Words and meaning
From the Power of the Qurʾān…
Allāh سبحانه وتعالى says:
أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ
“The Approaching Hour has drawn near.”
[An-Najm 53:57]
أَزِفَ —
to draw near in time; to become imminent.
الْآزِفَةُ —
the approaching one — a name for the Day of Resurrection, because it is drawing ever nearer.
Notice the power contained in just these two words:
أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ
“The approaching one has drawn near.”
The verb is expressed in the past tense — أَزِفَتْ, “has drawn near” — even though the Day of Resurrection is still to come. This gives a sense of such certainty and inevitability that it is spoken of as though it has already occurred.
And the verb أَزِفَتْ is followed by a noun from the same root — الْآزِفَةُ — reinforcing the meaning even further.
In only two words, the Qurʾān conveys:
urgency...
certainty...
inevitability...
أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ
“The Approaching Hour has drawn near.”
[An-Najm 53:57]
أَزِفَ —
to draw near in time; to become imminent.
الْآزِفَةُ —
the approaching one — a name for the Day of Resurrection, because it is drawing ever nearer.
Notice the power contained in just these two words:
أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ
“The approaching one has drawn near.”
The verb is expressed in the past tense — أَزِفَتْ, “has drawn near” — even though the Day of Resurrection is still to come. This gives a sense of such certainty and inevitability that it is spoken of as though it has already occurred.
And the verb أَزِفَتْ is followed by a noun from the same root — الْآزِفَةُ — reinforcing the meaning even further.
In only two words, the Qurʾān conveys:
urgency...
certainty...
inevitability...