The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen 1 Upon the disbelievers, which none can repel, 2 From Allah, Lord of the Ascending Stairways 3 by which the angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in one Day the duration of which is fifty thousand years. 4 So be patient with gracious patience. 5 Verily they behold it afar off. 6 While we behold it nigh: 7 The Day that the sky will be like the boiling filth of oil, (or molten copper or silver or lead, etc.). 8 and the mountains become like wool, 9 and no friend will ask about his friend, 10 They will be seeing them; the guilty will wish if only he could redeem himself from the punishment of that day, by offering his sons. 11 And his wife and his brother 12 And the nearest of his kinsfolk who gave him shelter, 13 And all that are in the earth, so that it might save him. 14 But no! There is a raging blaze 15 will strip-off the flesh 16 and drag into it anyone who has turned away (from obeying God), 17 and amassed wealth and covetously hoarded it. 18 ۞ Surely man is greedy by nature. 19 Irritable (discontented) when evil touches him; 20 And, when good befalleth him, grudging; 21 Not so, however, those who consciously turn towards God in prayer. 22 [and] who incessantly persevere in their prayer 23 And those in whose wealth exists a recognised right, 24 for the impoverished nonrequester and the requester, 25 and those who believe in the Day of Judgement 26 who are afraid of the torment of their Lord, 27 Indeed the punishment of their Lord is not a thing to be unafraid of! 28 who guard their carnal desires 29 Except with their wives and the bondwomen in their possession, for there is no reproach on them. 30 But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors;- 31 (Those) who keep their trusts and their covenant, 32 And those who stand firm in their testimonies. 33 and who are constant in their prayers. 34 Such shall dwell in the Gardens (i.e. Paradise) honoured. 35