Chapter 81, 29 verses
When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up;
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم إذا الشمس كورت
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. When the sun is wound round and its light is lost and is overthrown.
When the stars fall, losing their lustre;
وإذا النجوم انكدرت
And when the stars fall.
When the mountains vanish (like a mirage);
وإذا الجبال سيرت
And when the mountains are made to pass away;
When the she - camels, ten months with young, are left untended;
وإذا العشار عطلت
And when the pregnant she-camels are neglected;
When the wild beasts are herded together (in the human habitations);
وإذا الوحوش حشرت
And when the wild beasts are gathered together.
When the oceans boil over with a swell;
وإذا البحار سجرت
And when the seas become as blazing Fire or overflow.
When the souls are sorted out, (being joined, like with like);
وإذا النفوس زوجت
And when the souls are joined with their bodies, (the good with the good and the bad with the bad).
When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned -
وإذا الموءودة سئلت
And when the female (infant) buried alive (as the pagan Arabs used to do) is questioned:
For what crime she was killed;
بأي ذنب قتلت
For what sin, was she killed?
When the scrolls are laid open;
وإذا الصحف نشرت
And when the (written) pages [of deeds (good and bad) of every person] are laid open.
When the world on High is unveiled;
وإذا السماء كشطت
And when the heaven is stripped off and taken away from its place;
When the Blazing Fire is kindled to fierce heat;
وإذا الجحيم سعرت
And when Hell-fire is set ablaze.
And when the Garden is brought near; -
وإذا الجنة أزلفت
And when Paradise is brought near.
(Then) shall each soul know what it has put forward.
علمت نفس ما أحضرت
(Then) every person will know what he has brought (of good and evil).
So verily I call to witness the planets - that recede,
فلا أقسم بالخنس
So verily, I swear by the planets that recede (i.e. disappear during the day and appear during the night).
Go straight, or hide;
الجوار الكنس
And by the planets that move swiftly and hide themselves.
And the Night as it dissipates;
والليل إذا عسعس
And by the night as it departs.
And the Dawn as it breathes away the darkness; -
والصبح إذا تنفس
And by the dawn as it brightens.
Verily this is the word of a most honourable Messenger,
إنه لقول رسول كريم
Verily, this is the Word (this Qur'an brought by) a most honourable messenger [Jibril (Gabril), from Allah to Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم].
Endued with Power, with rank before the Lord of the Throne,
ذي قوة عند ذي العرش مكين
Owner of power, (and high rank) with (Allah), the Lord of the Throne,
With authority there, (and) faithful to his trust.
مطاع ثم أمين
Obeyed (by the angels in the heavens), and trustworthy.
And (O people!) your companion is not one possessed;
وما صاحبكم بمجنون
And (O people) your companion (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is not a madman.
And without doubt he saw him in the clear horizon.
ولقد رآه بالأفق المبين
And indeed he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) saw him [Jibril (Gabriel)] in the clear horizon (towards the east).
Neither doth he withhold grudgingly a knowledge of the Unseen.
وما هو على الغيب بضنين
And he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) withholds not a knowledge of the Unseen.
Nor is it the word of an evil spirit accursed.
وما هو بقول شيطان رجيم
And it (the Qur'an) is not the word of the outcast Shaitan (Satan).
When whither go ye?
فأين تذهبون
Then where are you going?
Verily this is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds:
إن هو إلا ذكر للعالمين
Verily, this (the Qur'an) is no less than a Reminder to (all) the 'Alamin (mankind and jinn)
(With profit) to whoever among you wills to go straight:
لمن شاء منكم أن يستقيم
To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight.
But ye shall not will except as Allah wills, - the Cherisher of the Worlds.
وما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء الله رب العالمين
And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allah wills - the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).