Surah Al Ma'arij

Translation by:
Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

1. سَاَلَ سَاۤىِٕلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍ وَّاقِعٍۙ

   Sa'ala sā'ilum bi‘ażābiw wāqi‘(in).

   A challenger has demanded a punishment bound to come

2. لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ لَيْسَ لَهٗ دَافِعٌۙ

   Lil-kāfirīna laisa lahū dāfi‘(un).

   for the disbelievers—to be averted by none—

3. مِّنَ اللّٰهِ ذِى الْمَعَارِجِۗ

   Minallāhi żil-ma‘ārij(i).

   from Allah, Lord of pathways of ˹heavenly˺ ascent,

4. تَعْرُجُ الْمَلٰۤىِٕكَةُ وَالرُّوْحُ اِلَيْهِ فِيْ يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهٗ خَمْسِيْنَ اَلْفَ سَنَةٍۚ

   Ta‘rujul-malā'ikatu war-rūḥu ilaihi fī yaumin kāna miqdāruhū khamsīna alfa sanah(tin).

   ˹through which˺ the angels and the ˹holy˺ spirit will ascend to Him on a Day fifty thousand years in length.

5. فَاصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيْلًا

   Faṣbir ṣabran jamīlā(n).

   So endure ˹this denial, O Prophet,˺ with beautiful patience.

6. اِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهٗ بَعِيْدًاۙ

   Innahum yaraunahū ba‘īdā(n).

   They truly see this ˹Day˺ as impossible,

7. وَّنَرٰىهُ قَرِيْبًاۗ

   Wa narāhu qarībā(n).

   but We see it as inevitable.

8. يَوْمَ تَكُوْنُ السَّمَاۤءُ كَالْمُهْلِۙ

   Yauma takūnus-samā'u kal-muhl(i).

   On that Day the sky will be like molten brass

9. وَتَكُوْنُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِۙ

   Wa takūnul-jibālu kal-‘ihn(i).

   and the mountains like ˹tufts of˺ wool.

10. وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيْمٌ حَمِيْمًاۚ

    Wa lā yas'alu ḥamīmun ḥamīmā(n).

    And no close friend will ask ˹about˺ their friends,

11. يُبَصَّرُوْنَهُمْۗ يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِيْ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِىِٕذٍۢ بِبَنِيْهِۙ

    Yubaṣṣarūnahum, yawaddul-mujrimu lau yaftadī min ‘ażābi yaumi'iżim bibanīh(i).

    ˹although˺ they will be made to see each other. The wicked will wish to ransom themselves from the punishment of that Day by their children,

12. وَصَاحِبَتِهٖ وَاَخِيْهِۙ

    Wa ṣāḥibatihī wa akhīh(i).

    their spouses, their siblings,

13. وَفَصِيْلَتِهِ الَّتِيْ تُـْٔوِيْهِۙ

    Wa faṣīlatihil-latī tu'wīh(i).

    their clan that sheltered them,

14. وَمَنْ فِى الْاَرْضِ جَمِيْعًاۙ ثُمَّ يُنْجِيْهِۙ

    Wa man fil-arḍi jamī‘ā(n), ṡumma yunjīh(i).

    and everyone on earth altogether, just to save themselves.

15. كَلَّاۗ اِنَّهَا لَظٰىۙ

    Kallā, innahā laẓā.

    But no! There will certainly be a raging Flame

16. نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوٰىۚ

    Nazzā‘atal lisy-syawā.

    ripping off scalps.

17. تَدْعُوْا مَنْ اَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلّٰىۙ

    Tad‘ū man adbara wa tawallā.

    It will summon whoever turned their backs ˹on Allah˺ and turned away ˹from the truth˺,

18. وَجَمَعَ فَاَوْعٰى

    Wa jama‘a fa'au‘ā.

    and gathered and hoarded ˹wealth˺.

19. ۞ اِنَّ الْاِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوْعًاۙ

    Innal-insāna khuliqa halu‘ā(n).

    Indeed, humankind was created impatient:

20. اِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوْعًاۙ

    Iżā massahusy-syarru jazū‘ā(n).

    distressed when touched with evil,

21. وَّاِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوْعًاۙ

    Wa iżā massahul-khairu manū‘ā(n).

    and withholding when touched with good—

22. اِلَّا الْمُصَلِّيْنَۙ

    Illal-muṣallīn(a).

    except those who pray,

23. الَّذِيْنَ هُمْ عَلٰى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَاۤىِٕمُوْنَۖ

    Allażīna hum ‘alā ṣalātihim dā'imūn(a).

    consistently performing their prayers;

24. وَالَّذِيْنَ فِيْٓ اَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُوْمٌۖ

    Wal-lażīna fī amwālihim ḥaqqum ma‘lūm(un).

    and who give the rightful share of their wealth

25. لِّلسَّاۤىِٕلِ وَالْمَحْرُوْمِۖ

    Lis-sā'ili wal-maḥrūm(i).

    to the beggar and the poor;

26. وَالَّذِيْنَ يُصَدِّقُوْنَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّيْنِۖ

    Wal-lażīna yuṣaddiqūna biyaumid-dīn(i).

    and who ˹firmly˺ believe in the Day of Judgment;

27. وَالَّذِيْنَ هُمْ مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِمْ مُّشْفِقُوْنَۚ

    Wal-lażīna hum min ‘ażābi rabbihim musyfiqūn(a).

    and those who fear the punishment of their Lord—

28. اِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُوْنٍۖ

    Inna ‘ażāba rabbihim gairu ma'mūn(in).

    ˹knowing that˺ none should feel secure from their Lord’s punishment—

29. وَّالَّذِيْنَ هُمْ لِفُرُوْجِهِمْ حٰفِظُوْنَۙ

    Wal-lażīna hum lifurūjihim ḥāfiẓūn(a).

    and those who guard their chastity

30. اِلَّا عَلٰٓى اَزْوَاجِهِمْ اَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ اَيْمَانُهُمْ فَاِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُوْمِيْنَۚ

    Illā ‘alā azwājihim au mā malakat aimānuhum fa innahum gairu malūmīn(a).

    except with their wives or those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession, for then they are free from blame,

31. فَمَنِ ابْتَغٰى وَرَاۤءَ ذٰلِكَ فَاُولٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ الْعَادُوْنَۚ

    Fa manibtagā warā'a żālika fa ulā'ika humul-‘ādūn(a).

    but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors.

32. وَالَّذِيْنَ هُمْ لِاَمٰنٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رٰعُوْنَۖ

    Wal-lażīna hum li'amānātihim wa ‘ahdihim rā'ūn(a).

    ˹The faithful are˺ also those who are true to their trusts and covenants;

33. وَالَّذِيْنَ هُمْ بِشَهٰدٰتِهِمْ قَاۤىِٕمُوْنَۖ

    Wal-lażīna hum bisyahādātihim qā'imūn(a).

    and who are honest in their testimony;

34. وَالَّذِيْنَ هُمْ عَلٰى صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُوْنَۖ

    Wal-lażīna hum ‘alā ṣalātihim yuḥāfiẓūn(a).

    and who are ˹properly˺ observant of their prayers.

35. اُولٰۤىِٕكَ فِيْ جَنّٰتٍ مُّكْرَمُوْنَ ۗ ࣖ

    Ulā'ika fī jannātim mukramūn(a).

    These will be in Gardens, held in honour.

36. فَمَالِ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِيْنَۙ

    Famālil-lażīna kafarū qibalaka muhṭi‘īn(a).

    So what is the matter with the disbelievers that they rush ˹head-long˺ towards you ˹O Prophet˺,

37. عَنِ الْيَمِيْنِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ عِزِيْنَ

    ‘Anil-yamīni wa ‘anisy-syimāli ‘izīn(a).

    from the right and the left, in groups ˹to mock you˺?

38. اَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ اَنْ يُّدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيْمٍۙ

    Ayaṭma‘u kullumri'im minhum ay yudkhala jannata na‘īm(in).

    Does every one of them expect to be admitted into a Garden of Bliss?

39. كَلَّاۗ اِنَّا خَلَقْنٰهُمْ مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُوْنَ

    Kallā, innā khalaqnāhum mimmā ya‘malūn(a).

    But no! Indeed, they ˹already˺ know what We created them from.

40. فَلَآ اُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ الْمَشٰرِقِ وَالْمَغٰرِبِ اِنَّا لَقٰدِرُوْنَۙ

    Falā uqsimu birabbil-masyāriqi wal-magāribi innā laqādirūn(a).

    So, I do swear by the Lord of ˹all˺ the points of sunrise and sunset that We are truly capable

41. عَلٰٓى اَنْ نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْۙ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوْقِيْنَ

    ‘Alā an nubaddila khairam minhum, wa mā naḥnu bimasbūqīn(a).

    of replacing them with ˹others˺ better than them, and We cannot be prevented ˹from doing so˺.

42. فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوْضُوْا وَيَلْعَبُوْا حَتّٰى يُلٰقُوْا يَوْمَهُمُ الَّذِيْ يُوْعَدُوْنَۙ

    Fa żarhum yakhūḍū wa yal‘abū ḥattā yulāqū yaumahumul-lażī yū‘adūn(a)

    So let them indulge ˹in falsehood˺ and amuse ˹themselves˺ until they face their Day, which they have been threatened with—

43. يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُوْنَ مِنَ الْاَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًا كَاَنَّهُمْ اِلٰى نُصُبٍ يُّوْفِضُوْنَۙ

    Yauma yakhrujūna minal-ajdāṡi sirā‘an ka'annahum ilā nuṣubiy yūfiḍūn(a).

    the Day they will come forth from the graves swiftly, as if racing to an idol ˹for a blessing˺,

44. خَاشِعَةً اَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۗذٰلِكَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِيْ كَانُوْا يُوْعَدُوْنَ ࣖ

    Khāsyi‘atan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum żillah(tun), żālikal-yaumul-lażī kānū yū‘adūn(a).

    with eyes downcast, utterly covered with disgrace. That is the Day they have ˹always˺ been warned of.