56Al-Waaqia

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ

When the Terror descends

لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ

(and none denies its descending)

خَافِضَةٌ رَافِعَةٌ

abasing, exalting,

إِذَا رُجَّتِ الْأَرْضُ رَجًّا

when the earth shall be rocked

وَبُسَّتِ الْجِبَالُ بَسًّا

and the mountains crumbled

فَكَانَتْ هَبَاءً مُنْبَثًّا

and become a dust, scattered,

وَكُنْتُمْ أَزْوَاجًا ثَلَاثَةً

and you shall be three bands --

فَأَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ

Companions of the Right (O Companions of the Right!)

وَأَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ

Companions of the Left (O Companions of the Left!)

وَالسَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ

and the Outstrippers: the Outstrippers

أُولَٰئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

those are they brought nigh the Throne,

فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ

in the Gardens of Delight

ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ

(a throng of the ancients

وَقَلِيلٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ

and how few of the later folk)

عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَوْضُونَةٍ

upon close-wrought couches

مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَابِلِينَ

reclining upon them, set face to face,

يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَانٌ مُخَلَّدُونَ

immortal youths going round about them

بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأْسٍ مِنْ مَعِينٍ

with goblets, and ewers, and a cup from a spring

لَا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلَا يُنْزِفُونَ

(no brows throbbing, no intoxication)

وَفَاكِهَةٍ مِمَّا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ

and such fruits as they shall choose,

وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ

and such flesh of fowl as they desire,

وَحُورٌ عِينٌ

and wide-eyed houris

كَأَمْثَالِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ

as the likeness of hidden pearls,

جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

a recompense for that they laboured.

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا

Therein they shall hear no idle talk, no cause of sin,

إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا

only the saying 'Peace, Peace!'

وَأَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ

The Companions of the Right (O Companions of the Right!)

فِي سِدْرٍ مَخْضُودٍ

mid thornless lote-trees

وَطَلْحٍ مَنْضُودٍ

and serried acacias,

وَظِلٍّ مَمْدُودٍ

and spreading shade

وَمَاءٍ مَسْكُوبٍ

and outpoured waters,

وَفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ

and fruits abounding

لَا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلَا مَمْنُوعَةٍ

unfailing, unforbidden,

وَفُرُشٍ مَرْفُوعَةٍ

and upraised couches.

إِنَّا أَنْشَأْنَاهُنَّ إِنْشَاءً

Perfectly We formed them, perfect,

فَجَعَلْنَاهُنَّ أَبْكَارًا

and We made them spotless virgins,

عُرُبًا أَتْرَابًا

chastely amorous,

لِأَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ

like of age for the Companions of the Right.

ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ

A throng of the ancients

وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ

and a throng of the later folk.

وَأَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ

The Companions of the Left (O Companions of the Left!)

فِي سَمُومٍ وَحَمِيمٍ

mid burning winds and boiling waters

وَظِلٍّ مِنْ يَحْمُومٍ

and the shadow of a smoking blaze

لَا بَارِدٍ وَلَا كَرِيمٍ

neither cool, neither goodly;

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُتْرَفِينَ

and before that they lived at ease,

وَكَانُوا يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ

and persisted in the Great Sin,

وَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَإِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ

ever saying, 'What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be raised up?

أَوَآبَاؤُنَا الْأَوَّلُونَ

What, and our fathers, the ancients?'

قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ

Say: 'The ancients, and the later folk

لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ

shall be gathered to the appointed time of a known day.

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ أَيُّهَا الضَّالُّونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ

Then you erring ones, you that cried lies,

لَآكِلُونَ مِنْ شَجَرٍ مِنْ زَقُّومٍ

you shall eat of a tree called Zakkoum,

فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ

and you shall fill therewith your bellies

فَشَارِبُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْحَمِيمِ

and drink on top of that boiling water

فَشَارِبُونَ شُرْبَ الْهِيمِ

lapping it down like thirsty camels.'

هَٰذَا نُزُلُهُمْ يَوْمَ الدِّينِ

This shall be their hospitality on the Day of Doom.

نَحْنُ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ فَلَوْلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ

We created you; therefore why will you not believe?

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تُمْنُونَ

Have you considered the seed you spill?

أَأَنْتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْخَالِقُونَ

Do you yourselves create it, or are We the Creators?

نَحْنُ قَدَّرْنَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

We have decreed among you Death; We shall not be outstripped;

عَلَىٰ أَنْ نُبَدِّلَ أَمْثَالَكُمْ وَنُنْشِئَكُمْ فِي مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

that We may exchange the likes of you, and make you to grow again in a fashion you know not.

وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَىٰ فَلَوْلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

You have known the first growth; so why will you not remember?

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تَحْرُثُونَ

Have you considered the soil you till?

أَأَنْتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَّارِعُونَ

Do you yourselves sow it, or are We the Sowers?

لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَجَعَلْنَاهُ حُطَامًا فَظَلْتُمْ تَفَكَّهُونَ

Did We will, We would make it broken orts, and you would remain bitterly jesting --

إِنَّا لَمُغْرَمُونَ

'We are debt-loaded;

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

nay, we have been robbed!'

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ الْمَاءَ الَّذِي تَشْرَبُونَ

Have you considered the water you drink?

أَأَنْتُمْ أَنْزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ الْمُزْنِ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنْزِلُونَ

Did you send it down from the clouds, or did We send it?

لَوْ نَشَاءُ جَعَلْنَاهُ أُجَاجًا فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ

Did We will, We would make it bitter; so why are you not thankful?

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ النَّارَ الَّتِي تُورُونَ

Have you considered the fire you kindle?

أَأَنْتُمْ أَنْشَأْتُمْ شَجَرَتَهَا أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنْشِئُونَ

Did you make its timber to grow, or did We make it?

نَحْنُ جَعَلْنَاهَا تَذْكِرَةً وَمَتَاعًا لِلْمُقْوِينَ

We Ourselves made it for a reminder, and a boon to the desert-dwellers.

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

Then magnify the Name of thy Lord, the All-mighty.

۞ فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِ

No! I swear by the fallings of the stars

وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ

(and that is indeed a mighty oath, did you but know it)

إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ

it is surely a noble Koran

فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ

in a hidden Book

لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

none but the purified shall touch,

تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

a sending down from the Lord of all Being.

أَفَبِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنْتُمْ مُدْهِنُونَ

What, do you hold this discourse in disdain,

وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ تُكَذِّبُونَ

and do you make it your living to cry lies?

فَلَوْلَا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ

Why, but when the soul leaps to the throat of the dying

وَأَنْتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنْظُرُونَ

and that hour you are watching

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ

(And We are nigher him than you, but you do not see Us)

فَلَوْلَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ

why, if you are not at Our disposal,

تَرْجِعُونَهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

do you not bring back his soul, if you speak truly?

فَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

Then, if he be of those brought nigh the Throne,

فَرَوْحٌ وَرَيْحَانٌ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٍ

there shall be repose and ease, and a Garden of Delight;

وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ

and if he be a Companion of the Right:

فَسَلَامٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ

'Peace be upon thee, Companion of the Right!'

وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ الضَّالِّينَ

But if he be of them that cried lies, and went astray,

فَنُزُلٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ

there shall be a hospitality of boiling water

وَتَصْلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ

and the roasting in Hell.

إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ الْيَقِينِ

Surely this is the truth of certainty.

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

Then magnify the Name of thy Lord, the All-mighty.