Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
By the dawn 1 and the ten nights, 2 By the even and odd (contrasted); 3 And by oath of the night when it recedes 4 Truly in that there is an oath for those who possess understanding. 5 Hast thou not seen how thy Lord did with Ad, 6 Of Eram with lofty pillars (erected as signposts in the desert), 7 The likes of whom had never been created in the land? 8 And Thamood, who hewed out the rocks of the valley? 9 And with Fir'awn, owner of the stakes 10 Those who rebelled in the cities, 11 And made therein much mischief. 12 Then their Lord unloosed upon them the lash of chastisement. 13 Lo! thy Lord is ever watchful. 14 As for man - when his Lord proveth him and so honoureth him and is bounteous unto him, then he saith: 'my Lord hath honoured me, 15 But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, "My Lord has humiliated me." 16 Nay! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity (i.e. you neither treat them well, nor give them their exact right of inheritance)! 17 and you do not urge one another to feed the needy, 18 and you devour the inheritance greedily, 19 And love wealth with all your heart. 20 But no; when the earth is ground to powder, 21 And thy Lord shall come with angels, rank on rank, 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, “Alas – if only I had sent some good deeds ahead, during my lifetime!” 24 So on that Day, none will punish as He will punish. 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 wellpleased, wellpleasing. 28 "Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves, 29 Enter My Paradise." 30