Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
I CALL TO witness the dawn 1 By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah). 2 And [by] the even [number] and the odd 3 And [by] the night when it passes, 4 Truly in that there is an oath for those who possess understanding. 5 Did you not see how did your Lord deal with (the tribe of) Aad? 6 With many-columned Iram, 7 The likes of whom had never been created in the land? 8 and with the Thamud, who cut out [huge] rocks in the valley, 9 And the mighty Pharaoh 10 [All of] whom oppressed within the lands 11 and worked much corruption therein? 12 Then their Lord unloosed upon them the lash of chastisement. 13 for, verily, thy Sustainer is ever on the watch! 14 So man, whenever his Lord tests him by giving him honour and favours – thereupon he says, “My Lord has honoured me.” 15 But when He tries him by restraining his means, he says: "My Lord despises me." 16 Nay! but you do not honor the orphan, 17 And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor. 18 and you greedily devour the inheritance of the weak, 19 and you ardently love wealth. 20 No indeed! When the earth is crushed and ground to dust, 21 and when your Lord appears with rows upon rows of angels, 22 and Gehenna (Hell) is brought near on that Day the human will remember, and how shall the Reminder be for him? 23 He will say, “Alas – if only I had sent some good deeds ahead, during my lifetime!” 24 But on that day shall no one chastise with (anything like) His chastisement, 25 and none can bind with bonds like His! 26 (On the other hand it will be said): “O serene soul! 27 Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with him), well-pleasing (Him), 28 "Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves, 29 Enter My Paradise." 30