المدثر
The Cloaked One
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
ʿani l-muj'rimīna
About the criminals,
mā salakakum fī saqara
[And asking them], "What put you into Saqar?"
qālū lam naku mina l-muṣalīna
They will say, "We were not of those who prayed,
walam naku nuṭ'ʿimu l-mis'kīna
Nor did we used to feed the poor.
wakunnā nakhūḍu maʿa l-khāiḍīna
And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who engaged [in it],
wakunnā nukadhibu biyawmi l-dīni
And we used to deny the Day of Recompense
ḥattā atānā l-yaqīnu
Until there came to us the certainty [i.e., death]."
famā tanfaʿuhum shafāʿatu l-shāfiʿīna
So there will not benefit them the intercession of [any] intercessors.
famā lahum ʿani l-tadhkirati muʿ'riḍīna
Then what is [the matter] with them that they are, from the reminder, turning away.
ka-annahum ḥumurun mus'tanfiratun
As if they were alarmed donkeys.
farrat min qaswaratin
Fleeing from a lion?
bal yurīdu kullu im'ri-in min'hum an yu'tā ṣuḥufan munasharatan
Rather, every person among them desires that he would be given scriptures spread about.
kallā bal lā yakhāfūna l-ākhirata
No! But they do not fear the Hereafter.
kallā innahu tadhkiratun
No! Indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a reminder.
faman shāa dhakarahu
Then whoever wills will remember it.
wamā yadhkurūna illā an yashāa l-lahu huwa ahlu l-taqwā wa-ahlu l-maghfirati
And they will not remember except that Allāh wills. He is worthy of fear and adequate for [granting] forgiveness.