البروج

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡبُرُوجِ 1

By the sky containing great stars

وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡمَوۡعُودِ 2

And [by] the promised Day

وَشَاهِدٖ وَمَشۡهُودٖ 3

And [by] the witness and what is witnessed,

قُتِلَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأُخۡدُودِ 4

Destroyed [i.e., cursed] were the companions of the trench[1895]

Translation notes

[1895] Or "May they be destroyed" or "cursed." The "companions of the trench" (or ditch) were agents of a tyrannical king who refused to allow his people to believe in Allāh. Their evil deed in obedience to their ruler earned for them the curse of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) .

ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡوَقُودِ 5

[Containing] the fire full of fuel,

إِذۡ هُمۡ عَلَيۡهَا قُعُودٞ 6

When they were sitting near it.

وَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفۡعَلُونَ بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ شُهُودٞ 7

And they, to what they were doing against the believers, were witnesses. [1896]

Translation notes

[1896] After casting the believers into a trench filled with fire, they sat at its edge, watching them burn to death. This event occurred before the time of Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) .

وَمَا نَقَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَمِيدِ 8

And they resented them not except because they believed in Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy,

ٱلَّذِي لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدٌ 9

To whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And Allāh, over all things, is Witness.[1897]

Translation notes

[1897] See footnote to 4:79.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَتُوبُواْ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ ٱلۡحَرِيقِ 10

Indeed, those who have tortured[1898] the believing men and believing women and then have not repented will have the punishment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the Burning Fire.

Translation notes

[1898] Or, in this instance, the literal meaning of "burned" is also appropriate.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٞ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ 11

Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great attainment.

إِنَّ بَطۡشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ 12

Indeed, the assault [i.e., vengeance] of your Lord is severe.

إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبۡدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ 13

Indeed, it is He who originates [creation] and repeats.

وَهُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلۡوَدُودُ 14

And He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate,

ذُو ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡمَجِيدُ 15

Honorable Owner of the Throne,

فَعَّالٞ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ 16

Effecter of what He intends.

هَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلۡجُنُودِ 17

Has there reached you the story of the soldiers -

فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَثَمُودَ 18

[Those of] Pharaoh and Thamūd?

بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي تَكۡذِيبٖ 19

But they who disbelieve are in [persistent] denial,

وَٱللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِم مُّحِيطُۢ 20

While Allāh encompasses them from behind.[1899]

Translation notes

[1899] See footnote to 2:19

بَلۡ هُوَ قُرۡءَانٞ مَّجِيدٞ 21

But this is an honored Qur’ān

فِي لَوۡحٖ مَّحۡفُوظِۭ 22

[Inscribed] in a Preserved Slate.