Sūrah Al-Maʿārij The Ascending Stairways: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī The Source Commentary

Surah Overview

DetailInformationClassificationSignificance

SurahالمعارجMakkī 44 versesAscending stairways, 50,000-year day, human anxiety and miserliness

Key DisagreementWho asked for the "falling punishment" (70:1)?Occasion of revelationAl-Ṭabarī: al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith through chains from Ibn ʿAbbās; he mockingly challenged the Prophet to bring a punishment if the Quran is true

Competing OpinionsWhat are the "maʿārij" (ascending stairways, 70:3)?Cosmological identityAl-Ṭabarī: the levels through which the angels ascend to Allah traced through chains from Ibn ʿAbbās and Mujāhid

MethodologyConnecting the occasion of revelation to the general theological principleAsbāb + principle methodAl-Ṭabarī traces the specific al-Naḍr incident then derives the general principle of divine punishment's reality

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

The "falling punishment" verse (70:1) "A questioner asked for a punishment to fall" is analyzed through chains from Ibn ʿAbbās on the specific person: al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith, a prominent Quraysh opponent who challenged the Prophet. Al-Ṭabarī traces chains presenting this as the specific occasion a challenge that would be answered at Badr when al-Naḍr was captured and executed. The surah then pivots to a description of the divine punishments that await disbelievers more broadly.

The "50,000 year day" verse (70:4) "To Him ascend the angels and the Spirit in a day the extent of which is fifty thousand years" is analyzed through chains from Ibn ʿAbbās on two interpretations: (1) the actual duration of the Day of Judgment for disbelievers it will feel as though 50,000 years; (2) the duration of the angels' ascent in terms of worldly distance/time. Al-Ṭabarī presents both chains and prefers the first: it describes the subjective experience of the Day of Judgment for those who suffer.

سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَافِعٌ Saʾala sāʾilun bi-ʿadhābin wāqiʿin li-l-kāfirīna laysa lahu dāfiʿ "A questioner asked for a punishment to fall upon the disbelievers, for which there is no preventer." (70:1–2) Al-Ṭabarī presents the chain from Ibn ʿAbbās identifying al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith as the questioner, noting this punishment came at Badr.

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا Inna l-insāna khuliqa halūʿan idhā massahu l-sharru jazūʿan wa-idhā massahu l-khayru manūʿan "Indeed, mankind was created anxious when adversity touches him, impatient; and when good touches him, withholding." (70:19–21) Al-Ṭabarī traces chains from Ibn ʿAbbās defining "halūʿ" (anxious) as a combination of both impatience with hardship and miserliness in comfort a dual character flaw that prayer corrects.

Al-Naḍr identification: The chain from Ibn ʿAbbās on al-Naḍr as the challenger is treated as the established occasion his fate at Badr as the fulfillment of the punishment.
50,000-year interpretation: Al-Ṭabarī's preferred interpretation subjective experience of the disbeliever on the Day of Judgment reflects his literalist but experientially-sensitive approach.
Halūʿ psychology: The dual character flaw (impatience with hardship + miserliness in prosperity) is analyzed as the natural human default that worship and prayer correct.
Prayer exceptions: 70:22–35's "except those who pray" is analyzed through chains as specifying the qualities of prayer that override the natural halūʿ disposition.
Maʿārij cosmology: The ascending stairways are treated as physical cosmic structures the levels through which angels ascend consistent with al-Ṭabarī's literal cosmology.

Surah Overview

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

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