Al Buruj

1 I swear by the mansions of the stars,

1 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. By the heaven holding the big stars.

2 And the promised day,

2 And by the Promised Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).

3 And the bearer of witness and those against whom the witness is borne.

3 And by the Witnessing day (i.e. Friday), and by the Witnessed day [i.e. the day of 'Arafat (Hajj) the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah];

4 Cursed be the makers of the pit,

4 Cursed were the people of the Ditch (in the story of the Boy and the King).

5 Of the fire (kept burning) with fuel,

5 Of fire fed with fuel,

6 When they sat by it,

6 When they sat by it (fire),

7 And they were witnesses of what they did with the believers.

7 And they witnessed what they were doing against the believers (i.e. burning them).

8 And they did not take vengeance on them for aught except that they believed in Allah, the Mighty, the Praised,

8 And they had no fault except that they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, Worthy of all Praise!

9 Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is a Witness of all things.

9 To Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth! And Allah is Witness over everything.

10 Surely (as for) those who persecute the believing men and the believing women, then do not repent, they shall have the chastisement of hell, and they shall have the chastisement of burning.

10 Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them), and then do not turn in repentance (to Allah), then they will have the torment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the burning Fire.

11 Surely (as for) those who believe and do good, they shall have gardens beneath which rivers flow, that is the great achievement.

11 Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). That is the great success.

12 Surely the might of your Lord is great.

12 Verily, (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) the Seizure (punishment) of your Lord is severe and painful. [See V.11:102].

13 Surely He it is Who originates and reproduces,

13 Verily, He it is Who begins (punishment) and repeats (punishment in the Hereafter) (or originates the creation of everything, and then repeats it on the Day of Resurrection).

14 And He is the Forgiving, the Loving,

14 And He is Oft-Forgiving, full of love (towards the pious who are real true believers of Islamic Monotheism),

15 Lord of the Arsh, the Glorious,

15 Owner of the throne, the Glorious,

16 The great doer of what He will.

16 (He is the) Doer of whatsoever He intends (or wills).

17 Has not there come to you the story of the hosts,

17 Has the story reached you of the hosts,

18 Of Firon and Samood?

18 Of Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and Thamud?

19 Nay! those who disbelieve are in (the act of) giving the lie to the truth.

19 Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying (Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Message of Islamic Monotheism).

20 And Allah encompasses them on every side.

20 And Allah encompasses them from behind! (i.e. all their deeds are within His Knowledge, and He will requite them for their deeds).

21 Nay! it is a glorious Quran,

21 Nay! This is a Glorious Qur'an,

22 In a guarded tablet.

22 (Inscribed) in Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet)!