Overview - Surah 70: al-Ma`arij (The Ways of Ascent)
It talks about the ways of the ascent of the Believers. The rise of truth will be gradual, but it is sure. The Surah talks about the problems of human beings in general, but those who believe their character is different. It warns about the coming doom of the disbelievers.
The Surah takes its name from the Ayat, مِّنَ اللَّـهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ "[It is] from Allah, owner of the ways of ascent." [70:3].
There are 44 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 44 |
| Total Words * | 217 |
| Root Words * | 110 |
| Unique Root Words * | 3 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 79th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | |
| Events during/before this Surah*
N/A
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| Events during/after still to occur*
N/A
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
No Prophets names are mentioned in this Surah
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| Surah Index
Adversity (patience during) , God (a thousand human years) (fifty thousand years), Angels, Astronomy (sunrise) , Astronomy (sunset) , Chastity, Gabriel, Grave, Hell, Humankind (born with a restless disposition) , Judgement (Day) , Judgement (Day) (like tufts of wool), Judgement (Day) (like molten lead), Prayer, Sexual Relations, Slaves
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It admonishes and gives warning to the disbelievers who made fun of the news about Resurrection and the Hereafter, and Hell and Heaven, and challenged the Prophet to cause Resurrection with which he threatened them to take place if what he said was true and they had become worthy of the punishment in Hell by denying it. The whole Surah is meant to answer this denial. The Surah opens with words to the effect: “A demander has demanded a torment, the torment which must befall the deniers; and when it takes place, there will be none to prevent it, but it will take place at its own appointed time. God has His own way of doing things, but He is not unjust. Therefore, have patience, O Prophet, at what they say. They think it is far off, but We see it as near at hand.” Then it is said: “Resurrection, which they desire to be hastened out of jest and fun, is terrible, and when it comes, it will cause great distress to the culprits. At that time they will even be prepared to give away their wives and children and their nearest kinsfolk in ransom to escape the punishment, but they will not be able to escape it. Then the people have been warned to the effect; “On that Day the destinies of men will be decided strictly on the basis of their belief and their conduct. Those who turn away from the Truth in the world and amass wealth and withhold it from the needy, will be doomed to Hell; and those who fear the punishment of God here, believe in the Hereafter, keep up the Prayer, discharge the rights of the needy out of their wealth, strictly avoid immoral and wicked deeds, practice honesty in all their dealings, fulfill their pledges and trust and bear true witness, will have a place of honour in Paradise.”
In conclusion, the disbelievers of Makkah who rushed in upon the Prophet from every side as soon as they saw him, in order to make fun of him, have been warned to the effect: “If you do not believe, God will replace you by other people who will be better than you,” and the Prophet has been consoled, so as to say: “Do not take to heart their mockery and jesting; leave them to indulge in their idle talk and foolish conduct if they are bent upon experiencing the disgrace and humiliation of the Resurrection; they will themselves see their evil end.”
The ascending of the Angels in the heavens. The urging of the believers to ascend the grades the heaven and work harder to earn the higher ranks of Paradise.
- In the beginning of the Surah, Allah tells the Prophet to have beautiful patience [70:5] and towards the end, He tells him, "So leave them to converse vainly and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised." [70:42].
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
713 H 1313 CE
713 H 1313 CE
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
- In Surah al-Ma'arij [70:5], Allah advises the Prophet to have beautiful patience. The following Surah is on the Prophet Nuh who had much patience with this people for the great of time he spent in their midst.
- The Day of Judgement has been mentioned at least 9 times in this Surah. Ayat, [70:1], [70:6], [70:7], [70:8], [70:11], [70:26], [70:42], [70:43] and [70:44].
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) * | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ٱلَّذِى | 12 | 1464 |
| 2. | ي و م | 6 | 405 |
| 3. | س أ ل | 4 | 129 |
| 4. | ع ذ ب | 4 | 373 |
| 5. | ك و ن | 4 | 1390 |
| 6. | ص ل و | 3 | 99 |
| 7. | ر ب ب | 3 | 980 |
| 8. | ك ف ر | 2 | 525 |
| 9. | ع ر ج | 2 | 9 |
| 10. | م ل ك | 2 | 206 |
| Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| ٱلَّذِى | 12 | 1464 |
| ي و م | 6 | 405 |
| س أ ل | 4 | 129 |
| ع ذ ب | 4 | 373 |
| ك و ن | 4 | 1390 |
| ص ل و | 3 | 99 |
| ر ب ب | 3 | 980 |
| ك ف ر | 2 | 525 |
| ع ر ج | 2 | 9 |
| م ل ك | 2 | 206 |
The subject matter bears evidence that this Surah too was sent down in conditions closely resembling those under which Surah 69: al-Haqqah (The Manifest Reality) was sent down.
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 1 - 7) An inquirer has asked about a suffering which is bound to befall the unbelievers. Nothing can ward it off, as it comes from God, the Lord of the Ways of Ascent. (Verses 1-3) The very concept of the hereafter was very difficult for the Arab polytheists to understand. They strongly resisted it. In fact they received it with so much amazement that they denied it outright. They further challenged the Prophet, in various ways, to bring it about or to define its timing. A report attributed to Ibn `Abbas mentions that the man who asked the question quoted in the first verse of the surah was al-Nadr ibn al-Harith. Another report quotes him as saying that the reference is to "the unbelievers' question about God's punishment, which is certain to engulf them." It is administered by God, 'the Lord of the Ways of Ascent. This is an expression of highness, which is one of God's attributes mentioned in different ways in the Qur'an, such as: "High above all orders [of being] is He, the Lord of the Throne." (40: 15) Having absolutely confirmed the inevitability of such punishment, the surah describes the day when it will take place, affirming that it will soon arrive. However, God's measure is different from mankind's: All the angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him, on a day the length of which is fifty thousand years. Therefore, endure all adversity with goodly patience. People think it to be far away but We see it near at hand. (Verses 4-7) Most probably the day to which these verses refer is the Day of Resurrection, as the surah almost defines it as so. On that day, the angels and the Spirit will ascend to God. The Spirit refers, in all probability, to the Angel Gabriel, since he is given this name elsewhere in the Qur'an. He is specifically mentioned here, after the reference to all angels, because of his special status. Likewise, the angels' ascension on that day is highlighted so as to give it special importance; they will do so to fulfil what is assigned to them on that day. We do not know, nor are we required to know, the nature of their assignments, or how the angels ascend, or to where. All these are details that belong to the realm beyond the reach of our perception. To know them does not add to the statement's import. We have nothing to point to such information. Therefore, we do not attempt any further explanation. It is enough for us to reflect on the image to appreciate the great importance of that day when the angels and the Spirit are busy conducting their assigned tasks. If one of God's days is equal to fifty thousand of our years, then the punishment of the Day of Judgement is certainly close, according to God's measure, even though people may think it far away. Therefore, God tells His Messenger to be patient with them: "People think it to be far away. but We see it near at hand." (Verses 6-7) The order to remain patient is part of the divine message's essence; it is required of every messenger and every believer. This is fundamentally necessary because the burden is heavy and the task hard. It is vitally important to keep the believers united and content, looking to their ultimate goal. Goodly or 'beautiful' patience, to use a literal translation of the Qur’anic term, is that type of patience coupled with a feeling of contentment and reassurance. It is undisturbed by displeasure, worry or doubt in the true promise. It is the type of patience shown by one who is certain of the outcome, content with God's will, appreciating His wisdom in the trying times he goes through, looking to Him in all situations. It is this type of goodly patience that is worthy of one who advocates the divine message. It is after all God's message calling on people to believe in Him. Its advocates have no personal interest in it; they seek no gain out of it. Whatever they suffer as a result is for God's sake, and whatever happens to it is by His will. Goodly patience, therefore, is the only attitude that fits properly with this truth. God, who has bestowed this message from on high and has made this promise which the unbelievers hasten, determines events and their timings as He pleases, according to His overall plan for the universe. Human beings remain unaware of His will and plan; therefore, they hasten things. When time goes by without fulfilment of the promise, they begin to doubt. Worry may also be experienced by advocates of the divine message themselves. They too may entertain thoughts and desires that the promise be fulfilled soon. Therefore, they are given the following instruction so that they may remain firm: "Therefore, endure all adversity with goodly patience." (Verse 5) The address here is delivered to the Prophet so as to give him reassurance in the face of the opposition and rejection he faced. It also adds another truth here, highlighting the fact that God sees matters in a different way. He does not measure things by means of our small measures: "People think it to be far away, but We see it near at hand." (Verses 6-7) |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 1 - 7) An inquirer has asked about a suffering which is bound to befall the unbelievers. Nothing can ward it off, as it comes from God, the Lord of the Ways of Ascent. (Verses 1-3) The very concept of the hereafter was very difficult for the Arab polytheists to understand. They strongly resisted it. In fact they received it with so much amazement that they denied it outright. They further challenged the Prophet, in various ways, to bring it about or to define its timing. A report attributed to Ibn `Abbas mentions that the man who asked the question quoted in the first verse of the surah was al-Nadr ibn al-Harith. Another report quotes him as saying that the reference is to "the unbelievers' question about God's punishment, which is certain to engulf them." It is administered by God, 'the Lord of the Ways of Ascent. This is an expression of highness, which is one of God's attributes mentioned in different ways in the Qur'an, such as: "High above all orders [of being] is He, the Lord of the Throne." (40: 15) Having absolutely confirmed the inevitability of such punishment, the surah describes the day when it will take place, affirming that it will soon arrive. However, God's measure is different from mankind's: All the angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him, on a day the length of which is fifty thousand years. Therefore, endure all adversity with goodly patience. People think it to be far away but We see it near at hand. (Verses 4-7) Most probably the day to which these verses refer is the Day of Resurrection, as the surah almost defines it as so. On that day, the angels and the Spirit will ascend to God. The Spirit refers, in all probability, to the Angel Gabriel, since he is given this name elsewhere in the Qur'an. He is specifically mentioned here, after the reference to all angels, because of his special status. Likewise, the angels' ascension on that day is highlighted so as to give it special importance; they will do so to fulfil what is assigned to them on that day. We do not know, nor are we required to know, the nature of their assignments, or how the angels ascend, or to where. All these are details that belong to the realm beyond the reach of our perception. To know them does not add to the statement's import. We have nothing to point to such information. Therefore, we do not attempt any further explanation. It is enough for us to reflect on the image to appreciate the great importance of that day when the angels and the Spirit are busy conducting their assigned tasks. If one of God's days is equal to fifty thousand of our years, then the punishment of the Day of Judgement is certainly close, according to God's measure, even though people may think it far away. Therefore, God tells His Messenger to be patient with them: "People think it to be far away. but We see it near at hand." (Verses 6-7) The order to remain patient is part of the divine message's essence; it is required of every messenger and every believer. This is fundamentally necessary because the burden is heavy and the task hard. It is vitally important to keep the believers united and content, looking to their ultimate goal. Goodly or 'beautiful' patience, to use a literal translation of the Qur’anic term, is that type of patience coupled with a feeling of contentment and reassurance. It is undisturbed by displeasure, worry or doubt in the true promise. It is the type of patience shown by one who is certain of the outcome, content with God's will, appreciating His wisdom in the trying times he goes through, looking to Him in all situations. It is this type of goodly patience that is worthy of one who advocates the divine message. It is after all God's message calling on people to believe in Him. Its advocates have no personal interest in it; they seek no gain out of it. Whatever they suffer as a result is for God's sake, and whatever happens to it is by His will. Goodly patience, therefore, is the only attitude that fits properly with this truth. God, who has bestowed this message from on high and has made this promise which the unbelievers hasten, determines events and their timings as He pleases, according to His overall plan for the universe. Human beings remain unaware of His will and plan; therefore, they hasten things. When time goes by without fulfilment of the promise, they begin to doubt. Worry may also be experienced by advocates of the divine message themselves. They too may entertain thoughts and desires that the promise be fulfilled soon. Therefore, they are given the following instruction so that they may remain firm: "Therefore, endure all adversity with goodly patience." (Verse 5) The address here is delivered to the Prophet so as to give him reassurance in the face of the opposition and rejection he faced. It also adds another truth here, highlighting the fact that God sees matters in a different way. He does not measure things by means of our small measures: "People think it to be far away, but We see it near at hand." (Verses 6-7) |
- Surah 70. Al-Ma'arij - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfTMM4Floik&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=70
- Surah 70. Al-Ma'arij Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGXSicX5cFU&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM&index=70
- Surah 70. Al-Ma'arij Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDB_65XOahk&index=70&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe
- Idris Akbar Surah Al-Ma'ari https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzLQR0Ea8Z4
- Surah 70. Al-Ma'arij Muhammad MInshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS4LIwZ_0cU&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG&index=70
- Dr Israr Ahmed Tafsir Surah Al Ma'rij to Surah Al Qayammah 1 221 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ui-MH5O7yE&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263&index=105
- Surah Al Ma'rij to Surah Al Qayammah 1 222 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNIJiDh_a9Y&index=106&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
