Surah 86: At-Tariq
The Holy Qur’an with English Translation and Short Commentary
[a]In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
[a] 1:1.
By the heaven and the Morning Star[3316]—
[3316] The reference in the verse may be to the Holy Prophet’s Deputy whose advent like the morning star was to herald the dawn of the triumph and spread of Islam, after the night of spiritual darkness, which had come over Islam will have passed. According to some Commentators, however, the verse refers to the Holy Prophet himself who appeared when the night of spiritual darkness had spread over the entire world, it being pitch dark in Arabia, the land where he made his appearance.
And what should make thee know what the Morning Star is?
It is the Star of piercing brightness—
There is not a soul but has a guardian[3317] over it.
[3317] God will protect the Morning Star—the Holy Prophet’s Deputy and the Star of piercing brightness—the Holy Prophet.
So let man consider of what he is created.
He is created of gushing fluid,[3318]
[3318] Man’s spiritual development is subject to alternate periods of progression and retrogression, like the seminal fluid that gushes forth and falls.
Which issues forth from between the loins and the breastbones.[3318A]
[3318A] It is characteristic of the style in the Holy Qur’an that it substitutes mild or vague words of expressions for harsh and blunt ones. 'From between the loins and the breastbones,' is one of such euphemisms used by the Holy Qur’an. The verse may signify that man is born of the water that comes out of the loins of his father and is fed by the breast of his mother. The fact that man has been created from a fluid which gushes forth and then falls may signify that he has been endowed with great natural faculties to make rapid progress but he is also likely to fall to the lowest depths of degradation, if he does not make proper use of those God-given powers. The verse signifies that man’s spiritual development is subject to alternate periods of progression and retrogression, like the seminal fluid which gushes forth and then falls.
[a]Surely, Allah has the Power to bring him back to life,
[a] 46:34.
[b]On the day when secrets shall be disclosed.
[b] 10:31.
And he shall have no strength and no helper.
By the cloud which gives rain repeatedly,