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