Sūrah Al-Maʿārij The Ascending Stairways: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr The Complete Qurʾān Commentary

Surah Overview

DetailInformationClassificationSignificance

SurahالمعارجAl-Maʿārij The Ascending StairwaysThe Day of 50,000 years for the disbelievers

TypeMakkī44 versesJuzʾ 29

Human natureCreated anxious and withholding (70:19–21)Except those who maintain prayer 7 exceptions listedIbn Kathīr: the deepest psychological analysis in the Qurʾān

50,000 yearsThe Day whose extent is 50,000 years (70:4)For the disbelievers shortened for believersIbn Kathīr: a Day of infinite duration for the guilty

Key Themes from Ibn Kathīr

The human nature (70:19–35): "Indeed the human was created anxious when evil touches him, impatient and when good touches him, withholding except those who pray, those who are constant in their prayer, those in whose wealth is a known right for the beggar and the deprived, those who believe in the Day of Recompense, those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord..." Ibn Kathīr: seven characteristics that override the default human nature (anxiety, impatience, miserliness) prayer is first and last, bracketing all other virtues.

The fifty-thousand-year Day (70:4): "The angels and the spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years." Ibn Kathīr cites the ḥadīth: this Day will be shortened for the believer until it is like the time between Ẓuhr and ʿAṣr. For the disbeliever, each moment will feel unbearably long. The mercy of Allah compresses time for the righteous; divine justice extends it for the guilty.

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ۝ إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا ۝ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا ۝ إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّينَ Inna l-insāna khuliqa halūʿā · idhā massahu sh-sharru jazūʿā · wa idhā massahu l-khayru manūʿā · illā l-muṣallīn Indeed the human was created anxious when evil touches him, impatient and when good touches him, withholding except those who pray. (70:19–22)

فَمَالِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ ۝ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ Fa-māli lladhīna kafarū qibalaka muhṭiʿīna · ʿani l-yamīni wa ʿani sh-shimāli ʿizīn What is with those who disbelieved, rushing toward you from the right and from the left in crowds? (70:36–37) The mockery of the Quraysh who would gather around the Prophet's recitation, gawking and scoffing.

The questioner and the punishing Day (70:1): "A questioner asked about a punishment bound to fall for the disbelievers of it there is no preventer from Allah, Owner of the Ascending Stairways." Ibn Kathīr: the questioner is identified as al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith who challenged the Prophet ﷺ to bring down the punishment he threatened. The punishment came he was captured at Badr and executed.
Patient with beautiful patience (70:5): "So be patient with gracious patience." The same phrase used in Sūrah Yūsuf Ibn Kathīr: the ṣabr jamīl is patience without complaint, without anger, without bitterness the highest level of patient endurance.
The withholding of the miser (70:21): When good comes manūʿ the human withholds. Ibn Kathīr: miserliness is the default human setting it takes deliberate cultivation of generosity to override it. The prayer that creates generous souls is what distinguishes the believer.
The gardens with honoured inhabitants (70:35): Those who preserve their prayers they will be in gardens, honoured. Ibn Kathīr: the honour (mukramūn) of Paradise is not just comfort but dignity the believer is treated as an honoured guest of Allah forever.
Desiring Paradise from a distance (70:38–39): "Does every person among them hope to enter a garden of pleasure? No indeed We created them from what they know." Ibn Kathīr: wishful thinking for Paradise without deeds is the ultimate delusion Paradise is earned, not wished for.

Surah Overview

Key Themes from Ibn Kathīr

Finished this lesson?