Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CONSIDER the daybreak 1 by the Ten Nights, 2 And by oath of the even and the odd. 3 And the night when it departs. 4 Is there in that an oath for a mindful man? 5 (Muhammad), consider how your Lord dealt with the tribe of Ad, 6 Of the (city of) Iram, with lofty pillars, 7 The like of which was not created in the lands; 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 made therein much mischief. 12 So your Lord poured a scourge of punishment over them. 13 For thy Lord is (as a Guardian) on a watch-tower. 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 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 needy. 18 and you devour the inheritance greedily, 19 And you love wealth with exceeding love. 20 Nay, but when the earth is ground to atoms, grinding, grinding, 21 and when your Lord appears with rows upon rows of angels, 22 And hell is made to appear on that day. On that day shall man be mindful, and what shall being mindful (then) avail him? 23 He will say, "Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good] for my life." 24 So on that day, no one punishes like He does! 25 And His bonds will be such as none other can bind. 26 [To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul, 27 "Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him! 28 Then enter the ranks of My chosen bondmen! 29 And enter thou My Garden. 30