NAME: الطارق, At-Tariq.
Name taken from Verse 1 where there is a mention of the word ”Tariq”.
١ وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ
1 By the sky and the night comer –
But It does not mean that this name is the actual topic discussed in the whole Surah. It is just a reference and mark/symbol to distinguish this Surah from others as is with most other Surahs of Quran. While there are diversified topics discussed in these Surahs.
ENGLISH NAME: The Night Comer .
CHAPTER NUMBER: 86
SURAH TARIQ TOTAL VERSES: 17
SURAH TARIQ TOTAL WORDS: 61
TOTAL UNIQUE WORDS WITHOUT REPETITION: 53
TOTAL LETTERS: 254
REVELATION PERIOD:
Meccan, Approx. 618 – 620 AD.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
God, Night Comer, Guardian Angels, Man, Disbelievers.
SURAH TARIQ MAIN TOPICS:
God Swear By The Piercing Star That There is no Soul But Guardians Over It, Creation of Man And His Situation on the Last Day, Quran Is A Decisive Word and Not for Amusement.
SURAH TARIQ KEY VERSES:
١ وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ
1 By the sky and the night comer –
٣ النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ
3 It is the piercing star –
٦ خُلِقَ مِنْ مَاءٍ دَافِقٍ
6 He was created from a fluid, ejected,
٧ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ
7 Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.
١١ وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ
11 By the sky which returns [rain]
SUMMARY OF TOPICS
1-3(Swear By Sky And The Night Comer, Night Comer Is A Piercing Star), 4(There is no Soul But Guardians Over It), 5-7(Man Created From Fluid Produced Between Backbone And Ribs), 10(Last Day Man Will Have No Power Or Any Helper) 11-12(Swear By the Sky which Returns And the Earth which Cracks Open,), 13-17(Quran Is A Decisive Word, Disbelievers Are Planning A Plot, But Give Respite To The Disbelievers For A Little While)
SURAH TARIQ BRIEF COMMENTARY & BACKGROUND
This Surah has 17 verses. It takes its name from verse 1: “وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ” (By the sky and the night comer) where the word “الطارق” meaning “The Night Comer” appears. This Surah was revealed in Mecca most probably in a later stage of Prophet Muhammad’s preaching in Mecca when persecution had become severe.
The primary theme of this Surah is that humankind has to appear before God after death. Everything in the universe is operating under the protection, guidance, and surveillance of the great preserver. The creation of human beings, as well as the creation of this universe, is not a game. Quran is a decisive Word which no idea or design of the disbelievers can defeat or frustrate. The creation of this universe and the creation of Man is a serious work of God, and so is His word, the Quran.
Nasai narrated that Jabir said, “Muadh lead the Maghrib prayer, and he recited Surah Baqarah and Nisa. So the Prophet of God PBUHsaid,
أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ يَا مُعَاذُ، مَا كَانَ يَكْفِيكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ بِالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا وَنَحْوِهَا؟
Are you putting the people to trial O Muadh! Was it not sufficient for you to recite وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ, and وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا, and something like them.