Surah Abasa (He Frowned): Summary of the 80th Chapter of the Holy Quran

Sūrat ʻAbasa "He Frowned" is the 80th surah of the Qur'an with 42 ayahs, part of the 30th Juz. It is a Meccan surah. The Surah is so titled after the word `abasa with which it opens.

Allah, the Almighty, while praises His chosen ones like prophets and messengers profusely in the holy scriptures He revealed onto some, He also admonishes and cautions His chosen ones if they commit something that is not liked. Surah Abasa was revealed on one such occasion. It so happened one day that a chieftain of Makkah was visiting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Prophet of Allah was trying to persuade him to embrace Islam. While both them were engrossed in a serious discussion, a blind man , Ibn Umm Maktum was one who had accepted Islam at a very early stage at Makkah, approached the prophet and requested him to clarify one his query about Islam. The Holy Prophet disliked his interruption and ignored him Allah did not like this act of the prophet and sent down this 42 versed surah as a caution against his frown and ignoring others. 

It is to be noted that the word used was Abasa, which refers to 'He'. The Quran doesn't directly impose the frowning on Muhammad, But the Quran says "He frowned away", making it widely open for interpretation. Thus as per another interpretation, it is concluded that that the person that frowned away was not the Prophet of Allah, but an elite from Banu Umayya who was sitting with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). And these verses were descended Abdullah bin Umm Maktum entered and the Makkah chieftain when saw a poverty stricken man coming close to him, he drew himself aside, not to get his dress dirty and contracted his facial expressions, got uneasy. In those verses the God stated his acts and criticized and condemned it. [2]

In this Surah, thus Allah has expressed displeasure against ill-treatment of any low level man. And when the whole Surah is considered objectively, the displeasure, in fact, has been expressed against the disbelieving Quraish, who because of their arrogant attitude and indifference to the truth, were rejecting with contempt the message of truth being conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). [2]

Here is a segmented translation of the Surah Abasa:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلّٰٓىۙ‏ 

1. He frowned and turned away

In the first sixteen verses, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace), by a subtle method, has been made to realize that it was an act unseemly for him. It has been pointed out to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) that he had overlooked in the preaching of Islam on that occasion, and for teaching him the same Allah first reproved him on his treatment of Ibn Umm Maktum, and then ' told him what really deserved to occupy his attention as preacher of the Truth and what did not. In fact it is told that seekers of guidance should be given preference in conveying Allah's message

( 2 )   Because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting].
( 3 )   But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified
( 4 )   Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?
( 5 )   As for he who thinks himself without need,
( 6 )   To him you give attention.
( 7 )   And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.
( 8 )   But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]
( 9 )   While he fears [Allah],

Verse 10: This is the real point which the Prophet (peace be upon him) had overlooked in the preaching of Islam on that occasion, and for teaching him the same Allah first reproved him on his treatment of Ibn Umm Maktum, and then told him what really deserved to occupy his attention as preacher of the truth and what did not.

( 10 )  you pay no heed to him

There is a man whose apparent state clearly shows that he is a seeker after truth: he fears lest he should follow falsehood and invite Allah’s wrath; therefore, he comes all the way in search of the knowledge of the true faith. There is another man, whose attitude clearly reflects that he has no desire for the truth; rather on the contrary, he regards himself as self sufficient, having no desire to be guided to the right way. Between these two kinds of men one should not see whose becoming a Muslim would be of greater use for Islam and whose becoming a believer could not be of any use in its propagation. But one should see as to who was inclined to accept the guidance and reform himself, and who was least interested in this precious bargain. The first kind of man, whether he is blind, lame, crippled or an indigent mendicant, who might apparently seem incapable of rendering any useful service in the propagation of Islam, is in any case a valuable man for the preacher to the truth. To him therefore he should attend, for the real object of this invitation is to reform the people, and the apparent state of the person shows that if he was instructed he would accept guidance. As for the other kind of man, the preacher has no need to pursue him, no matter how influential he is in society. For his attitude and conduct openly proclaim that he has no desire for reform; therefore, any effort made to reform him would be mere waste of time. If he has no desire to reform himself, he may not, the loss would be his, the preacher would not at all be accountable for it.

( 11 )   No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder;

That is, you should never do so: do not give undue importance to those who have forgotten Allah and become proud of their high worldly position. The teaching of Islam is not such that it should be presented solicitously before him who spurns it, nor should a man like you try to invite these arrogant people to Islam in a way as may cause them the misunderstanding that you have a selfish motive connected with them, and that your mission would succeed only if they believed, otherwise not, whereas the fact is that the truth is as self-sufficient of them as they are of the truth.

( 12 )   So whoever wills may remember it.
( 13 )   [It is recorded] in honored sheets,
( 14 )   Exalted and purified,
( 15 )   [Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels,
( 16 )   Noble and dutiful.

The Prophet has thus been told that he should never give undue importance to those who have forgotten Allah and become proud of their high worldly position, as this may cause a misunderstanding that the Prophet has a selfish motive connected with them, and that his mission would succeed only if they believed, otherwise not, whereas the fact is that the Truth is as self-sufficient of them as they are of the Truth.

The last verse above indicate towards the Holy Qur'an and it is staid that there is no tinge whatever in these scrolls of the impurities with which the other religious books of the world have been polluted. They have been kept pure and secure from all kinds of human speculation and evil suggestions.

From the 17th verse onward till the 32nd verse, the Divine attention turns towards the nonbelievers. Here the mention of "man" does not imply every individual of the human race but the people whose evil traits of character are intended to be censured. At some places the word "man" is used because the evil traits are found in most of human beings, and at others for the reason that if the particular people are pin-pointed for censure, it engenders stubbornness. Therefore, admonition is given in general terms so as to be more effective.

( 17 )   Cursed is man; how disbelieving is he.

From Verse 17 on, the rebuke turns directly against the disbelievers, who were treating the message of the truth with scant attention. Before this, from the beginning of the Surah to verse 16, the address though apparently directed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), was actually meant to reprimand the disbelievers, as if to say: O Prophet (peace be upon him), why are you ignoring a seeker after truth and paying all your attention to those who are worthless from your mission’s point of view? They do not deserve that a great Prophet like you should present a sublime thing like the Quran before them.

At all such places in the Quran, man does not imply every individual of the human race but the people whose evil traits of character are intended to be censured. At some places the word man is used because the evil traits are found in most of human beings, and at others for the reason that if the particular people are pin-pointed for censure, it engenders stubbornness. Therefore, admonition is given in general terms so as to be more effective.

( 18 )   From what substance did He create him?
( 19 )   From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him;

 That is, let him first consider out of what he was created, where he was nourished and developed, by what way he came into the world, and from what helpless state he began his life in the world. Why does he forget his such beginning and becomes involved in conceit and haughtiness and why does he feel so puffed up as to resist his Creator and stand before Him as an adversary? (The same theme has been expressed in( Surah Ya Seen, Ayats 77-78).

That is, he was yet developing and taking shape in his mother’s womb when his destiny was set for him. It was determined what would be his sex, his color, his size; the extent and volume of his body, the extent to which his limbs would be sound or unsound, his appearance and voice, the degree of physical strength and mental endowments, what would be the land, the family, the conditions and environments in which he would take birth, develop and be molded into a specific person, what would be the hereditary influences and effects of the surroundings and the role and impact of his own self in the make-up of his personality, the part he would play in his life of the world, and how long he would be allowed to function on the earth. He cannot swerve even a hair-breadth from his destiny, nor can effect the slightest alteration in it. Then, how strange is his daring and stubbornness! He commits disbelief of the Creator before Whose destiny he is so helpless and powerless.

( 20 )   Then He eased the way for him;

That is, He created all those means and provisions in the world, which he could utilize, otherwise all the capabilities of his body and mind would have remained useless, had not the Creator provided the means and created the possibilities on the earth to employ them. Furthermore, the Creator also gave him the opportunity to choose and adopt for himself whichever of the ways, good or evil, of gratitude or ingratitude, of obedience or disobedience that he pleased. He opened up both the ways before him and made each way smooth and easy so that he could follow any way that he liked.

( 21 )   Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.

That is, not only in the matter of birth and destiny but also in the matter of death he is absolutely helpless before his Creator. Neither can he take birth by his choice nor die by his choice, nor can defer his death even by a moment. He dies precisely at the appointed time, in the appointed place, under the appointed circumstances that have been decreed for his death, and he is deposited in the type of grave destined for him whether it is the belly of the earth, the depths of the sea, a bonfire or the stomach of a beast. Nothing to say of the man. The whole world together cannot change the Creator’s decree in respect of any person.

( 22 )   Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.

That is, he does not either have the power to refuse to rise up when the Creator may will to resurrect him after death. When he was first created, he was not consulted: he was not asked whether he wanted to be created or not. Even if he had refused, he would have been created. Likewise, his resurrection is also not dependent upon his will and assent that he may rise from death if he so likes, or refuse to rise if he does not like. In this matter, he is also absolutely helpless before the Creator's will. Whenever He wills, He will resurrect him, and he will have to rise whether he likes it or not.

( 23 )   No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.

He commanded him: Implies the duty that Allah has enjoined on every man in the form of natural guidance as well as the duty to which man’s own existence and every particle of the universe, from the earth to the heavens, and every manifestation of divine power are pointing, and also that duty which Allah has conveyed in every age through His Prophets and Books and disseminated through the righteous people of every period. (For explanation, see(E.N. 5 of Surah Ad-Dahr). In the present context the object is to express the meaning that on the basis of the truths stated in the above verses, it was man’s duty to have obeyed his Creator, but, contrary to this, he adopted the way of disobedience and did not fulfill the demand of his being His creature.

( 24 )   Then let mankind look at his food 

That is, let him consider the food, which he regards as an ordinary thing, how it is created. Had God not provided the means for it, it was not in the power of man himself to have created the food on the earth in any way.

( 25 )   How We poured down water in torrents,

This refers to rainwater. Water vapors are raised in vast quantities from the oceans by the heat of the sun, then they are turned into thick clouds, then the winds blow and spread them over different parts of the earth, then because of the coolness in the upper atmosphere the vapors turn back to water and fall as rain in every area in a particular measure. The water not only falls as rain directly on the earth but also collects underground in the shape of wells and fountains, flows in the form of rivers and streams, freezes on the mountains as snow and melts and flows into rivers in other seasons as well than the rainy season. Has man himself made all these arrangements? Had his Creator not arranged this for his sustenance, could man survive on the earth.

( 26 )   Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts],

Then We split the earth in clefts: Implies cleaving it in a way that the seeds, or seed-stones, or vegetable seedlings that man sows or plants in it, or which are deposited in it by winds or birds, or by some other means, should sprout up. Man can do nothing more than to dig the soil, or plough it, and bury in it the seeds that God has already created. Beyond this everything is done by God. It is He Who has created the seeds of countless species of vegetable; it is He Who has endowed these seeds with the quality that when they are sown in the soil, they should sprout up and from every seed, vegetable of its own particular species should grow. Again it is He Who has created in the earth the capability that in combination with water it should break open the seeds and develop and nourish every species of vegetable with the kind of food suitable for it. Had God not created the seeds with these qualities and the upper layers of the earth with these capabilities, man could not by himself have arranged any kind of food on the earth. [4]

( 27 )   And caused to grow within it grain
( 28 )   And grapes and herbage
( 29 )   And olive and palm trees
( 30 )   And gardens of dense shrubbery
( 31 )   And fruit and grass -
( 32 )   [As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock.

The man is reminded of his creation from a drop of dirty water (sperm) and then his elation and the life made easy for him. He was also given  the opportunity to choose and adopt for himself whichever of the ways, good or evil, of gratitude or ingratitude, of obedience or disobedience, that he pleased. He opened up both the ways before him and made each way smooth and easy so that he could follow any way that he liked. But despite all blessings of Allah, he forgets his creation, not thinking for a minute that one day he has to die and to be graved.

And then man is told that the End Day will finally come one day as promised by Allah. The day when man will be all alone, brothers will be separated and mothers will forget about their children. None will be able to help the other. On that day everyone will be presented his deeds, good or bad, weighed and then awarded or punished for which ever end the scale tilted.

( 33 )   But when there comes the Deafening Blast
( 34 )   On the Day a man will flee from his brother
( 35 )   And his mother and his father
( 36 )   And his wife and his children,

A theme closely resembling to this has already occurred in Surah Al-Maarij, Ayats 10-14. Fleeing may also mean that when he sees those nearest and dearest to him in the world, involved in distress, instead of rushing forth to help them, he will run away from them lest they should call out to him for help. And it may also mean that when they see the evil consequences of committing sin for the sake of one another and misleading one another, fearless of God and heedless of the Hereafter, in the world, each one would flee from the other lest the other should hold him responsible for his deviation and sin. Brother will fear brother, children their parents, husband his wife, and parents their children lest they should become witnesses in the case against them.

( 37 )   For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.

A tradition has been reported in the Hadith by different methods and through different channels, saying that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: On the Day of Resurrection all men will rise up naked. One of his wives (according to some reporters, Aishah, according to others, Saudah, or a woman) asked in bewilderment: O Messenger of Allah, shall we (women) appear naked on that Day before the people. The prophet (peace be upon him) recited this very verse and explained that on that Day each one will have enough of his own troubles to occupy him, and will be wholly unmindful of others. (Nasai, Tirmidhi, Ibn Abi Hatim,

( 38 )   [Some] faces, that Day, will be bright -
( 39 )   Laughing, rejoicing at good news.
( 40 )   And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.
( 41 )   Blackness will cover them.
( 42 )   Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.

Explaining the last set of verses, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in his book "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an"  has shared a hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): [1]

As per one hadith the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has been quoted as saying: "On the Day of Resurrection all men will rise up naked." One of his wives (according to some reporters, Hadrat `A'ishah, according to others, Hadrat Saudah, or a woman) asked in bewilderment: "O Messenger of Allah, shall we (women) appear naked on that Day before the people?” The Holy prophet recited these verses and explained that on that Day each one will have enough of his own troubles to occupy him, and will be wholly unmindful of others. 

So beware of one's own deeds from henceforth, for the message for the End Day is very clear: 'Everyone on his very own." And mend ways so that we do not have to be grieved for what bad did we do in this life. May Allah help us chose the righteous way of believers and forgive us all of our sins before we die. Aameen

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat ʻAbasa with English subtitles:

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Part backwards for chapters in 30th Part are shorter and easier to understand)

Header Calligraphy: Self | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, the exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran are basically based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. 

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