The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
A questioner asked of a chastisement about to fall 1 Upon the infidels -- which none would be able to repel -- 2 From Allah, Owner of the ascending steps. 3 To Him the angels and the Spirit mount up, in a day whereof the measure is fifty thousand years. 4 But be patient (O Muhammad) with a patience fair to see. 5 They deem it to be remote. 6 but We see it near. 7 The day when the sky will be like molten silver. 8 And the hills become as flakes of wool, 9 And no friend will ask after a friend, 10 Though they will be put in sight of each other,- the sinner's desire will be: Would that he could redeem himself from the Penalty of that Day by (sacrificing) his children, 11 his wife, his brother, 12 And the family in which he was. 13 And whoever is on earth entirely [so] then it could save him. 14 Nay, verily it is a furnace 15 A remover of exteriors. 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 amassed wealth and hoarded it. 18 ۞ Indeed, the human was created grudging and impatient. 19 When evil comes upon him he is impatient; 20 when good visits him, grudging, 21 except those who are steadfast 22 Those who are constant in their prayer 23 In whose wealth a due share is included 24 for the needy and the deprived, 25 and those who believe in the Day of Judgement 26 And those who are fearful of the chastisement of their Lord-- 27 Lo! the doom of their Lord is that before which none can feel secure - 28 And those who guard their private parts, 29 except from their spouses and those whom they rightfully possess [through wedlock], for which they incur no blame -- 30 And whosoever seeketh beyond that, then it is those who are the trespassers 31 And those who fulfil their trusts and covenants, 32 And those who are in their testimonies upright 33 and who guard their prayers [from all worldly intent]. 34 Those shall be in Gardens, high-honoured. 35