Revealed in Makkah, Surah Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) opens with a question about the impending punishment of the disbelievers, describing the Day of Judgment as a day lasting fifty thousand years. It outlines the impatient, anxious nature of the human soul—panic-stricken in times of difficulty and hoarding in times of ease—contrasting it with the steadfastness of those who guard their prayers, wealth, and chastity.
Transliteration
Saala sailun biAAathabin waqiAAin
Translation
A questioner questioned the imminent torment
Revealed concerning the defiant Meccan chieftain al-Nadr ibn al-Harith. He arrogantly challenged the Prophet ﷺ at the Ka'bah, praying: 'O God, if this message is truly from You, then rain down stones from heaven upon us or bring us a painful doom!' The verse affirms that his requested punishment was certain to arrive.
Transliteration
Lilkafireena laysa lahu dafiAAun
Translation
For the disbelievers; none can repel it
Transliteration
Mina Allahi thee almaAAariji
Translation
From God, Lord of the Ways of Ascent
Transliteration
TaAAruju almalaikatu waalrroohu ilayhi fee yawmin kana miqdaruhu khamseena alfa sanatin
Translation
Unto Him the angels and the Spirit ascend on a Day the duration of which is fifty thousand years
A remarkable presentation of cosmic time dilation: describes the ascent of angels and Archangel Gabriel through celestial dimensions in a period equivalent to fifty thousand years of earthly human reckoning, matching relativistic models of time operating at astronomical speeds.
Transliteration
Faisbir sabran jameelan
Translation
So be patient, with sweet patience
Transliteration
Innahum yarawnahu baAAeedan
Translation
They see it distant
Transliteration
Wanarahu qareeban
Translation
But We see it near
Transliteration
Yawma takoonu alssamao kaalmuhli
Translation
On the Day when the sky will be like molten brass
Transliteration
Watakoonu aljibalu kaalAAihni
Translation
And the mountains will be like tufted wool
Transliteration
Wala yasalu hameemun hameeman
Translation
No friend will care about his friend
Depicts the complete psychological collapse of social bonds on the Day of Judgment: lifelong close friends will see each other in plain sight, yet neither will ask about the other due to sheer consuming terror of their own reckoning.
Transliteration
Yubassaroonahum yawaddu almujrimu law yaftadee min AAathabi yawmiithin bibaneehi
Translation
They will be shown each other. The criminal wishes he would be redeemed from the punishment of that Day by his children
Illustrates the desperate panic of the unrepentant sinner: terrified of Hellfire, he would eagerly trade and sacrifice his own beloved children, his devoted spouse, his brother, his entire clan, and every human being on the planet if it could purchase his own freedom.
Transliteration
Wasahibatihi waakheehi
Translation
And his spouse, and his brother
Transliteration
Wafaseelatihi allatee tuweehi
Translation
And his family that sheltered him
Transliteration
Waman fee alardi jameeAAan thumma yunjeehi
Translation
And everyone on earth, in order to save him
Transliteration
Kalla innaha latha
Translation
By no means! It is a Raging Fire
Transliteration
NazzaAAatan lilshshawa
Translation
It strips away the scalps
Transliteration
TadAAoo man adbara watawalla
Translation
It invites him who once turned his back and fled
Transliteration
WajamaAAa faawAAa
Translation
And accumulated and hoarded
Transliteration
Inna alinsana khuliqa halooAAan
Translation
Man was created restless
Diagnoses the chronic psychological fragility of human nature: humanity was created inherently restless and anxious ('Halu'a')—when misfortune or sickness strikes, they plunge into despair and panic, but when blessed with wealth and health, they turn stingy and self-absorbed.
Transliteration
Itha massahu alshsharru jazooAAan
Translation
Touched by adversity, he is fretful
Transliteration
Waitha massahu alkhayru manooAAan
Translation
Touched by good, he is ungenerous
Transliteration
Illa almusalleena
Translation
Except the prayerful
Inaugurates the eight moral cures for human anxiety: sincere regular prayer, generous charity for the poor, certainty in judgment, reverent awe, chastity, honoring covenants and business trusts, truthful court testimony, and diligent prayer vigilance.
Transliteration
Allatheena hum AAala salatihim daimoona
Translation
Those who are constant at their prayers
Transliteration
Waallatheena fee amwalihim haqqun maAAloomun
Translation
And those in whose wealth is a rightful share
Reiterates the social welfare principle: righteous believers acknowledge that a specific, non-negotiable financial right belongs to the impoverished petitioner who asks ('Sa'il') and the destitute person who is too dignified to beg ('Mahrum').
Transliteration
Lilssaili waalmahroomi
Translation
For the beggar and the deprived
Transliteration
Waallatheena yusaddiqoona biyawmi alddeeni
Translation
And those who affirm the Day of Judgment
Transliteration
Waallatheena hum min AAathabi rabbihim mushfiqoona
Translation
And those who fear the punishment of their Lord
Transliteration
Inna AAathaba rabbihim ghayru mamoonin
Translation
Their Lord’s punishment is not to be taken for granted
Transliteration
Waallatheena hum lifuroojihim hafithoona
Translation
And those who guard their chastity
Transliteration
Illa AAala azwajihim aw ma malakat aymanuhum fainnahum ghayru maloomeena
Translation
Except from their spouses or those living under their control, for then they are free of blame
Transliteration
Famani ibtagha waraa thalika faolaika humu alAAadoona
Translation
But whoever seeks to go beyond that—these are the transgressors
Transliteration
Waallatheena hum liamanatihim waAAahdihim raAAoona
Translation
And those who honor their trusts and their pledges
Transliteration
Waallatheena hum bishahadatihim qaimoona
Translation
And those who stand by their testimonies
Transliteration
Waallatheena hum AAala salatihim yuhafithoona
Translation
And those who are dedicated to their prayers
Transliteration
Olaika fee jannatin mukramoona
Translation
These will be honored in Gardens
Transliteration
Famali allatheena kafaroo qibalaka muhtiAAeena
Translation
What is with those who disbelieve, stretching their necks towards you
Transliteration
AAani alyameeni waAAani alshshimali AAizeena
Translation
From the right, and from the left, banding together
Transliteration
AyatmaAAu kullu imriin minhum an yudkhala jannata naAAeemin
Translation
Is every one of them aspiring to be admitted into a Garden of Bliss
Transliteration
Kalla inna khalaqnahum mimma yaAAlamoona
Translation
No indeed! We created them from what they know
Transliteration
Fala oqsimu birabbi almashariqi waalmagharibi inna laqadiroona
Translation
I swear by the Lord of the Easts and the Wests, that We are Able
God swears by the 'Lord of the easts and wests' (Al-Mashariq wal-Magharib): using the plural form to accurately reflect the shifting solar angles across the horizon where the sun rises and sets at slightly different coordinates every day of the seasonal year.
Transliteration
AAala an nubaddila khayran minhum wama nahnu bimasbooqeena
Translation
To replace them with better than they, and We are not to be outdone
Transliteration
Fatharhum yakhoodoo wayalAAaboo hatta yulaqoo yawmahumu allathee yooAAadoona
Translation
So leave them to blunder and play, until they meet their Day which they are promised
Transliteration
Yawma yakhrujoona mina alajdathi siraAAan kaannahum ila nusubin yoofidoona
Translation
The Day when they will emerge from the tombs in a rush, as though they were hurrying towards a target
Transliteration
KhashiAAatan absaruhum tarhaquhum thillatun thalika alyawmu allathee kanoo yooAAadoona
Translation
Their eyes cast down; overwhelmed by humiliation. This is the Day which they were promised