Al-Ma'aarij

Sa ala saaa'ilum bi'azaa binw-waaqi'

ONE who is minded to ask might ask about the suffering which [in the hereafter] is bound to befall

Lilkaafireen laisa lahoo daafi'

those who deny the truth. [Know, then, that] nothing can ward it off,

Minal laahi zil ma'aarij

[since it will come] from God, unto whom there are many ways of ascent:

Ta'rujul malaaa'ikatu war Roohu ilaihi fee yawmin kaana miqdaaruhoo khamseena alfa sanah

all the angels and all the inspiration [ever granted to man] ascend unto Him [daily,] in a day the length whereof is [like] fifty thousand years…

Fasbir ssabran jameelaa

Therefore, [O believer,] endure all adversity with goodly patience:

Inaahum yarawnahoo ba'eedaa

behold, men look upon that [reckoning] as something far away –

Wa naraahu qareebaa

but, We see it as near!

Yawma takoonus samaaa'u kalmuhl

[It will take place] on a Day when the sky will be like molten lead,

Wa takoonul jibaalu kal'ihn

and the mountains will be like tufts of wool,

Wa laa yas'alu hameemun hameemaa

and [when] no friend will ask about his friend,

Yubassaroonahum; ya waddul mujrimu law yaftadee min 'azaabi yawma'izim bibaneeh

though they may be in one another's sight: [for,] everyone who was lost in sin will on that Day but desire to ransom himself from suffering at the price of his own children,

Wa saahibatihee wa akheeh

and of his spouse, and of his brother,

Wa faseelathil latee tu'weeh

and of all the kinsfolk who ever sheltered him,

Wa man fil ardi jamee'an summa yunjeeh

and of whoever [else] lives on earth, all of them - so that he could but save himself.

Kallaa innahaa lazaa

But nay! Verily, all [that awaits him] is a raging flame,

Nazzaa'atal lishshawaa

tearing away his skin!

Tad'oo man adbara wa tawallaa

It will claim all such as turn their backs [on what is right], and turn away [from the truth],

W jama'a fa aw'aa

and amass [wealth] and thereupon withhold [it from their fellow-men].

Innal insaana khuliqa haloo'aa

VERILY, man is born with a restless disposition.

Izaa massahush sharru jazoo'aa

[As a rule,] whenever misfortune touches him, he is filled with self-pity;

Wa izaa massahul khairu manoo'aa

and whenever good fortune comes to him, he selfishly withholds it [from others].

Illal musalleen

Not so, however, those who consciously turn towards God in prayer.

Allazeena hum 'alaa Salaatihim daaa'imoon

[and] who incessantly persevere in their prayer

Wallazeena feee amwaalihim haqqum ma'loom

and in whose possessions there is a due share, acknowledged [by them],

Lissaaa 'ili walmahroom

for such as ask [for help] and such as are deprived [of what is good in life];

Wallazeena yusaddiqoona bi yawmid Deen

and who accept as true the [coming of the] Day of Judgment;

Wallazeena hum min 'azaabi Rabbihim mushfiqoon

and who stand in dread of their Sustainer's chastisement –

Inna 'azaaba Rabbihim ghairu maamoon

for, behold, of their Sustainer's chastisement none may ever feel [wholly] secure;

Wallazeena hum lifuroo jihim haafizoon

and who are mindful of their chastity,

Illaa 'alaaa azwaajihim aw maa malakat aymaanuhum fainnahum ghairu maloomeen

[not giving way to their desires] with any but their spouses - that is, those whom they rightfully possess [through wedlock] -: for then, behold, they are free of all blame,

Famanib taghaa waraaa'a zaalika fa ulaaa'ika humul 'aadoon

whereas such as seek to go beyond that [limit] are truly transgressors;

Wallazeena hum li amaa naatihim wa 'ahdihim raa'oon

and who are faithful to their trusts and to their pledges:

Wallazeena hum bishahaadaatihim qaaa'imoon

and who stand firm whenever they bear witness;

Wallazeena hum 'alaa salaatihim yuhaafizoon

and who guard their prayers [from all worldly intent].

Ulaaa'ika fee jannaatim mukramoon

These it is who in the gardens [of paradise] shall be honoured!

Famaa lil lazeena kafaroo qibalaka muhti'een

WHAT, THEN, is amiss with such as are bent on denying the truth, that they run about confusedly to and fro before thee,

'Anil yameeni wa 'anish shimaali 'izeen

[coming upon thee] from the right and from the left, in crowds?

Ayatma'u kullum ri'im minhum anyyudkhala jannata Na'eem

Does every one of them hope to enter [by this means] a garden of bliss?

Kallaaa innaa khalaq nahum mimmaa ya'lamoon

Never! For, behold, We have created them out of something that they know [only too well]!

Falaaa uqsimu bi Rabbil mashaariqi wal maghaaribi innaa laqaadiroon

But nay! I call to witness [Our being] the Sustainer of all the points of sunrise and sunset: verily, well able are We

'Alaaa an nubaddila khairam minhum wa maa Nahnu bimasbooqeen

to replace them with [people] better than they are; for there is nothing to prevent Us [from doing what We will].

Fazarhum yakhoodoo wa yal'aboo hattaa yulaaqoo yaw mahumul lazee yoo'adoon

Hence, leave them to indulge in idle talk and play [with words] until they face that [Judgment] Day of theirs which they have been promised –

Yawma yakhrujoona minal ajdaasi siraa'an ka anna hum ilaa nusubiny yoofidoon

the Day when they shall come forth in haste from their graves, as if racing towards a goal-post,

Khaashi'atan absaaruhum tarhaquhum zillah; zaalikal yawmul lazee kaanoo yoo'adoon

with downcast eyes, with ignominy overwhelming them: that Day which they were promised again and…