The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
A caller supplicated about a punishment to fall on 1 to those who deny the truth. No power can hinder God 2 [since it will come] from God, unto whom there are many ways of ascent: 3 (Whereby) the angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years. 4 (Muhammad), exercise patience with no complaints. 5 They surely take it to be far away, 6 But We see it very near. 7 The day the sky becomes like molten brass, 8 And the mountains will be like wool, 9 And no friend will ask after a friend, 10 Though they will be given sight of them. The guilty man will long to be able to ransom himself from the punishment of that day at the price of his children 11 And his spouse and his brother 12 and his kinsfolk who gave him shelter, 13 And all those that are in the earth, (wishing) then (that) this might deliver him. 14 But no! There is a raging blaze 15 Plucking out (his being) right to the skull!- 16 It shall insistently summon him who turned his back and retreated, 17 and who accumulated wealth without spending it for a good purpose. 18 ۞ Indeed, mankind was created anxious: 19 Fretful when evil befalleth him 20 but when they are fortunate, they become niggardly 21 Save worshippers. 22 and constant in their prayers. 23 and in whose possessions there is a due share, acknowledged [by them,] 24 for such as ask [for help] and such as are deprived [of what is good in life]; 25 who acknowledge the Day of Judgment, 26 And those who are fearful of the chastisement of their Lord-- 27 Indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not that from which one is safe - 28 And those who guard their private parts, 29 Are free of blame, 30 but those who go beyond that limit are transgressors; 31 and those who are faithful to their trusts and to their pledges; 32 Who uphold their testimonies, 33 and (finally) those who do not miss their ritual - prayers at the prescribed times; 34 They will live in gardens with honour. 35