76:21 Upon those [blest] will be garments of green silk and brocade, and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver. And their Sustainer will give them to drink of a drink most pure.
Explanation
The gradualness of Qur’anic revelation is implied in the verbal form nazzalna.
76:22 [And they will be told] “Verily, all this is your reward since Your endeavor [in life] has met [God’s] goodly acceptance!”
Explanation
This connects with the preceding mention of the life to come, in which the righteous will meet with bliss and the evildoers with suffering.
76:23 Verily, [O believer] it is We who have bestowed from on high this Qur’an upon thee, step by step – truly a bestowal from on high!
Explanation
i.e., His “attributes” as they manifest themselves in His creation – since the human mind can grasp only the fact of His existence and the manifestation of those “attributes”, but never the “how” of His Reality (Razi).
76:24 Await, then, in all patience thy Sustainer’s judgment, and pay no heed to any of them, who is a wilful sinner or an ingrate.
Explanation
i.e., at all times of wakefulness.
76:25 And bear in mind thy Sustainer’s name at morn and evening.
Explanation
i.e., “whenever unhappiness oppresses thee and all seems dark around thee”.
76:26 and during some of the night, and prostrate thyself before Him, and extol His limitless glory throughout the long night.
Explanation
i.e., endowed their bodies and minds with the ability to enjoy “this fleeting life”.
76:27 Behold, they [who are unmindful of God] love this fleeting life, and leave behind them [all thought of] a grief-laden Day.
Explanation
i.e., with other human beings who would have the same powers of body and mind, but would put them to better use.
76:28 [They will not admit to themselves that] it is We who have created them and strengthened their make – and [that] if it be Our will We can replace them entirely with others of their kind.
Explanation
See note 11 on 81:28-29. The perplexity of some of the commentators at the apparent “contradiction” between those two verses – as well as between verses 29-30 of the present surah – has been caused by their elliptic formulation, which, I believe, is resolved in my rendering. In the present instance, in particular, there is a clear connection between the above two verses and verse 3 of this surah: “We have shown him the way: [and it rests with him to prove himself] either grateful or ungrateful”. (Cf. also 74:56.)
76:29 Verily, all this is an admonition, whoever, then, so wills, may unto his Sustainer find a way.
Explanation
Or: “whomever He wills” – either of these two formulations being syntactically justified.
76:30 But you cannot will it unless God wills [to show you that way]. for, Behold, God is indeed All-Seeing, Wise.
76:31 He admits unto His grace everyone who wills [to be admitted], but as for the evildoers – for them has He readied grievous suffering [in the life to come].
