Al Ma'arij

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall

1 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall

2 Upon the disbelievers, which none can repel,

2 Upon the disbelievers, which none can avert,

3 From Allah, Lord of the Ascending Stairways

3 From Allah, the Lord of the ways of ascent.

4 (Whereby) the angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years.

4 The angels and the Ruh [Jibril (Gabriel)] ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years.

5 But be patient (O Muhammad) with a patience fair to see.

5 So be patient (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), with a good patience.

6 Lo! they behold it afar off

6 Verily, they see it (the torment) afar off.

7 While we behold it nigh:

7 But We see it (quite) near.

8 The day when the sky will become as molten copper,

8 The Day that the sky will be like the boiling filth of oil, (or molten copper or silver or lead).

9 And the hills become as flakes of wool,

9 And the mountains will be like flakes of wool.

10 And no familiar friend will ask a question of his friend

10 And no friend will ask a friend (about his condition),

11 Though they will be given sight of them. The guilty man will long to be able to ransom himself from the punishment of that day at the price of his children

11 Though they shall be made to see one another [(i.e. on the Day of Resurrection), there will be none but see his father, children and relatives, but he will neither speak to them nor will ask them for any help]. The Mujrim, (criminal, sinner, disbeliever) would desire to ransom himself from the punishment of that Day by his children,

12 And his spouse and his brother

12 And his wife and his brother,

13 And his kin that harboured him

13 And his kindred who sheltered him,

14 And all that are in the earth, if then it might deliver him.

14 And all that are in the earth, so that it might save him.

15 But nay! for lo! it is the fire of hell

15 By no means! Verily, it will be the Fire of Hell,

16 Eager to roast;

16 Taking away (burning completely) the head skin!

17 It calleth him who turned and fled (from truth),

17 Calling (all) such as turn their backs and turn away their faces (from Faith) [picking and swallowing them up from that great gathering of mankind on the Day of Resurrection just as a bird picks up a food-grain from the earth with its beak and swallows it up] (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi)

18 And hoarded (wealth) and withheld it.

18 And collect (wealth) and hide it (from spending it in the Cause of Allah).

19 Lo! man was created anxious,

19 Verily, man (disbeliever) was created very impatient;

20 Fretful when evil befalleth him

20 Irritable (discontented) when evil touches him;

21 And, when good befalleth him, grudging;

21 And niggardly when good touches him.

22 Save worshippers.

22 Except those who are devoted to Salat (prayers).

23 Who are constant at their worship

23 Those who remain constant in their Salat (prayers);

24 And in whose wealth there is a right acknowledged

24 And those in whose wealth there is a recognised right

25 For the beggar and the destitute;

25 For the beggar who asks, and for the unlucky who has lost his property and wealth, (and his means of living has been straitened).

26 And those who believe in the Day of Judgment,

26 And those who believe in the Day of Recompense.

27 And those who are fearful of their Lord's doom -

27 And those who fear the torment of their Lord.

28 Lo! the doom of their Lord is that before which none can feel secure -

28 Verily, the torment of their Lord is that before which none can feel secure. -

29 And those who preserve their chastity

29 And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts from illegal sexual acts).

30 Save with their wives and those whom their right hands possess, for thus they are not blameworthy;

30 Except from their wives or the (women slaves) whom their right hands possess - for (then) they are not blameworthy.

31 But whoso seeketh more than that, those are they who are transgressors;

31 But whosoever seeks beyond that, then it is those who are trespassers.

32 And those who keep their pledges and their covenant,

32 And those who keep their trusts and covenants.

33 And those who stand by their testimony

33 And those who stand firm in their testimonies.

34 And those who are attentive at their worship.

34 And those who guard their Salat (prayers) well.

35 These will dwell in Gardens, honoured.

35 Such shall dwell in the Gardens (i.e. Paradise), honoured.

36 What aileth those who disbelieve, that they keep staring toward thee (O Muhammad), open - eyed,

36 So what is the matter with those who disbelieve that they hasten to listen from you [O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), in order to belie you and to mock at you, and at Allah's Book (this Qur'an)].

37 On the right and on the left, in groups ?

37 (Sitting) in groups on the right and on the left (of you, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)?

38 Doth every man among them hope to enter the Garden of Delight ?

38 Does every man of them hope to enter the Paradise of Delight?

39 Nay, verily. Lo! We created them from what they know.

39 No, that is not like that! Verily, We have created them out of that which they know!

40 But nay! I swear by the Lord of the rising - places and the setting - places of the planets that We verily are Able

40 So I swear by the Lord of all the [three hundred and sixty-five (365)] points of sunrise and sunset in the east and the west that surely We are Able

41 To replace them by (others) better than them. And we are not to be outrun.

41 To replace them by (others) better than them; and We are not to be outrun.

42 So let them chat and play until they meet their Day which they are promised,

42 So leave them to plunge in vain talk and play about, until they meet their Day which they are promised -

43 The day when they come forth from the graves in haste, as racing to a goal,

43 The Day when they will come out of the graves quickly as racing to a goal,

44 With eyes aghast, abasement stupefying them: Such is the Day which they are promised.

44 With their eyes lowered in fear and humility, ignominy covering them (all over)! That is the Day which they were promised!