The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
A beseecher besought the visitation of chastisement, 1 those who deny the truth. [Know, then, that] nothing can ward it off, 2 [since it will come] from God, unto whom there are many ways of ascent: 3 Whereby the angels ascend unto Him and also the spirit, On a Day whereof the measure is fifty thousand years. 4 Therefore, [O believers] behave with seemly patience. 5 They surely take it to be far away, 6 but, We see it as near! 7 It shall befall on a Day whereon the heaven shall become like unto dregs of oil. 8 And the hills will be light as wool. 9 And no friend will ask after a friend, 10 though they shall be within sight of each other. The guilty one will gladly ransom himself from the torment of that Day by sacrificing his own children, 11 And his wife and his brother 12 and his kinsfolk who gave him shelter, 13 And all that are in the earth, so that it might save him. 14 But nay! for lo! it is the fire of hell 15 Flaying off the scalp-skin. 16 Calling: "[O Kafir (O disbeliever in Allah, His angels, His Book, His Messengers, Day of Resurrection and in Al-Qadar (Divine Preordainments), O Mushrik (O polytheist, disbeliever in the Oneness of Allah)] (all) such as turn their backs and turn away their faces (from Faith) [picking and swallowing them up from that great gathering of mankind (on the Day of Resurrection) just as a bird picks up a food-grain from the earth with its beak and swallows it up] [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol. 18, Page 289] 17 And collected [wealth] and hoarded. 18 ۞ Indeed, man is born impatient: 19 when misfortune touches him he starts lamenting, 20 If good comes to him he holds back his hand, 21 except those that pray 22 Who are at their prayer constant. 23 And those in whose wealth exists a recognised right, 24 For him who begs and for him who is denied (good) 25 And those who believe in the Day of Judgment, 26 And those who fear the torment of their Lord, 27 the punishment of their Lord is not something for them to feel secure of, 28 And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts from illegal sexual acts). 29 Except with their wives and the bondwomen in their possession, for there is no reproach on them. 30 but any who seeks to go beyond that, it is indeed they who are the transgressors, 31 who honor their trust and promises, 32 And those who stand firm in their testimonies. 33 and are steadfast in their prayers. 34 Those are highly honored in the Gardens. 35