Surah Aţ-Ţāriq (The Nightcommer) in English

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

1. والسماء والطارق

   1

   By the heaven, and by the nightly visitor

   wa-s-samāʾi wa-ṭ-ṭāriqi

2. وما أدراك ما الطارق

   2

   (and what will show you what is the nightly visitor?

   wa-mā ʾadrāka mā ṭ-ṭāriqu

3. النجم الثاقب

   3

   It is the brilliant star):

   an-najmu th-thāqibu

4. إن كل نفس لما عليها حافظ

   4

   there is a guard over every soul.

   ʾin kullu nafsin lammā ʿalayhā ḥāfiẓun

5. فلينظر الإنسان مم خلق

   5

   So let man consider from what he was created.

   fa-l-yanẓuri l-ʾinsānu mimma khuliqa

6. خلق من ماء دافق

   6

   He was created from an effusing fluid

   khuliqa min māʾin dāfiqin

7. يخرج من بين الصلب والترائب

   7

   which issues from between the loins and the breast-bones.

   yakhruju min bayni ṣ-ṣulbi wa-t-tarāʾibi

8. إنه على رجعه لقادر

   8

   Indeed He is able to bring him back [after death],

   ʾinnahū ʿalā rajʿihī la-qādirun

9. يوم تبلى السرائر

   9

   on the day when the secrets are examined

   yawma tublā s-sarāʾiru

10. فما له من قوة ولا ناصر

    10

    and he shall have neither power nor helper.

    fa-mā lahū min quwwatin wa-lā nāṣirin

11. والسماء ذات الرجع

    11

    By the resurgent heaven,

    wa-s-samāʾi dhāti r-rajʿi

12. والأرض ذات الصدع

    12

    and by the furrowed earth:

    wa-l-ʾarḍi dhāti ṣ-ṣadʿi

13. إنه لقول فصل

    13

    it is indeed a conclusive discourse,

    ʾinnahū la-qawlun faṣlun

14. وما هو بالهزل

    14

    and not a jest.

    wa-mā huwa bi-l-hazli

15. إنهم يكيدون كيدا

    15

    Indeed they are devising a stratagem,

    ʾinnahum yakīdūna kaydan

16. وأكيد كيدا

    16

    and I [too] am devising a plan.

    wa-ʾakīdu kaydan

17. فمهل الكافرين أمهلهم رويدا

    17

    So respite the faithless; give them a gentle respite.

    fa-mahhili l-kāfirīna ʾamhilhum ruwaydan