SURAH 86 — At-Tāriq — الطارق — “The Piercing Star / The Night Visitor”
• Revelation Order: 36
• Event Anchor: Early-to-mid Meccan cosmic reflection period (c. 614–618 CE)
Explanation:
At-Tāriq directs attention to the heavens and the mysterious “piercing star,” using cosmic signs to underscore God’s control and the inevitability of resurrection. This corresponds to a period in Mecca when the Qur’an frequently invoked astronomical imagery to confront disbelief in the afterlife. The surah’s argument for divine surveillance (“every soul has a guardian over it”) fits the escalating moral confrontation of mid-Meccan revelation. Its blend of cosmic imagery and accountability reflects a stage where the Qur’an aimed to dismantle fatalistic or dismissive attitudes among Meccan skeptics.
| Verse | Verse # | Meccan v Medinan | General Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| By the sky and the night comer – | 1 | Meccan | 5932 |
| And what can make you know what is the night comer? | 2 | Meccan | 5933 |
| It is the piercing star – | 3 | Meccan | 5934 |
| There is no soul but that it has over it a protector. | 4 | Meccan | 5935 |
| So let man observe from what he was created. | 5 | Meccan | 5936 |
| He was created from a fluid, ejected, | 6 | Meccan | 5937 |
| Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs. | 7 | Meccan | 5938 |
| Indeed, Allah, to return him [to life], is Able. | 8 | Meccan | 5939 |
| The Day when secrets will be put on trial, | 9 | Meccan | 5940 |
| Then man will have no power or any helper. | 10 | Meccan | 5941 |
| By the sky which returns [rain] | 11 | Meccan | 5942 |
| And [by] the earth which cracks open, | 12 | Meccan | 5943 |
| Indeed, the Qur’an is a decisive statement, | 13 | Meccan | 5944 |
| And it is not amusement. | 14 | Meccan | 5945 |
| Indeed, they are planning a plan, | 15 | Meccan | 5946 |
| But I am planning a plan. | 16 | Meccan | 5947 |
| So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them awhile. | 17 | Meccan | 5948 |