بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱقْتَرَبَتِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ وَٱنشَقَّ ٱلْقَمَرُ

THE LAST HOUR draws near, and the moon is split asunder!

وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ ءَايَةًۭ يُعْرِضُوا۟ وَيَقُولُوا۟ سِحْرٌۭ مُّسْتَمِرٌّۭ

But if they [who reject all thought of the Last Hour] were to see a sign [of its approach], they would turn aside and say, “An ever-recurring delusion!” –

وَكَذَّبُوا۟ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ ۚ وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍۢ مُّسْتَقِرٌّۭ

for they are bent on giving it the lie, being always wont to follow their own desires. Yet everything reveals its truth in the end.

وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَنۢبَآءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزْدَجَرٌ

And withal, there has come unto them many a tiding that should have restrained [their arrogance]:

حِكْمَةٌۢ بَٰلِغَةٌۭ ۖ فَمَا تُغْنِ ٱلنُّذُرُ

far-reaching wisdom [was held out to them]: but [since] all warnings have been of no avail,

فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ ۘ يَوْمَ يَدْعُ ٱلدَّاعِ إِلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ نُّكُرٍ

turn thou away from them. On the Day when the Summoning Voice will sum­mon [man] unto something that the mind cannot conceive,

خُشَّعًا أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ كَأَنَّهُمْ جَرَادٌۭ مُّنتَشِرٌۭ

they will come forth from their graves, with their eyes downcast, [swarming about] like locusts scattered [by the wind],

مُّهْطِعِينَ إِلَى ٱلدَّاعِ ۖ يَقُولُ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ هَٰذَا يَوْمٌ عَسِرٌۭ

running in con­fusion towards the Summoning Voice; [and] those who [now] deny the truth will exclaim, “Calamitous is this Day!”

۞ كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍۢ فَكَذَّبُوا۟ عَبْدَنَا وَقَالُوا۟ مَجْنُونٌۭ وَٱزْدُجِرَ

[LONG] BEFORE those [who now deny resurrec­tion] did Noah’s people call it a lie; and they gave the lie to Our servant and said, “Mad is he!” - and he was repulsed.

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَغْلُوبٌۭ فَٱنتَصِرْ

Thereupon he called out to his Sustainer, “Verily, I am defeated; come Thou, then, to my succour!”

فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍۢ مُّنْهَمِرٍۢ

And so We caused the gates of heaven to open with water pouring down in torrents,

وَفَجَّرْنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ عُيُونًۭا فَٱلْتَقَى ٱلْمَآءُ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرٍۢ قَدْ قُدِرَ

and caused the earth to burst forth with springs, so that the waters met for a purpose pre-ordained:

وَحَمَلْنَٰهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلْوَٰحٍۢ وَدُسُرٍۢ

but him We bore on that [vessel] made of [mere] planks and nails,

تَجْرِى بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَآءًۭ لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ

and it floated under Our eyes: a recom­pense for him who had been rejected with ingratitude.

وَلَقَد تَّرَكْنَٰهَآ ءَايَةًۭ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ

And, indeed, We have caused such [floating vessels] to remain forever a sign [of Our grace unto man]: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

And how severe is the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ

Hence, indeed, We made this Qur’an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌۭ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

TO THE TRUTH gave the lie [the tribe of] Ad: and how severe was the suffering which I inflicted when My warnings were disregarded!

إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًۭا صَرْصَرًۭا فِى يَوْمِ نَحْسٍۢ مُّسْتَمِرٍّۢ

Behold, We let loose upon them a raging storm wind on a day of bitter misfortune:

تَنزِعُ ٱلنَّاسَ كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍۢ مُّنقَعِرٍۢ

it swept the people away as though they were palm-trunks uprooted:

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

for, how severe is the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ

Hence, indeed, We made this Qur’an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِٱلنُّذُرِ

[AND the tribe of] Thamud gave the lie to all [Our] warnings;

فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَبَشَرًۭا مِّنَّا وَٰحِدًۭا نَّتَّبِعُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذًۭا لَّفِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ وَسُعُرٍ

and they said: “Are we to follow one single mortal, one from among ourselves? In that case, behold, we would certainly sink into error and folly!

أَءُلْقِىَ ٱلذِّكْرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنۢ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌۭ

Why - on him alone from among all of us should a [divine] reminder have been bestowed? Nay, but he is a boastful liar!”

سَيَعْلَمُونَ غَدًۭا مَّنِ ٱلْكَذَّابُ ٱلْأَشِرُ

[And God said:] “On the morrow they will come to know who the boastful liar is!

إِنَّا مُرْسِلُوا۟ ٱلنَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةًۭ لَّهُمْ فَٱرْتَقِبْهُمْ وَٱصْطَبِرْ

Behold, [O Salih] We are letting loose this she-camel as a test for them; and thou but watch them, and contain thyself in patience.

وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ ٱلْمَآءَ قِسْمَةٌۢ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ كُلُّ شِرْبٍۢ مُّحْتَضَرٌۭ

And let them know that the water [of their wells] is to be divided between them, with each share of water equitably apportioned.”

فَنَادَوْا۟ صَاحِبَهُمْ فَتَعَاطَىٰ فَعَقَرَ

But they summoned their [boldest] companion, and he ventured [upon the evil deed], and cruelly slaughtered [the animal]:

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

and how severe was the suffering which I inflicted when My warnings were disregarded!

إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ صَيْحَةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ فَكَانُوا۟ كَهَشِيمِ ٱلْمُحْتَظِرِ

Behold, We let loose upon them one single blast [of Our punishment], and they became like the dried-up, crumbling twigs of a sheepfold.

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ

Hence, indeed, We made this Qur’an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوطٍۭ بِٱلنُّذُرِ

LOT ’S PEOPLE [too] gave the lie to all [Our] warn­ings:

إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَاصِبًا إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٍۢ ۖ نَّجَّيْنَٰهُم بِسَحَرٍۢ

[and so,] behold, We let loose upon them a deadly tempest; and only Lot ’s kinsfolk did We save at the break of dawn,

نِّعْمَةًۭ مِّنْ عِندِنَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى مَن شَكَرَ

as a blessing from Us: thus do We reward all who are grateful.

وَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُم بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا۟ بِٱلنُّذُرِ

For he had truly warned them of Our punishing might; but they stubbornly cast doubt on these warn­ings,

وَلَقَدْ رَٰوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِۦ فَطَمَسْنَآ أَعْيُنَهُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

and even demanded that he give up his guests [to them]: whereupon We deprived them of their sight [and thus told them, as it were]: “Taste, then, the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!”

وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُم بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌۭ مُّسْتَقِرٌّۭ

And, indeed, abiding suffering did befall them early on the morrow:

فَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

“Taste, then, the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!”

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ

Hence, indeed, We made this Qur’an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

وَلَقَدْ جَآءَ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ ٱلنُّذُرُ

Now surely, unto Pharaoh’s folk [too] came such warnings;

كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَأَخَذْنَٰهُمْ أَخْذَ عَزِيزٍۢ مُّقْتَدِرٍ

they, too, gave the lie to all Our messages: and thereupon We took them to task as only the Almighty, who determines all things, can take to task.

أَكُفَّارُكُمْ خَيْرٌۭ مِّنْ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكُمْ أَمْ لَكُم بَرَآءَةٌۭ فِى ٱلزُّبُرِ

ARE, THEN, those of you who [now] deny the truth better than those others - or have you, per­chance, [been promised] immunity in the [ancient] books of [divine] wisdom?

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ نَحْنُ جَمِيعٌۭ مُّنتَصِرٌۭ

Or do they say, “We are a group united, [and therefore] bound to prevail”?

سَيُهْزَمُ ٱلْجَمْعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ ٱلدُّبُرَ

[Yet] the hosts [of those who deny the truth] shall be routed, and they shall turn their backs [in flight]!

بَلِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ مَوْعِدُهُمْ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ أَدْهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ

But nay - the Last Hour is the time when they shall truly meet their fate; and that Last Hour will be most calamitous, and most bitter:

إِنَّ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ وَسُعُرٍۢ

for, behold, those who are lost in sin [will at that time come to know that it is they who] were sunk in error and folly!

يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُوا۟ مَسَّ سَقَرَ

On the Day when they shall be dragged into the fire on their faces, [they will be told:] “Taste now the touch of hell-fire!”

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقْنَٰهُ بِقَدَرٍۢ

BEHOLD, everything have We created in due measure and proportion;

وَمَآ أَمْرُنَآ إِلَّا وَٰحِدَةٌۭ كَلَمْحٍۭ بِٱلْبَصَرِ

and Our ordaining [a thing and its coming into being] is but one [act], like the twinkling of an eye.

وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَآ أَشْيَاعَكُمْ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ

Thus, indeed, did We destroy people like you [in the past]: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍۢ فَعَلُوهُ فِى ٱلزُّبُرِ

[They were truly guilty] because all [the evil] that they ever did had been [revealed to them as such] in the [ancient] books of [divine] wisdom;

وَكُلُّ صَغِيرٍۢ وَكَبِيرٍۢ مُّسْتَطَرٌ

and everything [that man does], be it small or great, is recorded [with God].

إِنَّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ فِى جَنَّٰتٍۢ وَنَهَرٍۢ

[Hence, too,] behold, the God-conscious will find themselves in [a paradise of] gardens and running waters,

فِى مَقْعَدِ صِدْقٍ عِندَ مَلِيكٍۢ مُّقْتَدِرٍۭ

in a seat of truth, in the presence of a Sovereign who determines all things.