An-Nazi'at

wal-nāziʿāti gharqan

By the forceful chargers

wal-nāshiṭāti nashṭan

raring to go,

wal-sābiḥāti sabḥan

sweeping ahead at full stretch,

fal-sābiqāti sabqan

overtaking swiftly

fal-mudabirāti amran

to bring the matter to an end,

yawma tarjufu l-rājifatu

on the Day when the blast reverberates

tatbaʿuhā l-rādifatu

and the second blast follows,

qulūbun yawma-idhin wājifatun

hearts will tremble

abṣāruhā khāshiʿatun

and eyes will be downcast.

yaqūlūna a-innā lamardūdūna fī l-ḥāfirati

They say, ‘What? shall we be brought back to life,

a-idhā kunnā ʿiẓāman nakhiratan

after we have turned into decayed bones?’ and they say,

qālū til'ka idhan karratun khāsiratun

‘Such a return is impossible!’

fa-innamā hiya zajratun wāḥidatun

But all it will take is a single blast,

fa-idhā hum bil-sāhirati

and they will be back above ground.

hal atāka ḥadīthu mūsā

Have you [Prophet] heard the story of Moses?

idh nādāhu rabbuhu bil-wādi l-muqadasi ṭuwan

His Lord called out to him in the sacred valley of Tuwa:

idh'hab ilā fir'ʿawna innahu ṭaghā

‘Go to Pharaoh, for he has exceeded all bounds,

faqul hal laka ilā an tazakkā

and ask him, “Do you want to purify yourself [of sin]?

wa-ahdiyaka ilā rabbika fatakhshā

Do you want me to guide you to your Lord, so that you may hold Him in awe?” ’

fa-arāhu l-āyata l-kub'rā

Moses showed him the great sign,

fakadhaba waʿaṣā

but he denied it and refused [the faith].

thumma adbara yasʿā

He turned away and hastily

faḥashara fanādā

gathered his people, proclaiming,

faqāla anā rabbukumu l-aʿlā

‘I am your supreme lord,’

fa-akhadhahu l-lahu nakāla l-ākhirati wal-ūlā

so God condemned him to punishment in the life to come as well as in this life:

inna fī dhālika laʿib'ratan liman yakhshā

there truly is a lesson in this for anyone who stands in awe of God.

a-antum ashaddu khalqan ami l-samāu banāhā

Which is harder to create: you people or the sky that He built,

rafaʿa samkahā fasawwāhā

raising it high and perfecting it,

wa-aghṭasha laylahā wa-akhraja ḍuḥāhā

giving darkness to its night and bringing out its morning brightness,

wal-arḍa baʿda dhālika daḥāhā

and the earth, too, He spread out,

akhraja min'hā māahā wamarʿāhā

bringing waters and pastures out of it,

wal-jibāla arsāhā

and setting firm mountains [in it]

matāʿan lakum wali-anʿāmikum

for you and your animals to enjoy?

fa-idhā jāati l-ṭāmatu l-kub'rā

When the great overwhelming event arrives

yawma yatadhakkaru l-insānu mā saʿā

on the Day that man remembers what he has done

waburrizati l-jaḥīmu liman yarā

and Hell is there for all to see,

fa-ammā man ṭaghā

for anyone who has transgressed

waāthara l-ḥayata l-dun'yā

and preferred the present life

fa-inna l-jaḥīma hiya l-mawā

Hell will be home;

wa-ammā man khāfa maqāma rabbihi wanahā l-nafsa ʿani l-hawā

for anyone who feared the meeting with his Lord and restrained himself from base desires,

fa-inna l-janata hiya l-mawā

Paradise will be home.

yasalūnaka ʿani l-sāʿati ayyāna mur'sāhā

They ask you [Prophet] about the Hour,

fīma anta min dhik'rāhā

saying, ‘When will it arrive?’, but how can you tell [them that]?

ilā rabbika muntahāhā

Its time is known only to your Lord;

innamā anta mundhiru man yakhshāhā

you are only sent to warn those who fear it.

ka-annahum yawma yarawnahā lam yalbathū illā ʿashiyyatan aw ḍuḥāhā

On the Day they see it, it will seem they lingered [in this life] an evening [at most,] or its morning.