1. Sa ala saaa'ilum bi'azaa binw-waaqi'
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍۢ وَاقِعٍۢ
A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen
The Ascending Stairways
1. Sa ala saaa'ilum bi'azaa binw-waaqi'
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍۢ وَاقِعٍۢ
A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen
2. Lilkaafireen laisa lahoo daafi'
لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌۭ
To the disbelievers; of it there is no preventer.
3. Minal laahi zil ma'aarij
مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ
[It is] from Allah, owner of the ways of ascent.
4. Ta'rujul malaaa'ikatu war Roohu ilaihi fee yawmin kaana miqdaaruhoo khamseena alfa sanah
تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍۢ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍۢ
The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.
5. Fasbir ssabran jameelaa
فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًۭا جَمِيلًا
So be patient with gracious patience.
6. Inaahum yarawnahoo ba'eedaa
إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًۭا
Indeed, they see it [as] distant,
7. Wa naraahu qareebaa
وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًۭا
But We see it [as] near.
8. Yawma takoonus samaaa'u kalmuhl
يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ
On the Day the sky will be like murky oil,
9. Wa takoonul jibaalu kal'ihn
وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ
And the mountains will be like wool,
10. Wa laa yas'alu hameemun hameemaa
وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًۭا
And no friend will ask [anything of] a friend,
One of the many practices taught by Islam is that its followers should begin their activities in the name of God.
The character of this surah is that of a prayer. The prayer begins with praise of the One to whom our prayer is addressed.