Commentary · Quran
Surah 70: The Ascending StairwaysThe Ascending Stairways
If you don’t know me, my name is Rachel, and these are my scripture notes on the Quran. The ayat are presented sequentially in English and Arabic, followed by my commentary. Think of it as a living midrash: whenever I learn something new, I add a note. My notes draw from an eclectic range of ancient sources, both Jewish and Gentile. See my about page for more.
I’ve used Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall’s 1930 translation of the Quran’s meanings since it’s both public domain and very pretty.
Surah 70: The Ascending Stairways, The Laddersسُورَةُ المَعَارِجِ
1A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall 2Upon the disbelievers, which none can repel, 3From Allah, Lord of the Ascending Stairways 4(Whereby) the angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years. 5But be patient (O Muhammad) with a patience fair to see. 6Lo! they behold it afar off 7While we behold it nigh: 8The day when the sky will become as molten copper, 9And the hills become as flakes of wool, 10And no familiar friend will ask a question of his friend 11Though they will be given sight of them. The guilty man will long to be able to ransom himself from the punishment of that day at the price of his children 12And his spouse and his brother 13And his kin that harboured him 14And all that are in the earth, if then it might deliver him. 15But nay! for lo! it is the fire of hell 16Eager to roast; 17It calleth him who turned and fled (from truth), 18And hoarded (wealth) and withheld it. 19Lo! man was created anxious, 20Fretful when evil befalleth him 21And, when good befalleth him, grudging; 22Save worshippers. 23Who are constant at their worship 24And in whose wealth there is a right acknowledged 25For the beggar and the destitute; 26And those who believe in the Day of Judgment, 27And those who are fearful of their Lord's doom - 28Lo! the doom of their Lord is that before which none can feel secure - 29And those who preserve their chastity 30Save with their wives and those whom their right hands possess, for thus they are not blameworthy; 31But whoso seeketh more than that, those are they who are transgressors; 32And those who keep their pledges and their covenant, 33And those who stand by their testimony 34And those who are attentive at their worship. 35These will dwell in Gardens, honoured. 36What aileth those who disbelieve, that they keep staring toward thee (O Muhammad), open-eyed, 37On the right and on the left, in groups? 38Doth every man among them hope to enter the Garden of Delight? 39Nay, verily. Lo! We created them from what they know. 40But nay! I swear by the Lord of the rising-places and the setting-places of the planets that We verily are Able 41To replace them by (others) better than them. And we are not to be outrun. 42So let them chat and play until they meet their Day which they are promised, 43The day when they come forth from the graves in haste, as racing to a goal, 44With eyes aghast, abasement stupefying them: Such is the Day which they are promised.
1بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍۢ وَاقِعٍۢ 2لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌۭ 3مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ 4تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍۢ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍۢ 5فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًۭا جَمِيلًا 6إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًۭا 7وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًۭا 8يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ 9وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ 10وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًۭا 11يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ ۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۭ بِبَنِيهِ 12وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ 13وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُـْٔوِيهِ 14وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ 15كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ 16نَزَّاعَةًۭ لِّلشَّوَىٰ 17تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ 18وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰٓ 19۞ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا 20إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًۭا 21وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا 22إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ 23ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ 24وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ حَقٌّۭ مَّعْلُومٌۭ 25لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ 26وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ 27وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ 28إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍۢ 29وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَٰفِظُونَ 30إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ 31فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ 32وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ 33وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ 34وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ 35أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّٰتٍۢ مُّكْرَمُونَ 36فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ 37عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ 38أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍۢ 39كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ 40فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَٰدِرُونَ 41عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ 42فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ 43يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًۭا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍۢ يُوفِضُونَ 44خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ