بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَالْفَجْرِ

By the dawn,

وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ

and the ten nights,

وَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرِ

and the even and the odd,

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ

and by the night when it departs.

هَلْ فِي ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِذِي حِجْرٍ

Is there in this an oath for one endowed with understanding?

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ

Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with Ad

إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ

of Iram, known for their lofty columns,

الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ

the like of whom no nation was ever created in the lands of the world?

وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ

And how did He deal with Thamud who hewed out rocks in the valley?

وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ

And with Pharaoh of the tent pegs

الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ

who transgressed in the countries of the world

فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ

spreading in them much corruption?

فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ

Then their Lord unloosed upon them the lash of chastisement.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ

Truly your Lord is ever watchful.

فَأَمَّا الْإِنْسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ

As for man, when his Lord tests him by exalting him and bestowing His bounties upon him, he says: “My Lord has exalted me.”

وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ

But when He tests him by straitening his sustenance, he says: “My Lord has humiliated me.”

كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ لَا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ

But no; you do not treat the orphan honourably,

وَلَا تَحَاضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

and do not urge one another to feed the poor,

وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَمًّا

and greedily devour the entire inheritance,

وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا

and love the riches, loving them ardently.

كَلَّا إِذَا دُكَّتِ الْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا

But no; when the earth is ground to powder,

وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا

and when your Lord appears with rows upon rows of angels,

وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ ۚ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ الذِّكْرَىٰ

and when Hell is brought near that Day. On that Day will man understand, but of what avail will that understanding be?

يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي

He will say: “Would that I had sent ahead what would be of avail for this life of mine!”

فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُ أَحَدٌ

Then on that Day Allah will chastise as none other can chastise;

وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُ أَحَدٌ

and Allah will bind as none other can bind.

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ

(On the other hand it will be said): “O serene soul!

ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً

Return to your Lord well-pleased (with your blissful destination), well-pleasing (to your Lord).

فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي

So enter among My (righteous) servants

وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

and enter My Paradise.”