Al-Waaqia

Izaa waqa'atil waaqi'ah

WHEN THAT which must come to pass [at last] comes to pass,

Laisa liwaq'atihaa kaazibah

there will be nought that could give the lie to its having come to pass,

Khafidatur raafi'ah

abasing [some], exalting [others]!

Izaa rujjatil ardu rajjaa

When the earth is shaken with a shaking [severe],

Wa bussatil jibaalu bassaa

and the mountains are shattered into [countless] shards,

Fakaanat habaaa'am mumbassaa

so that they become as scat­tered dust –

Wa kuntum azwaajan salaasah

[on that Day,] then, shall you be [divided into] three kinds.

Fa as haabul maimanati maaa as haabul maimanah

Thus, there shall be such as will have attained to what is right: oh, how [happy] will be they who have attained to what is right!

Wa as haabul mash'amati maaa as haabul mash'amah

And there shall be such as will have lost them­selves in evil: oh, how [unhappy] will be they who have lost themselves in evil!

Wassaabiqoonas saabiqoon

But the foremost shall be [they who in life were] the foremost [in faith and good works]:

Ulaaa'ikal muqarraboon

they who were [always] drawn close unto God!

Fee Jannaatin Na'eem

In gardens of bliss [will they dwell] -

Sullatum minal awwaleen

a good many of those of olden times,

Wa qaleelum minal aa khireen

but [only] a few of later times.

'Alaa sururim mawdoonah

[They will be seated] on gold-encrusted thrones of happiness,

Muttaki'eena 'alaihaa mutaqabileen

reclining upon them, facing one another [in love].

Yatoofu 'alaihim wildaa num mukkhalladoon

Immortal youths will wait upon them

Bi akwaabinw wa abaareeq, wa kaasim mim ma'een

with goblets, and ewers, and cups filled with water from unsullied springs

Laa yusadda'oona 'anhaa wa laa yunzifoon

by which their minds will not be clouded and which will not make them drunk;

Wa faakihatim mimmaa yatakhaiyaroon

and with fruit of any kind that they may choose,

Wa lahmi tairim mimmaa yashtahoon

and with the flesh of any fowl that they may desire.

Wa hoorun'een

And [with them will be their] companions pure, most beautiful of eye,

Ka amsaalil lu'lu'il maknoon

like unto pearls [still] hidden in their shells.

Jazaaa'am bimaa kaanoo ya'maloon

[And this will be] a reward for what they did [in life].

Laa yasma'oona feehaa laghwanw wa laa taaseemaa

No empty talk will they hear there, nor any call to sin,

Illaa qeelan salaaman salaamaa

but only the tiding of inner soundness and peace.

Wa as haabul yameeni maaa as haabul Yameen

NOW AS FOR those who have attained to righteous­ness - what of those who have attained to righteous­ness?

Fee sidrim makhdood

[They, too, will find themselves] amidst fruit- laden lote-trees,

Wa talhim mandood

and acacias flower-clad,

Wa zillim mamdood

and shade extended,

Wa maaa'im maskoob

and waters gushing,

Wa faakihatin kaseerah

and fruit abounding,

Laa maqtoo'atinw wa laa mamnoo'ah

never-failing and never out of reach.

Wa furushim marfoo'ah

And [with them will be their] spouses, raised high:

Innaaa anshaanaahunna inshaaa'aa

for, behold, We shall have brought them into being in a life renewed,

Faja'alnaahunna abkaaraa

having resurrected them as virgins,

'Uruban atraabaa

full of love, well-matched

Li as haabil yameen

with those who have attained to righteousness:

Sullatum minal awwa leen

a good many of olden times,

Wa sullatum minal aakhireen

and a good many of later times.

Wa as haabush shimaali maaa as haabush shimaal

BUT AS FOR those who have persevered in evil - what of those who have persevered in evil?

Fee samoominw wa hameem

[They will find themselves] in the midst of scorching winds, and burning despair,

Wa zillim miny yahmoom

and the shadows of black smoke -

Laa baaridinw wa laa kareem

[shadows] neither cooling nor soothing.

Innaahum kaanoo qabla zaalika mutrafeen

For, behold, in times gone by they were wont to abandon themselves wholly to the pursuit of pleasures,

Wa kaanoo yusirroona 'alal hinsil 'azeem

and would persist in heinous sinning,

Wa kaanoo yaqooloona a'izaa mitnaa wa kunnaa turaabanw wa izaaman'ainnaa lamab'oosoon

and would say, “What! After we have died and become mere dust and bones, shall we, forsooth, be raised from the dead? -

Awa aabaaa'unal awwaloon

and perhaps, too, our forebears of old?”

Qul innal awwaleena wal aakhireen

Say: “Verily, those of olden times and those of later times

Lamajmoo'oona ilaa meeqaati yawmim ma'loon

will indeed be gathered together at an appointed time on a Day known [only to God]:

summa innakum ayyuhad daaalloonal mukazziboon

and then, verily, O you who have gone astray and called the truth a lie,

La aakiloona min shaja rim min zaqqoom

you will indeed have to taste of the tree of deadly fruit,

Famaali'oona minhal butoon

and will have to fill your bellies therewith,

Fashaariboona 'alaihi minal hameem

and will thereupon have to drink [many a draught] of burning despair -

Fashaariboona shurbal heem

drink it as the most insatiably thirsty camels drink!”

Haazaa nuzuluhum yawmad deen

Such will be their welcome on Judgment Day!

Nahnu khalaqnaakum falaw laa tusaddiqoon

WE who have created you, [O men:] why, then, do you not accept the truth?

Afara'aytum maa tumnoon

Have you ever considered that [seed] which you emit?

'A-antum takhluqoo nahooo am nahnul khaaliqoon

Is it you who create it - or are We the source of its creation?

Nahnu qaddarnaa baina kumul mawta wa maa nahnu bimasbooqeen

We have [indeed] decreed that death shall be [ever-present] among you: but there is nothing to prevent Us

'Alaaa an nubaddila amsaalakum wa nunshi'akum fee maa laa ta'lamoon

from changing the nature of your existence and bringing you into being [anew] in a manner [as yet] unknown to you.

Wa laqad 'alimtumun nash atal oolaa falaw laa tazakkaroon

And [since] you are indeed aware of the [miracle of your] coming into being in the first instance - why, then, do you not bethink yourselves [of Us]?

Afara'aytum maa tahrusoon

Have you ever considered the seed which you cast upon the soil?

'A-antum tazra'oonahooo am nahnuz zaari'ooon

Is it you who cause it to grow - or are We the cause of its growth?

Law nashaaa'u laja'al naahu hutaaman fazaltum tafakkahoon

[For,] were it Our will, We could indeed turn it into chaff, and you would be left to wonder [and to lament],

Innaa lamughramoon

“Verily, we are ruined!

Bal nahnu mahroomoon

Nay, but we have been deprived [of our livelihood]!”

Afara'aytumul maaa'allazee tashraboon

Have you ever considered the water which you drink?

'A-antum anzaltumoohu minal muzni am nahnul munziloon

Is it you who cause it to come down from the clouds - or are We the cause of its coming down?

Law nashaaa'u ja'alnaahu ujaajan falaw laa tashkuroon

[It comes down sweet - but] were it Our will, We could make it burningly salty and bitter: why, then, do you not give thanks [unto Us]?

Afara'aytumun naaral latee tooroon

Have you ever considered the fire which you kindle?

'A-antum anshaatum shajaratahaaa am nahnul munshi'oon

Is it you who have brought into being the tree that serves as its fuel - or are We the cause of its coming into being?

Nahnu ja'alnaahaa tazkira tanw wa mataa'al lilmuqween

It is We who have made it a means to remind [you of Us], and a comfort for all who are lost and hungry in the wilderness [of their lives].

Fasabbih bismi Rabbikal 'azeem

Extol, then, the limitless glory of thy Sus­tainer’s mighty name!

Falaa uqsimu bimaawaa qi'innujoom

NAY, I call to witness the coming-down in parts [of this Qur’an]

Wa innahoo laqasamul lawta'lamoona'azeem

and, behold, this is indeed a most solemn affirmation, if you but knew it!

Innahoo la quraanun kareem

Behold, it is a truly noble discourse,

Fee kitaabim maknoon

[conveyed unto man] in a well-guarded divine writ

Laa yamassuhooo illal mutahharoon

which none but the pure [of heart] can touch:

Tanzeelum mir Rabbil'aalameen

a revelation from the Sustainer of all the worlds!

Afabihaazal hadeesi antum mudhinoon

Would you, now, look down with disdain on a tiding like this,

Wa taj'aloona rizqakum annakum tukazziboon

and make it your daily bread [as it were] to call the truth a lie?

Falaw laaa izaa balaghatil hulqoom

Why, then, when [the last breath] comes up to the throat [of a dying man],

Wa antum heena'izin tanzuroon

the while you are [helplessly] looking on -

Wa nahnu aqrabu ilaihi minkum wa laakil laa tubsiroon

and while We are closer to him than you, although you see [Us] not -:

Falaw laaa in kuntum ghira madeeneen

why, then, if [you think that] you are not truly dependent [on Us],

Tarji'oonahaaa in kuntum saadiqeen

can you not cause that [ebbing life] to return - if what you claim is true?

Fa ammaaa in kaana minal muqarrabeen

[ALL OF YOU are destined to die.] Now if one happens to be of those who are drawn close unto God,

Farawhunw wa raihaa nunw wa jannatu na'eem

happiness [awaits him in the life to come], and inner fulfillment, and a garden of bliss.

Wa ammaaa in kaana min as haabil yameen

And if one happens to be of those who have attained to righteousness,

Fasalaamul laka min as haabil yameen

[he, too, will be wel­comed into paradise with the words,] “Peace be unto thee [that art] of those who have attained to right­eousness!”

Wa ammaaa in kaana minal mukazzibeenad daaalleen

But if one happens to be of those who are wont to call the truth a lie, and [thus] go astray,

Fanuzulum min hameem

a welcome of burning despair [awaits him in the life to come,]

Wa tasliyatu jaheem

and the heat of a blazing fire!

Inna haaza lahuwa haqqul yaqeen

Verily, this is indeed the truth of truths!

Fasabbih bismi rabbikal 'azeem

Extol, then, the limitless glory of thy Sus­tainer’s mighty name!