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Chapter 81

The Winding Upal-Takwīr ( التكوير )

29 verses • revealed at Meccan

»The surah that opens with a riveting description of The Winding Up of the sun at the end of earthly life and the dawn of eternity. It takes its name from “the winding up”, “the enfolding” or “the darkening” (takwīr) of the sun as mentioned in verse 1. The surah stress the fact that people will be confronted by their deeds on Judgement Day, asserting the truth of the Quran, and calling people to the right path. It opens with a powerful description of events on that Day.«

The surah is also known as Shrouded in Darkness, The Cessation, The Compacting, The Darkening, The Enfolding, The Folding up, Wrapping Things Up

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

Ali Unal: IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE ALL-MERCIFUL, THE ALL-COMPASSIONATE

1
إِذَا الشَّمسُ كُوِّرَت

Ali Unal

Revealed in Makkah in the early years of Islam, this sūrah of 29 verses takes its name from the verb kuwwirat (folded up) in the first verse. It draws attention to the Hereafter by mentioning certain events that will occur during the final destruction of the world and the rebuilding thereof. It also establishes the Divine origin and authenticity of the Qur’ān and the Messengership of God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings.
When the sun is folded up (and darkened);1
  • Besides the brilliant metaphor contained in folded up (or “rolled,” or “wrapped up”), the verse alludes to several related events, as related by Said Nursi:
    First, by drawing back non-existence, ether, and the skies respectively, like veils, Almighty God brought a brilliant lamp (the sun) out of the treasury of His Mercy to illuminate and be displayed to the world. After the world is destroyed, He will again wrap it in its veils and remove it.
    Second, the sun is an official of God charged with spreading its light and giving heat, and with winding light and darkness alternately round the world’s head, like a turban. Each evening, it gathers up and conceals its light. Sometimes it does little work because a cloud veils it; sometimes it withdraws from working because the moon draws a veil over its face and closes its account book for a short, fixed time. At some future time, this official will resign from its post. Even if there is no cause for its dismissal, due to the two black spots growing on its face, as they have begun to do, the sun will obey the Divine command to draw back the light it sends to the earth and wrap it around its own head. God will also order it: “You no longer have any duty toward the earth. Now, go to Hell and burn those who, by worshipping you, have insulted an obedient official with disloyalty as if you had claimed divinity.” Through its black-spotted face, the sun exhibits the meaning of: When the sun is folded up. (See The Words, “The 25th Word,” 445.)