The Stairways (Al-Maârij)

In the name of Allah, Gracious, Merciful.

¹A questioner asked about a penalty to befall

²The unbelievers, which there is none to ward off.

³From Allah, Lord of the ways of ascent.

⁴The angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a day, the measure whereof is as fifty thousand years.¹

⁵Therefore be patient, a patience of beautiful contentment.

⁶They see the day indeed as a far off.

⁷And We see it near.

⁸The day that the sky will be like molten brass.

⁹And the mountains will be like wool,

¹⁰And no friend will ask after a friend,

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim

¹Sa ala sailun biazabi waqi

²Lilkafirina laisa lahu dafi

³Minal lahi zil maarij

⁴Tarujul mala ikatu war ruhu ilaihi fi yaumin kana miqdaruhu hamsina alfa sanah

⁵Fasbir sabran jamila

⁶Innahum yaraunahu baida

⁷Wa narahu qariba

⁸Yauma takunus samau kal muhl

⁹Wa takunul jibalu kalihn

¹⁰Wa la yas alu hamimun hamima

1. This verse carries a very confusing thought. The idea that the angels and the Spirit ascended on Muhammad. The Angel Gabriel is an angel, the Spirit bears reference to the Angel Gabriel (2:97, 16:102) so who actually visited Muhammad. And why can he not keep his characters straight?

¹¹Though they will be put in sight of each other, the sinner’s desire will be: would that he could redeem himself from the penalty of that day by sacrificing his children.

¹²And his wife and his brother.

¹³And his kindred who sheltered him.

¹⁴And all that is on earth, so it could deliver him.

¹⁵By no means! For it would be the fire of hell!

¹⁶Plucking out right to the skull!

¹⁷Inviting such as turn their backs and turn away their faces.

¹⁸And collect wealth and hide it!

¹⁹Truly, man was created very impatient.

²⁰Fretful when evil touches him;

²¹And niggardly when good reaches him.

²²Not so those devoted to prayer;

²³Those who remain steadfast to their prayer;

²⁴And those in whose wealth is a recognized right.

¹¹Yubas sarunahum yawad dul mujrimu lau yaftadi min azabi yaumizin bibanih

¹²Wa sahibatihi wa akhih

¹³Wa fasilatihil lati tuwih

¹⁴Wa man fil ardi jamian suma yunjih

¹⁵Kalla innaha laza

¹⁶Naz zaatal lisawa

¹⁷Tadu man adbara wa tawal la

¹⁸Wa jamaa fa aua

¹⁹Innalinsana huliqa halua

²⁰Iza masahus saru jazua

²¹Wa iza ma sahul hairu manua

²²Illal musal lin

²³Allazinahum ala salatihim daimun

²⁴Wal lazina fi amwalihim haqqum malum

²⁵For the needy who asks and him who is prevented for some reason from asking;

²⁶And those who hold to the truth of the day of judgment;

²⁷And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord;

²⁸For their Lord’s displeasure is the opposite of peace and tranquility.

²⁹And those who guard their chastity.

³⁰Except with their wives and those whom their right hands possess, for they are not to be blamed.

³¹But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors.

³²And those who respect their trusts and covenants;

³³And those who stand firm in their testimonies;

³⁴And those who guard the sacredness of their worship.

²⁵Li saili wal mahrum

²⁶Wa lazina yushad diquna biyaumidin

²⁷Wal lazina hum minazabi rabbihim musfiqun

²⁸Inna azaba rabbihim gairu mamun

²⁹Wa lazina hum lifurujihim hafizun

³⁰Illa ala az wajihim au ma malaka aimanuhum fa in nahum gairu malumin

³¹Famanibtaga waraa zalika fa ula ika humul adun

³²Wa lazina hum li amanatihim waahdihim raun

³³Wa lazina hum bisahadatihim qa imun

³⁴Wa lazina hum ala salatihim yuhafizun

³⁵Such will be the honored ones in the gardens of bliss.

³⁶Now what is the matter with the unbelievers, that they rush madly before you.

³⁷From the right and from the left in crowds?

³⁸Does every man of them long to enter the garden of bliss?

³⁹By no means! For We have created them out of the base matter they know!

⁴⁰Now I do call to witness, the Lord of all points in the East and the West that We can certainly.

⁴¹Substitute for them better men than they; and We are not to be defeated.

⁴²So leave them to plunge in vain talk and play about until they encounter that day of theirs which they have been promised!

³⁵Ulaika fi jan natim mukramun

³⁶Famalil lazina kafaru qibalaka mutiin

³⁷Anil yamini wa anisimali izin

³⁸Ayatmau kulumrim minhum ayudkala jan nata maim

³⁹Kalla inna halaqnahumim ma yalamun

⁴⁰Fala uqsimu birabbil masayariqi wal magharibi inna laqadirun

⁴¹Ala an nubad dila kairam minhum wa ma nahnu bimasbuqin

⁴²Fazarhum yakudu wa yalabu bata yulaqu yaumahumul lazi yuadun

⁴³The day whereon they will issue from their sepulchers in sudden haste as if they were rushing to a goal post.

⁴⁴Their eyes lowered in dejection ignominy covering them! Such is the day, which they are promised!

⁴³Yauma yakhrujuna minal ajdasi siraan ka annahum ila nusubi yufidun

⁴⁴Kasiatan absaruhum tarquhum zilah zalikal yaumul lazi kanu yuadun