Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of The Glorious Koran. An Explanatory Translation (1930)

SÛRAH LXIX

Al-Ḥâqqah takes its name from a word recurring in the first three verses.

It belongs to the middle group of Meccan Sûrahs.

The Reality

1. The Reality!

2. What is the Reality?

3. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the reality is!

4. (The tribes of) Thamûd and A‘âd disbelieved in the judgement to come.

5. As for Thamûd, they were destroyed by the lightning.

6. And as for A‘âd, they were destroyed by a fierce roaring wind,

7. Which He imposed on them for seven long nights and eight long days so that thou mightest have seen men lying overthrown, as they were hollow trunks of palm-trees.

8. Canst thou (O Muhammad) see any remnant of them?

9. And Pharaoh and those before him, and the communities that were destroyed, brought error,

10. And they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, therefor did He grip them with a tightening grip.

11. Lo! when the waters rose, We carried you upon the ship

12. That We might make it a memorial for you, and that remembering ears (that heard the story) might remember.