl). If understood as a question, it is rhetorical, for emphasis. In the context of this sūrah, the overwhelming event most likely refers to the Day of Resurrection, whose grandeur will overcome all of humanity (cf. 12:107; JJ). But it is also taken by some to mean that Hell will “cover” or “overwhelm” the people in layers (cf. 7:41; Āl) or that the Fire will overwhelm the faces of disbelievers (cf. 14:50; Ṭs).
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* Faces that Day shall be humbled,
2 Here, humbled means abased or humiliated (IK, JJ), Cf. 75:24. Unlike humility that one experiences in this world, this humility will reportedly be of no benefit to disbelievers (IK) since the door to repentance is open only in this world, not in the Hereafter.
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+ toiling, weary,
J entering a scorching Fire,
3–4 Toiling, weary can be understood as a reference to their toil in the scorching Fire, which is said to be dragging chains and shackles, or to their toil in this world, which is for naught if done in opposition to God (Ṭs). Others see toiling as a reference to performing disobedient acts in this world and weary as a reference to suffering in the Fire (IK). Taṣlā, here rendered “entering,” can also be read Tuṣlā, meaning, “made to enter.”
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Z given drink from a boiling spring.
5 Boiling spring refers to water at the highest possible heat (cf. 55:44; IK), a stark contrast to the flowing spring in v. 12.
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j They will have no food, save a vile thorn,
6 Vile thorn translates ḍarīʿ, which is the name given to the dry version of a bitter and thorny desert shrub called shibrīq. When dry, it is said to be so vile that no animal will eat it (Āl, Bg, Q, Ṭs). Some say that it designates a tree of the Fire (Q, Ṭ), similar to Zaqqūm in 37:62; 44:43; and 56:52. According to a ḥadīth, “Ḍarīʿ is a thing in the Fire that resembles thorns. It is bitterer than aloes, more fetid than a putrid corpse, and more burning than fire. God has named the thing ḍarīʿ” (Q). Some say ḍarīʿ means “poison” (Ṭs). Others say that it derives from the verb ḍaraʿa, meaning “to humble” or “to abase,” because eating ḍarīʿ is part of the humiliation and abasement for those in the Fire (Q, Ṭs). Most commentators agree that it is not the same as other things the disbelievers will be made to eat in Hell, such as Zaqqūm and filth (ghislīn; 69:36), but that these refer to the vegetation found in different levels of the Fire (Q).
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z which neither nourishes nor avails against hunger.
7 It is related that in response to v. 6 the Arabs said, “Our camels are nourished by ḍarīʿ,” though it was actually shibrīq, the shrub before it dried. So this verse was revealed (Bg, Q, Ṭs).
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{ Faces that Day shall be blessed,
8 For characteristics of faces in the Hereafter, see 75:22–23; 80:38; 83:24.
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| contented by their endeavoring
9 In contrast to those whose deeds bear no fruit in the Hereafter in v. 3, those referred to in this verse will realize and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
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Ċ in a lofty Garden,
11 In Paradise there be will no vain discourse (IK); cf. 19:62; 56:25; 78:35. Here they is based upon reading the faces in v. 8 as the subject of the verb. It could also be understood as an address to the Prophet in the second person singular, “thou hearest no idle talk therein.” In another variant, the verb is read in the passive with idle talk as the subject, “no idle talk is heard therein.”
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Ě wherein they hear no idle talk.
12 Spring can be read as having a generic import indicating a multitude of springs in heaven (IK, Ṭs, Z).
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Ī Therein lies a flowing spring,
13 These are the same as the embroidered couches mentioned in 56:15. Those seated upon such couches are said to have had all rancor removed from their breasts (cf. 15:47).
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ĺ therein are raised couches,
14 The mention of goblets in the Quran is taken as an allusion to the wine of Paradise, which they contain; see 56:18–19c; 78:34c.
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Ŋ goblets placed,
Ś cushions arrayed,
Ū and carpets spread.
ź Do they not consider the camels, how they are created;
17–20 Camels, mountains, sky, and earth would be the most predominate aspects of any desert journey in Arabia, indeed of desert life itself. These verses indicate that reflecting upon the signs of God in the created order should suffice to make one understand the truth.
17 Camels were central to desert livelihood, as they were easy to domesticate; could be eaten, milked, or used as beasts of burden; and could carry large loads for many days, surviving on little water and thorny desert brush (Bg, IK, Ṭs). The camel is thus seen in many commentaries and in Islamic literature in general as one of the supreme examples of God’s Wisdom and Power. The reference to camels can also be understood as an allusion to the docile nature of camels, who despite their strength will yield to one who is leading them. In this sense, the verse could be read as chastising human beings for not yielding to the guidance of God in the manner that camels yield to their guides (ST).
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Ɗ the sky, how it is raised;
18 Cf. 50:6.
19–20 The mountains being made firm is cited as evidence of God’s Power and Mercy in several verses (13:3; 15:19; 16:15; 21:31; 27:61; 31:10; 41:10; 50:7; 79:32) and is often joined to a discussion of the earth being spread out in such a way that human beings derive many benefits from it.
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ƚ the mountains, how they are established;
Ȋ and the earth, how it is spread?
! So remind! Thou art but a reminder;
" thou art not a warder over them.
# But whosoever turns away and disbelieves,
$ God shall punish him with the greatest punishment.
% Truly unto Us is their return,
& then truly with Us lies their reckoning.
21–26 The Prophet’s mission is only to remind people of the truth. He will not be held responsible for the faith or disbelief of others, as in 13:40: Thine is only to proclaim, and Ours is the Reckoning (cf. 3:20; 5:92, 99; 16:35, 82; 29:18; 36:17; 42:48; 64:12), and he does not have the ability to create faith in their hearts (IK). That judgment and reckoning lie with God alone is also mentioned in 6:52, 69; 13:40; 26:113.