Dawn (Al-Fajr)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
I CALL TO witness the dawn 1 by the Ten (secret) Nights, 2 And the even and the odd, 3 The night as it advances, 4 There surely is an oath for thinking man. 5 ART THOU NOT aware of how thy Sustainer has dealt with [the tribe of] 'Ad, 6 Iram of the pillars, 7 The like of whom were never created in the realm; 8 and with [the tribe of] Thamud, who hollowed out rocks in the valley? 9 And the mighty Pharaoh 10 All of them committed excesses in their lands, 11 And increased therein the corruption. 12 Therefore thy Lord poured on them the disaster of His punishment. 13 Verily thy Lord is in an ambuscade, 14 And as for man, when his Lord tries him, then treats him with honor and makes him lead an easy life, he says: My Lord honors me. 15 And if He tests him and restricts his livelihood – thereupon he says, “My Lord has degraded me!” 16 (Since wealth does not necessarily guarantee everlasting happiness) then why do you not show kindness to the orphans, 17 Nor urge upon each other the feeding of the poor, 18 and you devour the inheritance [of others] with devouring greed, 19 and you love wealth with an ardent love 20 No! When the earth has been leveled - pounded and crushed - 21 And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks, 22 And hell is made to appear on that day. On that day shall man be mindful, and what shall being mindful (then) avail him? 23 He shall say, 'O would that I had forwarded for my life!' 24 But on that day shall no one chastise with (anything like) His chastisement, 25 None bindeth as He then will bind. 26 O thou peaceful soul! 27 Return unto thine Lord well pleased and well-pleasing. 28 Then enter the ranks of My chosen bondmen! 29 Enter My Paradise." 30