The Ascending Stairways

سَأَلَ سَآئِلُۢ بِعَذَابࣲ وَاقِعࣲ‏1

Ayah 1

Translation of the meaningA challenger has demanded a punishment bound to come

لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ لَيۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعࣱ‏2

Ayah 2

Translation of the meaningfor the disbelievers—to be averted by none—

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِي ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ3

Ayah 3

Translation of the meaningfrom Allah, Lord of pathways of ˹heavenly˺ ascent

تَعۡرُجُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيۡهِ فِي يَوۡمࣲ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُۥ خَمۡسِينَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةࣲ‏4

Ayah 4

Translation of the meaning˹through which˺ the angels and the ˹holy˺ spirit will ascend to Him on a Day fifty thousand years in length

فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرࣰ ا جَمِيلًا5

Ayah 5

Translation of the meaningSo endure ˹this denial, O Prophet,˺ with beautiful patience

إِنَّهُمۡ يَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِيدࣰ ا6

Ayah 6

Translation of the meaningThey truly see this ˹Day˺ as impossible

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبࣰ ا7

Ayah 7

Translation of the meaningbut We see it as inevitable

يَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ8

Ayah 8

Translation of the meaningOn that Day the sky will be like molten brass

وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ9

Ayah 9

Translation of the meaningand the mountains like ˹tufts of˺ wool

وَلَا يَسۡـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمࣰ ا10

Ayah 10

Translation of the meaningAnd no close friend will ask ˹about˺ their friends

يُبَصَّرُونَهُمۡۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُ لَوۡ يَفۡتَدِي مِنۡ عَذَابِ يَوۡمِئِذِۭ بِبَنِيهِ11

Ayah 11

Translation of the meaning˹although˺ they will be made to see each other. The wicked will wish to ransom themselves from the punishment of that Day by their children

وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ12

Ayah 12

Translation of the meaningtheir spouses, their siblings

وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِي تُـٔۡوِيهِ13

Ayah 13

Translation of the meaningtheir clan that sheltered them

وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعࣰ ا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ14

Ayah 14

Translation of the meaningand everyone on earth altogether, just to save themselves

كَلَّآۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ15

Ayah 15

Translation of the meaningBut no! There will certainly be a raging Flame

نَزَّاعَةࣰ لِّلشَّوَىٰ16

Ayah 16

Translation of the meaningripping off scalps

تَدۡعُواْ مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ17

Ayah 17

Translation of the meaningIt will summon whoever turned their backs ˹on Allah˺ and turned away ˹from the truth˺

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوۡعَىٰٓ18

Ayah 18

Translation of the meaningand gathered and hoarded ˹wealth˺

۞إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا19

Ayah 19

Translation of the meaningIndeed, humankind was created impatient

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعࣰ ا20

Ayah 20

Translation of the meaningdistressed when touched with evil

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَيۡرُ مَنُوعًا21

Ayah 21

Translation of the meaningand withholding when touched with good—

إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ22

Ayah 22

Translation of the meaningexcept those who pray

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَآئِمُونَ23

Ayah 23

Translation of the meaningconsistently performing their prayers

وَٱلَّذِينَ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ حَقࣱّ مَّعۡلُومࣱ‏24

Ayah 24

Translation of the meaningand who give the rightful share of their wealth

لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ25

Ayah 25

Translation of the meaningto the beggar and the poor

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ26

Ayah 26

Translation of the meaningand who ˹firmly˺ believe in the Day of Judgment

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ27

Ayah 27

Translation of the meaningand those who fear the punishment of their Lord—

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمۡ غَيۡرُ مَأۡمُونࣲ‏28

Ayah 28

Translation of the meaning˹knowing that˺ none should feel secure from their Lord’s punishment—

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَٰفِظُونَ29

Ayah 29

Translation of the meaningand those who guard their chastity

إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزۡوَٰجِهِمۡ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُمۡ فَإِنَّهُمۡ غَيۡرُ مَلُومِينَ30

Ayah 30

Translation of the meaningexcept with their wives or those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession, for then they are free from blame

فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ31

Ayah 31

Translation of the meaningbut whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَٰعُونَ32

Ayah 32

Translation of the meaning˹The faithful are˺ also those who are true to their trusts and covenants

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمۡ قَآئِمُونَ33

Ayah 33

Translation of the meaningand who are honest in their testimony

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ34

Ayah 34

Translation of the meaningand who are ˹properly˺ observant of their prayers

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ فِي جَنَّٰتࣲ مُّكۡرَمُونَ35

Ayah 35

Translation of the meaningThese will be in Gardens, held in honour

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ قِبَلَكَ مُهۡطِعِينَ36

Ayah 36

Translation of the meaningSo what is the matter with the disbelievers that they rush ˹head-long˺ towards you ˹O Prophet˺

عَنِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ37

Ayah 37

Translation of the meaningfrom the right and the left, in groups ˹to mock you˺

أَيَطۡمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِيࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن يُدۡخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمࣲ‏38

Ayah 38

Translation of the meaningDoes every one of them expect to be admitted into a Garden of Bliss

كَلَّآۖ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ39

Ayah 39

Translation of the meaningBut no! Indeed, they ˹already˺ know what We created them from

فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ40

Ayah 40

Translation of the meaningSo, I do swear by the Lord of ˹all˺ the points of sunrise and sunset that We are truly capable

عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيۡرࣰ ا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ41

Ayah 41

Translation of the meaningof replacing them with ˹others˺ better than them, and We cannot be prevented ˹from doing so˺

فَذَرۡهُمۡ يَخُوضُواْ وَيَلۡعَبُواْ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُواْ يَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ42

Ayah 42

Translation of the meaningSo let them indulge ˹in falsehood˺ and amuse ˹themselves˺ until they face their Day, which they have been threatened with—

يَوۡمَ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعࣰ ا كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبࣲ يُوفِضُونَ43

Ayah 43

Translation of the meaningthe Day they will come forth from the graves swiftly, as if racing to an idol ˹for a blessing˺

خَٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةࣱۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمُ ٱلَّذِي كَانُواْ يُوعَدُونَ44

Ayah 44

Translation of the meaningwith eyes downcast, utterly covered with disgrace. That is the Day they have ˹always˺ been warned of