Sura Al-Ma'arij

One demanding, demanded the chastisement which must befall

A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall-

A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall

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

The Unbelievers, the which there is none to ward off,-

Upon the disbelievers, which none can repel,

From Allah, the Lord of the ways of Ascent.

(A Penalty) from Allah, Lord of the Ways of Ascent.

From Allah, Lord of the Ascending Stairways

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

The angels and the spirit ascend unto him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years:

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

Therefore endure with a goodly patience.

Therefore do thou hold Patience,- a Patience of beautiful (contentment).

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

Surely they think it to be far off,

They see the (Day) indeed as a far-off (event):

Lo! they behold it afar off

And We see it nigh.

But We see it (quite) near.

While we behold it nigh:

On the day when the heaven shall be as molten copper

The Day that the sky will be like molten brass,

The day when the sky will become as molten copper,

And the mountains shall be as tufts of wool

And the mountains will be like wool,

And the hills become as flakes of wool,

And friend shall not ask of friend

And no friend will ask after a friend,

And no familiar friend will ask a question of his friend

(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,

Though they will be put in sight of each other,- the sinner's desire will be: Would that he could redeem himself from the Penalty of that Day by (sacrificing) his children,

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

And his wife and his brother

His wife and his brother,

And his spouse and his brother

And the nearest of his kinsfolk who gave him shelter,

His kindred who sheltered him,

And his kin that harboured him

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

And all, all that is on earth,- so it could deliver him:

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

By no means! Surely it is a flaming fire

By no means! for it would be the Fire of Hell!-

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

Dragging by the head,

Plucking out (his being) right to the skull!-

Eager to roast;

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

Inviting (all) such as turn their backs and turn away their faces (from the Right).

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

And amasses (wealth) then shuts it up.

And collect (wealth) and hide it (from use)!

And hoarded (wealth) and withheld it.

Surely man is created of a hasty temperament

Truly man was created very impatient;-

Lo! man was created anxious,

Being greatly grieved when evil afflicts him

Fretful when evil touches him;

Fretful when evil befalleth him

And niggardly when good befalls him

And niggardly when good reaches him;-

And, when good befalleth him, grudging;

Except those who pray,

Not so those devoted to Prayer;-

Save worshippers.

Those who are constant at their prayer

Those who remain steadfast to their prayer;

Who are constant at their worship

And those in whose wealth there is a fixed portion.

And those in whose wealth is a recognised right.

And in whose wealth there is a right acknowledged

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

For the (needy) who asks and him who is prevented (for some reason from asking);

For the beggar and the destitute;

And those who accept the truth of the judgment day

And those who hold to the truth of the Day of Judgment;

And those who believe in the Day of Judgment,

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

And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord,-

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

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

For their Lord's displeasure is the opposite of Peace and Tranquillity;-

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

And those who guard their private parts,

And those who guard their chastity,

And those who preserve their chastity

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

Except with their wives and the (captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (then) they are not to be blamed,

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

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

But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors;-

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

And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenant

And those who respect their trusts and covenants;

And those who keep their pledges and their covenant,

And those who are upright in their testimonies,

And those who stand firm in their testimonies;

And those who stand by their testimony

And those who keep a guard on their prayer,

And those who guard (the sacredness) of their worship;-

And those who are attentive at their worship.

Those shall be in gardens, honored.

Such will be the honoured ones in the Gardens (of Bliss).

These will dwell in Gardens, honoured.

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

Now what is the matter with the Unbelievers that they rush madly before thee-

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

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

From the right and from the left, in crowds?

On the right and on the left, in groups?

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

Does every man of them long to enter the Garden of Bliss?

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

By no means! Surely We have created them of what they know.

By no means! For We have created them out of the (base matter) they know!

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

But nay! I swear by the Lord of the Easts and the Wests that We are certainly able

Now I do call to witness the Lord of all points in the East and the West that We can certainly-

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

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

Substitute for them better (men) than they; And We are not to be defeated (in Our Plan).

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

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;

So leave them to plunge in vain talk and play about, until they encounter that Day of theirs which they have been promised!-

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

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

The Day whereon they will issue from their sepulchres in sudden haste as if they were rushing to a goal-post (fixed for them),-

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

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

Their eyes lowered in dejection,- ignominy covering them (all over)! such is the Day the which they are promised!

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