THIS chapter is typical of the Suras first enunciated at Makkah. The burden of the Prophet is the unbelief of man in the doctrine of a future judgment, in which God shall reward the righteous and punish the wicked.

Nothing more definite can be said as to the date of this chapter than that it is one of the earliest Makkan Suras. Noëldeke places it immediately before chapter lxxxi.

Signs of the judgment-day . . .1-5
Astonishing unbelief of man in his Creator . . . 6-9
Guardian angels record the deeds of men . . . 10-12
In the judgment the righteous shall be rewarded and the wicked punished ...13-16
On the day of judgment there shall be no intercessor ... 17-19

(1) When the heaven shall be cloven in sunder; (2) aud when the stars shall be scattered ; (3) and when the seas shall be suffered to join their waters; (4) and when

(1-4) These are all signs of the judgment-day. See Prelim. Disc., p.135.

graves shall be turned upside down: (5) every soul shall know what it hath committed, and what it hath omitted. (6) O man, what hath seduced thee against thy gracious LORD, (7) who hath created thee, and put thee together, and rightly disposed thee? (8) In what form he pleased hath he fashioned thee. (9) Assuredly. But ye deny the last judgment as a falsehood. (10) Verily there are appointed over you guardian angels, (11) honourable in the sight of God, writing down your actions, (12) who know that which ye do. (13) The just shall surely be in a place of delight, (14) but the wicked shall surely be in hell; (15) they shall be cast therein to be burned, OR the day of judgment, (16) and they shall not be absent therefrom for ever. (17) What shall cause thee to understand what the day of judgment is? (18) Again, what shall cause thee to understand what the day of judgment is? (19) It is a day whereon one soul shall not be able to obtain anything in behalf of another soul; and the command on that day shall be GOD'S.

(6-8) Compare chap. lxxx. 16 seq.

(10) See chap. l.26, and Prelim. Disc., pp.148, 149.

(18, 19) Compare chap. lxxvii. 11-14.

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