Chapter 86, 17 verses
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ
By the Sky and the Night - Visitant (therein); -
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. By the heaven, and At-Tariq (the night-comer, i.e. the bright star);
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ
And what will explain to thee what the Night - Visitant is? -
And what will make you to know what At-Tariq (night-comer) is?
النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ
(It is) the Star of piercing brightness; -
(It is) the star of piercing brightness;
إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ
There is no soul but has a protector over it.
There is no human being but has a protector over him (or her) (i.e. angels in charge of each human being guarding him, writing his good and bad deeds)
فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
Now let man but think from what he is created!
So let man see from what he is created!
خُلِقَ مِن مَّاءٍ دَافِقٍ
He is created from a drop emitted -
He is created from a water gushing forth,
يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ
Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs:
Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs.
إِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ
Surely (Allah) is able to bring him back (to life)!
Verily, (Allah) is Able to bring him back (to life)!
يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ
The Day that (all) things secret will be tested,
The Day when all the secrets (deeds, prayers, fasting, etc.) will be examined (as to their truth).
فَمَا لَهُ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ
(Man) will have no power, and no helper.
Then he will have no power, nor any helper.
وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ
By the Firmament which returns (in its round),
By the sky (having rain clouds) which gives rain, again and again.
وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ
And by the Earth which opens out (for the gushing of springs or the sprouting of vegetation), -
And the earth which splits (with the growth of trees and plants).
إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ
Behold this is the Word that distinguishes (Good from Evil):
Verily, this (the Qur'an) is the Word that separates (the truth from falsehood, and commands strict laws for mankind to cut the roots of evil).
وَمَا هُوَ بِالْهَزْلِ
It is not a thing for amusement.
And it is not a thing for amusement.
إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا
As for them, they are but plotting a scheme,
Verily, they are but plotting a plot (against you O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم).
وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا
And I am planning a scheme.
And I (too) am planning a plan.
فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا
Therefore grant a delay to the Unbelievers: Give respite to them gently (for awhile).
So give a respite to the disbelievers; deal gently with them for a while.