Al-Qamar

The Hour draws near; the moon is split in two.

اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانْشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ

iq'tarabati l-sāʿatu wa-inshaqqa l-qamaru

Whenever the disbelievers see a sign, they turn away and say, ‘Same old sorcery!’

وَإِنْ يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُسْتَمِرٌّ

wa-in yaraw āyatan yuʿ'riḍū wayaqūlū siḥ'run mus'tamirrun

They reject the truth and follow their own desires––everything is recorded––

وَكَذَّبُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ ۚ وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍ مُسْتَقِرٌّ

wakadhabū wa-ittabaʿū ahwāahum wakullu amrin mus'taqirrun

although warning tales that should have restrained them have come down to them––

وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنَ الْأَنْبَاءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزْدَجَرٌ

walaqad jāahum mina l-anbāi mā fīhi muz'dajarun

farreaching wisdom––but these warnings do not help:

حِكْمَةٌ بَالِغَةٌ ۖ فَمَا تُغْنِ النُّذُرُ

ḥik'matun bālighatun famā tugh'ni l-nudhuru

so [Prophet] turn away from them. On the Day the Summoner will summon them to a horrific event,

فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ ۘ يَوْمَ يَدْعُ الدَّاعِ إِلَىٰ شَيْءٍ نُكُرٍ

fatawalla ʿanhum yawma yadʿu l-dāʿi ilā shayin nukurin

eyes downcast, they will come out of their graves like swarming locusts

خُشَّعًا أَبْصَارُهُمْ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الْأَجْدَاثِ كَأَنَّهُمْ جَرَادٌ مُنْتَشِرٌ

khushaʿan abṣāruhum yakhrujūna mina l-ajdāthi ka-annahum jarādun muntashirun

rushing towards the Summoner. The disbelievers will cry, ‘This is a stern day!’

مُهْطِعِينَ إِلَى الدَّاعِ ۖ يَقُولُ الْكَافِرُونَ هَـٰذَا يَوْمٌ عَسِرٌ

muh'ṭiʿīna ilā l-dāʿi yaqūlu l-kāfirūna hādhā yawmun ʿasirun

The people of Noah rejected the truth before them: they rejected Our servant, saying, ‘He is mad!’ Noah was rebuked,

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ فَكَذَّبُوا عَبْدَنَا وَقَالُوا مَجْنُونٌ وَازْدُجِرَ

kadhabat qablahum qawmu nūḥin fakadhabū ʿabdanā waqālū majnūnun wa-uz'dujira

and so he called upon his Lord, ‘I am defeated: help me!’

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ

fadaʿā rabbahu annī maghlūbun fa-intaṣir

So We opened the gates of the sky with torrential water,

فَفَتَحْنَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَاءٍ مُنْهَمِرٍ

fafataḥnā abwāba l-samāi bimāin mun'hamirin

burst the earth with gushing springs: the waters met for a preordained purpose.

وَفَجَّرْنَا الْأَرْضَ عُيُونًا فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَىٰ أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ

wafajjarnā l-arḍa ʿuyūnan fal-taqā l-māu ʿalā amrin qad qudira

We carried him along on a vessel of planks and nails

وَحَمَلْنَاهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلْوَاحٍ وَدُسُرٍ

waḥamalnāhu ʿalā dhāti alwāḥin wadusurin

that floated under Our watchful eye, a reward for the one who had been rejected.

تَجْرِي بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَاءً لِمَنْ كَانَ كُفِرَ

tajrī bi-aʿyuninā jazāan liman kāna kufira

We have left this as a sign: will anyone take heed?

وَلَقَدْ تَرَكْنَاهَا آيَةً فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

walaqad taraknāhā āyatan fahal min muddakirin

How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

fakayfa kāna ʿadhābī wanudhuri

We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed?

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

walaqad yassarnā l-qur'āna lildhik'ri fahal min muddakirin

The people of 'Ad also rejected the truth. How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!

كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

kadhabat ʿādun fakayfa kāna ʿadhābī wanudhuri

We released a howling wind against them on a day of terrible disaster;

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا صَرْصَرًا فِي يَوْمِ نَحْسٍ مُسْتَمِرٍّ

innā arsalnā ʿalayhim rīḥan ṣarṣaran fī yawmi naḥsin mus'tamirrin

it swept people away like uprooted palm trunks.

تَنْزِعُ النَّاسَ كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ مُنْقَعِرٍ

tanziʿu l-nāsa ka-annahum aʿjāzu nakhlin munqaʿirin

How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

fakayfa kāna ʿadhābī wanudhuri

We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed?

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

walaqad yassarnā l-qur'āna lildhik'ri fahal min muddakirin

The people of Thamud also rejected the warnings:

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِالنُّذُرِ

kadhabat thamūdu bil-nudhuri

they said, ‘What? A man? Why should we follow a lone man from amongst ourselves? That would be misguided; quite insane!

فَقَالُوا أَبَشَرًا مِنَّا وَاحِدًا نَتَّبِعُهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ

faqālū abasharan minnā wāḥidan nattabiʿuhu innā idhan lafī ḍalālin wasuʿurin

Would a mes-sage be given to him alone out of all of us? No, he is an insolent liar!’

أَأُلْقِيَ الذِّكْرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ

a-ul'qiya l-dhik'ru ʿalayhi min bayninā bal huwa kadhābun ashirun

‘Tomorrow they will know who is the insolent liar,

سَيَعْلَمُونَ غَدًا مَنِ الْكَذَّابُ الْأَشِرُ

sayaʿlamūna ghadan mani l-kadhābu l-ashiru

for We shall send them a she-camel to test them: so watch them [Salih] and be patient.

إِنَّا مُرْسِلُو النَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةً لَهُمْ فَارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ

innā mur'silū l-nāqati fit'natan lahum fa-ir'taqib'hum wa-iṣ'ṭabir

Tell them the water is to be shared between them: each one should drink in turn.’

وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُحْتَضَرٌ

wanabbi'hum anna l-māa qis'matun baynahum kullu shir'bin muḥ'taḍarun

But they called their companion, who took a sword and hamstrung the camel.

فَنَادَوْا صَاحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَىٰ فَعَقَرَ

fanādaw ṣāḥibahum fataʿāṭā faʿaqara

How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

fakayfa kāna ʿadhābī wanudhuri

We released a single mighty blast against them and they ended up like a fencemaker’s dry sticks.

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَكَانُوا كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِ

innā arsalnā ʿalayhim ṣayḥatan wāḥidatan fakānū kahashīmi l-muḥ'taẓiri

We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed?

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

walaqad yassarnā l-qur'āna lildhik'ri fahal min muddakirin

The people of Lot rejected the warnings.

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوطٍ بِالنُّذُرِ

kadhabat qawmu lūṭin bil-nudhuri

We released a stonebearing wind against them, all except the family of Lot. We saved them before dawn

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَاصِبًا إِلَّا آلَ لُوطٍ ۖ نَجَّيْنَاهُمْ بِسَحَرٍ

innā arsalnā ʿalayhim ḥāṣiban illā āla lūṭin najjaynāhum bisaḥarin

as a favour from Us: this is how We reward the thankful.

نِعْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي مَنْ شَكَرَ

niʿ'matan min ʿindinā kadhālika najzī man shakara

He warned them of Our onslaught, but they dismissed the warning-

وَلَقَدْ أَنْذَرَهُمْ بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا بِالنُّذُرِ

walaqad andharahum baṭshatanā fatamāraw bil-nudhuri

they even demanded his guests from him- so We sealed their eyes- ‘ Taste My [terrible] punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!’-

وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَنْ ضَيْفِهِ فَطَمَسْنَا أَعْيُنَهُمْ فَذُوقُوا عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

walaqad rāwadūhu ʿan ḍayfihi faṭamasnā aʿyunahum fadhūqū ʿadhābī wanudhuri

and early in the morning a punishment seized them that still remains-

وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُمْ بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُسْتَقِرٌّ

walaqad ṣabbaḥahum buk'ratan ʿadhābun mus'taqirrun

‘Taste My [terrible] punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!’

فَذُوقُوا عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ

fadhūqū ʿadhābī wanudhuri

We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed?

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

walaqad yassarnā l-qur'āna lildhik'ri fahal min muddakirin

The people of Pharaoh also received warnings.

وَلَقَدْ جَاءَ آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ النُّذُرُ

walaqad jāa āla fir'ʿawna l-nudhuru

They rejected all Our signs so We seized them with all Our might and power.

كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ أَخْذَ عَزِيزٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ

kadhabū biāyātinā kullihā fa-akhadhnāhum akhdha ʿazīzin muq'tadirin

‘Are your disbelievers any better than these? Were you given an exemption in the Scripture?’

أَكُفَّارُكُمْ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أُولَـٰئِكُمْ أَمْ لَكُمْ بَرَاءَةٌ فِي الزُّبُرِ

akuffārukum khayrun min ulāikum am lakum barāatun fī l-zuburi

Do they perhaps say, ‘We are a great army and we shall be victorious’?

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ نَحْنُ جَمِيعٌ مُنْتَصِرٌ

am yaqūlūna naḥnu jamīʿun muntaṣirun

Their forces will be routed and they will turn tail and flee.

سَيُهْزَمُ الْجَمْعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ الدُّبُرَ

sayuh'zamu l-jamʿu wayuwallūna l-dubura

But the Hour is their appointed time- the Hour is more severe and bitter:

بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوْعِدُهُمْ وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدْهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ

bali l-sāʿatu mawʿiduhum wal-sāʿatu adhā wa-amarru

truly the wicked are misguided and quite insane––

إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ

inna l-muj'rimīna fī ḍalālin wasuʿurin

on the Day when they are dragged on their faces in Hell. ‘Feel the touch of Hell.’

يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُوا مَسَّ سَقَرَ

yawma yus'ḥabūna fī l-nāri ʿalā wujūhihim dhūqū massa saqara

We have created all things in due measure;

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ

innā kulla shayin khalaqnāhu biqadarin

when We ordain something it happens at once, in the blink of an eye;

وَمَا أَمْرُنَا إِلَّا وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍ بِالْبَصَرِ

wamā amrunā illā wāḥidatun kalamḥin bil-baṣari

We have destroyed the likes of you in the past. Will anyone take heed?

وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا أَشْيَاعَكُمْ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

walaqad ahlaknā ashyāʿakum fahal min muddakirin

Everything they do is noted in their records:

وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ فَعَلُوهُ فِي الزُّبُرِ

wakullu shayin faʿalūhu fī l-zuburi

every action, great or small, is recorded.

وَكُلُّ صَغِيرٍ وَكَبِيرٍ مُسْتَطَرٌ

wakullu ṣaghīrin wakabīrin mus'taṭarun

The righteous will live securely among Gardens and rivers,

إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَنَهَرٍ

inna l-mutaqīna fī jannātin wanaharin

secure in the presence of an all-powerful Sovereign.

فِي مَقْعَدِ صِدْقٍ عِنْدَ مَلِيكٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ

fī maqʿadi ṣid'qin ʿinda malīkin muq'tadirin