سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ

ONE who is minded to ask might ask about the suffering which [in the hereafter] is bound to befall (1)

لِلْكَافِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَافِعٌ

those who deny the truth. [Know, then, that] nothing can ward it off, (2)

مِنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ

[since it will come] from God, unto whom there are many ways of ascent: (3)

تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

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.... (4)

إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُ بَعِيدًا

behold, men look upon that [reckoning] as something far away (6)

وَنَرَاهُ قَرِيبًا

but We see it as near! (7)

يَوْمَ تَكُونُ السَّمَاءُ كَالْمُهْلِ

[It will take place] on a Day when the sky will be like molten lead, (8)

وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ

and the mountains will be like tufts of wool, (9)

وَلَا يَسْأَلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا

and [when] no friend will ask about his friend, (10)

يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيهِ

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, (11)

وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ

and of his spouse, and of his brother, (12)

وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْوِيهِ

and of all the kinsfolk who ever sheltered him, (13)

وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنْجِيهِ

and of whoever [else] lives on earth, all of them – so that he could but save himself. (14)

كَلَّا إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ

But nay! Verily, all [that awaits him] is a raging flame, (15)

نَزَّاعَةً لِلشَّوَىٰ

tearing away his skin! (16)

تَدْعُو مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

It will claim all such as turn their backs [on what is right], and turn away [from the truth], (17)

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰ

and amass [wealth] and thereupon withhold [it from their fellow-men]. (18)

إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا

VERILY, man is born with a restless disposition. (19)

إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا

[As a rule,] whenever misfortune touches him, he is filled with self-pity; (20)

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا

and whenever good fortune comes to him, he selfishly withholds it [from others]. (21)

إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّينَ

Not so, however, those who consciously turn towards God in prayer, (22)

الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ

[and] who incessantly persevere in their prayer; (23)

وَالَّذِينَ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَعْلُومٌ

and in whose possessions there is a due share, acknowledged [by them], (24)

لِلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ

for such as ask [for help] and such as are deprived [of what is good in life]; (25)

وَالَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ

and who accept as true the [coming of the] Day of Judgment; (26)

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ مِنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِمْ مُشْفِقُونَ

and who stand in dread of their Sustainer's chastisement (27)

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ

for, behold, of their Sustainer's chastisement none may ever feel [wholly] secure; (28)

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ

and who are mindful of their chastity, (29)

إِلَّا عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ

[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, (30)

فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ

whereas such as seek to go beyond that [limit] are truly transgressors; (31)

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ

and who are faithful to their trusts and to their pledges; (32)

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِشَهَادَاتِهِمْ قَائِمُونَ

and who stand firm whenever they bear witness; (33)

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

and who guard their prayers [from all worldly intent]. (34)

أُولَٰئِكَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ مُكْرَمُونَ

These it is who in the gardens [of paradise] shall be honoured! (35)