The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall 1 Upon the disbelievers, which none can repel, 2 From God, the Lord of the steps (of progression), 3 To Him the angels and the Spirit (Gabriel) ascend in a day, the measure of which is fifty thousand years. 4 But be patient (O Muhammad) with a patience fair to see. 5 They see the (Day) indeed as a far-off (event): 6 but, We see it as near! 7 Upon the day when heaven shall be as molten copper 8 And the mountains shall be as tufts of 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 his kindred who sheltered him, 13 and of whoever [else] lives on earth, all of them - so that he could but save himself. 14 No, in truth, it is a Furnace! 15 stripping away his skin, 16 and it will claim all those who turned their backs [on the true faith] and turned away [from the truth], 17 and amassed wealth and covetously hoarded it. 18 ۞ Verily man is impatient by nature: 19 Fretful when evil touches him; 20 And niggardly when good touches him; 21 Not so, however, those who consciously turn towards God in prayer. 22 Those who are constant in their prayer 23 and those in whose wealth there is a known right 24 for those that ask and those that are dispossessed, 25 and who accept as true the [coming of the] Day of Judgment; 26 who are afraid of the torment of their Lord, 27 surely the chastisement of their Lord is a thing none can feel secure from – 28 And those who guard their private parts 29 save from their wives and what their right hands own, then not being blameworthy 30 but whoever goes beyond this is a transgressor; 31 And those who keep their trusts and covenants; 32 and perform their witnessings, 33 And those who protect their prayers. 34 Those shall dwell in Gardens, honoured. 35