The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
A caller supplicated about a punishment to fall on 1 for the unbelievers, which none may avert, 2 From Allah, the Lord of the ways of Ascent. 3 (Whereby) the angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years. 4 But be patient (O Muhammad) with a patience fair to see. 5 They see it [the Day of Judgement] to be far off, 6 Whereas We see it impending. 7 Upon the day when heaven shall be as molten copper 8 And the mountains will be like flakes of wool, 9 And no friend will ask [anything of] a friend, 10 Though within sight of one another. The sinner would like to ransom himself from the torment of that Day by offering his sons, 11 And his wife and his brother, 12 his kinsmen who gave him refuge (from hardship) 13 and all those on earth. 14 No, in truth, it is a Furnace! 15 Plucking out (his being) right to the skull!- 16 It invites he who turned his back [on truth] and went away [from obedience] 17 and amass [wealth] and thereupon withhold [it from their fellow-men]. 18 ۞ Surely man is greedy by nature. 19 Fretful when evil befalleth him 20 but when they are fortunate, they become niggardly 21 except those that pray 22 who are constant in prayer; 23 and in whose possessions there is a due share, acknowledged [by them,] 24 For the (needy) who asks and him who is prevented (for some reason from asking); 25 who confirm the Day of Doom 26 and who stand in dread of their Sustainer's chastisement 27 surely the chastisement of their Lord is a thing none can feel secure from – 28 And those who guard their private parts, 29 Save in regard to their spouses or those whom their right hands own; so verily they are not blameworthy 30 So those who desire more than this – it is they who are the transgressors. 31 and who are faithful to their trusts and to their pledges: 32 And those who stand firm in their testimonies; 33 and who observe their prayers. 34 Such will be the honoured ones in the Gardens (of Bliss). 35