Surah An-Nazi’at belongs to the Mufassal, by which the Prophet ﷺ was favoured over the other prophets, and to the “matching” surahs (naza’ir) he ﷺ recited in the night prayer: he paired it with Al-Ma’arij in a single rak’ah, according to Ibn Mas’ud. It reminds of Allah and the Last Day, proves the Resurrection and describes the terrors of the Hour.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported that the Prophet ﷺ recited the matching surahs two in each rak’ah, including Al-Ma’arij and An-Nazi’at in a single rak’ah.
Authentic (sahih)Muslim, and Abu Dawud (1396), whose wording this is
It belongs to the Mufassal, given to the Prophet ﷺ as an extra by which he was favoured over the other prophets, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’: “… and I was favoured with the Mufassal.”
Its purpose is to remind of Allah and the Last Day: it proves that the Resurrection is true, recalls what passed between Musa and Pharaoh, and contrasts the good end of the God-fearing with the evil end of the disbelievers.
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
لكن النبي ﷺ كان يقرأ النظائر السورتين في ركعة، (الرحمن والنجم) في ركعة … و(سأل سائل والنازعات) في ركعة …
Ibn Mas’ud said to a man who read the whole Mufassal in one rak’ah: “… The Prophet ﷺ, rather, used to recite the matching surahs (an-naza’ir), two in each rak’ah: Ar-Rahman and An-Najm in one rak’ah … Al-Ma’arij (Sa’ala sa’ilun) and An-Nazi’at in one rak’ah …”
Main purpose: To remind of Allah and the Last Day.
An-Nazi’at is an entirely Meccan surah, the 79th in the order of the Qur’an, with forty-six verses. Revealed after An-Naba and before Al-Infitar, it is among the last Meccan surahs to be revealed. It is also called “Wa-n-nazi’at”, with the conjunction, after its opening words, as well as “As-Sahirah” and “At-Tammah”, two words found in no other surah.
Tafsir of Surah An-Nazi’at Listen to An-Nazi’at by other reciters
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
