Surah At-Tariq(86)

Introduction

The name of the surah means the Comer by

Night.

This surah was revealed during the early

stages in Makkah.

During this time, the disbelievers of Makkah

were trying all sorts of things to prevent the

Prophet (sws) to spread the message of the

Quran.

Introduction (cont.)

The surah discusses 2 themes/main ideas:

1. Every single human being has to appear

before Allah after their death.

2. The Quran is the word of Allah and no plan or

device of the disbelievers can defeat it.

Introduction (cont.)

The stars are used as an example: nothing in

the universe can continue to exists without a

guardian or protector over it

Human beings must think about how we even

came to exist in the first place from a small

sperm drop

Whoever created us the first time can create

us a second time with no problem

In the Hereafter, all justice will be served

Ayah One: By the heaven, and the night-visitor,Ayah Two: what do you know what the night-visitor is?

Ayah Three: It is the piercing star.

Allah first swears by the skies and the star.

The night-visitor refers to the stars.

Allah wants us to think about the world around

us and contemplate based on what we see.

Ayah Four: There is no living being but there is

a protector over it.

Allah refers to Himself as the Guardian or

protector over all creations, big and small.

The star or the night visitor is just an example of

one creation that Allah is responsible for.

Every creation of Allah is a sign of His existence.

Ayah Five: So let man consider of what he was

created.

Our creation in itself is a sign of Allah’s existence.

The way human beings are created is so intricate

and systematic that it is too complex to be a

coincidence.

Think about it: millions of spermatozoon come into the mothers

body but only one fertilizes an ovum which in itself has a

complex and systematic process. Then that combination slowly

develops one system after another, a bunch of organs and

processes from what is nothing. Then think of how the baby

develops in the mothers belly, month after month, and how even

after being given birth to, we develop until death. Are all of these

processes actually just a coincidence?

Ayah Six: He was created of a gushing fluid, Ayah Seven: emanating from between the loins

and the ribs,

We were created from fluids coming from the

bodies of our parents.

These fluids are non-living things, yet Allah puts

in life and creates human beings from essentially

nothing.

This is a miracle of the Creator.

Ayah Eight: Surely He (the Creator) has the

power to bring him back (to life).

If Allah has the power to create us once, then of

course He has the power to create us a second

time.

That is why we are asked to think about our first

creation. If someone so powerful can do it once,

then we should not think that He cannot do it

another time. That would be foolish.

Questions (Intro + 1-8)

1. What does the name of the surah mean?

2. During what stage was the surah revealed?

3. Where was this surah revealed?

4. What were the disbelievers of the time trying to do?

5. What are the two main ideas/ themes of this surah?

6. Who is the night-visitor?

7. Who is the Guardian over all creations?

8. Why does Allah tell us to consider what we were created from?

Ayah Nine: On the Day when man’s deepest

secrets shall be put to the test.

On the DOJ, we will not be able to keep any

secrets.

Everything that we’ve ever did will be out on the

open for all to see.

Only the deeds of the believers will be kept from

public eye.

On that day, we will not be able to deny anything

that we did and we will be held accountable for all

of our sins.

Ayah Ten: he shall have no power and no

helper.

On the DOJ, there will be no one to help us and

we will have no power.

We will be subject to whatever Allah wills of us.

In this life, Allah allows us to make our own

decisions and do what we want. On that day, He

will be the only One to make decisions and we will

have to stand for our judgment.

Ayah Eleven: By the heaven with its recurring

cycle of rain,

Rain falls over and over again.

Also the water cycle is so that the water from the

ocean (vapor) falls back as rain and it’s a

continuous cycle.

This is a serious systematic process that Allah

oversees.

Allah swears by this that the Quran is a decisive

Word.

Ayah Twelve: and by the earth ever bursting

with verdure,

The earth contains vegetation for us humans so

that we can eat and drink and survive.

The process by which fruit and vegetables and

other grains are created is also a serious and

complex process overlooked by Allah.

Allah also swears by this that the Quran is a

decisive Word.

Ayah Thirteen: this (Quran) is surely a decisive

Word, Ayah Fourteen: not a flippant jest.

Just as serious the cycles of water and the

processes of earth are, so is the Quran a serious

thing.

There is wisdom in it and what the Quran

promises will occur.

Ayah Fifteen: They are devising a guile,

The disbelievers were planning different ways of

stopping the Prophet(sws) from spreading the

message of Islam

They wanted to continue their ways of life, no

matter how wrong or sinful it was

Ayah Sixteen: and I too am devising a guile.

Allah also plans so that they will not be

successful.

Without a doubt, Allah’s plan prevails over all

plans.

Ayah Seventeen: So leave the unbelievers to

themselves; respite them awhile.

Allah says then the disbelievers can do whatever

they want.

They will have to deal with the consequences of

their actions eventually.

Questions (9-17)

1. How will the deepest secrets be put to the test?

2. What does it mean that the heavens has a recurring cycle of rain?

3. What two things does Allah swear by that the Quran is a decisive word?

4. What kind of plan were the disbelievers making?

5. What is Allah’s plan?

6. What does Allah say to do in the last verse of the surah about the disbelievers?

Disclaimer

These slides are an abridged, simplified

version of tafseer. For detailed explanations,

please view other sources.