At-Taariq

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ

By the sky and the night comer –

وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ

and how do you know what the night comer is?

ٱلنَّجْمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ

It is the star of piercing brightness¹ –

إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ

there is no soul except that there is a watcher over it.

فَلْيَنظُرِ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ

Let man reflect on what he was created from.

خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٍ دَافِقٍ

He was created from a spurting fluid,

يَخْرُجُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ ٱلصُّلْبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبِ

emerging from between the backbone and the ribs².

إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِۦ لَقَادِرٌ

Indeed, Allah is able to bring him back to life.

يَوْمَ تُبْلَى ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ

On the Day when all secrets will be disclosed³,

فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ

he will then have no power, nor any helper.

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجْعِ

By the sky and its recurring rain⁴,

وَٱلْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدْعِ

and by the earth that cracks open [with the sprout of plants],

إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ

Indeed, this [Qur’an] is a decisive word,

وَمَا هُوَ بِٱلْهَزْلِ

which is not for amusement.

إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا

Indeed, they are devising a plan.

وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا

I am too devising a plan.