54.The Moon

  1. The Hour draws near; the moon is split in two
  2. Whenever the disbelievers see a sign, they turn away and say, ‘Same old sorcery!’
  3. They reject the truth and follow their own desires––everything is recorded––
  4. although warning tales that should have restrained them have come down to them––
  5. farreaching wisdom––but these warnings do not help
  6. so [Prophet] turn away from them. On the Day the Summoner will summon them to a horrific event
  7. eyes downcast, they will come out of their graves like swarming locusts
  8. rushing towards the Summoner. The disbelievers will cry, ‘This is a stern day!’
  9. The people of Noah rejected the truth before them: they rejected Our servant, saying, ‘He is mad!’ Noah was rebuked
  10. and so he called upon his Lord, ‘I am defeated: help me!’
  11. So We opened the gates of the sky with torrential water
  12. burst the earth with gushing springs: the waters met for a preordained purpose
  13. We carried him along on a vessel of planks and nails
  14. that floated under Our watchful eye, a reward for the one who had been rejected
  15. We have left this as a sign: will anyone take heed
  16. How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings
  17. We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed
  18. The people of 'Ad also rejected the truth. How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings
  19. We released a howling wind against them on a day of terrible disaster
  20. it swept people away like uprooted palm trunks
  21. How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings
  22. We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed
  23. The people of Thamud also rejected the warnings
  24. they said, ‘What? A man? Why should we follow a lone man from amongst ourselves? That would be misguided; quite insane
  25. Would a mes-sage be given to him alone out of all of us? No, he is an insolent liar!’
  26. ‘Tomorrow they will know who is the insolent liar
  27. for We shall send them a she-camel to test them: so watch them [Salih] and be patient
  28. Tell them the water is to be shared between them: each one should drink in turn.’
  29. But they called their companion, who took a sword and hamstrung the camel
  30. How [terrible] was My punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings
  31. We released a single mighty blast against them and they ended up like a fencemaker’s dry sticks
  32. We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed
  33. The people of Lot rejected the warnings
  34. We released a stonebearing wind against them, all except the family of Lot. We saved them before dawn
  35. as a favour from Us: this is how We reward the thankful
  36. He warned them of Our onslaught, but they dismissed the warning
  37. they even demanded his guests from him- so We sealed their eyes- ‘ Taste My [terrible] punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!’
  38. and early in the morning a punishment seized them that still remains
  39. ‘Taste My [terrible] punishment and [the fulfilment of] My warnings!’
  40. We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed
  41. The people of Pharaoh also received warnings
  42. They rejected all Our signs so We seized them with all Our might and power
  43. ‘Are your disbelievers any better than these? Were you given an exemption in the Scripture?’
  44. Do they perhaps say, ‘We are a great army and we shall be victorious’
  45. Their forces will be routed and they will turn tail and flee
  46. But the Hour is their appointed time- the Hour is more severe and bitter
  47. truly the wicked are misguided and quite insane––
  48. on the Day when they are dragged on their faces in Hell. ‘Feel the touch of Hell.’
  49. We have created all things in due measure
  50. when We ordain something it happens at once, in the blink of an eye
  51. We have destroyed the likes of you in the past. Will anyone take heed
  52. Everything they do is noted in their records
  53. every action, great or small, is recorded
  54. The righteous will live securely among Gardens and rivers
  55. secure in the presence of an all-powerful Sovereign