Surah 69 of 114 · Makki · 52 ayat
Al-Haqqah الحاقة
The Reality
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱلْحَآقَّةُ
PickthallThe Reality!
Yusuf AliThe Sure Reality!
The agreed readingThe Reality. The commentaries agree the word is a name for the Resurrection — the Day on which everything that was denied becomes fact, and the truth of it is made plain.
مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ
PickthallWhat is the Reality?
Yusuf AliWhat is the Sure Reality?
The agreed readingWhat is the Reality? The commentaries read the question not as enquiry but as magnification: the thing is too great for the name to convey, so it is asked about instead of described.
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ
PickthallAh, what will convey unto thee what the reality is!
Yusuf AliAnd what will make thee realise what the Sure Reality is?
The agreed readingAnd what will make you know what the Reality is? The commentaries take the repetition as a second degree of the same magnification — it lies beyond what could be conveyed by being told.
كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ وَعَادٌۢ بِٱلْقَارِعَةِ
Pickthall(The tribes of) Thamud and A'ad disbelieved in the judgment to come.
Yusuf AliThe Thamud and the 'Ad People (branded) as false the Stunning Calamity!
The agreed readingThamūd and ʿĀd denied the Striking Blow — another name for that same Day, the commentaries agree, so called because it strikes the hearts with its terrors.
فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهْلِكُوا۟ بِٱلطَّاغِيَةِ
PickthallAs for Thamud, they were destroyed by the lightning.
Yusuf AliBut the Thamud,- they were destroyed by a terrible Storm of thunder and lightning!
The agreed readingAs for Thamūd, they were destroyed by the overwhelming — the cry that passed every bound of violence.
وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُوا۟ بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٍ
PickthallAnd as for A'ad, they were destroyed by a fierce roaring wind,
Yusuf AliAnd the 'Ad, they were destroyed by a furious Wind, exceedingly violent;
The agreed readingAnd as for ʿĀd, they were destroyed by a roaring, bitter wind. The commentaries note that their strength, which they had boasted of, availed them nothing against it.
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَٰنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُومًا فَتَرَى ٱلْقَوْمَ فِيهَا صَرْعَىٰ كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ
PickthallWhich He imposed on them for seven long nights and eight long days so that thou mightest have seen men lying overthrown, as they were hollow trunks of palm-trees.
Yusuf AliHe made it rage against them seven nights and eight days in succession: so that thou couldst see the (whole) people lying prostrate in its (path), as they had been roots of hollow palm-trees tumbled down!
The agreed readingHe loosed it on them seven nights and eight days without a break, and you would have seen the people felled, as though they were hollow trunks of palm-trees. The commentaries agree the days ran consecutively and that nothing living was left standing.
فَهَلْ تَرَىٰ لَهُم مِّنۢ بَاقِيَةٍ
PickthallCanst thou (O Muhammad) see any remnant of them?
Yusuf AliThen seest thou any of them left surviving?
The agreed readingSo do you see any remnant of them? The commentaries take the question as its own answer: nothing of them remains.
وَجَآءَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَن قَبْلَهُۥ وَٱلْمُؤْتَفِكَٰتُ بِٱلْخَاطِئَةِ
PickthallAnd Pharaoh and those before him, and the communities that were destroyed, brought error,
Yusuf AliAnd Pharaoh, and those before him, and the Cities Overthrown, committed habitual Sin.
The agreed readingAnd Pharaoh, and those before him, and the overturned towns — the commentaries agree the overturned towns are the settlements of Lot's people — all came bearing the same sin.
فَعَصَوْا۟ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَخَذَهُمْ أَخْذَةً رَّابِيَةً
PickthallAnd they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, therefor did He grip them with a tightening grip.
Yusuf AliAnd disobeyed (each) the messenger of their Lord; so He punished them with an abundant Penalty.
The agreed readingThey disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, so He seized them with a grip that grew ever tighter — a punishment mounting in severity as their deeds had mounted.
إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا ٱلْمَآءُ حَمَلْنَٰكُمْ فِى ٱلْجَارِيَةِ
PickthallLo! when the waters rose, We carried you upon the ship
Yusuf AliWe, when the water (of Noah's Flood) overflowed beyond its limits, carried you (mankind), in the floating (Ark),
The agreed readingWhen the water burst its bounds, We carried you in the sailing ship. The commentaries read "you" as their forefathers, carried in Noah's ark while the rest were drowned.
لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٌ وَٰعِيَةٌ
PickthallThat We might make it a memorial for you, and that remembering ears (that heard the story) might remember.
Yusuf AliThat We might make it a Message unto you, and that ears (that should hear the tale and) retain its memory should bear its (lessons) in remembrance.
The agreed readingso that We might make it a reminder for you, and that a retaining ear might retain it. The commentaries agree the ear meant is one that holds fast what it hears rather than letting it pass.
فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ نَفْخَةٌ وَٰحِدَةٌ
PickthallAnd when the trumpet shall sound one blast
Yusuf AliThen, when one blast is sounded on the Trumpet,
The agreed readingThen when the trumpet is blown a single blast — the commentaries agree one blast is enough, and that this is the blowing at which the present order ends.
وَحُمِلَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَٱلْجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةً وَٰحِدَةً
PickthallAnd the earth with the mountains shall be lifted up and crushed with one crash,
Yusuf AliAnd the earth is moved, and its mountains, and they are crushed to powder at one stroke,-
The agreed readingand the earth and the mountains are lifted and crushed with a single crushing, one blow that levels them together.
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ وَقَعَتِ ٱلْوَاقِعَةُ
PickthallThen, on that day will the Event befall.
Yusuf AliOn that Day shall the (Great) Event come to pass.
The agreed readingthen, on that Day, the Event falls — the Resurrection stands, under the third of the names this sūrah gives it.
وَٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَهِىَ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاهِيَةٌ
PickthallAnd the heaven will split asunder, for that day it will be frail.
Yusuf AliAnd the sky will be rent asunder, for it will that Day be flimsy,
The agreed readingAnd the heaven splits apart, for on that Day it is frail — the commentaries gloss the word as weakened and slack, its firmness gone.
وَٱلْمَلَكُ عَلَىٰٓ أَرْجَآئِهَا وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمَٰنِيَةٌ
PickthallAnd the angels will be on the sides thereof, and eight will uphold the Throne of thy Lord that day, above them.
Yusuf AliAnd the angels will be on its sides, and eight will, that Day, bear the Throne of thy Lord above them.
The agreed readingAnd the angels are on its edges, and eight bear the Throne of your Lord above them that Day. The commentaries agree the number is given as eight for that Day, whether of angels or of ranks of them.
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُعْرَضُونَ لَا تَخْفَىٰ مِنكُمْ خَافِيَةٌ
PickthallOn that day ye will be exposed; not a secret of you will be hidden.
Yusuf AliThat Day shall ye be brought to Judgment: not an act of yours that ye hide will be hidden.
The agreed readingOn that Day you are laid open; no secret of yours stays hidden. The commentaries agree the exposure is total — nothing concealed in this life remains concealed there.
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ ٱقْرَءُوا۟ كِتَٰبِيَهْ
PickthallThen, as for him who is given his record in his right hand, he will say: Take, read my book!
Yusuf AliThen he that will be given his Record in his right hand will say: "Ah here! Read ye my Record!
The agreed readingThen as for the one given his record in his right hand, he says: here, read my record! The commentaries agree the call is made out of joy, to whoever is near, because he already knows what it holds.
إِنِّى ظَنَنتُ أَنِّى مُلَٰقٍ حِسَابِيَهْ
PickthallSurely I knew that I should have to meet my reckoning.
Yusuf Ali"I did really understand that my Account would (One Day) reach me!"
The agreed readingI was certain that I would meet my reckoning. The commentaries gloss the verb here as certainty rather than supposition — he lived expecting this account, and worked for it.
فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ
PickthallThen he will be in blissful state
Yusuf AliAnd he will be in a life of Bliss,
The agreed readingSo he is in a life well pleased — the commentaries read the word as describing a life he is pleased with and that is approved for him, the two senses together.
فِى جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ
PickthallIn a high garden
Yusuf AliIn a Garden on high,
The agreed readingin a garden set high — high in place and high in rank, the commentaries taking the word for both at once.
قُطُوفُهَا دَانِيَةٌ
PickthallWhereof the clusters are in easy reach.
Yusuf AliThe Fruits whereof (will hang in bunches) low and near.
The agreed readingits clusters hanging low. The commentaries agree the fruit is within reach of a man standing, sitting or lying down.
كُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ هَنِيٓـًٔۢا بِمَآ أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَيَّامِ ٱلْخَالِيَةِ
Pickthall(And it will be said unto those therein): Eat and drink at ease for that which ye sent on before you in past days.
Yusuf Ali"Eat ye and drink ye, with full satisfaction; because of the (good) that ye sent before you, in the days that are gone!"
The agreed readingEat and drink with relish, for what you sent ahead in the days now past — the commentaries agree the days meant are the days of this life, and what was sent ahead the deeds done in them.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِشِمَالِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى لَمْ أُوتَ كِتَٰبِيَهْ
PickthallBut as for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say: Oh, would that I had not been given my book
Yusuf AliAnd he that will be given his Record in his left hand, will say: "Ah! Would that my Record had not been given to me!
The agreed readingBut as for the one given his record in his left hand, he says: would that I had never been given my record,
وَلَمْ أَدْرِ مَا حِسَابِيَهْ
PickthallAnd knew not what my reckoning!
Yusuf Ali"And that I had never realised how my account (stood)!
The agreed readingand had never known what my account was. The commentaries agree he says it on seeing the outcome, when the wish is already useless.
يَٰلَيْتَهَا كَانَتِ ٱلْقَاضِيَةَ
PickthallOh, would that it had been death!
Yusuf Ali"Ah! Would that (Death) had made an end of me!
The agreed readingWould that it had been the end — the commentaries read it as a wish that the death he died had finished him, with no raising after it.
مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنِّى مَالِيَهْ
PickthallMy wealth hath not availed me,
Yusuf Ali"Of no profit to me has been my wealth!
The agreed readingMy wealth has not availed me — the commentaries gloss it as everything he had gathered, property and followers alike, none of it any use to him now.
هَلَكَ عَنِّى سُلْطَٰنِيَهْ
PickthallMy power hath gone from me.
Yusuf Ali"My power has perished from me!"...
The agreed readingmy power has left me. The commentaries gloss it as the standing and the argument he had among people, both of which are gone.
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ
Pickthall(It will be said): Take him and fetter him
Yusuf Ali(The stern command will say): "Seize ye him, and bind ye him,
The agreed readingSeize him and shackle him — the commentaries agree the order is given to the keepers of the Fire, and the shackling is the hands bound to the neck.
ثُمَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ
PickthallAnd then expose him to hell-fire
Yusuf Ali"And burn ye him in the Blazing Fire.
The agreed readingthen let the Fierce Fire be where he burns — the commentaries mark the word as naming the fire at its most intense, not fire of any lesser kind.
ثُمَّ فِى سِلْسِلَةٍ ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًا فَٱسْلُكُوهُ
PickthallAnd then insert him in a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits.
Yusuf Ali"Further, make him march in a chain, whereof the length is seventy cubits!
The agreed readingThen in a chain of seventy cubits' length insert him. The commentaries take the measure as given to convey its enormity rather than to be calculated.
إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
PickthallLo! He used not to believe in Allah the Tremendous,
Yusuf Ali"This was he that would not believe in Allah Most High.
The agreed readingHe would not believe in God the Tremendous — the commentaries take it as the reason for everything ordered before it: he refused God in the life where belief was still asked of him.
وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
PickthallAnd urged not on the feeding of the wretched.
Yusuf Ali"And would not encourage the feeding of the indigent!
The agreed readingnor did he urge the feeding of the needy. The commentaries put the two together as the whole indictment: what he owed God and what he owed people, both refused.
فَلَيْسَ لَهُ ٱلْيَوْمَ هَٰهُنَا حَمِيمٌ
PickthallTherefor hath he no lover here this day,
Yusuf Ali"So no friend hath he here this Day.
The agreed readingSo he has no loyal friend here today — no one close enough to defend him, and no one able to.
وَلَا طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِنْ غِسْلِينٍ
PickthallNor any food save filth
Yusuf Ali"Nor hath he any food except the corruption from the washing of wounds,
The agreed readingnor any food but the washings of the people of the Fire, the foul discharge that runs from them.
لَّا يَأْكُلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلْخَٰطِـُٔونَ
PickthallWhich none but sinners eat.
Yusuf Ali"Which none do eat but those in sin."
The agreed readingwhich none but the offenders eat. The commentaries gloss the offenders here as those who refused, whose food this is.
فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِمَا تُبْصِرُونَ
PickthallBut nay! I swear by all that ye see
Yusuf AliSo I do call to witness what ye see,
The agreed readingSo I swear by what you see — the commentaries take the oath as sworn on all created things that fall within sight.
وَمَا لَا تُبْصِرُونَ
PickthallAnd all that ye see not
Yusuf AliAnd what ye see not,
The agreed readingand what you do not see — the commentaries take the two together as an oath by the whole of creation, the seen and the hidden alike.
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ
PickthallThat it is indeed the speech of an illustrious messenger.
Yusuf AliThat this is verily the word of an honoured messenger;
The agreed readingthat this is the speech of a noble messenger, delivering it from God — the commentaries agree the point is that the words are conveyed, not composed by the one conveying them.
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَاعِرٍ قَلِيلًا مَّا تُؤْمِنُونَ
PickthallIt is not poet's speech - little is it that ye believe!
Yusuf AliIt is not the word of a poet: little it is ye believe!
The agreed readingIt is not the speech of a poet — little do you believe. The commentaries note that what little they accepted of what he brought did them no good, since they refused the whole.
وَلَا بِقَوْلِ كَاهِنٍ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ
PickthallNor diviner's speech - little is it that ye remember!
Yusuf AliNor is it the word of a soothsayer: little admonition it is ye receive.
The agreed readingnor the speech of a soothsayer — little do you take heed. The commentaries agree the two charges are answered together, because both amount to saying he made it up.
تَنزِيلٌ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
PickthallIt is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.
Yusuf Ali(This is) a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds.
The agreed readingIt is a sending-down from the Lord of the Worlds. The commentaries make this the answer the two denials were leading to: neither poet nor soothsayer, but revelation.
وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلْأَقَاوِيلِ
PickthallAnd if he had invented false sayings concerning Us,
Yusuf AliAnd if the messenger were to invent any sayings in Our name,
The agreed readingAnd had he ascribed to Us any sayings of his own, putting in Our mouth what We had not said,
لَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِٱلْيَمِينِ
PickthallWe assuredly had taken him by the right hand
Yusuf AliWe should certainly seize him by his right hand,
The agreed readingWe would have seized him by the right hand — the commentaries gloss it as seizing with power, the grip of one from whom nothing is withheld.
ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ ٱلْوَتِينَ
PickthallAnd then severed his life-artery,
Yusuf AliAnd We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart:
The agreed readingand then cut his life-vein — the commentaries gloss it as the cord attached to the heart, which severed brings death at once.
فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حَٰجِزِينَ
PickthallAnd not one of you could have held Us off from him.
Yusuf AliNor could any of you withhold him (from Our wrath).
The agreed readingand not one of you could have shielded him from Us. The commentaries read the three verses as one argument: the very fact that he was not seized is the proof he did not invent it.
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَتَذْكِرَةٌ لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
PickthallAnd lo! it is a warrant unto those who ward off (evil).
Yusuf AliBut verily this is a Message for the Allah-fearing.
The agreed readingAnd it is a reminder for those who guard themselves — the commentaries gloss it as a warning that takes hold in whoever guards himself against God's punishment by obeying Him.
وَإِنَّا لَنَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مِنكُم مُّكَذِّبِينَ
PickthallAnd lo! We know that some among you will deny (it).
Yusuf AliAnd We certainly know that there are amongst you those that reject (it).
The agreed readingAnd We know that among you are those who deny — the commentaries note the implication that among them are also those who believe.
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَسْرَةٌ عَلَى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
PickthallAnd lo! it is indeed an anguish for the disbelievers.
Yusuf AliBut truly (Revelation) is a cause of sorrow for the Unbelievers.
The agreed readingAnd it is a cause of anguish for those who refuse — the regret that comes when the outcome of believing and of denying are both finally seen.
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَقُّ ٱلْيَقِينِ
PickthallAnd lo! it is absolute truth.
Yusuf AliBut verily it is Truth of assured certainty.
The agreed readingAnd it is the certain truth — the commentaries note that truth and certainty are here joined into one expression, each confirming the other rather than adding to it.
فَسَبِّحْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
PickthallSo glorify the name of thy Tremendous Lord.
Yusuf AliSo glorify the name of thy Lord Most High.
The agreed readingSo glorify the name of your Lord, the Tremendous. The commentaries close the sūrah with the command that answers everything argued in it: declare Him far above what they said.