Section 1: Verses 1–31
Thematic progression across verses 1–31
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُدَّثِّرُ 1
Yaaa ayyuhal muddassir
O you Enrobed one
قُمۡ فَأَنذِرۡ 2
Qum fa anzir
Arise and warn
وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرۡ 3
Wa rabbaka fakabbir
And magnify your Lord
وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرۡ 4
Wa siyaabaka fatahhir
And purify your clothes
وَٱلرُّجۡزَ فَٱهۡجُرۡ 5
Warrujza fahjur
And abandon abominations
وَلَا تَمۡنُن تَسۡتَكۡثِرُ 6
Wa laa tamnun tastaksir
And show no favor seeking gain
وَلِرَبِّكَ فَٱصۡبِرۡ 7
Wa li Rabbika fasbir
And be constant for your Lord
فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِي ٱلنَّاقُورِ 8
Fa izaa nuqira fin naaqoor
When the Trumpet is blown
فَذَٰلِكَ يَوۡمَئِذࣲ يَوۡمٌ عَسِيرٌ 9
Fazaalika yawma 'iziny yawmun 'aseer
That Day will be a difficult day
عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ غَيۡرُ يَسِيرࣲ 10
Alal kaafireena ghayru yaseer
For the disbelievers—not easy
ذَرۡنِي وَمَنۡ خَلَقۡتُ وَحِيدࣰ ا 11
Zamee wa man khalaqtu waheedaa
Leave Me to him whom I created alone
وَجَعَلۡتُ لَهُۥ مَالࣰ ا مَّمۡدُودࣰ ا 12
Wa ja'altu lahoo maalam mamdoodaa
And gave him vast wealth
وَبَنِينَ شُهُودࣰ ا 13
Wa baneena shuhoodaa
And children as witnesses
وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُۥ تَمۡهِيدࣰ ا 14
Wa mahhattu lahoo tamheeda
And smoothed things for him
ثُمَّ يَطۡمَعُ أَنۡ أَزِيدَ 15
Summa yat ma'u an azeed
Then he wants Me to add yet more
كَلَّآۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لِأٓيَٰتِنَا عَنِيدࣰ ا 16
Kallaaa innahoo kaana li Aayaatinaa 'aneedaa
By no means! He was stubborn towards Our revelations
سَأُرۡهِقُهُۥ صَعُودًا 17
Sa urhiquhoo sa'oodaa
I will exhaust him increasingly
إِنَّهُۥ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ 18
Innahoo fakkara wa qaddar
He thought and analyzed
فَقُتِلَ كَيۡفَ قَدَّرَ 19
Faqutila kayfa qaddar
May he perish, how he analyzed
ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيۡفَ قَدَّرَ 20
Summa qutila kaifa qaddar
Again: may he perish, how he analyzed
ثُمَّ نَظَرَ 21
Summa nazar
Then he looked
ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ 22
Summa 'abasa wa basar
Then he frowned and whined
ثُمَّ أَدۡبَرَ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ 23
Summaa adbara wastakbar
Then he turned back and was proud
فَقَالَ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرࣱ يُؤۡثَرُ 24
Faqaala in haazaaa illaa sihruny yu'sar
And said, “This is nothing but magic from the past
إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا قَوۡلُ ٱلۡبَشَرِ 25
In haazaaa illaa qawlul bashar
This is nothing but the word of a mortal.”
سَأُصۡلِيهِ سَقَرَ 26
Sa usleehi saqar
I will roast him in Saqar
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا سَقَرُ 27
Wa maaa adraaka maa saqar
But what will explain to you what Saqar is
لَا تُبۡقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ 28
Laa tubqee wa laa tazar
It neither leaves, nor spares
لَوَّاحَةࣱ لِّلۡبَشَرِ 29
Lawwaahatul lilbashar
It scorches the flesh
عَلَيۡهَا تِسۡعَةَ عَشَرَ 30
Alaihaa tis'ata 'ashar
Over it are Nineteen
وَمَا جَعَلۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَٰٓئِكَةࣰۖ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا عِدَّتَهُمۡ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةࣰ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيَسۡتَيۡقِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَيَزۡدَادَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنࣰ ا وَلَا يَرۡتَابَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَلِيَقُولَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضࣱ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلࣰ اۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡبَشَرِ 31
Wa maaja''alnaaa As haaban naari illaa malaaa 'ikatanw wa maa ja'alnaa 'iddatahum illaa fitnatal lillazeena kafaroo liyastayqinal lazeena ootul kitaaba wa yazdaadal lazeena aamanooo eemaananw wa laa yartaabal lazeena ootul kitaaba walmu'minoona wa liyaqoolal lazeena fee quloo bihim maradunw walkaafiroona maazaaa araadal laahu bihaazaa masalaa; kazaalika yudillul laahu many yashaaa'u wa yahdee many yashaaa'; wa maa ya'lamu junooda rabbika illaa hoo; wa maa hiya illaa zikraa lil bashar
We have appointed only angels to be wardens of the Fire, and caused their number to be a stumbling block for those who disbelieve; so that those given the Scripture may attain certainty; and those who believe may increase in faith; and those given the Scripture and the believers may not doubt; and those in whose hearts is sickness and the unbelievers may say, “What did God intend by this parable?” Thus God leads astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is nothing but a reminder for the mortals
Section 2: Verses 32–56
Thematic progression across verses 32–56
كَلَّا وَٱلۡقَمَرِ 32
Kallaa walqamar
Nay! By the moon
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذۡ أَدۡبَرَ 33
Wallaili adbar
And the night as it retreats
وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَآ أَسۡفَرَ 34
Wassub hi izaaa asfar
And the morning as it lights up
إِنَّهَا لَإِحۡدَى ٱلۡكُبَرِ 35
Innahaa la ihdal kubar
It is one of the greatest
نَذِيرࣰ ا لِّلۡبَشَرِ 36
Nazeeral lilbashar
A warning to the mortals
لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَتَقَدَّمَ أَوۡ يَتَأَخَّرَ 37
Liman shaaa'a minkum any yataqaddama aw yata akhkhar
To whomever among you wishes to advance, or regress
كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ رَهِينَةٌ 38
Kullu nafsim bim kasabat raheenah
Every soul is hostage to what it has earned
إِلَّآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡيَمِينِ 39
Illaaa as haabal yameen
Except for those on the Right
فِي جَنَّٰتࣲ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ 40
Fee jannaatiny yata saaa'aloon
In Gardens, inquiring
عَنِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ 41
Anil mujrimeen
About the guilty
مَا سَلَكَكُمۡ فِي سَقَرَ 42
Maa salakakum fee saqar
“What drove you into Saqar?”
قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ 43
Qaaloo lam naku minal musalleen
They will say, “We were not of those who prayed
وَلَمۡ نَكُ نُطۡعِمُ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ 44
Wa lam naku nut'imul miskeen
Nor did we feed the destitute
وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ ٱلۡخَآئِضِينَ 45
Wa kunnaa nakhoodu ma'al khaaa'ideen
And we used to indulge with those who indulge
وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ 46
Wa kunnaa nukazzibu bi yawmid Deen
And we used to deny the Day of Judgment
حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَىٰنَا ٱلۡيَقِينُ 47
Hattaaa ataanal yaqeen
Until the Inevitable came upon us.”
فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمۡ شَفَٰعَةُ ٱلشَّٰفِعِينَ 48
Famaa tanfa'uhum shafaa'atush shaafi'een
But the intercession of intercessors will not help them
فَمَا لَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلتَّذۡكِرَةِ مُعۡرِضِينَ 49
Famaa lahum 'anittazkirati mu'rideen
Why are they turning away from the Reminder
كَأَنَّهُمۡ حُمُرࣱ مُّسۡتَنفِرَةࣱ 50
Ka annahum humurum mustanfirah
As though they were panicked donkeys
فَرَّتۡ مِن قَسۡوَرَةِۭ 51
Farrat min qaswarah
Fleeing from a lion
بَلۡ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِيࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن يُؤۡتَىٰ صُحُفࣰ ا مُّنَشَّرَةࣰ 52
Bal yureedu kullum ri'im minhum any yu'taa suhufam munashsharah
Yet every one of them desires to be given scrolls unrolled
كَلَّاۖ بَل لَّا يَخَافُونَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ 53
Kallaa bal laa yakhaafoonal aakhirah
No indeed! But they do not fear the Hereafter
كَلَّآ إِنَّهُۥ تَذۡكِرَةࣱ 54
Kallaaa innahoo tazkirah
Nevertheless, it is a reminder
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ 55
Fa man shaaa'a zakarah
So whoever wills, shall remember it
وَمَا يَذۡكُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ هُوَ أَهۡلُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ وَأَهۡلُ ٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِ 56
Wa maa yazkuroona illaaa any yashaaa'al laah; Huwa ahlut taqwaa wa ahlul maghfirah
But they will not remember, unless God wills. He is the Source of Righteousness, and the Source of Forgiveness
Quran-Anchored Prophetic Context
Authentic narrations in the active corpus that explicitly cite, name, or explain verses in Surah Al-Muddaththir.
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَوَّلِ، مَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ. قَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ} قُلْتُ يَقُولُونَ {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ} فَقَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ سَأَلْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رضى الله عنهما عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَقُلْتُ لَهُ مِثْلَ الَّذِي قُلْتَ فَقَالَ جَابِرٌ لاَ أُحَدِّثُكَ إِلاَّ مَا حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " جَاوَرْتُ بِحِرَاءٍ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي هَبَطْتُ فَنُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ عَنْ يَمِينِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا، وَنَظَرْتُ عَنْ شِمَالِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا، وَنَظَرْتُ أَمَامِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا، وَنَظَرْتُ خَلْفِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا، فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَرَأَيْتُ شَيْئًا، فَأَتَيْتُ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي وَصُبُّوا عَلَىَّ مَاءً بَارِدًا ـ قَالَ ـ فَدَثَّرُونِي وَصَبُّوا عَلَىَّ مَاءً بَارِدًا قَالَ فَنَزَلَتْ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ * وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ} ".
I asked Aba Salama bin `Abdur-Rahman about the first Sura revealed of the Qur'an. He replied "O you, wrapped-up (i.e. Al Muddaththir)." I said, "They say it was, 'Read, in the Name of your Lord Who created,' (i.e. Surat Al-`Alaq (the Clot)." On that, Abu Salama said, "I asked Jabir bin `Abdullah about that, saying the same as you have said, whereupon he said, 'I will not tell you except what Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had told us. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I was in seclusion in the cave of Hiram', and after I completed the limited period of my seclusion. I came down (from the cave) and heard a voice calling me. I looked to my right, but saw nothing. Then I looked up and saw something. So I went to Khadija (the Prophet's wife) and told her to wrap me up and pour cold water on me. So they wrapped me up and poured cold water on me." Then, 'O you, (Muhammad) wrapped up! Arise and warn,' (Surat Al Muddaththir) was revealed." (74.1)
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَرْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ أَىُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ أَوَّلُ فَقَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ} فَقُلْتُ أُنْبِئْتُ أَنَّهُ {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ} فَقَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ سَأَلْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ أَوَّلُ فَقَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ} فَقُلْتُ أُنْبِئْتُ أَنَّهُ {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ} فَقَالَ لاَ أُخْبِرُكَ إِلاَّ بِمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " جَاوَرْتُ فِي حِرَاءٍ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي، هَبَطْتُ فَاسْتَبْطَنْتُ الْوَادِيَ فَنُودِيتُ، فَنَظَرْتُ أَمَامِي وَخَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي فَإِذَا هُوَ جَالِسٌ عَلَى عَرْشٍ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ، فَأَتَيْتُ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي وَصُبُّوا عَلَىَّ مَاءً بَارِدًا، وَأُنْزِلَ عَلَىَّ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ * وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ}"
I asked Aba Salama, "Which Sura of the Qur'an was revealed first?" He replied, "O you, wrapped-up' (Al-Muddaththir)." I said, "I have been informed that it was, 'Read, in the Name of your Lord who created (i.e. Surat Al-Alaq)...similar to the narration related by `Ali bin Al-Mubarak, 444 above).