Tazkirul Quran, Qur’an 74:32–48
Wrapped in his Cloak (Al-Muddaththir)
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
English text; the translator is not named in the archive’s data.
Translation
(32) No, by the moon! (33) By the night when it departs. (34) By the dawn when it lightens! (35) Surely, it is one of the gravest things, (36) it is a warning to man, (37) alike to every one of you, who want to go forward or hang back. (38) Every soul is held in pledge against its own deeds, (39) except those of the right hand (40) who in their gardens will be enquiring (41) about the sinners. (42) ‘What has brought you into the Fire of Hell ?’ (43) and they shall reply, ‘We were not among those who prayed; (44) and we did not feed the poor; (45) we indulged in vain arguments along with those who indulged in them; (46) and we denied the Day of Judgement (47) until the Inevitable End [death] overtook us.’ (48) So no intercession will avail them.
Commentary
(a) The earth rotates on its axis and the moon orbits the earth. For this reason, lunar dates change and night and day alternate on the earth. This system of rotation and changes is in fact an indication that the present order will change and that the period of the Hereafter will definitely arrive. Those who take this system into account will want to make full use of their ‘day’, before the arrival of ‘night’. They will avoid all actions which could plunge them into Hell, prefering instead to act in a way which will lead them to Paradise.