Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
By the break of Day 1 and the ten nights! 2 And the even and the odd, 3 And by the Night when it passeth away;- 4 Why is there an oath in this, for the intelligent? 5 Bethinkest thou not in what wise thy Lord did with the 'A'ad: 6 [the people of] Iram the many-pillared, 7 The like of which were not created in the land? 8 (Also consider how He dealt with) the Thamud, who carved their houses out of the rocks in the valley. 9 And (with) Fir'aun (Pharaoh), who had pegs (who used to torture men by binding them to pegs)? 10 who all were insolent in the land 11 and caused much corruption in them: 12 So your Lord poured on them different kinds of severe torment. 13 Most surely your Lord is watching. 14 So man, whenever his Lord tests him by giving him honour and favours – thereupon he says, “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 no; you do not treat the orphan honourably, 17 Nor do ye encourage one another to feed the poor!- 18 and you devour the inheritance greedily, 19 and you ardently love wealth. 20 Nay, but when the earth is ground to atoms, grinding, grinding, 21 And thy Lord cometh, and His angels, rank upon rank, 22 And Hell, that Day, is brought (face to face),- on that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance profit him? 23 He shall say, 'O would that I had forwarded for my life!' 24 None punisheth as He will punish on that day! 25 nor will any bind as He binds. 26 'O soul at peace, 27 Return to your Lord, well-pleased and well-pleasing Him. 28 Then enter the ranks of My chosen bondmen! 29 Enter then My garden." 30