Al Qiyamat

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Nay, I swear by the Day of Resurrection;

1 I swear by the Day of Resurrection

2 Nay, I swear by the accusing soul (that this Scripture is true).

2 And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].

3 Thinketh man that We shall not assemble his bones ?

3 Does man think that We will not assemble his bones?

4 Yea, verily. We are Able to restore his very fingers!

4 Yes. [We are] Able [even] to proportion his fingertips.

5 But man would fain deny what is before him.

5 But man desires to continue in sin.

6 He asketh: When will be this Day of Resurrection ?

6 He asks, "When is the Day of Resurrection?"

7 But when sight is confounded

7 So when vision is dazzled

8 And the moon is eclipsed

8 And the moon darkens

9 And sun and moon are united,

9 And the sun and the moon are joined,

10 On that day man will cry: Whither to flee!

10 Man will say on that Day, "Where is the [place of] escape?"

11 Alas! No refuge!

11 No! There is no refuge.

12 Unto thy Lord is the recourse that day.

12 To your Lord, that Day, is the [place of] permanence.

13 On that day man is told the tale of that which he hath sent before and left behind.

13 Man will be informed that Day of what he sent ahead and kept back.

14 Oh, but man is a telling witness against himself,

14 Rather, man, against himself, will be a witness,

15 Although he tender his excuses.

15 Even if he presents his excuses.

16 Stir not thy tongue herewith to hasten it.

16 Move not your tongue with it, [O Muhammad], to hasten with recitation of the Qur'an.

17 Lo! upon Us (resteth) the putting together thereof and the reading thereof.

17 Indeed, upon Us is its collection [in your heart] and [to make possible] its recitation.

18 And when We read it, follow thou the reading;

18 So when We have recited it [through Gabriel], then follow its recitation.

19 Then lo! upon Us (resteth) the explanation thereof.

19 Then upon Us is its clarification [to you].

20 Nay, but ye do love the fleeting Now

20 No! But you love the immediate

21 And neglect the Hereafter.

21 And leave the Hereafter.

22 That day will faces be resplendent,

22 [Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant,

23 Looking toward their Lord;

23 Looking at their Lord.

24 And that day will other faces be despondent,

24 And [some] faces, that Day, will be contorted,

25 Thou wilt know that some great disaster is about to fall on them.

25 Expecting that there will be done to them [something] backbreaking.

26 Nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat

26 No! When the soul has reached the collar bones

27 And men say: Where is the wizard (who can save him now) ?

27 And it is said, "Who will cure [him]?"

28 And he knoweth that it is the parting;

28 And the dying one is certain that it is the [time of] separation

29 And agony is heaped on agony;

29 And the leg is wound about the leg,

30 Unto thy Lord that day will be the driving.

30 To your Lord, that Day, will be the procession.

31 For he neither trusted, nor prayed.

31 And the disbeliever had not believed, nor had he prayed.

32 But he denied and flouted.

32 But [instead], he denied and turned away.

33 Then went he to his folk with glee.

33 And then he went to his people, swaggering [in pride].

34 Nearer unto thee and nearer,

34 Woe to you, and woe!

35 Again nearer unto thee and nearer (is the doom).

35 Then woe to you, and woe!

36 Thinketh man that he is to be left aimless ?

36 Does man think that he will be left neglected?

37 Was he not a drop of fluid which gushed forth ?

37 Had he not been a sperm from semen emitted?

38 Then he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashioned

38 Then he was a clinging clot, and [Allah] created [his form] and proportioned [him]

39 And made of him a pair, the male and female.

39 And made of him two mates, the male and the female.

40 Is not He (Who doeth so) Able to bring the dead to life ?

40 Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?