Surah Al-Ma'arij – The Ascending Stairways

سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍۢ وَاقِعٍۢ

Sa ala saaa'ilum bi'azaa binw-waaqi'

A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall-

لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌۭ

Lilkaafireen laisa lahoo daafi'

The Unbelievers, the which there is none to ward off,-

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ

Minal laahi zil ma'aarij

(A Penalty) from Allah, Lord of the Ways of Ascent.

تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍۢ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍۢ

Ta'rujul malaaa'ikatu war Roohu ilaihi fee yawmin kaana miqdaaruhoo khamseena alfa sanah

The angels and the spirit ascend unto him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years:

فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًۭا جَمِيلًا

Fasbir ssabran jameelaa

Therefore do thou hold Patience,- a Patience of beautiful (contentment).

إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًۭا

Inaahum yarawnahoo ba'eedaa

They see the (Day) indeed as a far-off (event):

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًۭا

Wa naraahu qareebaa

But We see it (quite) near.

يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ

Yawma takoonus samaaa'u kalmuhl

The Day that the sky will be like molten brass,

وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ

Wa takoonul jibaalu kal'ihn

And the mountains will be like wool,

وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًۭا

Wa laa yas'alu hameemun hameemaa

And no friend will ask after a friend,

يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ ۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۭ بِبَنِيهِ

Yubassaroonahum; ya waddul mujrimu law yaftadee min 'azaabi yawma'izim bibaneeh

Though they will be put in sight of each other,- the sinner's desire will be: Would that he could redeem himself from the Penalty of that Day by (sacrificing) his children,

وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ

Wa saahibatihee wa akheeh

His wife and his brother,

وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُـْٔوِيهِ

Wa faseelathil latee tu'weeh

His kindred who sheltered him,

وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ

Wa man fil ardi jamee'an summa yunjeeh

And all, all that is on earth,- so it could deliver him:

كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ

Kallaa innahaa lazaa

By no means! for it would be the Fire of Hell!-

نَزَّاعَةًۭ لِّلشَّوَىٰ

Nazzaa'atal lishshawaa

Plucking out (his being) right to the skull!-

تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

Tad'oo man adbara wa tawallaa

Inviting (all) such as turn their backs and turn away their faces (from the Right).

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰٓ

W jama'a fa aw'aa

And collect (wealth) and hide it (from use)!

۞ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا

Innal insaana khuliqa haloo'aa

Truly man was created very impatient;-

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًۭا

Izaa massahush sharru jazoo'aa

Fretful when evil touches him;

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا

Wa izaa massahul khairu manoo'aa

And niggardly when good reaches him;-

إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ

Illal musalleen

Not so those devoted to Prayer;-

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ

Allazeena hum 'alaa Salaatihim daaa'imoon

Those who remain steadfast to their prayer;

وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ حَقٌّۭ مَّعْلُومٌۭ

Wallazeena feee amwaalihim haqqum ma'loom

And those in whose wealth is a recognised right.

لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ

Lissaaa 'ili walmahroom

For the (needy) who asks and him who is prevented (for some reason from asking);

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ

Wallazeena yusaddiqoona bi yawmid Deen

And those who hold to the truth of the Day of Judgment;

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ

Wallazeena hum min 'azaabi Rabbihim mushfiqoon

And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord,-

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍۢ

Inna 'azaaba Rabbihim ghairu maamoon

For their Lord's displeasure is the opposite of Peace and Tranquillity;-

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَٰفِظُونَ

Wallazeena hum lifuroo jihim haafizoon

And those who guard their chastity,

إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ

Illaa 'alaaa azwaajihim aw maa malakat aymaanuhum fainnahum ghairu maloomeen

Except with their wives and the (captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (then) they are not to be blamed,

فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ

Famanib taghaa waraaa'a zaalika fa ulaaa'ika humul 'aadoon

But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors;-

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ

Wallazeena hum li amaa naatihim wa 'ahdihim raa'oon

And those who respect their trusts and covenants;

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ

Wallazeena hum bishahaadaatihim qaaa'imoon

And those who stand firm in their testimonies;

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

Wallazeena hum 'alaa salaatihim yuhaafizoon

And those who guard (the sacredness) of their worship;-

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّٰتٍۢ مُّكْرَمُونَ

Ulaaa'ika fee jannaatim mukramoon

Such will be the honoured ones in the Gardens (of Bliss).

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ

Famaa lil lazeena kafaroo qibalaka muhti'een

Now what is the matter with the Unbelievers that they rush madly before thee-

عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ

'Anil yameeni wa 'anish shimaali 'izeen

From the right and from the left, in crowds?

أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍۢ

Ayatma'u kullum ri'im minhum anyyudkhala jannata Na'eem

Does every man of them long to enter the Garden of Bliss?

كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ

Kallaaa innaa khalaq nahum mimmaa ya'lamoon

By no means! For We have created them out of the (base matter) they know!

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ

Falaaa uqsimu bi Rabbil mashaariqi wal maghaaribi innaa laqaadiroon

Now I do call to witness the Lord of all points in the East and the West that We can certainly-

عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

'Alaaa an nubaddila khairam minhum wa maa Nahnu bimasbooqeen

Substitute for them better (men) than they; And We are not to be defeated (in Our Plan).

فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ

Fazarhum yakhoodoo wa yal'aboo hattaa yulaaqoo yaw mahumul lazee yoo'adoon

So leave them to plunge in vain talk and play about, until they encounter that Day of theirs which they have been promised!-

يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًۭا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍۢ يُوفِضُونَ

Yawma yakhrujoona minal ajdaasi siraa'an ka anna hum ilaa nusubiny yoofidoon

The Day whereon they will issue from their sepulchres in sudden haste as if they were rushing to a goal-post (fixed for them),-

خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ

Khaashi'atan absaaruhum tarhaquhum zillah; zaalikal yawmul lazee kaanoo yoo'adoon

Their eyes lowered in dejection,- ignominy covering them (all over)! such is the Day the which they are promised!