Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'arij Verse 1

Mufti Taqi Usmani

A demanding person has asked for the punishment that is going to befall

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

A challenger[[ According to {8:32}, An-Naḍr ibn Al-Ḥârith challenged Allah, saying, “If this is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones upon us from the sky or overcome us with a painful punishment.”]] has demanded a punishment bound to come

Ruwwad Translation Center

A challenger asked for a punishment bound to come

A. J. Arberry

A questioner asked of a chastisement about to fall

Abdul Haleem

A man [mockingly] demanded the punishment.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

There hath asked an asker for the torment about to befall.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall-

Abul Ala Maududi

A beseecher besought the visitation of chastisement,

Ahmed Ali

AN INQUIRER ASKED for the affliction that is to come

Ahmed Raza Khan

A requester seeks the punishment that will take place –

Ali Quli Qarai

An asker asked for a punishment sure to befall

Ali Ünal

A questioner (in mocking denial of the Day of Resurrection) has asked about the punishment certain to befall,

Amatul Rahman Omar

A solicitor solicited the punishment which is bound to befall.

English Literal

(An) asker/questioner asked/questioned with (about) a falling/landing torture.

Faridul Haque

A requester seeks the punishment that will take place -

Hamid S. Aziz

A questioner asked about the chastisement which must befall

Hilali & Khan

A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall

Maulana Mohammad Ali

From Allah, Lord of the ways of Ascent.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

One demanding, demanded the chastisement which must befall

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall

Muhammad Sarwar

Someone has (needlessly) demanded to experience the torment (of God),

Qaribullah & Darwish

A caller supplicated about a punishment to fall on

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall

Wahiduddin Khan

A doubter once demanded that punishment be immediately meted out,

Talal Itani

A questioner questioned the imminent torment.

Tafsir jalalayn

A petitioner petitioned, a supplicator supplicated [for], an impending chastisement

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

A Request to hasten the Day of Judgement

Allah says that,

سَأَلَ سَايِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ




A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall,

This Ayah contains an assumed meaning that is alluded to by the letter "Ba". It is as though it is saying, a questioner requested to hasten on the torment that is about to fall.

It is similar to Allah's statement,

وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَلَن يُخْلِفَ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ

And they ask you to hasten on the torment! And Allah fails not His promise. (22;47)

meaning, that its torment will occur and there is no avoiding it.

Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas concerning the Ayah,
سَأَلَ سَايِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ
(A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall),

"That is the questioning of the disbelievers about the torment of Allah and it will occur to them."

Ibn Abi Najih reported from Mujahid that he said concerning Allah's statement
سَأَلَ سَايِلٌ
(A questioner asked),

"A person called out (requesting) for the torment that will occur in the Hereafter to happen."

Then he said, "This is their saying,

اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ أَوِ ايْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from you, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment." (8;32)

Allah's statement,

وَاقِعٍ