بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up;

وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انْكَدَرَتْ

When the stars fall, losing their lustre;

وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

When the mountains vanish (like a mirage);

وَإِذَا الْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

When the she-camels, ten months with young, are left untended;

وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

When the wild beasts are herded together (in the human habitations);

وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

When the oceans boil over with a swell;

وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

When the souls are sorted out, (being joined, like with like);

وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ

When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned -

بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَتْ

For what crime she was killed;

وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

When the scrolls are laid open;

وَإِذَا السَّمَاءُ كُشِطَتْ

When the world on High is unveiled;

وَإِذَا الْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

When the Blazing Fire is kindled to fierce heat;

وَإِذَا الْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

And when the Garden is brought near;-

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا أَحْضَرَتْ

(Then) shall each soul know what it has put forward.

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ

So verily I call to witness the planets - that recede,

الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ

Go straight, or hide;

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

And the Night as it dissipates;

وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

And the Dawn as it breathes away the darkness;-

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

Verily this is the word of a most honourable Messenger,

ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ

Endued with Power, with rank before the Lord of the Throne,

مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ

With authority there, (and) faithful to his trust.

وَمَا صَاحِبُكُمْ بِمَجْنُونٍ

And (O people!) your companion is not one possessed;

وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ بِالْأُفُقِ الْمُبِينِ

And without doubt he saw him in the clear horizon.

وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ

Neither doth he withhold grudgingly a knowledge of the Unseen.

وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَانٍ رَجِيمٍ

Nor is it the word of an evil spirit accursed.

فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ

When whither go ye?

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ

Verily this is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds:

لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ

(With profit) to whoever among you wills to go straight:

وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

But ye shall not will except as Allah wills,- the Cherisher of the Worlds.