The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall 1 to those who deny the truth. No power can hinder God 2 from God, the Lord of the Stairways. 3 Whereby the angels ascend unto Him and also the spirit, On a Day whereof the measure is fifty thousand years. 4 Therefore endure with a goodly patience. 5 Verily they behold it afar off. 6 And We see it nigh. 7 On the day when the heavens become like molten metal. 8 And the mountains will be like wool, 9 And no friend will ask of a friend, 10 although they shall be within sight of one another. The guilty one would fain ransom himself from the torment of that Day by offering his children, 11 And his wife and his brother. 12 And his kin that sheltered him. 13 And all that are in the earth, if then it might deliver him. 14 By no means! Verily it is a Flame. 15 A remover of exteriors. 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 when misfortune touches him he starts lamenting, 20 And niggardly when good touches him; 21 Not so those devoted to Prayer;- 22 Who persevere in devotion, 23 and those in whose wealth there is a known right 24 for the needy and the deprived, 25 and who accept as true the [coming of the] Day of Judgment; 26 and who stand in dread of their Sustainer's chastisement 27 for none may ever feel secure from the punishment of their Lord; 28 And those who protect their private organs (from adultery). 29 Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess-- for these surely are not to be blamed, 30 So those who desire more than this – it is they who are the transgressors. 31 who honor their trust and promises, 32 and those who stand by their testimony 33 and (finally) those who do not miss their ritual - prayers at the prescribed times; 34 They will live in gardens with honour. 35