Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
By the dawn 1 And by ten nights, 2 By the even and odd (contrasted); 3 And by oath of the night when it recedes 4 Is this not a sufficient oath for intelligent people? 5 Have you not heard how your Lord dealt with Aad? 6 of the columned (city) of Iram, 7 the like of whom has never been reared in all the land? 8 And with (the tribe of) Thamud, who clove the rocks in the valley; 9 And (with) Fir'aun (Pharaoh), who had pegs (who used to torture men by binding them to pegs)? 10 They were tyrants in the land 11 and exceeded in corruption therein. 12 Therefore thy Lord poured on them the disaster of His punishment. 13 Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them). 14 As for man - when his Lord proveth him and so honoureth him and is bounteous unto him, then he saith: 'my Lord hath honoured me, 15 But when He tests him by restricting his provision, he says: 'My Lord has humiliated me' 16 Nay! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity (i.e. you neither treat them well, nor give them their exact right of inheritance)! 17 Nor do ye encourage one another to feed the poor!- 18 And you consume inheritance, devouring [it] altogether, 19 And you love wealth with immense love. 20 Nay! When the earth is pounded to powder, 21 And your Lord comes with the angels in rows, 22 and when Hell is brought near that Day. On that Day will man understand, but of what avail will that understanding be? 23 He will say, “Alas – if only I had sent some good deeds ahead, during my lifetime!” 24 Upon that day none shall chastise as He chastises, 25 And none will bind [as severely] as His binding [of the evildoers]. 26 But ah! thou soul at peace! 27 return to your Lord well pleased with him and He will be pleased with you. 28 Join My servants. 29 Enter thou My Paradise!' 30