مَا ٱلۡقَارِعَةُ

What is the Striking Calamity?

وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡقَارِعَةُ

And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity?

يَوۡمَ يَكُونُ ٱلنَّاسُ كَٱلۡفَرَاشِ ٱلۡمَبۡثُوثِ

It is the Day when people will be like moths, dispersed,[1]

وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ٱلۡمَنفُوشِ

And the mountains will be like wool, fluffed up.[1]

فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ

Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds],

فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٖ رَّاضِيَةٖ

He will be in a pleasant life.

وَأَمَّا مَنۡ خَفَّتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ

But as for one whose scales are light,

فَأُمُّهُۥ هَاوِيَةٞ

His refuge[1] will be an abyss.[2]

وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا هِيَهۡ

And what can make you know what that is?

نَارٌ حَامِيَةُۢ

It is a Fire, intensely hot.

أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ

Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you

حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ

Until you visit the graveyards.[1]

كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ

No! You are going to know.

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ

Then, no! You are going to know.

كَلَّا لَوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عِلۡمَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ

No! If you only knew with knowledge of certainty...[1]

لَتَرَوُنَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ

You will surely see the Hellfire.

ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيۡنَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ

Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty.[1]

ثُمَّ لَتُسۡـَٔلُنَّ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure.[1]

وَٱلۡعَصۡرِ

By time,[1]

إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَفِي خُسۡرٍ

Indeed, mankind is in loss,

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ

Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.

وَيۡلٞ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٖ لُّمَزَةٍ

Woe to every scorner and mocker

ٱلَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالٗا وَعَدَّدَهُۥ

Who collects wealth and [continuously] counts it.[1]

يَحۡسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُۥٓ أَخۡلَدَهُۥ

He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.

كَلَّاۖ لَيُنۢبَذَنَّ فِي ٱلۡحُطَمَةِ

No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher.[1]

وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡحُطَمَةُ

And what can make you know what is the Crusher?

نَارُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمُوقَدَةُ

It is the fire of AllŒh, [eternally] fueled,

ٱلَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى ٱلۡأَفۡـِٔدَةِ

Which mounts directed at the hearts.[1]

إِنَّهَا عَلَيۡهِم مُّؤۡصَدَةٞ

Indeed, it [i.e., Hellfire] will be closed down upon them

فِي عَمَدٖ مُّمَدَّدَةِۭ

In extended columns.[1]