53:1  By the star when it goes down

53:2  Your Companion (the Messenger) has neither gone astray nor adopted a wrong way (in belief and action)

53:3  He does not speak on his own, out of his own desire

53:4  That (which he conveys to you) is but a Revelation that is revealed to him

53:5  One of forceful might (Gabriel) has taught it

53:6  One firm, with ability to penetrate and perfect in spirit, rose with all his splendo

53:7  When he was in the highest part of the horizon

53:8  Then, he drew near and came close

53:9  So he was (so near that there was left only the distance between) the strings of two bows (put adjacent to each other) or even nearer (than that)

53:10  And He revealed to His servant what He revealed

53:11  The heart did not contradict what he saw (with his eyes)

53:12  Will you then dispute with him concerning what he saw

53:13  Assuredly he saw him during a second descent

53:14  By the Lote-tree of the utmost boundary

53:15  Near it is the Garden of Refuge and Dwelling

53:16  Meanwhile that was covering the Lote-tree which was covering it

53:17  The sight (of the Messenger) did not swerve (so that he looked elsewhere and saw something different), nor did it go wrong (so that he might have seen an illusion)

53:18  Indeed, he saw one among the greatest signs of His Lord

53:19  (As compared to that) have you considered al-Lat and al-‘Uzza

53:20  And the other, the third (idol), al-Manat: (what things are these that you concoct)

53:21  What? For you the males and for Him the females

53:22  That is an unfair division indeed

53:23  They (your false deities) are nothing but made-up names that you and your forefathers have invented; God sent no authority for them. They follow only conjecture and that which they themselves lust after. But now there has certainly come to them guidance from their Lord (Who has created them, and sustains them)

53:24  Or will human attain whatever he craves

53:25  But (whatever human desires, be it to serve his higher good, or to serve his carnal appetites) to God belong the after(life) and the former (life)

53:26  How many an angel there is in the heavens (even supposing they would intercede for a human) whose intercession does not avail at all except after God has given permission to whomever He wills (to intercede on behalf of whomever He wills) and is pleased with

53:27  It is those who do not believe in the Hereafter who name the angels (whom they regard as God’s daughters) with feminine names

53:28  They have no knowledge of this. They follow nothing other than conjecture, and conjecture can never substitute for anything of the truth

53:29  So withdraw from those who turn away from Our Book and remembrance, and desire nothing but the life of this world

53:30  Such is their sum of knowledge (limited by desires of the moment, and the falsehoods they have inherited unthinkingly and become used to, limited to the outer surface of things). Surely your Lord knows best him who has gone astray, and He knows best him who goes right (following the Straight Path of his Lord)

53:31  To God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and (since He knows best him who has gone astray and him who follows the right path) He will recompense those who do evil with what they have done, and recompense those who do good with the best reward

53:32  Those who avoid the major sins and indecent, shameful deeds (which are in fact included in the major sins), only falling into small fault, – surely your Lord is of extensive forgiveness. He knows you well when He originates you from (the particles of) earth, and when you are hidden (fetuses) in the wombs of your mothers. So do not hold yourselves pure (sinless; it is vain self-justification). He knows best him who keeps from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety

53:33  Have you considered him who turns away (from your call)

53:34  He has given (the needy) a little, then he is stern (in not giving)

53:35  Does he have knowledge of the Unseen, and so he sees (what is to happen in the future)

53:36  Or has he not been informed of all (that is to follow and) was in the Scrolls of Moses

53:37  And of Abraham who discharged his due (fulfilling all his duties to perfection)

53:38  That no soul, as bearer of burden, is made to bear the burden of another

53:39  And that human has only that for which he labors

53:40  And his labor will be brought forth to be seen

53:41  And afterward he will be repaid for it with fullest payment

53:42  And in your Lord everything ends

53:43  And He it is Who (by His Will, Power, and creation) enables to laugh and to weep

53:44  And He it is Who causes to die and gives life

53:45  And He creates the pairs, the male and the female

53:46  From a drop of (seminal) fluid when it is emitted

53:47  And He has taken on Himself the other bringing forth

53:48  And He it is Who grants abundant wealth and suffices (all need by His providing)

53:49  And surely He it is Who is the Lord of Sirius

53:50  And He destroyed the former (tribe of ) ‘Ad

53:51  And the (tribe of) Thamud; He spared no (disbelieving criminal) among them

53:52  And the people of Noah before; surely they were further in wrongdoing and further in rebellion

53:53  (He also destroyed) the overthrown cities (of Lot’s people)

53:54  So that there covered them that which covered

53:55  Then which of the gifts of your Lord do you dispute about

53:56  And this (Messenger) is a warner like the warners of old

53:57  That (the Last Hour) which is bound to draw near has drawn near

53:58  None besides God can disclose it (or remove the dread and suffering it entails)

53:59  Do you then deem this Discourse (which enables your eternal salvation) strange

53:60  And do you laugh and not weep (in consideration of your recalcitrance and sinfulness)

53:61  Moreover entertain yourselves (with fun and games)

53:62  Rather: prostrate before God (in submission) and worship Him (so that He may protect you from the dread and suffering of the Last Hour)