54Al-Qamar

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانْشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ

The Hour of Resurrection drew near and the moon split asunder.

وَإِنْ يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُسْتَمِرٌّ

(Regardless of any Signs these people see), they turn away and say: “This is an ongoing sorcery.”

وَكَذَّبُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ ۚ وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍ مُسْتَقِرٌّ

They also gave the lie to (the splitting asunder of the moon) and only followed their desires. Yet everything is destined to reach an end.

وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنَ الْأَنْبَاءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزْدَجَرٌ

Surely there came to them narratives (of the ancient nations) that should suffice to deter (them from transgression),

حِكْمَةٌ بَالِغَةٌ ۖ فَمَا تُغْنِ النُّذُرُ

narratives that are full of consummate wisdom. But warnings do not avail them.

فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ ۘ يَوْمَ يَدْعُ الدَّاعِ إِلَىٰ شَيْءٍ نُكُرٍ

So turn away from them, (O Prophet). On the Day when a caller shall call them to a thing most terrible,

خُشَّعًا أَبْصَارُهُمْ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الْأَجْدَاثِ كَأَنَّهُمْ جَرَادٌ مُنْتَشِرٌ

with down-cast eyes they shall go forth from their graves, as though they were scattered locusts.

مُهْطِعِينَ إِلَى الدَّاعِ ۖ يَقُولُ الْكَافِرُونَ هَٰذَا يَوْمٌ عَسِرٌ

They shall be hurrying forth towards the caller, and the unbelievers (who had once denied this Day), will say: “This is a woeful Day.”

۞ كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ فَكَذَّبُوا عَبْدَنَا وَقَالُوا مَجْنُونٌ وَازْدُجِرَ

Before them Noah's people also gave the lie (to his Message). They rejected Our servant as a liar, saying: “He is a madman”; and he was rebuffed.

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ

Then he called upon His Lord: “Verily I am vanquished; so come You to my aid.”

فَفَتَحْنَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَاءٍ مُنْهَمِرٍ

Thereupon We opened the gates of the sky for water to pour down,

وَفَجَّرْنَا الْأَرْضَ عُيُونًا فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَىٰ أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ

and We made the earth burst forth with springs, and all this water converged to fulfil that which had been decreed.

وَحَمَلْنَاهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلْوَاحٍ وَدُسُرٍ

And We bore Noah on the vessel built of planks and nails,

تَجْرِي بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَاءً لِمَنْ كَانَ كُفِرَ

which sailed on under Our supervision: a reward for him who had been shown ingratitude.

وَلَقَدْ تَرَكْنَاهَا آيَةً فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

And We left the Ark as a Sign. Is there, then, any who will take heed?

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

So how awesome were My chastisement and My warnings!

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

We have made this Qur'an easy as a reminder. Is there, then, any who will take heed?

كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

'Ad also gave the lie (to Hud). So how awesome were My chastisement and My warnings!

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا صَرْصَرًا فِي يَوْمِ نَحْسٍ مُسْتَمِرٍّ

We sent a tumultuous wind against them on a day of unremitting misfortune,

تَنْزِعُ النَّاسَ كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ مُنْقَعِرٍ

which tore people away and hurled them as though they were trunks of uprooted palm-trees.

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

So how awesome were My chastisement and My warnings!

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

We have made the Qur'an easy to derive lessons from. Is there, then, any who will take heed?

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِالنُّذُرِ

Thamud gave the lie to the warnings,

فَقَالُوا أَبَشَرًا مِنَّا وَاحِدًا نَتَّبِعُهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ

saying: “Are we to follow a single mortal, one from among ourselves? If we do that, we shall surely be in error and folly.

أَأُلْقِيَ الذِّكْرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ

Was there none but he to whom the Reminder could be vouchsafed excluding all others? Nay; he is an insolent liar.”

سَيَعْلَمُونَ غَدًا مَنِ الْكَذَّابُ الْأَشِرُ

(We told Our Messenger): “Tomorrow they shall know who is the insolent liar.

إِنَّا مُرْسِلُو النَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةً لَهُمْ فَارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ

We shall send the she-camel as a trial for them; so watch their end with patience.

وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُحْتَضَرٌ

Let them know that the water should be divided between them and the she-camel, each availing their turn.”

فَنَادَوْا صَاحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَىٰ فَعَقَرَ

Eventually, they summoned their companion, and he undertook the (outrageous) task and hamstrung the she-camel.

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

So how awesome were My chastisement and My warnings!

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَكَانُوا كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِ

Behold, We sent a single Blast against them, and they became like the trampled twigs of a sheep pen-builder.

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

Surely We have made this Qur'an easy as a reminder. Is there, then, any who will take heed?

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوطٍ بِالنُّذُرِ

Lot's people also gave the lie to the warnings,

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَاصِبًا إِلَّا آلَ لُوطٍ ۖ نَجَّيْنَاهُمْ بِسَحَرٍ

and behold, We let loose upon them a tempest which rained stones upon them, except upon Lot's household whom We rescued in the last hours of the night

نِعْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي مَنْ شَكَرَ

as a favour from Us. Thus do We reward those who give thanks.

وَلَقَدْ أَنْذَرَهُمْ بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا بِالنُّذُرِ

Surely Lot warned his people that We shall seize them (with Our chastisement), but they doubted the warnings.

وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَنْ ضَيْفِهِ فَطَمَسْنَا أَعْيُنَهُمْ فَذُوقُوا عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

Then they even solicited his guests from him, whereupon We blotted out their eyes, (telling them): “Now have a taste of My chastisement and My warnings.”

وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُمْ بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُسْتَقِرٌّ

Indeed an abiding chastisement came upon them in the morning.

فَذُوقُوا عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

So have a taste of My chastisement and My warnings.

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

Surely We have made this Qur'an easy as a reminder. Is there, then, any who will take heed?

وَلَقَدْ جَاءَ آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ النُّذُرُ

Warnings also came to the Pharaonites,

كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ أَخْذَ عَزِيزٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ

but they gave the lie to Our Signs, to all of them. Thereupon We seized them with the seizing of the Most Mighty, the Most Powerful.

أَكُفَّارُكُمْ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أُولَٰئِكُمْ أَمْ لَكُمْ بَرَاءَةٌ فِي الزُّبُرِ

Are your unbelievers (of Makkah) any better than they? Or have you been granted any immunity in the Scriptures?

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ نَحْنُ جَمِيعٌ مُنْتَصِرٌ

Or do they say: “We are a strong legion, strong enough for victory?”

سَيُهْزَمُ الْجَمْعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ الدُّبُرَ

Soon shall this legion be routed and shall turn their backs and flee.

بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوْعِدُهُمْ وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدْهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ

Nay; the Hour of Doom is their appointed time, and the Hour shall be more calamitous and bitter.

إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ

The evil-doers are victims of error and madness.

يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُوا مَسَّ سَقَرَ

There shall come a Day when they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire and will be told: “Now taste the flame of Hell.”

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ

We have created everything in a determined measure.

وَمَا أَمْرُنَا إِلَّا وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍ بِالْبَصَرِ

Our command consists of only one Word which is carried out in the twinkling of an eye.

وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا أَشْيَاعَكُمْ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

We did indeed destroy many like you. Is there, then, any who will heed?

وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ فَعَلُوهُ فِي الزُّبُرِ

All their deeds are recorded in the Scrolls;

وَكُلُّ صَغِيرٍ وَكَبِيرٍ مُسْتَطَرٌ

everything large or small, is duly inscribed.

إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَنَهَرٍ

Surely those who shun disobedience will dwell amidst Gardens and running streams

فِي مَقْعَدِ صِدْقٍ عِنْدَ مَلِيكٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ

where they will be honourably seated in the presence of a King, Mighty in Power.