بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Transcription
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
Edip-Layth
In the name of God, the Gracious, the Compassionate.
The Monotheist Group
In the name of God, the Almighty, the Merciful.
Muhammad Asad
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
Rashad Khalifa
In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. ,
Shabbir Ahmed
All praise is due to God, the Lord/Cherisher/Sustainer of the Universe and everything therein.
Çeviriyazı
Bismillâhir rahmânir rahîm.
Edip Yüksel
Rahman, Rahim Allah'ın ismiyle
Yaşar Nuri Öztürk
Rahman ve Rahim Allah'ın adıyla...
Muhammed Esed
RAHMÂN, RAHÎM ALLAH ADINA
Ali Bulaç
Rahman ve Rahim olan Allah'ın adıyla

54:1 اقتربت الساعة وانشق القمر

Transcription (English)
54:1 Iqtarabati alssaAAatu wainshaqqaalqamaru
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:1 The moment drew near, and the moon was split.1

Note 1

Hadith narrators and collectors misunderstood this verse and tried to support their misunderstanding by the fabrication of a hadith reporting that Muhammed split the Moon by pointing at it with his finger. Some narrators did not stop there and claimed that half of the Moon fell in the backyard of Ali, Muhammed's son-in-law. The believers of this hadith are silent to the critical questions about the event. Why didn't populations of other countries witness this incredible event? If there were such an astronomical event, many people from China to Africa would have noticed and recorded it. Besides, this traditional interpretation contradicts the Quran, which specifically limits the signs given to Muhammed to be the signs contained in the Quran alone (29:50). The splitting of the Moon was fulfilled when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon and astronauts took some rocks from the Moon back to earth in July 1969. The word shaqqa, which we translated as "split," does not necessarily mean splitting in half (see 80:26; 50:44). When this event was happening, Dr. Rashad Khalifa was uploading the Quran to his computer in St. Louis. Splitting the surface of the Moon was the start of his work, which led to the historical discovery of the miraculous mathematical system based on code 19, prophesied in chapter 74, which happened in 1974. Thus, the following verse relates to this discovery. See 74:1; 27:82; 38:1; 40:28; 46:10; 72:28.

The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:1 The Hour draws near, and the moon is breached.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:1 THE LAST HOUR draws near, and the moon is split asunder!1

Note 1
Most of the commentators see in this verse a reference to a phenomenon said to have been witnessed by several of the Prophet's contemporaries. As described in a number of reports going back to some Companions, the moon appeared one night as if split into two distinct parts. While there is no reason to doubt the subjective veracity of these reports, it is possible that what actually happened was an unusual kind of partial lunar eclipse, which produced an equally unusual optical illusion. But whatever the nature of that phenomenon, it is practically certain that the above Qur'an -verse does not refer to it but, rather, to a future event: namely, to what will happen when the Last Hour approaches. (The Qur'an frequently employs the past tense to denote the future, and particularly so in passages which speak of the coming of the Last Hour and of Resurrection Day; this use of the past tense is meant to stress the certainty of the happening to which the verb relates.) Thus, Raghib regards it as fully justifiable to interpret the phrase inshaqqa l-qamar ("the moon is split asunder") as bearing on the cosmic cataclysm - the end of the world as we know it - that will occur before the coming of Resurrection Day (see art. shaqq in the Mufradat). As mentioned by Zamakhshari , this interpretation has the support of some of the earlier com­mentators; and it is, to my mind, particularly convincing in view of the juxtaposition, in the above Qur'an -verse, of the moon's "splitting asunder" and the approach of the Last Hour. (In this connection we must bear in mind the fact that none of the Quranic allusions to the "nearness" of the Last Hour and the Day of Resurrection is based on the human concept of "time".)
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:1 The Hour has come closer, and the moon has split.,1

Note 1
This important sign of the approaching end of the world came to pass in 1969 when humans landed on the moon and brought pieces of the moon toearth. At the same time, God's mathematical Miracle of the Quran was beinggradually unveiled. Traditional Muslims opposed it, since it exposed thefallacy of their practices( Appendix 25).
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:1 The Hour of Revolution is fast approaching. And the moon bearing banner is torn asunder.1

Note 1


This is the 54th Surah of the Qur’an. It has 55 verses. Historically, the strong opponents of the Prophet, the Quraish Tribe of Makkah, had full moon on their banner as the logo. This Surah predicts their defeat at the hands of a few ill-equipped believers, while recapping some history as a forewarning. God reiterates that He is always with His Messengers as they are with Him. Unjust system in any society heralds its demise.



With the Glorious Name of God, the Instant and Sustaining Source of all Mercy and Kindness



The use of the past participle here and at many other points in the Qur’an reflects the certainty of things to happen. As-Saa'ah = The Hour = The Last Hour = The Revolution = The decisive moment = Resurrection. Shaqqal Qamar is usually given the literal translation = The moon is split. Then there are fabricated Ahadith which go on to say that the exalted Prophet split the moon into two halves pointing a finger at it! Additional reports want us to believe that one half of the moon then came down, entered the collar of the Prophet and exited through his sleeve. Not only all this is contrary to the Qur’an and to reason, the whole story defeats its own validity. It fails to name a single person present there who was awestruck by this 'miracle' and embraced the message as a result. The Qur’an is a Book consistent with itself and vehemently rejects any notions contrary to reason and to the changeless universal laws. Moreover, attainment of belief is a matter of choice. God does not will to compel or coerce anyone into believing. Stunning the human intellect by means of 'miracles' would counter this Divine law

54:2 وان يروا ءاية يعرضوا ويقولوا سحر مستمر

Transcription (English)
54:2 Wa-in yaraw ayatan yuAAridoowayaqooloo sihrun mustamirrun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:2 If they see a sign, they turn away and say, "Continuous magic!"
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:2 And if they see a sign, they turn away and say: "Ongoing magic!"
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:2 But if they [who reject all thought of the Last Hour] were to see a sign [of its approach], they would turn aside and say, “An ever-recurring delusion!" –
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:2 Then they saw a miracle; but they turned away and said, "Old magic.",
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:2 But when they see a sign of the oncoming change, they turn away and say, “A persistent bewilderment.” [46:11]

54:3 وكذبوا واتبعوا اهواءهم وكل امر مستقر

Transcription (English)
54:3 Wakaththaboo waittabaAAoo ahwaahumwakullu amrin mustaqirrun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:3 They rejected, and followed their desires, and every old tradition.2

Note 2

The verse also may be read differently and understood as, "They denied and followed their wishful thinking. Indeed, every affair will find its right place."

The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:3 And they disbelieved, and followed their desires, and every old tradition.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:3 for they are bent on giving it the lie,2 being always wont to follow their own desires. Yet everything reveals its truth in the end.3

Note 2
Lit., "they have given [it] the lie": an allusion to the prediction of the Last Hour and the Day of Resurrection. The use of the past tense indicates conscious intent or determination (cf. surah 2 note 6). For my rendering of sihr as "delusion", see surah 74 note 12.

Note 3
Lit., "everything is settled in its [own] being": i.e., everything has an intrinsic reality (haqiqah) of its own, and is bound to reveal that reality either in this world or in the next (Baghawi, on the authority of Al-Kalbi); hence, everything must have a purpose or "goal" of its own (Zamakhshari ). These two - mutually complementary - interpretations reflect the repeated Quranic statement that everything that exists or happens has a meaning and a purpose: cf. 3:191, 10:5 and 38:27 (particularly, see note 11 on 10:5). In the present context, the phrase relates both to the truth referred to in the preceding verses and to its rejection by those who are "wont to follow [but] their own desires".
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:3 They disbelieved, followed their opinions, and adhered to their old traditions.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:3 They adamantly deny the truth and follow their desires. Yet, everything moves to its destination in stages.

54:4 ولقد جاءهم من الانباء ما فيه مزدجر

Transcription (English)
54:4 Walaqad jaahum mina al-anba-i mafeehi muzdajarun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:4 While the news had come to them in which there was sufficient warning.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:4 While the news had come to them in which there was sufficient warning.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:4 And withal, there has come unto them many a tiding that should have restrained [their arrogance]:4

Note 4
Lit., "in which there was a restraint": i.e., many an indication, in observable nature, of God's creative and re-creative power, as well as many a tiding, through God-inspired prophets, of a continuation of life after bodily death and, therefore, of the fact that a person's attitudes and doings in this world must have definite consequences in the life to come.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:4 Sufficient warnings have been delivered to alert them.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:4 And there has come to them news sufficient to deter them from arrogance.

54:5 حكمة بلغة فما تغن النذر

Transcription (English)
54:5 Hikmatun balighatun famatughnee alnnuthuru
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:5 A perfect wisdom; but the warnings are of no benefit.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:5 A perfect wisdom; but the warnings are of no benefit.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:5 far-reaching wisdom [was held out to them]: but [since] all warnings have been of no avail,
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:5 Great wisdom; but all the warnings have been in vain.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:5 And profound wisdom! But all the warnings have been of no avail.

54:6 فتول عنهم يوم يدع الداع الى شىء نكر

Transcription (English)
54:6 Fatawalla AAanhum yawma yadAAu alddaAAiila shay-in nukurin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:6 So turn away from them; the day will come when the caller will announce a terrible disaster.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:6 So turn away from them; the Day will come when the caller will announce a terrible disaster.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:6 turn thou away from them. On the Day when the Summoning Voice will sum­mon [man] unto something that the mind cannot conceive,5

Note 5
Lit., "something not known (nukur)" - that is, "something that human beings cannot know [i.e., visualize] because they have never met with anything like it" (Zamakhshari ).
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:6 Ignore them; the day will come when the caller will announce a terrible disaster.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:6 Therefore, (O Messenger) ignore them for a while. The Day is coming when the caller will call them to a thing they have not perceived.2

Note 2
Utter humiliation when they come to attack the believers

54:7 خشعا ابصرهم يخرجون من الاجداث كانهم جراد منتشر

Transcription (English)
54:7 KhushshaAAan absaruhum yakhrujoonamina al-ajdathi kaannahum jaradun muntashirun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
Like Cicadas: in Big Numbers, Simultaneously and After a Long Period54:7 With their eyes humiliated, they come out of the graves like scattered cicadas.3

Note 3

The allegory of locusts for resurrection is interesting, since some locusts lay their eggs in the forests and appear years later simultaneously. For instance, in the North-eastern region of the US, Periodical Cicadas emerge in big populations after years of dormancy underground sustaining themselves on tree roots. For some broods, the period is 13 years and for others, 17. After years of disappearance, they emerge all together with a cacophony of songs, testifying a similitude of resurrection for those who appreciate God's signs in nature. I discussed this and many other scientific signs and prophecies of the Quran, in my first book, "Kuran En Büyük Mucize" (Quran, the Greatest Miracle), co-authored with Ahmad Deedat, a very popular book in Turkey in 1983-1987. “In sum, locusts resurface from under the soil, after a long period, all together, in big crowds. Similarly, humans too will resurface from under the soil, after a long period, all together, in big crowds. Of course, in similes the comparandum and comparatum will have some differences. For instance, locusts are dormant under the soil, while human body disintegrates.” (Kuran En Büyük Mucize, Ahmet Deedat and Edip Yuksel, Inkılab, Istanbul, 12th Edition, 1986, p.146). Though this book is now out of print and was not translated to English, a recently published book by the Quran Studies Group led by my friend Caner Taslaman, PhD, presents the scientific aspect of the Quran under the title, Kuran Hiç Tükenmeyen Mucize, which is translated into English under the title, "The Quran: Unchallengeable Miracle" See: 4:82.

The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:7 With their eyes humiliated, they come out of the graves like scattered locusts.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:7 they will come forth from their graves, with their eyes downcast, [swarming about] like locusts scattered [by the wind],
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:7 With their eyes humiliated, they come out of the graves like scattered locusts.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:7 They will come forth from their places of rest like a swarm of locusts, but will be thoroughly dispersed with their eyes downcast.

54:8 مهطعين الى الداع يقول الكفرون هذا يوم عسر

Transcription (English)
54:8 MuhtiAAeena ila alddaAAiyaqoolu alkafiroona hatha yawmun AAasirun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:8 Hastening towards the caller, the ingrates will say, "This is a difficult day."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:8 Hastening towards the caller, the rejecters will say: "This is a difficult Day."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:8 running in con­fusion towards the Summoning Voice; [and] those who [now] deny the truth will exclaim, “Calamitous is this Day!"
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:8 As they respond to the caller, the disbelievers will say, "This is a difficult day.",
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:8 Running in bewilderment toward the caller, the same deniers will then say, “This is a difficult day.”

54:9 كذبت قبلهم قوم نوح فكذبوا عبدنا وقالوا مجنون وازدجر

Transcription (English)
54:9 Kaththabat qablahum qawmu noohinfakaththaboo AAabdana waqaloo majnoonun waizdujira
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:9 The people of Noah rejected before them. They rejected Our servant and said, "He is crazy!" and he was oppressed.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:9 The people of Noah disbelieved before them. They disbelieved Our servant and said: "He is crazy!" And he was oppressed.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:9 [LONG] BEFORE those [who now deny resurrec­tion] did Noah's people call it a lie; and they gave the lie to Our servant and said, “Mad is he!" - and he was repulsed.6

Note 6
See 11:25, where the story of Noah and the Flood is given in greater detail.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:9 The people of Noah disbelieved before them. They disbelieved our servant and said, "Crazy!" He was persecuted.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:9 Long before them, Noah’s people had denied the message, rejected Our servant and said, “Madman”, and he was rebuked. [11:25-48]

54:10 فدعا ربه انى مغلوب فانتصر

Transcription (English)
54:10 FadaAAa rabbahu annee maghloobun faintasir
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:10 So he called on his Lord: "I am beaten, so grant me victory."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:10 So he called on his Lord: "I am beaten, so grant me victory."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:10 Thereupon he called out to his Sustainer, “Verily, I am defeated; come Thou, then, to my succour!"
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:10 He implored his Lord, "I am oppressed; grant me victory.",
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:10 Thereupon he cried to his Lord, “I am overwhelmed. Do help me, then.”

54:11 ففتحنا ابوب السماء بماء منهمر

Transcription (English)
54:11 Fafatahna abwaba alssama-ibima-in munhamirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:11 So We opened the gates of the sky with pouring water.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:11 So We opened the gates of the sky with pouring water.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:11 And so We caused the gates of heaven to open with water pouring down in torrents,
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:11 We then opened the gates of the sky, pouring water.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:11 And so, We opened the gates of the sky pouring down torrents of water.

54:12 وفجرنا الارض عيونا فالتقى الماء على امر قد قدر

Transcription (English)
54:12 Wafajjarna al-arda AAuyoonanfailtaqa almao AAala amrin qad qudira
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:12 We caused springs to gush out of the earth. Thus the waters met to a command which had been measured.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:12 And We caused springs to gush out of the earth. Thus the waters met to a command which had been measured.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:12 and caused the earth to burst forth with springs, so that the waters met for a purpose pre-ordained:
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:12 And we caused springs to gush out of the earth. The waters met to effect a predetermined decision.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:12 And caused the earth to gush forth springs so that the waters met together in due measure as decreed.

54:13 وحملنه على ذات الوح ودسر

Transcription (English)
54:13 Wahamalnahu AAala thatialwahin wadusurin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:13 We carried him on a craft made of slabs and mortar.4

Note 4

The flood was limited to the region of Dead Sea, with Noah's community, and the ark was a small watercraft carrying Noah's animals from his farm. Storytellers exaggerated the event to a worldwide flood. Many Christians who believe those stories have been looking for the remnants of Noah's ark on top of mountains, wrong mountains, in vain. See 11:44.

The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:13 We carried him on a craft made of slabs and mortar.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:13 but him We bore on that [vessel] made of [mere] planks and nails,
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
The Ark54:13 We carried him on a watercraft made of logs and ropes.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:13 And We carried him on a watercraft made of mere planks and nails.

54:14 تجرى باعيننا جزاء لمن كان كفر

Transcription (English)
54:14 Tajree bi-aAAyunina jazaanliman kana kufira
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:14 It ran under Our watchful eyes; a reward for one who was rejected.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:14 It ran under Our watchful eyes; a reward for one who was rejected.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:14 and it floated under Our eyes:7 a recom­pense for him who had been rejected with ingratitude.

Note 7
I.e., "under Our protection". The reference to Noah's ark as "made of mere planks and nails" is meant to stress the frailty of this - as well as any other - human contrivance.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:14 It ran under our watchful eyes; a reward for one who was rejected.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:14 And it floated before Our eyes, a reward for him who had been denied with ingratitude.

54:15 ولقد تركنها ءاية فهل من مدكر

Transcription (English)
54:15 Walaqad taraknaha ayatanfahal min muddakirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:15 We have left it as a sign. Do any of you wish to learn?
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:15 And We have left it as a sign. Are there any who want to learn?
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:15 And, indeed, We have caused such [floating vessels] to remain forever a sign [of Our grace unto man]:8 who, then, is willing to take it to heart?9

Note 8
See 36:41 and the corresponding notes. Literally, the above phrase reads, "We have left them [or "such"] as a sign…", etc. According to Ibn Kathir, the pronoun ha in taraknaha relates to "ships in a generic sense" (jins as-sufun), and quotes in this connection the above-mentioned passage (36:41); hence my interpolation, between brackets, of the words "floating vessels". The "sign" spoken of here alludes to God's having endowed man's mind with inventiveness and, thus, with the ability to widen the scope of his life through conscious effort.

Note 9
Lit., "And is there any that will…", etc. The above sentence recurs several times, like a refrain, in this surah.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:15 We have set it up as a lesson. Does any of you wish to learn?,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:15 We left this event as a lesson. Then, is there any who will learn?

54:16 فكيف كان عذابى ونذر

Transcription (English)
54:16 Fakayfa kana AAathabee wanuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:16 So how was My retribution after the warnings!
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:16 So how was My retribution after the warnings!
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:16 And how severe is the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!10

Note 10
Lit., "how was My [causing] suffering (adhabi) and My warnings" - i.e., after the warnings. Although this sentence is phrased in the past tense, its purport is evidently timeless.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:16 How terrible was My retribution after the warnings!,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:16 Then see how was My requital after My warnings!

54:17 ولقد يسرنا القرءان للذكر فهل من مدكر

Transcription (English)
54:17 Walaqad yassarna alqur-ana lilththikrifahal min muddakirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
The Quran is Easy to Learn for the Appreciative54:17 We made the Quran easy to learn. Do any of you wish to learn?5

Note 5

Despite the repetitious assertion of the Quran that it is easy to understand, those who traded it with the teachings of Hadith and Sunna claim otherwise, which turns it into a self-fulfilling prophecy (6:25; 17:46; 18:57). Also, see 25:30.

The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:17 And We made the Qur'an easy to remember. Are there any who want to learn?
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:17 Hence, indeed, We made this Qur'an easy to bear in mind:11 who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

Note 11
The noun dhikr primarily denotes "remembrance", or - as defined by Raghib - the "presence [of something] in the mind". Conceptually, and as used in the above context as well as in verses 22, 32 and 40, this term comprises the twin notions of understanding and remembering, i.e., bearing something in mind.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:17 We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:17 We have made the Qur’an easy to understand. Then, is there any who will learn?

54:18 كذبت عاد فكيف كان عذابى ونذر

Transcription (English)
54:18 Kaththabat AAadun fakayfa kanaAAathabee wanuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:18 Aad rejected. So how was My retribution after the warnings!
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:18 'Aad disbelieved. So how was My retribution after the warnings!
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:18 TO THE TRUTH gave the lie [the tribe of] Ad: and how severe was the suffering which I inflicted when My warnings were disregarded!
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:18 `Aad disbelieved. Consequently, how terrible was My retribution after the warnings.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:18 ‘Aad had rejected the message. Then see how was My retribution after My warnings! [7:65]

54:19 انا ارسلنا عليهم ريحا صرصرا فى يوم نحس مستمر

Transcription (English)
54:19 Inna arsalna AAalayhim reehansarsaran fee yawmi nahsin mustamirrin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:19 We sent upon them a violent wind, on a day of continuous misery.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:19 We sent upon them a violent wind, on a day of continuous misery.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:19 Behold, We let loose upon them a raging storm wind on a day of bitter misfortune:
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:19 We sent upon them violent winds, on a day of continuous misery.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:19 We sent raging winds upon them on a day of relentless misery. [69:6-8]

54:20 تنزع الناس كانهم اعجاز نخل منقعر

Transcription (English)
54:20 TanziAAu alnnasa kaannahumaAAjazu nakhlin munqaAAirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:20 It snatched people away as if they were palm tree trunks; uprooted.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:20 It uprooted the people as if they were decayed palm tree trunks.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:20 it swept the people away as though they were palm-trunks uprooted:12

Note 12
As mentioned in 69:6, this wind - obviously an exceptionally violent sandstorm - raged without break for seven nights and eight days. For particulars of the tribe of Ad, see second half of note 48 on 7:65.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:20 It tossed the people around as if they were decayed palm tree trunks.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:20 Tossing people around like empty, uprooted palm-trunks.

54:21 فكيف كان عذابى ونذر

Transcription (English)
54:21 Fakayfa kana AAathabee wanuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:21 So how was My retribution after the warnings!
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:21 So how was My retribution after the warnings!
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:21 for, how severe is the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:21 How terrible was My retribution after the warnings!,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:21 Then see how My retribution was after My warnings!

54:22 ولقد يسرنا القرءان للذكر فهل من مدكر

Transcription (English)
54:22 Walaqad yassarna alqur-ana lilththikrifahal min muddakirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:22 We made the Quran easy to learn. Do any of you wish to learn?
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:22 And We made the Qur'an easy to remember. Are there any who will learn?
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:22 Hence, indeed, We made this Qur'an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:22 We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:22 We have made the Qur’an easy to understand. Then, is there any who will learn?

54:23 كذبت ثمود بالنذر

Transcription (English)
54:23 Kaththabat thamoodu bialnnuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:23 Thamud rejected the warnings.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:23 Thamud rejected the warnings.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:23 [AND the tribe of] Thamud gave the lie to all [Our] warnings;
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:23 Thamoud rejected the warnings.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:23 Thamud also rejected the warnings.3

Note 3
Prophet Saleh was sent to Thamud. 7:73, 11:61, 26:141:158

54:24 فقالوا ابشرا منا وحدا نتبعه انا اذا لفى ضلل وسعر

Transcription (English)
54:24 Faqaloo abasharan minna wahidannattabiAAuhu inna ithan lafee dalalinwasuAAurin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:24 They said, "Shall we follow one of us; a human being? We will then go astray, and be in hell."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:24 They said: "Shall we follow one of us; a human being? We will then go astray, and be in Hell."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:24 and they said: “Are we to follow one single mortal, one from among ourselves?13 In that case, behold, we would certainly sink into error and folly!

Note 13
For the general implication of this rhetorical question, see note 2 on 50:2. For the story of the tribe of Thamud, their prophet Salih, and the incident of the she-camel, see 7:73, 11:61, 26:141, and the corresponding notes.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:24 They said, "Shall we follow one of us; a human being? We will then go astray, then end up in Hell.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:24 And they said, “What! Shall we follow a solitary mortal among us? Then we would certainly fall into error and folly.

54:25 اءلقى الذكر عليه من بيننا بل هو كذاب اشر

Transcription (English)
54:25 Aolqiya alththikru AAalayhimin baynina bal huwa kaththabun ashirun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:25 "Has the message come down to him, instead of us? He is an evil liar."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:25 "Has the Reminder come down to him, of all people amongst us? He is an evil liar."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:25 Why - on him alone from among all of us should a [divine] reminder have been bestowed? Nay, but he is a boastful liar!"
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:25 "Did the message come down to him, instead of us? He is a flagrant liar.",
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:25 Why! Has the message been given to him alone among us? Nay, he is a flagrant liar.”

54:26 سيعلمون غدا من الكذاب الاشر

Transcription (English)
54:26 SayaAAlamoona ghadan mani alkaththabual-ashiru
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:26 They will find out tomorrow who the evil liar is.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:26 They will find out tomorrow who the evil liar is.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:26 [And God said:] “On the morrow they will come to know who the boastful liar is!14

Note 14
I.e., soon. In classical Arabic, the term ghadan ("tomorrow") often applies to a relatively near future, signifying "tomorrow" (in its literal sense) as well as "in time" or "soon". Hence - as pointed out by all authorities - it may have been used in the above context with reference to the Last Hour, which in the first verse of this very surah is spoken of as having "drawn near".
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:26 They will find out tomorrow who the flagrant liar is.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:26 Ah! They would come to know on the morrow who the flagrant liar is.

54:27 انا مرسلوا الناقة فتنة لهم فارتقبهم واصطبر

Transcription (English)
54:27 Inna mursiloo alnnaqatifitnatan lahum fairtaqibhum waistabir
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:27 We are sending the camel as a test for them. So observe them and be patient.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:27 We are sending the camel as a test for them. So watch them and be patient.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:27 Behold, [O Salih] We are letting loose this she-camel as a test for them;15 and thou but watch them, and contain thyself in patience.

Note 15
For this and other Quranic references to the she-camel that was to be "let loose as a test" for the Thamud, see surah 7 note 57. God's "letting her loose" is in this context evidently synonymous with "allowing her to become" a test.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:27 We are sending the camel as a test for them. Watch them and be patient.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:27 We are sending the she-camel as a test for them. So watch them (O Saleh) and hold yourself in patience.

54:28 ونبئهم ان الماء قسمة بينهم كل شرب محتضر

Transcription (English)
54:28 Wanabbi/hum anna almaa qismatunbaynahum kullu shirbin muhtadarun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:28 Inform them that the water shall be divided between them; each shall be allowed to drink in the specified time.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:28 And inform them that the water shall be divided between them; each shall be allowed to drink in turn.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:28 And let them know that the water [of their wells] is to be divided between them,16 with each share of water equitably apportioned."

Note 16
I.e., between their own herds and the ownerless she-camel: see 26:155 and the correspond­ing note 67.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:28 Inform them that the water shall be divided among them; (the camel) shall be allowed to drink on her designated day.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:28 And let them know that the water must be shared by all. Every drinking will be witnessed.4

Note 4
The she-camel was a symbol for them from God for obedience or transgression

54:29 فنادوا صاحبهم فتعاطى فعقر

Transcription (English)
54:29 Fanadaw sahibahum fataAAatafaAAaqara
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:29 But they called on their friend, and he was paid to slaughter.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:29 But they called on their friend, and he was paid to slaughter.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:29 But they summoned their [boldest] companion, and he ventured [upon the evil deed], and cruelly slaughtered [the animal]:17

Note 17
For the above rendering of aqara, see note 61 on 7:77.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:29 But they persuaded their friend to kill (the camel), and he obliged.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:29 But they called their (most forward) comrade and he took charge and killed her.

54:30 فكيف كان عذابى ونذر

Transcription (English)
54:30 Fakayfa kana AAathabee wanuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:30 So how was My retribution after the warnings!
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:30 So how was My retribution after the warnings!
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:30 and how severe was the suffering which I inflicted when My warnings were disregarded!18

Note 18
See note 98 on 11:67.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:30 Consequently, how terrible was My retribution! They have been warned.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:30 Then see how was My retribution after My warnings!

54:31 انا ارسلنا عليهم صيحة وحدة فكانوا كهشيم المحتظر

Transcription (English)
54:31 Inna arsalna AAalayhim sayhatanwahidatan fakanoo kahasheemi almuhtathiri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:31 We sent upon them one scream, whereupon they became like harvested hay.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:31 We sent upon them one scream, whereupon they became like harvested hay.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:31 Behold, We let loose upon them one single blast [of Our punishment],* and they became like the dried-up, crumbling twigs of a sheepfold.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:31 We sent upon them one blow, whereupon they became like harvested hay.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:31 We sent upon them a single mighty blast whereupon they crumbled like chaff.

54:32 ولقد يسرنا القرءان للذكر فهل من مدكر

Transcription (English)
54:32 Walaqad yassarna alqur-ana lilththikrifahal min muddakirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:32 We made the Quran easy to learn. Do any of you wish to learn?
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:32 And We made the Qur'an easy to remember. Are there any who will learn?
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:32 Hence, indeed, We made this Qur'an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:32 We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:32 We have made the Qur’an easy to understand. Then, is there any who will learn?

54:33 كذبت قوم لوط بالنذر

Transcription (English)
54:33 Kaththabat qawmu lootin bialnnuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:33 The people of Lot rejected the warners.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:33 The people of Lot rejected the warners.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:33 LOT 'S PEOPLE [too] gave the lie to all [Our] warn­ings:
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:33 The people of Lot rejected the warnings.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:33 The people of Lot rejected the warnings. [11:69-83]

54:34 انا ارسلنا عليهم حاصبا الا ءال لوط نجينهم بسحر

Transcription (English)
54:34 Inna arsalna AAalayhim hasibanilla ala lootin najjaynahum bisaharin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:34 We sent upon them projectiles. Except for the family of Lot, We saved them at dawn.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:34 We sent upon them projectiles. Except for the family of Lot, We saved them at dawn.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:34 [and so,] behold, We let loose upon them a deadly tempest;19 and only Lot 's kinsfolk did We save at the break of dawn,

Note 19
Sc., "of chastisement": see 11:82 and the corresponding note 114. The story of Lot and the people among whom he dwelt is mentioned in several places, most extensively in 11:69.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:34 We showered them with rocks. Only Lot's family was saved at dawn.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:34 We sent a storm of fiery stones on them, except the family of Lot whom We saved at dawn. [51:32-34]

54:35 نعمة من عندنا كذلك نجزى من شكر

Transcription (English)
54:35 NiAAmatan min AAindina kathalikanajzee man shakara
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:35 A blessing from Us; it is thus that We reward those who are appreciative.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:35 A blessing from Us; it is thus that We reward the thankful.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:35 as a blessing from Us: thus do We reward all who are grateful.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:35 We blessed him and his family; we thus reward the appreciative.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:35 As a bliss from Us. Thus it is, We reward the grateful.

54:36 ولقد انذرهم بطشتنا فتماروا بالنذر

Transcription (English)
54:36 Walaqad antharahum batshatanafatamaraw bialnnuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:36 He warned them about Our punishment, but they ridiculed the warnings.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:36 And he warned them about Our punishment, but they ridiculed the warnings.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:36 For he had truly warned them of Our punishing might; but they stubbornly cast doubt on these warn­ings,
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:36 He warned them about our requital, but they ridiculed the warnings.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:36 For he had truly warned them of Our Grasp, but they contended about the warning.

54:37 ولقد رودوه عن ضيفه فطمسنا اعينهم فذوقوا عذابى ونذر

Transcription (English)
54:37 Walaqad rawadoohu AAan dayfihifatamasna aAAyunahum fathooqoo AAathabeewanuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:37 They sought to remove him from his guests; so We diverted their eyes. "Taste My retribution; you have been warned."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:37 And they sought to remove him from his guests; so We diverted their eyes. "Taste My retribution; you have been warned."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:37 and even demanded that he give up his guests [to them]:20 whereupon We deprived them of their sight [and thus told them, as it were]:21 “Taste, then, the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!"

Note 20
See 11:77 and the corresponding notes.

Note 21
According to Ibn Abbas (as quoted by Razi), the expression tams al-ayn ("deprivation of sight") denotes here a "veiling [of something] from one's consciousness" (hajb an al-idrak). Hence, the phrase tamasna ayunahum may be understood to mean that God deprived them, in consequence of their evil propensities, of all moral insight (cf. 36:66 and the corresponding notes), and thus made them liable - as the sequence shows - to undergo bitter suffering in this world and in the next.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:37 They negotiated with him about his guests; we blinded them. Suffer My retribution; you have been warned.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:37 And demanded that he give up his guests. Whereupon We sealed their vision. Taste now My punishment after the warnings.

54:38 ولقد صبحهم بكرة عذاب مستقر

Transcription (English)
54:38 Walaqad sabbahahum bukratanAAathabun mustaqirrun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:38 In the early morning, a devastating retribution struck them.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:38 And in the early morning, a devastating retribution struck them.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:38 And, indeed, abiding suffering did befall them early on the morrow:
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:38 Early the next morning, a devastating retribution struck them.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:38 The inevitable punishment befell them early in the morning.

54:39 فذوقوا عذابى ونذر

Transcription (English)
54:39 Fathooqoo AAathabee wanuthuri
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:39 "Taste My retribution; you have been warned."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:39 "Taste My retribution; you have been warned."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:39 “Taste, then, the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!"
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:39 Suffer My retribution; you have been warned.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:39 Now taste My retribution after My warnings.

54:40 ولقد يسرنا القرءان للذكر فهل من مدكر

Transcription (English)
54:40 Walaqad yassarna alqur-ana lilththikrifahal min muddakirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:40 We made the Quran easy to learn. Do any of you wish to learn?
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:40 And We made the Qur'an easy to remember. Are there any who will learn?
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:40 Hence, indeed, We made this Qur'an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:40 We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:40 We have made the Qur’an easy to understand. Then, is there any who will learn?

54:41 ولقد جاء ءال فرعون النذر

Transcription (English)
54:41 Walaqad jaa ala firAAawna alnnuthuru
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:41 The warnings had come to the people of Pharaoh.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:41 And the warnings had come to the people of Pharaoh.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:41 Now surely, unto Pharaoh's folk [too] came such warnings;
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:41 Pharaoh's people were warned.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:41 And warnings did come to Pharaoh’s people.

54:42 كذبوا بايتنا كلها فاخذنهم اخذ عزيز مقتدر

Transcription (English)
54:42 Kaththaboo bi-ayatinakulliha faakhathnahum akhthaAAazeezin muqtadirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:42 They rejected all Our signs. So We took them, the taking of the Noble, the Able.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:42 They rejected all Our signs. So We took them, the taking of the Noble, the Able.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:42 they, too, gave the lie to all Our messages: and thereupon We took them to task as only the Almighty, who determines all things, can take to task.22

Note 22
Lit., "We gripped them with the grip of an almighty…", etc. The special - and concluding - mention of "Pharaoh's folk" is due to the fact that the Egyptians were the most highly developed and powerful nation in the antiquity to which this and the preceding passages refer.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:42 They rejected all our signs. Consequently, we requited them as an Almighty, Omnipotent should.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:42 They, too, denied Our messages, every one. Thereupon We grasped them with the grasp of the Mighty, the Powerful.

54:43 اكفاركم خير من اولئكم ام لكم براءة فى الزبر

Transcription (English)
54:43 Akuffarukum khayrun min ola-ikumam lakum baraatun fee alzzuburi
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:43 Are your ingrates better than those? Or have you been absolved by the book?6

Note 6

See 6:110.

The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:43 Are your rejecters better than those? Or have you been absolved by the scriptures?
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:43 ARE, THEN, those of you who [now] deny the truth23 better than those others - or have you, per­chance, [been promised] immunity in the [ancient] books of [divine] wisdom?24

Note 23
Lit., "your deniers of the truth".

Note 24
See surah 21 note 101.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:43 Are your disbelievers better than those disbelievers? Have you been absolved by the scripture?,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:43 Are your deniers better than those others, or do you have amnesty through the scriptures?

54:44 ام يقولون نحن جميع منتصر

Transcription (English)
54:44 Am yaqooloona nahnu jameeAAun muntasirun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:44 Or do they say, "We are a large group and we will win."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:44 Or do they say: "We are a large group and we will win."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:44 Or do they say, “We are a group united, [and therefore] bound to prevail"?25

Note 25
The reasoning which underlies this thought may be summed up thus: "We who reject these so-called divine revelations represent a very large body of opinion; and because our views are held by so many, they are obviously right and, therefore, bound to triumph in the end." In other words, the people characterized as "deniers of the truth" draw their assurance from the mere fact of their being representative of the "majority opinion" - a self-delusion based on a purely materialistic outlook on life.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:44 Perhaps they think, "We will be the winners.",
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:44 Or do they say, "We are a united group bound to be victorious?”

54:45 سيهزم الجمع ويولون الدبر

Transcription (English)
54:45 Sayuhzamu aljamAAu wayuwalloona alddubura
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:45 The large group will be defeated; they will turn around and flee.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:45 The large group will be defeated; they will turn around and flee.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:45 [Yet] the hosts [of those who deny the truth] shall be routed, and they shall turn their backs [in flight]!26

Note 26
The fact that the Prophet recited this verse just before the battle of Badr (see note 10 on 8:10) has caused most of the commentators to assume that it had been revealed as a specific prophecy of the future victory of the Muslims over the pagan Quraysh. While this is possible, I believe, nevertheless, that the above passage has the much wider, timeless meaning explained in the preceding note. This view finds strong support in the subsequent verses, which speak of the evil otherworldly consequences of deliberate sinning, quite apart from the social and moral defeat, in this world, of the sinful community as a whole.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:45 All of them will be defeated; they will turn around and flee.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:45 Yet, all these troops will be routed and will turn back and flee.

54:46 بل الساعة موعدهم والساعة ادهى وامر

Transcription (English)
54:46 Bali alssaAAatu mawAAiduhum waalssaAAatuadha waamarru
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:46 The moment is their appointed time, and the moment is far worse and more painful.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:46 The Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour is far worse and more painful.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:46 But nay - the Last Hour is the time when they shall truly meet their fate;27 and that Last Hour will be most calamitous, and most bitter:

Note 27
Lit., "the time appointed for them" (maw iduhum).
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:46 The Hour is awaiting them, and the Hour is far worse and more painful.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:46 Nay, the Hour is the time promised them, and the Hour will be most grievous with a most bitter defeat.

54:47 ان المجرمين فى ضلل وسعر

Transcription (English)
54:47 Inna almujrimeena fee dalalinwasuAAurin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:47 The criminals are in error and will burn.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:47 The criminals are in error and will burn.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:47 for, behold, those who are lost in sin [will at that time come to know that it is they who] were sunk in error and folly!28

Note 28
See verse 24 above.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:47 Certainly, the guilty are astray, and will end up in Hell.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:47 The violators of human rights are in grave error and loss.

54:48 يوم يسحبون فى النار على وجوههم ذوقوا مس سقر

Transcription (English)
54:48 Yawma yushaboona fee alnnariAAala wujoohihim thooqoo massa saqara
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
The Agony of Rejecting a Manifest Sign54:48 The day when they will be dragged upon their faces into the fire: "Taste the agony of Saqar!"7

Note 7

For the Quranic meaning and prophetic implication of the word saqar, see 74:26.

The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:48 The Day when they will be dragged upon their faces into the Fire: "Taste the agony of the scorching heat!"
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:48 On the Day when they shall be dragged into the fire on their faces,29 [they will be told:] “Taste now the touch of hell-fire!"

Note 29
See note 83 on 33:66 as well as note 30 on 25:34.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:48 They will be dragged into the hellfire, forcibly. Suffer the agony of retribution.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:48 On the Day when they shall be dragged through the fire on their faces, “Taste the touch of Blaze!”5

Note 5
Wajh = Face = Countenance = Whole being = Whole person

54:49 انا كل شىء خلقنه بقدر

Transcription (English)
54:49 Inna kulla shay-in khalaqnahubiqadarin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:49 Everything We have created in measure.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:49 Everything We have created in measure.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:49 BEHOLD, everything have We created in due measure and proportion;
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:49 Everything we created is precisely measured.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:49 We have created all things in due measure and proportion.6

Note 6
And appointed laws for all things to become what they are meant to be

54:50 وما امرنا الا وحدة كلمح بالبصر

Transcription (English)
54:50 Wama amruna illa wahidatunkalamhin bialbasari
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:50 Our commands are done at once with the blink of an eye.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:50 And Our commands are done at once with the blink of an eye.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:50 and Our ordaining [a thing and its coming into being] is but one [act], like the twinkling of an eye.30

Note 30
I.e., there is no time lag and no conceptual difference between God's "willing" the creation of a thing and His "creating" it, for "when He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, 'Be' - and it is" (2:117, 3:47, 16:40, 19:35, 36:82 and 40:68). The comparison with the "twinkling of an eye" is, of course, merely idiomatic, i.e., based on the human concept of something instantaneous. In the present context this is - as the sequence shows - an allusion to the rapidity with which God can, if He so wills, destroys a sinful community.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:50 Our commands are done within the blink of an eye.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:50 And Our command is but a single Word, like the twinkling of an eye.

54:51 ولقد اهلكنا اشياعكم فهل من مدكر

Transcription (English)
54:51 Walaqad ahlakna ashyaAAakumfahal min muddakirin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:51 We have destroyed your counterparts. Do any of you wish to learn?
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:51 And We have destroyed your counterparts. Do any of you wish to learn?
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:51 Thus, indeed, did We destroy people like you [in the past]: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:51 We annihilated your counterparts. Does any of you wish to learn?,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:51 And in the past We have annihilated gangs like you. Then, is there any who will learn?

54:52 وكل شىء فعلوه فى الزبر

Transcription (English)
54:52 Wakullu shay-in faAAaloohu fee alzzuburi
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:52 Everything they did is in the records.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:52 And everything they had done, is in the scriptures.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:52 [They were truly guilty] because all [the evil] that they ever did had been [revealed to them as such] in the [ancient] books of [divine] wisdom;31

Note 31
I.e., the ancient revealed scriptures (az-zubur) had made the meaning of good and evil absolutely clear to them, but they willfully disregarded or even consciously rejected that teaching. The above verse implies, firstly, that the basic ethical teachings of all revealed religions are essentially identical, and, secondly, that God "would never destroy a community for [its] wrongdoing so long as its people are still unaware [of the meaning of right and wrong]" (see 6:131, 15:4, 26:208, and the corresponding notes).
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:52 Everything they did is recorded in the scriptures.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:52 And everything they did is in the scriptures.

54:53 وكل صغير وكبير مستطر

Transcription (English)
54:53 Wakullu sagheerin wakabeerin mustatarun
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:53 Everything, small or large, is written down.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:53 And everything, small or large, is written down.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:53 and everything [that man does], be it small or great, is recorded [with God].
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:53 Everything, small or large, is written down.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:53 And everything, be it small or great, is recorded.

54:54 ان المتقين فى جنت ونهر

Transcription (English)
54:54 Inna almuttaqeena fee jannatinwanaharin
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:54 The righteous will be in paradises and rivers.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:54 The righteous will be in gardens and rivers.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:54 [Hence, too,] behold, the God-conscious will find themselves in [a paradise of] gardens and running waters,
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:54 Surely, the righteous have deserved gardens and rivers.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:54 Those who guard themselves against straying will be in the midst of gardens and rivers.

54:55 فى مقعد صدق عند مليك مقتدر

Transcription (English)
54:55 Fee maqAAadi sidqin AAinda maleekinmuqtadirin Bismi Allahi alrrahmanialrraheemi
Edip-Layth (Quran: A Reformist Translation)
54:55 In a position of honor, at an Omnipotent King.
The Monotheist Group (The Quran: A Monotheist Translation)
54:55 In a position of honor, at an Omnipotent King.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
54:55 in a seat of truth, in the presence of a Sovereign who determines all things.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
54:55 In a position of honor, at an Omnipotent King.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
54:55 Seated honorably in the Presence of a Mighty King.