Chapter 81, 29 verses
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم إذا الشمس كورت
When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up;
وإذا النجوم انكدرت
And when the stars fall, dispersing,
When the stars fall, losing their lustre;
وإذا الجبال سيرت
And when the mountains are removed
When the mountains vanish (like a mirage);
وإذا العشار عطلت
And when full - term she - camels are neglected
When the she - camels, ten months with young, are left untended;
وإذا الوحوش حشرت
And when the wild beasts are gathered
When the wild beasts are herded together (in the human habitations);
وإذا البحار سجرت
And when the seas are filled with flame
When the oceans boil over with a swell;
وإذا النفوس زوجت
And when the souls are paired
When the souls are sorted out, (being joined, like with like);
وإذا الموءودة سئلت
And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked
When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned -
بأي ذنب قتلت
For what sin she was killed
For what crime she was killed;
وإذا الصحف نشرت
And when the pages are made public
When the scrolls are laid open;
وإذا السماء كشطت
And when the sky is stripped away
When the world on High is unveiled;
وإذا الجحيم سعرت
And when Hellfire is set ablaze
When the Blazing Fire is kindled to fierce heat;
وإذا الجنة أزلفت
And when Paradise is brought near,
And when the Garden is brought near; -
علمت نفس ما أحضرت
A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].
(Then) shall each soul know what it has put forward.
فلا أقسم بالخنس
So I swear by the retreating stars -
So verily I call to witness the planets - that recede,
الجوار الكنس
Those that run [their courses] and disappear -
Go straight, or hide;
والليل إذا عسعس
And by the night as it closes in
And the Night as it dissipates;
والصبح إذا تنفس
And by the dawn when it breathes
And the Dawn as it breathes away the darkness; -
إنه لقول رسول كريم
[That] indeed, the Qur'an is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger
Verily this is the word of a most honourable Messenger,
ذي قوة عند ذي العرش مكين
[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
Endued with Power, with rank before the Lord of the Throne,
مطاع ثم أمين
Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.
With authority there, (and) faithful to his trust.
وما صاحبكم بمجنون
And your companion is not [at all] mad.
And (O people!) your companion is not one possessed;
ولقد رآه بالأفق المبين
And he has already seen Gabriel in the clear horizon.
And without doubt he saw him in the clear horizon.
وما هو على الغيب بضنين
And Muhammad is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.
Neither doth he withhold grudgingly a knowledge of the Unseen.
وما هو بقول شيطان رجيم
And the Qur'an is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].
Nor is it the word of an evil spirit accursed.
فأين تذهبون
So where are you going?
When whither go ye?
إن هو إلا ذكر للعالمين
It is not except a reminder to the worlds
Verily this is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds:
لمن شاء منكم أن يستقيم
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
(With profit) to whoever among you wills to go straight:
وما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء الله رب العالمين
And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.
But ye shall not will except as Allah wills, - the Cherisher of the Worlds.