Overview - Surah 76: al-Insan (The Man )
This Surah speaks about the ways the human being can attain growth and spiritual development. The rewards of the Believers and the character of the Believers are also mentioned.
The Surah takes its name from the first Ayat, هَلْ أَتَىٰ عَلَى الْإِنسَانِ حِينٌ مِّنَ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْئًا مَّذْكُورًا "Has there [not] come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing [even] mentioned?" [76:1].
There are 31 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 31 |
| Total Words * | 243 |
| Root Words * | 118 |
| Makki / Madani | Madani |
| Chronological Order* | 98th (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
Adversity (patience during) , Charity, Cosmology (age of the Universe) , Crystal, Disbelievers (relationship to belivers) , Food, Heaven (immortal youths in) , Hell, Humankind (creation of) (from a drop of sperm), Judgement, Judgement (Day) , Pearls, Prayer (prostration) , Prayer (times of day of) , Qur’an, Revelation, Silk, Silver
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The theme of this Surah is to inform man of his true position in the world and to tell him that if he understood his true position rightly and adopted the attitude of gratefulness, he would meet with such and such good end and if he adopted the way of disbelief, he would meet with such and such evil ends. In the longer Surahs of the Qur’an this same theme has been presented at length, but a special characteristic of the style of the earliest Surahs revealed at Makkah is that the subjects dealt with at length in the later period, “have been presented in a brief but highly effective way in this period in such concise, elegant sentences as may automatically be preserved in the memory of the hearers.”
In this Surah, first of all man has been reminded that there was a time when he was nothing; then a humble beginning of him was made with a mixed drop of sperm and ovum of which even his mother was not aware; even she did not know that he had been conceived nor anyone else seeing the microscopic cell could say that it was a man, who in future would become the best of creation on the earth. After this, man has been warned, as to say: “Beginning your creation in this way We have developed and shaped you into what you are today in order to test and try you in the world. That is why, unlike other creatures, you were made intelligent and sensible and were shown both the way of gratitude and the way of ingratitude clearly so that you may show, in the interval that you have been granted here for work, whether you have emerged as a grateful servant from the test or an unbelieving, ungrateful wretch!” Then, just in one sentence, it has been stated decisively what will be the fate to be met with in the Hereafter by those who emerged as unbelievers from this test.
After this, in v. 5-22 continuously, the blessings with which those who do full justice to servitude in the world, will be favoured, have been mentioned in full detail. In these verses, not only have their best rewards been mentioned but they have also been told briefly what are the acts on the basis of which they would become worthy of those rewards. Another special characteristic of the earliest Surahs revealed at Makkah is that besides introducing in them briefly the fundamental beliefs and concepts of Islam, here and there, those moral qualities and virtuous acts have been mentioned, which are praiseworthy according to Islam and also those evils of deed and morality of which Islam strives to cleanse human life. These two things have not been mentioned with a view to show what good or evil result is entailed by them in the transitory life of the world, but they have been mentioned only to point out what enduring results they will produce in the eternal and everlasting life of the Hereafter, irrespective of whether an evil quality may prove useful or a good quality may prove harmful in the world.
This is the subject matter of the first section (v. 1-22). In the second section, addressing the Prophet, three things have been stated: first, that “it is in fact We Ourself Who are revealing this Qur’an gradually to you, and this is intended to inform the disbelievers, not you, that the Qur’an is not being fabricated by Muhammad but it is “We Who are revealing it, and it is Our Own wisdom which requires that We should reveal it piece by piece and not all at once.” Second, the Prophet has been told: “No matter how long it may take for the decree of your Lord to be enforced and no matter what afflictions may befall you in the meantime, in any case you should continue to perform your mission of Apostleship patiently and not to yield to the pressure tactics of any of these wicked and unbelieving people.” The third thing he has been told is: “Remember God day and night, perform the Prayer and spend your nights in the worship of God, for it is these things which sustain and strengthen those who call to God in the face of iniquity and disbelief.” Then in one single sentence, the actual cause of the disbelievers’ wrong attitude has been stated: they have forgotten the Hereafter and are enamored of the world. In the second sentence, they have been warned to the effect: “You have not come into being by yourself: We have created you. You have not made these broad shoulders and strong sturdy hands and feet for yourselves, it is We Who made these for you; and it so lies in Our power to treat you as We please. We can distort your figures, We can destroy you and replace you by some other nation. We can cause you to die and can recreate you in whatever form we like.”
In conclusion, it has been said: This is an Admonition: whoever wills may accept it and take a path to his Lord. But man’s own will and desire is not everything in the world. No one’s will and desire can be fulfilled unless God (also) so wills. God’s willing is not haphazard: whatever He wills, He wills it on the basis of His knowledge and wisdom. He admits into His mercy whomever He regards as worthy of His mercy on the basis of His knowledge and wisdom and He has prepared a painful torment for those whom He finds unjust and wicked.
The Surah speaks about the origins of the Human and what will be given to those who struggle for Him and His cause.
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
- 'Insan' the human being is mentioned six times in Surah al-Qiyamah [75]. The following Surah is al-Insan [76].
- Loving this world..
كَلَّا بَلْ تُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ وَتَذَرُونَ الْآخِرَةَ "No! But you love the immediate. And leave the Hereafter." [75: 20-21]
إِنَّ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ يُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرُونَ وَرَاءَهُمْ يَوْمًا ثَقِيلًا "Indeed, these [disbelievers] love the immediate and leave behind them a grave Day." [76:27]
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Narrated Abu Huraira said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the following in the Fajr prayer of Friday, "Alif, Lam, Mim, Tanzil" (Suratas- Sajda #32) and "Hal-ata-ala-l-Insani" (i.e. Surah-Ad-Dahr #76)." Bukhari no. 891
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = * | ||
Most of the commentators, including Allama Zamakhshari, Imam Razi, Qadi, Baidawi, Allama Nizam ad-Din Nisaburi, Ibn Kathir and many others, regard it as a Makkan Surah and, according to Allama Alusi, the same is the opinion of the majority of scholars. However, some commentators hold the view that the Surah was revealed at Madīnah and some others say that it was revealed at Makkah but v. 8-10 of it were sent down at Madīnah.
As far as the subject matter and the style of the Surah are concerned, these are very different from those of the Madīnan Surahs. A little study of it rather shown that it is not only a Makkan Surah but it was revealed during the earliest period at Makkah, which began just after the revelation of the first seven verses of Surah 74: al-Muddathir (The Cloaked One).
- The universe was there before mankind existed, then Allah created man, provided him with guidance and let him use his free will: either to believe or to disbelieve.
- An exemplary life in paradise for those who choose to believe.
- Allah gradually sent this Qur'an according to the issues faced by mankind
- This Qur'an is an admonition for those who want to adopt the way to their Rabb (God).
- The greatest of intentions is to do an action for the sake of Allah not seeking reward or thanks, إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّـهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلَا شُكُورًا"[Saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude." (76:9)
Tafsir Zone
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Sayyid Qutb Overview (Verses 11 - 22) Sincere and Generous "They are the ones who fulfil their vows." (Verse 7) They thus fulfil what they intend to do of acts of worship and the duties they commit themselves to perform, taking the question of faith very seriously. They neither shirk their duty nor evade their commitment. The Qur'anic statement is wider in scope than the literal meaning of nadhr, the Arabic word used here meaning pledge, vow, etc. "And stand in awe of a day of woes that fly far and wide." (Verse 7) They realise what sort of day it will be. It is a day of woes and these woes can spread all over, affecting those who fall short of fulfilling their duties and those who are even worse, doing badly. Hence, they fear that some of these woes may apply to them. This fear is characteristic of people who are God-fearing, aware of the heavy duty placed on them, worried that they may not be up to its fulfilment however much they do of good deeds. "Who give food - though they need it themselves to the needy the orphan and the captive." (Verse 8) This statement describes their compassionate feelings, symbolised in their offering of food, which they need for themselves, to people who are less fortunate than themselves. In other words, they put such needy people, orphans and captives ahead of themselves, feeding them despite their own need of the food they give them. This picture suggests that the social environment that prevailed in Makkah upon the advent of Islam was hard, lacking in compassion. Yet these Arabs paid generously when it was a question of competing for social standing. The righteous servants of God were like an oasis in this hard and barren desert: they gave food out of genuine compassion, sincerely dedicating their action to God: " We feed you for the sake of God alone. We desire neither recompense from you, nor thanks. We fear the day of our Lord: a bleak, distressful day." (Verses 9-10) We see compassion overflowing from such hearts that seek God's pleasure, looking for no reward or praise from any creature. They do not hold up their favours in an attitude of conceit. They simply want to avoid the woes of a bleak and grim day, which they genuinely fear. The Prophet showed them the way to spare themselves its woes, as he said: "Save yourself from the fire by as little as half a date." Giving food to the needy in such a direct manner was at the time the proper expression of these people's own compassion and the most needed type of help. Ways and forms of charity may be completely different in other circumstances and social environments. What is important is the need to maintain such compassion towards others and the desire to do good only for God's sake, looking for no earthly recognition or reward. Taxes may be regulated in society, and a portion of such taxes may be allocated for social security, ensuring that the poor are helped. However, this meets only one part of the Islamic objective that these verses refer to. Islam imposes the zakat duty to fulfil this part of meeting the needs of the poor and the deprived. Islam, however, considers an equally important part of this objective, the feelings of those who give; in other words their desire to give elevates them to a high, noble standard. We must not belittle the importance of this objective. Yet some people seek to turn such high standards upside down, describing the Islamic system of zakat and voluntary charity as ugly and claiming that it humiliates those who take and corrupts those who give. Islam is a faith that sets a system to cultivate people's better feelings and sentiments. Kindly feelings and generosity refine those who are charitable and benefit the ones in need. They, thus, meet both aspects of the Islamic social objective. Hence, the Qur'anic praise of this noble feeling. God will save them from the woes of that day and will grant them radiance and joy. (Verse 11) The surah mentions straightaway that they will be saved from whatever they feared on that day, thus reassuring them of their outcome while they are still in this life, believing in the Qur'anic revelations they received. It also mentions that they will be blessed with radiant faces and joy in recompense for their hearty feelings towards others and their God-fearing attitude. The surah moves on to describe the comforts they will receive in heaven: And will reward them for their patience in adversity with a garden and [garments oft silk. They will recline there on soft couches, feeling neither burning sun nor severe cold. Its shades will come low over them, and its clusters of fruit will hang low, within easy reach. (Verses 12-14) They will thus have the garden of heaven to dwell in, and garments of silk to wear. "They will recline there on soft couches, feeling neither burning sun nor severe cold." (Verse 13) They are comfortable as they sit on these soft couches, in a pleasant atmosphere with no extreme temperatures. We should add here that this is a different world, one that has neither the sun we know, nor similar suns. "Its shades will come low over them, and its clusters of fruit will hang low, within easy reach." (Verse 14) When shades come low and fruits are near, a feeling of ease and happiness spreads. Such is the overall picture of heaven where God rewards His righteous servants who are given such a fine description of their status in this world. The surah adds more details of the luxuries they will have and the services provided for them: They will be served with silver plates and goblets that seem to be crystal crystal-clear, but made of silver, the measure of which they are the ones to determine. They will be given to drink ofa cup flavoured with ginger, from a spring there called Salsabil." (Verses 15-18) As they sit on their soft couches in the pleasant shade, enjoying the fine atmosphere and delicious fruits, they find themselves served such pleasantries on silver plates and in silver goblets, yet these are as transparent as crystal, and so are unknown in this world. Moreover, these are of the right measure to give them maximum pleasure. Their drink is mixed with ginger, while it was previously mixed with kafur. These goblets are filled from a running spring called Salsabil, a name implying a sweetly tasting drink. To increase their enjoyment, those who bring them their plates and serve them their drinks are handsome youths whose young looks are permanent, unaffected by the passage of time, always looking like pearls: "They will be waited upon by immortal youths. If you see them, you would think they were scattered pearls." (Verse 19) The surah then casts a general look at the scene and sums it up as well as its effect: "If you were to look around, you would see only bliss and a vast kingdom." (Verse 20) That is how those servants of God, the righteous, live, in utter bliss and a vast kingdom. One aspect of all this bliss is highlighted, as though to justify this general description and further explain it: "They shall be arrayed in garments of fine green silk and brocade; and adorned with bracelets of silver. And their Lord will give them a most pure drink." (Verse 21) All these luxuries and all this bliss they receive directly from God, which adds greatly to its value. A more welcoming gesture is then added: "This is a reward for you. Your endeavours are well appreciated." (Verse 22) Thus the presentation ends, having given us an inspiring and detailed picture of the bliss and luxury enjoyed by the dwellers of heaven. All this is given in contrast with the chains, shackles and blazing fire the unbelievers suffer. We, thus, see the two widely different ends to the two widely divergent ways. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
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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- Surah 76. Al-Insan - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yN9CjgNqD4&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=76
- Surah 76. Al-Insan Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KbFQzeoWKI&index=76&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- Surah 76. Al-Insan Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bG2DnvCB6U&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=76
- Surah 76. Al-Insan Idris Akbar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJlCVwqIi-0
- Surah 76. Al-Insan Muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5rBZU1SejI&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG&index=76
