Al-Qiyamah

lā uq'simu biyawmi l-qiyāmati

By the Day of Resurrection

walā uq'simu bil-nafsi l-lawāmati

and by the self-reproaching soul!

ayaḥsabu l-insānu allan najmaʿa ʿiẓāmahu

Does man think We shall not put his bones back together?

balā qādirīna ʿalā an nusawwiya banānahu

In fact, We can reshape his very fingertips.

bal yurīdu l-insānu liyafjura amāmahu

Yet man wants to deny what is ahead of him:

yasalu ayyāna yawmu l-qiyāmati

he says, ‘So, when will this Day of Resurrection be?’

fa-idhā bariqa l-baṣaru

When eyes are dazzled

wakhasafa l-qamaru

and the moon eclipsed,

wajumiʿa l-shamsu wal-qamaru

when the sun and the moon are brought together,

yaqūlu l-insānu yawma-idhin ayna l-mafaru

on that Day man will say, ‘Where can I escape?’

kallā lā wazara

Truly, there is no refuge:

ilā rabbika yawma-idhin l-mus'taqaru

they will all return to your Lord on that Day.

yunabba-u l-insānu yawma-idhin bimā qaddama wa-akhara

On that Day, man will be told what he put first and what he put last.

bali l-insānu ʿalā nafsihi baṣīratun

Truly, man is a clear witness against himself,

walaw alqā maʿādhīrahu

despite all the excuses he may put forward.

lā tuḥarrik bihi lisānaka litaʿjala bihi

[Prophet], do not rush your tongue in an attempt to hasten [your memorization of] the Revelation:

inna ʿalaynā jamʿahu waqur'ānahu

We shall make sure of its safe collection and recitation.

fa-idhā qaranāhu fa-ittabiʿ qur'ānahu

When We have recited it, repeat the recitation

thumma inna ʿalaynā bayānahu

and We shall make it clear.

kallā bal tuḥibbūna l-ʿājilata

Truly you [people] love this fleeting world

watadharūna l-ākhirata

and neglect the life to come.

wujūhun yawma-idhin nāḍiratun

On that Day there will be radiant faces,

ilā rabbihā nāẓiratun

looking towards their Lord,

wawujūhun yawma-idhin bāsiratun

and on that Day there will be the sad and despairing faces

taẓunnu an yuf'ʿala bihā fāqiratun

of those who realize that a great calamity is about to befall them.

kallā idhā balaghati l-tarāqiya

Truly, when the soul reaches the collarbone;

waqīla man rāqin

when it is said, ‘Could any charm-healer save him now?’;

waẓanna annahu l-firāqu

when he knows it is the final parting;

wal-tafati l-sāqu bil-sāqi

when his legs are brought together:

ilā rabbika yawma-idhin l-masāqu

on that day he will be driven towards your Lord.

falā ṣaddaqa walā ṣallā

He neither believed nor prayed,

walākin kadhaba watawallā

but denied the truth and turned away,

thumma dhahaba ilā ahlihi yatamaṭṭā

walking back to his people with a conceited swagger.

awlā laka fa-awlā

Closer and closer it comes to you.

thumma awlā laka fa-awlā

Closer and closer still.

ayaḥsabu l-insānu an yut'raka sudan

Does man think he will be left alone?

alam yaku nuṭ'fatan min maniyyin yum'nā

Was he not just a drop of spilt-out sperm,

thumma kāna ʿalaqatan fakhalaqa fasawwā

which became a clinging form, which God shaped in due proportion,

fajaʿala min'hu l-zawjayni l-dhakara wal-unthā

fashioning from it the two sexes, male and female?

alaysa dhālika biqādirin ʿalā an yuḥ'yiya l-mawtā

Does He who can do this not have the power to bring the dead back to life?