and great perfection, who once rose to ˹his˺ true form
53:7
wahuwa bil-ufuqi l-aʿlā
while on the highest point above the horizon,
53:8
thumma danā fatadallā
then he approached ˹the Prophet˺, coming so close
53:9
fakāna qāba qawsayni aw adnā
that he was only two arms-lengths away or even less.
53:10
fa-awḥā ilā ʿabdihi mā awḥā
Then Allah revealed to His servant what He revealed ˹through Gabriel˺.
53:11
mā kadhaba l-fuādu mā raā
The ˹Prophet’s˺ heart did not doubt what he saw.
53:12
afatumārūnahu ʿalā mā yarā
How can you ˹O pagans˺ then dispute with him regarding what he saw?
53:13
walaqad raāhu nazlatan ukh'rā
And he certainly saw that ˹angel descend˺ a second time
53:14
ʿinda sid'rati l-muntahā
at the Lote Tree of the most extreme limit ˹in the seventh heaven˺—
53:15
ʿindahā jannatu l-mawā
near which is the Garden of ˹Eternal˺ Residence—
53:16
idh yaghshā l-sid'rata mā yaghshā
while the Lote Tree was overwhelmed with ˹heavenly˺ splendours!
53:17
mā zāgha l-baṣaru wamā ṭaghā
The ˹Prophet’s˺ sight never wandered, nor did it overreach.
53:18
laqad raā min āyāti rabbihi l-kub'rā
He certainly saw some of his Lord’s greatest signs.
53:19
afara-aytumu l-lāta wal-ʿuzā
Now, have you considered ˹the idols of˺ Lât and ’Uzza,
53:20
wamanata l-thālithata l-ukh'rā
and the third one, Manât, as well?
53:21
alakumu l-dhakaru walahu l-unthā
Do you ˹prefer to˺ have sons while ˹you attribute˺ to Him daughters?
53:22
til'ka idhan qis'matun ḍīzā
Then this is ˹truly˺ a biased distribution!
53:23
in hiya illā asmāon sammaytumūhā antum waābāukum mā anzala l-lahu bihā min sul'ṭānin in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓana wamā tahwā l-anfusu walaqad jāahum min rabbihimu l-hudā
These ˹idols˺ are mere names that you and your forefathers have made up—a practice Allah has never authorized. They follow nothing but ˹inherited˺ assumptions and whatever ˹their˺ souls desire, although ˹true˺ guidance has already come to them from their Lord.
53:24
am lil'insāni mā tamannā
Or should every person ˹simply˺ have whatever ˹intercessors˺ they desire?
53:25
falillahi l-ākhiratu wal-ūlā
In fact, to Allah ˹alone˺ belongs this world and the next.
53:26
wakam min malakin fī l-samāwāti lā tugh'nī shafāʿatuhum shayan illā min baʿdi an yadhana l-lahu liman yashāu wayarḍā
˹Imagine˺ how many ˹noble˺ angels are in the heavens! ˹Even˺ their intercession would be of no benefit whatsoever, until Allah gives permission to whoever He wills and ˹only for the people He˺ approves.
Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter label angels as female,
53:28
wamā lahum bihi min ʿil'min in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓana wa-inna l-ẓana lā yugh'nī mina l-ḥaqi shayan
although they have no knowledge ˹in support˺ of this. They follow nothing but ˹inherited˺ assumptions. And surely assumptions can in no way replace the truth.