Al-Waaqia

When that which is coming arrives,

إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ

idhā waqaʿati l-wāqiʿatu

no one will be able to deny it has come,

لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ

laysa liwaqʿatihā kādhibatun

bringing low and raising high.

خَافِضَةٌ رَافِعَةٌ

khāfiḍatun rāfiʿatun

When the earth is shaken violently

إِذَا رُجَّتِ الْأَرْضُ رَجًّا

idhā rujjati l-arḍu rajjan

and the mountains are ground to powder

وَبُسَّتِ الْجِبَالُ بَسًّا

wabussati l-jibālu bassan

and turn to scattered dust,

فَكَانَتْ هَبَاءً مُنْبَثًّا

fakānat habāan munbathan

then you will be sorted into three classes.

وَكُنْتُمْ أَزْوَاجًا ثَلَاثَةً

wakuntum azwājan thalāthatan

Those on the Right––what people they are!

فَأَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ

fa-aṣḥābu l-maymanati mā aṣḥābu l-maymanati

Those on the Left––what people they are!

وَأَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ

wa-aṣḥābu l-mashamati mā aṣḥābu l-mashamati

And those in front––ahead indeed!

وَالسَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ

wal-sābiqūna l-sābiqūna

For these will be the ones brought nearest to God

أُولَـٰئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

ulāika l-muqarabūna

in Gardens of Bliss:

فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ

fī jannāti l-naʿīmi

many from the past

ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ

thullatun mina l-awalīna

and a few from later generations.

وَقَلِيلٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ

waqalīlun mina l-ākhirīna

On couches of well-woven cloth

عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَوْضُونَةٍ

ʿalā sururin mawḍūnatin

they will sit facing each other;

مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَابِلِينَ

muttakiīna ʿalayhā mutaqābilīna

everlasting youths will go round among them

يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَانٌ مُخَلَّدُونَ

yaṭūfu ʿalayhim wil'dānun mukhalladūna

with glasses, flagons, and cups of a pure drink

بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأْسٍ مِنْ مَعِينٍ

bi-akwābin wa-abārīqa wakasin min maʿīnin

that causes no headache or intoxication;

لَا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلَا يُنْزِفُونَ

lā yuṣaddaʿūna ʿanhā walā yunzifūna

[there will be] any fruit they choose;

وَفَاكِهَةٍ مِمَّا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ

wafākihatin mimmā yatakhayyarūna

the meat of any bird they like;

وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ

walaḥmi ṭayrin mimmā yashtahūna

and beautiful companions

وَحُورٌ عِينٌ

waḥūrun ʿīnun

like hidden pearls:

كَأَمْثَالِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ

ka-amthāli l-lu'lu-i l-maknūni

a reward for what they used to do.

جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

jazāan bimā kānū yaʿmalūna

They will hear no idle or sinful talk there,

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا

lā yasmaʿūna fīhā laghwan walā tathīman

only clean and wholesome speech.

إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا

illā qīlan salāman salāman

Those on the Right, what people they are!

وَأَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ

wa-aṣḥābu l-yamīni mā aṣḥābu l-yamīni

They will dwell amid thornless lote trees

فِي سِدْرٍ مَخْضُودٍ

fī sid'rin makhḍūdin

and clustered acacia

وَطَلْحٍ مَنْضُودٍ

waṭalḥin manḍūdin

with spreading shade,

وَظِلٍّ مَمْدُودٍ

waẓillin mamdūdin

constantly flowing water,

وَمَاءٍ مَسْكُوبٍ

wamāin maskūbin

abundant fruits,

وَفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ

wafākihatin kathīratin

unfailing, unforbidden,

لَا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلَا مَمْنُوعَةٍ

lā maqṭūʿatin walā mamnūʿatin

with incomparable companions

وَفُرُشٍ مَرْفُوعَةٍ

wafurushin marfūʿatin

We have specially created––

إِنَّا أَنْشَأْنَاهُنَّ إِنْشَاءً

innā anshanāhunna inshāan

virginal,

فَجَعَلْنَاهُنَّ أَبْكَارًا

fajaʿalnāhunna abkāran

loving, of matching age––

عُرُبًا أَتْرَابًا

ʿuruban atrāban

for those on the Right,

لِأَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ

li-aṣḥābi l-yamīni

many from the past

ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ

thullatun mina l-awalīna

and many from later generations.

وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ

wathullatun mina l-ākhirīna

But those on the Left, what people they are!

وَأَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ

wa-aṣḥābu l-shimāli mā aṣḥābu l-shimāli

They will dwell amid scorching wind and scalding water

فِي سَمُومٍ وَحَمِيمٍ

fī samūmin waḥamīmin

in the shadow of black smoke,

وَظِلٍّ مِنْ يَحْمُومٍ

waẓillin min yaḥmūmin

neither cool nor refreshing.

لَا بَارِدٍ وَلَا كَرِيمٍ

lā bāridin walā karīmin

Before, they overindulged in luxury

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُتْرَفِينَ

innahum kānū qabla dhālika mut'rafīna

and persisted in great sin,

وَكَانُوا يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ

wakānū yuṣirrūna ʿalā l-ḥinthi l-ʿaẓīmi

always saying, ‘What? When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then be raised up?

وَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَإِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ

wakānū yaqūlūna a-idhā mit'nā wakunnā turāban waʿiẓāman a-innā lamabʿūthūna

And our earliest forefathers too?’

أَوَآبَاؤُنَا الْأَوَّلُونَ

awaābāunā l-awalūna

Say [Prophet], ‘The earliest and latest generations

قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ

qul inna l-awalīna wal-ākhirīna

will all be gathered on a predetermined Day

لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ

lamajmūʿūna ilā mīqāti yawmin maʿlūmin

and you who have gone astray and denied the truth

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ أَيُّهَا الضَّالُّونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ

thumma innakum ayyuhā l-ḍālūna l-mukadhibūna

will eat from the bitter tree of Zaqqum,

لَآكِلُونَ مِنْ شَجَرٍ مِنْ زَقُّومٍ

laākilūna min shajarin min zaqqūmin

filling your bellies with it,

فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ

famāliūna min'hā l-buṭūna

and drink scalding water,

فَشَارِبُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْحَمِيمِ

fashāribūna ʿalayhi mina l-ḥamīmi

lapping it like thirsty camels.’

فَشَارِبُونَ شُرْبَ الْهِيمِ

fashāribūna shur'ba l-hīmi

This will be their welcome on the Day of Judgement.

هَـٰذَا نُزُلُهُمْ يَوْمَ الدِّينِ

hādhā nuzuluhum yawma l-dīni

It was We who created you: will you not believe?

نَحْنُ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ فَلَوْلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ

naḥnu khalaqnākum falawlā tuṣaddiqūna

Consider [the semen] you eject-

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تُمْنُونَ

afara-aytum mā tum'nūna

do you create it yourselves or are We the Creator?

أَأَنْتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْخَالِقُونَ

a-antum takhluqūnahu am naḥnu l-khāliqūna

We ordained death to be among you. Nothing could stop Us

نَحْنُ قَدَّرْنَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

naḥnu qaddarnā baynakumu l-mawta wamā naḥnu bimasbūqīna

if We intended to change you and recreate you in a way unknown to you.

عَلَىٰ أَنْ نُبَدِّلَ أَمْثَالَكُمْ وَنُنْشِئَكُمْ فِي مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

ʿalā an nubaddila amthālakum wanunshi-akum fī mā lā taʿlamūna

You have learned how you were first created: will you not reflect?

وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَىٰ فَلَوْلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

walaqad ʿalim'tumu l-nashata l-ūlā falawlā tadhakkarūna

Consider the seeds you sow in the ground-

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تَحْرُثُونَ

afara-aytum mā taḥruthūna

is it you who make them grow or We?

أَأَنْتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَّارِعُونَ

a-antum tazraʿūnahu am naḥnu l-zāriʿūna

If We wished, We could turn your harvest into chaff and leave you to wail,

لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَجَعَلْنَاهُ حُطَامًا فَظَلْتُمْ تَفَكَّهُونَ

law nashāu lajaʿalnāhu ḥuṭāman faẓaltum tafakkahūna

‘We are burdened with debt;

إِنَّا لَمُغْرَمُونَ

innā lamugh'ramūna

we are bereft.’

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

bal naḥnu maḥrūmūna

Consider the water you drink-

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ الْمَاءَ الَّذِي تَشْرَبُونَ

afara-aytumu l-māa alladhī tashrabūna

was it you who brought it down from the rain-cloud or We?

أَأَنْتُمْ أَنْزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ الْمُزْنِ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنْزِلُونَ

a-antum anzaltumūhu mina l-muz'ni am naḥnu l-munzilūna

If We wanted, We could make it bitter: will you not be thankful?

لَوْ نَشَاءُ جَعَلْنَاهُ أُجَاجًا فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ

law nashāu jaʿalnāhu ujājan falawlā tashkurūna

Consider the fire you kindle-

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ النَّارَ الَّتِي تُورُونَ

afara-aytumu l-nāra allatī tūrūna

is it you who make the wood for it grow or We?

أَأَنْتُمْ أَنْشَأْتُمْ شَجَرَتَهَا أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنْشِئُونَ

a-antum anshatum shajaratahā am naḥnu l-munshiūna

We made it a reminder, and useful to those who kindle it,

نَحْنُ جَعَلْنَاهَا تَذْكِرَةً وَمَتَاعًا لِلْمُقْوِينَ

naḥnu jaʿalnāhā tadhkiratan wamatāʿan lil'muq'wīna

so [Prophet] glorify the name of your Lord, the Supreme.

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

fasabbiḥ bi-is'mi rabbika l-ʿaẓīmi

I swear by the positions of the stars-

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِ

falā uq'simu bimawāqiʿi l-nujūmi

a mighty oath, if you only knew-

وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ

wa-innahu laqasamun law taʿlamūna ʿaẓīmun

that this is truly a noble Quran,

إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ

innahu laqur'ānun karīmun

in a protected Record

فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ

fī kitābin maknūnin

that only the purified can touch,

لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

lā yamassuhu illā l-muṭaharūna

sent down from the Lord of all being.

تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

tanzīlun min rabbi l-ʿālamīna

How can you scorn this statement?

أَفَبِهَـٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنْتُمْ مُدْهِنُونَ

afabihādhā l-ḥadīthi antum mud'hinūna

And how, in return for the livelihood you are given, can you deny it?

وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ تُكَذِّبُونَ

watajʿalūna riz'qakum annakum tukadhibūna

When the soul of a dying man comes up to his throat

فَلَوْلَا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ

falawlā idhā balaghati l-ḥul'qūma

while you gaze on-

وَأَنْتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنْظُرُونَ

wa-antum ḥīna-idhin tanẓurūna

We are nearer to him than you, though you do not see Us-

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكُمْ وَلَـٰكِنْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ

wanaḥnu aqrabu ilayhi minkum walākin lā tub'ṣirūna

why, if you are not to be judged,

فَلَوْلَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ

falawlā in kuntum ghayra madīnīna

do you not restore his soul to him, if what you say is true?

تَرْجِعُونَهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

tarjiʿūnahā in kuntum ṣādiqīna

If that dying person is one of those who will be brought near to God,

فَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

fa-ammā in kāna mina l-muqarabīna

he will have rest, ease, and a Garden of Bliss;

فَرَوْحٌ وَرَيْحَانٌ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٍ

farawḥun warayḥānun wajannatu naʿīmin

if he is one of those on the Right,

وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ

wa-ammā in kāna min aṣḥābi l-yamīni

[he will hear], ‘Peace be on you,’ from his companions on the Right;

فَسَلَامٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ

fasalāmun laka min aṣḥābi l-yamīni

but if he is one of those who denied the truth and went astray,

وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ الضَّالِّينَ

wa-ammā in kāna mina l-mukadhibīna l-ḍālīna

he will be welcomed with scalding water.

فَنُزُلٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ

fanuzulun min ḥamīmin

He will burn in Hell.

وَتَصْلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ

wataṣliyatu jaḥīmin

This is the certain truth:

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ الْيَقِينِ

inna hādhā lahuwa ḥaqqu l-yaqīni

[Prophet], glorify the name of your Lord the Supreme.

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

fasabbiḥ bi-is'mi rabbika l-ʿaẓīmi