Surah 51. Az-Zariyat

And the Judgment will certainly come to pass.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And verily Judgment and Justice must indeed come to pass. ⁴⁹⁹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Din=the giving to each person his precise and just due; this is implied in Judgment and Justice. All the inequalities of this Life are to be redressed.

'And' by the heavens in their marvellous design!¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Or “By the heavens with their marvellous orbits.”

By the Sky with (its) numerous Paths ⁴⁹⁹³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The study of the numerous regular orbits of the planets and irregularly regular orbits of comets, and the various motions, visible or invisible, of the fixed stars or revolving stars, form in themselves a network of knowledge or science, of a highly technical nature; the highest astronomy or mathematics can only barely reach its fringe. But these have all a fixed Plan and Purpose under Allah's Dispensation. In them variety leads to Unity. In contrast look at the confused medley of doctrines, views, and dicta put forward by the Sceptics, as described in the next verse.

Surely you are 'lost' in conflicting views 'regarding the truth'.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 50:5.

Truly ye are in a doctrine discordant ⁴⁹⁹⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Qaul=saying, word, theory, doctrine. Mukhtalif =differing, various, inconsistent with itself, discordant. No theory or doctrine based on a denial of a Hereafter can be consistent with spiritual facts as we know them, or with Allah's Goodness, Justice, and Mercy.

Only those 'destined to be' deluded are turned away from it.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Other possible translations: 1. “… by which the deluded are turned away.” 2. “Whoever is turned away from it is ˹truly˺ deluded.”

Through which are deluded (away from the Truth) such as would be deluded. ⁴⁹⁹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Some Commentators draw from this a rigid doctrine of Calvinistic Predestination or Determinism, which I do not think is fairly deducible from the words. "Ufika" should I think be translated "will be or would be deluded", meaning "have the wish or desire to be", and not "must necessarily be deluded by eternal predestination". The word occurs in many places in the Qur-an: e.g. Cf. v. 78, or ix. 30.

Condemned are the liars-

  - Mustafa Khattab

Woe to the falsehood-mongers

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

those who are 'steeped' in ignorance, totally heedless.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those who (flounder) heedless in a flood of confusion: ⁴⁹⁹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They are in great spiritual danger: yet they care not.

They ask 'mockingly', 'When is this Day of Judgment?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They ask "when will be the Day of Judgment and Justice?"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'It is' the Day they will be tormented over the Fire.

  - Mustafa Khattab

(It will be) a Day when they will be tried (and tested) over the Fire!

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'They will be told,' 'Taste your torment! This is what you sought to hasten.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Taste ye your trial! this is what ye used to ask to be hastened!" ⁴⁹⁹⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They used to say scoffingly, "if there is to be punishment for our sins, let it come at once!" When it comes, they will know what a terrible thing it is! Cf. xxvi. 204, n. 3230.

Indeed, the righteous will be amid Gardens and springs,

  - Mustafa Khattab

As to the Righteous they will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs ⁴⁹⁹⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Gardens and Springs are the two most frequent examples for the highest satisfaction and bliss.

'joyfully' receiving what their Lord will grant them. Before this 'reward' they were truly good-doers 'in the world':

  - Mustafa Khattab

Taking joy in the things which their Lord gives them because before then they lived a good life.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

they used to sleep only little in the night,

  - Mustafa Khattab

They were in the habit of sleeping but little by night ⁴⁹⁹⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They were engaged most of the night in worship and in the planning of good deeds. They preferred activity to idleness, the service of Allah and His creatures to the indulgence of Self.

and pray for forgiveness before dawn.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Optional prayers before dawn are recommended, and are more likely to be accepted.

And in the hours of early dawn They (were found) praying for Forgiveness; ⁵⁰⁰⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They were up early before dawn, ready for their devotions. The praying for Forgiveness and Mercy does not necessarily imply that they had committed fresh sins. Indeed they began the day with such devotions, showing their great humility before Allah and their anxious care for others, for whom they prayed as much as for themselves. See the last sentence of n. 21 to i. 5.

And in their wealth there was a rightful share 'fulfilled' for the beggar and the poor.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And in their wealth and possessions (was remembered) the right of the (needy) him who asked and him who (for some reason) was prevented (from asking). ⁵⁰⁰¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

True charity remembers not only those in need who ask, but also those who are prevented by some reason from asking. The man of true charity seeks out the latter. There may be various reasons which prevent a man from asking for help: (1) he may be ashamed to ask, or his sense of honour may prevent him from asking; (2) he may be so engrossed in some great ideal that he may not think of asking; (3) he may even not know that he is in need, (4) he may not know that you possess the things that can supply his needs; and (5) he may be a dumb and helpless creature, whether a human being or a dumb animal, or any creature within your ken or power. Charity in the higher sense includes all help, from one better endowed to one less well endowed. Cf. n. 179 to ii. 177; also ii. 273-274, and notes 322 and 323.

There are 'countless' signs on earth for those with sure faith,

  - Mustafa Khattab

On the earth are Signs for those of assured Faith

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali