Chapter 53, 62 verses
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. By the star when it goes down (or vanishes).
By the star when it descends,
مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ
Your companion (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) has neither gone astray nor has erred.
Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred,
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ
Nor does he speak of (his own) desire.
Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ
It is only a Revelation revealed.
It is not but a revelation revealed,
عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ
He has been taught (this Qur'an) by one mighty in power [Jibril (Gabriel)]
Taught to him by one intense in strength -
ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَىٰ
One free from any defect in body and mind then he (Jibril - Gabriel in his real shape as created by Allah) rose and became stable.
One of soundness. And he rose to [his] true form
وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىٰ
While he [Jibril (Gabriel)] was in the highest part of the horizon, (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
While he was in the higher [part of the] horizon.
ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ
Then he [Jibril (Gabriel)] approached and came closer,
Then he approached and descended
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ
And was at a distance of two bows' length or (even) nearer.
And was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer.
فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىٰ
So (Allah) revealed to His slave [Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم through Jibril (Gabriel) عليه السلام] whatever He revealed.
And he revealed to His Servant what he revealed.
مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰ
The (Prophet's) heart lied not in what he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) saw.
The heart did not lie [about] what it saw.
أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ
Will you then dispute with him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) about what he saw [during the Mi'raj: (Ascent of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to the seven heavens)]
So will you dispute with him over what he saw?
وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ
And indeed he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) saw him [Jibril (Gabriel)] at a second descent (i.e. another time).
And he certainly saw him in another descent
عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَىٰ
Near Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (a lote-tree of the utmost boundary over the seventh heaven beyond which none can pass).
At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary -
عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ
Near it is the Paradise of Abode.
Near it is the Garden of Refuge -
إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ
When that covered the lote-tree which did cover it!
When there covered the Lote Tree that which covered [it].
مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ
The sight (of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) turned not aside (right or left), nor it transgressed beyond the limit (ordained for it).
The sight [of the Prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit].
لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ
Indeed he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) did see of the Greatest Signs, of his Lord (Allah).
He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.
أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّىٰ
Have you then considered Al-Lat, and Al-'Uzza (two idols of the pagan Arabs)
So have you considered al - Lat and al - 'Uzza?
وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ
And Manat (another idol of the pagan Arabs), the other third?
And Manat, the third - the other one?
أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الْأُنثَىٰ
Is it for you the males and for Him the females?
Is the male for you and for Him the female?
تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰ
That indeed is a division most unfair!
That, then, is an unjust division.
إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ الْهُدَىٰ
They are but names which you have named - you and your fathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has surely come to them the Guidance from their Lord!
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.
أَمْ لِلْإِنسَانِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ
Or shall man have what he wishes?
Or is there for man whatever he wishes?
فَلِلَّهِ الْآخِرَةُ وَالْأُولَىٰ
But to Allah belongs the last (Hereafter) and the first (the world).
Rather, to Allah belongs the Hereafter and the first [life].
۞ وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَىٰ
And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with.
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.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنثَىٰ
Verily, those who believe not in the Hereafter, name the angels with female names.
Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter name the angels female names,
وَمَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا
But they have no knowledge thereof. They follow but a guess, and verily, guess is no substitute for the truth.
And they have thereof no knowledge. They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all.
فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
Therefore withdraw (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) from him who turns away from Our Reminder (this Qur'an) and desires nothing but the life of this world.
So turn away from whoever turns his back on Our message and desires not except the worldly life.
ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ
That is what they could reach of knowledge. Verily, your Lord it is He Who knows best him who goes astray from His Path, and He knows best him who receives guidance.
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.
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى
And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, that He may requite those who do evil with that which they have done (i.e. punish them in Hell), and reward those who do good, with what is best (i.e. Paradise).
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] -
الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ
Those who avoid great sins (See the Qur'an, Verses: 6:152,153) and Al-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse) except the small faults, - verily, your Lord is of Vast Forgiveness. He knows you well when He created you from the earth (Adam), and when you were fetuses in your mothers' wombs. So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him [i.e. those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious. See V.2:2)].
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.
أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ
Did you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) observe him who turned away (from Islam).
Have you seen the one who turned away
وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَىٰ
And gave a little, then stopped (giving)?
And gave a little and [then] refrained?
أَعِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰ
Is with him the knowledge of the Unseen so that he sees?
Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so he sees?
أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ
Or is he not with what is in the Pages (Scripture) of Musa (Moses),
Or has he not been of what was in the scriptures of Moses
وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ
And of Ibrahim (Abraham) who fulfilled (or conveyed) all that (Allah ordered him to do or convey):
And [of] Abraham, who fulfilled [his obligations] -
أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ
That no burdened person (with sins) shall bear the burden (sins) of another.
That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ
And that man can have nothing but what he does (good or bad).
And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ
And that his deeds will be seen.
And that his effort is going to be seen -
ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاءَ الْأَوْفَىٰ
Then he will be recompensed with a full and the best recompense.
Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense
وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الْمُنتَهَىٰ
And that to your Lord (Allah) is the End (Return of everything).
And that to your Lord is the finality
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ
And that it is He (Allah) Who makes (whom He wills) laugh, and makes (whom He wills) weep.
And that it is He who makes [one] laugh and weep
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا
And that it is He (Allah) Who causes death and gives life.
And that it is He who causes death and gives life
وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَىٰ
And that He (Allah) creates the pairs, male and female,
And that He creates the two mates - the male and female -
مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ
From Nutfah (drops of semen - male and female discharges) when it is emitted.
From a sperm - drop when it is emitted
وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ
And that upon Him (Allah) is another bringing forth (Resurrection).
And that [incumbent] upon Him is the next creation
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ
And that it is He (Allah) Who gives much or a little (of wealth and contentment)
And that it is He who enriches and suffices
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرَىٰ
And that He (Allah) is the Lord of Sirius (the star which the pagan Arabs used to worship).
And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius
وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَىٰ
And that it is He (Allah) Who destroyed the former 'Ad (people),
And that He destroyed the first [people of] 'Aad
وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَىٰ
And Thamud (people): He spared none of them.
And Thamud - and He did not spare [them] -
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِّن قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ
And the people of Nuh (Noah) aforetime. Verily, they were more unjust and more rebellious and transgressing [in disobeying Allah and His Messenger Nuh (Noah) عليه السلام].
And the people of Noah before. Indeed, it was they who were [even] more unjust and oppressing.
وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ
And He destroyed the overthrown cities [of Sodom to which Prophet Lut (Lot) was sent].
And the overturned towns He hurled down
فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ
So there covered them that which did cover (i.e. torment with stones).
And covered them by that which He covered.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ
Then which of the Graces of your Lord (O man!) will you doubt?
Then which of the favors of your Lord do you doubt?
هَٰذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ النُّذُرِ الْأُولَىٰ
This (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is a warner (Messenger) of the (series of) warners (Messengers) of old.
This [Prophet] is a warner like the former warners.
أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ
The Day of Resurrection draws near.
The Approaching Day has approached.
لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ
None besides Allah can avert it (or advance it or delay it).
Of it, [from those] besides Allah, there is no remover.
أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ
Do you then wonder at this recitation (the Qur'an)?
Then at this statement do you wonder?
وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ
And you laugh at it and weep not,
And you laugh and do not weep
وَأَنتُمْ سَامِدُونَ
Wasting your (precious) lifetime in pastime and amusements (singing, etc.).
While you are proudly sporting?
فَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ وَاعْبُدُوا ۩
So fall you down in prostration to Allah and worship Him (Alone).
So prostrate to Allah and worship [Him].