Overview - Surah 88: al-Ghashiya (The Overwhelming )
The Surah talks about the coming calamity that will cover everything. Humanity will be divided into two groups: the frightened, tired and exhausted group, and the joyful and happy group. The Prophet is told to remind people. His mission is to remind only, not to impose the message. Allah will make the final judgment.
The Surah takes its name from the first Ayat, هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ "Has there reached you the report of the Overwhelming [event]?" [88:1].
There are 26 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 26 |
| Total Words * | 92 |
| Root Words * | 53 |
| Unique Root Words * | 1 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 68th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | |
| Events during/before this Surah*
N/A
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| Events during/after still to occur*
N/A
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
No Prophets names are mentioned in this Surah
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| Surah Index
Earth, Hell, Knowledge (obligation upon man to obtain and impart) , Mountains, Resurrection (Day) , Sky, Thamud, Thamud (rock dwellings) , Water
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To understand the subject matter well one should keep in view the fact that in the initial stage the preaching of the Prophet mostly centred around two points which he wanted to instil in the people’s minds: Monotheism (Tawhid) and the Hereafter: and the people of Makkah were repudiating both. Let us now consider the subject matter and the style of this Surah. At the outset, in order to arouse the people from their heedlessness, they have been plainly asked: “Do you have any knowledge of the time when an overwhelming calamity will descend?” Immediately after this details of the impending calamity are given as to how the people will be divided into two separate groups and will meet separate ends. One group of the people will go to Hell and they will suffer punishment; the second group will go to the sublime Paradise and will be provided with blessings.
After thus arousing the people, the theme suddenly changes and the question is asked: Do not these people, who frown and scorn the teaching of Monotheism and the news of the Hereafter being given by the Qur’an, observe the common things which they experience daily in their lives? Do they never consider how the camels, on whom their whole life activity in the Arabian desert depends, came into being, endowed precisely with the same characteristics as were required for the beast needed in their desert life? When they go on their journeys, they see the sky, the mountains, or the earth. Let them ponder over these three phenomena and consider as to how the sky was stretched above them, how the mountains were erected and how the earth was spread beneath them? Has all this come about without the skill and craftsmanship of an All-Powerful, All Wise Designer? If they acknowledge that a Creator has created all this with great wisdom and power and that no one else is an associate with Him in their creation, why then do they refuse to accept Him alone as their Lord and Sustainer? And if they acknowledge that God had the power to create all this, then on what rational ground do they hesitate to acknowledge that God also has the power to bring about Resurrection, to recreate man, and to make Hell and Heaven? After making the truth plain by this concise and rational argument, the address turns from the disbelievers to the Prophet and he is told: “If these people do not acknowledge the truth, they may not; you have not been empowered to act with authority over them, so that you should coerce them into believing: your only task is to exhort, so exhort them. Ultimately they have to return to Us; then We shall call them to full account and shall inflict a heavy punishment on those who do not believe.”
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
720 H 1320 CE
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
- The Prophet would recite this Surah in the second Rakah of Eid and Jummah prayer. [Sahih Muslim]
123 Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) * | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | إِلَىٰ | 5 | 742 |
| 2. | ك ي ف | 4 | 83 |
| 3. | و ج ه | 2 | 78 |
| 4. | ن ص ب | 2 | 32 |
| 5. | ع ي ن | 2 | 65 |
| 6. | ل ي س | 2 | 89 |
| 7. | إِلَّا | 2 | 663 |
| 8. | ر ف ع | 2 | 29 |
| 9. | ذ ك ر | 2 | 292 |
| 10. | ع ذ ب | 2 | 373 |
| Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| إِلَىٰ | 5 | 742 |
| ك ي ف | 4 | 83 |
| و ج ه | 2 | 78 |
| ن ص ب | 2 | 32 |
| ع ي ن | 2 | 65 |
| ل ي س | 2 | 89 |
| إِلَّا | 2 | 663 |
| ر ف ع | 2 | 29 |
| ذ ك ر | 2 | 292 |
| ع ذ ب | 2 | 373 |
The whole subject matter of the Surah indicates that this too is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed; but this was the period when the Prophet had started preaching his message publicly, and the people of Makkah were hearing it and ignoring it carelessly and thoughtlessly.
- أَنَّهُ قَالَ صَلَّى مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ لأَصْحَابِهِ الْعِشَاءَ فَطَوَّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَانْصَرَفَ رَجُلٌ مِنَّا فَصَلَّى فَأُخْبِرَ مُعَاذٌ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ مُنَافِقٌ . فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلَ دَخَلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ مَا قَالَ مُعَاذٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ فَتَّانًا يَا مُعَاذُ إِذَا أَمَمْتَ النَّاسَ فَاقْرَأْ بِالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا . وَسَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى . وَاقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ . وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى
'Mu'adh b. Jabal al-Ansari led his companions in the night prayer and prolonged it for them. A person amongst us said prayer (after having separated himself from the congregation). Mu'adh was informed of this, and he remarked that he was a hypocrite. When it (the remark) was conveyed to the man, he went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him of what Mu'adh had said. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: Mu'adh, do you want to become a person putting (people) to trial? When you lead people in prayer, recite:" By the Sun and its morning brightness" (Surat ash-Shams)," Glorify the name of thy most high Lord" (Surat al-A`la) and" Read in the name of Lord" (Surat al-`Alaq), and" By the night when it spreads" (Surat al-Lail). ٍSahih Muslim
- The condition of the disbelievers and the believers on the Day of Judgement.
- The wonders of nature, admonition and accountability.
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 1 - 7) The Story in Brief The surah opens with a question: “Have you heard the story of the Enveloper?” (Verse 1) It follows this by relating part of its story: “Some faces on that day are downcast, labour weary, worn out, about to enter a scorching fire, made to drink from a boiling fountain. Their only food shall be nothing but dry thorns, which will neither nourish nor satisfy their hunger.” (Verses 2-7) The scene of suffering and torture is given before the scene of joy, because the former is closer to the connotations of the name given to the event, the Enveloper, and the impressions it generates. Thus we are told that there are on that day faces which look humble, downcast and worn out. They belong to people who have laboured and toiled without satisfactory results. Indeed the results they get are a total loss, which increases their disappointment, and causes looks of humiliation and exhaustion on their faces. Hence they are described as “labour weary, worn out”. (Verse 3) They had laboured and toiled for something other than God’s cause. Their work was totally for themselves and their families, for their own ambitions in the life of this world. Then they come to reap the fruits of their toil, not having made any provision for their future life. Hence they face the end with a mixture of humiliation, exhaustion, misery and hopelessness. In addition to all this they roast “at a scorching fire.” (Verse 4) They are “made to drink from a boiling fountain. Their only food shall be nothing but dry thorns, which will neither nourish nor satisfy their hunger.” (Verses 5-7) The Arabic text uses the term dari`, which is translated here as ‘dry thorns’. However, some commentators say that it refers to a tree of fire in hell. This explanation is based on what has been revealed about the tree of zaqqum which grows at the centre of hell. It is also said to be a kind of cactus thorn, which when green is called shabraq and is eaten by camels. However, when it is fully grown it becomes poisonous and cannot be eaten. Whatever it is in reality, it is a kind of food like ghislin and ghassaq [names given in the Qur’an to refer to the food available in hell] which neither nourishes nor appeases hunger. It is obvious that we, in this world, cannot fully comprehend the nature of such suffering in the hereafter. The description is made in order to give our perceptions the feeling of the greatest possible pain, which is produced by a combination of humiliation, weakness, failure, the scorching fire, drinking and bathing in boiling water, and eating food unacceptable even to camels, which are used to eating thorns when they travel in desert areas. This type of thorn, however, is dry and gives no nourishment. From all these aspects we get a sense of the ultimate affliction. But the affliction of the hereafter is, nevertheless, greater. Its true nature is incomprehensible except to those who will actually experience it. May God never count us among them. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 1 - 7) The Story in Brief The surah opens with a question: “Have you heard the story of the Enveloper?” (Verse 1) It follows this by relating part of its story: “Some faces on that day are downcast, labour weary, worn out, about to enter a scorching fire, made to drink from a boiling fountain. Their only food shall be nothing but dry thorns, which will neither nourish nor satisfy their hunger.” (Verses 2-7) The scene of suffering and torture is given before the scene of joy, because the former is closer to the connotations of the name given to the event, the Enveloper, and the impressions it generates. Thus we are told that there are on that day faces which look humble, downcast and worn out. They belong to people who have laboured and toiled without satisfactory results. Indeed the results they get are a total loss, which increases their disappointment, and causes looks of humiliation and exhaustion on their faces. Hence they are described as “labour weary, worn out”. (Verse 3) They had laboured and toiled for something other than God’s cause. Their work was totally for themselves and their families, for their own ambitions in the life of this world. Then they come to reap the fruits of their toil, not having made any provision for their future life. Hence they face the end with a mixture of humiliation, exhaustion, misery and hopelessness. In addition to all this they roast “at a scorching fire.” (Verse 4) They are “made to drink from a boiling fountain. Their only food shall be nothing but dry thorns, which will neither nourish nor satisfy their hunger.” (Verses 5-7) The Arabic text uses the term dari`, which is translated here as ‘dry thorns’. However, some commentators say that it refers to a tree of fire in hell. This explanation is based on what has been revealed about the tree of zaqqum which grows at the centre of hell. It is also said to be a kind of cactus thorn, which when green is called shabraq and is eaten by camels. However, when it is fully grown it becomes poisonous and cannot be eaten. Whatever it is in reality, it is a kind of food like ghislin and ghassaq [names given in the Qur’an to refer to the food available in hell] which neither nourishes nor appeases hunger. It is obvious that we, in this world, cannot fully comprehend the nature of such suffering in the hereafter. The description is made in order to give our perceptions the feeling of the greatest possible pain, which is produced by a combination of humiliation, weakness, failure, the scorching fire, drinking and bathing in boiling water, and eating food unacceptable even to camels, which are used to eating thorns when they travel in desert areas. This type of thorn, however, is dry and gives no nourishment. From all these aspects we get a sense of the ultimate affliction. But the affliction of the hereafter is, nevertheless, greater. Its true nature is incomprehensible except to those who will actually experience it. May God never count us among them. |
- Surah 88. Al-Ghashiyah - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czldu-LkHFw&index=89&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN
- Surah 88. Al-Ghashiyah Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kzMNQWaWmQ&index=88&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- Surah 88. Al-Ghashiyah Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8bU7cjBApk&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=88
- Surah 88. Al-Ghashiyah Idris Akbar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTGYgLQ_R_4
- Surah 88. Al-Ghashiyah Muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSN-7MN0VrA&index=88&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
