The Heights

In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

bis'mi l-lahi l-raḥmāni l-raḥīm

A questioner may question the inevitable retribution.

سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ

sa-ala sāilun biʿadhābin wāqiʿi

For the disbelievers, none can stop it.

لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌ

lil'kāfirīna laysa lahu dāfiʿu

From GOD; Possessor of the highest Height.

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ

mina l-lahi dhī l-maʿārij

The angels and the Spirit, with their reports, climb to Him in a day that equals fifty thousand years.

تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

taʿruju l-malāikatu wal-rūḥu ilayhi fī yawmin kāna miq'dāruhu khamsīna alfa sanati

Therefore, you shall resort to a gracious patience.

فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا

fa-iṣ'bir ṣabran jamīla

For they see it far away.

إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًا

innahum yarawnahu baʿīda

While we see it very close.

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًا

wanarāhu qarība

The day will come when the sky will be like molten rocks.

يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ

yawma takūnu l-samāu kal-muh'l

The mountains will be like fluffy wool.

وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ

watakūnu l-jibālu kal-ʿih'n

No friend will care about his close friend.

وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا

walā yasalu ḥamīmun ḥamīma

When they see them, the guilty will wish he could give his own children as ransom, to spare him the retribution of that day.

يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۭ بِبَنِيهِ

yubaṣṣarūnahum yawaddu l-muj'rimu law yaftadī min ʿadhābi yawmi-idhin bibanīh

Also his spouse, and his brother.

وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ

waṣāḥibatihi wa-akhīh

Even his whole tribe that raised him.

وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُـْٔوِيهِ

wafaṣīlatihi allatī tu'wīh

Even all the people on earth, if it would save him.

وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ

waman fī l-arḍi jamīʿan thumma yunjīh

No; it is aflame.

كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ

kallā innahā laẓ

Eager to burn.

نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوَىٰ

nazzāʿatan lilshaw

It calls on those who turned away.

تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

tadʿū man adbara watawall

Those who hoarded and counted.

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰٓ

wajamaʿa fa-awʿ

Indeed, the human being is anxious.

إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا

inna l-insāna khuliqa halūʿa

If touched by adversity, despondent.

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا

idhā massahu l-sharu jazūʿa

If blessed by wealth, stingy.

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا

wa-idhā massahu l-khayru manūʿa

Except for the worshipers.

إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ

illā l-muṣalīn

Who always observe their contact prayers (Salat).

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ

alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim dāimūn

Part of their money is set aside.

وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُومٌ

wa-alladhīna fī amwālihim ḥaqqun maʿlūmu

For the poor and the needy.

لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ

lilssāili wal-maḥrūm

They believe in the Day of Judgment.

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ

wa-alladhīna yuṣaddiqūna biyawmi l-dīn

They reverence their Lord's requital.

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ

wa-alladhīna hum min ʿadhābi rabbihim mush'fiqūn

Their Lord's requital is not taken for granted.

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ

inna ʿadhāba rabbihim ghayru mamūni

They keep their chastity.

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَٰفِظُونَ

wa-alladhīna hum lifurūjihim ḥāfiẓūn

(They have relations) only with their spouses, or what is legally theirs—

إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ

illā ʿalā azwājihim aw mā malakat aymānuhum fa-innahum ghayru malūmīn

anyone who transgresses these limits is a sinner—

فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ

famani ib'taghā warāa dhālika fa-ulāika humu l-ʿādūn

And the believers keep their word; they are trustworthy.

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ

wa-alladhīna hum li-amānātihim waʿahdihim rāʿūn

Their testimony is truthful.

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ

wa-alladhīna hum bishahādātihim qāimūn

They consistently observe their contact prayers (Salat), on time.

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

wa-alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim yuḥāfiẓūn

They have deserved a position of honor, in Paradise.

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّٰتٍ مُّكْرَمُونَ

ulāika fī jannātin muk'ramūn

What is keeping those who disbelieved from joining you?

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ

famāli alladhīna kafarū qibalaka muh'ṭiʿīn

To the right, and to the left, they flee.

عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ

aani alyameeni waAAani alshshimaliAAizeena

How can any of them expect to enter the blissful Paradise?

أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍ

ayaṭmaʿu kullu im'ri-in min'hum an yud'khala jannata naʿīmi

Never; we created them, and they know from what.

كَلَّآ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ

kallā innā khalaqnāhum mimmā yaʿlamūn

I solemnly swear by the Lord of the easts and the wests; we are able—

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ

falā uq'simu birabbi l-mashāriqi wal-maghāribi innā laqādirūn

to substitute better people in their place; we can never be defeated.

عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

aala an nubaddila khayran minhum wamanahnu bimasbooqeena

Therefore, let them blunder and play, until they meet the day that is awaiting them.

فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ

fadharhum yakhūḍū wayalʿabū ḥattā yulāqū yawmahumu alladhī yūʿadūn

That is the day they come out of the graves in a hurry, as if herded to the (sacrificial) altars.

يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ

yawma yakhrujūna mina l-ajdāthi sirāʿan ka-annahum ilā nuṣubin yūfiḍūn

With their eyes subdued, shame will cover them. That is the day that is awaiting them.

خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ

khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun dhālika l-yawmu alladhī kānū yūʿadūn