THE CHAPTER OF THE ENWRAPPED
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
O thou who art enwrapped! rise by night except a little—the half, or deduct therefrom a little, or add thereto, and chant the Qur’ân chanting. Verily, we will cast on thee a heavy speech.
Verily, the early part of the night is stronger in impressions and more upright in speech!
Verily, thou hast by day a long employment; but mention the name of thy Lord and devote thyself thoroughly to Him, the Lord of the east and the west; there is no god but He; then take Him for a guardian!
And endure patiently what they say, and flee from them with a decorous flight.
And leave me and those who say it is a lie, who are possessed of comfort; and let them bide for a while.
Verily, with us are heavy fetters and hell-fire, and food that chokes, and mighty woe!
On the day when the earth and the mountains shall tremble and the earth shall be as a crumbling sand-hill!
Verily, we have sent unto you an apostle bearing witness against you, as we sent an apostle unto Pharaoh.
But Pharaoh rebelled against the apostle, and we seized him with an overpowering punishment.
Then how will ye shield yourselves if ye misbelieve from the day which shall make children grey-headed, whereon the heaven cleaves—its promise shall be fulfilled!
Verily, this is a memorial, and whoso will, let him take unto his Lord a way.〖From verse 20 the rest of the sûrah seems from its style to belong to the Madînah period; and there is a tradition ascribed to ’Ayeshah that it was revealed a year later than the earlier part of the chapter.〗
Verily, thy Lord knows that thou dost stand up to pray nearly two-thirds of the night, or the half of it or the third of it, as do part of those who are with thee; for God measures the night and the day; He knows that ye cannot calculate it, and He turns relentant towards you.
So read what is easy of the Qur’ân. He knows that there will be of you some who are sick and others who beat about in the earth craving the grace of God, and others who are fighting in the cause of God. Then read what is easy of it and be steadfast in prayer, and give alms, and lend to God a goodly loan, for what ye send forward for yourselves of good ye will find it with God. It is better and a greater hire; and ask ye pardon of God; verily, God is forgiving, merciful!