The Ascending Stairways, The Ladders — Maulana Muhammad Ali Translation

70:1

سَأَلَ سَاۤىِٕلُۢ بِعَذَابࣲ وَاقِعࣲ ۝١

Maulana Muhammad Ali

A questioner asks about the chastisement to befal

sa-ala sāilun biʿadhābin wāqiʿi

70:2

لِّلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ لَیۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعࣱ ۝٢

Maulana Muhammad Ali

The disbelievers -- there is none to avert it -

lil'kāfirīna laysa lahu dāfiʿu

70:3

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِی ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ۝٣

Maulana Muhammad Ali

From Allah, Lord of the ways of Ascent

mina l-lahi dhī l-maʿārij

70:4

تَعۡرُجُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰۤىِٕكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَیۡهِ فِی یَوۡمࣲ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُۥ خَمۡسِینَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةࣲ ۝٤

Maulana Muhammad Ali

To Him ascend the angels and the Spirit in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years

taʿruju l-malāikatu wal-rūḥu ilayhi fī yawmin kāna miq'dāruhu khamsīna alfa sanati

70:5

فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرࣰا جَمِیلًا ۝٥

Maulana Muhammad Ali

So be patient with a goodly patience

fa-iṣ'bir ṣabran jamīla

70:6

إِنَّهُمۡ یَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِیدࣰا ۝٦

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Surely they see it far off

innahum yarawnahu baʿīda

70:7

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِیبࣰا ۝٧

یَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ ۝٨

Maulana Muhammad Ali

The day when the heaven is as molten brass

yawma takūnu l-samāu kal-muh'l

70:9

وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ۝٩

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And the mountains are as wool

watakūnu l-jibālu kal-ʿih'n

70:10

وَلَا یَسۡءَلُ حَمِیمٌ حَمِیمࣰا ۝١٠

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And no friend will ask of friend

walā yasalu ḥamīmun ḥamīma

70:11

یُبَصَّرُونَهُمۡۚ یَوَدُّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُ لَوۡ یَفۡتَدِی مِنۡ عَذَابِ یَوۡمِىِٕذِۭ بِبَنِیهِ ۝١١

Maulana Muhammad Ali

(Though) they are made to see them. The guilty one would fain redeem himself from the chastisement of that day by his children

yubaṣṣarūnahum yawaddu l-muj'rimu law yaftadī min ʿadhābi yawmi-idhin bibanīh

70:12

وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِیهِ ۝١٢

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And his wife and his brother

waṣāḥibatihi wa-akhīh

70:13

وَفَصِیلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِی تُءۡوِیهِ ۝١٣

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And his kin that gave him shelter

wafaṣīlatihi allatī tu'wīh

70:14

وَمَن فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِیعࣰا ثُمَّ یُنجِیهِ ۝١٤

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And all that are in the earth -- then deliver him -

waman fī l-arḍi jamīʿan thumma yunjīh

70:15

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ۝١٥

Maulana Muhammad Ali

By no means! Surely it is a flaming Fire

kallā innahā laẓ

70:16

نَزَّاعَةࣰ لِّلشَّوَىٰ ۝١٦

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Plucking out the extremities -

nazzāʿatan lilshaw

70:17

تَدۡعُوا۟ مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ۝١٧

Maulana Muhammad Ali

It shall claim him who retreats and turns his back

tadʿū man adbara watawall

70:18

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوۡعَىٰۤ ۝١٨

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And hoards then withholds

wajamaʿa fa-awʿ

70:19

۞ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ۝١٩

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Surely man is created impatient -

inna l-insāna khuliqa halūʿa

70:20

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعࣰا ۝٢٠

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Fretful when evil afflicts him

idhā massahu l-sharu jazūʿa

70:21

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَیۡرُ مَنُوعًا ۝٢١

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And niggardly when good befalls him -

wa-idhā massahu l-khayru manūʿa

70:22

إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّینَ ۝٢٢

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Except those who pray

illā l-muṣalīn

70:23

ٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٢٣

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Who are constant at their prayer

alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim dāimūn

70:24

وَٱلَّذِینَ فِیۤ أَمۡوَ ٰلِهِمۡ حَقࣱّ مَّعۡلُومࣱ ۝٢٤

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And in whose wealth there is a known righ

wa-alladhīna fī amwālihim ḥaqqun maʿlūmu

70:25

لِّلسَّاۤىِٕلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ ۝٢٥

Maulana Muhammad Ali

For the beggar and the destitute

lilssāili wal-maḥrūm

70:26

وَٱلَّذِینَ یُصَدِّقُونَ بِیَوۡمِ ٱلدِّینِ ۝٢٦

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And those who accept the truth of the day of Judgment

wa-alladhīna yuṣaddiqūna biyawmi l-dīn

70:27

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ ۝٢٧

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And those who are fearful of the chastisement of their Lord -

wa-alladhīna hum min ʿadhābi rabbihim mush'fiqūn

70:28

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمۡ غَیۡرُ مَأۡمُونࣲ ۝٢٨

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Surely the chastisement of their Lord is (a thing) not to be felt secure from -

inna ʿadhāba rabbihim ghayru mamūni

70:29

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَـٰفِظُونَ ۝٢٩

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And those who restrain their sexual passions

wa-alladhīna hum lifurūjihim ḥāfiẓūn

70:30

إِلَّا عَلَىٰۤ أَزۡوَ ٰجِهِمۡ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُهُمۡ فَإِنَّهُمۡ غَیۡرُ مَلُومِینَ ۝٣٠

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Except in the presence of their mates or those whom their right hands possess -- for such surely are not to be blamed

illā ʿalā azwājihim aw mā malakat aymānuhum fa-innahum ghayru malūmīn

70:31

فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَاۤءَ ذَ ٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ ۝٣١

Maulana Muhammad Ali

But he who seeks to go beyond this, these are the transgressors

famani ib'taghā warāa dhālika fa-ulāika humu l-ʿādūn

70:32

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَ ٰعُونَ ۝٣٢

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenant

wa-alladhīna hum li-amānātihim waʿahdihim rāʿūn

70:33

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم بِشَهَـٰدَ ٰتِهِمۡ قَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٣٣

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And those who are upright in their testimonies

wa-alladhīna hum bishahādātihim qāimūn

70:34

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ یُحَافِظُونَ ۝٣٤

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And those who keep a guard on their prayer

wa-alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim yuḥāfiẓūn

70:35

أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ فِی جَنَّـٰتࣲ مُّكۡرَمُونَ ۝٣٥

Maulana Muhammad Ali

These are in Gardens, honoured

ulāika fī jannātin muk'ramūn

70:36

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهۡطِعِینَ ۝٣٦

Maulana Muhammad Ali

But what is the matter with those who disbelieve, that they hasten on to thee

famāli alladhīna kafarū qibalaka muh'ṭiʿīn

70:37

عَنِ ٱلۡیَمِینِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِینَ ۝٣٧

Maulana Muhammad Ali

On the right hand and on the left, in sundry parties

ayaṭmaʿu kullu im'ri-in min'hum an yud'khala jannata naʿīmi

70:38

أَیَطۡمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِىࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن یُدۡخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِیمࣲ ۝٣٨

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Does every man of them desire to be admitted to the Garden of bliss

AyatmaAAu kullu imri-in minhum an yudkhala jannata naAAeemin

70:39

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّمَّا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٣٩

Maulana Muhammad Ali

By no means! Surely We have created them for what they know

kallā innā khalaqnāhum mimmā yaʿlamūn

70:40

فَلَاۤ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ ۝٤٠

Maulana Muhammad Ali

But nay! I swear by the Lord of the Eastern lands and the Western lands! that We are certainly Powerfu

falā uq'simu birabbi l-mashāriqi wal-maghāribi innā laqādirūn

70:41

عَلَىٰۤ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَیۡرࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِینَ ۝٤١

Maulana Muhammad Ali

To bring in their place (others) better than them, and We shall not be overcome

fadharhum yakhūḍū wayalʿabū ḥattā yulāqū yawmahumu alladhī yūʿadūn

70:42

فَذَرۡهُمۡ یَخُوضُوا۟ وَیَلۡعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یُلَـٰقُوا۟ یَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی یُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٢

Maulana Muhammad Ali

So leave them alone to plunge in vain talk and to sport, until they come face to face with that day of theirs which they are promised -

Fatharhum yakhoodoo wayalAAaboo hatta yulaqoo yawmahumu allathee yooAAadoona

70:43

یَوۡمَ یَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعࣰا كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبࣲ یُوفِضُونَ ۝٤٣

Maulana Muhammad Ali

The day when they come forth from the graves in haste, as hastening on to a goal

yawma yakhrujūna mina l-ajdāthi sirāʿan ka-annahum ilā nuṣubin yūfiḍūn

70:44

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَـٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةࣱۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ ٱلۡیَوۡمُ ٱلَّذِی كَانُوا۟ یُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٤

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Their eyes cast down, disgrace covering them. Such is the day which they are promised

khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun dhālika l-yawmu alladhī kānū yūʿadūn

Surah 70. The Ascending Stairways, The Ladders (al-Ma`arij)

Places Mentioned in the Quran

Prophetic Journeys & Events

Quranic Concept Graph