50. Surah Qaf, English Translation

˹All will be resurrected,˺ yet the deniers are astonished that a warner has come to them from among themselves ˹warning of resurrection˺. So the disbelievers say, “This is an astonishing thing!

˹Will we be returned to life,˺ when we are dead and reduced to dust? Such a return is impossible.”

We certainly know what the earth consumes of them ˹after their death˺, and with us is a well-preserved Record.¹

In fact, they reject the truth when it has come to them, so they are in a confused state.¹ 

Have they not then looked at the sky above them: how We built it and adorned it ˹with stars˺, leaving it flawless?

As for the earth, We spread it out and placed upon it firm mountains, and produced in it every type of pleasant plant—

˹all as˺ an insight and a reminder to every servant who turns ˹to Allah˺.

And We send down blessed rain from the sky, bringing forth gardens and grains for harvest,

and towering palm trees ˹loaded˺ with clustered fruit,

˹as˺ a provision for ˹Our˺ servants. And with this ˹rain˺ We revive a lifeless land. Similar is the emergence ˹from the graves˺.

Before them, the people of Noah denied ˹the truth,˺ as did the people of the Water-pit,¹ Thamûd,

’Ȃd, Pharaoh, the kinfolk of Lot,

the residents of the Forest,¹ and the people of Tubba’.² Each rejected ˹their˺ messenger, so My warning was fulfilled.

Were We incapable of creating ˹them˺ the first time? In fact, they are in doubt about ˹their˺ re-creation.

Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ created humankind and ˹fully˺ know what their souls whisper to them, and We are closer to them than ˹their˺ jugular vein.

As the two recording-angels—˹one˺ sitting to the right, and ˹the other to˺ the left—note ˹everything˺,

not a word does a person utter without having a ˹vigilant˺ observer ready ˹to write it down˺.¹ 

˹Ultimately,˺ with the throes of death will come the truth.¹ This is what you were trying to escape!

And the Trumpet will be blown.¹ This is the Day ˹you were˺ warned of.

Each soul will come forth with an angel to drive it and another to testify.

˹It will be said to the denier,˺ “You were totally heedless of this. Now We have lifted this veil of yours, so Today your sight is sharp!”

And one’s accompanying-angel will say, “Here is the record ready with me.”

˹It will be said to both angels,˺ “Throw into Hell every stubborn disbeliever,

withholder of good, transgressor, and doubter,

who set up another god with Allah. So cast them into the severe punishment.”

One’s ˹devilish˺ associate will say, “Our Lord! I did not make them transgress. Rather, they were far astray ˹on their own˺.”

Allah will respond, “Do not dispute in My presence, since I had already given you a warning.

My Word cannot be changed,¹ nor am I unjust to ˹My˺ creation.”

˹Beware of˺ the Day We will ask Hell, “Are you full ˹yet˺?” And it will respond, “Are there any more?”

And Paradise will be brought near to the righteous, not far off.

˹And it will be said to them,˺ “This is what you were promised, for whoever ˹constantly˺ turned ˹to Allah˺ and kept up ˹His commandments˺—

who were in awe of the Most Compassionate without seeing ˹Him˺,¹ and have come with a heart turning ˹only to Him˺.

Enter it in peace. This is the Day of eternal life!”

There they will have whatever they desire, and with Us is ˹even˺ more.¹ 

˹Imagine˺ how many peoples We destroyed before them, who were far mightier than them. Then ˹when the torment came,˺ they ˹desperately˺ sought refuge in the land. ˹But˺ was there any escape?

Surely in this is a reminder for whoever has a ˹mindful˺ heart and lends an attentive ear.

Indeed, We created the heavens and the earth and everything in between in six Days,¹ and We were not ˹even˺ touched with fatigue.²

So be patient ˹O Prophet˺ with what they say. And glorify the praises of your Lord before sunrise and before sunset.

And glorify Him during part of the night¹ and after the prayers.

And listen! On the Day the caller will call out from a near place,

the Day all will hear the ˹mighty˺ Blast in ˹all˺ truth,¹ that will be the Day of emergence ˹from the graves˺.

It is certainly We Who give life and cause death. And to Us is the final return.

˹Beware of˺ the Day the earth will split open, letting them rush forth. That will be an easy gathering for Us.

We know best what they say. And you ˹O Prophet˺ are not ˹there˺ to compel them ˹to believe˺. So remind with the Quran ˹only˺ those who fear My warning.