المعارج
Al-Ma'arij
The Ascending Stairways
1 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 001
سَأَلَ سَآئِلُۢ بِعَذَابٖ وَاقِعٖ
A challenger asked for a punishment bound to come[1]
[1] In the Hereafter. The pagans of Makkah had challenged the Prophet (ﷺ) in ridicule by asking Allah to bring upon them His punishment. See 8:32.
2 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 002
لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ لَيۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٞ
upon the disbelievers, which none can avert,
3 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 003
مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِي ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ
from Allah, Lord of the pathways of ascent,
4 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 004
تَعۡرُجُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيۡهِ فِي يَوۡمٖ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُۥ خَمۡسِينَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٖ
by which the angels and the Spirit[2] will ascend to Him on a Day[3] the length of which is fifty thousand years.
[2] i.e., the angel Gabriel.
[3] The Day of Judgment will be an extremely long day.
5 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 005
فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرٗا جَمِيلًا
So be patient [O Prophet] with beautiful patience.
6 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 006
إِنَّهُمۡ يَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِيدٗا
Indeed, they see this [punishment] far off,
7 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 007
وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبٗا
but We see it to be close at hand.
8 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 008
يَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ
On the Day when the sky will be like molten brass[4]
[4] Or "murky oil."
9 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 009
وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ
and the mountains will be like dyed wool[5],
[5] While disintegrating.
10 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 010
وَلَا يَسۡـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمٗا
and no close friend will ask about another,
11 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 011
يُبَصَّرُونَهُمۡۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُ لَوۡ يَفۡتَدِي مِنۡ عَذَابِ يَوۡمِئِذِۭ بِبَنِيهِ
even though they will see one another. The wicked will wish he could ransom himself from the punishment of that Day by offering his children,
12 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 012
وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ
and his wife and his brother,
13 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 013
وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِي تُـٔۡوِيهِ
and his kindred who stood by him,
14 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 014
وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ
and everyone on earth, just to save himself.
15 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 015
كَلَّآۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ
By no means![6] It is a raging Flame,
[6] An emphatic denial, meaning "It will never be."
16 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 016
نَزَّاعَةٗ لِّلشَّوَىٰ
that will strip off the scalps[7].
[7] Referring to the skin of the head or of the body extremities, which will be burned away by severe heat and flames.
17 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 017
تَدۡعُواْ مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
It will call everyone who turned their backs and disobeyed,
18 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 018
وَجَمَعَ فَأَوۡعَىٰٓ
and amassed and hoarded wealth.
19 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 019
۞إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا
Indeed, man was created impatient:
20 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 020
إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعٗا
when evil befalls him, he bewails,
21 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 021
وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَيۡرُ مَنُوعًا
but when good fortune comes his way, he becomes tight-fisted –
22 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 022
إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ
except those who pray,
23 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 023
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَآئِمُونَ
who are steadfast in their prayers;
24 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 024
وَٱلَّذِينَ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ حَقّٞ مَّعۡلُومٞ
and who give a due share[8] of their wealth
[8] i.e., obligatory charity; zakah.
25 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 025
لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ
to the beggar and the dispossessed;
26 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 026
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ
and who firmly believe in the Day of Judgment;
27 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 027
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ
and those who fear the punishment of their Lord –
28 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 028
إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمۡ غَيۡرُ مَأۡمُونٖ
for none can feel secure from their Lord’s punishment –
29 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 029
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَٰفِظُونَ
and those who guard their private parts[9],
[9] i.e., their chastity and honor from immoralities.
30 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 030
إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزۡوَٰجِهِمۡ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُمۡ فَإِنَّهُمۡ غَيۡرُ مَلُومِينَ
except from their wives or bondwomen[10] whom they own, for then they are not to be blamed.
[10] i.e., female slaves or slave-girls.
31 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 031
فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ
But whoever seeks beyond that, it is they who are the transgressors.
32 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 032
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَٰعُونَ
and those who fulfill their trusts and pledges;
33 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 033
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمۡ قَآئِمُونَ
and who are upright in their testimonies;
34 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 034
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ
and who take due care of their prayers;
35 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 035
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ فِي جَنَّـٰتٖ مُّكۡرَمُونَ
they will be honored in gardens[11].
[11] Of Paradise.
36 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 036
فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ قِبَلَكَ مُهۡطِعِينَ
What is the matter with the disbelievers that they are rushing towards you [O Prophet][12],
[12] i.e., rushing to deny you.
37 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 037
عَنِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ
from the right and from the left, in crowds[13]?
[13] Some pagans of Makkah gathered around the Prophet (ﷺ) mocking and opposing him, claiming that if there is in fact a Hereafter, they would enter Paradise before the believers.
38 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 038
أَيَطۡمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن يُدۡخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٖ
Does everyone of them aspire to enter a garden of bliss?
39 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 039
كَلَّآۖ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ
By no means! We have created them from what they know[14].
[14] i.e., from a disdained fluid.
40 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 040
فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ
I swear by the Lord of the sunrises and sunsets[15] that We are surely Capable
[15] i.e., Allah is the One Who determines the daily points of sunrise and sunset according to each season by the rotation of the earth around its axis.
41 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 041
عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ
to replace them with others better than them, and none can escape Our decree.
42 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 042
فَذَرۡهُمۡ يَخُوضُواْ وَيَلۡعَبُواْ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُواْ يَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ
So leave them to engage in their falsehood and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised;
43 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 043
يَوۡمَ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعٗا كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٖ يُوفِضُونَ
the Day when they will rush out of their graves as if they are racing towards an idol[16],
[16] i.e., just as they used to race towards a newly appointed idol, to be among the first of its worshipers.
44 - Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) - 044
