The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen 1 Upon the disbelievers – the punishment that none can avert. 2 from punishing them. He is the Lord of the Ascending Stairways, 3 all the angels and all the inspiration [ever granted to man] ascend unto Him [daily,] in a day the length whereof is [like] fifty thousand years… 4 Therefore endure with a goodly patience. 5 They think that it (the Day of Judgment) is far away. 6 but We see it to be very near. 7 It shall befall on a Day whereon the sky will become like molten brass, 8 And then the mountains shall become like unto wool dyed. 9 And no familiar friend will ask a question of his 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 And his spouse and his brother 12 And the nearest of his kinsfolk who gave him shelter, 13 And all those that are in the earth, (wishing) then (that) this might deliver him. 14 No, in truth, it is a Furnace! 15 will strip-off the flesh 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 ۞ Verily man is formed impatient. 19 [As a rule,] whenever misfortune touches him, he is filled with self-pity; 20 If good comes to him he holds back his hand, 21 Except those who establish prayer. 22 Those who remain steadfast to their prayer; 23 They are those who assign a certain share of their property 24 for the impoverished nonrequester and the requester, 25 and those who believe in the Day of Judgement 26 And those who fear the punishment of their Lord. 27 Surely no one can be secure from the punishment of his Lord, -- 28 those who preserve their chastity 29 except from their wives and what their right hands own, for these they are not blameworthy. 30 But whoso seeketh more than that, those are they who are transgressors; 31 and who preserve their trusts and their covenant, 32 And those who stand by their testimony 33 And those who protect their prayers. 34 all these shall live honourably in the Gardens. 35