The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
Abdel Haleem, Understanding the Qur
an, ch. 9.
b
Literally ‘in some matter’. The Prophet was asked, ‘What is this matter?’ He
replied, ‘He forgives a sin or removes a distress.’
c
Thaqal is a mighty or heavy army: all their forces.
The Qur
an
55: 24
354

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54They will sit on couches upholstered with brocade, the fruit
of both gardens within easy reach. 
55Which, then, of your Lord’s
blessings do you both deny?
56There will be maidens restraining their glances, untouched
beforehand by man or jinn. 
57Which, then, of your Lord’s blessings
do you both deny?
58Like rubies and brilliant pearls. 59Which, then, of your Lord’s
blessings do you both deny?
60Shall the reward of good be anything but good? 61Which, then,
of your Lord’s blessings do you both deny?
62There are two other gardens below these two.
a
63Which, then, of
your Lord’s blessings do you both deny?
64Both of deepest green. 65Which, then, of your Lord’s blessings
do you both deny?
66With a pair of gushing springs. 67Which, then, of your Lord’s
blessings do you both deny?
68With fruits–– date palms and pomegranate trees. 69Which, then,
of your Lord’s blessings do you both deny?
70There are good-natured, beautiful maidens. 71Which, then, of
your Lord’s blessings do you both deny?
72Dark-eyed, sheltered in pavilions. 73Which, then, of your Lord’s
blessings do you both deny?
74Untouched beforehand by man or jinn. 75Which, then, of your
Lord’s blessings do you both deny?
76They will all sit on green cushions and fine carpets. 77Which,
then, of your Lord’s blessings do you both deny? 
78Blessed is the
name of your Lord, full of majesty, bestowing honour.
a
Paradise exists in two ranks: the higher level for the truly favoured, and this lower
level described for the less exalted pious. This cosmology of hell, lower paradise, upper
paradise is repeated in the following sura: 
56: 7–56.
The Lord of Mercy
355
55: 78

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56. THAT WHICH IS COMING
A Meccan sura whose central message is stated in its opening verses, from which
the sura takes its title: the Day of Judgement is inevitable and it will sort
people into the humiliated and the richly rewarded. As in the previous sura,
people are divided into three classes: those brought near to God (the best of the
believers), those on the right (the ordinary believers), and those on the left
(the disbelievers). Ample proof is given of God’s power and consequently His
ability to bring about the Resurrection (verses 
57–72).
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1When that which is coming arrives, 2no one will be able to deny it
has come, 
3bringing low and raising high. 4When the earth is shaken
violently
5and the mountains are ground to powder 6and turn to
scattered dust, 
7then you will be sorted into three classes. 8Those on
the Right –– what people they are! 
9Those on the Left––what people
they are! 
10And those in front––ahead indeed! 11For these will be the
ones brought nearest to God 
12in Gardens of Bliss: 13many from the
past
14and a few from later generations. 15On couches of well-woven
cloth 
16they will sit facing each other; 17everlasting youths will go
round among them 
18with glasses, flagons, and cups of a pure drink
19that causes no headache or intoxication; 20[there will be] any fruit
they choose; 
21the meat of any bird they like; 22and beautiful com-
panions 
23like hidden pearls: 24a reward for what they used to
do. 
25They will hear no idle or sinful talk there, 26only clean and
wholesome
a
speech.
27Those on the Right, what people they are! 28They will dwell
amid thornless lote trees 
29and clustered acacia 30with spreading
shade, 
31constantly flowing water, 32abundant fruits, 33unfailing,
unforbidden, 
34with incomparable companions
b
35We have specially
created ––
36virginal, 37loving, of matching age––38for those on the
Right,
39many from the past 40and many from later generations.
41But those on the Left, what people they are! 42They will dwell