In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

18. The Day when the trumpet is blown and you will come in crowds,

19. And the heavens will open and turn into gates,

20. And the mountains will vanish like a mirage.

21. And Hell lies in ambush [making observations],

22. A destination for the rebellious,

23. (One in which) they will stay for ages.

24. And taste therein nothing cool, or drink

25. Nothing but boiling and putrid fluids (as a recompense),

26. A fitting reward (proportional to their evil deeds),

27. For they did not anticipate a reckoning,

28. And thus emphatically rejected Our signs and called them lies.

29. But We have recorded everything in a Book:

30. “So taste (the fruits of your evil deeds), for We’ll not give you more of anything but punishment.”

31. Surely, for the God-conscious there is a supreme achievement:

32. Private gardens and vineyards,

33. Full-bosomed companions of equal age,

34. And an overflowing cup.

35. They will hear no vain talk and lies therein,

36. (For it is) a reward from your Lord, an ample and a fitting gift (from)

37. The Lord of the heavens and Earth and everything between, the Merciful One, whom none will be able to address.

38. The Day when the spirit and the angels will stand in rows. None of them will speak, except the one who receives the Merciful One’s permission (to do so) and who says what is right.

39. That Day is a sure reality, so let him who wishes to do so take the path that leads to his Lord.

40. We have warned you of imminent punishment, the Day on which every person will see what his own hands [both good and bad deeds] have sent forth and (on which) the disbeliever shall exclaim, “Oh, would that I were dust [had never been born]!”

[78:18] The Day when the trumpet is blown and you will come in crowds,
The Qur’an uses the metaphor of a “trumpet” to declare that we will be ordered to convene on that Day, just like soldiers being summoned to gather in formations by reveille, to usher in a new state of affairs in the world. In other words, the “trumpet” signals everyone that another phase is about to begin and that it is time for them to head for the place of assembly.

[78:19] And the heavens will open and turn into gates,
It is important to note that this verse uses the passive tense to de-scribe the event that will unfold after the skies fall apart and the existing order is destroyed. This is done to stress that what is unfolding is the result of a natural order nearing its end.
Earth’s protective atmosphere and its geomagnetic shield will be unsealed, thereby enabling ultra-violet and cosmic rays, as well as all kinds of objects (e.g., asteroids and comets) to attack our planet. Today’s scientific community, understandably, has raised the alarm about the health danger of a comparatively small hole in the ozone layer of the atmosphere. Just try to imagine what a catastrophe will be unleashed when this protective shield no longer exists.

[78:20] And the mountains will vanish like a mirage.
The removal of this protective shield will cause mountains to shatter and turn to dust, for at that time the planet will come under the influence of a far stronger electromagnetic force. In other verses, the Qur’an says that the mountains will be scattered like fluffed-up wool.

[78:21] And Hell lies in ambush [making observations],

[78:22] A destination for the rebellious,
The Qur’an uses the metaphor of an “observation post” because on that Day all human deeds will be observable from Hell. The human soul becomes sick and diseased when one engages in behavior that violates the natural order. On that Day, the lifestyles of these rebels and transgressors will turn out to be their own worst enemy. Their transgressions intensified their soul’s sickness and pushed them further down a slippery slope until they ended up in Hell. This is similar to an opportunistic pathogen that lies dormant until the body becomes weak and diseased enough for it to wreak havoc.

[78:23] (One in which) they will stay for ages.

[78:24] And taste therein nothing cool, or drink

[78:25] Nothing but boiling and putrid fluids (as a recompense),
The Qur’an deliberately uses metaphorical language to describe that which is beyond human knowledge and mental perception. Even though the metaphors are addressed to a small Arab community that lived 1,400 years ago in a specific cultural milieu, the universality of their meaning transcends these boundaries. For example, the thought of drinking cold water in the desert is pleasant, whereas the thought of drinking boiling water is not. In truth, only God knows what kind of world we will be stepping into when we die. The Qur’an uses these metaphors to impress upon us that life in Hell will be extremely harsh and utterly miserable. Just because these metaphors were revealed a long time ago to a specific community in no way means that they are neither universal nor eternally relevant.

[78:26] A fitting reward (proportional to their evil deeds),
The torment that one will experience in Hell is the consequence of and in proportion to one’s actions. Thus, no one can say that God is being unfair or unjust.

[78:27] For they did not anticipate a reckoning,
Firmly believing that they would never be held accountable, they pursued their evil deeds without a second thought. If people even remotely suspected that such a day would actually arrive, they might have thought twice before committing the kinds of atrocities that we see being committed around the world like dropping bombs on innocent people, killing in large numbers, and setting their bodies on fire. Indeed, the laws of nature determine a response for every action, which means that the former will always be in proportion to the latter. It is they, the dwellers of Hell, who cause their own downfall and end up there.

[78:28] And thus emphatically rejected Our signs and called them lies.
They considered God’s signs (e.g., the world’s orderly nature and that their actions have consequences) false and defiantly rejected them because admitting their existence would mean that they would also have to affirm God’s existence.

[78:29] But We have recorded everything in a Book:

[78:30] “So taste (the fruits of your evil deeds), for We’ll not give you more of anything but punishment.”
As nothing is hidden from Him, Who is Omniscient, He will evaluate all deeds with perfect accuracy and fairness. Note the usage of “We” instead of “I” in this verse. This refers to the system and order that govern the world, not to God “personally.” That is to say, the very system that governs the world ensures that people are rewarded or punished appropriately.

[78:31] Surely, for the God-conscious there is a supreme achieve-ment:
In contrast to the dire condition of the rebels and transgressors in Hell, the God-conscious and virtuous people will experience a life of bliss and joy in Paradise. There is a subtle difference between the words falāh (prosperity; فلاح) and fawz (success; فوز), even though they both appear in the Qur’an and are often translated as “successful achievement.” However, falāh denotes achievement in this world only, the actualization of our innate abilities in this life, whereas fawz means reaching one’s destination successfully.
Fawz was a common term in pre-Islamic Arabia. Mafāzah (مفازة) was used to refer to the desert, an extremely hot and inhospitable environment in which one can easily succumb and die. A person who had successfully traversed the desert and arrived at the intended destination safely was known as fā’iz (one who has successfully attained the goal; فائز). In ancient times, no one would dare travel through the desert alone, especially during the day in the scorching heat. In general, people preferred to travel at night with hired guides who could read the stars’ position to determine the correct way forward.
The Qur’an likens this world to a treacherous desert, a place full of possibilities in which a person without a guide can wander and become bewildered. The only way to traverse it safely is to follow the guidance of the messengers, prophets and the scriptures. Dangers are lying in wait at every corner to lead us away from the straight path. It is narrated that when Ali was stricken with a sword, he said, fuztu bi-Rabbi-l-Kaʿbah (فُزتُ بِرَبّ الكَعبه) denoting that he was relieved from the difficult circumstances of the world and its many burdens. This verse states that on the Day of Resurrection, only those who had lived a God-conscious life will attain salvation. It is as if they had trained for that Day and were taught how to avoid the dangers, as if they had been given a “lantern” that enabled them to find the straight path.

[78:32] Private gardens and vineyards,
They will possess lush gardens (hadā’iq; حَدَائِق) in Paradise. Grapes (aʿnāb; أَعْنَاب) are mentioned because they are an energetic fruit containing large amount of sugar and protein that is almost twice as much as that of meat. Those who have made pilgrimage to Makkah may have seen this sweet, subtle, and delicate fruit growing in Ta’if. As already pointed out, the Qur’an invokes metaphors and expressions that were appropriate for the people to whom it was revealed. This verse mentions grapes because the Arabs were familiar with its symbolic meaning of something pleasant, soothing, and highly nutritious. The Qur’an’s message is tailored to a particular group of people who lived at a specific point in time and geographical locality with its own particular lifestyle. However, it is eternal in relevance and transcends all artificial boundaries of culture, history, ethnicity, locality, and so on.

[78:33] Full-bosomed companions of equal age,
The adjective kawāʿib (كواعب) is gender neutral. The Qur’an in-vokes another blessing of this life as an analogue in order to give us a limited sense of the pleasures awaiting those who lived a God-conscious life. One may object to such an approach. However, remember that the next life is a totally different realm, one that we cannot even begin to fathom. Numerous verses emphasize this fact. This type of language, one to which we can relate, seeks to encourage us to pay more attention to the Hereafter and get our affairs in order. If such passages did not exist, it is possible that we may not aspire to become dwellers of Paradise. The Qur’an always employs the indefinite form when describing these blessings to signal that these representations are offered only to help us understand that realm, not to represent its reality.

[78:34] And an overflowing cup.
Those who have lived a God-conscious life will be in a state of abundant joy and pleasure, for their “cup” will be filled in accordance with and in proportion to their deeds. The pleasures of this temporal life are few and far between in comparison to the everlasting and boundless ones awaiting us there. Eminent mystics have used such Qur’anic terms of worldly pleasures in their poetry and prose. They speak of “wine,” “beloved,” “witness,” “drunkenness,” and so on, but only in their deep spiritual and esoteric meaning, stripped of any physical or material connotations.

[78:35] They will hear no vain talk and lies therein,
It is aggravating to have to associate with people who use offensive language and lie because it negatively impacts one’s quality of life, even if one is blessed with the best of what life has to offer. In general, all of us would like to surround ourselves with decent people whose words are measured, useful, and soothing, for such companionship is fruitful. People hate lies; want to be confident that whatever is said to them is the truth; and dislike wasting their time by associating with people who engage in idle, nonsensical, and vainglorious talk. Thus, the dwellers of Paradise will be spared from such interactions. Compatibility in this matter could be a source of spiritual growth and movement toward perfection.

[78:36] (For it is) a reward from your Lord, an ample and a fitting gift (from)
God rewards us with bountiful gifts in accordance to our deeds. His promises (and warnings) inform us that these will be bestowed upon us according to a fair and equitable system. Just as we are ranked on the basis of a specific criterion here, so will we be ranked in the Hereafter.

[78:37] The Lord of the heavens and Earth and everything between, the Merciful One, whom none will be able to address.
The Lord (Rabb) is the Nurturer and Sustainer, the Provider and Ruler of the world. When compared with the universe, our planet Earth is not even the size of a grain of sand. Given that He is the absolute authority of the infinite universe, can you imagine how easy it would be for Him to manage our affairs? Do humans think that their existence really ends with death and that there is no Hereafter?
This chapter’s main message, the “Great News,” draws our attention to the Lord’s absolute authority and all-encompassing power over all of creation. The word “Lord” signifies that the relationship between God and humanity is like the relationship between a compassionate ruler and his subjects. God’s essence is Compassion (ar-Rahmān; الرّحمٰن), and it is due to this attribute that we will be resurrected to a new life. It is His will to guide us to Paradise, the abode of spiritual perfection. The verse under consideration clearly and unequivocally shows that the Lord is the only Judge on that Day, that He will determine everyone’s fate according to a just and an equitable formula, and that no one will be in a position to challenge His authority.

[78:38] The Day when the spirit and the angels will stand in rows. None of them will speak, except the one who receives the Merciful One’s permission (to do so) and who says what is right.
This verse seems somewhat intricate and complicated. What does “the spirit and the angels will rise” connote? Will they be standing the way humans do? What is “spirit?” What is the difference between “spirit” and “angels”? What does “none will speak” mean? Let us begin the exegesis of this verse with an example to clarify all of this.
Imagine that at the end of an academic year, the school’s teachers gather up their students in the gymnasium to pass out their own exams and then inform their students of their grades. In this example, the teachers are similar to the angels because they are the school’s agents. However, what is spirit? Let’s review the example just given. Teachers deliver the same lecture to all of their students. But since each student has a different level of aptitude and intelligence, it would be unfair to expect all of them to attain the same grade. Similarly, “angels” refers to God’s agents who have been entrusted with helping and providing us with opportunities to achieve our objectives, and, ultimately, to become “godly.” As all former students know, teachers seek to help them further their learning and increase their knowledge.
God, the Manager and Administrator of the world, will evaluate us from two perspectives. The first one is the test of one’s spirit (i.e., divine breath) that was conditioned to adopt the divine attributes in one’s conduct and in enhancing each person’s aptitude, intelligence, and understanding. God breathed His Spirit into humans and thereby gave us the ability to become “godly.” For example, God is All-Forgiving (al-Ghafūr), and therefore we should be forgiving. God is All-Knowing and Omniscient (al-Alīm), and so we need to increase our knowledge and learn in order to “know.” God is All-Wise (al-Hakīm), and so we should strive to be wise. God is All-Kind (al-Latīf), and so we should exhibit this trait. God is Noble and Esteemed (al-Azīz), and so we should strive to personify this characteristic. The second test has to do with the degree to which we actualized our aptitude. On that Day, aptitude and opportunities will be positioned side by side and the degree to which we actualized the former will be measured by the scale of latter. Aptitude is “spirit” and opportunities are “angels.”
The Qur’an pairs “spirit” and “angels” three times. Qur’an 97:4 informs us that during the Night of Qadr, more than at any other time, these opportunities are more easily accessible. Humans, being in a position to benefit more from their “teachers,” “books,” and “opportunities” on that night, increase their chances to grow spiritually. Also, “spirit” and “angels” are paired in discussing the Hereafter. Qur’an 70:4 says that on that Day all angels and spirit will ascend to God. This “school” of learning will be closed, teachers (angels) will leave, and our ability to learn (to become “godly”) will end.
It is the nature of this world to experience such estrangement. For instance, Earth is blessed with abundant rainfall during spring. This is similar to the abundant spiritual rainfall humans receive during Ramadan, especially on the Night of Qadr. Each nation and group receives blessings in proportion to their deeds. God multiplies His blessings during this Night, and they continue to increase over time until the day He stops bestowing them.
The Qur’an uses metaphorical language to impress upon us that one day we will be held accountable for both the aptitude (spirit) that was breathed into us as well as how we used the available opportunities (angels). Qur’an 41:31, on behalf of the angels says, “We are your allies in this world and in the Hereafter.”
The Qur’an states that angels helped Muslims during the Battle of Badr. This does not mean that they appeared physically with swords in their hands and fought alongside them. Rather, the Muslims would find a transformative power entering their spirit, one that would change their inner being. Such a person’s heart would harken to the Qur’anic proclamation of “fear not, nor be grieved.”
As for those who say, “Our Lord is God” and are upright, the angels will descend upon them, saying: ‘Have no fear or grief, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise that you have been promised. We are your allies in this world and in the Hereafter, where you will have whatever you desire and ask for, as a welcoming gift from the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” (41:30–32)
As a result, fear, sorrow, and other adverse conditions of this temporal life will be removed and they will be transformed into a “different” being. Hence, humanity was not left alone to vouch for itself (41:30), for the angels descend upon all of those who proclaim that their only master is the Lord: Allah.
It is a fact that the Day upon which we will have to account for what we have done with our aptitude and opportunities will come. We will have to answer such questions as the following: How far up this ladder of excellence did you climb? Did you honor the spirit that God breathed into you? What did you do with your divine soul? What did you do with your mind? Did you use it for anything other than the mundane daily routine of your earthly life?
We must remember that truth is intrinsic to God’s order and, as such, stating the truth is congruent to His order: “and who says what is right” (wa qālā sawābā; وقالصوابا).
In conclusion, God has placed many resources at our disposal to help us grow spiritually and attain higher stages of human excellence. It is only natural for us to be asked what we did with them. Did we use these tools to find the “human” within us? Did we nurture the spirit that God gave us to become “godly?”

[78:39] That Day is a sure reality, so let him who wishes to do so take the path that leads to his Lord.
This Day is a reality that will arrive. It is not a delusion, a myth, or a tactic to inspire fear in us. The question is whether we will be ready when it arrives? God has shown us the path, given us the ability to discern truth from falsehood, and the ability to become “godly.” There is no compulsion or coercion in achieving this objective, for He has given us the freedom to choose.
This world is similar to a school in which teachers and opportunities are at our disposal. Just like a regular school where students choose a field of study, likewise in this “school” humanity is also free to choose a path. We may choose to help orphans, be generous, or engage in other benevolent deeds. We have to identify our talents, choose a path, and take advantage of what is around us to actualize our aptitudes.

[78:40] We have warned you of imminent punishment, the Day on which every person will see what his own hands [both good and bad deeds] have sent forth and (on which) the disbeliever shall exclaim, “Oh, would that I were dust [had never been born]!”
Note here that both the verb and the pronoun are plural, for they refer to the totality of the world and the order that governs it. This “order” is informing us that such an order exists and that those who violate it will face the consequences. We can compare this to a school in which a designated committee of experts sets the academic standards. It is this system, as opposed to the teacher, that fails a student who does not meet the minimum academic standards.

Here, the metaphor of “hands” is used to warn all people to live a God-conscious life so that they will not show up “empty-handed” on that Day of Resurrection. We might make destructive choices that will bring upon us such acute misery that we will wish that we had never been born.

On that Day, all disbelievers (those who conceal the manifest reality and ignore divine admonitions; kāfir) will wish that they had never been born so that they would not have to suffer such an appalling fate.

Translator: Mohammad Fani
Editor: Hamid Mavani