Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
By the dawn, 1 and ten nights (of pilgrimage or the last ten days of Ramadan), 2 by the even and the odd, 3 And the night when it departs. 4 There is indeed in them (the above oaths) sufficient proofs for men of understanding (and that, they should avoid all kinds of sins and disbeliefs, etc.)! 5 Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the 'Ad (people),- 6 The people of many-columned lram. 7 The like of whom were never created in the realm; 8 (Also consider how He dealt with) the Thamud, who carved their houses out of the rocks in the valley. 9 And with Pharaoh, lord of stakes? 10 Who all waxed exorbitant in the cities, 11 And multiplied therein corruption. 12 so your Lord unleashed on them the scourge of punishment: 13 Lo! thy Lord is ever watchful. 14 As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honour and gifts, then he says (puffed up): "My Lord has honoured me." 15 But whenever He trieth him by straitening his means of life, he saith: My Lord despiseth me. 16 But nay, nay, [O men, consider all that you do and fail to do:] you are not generous towards the orphan, 17 Nor do you urge one another to feed the poor, 18 And you consume inheritance, devouring [it] altogether, 19 and you love wealth with boundless love! 20 Nay, but when the earth is ground to atoms, grinding, grinding, 21 and (when you find yourself) in the presence of your Lord and the rows and rows of angels, your greed for riches will certainly be of no avail to you. 22 and Gehenna (Hell) is brought near on that Day the human will remember, and how shall the Reminder be for him? 23 He will say: "Alas the woe! Would that I had sent ahead something in my life." 24 So on that Day, none will punish as He will punish. 25 And none will bind [as severely] as His binding [of the evildoers]. 26 O the contented soul! 27 "Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him! 28 Enter thou among My bondmen! 29 And enter into My garden. 30