القيامة

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ 1

I swear by the Day of Resurrection

وَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلنَّفۡسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ 2

And I swear by the reproaching soul[1800] [to the certainty of resurrection].

Translation notes

[1800] i.e., that of the believer, which blames him when he falls into sin or error.

أَيَحۡسَبُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَلَّن نَّجۡمَعَ عِظَامَهُۥ 3

Does man think that We will not assemble his bones?

بَلَىٰ قَٰدِرِينَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّسَوِّيَ بَنَانَهُۥ 4

Yes. [We are] Able [even] to proportion his fingertips.

بَلۡ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ لِيَفۡجُرَ أَمَامَهُۥ 5

But man desires to continue in sin.[1801]

Translation notes

[1801] Literally, "to sin ahead of him." This refers to the disbeliever, who denies the Day of Account.

يَسۡـَٔلُ أَيَّانَ يَوۡمُ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ 6

He asks, "When is the Day of Resurrection?"

فَإِذَا بَرِقَ ٱلۡبَصَرُ 7

So when vision is dazzled

وَخَسَفَ ٱلۡقَمَرُ 8

And the moon darkens

وَجُمِعَ ٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُ 9

And the sun and the moon are joined,

يَقُولُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ يَوۡمَئِذٍ أَيۡنَ ٱلۡمَفَرُّ 10

Man will say on that Day, "Where is the [place of] escape?"

كَلَّا لَا وَزَرَ 11

No! There is no refuge.

إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوۡمَئِذٍ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقَرُّ 12

To your Lord, that Day, is the [place of] permanence.

يُنَبَّؤُاْ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ يَوۡمَئِذِۭ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ 13

Man will be informed that Day of what he sent ahead[1802] and kept back.[1803]

Translation notes

[1802] i.e., his deeds, which await him in the Hereafter.
[1803] i.e., that which he did not do or which he delayed.

بَلِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِۦ بَصِيرَةٞ 14

Rather, man, against himself, will be a witness,[1804]

Translation notes

[1804] As described in 36:65 and 41:20-23.

وَلَوۡ أَلۡقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَهُۥ 15

Even if he presents his excuses.

لَا تُحَرِّكۡ بِهِۦ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعۡجَلَ بِهِۦٓ 16

Move not your tongue with it, [O Muḥammad], to hasten with it [i.e., recitation of the Qur’ān].

إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا جَمۡعَهُۥ وَقُرۡءَانَهُۥ 17

Indeed, upon Us is its collection [in your heart] and [to make possible] its recitation.

فَإِذَا قَرَأۡنَٰهُ فَٱتَّبِعۡ قُرۡءَانَهُۥ 18

So when We have recited it [through Gabriel], then follow its recitation.

ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا بَيَانَهُۥ 19

Then upon Us is its clarification [to you].

كَلَّا بَلۡ تُحِبُّونَ ٱلۡعَاجِلَةَ 20

No! But you [i.e., mankind] love the immediate

وَتَذَرُونَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ 21

And leave [i.e., neglect] the Hereafter.

وُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ نَّاضِرَةٌ 22

[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant,

إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٞ 23

Looking at their Lord.[1805]

Translation notes

[1805] The people of Paradise will actually see their Creator in the Hereafter.

وَوُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذِۭ بَاسِرَةٞ 24

And [some] faces, that Day, will be contorted,

تَظُنُّ أَن يُفۡعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٞ 25

Expecting that there will be done to them [something] backbreaking.

كَلَّآ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ ٱلتَّرَاقِيَ 26

No! When it [i.e., the soul] has reached the collar bones[1806]

Translation notes

[1806] At the time it is about to leave the body when one is on the verge of death.

وَقِيلَ مَنۡۜ رَاقٖ 27

And it is said, "Who will cure [him]?"

وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡفِرَاقُ 28

And he [i.e., the dying one] is certain that it is the [time of] separation

وَٱلۡتَفَّتِ ٱلسَّاقُ بِٱلسَّاقِ 29

And the leg is wound about the leg,[1807]

Translation notes

[1807] From the difficulties the person faces at death or his sudden awareness of the realities of both this world and the Hereafter. It may also refer to his shrouding after death.

إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوۡمَئِذٍ ٱلۡمَسَاقُ 30

To your Lord, that Day, will be the procession.[1808]

Translation notes

[1808] Literally, "driving" or "herding" or "the place to which one is driven."

فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّىٰ 31

And he [i.e., the disbeliever] had not believed, nor had he prayed.

وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ 32

But [instead], he denied and turned away.

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهِۦ يَتَمَطَّىٰٓ 33

And then he went to his people, swaggering [in pride].

أَوۡلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوۡلَىٰ 34

Woe to you, and woe!

ثُمَّ أَوۡلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوۡلَىٰٓ 35

Then woe to you, and woe!

أَيَحۡسَبُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَن يُتۡرَكَ سُدًى 36

Does man think that he will be left neglected?[1809]

Translation notes

[1809] i.e., to no end, without responsibility, or without being returned to the Creator for judgement.

أَلَمۡ يَكُ نُطۡفَةٗ مِّن مَّنِيّٖ يُمۡنَىٰ 37

Had he not been a sperm from semen emitted?

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةٗ فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ 38

Then he was a clinging clot, and [Allāh] created [his form] and proportioned [him]

فَجَعَلَ مِنۡهُ ٱلزَّوۡجَيۡنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰٓ 39

And made of him two mates, the male and the female.

أَلَيۡسَ ذَٰلِكَ بِقَٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُحۡـِۧيَ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ 40

Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?