At-Takwir
سُورَةُ التَّكۡوِيرِ
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
About Surah At-Takwir
Meccan · 29 verses
Main Themes
Signs of the Day of Judgement, the truth of revelation, the Prophet's sincerity, divine will over human choice
Significance
At-Takwir (The Overthrowing) is one of the most dramatic Meccan surahs, presenting twelve cosmic signs of the Day of Judgement including the sun being wrapped up, stars falling, the sea being ignited, and the heavens being stripped away. This catastrophic vision precedes the revelation of divine judgement — the disclosure of what every soul has prepared. The surah directly addresses accusations against the Prophet's ﷺ character and affirms the Quran's divine source.
Key Verse Explained
Ayah 26–28 ask "So where are you going?" followed by the reminder that "It is not except a reminder to the worlds — for whoever wills among you to take a straight course. And you do not will except that Allah wills — Lord of the worlds." This passage is the surah's theological climax: the Quran invites, humans choose, but all choice operates within divine will — a precise expression of the Islamic balance between free will and divine decree (qadar).
Related Practices
The Prophet ﷺ said "Whoever wants to see the Day of Resurrection as though he is seeing it with his own eyes should read At-Takwir, Al-Infitar, and Al-Inshiqaq" — a narration that makes these three surahs particularly recommended for deepening consciousness of the hereafter. At-Takwir is commonly recited at gatherings focused on increasing fear of Allah (khashya) and detachment from the world (zuhd).
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ 1
When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]
وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انْكَدَرَتْ 2
And when the stars fall, dispersing,
وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ 3
And when the mountains are removed
وَإِذَا الْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ 4
And when full-term she-camels are neglected
وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ 5
And when the wild beasts are gathered
وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ 6
And when the seas are filled with flame
وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ 7
And when the souls are paired
وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ 8
And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked
بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَتْ 9
For what sin she was killed
وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ 10
And when the pages are made public
وَإِذَا السَّمَاءُ كُشِطَتْ 11
And when the sky is stripped away
وَإِذَا الْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ 12
And when Hellfire is set ablaze
وَإِذَا الْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ 13
And when Paradise is brought near,
عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا أَحْضَرَتْ 14
A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].
فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ 15
So I swear by the retreating stars -
الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ 16
Those that run [their courses] and disappear -
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ 17
And by the night as it closes in
وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ 18
And by the dawn when it breathes
إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ 19
[That] indeed, the Qur'an is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger
ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ 20
[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ 21
Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُمْ بِمَجْنُونٍ 22
And your companion is not [at all] mad.
وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ بِالْأُفُقِ الْمُبِينِ 23
And he has already seen Gabriel in the clear horizon.
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ 24
And Muhammad is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَانٍ رَجِيمٍ 25
And the Qur'an is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].
فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ 26
So where are you going?
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ 27
It is not except a reminder to the worlds
لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ 28
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ 29
And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.