Surah An-Naba (النبإ) is a Meccan surah of the Quran with 40 verses. Read, listen and memorize this surah with our interactive tools.
Updated on 07 March 2026 at 4:16 PM
📖 2 min readAnd when it became clear that the Day of Judgment is the great news, after it was indicated and what it contains from the journey was mentioned, it mentioned what the two destinations are. So, He said, after reminding them of what is in the mountains from punishment due to their gloominess, and what is in them from beasts, insects, thorny trees, and intertwined cutters, and other wonders of destiny, confirming their denial: {Indeed, Hell} - that is, the fire which the companions will meet with utmost dislike - {was} - that is, created and originated - {in wait}, that is, a place of ambush for the enemies of God, which the guardians of the fire lie in wait for them, so when they see them, they pounce on them and throw them into it. And for the friends of God, the guardians of Paradise lie in wait for them to save them from the fire when they approach it. Or, it is a place of intense ambush for the disbelievers, until it has become personified in its ambush, gathering its companions, so not one of them escapes, like a spear that is often thrust, and one who frequently exceeds the limits in abundance. And from Ibn Abbas, may God be pleased with them, that on the bridge of Hell, there are seven stations where one is asked, at the first one, about the testimony that there is no god but Allah. If one comes with it complete, they pass to the second, where they are asked about prayer. If one comes with it complete, they pass to the third.
And when their fate was mentioned to it, their residence in it was mentioned, so He said, regarding the state of 'those who transgress', {lābithīn fīhā} (dwelling therein). And since the plural form of a small number is sometimes used to refer to a large number, al-ḥuqb was used to refer to time without a specific limit, and also to a limited time period, so it was said to be eighty years, and seventy thousand years. The context, from the beginning of the surah with 'the tidings' and its description with 'the great tidings' and what follows, indicates that what is meant
And when He mentioned women, He described what is suitable for them, saying: {وكاساً} meaning a drink with no equal in terms of the pleasure of taste, both apparent and hidden, and the perfection of joy and the revitalization of the senses. And since it is customary for fine drinks to be scarce, He indicated its abundance as a sign of its excellence by saying: {دهاقاً}, meaning overflowing. And since gatherings of wine in the world are filled with what spoils them, such as idle talk and lies, except among those who have no sense of dignity and are not bothered by the vile, He said, denying what would spoil the pleasure of hearing: {لا يسمعون فيها}, meaning in Paradise, at any time, {لغواً}, meaning empty talk that deserves to be rejected because it has no meaning, or it is used without any existing meaning, even if it is rare, or it has a meaning but it does not lead to any significant benefit. And since falsehood is negated in this way, and lying is harmful to the one who lies, He negated it by saying: {ولا كذباً}, for this phrase is used to describe lying and absolute falsehood, so the meaning becomes: and no harm through opposition in speech, with the reading of Al-Kisa'i being with a diminutive form, as its meaning is 'a lie' or 'lying', and the recitation of the group is with emphasis for the elegance of the expression and the balance with 'a'naba' and 'atraba', while accurately conveying the meaning without any deviation from the intended meaning or forced interpretation.
Except by the will of Allah. And having presented in this surah an explanation of this great news, with the judgments, lessons, subtleties, promises, and warnings that have been presented, He summarized it in His statement, affirming what they had of denial: {إنا} - with the greatness that belongs to Us - {أنذرناكم} - O nation, and specifically the Arabs, with what has been mentioned in this surah and elsewhere - {عذاباً} - a punishment. And since it is inevitable that it will come and be the same, whether it is by death or by resurrection, and everything that is certain to come is the closest thing, He said: {قريباً}. And having warned them of it, He specified its time, emphasizing its severity, saying: {يوم ينظر المرء} - the day when the individual, whether righteous or wicked, will look with a gaze of scrutiny - {ما} - at what {قدمت يداه} - his hands have presented, i.e., his earnings in the world, of good or evil. And He used 'hands' to refer to it because they are the instruments of power, and most of what is done is done using them, either independently or in partnership, whether it is good or evil. And since the judgment will be: the believer will say, 'Would that I had stood before this,' He followed it up with the statement of the disbeliever: {ويقول الكافر} - the disbeliever, deeply rooted in disbelief, will say when he sees those horrors, wishing for something impossible: {يا ليتني كنت} - would that I were - a being that necessarily exists and does not perish - {تراباً} - dust, either in the world, so that I would not have been created and would not have been held accountable, or on this day, so that I would not have been punished. And what is meant by it is the species or Iblis, who was proud.
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عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ﴿١﴾
About what are they asking one another?
عَنِ ٱلنَّبَإِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ﴿٢﴾
About the great news -
ٱلَّذِى هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٣﴾
That over which they are in disagreement.
كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٤﴾
No! They are going to know.
ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٥﴾
Then, no! They are going to know.
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَـٰدًۭا ﴿٦﴾
Have We not made the earth a resting place?
وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًۭا ﴿٧﴾
And the mountains as stakes?
وَخَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا ﴿٨﴾
And We created you in pairs
وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًۭا ﴿٩﴾
And made your sleep [a means for] rest
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلَّيْلَ لِبَاسًۭا ﴿١٠﴾
And made the night as clothing
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشًۭا ﴿١١﴾
And made the day for livelihood
وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًۭا شِدَادًۭا ﴿١٢﴾
And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًۭا وَهَّاجًۭا ﴿١٣﴾
And made [therein] a burning lamp
وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمُعْصِرَٰتِ مَآءًۭ ثَجَّاجًۭا ﴿١٤﴾
And sent down, from the rain clouds, pouring water
لِّنُخْرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبًّۭا وَنَبَاتًۭا ﴿١٥﴾
That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation
وَجَنَّـٰتٍ أَلْفَافًا ﴿١٦﴾
And gardens of entwined growth.
إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَـٰتًۭا ﴿١٧﴾
Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time -
يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًۭا ﴿١٨﴾
The Day the Horn is blown and you will come forth in multitudes
وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَٰبًۭا ﴿١٩﴾
And the heaven is opened and will become gateways
وَسُيِّرَتِ ٱلْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا ﴿٢٠﴾
And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.
إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًۭا ﴿٢١﴾
Indeed, Hell has been lying in wait
لِّلطَّـٰغِينَ مَـَٔابًۭا ﴿٢٢﴾
For the transgressors, a place of return,
لَّـٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًۭا ﴿٢٣﴾
In which they will remain for ages [unending].
لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًۭا وَلَا شَرَابًا ﴿٢٤﴾
They will not taste therein [any] coolness or drink
إِلَّا حَمِيمًۭا وَغَسَّاقًۭا ﴿٢٥﴾
Except scalding water and [foul] purulence -
جَزَآءًۭ وِفَاقًا ﴿٢٦﴾
An appropriate recompense.
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًۭا ﴿٢٧﴾
Indeed, they were not expecting an account
وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا كِذَّابًۭا ﴿٢٨﴾
And denied Our verses with [emphatic] denial.
وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَـٰهُ كِتَـٰبًۭا ﴿٢٩﴾
But all things We have enumerated in writing.
فَذُوقُوا۟ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا ﴿٣٠﴾
"So taste [the penalty], and never will We increase you except in torment."
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا ﴿٣١﴾
Indeed, for the righteous is attainment -
حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعْنَـٰبًۭا ﴿٣٢﴾
Gardens and grapevines
وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًۭا ﴿٣٣﴾
And full-breasted [companions] of equal age
وَكَأْسًۭا دِهَاقًۭا ﴿٣٤﴾
And a full cup.
لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًۭا وَلَا كِذَّٰبًۭا ﴿٣٥﴾
No ill speech will they hear therein or any falsehood -
جَزَآءًۭ مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابًۭا ﴿٣٦﴾
[As] reward from your Lord, [a generous] gift [made due by] account,
رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًۭا ﴿٣٧﴾
[From] the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Most Merciful. They possess not from Him [authority for] speech.
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ صَفًّۭا ۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًۭا ﴿٣٨﴾
The Day that the Spirit and the angels will stand in rows, they will not speak except for one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will say what is correct.
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ مَـَٔابًا ﴿٣٩﴾
That is the True Day; so he who wills may take to his Lord a [way of] return.
إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ عَذَابًۭا قَرِيبًۭا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا ﴿٤٠﴾
Indeed, We have warned you of a near punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth and the disbeliever will say, "Oh, I wish that I were dust!"