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5. He Rewards and Punishes

When the sun shall be darkened,
when the stars shall be thrown down,
when the mountains shall be set moving,
when the pregnant camels shall be neglected,
when the savage beasts shall be mustered,
when the seas shall be set boiling,

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when the souls shall be coupled,
when the buried infant shall be asked for what sin she was
  slain,
when the scrolls shall be unrolled,
when the heavens shall be stripped off,
when Hell shall be set blazing,
when Paradise shall be brought nigh,
then shall a soul know what it has produced.
  No! I swear by the slinkers,
  the runners, the sinkers,
  by the night swarming,
  by the dawn sighing,
truly this is the word of a noble Messenger
having power, with the Lord of the Throne secure,
  obeyed, moreover trusty. (81:1-21)

So, when the Trumpet is blown with a single blast
and the earth and the mountains are lifted up and
crushed with a single blow,
then, on that day, the Terror shall come to pass,
and heaven shall be split, for upon that day it
  shall be very frail,
and the angels shall stand upon its borders, and
upon that day eight shall carry above them the
  Throne of thy Lord.
On that day you shall be exposed, not one secret
  of yours concealed.
Then as for him who is given his book in his right hand,
he shall say, "Here, take and read my book! Certainly
I thought that I should encounter my reckoning." So he
  shall be in a pleasing life
  in a lofty Garden,
  its clusters nigh to gather.
"Eat and drink with wholesome appetite for that you did
  long ago, in the days gone by."
But as for him who is given his book in his left hand,
he shall say, "Would that I had not been given my book
and not known by reckoning! Would it had been the end!

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  My wealth has not availed me,
  my authority is gone from me."
Take him, and fetter him, and then roast him in Hell,
then in a chain of seventy cubits' length insert him!
Behold, he never believed in God the All-mighty, and
he never urged the feeding of the needy; therefore he
today has not here one loyal friend, neither any food
saving foul pus, that none excepting the sinners eat. (69:13-37)

  When the Terror descends
  (and none denies its descending)
  abasing, exalting,
  when the earth shall be rocked
  and the mountains crumbled
  and become a dust scattered,
  and you shall be three bands--

Companions of the Right (O Companions of the Right!)
Companions of the Left (O Companions of the Left!)
and the Outstrippers: the Outstrippers
those are they brought nigh the Throne,
  in the Gardens of Delight
  (a throng of the ancients
  and how few of the later folk)
  upon close-wrought couches
reclining upon them, set face to face,
immortal youth going round about them
with goblets, and ewers, and a cup from a spring
(no brows throbbing, no intoxication)
and such fruits as they shall choose,
and such flesh of fowl as they desire,
  and wide-eyed houris
  as the likeness of hidden pearls,
a recompense for that they laboured.
Therein they shall hear no idle talk, no cause of sin,
  only the saying "Peace, Peace!"

The Companions of the Right (O Companions of the Right!)
mid thornless lote-trees and serried acacias,

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and spreading shade and outpoured waters,
  and fruits abounding
  unfailing, unforbidden,
  and upraised couches.
Perfectly We formed them, perfect,
and We made them spotless virgins,
chastely amorous, like of age
for the Companions of the Right.
A throng of the ancients
and a throng of the later folk.

The Companions of the Left (O Companions of the Left!)
  mid burning winds and boiling waters
  and the shadow of a smoking blaze
  neither cool, neither goodly;
  and before that they lived at ease,
  and persisted in the Great Sin,
  ever saying,
"What, when we are dead and become
dust and bones, shall we indeed
  be raised up?
What, and our fathers, the ancients?"

Say: "The ancients, and the later folk
shall be gathered to the appointed time
  of a known day.
Then you erring ones, you that cried lies,
you shall eat of a tree called Zakkoum,
and you shall fill therewith your bellies
and drink on top of that boiling water
lapping it down like thirsty camels."
This shall be their hospitality on the
  Day of Doom. (56:1-56)

  By the loosed ones successively
  storming tempestuously
  by the scatters scattering
  and the severally severing

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  and those hurling a reminder
  excusing or warning,
Surely that which you are promised is about to fall!

  When the stars shall be extinguished,
  when heaven shall be split
  when the mountains shall be scattered
  and when the Messengers' time is set,
  to what day shall they be delayed?
  to the Day of Decision.
And what shall teach thee what is the Day of Decision?
  Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

Did We not destroy the ancients,
and then follow them with the later folk?
  So We serve the sinners.
Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

Did We not create you of a mean water,
that We laid within a sure lodging
  till a known term decreed? 7
We determined; excellent determiners are We.
Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

Made We not the earth to be a housing
for the living and for the dead?
Set We not therein soaring mountains?
Sated you with sweetest water?
Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

Depart to that you cried was lies!
Depart to a triple-massing shadow
unshading against the blazing flame
that shoots sparks like dry faggots,
sparks like to golden herds.
Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

This is the day they shall not speak
neither be given leave, and excuse themselves.
Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!
"This is the Day of Decision; We have joined you with the ancients;

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if you have a trick, try you now to trick Me!"
Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

Truly the godfearing shall dwell amid shades and fountains,
  and such fruits as their hearts desire:
"Eat and drink, with wholesome appetite, for
  that you were working."
Even so do We recompense the good-doers.
Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

"Eat and take your joy a little; you are sinners!"
  Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

When it is said to them, "Prostrate yourselves!" they prostrate not.
Woe that day unto those who cry it lies!

In what discourse after this will they believe? (77:1-50)

 


Footnotes

56:7 These verses refer to human conception and gestation.


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