The surah that opens with the unnerving, cataclysmic sign of the end of the world coming and The Moon having split apart. It takes its name from verse 1 which mentions “the moon” (qamar), that here serves as a reference to the Day of Resurrection. The surah deals mainly with the punishment dealt out to previous generations of disbelievers. These are presented as a warning to the disbelievers of Mecca, with the refrain “is there anyone who will be admonished?” running throughout the surah. Finally the treatment of the disbelievers on the Day of Judgement is contrasted to the everlasting bliss the believers will enjoy.
1
اقتَرَبَتِ السّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ القَمَرُ
iqtarabati s-sāʿatu wa-nshaqqa l-qamaru
The Hour has drawn nearand the moon is split.
2
وَإِن يَرَوا آيَةً يُعرِضوا وَيَقولوا سِحرٌ مُستَمِرٌّ
wa-ʾin yaraw ʾāyatan yuʿriḍū wa-yaqūlū siḥrun mustamirrun
If they see a sign, they turn away,and say, ‘An incessant1 magic!’Or ‘powerful.’
3
وَكَذَّبوا وَاتَّبَعوا أَهواءَهُم ۚ وَكُلُّ أَمرٍ مُستَقِرٌّ
wa-kadhdhabū wa-ttabaʿū ʾahwāʾahum wa-kullu ʾamrin mustaqirrun
They denied, and followed their own desires,and every matter has a setting [appropriate to it].
4
وَلَقَد جاءَهُم مِنَ الأَنباءِ ما فيهِ مُزدَجَرٌ
wa-la-qad jāʾahum mina l-ʾanbāʾi mā fīhi muzdajarun
There have already come to them reportscontaining admonishment,
5
حِكمَةٌ بالِغَةٌ ۖ فَما تُغنِ النُّذُرُ
ḥikmatun bālighatun fa-mā tughni n-nudhuru
[and representing] far-reaching wisdom;but warnings are of no avail!
6
فَتَوَلَّ عَنهُم ۘ يَومَ يَدعُ الدّاعِ إِلىٰ شَيءٍ نُكُرٍ
fa-tawalla ʿanhum yawma yadʿu d-dāʿi ʾilā shayʾin nukurin
So turn away from them!The day when the Caller calls to a dire thing,
7
خُشَّعًا أَبصارُهُم يَخرُجونَ مِنَ الأَجداثِ كَأَنَّهُم جَرادٌ مُنتَشِرٌ
khushshaʿan ʾabṣāruhum yakhrujūna mina l-ʾajdāthi ka-ʾannahum jarādun muntashirun
with a humbled look [in their eyes],they will emerge from the gravesas if they were scattered locusts,
8
مُهطِعينَ إِلَى الدّاعِ ۖ يَقولُ الكافِرونَ هٰذا يَومٌ عَسِرٌ
muhṭiʿīna ʾilā d-dāʿi yaqūlu l-kāfirūna hādhā yawmun ʿasirun
scrambling toward the summoner.The faithless will say, ‘This is a hard day!’
9
۞ كَذَّبَت قَبلَهُم قَومُ نوحٍ فَكَذَّبوا عَبدَنا وَقالوا مَجنونٌ وَازدُجِرَ
kadhdhabat qablahum qawmu nūḥin fa-kadhdhabū ʿabdanā wa-qālū majnūnun wa-zdujira
The people of Noah impugned before them.So they impugned Our servant and said,‘A crazy man,’ and he was reviled.1Or ‘he was proscribed,’ or ‘he was ostracized.’
10
فَدَعا رَبَّهُ أَنّي مَغلوبٌ فَانتَصِر
fa-daʿā rabbahū ʾannī maghlūbun fa-ntaṣir
Thereat he invoked his Lord,[saying,] ‘I have been overcome, so help [me].’
11
فَفَتَحنا أَبوابَ السَّماءِ بِماءٍ مُنهَمِرٍ
fa-fataḥnā ʾabwāba s-samāʾi bi-māʾin munhamirin
Then We opened the gates of the skywith pouring waters,
12
وَفَجَّرنَا الأَرضَ عُيونًا فَالتَقَى الماءُ عَلىٰ أَمرٍ قَد قُدِرَ
wa-fajjarnā l-ʾarḍa ʿuyūnan fa-ltaqā l-māʾu ʿalā ʾamrin qad qudira
and We made the earth burst forth with springs,and the waters met for a preordained purpose.
13
وَحَمَلناهُ عَلىٰ ذاتِ أَلواحٍ وَدُسُرٍ
wa-ḥamalnāhu ʿalā dhāti ʾalwāḥin wa-dusurin
We bore himon a vessel made of planks and nails,
14
تَجري بِأَعيُنِنا جَزاءً لِمَن كانَ كُفِرَ
tajrī bi-ʾaʿyuninā jazāʾan li-man kāna kufira
which sailed [over the flood waters] in Our sight,as a retribution for him who was repudiated.
15
وَلَقَد تَرَكناها آيَةً فَهَل مِن مُدَّكِرٍ
wa-la-qad taraknāhā ʾāyatan fa-hal min muddakirin
Certainly We have left it as a sign;so is there anyone who will be admonished?
16
فَكَيفَ كانَ عَذابي وَنُذُرِ
fa-kayfa kāna ʿadhābī wa-nudhuri
So how were My punishment and My warnings?
17
وَلَقَد يَسَّرنَا القُرآنَ لِلذِّكرِ فَهَل مِن مُدَّكِرٍ
wa-la-qad yassarnā l-qurʾāna li-dh-dhikri fa-hal min muddakirin
Certainly We have made the Qurʾān simplefor the sake of admonishment.So is there anyone who will be admonished?
18
كَذَّبَت عادٌ فَكَيفَ كانَ عَذابي وَنُذُرِ
kadhdhabat ʿādun fa-kayfa kāna ʿadhābī wa-nudhuri
[The people of] ʿĀd impugned [their apostle].So how were My punishment and My warnings?
19
إِنّا أَرسَلنا عَلَيهِم ريحًا صَرصَرًا في يَومِ نَحسٍ مُستَمِرٍّ
ʾinnā ʾarsalnā ʿalayhim rīḥan ṣarṣaran fī yawmi naḥsin mustamirrin
Indeed We unleashed upon them an icy galeon an incessantly ill-fated day,
20
تَنزِعُ النّاسَ كَأَنَّهُم أَعجازُ نَخلٍ مُنقَعِرٍ
tanziʿu n-nāsa ka-ʾannahum ʾaʿjāzu nakhlin munqaʿirin
knocking down peopleas if they were trunks of uprooted palm trees.
21
فَكَيفَ كانَ عَذابي وَنُذُرِ
fa-kayfa kāna ʿadhābī wa-nudhuri
So how were My punishment and My warnings?!
22
وَلَقَد يَسَّرنَا القُرآنَ لِلذِّكرِ فَهَل مِن مُدَّكِرٍ
wa-la-qad yassarnā l-qurʾāna li-dh-dhikri fa-hal min muddakirin
Certainly We have made the Qurʾān simplefor the sake of admonishment.So is there anyone who will be admonished?
23
كَذَّبَت ثَمودُ بِالنُّذُرِ
kadhdhabat thamūdu bi-n-nudhuri
[The people of] Thamūd denied the warnings,
24
فَقالوا أَبَشَرًا مِنّا واحِدًا نَتَّبِعُهُ إِنّا إِذًا لَفي ضَلالٍ وَسُعُرٍ
fa-qālū ʾa-basharan minnā wāḥidan nattabiʿuhū ʾinnā ʾidhan la-fī ḍalālin wa-suʿurin
and they said,‘Are we to follow a lone human from ourselves?!Indeed then we would be in error and madness.’
25
أَأُلقِيَ الذِّكرُ عَلَيهِ مِن بَينِنا بَل هُوَ كَذّابٌ أَشِرٌ
ʾa-ʾulqiya dh-dhikru ʿalayhi min bayninā bal huwa kadhdhābun ʾashirun
‘Has the Reminder been cast upon himfrom among us?Rather he is a self-conceited1 liar.’Or ‘insolent.’
26
سَيَعلَمونَ غَدًا مَنِ الكَذّابُ الأَشِرُ
sa-yaʿlamūna ghadan mani l-kadhdhābu l-ʾashiru
‘Tomorrow they will knowwho is a self-conceited liar.
27
إِنّا مُرسِلُو النّاقَةِ فِتنَةً لَهُم فَارتَقِبهُم وَاصطَبِر
ʾinnā mursilū n-nāqati fitnatan lahum fa-rtaqibhum wa-ṣṭabir
We are sending the She-camelas a trial for them;so watch them and be steadfast.
28
وَنَبِّئهُم أَنَّ الماءَ قِسمَةٌ بَينَهُم ۖ كُلُّ شِربٍ مُحتَضَرٌ
wa-nabbiʾhum ʾanna l-māʾa qismatun baynahum kullu shirbin muḥtaḍarun
Inform themthat the water is to be dispensed between them;every drinking will be attended.’
29
فَنادَوا صاحِبَهُم فَتَعاطىٰ فَعَقَرَ
fa-nādaw ṣāḥibahum fa-taʿāṭā fa-ʿaqara
But they called their companion,and he took [a knife] and hamstrung [her].
30
فَكَيفَ كانَ عَذابي وَنُذُرِ
fa-kayfa kāna ʿadhābī wa-nudhuri
So how were My punishment and My warnings?!
31
إِنّا أَرسَلنا عَلَيهِم صَيحَةً واحِدَةً فَكانوا كَهَشيمِ المُحتَظِرِ
ʾinnā ʾarsalnā ʿalayhim ṣayḥatan wāḥidatan fa-kānū ka-hashīmi l-muḥtaẓiri
We sent against them a single Cry,and they became like the dry sticks of a corral builder.
32
وَلَقَد يَسَّرنَا القُرآنَ لِلذِّكرِ فَهَل مِن مُدَّكِرٍ
wa-la-qad yassarnā l-qurʾāna li-dh-dhikri fa-hal min muddakirin
Certainly We have made the Qurʾān simplefor the sake of admonishment.So is there anyone who will be admonished?
33
كَذَّبَت قَومُ لوطٍ بِالنُّذُرِ
kadhdhabat qawmu lūṭin bi-n-nudhuri
And the people of Lot denied the warnings.
34
إِنّا أَرسَلنا عَلَيهِم حاصِبًا إِلّا آلَ لوطٍ ۖ نَجَّيناهُم بِسَحَرٍ
ʾinnā ʾarsalnā ʿalayhim ḥāṣiban ʾillā ʾāla lūṭin najjaynāhum bi-saḥarin
We unleashed a rain of stones upon them,excepting the family of Lot,whom We delivered at dawn,
35
نِعمَةً مِن عِندِنا ۚ كَذٰلِكَ نَجزي مَن شَكَرَ
niʿmatan min ʿindinā ka-dhālika najzī man shakara
as a blessing from Us.Thus do We reward those who give thanks.
36
وَلَقَد أَنذَرَهُم بَطشَتَنا فَتَمارَوا بِالنُّذُرِ
wa-la-qad ʾandharahum baṭshatanā fa-tamāraw bi-n-nudhuri
He had certainly warned them of Our punishment,but they disputed the warnings.
37
وَلَقَد راوَدوهُ عَن ضَيفِهِ فَطَمَسنا أَعيُنَهُم فَذوقوا عَذابي وَنُذُرِ
wa-la-qad rāwadūhu ʿan ḍayfihī fa-ṭamasnā ʾaʿyunahum fa-dhūqū ʿadhābī wa-nudhuri
Certainly they even solicited of him his guests,whereat We blotted out their eyes, [saying,]‘Taste My punishment and My warnings!’
38
وَلَقَد صَبَّحَهُم بُكرَةً عَذابٌ مُستَقِرٌّ
wa-la-qad ṣabbaḥahum bukratan ʿadhābun mustaqirrun
Certainly early at dawn there visited theman abiding punishment:
39
فَذوقوا عَذابي وَنُذُرِ
fa-dhūqū ʿadhābī wa-nudhuri
‘Taste My punishment and My warnings!’
40
وَلَقَد يَسَّرنَا القُرآنَ لِلذِّكرِ فَهَل مِن مُدَّكِرٍ
wa-la-qad yassarnā l-qurʾāna li-dh-dhikri fa-hal min muddakirin
Certainly We have made the Qurʾān simplefor the sake of admonishment.So is there anyone who will be admonished?
41
وَلَقَد جاءَ آلَ فِرعَونَ النُّذُرُ
wa-la-qad jāʾa ʾāla firʿawna n-nudhuru
Certainly the warnings came to Pharaoh’s clan
42
كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا كُلِّها فَأَخَذناهُم أَخذَ عَزيزٍ مُقتَدِرٍ
kadhdhabū bi-ʾāyātinā kullihā fa-ʾakhadhnāhum ʾakhdha ʿazīzin muqtadirin
who denied all of Our signs.So We seized them with the seizingof One [who is] all-mighty, Omnipotent.
43
أَكُفّارُكُم خَيرٌ مِن أُولٰئِكُم أَم لَكُم بَراءَةٌ فِي الزُّبُرِ
ʾa-kuffārukum khayrun min ʾulāʾikum ʾam lakum barāʾatun fī z-zuburi
Are your faithless better than those,or have you [been granted] some immunityin the scriptures?
44
أَم يَقولونَ نَحنُ جَميعٌ مُنتَصِرٌ
ʾam yaqūlūna naḥnu jamīʿun muntaṣirun
Do they say, ‘We are a confederate league’?
45
سَيُهزَمُ الجَمعُ وَيُوَلّونَ الدُّبُرَ
sa-yuhzamu l-jamʿu wa-yuwallūna d-dubura
The league will be routedand turn its back [to flee].
46
بَلِ السّاعَةُ مَوعِدُهُم وَالسّاعَةُ أَدهىٰ وَأَمَرُّ
bali s-sāʿatu mawʿiduhum wa-s-sāʿatu ʾadhā wa-ʾamarru
Rather the Hour is their tryst;and the Hour will be most calamitous and bitter.
47
إِنَّ المُجرِمينَ في ضَلالٍ وَسُعُرٍ
ʾinna l-mujrimīna fī ḍalālin wa-suʿurin
Indeed the guilty are in error and madness.
48
يَومَ يُسحَبونَ فِي النّارِ عَلىٰ وُجوهِهِم ذوقوا مَسَّ سَقَرَ
yawma yusḥabūna fī n-nāri ʿalā wujūhihim dhūqū massa saqara
The day when they are dragged into the Fireon their faces,[it will be said to them,] ‘Taste the touch of hell!’
49
إِنّا كُلَّ شَيءٍ خَلَقناهُ بِقَدَرٍ
ʾinnā kulla shayʾin khalaqnāhu bi-qadarin
Indeed We have created everything in a measure,
50
وَما أَمرُنا إِلّا واحِدَةٌ كَلَمحٍ بِالبَصَرِ
wa-mā ʾamrunā ʾillā wāḥidatun ka-lamḥin bi-l-baṣari
and Our command is but a single [word],like the twinkling of an eye.
51
وَلَقَد أَهلَكنا أَشياعَكُم فَهَل مِن مُدَّكِرٍ
wa-la-qad ʾahlaknā ʾashyāʿakum fa-hal min muddakirin
Certainly We have destroyed your likes.So is there anyone who will be admonished?
52
وَكُلُّ شَيءٍ فَعَلوهُ فِي الزُّبُرِ
wa-kullu shayʾin faʿalūhu fī z-zuburi
Everything they have done is in the books,
53
وَكُلُّ صَغيرٍ وَكَبيرٍ مُستَطَرٌ
wa-kullu ṣaghīrin wa-kabīrin mustaṭarun
and everything big and small,is committed to writing.
54
إِنَّ المُتَّقينَ في جَنّاتٍ وَنَهَرٍ
ʾinna l-muttaqīna fī jannātin wa-naharin
Indeed the Godwarywill be amid gardens and streams,
55
في مَقعَدِ صِدقٍ عِندَ مَليكٍ مُقتَدِرٍ
fī maqʿadi ṣidqin ʿinda malīkin muqtadirin
in the abode of truthfulness1with an omnipotent King.Or ‘in a worthy abode.’