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The Holy Quran · 70

Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways)

المعارج

44 ayahs · Meccan

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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

1. A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen 2. To the disbelievers; of it there is no preventer. 3. [It is] from Allah, owner of the ways of ascent. 4. The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years. 5. So be patient with gracious patience. 6. Indeed, they see it [as] distant, 7. But We see it [as] near. 8. On the Day the sky will be like murky oil, 9. And the mountains will be like wool, 10. And no friend will ask [anything of] a friend, 11. They will be shown each other. The criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishment of that Day by his children 12. And his wife and his brother 13. And his nearest kindred who shelter him 14. And whoever is on earth entirely [so] then it could save him. 15. No! Indeed, it is the Flame [of Hell], 16. A remover of exteriors. 17. It invites he who turned his back [on truth] and went away [from obedience] 18. And collected [wealth] and hoarded. 19. Indeed, mankind was created anxious: 20. When evil touches him, impatient, 21. And when good touches him, withholding [of it], 22. Except the observers of prayer - 23. Those who are constant in their prayer 24. And those within whose wealth is a known right 25. For the petitioner and the deprived - 26. And those who believe in the Day of Recompense 27. And those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord - 28. Indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not that from which one is safe - 29. And those who guard their private parts 30. Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not to be blamed - 31. But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors - 32. And those who are to their trusts and promises attentive 33. And those who are in their testimonies upright 34. And those who [carefully] maintain their prayer: 35. They will be in gardens, honored. 36. So what is [the matter] with those who disbelieve, hastening [from] before you, [O Muhammad], 37. [To sit] on [your] right and [your] left in separate groups? 38. Does every person among them aspire to enter a garden of pleasure? 39. No! Indeed, We have created them from that which they know. 40. So I swear by the Lord of [all] risings and settings that indeed We are able 41. To replace them with better than them; and We are not to be outdone. 42. So leave them to converse vainly and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised - 43. The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly as if they were, toward an erected idol, hastening. 44. Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. That is the Day which they had been promised.

English meanings are from the Saheeh International translation (via the Tanzil-based alquran.cloud API); the Arabic text is shown for reference. Translation conveys meaning only, not the Quran itself. · Recitation audio comes from verified reciters. AI-generated voice is never used for Quran recitation.

About Surah Al-Ma'arij: place, order and how to read it

Surah Al-Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways) is chapter 70 of the Quran and has 44 verses, making it a medium-length surah. It was revealed in Mecca, before the migration to Medina, and it is number 79 in the chronological order of revelation. It falls in juz 29. It occupies 3 pages of the mushaf, from page 568 to page 570.

Where it sits in the mushaf

It is preceded by Surah Al-Haqqah and followed by Surah Nuh. Like every surah except At-Tawbah, it opens with the Basmalah. This surah contains no verse of prostration.

Reading this page

  • The Arabic text is in Uthmani script following the Hafs from Asim transmission, numbered verse by verse.
  • English meanings come from the Saheeh International translation; a translation conveys meaning only and is not the Quran itself.
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This page is for reading and reflection. For meanings, context and reasons of revelation, consult established works of tafsir.

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