Al-Fajr الفجر
The dawn and the reassured Self الفجر والنفس المطمئنّة
Summary and links in the frieze
In the frieze Blessed or restricted, he learns the test is honoring the orphan and feeding the destitute, before the Day.
Read just before, 90 leads here: Feeding the orphan and the destitute is plunging past; the next sura reproaches: you do not honor the orphan, nor urge feeding the destitute. 90
It leads to 88: Jahannam brought and the Self entering the Garden; the next sura shows these two outcomes as two groups of faces. 88
Closes on “They ask one another”
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent.
By the dawn! By ten nights! By the mediation, and by the frustration! By the night when it ebbs away! Is there in that a swearing for one who has restraint?
وَٱلْفَجْرِ وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍۢ وَٱلشَّفْعِ وَٱلْوَتْرِ وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ هَلْ فِى ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌۭ لِّذِى حِجْرٍ
Have you not seen how your Guardian dealt with the Aad, Iram of the pillars, the like of which had never been created in the lands? And with the Thamud, who hewed through the rock in the valley? And with Fir'awn, holder of the stakes? Those who exceeded all measure in the lands and made corruption abound therein — so your Guardian poured upon them a scourge of punishment.
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلْعِمَادِ ٱلَّتِى لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى ٱلْبِلَٰدِ وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُوا۟ ٱلصَّخْرَ بِٱلْوَادِ وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِى ٱلْأَوْتَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْبِلَٰدِ فَأَكْثَرُوا۟ فِيهَا ٱلْفَسَادَ فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ
Surely, your Guardian is ever on the lookout.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلْمِرْصَادِ
As for the human being, when his Guardian tests him and honors him and blesses him, he says, "My Guardian has honored me."
فَأَمَّا ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ إِذَا مَا ٱبْتَلَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَأَكْرَمَهُۥ وَنَعَّمَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَكْرَمَنِ
But when He tests him and restricts his provision, he says, "My Guardian has degraded me." By no means!
وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ٱبْتَلَىٰهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَهَٰنَنِ كَلَّا
But rather, you do not honor the orphan, and you do not urge the feeding of the destitute, and you consume the inheritance with voracious greed, and you love goods with immoderate love. By no means!
بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ ٱلْيَتِيمَ وَلَا تَحَٰٓضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ وَتَأْكُلُونَ ٱلتُّرَاثَ أَكْلًۭا لَّمًّۭا وَتُحِبُّونَ ٱلْمَالَ حُبًّۭا جَمًّۭا كَلَّآ
When the earth is flattened blow after blow, and your Guardian comes, and the Agent, rank upon rank, and Jahannam is brought, that Day — that Day the human being will remember, but what good will remembrance be to him then?
إِذَا دُكَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ دَكًّۭا دَكًّۭا وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَٱلْمَلَكُ صَفًّۭا صَفًّۭا وَجِا۟ىٓءَ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ
He will say, "Oh, if only I had sent ahead for my life!"
يَقُولُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِى
That Day, none will be punished as he is punished, and none will be bound as he is bound.
فَيَوْمَئِذٍۢ لَّا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌۭ وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌۭ
O reassured Self! Return to your Guardian, well-pleased and pleasing. Enter among My obedient ones, and enter My Garden!
يَٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةًۭ مَّرْضِيَّةًۭ فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عِبَٰدِى وَٱدْخُلِى جَنَّتِى