يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ

O THOU enwrapped one! (1)

قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Keep awake [in prayer] at night, all but a small part (2)

نِصْفَهُ أَوِ انْقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا

of one-half thereof – or make it a little less than that, (3)

أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا

or add to it [at will]; and [during that time] recite the Qur'ān calmly and distinctly, with thy mind attuned to its meaning. (4)

إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا

Behold, We shall bestow upon thee a weighty message (5)

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْئًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا

[and,] verily, the hours of night impress the mind most strongly and speak with the clearest voice, (6)

إِنَّ لَكَ فِي النَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا

whereas by day a long chain of doings is thy portion. (7)

وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلًا

But [whether by night or by day,] remember thy Sustainer's name, and devote thyself unto Him with utter devotion. (8)

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلًا

The Sustainer of the east and the west [is He]: there is no deity save Him: hence, ascribe to Him alone the power to determine thy fate, (9)

وَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْرًا جَمِيلًا

and endure with patience whatever people may say [against thee], and avoid them with a comely avoidance. (10)

وَذَرْنِي وَالْمُكَذِّبِينَ أُولِي النَّعْمَةِ وَمَهِّلْهُمْ قَلِيلًا

And leave Me alone [to deal] with those who give the lie to the truth – those who enjoy the blessings of life [without any thought of God] – and bear thou with them for a little while: (11)

إِنَّ لَدَيْنَا أَنْكَالًا وَجَحِيمًا

for, behold, heavy fetters [await them] with Us, and a blazing fire, (12)

وَطَعَامًا ذَا غُصَّةٍ وَعَذَابًا أَلِيمًا

and food that chokes, and grievous suffering (13)

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ رَسُولًا شَاهِدًا عَلَيْكُمْ كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ رَسُولًا

BEHOLD, [O men,] We have sent unto you an apostle who shall bear witness to the truth before you, even as We sent an apostle unto Pharaoh: (15)

فَعَصَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ الرَّسُولَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُ أَخْذًا وَبِيلًا

and Pharaoh rebelled against the apostle, whereupon We took him to task with a crushing grip. (16)

فَكَيْفَ تَتَّقُونَ إِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ يَوْمًا يَجْعَلُ الْوِلْدَانَ شِيبًا

How, then, if you refuse to acknowledge the truth, will you protect yourselves on that Day which shall turn the hair of children grey, (17)

السَّمَاءُ مُنْفَطِرٌ بِهِ كَانَ وَعْدُهُ مَفْعُولًا

[the Day] on which the skies shall be rent asunder, [and] His promise [of resurrection] fulfilled? (18)

إِنَّ هَٰذِهِ تَذْكِرَةٌ فَمَنْ شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ سَبِيلًا

This, verily, is a reminder: let him who wills, then set out on a way to his Sustainer! (19)