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Surah Al-Ma'arij (The Ways of Ascent )

English - Yusuf Ali

Surah Al-Ma'arij (The Ways of Ascent ) - Aya count 44

سَأَلَ سَآئِلُۢ بِعَذَابٖ وَاقِعٖ ﰀ ﴿١﴾

A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall-

لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ لَيۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٞ ﰁ ﴿٢﴾

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

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِي ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ﰂ ﴿٣﴾

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

تَعۡرُجُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيۡهِ فِي يَوۡمٖ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُۥ خَمۡسِينَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٖ ﰃ ﴿٤﴾

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

فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرٗا جَمِيلًا ﰄ ﴿٥﴾

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

إِنَّهُمۡ يَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِيدٗا ﰅ ﴿٦﴾

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

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبٗا ﰆ ﴿٧﴾

But We see it (quite) near.

يَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ ﰇ ﴿٨﴾

The Day that the sky will be like molten brass,

وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ﰈ ﴿٩﴾

And the mountains will be like wool,

وَلَا يَسۡـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمٗا ﰉ ﴿١٠﴾

And no friend will ask after a friend,

يُبَصَّرُونَهُمۡۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُ لَوۡ يَفۡتَدِي مِنۡ عَذَابِ يَوۡمِئِذِۭ بِبَنِيهِ ﰊ ﴿١١﴾

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,

وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ ﰋ ﴿١٢﴾

His wife and his brother,

وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِي تُـٔۡوِيهِ ﰌ ﴿١٣﴾

His kindred who sheltered him,

وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ ﰍ ﴿١٤﴾

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

كَلَّآۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ﰎ ﴿١٥﴾

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

نَزَّاعَةٗ لِّلشَّوَىٰ ﰏ ﴿١٦﴾

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

تَدۡعُواْ مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ﰐ ﴿١٧﴾

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

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوۡعَىٰٓ ﰑ ﴿١٨﴾

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

۞ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ﰒ ﴿١٩﴾

Truly man was created very impatient;-

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعٗا ﰓ ﴿٢٠﴾

Fretful when evil touches him;

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَيۡرُ مَنُوعًا ﰔ ﴿٢١﴾

And niggardly when good reaches him;-

إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ ﰕ ﴿٢٢﴾

Not so those devoted to Prayer;-

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَآئِمُونَ ﰖ ﴿٢٣﴾

Those who remain steadfast to their prayer;

وَٱلَّذِينَ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ حَقّٞ مَّعۡلُومٞ ﰗ ﴿٢٤﴾

And those in whose wealth is a recognised right.

لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ ﰘ ﴿٢٥﴾

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

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ ﰙ ﴿٢٦﴾

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

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ ﰚ ﴿٢٧﴾

And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord,-

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمۡ غَيۡرُ مَأۡمُونٖ ﰛ ﴿٢٨﴾

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

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَٰفِظُونَ ﰜ ﴿٢٩﴾

And those who guard their chastity,

إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزۡوَٰجِهِمۡ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُمۡ فَإِنَّهُمۡ غَيۡرُ مَلُومِينَ ﰝ ﴿٣٠﴾

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

فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ ﰞ ﴿٣١﴾

But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors;-

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَٰعُونَ ﰟ ﴿٣٢﴾

And those who respect their trusts and covenants;

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمۡ قَآئِمُونَ ﰠ ﴿٣٣﴾

And those who stand firm in their testimonies;

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ ﰡ ﴿٣٤﴾

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

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ فِي جَنَّٰتٖ مُّكۡرَمُونَ ﰢ ﴿٣٥﴾

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

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ قِبَلَكَ مُهۡطِعِينَ ﰣ ﴿٣٦﴾

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

عَنِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ ﰤ ﴿٣٧﴾

From the right and from the left, in crowds?

أَيَطۡمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن يُدۡخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٖ ﰥ ﴿٣٨﴾

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

كَلَّآۖ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ ﰦ ﴿٣٩﴾

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

فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ ﰧ ﴿٤٠﴾

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

عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ ﰨ ﴿٤١﴾

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

فَذَرۡهُمۡ يَخُوضُواْ وَيَلۡعَبُواْ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُواْ يَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ ﰩ ﴿٤٢﴾

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

يَوۡمَ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعٗا كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٖ يُوفِضُونَ ﰪ ﴿٤٣﴾

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

خَٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةٞۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمُ ٱلَّذِي كَانُواْ يُوعَدُونَ ﰫ ﴿٤٤﴾

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