78:1-2

78:1-2

78:1

Concerning what are they disputing?

78:2 The Great News

The term “Great News” is commonly understood to refer to the message of the Resurrection or the Hereafter, which has been interpreted in various ways by Jews, Christians, and other nations. The concept of the Resurrection is scarcely mentioned in the Old Testament, and the Jewish sect of the Sadducees even denied the Resurrection during the time of Christ. Pagan beliefs about a future life—if any—differed across regions and periods. Even in the early Christian Church, as indicated in Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, there were disputes within the community, with some individuals denying the resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12).

“Great News” may also be translated as “Great Message” or “Supreme Message,” as I have translated it in Qur’an 38:67. In this case, it refers to the Qur’an, the Message of Revelation, or the Message of the Holy Prophet, about which there was significant contention at the time. Since this Message emphasizes the Day of Judgment and the Resurrection, both interpretations ultimately lead to the same practical conclusion (Ali).