Surah Al-Inshiqaq
الإنشقاق
Surah Al-Inshiqaq is a 25-verse Meccan surah about the sky and earth submitting to Allah at the end of time and every person's steady progress toward meeting Him.
- Meaning
- The Sundering
- Surah
- 84 of 114
- Verses
- 25
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah Al-Inshiqaq is about
Surah Al-Inshiqaq, "The Sundering", begins with the sky splitting open and the earth being flattened and emptying out what it holds (verses 1 to 5). Twice the surah says each of them listens to its Lord, as it must, an image of creation obeying without resistance.
Verse 6 then speaks to every human being: you are laboring toward your Lord, and you will meet Him. Verses 7 to 15 describe that meeting. The person given their book in the right hand has an easy reckoning and returns to their family happy. The person given their book behind their back calls out for destruction. The surah explains that this second person used to be content among his family and assumed he would never return to Allah, though Allah was watching him all along.
Verses 16 to 19 swear by the evening twilight, the night and what it gathers, and the full moon, to affirm that people will pass from one stage to another. The surah closes in verses 20 to 25 by asking why people do not believe and why they do not bow when the Quran is recited, with an exception in the final verse for those who believe and do good, whose reward will not be cut off.
Main themes
Creation listens to its Lord
The sky and earth are pictured as obeying Allah's command at the end of time, each one described as hearkening to its Lord. Their obedience stands in contrast to the human beings later in the surah who refuse to bow.
Verses 1–5Every life moves toward Allah
Verse 6 describes human life as steady toil toward a meeting with Allah. The account given in the right hand or behind the back shows how that meeting ends for each person.
Verses 6–15Stage after stage
The oaths by the twilight, night and growing moon describe change in the natural world. Verse 19 applies the same idea to human beings, who move through stages of life, death and resurrection.
Verses 16–19
Verses to know
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدۡحٗا فَمُلَٰقِيهِ ﴿٦﴾
O man! You are laboring towards your Lord, and you will meet Him.
One of the most quoted verses of the surah. It frames all of life, with its effort and difficulty, as movement toward meeting Allah.
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ لَا يَسۡجُدُونَۤ۩ ﴿٢١﴾
And when the Quran is read to them, they do not bow down?
This is a verse of prostration. It is customary to prostrate when reciting or hearing it, and Sahih Muslim reports that Abu Hurayrah prostrated here following the Prophet's example.
When Surah Al-Inshiqaq is recited
Verse 21 is one of the verses of prostration (sajdah) in the Quran. Abu Hurayrah is reported in Sahih Muslim to have prostrated with the Prophet ﷺ when reciting this surah and Al-'Alaq (96). It is also one of the three surahs, with At-Takwir and Al-Infitar, named in a narration in Sunan at-Tirmidhi as picturing the Day of Resurrection.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq in Arabic and English
All 25 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتۡ
Itha alssamao inshaqqat
When the sky is ruptured.
- 2
وَأَذِنَتۡ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتۡ
Waathinat lirabbiha wahuqqat
And hearkens to its Lord, as it must.
- 3
وَإِذَا ٱلۡأَرۡضُ مُدَّتۡ
Waitha alardu muddat
And when the earth is leveled out.
- 4
وَأَلۡقَتۡ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتۡ
Waalqat ma feeha watakhallat
And casts out what is in it, and becomes empty.
- 5
وَأَذِنَتۡ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتۡ
Waathinat lirabbiha wahuqqat
And hearkens to its Lord, as it must.
- 6
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدۡحٗا فَمُلَٰقِيهِ
Ya ayyuha alinsanu innaka kadihun ila rabbika kadhan famulaqeehi
O man! You are laboring towards your Lord, and you will meet Him.
- 7
فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ
Faama man ootiya kitabahu biyameenihi
As for him who is given his book in his right hand.
- 8
فَسَوۡفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابٗا يَسِيرٗا
Fasawfa yuhasabu hisaban yaseeran
He will have an easy settlement.
- 9
وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهِۦ مَسۡرُورٗا
Wayanqalibu ila ahlihi masrooran
And will return to his family delighted.
- 10
وَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ وَرَآءَ ظَهۡرِهِۦ
Waamma man ootiya kitabahu waraa thahrihi
But as for him who is given his book behind his back.
- 11
فَسَوۡفَ يَدۡعُواْ ثُبُورٗا
Fasawfa yadAAoo thubooran
He will call for death.
- 12
وَيَصۡلَىٰ سَعِيرًا
Wayasla saAAeeran
And will enter the Blaze.
- 13
إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فِيٓ أَهۡلِهِۦ مَسۡرُورًا
Innahu kana fee ahlihi masrooran
He used to be happy among his family.
- 14
إِنَّهُۥ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ
Innahu thanna an lan yahoora
He thought he would never return.
- 15
بَلَىٰٓۚ إِنَّ رَبَّهُۥ كَانَ بِهِۦ بَصِيرٗا
Bala inna rabbahu kana bihi baseeran
In fact, his Lord was watching him.
- 16
فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلشَّفَقِ
Fala oqsimu bialshshafaqi
I swear by the twilight.
- 17
وَٱلَّيۡلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ
Waallayli wama wasaqa
And by the night, and what it covers.
- 18
وَٱلۡقَمَرِ إِذَا ٱتَّسَقَ
Waalqamari itha ittasaqa
And by the moon, as it grows full.
- 19
لَتَرۡكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٖ
Latarkabunna tabaqan AAan tabaqin
You will mount stage by stage.
- 20
فَمَا لَهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ
Fama lahum la yuminoona
What is the matter with them that they do not believe?
- 21
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ لَا يَسۡجُدُونَۤ۩
Waitha quria AAalayhimu alquranu la yasjudoona
And when the Quran is read to them, they do not bow down?
- 22
بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُكَذِّبُونَ
Bali allatheena kafaroo yukaththiboona
In fact, those who disbelieve are in denial.
- 23
وَٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ
WaAllahu aAAlamu bima yooAAoona
But Allah knows what they hide inside.
- 24
فَبَشِّرۡهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
Fabashshirhum biAAathabin aleemin
So inform them of a painful punishment.
- 25
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرٌ غَيۡرُ مَمۡنُونِۭ
Illa allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati lahum ajrun ghayru mamnoonin
Except those who believe and do good deeds; they will have an undiminished reward.
Surah Al-Inshiqaq PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah Al-Inshiqaq
How many verses are in Surah Al-Inshiqaq?
Surah Al-Inshiqaq has 25 verses. It is the 84th surah and was revealed in Mecca.
Is there a sajdah in Surah Al-Inshiqaq?
Yes. Verse 21, about people not bowing down when the Quran is recited to them, is a verse of prostration.
What does it mean to receive your book in the right hand?
In verses 7 to 9 it is a sign of success: that person has an easy reckoning and returns to their family happy. Verse 10 describes the opposite, the book given behind the back.