Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
By the Dawn 1 and ten nights (of pilgrimage or the last ten days of Ramadan), 2 by the odd and even (8th and 9th Dhil-hajj) 3 and by the night when it moves on towards daybreak (reward and retribution in the next life is an absolute reality). 4 Is there in that an oath for a mindful man? 5 Did you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) not see (thought) how your Lord dealt with 'Ad (people)? 6 (The people of) Aram, possessors of lofty buildings, 7 whose like has never been created in any other land. 8 And how did He deal with Thamud who hewed out rocks in the valley? 9 And with Firaun, who used to crucify. 10 led rebellious lives, 11 and caused much corruption in them: 12 Wherefore thy Lord poured on them the scourge of His torment. 13 indeed, your Lord is ever watchful. 14 And as for man, when his Lord tries him, then treats him with honor and makes him lead an easy life, he says: My Lord honors me. 15 And when He proveth him, and so stinteth unto him his provision, he saith: 'my Lord hath despised me. 16 No! But you show no good to the orphan, 17 And urge not on the feeding of the poor. 18 and you greedily devour the inheritance of the weak, 19 And love wealth with abounding love. 20 No! When the earth has been leveled - pounded and crushed - 21 And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks, 22 And on that Day hell will be brought [within sight]; on that Day man will remember [all that he did and failed to do]: but what will that remembrance avail him? 23 He will say: 'Would that I had forwarded (good works) for my life!' 24 But on that day shall no one chastise with (anything like) His chastisement, 25 and none can bind with bonds like His. 26 O satisfied soul, 27 return to your Lord, well-pleased, well-pleasing. 28 "Enter thou, then, among My devotees! 29 yea, enter thou My paradise!" 30