The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
A questioner asked of a chastisement about to fall 1 to those who deny the truth. No power can hinder God 2 (A punishment) from Allah, the Owner of the Elevated Passages. 3 by which the angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in one Day the duration of which is fifty thousand years. 4 Therefore do thou hold Patience,- a Patience of beautiful (contentment). 5 they see it as being far off; 6 While we behold it nigh: 7 The Day that the sky will be like molten brass, 8 And the hills become as flakes of wool, 9 and [when] no friend will ask about his friend, 10 although they shall be within sight of one another. The guilty one would fain ransom himself from the torment of that Day by offering his children, 11 And his spouse and his brother 12 And his family who had stood by him, 13 And all those who are in the earth – then only if the redemption saves him! 14 By no means! for it would be the Fire of Hell!- 15 that will strip off the scalp. 16 and it will claim all those who turned their backs [on the true faith] and turned away [from the truth], 17 and who accumulated wealth without spending it for a good purpose. 18 ۞ Surely man was created fretful, 19 bewailing when evil befalls him, 20 And refraining, when good reaches him. 21 Not so those devoted to Prayer;- 22 and are constant in their Prayer; 23 who, from their wealth is a known right 24 for the needy and the deprived, 25 And those who believe the Day of Judgement to be true. 26 And those who fear the punishment of their Lord, -- 27 Verily! The torment of their Lord is that before which none can feel secure, 28 who guard their carnal desires 29 [not giving way to their desires] with any but their spouses - that is, those whom they rightfully possess [through wedlock]: for then, behold, they are free of all blame, 30 but whoever goes beyond this is a transgressor; 31 And those who are to their trusts and promises attentive 32 And those who are in their testimonies upright 33 And those who [carefully] maintain their prayer: 34 Those shall be in Gardens, high-honoured. 35