Chapter 53, 62 verses
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم والنجم إذا هوى
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. By the Star when it setteth,
By the star when it descends,
ما ضل صاحبكم وما غوى
Your comrade erreth not, nor is deceived;
Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred,
وما ينطق عن الهوى
Nor doth he speak of (his own) desire.
Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.
إن هو إلا وحي يوحى
It is naught save an inspiration that is inspired,
It is not but a revelation revealed,
علمه شديد القوى
Which one of mighty powers hath taught him,
Taught to him by one intense in strength -
ذو مرة فاستوى
One vigorous; and he grew clear to view
One of soundness. And he rose to [his] true form
وهو بالأفق الأعلى
When he was on the uppermost horizon.
While he was in the higher [part of the] horizon.
ثم دنا فتدلى
Then he drew nigh and came down
Then he approached and descended
فكان قاب قوسين أو أدنى
Till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer,
And was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer.
فأوحى إلى عبده ما أوحى
And He revealed unto His slave that which He revealed.
And he revealed to His Servant what he revealed.
ما كذب الفؤاد ما رأى
The heart lied not (in seeing) what it saw.
The heart did not lie [about] what it saw.
أفتمارونه على ما يرى
Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he seeth ?
So will you dispute with him over what he saw?
ولقد رآه نزلة أخرى
And verily he saw him yet another time
And he certainly saw him in another descent
عند سدرة المنتهى
By the lote - tree of the utmost boundary,
At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary -
عندها جنة المأوى
Nigh unto which is the Garden of Abode.
Near it is the Garden of Refuge -
إذ يغشى السدرة ما يغشى
When that which shroudeth did enshroud the lote - tree,
When there covered the Lote Tree that which covered [it].
ما زاغ البصر وما طغى
The eye turned not aside nor yet was overbold.
The sight [of the Prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit].
لقد رأى من آيات ربه الكبرى
Verily he saw one of the greater revelations of his Lord.
He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.
أفرأيتم اللات والعزى
Have ye thought upon Al - Lat and Al - 'Uzza
So have you considered al - Lat and al - 'Uzza?
ومناة الثالثة الأخرى
And Manat, the third, the other ?
And Manat, the third - the other one?
ألكم الذكر وله الأنثى
Are yours the males and His the females ?
Is the male for you and for Him the female?
تلك إذا قسمة ضيزى
That indeed were an unfair division!
That, then, is an unjust division.
إن هي إلا أسماء سميتموها أنتم وآباؤكم ما أنزل الله بها من سلطان ۚ إن يتبعون إلا الظن وما تهوى الأنفس ۖ ولقد جاءهم من ربهم الهدى
They are but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, for which Allah hath revealed no warrant. They follow but a guess and that which (they) themselves desire. And now the guidance from their Lord hath come unto them.
They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and what [their] souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance.
أم للإنسان ما تمنى
Or shall man have what he coveteth ?
Or is there for man whatever he wishes?
فلله الآخرة والأولى
But unto Allah belongeth the after (life), and the former.
Rather, to Allah belongs the Hereafter and the first [life].
۞ وكم من ملك في السماوات لا تغني شفاعتهم شيئا إلا من بعد أن يأذن الله لمن يشاء ويرضى
And how many angels are in the heavens whose intercession availeth naught save after Allah giveth leave to whom He chooseth and accepteth.
And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allah has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.
إن الذين لا يؤمنون بالآخرة ليسمون الملائكة تسمية الأنثى
Lo! it is those who disbelieve in the Hereafter who name the angels with the names of females.
Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter name the angels female names,
وما لهم به من علم ۖ إن يتبعون إلا الظن ۖ وإن الظن لا يغني من الحق شيئا
And they have no knowledge thereof. They follow but a guess, and lo! a guess can never take the place of the truth.
And they have thereof no knowledge. They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all.
فأعرض عن من تولى عن ذكرنا ولم يرد إلا الحياة الدنيا
Then withdraw (O Muhammad) from him who fleeth from Our remembrance and desireth but the life of the world.
So turn away from whoever turns his back on Our message and desires not except the worldly life.
ذلك مبلغهم من العلم ۚ إن ربك هو أعلم بمن ضل عن سبيله وهو أعلم بمن اهتدى
Such is their sum of knowledge. Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth, and He is Best Aware of him whom goeth right.
That is their sum of knowledge. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who strays from His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided.
ولله ما في السماوات وما في الأرض ليجزي الذين أساءوا بما عملوا ويجزي الذين أحسنوا بالحسنى
And unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, that He may reward those who do evil with that which they have done, and reward those who do good with goodness.
And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth - that He may recompense those who do evil with [the penalty of] what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best [reward] -
الذين يجتنبون كبائر الإثم والفواحش إلا اللمم ۚ إن ربك واسع المغفرة ۚ هو أعلم بكم إذ أنشأكم من الأرض وإذ أنتم أجنة في بطون أمهاتكم ۖ فلا تزكوا أنفسكم ۖ هو أعلم بمن اتقى
Those who avoid enormities of sin and abominations, save the unwilled offences - (for them) lo! thy Lord is of vast mercy. He is Best Aware of you (from the time) when He created you from the earth, and when ye were hidden in the bellies of your mothers. Therefor ascribe not purity unto yourselves. He is Best Aware of him who wardeth off (evil).
Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him.
أفرأيت الذي تولى
Didst thou (O Muhammad) observe him who turned away,
Have you seen the one who turned away
وأعطى قليلا وأكدى
And gave a little, then was grudging ?
And gave a little and [then] refrained?
أعنده علم الغيب فهو يرى
Hath he knowledge of the Unseen so that he seeth ?
Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so he sees?
أم لم ينبأ بما في صحف موسى
Or hath he not had news of what is in the books of Moses
Or has he not been of what was in the scriptures of Moses
وإبراهيم الذي وفى
And Abraham who paid his debt:
And [of] Abraham, who fulfilled [his obligations] -
ألا تزر وازرة وزر أخرى
That no laden one shall bear another's load,
That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another
وأن ليس للإنسان إلا ما سعى
And that man hath only that for which he maketh effort,
And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
وأن سعيه سوف يرى
And that his effort will be seen.
And that his effort is going to be seen -
ثم يجزاه الجزاء الأوفى
And afterward he will be repaid for it with fullest payment;
Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense
وأن إلى ربك المنتهى
And that thy Lord, He is the goal;
And that to your Lord is the finality
وأنه هو أضحك وأبكى
And that He it is who maketh laugh, and maketh weep,
And that it is He who makes [one] laugh and weep
وأنه هو أمات وأحيا
And that He it is Who giveth death and giveth life;
And that it is He who causes death and gives life
وأنه خلق الزوجين الذكر والأنثى
And that He createth the two spouses, the male and the female,
And that He creates the two mates - the male and female -
من نطفة إذا تمنى
From a drop (of seed) when it is poured forth;
From a sperm - drop when it is emitted
وأن عليه النشأة الأخرى
And that He hath ordained the second bringing forth;
And that [incumbent] upon Him is the next creation
وأنه هو أغنى وأقنى
And that He it is Who enricheth and contenteth;
And that it is He who enriches and suffices
وأنه هو رب الشعرى
And that He it is Who is the Lord of Sirius;
And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius
وأنه أهلك عادا الأولى
And that He destroyed the former (tribe of) A'ad,
And that He destroyed the first [people of] 'Aad
وثمود فما أبقى
And (the tribe of) Thamud He spared not;
And Thamud - and He did not spare [them] -
وقوم نوح من قبل ۖ إنهم كانوا هم أظلم وأطغى
And the folk of Noah aforetime, Lo! they were more unjust and more rebellious;
And the people of Noah before. Indeed, it was they who were [even] more unjust and oppressing.
والمؤتفكة أهوى
And Al - Mu'tafikah He destroyed
And the overturned towns He hurled down
فغشاها ما غشى
So that there covered them that which did cover.
And covered them by that which He covered.
فبأي آلاء ربك تتمارى
Concerning which then, of the bounties of thy Lord, canst thou dispute ?
Then which of the favors of your Lord do you doubt?
هذا نذير من النذر الأولى
This is a warner of the warners of old.
This [Prophet] is a warner like the former warners.
أزفت الآزفة
The threatened Hour is nigh.
The Approaching Day has approached.
ليس لها من دون الله كاشفة
None beside Allah can disclose it.
Of it, [from those] besides Allah, there is no remover.
أفمن هذا الحديث تعجبون
Marvel ye then at this statement,
Then at this statement do you wonder?
وتضحكون ولا تبكون
And laugh and not weep,
And you laugh and do not weep
وأنتم سامدون
While ye amuse yourselves ?
While you are proudly sporting?
فاسجدوا لله واعبدوا ۩
Rather prostrate yourselves before Allah and serve Him.
So prostrate to Allah and worship [Him].