Surah Al-Ma`ārij (The Ascending Stairways) in English

1. يبصرونهم يود المجرم لو يفتدي من عذاب يومئذ ببنيه

   11

   [though] they will be placed within each other’s sight. The guilty one will wish he could ransom himself from the punishment of that day at the price of his children,

   yubaṣṣarūnahum yawaddu l-mujrimu law yaftadī min ʿadhābi yawmiʾidhin bi-banīhi

2. وصاحبته وأخيه

   12

   his spouse and his brother,

   wa-ṣāḥibatihī wa-ʾakhīhi

3. وفصيلته التي تؤويه

   13

   his kin, which had sheltered him

   wa-faṣīlatihi llatī tuʾwīhi

4. ومن في الأرض جميعا ثم ينجيه

   14

   and all those who are upon the earth, if that might deliver him.

   wa-man fī l-ʾarḍi jamīʿan thumma yunjīhi

5. كلا إنها لظى

   15

   Never! Indeed, it is a blazing fire,

   kallā ʾinnahā laẓā

6. نزاعة للشوى

   16

   which strips away the scalp.

   nazzāʿatan li-sh-shawā

7. تدعو من أدبر وتولى

   17

   It invites him, who has turned back [from the truth] and forsaken [it],

   tadʿū man ʾadbara wa-tawallā

8. وجمع فأوعى

   18

   amassing [wealth] and hoarding [it].

   wa-jamaʿa fa-ʾawʿā

9. إن الإنسان خلق هلوعا

   19

   Indeed man has been created covetous:

   ʾinna l-ʾinsāna khuliqa halūʿan

10. إذا مسه الشر جزوعا

    20

    anxious when an ill befalls him

    ʾidhā massahu sh-sharru jazūʿan

11. وإذا مسه الخير منوعا

    21

    and grudging [charity] when good comes his way

    wa-ʾidhā massahu l-khayru manūʿan

12. إلا المصلين

    22

    —[all are such] except the prayerful,

    ʾillā l-muṣallīna

13. الذين هم على صلاتهم دائمون

    23

    those who persevere in their prayers

    alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim dāʾimūna

14. والذين في أموالهم حق معلوم

    24

    and there is a known share in whose wealth

    wa-lladhīna fī ʾamwālihim ḥaqqun maʿlūmun

15. للسائل والمحروم

    25

    for the beggar and the deprived,

    li-s-sāʾili wa-l-maḥrūmi

16. والذين يصدقون بيوم الدين

    26

    and who affirm the Day of Retribution,

    wa-lladhīna yuṣaddiqūna bi-yawmi d-dīni

17. والذين هم من عذاب ربهم مشفقون

    27

    and those who are apprehensive of the punishment of their Lord

    wa-lladhīna hum min ʿadhābi rabbihim mushfiqūna

18. إن عذاب ربهم غير مأمون

    28

    (there is indeed no security from the punishment of their Lord)

    ʾinna ʿadhāba rabbihim ghayru maʾmūnin

19. والذين هم لفروجهم حافظون

    29

    and those who guard their private parts

    wa-lladhīna hum li-furūjihim ḥāfiẓūna

20. إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم فإنهم غير ملومين

    30

    (apart from their spouses and their slave women, for then they are not blameworthy;

    illā ʿalā ʾazwājihim ʾaw mā malakat ʾaymānuhum fa-ʾinnahum ghayru malūmīna

21. فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك فأولئك هم العادون

    31

    but whoever seeks beyond that—it is they who are the transgressors)

    fa-mani btaghā warāʾa dhālika fa-ʾulāʾika humu l-ʿādūna

22. والذين هم لأماناتهم وعهدهم راعون

    32

    and those who keep their trusts and covenants,

    wa-lladhīna hum li-ʾamānātihim wa-ʿahdihim rāʿūna

23. والذين هم بشهاداتهم قائمون

    33

    and those who are observant of their testimonies,

    wa-lladhīna hum bi-shahādātihim qāʾimūna

24. والذين هم على صلاتهم يحافظون

    34

    and those who are watchful of their prayers.

    wa-lladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim yuḥāfiẓūna

25. أولئك في جنات مكرمون

    35

    They will be in gardens, held in honour.

    ʾulāʾika fī jannātin mukramūna

26. فمال الذين كفروا قبلك مهطعين

    36

    What is the matter with the faithless that they scramble toward you,

    fa-mā-li lladhīna kafarū qibalaka muhṭiʿīna

27. عن اليمين وعن الشمال عزين

    37

    from left and right, in groups?

    ʿani l-yamīni wa-ʿani sh-shimāli ʿizīna

28. أيطمع كل امرئ منهم أن يدخل جنة نعيم

    38

    Does each man among them hope to enter the garden of bliss?

    ʾa-yaṭmaʿu kullu mriʾin minhum ʾan yudkhala jannata naʿīmin

29. كلا إنا خلقناهم مما يعلمون

    39

    Never! Indeed, We created them from what they know.

    kallā ʾinnā khalaqnāhum mimmā yaʿlamūna