Al-Waqi'ah 56
The Inevitable EventHow to read the Hangul
الرَّحْمَٰنِ르r라흐마니 بِسْمِ비스밀
- Bold = the stressed syllable of the word; a little stronger.
- Overline = long vowel (madd): hold it about two beats. Length matters most in recitation.
- Tiny = no vowel in the Arabic here — just the consonant, short.
- Small Latin letter = a sound Korean lacks, on the next syllable: f upper teeth on lower lip · θ/ð tongue tip between the teeth · r rolled tongue tip (a bare ㄹ is l).
How to read the Hangul
beginning the Christ salvation
- Bold, larger (ˈ) = say it strong and a little longer — the stressed syllable.
- Faint = weak and short (a reduced vowel). Don't give every syllable equal weight.
- Tiny 으 · 트 · 스 = barely voiced. English has no vowel there — stop on the consonant.
- Whole word faint (the, of, and, to…) = light and quick in a sentence; stress the content words.
- Small f v θ ð r = sounds Korean doesn't have — f: upper teeth on the lower lip; v: the same, voiced; θ/ð: tongue tip between the teeth; r: tongue curled back, touching nothing.
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Surah
About this surah
The surah begins with the moment the inevitable Event befalls, when the earth is shaken, mountains crumble to dust, and people are sorted into three groups. It describes in turn the foremost, who are brought near to God, the companions of the right, and the companions of the left, contrasting the gardens of the first two with the burning wind, boiling water and black smoke of the last. To those who doubt resurrection it poses a series of questions about the seed they sow, the water they drink and the fire they kindle: is it they who create these, or God? Swearing by the setting places of the stars, it affirms that this is a noble Quran in a well-guarded Book. It then depicts the moment the soul reaches the throat at death, restates the outcome for each of the three groups, and ends with the command to glorify the name of the Lord, the Most Great.
- The inevitable Event
- Three groups of people
- Signs in seed, water, fire
- A noble Quran
- The moment of death
The name It is named after verse 1, which speaks of the time when the inevitable Event befalls.
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1
When the inevitable Event befalls,
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2
there is no denying its coming.
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3
It will bring [some] low and raise [others] high.
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4
When the earth is shaken with a violent shaking,
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and the mountains are crumbled to pieces,
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and become scattered dust,
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and you will be three groups:
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the companions of the right — what are the companions of the right?
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9
And the companions of the left — what are the companions of the left?
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10
And the foremost, the foremost —
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they are the ones brought near [to God],
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in the Gardens of Bliss:
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a large company from the earlier generations,
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and a few from the later ones,
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on couches woven with gold,
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reclining on them, facing one another.
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Ageless youths will circulate among them
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with cups and pitchers and a goblet from a flowing spring,
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19
from which they suffer no headache, nor are they intoxicated,
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and fruit of whatever they choose,
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and the flesh of fowl of whatever they desire,
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and fair ones with lovely eyes,
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like hidden pearls,
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as a reward for what they used to do.
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They will hear no idle talk there, nor any sinful speech,
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only the saying, "Peace, peace."
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And the companions of the right — what are the companions of the right?
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[They will be] among thornless lote trees,
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and acacias layered [with fruit],
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and shade extended,
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and water ever-flowing,
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and abundant fruit,
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neither limited [by season] nor forbidden,
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and raised couches.
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Indeed We have produced them in a [special] creation,
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and made them virgins,
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loving, of equal age,
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for the companions of the right:
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a large company from the earlier generations,
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and a large company from the later ones.
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41
And the companions of the left — what are the companions of the left?
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[They will dwell] amid burning wind and boiling water,
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and a shade of black smoke,
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neither cool nor pleasant.
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Before that they were indeed living in luxury,
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and they persisted in the great sin,
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and they used to say, "When we have died and become dust and bones, will we really be raised again,
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and our forefathers too?"
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Say, "The people of old and those of later times alike
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will surely be gathered together for the appointed time of a known Day."
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Then you, O you who are astray and deny,
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will surely eat from the tree of Zaqqum,
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filling your bellies with it,
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then drinking scalding water on top of it,
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drinking like thirst-crazed camels.
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This will be their hospitality on the Day of Judgement.
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We created you, so why do you not believe?
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Have you considered the fluid you emit?
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Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator?
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We have decreed death among you, and We are not to be outrun
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in replacing you with others like you and bringing you into being in [a form] you do not know.
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You already know the first creation, so why do you not take heed?
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Have you considered what you sow?
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Is it you who make it grow, or are We the Grower?
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65
If We willed, We could make it crumbling chaff, and you would be left lamenting,
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"We are burdened with debt!
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No, we are deprived!"
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Have you considered the water you drink?
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Is it you who send it down from the clouds, or are We the Sender?
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If We willed, We could make it bitter. So why are you not grateful?
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71
Have you considered the fire you kindle?
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Is it you who produced its tree, or are We the Producer?
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We have made it a reminder and a provision for travellers in the wilderness.
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So glorify the name of your Lord, the Most Great.
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I swear by the setting places of the stars —
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and it is indeed a mighty oath, if only you knew —
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that this is indeed a noble Quran,
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in a well-guarded Book,
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which none touch except the purified,
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a revelation sent down from the Lord of all the worlds.
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Is it this message that you take lightly,
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and do you make your share [of thanks] that you deny?
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Why then, when [the soul] reaches the throat,
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while you are looking on at that moment —
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and We are nearer to him than you, but you do not see —
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why then, if you are not to be held accountable,
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do you not bring it back, if you are truthful?
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So if he is one of those brought near,
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then [for him are] rest and fragrance and a Garden of Bliss.
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And if he is one of the companions of the right,
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then "Peace to you" from the companions of the right.
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But if he is one of those who denied and went astray,
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then [his] hospitality is scalding water,
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and burning in Hellfire.
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This is indeed the certain truth.
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So glorify the name of your Lord, the Most Great.