ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ
The Inevitable Reality –
مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ
What is the Inevitable Reality?
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ
And what can make you know what is the Inevitable Reality?
كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ وَعَادُۢ بِٱلۡقَارِعَةِ
Tham´d and ÔAad denied the Striking Calamity [i.e., the Resurrection].
فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهۡلِكُواْ بِٱلطَّاغِيَةِ
So as for Tham´d, they were destroyed by the overpowering [blast].
وَأَمَّا عَادٞ فَأُهۡلِكُواْ بِرِيحٖ صَرۡصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٖ
And as for ÔAad, they were destroyed by a screaming,[1] violent wind
1- Or "cold."
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ سَبۡعَ لَيَالٖ وَثَمَٰنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُومٗاۖ فَتَرَى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ فِيهَا صَرۡعَىٰ كَأَنَّهُمۡ أَعۡجَازُ نَخۡلٍ خَاوِيَةٖ
Which He [i.e., AllŒh] imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so you would see the people therein fallen as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees.
فَهَلۡ تَرَىٰ لَهُم مِّنۢ بَاقِيَةٖ
Then do you see of them any remains?
وَجَآءَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَمَن قَبۡلَهُۥ وَٱلۡمُؤۡتَفِكَٰتُ بِٱلۡخَاطِئَةِ
And there came Pharaoh and those before him and the overturned cities[1] with sin.
1- Those to which Lot was sent (see 11:82-83) or generally, all cities which were destroyed due to their denial of a messenger from AllŒh.
فَعَصَوۡاْ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمۡ فَأَخَذَهُمۡ أَخۡذَةٗ رَّابِيَةً
And they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, so He seized them with a seizure exceeding [in severity].
إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا ٱلۡمَآءُ حَمَلۡنَٰكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡجَارِيَةِ
Indeed, when the water overflowed, We carried you [i.e., your ancestors] in the sailing ship[1]
1- Which was constructed by Noah.
لِنَجۡعَلَهَا لَكُمۡ تَذۡكِرَةٗ وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٞ وَٰعِيَةٞ
That We might make it for you a reminder and [that] a conscious ear would be conscious of it.
فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِ نَفۡخَةٞ وَٰحِدَةٞ
Then when the Horn is blown with one blast
وَحُمِلَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَٱلۡجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ
And the earth and the mountains are lifted and leveled with one blow [i.e., stroke] –
فَيَوۡمَئِذٖ وَقَعَتِ ٱلۡوَاقِعَةُ
Then on that Day, the Occurrence [i.e., Resurrection] will occur,
وَٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَهِيَ يَوۡمَئِذٖ وَاهِيَةٞ
And the heaven will split [open], for that Day it is infirm.[1]
1- i.e., weak, enfeebled and unstable.
وَٱلۡمَلَكُ عَلَىٰٓ أَرۡجَآئِهَاۚ وَيَحۡمِلُ عَرۡشَ رَبِّكَ فَوۡقَهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ ثَمَٰنِيَةٞ
And the angels are at its edges. And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [of them].
يَوۡمَئِذٖ تُعۡرَضُونَ لَا تَخۡفَىٰ مِنكُمۡ خَافِيَةٞ
That Day, you will be exhibited [for judgement]; not hidden among you is anything concealed.[1]
1- i.e., any person or any secret you might attempt to conceal.
فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ ٱقۡرَءُواْ كِتَٰبِيَهۡ
So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, "Here, read my record!
إِنِّي ظَنَنتُ أَنِّي مُلَٰقٍ حِسَابِيَهۡ
Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account."
فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٖ رَّاضِيَةٖ
So he will be in a pleasant life –
فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٖ
In an elevated garden,
قُطُوفُهَا دَانِيَةٞ
Its [fruit] to be picked hanging near.
كُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ هَنِيٓـَٔۢا بِمَآ أَسۡلَفۡتُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَيَّامِ ٱلۡخَالِيَةِ
[They will be told], "Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth[1] in the days past."
1- Literally, "advanced" in anticipation of reward in the Hereafter.
وَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِشِمَالِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أُوتَ كِتَٰبِيَهۡ
But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, "Oh, I wish I had not been given my record
وَلَمۡ أَدۡرِ مَا حِسَابِيَهۡ
And had not known what is my account.
يَٰلَيۡتَهَا كَانَتِ ٱلۡقَاضِيَةَ
I wish it [i.e., my death] had been the decisive one.[1]
1- i.e., ending life rather than being the gateway to eternal life.
مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنِّي مَالِيَهۡۜ
My wealth has not availed me.
هَلَكَ عَنِّي سُلۡطَٰنِيَهۡ
Gone from me is my authority."[1]
1- i.e., I have no valid excuse to stand on.
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ
[AllŒh will say], "Seize him and shackle him.