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قQuranicpediaEncyclopedia of the Glorious Qur’an

Surah at-Takwir سُورَة التَّكْوِير

In review — pending scholar verification

The 81st surah of the Quran — Meccan, 29 verses — opens with twelve cosmic disturbances at the end of the world and includes a vivid description of the Quran's revelation through Jibril.

Overview

Sūrat at-Takwīr (Arabic: سُورَة التَّكْوِير; "the Wrapping" or "the Folding-up") is the 81st surah of the Quran — a Meccan surah of 29 verses. Its title comes from the opening: "Idhash-shamsu kuwwirat" — "When the sun is wrapped up."

Structure

The surah opens with twelve cosmic disturbances signalling the end of the world (verses 1–14):

  1. The sun is wrapped up.
  2. The stars fall, scattering.
  3. The mountains are moved.
  4. The pregnant she-camels are abandoned.
  5. The wild beasts are gathered.
  6. The seas are filled with flame.
  7. The souls are paired.
  8. The buried-alive infant girl is asked for what sin she was killed.
  9. The pages [of deeds] are spread open.
  10. The sky is stripped away.
  11. Hellfire is set ablaze.
  12. Paradise is brought near — and a soul will know what it has brought.

Verses 15–25 describe the Quran's revelation through Jibril — including the Prophet's ﷺ vision of him in his angelic form on the horizon (verse 23). Verses 26–29 close with: "To whoever among you wills to take a straight way."

Significance

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever wishes to look at the Day of Resurrection as if seeing it with his own eyes — let him recite Idhash-shamsu kuwwirat, and Idhas-samāʾu infaṭarat, and Idhas-samāʾu inshaqqat" (Jami at-Tirmidhi 3333, graded Hasan-Sahih).

See also

References

  1. The Quran: Surah at-Takwīr 81.
  2. Jami at-Tirmidhi 3333, graded Hasan-Sahih by al-Albani.
  3. Ibn Kathir, Tafsīr, on Surah at-Takwīr.