Surah Al-Fajr
Dawn • Surah 89 • 30 verses
Introduction
The Prophet is reassured in this Meccan chapter that the Arab pagans are not immune to the torments that befell ’Ȃd, Thamûd, and Pharaoh. A reference is made to the wicked who fail to be grateful in prosperity and patient in adversity. The evildoers will be regretful on Judgment Day, whereas the righteous will be honoured. Those who withhold Allah’s bounties are criticized in this chapter (verses 17-20) and the next (90: 11-16).
وَٱلْفَجْرِ
By the dawn,
وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ
and the ten nights,
وَٱلشَّفْعِ وَٱلْوَتْرِ
and the even and the odd,
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ
and the night when it passes!
هَلْ فِى ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِّذِى حِجْرٍ
Is all this ˹not˺ a sufficient oath for those who have sense?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ
Did you not see how your Lord dealt with ’Ȃd—
إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلْعِمَادِ
˹the people˺ of Iram—with ˹their˺ great stature,
ٱلَّتِى لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى ٱلْبِلَـٰدِ
unmatched in any other land;
وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُوا۟ ٱلصَّخْرَ بِٱلْوَادِ
and Thamûd who carved ˹their homes into˺ the rocks in the ˹Stone˺ Valley;
وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِى ٱلْأَوْتَادِ
and the Pharaoh of mighty structures?
ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْبِلَـٰدِ
They all transgressed throughout the land,
فَأَكْثَرُوا۟ فِيهَا ٱلْفَسَادَ
spreading much corruption there.
فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ
So your Lord unleashed on them a scourge of punishment.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلْمِرْصَادِ
˹For˺ your Lord is truly vigilant.
فَأَمَّا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ إِذَا مَا ٱبْتَلَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَأَكْرَمَهُۥ وَنَعَّمَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَكْرَمَنِ
Now, whenever a human being is tested by their Lord through ˹His˺ generosity and blessings, they boast, “My Lord has ˹deservedly˺ honoured me!”
وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ٱبْتَلَىٰهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَهَـٰنَنِ
But when He tests them by limiting their provision, they protest, “My Lord has ˹undeservedly˺ humiliated me!”
كَلَّا ۖ بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ ٱلْيَتِيمَ
Absolutely not! In fact, you are not ˹even˺ gracious to the orphan,
وَلَا تَحَـٰٓضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
nor do you urge one another to feed the poor.
وَتَأْكُلُونَ ٱلتُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَّمًّا
And you devour ˹others’˺ inheritance greedily,
وَتُحِبُّونَ ٱلْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا
and love wealth fervently.
كَلَّآ إِذَا دُكَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا
Enough! When the earth is entirely crushed over and over,
وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَٱلْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا
and your Lord comes ˹to judge˺ with angels, rank upon rank,
وَجِا۟ىٓءَ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِجَهَنَّمَ ۚ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ
and Hell is brought forth on that Day—this is when every ˹disbelieving˺ person will remember ˹their own sins˺. But what is the use of remembering then?
يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِى
They will cry, “I wish I had sent forth ˹something good˺ for my ˹true˺ life.”
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
On that Day He will punish ˹them˺ severely, like no other,
وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
and bind ˹them˺ tightly, like no other.
يَـٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ
˹Allah will say to the righteous,˺ “O tranquil soul!
ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً
Return to your Lord, well pleased ˹with Him˺ and well pleasing ˹to Him˺.
فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى
So join My servants,
وَٱدْخُلِى جَنَّتِى
and enter My Paradise.”