Chapter 70: Surah Al-Ma’arij (The Ways of Ascent)
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 7:28 pm
Chapter 70: Surah Al-Ma’arij (سورة المعارج)
Meaning: The Ways of Ascent | Has 44 Verses | Revealed In: Mecca (Makki Surah)
Significance of Surah Al-Ma’arij:
This Surah describes the Day of Judgment and the behavior of disbelievers in contrast to the patience and righteousness of true believers. It emphasizes Allah’s justice, the punishment for the arrogant, and the reward for those who uphold prayer, truth, and moral discipline. The title refers to the ‘Ascents’ through which angels rise to Allah.
1. سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۭ بِعَذَابٍۢ وَاقِعٍۢ
A questioner asked concerning a punishment bound to happen
2. لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌۭ
To the disbelievers; none can repel it
3. مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ
[It is] from Allah, Owner of the ways of ascent.
4. تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍۢ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍۢ
The angels and the Spirit \[Gabriel] ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.
5. فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًۭا جَمِيلًا
So be patient with gracious patience.
6. إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًۭا
Indeed, they see it \[the punishment] as distant,
7. وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًۭا
But We see it as near.
8. يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ
The Day the sky will be like murky oil,
9. وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ
And the mountains will be like wool,
10. وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًۭا
And no friend will ask \[anything of] a friend,
11. يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ ۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۢ بِبَنِيهِ
Though they will be made to see each other. The criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishment of that Day by his children
12. وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ
And his wife and his brother
13. وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُؤْوِيهِ
And his nearest kindred who shelter him
14. وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ
And whoever is on earth altogether – \[so] then it could save him.
15. كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ
No! Indeed, it is the Flame \[of Hell],
16. نَزَّاعَةًۭ لِّلشَّوَىٰ
A remover of exteriors.
17. تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
It invites he who turned his back \[on truth] and went away \[from obedience]
18. وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰ
And collected \[wealth] and hoarded.
19. إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا
Indeed, mankind was created anxious:
20. إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًۭا
When evil touches him, impatient,
21. وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا
And when good touches him, withholding \[of it],
22. إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ
Except the observers of prayer –
23. ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ
Those who are constant in their prayer
24. وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٟلِهِمْ حَقٌّۭ مَّعْلُومٌۭ
And those within whose wealth is a known right
25. لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ
For the petitioner and the deprived –
26. وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ
And those who believe in the Day of Recompense
27. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ
And those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord –
28. إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍۢ
Indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not that from which one is safe –
29. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ
And those who guard their private parts
30. إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٟجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ
Except with their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not to be blamed –
31. فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٟلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ
But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors –
32. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ
And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenants
33. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَـٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ
And those who are upright in their testimonies
34. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
And those who \[carefully] maintain their prayer:
35. أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّـٰتٍۢ مُّكْرَمُونَ
They will be in gardens, honored.
36. فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ
So what is \[the matter] with those who disbelieve, hastening \[from] before you, \[O Muhammad],
37. عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ
[To sit] on \[your] right and \[your] left in separate groups?
38. أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍۢ
Does every person among them aspire to enter a garden of pleasure?
39. كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ
No! Indeed, We have created them from that which they know.
40. فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ
So I swear by the Lord of \[all] risings and settings that indeed We are able
41. عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهُمْ ۖ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ
To replace them with better than them; and We are not to be outdone.
42. فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَـٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ
So leave them to converse vainly and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised –
43. يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًۭا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍۢ يُوفِضُونَ
The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly as if they were, toward an erected idol, hastening.
44. خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۚ ذَٟلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ
Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. That is the Day which they had been promised.
Do you have problem in understanding any verse ? feel free to ask below. We will be happy to help you understand.
See Full List : 114 Chapters of Holy Quran
Meaning: The Ways of Ascent | Has 44 Verses | Revealed In: Mecca (Makki Surah)
Significance of Surah Al-Ma’arij:
This Surah describes the Day of Judgment and the behavior of disbelievers in contrast to the patience and righteousness of true believers. It emphasizes Allah’s justice, the punishment for the arrogant, and the reward for those who uphold prayer, truth, and moral discipline. The title refers to the ‘Ascents’ through which angels rise to Allah.
1. سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۭ بِعَذَابٍۢ وَاقِعٍۢ
A questioner asked concerning a punishment bound to happen
2. لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌۭ
To the disbelievers; none can repel it
3. مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ
[It is] from Allah, Owner of the ways of ascent.
4. تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍۢ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍۢ
The angels and the Spirit \[Gabriel] ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.
5. فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًۭا جَمِيلًا
So be patient with gracious patience.
6. إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًۭا
Indeed, they see it \[the punishment] as distant,
7. وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًۭا
But We see it as near.
8. يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ
The Day the sky will be like murky oil,
9. وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ
And the mountains will be like wool,
10. وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًۭا
And no friend will ask \[anything of] a friend,
11. يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ ۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۢ بِبَنِيهِ
Though they will be made to see each other. The criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishment of that Day by his children
12. وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ
And his wife and his brother
13. وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُؤْوِيهِ
And his nearest kindred who shelter him
14. وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ
And whoever is on earth altogether – \[so] then it could save him.
15. كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ
No! Indeed, it is the Flame \[of Hell],
16. نَزَّاعَةًۭ لِّلشَّوَىٰ
A remover of exteriors.
17. تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
It invites he who turned his back \[on truth] and went away \[from obedience]
18. وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰ
And collected \[wealth] and hoarded.
19. إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا
Indeed, mankind was created anxious:
20. إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًۭا
When evil touches him, impatient,
21. وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا
And when good touches him, withholding \[of it],
22. إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ
Except the observers of prayer –
23. ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ
Those who are constant in their prayer
24. وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٟلِهِمْ حَقٌّۭ مَّعْلُومٌۭ
And those within whose wealth is a known right
25. لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ
For the petitioner and the deprived –
26. وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ
And those who believe in the Day of Recompense
27. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ
And those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord –
28. إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍۢ
Indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not that from which one is safe –
29. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ
And those who guard their private parts
30. إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٟجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ
Except with their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not to be blamed –
31. فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٟلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ
But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors –
32. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ
And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenants
33. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَـٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ
And those who are upright in their testimonies
34. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
And those who \[carefully] maintain their prayer:
35. أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّـٰتٍۢ مُّكْرَمُونَ
They will be in gardens, honored.
36. فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ
So what is \[the matter] with those who disbelieve, hastening \[from] before you, \[O Muhammad],
37. عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ
[To sit] on \[your] right and \[your] left in separate groups?
38. أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍۢ
Does every person among them aspire to enter a garden of pleasure?
39. كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ
No! Indeed, We have created them from that which they know.
40. فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ
So I swear by the Lord of \[all] risings and settings that indeed We are able
41. عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهُمْ ۖ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ
To replace them with better than them; and We are not to be outdone.
42. فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَـٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ
So leave them to converse vainly and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised –
43. يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًۭا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍۢ يُوفِضُونَ
The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly as if they were, toward an erected idol, hastening.
44. خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۚ ذَٟلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ
Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. That is the Day which they had been promised.
Do you have problem in understanding any verse ? feel free to ask below. We will be happy to help you understand.
See Full List : 114 Chapters of Holy Quran