AL MA’ARIJ (The Ways of Ascent)
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
1 A questioner asked about the penalty to befall
2 The unbelievers, from which there is none to ward off,
3 From Allah, Lord of the ways of ascent.
4 The angels and the Spirit ascend to him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years:
5 Therefore hold patience, a beautiful patience.
6 They see it indeed as far off,
7 But we see it as near.
8 The day that the sky will be like molten brass,
9 And the mountains will be like wool,
10 And no friend will ask after a friend,
11 Though they will be put in sight of each other, the sinner’s desire will be to redeem himself from the penalty of that day by his children,
12 His wife and his brother,
13 His kindred who sheltered him,
14 And all, all that is on earth, so it could deliver him:
15 By no means! For it would be the fire of hell!
16 Eager to roast!
17 It invites such as turn their backs and turn away their faces.
18 And hoarded and withheld their wealth.
19 Truly man was created very impatient;
20 Fretful when evil touches him;
21 And niggardly when good reaches him;
22 Not so those devoted to prayer;
23 Those who remain steadfast to their prayer;
24 And those in whose wealth is a recognized right
25 For the one who asks and he who is prevented;
26 And those who hold to the truth of the day of judgment;
27 And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord,
28 For their Lord’s displeasure is the opposite of peace and tranquillity;
29 And those who guard their chastity,
30 Except with their wives and the ones whom their right hands possess, for they are not to be blamed,
31 But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors;
32 And those who respect their trusts and covenants;
33 And those who stand firm in their testimonies;
34 And those who guard their worship;
35 Such will be the honoured ones in the gardens.
36 Now what is the matter with the unbelievers that they rush madly before you
37 From the right and from the left, in crowds?
38 Does every man of them long to enter the garden of bliss?
39 By no means! For we have created them from what they know!
40 Now I call to witness the Lord of all points in the east and the west that we can certainly
41 Substitute for them better men than they: and we are not to be defeated.
42 So leave them to plunge in vain talk and play about, until they encounter that day of which they have been promised!
43 The day whereon they will issue from their graves in sudden haste as if they were rushing to a goal post,
44 Their eyes lowered in dejection, ignominy covering them! Such is the day of which they are promised!