ITHA (WHEN)
The first thing we will notice when we recite this Surah is how the 1st 12 verses begin with this word ITHA (when). So let us explore this word inshaaAllah
ITHA (when) in Arabic is what we call a condition (SHART) sentence and every conditional sentence requires a response. If I was to say, When Muhammed comes .. you the listener expects a response, When Muahmmed comes…tell him to sit. (The response is to tell him to sit). So ITHA requires a JAWAAB, a response.
But here in this Surah the Mufasiroon have said Allah is delaying the response to this ITHA (when) over 12 verses later. But why? Imagine if a very important person comes now and says to you, When 6pm comes… and when the sun sets… and when everyone is gathered… etc. this will make the listener perk his ears and leave the listener thinking what is the response to this.. what will happen after 6pm when the sun has set etc.
12 times Allah repeats ITHA (when). The JAWAAB response to all of these is in verse 14.
Also ITHA (when) Indicates Future tense. So when Allah uses ITHA its as if Hes saying; without doubt it will happen… The sun WILL be wrapped up/Lose its light.
The Arabic word IN (alif, noon) in comparison can mean surely, but can also mean ‘If’ (it may or may not happen) and IDH means when but is used for past tense.
Takweer – Kuwwirat meaning…
Kuwwirat (Takweer) to fold/wrap. From it comes the folding of the turban and the folding of clothes together. Ash-Shawkani and others say; “Akaara imamata ‘alaa Ra’sihee” – ‘the person wrapped a turban around his head.’ The cloth for a turban is really long, and it is wrapped around, covering the head – so the head can’t be seen.
Ibn Abbas said (When the sun is Kuwwirat.) “This means it will be darkened.”
Ibn Abbas: “Its (light) will go away.” Qatadah said, “Its light will go away.” Sa’id bin Jubayr said, “Kuwwirat means it will sink in.” Abu Salih said, “Kuwwirat means it will be thrown down.”
Thus, the meaning of Allah’s statement Kuwwirat, is that part of the sun will be folded up into another part of it. Then it will be rolled up and thrown away. When this is done to it, its light will go away. Its as though the structure of the sun will be eating itself away/ folding into itself and in doing so it begins to lose it s power.
The order of the verse
This verse, the normal way of saying it would have been kuwwirat ash-shamsu.. (In Arabic the verb usually comes first and the noun after but here in this verse its ash-shamsu kuwwirat. The noun then the verb.
By placing the noun first before the verb, it is an abnormality in speech. So why would one place the verb after the noun?
1. When somebody doesn’t believe what you say. So the speaker raises his voice. The speaker has to put it in ways for the listener to believe what he is saying when the noun comes first and it didn’t have to. Allah is speaking to those who are in denial of these facts. And by placing the shams (sun) first – He is enforcing the reality of this event happening. The style of speech used and the way the words are said gives us an understanding of who the intended audience is. In this case, it is the disbelievers who doubt the Last Day of Ressurection.
2. Here we can say great attention has been given to the sound. The 1st 14 verses end with a T sound which makes it incredibly beautiful to listen to (the ending of each verse is in unison) This is only possible if the verb comes after the noun. All of this is done so the listener pays even more attention to the meaning of the verses.
Passive form sentence
Allah does not mention Himself – i.e When Allah makes the sun wrapped up. But rather Allah omits Himself and simply says, When the sun is wrapped (passive form) Why?
This Surah is directed at the skeptics who don’t believe in this Qur’an being Allah’s speech. If they don’t believe that – they will close their ears if any ayah was to mention a future event which Allah does. Since they will simply lie against it and reject it.
So Allah says these ayaat in passive form. Don’t think about the speaker who is saying these words, but think about the speech and the message it contains. Since that is just as important.
Additional
We will notice the 1st 6 verses of Surah Takweer speak about the events before the day of Resurrection and then the next 6 verses will speak about the events after the Resurrection.
Also we notice that in the 1st 6 verses Allah starts by mentioning things that are high and far off to man (eg sun and stars) then gradually Allah speaks about things that are closer to him (eg mountains seas then animals etc)
We must also bare in mind this event (of the sun being wrapped/losing its light) is something that those who are alive at that time will experience Subhanallah but only the worse of people will be left to witness it.
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