1
إِذَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ كُوِّرَتۡ ١
When the sun is wrapped up in darkness,
2
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتۡ ٢
and when the stars fall down,
3
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتۡ ٣
and when the mountains are set in motion,
4
وَإِذَا ٱلۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡ ٤
and when pregnant camels[1] are left unattended,
Footnotes
[1] Which are near delivery. It alludes to the distraction of people from their most valuable possessions, such as ten-month pregnant camels for nomadic Arabs.
5
وَإِذَا ٱلۡوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتۡ ٥
and when wild beasts are gathered,
6
وَإِذَا ٱلۡبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتۡ ٦
and when the seas are set on fire,
7
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتۡ ٧
and when the souls are sorted[2],
Footnotes
[2] i.e., "joined" with their groups or sects, wicked with the wicked souls, righteous with the righteous.
8
وَإِذَا ٱلۡمَوۡءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتۡ ٨
and when the baby girl buried alive[3] is asked,
Footnotes
[3] As the pagan Arabs used to do for fear of shame or poverty. The Qur’an condemned this practice. See 16:58-59.
9
بِأَيِّ ذَنۢبࣲ قُتِلَتۡ ٩
for what crime she was killed,
10
وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡ ١٠
and when records of deeds are spread open,
11
وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡ ١١
and when the sky is stripped away[4],
Footnotes
[4] As the skin of sheep is stripped away.
12
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتۡ ١٢
and when the Blazing Fire is flared up,
13
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُزۡلِفَتۡ ١٣
and when Paradise is brought near –
14
عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسࣱ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡ ١٤
then every soul will know what it has brought about[5].
Footnotes
[5] Of faith or disbelief, good or bad deeds for that Day.
15
فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلۡخُنَّسِ ١٥
I swear by the receding stars,
16
ٱلۡجَوَارِ ٱلۡكُنَّسِ ١٦
that rise and hide[6],
Footnotes
[6] This probably refers to black holes in the sky. "Kanasa" means sweeping or hiding.
17
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا عَسۡعَسَ ١٧
and by the night as it departs,
18
وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ ١٨
and by the day as it breaks –
19
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولࣲ كَرِيمࣲ ١٩
Indeed, this [Qur’an] is a word conveyed by a noble angel-messenger.
20
ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي ٱلۡعَرۡشِ مَكِينࣲ ٢٠
extremely powerful, highly revered by the Lord of the Throne,
21
مُّطَاعࣲ ثَمَّ أَمِينࣲ ٢١
obeyed there [by other angels] and trustworthy.
22
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجۡنُونࣲ ٢٢
Your fellow [i.e., the Prophet] is not a madman.
23
وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ٢٣
He indeed saw him [i.e., Gabriel] on the clear horizon[7].
Footnotes
[7] i.e., the eastern horizon, where the sun rises. See footnote 53:6
24
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِينࣲ ٢٤
He does not withhold [knowledge of] the unseen[8].
Footnotes
[8] He (ﷺ) did not withhold the unseen which Allah had revealed to him in the Qur’an.
25
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطَٰنࣲ رَّجِيمࣲ ٢٥
This [Qur’an] is not the word of an accursed devil.
26
فَأَيۡنَ تَذۡهَبُونَ ٢٦
So which way are you going[9]?
Footnotes
[9] In your denial of the Qur’an for being the revelation from Allah.
27
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرࣱ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٧
It is but a reminder to the worlds,
28
لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَ ٢٨
for those among you who wish to take the straight path.
29
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٢٩
But you cannot wish except by the Will of Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
