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

English - Yusuf Ali

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

سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍۢ وَاقِعٍۢ ﴿١﴾

A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall-

لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌۭ ﴿٢﴾

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

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ ﴿٣﴾

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

تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍۢ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍۢ ﴿٤﴾

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

فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًۭا جَمِيلًا ﴿٥﴾

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

إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًۭا ﴿٦﴾

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

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًۭا ﴿٧﴾

But We see it (quite) near.

يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ ﴿٨﴾

The Day that the sky will be like molten brass,

وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ ﴿٩﴾

And the mountains will be like wool,

وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًۭا ﴿١٠﴾

And no friend will ask after a friend,

يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ ۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۭ بِبَنِيهِ ﴿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 ﴿١٢﴾

His wife and his brother,

وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُـْٔوِيهِ ﴿١٣﴾

His kindred who sheltered him,

وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ ﴿١٤﴾

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

كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ﴿١٥﴾

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

نَزَّاعَةًۭ لِّلشَّوَىٰ ﴿١٦﴾

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

تَدْعُواْ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ﴿١٧﴾

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

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰٓ ﴿١٨﴾

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

۞ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ﴿١٩﴾

Truly man was created very impatient;-

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًۭا ﴿٢٠﴾

Fretful when evil touches him;

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا ﴿٢١﴾

And niggardly when good reaches him;-

إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ ﴿٢٢﴾

Not so those devoted to Prayer;-

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾

Those who remain steadfast to their prayer;

وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ حَقٌّۭ مَّعْلُومٌۭ ﴿٢٤﴾

And those in whose wealth is a recognised right.

لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ ﴿٢٥﴾

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

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ ﴿٢٦﴾

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

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾

And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord,-

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍۢ ﴿٢٨﴾

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

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَٰفِظُونَ ﴿٢٩﴾

And those who guard their chastity,

إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ﴿٣٠﴾

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

فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ﴿٣١﴾

But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors;-

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾

And those who respect their trusts and covenants;

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾

And those who stand firm in their testimonies;

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ﴿٣٤﴾

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

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّٰتٍۢ مُّكْرَمُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾

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

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ ﴿٣٦﴾

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

عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ ﴿٣٧﴾

From the right and from the left, in crowds?

أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍۢ ﴿٣٨﴾

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

كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٩﴾

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

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ ﴿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 خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ ﴿٤١﴾

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

فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُواْ وَيَلْعَبُواْ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُواْ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾

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

يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًۭا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍۢ يُوفِضُونَ ﴿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 أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُواْ يُوعَدُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾

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