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Surah 70. Al-Ma'arij

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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismi All a hi a l rra h m a ni a l rra h eem i
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE:1
  - Mohammad Asad

According to most of the authorities, this invocation (which occurs at the beginning of every surah with the exception of surah 9) constitutes an integral part of "The Opening" and is, therefore, numbered as verse {1}. In all other instances, the invocation "in the name of God" precedes the surah as such, and is not counted among its verses. - Both the divine epithets rahman and rahim are derived from the noun rahmah, which signifies "mercy", "compassion", "loving tenderness" and, more comprehensively, "grace". From the very earliest times, Islamic scholars have endeavoured to define the exact shades of meaning which differentiate the two terms. The best and simplest of these explanations is undoubtedly the one advanced by Ibn al-Qayyim (as quoted in Manar I,48): the term rahman circumscribes the quality of abounding grace inherent in, and inseparable from, the concept of God's Being, whereas rahim expresses the manifestation of that grace in, and its effect upon, His creation - in other words, an aspect of His activity.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
In the Name of Allah- the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
  - Mustafa Khattab
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful. 19
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Arabic words "Rahman" and "Rahim" translated "Most Gracious" and "Most Merciful" are both intensive forms referring to different aspects of God's attribute of Mercy. The Arabic intensive is more suited to express God's attributes than the superlative degree in English. The latter implies a comparison with other beings, or with other times or places, while there is no being like unto God, and He is independent of Time and Place. Mercy may imply pity, long-suffering, patience, and forgiveness, all of which the sinner needs and God Most Merciful bestows in abundant measure. But there is a Mercy that goes before even the need arises, the Grace which is ever watchful, and flows from God Most Gracious to all His creatures, protecting the, preserving them, guiding them, and leading them to clearer light and higher life. For this reason the attribute Rahman (Most Gracious) is not applied to any but God, but the attribute Rahim (Merciful), is a general term, and may also be applied to Men. To make us contemplate these boundless gifts of God, the formula: "In the name of God Most Gracious, Most Merciful": is placed before every Sura of the Qur-an (except the ninth), and repeated at the beginning of every act by the Muslim who dedicates his life to God, and whose hope is in His Mercy.

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70:1
سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ Saala s a ilun biAAa tha bin w a qiAA in
ONE who is minded to ask might ask1 about the suffering which [in the hereafter] is bound to befall
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "An inquirer inquired" or "might inquire".

A questioner asked you about the punishment which is bound to happen.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
A challenger1 has demanded a punishment bound to come
  - Mustafa Khattab

 According to 8:32, An-Naḍr ibn Al-Ḥârith challenged Allah, saying, “If this is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones upon us from the sky or overcome us with a painful punishment.”

A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall 5675
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Any one might ask. When will Judgment come? That question usually implies doubt. The answer is: the knowledge of Time is beyond man's comprehension. But there is something which touches him closely and concerns his conduct and his future welfare; and that is explained in four propositions. (1) Judgment is sure to come, and none can ward it off; (2) it will exact a dreadful Penalty from Unbelievers, but the righteous have nothing to fear; (3) it will be a Penalty from Allah, the Lord of both Justice and Mercy; it will not be merely a blind calamity of fate; and (4) further we are reminded of another title of Allah, "Lord of the Ways of Ascent"; which means that though He sits high on Ms Throne of Glory, He is not inaccessible, but in His infinite Mercy has provided ways of ascent to Him; see next note.

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70:2
لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌ Lilk a fireena laysa lahu d a fiAA un
those who deny the truth.2 [Know, then, that] nothing can ward it off,
  - Mohammad Asad

In view of the fact that many of "those who deny the truth" - and, by implication, do evil in consequence of that deliberate denial - prosper in this world, a doubter might well ask whether or when this state of affairs will really be reversed and the values adjusted in accord with divine justice. An answer to the "whether" is given in the second paragraph of verse {2}; and to the "when", elliptically, at the end of verse {4}.

It is for the disbelievers and there is none to avert it.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
for the disbelievers- to be averted by none-
  - Mustafa Khattab
Upon the disbelievers, which none can repel,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The Unbelievers the which there is none to ward off
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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70:3
مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ Mina All a hi th ee almaAA a rij i
[since it will come] from God, unto whom there are many ways of ascent:3
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "He of the [many] ascents": a metonymical phrase implying that there are many ways by which man can "ascend" to a comprehension of God's existence, and thus to spiritual "nearness" to Him - and that, therefore, it is up to each human being to avail himself of any of the ways leading towards Him (cf. 76:3 ).

It will come from Allah, the Owner of the Ways of Ascent.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
from Allah, Lord of pathways of 'heavenly' ascent,
  - Mustafa Khattab
From Allah, Lord of the Ascending Stairways
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(A Penalty) from Allah Lord of the Ways of Ascent. 5676
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Ma'arij: stair-ways, ways of ascent. In xliii. 33, the word is used in its literal sense: "silver stair-ways on which to go up". Here there is a profound spiritual meaning. Can we reach up to Allah Most High? In His infinite grace He gives that privilege to angels. But the way is not easy, nor can it be travelled in a day. See the next two notes.

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70:4
تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ TaAAruju almal a ikatu wa al rroo h u ilayhi fee yawmin k a na miqd a ruhu khamseena alfa sana tin
all the angels and all the inspiration [ever granted to man] ascend unto Him4 [daily,] in a day the length whereof is [like] fifty thousand years....5
  - Mohammad Asad

For my rendering of ruh as "inspiration", see surah {16}, note [2]. The "ascent" of the angels and of all inspiration may be understood in the same sense as the frequently-occurring phrase "all things go back to God [as their source]" (Razi).

The very concept of "time" is meaningless in relation to God, who is timeless and infinite: cf. note [63] on the last sentence of 22:47 - "in thy Sustainer's sight a day is like a thousand years of your reckoning": in other words, a day, or an aeon, or a thousand years, or fifty thousand years are alike to Him, having an apparent reality only within the created world and none with the Creator. And since in the hereafter time will cease to have a meaning for man as well, it is irrelevant to ask as to "when" the evildoers will be chastised and the righteous given their due.

The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a Day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'through which' the angels and the 'holy' spirit1 will ascend to Him on a Day fifty thousand years in length.2
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The holy spirit is the angel Gabriel.

 Judgment Day will seem like 50 000 years for a disbeliever, but it will seem like a very short period for a believer. The Prophet (ﷺ) is reported in a ḥadîth collected by Imâm Aḥmed to have said that, for the believer, this long period will be like the time they took to perform a single prayer in the world.

(Whereby) the angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years: 5677 5678
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Ruh: "The Spirit". Cf. lxxviii. 38, "the Spirit and the angels"; and xcvii. 4, "the angels and the Spirit". In xvi. 2, we have translated Ruh by "inspiration". Some Commentators understand the angel Gabriel by "the Spirit". But I think a more general meaning is possible, and fits the context better.

Cf. xxxii. 4-5, and notes 3632 and 3634

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70:5
فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا Fa i s bir s abran jameel a n
Therefore, [O believer,] endure all adversity with goodly patience:
  - Mohammad Asad
Therefore, endure with graceful patience.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So endure 'this denial, O Prophet,' with beautiful patience.
  - Mustafa Khattab
But be patient (O Muhammad) with a patience fair to see.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Therefore do thou hold Patience a Patience of beautiful (contentment). 5679
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The prophet of Allah, persecuted and in trouble with the world, should yet hold Patience-not the sort of patience which goes with complaints expressed or suppressed, but the sort of patience that is content with the ordering of Allah's world, for he believes and knows it to be good, as did the holy Prophet Muhammad. Such a patience is akin to Good pleasure, for it arises from the purest faith and trust in Allah.

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70:6
إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًا Innahum yarawnahu baAAeed a n
behold, men6 look upon that [reckoning] as something far away -
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "they".

They see it (Day of Judgement) to be far-off:
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They truly see this 'Day' as impossible,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Lo! they behold it afar off
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They see the (Day) indeed as a far-off (event):
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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70:7
وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًا Wanar a hu qareeb a n
but We see it as near!
  - Mohammad Asad
but We see it quite near.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
but We see it as inevitable.
  - Mustafa Khattab
While We behold it nigh:
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But We see it (quite) near. 5680
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The men of evil may see the just retribution for their sins so far off that they doubt whether it would ever come. But in Allah's sight, and on the scale of the Universal Plan, it is quite near; for time as we know it hardly exists in the next world. It may come in this life; but it is bound to come eventually.

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70:8
يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ Yawma takoonu a l ssam a o ka a lmuhl i
[It will take place] on a Day when the sky will be like molten lead,
  - Mohammad Asad
On that Day, the sky shall become like molten brass
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
On that Day the sky will be like molten brass
  - Mustafa Khattab
The day when the sky will become as molten copper,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The Day that the sky will be like molten brass 5681
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xviii. 29 (where the wrong-doer will have a drink like melted brass in Hell); and xliv. 45, (where his food will be like molten brass). Here the appearance of the sky is compared to molten brass, or, as some understand it, like the dregs of oil. What is conveyed by the metaphor is that the beautiful blue sky will melt away.

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70:9
وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ Watakoonu aljib a lu ka a lAAihn i
and the mountains will be like tufts of wool,
  - Mohammad Asad
and the mountains like tufts of wool;
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
and the mountains like 'tufts of' wool.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And the hills become as flakes of wool,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And the mountains will be like wool 5682
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. ci. 5. where the metaphor of carded wool is used. The mountains which seem so solid will be like flakes of wool driven by the carder's hand.

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70:10
وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا Wal a yasalu h ameemun h ameem a n
and [when] no friend will ask about his friend,
  - Mohammad Asad
even a close friend will not ask of his friend,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And no close friend will ask 'about' their friends,
  - Mustafa Khattab
And no familiar friend will ask a question of his friend
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And no friend will ask after a friend 5683
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The world as we know it win have so completely passed away that the landmarks in the heavens and on earth will also have vanished. Not only that, but the human relationships of mind and heart will have been transformed by sin into something ugly and dreadful. The sinners will be so overcome with terror at the realisation of their personal responsibility that they will desert their most intimate friends, and indeed their very sight of each other will add to their agony.

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