The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

(419)
88. THE OVERWHELMING EVENT
This Meccan sura serves to warn the disbelievers, encourage the Prophet and
the believers, and absolve him of responsibility for the disbelievers. The title
comes from the description of events on the Day of Judgement in the first verse,
and the downcast faces of the disbelievers on that Day are contrasted with the
radiant faces of the believers.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1 Have you heard tell a [Prophet] about the Overwhelming Event?
2 On that Day, there will be downcast faces, 3 toiling and weary, 4 as
they enter the blazing Fire 5 and are forced to drink from a boiling
spring, 6 with no food for them except bitter dry thorns 7 that neither
nourish nor satisfy hunger. 8 On that Day there will also be faces
radiant with bliss, 9 well pleased with their labour, 10 in a lofty garden,
11 where they will hear no idle talk, 12 with a flowing spring, 13 raised
couches, 14 goblets placed before them, 15 cushions set in rows, 16 and
carpets spread. 17 Do the disbelievers not see how rain clouds b are
formed, 18 how the heavens are lifted, 19 how the mountains are raised
high, 20 how the earth is spread out?
21 So [Prophet] warn them: your only task is to give warning, 22 you
are not there to control them. 23 As for those who turn away and
disbelieve, God will inflict the greatest torment upon them. It is to
Us they will return, 24 and then it is for Us to call them to account.
a An Arabic convention to draw attention to what follows.
b The word ibl can mean ‘camel’ as well as ‘rain cloud’. However, the latter is better in
this context amongst all the other geographical images presented. Rain is often used to
illustrate the concept of resurrection.