Al Ma'arij

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

1 One demanding, demanded the chastisement which must befall

2 Upon the disbelievers, which none can repel,

2 The unbelievers - - there is none to avert it - -

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 To Him ascend the angels and the Spirit in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.

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

5 Therefore endure with a goodly patience.

6 Lo! they behold it afar off

6 Surely they think it to be far off,

7 While we behold it nigh:

7 And We see it nigh.

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

8 On the day when the heaven shall be as molten copper

9 And the hills become as flakes of wool,

9 And the mountains shall be as tufts of wool

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

10 And friend shall not ask of friend

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 each other. The guilty one would fain redeem himself from the chastisement of that day by (sacrificing) 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 the nearest of his kinsfolk who gave him shelter,

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

14 And all those that are in the earth, (wishing) then (that) this might deliver him.

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

15 By no means! Surely it is a flaming fire

16 Eager to roast;

16 Dragging by the head,

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

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

18 And hoarded (wealth) and withheld it.

18 And amasses (wealth) then shuts it up.

19 Lo! man was created anxious,

19 Surely man is created of a hasty temperament

20 Fretful when evil befalleth him

20 Being greatly grieved when evil afflicts him

21 And, when good befalleth him, grudging;

21 And niggardly when good befalls him

22 Save worshippers.

22 Except those who pray,

23 Who are constant at their worship

23 Those who are constant at their prayer

24 And in whose wealth there is a right acknowledged

24 And those in whose wealth there is a fixed portion.

25 For the beggar and the destitute;

25 For him who begs and for him who is denied (good)

26 And those who believe in the Day of Judgment,

26 And those who accept the truth of the judgment day

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

27 And those who are fearful of the chastisement of their Lord - -

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

28 Surely the chastisement of their Lord is (a thing) not to be felt secure of - -

29 And those who preserve their chastity

29 And those who guard their private parts,

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

30 Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess - - for these surely are not to be blamed,

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

31 But he who seeks to go beyond this, these it is that go beyond the limits - -

32 And those who keep their pledges and their covenant,

32 And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenant

33 And those who stand by their testimony

33 And those who are upright in their testimonies,

34 And those who are attentive at their worship.

34 And those who keep a guard on their prayer,

35 These will dwell in Gardens, honoured.

35 Those shall be in gardens, honored.

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

36 But what is the matter with those who disbelieve that they hasten on around you,

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

37 On the right hand and on the left, in sundry parties?

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

38 Does every man of them desire that he should be made to enter the garden of bliss?

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

39 By no means! Surely We have created them of what 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 But nay! I swear by the Lord of the Easts and the Wests that We are certainly able

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

41 To bring instead (others) better than them, and We shall not be overcome.

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

42 Therefore leave them alone to go on with the false discourses and to sport until they come face to face with that day of theirs with which they are threatened;

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

43 The day on which they shall come forth from their graves in haste, as if they were hastening on to a goal,

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

44 Their eyes cast down; disgrace shall overtake them; that is the day which they were threatened with.