Tafsir from Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Surah Al-Adiyat is a Makkan surah. In it, Allah swears by the horses that run into battle in His path. Through this oath, Allah exposes the nature of man, showing how ungrateful he often is toward his Lord and how strongly he loves wealth. The surah ends with a reminder of the Day when the dead will be resurrected and all secrets will be revealed.
The Oath by the War Horses (Verses 1–5)
Allah says:
“By the Adiyat (steeds), snorting.
Striking sparks of fire.
And scouring to the raid at dawn.
And raise the dust in clouds the while.
And penetrating forthwith as one into the midst.”
(Qur’an 100:1–5)
Explanation
Ibn Kathir explains that Allah swears by the horses that gallop into battle in the path of Allah. When they run, they breathe heavily and snort due to the intensity of their speed.
When their hooves strike the rocks, sparks of fire appear from the impact.
The horses charge at dawn when the raid begins early in the morning. Ibn Kathir mentions that the Messenger of Allah used to carry out raids at this time. He would first listen to see whether the people called the adhan. If he heard the call to prayer, he would leave them alone. If he did not hear it, he would attack.
As the horses rush forward, they raise clouds of dust from the ground during the attack.
Then they penetrate directly into the midst of the enemy together.
The Ungratefulness of Man (Verses 6–8)
Allah says:
“Verily, man is ungrateful to his Lord.
And to that He bears witness.
And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth.”
(Qur’an 100:6–8)
Explanation
This is the main subject of the oath.
Allah states that human beings are often ungrateful to their Lord. Ibn Kathir explains that the word kanud means someone who denies or rejects the favors of Allah. Many scholars including Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and others explained the word this way.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that the ungrateful person is the one who remembers the calamities that happen to him but forgets the blessings Allah has given him.
Allah then says that man bears witness to this reality himself. Some scholars explained that this means Allah is the witness to man’s ingratitude. Others said the meaning is that a person’s own behavior shows that he is ungrateful, since it is clear from his statements and actions.
Allah also says that man is extremely intense in his love for wealth. Ibn Kathir explains that this can mean two things:
• He strongly loves wealth.
• Because of his love for wealth he becomes greedy and stingy.
Both meanings are correct.
The Warning of the Hereafter (Verses 9–11)
Allah says:
“Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth,
And that which is in the breasts shall be made known.
Verily, that Day their Lord will be Well-Acquainted with them.”
(Qur’an 100:9–11)
Explanation
Allah reminds mankind of what will happen on the Day of Resurrection.
The dead will be brought out from their graves. What people hid in their hearts will also be exposed and made clear. Ibn Abbas and other scholars explained that the secrets within people’s souls will become apparent.
On that Day, Allah will have complete knowledge of everything they did in their lives and He will repay them according to their deeds.
Allah does not commit even the slightest injustice against anyone.
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References
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged), English translation, Surah al-‘Adiyat (100).
Verified on 2026-10-21 against: Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged), Surah al-‘Adiyat.