The Ascending Stairways, The Ladders — Muhammad Asad Translation – Parallel Quran

1 Certainty of the Punishment

سَأَلَ سَاۤىِٕلُۢ بِعَذَابࣲ وَاقِعࣲ ۝١

ONE who is minded to ask might ask about the suffering which [in the hereafter] is bound to befal

sa-ala sāilun biʿadhābin wāqiʿi

لِّلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ لَیۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعࣱ ۝٢

those who deny the truth. [Know, then, that] nothing can ward it off

lil'kāfirīna laysa lahu dāfiʿu

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِی ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ۝٣

[since it will come] from God, unto whom there are many ways of ascent

mina l-lahi dhī l-maʿārij

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

all the angels and all the inspiration [ever granted to man] ascend unto Him [daily,] in a day the length whereof is [like] fifty thousand years…

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

فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرࣰا جَمِیلًا ۝٥

Therefore, [O believer,] endure all adversity with goodly patience

fa-iṣ'bir ṣabran jamīla

إِنَّهُمۡ یَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِیدࣰا ۝٦

behold, men look upon that [reckoning] as something far away –

innahum yarawnahu baʿīda

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِیبࣰا ۝٧

but, We see it as near

wanarāhu qarība

یَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ ۝٨

[It will take place] on a Day when the sky will be like molten lead

yawma takūnu l-samāu kal-muh'l

وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ۝٩

and the mountains will be like tufts of wool

watakūnu l-jibālu kal-ʿih'n

وَلَا یَسۡءَلُ حَمِیمٌ حَمِیمࣰا ۝١٠

and [when] no friend will ask about his friend

walā yasalu ḥamīmun ḥamīma

یُبَصَّرُونَهُمۡۚ یَوَدُّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُ لَوۡ یَفۡتَدِی مِنۡ عَذَابِ یَوۡمِىِٕذِۭ بِبَنِیهِ ۝١١

though they may be in one another's sight: [for,] everyone who was lost in sin will on that Day but desire to ransom himself from suffering at the price of his own children

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

وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِیهِ ۝١٢

and of his spouse, and of his brother

waṣāḥibatihi wa-akhīh

وَفَصِیلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِی تُءۡوِیهِ ۝١٣

and of all the kinsfolk who ever sheltered him

wafaṣīlatihi allatī tu'wīh

وَمَن فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِیعࣰا ثُمَّ یُنجِیهِ ۝١٤

and of whoever [else] lives on earth, all of them - so that he could but save himself

waman fī l-arḍi jamīʿan thumma yunjīh

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ۝١٥

But nay! Verily, all [that awaits him] is a raging flame

kallā innahā laẓ

نَزَّاعَةࣰ لِّلشَّوَىٰ ۝١٦

tearing away his skin

nazzāʿatan lilshaw

تَدۡعُوا۟ مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ۝١٧

It will claim all such as turn their backs [on what is right], and turn away [from the truth]

tadʿū man adbara watawall

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوۡعَىٰۤ ۝١٨

and amass [wealth] and thereupon withhold [it from their fellow-men]

wajamaʿa fa-awʿ

۞ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ۝١٩

VERILY, man is born with a restless disposition

inna l-insāna khuliqa halūʿa

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعࣰا ۝٢٠

[As a rule,] whenever misfortune touches him, he is filled with self-pity

idhā massahu l-sharu jazūʿa

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَیۡرُ مَنُوعًا ۝٢١

and whenever good fortune comes to him, he selfishly withholds it [from others]

wa-idhā massahu l-khayru manūʿa

إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّینَ ۝٢٢

Not so, however, those who consciously turn towards God in prayer

illā l-muṣalīn

ٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٢٣

[and] who incessantly persevere in their praye

alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim dāimūn

وَٱلَّذِینَ فِیۤ أَمۡوَ ٰلِهِمۡ حَقࣱّ مَّعۡلُومࣱ ۝٢٤

and in whose possessions there is a due share, acknowledged [by them]

wa-alladhīna fī amwālihim ḥaqqun maʿlūmu

لِّلسَّاۤىِٕلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ ۝٢٥

for such as ask [for help] and such as are deprived [of what is good in life]

lilssāili wal-maḥrūm

وَٱلَّذِینَ یُصَدِّقُونَ بِیَوۡمِ ٱلدِّینِ ۝٢٦

and who accept as true the [coming of the] Day of Judgment

wa-alladhīna yuṣaddiqūna biyawmi l-dīn

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ ۝٢٧

and who stand in dread of their Sustainer's chastisement –

wa-alladhīna hum min ʿadhābi rabbihim mush'fiqūn

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمۡ غَیۡرُ مَأۡمُونࣲ ۝٢٨

for, behold, of their Sustainer's chastisement none may ever feel [wholly] secure

inna ʿadhāba rabbihim ghayru mamūni

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَـٰفِظُونَ ۝٢٩

and who are mindful of their chastity

wa-alladhīna hum lifurūjihim ḥāfiẓūn

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

[not giving way to their desires] with any but their spouses - that is, those whom they rightfully possess [through wedlock] -: for then, behold, they are free of all blame

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

فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَاۤءَ ذَ ٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ ۝٣١

whereas such as seek to go beyond that [limit] are truly transgressors

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

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَ ٰعُونَ ۝٣٢

and who are faithful to their trusts and to their pledges

wa-alladhīna hum li-amānātihim waʿahdihim rāʿūn

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم بِشَهَـٰدَ ٰتِهِمۡ قَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٣٣

and who stand firm whenever they bear witness

wa-alladhīna hum bishahādātihim qāimūn

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ یُحَافِظُونَ ۝٣٤

and who guard their prayers [from all worldly intent]

wa-alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim yuḥāfiẓūn

أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ فِی جَنَّـٰتࣲ مُّكۡرَمُونَ ۝٣٥

These it is who in the gardens [of paradise] shall be honoured

ulāika fī jannātin muk'ramūn

2 A New Nation to be raised

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهۡطِعِینَ ۝٣٦

WHAT, THEN, is amiss with such as are bent on denying the truth, that they run about confusedly to and fro before thee

famāli alladhīna kafarū qibalaka muh'ṭiʿīn

عَنِ ٱلۡیَمِینِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِینَ ۝٣٧

[coming upon thee] from the right and from the left, in crowds

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

أَیَطۡمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِىࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن یُدۡخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِیمࣲ ۝٣٨

Does every one of them hope to enter [by this means] a garden of bliss

AyatmaAAu kullu imri-in minhum an yudkhala jannata naAAeemin

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّمَّا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٣٩

Never! For, behold, We have created them out of something that they know [only too well]

kallā innā khalaqnāhum mimmā yaʿlamūn

فَلَاۤ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ ۝٤٠

But nay! I call to witness [Our being] the Sustainer of all the points of sunrise and sunset: verily, well able are W

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

عَلَىٰۤ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَیۡرࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِینَ ۝٤١

to replace them with [people] better than they are; for there is nothing to prevent Us [from doing what We will]

fadharhum yakhūḍū wayalʿabū ḥattā yulāqū yawmahumu alladhī yūʿadūn

فَذَرۡهُمۡ یَخُوضُوا۟ وَیَلۡعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یُلَـٰقُوا۟ یَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی یُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٢

Hence, leave them to indulge in idle talk and play [with words] until they face that [Judgment] Day of theirs which they have been promised –

Fatharhum yakhoodoo wayalAAaboo hatta yulaqoo yawmahumu allathee yooAAadoona

یَوۡمَ یَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعࣰا كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبࣲ یُوفِضُونَ ۝٤٣

the Day when they shall come forth in haste from their graves, as if racing towards a goal-post

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

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

with downcast eyes, with ignominy overwhelming them: that Day which they were promised again and…

khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun dhālika l-yawmu alladhī kānū yūʿadūn

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