70: The Ascending Stairways (سُورَةُ المَعَارِجِ)

Revealed in Makkah. Number of ayahs: 44

Play the whole surah:

Ayah Text in عربي, English (Yusuf Ali translation), عربي (بدون تشكيل) and transliteration
1

A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall-
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم سأل سائل بعذاب واقع
Sa ala saaa’ilum bi’azaa binw-waaqi’
2

The Unbelievers, the which there is none to ward off,-
للكافرين ليس له دافع
Lilkaafireen laisa lahoo daafi’
3

(A Penalty) from Allah, Lord of the Ways of Ascent.
من الله ذي المعارج
Minal laahi zil ma’aarij
4

The angels and the spirit ascend unto him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years:
تعرج الملائكة والروح إليه في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة
Ta’rujul malaaa’ikatu war Roohu ilaihi fee yawmin kaana miqdaaruhoo khamseena alfa sanah
5

Therefore do thou hold Patience,- a Patience of beautiful (contentment).
فاصبر صبرا جميلا
Fasbir ssabran jameelaa
6

They see the (Day) indeed as a far-off (event):
إنهم يرونه بعيدا
Inaahum yarawnahoo ba’eedaa
7

But We see it (quite) near.
ونراه قريبا
Wa naraahu qareebaa
8

The Day that the sky will be like molten brass,
يوم تكون السماء كالمهل
Yawma takoonus samaaa’u kalmuhl
9

And the mountains will be like wool,
وتكون الجبال كالعهن
Wa takoonul jibaalu kal’ihn
10

And no friend will ask after a friend,
ولا يسأل حميم حميما
Wa laa yas’alu hameemun hameemaa
11

Though 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,
يبصرونهم ۚ يود المجرم لو يفتدي من عذاب يومئذ ببنيه
Yubassaroonahum; ya waddul mujrimu law yaftadee min ‘azaabi yawma’izim bibaneeh
12

His wife and his brother,
وصاحبته وأخيه
Wa saahibatihee wa akheeh
13

His kindred who sheltered him,
وفصيلته التي تؤويه
Wa faseelathil latee tu’weeh
14

And all, all that is on earth,- so it could deliver him:
ومن في الأرض جميعا ثم ينجيه
Wa man fil ardi jamee’an summa yunjeeh
15

By no means! for it would be the Fire of Hell!-
كلا ۖ إنها لظى
Kallaa innahaa lazaa
16

Plucking out (his being) right to the skull!-
نزاعة للشوى
Nazzaa’atal lishshawaa
17

Inviting (all) such as turn their backs and turn away their faces (from the Right).
تدعو من أدبر وتولى
Tad’oo man adbara wa tawallaa
18

And collect (wealth) and hide it (from use)!
وجمع فأوعى
W jama’a fa aw’aa
19

Truly man was created very impatient;-
۞ إن الإنسان خلق هلوعا
Innal insaana khuliqa haloo’aa
20

Fretful when evil touches him;
إذا مسه الشر جزوعا
Izaa massahush sharru jazoo’aa
21

And niggardly when good reaches him;-
وإذا مسه الخير منوعا
Wa izaa massahul khairu manoo’aa
22

Not so those devoted to Prayer;-
إلا المصلين
Illal musalleen
23

Those who remain steadfast to their prayer;
الذين هم على صلاتهم دائمون
Allazeena hum ‘alaa Salaatihim daaa’imoon
24

And those in whose wealth is a recognised right.
والذين في أموالهم حق معلوم
Wallazeena feee amwaalihim haqqum ma’loom
25

For the (needy) who asks and him who is prevented (for some reason from asking);
للسائل والمحروم
Lissaaa ‘ili walmahroom
26

And those who hold to the truth of the Day of Judgment;
والذين يصدقون بيوم الدين
Wallazeena yusaddiqoona bi yawmid Deen
27

And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord,-
والذين هم من عذاب ربهم مشفقون
Wallazeena hum min ‘azaabi Rabbihim mushfiqoon
28

For their Lord’s displeasure is the opposite of Peace and Tranquillity;-
إن عذاب ربهم غير مأمون
Inna ‘azaaba Rabbihim ghairu maamoon
29

And those who guard their chastity,
والذين هم لفروجهم حافظون
Wallazeena hum lifuroo jihim haafizoon
30

Except with their wives and the (captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (then) they are not to be blamed,
إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم فإنهم غير ملومين
Illaa ‘alaaa azwaajihim aw maa malakat aymaanuhum fainnahum ghairu maloomeen
31

But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors;-
فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك فأولئك هم العادون
Famanib taghaa waraaa’a zaalika fa ulaaa’ika humul ‘aadoon
32

And those who respect their trusts and covenants;
والذين هم لأماناتهم وعهدهم راعون
Wallazeena hum li amaa naatihim wa ‘ahdihim raa’oon
33

And those who stand firm in their testimonies;
والذين هم بشهاداتهم قائمون
Wallazeena hum bishahaadaatihim qaaa’imoon
34

And those who guard (the sacredness) of their worship;-
والذين هم على صلاتهم يحافظون
Wallazeena hum ‘alaa salaatihim yuhaafizoon
35

Such will be the honoured ones in the Gardens (of Bliss).
أولئك في جنات مكرمون
Ulaaa’ika fee jannaatim mukramoon
36

Now what is the matter with the Unbelievers that they rush madly before thee-
فمال الذين كفروا قبلك مهطعين
Famaa lil lazeena kafaroo qibalaka muhti’een
37

From the right and from the left, in crowds?
عن اليمين وعن الشمال عزين
‘Anil yameeni wa ‘anish shimaali ‘izeen
38

Does every man of them long to enter the Garden of Bliss?
أيطمع كل امرئ منهم أن يدخل جنة نعيم
Ayatma’u kullum ri’im minhum anyyudkhala jannata Na’eem
39

By no means! For We have created them out of the (base matter) they know!
كلا ۖ إنا خلقناهم مما يعلمون
Kallaaa innaa khalaq nahum mimmaa ya’lamoon
40

Now I do call to witness the Lord of all points in the East and the West that We can certainly-
فلا أقسم برب المشارق والمغارب إنا لقادرون
Falaaa uqsimu bi Rabbil mashaariqi wal maghaaribi innaa laqaadiroon
41

Substitute for them better (men) than they; And We are not to be defeated (in Our Plan).
على أن نبدل خيرا منهم وما نحن بمسبوقين
‘Alaaa an nubaddila khairam minhum wa maa Nahnu bimasbooqeen
42

So leave them to plunge in vain talk and play about, until they encounter that Day of theirs which they have been promised!-
فذرهم يخوضوا ويلعبوا حتى يلاقوا يومهم الذي يوعدون
Fazarhum yakhoodoo wa yal’aboo hattaa yulaaqoo yaw mahumul lazee yoo’adoon
43

The Day whereon they will issue from their sepulchres in sudden haste as if they were rushing to a goal-post (fixed for them),-
يوم يخرجون من الأجداث سراعا كأنهم إلى نصب يوفضون
Yawma yakhrujoona minal ajdaasi siraa’an ka anna hum ilaa nusubiny yoofidoon
44

Their eyes lowered in dejection,- ignominy covering them (all over)! such is the Day the which they are promised!
خاشعة أبصارهم ترهقهم ذلة ۚ ذلك اليوم الذي كانوا يوعدون
Khaashi’atan absaaruhum tarhaquhum zillah; zaalikal yawmul lazee kaanoo yoo’adoon