Chapter 53, 62 verses
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. By the Star when it setteth,
I swear by the star when it goes down.
By the Star when it goes down, -
Your comrade erreth not, nor is deceived;
Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray;
Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled.
Nor doth he speak of (his own) desire.
Nor does he speak out of desire.
Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire.
It is naught save an inspiration that is inspired,
It is naught but revelation that is revealed,
It is no less than inspiration sent down to him:
Which one of mighty powers hath taught him,
The Lord of Mighty Power has taught him,
He was taught by one Mighty in Power,
One vigorous; and he grew clear to view
The Lord of Strength; so he attained completion,
Endued with Wisdom: for he appeared (in stately form);
When he was on the uppermost horizon.
And he is in the highest part of the horizon.
While he was in the highest part of the horizon:
Then he drew nigh and came down
Then he drew near, then he bowed
Then he approached and came closer,
Till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer,
So he was the measure of two bows or closer still.
And was at a distance of but two bow - lengths or (even) nearer;
And He revealed unto His slave that which He revealed.
And He revealed to His servant what He revealed.
So did (Allah) convey the inspiration to His Servant - (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey.
The heart lied not (in seeing) what it saw.
The heart was not untrue in (making him see) what he saw.
The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw.
Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he seeth ?
What! do you then dispute with him as to what he saw?
Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw?
And verily he saw him yet another time
And certainly he saw him in another descent,
For indeed he saw him at a second descent,
By the lote - tree of the utmost boundary,
At the farthest lote - tree;
Near the Lote - tree beyond which none may pass:
Nigh unto which is the Garden of Abode.
Near which is the garden, the place to be resorted to.
Near it is the Garden of Abode.
When that which shroudeth did enshroud the lote - tree,
When that which covers covered the lote - tree;
Behold, the Lote - tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!)
The eye turned not aside nor yet was overbold.
The eye did not turn aside, nor did it exceed the limit.
(His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong!
Verily he saw one of the greater revelations of his Lord.
Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.
For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest!
Have ye thought upon Al - Lat and Al - 'Uzza
Have you then considered the Lat and the Uzza,
Have ye seen Lat. and 'Uzza,
And Manat, the third, the other ?
And Manat, the third, the last?
And another, the third (goddess), Manat?
Are yours the males and His the females ?
What! for you the males and for Him the females!
What! for you the male sex, and for Him, the female?
That indeed were an unfair division!
This indeed is an unjust division!
Behold, such would be indeed a division most unfair!
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 naught but names which you have named, you and your fathers; Allah has not sent for them any authority. They follow naught but conjecture and the low desires which (their) souls incline to; and certainly the guidance has come to them from their Lord.
These are nothing but names which ye have devised, - ye and your fathers, - for which Allah has sent down no authority (whatever). They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire! - Even though there has already come to them Guidance from their Lord!
Or shall man have what he coveteth ?
Or shall man have what he wishes?
Nay, shall man have (just) anything he hankers after?
But unto Allah belongeth the after (life), and the former.
Nay! for Allah is the hereafter and the former (life).
But it is to Allah that the End and the Beginning (of all things) belong.
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 an angel is there in the heavens whose intercession does not avail at all except after Allah has given permission to whom He pleases and chooses.
How many - so - ever be the angels in the heavens, their intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given leave for whom He pleases and that he is acceptable to Him.
Lo! it is those who disbelieve in the Hereafter who name the angels with the names of females.
Most surely they who do not believe in the hereafter name the angels with female names.
Those who believe not in the Hereafter, name the angels with female names.
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 no knowledge of it; they do not follow anything but conjecture, and surely conjecture does not avail against the truth at all.
But they have no knowledge therein. They follow nothing but conjecture; and conjecture avails nothing against Truth.
Then withdraw (O Muhammad) from him who fleeth from Our remembrance and desireth but the life of the world.
Therefore turn aside from him who turns his back upon Our reminder and does not desire anything but this world's life.
Therefore shun those who turn away from Our Message and desire nothing but the life of this world.
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 goal of knowledge; surely your Lord knows best him who goes astray from His path and He knows best him who follows the right direction.
That is as far as knowledge will reach them. Verily thy Lord knoweth best those who stray from His Path, and He knoweth best those who receive guidance.
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 Allah's is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, that He may reward those who do evil according to what they do, and (that) He may reward those who do good with goodness.
Yea, to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: so that He rewards those who do evil, according to their deeds, and He rewards those who do good, with what is best.
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 keep aloof from the great sins and the indecencies but the passing idea; surely your Lord is liberal in forgiving. He knows you best when He brings you forth from the earth and when you are embryos in the wombs of your mothers; therefore do not attribute purity to your souls; He knows him best who guards (against evil).
Those who avoid great sins and shameful deeds, only (falling into) small faults, - verily thy Lord is ample in forgiveness. He knows you well when He brings you out of the earth, And when ye are hidden in your mothers' wombs. Therefore justify not yourselves: He knows best who it is that guards against evil.
Didst thou (O Muhammad) observe him who turned away,
Have you then seen him who turns his back?
Seest thou one who turns back,
And gave a little, then was grudging ?
And gives a little and (then) withholds.
Gives a little, then hardens (his heart)?
Hath he knowledge of the Unseen so that he seeth ?
Has he the knowledge of the unseen so that he can see?
What! Has he knowledge of the Unseen so that he can see?
Or hath he not had news of what is in the books of Moses
Or, has he not been of what is in the scriptures of Musa?
Nay, is he not acquainted with what is in the Books of Moses -
And Abraham who paid his debt:
And (of) Ibrahim who fulfilled (the commandments):
And of Abraham who fulfilled his engagements? -
That no laden one shall bear another's load,
That no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another -
Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another;
And that man hath only that for which he maketh effort,
And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for -
That man can have nothing but what he strives for;
And that his effort will be seen.
And that his striving shall soon be seen -
That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight:
And afterward he will be repaid for it with fullest payment;
Then shall he be rewarded for it with the fullest reward -
Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete;
And that thy Lord, He is the goal;
And that to your Lord is the goal -
That to thy Lord is the final Goal;
And that He it is who maketh laugh, and maketh weep,
And that He it is Who makes (men) laugh and makes (them) weep;
That it is He Who granteth Laughter and Tears;
And that He it is Who giveth death and giveth life;
And that He it is Who causes death and gives life -
That it is He Who granteth Death and Life;
And that He createth the two spouses, the male and the female,
And that He created pairs, the male and the female
That He did create in pairs, - male and female,
From a drop (of seed) when it is poured forth;
From the small seed when it is adapted
From a seed when lodged (in its place);
And that He hath ordained the second bringing forth;
And that on Him is the bringing forth a second time;
That He hath promised a Second Creation (Raising of the Dead);
And that He it is Who enricheth and contenteth;
And that He it is Who enriches and gives to hold;
That it is He Who giveth wealth and satisfaction;
And that He it is Who is the Lord of Sirius;
And that He is the Lord of the Sirius;
That He is the Lord of Sirius (the Mighty Star);
And that He destroyed the former (tribe of) A'ad,
And that He did destroy the Ad of old
And that it is He Who destroyed the (powerful) ancient 'Ad (people),
And (the tribe of) Thamud He spared not;
And Samood, so He spared not
And the Thamud nor gave them a lease of perpetual life.
And the folk of Noah aforetime, Lo! they were more unjust and more rebellious;
And the people of Nuh before; surely they were most unjust and inordinate;
And before them, the people of Noah, for that they were (all) most unjust and most insolent transgressors,
And Al - Mu'tafikah He destroyed
And the overthrown cities did He overthrow,
And He destroyed the Overthrown Cities (of Sodom and Gomorrah).
So that there covered them that which did cover.
So there covered them that which covered.
So that (ruins unknown) have covered them up.
Concerning which then, of the bounties of thy Lord, canst thou dispute ?
Which of your Lord's benefits will you then dispute about?
Then which of the gifts of thy Lord, (O man,) wilt thou dispute about?
This is a warner of the warners of old.
This is a warner of the warners of old.
This is a Warner, of the (series of) Warners of old!
The threatened Hour is nigh.
The near event draws nigh.
The (Judgment) ever approaching draws nigh:
None beside Allah can disclose it.
There shall be none besides Allah to remove it.
No (soul) but Allah can lay it bare.
Marvel ye then at this statement,
Do you then wonder at this announcement?
Do ye then wonder at this recital?
And laugh and not weep,
And will you laugh and not weep?
And will ye laugh and not weep, -
While ye amuse yourselves ?
While you are indulging in varieties.
Wasting your time in vanities?
Rather prostrate yourselves before Allah and serve Him.
So make obeisance to Allah and serve (Him).
But fall ye down in prostration to Allah, and adore (Him)!