القمر

ٱقۡتَرَبَتِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ وَٱنشَقَّ ٱلۡقَمَرُ 1

The Hour has come near, and the moon has split [in two].[1577]

Translation notes

[1577] This was a sign given by Allāh to Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) when the Quraysh challenged him to show them a miracle.

وَإِن يَرَوۡاْ ءَايَةٗ يُعۡرِضُواْ وَيَقُولُواْ سِحۡرٞ مُّسۡتَمِرّٞ 2

And if they see a sign [i.e., miracle], they turn away and say, "Passing magic."[1578]

Translation notes

[1578] Or "Continuing magic."

وَكَذَّبُواْ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡۚ وَكُلُّ أَمۡرٖ مُّسۡتَقِرّٞ 3

And they denied and followed their inclinations. But for every matter is a [time of] settlement.

وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَنۢبَآءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزۡدَجَرٌ 4

And there has already come to them of information that in which there is deterrence.

حِكۡمَةُۢ بَٰلِغَةٞۖ فَمَا تُغۡنِ ٱلنُّذُرُ 5

Extensive wisdom - but warning does not avail [them].

فَتَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡۘ يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُ ٱلدَّاعِ إِلَىٰ شَيۡءٖ نُّكُرٍ 6

So leave them, [O Muḥammad]. The Day the Caller[1579] calls to something forbidding,

Translation notes

[1579] Said to be an angel announcing the account and judgement.

خُشَّعًا أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ كَأَنَّهُمۡ جَرَادٞ مُّنتَشِرٞ 7

Their eyes humbled, they will emerge from the graves as if they were locusts spreading,

مُّهۡطِعِينَ إِلَى ٱلدَّاعِۖ يَقُولُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ هَٰذَا يَوۡمٌ عَسِرٞ 8

Racing ahead toward the Caller. The disbelievers will say, "This is a difficult Day."

۞كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحٖ فَكَذَّبُواْ عَبۡدَنَا وَقَالُواْ مَجۡنُونٞ وَٱزۡدُجِرَ 9

The people of Noah denied before them, and they denied Our servant and said, "A madman," and he was repelled.

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّي مَغۡلُوبٞ فَٱنتَصِرۡ 10

So he invoked his Lord, "Indeed, I am overpowered, so help."

فَفَتَحۡنَآ أَبۡوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٖ مُّنۡهَمِرٖ 11

Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down

وَفَجَّرۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ عُيُونٗا فَٱلۡتَقَى ٱلۡمَآءُ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡرٖ قَدۡ قُدِرَ 12

And caused the earth to burst with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined.

وَحَمَلۡنَٰهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلۡوَٰحٖ وَدُسُرٖ 13

And We carried him on a [construction of] planks and nails,

تَجۡرِي بِأَعۡيُنِنَا جَزَآءٗ لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ 14

Sailing under Our observation as reward for he who had been denied.

وَلَقَد تَّرَكۡنَٰهَآ ءَايَةٗ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ 15

And We left it as a sign, so is there any who will remember?

فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 16

And how [severe] were My punishment and warning.[1580]

Translation notes

[1580] To those after them, who were expected to derive a lesson from previous occurrences.

وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ 17

And We have certainly made the Qur’ān easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?

كَذَّبَتۡ عَادٞ فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 18

ʿAad denied; and how [severe] were My punishment and warning.

إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِيحٗا صَرۡصَرٗا فِي يَوۡمِ نَحۡسٖ مُّسۡتَمِرّٖ 19

Indeed, We sent upon them a screaming wind on a day of continuous misfortune,

تَنزِعُ ٱلنَّاسَ كَأَنَّهُمۡ أَعۡجَازُ نَخۡلٖ مُّنقَعِرٖ 20

Extracting the people[1581] as if they were trunks of palm trees uprooted.

Translation notes

[1581] From their hiding places.

فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 21

And how [severe] were My punishment and warning.

وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ 22

And We have certainly made the Qur’ān easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?

كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِٱلنُّذُرِ 23

Thamūd denied the warning.

فَقَالُوٓاْ أَبَشَرٗا مِّنَّا وَٰحِدٗا نَّتَّبِعُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذٗا لَّفِي ضَلَٰلٖ وَسُعُرٍ 24

And said, "Is it one human being[1582] among us that we should follow? Indeed, we would then be in error and madness.

Translation notes

[1582] i.e., the prophet Ṣāliḥ.

أَءُلۡقِيَ ٱلذِّكۡرُ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۢ بَيۡنِنَا بَلۡ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٞ 25

Has the message been sent down upon him from among us? Rather, he is an insolent liar."

سَيَعۡلَمُونَ غَدٗا مَّنِ ٱلۡكَذَّابُ ٱلۡأَشِرُ 26

They will know tomorrow who is the insolent liar.

إِنَّا مُرۡسِلُواْ ٱلنَّاقَةِ فِتۡنَةٗ لَّهُمۡ فَٱرۡتَقِبۡهُمۡ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ 27

Indeed, We are sending the she-camel as trial for them, so watch them and be patient.[1583]

Translation notes

[1583] This and the following verse are an address to Ṣāliḥ (upon him be peace).

وَنَبِّئۡهُمۡ أَنَّ ٱلۡمَآءَ قِسۡمَةُۢ بَيۡنَهُمۡۖ كُلُّ شِرۡبٖ مُّحۡتَضَرٞ 28

And inform them that the water is shared between them,[1584] each [day of] drink attended [by turn].

Translation notes

[1584] i.e., between the tribe of Thamūd and the she-camel - a day for each to drink.

فَنَادَوۡاْ صَاحِبَهُمۡ فَتَعَاطَىٰ فَعَقَرَ 29

But they called their companion,[1585] and he dared[1586] and hamstrung [her].

Translation notes

[1585] i.e., the worst and most despicable among them.
[1586] Or "he took," referring to his sword or to the she-camel.

فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 30

And how [severe] were My punishment and warning.

إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَيۡحَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ فَكَانُواْ كَهَشِيمِ ٱلۡمُحۡتَظِرِ 31

Indeed, We sent upon them one shriek [i.e., blast from the sky], and they became like the dry twig fragments of an [animal] pen.

وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ 32

And We have certainly made the Qur’ān easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?

كَذَّبَتۡ قَوۡمُ لُوطِۭ بِٱلنُّذُرِ 33

The people of Lot denied the warning.

إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ حَاصِبًا إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٖۖ نَّجَّيۡنَٰهُم بِسَحَرٖ 34

Indeed, We sent upon them a storm of stones, except the family of Lot - We saved them before dawn.

نِّعۡمَةٗ مِّنۡ عِندِنَاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي مَن شَكَرَ 35

As favor from Us. Thus do We reward he who is grateful.

وَلَقَدۡ أَنذَرَهُم بَطۡشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوۡاْ بِٱلنُّذُرِ 36

And he had already warned them of Our assault, but they disputed the warning.

وَلَقَدۡ رَٰوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيۡفِهِۦ فَطَمَسۡنَآ أَعۡيُنَهُمۡ فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 37

And they had demanded from him his guests, but We obliterated their eyes, [saying], "Taste My punishment and warning."

وَلَقَدۡ صَبَّحَهُم بُكۡرَةً عَذَابٞ مُّسۡتَقِرّٞ 38

And there came upon them by morning an abiding punishment.

فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 39

So taste My punishment and warning.

وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ 40

And We have certainly made the Qur’ān easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?

وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَ ءَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ ٱلنُّذُرُ 41

And there certainly came to the people of Pharaoh warning.

كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُمۡ أَخۡذَ عَزِيزٖ مُّقۡتَدِرٍ 42

They denied Our signs, all of them, so We seized them with a seizure of one Exalted in Might and Perfect in Ability.

أَكُفَّارُكُمۡ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكُمۡ أَمۡ لَكُم بَرَآءَةٞ فِي ٱلزُّبُرِ 43

Are your disbelievers better than those [former ones], or have you immunity in the scriptures?

أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ نَحۡنُ جَمِيعٞ مُّنتَصِرٞ 44

Or do they say, "We are an assembly supporting [each other]"?

سَيُهۡزَمُ ٱلۡجَمۡعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ ٱلدُّبُرَ 45

[Their] assembly will be defeated, and they will turn their backs [in retreat].[1587]

Translation notes

[1587] This foretold event took place on the day of Badr.

بَلِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ مَوۡعِدُهُمۡ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ أَدۡهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ 46

But the Hour is their appointment [for due punishment], and the Hour is more disastrous and more bitter.

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ وَسُعُرٖ 47

Indeed, the criminals are in error and madness.[1588].

Translation notes

[1588] Or "in blazing fires."

يَوۡمَ يُسۡحَبُونَ فِي ٱلنَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمۡ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ 48

The Day they are dragged into the Fire on their faces [it will be said], "Taste the touch of Saqar."[1589]

Translation notes

[1589] One of the proper names of Hell.

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَٰهُ بِقَدَرٖ 49

Indeed, all things We created with predestination.

وَمَآ أَمۡرُنَآ إِلَّا وَٰحِدَةٞ كَلَمۡحِۭ بِٱلۡبَصَرِ 50

And Our command is but one, like a glance of the eye.

وَلَقَدۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَآ أَشۡيَاعَكُمۡ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ 51

And We have already destroyed your kinds,[1590] so is there any who will remember?

Translation notes

[1590] i.e., those similar to you in attitude and behavior when they rejected Allāh's messengers.

وَكُلُّ شَيۡءٖ فَعَلُوهُ فِي ٱلزُّبُرِ 52

And everything they did is in written records.

وَكُلُّ صَغِيرٖ وَكَبِيرٖ مُّسۡتَطَرٌ 53

And every small and great [thing] is inscribed.

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّـٰتٖ وَنَهَرٖ 54

Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and rivers,

فِي مَقۡعَدِ صِدۡقٍ عِندَ مَلِيكٖ مُّقۡتَدِرِۭ 55

In a seat of honor near a Sovereign, Perfect in Ability.[1591]

Translation notes

[1591] Who accomplishes whatever He wills whenever He wills.