A Meccan sura that confirms the divine source of the Prophet’s message and refers to his ascension to heaven during the Night Journey (verses 1–18). The sura refutes the claims of the disbelievers about the goddesses and the angels (verses 19–28), and the third paragraph lists several truths about God’s power. The sura closes with a warning of the imminent Day of Judgement.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1By the star when it sets!a 2Your companionb has not strayed; he is not deluded; 3he does not speak from his own desire. 4The Qur’an is nothing less than a revelation that is sent to him. 5It was taught to him by [an angel]c with mighty powers 6and great strength, who stood 7on the highest horizon 8and then approached—coming down 9until he was two bow-lengths away or even closer— 10and revealed to God’s servant what He revealed. 11[The Prophet’s] own heart did not distort what he saw. 12Are you going to dispute with him what he saw with his own eyes? 13A second time he saw him: 14by the lote tree beyond which none may passd 15near the Garden of Restfulness, 16when the tree was covered in nameless [splendour].e 17His sight never wavered, nor was it too bold, 18and he saw some of the greatest signs of his Lord.
19[Disbelievers], consider al-Lat and al-‘Uzza, 20and the third one, Manatf— 21are you to have the male and He the female? 22That would be a most unjust distribution!g— 23these are nothing but names you have invented yourselves, you and your forefathers. God has sent no authority for them. These people merely follow guesswork and the whims of their souls, even though guidance has come to them from their Lord. 24Is man to have everything he wishes for,a 25when the present life and the life to come belong only to God? 26There are many angels in heaven whose intercession will be of no use until God gives permission to those He will, whose words He will accept. 27Those who deny the life to come give the angels female names. 28They have no knowledge to base this on: they merely follow guesswork. Guesswork is of no value against the Truth. 29So [Prophet] ignore those who turn away from Our revelation, who want only the life of this world. 30Their knowledge does not go beyond that. Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who follows guidance. 31Everything in the heavens and earth belongs to God. He will repay those who do evil according to their deeds, and reward, with what is best, those who do good. 32As for those who avoid grave sins and foul acts, though they may commit small sins, your Lord is ample in forgiveness. He has been aware of you from the time He produced you from the earth and from your hiding places in your mothers’ wombs, so do not assert your own goodness:b He knows best who is mindful of Him.
33[Prophet], consider that man who turned away: 34he only gave a little and then he stopped. 35Does he have knowledge of the Unseen? Can he see [the Hereafter]? 36Has he not been told what was written in the Scriptures of Moses 37and of Abraham, who fulfilled his duty: 38that no soul shall bear the burden of another; 39that man will only have what he has worked towards; 40that his labour will be seen 41and that in the end he will be repaid in full for it; 42that the final goal is your Lord; 43that it is He who makes people laugh and weep; 44that it is He who gives death and life; 45that He Himself created the two sexes, male and female, 46from an ejected drop of sperm; 47that He will undertake the second Creation; 48that it is He who gives wealth and possessions; 49that He is the Lord of Sirius;c 50that it was He who destroyed, in their entirety, ancient ‘Ad 51and Thamud, 52and before them the people of Noah who were even more unjust and insolent; 53that it was He who brought down the ruined cities 54and enveloped them in the punishment He ordained for them? 55Which then of your Lord’s blessings do youd deny?
56This is a warning just like the warnings sent in former times. 57The imminent Hour draws near 58and only God can disclose it. 59Do you [people] marvel at this? 60Why do you laugh instead of weeping? 61Why do you pay no heed? 62Bow down before God and worship.