The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
ONE who is minded to ask might ask about the suffering which [in the hereafter] is bound to befall 1 The Unbelievers, the which there is none to ward off,- 2 from God, the Lord of the Stairways. 3 On that Day (of Judgment), long as fifty thousand years, the angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him. 4 So, (O Prophet), persevere with gracious perseverance. 5 they see it as being far off; 6 but We see it near. 7 On the day when the heavens become like molten metal. 8 And the mountains will be like wool, 9 And friend shall not ask of friend 10 They will be seeing them; the guilty will wish if only he could redeem himself from the punishment of that day, by offering his sons. 11 his wife, his brother, 12 And his nearest kindred who shelter him 13 and all those on earth. 14 No! Indeed, it is the Flame [of Hell], 15 that will strip off the scalp. 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 hoarded (wealth) and withheld it. 18 ۞ Verily man is formed impatient. 19 Fretful when evil touches him; 20 but when they are fortunate, they become niggardly 21 Except those devoted to Salat (prayers) 22 Who persevere in devotion, 23 those who give a due share of their wealth 24 For the beggar and the destitute. 25 those who firmly believe in the Day of Recompense, 26 and go in fear of the chastisement of their Lord 27 surely the chastisement of their Lord is a thing none can feel secure from – 28 And those who guard their sex except from their wives and women slaves of old 29 Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess-- for these surely are not to be blamed, 30 And whosoever seeketh beyond that, then it is those who are the trespassers 31 and who preserve their trusts and their covenant, 32 and those who are upright in their testimonies; 33 And those who of their prayer are observant. 34 Those are highly honored in the Gardens. 35