A questioner asked about the chastisement which must befall
The unbelievers, which none can avert,
From Allah, the Lord of the Ascending Stairways.
To Him ascend the angels and the Spirit in a Day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.
Therefore endure with a goodly patience.
Surely they think it to be far off,
And We see it nigh.
On the day when the heaven shall be as molten copper
And the mountains shall be as tufts of wool
And friend shall not ask of friend
Though they shall be given sight of each other. The guilty one would fain redeem himself from the chastisement of that day by sacrificing his children,
And his wife and his brother
And the nearest of his kinsfolk who gave him shelter,
And all those that are in the earth, hoping to be delivered.
By no means! Surely it is a flaming Fire
Dragging him right to his skull,
It calls him who turned and fled from truth,
And amasses wealth then locks it up.
Surely man is created anxious (or impatient)
Fretful when evil afflicts him
And niggardly when good befalls him
Except those who pray -
Those who are constant (or devoted) at their prayer
And those in whose wealth there is a fixed portion
For him who begs and for him who is destitute
And those who accept the truth of the Day of Judgment
And those who are fearful of the displeasure of their Lord, -
Surely the displeasure of their Lord is a thing before which none can feel secure (or is the opposite of peace and tranquillity) -
And those who guard their chastity,
Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess - for on these surely is no blame,
But he who seeks to go beyond this, these it is that transgress beyond bounds -
And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenant
And those who are upright in their testimonies,
And those who keep guard (the sacredness of) their worship,
Those shall be in Gardens, honoured.
But what ails those who disbelieve that they rush around you (Muhammad) open-eyed (in mock amazement),
On the right hand and on the left, in sundry groups?
Does every man of them desire that he should be made to enter the Garden of Bliss?
By no means! Surely We have created them of what they know (earth and spirit).
But nay! I swear by (or call to witness) the Lord of all points of the rising and setting places East and West that We are certainly Able
To replace them with others better than them, and We shall not be overcome.
Therefore leave them alone to go on with the false discourses and to sport until they come face to face with that Day of theirs with which they are warned;
The Day on which they shall come forth from their graves in haste, as if they were racing to a goal,
Their eyes cast down; disgrace shall overtake them; that is the Day which they were promised.