بَلْ عَجِبُوٓا۟ أَن جَآءَهُم مُّنذِرٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ فَقَالَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ هَـٰذَا شَىْءٌ عَجِيبٌ
They marveled that a warner has come to them from among them. The disbelievers say, “This is something strange.
أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًۭا ۖ ذَٰلِكَ رَجْعٌۢ بَعِيدٌۭ
When we have died and become dust? This is a farfetched return.”
قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنقُصُ ٱلْأَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَعِندَنَا كِتَـٰبٌ حَفِيظٌۢ
We know what the earth consumes of them, and with Us is a comprehensive book.
بَلْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ فَهُمْ فِىٓ أَمْرٍۢ مَّرِيجٍ
But they denied the truth when it has come to them, so they are in a confused state.
أَفَلَمْ يَنظُرُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَوْقَهُمْ كَيْفَ بَنَيْنَـٰهَا وَزَيَّنَّـٰهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِن فُرُوجٍۢ
Have they not observed the sky above them, how We constructed it, and decorated it, and it has no cracks?
وَٱلْأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَـٰهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍۭ بَهِيجٍۢ
And the earth, how We spread it out, and set on it mountains, and grew in it all kinds of delightful pairs?
تَبْصِرَةًۭ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍۢ مُّنِيبٍۢ
A lesson and a reminder for every penitent worshiper.
وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ مُّبَـٰرَكًۭا فَأَنۢبَتْنَا بِهِۦ جَنَّـٰتٍۢ وَحَبَّ ٱلْحَصِيدِ
And We brought down from the sky blessed water, and produced with it gardens and grain to harvest.
وَٱلنَّخْلَ بَاسِقَـٰتٍۢ لَّهَا طَلْعٌۭ نَّضِيدٌۭ
And the soaring palm trees, with clustered dates.
رِّزْقًۭا لِّلْعِبَادِ ۖ وَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِۦ بَلْدَةًۭ مَّيْتًۭا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْخُرُوجُ
As sustenance for the servants. And We revive thereby a dead town. Likewise is the resurrection.
كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍۢ وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ
Before them the people of Noah denied the truth, and so did the dwellers of Russ, and Thamood.
وَعَادٌۭ وَفِرْعَوْنُ وَإِخْوَٰنُ لُوطٍۢ
And Aad, and Pharaoh, and the brethren of Lot.
وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍۢ ۚ كُلٌّۭ كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ
And the Dwellers of the Woods, and the people of Tubba. They all rejected the messengers, so My threat came true.
أَفَعَيِينَا بِٱلْخَلْقِ ٱلْأَوَّلِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ فِى لَبْسٍۢ مِّنْ خَلْقٍۢ جَدِيدٍۢ
Were We fatigued by the first creation? But they are in doubt of a new creation.
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ ٱلْوَرِيدِ
We created the human being, and We know what his soul whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.
إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى ٱلْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌۭ
As the two receivers receive, seated to the right and to the left.
مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌۭ
Not a word does he utter, but there is a watcher by him, ready.
وَجَآءَتْ سَكْرَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ
The daze of death has come in truth: “This is what you tried to evade.”
وَنُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ ٱلْوَعِيدِ
And the Trumpet is blown: “This is the Promised Day.”
وَجَآءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ مَّعَهَا سَآئِقٌۭ وَشَهِيدٌۭ
And every soul will come forward, accompanied by a driver and a witness.
لَّقَدْ كُنتَ فِى غَفْلَةٍۢ مِّنْ هَـٰذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنكَ غِطَآءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌۭ
“You were in neglect of this, so We lifted your screen from you, and your vision today is keen.”
وَقَالَ قَرِينُهُۥ هَـٰذَا مَا لَدَىَّ عَتِيدٌ
And His escort will say, “This is what I have ready with me.”
أَلْقِيَا فِى جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍۢ
“Throw into Hell every stubborn disbeliever.
مَّنَّاعٍۢ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍۢ مُّرِيبٍ
Preventer of good, aggressor, doubter.
ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَأَلْقِيَاهُ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلشَّدِيدِ
Who fabricated another god with God; toss him into the intense agony.”
۞ قَالَ قَرِينُهُۥ رَبَّنَا مَآ أَطْغَيْتُهُۥ وَلَـٰكِن كَانَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍۭ بَعِيدٍۢ
His escort will say, “Our Lord, I did not make him rebel, but he was far astray.”
قَالَ لَا تَخْتَصِمُوا۟ لَدَىَّ وَقَدْ قَدَّمْتُ إِلَيْكُم بِٱلْوَعِيدِ
He will say, “Do not feud in My presence—I had warned you in advance.
مَا يُبَدَّلُ ٱلْقَوْلُ لَدَىَّ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ بِظَلَّـٰمٍۢ لِّلْعَبِيدِ
The decree from Me will not be changed, and I am not unjust to the servants.”
يَوْمَ نَقُولُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلِ ٱمْتَلَأْتِ وَتَقُولُ هَلْ مِن مَّزِيدٍۢ
On the Day when We will say to Hell, “Are you full?” And it will say, “Are there any more?”
وَأُزْلِفَتِ ٱلْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ
And Paradise will be brought closer to the pious, not far away.
هَـٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٍۢ
“This is what you were promised—for every careful penitent.
مَّنْ خَشِىَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَجَآءَ بِقَلْبٍۢ مُّنِيبٍ
Who inwardly feared the Most Gracious, and came with a repentant heart.
ٱدْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَـٰمٍۢ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ ٱلْخُلُودِ
Enter it in peace. This is the Day of Eternity.”
لَهُم مَّا يَشَآءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيْنَا مَزِيدٌۭ
Therein they will have whatever they desire—and We have even more.
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّن قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُم بَطْشًۭا فَنَقَّبُوا۟ فِى ٱلْبِلَـٰدِ هَلْ مِن مَّحِيصٍ
How many generations before them, who were more powerful than they, did We destroy? They explored the lands—was there any escape?
إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِمَن كَانَ لَهُۥ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى ٱلسَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌۭ
In that is a reminder for whoever possesses a heart, or cares to listen and witness.
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍۢ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍۢ
We created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days, and no fatigue touched Us.
فَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ ٱلْغُرُوبِ
So endure what they say, and proclaim the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before sunset.
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَأَدْبَـٰرَ ٱلسُّجُودِ
And glorify Him during the night, and at the end of devotions.
وَٱسْتَمِعْ يَوْمَ يُنَادِ ٱلْمُنَادِ مِن مَّكَانٍۢ قَرِيبٍۢ
And listen for the Day when the caller calls from a nearby place.
يَوْمَ يَسْمَعُونَ ٱلصَّيْحَةَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ ٱلْخُرُوجِ
The Day when they will hear the Shout in all truth. That is the Day of Emergence.
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْىِۦ وَنُمِيتُ وَإِلَيْنَا ٱلْمَصِيرُ
It is We who control life and death, and to Us is the destination.
يَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ ٱلْأَرْضُ عَنْهُمْ سِرَاعًۭا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ حَشْرٌ عَلَيْنَا يَسِيرٌۭ
The Day when the earth will crack for them at once. That is an easy gathering for Us.
Summarized notes on Surah Qaaf
Despite God's clear creations - which should provide insight and reminder - people disbelieve. Resurrection of dead is comparable to quickening of dead land. God has punished disbelievers in the past. God was not wearied by the first creation. God knows everything about us.
Death will come. Last Day will come. Everyone will be answerable, and granted Hell or Paradise. More powerful generations have been destroyed in the past. God created everything. Therefore, praise God at prescribed times. To God is the return. Muhammad (PBUH) and Quran are only to warn.
Notes from website author
Quran text and . Mr. Talal Itani version of English Translation from Tanzil.net
Quran Audio from alquran.cloud. Recitation by Sheikh Mishary bin Rashid Alafasy
The Quran is clearly revelation from the One God, Who created all. The word Quran means recitation. Read about its compilation here - Islamweb.net. ExploreQuran.org displays Quran chapters in both, the actual compilation order (in printed copies), as well as a revelation order which might provide a different approach for exploring the Holy Quran.