Read the surah · Surah 101
An editorial summary of the translations. Not a translation or tafsir.
Eleven verses on a striking day this surah is named after, when people are like scattered moths and the mountains like carded wool. Scales decide what follows: a pleasing life for the one whose scales are heavy, and for the one whose scales are light the four renderings part company - three name a pit of fire, and Pickthall renders it as a mother bereft.
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Verse 1 of 11
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ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
Easy-read (simplified)al-qaari'ah
DIN 31635al-qāriʿatu
The translators word this verse differently
The Shocker.
The Calamity
The smiting
THE BLOW
The striking
Optional editorial orientation
An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
مَا ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
Easy-read (simplified)maa l-qaari'ah
DIN 31635mā l-qāriʿatu
What is the Shocker?
What is the Calamity
What is the smiting
what is the Blow
What is the striking
Optional editorial orientation
An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
Easy-read (simplified)wamaa adraaka maa l-qaari'ah
DIN 31635wamā ʾadrāka mā l-qāriʿatu
The translators word this verse differently
What will explain to you what the Shocker is?
Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Calamity is
And what shall make thee know what the smiting is
Who shall teach thee what the Blow is
And what shall make thee to understand how terrible the striking will be
Optional editorial orientation
An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
يَوْمَ يَكُونُ ٱلنَّاسُ كَٱلْفَرَاشِ ٱلْمَبْثُوثِ
Easy-read (simplified)yawma yakoonu n-naasu kal-faraashi l-mabthooth
DIN 31635yawma yakūnu n-nāsu kal-farāši l-mabṯūṯi
The Day when the people will be like scattered moths.
A day wherein mankind will be as thickly-scattered moths
The day when men shall be like scattered moths
The Day when men shall be like scattered moths
On that day men shall be like moths scattered abroad
Optional editorial orientation
An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ ٱلْمَنفُوشِ
Easy-read (simplified)watakoonu l-jibaalu kal-'ihni l-manfoosh
DIN 31635watakūnu l-ǧibālu kal-ʿihni l-manfūši
And the mountains will be like tufted wool.
And the mountains will become as carded wool
and the mountains shall be like flocks of carded wool
And the mountains shall be like flocks of carded wool
and the mountains shall become like carded wool of various colours driven by the wind
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An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ
Easy-read (simplified)fa'ammaa man thaqulat mawaazeenuh
DIN 31635faʾammā man ṯaqulat mawāzīnuhu
The translators word this verse differently
As for he whose scales are heavy.
Then, as for him whose scales are heavy (with good works)
And as for him whose balance is heavy
Then as to him whose balances are heavy
Moreover he whose balance shall be heavy with good works
Optional editorial orientation
An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ
Easy-read (simplified)fahuwa fee 'eeshatin raadiyah
DIN 31635fahuwa fī ʿīšatin rāḍiyatin
The translators word this verse differently
He will be in a pleasant life.
He will live a pleasant life
he shall be in a well-pleasing life
his shall be a life that shall please him well
shall lead a pleasing life
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An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'ammaa man khaffat mawaazeenuh
DIN 31635waʾammā man ḫaffat mawāzīnuhu
But as for he whose scales are light.
But as for him whose scales are light
But as for him whose balance is light
And as to him whose balances are light
But as to him whose balance shall be light
Optional editorial orientation
An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
فَأُمُّهُۥ هَاوِيَةٌ
Easy-read (simplified)fa'ummuhu haawiyah
DIN 31635faʾummuhu hāwiyatun
The translators word this verse differently
His home is the Abyss.
A bereft and Hungry One will be his mother
his dwelling shall be the pit of hell
his dwelling-place shall be the pit
his dwelling shall be the pit of hell
Optional editorial orientation
An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا هِيَهْ
Easy-read (simplified)wamaa adraaka maa hiyah
DIN 31635wamā ʾadrāka mā hiyah
The translators word this verse differently
Do you know what it is?
Ah, what will convey unto thee what she is
And who shall make thee know what it is
And who shall teach thee what the pit (El-Hawiya) is
What shall make thee to understand how frightful the pit of hell is
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An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌۢ
Easy-read (simplified)naarun haamiyah
DIN 31635nārun ḥāmiyatun
A Raging Fire.
Raging Fire
a burning fire
A raging fire
It is a burning fire
Optional editorial orientation
An editorial summary of the translations above. Not a translation or tafsir.
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