سُورَةُ التَّكۡوِيرِ

At-TakwirThe Overthrowing

Meccan
29 verses~6 min

Paints the unraveling of the world — the sun folded up, the stars dimmed — and condemns the burying of infant girls alive.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

81:1

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِذَا ٱلشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]

81:2

وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتْ

And when the stars fall, dispersing,

81:3

وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

And when the mountains are removed

81:4

وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

And when full-term she-camels are neglected

81:5

وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

And when the wild beasts are gathered

81:6

وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

And when the seas are filled with flame

81:7

وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

And when the souls are paired

81:8

وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ

And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked

81:9

بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍۢ قُتِلَتْ

For what sin she was killed

81:10

وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

And when the pages are made public

81:11

وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتْ

And when the sky is stripped away

81:12

وَإِذَا ٱلْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

And when Hellfire is set ablaze

81:13

وَإِذَا ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

And when Paradise is brought near,

81:14

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ

A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].

81:15

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ

So I swear by the retreating stars -

81:16

ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْكُنَّسِ

Those that run [their courses] and disappear -

81:17

وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

And by the night as it closes in

81:18

وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

And by the dawn when it breathes

81:19

إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍۢ كَرِيمٍۢ

[That] indeed, the Qur'an is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger

81:20

ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍۢ

[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],

81:21

مُّطَاعٍۢ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍۢ

Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.

81:22

وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍۢ

And your companion is not [at all] mad.

81:23

وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْمُبِينِ

And he has already seen Gabriel in the clear horizon.

81:24

وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍۢ

And Muhammad is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.

81:25

وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَٰنٍۢ رَّجِيمٍۢ

And the Qur'an is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].

81:26

فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ

So where are you going?

81:27

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

It is not except a reminder to the worlds

81:28

لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ

For whoever wills among you to take a right course.

81:29

وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.

About Surah At-Takwir

Frequently asked questions

How many verses are in Surah At-Takwir?
Surah At-Takwir (The Overthrowing) is chapter 81 of the Quran and contains 29 verses.
Was Surah At-Takwir revealed in Mecca or Medina?
Surah At-Takwir is a Meccan surah — the 81th chapter of the Quran.
What is Surah At-Takwir about?
Paints the unraveling of the world — the sun folded up, the stars dimmed — and condemns the burying of infant girls alive.