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Surah 81
Written by the editors. Not a translation, and not a source. It carries the AALAMIN Editor signature and the date it was signed, because someone has to answer for it.
Twenty-nine verses: the sun wound round, the stars fallen, the mountains moved, the seas set alight — and, placed among those without change of tone, the infant girl buried alive asked for what sin she was killed.
إِذَا ٱلشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)idhaa sh-shamsu kuwwirat
DIN 31635ʾiḏā š-šamsu kuwwirat
When the sun is rolled up.
When the sun is overthrown
When the sun is folded up
WHEN the sun shall be FOLDED UP
When the sun shall be folded up
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ ٱنكَدَرَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa n-nujoomu nkadarat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā n-nuǧūmu nkadarat
When the stars are dimmed.
And when the stars fall
And when the stars do fall
And when the stars shall fall
and when the stars shall fall
وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa l-jibaalu suyyirat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā l-ǧibālu suyyirat
When the mountains are set in motion.
And when the hills are moved
And when the mountains are moved
And when the mountains shall be set in motion
and when the mountains shall be made to pass away
وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa l-'ishaaru 'uttilat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā l-ʿišāru ʿuṭṭilat
When the relationships are suspended.
And when the camels big with young are abandoned
And when the she-camels ten months gone with young shall be neglected
And when the she-camels shall be abandoned
and when the camels ten months gone with young shall be neglected
وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa l-wuhooshu hushirat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā l-wuḥūšu ḥuširat
When the beasts are gathered.
And when the wild beasts are herded together
And when the beasts shall be crowded together
And when the wild beasts shall be gathered together
and when the wild beasts shall be gathered together
وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa l-bihaaru sujjirat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā l-biḥāru suǧǧirat
When the oceans are set aflame.
And when the seas rise
And when the seas shall surge up
And when the seas shall boil
and when the seas shall boil
وَإِذَا ٱلنُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa n-nufoosu zuwwijat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā n-nufūsu zuwwiǧat
When the souls are paired.
And when souls are reunited
And when souls shall be paired with bodies
And when souls shall be paired with their bodies
and when the souls shall be joined again to their bodies
وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa l-maw'oodatu su'ilat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā l-mawʾūdatu suʾilat
When the girl, buried alive, is asked:
And when the girl-child that was buried alive is asked
And when the child who was buried alive shall be asked
And when the female child that had been buried alive shall be asked
and when the girl who hath been buried alive shall be asked
بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍ قُتِلَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)bi'ayyi dhanbin qutilat
DIN 31635biʾayyi ḏanbin qutilat
For what crime was she killed?
For what sin she was slain
for what sin she was slain
For what crime she was put to death
for what crime she was put to death
وَإِذَا ٱلصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa s-suhufu nushirat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā ṣ-ṣuḥufu nuširat
The translators word this verse differently
When the records are made public.
And when the pages are laid open
And when the pages shall be spread out
And when the leaves of the Book shall be unrolled
and when the books shall be laid open
وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa s-samaa'u kushitat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā s-samāʾu kušiṭat
When the sky is peeled away.
And when the sky is torn away
And when the heaven shall be flayed
And when the Heaven shall be stripped away
and when the heaven shall be removed
وَإِذَا ٱلْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa l-jaheemu su''irat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā l-ǧaḥīmu suʿʿirat
The translators word this verse differently
When the Fire is set ablaze.
And when hell is lighted
And when hell shall be set ablaze
And when Hell shall be made to blaze
and when hell shall burn fiercely
وَإِذَا ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'idhaa l-jannatu uzlifat
DIN 31635waʾiḏā l-ǧannatu ʾuzlifat
When Paradise is brought near.
And when the Garden is brought nigh
And when Paradise shall be brought nigh
And when Paradise shall be brought near
and when paradise shall be brought near
عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ
Easy-read (simplified)'alimat nafsun maa ahdarat
DIN 31635ʿalimat nafsun mā ʾaḥḍarat
Each soul will know what it has readied.
(Then) every soul will know what it hath made ready
The soul shall know what it has produced
Every soul shall know what it hath produced
Every soul shall know what it hath wrought
فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ
Easy-read (simplified)falaa uqsimu bil-khunnas
DIN 31635falā ʾuqsimu bil-ḫunnasi
The translators word this verse differently
I swear by the galaxies.
Oh, but I call to witness the planets
I need not swear by the stars that slink back
It needs not that I swear by the stars of retrograde motions
Verily I swear by the stars which are retrograde
ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْكُنَّسِ
Easy-read (simplified)al-jawaari l-kunnas
DIN 31635al-ǧawāri l-kunnasi
The translators word this verse differently
Precisely running their courses.
The stars which rise and set
moving swiftly, slinking into their dens
Which move swiftly and hide themselves away
which move swiftly, and which hide themselves
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ
Easy-read (simplified)wallayli idhaa 'as'as
DIN 31635wallayli ʾiḏā ʿasʿasa
And by the night as it recedes.
And the close of night
Nor by the night when darkness draws on
And by the night when it cometh darkening on
and by the night, when it cometh on
وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ
Easy-read (simplified)was-subhi idhaa tanaffas
DIN 31635waṣ-ṣubḥi ʾiḏā tanaffasa
The translators word this verse differently
And by the morn as it breathes.
And the breath of morning
Nor by the morn when it first breathes up
And by the dawn when it brighteneth
and by the morning, when it appeareth
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ
Easy-read (simplified)innahu laqawlu rasoolin kareem
DIN 31635ʾinnahu laqawlu rasūlin karīmin
The translators word this verse differently
This is the speech of a noble messenger.
That this is in truth the word of an honoured messenger
Verily, it is the speech of a noble apostle
That this is the word of an illustrious Messenger
that these are the words of an honourable messenger
ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ
Easy-read (simplified)dhee quwwatin 'inda dhee l-'arshi makeen
DIN 31635ḏī quwwatin ʿinda ḏī l-ʿarši makīnin
Endowed with power, eminent with the Lord of the Throne.
Mighty, established in the presence of the Lord of the Throne
mighty, standing sure with the Lord of the throne
Endued with power, having influence with the Lord of the Throne
endued with strengeth, of established dignity in the sight of the possessor of the throne
مُّطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ
Easy-read (simplified)mutaa'in thamma ameen
DIN 31635muṭāʿin ṯamma ʾamīnin
The translators word this verse differently
Obeyed and honest.
(One) to be obeyed, and trustworthy
obeyed and trusty too
Obeyed there by Angels, faithful to his trust
obeyed by the angels under his authority, and faithful
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍ
Easy-read (simplified)wamaa saahibukum bimajnoon
DIN 31635wamā ṣāḥibukum bimaǧnūnin
Your friend is not possessed.
And your comrade is not mad
Your comrade is not mad
And your compatriot is not one possessed by djinn
And your companion Mohammed is not distracted
وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْمُبِينِ
Easy-read (simplified)walaqad ra'aahu bil-'ufuqi l-mubeen
DIN 31635walaqad raʾāhu bil-ʾufuqi l-mubīni
He saw him on the luminous horizon.
Surely he beheld Him on the clear horizon
he saw him on the plain horizon
For he saw him in the clear horizon
He had already seen him in the clear horizon
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ
Easy-read (simplified)wamaa huwa 'alaa l-ghaybi bidaneen
DIN 31635wamā huwa ʿalā l-ġaybi biḍanīnin
The translators word this verse differently
And He does not withhold knowledge of the Unseen.
And he is not avid of the Unseen
nor does he grudge to communicate the unseen
Nor doth he grapple with heaven's secrets
And he suspected not the secrets revealed unto him
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَٰنٍ رَّجِيمٍ
Easy-read (simplified)wamaa huwa biqawli shaytaanin rajeem
DIN 31635wamā huwa biqawli šayṭānin raǧīmin
The translators word this verse differently
And it is not the word of an accursed devil.
Nor is this the utterance of a devil worthy to be stoned
Nor is it the speech of a pelted devil
Nor doth he teach the doctrine of a cursed Satan
Neither are these the words of an accursed devil
فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ
Easy-read (simplified)fa'ayna tadhhaboon
DIN 31635faʾayna taḏhabūna
The translators word this verse differently
So where are you heading?
Whither then go ye
Then whither do ye go
Whither then are ye going
Whither, therefore, are ye going
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Easy-read (simplified)in huwa illaa dhikrun lil'aalameen
DIN 31635ʾin huwa ʾillā ḏikrun lilʿālamīna
The translators word this verse differently
It is only a Reminder to all mankind.
This is naught else than a reminder unto creation
It is but a reminder to the worlds
Verily, this is no other than a warning to all creatures
This is no other than an admonition unto all creatures
لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ
Easy-read (simplified)liman shaa'a minkum an yastaqeem
DIN 31635liman šāʾa minkum ʾan yastaqīma
The translators word this verse differently
To whoever of you wills to go straight.
Unto whomsoever of you willeth to walk straight
to whomsoever of you pleases to go straight
To him among you who willeth to walk in a straight path
unto him among you who shall be willing to walk uprightly
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Easy-read (simplified)wamaa tashaa'oona illaa an yashaa'a llaahu rabbu l-'aalameen
DIN 31635wamā tašāʾūna ʾillā ʾan yašāʾa llāhu rabbu l-ʿālamīna
But you cannot will, unless God wills-The Lord of the Worlds.
And ye will not, unless (it be) that Allah willeth, the Lord of Creation
but ye will not please, except God, the Lord of the world, should please
But will it ye shall not, unless as God willeth it, the Lord of the worlds
But ye shall not will, unless God willeth, the Lord of all creatures
Arabic textTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Uthmani, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Qur'anic text from the Tanzil Project. Copyright (C) 2007-2026 Tanzil Project License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Source: tanzil.net · Updates: tanzil.net/updates/ https://tanzil.net/updates/
Edward Henry Palmer, English translation of the Qur'an ·1880 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an ·1734 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
John Medows Rodwell, English translation of the Qur'an ·1861 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran ·1930 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Talal Itani, ClearQuran ·ClearQuran, "God" edition, EPUB·Talal Itani / ClearQuran.com ·Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International·retrieved 7 Sep 2026
Translation by Talal Itani, ClearQuran.com https://clearquran.com