BY THE Dawn
and the Ten Nights¹
by that which is dual, and that which is single
by the night, as it journeys on
Is there not in this a mighty oath for a man of sense
Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with ‘Ād
The many-columned city of Iram
whose like has never been created in the land
And Thamūd, who hewed out their dwellings among the rocks of the valley
And Pharaoh, who impaled his victims upon the stake
They had all led sinful lives
and made the land teem with wickedness
Therefore your Lord let loose on them the scourge of a torment
for from His eminence your Lord observes all
As for man, when his Lord tests him by honouring him and bestowing blessings on him, he says: ‘My Lord has honoured me.‘
But when He tests him by diminishing his provisions, he says: ‘My Lord despises me.‘
No! But you show no kindness to the orphan
nor do you vie with each other in feeding the destitute
Greedily you lay your hands on the inheritance of the weak
and you love riches with all your hearts
No! But when the earth is crushed to fine dust
and your Lord comes down with the angels, in their ranks
and Hell is on that day brought near ― on that day man will remember. And what will remembrance avail him
He will say: ‘Would that I had been charitable in my lifetime!‘
But on that day none will punish as He will punish
and none will bind with chains like His
O serene soul
Return to your Lord, well pleased, and pleasing in His sight
Join My servant
and enter My Paradise