1. O thou folded in
garments!
2. Stand (to prayer) by night,
but not all night,-
3. Half of it,- or a little
less,
4. Or a little more; and recite
the Qur'an in slow, measured
rhythmic tones.
5. Soon shall We send down to
thee a weighty Message.
6. Truly the rising by night is
most potent for governing (the
soul), and most suitable for
(framing) the Word (of Prayer
and Praise).
7. True, there is for thee by
day prolonged occupation with
ordinary duties:
8. But keep in remembrance the
name of thy Lord and devote
thyself to Him whole-heartedly.
9. (He is) Lord of the East and
the West: there is no god but
He: take Him therefore for (thy)
Disposer of Affairs.
10. And have patience with what
they say, and leave them with
noble (dignity).
11. And leave Me (alone to deal
with) those in possession of the
good things of life, who (yet)
deny the Truth; and bear with
them for a little while.
12. With Us are Fetters (to bind
them), and a Fire (to burn
them),
13. And a Food that chokes, and
a Penalty Grievous.
14. One Day the earth and the
mountains will be in violent
commotion. And the mountains
will be as a heap of sand poured
out and flowing down.
15. We have sent to you, (O
men!) an apostle, to be a
witness concerning you, even as
We sent an apostle to Pharaoh.
16. But Pharaoh disobeyed the
apostle; so We seized him with a
heavy Punishment.
17. Then how shall ye, if ye
deny ((Allah)), guard yourselves
against a Day that will make
children hoary-headed?-
18. Whereon the sky will be
cleft asunder? His Promise needs
must be accomplished.
19. Verily this is an
Admonition: therefore, whoso
will, let him take a (straight)
path to his Lord!
20. Thy Lord doth know that thou
standest forth (to prayer) nigh
two-thirds of the night, or half
the night, or a third of the
night, and so doth a party of
those with thee. But Allah doth
appoint night and day in due
measure He knoweth that ye are
unable to keep count thereof. So
He hath turned to you (in
mercy): read ye, therefore, of
the Qur'an as much as may be
easy for you. He knoweth that
there may be (some) among you in
ill-health; others travelling
through the land, seeking of
Allah.s bounty; yet others
fighting in Allah.s Cause, read
ye, therefore, as much of the
Qur'an as may be easy (for you);
and establish regular Prayer and
give regular Charity; and loan
to Allah a Beautiful Loan. And
whatever good ye send forth for
your souls ye shall find it in
Allah.s Presence,- yea, better
and greater, in Reward and seek
ye the Grace of Allah. for Allah
is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. |