How to memorize Surah Al-Ma'arij

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Recited by Mishary Rashid Alafasy

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Surah Al-Ma'arij: Arabic text, transliteration and translation

1. 70:1

   سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ

   Sa ala saaa'ilum bi'azaa binw-waaqi'

   A challenger has demanded a punishment bound to come

2. 70:2

   لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٌ

   Lilkaafireen laisa lahoo daafi'

   for the disbelievers—to be averted by none—

3. 70:3

   مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ

   Minal laahi zil ma'aarij

   from Allah, Lord of pathways of ˹heavenly˺ ascent

4. 70:4

   تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

   Ta'rujul malaaa'ikatu war Roohu ilaihi fee yawmin kaana miqdaaruhoo khamseena alfa sanah

   ˹through which˺ the angels and the ˹holy˺ spirit will ascend to Him on a Day fifty thousand years in length.

5. 70:5

   فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا

   Fasbir ssabran jameelaa

   So endure ˹this denial, O  Prophet,˺ with beautiful patience.

6. 70:6

   إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًا

   Inaahum yarawnahoo ba'eedaa

   They truly see this ˹Day˺ as impossible

7. 70:7

   وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًا

   Wa naraahu qareebaa

   but We see it as inevitable.

8. 70:8

   يَوْمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلْمُهْلِ

   Yawma takoonus samaaa'u kalmuhl

   On that Day the sky will be like molten brass

9. 70:9

   وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ

   Wa takoonul jibaalu kal'ihn

   and the mountains like ˹tufts of˺ wool.

10. 70:10

    وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا

    Wa laa yas'alu hameemun hameemaa

    And no close friend will ask ˹about˺ their friends

11. 70:11

    يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ ۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۭ بِبَنِيهِ

    Yubassaroonahum; ya waddul mujrimu law yaftadee min 'azaabi yawma'izim bibaneeh

    ˹although˺ they will be made to see each other. The wicked will wish to ransom themselves from the punishment of that Day by their children

12. 70:12

    وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ

    Wa saahibatihee wa akheeh

    their spouses, their siblings

13. 70:13

    وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُـْٔوِيهِ

    Wa faseelathil latee tu'weeh

    their clan that sheltered them

14. 70:14

    وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ

    Wa man fil ardi jamee'an summa yunjeeh

    and everyone on earth altogether, just to save themselves.

15. 70:15

    كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ

    Kallaa innahaa lazaa

    But no! There will certainly be a raging Flame

16. 70:16

    نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوَىٰ

    Nazzaa'atal lishshawaa

    ripping off scalps.

17. 70:17

    تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

    Tad'oo man adbara wa tawallaa

    It will summon whoever turned their backs ˹on Allah˺ and turned away ˹from the truth˺

18. 70:18

    وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰٓ

    W jama'a fa aw'aa

    and gathered and hoarded ˹wealth˺.

19. 70:19

    ۞ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا

    Innal insaana khuliqa haloo'aa

    Indeed, humankind was created impatient:

20. 70:20

    إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا

    Izaa massahush sharru jazoo'aa

    distressed when touched with evil

21. 70:21

    وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا

    Wa izaa massahul khairu manoo'aa

    and withholding when touched with good—

22. 70:22

    إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ

    Illal musalleen

    except those who pray

23. 70:23

    ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ

    Allazeena hum 'alaa Salaatihim daaa'imoon

    consistently performing their prayers;

24. 70:24

    وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُومٌ

    Wallazeena feee amwaalihim haqqum ma'loom

    and who give the rightful share of their wealth

25. 70:25

    لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ

    Lissaaa 'ili walmahroom

    to the beggar and the poor;

26. 70:26

    وَٱلَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ

    Wallazeena yusaddiqoona bi yawmid Deen

    and who ˹firmly˺ believe in the Day of Judgment;

27. 70:27

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ

    Wallazeena hum min 'azaabi Rabbihim mushfiqoon

    and those who fear the punishment of their Lord—

28. 70:28

    إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ

    Inna 'azaaba Rabbihim ghairu maamoon

    ˹knowing that˺ none should feel secure from their Lord’s punishment—

29. 70:29

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ

    Wallazeena hum lifuroo jihim haafizoon

    and those who guard their chastity

30. 70:30

    إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ

    Illaa 'alaaa azwaajihim aw maa malakat aymaanuhum fainnahum ghairu maloomeen

    except with their wives or those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession, for then they are free from blame

31. 70:31

    فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ

    Famanib taghaa waraaa'a zaalika fa ulaaa'ika humul 'aadoon

    but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors.

32. 70:32

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ

    Wallazeena hum li amaa naatihim wa 'ahdihim raa'oon

    ˹The faithful are˺ also those who are true to their trusts and covenants;

33. 70:33

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَـٰدَٰتِهِمْ قَآئِمُونَ

    Wallazeena hum bishahaadaatihim qaaa'imoon

    and who are honest in their testimony;

34. 70:34

    وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

    Wallazeena hum 'alaa salaatihim yuhaafizoon

    and who are ˹properly˺ observant of their prayers.

35. 70:35

    أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ فِى جَنَّـٰتٍ مُّكْرَمُونَ

    Ulaaa'ika fee jannaatim mukramoon

    These will be in Gardens, held in honour.

36. 70:36

    فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ

    Famaa lil lazeena kafaroo qibalaka muhti'een

    So what is the matter with the disbelievers that they rush ˹head-long˺ towards you ˹O Prophet˺

37. 70:37

    عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ

    'Anil yameeni wa 'anish shimaali 'izeen

    from the right and the left, in groups ˹to mock you˺?

38. 70:38

    أَيَطْمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُدْخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِيمٍ

    Ayatma'u kullum ri'im minhum anyyudkhala jannata Na'eem

    Does every one of them expect to be admitted into a Garden of Bliss?

39. 70:39

    كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰهُم مِّمَّا يَعْلَمُونَ

    Kallaaa innaa khalaq nahum mimmaa ya'lamoon

    But no! Indeed, they ˹already˺ know what We created them from.

40. 70:40

    فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ

    Falaaa uqsimu bi Rabbil mashaariqi wal maghaaribi innaa laqaadiroon

    So, I do swear by the Lord of ˹all˺ the points of sunrise and sunset that We are truly capable

41. 70:41

    عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

    'Alaaa an nubaddila khairam minhum wa maa Nahnu bimasbooqeen

    of replacing them with ˹others˺ better than them, and We cannot be prevented ˹from doing so˺.

42. 70:42

    فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَـٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ

    Fazarhum yakhoodoo wa yal'aboo hattaa yulaaqoo yaw mahumul lazee yoo'adoon

    So let them indulge ˹in falsehood˺ and amuse ˹themselves˺ until they face their Day, which they have been threatened with—

43. 70:43

    يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ

    Yawma yakhrujoona minal ajdaasi siraa'an ka anna hum ilaa nusubiny yoofidoon

    the Day they will come forth from the graves swiftly, as if racing to an idol ˹for a blessing˺

44. 70:44

    خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ

    Khaashi'atan absaaruhum tarhaquhum zillah; zaalikal yawmul lazee kaanoo yoo'adoon

    with eyes downcast, utterly covered with disgrace. That is the Day they have ˹always˺ been warned of.

Sources

• Translation: Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran.
• Recitation: Mishary Rashid Alafasy, via mp3quran.net.
• Transliteration is only a reading aid. Learn the exact pronunciation from the recitation or a teacher.