Surah “The Reality, The Inevitable”

as rendered by Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938) — 52 verses

The Sure Reality
What is the Sure Reality
And what will make thee realise what the Sure Reality is
The Thamud and the 'Ad People (branded) as false the Stunning Calamity
But the Thamud,- they were destroyed by a terrible Storm of thunder and lightning
And the 'Ad, they were destroyed by a furious Wind, exceedingly violent
He 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
Then seest thou any of them left surviving
And Pharaoh, and those before him, and the Cities Overthrown, committed habitual Sin
And disobeyed (each) the apostle of their Lord; so He punished them with an abundant Penalty
We, when the water (of Noah's Flood) overflowed beyond its limits, carried you (mankind), in the floating (Ark)
That 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
Then, when one blast is sounded on the Trumpet
And the earth is moved, and its mountains, and they are crushed to powder at one stroke,
On that Day shall the (Great) Event come to pass
And the sky will be rent asunder, for it will that Day be flimsy
And the angels will be on its sides, and eight will, that Day, bear the Throne of thy Lord above them
That Day shall ye be brought to Judgment: not an act of yours that ye hide will be hidden
Then he that will be given his Record in his right hand will say: "Ah here! Read ye my Record
"I did really understand that my Account would (One Day) reach me!"
And he will be in a life of Bliss
In a Garden on high
The Fruits whereof (will hang in bunches) low and near
"Eat ye and drink ye, with full satisfaction; because of the (good) that ye sent before you, in the days that are gone!"
And he that will be given his Record in his left hand, will say: "Ah! Would that my Record had not been given to me
"And that I had never realised how my account (stood)
"Ah! Would that (Death) had made an end of me
"Of no profit to me has been my wealth
"My power has perished from me!"..
(The stern command will say): "Seize ye him, and bind ye him
"And burn ye him in the Blazing Fire
"Further, make him march in a chain, whereof the length is seventy cubits
"This was he that would not believe in God Most High
"And would not encourage the feeding of the indigent
"So no friend hath he here this Day
"Nor hath he any food except the corruption from the washing of wounds
"Which none do eat but those in sin."
So I do call to witness what ye see
And what ye see not
That this is verily the word of an honoured apostle
It is not the word of a poet: little it is ye believe
Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little admonition it is ye receive
(This is) a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds
And if the apostle were to invent any sayings in Our name
We should certainly seize him by his right hand
And We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart
Nor could any of you withhold him (from Our wrath)
But verily this is a Message for the God-fearing
And We certainly know that there are amongst you those that reject (it)
But truly (Revelation) is a cause of sorrow for the Unbelievers
But verily it is Truth of assured certainty
So glorify the name of thy Lord Most High