1-2-3. The destruction is bound to manifest itself as absolute reality. And what is this destruction? Who else can explain this better than the Almighty (what the destruction is and why it is bound to come)?

4. It is the same kind of destruction that befell previous nations, according to Our Law of Mukafat.
(For example) The people of Thamud and Aad were warned by us that if they did not mend their erroneous ways, a shattering destruction would overcome them. They belied the warning; and what was the result?

5. With shocking thunder Thamud was hit by a very violent earthquake, which destroyed it.

6. The tribe of Aad was destroyed by a stormy, furiously raging and extremely violent wind.

7. That wind storm continued unceasingly blowing over them for seven nights and eight days, and completely destroyed them. If you were there, you would have seen how they had been thrown to the ground, as if large palm trees had been uprooted (54:20).

8. Do you see any of them surviving? All of them have been wiped out from the face of this earth!

9. Similarly, there was the end of Pharaoh and of other nations that had lived before him; and also the
wrongdoers (the people of Lot) whose habitations were overturned.

10. They disobeyed the Rusul of their Rabb, and accordingly the Law of Mukafat seized them with a
tightening grip.

11. (People who opposed the Rusul were destroyed this way, but We saved those who supported them.) For example at the time of Noah, when during the great flood the water level rose beyond limits, We (O
Jamat-ul-Momineen who believed in a creed like you) boarded them onto the floating ark.

12. (We have narrated to you the stories of earlier nations so that) These may serve as historical evidence
and reminders of the Law of Mukafat. And attentive ears may become conscious of them (12:11).

Similar calamity is likely to befall these opponents.

13-14. When the first trumpet of war is blown, the big leaders and their armies will all be destroyed.
The rebellion and their pride (of national leaders) will be crushed in one leveling stroke.

15. On that Day, this destruction will come to pass.

16. On that Day, the power of the rebellious and arrogant would be torn to pieces and the grip of
every tyrant shall be loosened.

17. All the heavenly forces will surround them, and the central control of the order of Rabubiyyat will be
divided into eight departments.3

18. On that Day, all of you will be exposed and all secrets will be revealed. Nothing will remain hidden.

19. The one holding a righteous record will happily say, "Come all of you, and read my record book!"

20. (He will also say), "I always kept in mind that one day I will be called to give my account.
(It was because of this precaution that I kept away from evil deeds.)

21. He will thus be in the blissful state of life he desires; 22/23. In a lofty heavenly society, wherein fruits will always be within everybody’s reach.

22-23. They shall be told, "Eat and drink to your full satisfaction. This is the reward for the works that you had been doing in the days gone by."

25. The one whose record will be placed in his left hand will say (in utter despair), "How I wish this record
was neither given to me;

26. “Nor would I have known where I stand according to my record.

27. “I wish death had ended my life.

28. “Alas, all my wealth (which I felt so proud of) is of no avail to me.

29. “All my power and authority (which made me arrogant) has vanished.”

30. Thereupon the command will come, "Seize him and put shackles around his neck.

31. “Then push him into Jahannum.

32. “And then tie him to a long chain there.

33. “He is the one who did not have belief in Supreme Allah’s Law of Mukafat.”

34. This is because of his attitude whereby he never persuaded other people to help in establishing a system in which every indigent person incapable of earning, would continue getting means of nourishment.

3 In all the above verses, allegorical meanings of the words have been derived and applied to the destruction of Quraish at the hands of the Momineen. This is because in earlier verses the destruction that has been described had taken place in this world. (Therefore in these verses, the destruction of Quraish should also be mentioned with reference to destruction in this world.) However, if one takes the true meanings of these words, then these verses talk about a universal revolution which at this time we cannot understand. In this regard, please refer to the explanatory note given at the beginning of Para 29.

35. (He was under the impression that because of great wealth, he did not need any system in which every person was an associate who cared for others. At that time however, he will realize how desperately everyone needs friends and sympathizers. But) At that time he shall have no friend or sympathizer.

36. He shall get nothing but boiling water to drink (which would further increase the thirst). In other words, he would drink his own tears;

37. Which truly is the diet of those who sin!

38-39. (O Rasool! Tell these people that whatever they are being told is not guesswork, but an absolute reality.) The events that have happened before you and those that are yet to come stand testimony to this fact.

40. And these sayings are being spoken (and conveyed to you) by our most respectable messenger.

41-42. He is conveying are Our commands to you. These are not the sayings of a poet or a soothsayer's
guesswork. (This certainly is Allah's Wahi.) There are however, very few who use their intellect and logic to
ponder it; and believe in the truthfulness of these sayings and adopt them as a Divine Code.

43. This Quran has been revealed from the Almighty, Who is the sustainer of all the nations of the world.
(The objective is that by following this code people should nourish and develop their selves.)

44-46. There is no mixture of human ideas in the Wahi of Allah. If the Rasool had ever dared to attribute some (of his own) saying unto Us, we would have indeed seized him firmly grip by his right hand and deprived him of his ability and power to act. We would never have allowed his programme to progress; and would have made his faculties ineffective and his plans lifeless.

47. None of you would have been able to stop Us from doing so.

48. (Even after such clear and candid evidence, your people do not believe in the truth. This is because)
Only those who want to be safe from the destructive effects of evil deeds, take heed.

49. And We also know that (while some people among you have, after using intellect and reason, professed Eiman on this Quran) there are others who belie it.

50. (But their denial does not make any difference. This Revolution is bound to come and) For people
who deny it, it will remain a source of bitter regret for the rest of their lives.

51. This is an absolute truth and a reality. (It certainly will come true. It is not a conjecture or guesswork
but Al-Haaqqa, a concrete reality.)

52. Therefore (O Rasool! Do not take any notice of their accusations and) actively fulfill the programme
of your most sublime Rabb. (The results shall confirm that all your claims were based on truth.)