سورة الواقعة
Surah Al-Waqi'ah
The Inevitable
Surah Al-Waqi'ah (The Inevitable) is the 56th surah of the Quran. It has 96 verses and is a Meccan surah. Below is the complete Arabic text with an English translation and transliteration, verse by verse.
Also searched as: Surah Waqiah · Al Waqiah
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
إِذَا وَقَعَتِ ٱلۡوَاقِعَةُ﴿١﴾
Itha waqaʿati alwaqiʿatu
When the Occurrence occurs,
لَيۡسَ لِوَقۡعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ﴿٢﴾
Laysa liwaqʿatiha kathibatun
There is, at its occurrence, no denial.
خَافِضَةࣱ رَّافِعَةٌ﴿٣﴾
Khafidatun rafiʿatun
It will bring down [some] and raise up [others].
إِذَا رُجَّتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ رَجࣰّا﴿٤﴾
Itha rujjati alardu rajjan
When the earth is shaken with convulsion
وَ بُسَّتِ ٱلۡجِبَالُ بَسࣰّا﴿٥﴾
Wabussati aljibalu bassan
And the mountains are broken down, crumbling
فَكَانَتۡ هَبَآءࣰ مُّنۢبَثࣰّا﴿٦﴾
Fakanat habaan munbaththan
And become dust dispersing,
وَ كُنتُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجࣰا ثَلَٰثَةࣰ﴿٧﴾
Wakuntum azwajan thalathatan
And you become [of] three kinds:
فَأَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ مَآ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ﴿٨﴾
Faashabu almaymanati ma ashabu almaymanati
Then the companions of the right - what are the companions of the right?
وَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ مَآ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ﴿٩﴾
Waashabu almashamati ma ashabu almashamati
And the companions of the left - what are companions of the left?
وَ ٱلسَّٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّٰبِقُونَ﴿١٠﴾
Waalssabiqoona alssabiqoona
And the forerunners, the forerunners -
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبُونَ﴿١١﴾
Olaika almuqarraboona
Those are the ones brought near [to Allāh]
فِي جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ﴿١٢﴾
Fee jannati alnnaʿeemi
In the Gardens of Pleasure,
ثُلَّةࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ﴿١٣﴾
Thullatun mina alawwaleena
A [large] company of the former peoples
وَ قَلِيلࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ﴿١٤﴾
Waqaleelun mina alakhireena
And a few of the later peoples,
عَلَىٰ سُرُرࣲ مَّوۡضُونَةࣲ﴿١٥﴾
ʿala sururin mawdoonatin
On thrones woven [with ornament],
مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَيۡهَا مُتَقَٰبِلِينَ﴿١٦﴾
Muttakieena ʿalayha mutaqabileena
Reclining on them, facing each other.
يَطُوفُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وِلۡدَٰنࣱ مُّخَلَّدُونَ﴿١٧﴾
Yatoofu ʿalayhim wildanun mukhalladoona
There will circulate among them young boys made eternal
بِأَكۡوَابࣲ وَ أَبَارِيقَ وَ كَأۡسࣲ مِّن مَّعِينࣲ﴿١٨﴾
Biakwabin waabareeqa wakasin min maʿeenin
With vessels, pitchers and a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring -
لَّا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنۡهَا وَ لَا يُنزِفُونَ﴿١٩﴾
La yusaddaʿoona ʿanha wala yunzifoona
No headache will they have therefrom, nor will they be intoxicated -
وَ فَٰكِهَةࣲ مِّمَّا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ﴿٢٠﴾
Wafakihatin mimma yatakhayyaroona
And fruit of what they select
وَ لَحۡمِ طَيۡرࣲ مِّمَّا يَشۡتَهُونَ﴿٢١﴾
Walahmi tayrin mimma yashtahoona
And the meat of fowl, from whatever they desire.
وَ حُورٌ عِينࣱ﴿٢٢﴾
Wahoorun ʿeenun
And [for them are] fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes,
كَأَمۡثَٰلِ ٱللُّؤۡلُوِٕ ٱلۡمَكۡنُونِ﴿٢٣﴾
Kaamthali allului almaknooni
The likenesses of pearls well-protected,
جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ﴿٢٤﴾
Jazaan bima kanoo yaʿmaloona
As reward for what they used to do.
لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغۡوࣰا وَ لَا تَأۡثِيمًا﴿٢٥﴾
La yasmaʿoona feeha laghwan wala tatheeman
They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin -
إِلَّا قِيلࣰا سَلَٰمࣰا سَلَٰمࣰا﴿٢٦﴾
Illa qeelan salaman salaman
Only a saying [of] peace, peace.
وَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡيَمِينِ مَآ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡيَمِينِ﴿٢٧﴾
Waashabu alyameeni ma ashabu alyameeni
The companions of the right - what are the companions of the right?
فِي سِدۡرࣲ مَّخۡضُودࣲ﴿٢٨﴾
Fee sidrin makhdoodin
[They will be] among lote trees with thorns removed
وَ طَلۡحࣲ مَّنضُودࣲ﴿٢٩﴾
Watalhin mandoodin
And [banana] trees layered [with fruit]
وَ ظِلࣲّ مَّمۡدُودࣲ﴿٣٠﴾
Wathillin mamdoodin
And shade extended
وَ مَآءࣲ مَّسۡكُوبࣲ﴿٣١﴾
Wamain maskoobin
And water poured out
وَ فَٰكِهَةࣲ كَثِيرَةࣲ﴿٣٢﴾
Wafakihatin katheeratin
And fruit, abundant [and varied],
لَّا مَقۡطُوعَةࣲ وَ لَا مَمۡنُوعَةࣲ﴿٣٣﴾
La maqtooʿatin wala mamnooʿatin
Neither limited [to season] nor forbidden,
وَ فُرُشࣲ مَّرۡفُوعَةٍ﴿٣٤﴾
Wafurushin marfooʿatin
And [upon] beds raised high.
إِنَّآ أَنشَأۡنَٰهُنَّ إِنشَآءࣰ﴿٣٥﴾
Inna anshanahunna inshaan
Indeed, We have produced them [i.e., the women of Paradise] in a [new] creation
فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُنَّ أَبۡكَارًا﴿٣٦﴾
Fajaʿalnahunna abkaran
And made them virgins,
عُرُبًا أَتۡرَابࣰا﴿٣٧﴾
ʿuruban atraban
Devoted [to their husbands] and of equal age,
لِّأَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ﴿٣٨﴾
Liashabi alyameeni
For the companions of the right [who are]
ثُلَّةࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ﴿٣٩﴾
Thullatun mina alawwaleena
A company of the former peoples
وَ ثُلَّةࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ﴿٤٠﴾
Wathullatun mina alakhireena
And a company of the later peoples.
وَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلشِّمَالِ مَآ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلشِّمَالِ﴿٤١﴾
Waashabu alshshimali ma ashabu alshshimali
And the companions of the left - what are the companions of the left?
فِي سَمُومࣲ وَ حَمِيمࣲ﴿٤٢﴾
Fee samoomin wahameemin
[They will be] in scorching fire and scalding water
وَ ظِلࣲّ مِّن يَحۡمُومࣲ﴿٤٣﴾
Wathillin min yahmoomin
And a shade of black smoke,
لَّا بَارِدࣲ وَ لَا كَرِيمٍ﴿٤٤﴾
La baridin wala kareemin
Neither cool nor beneficial.
إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَبۡلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُتۡرَفِينَ﴿٤٥﴾
Innahum kanoo qabla thalika mutrafeena
Indeed they were, before that, indulging in affluence,
وَ كَانُواْ يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى ٱلۡحِنثِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ﴿٤٦﴾
Wakanoo yusirroona ʿala alhinthi alʿatheemi
And they used to persist in the great violation,
وَ كَانُواْ يَقُولُونَ أَئِذَا مِتۡنَا وَ كُنَّا تُرَابࣰا وَ عِظَٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوثُونَ﴿٤٧﴾
Wakanoo yaqooloona aitha mitna wakunna turaban waʿithaman ainna lamabʿoothoona
And they used to say, "When we die and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?
أَوَءَابَآؤُنَا ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ﴿٤٨﴾
Awa abaona alawwaloona
And our forefathers [as well]?"
قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ وَ ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ﴿٤٩﴾
Qul inna alawwaleena waalakhireena
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, the former and later peoples
لَمَجۡمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَٰتِ يَوۡمࣲ مَّعۡلُومࣲ﴿٥٠﴾
Lamajmooʿoona ila meeqati yawmin maʿloomin
Are to be gathered together for the appointment of a known Day."
ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلضَّآلُّونَ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبُونَ﴿٥١﴾
Thumma innakum ayyuha alddalloona almukaththiboona
Then indeed you, O those astray [who are] deniers,
لَأٓكِلُونَ مِن شَجَرࣲ مِّن زَقُّومࣲ﴿٥٢﴾
Laakiloona min shajarin min zaqqoomin
Will be eating from trees of zaqqūm
فَمَالِـُٔونَ مِنۡهَا ٱلۡبُطُونَ﴿٥٣﴾
Famalioona minha albutoona
And filling with it your bellies
فَشَٰرِبُونَ عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَمِيمِ﴿٥٤﴾
Fashariboona ʿalayhi mina alhameemi
And drinking on top of it from scalding water
فَشَٰرِبُونَ شُرۡبَ ٱلۡهِيمِ﴿٥٥﴾
Fashariboona shurba alheemi
And will drink as the drinking of thirsty camels.
هَٰذَا نُزُلُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلدِّينِ﴿٥٦﴾
Hatha nuzuluhum yawma alddeeni
That is their accommodation on the Day of Recompense.
نَحۡنُ خَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ فَلَوۡلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ﴿٥٧﴾
Nahnu khalaqnakum falawla tusaddiqoona
We have created you, so why do you not believe?
أَفَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تُمۡنُونَ﴿٥٨﴾
Afaraaytum ma tumnoona
Have you seen that which you emit?
ءَأَنتُمۡ تَخۡلُقُونَهُۥٓ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ ٱلۡخَٰلِقُونَ﴿٥٩﴾
Aantum takhluqoonahu am nahnu alkhaliqoona
Is it you who creates it, or are We the Creator?
نَحۡنُ قَدَّرۡنَا بَيۡنَكُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَ مَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ﴿٦٠﴾
Nahnu qaddarna baynakumu almawta wama nahnu bimasbooqeena
We have decreed death among you, and We are not to be outdone
عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ أَمۡثَٰلَكُمۡ وَ نُنشِئَكُمۡ فِي مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ﴿٦١﴾
ʿala an nubaddila amthalakum wanunshiakum fee ma la taʿlamoona
In that We will change your likenesses and produce you in that [form] which you do not know.
وَ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُمُ ٱلنَّشۡأَةَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ فَلَوۡلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴿٦٢﴾
Walaqad ʿalimtumu alnnashata aloola falawla tathakkaroona
And you have already known the first creation, so will you not remember?
أَفَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تَحۡرُثُونَ﴿٦٣﴾
Afaraaytum ma tahruthoona
And have you seen that [seed] which you sow?
ءَأَنتُمۡ تَزۡرَعُونَهُۥٓ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ ٱلزَّٰرِعُونَ﴿٦٤﴾
Aantum tazraʿoonahu am nahnu alzzariʿoona
Is it you who makes it grow, or are We the grower?
لَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ حُطَٰمࣰا فَظَلۡتُمۡ تَفَكَّهُونَ﴿٦٥﴾
Law nashao lajaʿalnahu hutaman fathaltum tafakkahoona
If We willed, We could make it [dry] debris, and you would remain in wonder,
إِنَّا لَمُغۡرَمُونَ﴿٦٦﴾
Inna lamughramoona
[Saying], "Indeed, we are [now] in debt;
بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ﴿٦٧﴾
Bal nahnu mahroomoona
Rather, we have been deprived."
أَفَرَءَيۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَآءَ ٱلَّذِي تَشۡرَبُونَ﴿٦٨﴾
Afaraaytumu almaa allathee tashraboona
And have you seen the water that you drink?
ءَأَنتُمۡ أَنزَلۡتُمُوهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُزۡنِ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ ٱلۡمُنزِلُونَ﴿٦٩﴾
Aantum anzaltumoohu mina almuzni am nahnu almunziloona
Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down?
لَوۡ نَشَآءُ جَعَلۡنَٰهُ أُجَاجࣰا فَلَوۡلَا تَشۡكُرُونَ﴿٧٠﴾
Law nashao jaʿalnahu ojajan falawla tashkuroona
If We willed, We could make it bitter, so why are you not grateful?
أَفَرَءَيۡتُمُ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِي تُورُونَ﴿٧١﴾
Afaraaytumu alnnara allatee tooroona
And have you seen the fire that you ignite?
ءَأَنتُمۡ أَنشَأۡتُمۡ شَجَرَتَهَآ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ ٱلۡمُنشِـُٔونَ﴿٧٢﴾
Aantum anshatum shajarataha am nahnu almunshioona
Is it you who produced its tree, or are We the producer?
نَحۡنُ جَعَلۡنَٰهَا تَذۡكِرَةࣰ وَ مَتَٰعࣰا لِّلۡمُقۡوِينَ﴿٧٣﴾
Nahnu jaʿalnaha tathkiratan wamataʿan lilmuqweena
We have made it a reminder and provision for the travelers,
فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ﴿٧٤﴾
Fasabbih biismi rabbika alʿatheemi
So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.
فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِمَوَٰقِعِ ٱلنُّجُومِ﴿٧٥﴾
Fala oqsimu bimawaqiʿi alnnujoomi
Then I swear by the setting of the stars,
وَ إِنَّهُۥ لَقَسَمࣱ لَّوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ﴿٧٦﴾
Wainnahu laqasamun law taʿlamoona ʿatheemun
And indeed, it is an oath - if you could know - [most] great.
إِنَّهُۥ لَقُرۡءَانࣱ كَرِيمࣱ﴿٧٧﴾
Innahu laquranun kareemun
Indeed, it is a noble Qur’ān.
فِي كِتَٰبࣲ مَّكۡنُونࣲ﴿٧٨﴾
Fee kitabin maknoonin
In a Register well-protected;.
لَّا يَمَسُّهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُطَهَّرُونَ﴿٧٩﴾
La yamassuhu illa almutahharoona
None touch it except the purified [i.e., the angels].
تَنزِيلࣱ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ﴿٨٠﴾
Tanzeelun min rabbi alʿalameena
[It is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.
أَفَبِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَنتُم مُّدۡهِنُونَ﴿٨١﴾
Afabihatha alhadeethi antum mudhinoona
Then is it to this statement that you are indifferent
وَ تَجۡعَلُونَ رِزۡقَكُمۡ أَنَّكُمۡ تُكَذِّبُونَ﴿٨٢﴾
Watajʿaloona rizqakum annakum tukaththiboona
And make [the thanks for] your provision that you deny [the Provider]?
فَلَوۡلَآ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ ٱلۡحُلۡقُومَ﴿٨٣﴾
Falawla itha balaghati alhulqooma
Then why, when it [i.e., the soul at death] reaches the throat
وَ أَنتُمۡ حِينَئِذࣲ تَنظُرُونَ﴿٨٤﴾
Waantum heenaithin tanthuroona
And you are at that time looking on -
وَ نَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنكُمۡ وَ لَٰكِن لَّا تُبۡصِرُونَ﴿٨٥﴾
Wanahnu aqrabu ilayhi minkum walakin la tubsiroona
And We [i.e., Our angels] are nearer to him than you, but you do not see -
فَلَوۡلَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ غَيۡرَ مَدِينِينَ﴿٨٦﴾
Falawla in kuntum ghayra madeeneena
Then why do you not, if you are not to be recompensed,
تَرۡجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ﴿٨٧﴾
Tarjiʿoonaha in kuntum sadiqeena
Bring it back, if you should be truthful?
فَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ﴿٨٨﴾
Faamma in kana mina almuqarrabeena
And if he [i.e., the deceased] was of those brought near [to Allāh],
فَرَوۡحࣱ وَ رَيۡحَانࣱ وَ جَنَّتُ نَعِيمࣲ﴿٨٩﴾
Farawhun warayhanun wajannatu naʿeemin
Then [for him is] rest and bounty and a garden of pleasure.
وَ أَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ﴿٩٠﴾
Waamma in kana min ashabi alyameeni
And if he was of the companions of the right,
فَسَلَٰمࣱ لَّكَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ﴿٩١﴾
Fasalamun laka min ashabi alyameeni
Then [the angels will say], "Peace for you; [you are] from the companions of the right."
وَ أَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ﴿٩٢﴾
Waamma in kana mina almukaththibeena alddalleena
But if he was of the deniers [who were] astray,
فَنُزُلࣱ مِّنۡ حَمِيمࣲ﴿٩٣﴾
Fanuzulun min hameemin
Then [for him is] accommodation of scalding water
وَ تَصۡلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ﴿٩٤﴾
Watasliyatu jaheemin
And burning in Hellfire.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ ٱلۡيَقِينِ﴿٩٥﴾
Inna hatha lahuwa haqqu alyaqeeni
Indeed, this is the true certainty,
فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ﴿٩٦﴾
Fasabbih biismi rabbika alʿatheemi
So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.
Translation: Saheeh International · Transliteration
About this surah
Name
The Surah takes its name from the word al-waqi\`ah of the very first verse.
Period of Revelation
According to the chronological order that Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas has given of the Surahs, first Surah Ta Ha was sent down, then Al-Waqi'ah and then Ash-Shu\`ara'(Suyuti: Al-Itqan). The same sequence has been reported from Ikrimah (Baihaqi: Dala'il an Nubuwwat).
This is supported also by the story that Ibn Hisham has related from Ibn Ishaq about the affirmation of the Faith by Hadrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). It says that when Hadarat Umar entered his sister's house, Surah Ta Ha was being recited. Hearing his voice the people of the house hid the pages of the Qur'an. Hadrat Umar first seized his brother-in-law and then his sister rose in defense of her husband, he hit her also and wounded her on the head. When Umar saw blood on his sister, he was sorry for what he had done, and said to her: "Show me the manuscript that you have concealed so that I may see what it contains." The sister said: "You are unclean because of your polytheism: wa anna-hu la yamassu-ha ill-at-tahir : "Only a clean person can touch it." So, Hadrat Umar rose and washed himself, and then took up the manuscript to read it. This shows that Surah Al-Waqi'ah had been sent down by that time for it contains the verse: La yamassu hu ill al mutahharun ; and it had been established historically that Hadrat Umar embraced Islam after the first migration to Habash, in the fifth year of the Prophethood.
Theme and Subject Matter
Its theme is the Hereafter, Tauhid and refutation of the Makkan disbelievers' suspicions about the Qur'an. What they regarded as utterly incredible was that Resurrection would ever take place, then the entire system of the earth and heavens would be upset, and when all the dead would be resurrected and called to account, after which the righteous would be admitted to Paradise and the wicked cast into Hell. They regarded all this as imaginary, which could not possibly happen in actual fact. In answer to this, it was said: "When the inevitable event will take place, there will be none to belie its happening, nor will anyone have the Power to avert it, nor prove it to, be an unreal happening. At that time all peoples will be divided into three classes: (1) The foremost in rank and position; (2) the common righteous people and (3) those who denied the Hereafter and persisted in disbelief and polytheism and major sins till the last." How these three classes of the people will be rewarded and punished has been described in detail in vv. 7-56.
Then, in vv. 57-74 arguments have been given, one after the other, to prove the truth of the two basic doctrines of Islam, which the disbelievers were refusing to accept, viz. the doctrines of Tauhid and the Hereafter. In these arguments, apart from every thing else that exists in the earth and heavens, man's attention has been drawn to his own body and to the food that he eats and to the water that he drinks and to the fire on which he cooks his food, and he has been invited to ponder the question : What right do you have to behave independently of, or serve any other than, the God Whose creative power has brought you into being, and Whose provisions sustain you And how can you entertain the idea that after having once brought you into existence He has become so helpless and powerless that He cannot recreate you once again even if he wills to?
Then, in vv. 75-82 their suspicions in respect of the Qur'an have been refuted and they have been made to realize how fortunate they are that instead of deriving any benefit from the great blessing that the Qur'an is, they are treating it with scant attention and have set only this share of theirs in it that they deny it. If one seriously considers this matchless argument that has been presented in two brief sentences about the truth of the Qur'an, one will find in it the same kind of firm and stable system as exists among the stars and planets of the Universe, and the same is the proof of the fact that its Author is the same Being Who has created the Universe. Then the disbelievers have been told that this Book is inscribed in that Writ of Destiny which is beyond the reach of the creatures, as if to say "You think it is brought down by the devils to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), whereas none but the pure angels has any access to the means by which it reaches Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from the well guarded Tablet."
In conclusion, man has been warned, as if to say: "You may brad and boast as you like and may shut your eyes to the truths in your arrogance of independence, but death is enough to open your eyes. At death you become helpless: you cannot save your own parents; you cannot save your children; you cannot save your religious guided and beloved leaders. They all die in front of your vary eyes while you look on helplessly. If there is no supreme power ruling over you, and your this assumption is correct that you are all in all in the world, and there is no God, then why don't you restore to the dying person his soul?Just as you are helpless in this, so it is also beyond your power to stop Allah from calling the people to account and mete out rewards and punishments to them. You may or may not believe it, but every dying person will surely see his own end after death. If he belongs to those nearest to God, he will see the good end meant for them if he be from among the righteous, he will see the end prepared for the righteous; and if he be from among the deniers of the truth, he will see the end destined for the criminals.
Source: Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Quran