Sūra LVI. Wāqi‘a, or The Inevitable Event.

The Holy Quran, tr. by Yusuf Ali, [1934], at sacred-texts.com

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Sūra LVI.

Wāqi‘a, or The Inevitable Event.

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

1. When the Event Inevitable
Cometh to pass,

2. Then will no (soul)
Entertain falsehood
Concerning its coming.

3. (Many) will it bring low;
(Many) will it exalt;

4. When the earth shall be
Shaken to its depths,

5. And the mountains shall
Be crumbled to atoms,

6. Becoming dust scattered abroad,

7. And ye shall be sorted out
Into three classes.

8. Then (there will be)
The Companions of
The Right Hand;—
What will be
The Companions of
The Right Hand?

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9. And the Companions of
The Left Hand,—
What will be
The Companions of
The Left Hand?

10. And those Foremost
(In Faith) will be
Foremost (in the Hereafter).

11. These will be
Those Nearest to God:

12. In Gardens of Bliss:

13. A number of people
From those of old,

14. And a few from those
Of later times.

15. (They will be) on Thrones
Encrusted (with gold
And precious stones),

16. Reclining on them,
Facing each other.

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17. Round about them will (serve)
Youths of perpetual (freshness),

18. With goblets, (shining) beakers,
And cups (filled) out of
Clear-flowing fountains:

19. No after-ache will they
Receive therefrom, nor will they
Suffer intoxication:

20. And with fruits,
Any that they may select;

21. And the flesh of fowls,
Any that they may desire.

22. And (there will be) Companions
With beautiful, big,
And lustrous eyes,—

23. Like unto Pearls
Well-guarded.

24. A Reward for the Deeds
Of their past (Life).

25. No frivolity will they
Hear therein, nor any
Taint of ill,—

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26. Only the saying,
"Peace! Peace".

27. The Companions of
The Right Hand,—
What will be
The Companions of
The Right Hand?

28. (They will be) among
Lote-trees without thorns,

29. Among Ṭalḥ trees
With flowers (or fruits)
Piled one above another,—

30. In shade long-extended,

31. By water flowing constantly,

32. And fruit in abundance.

33. Whose season is not limited,
Nor (supply) forbidden,

34. And on Thrones (of Dignity),
Raised high.

35. We have created
(their Companions)
Of special creation.

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36. And made them
Virgin-pure (and undefiled),—

37. Beloved (by nature),
Equal in age,—

38. For the Companions
Of the Right Hand.

SECTION 2.

39. A (goodly) number
From those of old,

40. And a (goodly) number
From those of later times.

41. The Companions of
The Left Hand,—
What will be
The Companions of
The Left Hand?

42. (They will be) in the midst
Of a fierce Blast of Fire
And in Boiling Water,

43. And in the shades
Of Black Smoke:

44. Nothing (will there be)
To refresh, nor to please:

45. For that they were wont
To be indulged, before that,

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In wealth (and luxury),

46. And persisted obstinately
In wickedness supreme!

47. And they used to say,
"What! when we die
And become dust and bones,
Shall we then indeed
Be raised up again?—

48. "(We) and our fathers of old?"

49. Say: "Yea, those of old
And those of later times,

50. "All will certainly be
Gathered together for the meeting
Appointed for a Day
Well-known.

51. "Then will ye truly,—
O ye that go wrong,
And treat (Truth) as Falsehood!—

52. "Ye will surely taste
Of the Tree of Zaqqūm.

53. "Then will ye fill
Your insides therewith,

54. "And drink Boiling Water
On top of it:

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55. "Indeed ye shall drink
Like diseased camels
Raging with thirst!"

56. Such will be their entertainment
On the Day of Requital!

57. It is We Who have
Created you: why will ye
Not witness the Truth?

58. Do ye then see?—
The (human Seed) that
Ye throw out,—

59. Is it ye who create it,
Or are We the Creators?

60. We have decreed Death
To be your common lot,
And We are not
To be frustrated

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61. From changing your Forms
And creating you (again)
In (Forms) that ye know not.

62. And ye certainly know already
The first form of creation:
Why then do ye not
Celebrate His praises?

63. See ye the seed that
Ye sow in the ground?

64. Is it ye that cause it
To grow, or are We
The Cause?

65. Were it Our Will,
We could crumble it
To dry powder, and ye would
Be left in wonderment,

66. (Saying), "We are indeed
Left with debts (for nothing):

67. "Indeed are we shut out
(Of the fruits of our labour)",

68. See ye the water
Which ye drink?

69. Do ye bring it Down
(In rain) from the Cloud
Or do We?

70. Were it Our Will,
We could make it

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Salt (and unpalatable):
Then why do ye not
Give thanks?

71. See ye the Fire
Which ye kindle?

72. Is it ye who grow
The tree which feeds
The fire, or do We
Grow it?

73. We have made it
A memorial (of Our handiwork),
And an article of comfort
And convenience for
The denizens of deserts.

74. Then celebrate with praises,
The name of thy Lord,
The Supreme!

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SECTION 3.

75. Furthermore I call
To witness the setting
Of the Stars,—

76. And that is indeed
A mighty adjuration
If ye but knew,—

77. That this is indeed
A Qur-ān most honourable,

78. In a Book well-guarded,

79. Which none shall touch
But those who are clean:

80. A Revelation from the Lord
Of the Worlds.

81. Is it such a Message
That ye would hold
In light esteem?

82. And have ye made it
Your livelihood that ye
Should declare it false?

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83. Then why do ye not
(Intervene) when (the soul
Of the dying man)
Reaches the throat,—

84. And ye the while
(Sit) looking on,—

85. But We are nearer
To him than ye,
And yet see not,—

86. Then why do ye not,—
If you are exempt
From (future) account,—

87. Call back the soul,
If ye are true
(In your claim of Independence)?

88. Thus, then, if he
Be of those Nearest to God,

89. (There is for him) Rest
And Satisfaction, and
A Garden of Delights.

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90. And if he be
Of the Companions of
The Right Hand,

91. (For him is the salutation),
"Peace be unto thee",
From the Companions
Of the Right Hand.

92. And if he be
Of those who treat
(Truth) as Falsehood,
Who go wrong,

93. For him is Entertainment
With Boiling Water,

94. And burning in Hell-Fire.

95. Verily, this is
The Very Truth
And Certainty.

96. So celebrate with praises
The name of thy Lord,
The Supreme.

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