Surah At-Takwir (The Folding Up)

Topics in Surah At-Takwir

Study guides that discuss verses of this surah, most connected first.

• Cosmic Signs (Ayat Kawniyyah) (17 verses)
• The Last Day (Al-Yawm al-Akhir) (14 verses)
• The Sun (Shams) (14 verses)
• Recitation (Qira'ah) (7 verses)
• Giving (Ata') (6 verses)
• Daytime (Nahar) (5 verses)
• Trustworthiness (Amanah) (4 verses)
• Preservation (Hifz) (4 verses)
• Strength (Quwwah) (4 verses)
• The Holy Quran (Al-Qur'an al-Karim) (3 verses)
• Angels (Mala'ikah) (3 verses)
• Stars (Nujum) (3 verses)
• Praise (Madh) (3 verses)
• Sincerity (Ikhlas) (2 verses)
• Man (Insan) (2 verses)

Read Surah At-Takwir with English translation

1. 81:1

   بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِذَا ٱلشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

   When the sun is shrouded in darkness,

2. 81:2

   وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتْ

   when the stars are dimmed,

3. 81:3

   وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

   when the mountains are set in motion,

4. 81:4

   وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

   when pregnant camels are abandoned,

5. 81:5

   وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

   when wild beasts are herded together,

6. 81:6

   وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

   when the seas boil over,

7. 81:7

   وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

   when souls are sorted into classes,

8. 81:8

   وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ

   when the baby girl buried alive is asked

9. 81:9

   بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍۢ قُتِلَتْ

   for what sin she was killed,

10. 81:10

    وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

    when the records of deeds are spread open,

11. 81:11

    وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتْ

    when the sky is stripped away,

12. 81:12

    وَإِذَا ٱلْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

    when Hell is made to blaze

13. 81:13

    وَإِذَا ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

    and Paradise brought near:

14. 81:14

    عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ

    then every soul will know what it has brought about.

15. 81:15

    فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ

    I swear by the planets

16. 81:16

    ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْكُنَّسِ

    that recede, move, and hide,

17. 81:17

    وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

    by the night that descends,

18. 81:18

    وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

    by the dawn that softly breathes:

19. 81:19

    إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍۢ كَرِيمٍۢ

    this is the speech of a noble messenger,

20. 81:20

    ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍۢ

    who possesses great strength and is held in honour by the Lord of the Throne––

21. 81:21

    مُّطَاعٍۢ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍۢ

    he is obeyed there and worthy of trust.

22. 81:22

    وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍۢ

    Your companion is not mad:

23. 81:23

    وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْمُبِينِ

    he did see him on the clear horizon.

24. 81:24

    وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍۢ

    He does not withhold what is revealed to him from beyond.

25. 81:25

    وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَٰنٍۢ رَّجِيمٍۢ

    This is not the word of an outcast devil.

26. 81:26

    فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ

    So where are you [people] going?

27. 81:27

    إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

    This is a message for all people;

28. 81:28

    لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ

    for those who wish to take the straight path.

29. 81:29

    وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

    But you will only wish to do so by the will of God, the Lord of all people.

English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.