Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
I CALL TO witness the dawn 1 and the ten nights! 2 by the even and the odd, 3 And the night when it departeth, 4 Truly in that there is an oath for those who possess understanding. 5 Have you not seen what your Lord did to the 'Ad 6 of the columned (city) of Iram, 7 the like of whom has never been reared in all the land? 8 And with the Thamud (people), who cut out (huge) rocks in the valley?- 9 and Pharaoh, he of the tent-pegs, 10 Who committed inordinacy in the cities, 11 And who then spread a lot of turmoil in them. 12 (Therefore) your Lord let loose upon them a scourge of punishment; 13 Your Lord is certainly in wait. 14 As for man, whenever his Lord trieth him by honouring him, and is gracious unto him, he saith: My Lord honoureth me. 15 but when He tests him by straitening his means of livelihood, he says, "My Lord has disgraced 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 do not urge one another to feed the poor, 18 And you devour (others') inheritance greedily, 19 and you love wealth with boundless love! 20 Nay! when the earth is made to crumble to pieces, 21 And when the command of your Lord comes – and the angels row by row, 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 before me (some provision) for my life! 24 So on that Day, none will punish as He will punish. 25 and none can bind with bonds like His! 26 O you tranquil soul, 27 Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure! 28 "Enter thou, then, among My devotees! 29 Enter thou My Paradise!' 30