The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall 1 Upon the disbelievers, which none can avert, 2 No one can defend him against God, the Lord of the exalted positions. 3 To whom the angels and the soul take a day to ascend, whose length is fifty thousand years. 4 Therefore endure with a goodly patience. 5 Verily they behold it afar off. 6 but, We see it as near! 7 It shall befall on a Day whereon the sky will become like molten brass, 8 The mountains like the tufts of (carded) wool, 9 And no friend will ask concerning his friend. 10 Though they shall be made to see one another. Fain would the guilty ransom himself from the torment of that Day by his children. 11 and his spouse and his brother, 12 the kinsmen who gave him shelter, 13 And all that are in the earth, so that it might save him. 14 But never. It is pure white flame 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 covetously hoarded it. 18 ۞ Surely man is greedy by nature. 19 Fretful when evil befalleth him 20 And niggardly when good befalls him 21 Except those who establish prayer. 22 Those who are regular in their prayers. 23 In whose wealth a due share is included 24 For the petitioner and the deprived - 25 those who firmly believe in the Day of Recompense, 26 And those who fear the punishment of their Lord. 27 Lo! the doom of their Lord is that before which none can feel secure - 28 And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts from illegal sexual acts). 29 Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess-- for these surely are not to be blamed, 30 whereas such as seek to go beyond that [limit] are truly transgressors; 31 And those who of their trusts and their covenant are keepers. 32 And those who stand firm in their testimonies; 33 and who take due care of their Prayer: 34 They will be honoured in the Gardens of Bliss. 35