The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
A beseecher besought the visitation of chastisement, 1 The Unbelievers, the which there is none to ward off,- 2 [It is] from Allah, owner of the ways of ascent. 3 The angels and the Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years, 4 Therefore be patient, with a beautiful patience; 5 Verily they behold it afar off. 6 while We think that it is near at hand. 7 On the Day the sky will be like murky oil, 8 And the mountains will be like wool, 9 And no friend will ask [anything of] a friend, 10 though they shall be within sight of each other. The guilty one will gladly ransom himself from the torment of that Day by sacrificing his own children, 11 and of his spouse, and of his brother, 12 And his family who had stood by him, 13 and whosoever is in the earth, altogether, so that it might save him. 14 By no means! Surely it is a flaming fire 15 stripping away his skin, 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 collected [wealth] and hoarded. 18 ۞ Indeed, mankind was created anxious: 19 Fretful when evil touches him; 20 And refraining, when good reaches him. 21 Except those devoted to Salat (prayers) 22 and continue at their prayers, 23 and those in whose wealth there is a known right 24 For the beggar and the destitute; 25 those who firmly believe in the Day of Recompense, 26 and go in fear of the chastisement of their Lord 27 surely the chastisement of their Lord is a thing none can feel secure from – 28 and guard their private parts 29 except from their spouses and those whom they rightfully possess [through wedlock], for which they incur no blame -- 30 So those who desire more than this – it is they who are the transgressors. 31 And those who protect the property entrusted to them, and their agreements. 32 and standby their witnessing, 33 And those who guard (the sacredness) of their worship;- 34 They will be honoured in the Gardens of Bliss. 35