— 52 verses
The surely Inevitable Hour
What is the surely Inevitable Hour
And what has made you alert what (calamity) surely is the Inevitable Hour
Thamud and ‘Ad rejected the (calamity of a) Shattering Gravitational Collision (of all the existent cosmic bodies)
So, as for the people of Thamud, they were destroyed by the extremely violent, Deafening Blast
And as for the people of ‘Ad, they (too) were destroyed by a violently cold, roaring gale
Allah made that (gale) seize them for consecutive seven nights and eight days. So, you could see them lying dead (during that time as if) they were hollow roots of the uprooted palm trees
So do you see any of them surviving
And Pharaoh and those before him and (the dwellers of) the overthrown towns (of the community of Lut [Lot]) committed grave sins
So they (also) disobeyed the Messenger of their Lord. And Allah seized them with a mighty seizure
Indeed, when the water (of the Deluge) overflowed the limit, We carried you in the floating Ark
So that We make this (episode a reminding) lesson of warning for you and that the retentive ears may retain it
Then when the Trumpet will be blown once
And the earth and mountains will be removed (from their places), they will then be crushed to sand particles in a single crash
Then that will be the Hour when the surely Inevitable (calamity) will occur
And (all) the heavenly bodies will split apart and this universe will come to comprise (black) holes (by means of a force which coordinates and keeps the system going).
And the angels will be standing on its edges and above them that Day, and eight (angels or parties of angels) will be carrying the Throne of your Lord
That Day you will be made to appear (for reckoning). Nothing of your secrets will remain hidden
So the one who will be given his record in the right hand will say (pleased): ‘Come and read my record
I firmly believed that I would find my account (easy).
So he will live a pleasant life
In an elevated lofty Paradise
The clusters of its fruits hanging low (due to abundance)
(It will be said to them:) ‘Eat and drink rejoicing, in recompense of (your deeds) that you had sent forward during the days of your past (life).
And as for him who will be given his record in his left hand, he will say: ‘Would that I had not been given my record
And would that I had not known about my account
Alas! Would that (death) had settled my affair once and for all
Today my wealth has not been able to keep (the torment) away from me even a little
My power and domain have (also) gone from me.
(It will be commanded:) ‘Seize him and put him in neck-fetter
Then cast him into Hell
Then bind him tightly in a seventy yard long chain
Verily, he did not believe in Allah, the Lord of Majesty
Nor did he urge the feeding of the poor
So Today he does not have any warm friend
Nor has he anything to eat except filthy pus
That no one will eat except the sinners.
So I swear by the things that you see
And by those things that you do not see
Assuredly, this (Qur’an) is the (God-sent) commandment of the Exalted and Glorious Messenger ([blessings and peace be upon him] which he expounds as a Messenger and as a Vicegerent)
And it is not the poetry of a poet (composed with literary expertise). You have but little faith
Nor is it the word of a fortune-teller (designed by skilful guesswork). You take but little advice
(This) is sent down by the Lord of all the worlds
And had he ascribed to Us even a (single) fabricated thing
We would have seized him with full force and might
Then certainly We would have cut his life artery
Then no one of you could have held (Us) back from it
So no doubt this (Qur’an) is direction and guidance for the Godfearing
And surely, We know that some of you are the beliers (of this open truth)
And surely, this is (a cause of) bitter regret for the disbelievers
And undeniably, it is the truth of Absolute Certitude
So, (O Esteemed Beloved,) glorify your Lord, Most Magnificent, with persistence