The Heights (Al-Ma'aarej)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen 1 the unbelievers which none can prevent. 2 From Allah, Owner of the ascending steps. 3 all the angels and all the inspiration [ever granted to man] ascend unto Him [daily,] in a day the length whereof is [like] fifty thousand years… 4 Therefore endure with a goodly patience. 5 Verily they behold it afar off. 6 but We see it is nigh. 7 On the Day the sky will be like murky oil, 8 and the mountains shall be like puffs of wool. 9 And friend shall not ask of friend 10 Though they will be given sight of them. The guilty man will long to be able to ransom himself from the punishment of that day at the price of his children 11 And his wife and his brother, 12 And his kindred who sheltered him, 13 And all those who are on the earth, to save himself. 14 Nay, verily it is a furnace 15 A remover of exteriors. 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 collected [wealth] and hoarded. 18 ۞ Verily man is formed impatient. 19 Being greatly grieved when evil afflicts him 20 And refraining, when good reaches him. 21 except those that pray 22 Who are constant at their worship 23 who, from their wealth is a known right 24 for the impoverished nonrequester and the requester, 25 who confirm the Day of Reckoning 26 And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord,- 27 for none is secure from the punishment of their Lord, 28 And those who protect their private organs (from adultery). 29 Except with their wives and the bondwomen in their possession, for there is no reproach on them. 30 But he who seeks to go beyond this, these it is that go beyond the limits-- 31 And those who are to their trusts and promises attentive 32 who testify to what they have witnessed, 33 And those who protect their prayers. 34 Such will be the honoured ones in the Gardens (of Bliss). 35