NAME: النبأ, An-Naba.
Name taken from Verse 2 where there is a mention of the word ”Naba”. Name applied to whole Surah as in it are the news about hereafter and Resurrection.
٢ عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ
2 About the great news
ENGLISH NAME: The Tiding/The Great News.
CHAPTER NUMBER: 78
SURAH NABA TOTAL VERSES: 40
SURAH NABA TOTAL WORDS: 174
TOTAL UNIQUE WORDS WITHOUT REPETITION: 146
TOTAL LETTERS: 796
REVELATION PERIOD:
Meccan, Approx. 614 – 618 AD.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
God, Angels, Man, Righteous, Deniers/Disbelievers.
SURAH NABA MAIN TOPICS:
Favors Of God On Man, The Last Day, heaven will become gateways, Description of Hell and Paradise.
SURAH NABA KEY VERSES:
٦ أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا
6 Have We not made the earth a resting place?
٧ وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا
7 And the mountains as stakes?
١٢ وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا
12 And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
١٩ وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا
19 And the heaven is opened and will become gateways
٢٠ وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا
20 And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.
SUMMARY OF TOPICS
1-5(What Are They Asking?, About Big News?), 6-11(Favors Of God On Man: Made Earth A Resting Place, Mountain As Pegs, Made For Mankind Mates, Sleep For Rest), 12-16(Favors Of God On Man: Made Seven Strong Roofs Above, Made Sun A Lamp, Rain, Crops and Vegetation), 17-19(The Last Day, heaven is opened and will become gateways), 21-30(Indeed Hell Is In Ambush, Wrongdoers Will remain There for ages, Drink Boiling Water & Hot Pus), 31-36(Description Of Paradise: Gardens, Drinks, Spouses Of Equal Age, No Ill Speech), 37-40(That Day Spirit & Angels Stand In Rows, No One Will Speak Without God’s Permission, That Day man will observe what his hands have put forth and the disbeliever will say, “Oh, I wish that I were dust!”)
SURAH NABA BRIEF COMMENTARY & BACKGROUND
This Surah has 40 verses divided into 2 Rukus/Sections. It takes its name from verse 1: “عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ” ( About the great news) where the word “النبأ” meaning “The Great News“ appears. It is not only a name but also the title & topic of the Surah and applied to whole Surah as in it are the news about Resurrection and Hereafter. This Surah was revealed in Mecca most probably during the early days of Muhammad’s proclamation of his prophethood.
During this period, the people of Mecca used to ridicule Prophet and uttered doubts on the doctrine of the Hereafter. This Surah tells them that the Day of Decision is coming. Its theme is almost the same as that of Surah Mursalat. The first twenty verses narrate and depict the wonders of the worldly creation, and the last twenty verses are packed with the eternal wonders and horrors of the next world. The wicked will be thrown in the hell, and the righteous will receive their rewards from Allah.
