2
وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرࣲ ٢
and the ten nights[1],
Footnotes
[1] i.e., the first ten nights of the lunar month of Dhul-Hijjah.
3
وَٱلشَّفۡعِ وَٱلۡوَتۡرِ ٣
and the even and the odd[2],
Footnotes
[2] Of the things.
4
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَسۡرِ ٤
and by the night when it comes,
5
هَلۡ فِي ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمࣱ لِّذِي حِجۡرٍ ٥
are these oaths not sufficient for those who have sense?
6
أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ ٦
Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with ‘Ād
7
إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلۡعِمَادِ ٧
of Iram[3], who were people of great stature,
Footnotes
[3] Iram: an ancient tribe; or a well-known tribe in Yemen; or the grandfather of the people of ‘Aad, etc. Prophet Hūd was sent to the people of ‘Aad.
8
ٱلَّتِي لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا فِي ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ ٨
the like of whom had never been created in the land;
9
وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُواْ ٱلصَّخۡرَ بِٱلۡوَادِ ٩
and Thamūd, who carved out the rocks in the Valley;
10
وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ ذِي ٱلۡأَوۡتَادِ ١٠
and the mighty and powerful[4] Pharaoh?
Footnotes
[4] Or the owner of the stakes by which he used to torture people.
11
ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوۡاْ فِي ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ ١١
All of them transgressed in the land,
12
فَأَكۡثَرُواْ فِيهَا ٱلۡفَسَادَ ١٢
and spread therein much corruption,
13
فَصَبَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّكَ سَوۡطَ عَذَابٍ ١٣
so your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment.
14
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلۡمِرۡصَادِ ١٤
Indeed, your Lord is ever vigilant.
15
فَأَمَّا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِذَا مَا ٱبۡتَلَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَأَكۡرَمَهُۥ وَنَعَّمَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّيٓ أَكۡرَمَنِ ١٥
As for man, when he is tested by his Lord by honoring him and bestowing blessings upon him, he says, “My Lord has [deservedly] honored me[5]!”
Footnotes
[5] Instead of being grateful, he is proud, attributing the favor to his own merit.
16
وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ٱبۡتَلَىٰهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيۡهِ رِزۡقَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّيٓ أَهَٰنَنِ ١٦
But when he is tested by restricting his provision, he says, “My Lord has [undeservedly] humiliated me!”
17
كَلَّاۖ بَل لَّا تُكۡرِمُونَ ٱلۡيَتِيمَ ١٧
No indeed[6]! You are not kind to the orphan,
Footnotes
[6] It is not as you think. Allah puts people to test through prosperity and hardship and rewards their gratitude and patience in the Hereafter.
18
وَلَا تَحَٰٓضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِ ١٨
nor do you urge one another to feed the needy,
19
وَتَأۡكُلُونَ ٱلتُّرَاثَ أَكۡلࣰا لَّمࣰّا ١٩
and you greedily consume the entire inheritance[7],
Footnotes
[7] Whether lawful or unlawful.
20
وَتُحِبُّونَ ٱلۡمَالَ حُبࣰّا جَمࣰّا ٢٠
and love wealth immensely.
21
كَلَّآۖ إِذَا دُكَّتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ دَكࣰّا دَكࣰّا ٢١
No indeed! When the earth is crushed over and over,
22
وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَٱلۡمَلَكُ صَفࣰّا صَفࣰّا ٢٢
and your Lord comes[8] with the angels, rank after rank,
Footnotes
[8] To pass judgment between people.
23
وَجِاْيٓءَ يَوۡمَئِذِۭ بِجَهَنَّمَۚ يَوۡمَئِذࣲ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ ٢٣
and Hell is brought near on that Day – this is when man will understand, but what is the use of that understanding?
24
يَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي قَدَّمۡتُ لِحَيَاتِي ٢٤
He will say, “Would that I had sent forth something for my [eternal] life!”
25
فَيَوۡمَئِذࣲ لَّا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُۥٓ أَحَدࣱ ٢٥
None can punish as He punishes on that Day,
26
وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُۥٓ أَحَدࣱ ٢٦
and none can bind as He binds.
27
يَٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفۡسُ ٱلۡمُطۡمَئِنَّةُ ٢٧
[It will be said to the believer,] “O the tranquil soul!
28
ٱرۡجِعِيٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةࣰ مَّرۡضِيَّةࣰ ٢٨
Return to your Lord, well pleased and pleasing [to Him].
29
فَٱدۡخُلِي فِي عِبَٰدِي ٢٩
Join My [righteous] slaves,
30
وَٱدۡخُلِي جَنَّتِي ٣٠
