๏ O, the transgressors panting, (1) and the ones who initiate dishonour! (2) Then the ones who change at dawn, (3) they investigate thereby, immersed. (4) Then they balance thereby, together. (5) Indeed, the people – al-insān – to his lord, is surely ungrateful. (6) And indeed, he is of that surely a witness, (7) although his love for the good is certainly strong. (8) But doesn’t he know when what is in the graves will be overturned? (9) And what is in the breasts will be laid bare? (10) Indeed, their lord is with them – on that day – certainly aware. (11) ๏
— al-ʿādiyāt, 100/1-11
In verse 1, the word al-ʿādiyāt (ʿayn-dāl-wāw) is translated as “the transgressors” to reflect the relationship with the verb taʿdū, meaning to go beyond, to transgress limits (e.g. _anisāa_⋆4/154). In verse 2, al-mūriyāt could relate to waria, meaning produced fire (e.g. _al-wāqiʿah_⋆56/71) or wūriya (wāw-rā-yā), meaning hidden or concealed (e.g. _al-aʿrāf_⋆7/20). The imagery of sparking a fire fits well with the next word, qadḥ (qāf-dāl-ḥā), which relates to the terms corroding or diminishing something good, causing injury or dishonouring an acquaintance. al-mūriyāt qadḥ then, alludes to those who initiate or instigate dishonourable conduct to harm others.
Verse 3 mentions al-mughīrāt. From the same root as ghayr (ghayn-yā-rā), meaning to alternate, change, to do something other than what is presently happening. God is referred to as mughayyir in _al-anfāl_⋆8/53: the One who changes. In light of this, al-mughīrāt refers to those who are able to make a change from the behaviours mentioned in the first two verses.
atharna (thā-wāw-rā) of verse 4 means to plough or dig under the surface, like in _al-rūm_⋆30/9: wa-athārū l-arḍ – “and they dug up the earth.” The imagery of digging acts as a metaphor for investigation; digging under the surface to uncover something.
Some of the entries in Lane's Lexicon under the root of the word naqʿan (nūn-qāf-ʿayn) include:
- water collected in a hollow, remained long until altered, left in water until it changed, steeped in water
The sense of these terms fits with al-mughīrāt, mentioned the verse before. So naqʿan means a state of immersion, to be deeply involved in a situation until one's colour changes.
Verse 5 begins with the word wasaṭna (wāw sīn ṭā), which is a verbal form of the word balanced, like in _al-baqarah_⋆2/143: and we made you a balanced community – ummatan wasaṭan.
Breathlessly crossing limits and sparking friction between people causes the unrest in the earth mentioned in the previous chapter. Yet there are people who can change. Their change represents a new dawn for them. They achieve this by investigating thoroughly, digging under the superficial, immersing themselves completely until they become balanced people. And they do this through collective efforts.
People are unmindful of God’s favours. Even so, we have an intense desire for that which is good. How we make use of this desire depends on how well we use our time, and we don't know when it will run out. The chapter allows us to reflect on our choices.
If we choose not to do good with our limited time calamities will ensue, which is the opening of the next chapter.
◆◆
Tagged: #chapter-100 #annotations #ayn-dal-waw #waw-ra-ya #qaf-dal-hha #ghayn-ya-ra #tha-waw-ra #nun-qaf-ayn #waw-sin-tta