The Hour draws near; the moon is split in two
Whenever the disbelievers see a sign, they turn away and say, ‘Same old sorcery!’
They reject the truth and follow their own desires––everything is recorded––
although warning tales that should have restrained them have come down to them––
farreaching wisdom––but these warnings do not help
so [Prophet] turn away from them. On the Day the Summoner will summon them to a horrific event
eyes downcast, they will come out of their graves like swarming locust
rushing towards the Summoner. The disbelievers will cry, ‘This is a stern day!’
The people of Noah rejected the truth before them: they rejected Our servant, saying, ‘He is mad!’ Noah was rebuked
and so he called upon his Lord, ‘I am defeated: help me!’
So We opened the gates of the sky with torrential water
burst the earth with gushing springs: the waters met for a preordained purpose
We carried him along on a vessel of planks and nail
that floated under Our watchful eye, a reward for the one who had been rejected
We have left this as a sign: will anyone take heed
How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings
We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed
The people of 'Ad also rejected the truth. How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings
We released a howling wind against them on a day of terrible disaster
it swept people away like uprooted palm trunks
How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings
We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed
The people of Thamud also rejected the warnings
they said, ‘What? A man? Why should we follow a lone man from amongst ourselves? That would be misguided; quite insane
Would a mes-sage be given to him alone out of all of us? No, he is an insolent liar!’
‘Tomorrow they will know who is the insolent liar
for We shall send them a she-camel to test them: so watch them [Salih] and be patient
Tell them the water is to be shared between them: each one should drink in turn.’
But they called their companion, who took a sword and hamstrung the camel
How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings
We released a single mighty blast against them and they ended up like a fencemaker’s dry sticks
We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed
The people of Lot rejected the warnings
We released a stonebearing wind against them, all except the family of Lot. We saved them before daw
as a favour from Us: this is how We reward the thankful
He warned them of Our onslaught, but they dismissed the warning
they even demanded his guests from him- so We sealed their eyes- ‘ Taste My [terrible] punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!’
and early in the morning a punishment seized them that still remains
‘Taste My [terrible] punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!’
We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed
The people of Pharaoh also received warnings
They rejected all Our signs so We seized them with all Our might and power
‘Are your disbelievers any better than these? Were you given an exemption in the Scripture?’
Do they perhaps say, ‘We are a great army and we shall be victorious’
Their forces will be routed and they will turn tail and flee
But the Hour is their appointed time- the Hour is more severe and bitter
truly the wicked are misguided and quite insane––
on the Day when they are dragged on their faces in Hell. ‘Feel the touch of Hell.’
We have created all things in due measure
when We ordain something it happens at once, in the blink of an eye
We have destroyed the likes of you in the past. Will anyone take heed
Everything they do is noted in their records
every action, great or small, is recorded
The righteous will live securely among Gardens and rivers
secure in the presence of an all-powerful Sovereign