The surah that opens with the oath of the Divine One swearing by the sky of the world and The Nightly Visitor so called because it comes by night and leaves by day. It takes its name from verse 1 which mentions “the night-comer” or “nightly visitor” (ṭāriq). The surah focuses on a series of examples of things coming out: the piercing night-star, spurting semen, the baby that bursts out of the womb, and plants that sprout out of the ground. All of these are used to illustrate resurrection from the grave.The surah is also known as: The Night Star, The Night-Comer, The Night-Visitant, The Nightcomer, The Nightly Visitant, The Piercing Star.
1
وَالسَّماءِ وَالطّارِقِ
wa-s-samāʾi wa-ṭ-ṭāriqi
By the sky,by the nightly visitor,
2
وَما أَدراكَ مَا الطّارِقُ
wa-mā ʾadrāka mā ṭ-ṭāriqu
(and what will show you what is the nightly visitor?
3
النَّجمُ الثّاقِبُ
an-najmu th-thāqibu
It is the brilliant star):
4
إِن كُلُّ نَفسٍ لَمّا عَلَيها حافِظٌ
ʾin kullu nafsin lammā ʿalayhā ḥāfiẓun
there is a guard1 over every soul.Or ‘watcher.’
5
فَليَنظُرِ الإِنسانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
fa-l-yanẓuri l-ʾinsānu mimma khuliqa
So let man consider from what he was created.
6
خُلِقَ مِن ماءٍ دافِقٍ
khuliqa min māʾin dāfiqin
He was created from an effusing fluid
7
يَخرُجُ مِن بَينِ الصُّلبِ وَالتَّرائِبِ
yakhruju min bayni ṣ-ṣulbi wa-t-tarāʾibi
which issues from between the loinsand the breast-bones.
8
إِنَّهُ عَلىٰ رَجعِهِ لَقادِرٌ
ʾinnahū ʿalā rajʿihī la-qādirun
Indeed He is able to bring him back [after death],
9
يَومَ تُبلَى السَّرائِرُ
yawma tublā s-sarāʾiru
on the day when the secrets are examined,
10
فَما لَهُ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلا ناصِرٍ
fa-mā lahū min quwwatin wa-lā nāṣirin
and he shall have neither power nor helper.
11
وَالسَّماءِ ذاتِ الرَّجعِ
wa-s-samāʾi dhāti r-rajʿi
By the resurgent sky,1Or ‘by the sky endowed with rains.’
12
وَالأَرضِ ذاتِ الصَّدعِ
wa-l-ʾarḍi dhāti ṣ-ṣadʿi
by the furrowed earth:
13
إِنَّهُ لَقَولٌ فَصلٌ
ʾinnahū la-qawlun faṣlun
it is indeed a decisive word,
14
وَما هُوَ بِالهَزلِ
wa-mā huwa bi-l-hazli
and it is not a jest.
15
إِنَّهُم يَكيدونَ كَيدًا
ʾinnahum yakīdūna kaydan
Indeed they are devising a stratagem,
16
وَأَكيدُ كَيدًا
wa-ʾakīdu kaydan
and I [too] am devising a plan.
17
فَمَهِّلِ الكافِرينَ أَمهِلهُم رُوَيدًا
fa-mahhili l-kāfirīna ʾamhilhum ruwaydan
So respite the faithless;give them a gentle respite.