The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary
Seyyed Hossein Nasr (Ed.)
A landmark scholarly edition with verse-by-verse commentary drawn from classical sources — the most comprehensive single-volume study Quran in English.
التَّكۡوِيرِ
The Overthrowing
The unravelling of the world at the Last Day.
At-Takwir, “The Overthrowing,” paints vivid scenes of the cosmos folding up at the end of time and affirms the truth and honour of the revelation.
Listen to Surah At-Takwir
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِذَا ٱلشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ
Izash shamsu kuwwirat
When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتْ
Wa izan nujoomun kadarat
And when the stars fall, dispersing,
وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ
Wa izal jibaalu suyyirat
And when the mountains are removed
وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ
Wa izal 'ishaaru 'uttilat
And when full-term she-camels are neglected
وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ
Wa izal wuhooshu hushirat
And when the wild beasts are gathered
وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ
Wa izal bihaaru sujjirat
And when the seas are filled with flame
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ
Wa izan nufoosu zuwwijat
And when the souls are paired
وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ
Wa izal maw'oodatu su'ilat
And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked
بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍۢ قُتِلَتْ
Bi ayyi zambin qutilat
For what sin she was killed
وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ
Wa izas suhufu nushirat
And when the pages are made public
وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتْ
Wa izas samaaa'u kushitat
And when the sky is stripped away
وَإِذَا ٱلْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ
Wa izal jaheemu su'-'irat
And when Hellfire is set ablaze
وَإِذَا ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ
Wa izal jannatu uzlifat
And when Paradise is brought near,
عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ
'Alimat nafsum maaa ahdarat
A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].
فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ
Falaaa uqsimu bil khunnas
So I swear by the retreating stars -
ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْكُنَّسِ
Al jawaaril kunnas
Those that run [their courses] and disappear -
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ
Wallaili izaa 'as'as
And by the night as it closes in
وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ
Wassubhi izaa tanaffas
And by the dawn when it breathes
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍۢ كَرِيمٍۢ
Innahoo laqawlu rasoolin kareem
[That] indeed, the Qur'an is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger
ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍۢ
Zee quwwatin 'inda zil 'arshi makeen
[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
مُّطَاعٍۢ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍۢ
Mutaa'in samma ameen
Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍۢ
Wa maa saahibukum bimajnoon
And your companion is not [at all] mad.
وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْمُبِينِ
Wa laqad ra aahu bilufuqil mubeen
And he has already seen Gabriel in the clear horizon.
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍۢ
Wa maa huwa 'alal ghaibi bidaneen
And Muhammad is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَٰنٍۢ رَّجِيمٍۢ
Wa maa huwa biqawli shaitaanir rajeem
And the Qur'an is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].
فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ
Fa ayna tazhaboon
So where are you going?
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ
In huwa illaa zikrul lil'aalameen
It is not except a reminder to the worlds
لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ
Liman shaaa'a minkum ai yastaqeem
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Wa maa tashaaa'oona illaaa ai yashaaa 'al laahu Rabbul 'Aalameen
And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.
“At-Takwir” translates to “The Overthrowing.” It is the 81st surah (chapter) of the Holy Quran.
Surah At-Takwir has 29 verses (ayahs).
It is a Makkah (Meccan) surah — revealed before the Prophet’s ﷺ migration (Hijrah) to Madinah.
Yes. You can read Surah At-Takwir free on this page in Arabic with a clear English translation and transliteration, so you can both understand the meaning and learn to recite it.
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