Surah Taghabun

Surah Taghabun (سُورَةُ التَّغَابُن) is the 64^th surah of the Quran revealed in Medina and located in juz 28. Taghabun means dispossession, referring to the Day of Judgment, a day when people will be dispossessed of everything they had in this world. In this article on Islam4u, we will delve deeply into the concepts mentioned in this surah.

Facts About Surah Taghabun

Taghabun literally means dispossession or mutual loss and gain, a reference to the Day of Qiyamah when people will be dispossessed of everything they had in their lives in this world. This surah is the 110^th surah that Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s) in Medina. It is the 64^th surah In the current arrangement of the Quran and is located in juz 28. Surah Taghabun has 18 verses, 242 words, and 1091 letters. Because the surah begins with the glorification of Allah, it is one of the Musabbihat surahs.

Arabic Text and English Translation of Surah Taghabun

Glorification of Allah in Surah Taghabun

Surah Taghabun, like all other Musabbihat surahs, begins with glorification of Allah, saying:

يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ‎﴿١﴾

Whatever there is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah. To Him belongs all sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over all things. (1)

Allah is our creator and sustainer. He is immaculate from every defect and any false attribution. Therefore, Allah says in this surah that all that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him and bear witness that He is clear from everything that does not befit Him, such as Him having a son or having a physical body. The verse states that Allah has full control over everything He has created and that He is worthy of all praise. The verse ends by saying that Allah has power over everything. He can do whatever He wants and no one can stop Him. Of course, Allah is kind, merciful, just, and wise. He does not wrong anyone in the slightest.

People Are of Two Kinds

The surah continues by saying:

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ‎﴿٢﴾

It is He who created you. Then some of you are faithless and some of you are faithful, and Allah watches what you do.

Allah has created all of us. We human beings either believe in Allah or we do not. No one can say that they neither believe nor disbelieve in Allah. Yes, a person might have doubts. However, at the end of the day, they either are inclined to belief or disbelief in Allah.

Allah Made Us in the Best of Forms

In verse three of Surah Taghabun, Allah states:

خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ‎﴿٣﴾

He created the heavens and the earth with consummate wisdom, and He formed you and perfected your forms, and toward Him is your destination. (3)

Allah is the creator of the heavens and the earth with all its wonders. He is also the one who made us in perfect forms. Just look at the human being and how well-proportioned he is. Can we say that he has no creator and came into existence by accident? Allah is emphasizing the fact that we human beings have been perfectly shaped by our Lord, Allah the Almighty. The verse ends by saying that we will all return to Allah when we die.

Allah Knows Everything

Verse four of Surah Taghabun reads:

يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُسِرُّونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ‎﴿٤﴾‏

He knows whatever there is in the heavens and the earth, and He knows whatever you hide and whatever you disclose, and Allah knows best what is in your breasts. (4)

Not only does Allah have power over everything but also knows everything that exists and happens in the heavens and the earth. In other words, Allah is both omnipotent and omniscient. Therefore, Allah is perfect in every sense of the word. He even knows the thoughts and ideas that we secretly entertain in our hearts.

The Disbelievers Will Suffer a Tragic Fate

Verses 5-6 of Surah Taghabun read:

أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ فَذَاقُوا۟ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ‎﴿٥﴾

Has there not come to you the account of those who were faithless before? They tasted the evil consequence of their conduct, and there is a painful punishment for them. (5)

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُۥ كَانَت تَّأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا فَكَفَرُوا۟ وَتَوَلَّوا۟ ۚ وَّٱسْتَغْنَى ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ ‎﴿٦﴾

That was because their apostles would bring them manifest proofs, but they said, ‘Will humans be our guides?!’ So they disbelieved and turned away, and Allah had no need [of their faith] and Allah is all-sufficient, all-laudable. (6)

Allah talks about the faithless people and how they suffered a terrible fate. Dying without belief in Allah is the worst kind of death because it is faith in Allah that makes you prosperous. The Quran is talking about the people who received the words of truth and the messages of Allah and His prophets yet did not believe in them. They said, “Why should humans be our guides? They are just like us. What makes them better than us?” These people are blameworthy because they saw the truth yet were too arrogant to accept it. At the end of the verse, Allah says that He does not need their faith because it is they who will suffer the consequences of not believing in Allah and not Him. In other words, faith in Allah is for their own good and not believing in Him is to their own detriment.

Disbelievers Think They Will Not Be Resurrected

Verse seven of Surah Taghabun reads:

زَعَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَن لَّن يُبْعَثُوا۟ ۚ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّى لَتُبْعَثُنَّ ثُمَّ لَتُنَبَّؤُنَّ بِمَا عَمِلْتُمْ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ ‎﴿٧﴾

The faithless claim that they will not be resurrected. Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected; then you will surely be informed of what you did, and that is easy for Allah.’ (7)

Belief in the resurrection is one of the pillars of Islam. If a person does not believe in the resurrection and the Day of Judgment, they will not be mindful of their deeds. On the contrary, a person who believes in resurrection and the fact that they will be brought into account for their deeds in this world will be careful what they do. The verse underlines the fact that everyone will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment and informed of what they did. It is easy for Allah to do things that we think are difficult to do.

The Quran is a Source of Light and Guidance

Verse eight of Surah Taghabun reads:

فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَٱلنُّورِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلْنَا ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ‎﴿٨﴾

So have faith in Allah and His Apostle and the light, which We have sent down, and Allah is well aware of what you do. (8)

Allah says that we must believe in Him, His Apostle Prophet Muhammad (s), and the light that He has sent down, meaning the Quran. It is important to note that belief without action is not true belief. By believing in Allah, the Prophet (s), and the Quran, we must also obey their commands.

The Great Success

Verse nine of Surah Taghabun reads:

وْمَ يَجْمَعُكُمْ لِيَوْمِ ٱلْجَمْعِ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ ٱلتَّغَابُنِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلْ صَٰلِحًا يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِۦ وَيُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ‎﴿٩﴾

When He will you bring you together for the Day of Gathering, it will be a day of privation [and regret]. As for those who have faith in Allah and act righteously, He shall absolve them of their misdeeds and admit them into gardens with streams running in them, to remain in them forever. That is the great success. (9)

The Day of Gathering mentioned in this Surah is the Day of Judgment when everyone will be regretful. The good people will regret not doing more good deeds, and the bad people will regret why they did not follow the right path and avoid sins. That day is also known as “Yawm al-Taghabun,” meaning a regrettable day when certain people will become regretful of their deeds in the world. However, those who have faith in Allah and do good deeds will enjoy the blessings of paradise in which they will remain forever. Entering paradise is the greatest success.

Think about it. Being good in this world is not so difficult. We just have to believe in Allah and His Prophet (s), do the things they have told us, and avoid the things they have told us not to do. It surely is worth it because we will be rewarded with paradise to live in it forever.

The Disbelievers Shall Eternally Abide in Hell

The tenth verse of Surah Taghabun reads:

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ‎﴿١٠﴾‏

But as for those who are faithless and deny Our signs, they will be the inmates of the Fire, to remain in it forever, and it is an evil destination. (10)

This verse speaks about the dreadful fate of the disbelievers, those who denied Allah’s signs when they came to them. Allah had warned them that if they insist on their disbelief, they would abide in hell to remain in it forever. However, they turned a blind eye to Allah’s words and disdainfully shunned them. On the Day of Judgment, they will enter the punishment of the Fire and will remain in hell for all eternity.

Everything Happens By Allah’s Permission

Verse 11 of Surah Taghabun reads:

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ‎﴿١١﴾

No affliction visits [anyone] except by Allah’s leave. Whoever has faith in Allah, He guides his heart, and Allah has knowledge of all things. (11)

The verse continues the previous discussions stating that no bad thing or calamity befalls anyone except by Allah’s leave. Everyone faces difficulties in their lives. These difficulties and afflictions are a means for testing us. The verse continues by saying that Allah guides those who believe in Him. Such people do not complain to Allah when a calamity befalls them. They put their trust in Allah in such situations and Allah guides their hearts. Once again, this verse states that Allah knows everything.

Believing in Allah and His Apostle

Verse 12 of Surah Taghabun reads:

وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا ٱلْبَلَٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ ‎﴿١٢﴾

Obey Allah and obey the Apostle; but if you turn away, then Our Apostle’s duty is only to communicate in clear terms. (12)

If we claim that we obey Allah, we must first obey what His Prophet (s) tells us. The Prophet (s) is Allah’s intermediary between Allah and us. This verse states that if anyone disbelieves in Allah and His Apostle, then the Prophet’s duty is only to convey Allah’s messages in clear terms. In other words, He does not force anyone to believe but rather invites them to have faith in Allah through wise and unambiguous words.

The One God We Must All Rely On

Verse 13 of Surah Taghabun reads:

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ‎﴿١٣﴾

Allah—there is no god except Him—in Allah let all the faithful put their trust.

This verse tells us that there is only one God. The previous verses described Him as having power over and knowledge of all things. He is the one who allows things to happen. He has full control over the universe and is the one who created everything. Thus, is He not the best person to rely on? This verse states that believers must put their trust in Allah and rely on Him. He will take care of their affairs.

Even Our Family Members Can Be Our Enemies

Verse 14 of Surah Taghabun reads:

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِكُمْ وَأَوْلَٰدِكُمْ عَدُوًّا لَّكُمْ فَٱحْذَرُوهُمْ ۚ وَإِن تَعْفُوا۟ وَتَصْفَحُوا۟ وَتَغْفِرُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ‎﴿١٤﴾

O you who have faith! Indeed, you have enemies among your spouses and children; so beware of them. Yet if you excuse, forbear, and forgive, then Allah is indeed all-forgiving, all-merciful. (14)

The verse indicates that sometimes our spouses and children can be our enemies. Of course, it does not mean that they intend to kill us or cause us physical harm, but rather Allah wants to say that they may hinder your path toward divine proximity, or they may prevent you from performing your religious duties. Then it says that if you forgive them and do not fight them back, Allah will also forgive you.

This verse has a story. When the Prophet (s) and a group of Muslims were migrating from Mecca to Medina, the spouses and children of certain Muslims who did not want to migrate with their husbands and fathers would say to them, “Do not go! We will be left without a guardian.” Some Muslims stayed in Mecca. However, some of them did not listen to their spouses and children and migrated with the Prophet (s) and said, “If you do not migrate with us now but migrate later and come to us, we will have nothing to do with you.” The above verse was revealed. First, it told the Muslims not to listen to their family members when they want to do something important such as migrating to Medina. Second, if your family members come to you later, forgive them and embrace them like before.

Our Possessions and Children Are a Means for Testing Us

Verse 15 of Surah Taghabun reads:

إِنَّمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَٰدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ‎﴿١٥﴾

Rather, your possessions, and children are a test, and Allah—with Him is a great reward! (15)

This verse refers to another general principle regarding wealth and children. In the previous verse, only the enmity of some spouses and children toward human beings was mentioned, which lead them astray from the obedience of Allah, toward sin, and sometimes toward disbelief. However, here, it speaks of all children and wealth as a means of testing human beings.

In fact, these two issues are more than anything else, a means of examination, and for this reason, we read in a narration from Amir al-Mu’minin Ali, peace be upon him, who said: “No one among you should say: O Allah! I seek refuge in You from examination and testing, for each person has a means of examination (and at least has some wealth and a child, and the nature of worldly life is examination and trial). Whoever wants to seek refuge in Allah, should seek refuge from misleading trials.

Be Godwary and Do Not Be Consumed by Your Own Greed

Verse 16 of Surah Taghabun reads:

فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ وَأَنفِقُوا۟ خَيْرًا لِّأَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ‎﴿١٦﴾

So be wary of Allah, as much as you can, and listen and obey, and spend [in the way of Allah]; that is better for yourselves. Those who are saved from their own greed—it is they who are the felicitous. (16)

This verse makes concluding remarks about the previous verses. If we are Godwary and pious it is for our own good. Being pious means avoiding sins at all costs and performing one’s religious duties. This verse also highlights the importance of spending in the way of Allah, such as giving money to charity. At the end of the verse, it reemphasizes the importance of giving money to charity by stating that one should not be consumed by greed. If one can become immune to greed, one will be prosperous in this world and the next.

Granting a Loan Increases Sustenance and Causes One to Receive Allah’s Forgiveness

Verse 17 of Surah Taghabun reads:

إِن تُقْرِضُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا يُضَٰعِفْهُ لَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ شَكُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ‎﴿١٧﴾

If you lend Allah a good loan, He shall multiply it for you and forgive you, and Allah is all-appreciative, all-forbearing, (17)

Allah wants to encourage us to almsgiving and avoid stinginess by asking us to give a loan to one of our brothers or sisters in faith. By lending money to them, it is as if we are giving Allah a loan. What a strange statement that the original creator and benefactor of our existence, who bestows upon us all blessings, asks for a loan from us! And in return, promises “multiple rewards and forgiveness” and also expresses gratitude toward us. Such kindness and love are beyond comprehension.

Allah’s Attributes in the Final Verse of Surah Taghabun

Verse 18, the final verse of Surah Taghabun, reads:

عَٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ‎﴿١٨﴾

[He is the] Knower of the sensible and the Unseen, the All-mighty, the All-wise. (18)

And finally, in the last verse, Allah says, “He is the Knower of the sensible and the Unseen, the All-mighty, the All-wise.”

Allah is aware of the actions of His servants, especially their charitable contributions, whether they are made publicly or in secret. If He asks for a loan from them, it is not due to His need or inability, but rather out of His perfect kindness and love. If He promises such great rewards for their charitable acts, it is also a manifestation of His wisdom.

Conclusion

Surah Taghabun is the 64th chapter of the Quran, consisting of 18 verses. The surah is named after the word “Taghabun,” which appears in the ninth verse and means “dispossession or mutual loss and gain.” The surah deals with the themes of faith, gratitude, and accountability. It emphasizes that all things in the universe belong to Allah and that He is the ultimate judge of all actions. Surah Taghabun reminds believers that they should obey Allah and His Prophet and only rely on Him. The surah warns against the love of worldly possessions, such as wealth and children, and encourages believers to spend in the way of Allah. The verse ends by saying that Allah knows everything whether sensible or unseen and is All-mighty and All-wise.