The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
A questioner asked of a chastisement about to fall 1 for the unbelievers, which none may avert, 2 From Allah, the Lord of all pinnacles. 3 To Him the angels and the Spirit mount up, in a day whereof the measure is fifty thousand years. 4 Therefore, [O believers] behave with seemly patience. 5 behold, men look upon that [reckoning] as something far away 6 And We see it nigh. 7 It shall befall on a Day whereon the sky will become like molten brass, 8 And then the mountains shall become like unto wool dyed. 9 And no familiar friend will ask a question of his friend 10 as they are given sight of them. The sinner will wish that he might ransom himself from the chastisement of that day even by his sons, 11 His wife and his brother, 12 And his kindred who sheltered him, 13 And all, all that is on earth,- so it could deliver him: 14 But nay! for lo! it is the fire of hell 15 Dragging by the head, 16 Calling: "[O Kafir (O disbeliever in Allah, His angels, His Book, His Messengers, Day of Resurrection and in Al-Qadar (Divine Preordainments), O Mushrik (O polytheist, disbeliever in the Oneness of Allah)] (all) such as turn their backs and turn away their faces (from Faith) [picking and swallowing them up from that great gathering of mankind (on the Day of Resurrection) just as a bird picks up a food-grain from the earth with its beak and swallows it up] [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol. 18, Page 289] 17 And masseth and then hoardeth. 18 ۞ Indeed, the human was created grudging and impatient. 19 Fretful when evil touches him; 20 And when good toucheth him he is begrudging. 21 save those that pray 22 Those who remain constant in their Salat (prayers); 23 and those in whose wealth there is a known right 24 for the impoverished nonrequester and the requester, 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 the punishment of their Lord is not something for them to feel secure of, 28 those who preserve their chastity 29 Except with their wives and the bondwomen in their possession, for there is no reproach on them. 30 but any who seeks to go beyond that, it is indeed they who are the transgressors, 31 And those who keep their pledges and their covenant, 32 And those who stand firm in their testimonies; 33 and who guard their prayers [from all worldly intent]. 34 Those shall be in gardens, honored. 35