Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
I CALL TO witness the dawn 1 and ten nights, 2 And the even and the odd, 3 and by the night when it moves on towards daybreak (reward and retribution in the next life is an absolute reality). 4 Why is there an oath in this, for the intelligent? 5 Have you not heard of how your Lord dealt with the tribe of 'Ad, 6 Of Eram with lofty pillars (erected as signposts in the desert), 7 the like of which has never been created in the land, 8 (Also consider how He dealt with) the Thamud, who carved their houses out of the rocks in the valley. 9 And with Fir'awn, owner of the stakes 10 led rebellious lives, 11 and exceeded in corruption therein. 12 Therefore your Lord struck them hard with the means of punishment. 13 Lo! thy Lord is ever watchful. 14 So man, whenever his Lord tests him by giving him honour and favours – thereupon he says, “My Lord has honoured me.” 15 And if He tests him and restricts his livelihood – thereupon he says, “My Lord has degraded me!” 16 No! But you do not honor the orphan 17 Nor urge upon each other the feeding of the poor, 18 and you devour the inheritance [of others] with devouring greed, 19 And love wealth with abounding love. 20 By no means! when the earth shall be ground with grinding, grinding, 21 and when your Lord appears with rows upon rows of angels, 22 And the Hell on that Day shall be brought nigh. On that Day man shall remember, but how will remembrance avail him? 23 He will say: "Ah! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my (Future) Life!" 24 For, that Day, His Chastisement will be such as none (else) can inflict, 25 And none will bind as He will bind. 26 But ah! thou soul at peace! 27 "Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him! 28 enter, then, together with My [other true] servants 29 "And enter you My Paradise!" 30