Surah 81. At-Takwir

1.

When the sun is put out,

2.

and when the stars fall down,

3.

and when the mountains are blown away,

4.

and when pregnant camels are left untended,¹

 Ten-month pregnant camels were the most precious thing for nomadic Arabs. These camels were always cared for and treasured.

5.

and when wild beasts are gathered together,¹

 All animals will be brought together for judgment and then they will be reduced to dust.

6.

and when the seas are set on fire,¹

 On the Day of Judgment the oceans and seas will be on fire.

7.

and when the souls 'and their bodies' are paired 'once more',

8.

and when baby girls, buried alive, are asked

9.

for what crime they were put to death,¹

 Some pagan Arabs used to bury their infant daughters alive for fear of shame or poverty. This practice was condemned and abolished by Islam. See 16:58-59.

10.

and when the records 'of deeds' are laid open,

11.

and when the sky is stripped away,

12.

and when the Hellfire is fiercely flared up,

13.

and when Paradise is brought near-

14.

'on that Day' each soul will know what 'deeds' it has brought along.

15.

I do swear by the receding stars

16.

which travel and hide,¹

 This probably refers to black holes. Kanasa means to sweep or hide. Miknasah is derived from this, and is the standard word for a vacuum cleaner.

17.

and the night as it falls

18.

and the day as it breaks!¹

 lit., the day as it takes its first breath.

19.

Indeed, this 'Quran' is the Word of 'Allah delivered by Gabriel,' a noble messenger-angel,

20.

full of power, held in honour by the Lord of the Throne,

21.

obeyed there 'in heaven', and trustworthy.

22.

And your fellow man¹ is not insane.

 i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ).

23.

And he did see that 'angel' on the clear horizon,¹

 This is first time the Prophet (ﷺ) saw Gabriel in his angelic form. He saw him a second time in heaven during the Night Journey. See 53:5-15.

24.

and he does not withhold 'what is revealed to him of' the unseen.

25.

And this 'Quran' is not the word of an outcast devil.¹

 See 26:210-212.

26.

So what 'other' path would you take?

27.

Surely this 'Quran' is only a reminder to the whole world-

28.

to whoever of you wills to take the Straight Way.

29.

But you cannot will 'to do so', except by the Will of Allah, the Lord of all worlds.