Surah 84. Al-Inshiqaq

1.

When the sky bursts open,

2.

obeying its Lord as it must,

3.

and when the earth is flattened out,

4.

and ejects 'all' its contents¹ and becomes empty,

 i.e., treasures and dead bodies.

5.

obeying its Lord as it must, 'surely you will all be judged'.

6.

O humanity! Indeed, you are labouring restlessly towards your Lord, and will 'eventually' meet the consequences.

7.

As for those who are given their record in their right hand,

8.

they will have an easy reckoning,

9.

and will return to their people joyfully.

10.

And as for those who are given their record 'in their left hand' from behind their backs,

11.

they will cry for 'instant' destruction,

12.

and will burn in the blazing Fire.

13.

For they used to be prideful among their people,

14.

thinking they would never return 'to Allah'.

15.

Yes 'they would'! Surely their Lord has always been All-Seeing of them.

16.

So, I do swear by the twilight!

17.

And by the night and whatever it envelops!

18.

And by the moon when it waxes full!

19.

You will certainly pass from one state to another.¹

 You will pass from life to death and from death to resurrection, from well-being to sickness and from sickness to well-being, from poverty to richness and from richness to poverty, etc.

20.

So what is the matter with them that they do not believe,

21.

and when the Quran is recited to them, they do not bow down 'in submission'?¹

 lit., they do not prostrate.

22.

In fact, the disbelievers persist in denial.

23.

But Allah knows best whatever they hide.

24.

So give them good news of a painful punishment.

25.

But those who believe and do good will have a never-ending reward.