52. At-Tur

By the mount

By the Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai stands witness. (That this Qur'an is a Divine Writ as was the Scripture of Law bestowed upon Moses)

And [by] a Book inscribed1

and by the Scripture penned

And a well-scored Book it is

In parchment spread open

on unrolled parchment

Written on fine parchment, unrolled, open for everyone to read, widely published

And [by] the frequented House1

by the much-visited House

And the Blessed House that is frequently visited (the Ka'bah) stands witness

And [by] the ceiling [i.e., heaven] raised high

and by the lofty vault of the sky

By the exalted canopy (of the sky, this Book is Exalted)

And [by] the sea set on fire,1

and by the swelling sea

And by the ocean bustling with ships and lights

Indeed, the punishment of your Lord will occur.

the punishment of your Lord shall certainly come to pass

Behold, the retribution of your Lord is now inevitable

Of it there is no preventer.

there is no one who could avert it

There is none who can repel it

On the Day the heaven will sway with circular motion

on the Day when the skies are convulsed

On the day when the high elite will be shaken, and shaken well. ('Sama' = Sky, heaven, height, top and elite)

And the mountains will pass on, departing1 -

and the mountains shudder and shake

And the strong leaders will be moved with a movement. ('Jibal' = Mountains, of firm standing, strong leaders, high and powerful, dominating)

Then woe, that Day, to the deniers,

Woe on that Day to those who deny the truth

Ultimately, then, is destruction on that Day for all who belie the Truth

Who are in [empty] discourse amusing themselves.

who divert themselves with idle chatter

Who peddle the play of shallow rituals

The Day they are thrust toward the fire of Hell with a [violent] thrust, [its angels will say],

on that Day they shall be ruthlessly thrust into the Fire of Hell

The Day when they are thrust into the fire of Hell with a mighty thrust

"This is the Fire which you used to deny.

This is the fire which you used to deny

This is the Fire that you used to belie

Then is this magic, or do you not see?

Is this magic or do you not see

Is it, and was it, then, magic - or is it that you never used your Vision

[Enter to] burn therein; then be patient or impatient - it is all the same for you. You are only being recompensed [for] what you used to do."

Now enter it. Whether you behave patiently or impatiently will make no difference: you are only being repaid for what you have done

Endure the heat herein. It is the same whether you bear it patiently or impatiently. This is only the built-in Requital of what you used to do

Indeed, the righteous will be in gardens and pleasure,

Truly, the God-fearing will dwell [on that Day] in gardens and in bliss

Verily, those who lived upright, dwell in Gardens and in Bliss

Enjoying what their Lord has given them, and their Lord protected them from the punishment of Hellfire.

rejoicing in whatever their Lord has given them. Their Lord has saved them from the torment of the Fire

Delighted in what their Lord has bestowed upon them. And their Lord has guarded them against the torment of the blazing Fire

[They will be told], "Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you used to do."

Eat and drink with good cheer as a reward for your good deeds

Enjoy life, eat and drink happily for what you used to do

They will be reclining on thrones lined up, and We will marry them to fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes.

reclining on couches arranged in rows. And We shall wed them to fair maidens with large beautiful eyes

Relaxing on couches with beautiful interior decoration. And We will match them with neat companions, most beautiful of Vision

And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith - We will join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds.1 Every person, for what he earned, is retained.2

To those who have attained to faith We shall unite their offspring who have also followed them in faith, and We shall not let any of their good deeds go unrewarded; every human being is a pledge for whatever he has earned

And they who attained belief, and whose children followed them in belief, We shall unite them with their children, and We shall not let any of their deeds go waste. Yet (as a rule) each person is held as a collateral against what he has earned. (The condition of every person will depend on his actions)

And We will provide them with fruit and meat from whatever they desire.

We shall provide them in abundance with such fruit and meat as they desire

And We shall bestow on them the fruits and the delicacies of their choice

They will exchange with one another a cup [of wine] wherein [results] no ill speech or commission of sin.

There, they shall pass from hand to hand a cup which does not lead to any idle talk or sin

And therein they pass from hand to hand cups of delicious drinks that cause no idle talk nor a hangover. ('Ithm' = Pull down, drag down, hangover, harming personality, reducing human dignity or potential)

There will circulate among them [servant] boys [especially] for them, as if they were pearls well-protected.

They will be waited upon by immortal youths, like pearls hidden in their shells

And their children like pearls, playful, happy around them. (13:23), (52)

And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.

They will converse with one another, putting questions to each other

They will socialize and reminisce among themselves (recalling how they lived the previous life)

They will say, "Indeed, we were previously among our people fearful [of displeasing Allāh].

Before this, when we were among our families, we were full of fear of God's displeasure

They will say, "Behold, We were kind and humble amidst our families

So Allāh conferred favor upon us and protected us from the punishment of the Scorching Fire.

God has been gracious to us and has saved us from the torment of Hell's intense heat

So Allah has graced us and guarded us against the suffering of scorching winds of requital

Indeed, we used to supplicate1 Him before. Indeed, it is He who is the Beneficent, the Merciful."

before this, we used to pray to Him. Surely, He is the Beneficent, the Merciful

Verily, We used to call unto Him (seeking guidance from His Word alone). Behold, He is all Kind, all Merciful

So remind, [O Muḥammad], for you are not, by the favor of your Lord, a soothsayer or a madman.

Therefore continue to give warning, for by the grace of your Lord, you are not a soothsayer or a madman

Hence, (O Messenger) keep reminding, for, by the Grace of your Lord, you are neither a soothsayer nor a madman

Or do they say [of you], "A poet for whom we await a misfortune of time"?1

If they say, "He is but a poet; we are waiting for some misfortune to befall him

What! Do they say, "A poet? Let us wait how time handles him

Say, "Wait, for indeed I am, with you, among the waiters."

say [to them], "Wait then: I too am waiting along with you

Say to them, "Hope for what you hope for! Behold, I shall wait with you expecting what I expect

Or do their minds1 command them to [say] this, or are they a transgressing people?

is it their minds that prompt them [to say] this, or are they merely insolent people

Do they behave like this because they would rather dream their lives through? Is this behavior really commanded by their intellect? Or is it that they are a people who wish to live without any moral bounds

Or do they say, "He has made it up"? Rather, they do not believe.

Or do they say, "He has invented it himself"? Indeed, they are not willing to believe

Or do they say, "He himself has composed it?" Nay, they simply do not wish to believe. (The Message hits at their vested interests. Hence, so many contradictory blames)

Then let them produce a statement like it, if they should be truthful.

Let them produce a scripture like it, if what they say is true

Then let them produce a Hadith like this if they are truthful. (2:23), (10:38), (11)

Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]?

Were they created out of nothing, or are they their own creators

Are they a product of spontaneous generation? Or were they their own creators

Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain.

Did they create the heavens and the earth? No! They have no faith

Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they have certainty about nothing

Or have they the depositories [containing the provision] of your Lord? Or are they the controllers [of them]?

Do they own the treasures of your Lord, or have they been given charge of them

Do they possess the treasures of your Lord? Or are they in charge

Or have they a stairway [into the heaven] upon which they listen? Then let their listener produce a clear authority [i.e., proof].

Have they a ladder up to heaven by means of which they can overhear? Then let their listeners bring a clear proof

Or do they have a stairway of knowledge to ascend to the Glorious Heights of Divine Revelation and listen directly to and come at par with it? Let, then, whoever has received a direct Revelation bring his proof

Or has He daughters while you have sons?

Does God have daughters while you have sons

(Such is their ignorance, yet their claims) What! He has daughters, whereas you would rather have only sons

Or do you, [O Muḥammad], ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?

Or do you ask them for a reward, so that they are over-burdened by debt

Or is it that you (O Prophet) ask a reward from them and thereby they are burdened with debt

Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?

Do they possess knowledge of the unseen, so that they can write it down

Or do they know the future so that they have it written down

Or do they intend a plan? But those who disbelieve - they are the object of a plan.

Do they want to hatch some plot? Those who deny the truth will be the victims of the plot

Or do they intend a plot? But it is the deniers who are in fact entrapped. (In their spider web of falsehood)

Or have they a deity other than Allāh? Exalted is Allāh above whatever they associate with Him.

Or have they a god other than God? Exalted be God over what they ascribe as partners [to Him]

Or have they a god other than Allah? Glorified is Allah far above what they associate with Him

And if they were to see a fragment from the sky falling,1 they would say, "[It is merely] clouds heaped up."

If they should see a part of the heavens falling down, they would say, "A mass of clouds

Even if they were to see a fragment from the Height falling, they would say, "A dense cloud!" (Their lack of reasoning makes them oblivious to the Law of Requital)

So leave them until they meet their Day in which they will be struck insensible -

so leave them alone till they face the Day on which they will be struck dumb

Hence, leave them alone until they meet that Day of theirs wherein they shall be thunderstruck

The Day their plan will not avail them at all, nor will they be helped.

the Day when none of their scheming will be of the least avail to them, and they will receive no succour

The Day when none of their scheming will avail them, nor will they be helped

And indeed, for those who have wronged is a punishment1 before that, but most of them do not know.

Truly, for those who do wrong there is a punishment besides that, though most of them do not know it

And verily, for oppressors, violators of human rights and those who relegate the Truth, there is a punishment beyond that. But most of them know not. (Their wrongdoing hurts their own "Self)

And be patient, [O Muḥammad], for the decision of your Lord, for indeed, you are in Our eyes [i.e., sight]. And exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord when you arise

So wait patiently for the Judgement of your Lord -- you are certainly under Our watchful eye. And glorify and celebrate the praises of your Lord when you rise up [from your sleep]

And so, (O Messenger) work patiently to establish the Rule of your Lord, for, behold, you are in Our eyes. Begin your day with a firm resolve and work to manifest the Praise of your Lord

And in a part of the night exalt Him and after [the setting of] the stars.

Extol His glory at night, and at the setting of the stars

And even in the night-time do your best to manifest your Lord's Praise, and at the setting of the stars