وَٱلصَّـٰٓفَّـٰتِصَفًّۭا١

By those [angels] lined up in rows

And those who drive [the clouds]

And those who recite the message,¹

Indeed, your God is One,

Lord of the heavens and the earth and that between them and Lord of the sunrises.¹

Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars

And as protection against every rebellious devil

[So] they may not listen to the exalted assembly [of angels] and are pelted from every side,¹

Repelled; and for them is a constant punishment,

Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].

Then inquire of them, [O Muḥammad], "Are they a stronger [or more difficult] creation or those [others] We have created?" Indeed, We created them [i.e., men] from sticky clay.

But you wonder, while they mock,

And when they are reminded, they remember not.

And when they see a sign, they ridicule.

And say, "This is not but obvious magic.

When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?

And our forefathers [as well]?"

Say, "Yes, and you will be [rendered] contemptible."

It will be only one shout, and at once they will be observing.

They will say, "O woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense."

[They will be told], "This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny."

[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds,¹ and what they used to worship

Other than Allāh, and guide them to the path of Hellfire

And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned."

[They will be asked], "What is [wrong] with you? Why do you not help each other?"

But they, that Day, are in surrender.

And they will approach one another asking [i.e., blaming] each other.

They will say, "Indeed, you used to come at us from the right."¹

They [i.e., the oppressors] will say, "Rather, you [yourselves] were not believers,

And we had over you no authority, but you were a transgressing people.

So the word [i.e., decree] of our Lord has come into effect upon us; indeed, we will taste [punishment].

And we led you to deviation; indeed, we were deviators."

So indeed they, that Day, will be sharing in the punishment.

Indeed, that is how We deal with the criminals.

Indeed they, when it was said to them, "There is no deity but Allāh," were arrogant

And were saying, "Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?"

Rather, he [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] has come with the truth and confirmed the [previous] messengers.

Indeed, you [disbelievers] will be tasters of the painful punishment,

And you will not be recompensed except for what you used to do -

But not the chosen servants of Allāh.

Those will have a provision determined -

Fruits;¹ and they will be honored

In gardens of pleasure

On thrones facing one another.

There will be circulated among them a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring,

White and delicious to the drinkers;

No bad effect is there in it, nor from it will they be intoxicated.

And with them will be women limiting [their] glances,¹ with large, [beautiful] eyes,

As if they were [delicate] eggs, well-protected.

And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.