The Majestic Quran

81. At-Takwir The Shrouding The central theme of this early Makkan chapter is the truthfulness of the Majestic Quran and the validity of its teachings. It opens with twelve oaths, each signifying one of the cataclysmic events prior to the Day of Resurrection. In the second section, another set of oaths about time of celestial bodies is presented. I translated Wal-Kunnas (Verse 16) as, “By the dying stars”, this is a star whose light is diminishing – astrophysicists call this a dying star. The Quran is keen to stress the truthfulness of the Messenger r and the source of his message, so it describes the power, authority and reliability of the Angel Gabriel , responsible for bringing the Divine Message. Finally, it challenges its audience with this verse: “So where are you going?” (26). In the name of God, the Kind, the Caring. T J D 1 When the sun is covered, 2 when the stars are dimmed, 3 when the mountains are moved, 4 when pregnant camels are left untended, 5 when wild beasts are gathered, 6 when the seas boil, 7 when the souls are paired, 8 when the baby girl buried alive is asked 9 for which crime she was murdered, 10 when the scrolls of deeds are unrolled, 11 and when a layer of the sky is peeled, 12 when Hell is set ablaze, 13 when Paradise is brought near – 14 then everyone will know what they achieved or failed to achieve in life . T A G 15 So, I swear by the shining stars , 4 16 by the dying stars, 17 by the fall of the night, 18 by the morning breeze . 5 19 Certainly, the Quran is the recitation of a noble Angel, 20 who possesses immense power, and has a firmly-