In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

1. By the sky and “at-tariq”:

2. What will make you understand what “at-tariq” is?

3. The luminous piercing star.

4. Surely, there is no soul without a guardian over it.

5. So, let the human being reflect upon that from which he has been created:

6. He was created from a gushing fluid,

7. Issuing from between the loins and the chest.

8. Surely, He is able to bring him back (to life on)

9. The Day (on which) the deepest secrets will be laid bare and put on trial,

10. When a person will have no power of his own and no protector.

11. By the sky that revolves

12. And earth [the ground] that splits,

13. Truly this [the Qur’an] is a decisive discourse (that distinguishes truth from falsehood),

14. It is not something to be taken lightly.

15. They are plotting a scheme,

16. And I (too) am laying a plan.

17. Give those who deny some respite [time]; be gentle with them.

This chapter, like the other short ones, begins with an oath. Many such chapters contain solemn assertions to different phenomena. Here, they are made to the sky (samā; سماء) and the tāriq (طارق). In order to determine whether these two assertions can be counted as one, we first need to understand what tāriq means.

[86:1] By the sky and “at-tāriq”:

[86:2] What will make you understand what “at-tāriq”is?
This is such a mysterious and magnificent phenomenon that even the Prophet could not comprehend it. The Qur’an asks “What will make you understand?” or “What would you know?” a few times in various chapters to draw our attention to those splendid phenomena that are beyond our comprehension. For example, 77:14 talks about the “Day of Separation” (i.e., the Day of Judgment) and 97:2 talks about the “Night of Qadr.”
We can compare our inability to comprehend this term to a classroom full of first-graders lacking any understanding of the inner workings of, for example, a transistor. If they were to ask you what it is, you would respond, “What do you know about a transistor (wa mā adrā-kum mā-t-transistor)?” How can I explain to you what it is when you have no background in and knowledge of the subject?” The Qur’an asks the same kind of question when discussing extremely complex and majestic phenomena. It even asks the Prophet, “What would make you understand what this is?” If it is incomprehensible for him, how are we supposed to appreciate it? Nevertheless, the Qur’an offers a hint.

[86:3] The luminous piercing star.
Tāriq is a star, and the qualifier thāqib (ثاقب) means “luminous with the power to pierce and penetrate anything.” In other words, tāriq is a “brilliant piercing star.” Yet it is somewhat odd that the Qur’an did not employ another word to convey the same meaning, one with greater clarity and precision.

[86:4] Surely, there is no soul without a guardian over it.
All existent beings have guardians. In the previous chapters, the relationship between the sky, a tāriq star, and the protection of human beings was explained. However, tāriq is hard to define as it has four possible meanings. First, it implies pounding, condensing, and compressing. Thus a hammer is called mitraqah (مطرقة). In addition, it could refer to a star, a piercing (thāqib) star, or a nocturnal journey or movement. Some translators have translated it as “the night-traveling star.” But this is not meaningful because all stars, as opposed to just the tāriq, move and appear at night. This word has yet another meaning: The sound of the feet of a person walking in the dead of night.
At the time of the revelation, the people of Arabia had extremely shallow understanding of astronomy. However, recent technological advances have shed light on some of the mysteries of space and, as a result, humans have increased their knowledge of this science. Scientists discovered the existence of high density stars almost two centuries ago. By applying Newtonian physics, the mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace (d. 1827) was the first to postulate the existence of stars with such a strong gravitational force that even light could not escape from them.
His prediction was similar to that of Dmitri Mendeleev (d. 1907), whose famous Periodic Table foretold the existence of elements in nature that had not yet been discovered. Around 1915, Karl Schwarzschild (d. 1916) used Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to prove that the high density stars postulated by Laplace actually existed. Fifteen years later J. Robert Oppenheimer (d. 1967), the father of the atomic bomb, used mathematical calculations to confirm the existence of such stars. Up until that point, their existence had been proven using Newtonian physics and mathematical calculations, for no one had ever seen or observed them. However, about thirty years ago astronomers identified their effects by means of radio-wave telescopes. Steven Hawking (b. 1942), the world-famous theoretical physicist and cosmologist, has done pioneering work in the field of general relativity despite being almost entirely paralyzed and requiring a computer to communicate. A recipient of numerous awards and honors, he has made major discoveries about parts of the universe that are located thousands of light years away.
Physical cosmologists have discovered that stars undergo a fundamental metamorphosis when they reach their final stage of life. For example, at such a time the Sun will lose the ability to convert helium into hydrogen, which will cause its gravitational forces to increase drastically. In addition, its size will shrink to one-millionth of its current mass. In that condensed state, the Sun’s volume will decrease until it becomes the same size of Earth, at which time it will become a cold and whitish phenomenon known as a “white dwarf.” Accordingly, its outer layer will expand.
Based on scientific calculations, a star has three possible fates. The first one is being reduced to about the size of our Sun, as explained above. However, those which are about one-and-a-half to three times the size of the Sun will become even more condensed and compressed than the Sun and, due to their ensuing higher densities, will exert far stronger gravitational forces. Photos taken of an atom’s electrons and neutrons show that the former gather together and enter the nuclei. This is similar to collecting a bunch of ping-pong balls in a bag and putting them under pressure. As the pressure increases, the balls become smaller and smaller until they merge into one mass that is smaller than one ball. Hence, a star that may be three times as large as the Sun becomes so condensed and compressed that its diameter decreases to about 12.5 miles (20 kilometers). At this stage, it is composed almost entirely of neutrons.
Neutron stars are so condensed that even a minute amount, like the tip of a needle, weighs about 1 million tons. Although they are invisible, their effects were observed for the first time around 1964 or perhaps 1965. They spin around their axis at a very high speed, some at the rate of almost 620 times a minute, and emit X-rays and gamma rays, but not light. Up until about twenty years ago, approximately 300 such stars had been discovered.
If a star is more than three times the size of the Sun, then its density is so high that even neutrons enter the nuclei. Such stars are called “black holes.” Amazingly, a needle-tip-sized sample weighs about 1 billion tons. To put this into perspective, let’s compare a black hole to Earth. If our planet were to become that dense, then it would shrink to the size of a bean. In other words, the weight of a bean-sized (0.276 inches/7 mm) portion of a black hole would be equivalent to the total weight of our planet. These invisible stars are called black holes because their density is so high that not even light can escape them. They are like a bottomless pit that devours everything. Scientists have deduced their presence by ascertaining their effects on nearby objects.
So far, our discussion has been about extremely condensed and compressed stars. This is one of the possible meanings of tāriq. The second meaning is a star; the third is travelling at night or a “night-traveling star.” However, the latter one is not so convincing because older stars, considered “dead” or nearing the end of their life, are not visible at night. Both neutron stars and black holes are so dark that they do not emit light. The fourth and final connotation is that it is thāqib (ثاقب), meaning that it pierces something, even though it is void of light, due to its immense gravitational force, as well as the X-rays and gamma rays that it emits. Hence, neutron stars and black holes protect galaxies, just like everything revolves around a nail that has been fixed on a plane.
A galaxy with millions of suns orbits a black hole, which is only 6.25 miles (10 kilometers) in diameter. Thus the gravitational forces of each neutron star and black hole affect millions of stars. Such a stupendous phenomenon poses a rhetorical question: “What will make you understand?” or “What would you know?” what the tāriq is? Moreover, all of this is no more than a glimpse of the true reality, because scientists have just begun to scratch the surface of the relationship(s) among galaxies that are thousands of light years apart. And what they do know is based only upon tentatively postulated theories.
So then, the billions of stars and suns are not left without a guardian or some type of order, but work in unison and are connected and protected by a force. This is true of everything that exists, for some Qur’anic verses remind us that forces, both in front of and behind us, have been tasked with protecting us (13:11). In other words, God did not create us and then leave us to our own devices. All affairs in this world are conducted based upon His law and order, for it has a Sustainer and a Manager who monitors everything.
Beginning with the next verse, the discourse switches from the infinitely vast universe to the down-to-earth human beings. It starts with the particle fa (فَ) to conclude the above discourse. After they consider the universe’s grandeur, they should turn inward to reflect upon their own creation.

[86:5] So, let the human being reflect upon that from which he has been created:

[86:6] He was created from a gushing fluid,
An interesting parallel exists between this verse and the third one, a parallel that merits our attention. In the latter verse, just as thāqib describes the existence of a piercing force advancing in the universe, this verse likewise describes the creation of humans from forcefully flowing (dāfiq; دافق) sperms moving upward in their attempt to impregnate the ovum. Millions of them move forward hurriedly, as if in a race, until one of them gets inside and causes it to begin developing a protective coating that shuts out all of the other ones. It is as if 250 million soldiers are attacking a fort.
Some exegetes have taken only the sperm’s outward movement into account; however, in physiological terms the sperm jets upward and penetrates (thāqib) the ovum in order to carry out its natural function. The important point to ponder is the source from which an infinitesimally small sperm acquires its “aptitude” and “energy” to move? In the words of Ali, “You suppose that you are an insignificant being, whereas the world that exists within you is far more magnificent than the one outside you.”

[86:7] Issuing from between the loins and the chest.
The word sulb (صلب) means “rigid and strong,” whereas tarā’ib (ترائب) means “soft.” Many exegetes have stated that the seminal fluid exits from the back and chest; however, we all know that this is not the case. Others have said that tarā’ib refers to a woman’s breasts. Once again, this rendition cannot be sustained by science because there is no relationship between the seminal fluid and a person’s breast or backbone. If we take into consideration that these two words carry opposite meanings, then it appears that the verse alludes to the hard and soft substances in the body. In other words, the sperm is the final outcome of a process of combining the body’s hard and soft substances.
This is similar to what the Qur’an says about some of the quadrupeds’ milk: The consumed food goes through a digestion process that enables nutrients to be absorbed into the blood (16:66). The stomach’s capillaries then transfer these nutrients to the mammary glands, where they are converted into milk. As one can see, milk is a product of blood and digested food. By the same token, a similar process produces sperm. Every time a man and a woman have intercourse, about 250 million sperms are produced, each one of which carries the entire genetic code, including that of its ancestors. Human DNA carries a person’s entire genetic map, just as a neutron star, the size of a needle’s point, holds all of its characteristics.

[86:8] Surely, He is able to bring him back (to life on)
The conclusion of the above discourse is that God has the power to bring humans back to life. Why would you doubt that God, who created humans from such minute substances and an ovum in the first place, has power to bring them back? The Qur’an records the repeated query of the incredulous unbelievers, “How can humans be brought back to life after death and the body’s decomposition?” Its persistent response is, “Don’t you ponder upon how you were created in the first place from such insignificant substances?”

[86:9] The Day (on which) the deepest secrets will be laid bare and put on trial,
This is the Day when all things concealed from you or by you will become apparent and testify. Other Qur’anic verses relate that on that Day humans will become privy to God’s wondrous creation and will be astounded to learn that all of their actions, without exception, have been recorded and accounted for, and that their own beings, as well as various bodily parts, will testify against them. People realize that what they were promised is true, and this reality will become apparent and revealed for everyone to see (50:22).
You cannot utter a word without alerting the two ever-present and watching forces – one on your right and the other on your left – recording all of your deeds (50:17–18). Some exegetes opine that they represent the two angels supposedly residing on each person’s right and left shoulders. This is why Sunnis, upon completing the daily prayers, salute these two angels by turning their heads to the right and then to the left. However, the Qur’an does not mention shoulders and only talks about the right and left sides. Maybe the intended message is that our deeds are all accounted for and that nothing will remain elusive, similar to the way it talks about the benevolent people who are deservedly happy, “companions of the right” (ashāb-ul-yamīn; اصحاب اليمين ), in contrast to those who are afflicted with tribulation, “companions of the left” (ashāb-ush-shimāl ; (اصحاب الشمال. These are all me-taphors to impress upon us that all of our deeds are recorded and will stay with us forever.

[86:10] When a person will have no power of his own and no protector.
No one will be able to help us on that Day, and we will not have the strength to do anything.

[86:11] By the sky that revolves
Once again, a solemn oath is asserted to the ever-revolving sky. Why “ever-revolving”? The majority of exegetes opine that this refers to the four perpetually recurring seasons.

[86:12] And earth [the ground] that splits,
An oath is avowed to the ground, which splits during the winter months and seeds that are grown in its crevices. The majority of exegetes believe that dhāt-us-sad‘ (ذَات الصّدع) refers to the expansion and contraction of the ground that occurs during the winter and the spring, or generally to nature’s perpetual renewal of nature.
However, it appears that this may be examined at a much deeper level. Recent research indicates that Earth’s atmosphere plays a vital role in protecting life by sending matter back into space. For example, some of the atmosphere’s layers (e.g., the ozone layer) deflect dangerous and fatal ultraviolet and other rays, but the magnetosphere prevents most of the Sun’s particles from reaching Earth. On the contrary, other layers prevent matter from escaping Earth. For example, the troposphere returns water vapor in the form of rain. Likewise, the ionosphere refracts or reflects radio waves back to Earth, a function that enables people, to listen to radio or watch television broadcasts from other parts of the world.
We may examine this from an even broader perspective. The sky has been in a constant state of returning, and this phenomenon is not limited to what has been explained above. Every day thousands of stars are born and die and, except for those individuals with access to radio telescopes, we are completely ignorant of these astounding cosmic occurrences. When the energy of these stars is almost exhausted, the residual energy and expanded gasses released from them give birth to new ones. This is also the case on Earth, where every day countless people are born and die in their own perpetually recurring cycle. This cycle is innate to nature and occurs both in the sky and on Earth.
The word sad‘ (صدع) means “to split.” A day will come when Earth and other stars, will separate itself from its orbit, just as a ripe apple falls off a tree. These heavenly bodies are not fixed on a plane in such a way that they will remain there forever. This is explained above in verse 11: “Consider the sky that revolves”and verse 8: “Surely, He is able to bring him back (to life).”
This chapter’s prime message is the belief in each person’s return. Returning is an inherent quality of this cosmos, for nothing that exists within it will ever disappear or be annihilated. Whatever exists will return, for this process repeats itself. However, nothing ever returns to its previous state because it changes as it moves from one stage to the next. God’s creation is not in vain and thus will never be annihilated or destroyed. Upon our death, we enter a new realm, the nature of which is determined by the deeds we perform today.

[86:13] Truly this [the Qur’an] is a decisive discourse (that distin-guishes truth from falsehood),
This verse is both the conclusion and the response to the previous two oaths. This discourse is fasl (فصل), meaning that it clearly separates truth from falsehood and makes the truth manifest. This is also true in the case of one’s speech.The four seasons are also called fasl because they are independent and distinct from each other. In the Qur’an, the Day of Judgment is called yawm-ul-fasl (يوم الفصل) because it is the “Day of Separation”: from the temporal world to the Hereafter. The content of the Qur’an is also referred to as fasl because it enables one to distinguish truth from falsehood.

[86:14] It is not something to be taken lightly.
Some people consider these verses as providers of information but, at the same time, as having no relevance or bearing on their daily lives. However, if they were to ponder the indisputable reality that their present life shapes their future life and destiny in the Hereafter, then they might take their affairs far more seriously. Have you ever wondered why Prophet Muhammad or Ali spent so many hours in prayer during the night? Why would they do so, crying their hearts out? Maybe they did so because they thought they would not have the power to face that Day.
Humans have an amazing ability to postpone making resolute decisions and convincing themselves that all is well. For example, if we knew that an event was going to happen tomorrow, we would spend a great deal of time thinking about it today and wondering about what might transpire tomorrow. On the other hand, if we knew that the event would take place a month from now or even later, we would be far less concerned and preoccupied. Now, just imagine how relaxed and unconcerned we would be if this event was going to take place ten years from now.
Some people use this “logic” to fool themselves, saying “Nobody has returned from the other world to convince us of its truth and existence,” and thus there is no reason to ponder on such matters. However, God has warned us that His promise was not made in vain because His words separate truth from falsehood. The truth is that one day we will return to Him and all that was concealed in us will be revealed. On that Day, we will receive our “report card” and our destiny will be in accordance with the “grades” that we have earned.

[86:15] They are plotting a scheme,
Preoccupied with the affairs of their earthly lives, they scheme to achieve their objectives and thus ignore these warnings.

[86:16] And I (too) am laying a plan.
This is similar to teachers who are aware of students skipping classes. The latter are preoccupied with this world’s affairs, not realizing that the teacher has a plan and is keeping a record of their absenteeism. During the exam, those students who are unprepared will rapidly realize that they brought harm to themselves.
The chapter concludes by telling the Prophet to leave the deniers alone so they can act as they please. In other words, he should give them more time and not force religion upon them.

[86:17] Give those who deny some respite [time]; be gentle with them.
Thus there is no need to quarrel or argue with them. The expression amhil-hum ruwaydā (أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدا) is repeated here and in 73:11, where it tells the Prophet to give these people some more time. It is not important how long this respite lasts, because compared to one’s eternal life it is shorter than the blink of an eye.
However, note that this reprieve was not given so that the Prophet could turn his back on them, but rather was a kind, benevolent gesture to give the unbelievers more time to turn toward Islam. The Prophet never treated anybody with disrespect or contempt. Of course, if they had used force to prevent him from disseminating the Message, he would have stood up to them. But when it came to belief, the Prophet and the Twelver Shi‘i Imams used an approach that would attract their enemies. People became enamored with them because they followed the approach recommended by the Qur’an: Meet hostility with kindness. When unbelievers address believers in an unjust manner, the latter respond with a peaceful gesture and words (25:63).
In conclusion, this chapter first draws our attention to the universe’s grandeur and enormity and then shifts from the macrocosm to the infinitesimally small microcosm world of a cell. After this, it propounds the concept of the “return” that all existent beings will experience, and concludes by informing the Prophet that he should let the stubborn deniers follow their own ways, because the natural laws governing the world will treat them in the same manner. However, he was still held responsible for reconciling with them and attracting them to his Message.

The Prophet showed his magnanimous character by attracting and then guiding such people to Islam. This is why the Qur’an honors him by affirming that he has been endowed with an exalted character and is an exemplar (68:4). Furthermore, 3:159 says that it is part of God’s grace that the Prophet dealt gently with his followers, for if he had been harsh they would have left him.

It was indeed the Prophet’s exalted nature that eventually brought the Arab tribes to Islam. It is narrated that during the early days of his prophetic mission, a Qurayshi emissary sent to talk with him observed how much the Muslims loved him. Upon his return, the envoy told the Qurayshi leaders that there was no way Muhammad’s followers could be convinced or forced to abandon him and his teachings because, in his estimation, no ruler anywhere was so revered. The Prophet’s personal nobility, behavior, and mannerisms, all guided by God, drew their hearts ever closer to him and subsequently steered them toward Islam.

Translator: Mohammad Fani
Editor: Hamid Mavani