وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ
And his mother and his father
وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ
And his wife and his children,
لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ شَأۡنٞ يُغۡنِيهِ
For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.[1]
1- i.e., to occupy him. He will be concerned only with himself, thus forgetting all others.
وُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ مُّسۡفِرَةٞ
[Some] faces, that Day, will be bright –
ضَاحِكَةٞ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٞ
Laughing, rejoicing at good news.
وَوُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةٞ
And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.
تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ
Blackness will cover them.
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ
Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.
إِذَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ كُوِّرَتۡ
When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتۡ
And when the stars fall, dispersing,
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتۡ
And when the mountains are removed
وَإِذَا ٱلۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡ
And when full-term she-camels[1] are neglected
1- Those ten months pregnant and nearing delivery. This verse alludes to distraction from the most valued of possessions.
وَإِذَا ٱلۡوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتۡ
And when the wild beasts are gathered
وَإِذَا ٱلۡبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتۡ
And when the seas are filled with flame[1]
1- Or "when the seas have overflowed [into each other]."
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتۡ
And when the souls are paired[1]
1- With another like soul. It can also mean "joined" (with their groups or sects).
وَإِذَا ٱلۡمَوۡءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتۡ
And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked
بِأَيِّ ذَنۢبٖ قُتِلَتۡ
For what sin she was killed
وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡ
And when the pages[1] are spread [i.e., made public]
1- On which are recorded the deeds of all people.
وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡ
And when the sky is stripped away
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتۡ
And when Hellfire is set ablaze
وَإِذَا ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُزۡلِفَتۡ
And when Paradise is brought near,
عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡ
A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].[1]
1- i.e., all of one's deeds from worldly life, which have accompanied the soul to the Hereafter.
فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلۡخُنَّسِ
So I swear by the retreating stars –
ٱلۡجَوَارِ ٱلۡكُنَّسِ
Those that run [their courses] and disappear [i.e., set]
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا عَسۡعَسَ
And by the night as it closes in[1]
1- An alternative meaning is "as it departs."
وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ
And by the dawn when it breathes [i.e., stirs]
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ
[That] indeed, it [i.e., the QurÕŒn] is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger [i.e., Gabriel]
ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي ٱلۡعَرۡشِ مَكِينٖ
[Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
مُّطَاعٖ ثَمَّ أَمِينٖ
Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجۡنُونٖ
And your companion [i.e., Prophet Muúammad () ] is not [at all] mad.[1]
1- Literally, "possessed by jinn."