Al-Fajr

وَالْفَجْرِ ١

By the emerging dawn (that dispels the darkness of night),

وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ ٢

And by the ten (blessed) nights,

وَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرِ ٣

And by the even and the odd,

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ ٤

And by the night as it departs. (Every night or particularly the night of Muzdalifa or the night of Qadr.)

هَلْ فِي ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِّذِي حِجْرٍ ٥

Surely, in that is a mighty oath for the wise.

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ ٦

Have you not seen how your Lord treated (the people of ‘Ad)?

إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ ٧

(They) were (the people) of Iram (and) were (tall like) lofty columns (possessing towering castles),

الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ ٨

The like of which has not (at all) been created in the countries (of the world).

وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ ٩

And (what treatment was given to) Thamud, who carved rocks (and constructed hundreds of cities) in the (Qura) valley?

وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ ١٠

And (how was) Pharaoh (dealt with), who wielded large armies (and used to punish victims with stakes)?

الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ ١١

(They were) the people who perpetrated tyranny in their (respective) countries,

فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ ١٢

And spread great mischief and corruption there.

فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ ١٣

Then your Lord unleashed the scourge of punishment on them.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ ١٤

Indeed, your Lord is Ever-Watchful (over the tyrant transgressors).

فَأَمَّا الْإِنسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ ١٥

But as for man, when his Lord tests him (by providing him pleasure and comfort) and honours him and gives him bounties, he says: ‘My Lord has honoured me.’

وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ ١٦

But when He tries him (by afflicting him with pain and discomfort) and limits his means of sustenance, he says: ‘My Lord has humiliated me.’

كَلَّا ۖ بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ ١٧

No indeed! But (the truth is that after you gain honour and good fortune), you do not give honour and care to orphans.

وَلَا تَحَاضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ ١٨

Nor do you inspire one another (in society) to promote the feeding of the destitute (i.e., the poor and the needy).

وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَّمًّا ١٩

And you lay hand on the inherited wealth and devour it (yourselves and do not pay the poverty-stricken their due).

وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا ٢٠

And you love wealth and riches inordinately.