Tafsir & Commentary
The Nightcommer (الطارق) · Meccan
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجْعِ11
86:11
Translation — Sahih International
By the sky which sends back
Transliteration
Wa as-samā'i dhāti ar-raj'i
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the sky/heaven (as-samā') that possesses 'ar-raj'' (return or cycles). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'dhāti ar-raj'' to mean the sky that brings back rain and sustenance to the earth—referring to the water cycle and seasonal patterns that return regularly. Some scholars also interpret it as the sky that contains the returning celestial bodies and their orbits. This is part of Allah's swearing by the sky to emphasize the certainty of the Day of Judgment mentioned in the following ayah.
Revelation Context (Asbab al-Nuzul)
Surah At-Tariq is a Meccan chapter revealed during the early Meccan period. The surah begins with oaths sworn by celestial phenomena (the night-comer star, the piercing star, and here the returning sky) to establish the certainty of resurrection and the Day of Judgment. This ayah is part of a series of cosmic signs (āyāt) that point to Allah's power and the reality of the hereafter.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly references this specific ayah, Sahih Bukhari contains narrations about the water cycle and rainfall as signs of Allah's power. Additionally, hadiths in Sunan At-Tirmidhi discuss the returning cycles of the heavens and earth as proofs of Allah's eternal knowledge.
Themes
Key Lessons
The regular cycles of rainfall and seasonal returns remind us of Allah's infinite power and wisdom in maintaining creation, encouraging us to reflect on the divine order as evidence of accountability in the afterlife and to trust in Allah's management of our sustenance.