Surah An-Nazi'at (Those who drag forth)

An-Nazi'at means "Those Who Drag Forth" or "The Pluckers," referring in the opening oath to beings, commonly understood as angels, who draw out souls.

An-Nazi'at is the 79th chapter of the Quran, a Meccan surah of 46 verses in the final thirtieth of the text. It opens with a series of oaths describing forces that pull, glide, and race to carry out commands, traditionally understood as the angels who take souls and administer affairs. From these oaths the surah turns to the certainty of resurrection, answering those who dismiss being raised after becoming decayed bones. It recounts the account of Moses being sent to Pharaoh, Pharaoh's arrogant defiance and claim to supremacy, and his ruinous end, offered as a lesson for those who reject the message. The surah then returns to signs in creation and to the Day when the great overwhelming event arrives, describing the reckoning and the divergence between those who transgressed and those who restrained themselves. It closes by noting that only God knows the timing of the Hour.

Surah number: 79
Revelation: Meccan
Ayahs: 46
Arabic: النازعات

Read Surah An-Nazi'at online — full Arabic text with the Pickthall English translation.

Main themes

Oaths invoking the angels and their tasks
Certainty of resurrection after death
The story of Moses and Pharaoh as a warning
Consequences of arrogance and tyranny
Signs of God in creation
The Hour and its known timing belonging to God alone

Why this surah matters

As part of Juz' 'Amma, An-Nazi'at sits among the concise final chapters that Muslims frequently study and memorize. Its vivid oaths and the narrative of Moses and Pharaoh make it a recognizable surah in the final juz', often referenced in discussions of the accountability that follows earthly pride. Many Muslims encounter it in the course of learning the last part of the Quran, and it appears regularly in recitation of these shorter chapters.

Frequently asked questions

What does "An-Nazi'at" refer to?

The name comes from the surah's opening oath about those who drag or pluck forth, commonly understood by traditional commentators as angels who draw out souls.

Is An-Nazi'at Meccan or Medinan?

It is traditionally regarded as a Meccan surah, and its emphasis on resurrection and warning through past nations fits the Meccan period.

Which prophet's story appears in this surah?

It recounts the account of Moses being sent to Pharaoh, Pharaoh's defiant arrogance, and his downfall, presented as a lesson about rejecting the message.

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