Surah Al-Waqi'ah

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِذَا وَقَعَتِ ٱلْوَاقِعَةُ

When the Inevitable Event (the Day of Judgment) takes place,

Pickthall (1930): When the event befalleth—

لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ

no one will be able to deny that it has come.

Pickthall (1930): There is no denying that it will befall—

خَافِضَةٌ رَّافِعَةٌ

It will bring some people down and raise others up.

Pickthall (1930): Abasing (some), exalting (others);

إِذَا رُجَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ رَجًّا

When the earth is shaken with a violent shaking,

Pickthall (1930): When the earth is shaken with a shock

وَبُسَّتِ ٱلْجِبَالُ بَسًّا

and the mountains are crumbled to pieces,

Pickthall (1930): And the hills are ground to powder

فَكَانَتْ هَبَآءً مُّنۢبَثًّا

so that they become scattered dust,

Pickthall (1930): So that they become a scattered dust,

وَكُنتُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا ثَلَـٰثَةً

you will be sorted into three groups.

Pickthall (1930): And ye will be three kinds:

فَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ مَآ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ

There are the people of the right: how fortunate are the people of the right!

Pickthall (1930): (First) those on the right hand; what of those on the right hand?

وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ مَآ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ

And the people of the left: how wretched are the people of the left!

Pickthall (1930): And (then) those on the left hand; what of those on the left hand?

وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ

And those who were foremost (in faith and good deeds) will be foremost (in reward).

Pickthall (1930): And the foremost in the race, the foremost in the race:

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ

They are the ones brought near (to Allah),

Pickthall (1930): Those are they who will be brought nigh

فِى جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

in gardens of bliss.

Pickthall (1930): In gardens of delight;

ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Many of them are from the earlier generations,

Pickthall (1930): A multitude of those of old

وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِينَ

and a few from the later ones.

Pickthall (1930): And a few of those of later time.

عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَّوْضُونَةٍ

They will be on couches woven with gold and precious stones,

Pickthall (1930): On lined couches,

مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَـٰبِلِينَ

reclining on them, facing one another.

Pickthall (1930): Reclining therein face to face.

يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَٰنٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ

Youths who never grow old will go round among them,

Pickthall (1930): There wait on them immortal youths

بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأْسٍ مِّن مَّعِينٍ

with goblets, jugs and a cup filled from a flowing spring,

Pickthall (1930): With bowls and ewers and a cup from a pure spring

لَّا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلَا يُنزِفُونَ

which will give them no headache and will not cloud their minds,

Pickthall (1930): Wherefrom they get no aching of the head nor any madness,

وَفَـٰكِهَةٍ مِّمَّا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ

and with any fruit they choose,

Pickthall (1930): And fruit that they prefer

وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِّمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ

and the meat of any bird they desire.

Pickthall (1930): And flesh of fowls that they desire.

وَحُورٌ عِينٌ

And there will be companions with beautiful, wide eyes (the hur),

Pickthall (1930): And (there are) fair ones with wide, lovely eyes,

كَأَمْثَـٰلِ ٱللُّؤْلُؤِ ٱلْمَكْنُونِ

like pearls kept safely hidden,

Pickthall (1930): Like unto hidden pearls,

جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

as a reward for what they used to do.

Pickthall (1930): Reward for what they used to do.

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا

There they will hear no idle talk and no sinful speech,

Pickthall (1930): There hear they no vain speaking nor recrimination

إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَـٰمًا سَلَـٰمًا

only the words: 'Peace, peace.'

Pickthall (1930): (Naught) but the saying: Peace, (and again) Peace.

وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْيَمِينِ مَآ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْيَمِينِ

And the people of the right: how fortunate are the people of the right!

Pickthall (1930): And those on the right hand; what of those on the right hand?

فِى سِدْرٍ مَّخْضُودٍ

They will be among lote trees without thorns,

Pickthall (1930): Among thornless lote-trees

وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ

and banana trees (some say flowering acacia) heavy with fruit, layer upon layer,

Pickthall (1930): And clustered plantains,

وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ

and in shade spread far and wide,

Pickthall (1930): And spreading shade,

وَمَآءٍ مَّسْكُوبٍ

beside water that flows without end,

Pickthall (1930): And water gushing,

وَفَـٰكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ

and with plenty of fruit,

Pickthall (1930): And fruit in plenty

لَّا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلَا مَمْنُوعَةٍ

never running out and never forbidden,

Pickthall (1930): Neither out of reach nor yet forbidden,

وَفُرُشٍ مَّرْفُوعَةٍ

and on raised couches.

Pickthall (1930): And raised couches;

إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـٰهُنَّ إِنشَآءً

We have brought their companions into being in a special, new creation,

Pickthall (1930): Lo! We have created them a (new) creation

فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُنَّ أَبْكَارًا

and made them virgins,

Pickthall (1930): And made them virgins,

عُرُبًا أَتْرَابًا

loving and of equal age,

Pickthall (1930): Lovers, friends,

لِّأَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلْيَمِينِ

for the people of the right.

Pickthall (1930): For those on the right hand;

ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Many of them are from the earlier generations,

Pickthall (1930): A multitude of those of old

وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِينَ

and many from the later ones.

Pickthall (1930): And a multitude of those of later time.

وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلشِّمَالِ مَآ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلشِّمَالِ

And the people of the left: how wretched are the people of the left!

Pickthall (1930): And those on the left hand: What of those on the left hand ?

فِى سَمُومٍ وَحَمِيمٍ

They will be amid scorching wind and boiling water,

Pickthall (1930): In scorching wind and scalding water

وَظِلٍّ مِّن يَحْمُومٍ

and in the shade of black smoke,

Pickthall (1930): And shadow of black smoke,

لَّا بَارِدٍ وَلَا كَرِيمٍ

which is neither cool nor pleasant.

Pickthall (1930): Neither cool nor refreshing.

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَبْلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُتْرَفِينَ

Before this, they had lived in luxury,

Pickthall (1930): Lo! heretofor they were effete with luxury

وَكَانُوا۟ يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى ٱلْحِنثِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

and they persisted in the great sin.

Pickthall (1930): And used to persist in the awful sin.

وَكَانُوا۟ يَقُولُونَ أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ

And they used to say: 'When we have died and become dust and bones, will we really be raised again?

Pickthall (1930): And they used to say: When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then, forsooth, be raised again,

أَوَءَابَآؤُنَا ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ

And our forefathers too?'

Pickthall (1930): And also our forefathers?

قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ وَٱلْـَٔاخِرِينَ

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is told to say: 'Truly, the earlier and the later generations

Pickthall (1930): Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Lo! those of old and those of later time

لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَـٰتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ

will all be gathered together at the appointed time of a known Day.'

Pickthall (1930): Will all be brought together to the tryst of an appointed day.

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ أَيُّهَا ٱلضَّآلُّونَ ٱلْمُكَذِّبُونَ

Then you who went astray and denied the truth

Pickthall (1930): Then lo! ye, the erring, the deniers,

لَـَٔاكِلُونَ مِن شَجَرٍ مِّن زَقُّومٍ

will eat from the tree of Zaqqum,

Pickthall (1930): Ye verily will eat of a tree called Zaqqûm

فَمَالِـُٔونَ مِنْهَا ٱلْبُطُونَ

and fill your bellies with it,

Pickthall (1930): And will fill your bellies therewith;

فَشَـٰرِبُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْحَمِيمِ

and drink boiling water on top of it,

Pickthall (1930): And thereon ye will drink of boiling water,

فَشَـٰرِبُونَ شُرْبَ ٱلْهِيمِ

drinking the way very thirsty camels drink.

Pickthall (1930): Drinking even as the camel drinketh.

هَـٰذَا نُزُلُهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلدِّينِ

This will be their welcome on the Day of Judgment.

Pickthall (1930): This will be their welcome on the Day of Judgment.

نَحْنُ خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ فَلَوْلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ

It is We who created you, so why do you not accept the truth (that you will be raised again)?

Pickthall (1930): We created you. Will ye then admit the truth?

أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تُمْنُونَ

Have you thought about the fluid (semen) that you emit?

Pickthall (1930): Have ye seen that which ye emit?

ءَأَنتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُۥٓ أَمْ نَحْنُ ٱلْخَـٰلِقُونَ

Is it you who shape it (into a human being), or are We the Creator?

Pickthall (1930): Do ye create it or are We the Creator?

نَحْنُ قَدَّرْنَا بَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

We have decreed death among you, and nothing can prevent Us

Pickthall (1930): We mete out death among you, and We are not to be outrun,

عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ أَمْثَـٰلَكُمْ وَنُنشِئَكُمْ فِى مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

from replacing you with others like you, or from bringing you into being again in a form you do not know.

Pickthall (1930): That We may transfigure you and make you what ye know not.

وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْأُولَىٰ فَلَوْلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

You already know about the first creation, so why do you not take a lesson from it?

Pickthall (1930): And verily ye know the first creation. Why, then, do ye not reflect?

أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَحْرُثُونَ

Have you thought about the seeds you sow?

Pickthall (1930): Have ye seen that which ye cultivate?

ءَأَنتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُۥٓ أَمْ نَحْنُ ٱلزَّٰرِعُونَ

Is it you who make them grow, or are We the One who makes them grow?

Pickthall (1930): Is it ye who foster it, or are We the Fosterer?

لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ حُطَـٰمًا فَظَلْتُمْ تَفَكَّهُونَ

If We wished, We could turn it into dry, broken stalks, and you would be left in shock, saying:

Pickthall (1930): If We willed, We verily could make it chaff, then would ye cease not to exclaim:

إِنَّا لَمُغْرَمُونَ

'We are ruined with loss!

Pickthall (1930): Lo! we are laden with debt!

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

No, we have been deprived of everything!'

Pickthall (1930): Nay, but we are deprived!

أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱلْمَآءَ ٱلَّذِى تَشْرَبُونَ

Have you thought about the water you drink?

Pickthall (1930): Have ye observed the water which ye drink?

ءَأَنتُمْ أَنزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُزْنِ أَمْ نَحْنُ ٱلْمُنزِلُونَ

Is it you who bring it down from the clouds, or are We the One who sends it down?

Pickthall (1930): Is it ye who shed it from the raincloud, or are We the shedder?

لَوْ نَشَآءُ جَعَلْنَـٰهُ أُجَاجًا فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ

If We wished, We could make it salty and bitter. So why are you not grateful?

Pickthall (1930): If We willed We verily could make it bitter. Why then, give ye not thanks?

أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى تُورُونَ

Have you thought about the fire you kindle?

Pickthall (1930): Have ye observed the fire which ye strike out;

ءَأَنتُمْ أَنشَأْتُمْ شَجَرَتَهَآ أَمْ نَحْنُ ٱلْمُنشِـُٔونَ

Is it you who made its tree grow, or are We the One who made it grow?

Pickthall (1930): Was it ye who made the tree thereof to grow, or were We the grower?

نَحْنُ جَعَلْنَـٰهَا تَذْكِرَةً وَمَتَـٰعًا لِّلْمُقْوِينَ

We made it a reminder, and something useful for travellers and all who are in need.

Pickthall (1930): We, even We, appointed it a memorial and a comfort for the dwellers in the wilderness.

۞ فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَٰقِعِ ٱلنُّجُومِ

Indeed, I swear by the positions of the stars (some say: the places where they set),

Pickthall (1930): Nay, I swear by the places of the stars—

وَإِنَّهُۥ لَقَسَمٌ لَّوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ

and this is truly a mighty oath, if only you knew,

Pickthall (1930): And lo! that verily is a tremendous oath, if ye but knew—

إِنَّهُۥ لَقُرْءَانٌ كَرِيمٌ

that this is indeed a noble Quran,

Pickthall (1930): That (this) is indeed a noble Qur'ân

فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مَّكْنُونٍ

in a well-guarded Book,

Pickthall (1930): In a Book kept hidden

تَنزِيلٌ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

It is a revelation sent down from the Lord of all the worlds.

Pickthall (1930): A revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.

أَفَبِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ أَنتُم مُّدْهِنُونَ

Is it this message that you take so lightly?

Pickthall (1930): Is it this Statement that ye scorn,

وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ تُكَذِّبُونَ

And instead of giving thanks for what you are provided, you respond with denial?

Pickthall (1930): And make denial thereof your livelihood ?

فَلَوْلَآ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ ٱلْحُلْقُومَ

Then why, when the soul (of a dying person) reaches the throat,

Pickthall (1930): Why, then, when (the soul) cometh up to the throat (of the dying)

وَأَنتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ

and you are watching at that moment,

Pickthall (1930): And ye are at that moment looking

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تُبْصِرُونَ

and We are nearer to him than you are, though you do not see,

Pickthall (1930): —And We are nearer unto him than ye are, but ye see not—

فَلَوْلَآ إِن كُنتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ

then why, if you are not answerable (to Us),

Pickthall (1930): Why then, if ye are not in bondage (unto Us),

تَرْجِعُونَهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ

do you not bring the soul back, if what you claim is true?

Pickthall (1930): Do ye not force it back, if ye are truthful?

فَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ

So if the dying person is one of those brought near (to Allah),

Pickthall (1930): Thus if he is of those brought nigh,

فَرَوْحٌ وَرَيْحَانٌ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٍ

then for him there is rest, fragrance and a garden of bliss.

Pickthall (1930): Then breath of life, and plenty, and a Garden of delight.

وَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلْيَمِينِ

And if he is one of the people of the right,

Pickthall (1930): And if he is of those on the right hand,

فَسَلَـٰمٌ لَّكَ مِنْ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلْيَمِينِ

then he is greeted with 'Peace be upon you' by the people of the right.

Pickthall (1930): Then (the greeting) "Peace be unto thee" from those on the right hand.

وَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

But if he is one of those who denied the truth and went astray,

Pickthall (1930): But if he is of the rejecters, the erring,

فَنُزُلٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ

then his welcome will be boiling water,

Pickthall (1930): Then the welcome will be boiling water

وَتَصْلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ

and burning in Hellfire.

Pickthall (1930): And roasting at hell fire.

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ ٱلْيَقِينِ

This is surely the certain truth.

Pickthall (1930): Lo! this is certain truth.

فَسَبِّحْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

So glorify the name of your Lord, the Most Great.

Pickthall (1930): Therefor (O Muhammad) praise the name of thy Lord, the Tremendous.