Al-Maʿārij · Lofty Stations

The tafsir of this chapter is being written. The Arabic and its translation are here in full.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1. 70:1

   سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ ﴿١﴾

   An asker asked for a punishment sure to befall

2. 70:2

   لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌ ﴿٢﴾

   —which none can avert from the faithless —

3. 70:3

   مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ ﴿٣﴾

   from Allah, Lord of the lofty stations.

4. 70:4

   تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ ﴿٤﴾

   The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day whose span is fifty thousand years.

5. 70:5

   فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا ﴿٥﴾

   So be patient, with a patience that is graceful.

6. 70:6

   إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًا ﴿٦﴾

   Indeed they see it to be far off,

7. 70:7

   وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًا ﴿٧﴾

   and We see it to be near.

8. 70:8

   يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ ﴿٨﴾

   The day when the sky will be like molten copper,

9. 70:9

   وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ ﴿٩﴾

   and the mountains like [tufts of] dyed wool,

10. 70:10

    وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا ﴿١٠﴾

    and no friend will inquire about [the welfare of his] friend,

11. 70:11

    يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ ۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۭ بِبَنِيهِ ﴿١١﴾

    [though] they will be placed within each other’s sight. The guilty one will wish he could ransom himself from the punishment of that day at the price of his children,

12. 70:12

    وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ ﴿١٢﴾

    his spouse and his brother,

13. 70:13

    وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُـْٔوِيهِ ﴿١٣﴾

    his kin, which had sheltered him

14. 70:14

    وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ ﴿١٤﴾

    and all those who are upon the earth, if that might deliver him.

15. 70:15

    كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ﴿١٥﴾

    Never! Indeed, it is a blazing fire,

16. 70:16

    نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوَىٰ ﴿١٦﴾

    which strips away the scalp.

17. 70:17

    تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ﴿١٧﴾

    It invites him, who has turned back [from the truth] and forsaken [it],

18. 70:18

    وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰٓ ﴿١٨﴾

    amassing [wealth] and hoarding [it].

19. 70:19

    إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ﴿١٩﴾

    Indeed man has been created covetous:

20. 70:20

    إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا ﴿٢٠﴾

    anxious when an ill befalls him

21. 70:21

    وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا ﴿٢١﴾

    and grudging [charity] when good comes his way

22. 70:22

    إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ ﴿٢٢﴾

    —[all are such] except the prayerful,

23. 70:23

    ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾

    those who persevere in their prayers

24. 70:24

    وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُومٌ ﴿٢٤﴾

    and there is a known share in whose wealth

25. 70:25

    لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ ﴿٢٥﴾

    for the beggar and the deprived,

26. 70:26

    وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ ﴿٢٦﴾

    and who affirm the Day of Retribution,

27. 70:27

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾

    and those who are apprehensive of the punishment of their Lord

28. 70:28

    إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ ﴿٢٨﴾

    (there is indeed no security from the punishment of their Lord)

29. 70:29

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَٰفِظُونَ ﴿٢٩﴾

    and those who guard their private parts

30. 70:30

    إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ﴿٣٠﴾

    (apart from their spouses and their slave women, for then they are not blameworthy;

31. 70:31

    فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ﴿٣١﴾

    but whoever seeks beyond that—it is they who are the transgressors)

32. 70:32

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾

    and those who keep their trusts and covenants,

33. 70:33

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾

    and those who are observant of their testimonies,

34. 70:34

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ﴿٣٤﴾

    and those who are watchful of their prayers.

35. 70:35

    أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّٰتٍ مُّكْرَمُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾

    They will be in gardens, held in honour.

36. 70:36

    فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ ﴿٣٦﴾

    What is the matter with the faithless that they scramble toward you,

37. 70:37

    عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ ﴿٣٧﴾

    from left and right, in groups?

38. 70:38

    أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍ ﴿٣٨﴾

    Does each man among them hope to enter the garden of bliss?

39. 70:39

    كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٩﴾

    Never! Indeed, We created them from what they know.

40. 70:40

    فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ ﴿٤٠﴾

    So I swear by the Lord of the easts and the wests that We are able

41. 70:41

    عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ ﴿٤١﴾

    to replace them with [others] better than them and We are not to be outmaneuvered.

42. 70:42

    فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾

    So leave them to gossip and play till they encounter the day they are promised:

43. 70:43

    يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾

    the day when they emerge from graves, hastening, as if racing toward a target,

44. 70:44

    خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾

    with a humbled look [in their eyes], overcast by abasement. That is the day they had been promised.