The Ascending Stairways

A challenger has demanded a punishment bound to come

for the disbelievers—to be averted by none—

from Allah, Lord of pathways of ˹heavenly˺ ascent

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

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

They truly see this ˹Day˺ as impossible

but We see it as inevitable.

On that Day the sky will be like molten brass

and the mountains like ˹tufts of˺ wool.

And no close friend will ask ˹about˺ their friends

˹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

their spouses, their siblings

their clan that sheltered them

and everyone on earth altogether, just to save themselves.

But no! There will certainly be a raging Flame

ripping off scalps.

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

and gathered and hoarded ˹wealth˺.

Indeed, humankind was created impatient:

distressed when touched with evil