Surah Al-Naziat

The Wrestlers

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

This chapter is called Surah Al-Naziat, and its name has been taken from the word Naziat which appears in the very first verse: “By those [angels] who wrest (Al-Naziat) [the soul] violently.”

Chapter Number

Surah Al-Naziat is the 79th chapter of the Quran.

Number of Verses

This chapter has 46 verses. ;

Place of Revelation

Exegetes deem Surah al-Naziaat to have been revealed in the city of Mecca.

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verses 1-14

Emphasis on the reality of the Day of Judgement and some of the events pertaining to it. In the initial few verses, Allah swears multiple times to emphasize on the reality of the Day of Judgement and some of the events that will take place on that Day.

Verses 15-26

A reference to the story of Prophet Musa and the fate of Pharaoh. These verses discuss how Pharaoh was warned by Prophet Musa, but he responded arrogantly and completely rejected his message, which subsequently resulted in his painful fate.

Verses 27-33

A reference to Allah’s power through His creation. These verses from Surah al-Naziaat refer to the phenomena that exist in the sky and on the earth, alluding to Allah’s power, in order to prove the reality of the hereafter and life after death.

Verses 34-41

Events that will occur on the Day of Judgement and the two groups of people on that day. The last set of verses in this chapter once again discusses that final Day and mentions the two groups of people that will be present. One group will be placed in heaven, and the other will be sent to hell, depending on how they lived their lives in this world.

Discussions on this Chapter

According to the Sunni Traditions

Benefits of Reciting this Surah

عن رسول‌الله صلی‌الله علیه و سلم: من قرأ سورة و النازعات کان ممن حبسه الله فی القبر و القیامة حتییدخل الجنة قدر صلاة المکتوبة

The Messenger of Allah has said: “Whoever recites Surah al-Naziaat will be one who Allah will withhold in the grave and on the Day of Judgement until he enters heaven, for an amount tantamount to one obligatory prayer.”

According to the Shia Traditions

Benefits of Reciting this Surah

أبی بن کعب عن النبی ص قَالَ: وَ مَنْ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ وَ النَّازِعَاتِ لَمْیکنْحَبْسُهُ وَ حِسَابُهُیوْمَ الْقِیامَةِ إِلَّا کقَدْرِ صَلَاةٍ مَکتُوبَةٍ حَتَّییدْخُلَ الْجَنَّة

Ubay ibn Kab narrates from the Prophet who said: “Whoever recites Surah al-Naziaat, his withholding and accountability on the Day of Judgement will not be except an amount of one obligatory prayer, until he is made to enter heaven.”

Verses 24: “Saying, ‘I am your exalted lord!’”

فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَى٢٤ عَنْ وَهْبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ قَالَ مُوسییا رَبِّ إِنَّک أُمْهِلْت فِرْعَوْنَ أَرْبَع مِائَة سنَّةُ وَهُوَیقُولُ أَنَارَبُّکمُ الْأَعْلی وَیجْحَدُ رُسُلک وَیکذِّبُ بِآیاتِک فَأَوْحَی الله تَعَالَی إِلَیهِ أَنَّهُ کانَ حَسَن الْخُلُقِ سَهْل الْحِجَابِ فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أُکافِیهُ

Wahb narrates from Ibn Abbas who said: “Musa said, ‘O my Lord, you gave Pharaoh 400 years, while he continued to say: ‘I am your exalted Lord,’ and waged war against Your messengers, and denied Your signs.’” So Allah revealed to him that he was well-mannered, and thus I wished to recompense him for it (in this world).

Verses 40-41: “But as for him who is awed to stand before his Lord and forbids the soul from [following] the desires, his refuge will indeed be paradise.”

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى٤٠ فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى٤١ فی أصول الکافی، بإسناده إلی دَاوُدَ الرَّقِّی عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ الله فِی قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ لِمَنْ خافَ مَقامَ رَبِّهِجَنَّتانِ قَالَ مَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ اللهیرَاهُ وَ یسْمَعُ مَا یقُولُ وَ یعْلَمُ مَا یعْمَلُهُ مِنْ خَیرٍ أَوْ شَرٍّ فَیحْجُزُهُذَلِک عَنِ الْقَبِیحِ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ فَذَلِکالَّذِی خافَ مَقامَ رَبِّهِ وَ نَهَی النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوی

In Usul al-Kafi, with his chain of narrators to Dawood al-Raqqi, who narrates from Abu Abdillah regarding the statement of Allah: “For him who stands in awe of his Lord will be two gardens” (Surah Rahman, verse 46), that: “One who knows that Allah is watching him, hears what he says, and knows what he does - good or evil, and that keeps him away from detested acts, then such a person will be ‘awed to stand before his Lord and forbids the soul from [following] the desires.”

عَنْ یحْیی بْنِ عُقَیلٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ علی بن ابی طالب إِنَّمَا أَخَافُ عَلَیکمُ اثْنَتَینِ- اتِّبَاعَ الْهَوَی وَ طُولَ الْأَمَلِ أَمَّا اتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَی فَإِنَّهُ یصُدُّ عَنِ الْحَقِّ وَ أَمَّا طُولُ الْأَمَلِ فَینْسِی الْآخِرَةَ

Yahya ibn Uqayl narrates that the commander of the believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib said: “I only fear two matters regarding you - following one’s the desires, and far-fetched hopes. As for following one’s desires, it obstructs one from the truth, and far-fetched wishes make one forget the hereafter.”