THE HOLY QUR-AN

Text, Translation and Commentary

ABDULLAH YUSUF ALI

Lahore, Pakistan

[1934]

English translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1934 edition), from Sacred-Texts.com. Page numbers removed for better readability. No alterations made to the translation text.

The Holy Qur'an in its original Arabic version can be seen here.

Sura I.
Sura II.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
SECTION 12.
SECTION 13
SECTION 14.
SECTION 15.
SECTION 16.
SECTION 17.
SECTION 18.
SECTION 19.
SECTION 20.
SECTION 21.
SECTION 22.
SECTION 23.
SECTION 24.
SECTION 25.
SECTION 26.
SECTION 27.
SECTION 28.
SECTION 29.
SECTION 30.
SECTION 31.
SECTION 32.
SECTION 33.
SECTION 34.
SECTION 35.
SECTION 36.
SECTION 37.
SECTION 38.
SECTION 39.
SECTION 40.
Sura III.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
SECTION 12.
SECTION 13.
SECTION 14.
SECTION 15.
SECTION 16.
SECTION 17.
SECTION 18.
SECTION 19.
SECTION 20.
Sura IV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
SECTION 12.
SECTION 13.
SECTION 14.
SECTION 15.
SECTION 16.
SECTION 17.
SECTION 18.
SECTION 19.
SECTION 20.
SECTION 21.
SECTION 22.
SECTION 23.
SECTION 24.
Sura V.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
SECTION 12.
SECTION 13.
SECTION 14.
SECTION 15.
SECTION 16.
Sura VI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
SECTION 12.
SECTION 13.
SECTION 14.
SECTION 15.
SECTION 16.
SECTION 17.
SECTION 18.
SECTION 19.
SECTION 20.
Sura VII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
SECTION 12.
SECTION 13.
SECTION 14.
SECTION 15.
SECTION 16.
SECTION 17.
SECTION 18.
SECTION 19.
SECTION 20.
SECTION 21.
SECTION 22.
SECTION 23.
SECTION 24.
Sura VIII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
Sura IX.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
SECTION 12.
SECTION 13.
SECTION 14.
SECTION 15.
SECTION 16.
Sura X.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
Sura XI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
Sura XII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
SECTION 12.
Sura XIII.
SECTION 2.
Sura XIV.
SECTION 2.
Sura XV.
SECTION 2.
Sura XVI.
SECTION 2.
Sura XVII.
SECTION 2.
Sura XVIII.
SECTION 2.
Sura XIX.
SECTION 2.
Sura XX.
SECTION 2.
Sura XXI.
SECTION 2.
Sura XXII.
SECTION 2.
Sura XXIII.
SECTION 2.
Sura XXIV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
Sura XXV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6
Sura XXVI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9
SECTION 10.
SECTION 11.
Sura XXVII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
Sura XXVIII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
Sura XXIX.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
Sura XXX.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
Sura XXXI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
Sura XXXII
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura XXXIII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
Sura XXXIV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
Sura XXXV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
Sura XXXVI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
Sura XXXVII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
Sura XXXVIII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
Sura XXXIX.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
Sura XL.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
SECTION 8.
SECTION 9.
Sura XLI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
Sura XLII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
Sura XLIII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
SECTION 5.
SECTION 6.
SECTION 7.
Sura XLIV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura XLV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
Sura XLVI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
Sura XLVII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
Sura XLVIII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
Sura XLIX.
SECTION 2.
Sura L.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura LI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura LII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LIII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura LIV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura LV.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura LVI.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura LVII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
SECTION 4.
Sura LVIII.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura LIX.
SECTION 2.
SECTION 3.
Sura LX.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXI.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXIII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXIV.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXV.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXVI.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXVII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXVIII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXIX.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXX.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXI.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXIII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXIV.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXV.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXVI.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXVII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXVIII.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXIX.
SECTION 2.
Sura LXXX.
Sura LXXXI.
Sura LXXXII.
Sura LXXXIII.
Sura LXXXIV.
Sura LXXXV.
Sura LXXXVI.
Sura LXXXVII.
Sura LXXXVIII.
Sura LXXXIX.
Sura XC.
Sura XCI.
Sura XCII.
Sura XCIII.
Sura XCIV.
Sura XCV.
Sura XCVI.
Sura XCVII.
Sura XCVIII.
Sura XCIX.
Sura C.
Sura CI.
Sura CII.
Sura CIII.
Sura CIV.
Sura CV.
Sura CVI.
Sura CVII.
Sura CVIII.
Sura CIX
Sura CX.
Sura CXI.
Sura CXII.
Sura CXIII
Sura CXIV.

Sura I.

Fatiha, or the Opening Chapter.

1. In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

2. Praise be to God,

The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds;

3. Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

4. Master of the Day of Judgment.

5. Thee do we worship,

And Thine aid we seek.

6. Show us the straight way,

7. The way of those on whom

Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace,

Those whose (portion)

Is not wrath,

And who go not astray.

Sura II.

Baqara, or the Heifer.

In the name of God, most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. This is the Book;

In it is guidance sure, without doubt,

To those who fear God;

3. Who believe in the Unseen,

Are steadfast in prayer,

And spend out of what We

Have provided for them;

4. And who believe in the Revelation

Sent to thee,

And sent before thy time,

And (in their hearts)

Have the assurance of the Hereafter.

5. They are on (true) guidance,

From their Lord, and it is

These who will prosper.

6. As to those who reject Faith,

It is the same to them

Whether thou warn them

Or do not warn them;

They will not believe.

7. God hath set a seal

On their hearts and on their hearing,

And on their eyes is a veil;

Great is the penalty they (incur).

SECTION 2.

8. Of the people there are some who say:

"We believe in God and the Last Day;"

But they do not (really) believe.

9. Fain would they deceive

God and those who believe,

But they only deceive themselves,

And realize (it) not!

10. In their hearts is a disease;

And God has increased their disease:

And grievous is the penalty they (incur),

Because they are false (to themselves).

11. When it is said to them:

"Make not mischief on the earth,"

They say: "Why, we only

Want to make peace!"

12. Of a surety, they are the ones

Who make mischief,

But they realize (it) not.

13. When it is said to them:

"Believe as the others believe:"

They say: "Shall we believe

As the fools believe?"

Nay, of a surety they are the fools,

But they do not know."

14. When they meet those who believe,

They say: "We believe;"

But when they are alone

With their evil ones,

They say: "We are really with you:

We (were) only jesting."

15. God will throw back

Their mockery on them,

And give them rope in their trespasses;

So they will wander like blind ones

(To and fro).

16. These are they who have bartered

Guidance for error:

But their traffic is profitless,

And they have lost true direction,

17. Their similitude is that of a man

Who kindled a fire;

When it lighted all around him,

God took away their light

And left them in utter darkness.

So they could not see.

18. Deaf, dumb, and blind,

They will not return (to the path).

19. Or (another similitude)

Is that of a rain-laden cloud

From the sky: in it are zones

Of darkness, and thunder and lightning:

They press their fingers in their ears

To keep out the stunning thunder-clap,

The while they are in terror of death.

But God is ever round

The rejecters of Faith!

20. The lightning all but snatches away

Their sight; every time the light

(Helps) them, they walk therein,

And when the darkness grows on them,

They stand still.

And if God willed, He could take away

Their faculty of hearing and seeing;

For God hath power over all things

SECTION 3.

21. O ye people!

Adore your Guardian-Lord,

Who created you

And those who came before you,

That ye may have the chance

To learn righteousness;

22. Who has made the earth your couch,

And the heavens your canopy;

And sent down rain from the heavens;

And brought forth therewith

Fruits for your sustenance;

Then set not up rivals unto God

When ye know (the truth).

23. And if ye are in doubt

As to what We have revealed

From time to time to Our servant,

Then produce a Sura

Like thereunto;

And call your witnesses or helpers

(If there are any) besides God,

If your (doubts) are true.

24. But if ye cannot

And of a surety ye cannot--

Then fear the Fire

Whose fuel is Men and Stones,--

Which is prepared for those

Who reject Faith.

25. But give glad tidings

To those who believe

And work righteousness,

That their portion is Gardens,

Beneath which rivers flow.

Every time they are fed

With fruits therefrom,

They say: "Why, this is

What we were fed with before,"

For they are given things in similitude;

And they have therein

Companions pure (and holy);

And they abide therein (for ever).

26. God disdains not to use

The similitude of things,

Lowest as well as highest.

Those who believe know

That it is truth from their Lord;

But those who reject Faith say:

"What means God by this similitude?"

By it He causes many to stray,

And many He leads into the right path;

But He causes not to stray,

Except those who forsake (the path),--

27. Those who break God's Covenant

After it is ratified,

And who sunder what God

Has ordered to be joined,

And do mischief on earth:

These cause loss (only) to themselves.

28. How can ye reject

The faith in God?--

Seeing that ye were without life,

And He gave you life

Then will He cause you to die,

And will again bring you to life;

And again to Him will ye return.

29. It is He Who hath created for you

All things that are on earth;

Moreover His design comprehended the heavens,

For He gave order and perfection

To the seven firmaments;

And of all things

He hath perfect knowledge.

SECTION 4.

30. Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create

A vicegerent on earth." They said:

"Wilt Thou place therein one who will make

Mischief therein and shed blood?--

Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises

And glorify Thy holy (name)?"

He said: "I know what ye know not."

31. And He taught Adam the nature

Of all things; then He placed them

Before the angels, and said: "Tell Me

The nature of these if ye are right."

32. They said: "Glory to Thee: of knowledge

We have none, save what Thou

Hast taught us: in truth it is Thou

Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom."

33. He said: "O Adam! tell them

Their natures." When he had told them,

God said: "Did I not tell you

That I know the secrets of heaven

And earth, and I know what ye reveal

And what ye conceal?"

34. And behold, We said to the angels:

"Bow down to Adam: "and they bowed down:

Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty:

He was of those who reject Faith.

35. We said: "O Adam! dwell thou

And thy wife in the Garden;

And eat of the bountiful things therein

As (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree,

Or ye run into harm and transgression."

36. Then did Satan make them slip

From the (Garden), and get them out

Of the state (of felicity) in which

They had been. We said:

"Get ye down, all (ye people),

With enmity between yourselves.

On earth will be your dwelling-place

And your means of livelihood--

For a time."

37. Then learnt Adam from his Lord

Words of inspiration, and his Lord

Turned towards him; for He

Is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

38. We said: "Get ye down all from here;

And if, as is sure, there comes to you

Guidance from Me, whosoever

Follows My guidance, on them

Shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

39. "But those who reject Faith

And belie Our Signs,

They shall be Companions of the Fire;

They shall abide therein."

SECTION 5.

40. O Children of Israel! call to mind

The (special) favour which I bestowed

Upon you, and fulfil your Covenants

With Me as I fulfil My Covenant

With you, and fear none but Me.

41. And believe in what I reveal,

Confirming the revelation

Which is with you,

And be not the first to reject

Faith therein, nor sell My Signs

For a small price; and fear Me,

And Me alone.

42. And cover not Truth

With falsehood, nor conceal

The Truth when ye know (what it is).

43. And be steadfast in prayer;

Practise regular charity;

And bow down your heads

With those who bow down (in worship).

44. Do ye enjoin right conduct

On the people, and forget

(To practise it) yourselves,

And yet ye study the Scripture?

Will ye not understand?

45. Nay, seek (God's) help

With patient perseverance

And prayer:

It is indeed hard, except

To those who bring a lowly spirit,--

46. Who bear in mind the certainty

That they are to meet their Lord,

And that they are to return to Him.

SECTION 6.

47. O Children of Israel! call to mind

The (special) favour which I bestowed

Upon you, and that I preferred you

To all others (for My Message).

48. Then guard yourselves against a day

When one soul shall not avail another

Nor shall intercession be accepted for her,

Nor shall compensation be taken from her,

Nor shall anyone be helped (from outside).

49. And remember, We delivered you

From the people of Pharaoh: they set you

Hard tasks and punishments, slaughtered

Your sons and let your women-folk live;

Therein was a tremendous trial from your Lord.

50. And remember We divided

The Sea for you and saved you

And drowned Pharaoh's people

Within your very sight.

51. And remember We appointed

Forty nights for Moses,

And in his absence ye took

The calf (for worship),

And ye did grievous wrong.

52. Even then We did forgive you;

There was a chance for you

To be grateful.

53. And remember We gave

Moses the Scripture and the Criterion

(Between right and wrong): there was

A chance for you to be guided aright.

54. And remember Moses said

To his people: "O my people!

Ye have indeed wronged

Yourselves by your worship of the calf:

So turn (in repentance) to your Maker,

And slay yourselves (the wrong-doers);

That will be better for you

In the sight of your Maker."

Then He turned towards you (in forgiveness):

For He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

55. And remember ye said: "O Moses!

We shall never believe in thee

Until we see God manifestly,"

But ye were dazed

With thunder and lightning

Even as ye looked on.

56. Then We raised you up

After your death:

Ye had the chance

To be grateful.

57. And We gave you the shade of clouds

And sent down to you

Manna and quails, saying:

"Eat of the good things

We have provided fcr you:"

(But they rebelled);

To Us they did no harm,

But they harmed their own souls.

58. And remember We said:

"Enter this town, and eat

Of the plenty therein

As ye wish; but enter

The gate with humility,

In posture and in words,

And We shall forgive you your faults

And increase (the portion of)

Those who do good."

59. But the transgressors

Changed the word from that

Which had been given them;

So We sent on the transgt essors

A plague from heaven,

For that they infringed

(Our command) repeatedly.

SECTION 7.

60. And remember Moses prayed

For water for his people;

We said: "Strike the rock

With thy staff." Then gushed forth

Therefrom twelve springs.

Each group knew its own place

For water. So eat and drink

Of the sustenance provided by God,

And do no evil nor mischief

On the (face of the) earth.

61. And remember ye said:

"O Moses! we cannot endure

One kind of food (always);

So beseech thy Lord for us

To produce for us of what the earth

Groweth,--its pot-herbs, and cucumbers,

Its garlic, lentils, and onions."

He said: "Will ye exchange

The better for the worse?

Go ye down to any town,"

And ye shall find what ye want!"

They were covered with humiliation

And misery; they drew

On themselves the wrath of God.

This because they went on

Rejecting the Signs of God

And slaying His Messengers

Without just cause.

This because they rebelled

And went on transgressing.

SECTION 8.

62. Those who believe (in the Qur-an),

And those who follow the Jewish (scriptures),

And the Christians and the Sabians,--

Any who believe in God

And the Last Day,

And work righteousness,

Shall have their reward

With their Lord: on them

Shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

63. And remember We took

Your Covenant

And We raised above you

(The towering height)

Of Mount (Sinai):

(Saying): "Hold firmly

To what We have given you

And bring (ever) to remembrance

What is therein:

Perchance ye may fear God."

64. But ye turned back thereafter:

Had it not been for the Grace

And Mercy of God to you,

Ye had surely been

Among the lost.

65. And well ye knew

Those amongst you

Who transgressed

In the matter of the Sabbath:

We said to them:

"Be ye apes,

Despised and rejected."

66. So We made it an example

To their own time

And to their posterity,

And a lesson

To those who fear God.

67. And remember Moses said

To his people: "God commands

That ye sacrifice a heifer."

They said: "Makest thou

A laughing-stock of us?"

He said: "God save me

From being an ignorant (fool)!"

68. They said: "Beseech on our behalf

Thy Lord to make plain to us

What (heifer) it is!"

He said: "He says: the heifer

Should be neither too old

Nor too young, but of middling

Age: now do what ye are commanded!"

69. They said: "Beseech on our behalf

Thy Lord to make plain to us

Her colour." He said: "He says:

A fawn-coloured heifer,

Pure and rich in tone,

The admiration of beholders!"

70. They said: "Beseech on our behalf

Thy Lord to make plain to us

What she is: to us are all heifers

Alike: we wish indeed for guidance,

If God wills."

71. He said: "He says: a heifer

Not trained to till the soil

Or water the fields: sound

And without blemish." They said:

"Now hast thou brought

The truth." Then they offered

Her in sacrifice,

But not with good-will.

SECTION 9.

72. Remember ye slew a man

And fell into a dispute

Among yourselves as to the crime:

But God was to bring forth

What ye did hide.

73. So We said: "Strike the (body)

With a piece of the (heifer)."

Thus God bringeth the dead

To life and showeth you His Signs:

Perchance ye may understand.

74. Thenceforth were your hearts

Hardened: they became

Like a rock and even worse

In hardness. For among rocks

There are some from which

Rivers gush forth; others

There are which when split

Asunder send forth water;

And others which sink

For fear of God. And God is

Not unmindful of what ye do.

75. Can ye (O ye men of Faith)

Entertain the hope that they

Will believe in you?--

Seeing that a party of them

Heard the Word of God,

And perverted it knowingly

After they understood it.

76. Behold! when they meet

The men of Faith, they say:

"We believe": but when

They meet each other in private,

They say: "Shall you tell them

What God hath revealed to you,

That they may engage you

In argument about it

Before your Lord?"--

Do ye not understand (their aim)?

77. Know they not that God

Knoweth what they conceal

And what they reveal?

78. And there are among them

Illiterates, who know not the Book,

But (see therein their own) desires,

And they do nothing but conjecture.

79. Then woe to those who write

The Book with their own hands,

And then say: "This is from God,"

To traffic with it

For a miserable price!--

Woe to them for what their hands

Do write, and for the gain

They make thereby.

80. And they say: "The Fire

Shall not touch us

But for a few numbered days:"

Say: "Have ye taken a promise

From God, for He never

Breaks His promise?

Or is it that ye say of God

What ye do not know?"

81. Nay, those who seek gain

In Evil, and are girt round

By their sins,

They are Companions of the Fire:

Therein shall they abide

(For ever).

82. But those who have faith

And work righteousness,

They are Companions of the Garden:

Therein shall they abide

(For ever).

SECTION 10.

83. And remember We took

A Covenant from the Children

Of Israel (to this effect):

Worship none but God;

Treat with kindness

Your parents and kindred,

And orphans and those in need;

Speak fair to the people;

Be steadfast in prayer;

And practise regular charity.

Then did ye turn back,

Except a few among you,

And ye backslide (even now).

84. And remember We took

Your Covenant (to this effect):

Shed no blood amongst you,

Nor turn out your own people

From your homes: and this

Ye solemnly ratified,

And to this ye can bear witness.

85. After this it is ye, the same people,

Who slay among yourselves,

And banish a party of you

From their homes; assist

(Their enemies) against them,

In guilt and rancour;

And if they come to you

As captives, ye ransom them,

Though it was not lawful

For you to banish them.

Then is it only a part of the Book

That ye believe in,

And do ye reject the rest?

But what is the reward for those

Among you who behave like this

But disgrace in this life?--

And on the Day of Judgment

They shall be consigned

To the most grievous penalty.

For God is not unmindful

Of what ye do.

86. These are the people who buy

The life of this world at the price

Of the Hereafter: their penalty

Shall not be lightened

Nor shall they be helped.

SECTION 11.

87. We gave Moses the Book

And followed him up

With a succession of Apostles;

We gave Jesus the son of Mary

Clear (Signs) and strengthened him

With the holy spirit. Is it

That whenever there comes to you

An Apostle with what ye

Yourselves desire not, ye are

Puffed up with pride?--

Some ye called impostors,

And others ye slay!

88. They say, "Our hearts

Are the wrappings (which preserve

God's Word: we need no more)."

Nay, God's curse is on them

For their blasphemy:

Little is it they believe.

89. And when there comes to them

A Book from God, confirming

What is with them,--although

From of old they had prayed

For victory against those

Without Faith,--when there comes.

To them that which they

(Should) have recognized,

They refuse to believe in it

But the curse of God

Is on those without Faith.

90. Miserable is the price

For which they have sold

Their souls, in that they

Deny (the revelation)

Which God has sent down,

In insolent envy that God

Of His Grace should send it

To any of His servants He pleases:

Thus have they drawn

On themselves Wrath upon Wrath.

And humiliating is the punishment

Of those who reject Faith.

91. When it is said to them,

"Believe in what God

Hath sent down," they say,

"We believe in what was sent down

To us": yet they reject

All besides, even if it be Truth

Confirming what is with them.

Say: "Why then have ye slain

The prophets of God in times

Gone by, if ye did indeed

Believe?"

92. There came to you Moses

With clear (Signs); yet

Ye worshipped the Calf

(Even) after that, and ye

Did behave wrongfully.

93. And remember We took

Your Covenant and We raised

Above you (the towering height)

Of Mount (Sinai):

(Saying): "Hold firmly

To what We have given you,

And hearken (to the Law)"

They said: "We hear,

And we disobey"

And they had to drink

Into their hearts

(Of the taint) of the Calf

Because of their Faithlessness.

Say: "Vile indeed

Are the behests of your Faith

If ye have any faith!"

94. Say: "If the last Home,

With God, be for you specially,

And not for anyone else,

Then seek ye for death,

If ye are sincere."

95. But they will never seek

For death, on account of the (sins)

Which their hands have sent

On before them.

And God is well-acquainted

With the wrong-doers.

96. Thou wilt indeed find them,

Of all people, most greedy

Of life,--even more

Than the idolaters:

Each one of them wishes

He could be given a life

Of a thousand years:

But the grant of such life

Will not save him

From (due) punishment.

For God sees well

All that they do.

SECTION 12.

97. Say: Whoever is an enemy

To Gabriel--for he brings down

The (revelation) to thy heart

By God's will, a confirmation

Of what went before,

And guidance and glad tidings

For those who believe,--

98. Whoever is an enemy to God

And His angels and apostles,

To Gabriel and Michael,--

Lo! God is an enemy to those

Who reject Faith.

99. We have sent down to thee

Manifest Signs (ayat);

And none reject them

But those who are perverse.

100. Is it not (the case) that

Every time they make a Covenant,

Some party among them

Throw it aside?--Nay,

Most of them are faithless.

101. And when there came to them

An Apostle from God,

Confirming what was with them,

A party of the People of the Book

Threw away the Book of God

Behind their backs,

As if (it had been something)

They did not know!

102. They followed what the evil ones

Gave out (falsely)

Against the power

Of Solomon: the blasphemers

Were, not Solomon, but

The evil ones, teaching men

Magic, and such things

As came down at Babylon

To the angels Harut and Marut.

But neither of these taught anyone

(Such things) without saying:

"We are only for trial;

So do not blaspheme."

They learned from them

The means to sow discord

Between man and wife.

But they could not thus

Harm anyone except

By God's permission.

And they learned what harmed them,

Not what profited them.

And they knew that the buyers

Of (magic) would have

No share in the happiness

Of the Hereafter. And vile

Was the price for which

They did sell their souls,

If they but knew!

103. If they had kept their Faith

And guarded themselves from evil,

Far better had been

The reward from their Lord,

If they but knew!

SECTION 13

104. ye of Faith!

Say not (to the Apostle)

Words of ambiguous import,

But words of respect;

And hearken (to him):

To those without Faith

Is a grievous punishment.

105. It is never the wish

Of those without Faith

Among the People of the Book,

Nor of the Pagans,

That anything good

Should come down to you

From your Lord.

But God will choose

For His special Mercy

Whom He will--for God is

Lord of grace abounding.

106. None of Our revelations

Do We abrogate

Or cause to be forgotten,

But We substitute

Something better or similar:

Knowest thou not that God

Hath power over all things?

107. Knowest thou not

That to God belongeth

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth?

And besides Him ye have

Neither patron nor helper.

108. Would ye question

Your Apostle as Moses's

Was questioned of old?

But whoever changeth

From Faith to Unbelief,

Hath strayed without doubt

From the even way.

109. Quite a number of the People

Of the Book wish they could

Turn you (people) back

To infidelity after ye have believed,

From selfish envy,

After the Truth hath become

Manifest unto them:

But forgive and overlook,

Till God accomplish

His purpose; for God

Hath power over all things.'

110. And be steadfast in prayer

And regular in charity:

And whatever good

Ye send forth for your souls

Before you, ye shall find it

With God: for God sees

Well all that ye do.

111. And they say: "None

Shall enter Paradise unless

He be a Jew or a Christian."

Those are their (vain) desires.

Say: "Produce your proof

If ye are truthful."

112. Nay,--whoever submits

His whole self to God

And is a doer of good,

He will get his reward

With his Lord;

On such shall be no fear,

Nor shall they grieve.

SECTION 14.

113. The Jews say: "The Christians

Have naught (to stand) upon;

And the Christians say:

"The Jews have naught

(To stand) upon." Yet they

(Profess to) study the (same) Book.

Like unto their word

Is what those say who know not;

But God will judge

Between them in their quarrel

On the Day of Judgment.

114. And who is more unjust

Than he who forbids

That in places for the worship

Of God, God's name should be

Celebrated?--whose zeal

Is (in fact) to ruin them?

It was not fitting that such

Should themselves enter them

Except in fear. For them

There is nothing but disgrace

In this world, and in the world

To come, an exceeding torment.

115. To God belong the East

And the West: whithersoever

Ye turn, there is the Presence

Of God. For God is All-Pervading,

All-Knowing.

116. They say: "God hath begotten

A son": Glory be to Him.--Nay,

To Him belongs all

That is in the heavens

And on earth: everything

Renders worship to Him.'"

117. To Him is due

The primal origin

Of the heavens and the earth:

When He decreeth a matter,

He saith to it: "Be,"

And it is.

118. Say those without knowledge:

"Why speaketh not God

Unto us? Or why cometh not

Unto us a Sign?"

So said the people before them

Words of similar import.

Their hearts are alike.

We have indeed made clear

The Signs unto any people

Who hold firmly

To Faith (in their hearts).

119. Verily We have sent thee

In truth as a bearer

Of glad tidings and a warner:

But of thee no question

Shall be asked of the Companions

Of the Blazing Fire.

120. Never will the Jews

Or the Christians be satisfied

With thee unless thou follow

Their form of religion. Say:

"The Guidance of God,--that

Is the (only) Guidance."

Wert thou to follow their desires

After the knowledge

Which hath reached thee,

Then wouldst thou find

Neither Protector nor Helper

Against God.

121. Those to whom We have sent

The Book study it as it

Should be studied: they are

The ones that believe therein:

Those who reject faith therein,--

The loss is their own.

SECTION 15.

122. O Children of Israel! call to mind

The special favour which I bestowed

Upon you, and that I preferred you

To all others (for My Message).

123. Then guard yourselves against a Day

When one soul shall not avail another,

Nor shall compensation be

accepted from her

Nor shall intercession profit her

Nor shall anyone be helped (from outside).

124. And remember that Abraham

Was tried by his Lord

With certain Commands,

Which he fulfilled:

He said: "I will make thee

An Imam to the Nations."

He pleaded: "And also

(Imams) from my offspring!"

He answered: "But My Promise

Is not within the reach

Of evil-doers."

125. Remember We made the House

A place of assembly for men

And a place of safety;

And take ye the Station

Of Abraham as a place

Of prayer; and We covenanted

With Abraham and lsma'il,

That they should sanctify

My House for those who

Compass it round, or use it

As a retreat, or bow, or

Prostrate themselves (therein

In prayer).

126. And remember Abraham said:

"My Lord, make this a City

Of Peace, and feed its People

With fruits,--such of them

As believe in God and the Last Day."

He said: "(Yea), and such as

Reject Faith,--for a while

Will I grant them their pleasure,

But will soon drive them

To the torment of Fire,--

An evil destination (indeed)!"

127. And remember Abraham

And Isma'il raised

The foundations of the House

(With this prayer): "Our Lord!

Accept (this service) from us:

For Thou art the All-Hearing,

The All-Knowing.

128. "Our Lord! make of us

Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will),

And of our progeny a people

Muslim, bowing to Thy (Will);

And show us our places for

The celebration of (due) rites;

And turn unto us (in Mercy);

For Thou art the Oft-Returning,

Most Merciful.

129. "Our Lord! send amongst them

An Apostle of their own,

Who shall rehearse Thy Signs

To them and instruct them

In Scripture and Wisdom,

And sanctify them:

For Thou art the Exalted in Might,

The Wise."

SECTION 16.

130. And who turns away

From the religion of Abraham

But such as debase their souls

With folly? Him We chose

And rendered pure in this world:

And he will be in the Hereafter

In the ranks of the Righteous.

131. Behold! his Lord said

To him: "Bow (thy will to Me):"

He said: "I bow (my will)

To the Lord and Cherisher

Of the Universe."

132. And this was the legacy

That Abraham left to his sons,

And so did Jacob;

"Oh my sons! God hath chosen

The Faith for you; then die not

Except in the Faith of Islam."

133. Were ye witnesses

When Death appeared before Jacob?

Behold, he said to his sons:

"What will ye worship after me?"

They said: "We shall worship

Thy God and the God of thy fathers,--

Of Abraham, Isma'il, and Isaac,--

The One (True) God:

To Him we bow (in Islam)."

134. That was a People that hath

Passed away. They shall reap

The fruit of what they did,

And ye of what ye do!

Of their merits

There is no question in your case!

135. They say: "Become Jews

Or Christians if ye would be guided

(To salvation)." Say thou:

"Nay! (I would rather) the Religion

Of Abraham the True,

And he joined not gods with God."

136. Say ye: "We believe

In God, and the revelation

Given to us, and to Abraham,

Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob,

And the Tribes, and that given

To Moses and Jesus, and that given

To (all) Prophets from their Lord:

We make no difference

Between one and another of them:

And we bow to God (in Islam)."

137. So if they believe

As ye believe, they are indeed

On the right path; but if

They turn back, it is they

Who are in schism; but God will

Suffice thee as against them,

And He is the All-Hearing,

The All-Knowing.

138. (Our religion is)

The Baptism of God:

And who can baptize better

Than God? And it is He

Whom we worship.

139. Say: Will ye dispute

With us about God, seeing

That He is our Lord

And your Lord; that we

Are responsible for our doings

And ye for yours; and that

We are sincere (in our faith) In him?

140. Or do ye say that

Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac,

Jacob and the Tribes were

Jews or Christians?

Say: Do ye know better

Than God? Ah! who

Is more unjust than those

Who conceal the testimony

They have from God?

But God is not unmindful

Of what ye do!

141. That was a people that hath

Passed away. They shall reap

The fruit of what they did,

And ye of what ye do!

Of their merits

There is no question in your case:

SECTION 17.

142. The Fools among the people

Will say: "What hath turned

Them from the Qibla to which

They were used?" Say:

To God belong both East and West:

He guideth whom He will

To a Way that is straight.

143. Thus have We made of you

An Ummat justly balanced,

That ye might be witnesses

Over the nations,

And the Apostle a witness

Over yourselves;

And We appointed the Qibla

To which thou wast used,

Only to test those who followed

The Apostle from those

Who would turn on their heels

(From the Faith). Indeed it was

(A change) momentous, except

To those guided by God.

And never would God

Make your faith of no effect.

For God is to all people

Most surely full of kindness,

Most Merciful.

144. We see the turning

Of thy face (for guidance)

To the heavens: now

Shall We turn thee

To a Qibla that shall

Please thee. Turn then

Thy face in the direction

Of the sacred Mosque:

Wherever ye are, turn

Your faces in that direction.

The people of the Book

Know well that that is

The truth from their Lord.

Nor is God unmindful

Of what they do.

145. Even if thou wert to bring

To the people of the Book

All the Signs (together),

They would not follow

Thy Qibla; nor art thou

Going to follow their Qibla;

Nor indeed will they follow

Each other's Qibla. If thou

After the knowledge hath reached thee,

Wert to follow their (vain)

Desires,--then wert thou

Indeed (clearly) in the wrong.

146. The people of the Book

Know this as they know

Their own sons; but some

Of them conceal the truth

Which they themselves know.

147. The Truth is from thy Lord;

So be not at all in doubt.

SECTION 18.

148. To each is a goal

To which God turns him;

Then strive together (as in a race)

Towards all that is good.

Wheresoever ye are,

God will bring you

Together, For God

Hath power over all things.

149. From whencesoever

Thou startest forth, turn

Thy face in the direction

Of the Sacred Mosque;

That is indeed the truth

From thy Lord. And God

Is not unmindful

Of what ye do.

150. So from whencesoever

Thou startest forth, turn

Thy face in the direction

Of the Sacred Mosque;

And wheresoever ye are,

Turn your face thither:

That there be no ground

Of dispute against you

Among the people,

Except those of them that are

Bent on wickedness; so fear

Them not, but fear Me;

And that I may complete

My favours on you, and ye

May (consent to) be guided;

151. A similar (favour

Have ye already received)

In that We have sent

Among you an Apostle

Of your own, rehearsing to you

Our Signs, and sanctifying

You, and instructing you

In Scripture and Wisdom,

And in new Knowledge.

152. Then do ye remember

Me; I will remember

You. Be grateful to Me,

And reject not Faith.

SECTION 19.

153. O ye who believe! seek help

With patient Perseverance

And Prayer: for God is with those

Who patiently persevere.

154. And say not of those

Who are slain in the way

Of God: "They are dead."

Nay, they are living,

Though ye perceive (it) not.

155. Be sure we shall test you

With something of fear

And hunger, some loss

In goods or lives or the fruits

(Of your toil), but give

Glad tidings to those

Who patiently persevere,--

156. Who say, when afflicted

With calamity: "To God

We belong, and to Him

Is our return":--

157. They are those on whom

(Descend) blessings from God,

And Mercy,

And they are the ones

That receive guidance.

158. Behold! Safa and Marwa

Are among the Symbols

Of God. So if those who visit

The House in the Season

Or at other times,

Should compass them round,

It is no sin in them.

And if any one obeyeth his own

Impulse to Good,--

Be sure that God

Is He Who recogniseth

And knoweth.

159. Those who conceal

The clear (Signs) We have

Sent down, and the Guidance,

After We have made it

Clear for the People

In the Book,--on them

Shall be God's curse,

And the curse of those

Entitled to curse,--

160. Except those who repent

And make amends

And openly declare (the Truth):

To them I turn;

For I am Oft-returning,

Most Merciful.

161. Those who reject Faith,

And die rejecting,--

On them is God's curse,

And the curse of angels,

And of all mankind;

162. They will abide therein:

Their penalty will not

Be lightened, nor will

Respite be their (lot).

163. And your God

Is One God:

There is no god

But He,

Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 20.

164. Behold! In the creation

Of the heavens and the earth;

In the alternation

Of the Night and the Day;

In the sailing of the ships

Through the Ocean

For the profit of mankind;

In the rain which God

Sends down from the skies,

And the life which He gives therewith

To an earth that is dead;

In the beasts of all kinds

That He scatters

Through the earth;

In the change of the winds,

And the clouds which they

Trail like their slaves

Between the sky and the earth;--

(Here) indeed are Signs

For a people that are wise.

165. Yet there are men

Who take (for worship)

Others besides God,

As equal (with God):

They love them

As they should love God.

But those of Faith are

Overflowing in their love

For God. If only

The unrighteous could see,

Behold, they would see

The Penalty: that to God

Belongs all power, and God

Will strongly enforce

The Penalty.

166 Then would those

Who are followed

Clear themselves of those

Who follow (them):

They would see the Penalty,

And all relations

Between them would be cut off.

167. And those who followed

Would say: "If only

We had one more chance,

We would clear ourselves

Of them, as they have

Cleared themselves of us."

Thus will God show them

(The fruits of) their deeds

As (nothing but) regrets.

Nor will there be a way

For them out of the Fire.

SECTION 21.

168. O ye people!

Eat of what is on earth,

Lawful and good;

And do not follow

The footsteps of the Evil One,

For he is to you

An avowed enemy.

169. For he commands you

What is evil

And shameful,

And that ye should say

Of God that of which

Ye have no knowledge.

170. When it is said to them:

"Follow what God hath revealed:"

They say: "Nay! we shall follow

The ways of our fathers."

What! even though their fathers

Were void of wisdom and guidance?

171. The parable of those

Who reject Faith is

As if one were to shout

Like a goat-herd, to things

That listen to nothing

But calls and cries:

Deaf, dumb, and blind,

They are void of wisdom.

172 O ye who believe!

Eat of the good things

That We have provided for you,

And be grateful to God,

If it is Him ye worship.

173. He hath only forbidden you

Dead meat, and blood,

And the flesh of swine,

And that on which

Any other name hath been invoked

Besides that of God.

But if one is forced by necessity,

Without wilful disobedience,

Nor transgressing due limits,--

Then is he guiltless.

For God is Oft-forgiving

Most Merciful.

174. Those who conceal

God's revelations in the Book,

And purchase for them

A miserable profit,--

They swallow into themselves

Naught but Fire;

God will not address them

On the Day of Resurrection,

Nor purify them:

Grievous will be

Their Penalty.

175. They are the ones

Who buy Error

In place of Guidance

And Torment in place

Of Forgiveness.

Ah! what boldness

(They show) for the Fire!

176. (Their doom is) because

God sent down the Book

In truth but those who seek

Causes of dispute in the Book

Are in a schism

Far (from the purpose).

SECTION 22.

177. It is not righteousness

That ye turn your faces

Towards East or West;

But it is righteousness--

To believe in God

And the Last Day,

And the Angels,

And the Book,

And the Messengers;

To spend of your substance,

Out of love for Him,

For your kin,

For orphans,

For the needy,

For the wayfarer,

For those who ask,

And for the ransom of slaves;

To be steadfast in prayer,

And practice regular charity;

To fulfil the contracts

Which ye have made;

And to be firm and patient,

In pain (or suffering)

And adversity,

And throughout

All periods of panic.

Such are the people

Of truth, the God-fearing.

178. O ye who believe!

The law of equality

Is prescribed to you

In cases of murder:

The free for the free,

The slave for the slave,

The woman for the woman.

But if any remission

Is made by the brother

Of the slain, then grant

Any reasonable demand,

And compensate him

With handsome gratitude.

This is a concession

And a Mercy

From your Lord.

After this whoever

Exceeds the limits

Shall be in grave penalty.

179. In the Law of Equality

There is (saving of) Life

To you, O ye men of understanding;

That ye may

Restrain yourselves.

180. It is prescribed,

When death approaches

Any of you, if he leave

Any goods, that he make a bequest

To parents and next of kin,

According to reasonable usage;

This is due

From the God-fearing.

181. If anyone changes the bequest

After hearing it,

The guilt shall be on those

Who make the change.

For God hears and knows

(All things).

182. But if anyone fears

Partiality or wrong-doing

On the part of the testator,

And makes peace between

(The parties concerned),

There is no wrong in him:

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 23.

183. O ye who believe!

Fasting is prescribed to you

As it was prescribed

To those before you,

That ye may (learn)

Self-restraint,--

184. (Fasting) for a fixed

Number of days;

But if any of you is ill,

Or on a journey,

The prescribed number

(Should be made up)

From days later.

For those who can do it

(With hardship), is a ransom,

The feeding of one

That is indigent.

But he that will give

More, of his own free will,--

It is better for him.

And it is better for you

That ye fast,

If ye only knew.

185. Ramadhan is the (month)

In which was sent down

The Qur-an, as a guide

To mankind, also clear (Signs)

For guidance and judgment

(Between right and wrong).

So every one of you

Who is present (at his home)

During that month

Should spend it in fasting,

But if any one is ill,

Or on a journey,

The prescribed period

(Should be made up)

By days later.

God intends every facility

For you; He does not want

To put you to difficulties.

(He wants you) to complete

The prescribed period,

And to glorify Him

In that He has guided you;

And perchance ye shall be grateful.

186. When My servants

Ask thee concerning Me,

I am indeed

Close (to them): I listen

To the prayer of every

Suppliant when he calleth on Me:

Let them also, with a will,

Listen to My call,

And believe in Me:

That they may walk

In the right way.

187. Permitted to you,

On the night of the fasts,

Is the approach to your wives.

They are your garments

And ye are their garments.

God knoweth what ye

Used to do secretly among yourselves;

But He turned to you

And forgave you;

So now associate with them,

And seek what God

Hath ordained for you,

And eat and drink,

Until the white thread

Of dawn appear to you

Distinct from its black thread;

Then complete your fast

Till the night appears;

But do not associate

With your wives

While ye are in retreat

In the mosques. Those are

Limits (set by) God:

Approach not nigh thereto.

Thus doth God make clear

His Signs to men: that

They may learn self-restraint.

188. And do not eat up

Your property among yourselves

For vanities, nor use it

As bait for the judges,

With intent that ye may

Eat up wrongfully and knowingly

A little of (other) people's property.

SECTION 24.

189. They ask thee

Concerning the New Moons.

Say: They are but signs

To mark fixed periods of time

In (the affairs of) men,

And for Pilgrimage.

It is no virtue if ye enter

Your houses from the back:

It is virtue if ye fear God.

Enter houses

Through the proper doors:

And fear God:

That ye may prosper.

190. Fight in the cause of God

Those who fight you,

But do not transgress limits;

For God loveth not transgressors.

191. And slay them

Wherever ye catch them,

And turn them out

From where they have

Turned you out;

For tumult and oppression

Are worse than slaughter;

But fight them not

At the Sacred Mosque,

Unless they (first)

Fight you there;

But if they fight you,

Slay them.

Such is the reward

Of those who suppress faith.

192. But if they cease,

God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

193. And fight them on

Until there is no more

Tumult or oppression,

And there prevail

Justice and faith in God;

But if they cease,

Let there be no hostility

Except to those

Who practise oppression.

194. The prohibited month

For the prohibited month,--

And so for all things prohibited,--

There is the law of equality.

If then any one transgresses

The prohibition against you,

Transgress ye likewise

Against him.

But fear God, and know

That God is with those

Who restrain themselves.

195. And spend of your substance

In the cause of God,

And make not your own hands

Contribute to (your) destruction;

But do good;

For God loveth those

Who do good.

196. And complete

The .Hajj or 'umra

In the service of God.

But if ye are prevented

(From completing it),

Send an offering

For sacrifice,

Such as ye may find,

And do not shave your heads

Until the offering reaches

The place of sacrifice.

And if any of you is ill,

Or has an ailment in his scalp,

(Necessitating shaving),

(He should) in compensation

Either fast, or feed the poor,

Or offer sacrifice;

And when ye are

In peaceful conditions (again),

If any one wishes

To continue the 'umra

On to the hajj,

He must make an offering,

Such as he can afford,

But if he cannot afford it,

He should fast

Three days during the hajj

And seven days on his return,

Making ten days in all.

This is for those

Whose household

Is not in (the precincts

Of) the Sacred Mosque.

And fear God,

And know that God.

Is strict in punishment?

SECTION 25.

197. For Hajj

Are the months well known.

If any one undertakes

That duty therein,

Let there be no obscenity,

Nor wickedness,

Nor wrangling

In the Hajj.

And whatever good

Ye do, (be sure)

God knoweth it.

And take a provision

(With you) for the journey,

But the best of provisions

Is right conduct.

So fear Me,

O ye that are wise.

198. It is no crime in you

If ye seek of the bounty

Of your Lord (during pilgrimage).

Then when ye pour down

From (Mount) 'Arafat,

Celebrate the praises of God

At the Sacred Monument,

And celebrate His praises

As He has directed you,

Even though, before this,

Ye went astray.

199. Then pass on

At a quick pace from the place

Whence it is usual

For the multitude

So to do, and ask

For God's forgiveness.

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

200. So when ye have

Accomplished your holy rites,

Celebrate the praises of God,

As ye used to celebrate

The praises of your fathers,--

Yea, with far more

Heart and soul.

There are men who say:

"Our ! Give us

(Thy bounties) in this world!"

But they will have

No portion in the Hereafter.

201. And there are men who say:

"Our Lord! Give us

Good in this world

And good in the Hereafter,

And defend us

From the torment

Of the Fire!"

202. To these will be allotted

What they have earned;

And God is quick in account.

203. Celebrate the praises of God

During the Appointed Days.

But if any one hastens

To leave in two days,

There is no blame on him,

And if any one stays on,

There is no blame on him,

If his aim is to do right.

Then fear God, and know

That ye will surely

Be gathered unto Him.

204. There is the type of man

Whose speech

About this world's life

May dazzle thee,

And he calls God to witness

About what is in his heart;

Yet is he the most contentious

Of enemies.

205. When he turns his back,

His aim everywhere

Is to spread mischief

Through the earth and destroy

Crops and cattle.

But God loveth not mischief.

206. When it is said to him,

"Fear God,"

He is led by arrogance

To (more) crime.

Enough for him is Hell;--

An evil bed indeed

(To lie on)!

207. And there is the type of man

Who gives his life

To earn the pleasure of God;

And God is full of kindness

To (His) devotees.

208. O ye who believe!

Enter into Islam

Whole-heartedly;

And follow not

The footsteps

Of the Evil One;

For he is to you

An avowed enemy.

209. If ye backslide

After the clear (Signs)

Have come to you,

Then know that God

Is Exalted in Power, Wise.

210. Will they wait

Until God comes to them

In canopies of clouds,

With angels (in His train)

And the question

Is (thus) settled?

But to God

Do all questions

Go back (for decision).

SECTION 26.

211. Ask the Children of Israel

How many Clear (Signs)

We have sent them.

But if any one,

After God's favour

Has come to him,

Substitutes (something else),

God is strict in punishment.

212. The life of this world

Is alluring to those

Who reject faith,

And they scoff at those

Who believe.

But the righteous

Will be above them

On the Day of Resurrection;

For God bestows His abundance

Without measure

On whom He will.

213. Mankind was one single nation,

And God sent Messengers

With glad tidings and warnings;

And with them He sent

The Book in truth,

To judge between people

In matters wherein

They differed;

But the People of the Book,

After the clear Signs

Came to them, did not differ

Among themselves,

Except through selfish contumacy.

God by His Grace

Guided the Believers

To the Truth,

Concerning that

Wherein they differed.

For God guides

Whom He will

To a path

That is straight.

214. Or do ye think

That ye shall enter

The Garden (of Bliss)

Without such (trials)

As came to those

Who passed away

Before you?

They encountered

Suffering and adversity,

And were so shaken in spirit

That even the Apostle

And those of faith

Who were with him

Cried: "When (will come)

The help of God?"

Ah! Verily, the help of God

Is (always) near!

215. They ask thee

What they should spend

(In charity). Say: Whatever

Ye spend that is good,

Is for parents and kindred

And orphans

And those in want

And for wayfarers.

And whatever ye do

That is good,--God

Knoweth it well.

216. Fighting is prescribed

For you, and ye dislike it.

But it is possible

That ye dislike a thing

Which is good for you,

And that ye love a thing

Which is bad for you.

But God knoweth,

And ye know not.

SECTION 27.

217. They ask thee

Concerning fighting

In the Prohibited Month.

Say: "Fighting therein

Is a grave (offence);

But graver is it

In the sight of God

To prevent access

To the path of God,

To deny Him,

To prevent access

To the Sacred Mosque,

And drive out its members.

Tumult and oppression

Are worse than slaughter.

Nor will they cease

Fighting you until

They turn you back

From your faith

If they can.

And if any of you

Turn back from their faith

And die in unbelief,

Their works will bear no fruit

In this life

And in the Hereafter;

They will be

Companions of the Fire

And will abide therein.

218. Those who believed

And those who suffered exile

And fought (and strove and struggled)

In the path of God,--

They have the hope

Of the Mercy of God;

And God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

219. They ask thee

Concerning wine and gambling.

Say: "In them is great sin,

And some profit, for men;

But the sin is greater

Than the profit."

Whey ask thee how much

They are to spend;

Say: "What is beyond

Your needs."

Thus doth God

Make clear to you

His Signs: in order that

Ye may consider--

220. (Their bearings) on

This life and the Hereafter.

They ask thee

Concerning orphans.

Say: "The best thing to do

Is what is for their good;

If ye mix

Their affairs with yours,

They are your brethren;

But God knows

The man who means mischief

From the man who means good.

And if God had wished,

He could have put you

Into difficulties: He is indeed

Exalted in Power, Wise.

221. Do not marry

Unbelieving women (idolaters),

Until they believe:

A slave woman who believes

Is better than an unbelieving woman,

Even though she allure you.

Nor marry (your girls)

To unbelievers until

They believe:

A man slave who believes

Is better than an unbeliever,

Even though he allure you.

Unbelievers do (but)

Beckon you to the Fire.

But God beckons by His Grace

To the Garden (of Bliss)

And forgiveness,

And makes His Signs

Clear to mankind:

That they may

Celebrate His praise.

SECTION 28.

222. They ask thee

Concerning women's courses.

Say: They are

A hurt and a pollution:

So keep away from women

In their courses, and do not

Approach them until

They are clean.

But when they have

Purified themselves,

Ye may approach them

In any manner, time, or place

Ordained for you by God.

For God loves those

Who turn to Him constantly

And He loves those

Who keep themselves pure and clean,

223. Your wives are

As a tilth unto you;

So approach your tilth

When or how ye will;

But do some good act

For your souls beforehand;

And fear God,

And know that ye are

To meet Him (in the Hereafter),

And give (these) good tidings

To those who believe.

224. And make not

God's (name) an excuse

In your oaths against

Doing good, or acting rightly,

Or making peace

Between persons;

For God is One

Who heareth and knoweth

All things.

225. God will not

Call you to account

For thoughtlessness

In your oaths,

But for the intention

In your hearts;

And He is

Oft-forgiving

Most Forbearing.

226. For those who take

An oath for abstention

From their wives,

A waiting for four months

Is ordained;

If then they return,

God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

227. But if their intention

Is firm for divorce,

God heareth

And knoweth all things.

228. Divorced women

Shall wait concerning themselves

For three monthly periods.

Nor is it lawful for them

To hide what God

Hath created in their wombs,

If they have faith

In God and the Last Day.

And their husbands

Have the better right

To take them back

In that period, if

They wish for reconciliation.

And women shall have rights

Similar to the rights

Against them, according

To what is equitable;

But men have a degree

(Of advantage) over them.

And God is Exalted in Power, Wise.

SECTION 29.

229. A divorce is only

Permissible twice: after that,

The parties should either hold

Together on equitable terms,

Or separate with kindness.

It is not lawful for you,

(Men), to take back

Any of your gifts (from your wives)

Except when both parties

Fear that they would be

Unable to keep the limits

Ordained by God.

If ye (judges) do indeed

Fear that they would be

Unable to keep the limits

Ordained by God,

There is no blame on either

Of them if she give

Something for her freedom.

These are the limits

Ordained by God;

So do not transgress them

If any do transgress

The limits ordained by God,

Such persons wrong

(Themselves as well as others).

230. So if a husband

Divorces his wife (irrevocably),

He cannot, after that,

Re-marry her until

After she has married

Another husband and

He has divorced her.

In that case there is

No blame on either of them

If they re-unite, provided

They feel that they

Can keep the limits

Ordained by God.

Such are the limits

Ordained by God,

Which He makes plain

To those who understand.

231. When ye divorce

Women, and they fulfil

The term of their ('Iddat),

Either take them back

On equitable terms

Or set them free

On equitable terms;

But do not take them back

To injure them, (or) to take

Undue advantage;

If any one does that,

He wrongs his own soul.

Do not treat God's Signs

As a jest,

But solemnly rehearse

God's favours on you,

And the fact that He

Sent down to you

The Book

And Wisdom,

For your instruction.

And fear God,

And know that God

Is well acquainted

With all things.

SECTION 30.

232. When ye divorce

Women, and they fulfil

The term of their ('Iddat),

Do not prevent them

From marrying

Their (former) husbands,

If they mutually agree

On equitable terms.

This instruction

Is for all amongst you,

Who believe in God

And the Last Day.

That is (the course

Making for) most virtue

And purity amongst you,

And God knows,

And ye know not.

233. The mothers shall give suck

To their offspring

For two whole years,

If the father desires

To complete the term.

But he shall bear the cost

Of their food and clothing

On equitable terms.

No soul shall have

A burden laid on it

Greater than it can bear.

No mother shall be

Treated unfairly

On account of her child.

Nor father

On account of his child,

An heir shall be chargeable

In the same way.

If they both decide

On weaning,

By mutual consent,

And after due consultation,

There is no blame on them.

If ye decide

On a foster-mother

For your offspring,

There is no blame on you,

Provided ye pay (the mother)

What ye offered,

On equitable terms.

But fear God and know

That God sees well

What ye do.

234. If any of you die

And leave widows behind,

They shall wait concerning themselves

Four months and ten days:

When they have fulfilled

Their term, there is no blame

On you if they dispose

Of themselves in a just

And reasonable manner.

And God is well acquainted

With what ye do.

235. There is no blame

On you if ye make

An offer of betrothal

Or hold it in your hearts.

God knows that ye

Cherish them in your hearts:

But do not make a secret contract

With them except in terms

Honourable, nor resolve on the tie

Of marriage till the term

Prescribed is fulfilled.

And know that God

Knoweth what is in your hearts,

And take heed of Him;

And know that God is

Oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing.

SECTION 31.

236. There is no blame on you

If ye divorce women

Before consummation

Or the fixation of their dower;

But bestow on them

(A suitable gift),

The wealthy

According to his means,

And the poor

According to his means;--

A gift of a reasonable amount

Is due from those

Who wish to do the right thing.

237. And if ye divorce them

Before consummation,

But after the fixation

Of a dower for them,

Then the half of the dower

(Is due to them), unless

They remit it

Or (the man's half) is remitted

By him in whose hands

Is the marriage tie;

And the remission

(Of the man's half)

Is the nearest to righteousness.

And do not forget

Liberality between yourselves.

For God sees well

All that ye do.

238. Guard strictly

Your (habit of) prayers,

Especially the Middle Prayer;

And stand before God

In a devout (frame of mind).

239. If ye fear (an enemy),

Pray on foot, or riding,

(As may be most convenient),

But when ye are

In security, celebrate

God's praises in the manner

He has taught you,

Which ye knew not (before).

240. Those of you

Who die and leave widows

Should bequeath

For their widows

A year's maintenance

And residence;

But if they leave

(The residence),

There is no blame on you

For what they do

With themselves,

Provided it is reasonable.

And God is Exalted in Power, Wise.

241. For divorced women

Maintenance (should be provided)

On a reasonable (scale).

This is a duty

On the righteous.

242. Thus doth God

Make clear His Signs

To you: in order that

Ye may understand.

SECTION 32.

243. Didst thou not

Turn by vision to those

Who abandoned their homes,

Though they were thousands

(In number), for fear of death?

God said to them: "Die":

Then He restored them to life.

For God is full of bounty

To mankind, but

Most of them are ungrateful.

244. Then fight in the cause

Of God, and know that God

Heareth and knoweth all things.

245. Who is he

That will loan to God

A beautiful loan, which God

Will double unto his credit

And multiply many times?

It is God that giveth (you)

Want or Plenty,

And to Him shall be

Your return.

246. Hast thou not

Turned thy vision to the Chiefs

Of the Children of Israel

After (the time of) Moses?

They said to a Prophet

(That was) among them:

"Appoint for us a King, that we

May fight in the cause of God."

He said: "Is it not possible,

If ye were commanded

To fight, that that ye

Will not fight?" They said:

"How could we refuse

To fight in the cause of God,

Seeing that we were turned out

Of our homes and our families?"

But when they were commanded

To fight, they turned back,

Except a small band

Among them. But God

Has full knowledge of those

Who do wrong.

247. Their Prophet said to them:

"God hath appointed

Talut as king over you."

They said: "How can he

Exercise authority over us

When we are better fitted

Than he to exercise authority,

And he is not even gifted,

With wealth in abundance?"

He said: "God hath

Chosen him above you,

And hath gifted him

Abundantly with knowledge

And bodily prowess: God

Granteth His authority to whom

He pleaseth. God careth

For all, and He knoweth

All things."

248. And (further) their Prophet

Said to them: "A Sign

Of his authority

Is that there shall come

To you the Ark of the Covenant,

With (an assurance) therein

Of security from your Lord,

And the relics left

By the family of Moses

And the family of Aaron,

Carried by angels.

In this is a Symbol

For you if ye indeed

Have faith."

SECTION 33.

249. When Talut set forth

With the armies, he said:

"God will test you

At the stream: if any

Drinks of its water,

He goes not with my army:

Only those who taste not

Of it go with me:

A mere sip out of the hand

Is excused." But they all

Drank of it, except a few.

When they crossed the river,--

He and the faithful ones with him,

They said: "This day

We cannot cope

With Goliath and his forces."

But those who were convinced

That they must meet God,

Said: "How oft, by God's will,

Hath a small force

Vanquished a big one?

God is with those

Who steadfastly persevere."

250. When they advanced

To meet Goliath and his forces,

They prayed: "Our Lord

Pour out constancy on us

And make our steps firm:

Help us against those

That reject faith."

251. By God's will,

They routed them;

And David slew Goliath;

And God gave him

Power and wisdom

And taught him

Whatever (else) He willed,

And did not God

Check one set of people

By means of another,

The earth would indeed

Be full of mischief:

But God is full of bounty

To all the worlds.

252. These are the Signs

Of God: we rehearse them

To thee in truth: verily

Thou art one of the Apostles.

253. Those apostles

Were endowed with gifts,

Some above others

To one of them God spoke;

Others He raised

To degrees (of honour);

To Jesus the son of Mary

We gave Clear (Signs),

And strengthened him

With the holy spirit.

If God had so willed,

Succeeding generations

Would not have fought

Among each other, after

Clear (Signs) had come to them,

But they (chose) to wrangle,

Some believing and Others

Rejecting. If God had so willed,

They would not have fought

Each other; but God

Fulfilleth His plan.

SECTION 34.

254. O ye who believe!

Spend out of (the bounties)

We have provided for you,

Before the Day comes

When no bargaining

(Will avail), nor friendship

Nor intercession.

Those who reject Faith--they

Are the wrong-doers.

255. God! There is no god

But He,--the Living,

The Self-subsisting, Eternal.

No slumber can seize Him

Nor sleep. His are all things

In the heavens and on earth.

Who is there can intercede

In His presence except

As He permitteth? He knoweth

What (appeareth to His creatures

As) Before or After

Or Behind them.

Nor shall they compass

Aught of His knowledge

Except as He willeth.

His Throne doth extend

Over the heavens

And the earth, and He feeleth

No fatigue in guarding,

And preserving them

For He is the Most High,

The Supreme (in glory).

256. Let there be no compulsion

In religion: Truth stands out

Clear from Error: whoever

Rejects Evil and believes

In God hath grasped

The most trustworthy

Hand-hold, that never breaks.

And God heareth

And knoweth all things.

257. God is the Protector

Of those who have faith:

From the depths of darkness

He will lead them forth

Into light. Of those

Who reject faith the patrons

Are the Evil Ones: from light

They will lead them forth

Into the depths of darkness.

They will be Companions

Of the fire, to dwell therein

(For ever).

SECTION 35.

258. Hast thou not

Turned thy vision to one

Who disputed with Abraham

About his Lord, because

God had granted him

Power? Abraham said:

"My Lord is He Who

Giveth life and death."

He said: "I give life and death."

Said Abraham: "But it is God

That causeth the sun

To rise from the East:

Do thou then cause him

To rise from the West."

Thus was he confounded

Who (in arrogance) rejected

Faith. Nor doth God

Give guidance

To a people unjust.

259. Or (take) the similitude

Of one who passed

By a hamlet, all in ruins

To its roofs. He said:

"Oh! how shall God

Bring it (ever) to life,

After (this) its death?"

But God caused him

To die for a hundred years,

Then raised him up (again).

He said: "How long

Didst thou tarry (thus)?"

He said: "(Perhaps) a day

Or part of a day." He said:

"Nay, thou hast tarried

Thus a hundred years;

But look at thy food

And thy drink; they show

No signs of age; and look

At thy donkey: and that

We may make of thee

A Sign unto the people,

Look further at the bones,

How We bring them together

And clothe them with flesh."

When this was shown clearly

To him, he said: "I know

That God hath power

Over all things."

260. Behold! Abraham said:

"My Lord! Show me how

Thou givest life to the dead."

He said: "Dost thou not

Then believe?" He said:

"Yea! but to satisfy

My own understanding."

He said: "Take four birds;

Tame them to turn to thee;

Put a portion of them

On every hill, and call to them:

They will come to thee

(Flying) with speed.

Then know that God

Is Exalted in Power, Wise."

SECTION 36.

261. The parable of those

Who spend their substance

In the way of God is that

Of a grain of corn: it groweth

Seven ears, and each ear

Hath a hundred grains.

God giveth manifold increase

To whom He pleaseth:

And God careth for all

And He knoweth all things

262. Those who spend

Their substance in the cause

Of God, and follow not up

Their gifts with reminders

Of their generosity

Or with injury,--for them

Their reward is with their Lord:

On them shall be no fear,

Nor shall they grieve.

263. Kind words

And the covering of faults

Are better than charity

Followed by injury.

God is Free of all wants,

And He is most Forbearing.

264. O ye who believe!

Cancel not your charity

By reminders of your generosity

Or by injury,--like those

Who spend their substance

To be seen of men,

But believe neither

In God nor in the Last Day.

They are in Parable like a hard,

Barren rock, on which

Is a little soil: on it

Falls heavy rain,

Which leaves it

(Just) a bare stone.

They will be able to do nothing

With aught they have earned.

And God guideth not

Those who reject faith.

265. And the likeness of those

Who spend their substance,

Seeking to please God

And to strengthen their souls,

Is as a garden, high

And fertile: heavy rain

Falls on it but makes it yield

A double increase

Of harvest, and if it receives not

Heavy rain, light moisture

Sufficeth it. God seeth well

Whatever ye do.

266. Does any of you wish

That he should have a garden

With date-palms and vines

And streams flowing

Underneath, and all kinds

Of fruit, while he is stricken

With old age, and his children

Are not strong (enough

To look after themselves)--

That it should be caught

In a whirlwind,

With fire therein,

And be burnt up?

Thus doth God make clear

To you (His) Signs;

That ye may consider.

SECTION 37.

267. O ye who believe!

Give of the good things

Which ye have (honourably) earned,

And of the fruits of the earth

Which We have produced

For you, and do not even aim

At getting anything

Which is bad, in order that

Out of it ye may give away

Something, when ye yourselves

Would not receive it

Except with closed eyes.

And know that God

Is Free of all wants,

And Worthy of all praise.

268. The Evil One threatens

You with poverty

And bids you to conduct

Unseemly. God promiseth

You His forgiveness

And bounties.

And God careth for all

And He knoweth all things.

269. He granteth wisdom

To whom He pleaseth;

And he to whom wisdom

Is granted receiveth

Indeed a benefit overflowing;

But none will grasp the Message

But men of understanding.

270. And whatever ye spend

In charity or devotion,

Be sure God knows it all.

But the wrong-doers

Have no helpers.

271. If ye disclose (acts

Of) charity, even so

It is well,

But if ye conceal them,

And make them reach

Those (really) in need,

That is best for you:

It will remove from you

Some of your (stains

Of) evil. And God

Is well acquainted

With what ye do.

272. It is not required

Of thee (O Apostle),

To set them on the right path,

But God sets on the right path

Whom He pleaseth.

Whatever of good ye give

Benefits your own souls,

And ye shall only do so

Seeking the "Face"

Of God. Whatever good

Ye give, shall be

Rendered back to you,

And ye shall not

Be dealt with unjustly.

273. (Charity is) for those

In need, who, in God's cause

Are restricted (from travel),

And cannot move about

In the land, seeking

(For trade or work):

The ignorant man thinks,

Because of their modesty,

That they are free from want.

Thou shaltknow them

By their (unfailing) mark:

They beg not importunately

From all and sundry.

And whatever of good

Ye give, be assured

God knoweth it well.

SECTION 38.

274. Whose who (in charity)

Spend of their goods

By night and by day,

In secret and in public,

Have their reward

With their Lord:

On them shall be no fear,

Nor shall they grieve.

275. Those who devour usury

Will not stand except

As stands one whom

The Evil One by his touch

Hath driven to madness.

That is because they say:

"Trade is like usury,"

But God hath permitted trade

And forbidden usury.

Those who after receiving

Direction from their Lord,

Desist, shall be pardoned

For the past; their case

Is for God (to judge);

But those who repeat

(The offence) are Companions

Of the Fire: they will

Abide therein (for ever).

276. God will deprive

Usury of all blessing,

But will give increase

For deeds of charity:

For He loveth not

Creatures ungrateful

And wicked.

277. Those who believe,

And do deeds of righteousness,

And establish regular prayers

And regular charity,

Will have their reward

With their Lord:

On them shall be no fear,

Nor shall they grieve.

278. O ye who believe!

Fear God, and give up

What remains of your demand

For usury, if ye are

Indeed believers.

279. If ye do it not,

Take notice of war

From God and His Apostle:

But if ye turn back,

Ye shall have

Your capital sums:

Deal not unjustly,

And ye shall not

Be dealt with unjustly.

280. If the debtor is

In a difficulty,

Grant him time

Till it is easy

For him to repay.

But if ye remit it

By way of charity,

That is best for you

If ye only knew.

281. And fear the Day

When ye shall be

Brought back to God.

Then shall every soul

Be paid what it earned,

And none shall be

Dealt with unjustly.

SECTION 39.

282. O ye who believe!

When ye deal with each other,

In transactions involving

Future obligations

In a fixed period of time,

Reduce them to writing

Let a scribe write down

Faithfully as between

The parties: let not the scribe

Refuse to write: as God

Has taught him,

So let him write.

Let him who incurs

The liability dictate,

But let him fear

His Lord God,

And not diminish

Aught of what he owes.

If the party liable

Is mentally deficient,

Or weak, or unable

Himself to dictate,

Let his guardian

Dictate faithfully.

And get two witnesses,

Out of your own men,

And if there are not two men,

Then a man and two women,

Such as ye choose,

For witnesses,

So that if one of them errs,

The other can remind her.

The witnesses

Should not refuse

When they are called on

(For evidence).

Disdain not to reduce

To writing (your contract)

For a future period,

Whether it be small

Or big: it is juster

In the sight of God,

More suitable as evidence,

And more convenient

To prevent doubts

Among yourselves

But if it be a transaction

Which ye carry out

On the spot among yourselves,

There is no blame on you

If ye reduce it not

To writing.

But take witnesses

Whenever ye make

A commercial contract;

And let neither scribe

Nor witness suffer harm.

If ye do (such harm),

It would be wickedness

In you. So fear God;

For it is God

That teaches you.

And God is well acquainted

With all things.

283. If ye are on a journey,

And cannot find

A scribe, a pledge

With possession (may serve

The purpose).

And if one of you

Deposits a thing

On trust with another,

Let the trustee

(Faithfully) discharge

His trust, and let him

Fear his Lord.

Conceal not evidence;

For whoever conceals it,--

His heart is tainted

With sin. And God

Knoweth all that ye do.

SECTION 40.

284. To God belongeth all

That is in the heavens

And on earth. Whether

Ye show what is in your minds

Or conceal it, God

Calleth you to account for it.

He forgiveth whom He pleaseth,

And punishefh whom He pleaseth.

For God hath power

Over all things.

285. The Apostle believeth

In what hath been revealed

To him from his Lord,

As do the men of faith.

Each one (of them) believeth

In God, His angels,

His books, and His apostles.

"We make no distinction (they say)

Between one and another

Of His apostles." And they say:

"We hear, and we obey:

(We seek) Thy forgiveness,

Our Lord, and to Thee

Is the end of all journeys."

286. On no soul doth God

Place a burden greater

Than it can bear.

It gets every good that it earns,

And it suffers every ill that if earns.

(Pray:) "Our Lord!

Condemn us not

If we forget or fall

Into error; our Lord!

Lay not on us a burden

Like that which Thou

Didst lay on those before us;

Our Lord! lay not on us

A burden greater than we

Have strength to bear.

Blot out our sins,

And grant us forgiveness,

Have mercy on us.

Thou art our Protector;

Help us against those

Who stand against Faith"

Sura III.

Al-i-'Imran, or The Family of 'Imran.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. God! There is no god

But He,--the Living,

The Self-Subsisting, Eternal.

3. It is He Who sent down

To thee (step by step),

In truth, the Book,

Confirming what went before it;

And He sent down the Law

(Of Moses) and the Gospel

(Of Jesus) before this,

As a guide to mankind,

And He sent down the Criterion

(Of judgment between right and wrong).

4. Then those who reject

Faith in the Signs of God

Will suffer the severest

Penalty, and God

Is Exalted in Might,

Lord of Retribution.

5. From God, verily

Nothing is hidden

On earth or in the heavens.

6. He it is Who shapes you

In the wombs as He pleases.

There is no god but He,

The Exalted in Might,

The Wise.

7. He it is Who has sent down

To thee the Book:

In it are verses

Basic or fundamental

(Of established meaning);

They are the foundation

Of the Book: others

Are allegorical. But those

In whose hearts is perversity follow

The part thereof that is allegorical,

Seeking discord, and searching

For its hidden meanings,

But to one knows

Its hidden meanings except God.

And those who are firmly grounded

In knowledge say: "We believe

In the Book; the whole of it

Is from our Lord:" and none

Will grasp the Message

Except men of understanding.

8. "Our Lord!" (they say),

"Let not our hearts deviate

Now after Thou hast guided us,

But grant us mercy

From Thine own Presence;

For Thou art the Grantor

Of bounties without measure.

9. "Our Lord! Thou art He

That will gather mankind

Together against a Day about which

There is no doubt; for God

Never fails in His promise."

SECTION 2.

10. Whose who reject Faith,--

Neither their possessions

Nor their (numerous) progeny

Will avail them aught

Against God: they are themselves

But fuel for the Fire.

11. (Their plight will be)

No better than that

Of the people of Pharaoh,

And their predecessors:

They denied our Signs,

And God called them to account

For their sins.

For God is strict

In punishment.

12. Say to those who reject Faith:

"Soon will ye be vanquished

And gathered together

To Hell,--an evil bed

Indeed (to lie on)!

13. "There has already been

For you a Sign

In the two armies

That met (in combat):

One was fighting in the Cause

Of God, the other

Resisting God; these saw

With their own eyes

Twice their number.

But God doth support

With His aid whom He pleaseth.

In this is a warning

For such as have eyes to see."

14. Fair in the eyes of men

Is the love of things they covet:

Women and sons;

Heaped-up hoards

Of gold and silver; horses

Branded (for blood and excellence);

And (wealth of) cattle

And well-tilled land.

Such are the possessions

Of this world's life;

But in nearness to God

Is the best of the goals

(To return to).

15. Say: Shall I give you

Glad tidings of things

Far better than those?

For the righteous are Gardens

In nearness to their Lord,

With rivers flowing beneath;

Therein is their eternal home;

With Companions pure (and holy);

And the good pleasure of God.

For in God's sight

Are (all) His servants,--

16. (Namely), those who say:

"Our Lord! we have indeed

Believed: forgive us, then,

Our sins, and save us

From the agony of the Fire;"--

17. Those who show patience,

Firmness and self control;

Who are true (in word and deed);

Who worship devoutly;

Who spend (in the way of God);

And who pray for forgiveness

In the early hours of the morning.

18. There is no god but He

That is the witness of God,

His angels, and those endued

With knowledge, standing firm

On justice. There is no god but He,

The Exalted in Power,

The Wise.

19. The Religion before God

Is Islam (submission to His Will):

Nor did the People of the Book

Dissent therefrom except

Through envy of each other,

After knowledge had come to them.

But if any deny the Signs of God,

God is swift in calling to account.

20. So if they dispute with thee,

Say: "I have submitted

My whole self to God

And so have those

Who follow me."

And say to the People of the Book

And to those who are unlearned:

"Do ye (also) submit yourselves?"

If they do, they are in right guidance,

But if they turn back,

Thy duty is to convey the Message;

And in God's sight

Are (all) His servants.

SECTION 3.

21. As to those who deny

The Signs of God, and in defiance

Of right, slay the prophets,

And slay those who teach

Just dealing whith mankind,

Announce to them a grievous penalty.

22. They are those whose works

Will bear no fruit

In this world

And in the Hereafter,

Nor will they have

Anyone to help.

23. Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who have been given a portion

Of the Book? They are

Invited to the Book of God,

To settle their dispute,

But a party of them

Turn back and decline

(The arbitration).

24. This because they say:

"The Fire shall not touch us

But for a few numbered days":

For their forgeries deceive them

As to their own religion.

25. But how (will they fare)

When We gather them together

Against a Day about which

There is no doubt,

And each soul will be paid out

Just what it has earned,

Without (favour or) injustice?

26. Say: "O God!

Lord of Power (and Rule),

Thou givest Power

To whom Thou pleasest,

And Thou strippest off Power

From whom Thou pleasest:

Thou enduest with honour

Whom Thou pleasest,

And Thou bringest low

Whom Thou pleasest:

In Thy hand is all Good."

Verily, over all things

Thou hast power.

27. "Thou causest the Night

To gain on the Day,

And Thou causest the Day

To gain on the Night;

Thou bringest the Living

Out of the Dead,

And Thou bringest the Dead

Out of the Living;

And Thou givest sustenance

To whom Thou pleasest,

Without measure."

28. let not the Believers

Take for friends or helpers

Unbelievers rather than

Believers: if any do that,

In nothing will there be help

From God: except by way

Of precaution, that ye may

Guard yourselves from them,

But God cautions you

(To remember) Himself;

For the final goal

Is to God.

29. Say: "Whether ye hide

What is in your hearts

Or reveal it,

God knows it all:

He knows what is

In the heavens,

And what is on earth.

And God has power

Over all things.

30. "On the Day when every soul

Will be confronted

With all the good it has done,

And all the evil it has done,

It will wish there were

A great distance

Between it and its evil.

But God cautions you

(To remember) Himself.

And God is full of kindness

To those that serve Him."

SECTION 4.

31. Say: "If ye do love God,

Follow me: God will love you

And forgive you your sins:

For God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful."

32. Say: "Obey God

And His Apostle":

But if they turn back,

God loveth not those

Who reject Faith.

33. God did choose

Adam and Noah, the family

Of Abraham, and the family

Of 'Imran above all people,--

34. Offspring, one of the other:

And God heareth

And knoweth all things.

35. Behold! a woman of 'Imran

Said: "O my Lord! I do

Dedicate unto Thee

What is in my womb

For Thy special service:

So accept this of me:

For Thou hearest

And knowest all things."

36. When she was delivered,

She said: "O my Lord!

Behold! I am delivered

Of a female child!"--

And God knew best

What she brought forth--

"And nowise is the male

Like the female.

I have named her Mary,

And I commend her

And her offspring

To Thy protection

From the Evil One,

The Rejected."

37. Right graciously

Did her Lord accept her:

He made her grow

In purity and beauty:

To the care of Zakariya

Was she assigned.

Every time that he entered

(Her) chamber to see her,

He found her supplied

With sustenance. He said:

"O Mary! Whence (comes) this

To you?" She said:

"From God: for God

Provides sustenance

To whom He pleases,

Without measure."

38. There here did Zakariya

Pray to his Lord, saying:

"O my Lord! Grant unto me

From Thee a progeny

That is pure: for Thou

Art He that heareth prayer!

39. While he was standing

In prayer in the chamber,

The angels called unto him:

"God doth give thee

Glad tidings of Yahya,

Witnessing the truth

Of a Word from God, and (be

Besides) noble, chaste,

And a Prophet,

Of the (goodly) company

Of the righteous."

40. He said: "O my Lord!

How shall I have a son,

Seeing I am very old,

And my wife is barren?"

"Thus, "was the answer,

"Doth God accomplish

What He willeth,"

41. He said: "O my Lord!

Give me a Sign!"

"Thy Sign, "was the answer,

"Shall be that thou

Shalt speak to no man

For three days

But with signals.

Then celebrate

The praises of thy Lord

Again and again,

And glorify Him

In the evening

And in the morning."

SECTION 5.

42. Behold! the angels said:

"O Mary! God hath chosen thee

And purified thee--chosen thee

Above the women of all nations.

43. "O Mary! worship

Thy Lord devoutly:

Prostrate thyself,

And bow down (in prayer)

With those who bow down."

44. This is part of the tidings

Of the things unseen,

Which We reveal unto thee

(O Apostle!) by inspiration:

Thou wast not with them

When they cast lots

With arrows, as to which

Of them should be charged

With the care of Mary:

Nor wast thou with them

When they disputed (the point).

45. Behold! the angels said:

"O Mary! God giveth thee

Glad tidings of a Word

From Him: his name

Will be Christ Jesus,

The son of Mary, held in honour

In this world and the Hereafter

And of (the company of) those

Nearest to God;

46. "He shall speak to the people

In childhood and in maturity.

And he shall be (of the company)

Of the righteous."

47. She said: "O my Lord!

How shall I have a son

When no man hath touched me?"

He said: "Even so:

God createth

What He willeth:

When He hath decreed

A Plan, He but saith

To it, 'Be,' and it is!

48. "And God will teach him

The Book and Wisdom,

The Law and the Gospel,

49. "And (appoint him)

An apostle to the Children

Of Israel, (with this message):

"'I have come to you,

With a Sign from your Lord,

In that I make for you

Out of clay, as it were,

The figure of a bird,

And breathe into it,

And it becomes a bird

By God's leave:

And I heal those

Born blind, and the lepers,

And I quicken the dead,

By God's leave;

And I declare to you

What ye eat, and what ye store

In your houses. Surely

Therein is a Sign for you

If ye did believe;

50. "'(I have come to you),

To attest the Law

Which was before me.

And to make lawful

To you part of what was

(Before) forbidden to you;

I have come to you

With a Sign from your Lord.

So fear God,

And obey me.

51. "'It is God

Who is my Lord

And your Lord;

Then worship Him.

This is a Way

That is straight.'"

52. When Jesus found

Unbelief on their part

He said: "Who will be

My helpers to (the work

Of) God?" Said the Disciples:

"We are God's helpers:

We believe in God,

And do thou bear witness

That we are Muslims.

53. "Our Lord! we believe

In what Thou hast revealed,

And we follow the Apostle;

Then write us down

Among those who bear witness."

54. And (the unbelievers)

Plotted and planned,

And God too planned,

And the best of planners

Is God.

SECTION 6.

55. Behold! God said:

"O Jesus! I will take thee

And raise thee to Myself

And clear thee (of the falsehoods)

Of those who blaspheme;

I will make those

Who follow thee superior

To those who reject faith,

To the Day of Resurrection:

Then shall ye all

Return unto me,

And I will judge

Between you of the matters

Wherein ye dispute.

56. "As to those who reject faith,

I will punish them

With terrible agony

In this world and in the Hereafter,

Nor will they have

Anyone to help.

57. "As to those who believe

And work righteousness,

God will pay them (in full)

Their reward;

But God loveth not

Those who do wrong.

58. "This is what we rehearse

Unto thee of the Signs

And the Message

Of Wisdom."

59. The similitude of Jesus

Before God is as that of Adam;

He created him from dust,

Then said to him, "Be":

And he was.

60. The Truth (comes)

From God alone;

So be not of those

Who doubt.

61. If any one disputes

In this matter with thee,

Now after (full) knowledge

Hath come to thee,

Say: "Come! let us

Gather together,

Our sons and your sons,

Our women and your women,

Ourselves and yourselves:

Then let us earnestly pray,

And invoke the curse

Of God on those who lie!"

62. This is the true account:

There is no god

Except God;

And God--He is indeed

The Exalted in Power,

The Wise.

63. But if they turn back,

God hath full knowledge

Of those who do mischief.

SECTION 7.

64. Say: "O People

Of the Book! come

To common terms

As between us and you:

That we worship

None but God;

That we associate

No partners with Him;

That we erect not,

From among ourselves,

Lords and patrons

Other than God."

If then they turn back,

Say ye: "Bear witness

That we (at least)

Are Muslims (bowing

To God's Will)."

65. Ye People of the Book!

Why dispute ye

About Abraham,

When the Law and the Gospel

Were not revealed

Till after him?

Have ye no understanding?

66. Ah! Ye are those

Who fell to disputing

(Even) in matters of which

Ye had some knowledge!

But why dispute ye

In matters of which

Ye have no knowledge?

It is God Who knows,

And ye who know not!

67. Abraham was not a Jew

Nor yet a Christian;

But he was true in Faith,

And bowed his will to God's,

(Which is Islam),

And he joined not gods with God.

68. Without doubt, among men,

The nearest of kin to Abraham,

Are those who follow him,

As are also this Apostle

And those who believe:

And God is the Protector

Of those who have faith.

69. It is the wish of a section

Of the People of the Book

To lead you astray.

But they shall lead astray

(Not you), but themselves,

And they do not perceive!

70. Ye People of the Book!

Why reject ye

The Signs of God,

Of which ye are

(Yourselves) witnesses?

71. Ye People of the Book!

Why do ye clothe

Truth with falsehood,

And conceal the Truth,

While ye have knowledge?

SECTION 8.

72. A section of the People

Of the Book say:

"Believe in the morning

What is revealed

To the Believers,

But reject it at the end

Of the day; perchance

They may (themselves)

Turn back;

73. "And believe no one

Unless he follows

Your religion."

Say: "True guidance

Is the guidance of God:

(Fear ye) lest a revelation

Be sent to someone (else)

Like unto that which was sent

Unto you? Or that those

(Receiving such revelation)

Should engage you in argument

Before your Lord?"

Say: "All bounties

Are in the hand of God:

He granteth them

To whom He pleaseth:

And God careth for all,

And He knoweth all things."

74. For His Mercy He specially chooseth

Whom He pleaseth;

For God is the Lord

Of bounties unbounded.

75. Among the People of the Book

Are some who, if entrusted

With a hoard of gold,

Will (readily) pay it back;

Others, who, if entrusted

With a single silver coin,

Will not repay it unless

Thou constantly stoodest

Demanding, because,

They say, "there is no call

On us (to keep faith)

With these ignorant (Pagans)."

But they tell a lie against God,

And (well) they know it.

76. Nay.--Those that keep

Their plighted faith

And act aright,--verily

God loves those

Who act aright.

77. As for those who sell

The faith they owe to God

And their own plighted word

For a small price,

They shall have no portion

In the Hereafter:

Nor will God

(Deign to) speak to them

Or look at them

On the Day of Judgment,

Nor will He cleanse them

(Of sin): they shall have

A grievous Penalty.

78. There is among them

A section who distort

The Book with their tongues

(As they read) you would think

It is a part of the Book,

But it is no part

Of the Book; and they say,

That is from God,"

But it is not from God:

It is they who tell

A lie against God,

And (well) they know it!

79. It is not (possible)

That a man, to whom

Is given the Book,

And Wisdom,

And the Prophetic Office,

Should say to people:

"Be ye my worshippers

Rather than God's":

On the contrary

(He would say):

"Be ye worshippers

Of Him Who is truly

The Cherisher of all:

For ye have taught

The Book and ye

Have studied it earnestly."

80. Nor would he instruct you

To take angels and prophets

For Lords and Patrons.

What! would he bid you

To unbelief after ye have

Bowed your will

(To God in Islam)?

SECTION 9.

81. Behold! God took

The Covenant of the Prophets,

Saying: "I give you

A Book and Wisdom;

Then comes to you

An Apostle, confirming

What is with you;

Do ye believe in him

And render him help."

God said: "Do ye agree,

And take this my Covenant

As binding on you?"

They said: "We agree."

He said: "Then bear witness,

And I am with you

Among the witnesses."

82. If any turn back

After this, they are

Perverted transgressors.

83. Do they seek

For other than the Religion

Of God?--while all creatures

In the heavens and on earth

Have, willing or unwilling,

Bowed to His Will

(Accepted Islam),

And to Him shall they

All be brought back.

84. Say: "We believe

In God, and in what

Has been revealed to us

And what was revealed

To Abraham, Isma'il;

Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes,

And in (the Books)

Given to Moses, Jesus,

And the Prophets,

From their Lord:

We make no distinction

Between one and another

Among them, and to God do we

Bow our will (in Islam)."

85. If anyone desires

A religion other than

Islam (submission to God),

Never will it be accepted

Of him; and in the Hereafter

He will be in the ranks

Of those who have lost

(All spiritual good).

86. How shall God

Guide those who reject

Faith after they accepted it

And bore witness

That the Apostle was true

And that Clear Signs

Had come unto them?

But God guides not

A people unjust.

87. Of such the reward

Is that on them (rests)

The curse of God,

Of His angels,

And of all mankind;--

88. In that will they dwell;

Nor will their penalty

Be lightened, nor respite

Be their (lot);--

89. Except for those that repent

(Even) after that,

And make amends;

For verily God

Is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

90. But those who reject

Faith after they accepted it,

And then go on adding

To their defiance of Faith,--

Never will their repentance

Be accepted; for they

Are those who have

(Of set purpose) gone astray.

91. As to those who reject

Faith, and die rejecting,--

Never would be accepted

From any such as much

Gold as the earth contains,

Though they should offer it

For ransom. For such

Is (in store) a penalty grievous,

And they will find no helpers.

SECTION 10.

92. By no means shall ye

Attain righteousness unless

Ye give (freely) of that

Which ye love; and whatever

Ye give, of a truth

God knoweth it well.

93. All food was lawful

To the Children of Israel,

Except what Israel

Made unlawful for itself,

Before the Law (of Moses)

Was revealed. Say:

"Bring ye the Law

And study it,

If ye be men of truth."

94. If any, after this, invent

A lie and attribute it

To God, they are indeed

Unjust wrong-doers.

95. Say: "God speaketh

The Truth: follow

The religion of Abraham,

The sane in faith; he

Was not of the Pagans."

96. The first House (of worship)

Appointed for men

Was that at Bakka:

Full of blessing

And of guidance

For all kinds of beings:

97. In it are Signs

Manifest; (for example),

The Station of Abraham;

Whoever enters it

Attains security;

Pilgrimage thereto is a duty

Men owe to God,

Those who can afford

The journey; but if any

Deny faith, God stands not

In need of any of His creatures.

98. Say: "O People of the Book!

Why reject ye the Signs

Of God, when God

Is Himself witness

To all ye do?"

99. Say: "O ye People of the Book!

Why obstruct ye

Those who believe,

From the Path of God,

Seeking to make it crooked,

While ye were yourselves

Witnesses (to God's Covenant)?'

But God is not unmindful

Of all that ye do."

100. O ye who believe!

If ye listen

To a faction

Among the People of the Book,

They would (indeed)

Render you apostates

After ye have believed!

101. And how would ye

Deny Faith while unto you

Are rehearsed the Signs

Of God, and among you

Lives the Apostle?

Whoever holds

Firmly to God

Will be shown

A Way that is straight.

SECTION 11.

102. O ye who believe!

Fear God as He should be

Feared, and die not

Except in a state

Of Islam.

103. And hold fast,

All together, by the Rope

Which God (stretches out

For you), and be not divided

Among yourselves;

And remember with gratitude

God's favour on you;

For ye were enemies

And He joined your hearts

In love, so that by His Grace,

Ye became brethren;

And ye were on the brink

Of the Pit of Fire,

And He saved you from it.

Thus doth God make

His Signs clear to you:

That ye may be guided.

104. Let there arise out of you

A band of people

Inviting to all that is good,

Enjoining what is right,

And forbidding what is wrong:

They are the ones

To attain felicity.

105. Be not like those

Who are divided

Amongst themselves

And fall into disputations

After receiving

Clear Signs:

For them

Is a dreadful Penalty,--

106. On the Day when

Some faces will be (lit up

With) white, and some faces

Will be (in the gloom of) black:

To those whose faces

Will be black, (will be said):

"Did ye reject Faith

After accepting it?

Taste then the Penalty

For rejecting Faith."

107. But those whose faces

Will be (lit with) white,--

They will be in (the light

Of) God's mercy: therein

To dwell (for ever).

108. These are the Signs

Of God: We rehearse them

To thee in Truth:

And God means

No injustice to any

Of His creatures.

109. To God belongs all

That is in the heavens

And on earth: to Him

Do all questions

Go back (for decision).

SECTION 12.

110. Ye are the best

Of Peoples, evolved

For mankind,

Enjoining what is right,

Forbidding what is wrong,

And believing in God.

If only the People of the Book

Had faith, it were best

For them: among them

Are some who have faith,

But most of them

Are perverted transgressors.

111: They will do you no harm,

Barring a trifling annoyance;

If they come out to fight you,

They will show you their backs,

And no help shall they get.

112. Shame is pitched over them

(Like a tent) wherever

They are found,

Except when under a covenant

(Of protection) from God

And from men; they draw

On themselves wrath from God,

And pitched over them

Is (the tent of) destitution.

This because they rejected

The Signs of God, and slew

The Prophets in defiance of right;

This because they rebelled

And transgressed beyond bounds.

113. Not all of them are alike:

Of the People of the Book

Are a portion that stand

(For the right); they rehearse

The Signs of God all night long,

And they prostrate themselves

In adoration.

114. They believe in God

And the Last Day;

They enjoin what is right,

And forbid what is wrong;

And they hasten (in emulation)

In (all) good works:

They are in the ranks

Of the righteous.

115. Of the good that they do,

Nothing will be rejected

Of them; for God knoweth well

Those that do right.

116. Those who reject Faith,--

Neither their possessions

Nor their (numerous) progeny

Will avail them aught against God:

They will be Companions

Of the Fire,--dwelling

Therein (for ever).

117. What they spend

In the life

Of this (material) world

May be likened to a Wind

Which brings a nipping frost:

It strikes and destroys the harvest

Of men who have wronged

Their own souls: it is not God

That hath wronged them, but

They wrong themselves.

118. O ye who believe!

Take not into your intimacy

Those outside your ranks:

They will not fail

To corrupt you. They

Only desire your ruin:

Rank hatred has already

Appeared from their mouths:

What their hearts conceal

Is far worse.

We have made plain

To you the Signs,

If ye have wisdom.

119. Ah! ye are those

Who love them,

But they love you not,

Though ye believe

In the whole of the Book,

When they meet you,

They say, "We believe":

But when they are alone,

They bite off the very tips

Of their fingers at you

In their rage. Say:

"Perish in your rage;

God knoweth well

All the secrets of the heart."

120. If aught that is good

Befalls you, it grieves them;

But if some misfortune

Overtakes you, they rejoice

At it. But if ye are constant

And do right,

Not the least harm

Will their cunning

Do to you; for God

Compasseth round about

All that they do.

SECTION 13.

121. Remember that morning

Thou didst leave

Thy household (early)

To post the Faithful

At their stations for battle:

And God heareth

And knoweth all things:

122. Rememer two of your parties

Meditated cowardice;

But God was their protector,

And in God should the Faithful

(Ever) put their trust.

123. God had helped you

At Badr, when ye were

A contemptible little force;

Then fear God; thus

May ye show your gratitude.

124. Remember thou saidst

To the Faithful: "Is it not enough

For you that God should help you

With three thousand angels

(Specially) sent down?

125. "Yea,--if ye remain firm,

And act aright, even if

The enemy should rush here

On you in hot haste,

Your Lord would help you

With five thousand angels

Making a terrific onslaught."

126. God made it but a message

Of hope for you, and an assurance

To your hearts: (in any case)

There is no help

Except from God,

The Exalted, the Wise:

127. That He might cut off

A fringe of the Unbelievers

Or expose them to infamy,

And they should then

Be turned back,

Frustrated of their purpose.

128. Not for thee, (but for God),

Is the decision:

Whether He turn in mercy

To them, or punish them;

For they are indeed wrong-doers.

129. To God belongeth all

That is in the heavens

And on earth.

He forgiveth whom He pleaseth

And punisheth whom He pleaseth

But God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 14.

130. ye who believe!

Devour not Usury,

Doubled and multiplied;

But fear God; that

Ye may (really) prosper.

131. Fear the Fire, which is prepared

For those who reject Faith:

132. And obey God

And the Apostle;

That ye may obtain mercy.

133. Be quick in the race

For forgiveness from your Lord,

And for a Garden whose width

Is that (of the whole)

Of the heavens

And of the earth,

Prepared for the righteous,--

134. Those who spend (freely),

Whether in prosperity,

Or in adversity;

Who restrain anger,

And pardon (all) men;--

For God loves those

Who do good;--

135. And those who,

Having done something

To be ashamed of,

Or wronged their own souls,

Earnestly bring God to mind,

And ask for forgiveness

For their sins,

And who can forgive

Sins except God?--

And are never obstinate

In persisting knowingly

In (the wrong) they have done

136. For such the reward

Is forgiveness from their Lord,

And Gardens with rivers

Flowing underneath,--

An eternal dwelling:

How excellent a recompense

For those who work (and strive)!

137. Many were the Ways of Life

That have passed away

Before you: travel through

The earth, and see what was

The end of those

Who rejected Truth.

138. Here is a plain statement

To men, a guidance

And instruction to those

Who fear God!

139. So lose not heart,

Nor fall into despair:

For ye must gain mastery

If ye are true in Faith.

140. If a wound hath touched you,

Be sure a similar wound

Hath touched the others.

Such days (of varying fortunes)

We give to men and men

By turns: that God may know

Those that believe,

And that He may take

To Himself from your ranks

Martyr-witnesses (to Truth).

And God loveth not

Those that do wrong.

141. God's object also is to purge

Those that are true in Faith

And to deprive of blessing

Those that resist Faith.

142. Did ye think that ye

Would enter Heaven

Without God testing

Those of you who fought hard

(In His Cause) and

Remained steadfast?

143. Ye did indeed

Wish for Death

Before ye met him:

Now ye have seen him

With your own eyes,

(And ye flinch!)

SECTION 15.

144. Muhammad is no more

Than an Apostle: many

Were the Apostles that passed away

Before him. If he died

Or were slain, will ye then

Turn back on your heels?

If any did turn back

On his heels, not the least

Harm will he do to God;

But God (on the other hand)

Will swiftly reward those

Who (serve him) with gratitude.

145. Nor can a soul die

Except by God's leave,

The term being fixed

As by writing. If any

Do desire a reward

In this life, We shall give it

To him; and if any

Do desire a reward

In the Hereafter, We shall

Give it to him.

And swiftly shall We reward

Those that (serve us with) gratitude.

146. How many of the Prophets

Fought (in God's way),

And with them (fought)

Large bands of godly men?

But they never lost heart

If they met with disaster

In God's way, nor did

They weaken (in will)

Nor give in. And God

Loves those who are

Firm and steadfast.

147. All that they said was:

"Our Lord! forgive us

Our sins and anything

We may have done

That transgressed our duty:

Establish our feet firmly,

And help us against

Those that resist

Faith."

148. And God gave them

A reward in this world,

And the excellent reward

Of the Hereafter. For God

Loveth those who do good.

SECTION 16.

149. O ye who believe!

If ye obey the Unbelievers,

They will drive you back

On your heels, and ye

Will turn back (from Faith)

To your own loss.

150. Nay, God is your Protector,

And He is the best of helpers.

151. Soon shall We cast terror

Into the hearts of the Unbelievers

For that they joined companions

With God, for which He had sew

No authority: their abode

Will be the Fire: and evil

Is the home of the wrong-doers!

152. God did indeed fulfil

His promise to you

When ye with His permission

Were about to annihilate

Your enemy,--until ye flinched

And fell to disputing

About the order,

And disobeyed it

After He brought you in sight

(Of the Booty) which ye covet.

Among you are some

That hanker after this world

And some that desire

The Hereafter. Then did He

Divert you from your foes

In order to test you.

But He forgave you:

For God is full of grace

To those who believe.

153. Behold! ye were climbing up

The high ground, without even

Casting a side glance

At any one, and the Apostle

In your rear was calling you

Back. There did God give you

One distress after another

By way of requital,

To teach you not to grieve

For (the booty) that had escaped you

And for (the ill) that had befallen you.

For God is well aware

Of all that ye do.

154. After (the excitement)

Of the distress, He sent down

Calm on a band of you

Overcome with slumber,

While another band

Was stirred to anxiety

By their own feelings,

Moved by wrong suspicions

Of God--suspicions due

To Ignorance. They said:

"What affair is this of ours?"

Say thou: "Indeed, this affair

Is wholly God's." They hide

In their minds what they

Dare not reveal to thee.

They say (to themselves):

"If we had had anything

To do with this affair,

We should not have been

In the slaughter here."

Say: "Even if you had remained

In your homes, those

For whom death was decreed

Would certainly have gone forth

To the place of their death";

But (all this was)

That God might test

What is in your breasts

And purge what is

In your hearts.

For God knoweth well

The secrets of your hearts.

155. Those of you

Who turned back

On the day the two hosts

Met,--it was Satan

Who caused them to fail,

Because of some (evil)

They had done. But God

Has blotted out (their fault):

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Forbearing.

SECTION 17.

156. O ye who believe!

Be not like the Unbelievers,

Who say of their brethren,

When they are travelling

Through the earth or engaged

In fighting: "If they had stayed

With us, they would not

Have died, or been slain."

This that God may make it

A cause of sighs and regrets

In their hearts. It is God

That gives Life and Death,

And God sees well

All that ye do.

157. And if ye are slain, or die,

In the way of God,

Forgiveness and mercy

From God are far better

Than all they could amass.

158. And if ye die, or are slain,

Lo! it is-unto God

That ye are brought together.

159. It is part of the Mercy

Of God that thou dost deal

Gently with them.

Wert thou severe

Or harsh-hearted,

They would have broken away

From about thee: so pass over

(Their faults), and ask

For (God's) forgiveness

For them; and consult

Them in affairs (of moment).

Then, when thou hast

Taken a decision,

Put thy trust in God.

For God loves those

Who put their trust (in Him).

160. If God helps you,

Non can overcome you:

If He forsakes you,

Who is there, after that,

That can help you?

In God, then,

Let Believers put their trust.

161. No prophet could (ever)

Be false to his trust.

If any person is so false,

He shall, on the Day

Of Judgment, restore

What he misappropriated;

Then shall every soul

Receive its due,--

Whatever it earned,--

And none shall be

Dealt with unjustly.

162. Is the man who follows

The good pleasure of God

Like the man who draws

On himself the wrath

Of God, and whose abode

Is in Hell?--

A woeful refuge!

163. They are in varying grades

In the sight of God,

And God sees well

All that they do.

164. God did confer

A great favour

On the Believers

When He sent among them

An Apostle from among

Themselves, rehearsing

Unto them the Signs

Of God, sanctifying them,

And instructing them

In Scripture and Wisdom,

While, before that,

They had been

In manifest error.

165. What! When a single

Disaster smites you,

Although ye smote (your enemies)

With one twice as great,

Do ye say?--

"Whence is this?"

Say (to them):

"It is from yourselves:

For God hath power

Over all things."

166. What ye suffered

On the day the two armies

Met, was with the leave

Of God, in order that

He might test the Believers,--

167. And the Hypocrites also.

These were told: "Come,

Fight in the way of God,

Or (at least) drive

(The foe from Your city)."

They said: "Had we known

How to fight, we should

Certainly have followed you."

They were that day

Nearer to Unbelief

Than to Faith,

Saying with their lips

What was not in their hearts.

But God hath full knowledge

Of all they conceal.

168. (They are) the ones that say,

(Of their brethren slain),

While they themselves

Sit (at ease): "If only

They had listened to us,

They would not have been slain."

Say: "Avert death

From your own selves,

If ye speak the truth."

169. Think not of those

Who are slain in God's way

As dead. Nay, they live,

Finding their sustenance

In the Presence of their Lord;

170. They rejoice in the Bounty

Provided by God:

And with regard to those

Left behind, who have not

Yet joined them (in their bliss),

The (Martyrs) glory in the fact

That on them is no fear,

Nor have they (cause to) grieve.

171. They glory in the Grace

And the Bounty from God,

And in the fact that

God suffereth not

The reward of the Faithful

To be lost (in the least).

SECTION 18.

172. Of those who answered

The call of God

And the Apostle,

Even after being wounded,

Those who do right

And refrain from wrong

Have a great reward;--

173. Men said to them:

"A great army is gathering

Against you":

And frightened them:

But it (only) increased

Their Faith: they said:

"For us God sufficeth,

And He is the best

Disposer of affairs."

174. And they returned

With Grace and Bounty

From God: no harm

Ever touched them:

For they followed

The good pleasure of God:

And God is the Lord

Of bounties unbounded.

175. It is only the Evil One

That suggests to you

The fear of his votaries:

Be ye not afraid

Of them, but fear Me,

If ye have Faith.

176. Let not those grieve thee

Who rush headlong

Into Unbelief:

Not the least harm

Will they do to God:

God's Plan is that He

Will give them no portion

In the Hereafter,

But a severe punishment.

177. Those who purchase

Unbelief at the price

Of faith,

Not the least harm

Will they do to God,

But they will have

A grievous punishment.

178. Let not the Unbelievers

Think that Our respite

To them is good for themselves:

We grant them respite

That they may grow

In their iniquity:

But they will have

A shameful punishment.

179. God will not leave

The Believers in the state

In which ye are now,

Until He separates

What is evil

From what is good.

Nor will He disclose

To you the secrets

Of the Unseen,

But He chooses

Of His Apostles

(For the purpose)

Whom He pleases.

So believe in God

And His Apostles:

And if ye believe

And do right,

Ye have a reward

Without measure.

180. And let not those

Who covetously withhold

Of the gifts which God

Hath given them of His Grace,

Think that it is good for them:

Nay, it will be the worse

For them: soon shall the things

Which they covetously withheld

Be tied to their necks

Like a twisted collar,

On the Day of Judgment.

To God belongs the heritage

Of the heavens and the earth;

And God is well-acquainted

With all that ye do.

SECTION 19.

181. God hath heard

The taunt of those

Who say: "Truly, God

Is indigent and we

Are rich!"--We shall

Certainly record their word

And (their act) of slaying

The Prophets in defiance

Of right, and We shall say:

"Taste ye the Penalty

Of the Scorching Fire!

182. "This is because

Of the (unrighteous deeds)

Which your hands

Sent on before ye:

For God never harms

Those who serve Him."

183. They (also) said: "God took

Our promise not to believe

In an apostle unless

He showed us a sacrifice

Consumed by fire

(From heaven)." Say:

"There came to you

Apostles before me,

With Clear Signs

And even with what

Ye ask for: why then

Did ye slay them,

If ye speak the truth?"

184. Then if they reject thee,

So were rejected apostles

Before thee, who came

With Clear Signs,

Books of dark prophecies,

And the Book of Enlightenment.

185. Every soul shall have

A taste of death:

And only on the Day

Of Judgment shall you

Be paid your full recompense.

Only he who is saved

Far from the Fire

And admitted to the Garden

Will have attained

The object (of Life):

For the life of this world

Is but goods and chattels

Of deception.

186. Ye shall certainly

Be tried and tested

In your possessions

And in your personal selves;

And ye shall certainly

Hear much that will grieve you,

From those who received

The Book before yot:

And from those who

Worship many gods.

But if ye persevere

Patiently, and guard

Against evil,--then

That will be

A determining factor

In all affairs.

187. And remember

God took a Covenant

From the People of the Book,

To make it known

And clear to mankind,

And not to hide it;

But they threw it away

Behind their backs,

And purchased with it

Some miserable gain!

And vile was the bargain

They made!

188. Think not that those

Who exult in what they

Have brought about, and love

To be praised for what

They have not done,--

Think not that they

Can escape the Penalty.

For them is a Penalty

Grievous indeed.

189. To God belongeth

The dominion

Of the heavens

And the earth;

And God hath power

Over all things.

SECTION 20.

190. Behold! In the creation

Of the heavens and the earth,

And the alternation

Of Night and Day,--

There are indeed Signs

For men of understanding,--

191. Men who celebrate

The praises of God,

Standing, sitting,

And lying down on their sides,

And contemplate

The (wonders of) creation

In the heavens and the earth,

(With the thought):

"Our Lord! not for naught

Hast Thou created (all) this!

Glory to Thee! Give us

Salvation from the Penalty

Of the Fire.

192. "Our Lord! any whom Thou

Dost admit to the Fire,

Truly Thou coverest with shame,

And never will wrong-doers

Find any helpers!

193. "Our Lord! we have heard

The call of one calling

(Us) to Faith, 'Believe ye

In the Lord,' and we

Have believed. Our Lord!

Forgive us our sins,

Blot out from us

Our iniquities, and take

To Thyself our souls

In the company of the righteous.

194. "Our Lord! Grant us

What Thou didst promise

Unto us through Thine Apostles,

And save us from shame

On the Day of Judgment:

For Thou never breakest

Thy promise."

195. And their Lord hath accepted

Of them, and answered them:

"Never will I suffer to be lost

The work of any of you,

Be he male or female:

Ye are members, one of another:

Those who have left their homes,

Or been driven out therefrom,

Or suffered harm in My Cause,

Or fought or been slain,--

Verily, I will blot out

From them their iniquities,

And admit them into Gardens

With rivers flowing beneath;--

A reward from the Presence

Of God, and from His Presence

Is the best of rewards."

196. Let not the strutting about

Of the Unbelievers

Through the land

Deceive thee:

197. Little is it for enjoyment:

Their ultimate abode

Is Hell: what an evil bed

(To lie on)!

198. On the other hand, for those

Who fear their Lord,

Are Gardens, with rivers

Flowing beneath; therein

Are they to dwell (for ever),--

A gift from the Presence

Of God; and that which is

In the Presence of God

Is the best (bliss)

For the righteous.

199. And there are, certainly,

Among the People of the Book,

Those who believe in God,

In the revelation to you,

And in the revelation to them,

Bowing in humility to God:

They will not sell

The Signs of God

For a miserable gain!

For them is a reward

With their Lord,

And God is swift in account.

200. O ye who believe!

Persevere in patience

And constancy; vie

In such perseverance;

Strengthen each other;

And fear God;

That ye may prosper.

Sura IV.

Nisaa, or The Women.

In the name of God, Most Gracious

Most Merciful.

1. O mankind! reverence

Your Guardian-Lord,

Who created you

From a single Person,

Created, of like nature,

His mate, and from them twain

Scattered (like seeds)

Countless men and women;--

Reverence God, through Whom

Ye demand your mutual (rights),

And (reverence) the wombs

(That bore you): for God

Ever watches over you.

2. To orphans restore their property

(When they reach their age),

Nor substitute (your) worthless things

For (their) good ones; and devour not

Their substance (by mixing it up)

With your own. For this is

I ndeed a great sin.

3. If ye fear that ye shall not

Be able to deal justly

With the orphans,

Marry women of your choice,

Two, or three, or four;

But if ye fear that ye shall not

Be able to deal justly (with them),

Then only one, or (a captive)

That your right hands possess.

That will be more suitable,

To prevent you

From doing injustice.

4. And give the women

(On marriage) their dower

As a free gift; but if they,

Of their own good pleasure,

Remit any part of it to you,

Take it and enjoy it

With right good cheer.

5. To those weak of understanding

Make not over your property,

Which God hath made

A means of support for you,

But feed and clothe them

Therewith, and speak to them

Words of kindness and justice.

6. Make trial of orphans

Until they reach the age

Of marriage; if then ye find

Sound judgment in them,

Release their property to them;

But consume it not wastefully,

Nor in haste against their growing up.

If the guardian is well-off,

Let him claim no remuneration,

But if he is poor, let him

Have for himself what is

Just and reasonable.

When ye release their property

To them, take witnesses

In their presence:

But all-sufficient

Is God in taking account.

7. From what is left by parents

And those nearest relateds,

There is a share for men

And a share for women,

Whether the property be small

Or large,--a determinate share.

8. But if at the time of division

Other relatives, or orphans,

Or poor, are present,

Feed them out of the (property),

And speak to them

Words of kindness and justice.

9. Let those (disposing of an estate)

Have the same fear in their minds

As they would have for their own

If they had left a helpless family behind:

Let them fear God, and speak

Words of appropriate (comfort),

10. Those who unjustly

Eat up the property

Of orphans, eat up

A Fire into their own

Bodies: they will soon

Be enduring a blazing Fire!

SECTION 2.

11. God (thus) directs you

As regards your children's

(Inheritance): to the male,

A portion equal to that

Of two females: if only

Daughters, two or more,

Their share is two-thirds

Of the inheritance;

If only one, her share

Is a half.

For parents, a sixth share

Of the inheritance to each,

If the deceased left children;

If no children, and the parents

Are the (only) heirs, the mother

Has a third; if the deceased

Left brothers (or sisters)

The mother has a sixth.

(The distribution in all cases

Is) after the payment

Of legacies and debts.

Ye know not whether

Your parents or your children

Are nearest to you

In benefit. These are

Settled portions ordained

By God; and God is

All-knowing, All-wise.

12. In what your wives leave,

Your share is a half,

1f they leave no child;

But if they leave a child,

Ye get a fourth; after payment

Of legacies and debts.

In what ye leave,

Their share is a fourth,

If ye leave no child;

But if ye leave a child,

They get an eighth; after payment

Of legacies and debts.

If the man or woman

Whose inheritance is in question,

Has left neither ascendants nor descendants,

But has left a brother

Or a sister, each one of the two

Gets a sixth; but if more

Than two, they share in a third;

After payment of legacies

And debts; so that no loss

Is caused (to any one).

Thus is it ordained by God;

And God is All-knowing,

Most Forbearing.

13. Those are limits

Set by God: those who

Obey God and His Apostle

Will be admitted to Gardens

With rivers flowing beneath,

To abide therein (for ever)

And that will be

The Supreme achievement.

14. But those who disobey

God and His Apostle

And transgress His limits

Will be admitted

To a Fire, to abide therein:

And they shall have

A humiliating punishment.

SECTION 3.

15. If any of your women

Are guilty of lewdness,

Take the evidence of four

(Reliable) witnesses from amongst you

Against them; and if they testify,

Confine them to houses until

Death do claim them,

Or God ordain for them

Some (other) way.

16. If two men among you

Are guilty of lewdness,

Punish them both.

If they repent and amend,

Leave them alone; for God

Is Oft-returning, Most Merciful.

17. God accepts the repentance

Of those who do evil

In ignorance and repent

Soon afterwards; to them

Will God turn in mercy:

For God is full of knowledge

And wisdom.

18. Of no effect is the repentance

Of those who continue

To do evil, until Death

Faces one of them, and he says,

"Now have I repented indeed;"

Nor of those who die

Rejecting Faith: for them

Have we prepared

A punishment most grievous.

19. O ye who believe!

Ye are forbidden to inherit

Women against their will.

Nor should ye treat them

With harshness, that ye may

Take away part of the dower

Ye have given them,--except

Where they have been guilty

Of open lewdness;

On the contrary live with them

On a footing of kindness and equity.

If ye take a dislike to them

It may be that ye dislike

A thing, and God brings about

Through it a great deal of good.

20. But if ye decide to take

One wife in place of another,

Even if ye had given the latter

A whole treasure for dower,

Take not the least bit of it back:

Would ye take it by slander

And a manifest wrong?

21. And how could ye take it

When ye have gone in

Unto each other, and they have

Taken from you a solemn covenant?

22. And marry not women

Whom your fathers married,--

Except what is past:

It was shameful and odious,--

An abominable custom indeed.

SECTION 4.

23. Prohibited to you

(For marriage) are:--

Your mothers, daughters,

Sisters; father's sisters,

Mother's sisters; brother's daughters,

Sister's daugters; foster-mothers

(Who gave you suck), foster-sisters;

Your wives' mothers;

Your step-daughters under your

Guardianship, born of your wives

To whom ye have gone in,

No prohibition if ye have not gone in;--

(Those who have been)

Wives of your sons proceeding

From your loins;

And two sisters in wedlock

At one and the same time,

Except for what is past;

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful;--

24. Also (prohibited are)

Women already married,

Except those

Whom your right hands possess:

Thus hath God ordained

(Prohibitions) against you:

Except for these, all others

Are lawful, provided

Ye seek (them in marriage)

With gifts from your property,--

Desiring chastity, not lust.

Seeing that ye derive

Benefit from them, give them

Their dowers (at least)

As prescribed; but if,

After a dower is prescribed, ye agree

Mutually (to vary it),

There is no blame on you,

And God is All-knowing

All-wise.

25. If any of you have not

The means wherewith

To wed free believing women,

They may wed believing

Girls from among those

Whom your right hands possess:

God hath full knowledge

About your Faith.

Ye are one from another:

Wed them with the leave

Of their owners, and give them

Their dowers, according to what

Is reasonable: they should be

Chaste, not lustful, nor taking

Paramours: when they

Are taken in wedlock,

If they fall into shame,

Their punishment is half

That for free women.

This (permission) is for those

Among you who fear sin;

But it is better for you

That ye practise self-restraint.

And God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 5.

26. God doth wish

To make clear to you

And to show you

The ordinances of those

Before you; and (He

Doth wish to) turn to you

(In Mercy): and God

Is All-knowing, All-wise.

27. God doth wish

To turn to you,

But the wish of those

Who follow their lusts

Is that ye should turn

Away (from Him),

Far, far away.

28. God doth wish

To lighten your (difficulties);

For man was created

Weak (in flesh).

29. O ye who believe! sot

Eat not up your property

Among yourselves in vanities:

But let there be amongst you

Traffic and trade

By mutual good-will:

Nor kill (or destroy)

Yourselves: for verily

God hath been to you

Most Merciful!

30. If any do that

In rancour and injustice,--

Soon shall We cast them

Into the Fire: and easy

It is for God.

31. If ye (but) eschew

The most heinous

Of the things

Which ye are forbidden to do,

We shall expel

Out of you

All the evil in you,

And admit you to a Gate

Of great honour.

32. And in no wise covet

Those things in which God

Hath bestowed His gifts

More freely on some of you

Than on others: to men

Is allotted what they earn,

And to women what they earn:

But ask God of His bounty.

For God hath full knowledge

Of all things.

33. To (benefit) every one,

We have appointed

Sharers and heirs

To property left

By parents and relatives.

To those, also, to whom

Your right hand was pledged,

Give their due portion.

For truly God is witness

To all things.

SECTION 6.

34. Men are the protectors

And maintainers of women,

Because God has given

The one more (strength)

Than the other, and because

They support them

From their means.

Therefore the righteous women

Are devoutly obedient, and guard

In (the husband's) absence

What God would have them guard.

As to those women

On whose part ye fear

Disloyalty and ill-conduct,

Admonish them (first),

(Next), refuse to share their beds,

(And last) beat them (lightly);

But if they return to obedience,

Seek not against them

Means (of annoyance):

For God is Most High,

Great (above you all).

35. If ye fear a breach

Between them twain,

Appoint (two) arbiters,

One from his family,

And the other from hers;

If they wish for peace,

God will cause

Their reconciliation:

For God hath full knowledge,

And is acquainted

With all things.

36. serve God, and join not

Any partners with Him;

And do good

To parents, kinsfolk,

Orphans, those in need,

Neighbours who are near,

Neighbours who are strangers,

The Companion by your side,

The way-farer (ye meet),

And what your right hands possess:

For God loveth not

The arrogant, the vainglorious;--

37. (Nor) those who are niggardly

Or enjoin niggardliness on others,

Or hide the bounties

Which God hath bestowed

On them; for We have prepared,

For those who resist Faith,

A Punishment that steeps

Them in contempt;--

38. Not those who spend

Of their substance, to be seen

Of men, but have no faith

In God and the Last Day:

If any take the Evil One

For their intimate,

What a dreadful intimate he is!

39. And what burden

Were it on them if they

Had faith in God

And in the Last Day,

And they spent

Out of what God hath

Given them for sustenance?

For God hath full

Knowledge of them.

40. God is never unjust

In the least degree:

If there is any good (done),

He doubleth it,

And giveth from His own

Presence a great reward.

41. How then if We brought

From each People a witness,

And We brought thee

As a witness against

These People!

42. On that day

Those who reject Faith

And disobey the Apostle

Will wish that the earth

Were made one with them:

But never will they hide

A single fact from God!

SECTION 7.

43. O ye who believe!

Approach not prayers

With a mind befogged,

Until ye can understand

All that ye say,

Nor in a state

Of ceremonial impurity

(Except when travelling on the road),

Until after washing

Your whole body.

If ye are ill,

Or on a journey,

Or one of you cometh

From offices of nature,

Or ye have been

In contact with women,

And ye find no water,

Then take for yourselves

Clean sand or earth,

And rub therewith

Your faces and hands.

For God doth blot out sins

And forgive again and again.

44. Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who were given a portion

Of the Book? They traffic

In error, and wish that ye

Should lose the right path.

45. But God hath full knowledge

Of your enemies:

God is enough for a Protector,

And God is enough for a Helper.

46. Of the Jews there are those

Who displace words

From their (right) places,

And say: "We hear

And we disobey";

And "Hear what is not

Heard"; and "Ra'ina";--

With a twist of their tongues

And a slander to Faith.

If only they had said:

"We hear and we obey;

And "Do hear";

And "Do look at us":

It would have been better

For them, and more proper;

But God hath cursed them

For their Unbelief; and but few

Of them will believe.

47. O ye People of the Book!

Believe in what We

Have (now) revealed, confirming

What was (already) with you,

Before We change the face and fame

Of some (of you) beyond all recognition,

And turn them hindwards,

Or curse them as We cursed

The Sabbath-breakers,

For the decision of God

Must be carried out.

48. God forgiveth not

That partners should be set up

With Him; but He forgiveth

Anything else, to whom

He pleaseth; to set up

Partners with God

Is to devise a sin

Most heinous indeed.

49. Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who claim sanctity

For themselves?

Nay--but God

Doth sanctify

Whom He pleaseth.

But never will they

Fail to receive justice

In the least little thing.

50. Behold! how they invent

A lie against God!

But that by itself

Is a manifest sin!

SECTION 8.

51. Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who were given a portion

Of the Book? They believe

In Sorcery and Evil,

And say to the Unbelievers

That they are better guided

In the (right) way

Than the Believers!

52. They are (men) whom

God hath cursed:

And those whom God

Hath cursed, thou wilt find,

Have no one to help.

53. Have they a share

In dominion or power?

Behold, they give not a farthing

To their fellow-men?

54. Or do they envy mankind

For what God hath given them

Of his bounty? But We

Had already given the people

Of Abraham the Book

And Wisdom, and conferred

Upon them a great kingdom.

55. Some of them believed,

And some of them averted

Their faces from him: and enough

Is Hell for a burning fire.

56. Those who reject

Our Signs, We shall soon

Cast into the Fire:

As often as their skins

Are roasted through,

We shall change them

For fresh skins,

That they may taste

The Penalty: for God

Is Exalted in Power, Wise.

57. But those who believe

And do deeds of righteousness,

We shall soon admit to Gardens,

With rivers flowing beneath,--

Their eternal home:

Therein shall they have

Companions pure and holy: ye

We shall admit them

To shades, cool and ever deepening.

58. God doth command you

To render back your Trusts

To those to whom they are due;

And when ye judge

Between man and man,

That ye judge with justice:

Verily how excellent

Is the teaching which He giveth you!

For God is He Who heareth

And seeth all things.

59. O ye who believe!

Obey God, and obey the Apostle,

And those charged

With authority among you.

If ye differ in anything

Among yourselves, refer it

To God and His Apostle,

If ye do believe in God

And the Last Day:

That is best, and most suitable

For final determination.

SECTION 9.

60. Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who declare that they believe

In the revelations

That have come to thee

And to those before thee?

Their (real) wish is

To resort together for judgment

(In their disputes)

To the Evil One,

Though they were ordered

To reject him.

But Satan's wish

Is to lead them astray

Far away (from the Right).

61. When it is said to them:

"Come to what God hath revealed,

And to the Apostle":

Thou seest the Hypocrites avert

Their faces from thee in disgust.

62. How then, when they are

Seized by misfortune,

Because of the deeds

Which their hands have sent forth?

Then they come to thee,

Swearing by God:

"We meant no more

Than good-will and conciliation!"

63. Those men,--God knows

What is in their hearts;

So keep clear of them,ss:

But admonish them,

And speak to them a word

To reach their very souls.

64. We sent not an Apostle,

But to be obeyed, in accordance

With the Will of God.

If they had only,

When they were unjust

To themselves,

Come unto thee

And asked God's forgiveness,

And the Apostle had asked

Forgiveness for them,

They would have found

God indeed Oft-returning,

Most Merciful.

65. But no, by thy Lord,

They can have

No (real) Faith,

Until they make thee judge

In all disputes between them,

And find in their souls

No resistance against

Thy decisions, but accept

Them with the fullest conviction.

66. If We had ordered them

To sacrifice their lives

Or to leave their homes,

Very few of them

Would have done it:

But if they had done

What they were (actually) told,

It would have been best

For them, and would have gone

Farthest to strengthen their (faith);

67. And We should then have

Given them from Our Presence

A great reward;

68. And We should have

Shown them the Straight Way.

69. All who obey God

And the Apostle

Are in the company

Of those on whom

Is the Grace of God,--

Of the Prophets (who teach),

The Sincere (lovers of Truth),

The Witnesses (who testify),

And the Righteous (who do good):

Ah! what a beautiful Fellowship!

70. Such is the Bounty

From God: and sufficient

Is it that God knoweth all.

SECTION 10.

71. O ye who believe!

Take your precautions,

And either go forth in parties

Or go forth all together.

72. There are certainly among you

Men who would tarry behind:

If a misfortune befalls you,

They say: "God did favour us

In that we were not

Present among them."

73. But if good fortune comes to you

From God, they would be sure

To say--as if there had never been

Ties of affection between you and them--

"Oh! I wish I had been with them;

A fine thing should I then

Have made of it!"

74. Let those fight

In the cause of God

Who sell the life of this world

For the Hereafter.

To him who fighteth

In the cause of God,--

Whether he is slain

Or gets victory

Soon shall We give him

A reward of great (value).

75. And why should ye not

Fight in the cause of God

And of those who, being weak,

Are ill-treated (and oppressed)?--

Men, women, and children,

Whose cry is: "Our Lord!

Rescue us from this town,

Whose people are oppressors;

And raise for us from Thee

One who will protect;

And raise for us from Thee

One who will help!"

76. Those who believe

Fight in the cause of God,

And those who reject Faith

Fight in the cause of Evil:

So fight ye against the

Friends of Satan: feeble indeed

Is the cunning of Satan.

SECTION 11.

77. Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who were told to hold back

Their hands (from fight)

But establish regular prayers

And spend in regular Charity?

When (at length) the order

For fighting was issued to them,

Behold! a section of them

Feared men as

Or even more than

They should have feared God:

They said: "Our Lord!

Why hast Thou ordered us

To fight? Wouldst Thou not

Grant us respite

To our (natural) term,

Near (enough)?" Say: "Short

Is the enjoyment of this world:

The Hereafter is the best

For those who do right:

Never will ye be

Dealt with unjustly

In the very least!

78. "Wherever ye are,

Death will find you out,

Even if ye are in towers

Built up strong and high!"

If some good befalls them,

They say, "This is from God";

But if evil, they say,

"This is from thee" (O Prophet).

Say: "All things are from God."

But what hath come

To these people,

That they fail

To understand

A single fact?

79. Whatever good, (O man!)

Happens to thee, is from God;

But whatever evil happens

To thee, is from thy (own) soul.

And We have sent thee

As an Apostle

To (instruct) mankind.

And enough is God

For a witness.

80 He who obeys

The Apostle, obeys God:

But if any turn away,

We have not sent thee

To watch over

Their (evil deeds).

81. They have "Obedience"

On their lips; but

When they leave thee,

A section of them

Meditate all night

On things very different

From what thou tellest them.

But God records

Their nightly (plots):

So keep clear of them,

And put thy trust in God,

And enough is God

As a disposer of affairs.

82. Do they not consider

The Qur-an (with care)?

Had it been from other

Than God, they would surely

Have found therein

Much discrepancy.

83. When there comes to them

Some matter touching

(Public) safety or fear,

They divulge it.

If they had only referred it

To the Apostle, or to those

Charged with authority

Among them, the proper

Investigators would have

Tested it from them (direct).

Were it not for the Grace

And Mercy of God unto you,

All but a few of you

Would have fallen

Into the clutches of Satan.

84. Then fight in God's cause--

Thou art held responsible

Only for thyself--

And rouse the Believers.

It may be that God

Will restrain the fury

Of the Unbelievers;

For God is the strongest

In might and in punishment.

85. Whoever recommends

And helps a good cause

Becomes a partner therein:

And whoever recommends

And helps an evil cause,

Shares in its burden:

And God hath power

Over all things.

86. When a (courteous) greeting

Is offered you, meet it

With a greeting still more

Courteous, or (at least)

Of equal courtesy.

God takes careful account

Of all things.

87. God! There is no god

But He: of a surety

He will gather you together

Against the Day of Judgment,

About which there is no doubt.

And whose word can be

Truer than God's?

SECTION 12.

88. Why should ye be

Divided into two parties

About the Hypocrites?

God hath upset them

For their (evil) deeds.

Would ye guide those

Whom God hath thrown

Out of the Way? For those

Whom God hath thrown

Out of the Way, never

Shalt thou find the Way.

89. They but wish that ye

Should reject Faith,

As they do, and thus be

On the same footing (as they):

But take not friends

From their ranks

Until they flee

In the way of God

(From what is forbidden).

But if they turn renegades,

Seize them and slay them

Wherever ye find them;

And (in any case) take

No friends or helpers

From their ranks:--

90. Except those who join

A group between whom

And you there is a treaty

(Of peace), or those who approach

You with hearts restraining

Them from fighting you

As well as fighting their own

People. If God had pleased,

He could have given them

Power over you, and they

Would have fought you:

Therefore if they withdraw

From you but fight you not,

And (instead) send you

(Guarantees of) peace, then God

Hath opened no way

For you (to war against them).

91. Others you will find

That wish to gain

Your confidence as well

As that of their people:

Every time they are sent back

To temptation, they succumb

Thereto: if they withdraw not

From you nor give you (guarantees)

Of peace besides

Restraining their hands,

Seize them and slay them

Wherever ye get them:

In their case

We have provided you

With a clear argument

Against them.

SECTION 13.

92. Never should a Believer

Kill a Believer; but

(If it so happens) by mistake,

(Compensation is due):

If one (so) kills a Believer,

It is ordained that he

Should free a believing slave,

And pay compensation

To the deceased's family,

Unless they remit it freely.

If the deceased belonged

To a people at war with you,

And he was a Believer,

The freeing of a believing slave

(Is enough). If he belonged

To a people with whom

Ye have a treaty of mutual

Alliance, compensation should

Be paid to his family,

And a believing slave be freed.

For those who find this

Beyond their means, (is prescribed)

A fast for two months

Running: by way of repentance

To God: for God hath

All knowledge and all wisdom.

93.1f a man kills a Believer

Intentionally, his recompense

Is Hell, to abide therein

(For ever): and the wrath

And the curse of God

Are upon him, and

A dreadful penalty

Is prepared for him.

94. O ye who believe!

When ye go abroad

In the cause of God,

Investigate carefully,

And say not to any one

Who offers you a salutation:

"Thou art none of a Believer!"

Coveting the perishable goods

Of this life: with God

Are profits and spoils abundant.

Even thus were ye yourselves

Before, till God conferred

On you His favours: therefore

Carefully investigate.

For God is well aware

Of all that ye do.

95. Not equal are those

Believers who sit (at home)

And receive no hurt,

And those who strive

And fight in the cause

Of God with their goods

And their persons.

God hath granted

A grade higher to those

Who strive and fight

With their goods and persons

Than to those who sit (at home).

Unto all (in Faith)

Hath God promised good:

But those who strive and fight

Hath He distinguished

Above those who sit (at home)

By a special reward,--

96. Ranks specially bestowed

By Him. And Forgiveness

And Mercy. For God is

Oft forgiving, Most Merciful.

SECTION 14.

97. When angels take

The souls of those

Who die in sin

Against their souls,

They say: "In what (plight)

Were ye?" They reply:

"Weak and oppressed

Were we in the earth."

They say: "Was not

The earth of God

Spacious enough for you

To move yourselves away

(From evil)?" Such men

Will find their abode

In Hell,--What an evil

Refuge!--

98. Except those who are

(Really) weak and oppressed--

Men, women, and children--

Who have no means

In their power, nor (a guide-post)

To direct their way.

99. For these, there is hope

That God will forgive:

For God doth blot out (sins)

And forgive again and again.

100. He who forsakes his home

In the cause of God,

Finds in the earth

Many a refuge,

Wide and spacious:

Should he die

As a refugee from home

For God and His Apostle,

His reward becomes due

And sure with God:

And God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 15.

101. When ye travel

Through the earth,

There is no blame on you

If ye shorten your prayers,

For fear the Unbelievers

May attack you:

For the Unbelievers are

Unto you open enemies.

102. When thou (O Apostle)

Art with them, and standest

To lead them in prayer,

Let one party of them

Stand up (in prayer) with thee,

Taking their arms with them:

When they finish

Their prostrations, let them

Take their position in the rear.

And let the other party come up

Which hath not yet prayed--

And let them pray with thee,

Taking all precautions,

And bearing arms:

The Unbelievers wish,

If ye were negligent

Of your arms and your baggage,

To assault you in a single rush.

But there is no blame on you

If ye put away your arms

Because of the inconvenience

Of rain or because ye are ill;

But take (every) precaution

For yourselves. For the

Unbelievers

God hath prepared

A humiliating punishment.

103. When ye pass

(Congregational) prayers,

Celebrate God's praises,

Standing, sitting down,

Or lying down on your sides;

But when ye are free

From danger, set up

Regular Prayers:

For such prayers

Are enjoined on Believers

At stated times.

104. And slacken not

In following up the enemy:

If ye are suffering hardships,

They are suffering similar

Hardships; but ye have

Hope from God, while they

Have none. And God

Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

SECTION 16.

105. We have sent down

To thee the Book in truth,

That thou might test judge

Between men, as guided

By God: so be not (used)

As an advocate by those

Who betray their trust;

106. But seek the forgiveness

Of God; for God is

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

107. Contend not on behalf

Of such as betray

Their own souls;

For God loveth not

One given to perfidy

And crime;

108. They may hide

(Their crimes) from men,

But they cannot hide

(Them) from God, seeing that

He is in their midst

When they plot by night,

In words that He cannot

Approve: and God

Doth compass round

All that they do.

109. Ah! these are the sort

Of men on whose behalf

Ye may contend in this world;

But who will contend with God

On their behalf on the Day

Of Judgment, or who

Will carry their affairs through?

110. If any one does evil

Or wrongs his own soul

But afterwards seeks

God's forgiveness, he will find

God Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

111. And if any one earns

Sin, he earns it against

His own soul: for God

Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

112. But if any one earns

A fault or a sin

And throws it on to one

That is innocent,

He carries (on himself)

(Both) a falsehood

And a flagrant sin.

SECTION 17.

113. But for the Grace of God

To thee and His Mercy,

A party of them would

Certainly have plotted

To lead thee astray.

But (in fact) they will only

Lead their own souls astray,

And to thee they can do

No harm in the least.

For God hath sent down

To thee the Book and Wisdom

And taught thee what thou

Knewest not (before):

And great is the Grace

Of God unto thee.

114. In most of their secret talks

There is no good: but if

One exhorts to a deed

Of charity or justice

Or conciliation between men,

(Secrecy is permissible):

To him who does this,

Seeking the good pleasure

Of God, We shall soon give

A reward of the highest (value).

115. If anyone contends with

The Apostle even after

Guidance has been plainly

Conveyed to him, and follows

A path other than that

Becoming to men of Faith,

We shall leave him

In the path he has chosen,

And land him in Hell,--

What an evil refuge!

SECTION 18.

116. God forgiveth not

(The sin of) joining other gods

With Him; but He forgiveth

Whom He pleaseth other sins

Than this: one who joins

Other gods with God,

Hath strayed far, far away

(From the Right).

117. (The Pagans), leaving Him,

Call but upon female deities:

They call but upon Satan

The persistent rebel!

118. God did curse him,

But he said: "I will take

Of Thy servants a portion

Marked off;

119. "I will mislead them,

And I will create

In them false desires; I will

Order them to slit the ears

Of cattle, and to deface

The (fair) nature created

By God." Whoever,

Forsaking God, takes Satan

For a friend, hath

Of a surety suffered

A loss that is manifest.

120. Satan makes them promises,

And creates in them false desires;

But Satan's promises

Are nothing but deception.

121. They (his dupes)

Will have their dwelling

In Hell, and from it

They will find no way

Of escape.

122. But those who believe

And do deeds of righteousness,--

We shall soon admit them

To Gardens, with rivers

Flowing beneath,--to dwell

Therein for ever.

God's promise is the truth,

And whose word can be

Truer than God's?

123. Not your desires, nor those

Of the People of the Book

(Can prevail): whoever

Works evil, will be

Requited accordingly.

Nor will he find, besides God,

Any protector or helper.

124. If any do deeds

Of righteousness,

Be they male or female--

And have faith,

They will enter Heaven,

And not the least injustice

Will be done to them.

125. Who can be better

In religion than one

Who submits his whole self

To God, does good,

And follows the way

Of Abraham the true in faith?

For God did take

Abraham for a friend.

126. But to God belong all things

In the heavens and on earth:

And He it is that

Encompasseth all things.

SECTION 19.

127. They ask thy instruction

Concerning the Women

Say: God doth

Instruct you about them:

And (remember) what hath

Been rehearsed unto you

In the Book, concerning

The orphans of women to whom

Ye give not the portions

Prescribed, and yet whom ye

Desire to marry, as also

Concerning the children

Who are weak and oppressed:

That ye stand firm

For justice to orphans.

There is not a good deed

Which ye do, but God

Is well-acquainted therewith.

128. If a wife fears

Cruelty or desertion

On her husband's part,

There is no blame on them

If they arrange

An amicable settlement

Between themselves;

And such settlement is best;

Even though men's souls

Are swayed by greed.

But if ye do good

And practise self-restraint,

God is well-acquainted

With all that ye do.

129. Ye are never able

To be fair and just

As between women,

Even if it is

Your ardent desire:

But turn not away

(From a woman) altogether,

So as to leave her (as it were)

Hanging (in the air).

If ye come to a friendly

Understanding, and practise

Self-restraint, God is

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

130. But if they disagree

(And must part), God

Will provide abundance

For all from His

All-reaching bounty:

For God is He

That careth for all

And is Wise.

131. To God belong all things

In the heavens and on earth.

Verily We have directed

The People of the Book

Before you, and you (O Muslims).

To fear God. But if ye

Deny Him, to! unto God

Belong all things

In the heavens and on earth,

And God is free

Of all wants, worthy

Of all praise.

132. Yea, unto God belong

All things in the heavens

And on earth, and enough

Is God to carry through

All affairs.

133. If it were His Will,

He could destroy you,

O mankind, and create

Another race; for He

Hath power this to do.

134. If any one desires

A reward in this life,

In God's (gift) is the reward

(Both) of this life

And of the Hereafter:

For God is He that heareth

And seeth (all things).

SECTION 20.

135. O ye who believe!

Stand out firmly

For justice, as witnesses

To God, even as against

Yourselves, or your parents,

Or your kin, and whether

It be (against) rich or poor:

For God can best protect both.

Follow not the lusts

(Of your hearts), lest ye

Swerve, and if ye

Distort (justice) or decline

To do justice, verily

God is well-acquainted

With all that ye do.

136. O ye who believe!

Believe in God

And His Apostle,

And the scripture which He

Hath sent to His Apostle

And the scripture which He sent

To those before (him)

Any who denieth God,

His angels, His Books,

His Apostles, and the Day

Of Judgment, hath gone

Far, far astray.

137. Those who believe,

Then reject Faith,

Then believe (again)

And (again) reject Faith,

And go on increasing

In Unbelief,--God

Will not forgive them

Nor guide them on the Way.

138. To the Hypocrites give

The glad tidings that

There is for them

(But) a grievous Penalty;--

139. Yea, to those who take

For friends Unbelievers

Rather than Believers:

Is it honour they seek

Among them? Nay,--

All honour is with God.

140. Already has He sent you

Word in the Book, that when

Ye hear the Signs of God

Held in defiance and ridicule,

Ye are not to sit with them

Unless they turn to a different

Theme: if ye did, ye would be

Like them. For God will

Collect the Hypocrites and those

Who defy Faith--all in Hell;--

141. (These are) the ones who

Wait and watch about you:

If ye do gain

A victory from God,

They say: "Were we not

With you?"--but if

The Unbelievers gain

A success, they say

(To them): "Did we not

Gain an advantage over you,

And did we not guard

You from the Believers?"

But God will judge

Betwixt you on the Day

Of Judgment. And never

Will God grant

To the Unbelievers

A way (to Triumph)

Over the Believers.

SECTION 21.

142. The Hypocrites--they think

They are over-reaching God,

But He will over-reach them:

When they stand up to prayer,

They stand without earnestness,

To be seen of men,

But little do they hold

God in remembrance;

143. (They are) distracted in mind

Even in the midst of it,--

Being (sincerely) for neither

One group nor for another.

Whom God leaves straying,--

Never wilt thou find

For him the Way.

144. O ye who believe!

Take not for friends

Unbelievers rather than

Believers: do ye wish

To offer God an open

Proof against yourselves?

145. The Hypocrites will be

In the lowest depths

Of the Fire: no helper

Wilt thou find for them;--

146. Except for those who repent,

Mend (their life), hold fast

To God, and purify their religion

As in God's sight: if so

They will be (numbered)

With the Believers.

And soon will God

Grant to the Believers

A reward of immense value.

147. What can God gain

By your punishment,

If ye are grateful

And ye believe?

Nay, it is God

That recogniseth

(All good), and knoweth

All things.

148. God loveth not that evil

Should be noised abroad

In public speech, except

Where injustice hath been

Done; for God

Is He who heareth

And knoweth all things.

149. Whether ye publish

A good deed or conceal it

Or cover evil with pardon,

Verily God doth blot out

(Sins) and hath power

(In the judgment of values),

150. Those who deny God

And His apostles, and (those

Who) wish to separate

God from His apostles,

Saying: "We believe in some

But reject others":

And (those who) wish

To take a course midway,--

151. They are in truth

(Equally) Unbelievers;

And We have prepared

For Unbelievers a humiliating

Punishment.

152. To those who believe

In God and His apostles

And make no distinction

Between any of the apostles,

We shall soon give

Their (due) rewards:

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 22.

153. The People of the Book

Ask thee to cause

A book to descend to them

From heaven: indeed

They asked Moses

For an even greater

(Miracle), for they said:

"Show us God in public,"

But they were dazed

For their presumption,

With thunder and lightning.

Yet they worshipped the calf

Even after Clear Signs

Had come to them;

Even so We forgave them;

And gave Moses manifest

Proofs of authority.

154. And for their Covenant

We raised over them

(The towering height)

Of Mount (Sinai);

And (on another occasion)

We said: "Enter the gate

With humility"; and (once again)

We commanded them:

"Transgress not in the matter

Of the Sabbath."

And We took from them

A solemn Covenant.

155. (They have incurred divine

Displeasure): in that they

Broke their Covenant;

That they rejected the Signs

Of God; that they slew

The Messengers in defiance

Of right; that they said,

"Our hearts are the wrappings

(Which preserve God's Word;

We need no more)";--nay,

God hath set the seal on their hearts

For their blasphemy,

And little is it they believe;--

156. That they rejected Faith;

That they uttered against Mary

A grave false charge;

157. That they said (in boast),

"We killed Christ Jesus

The son of Mary,

The Apostle of God";--

But they killed him not,

Nor crucified him,

But so it was made

To appear to them,

And those who differ

Therein are full of doubts,

With no (certain) knowledge,

But only conjecture to follow,

For of a surety

They killed him not:--

158. Nay, God raised him up

Unto Himself; and God

Is Exalted in Power, Wise;--

159. And there is none

Of the People of the Book

But must believe in him

Before his death;

And on the Day of Judgment

He will be a witness

Against them;--

160. For the iniquity of the Jews

We made unlawful for them

Certain (foods) good and wholesome

Which had been lawful for them;--

In that they hindered many

From God's Way;--

161. That they took usury,

Though they were forbidden;

And that they devoured

Men's substance wrongfully;--

We have prepared for those

Among them who reject Faith

A grievous punishment.

162. But those among them

Who are well-grounded in knowledge,

And the Believers,

Believe in what hath been

Revealed to thee and what was

Revealed before thee:

And (especially) those

Who establish regular prayer

And practise regular charity

And believe in God

And in the Last Day:

To them shall We soon

Give a great reward.

SECTION 23.

163. We have sent thee

Inspiration, as We sent it

To Noah and the Messengers

After him: We sent

Inspiration to Abraham,

Ismail, Isaac, Jacob

And the Tribes, to Jesus,

Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon,

And to David We gave

The Psalms.

164. Of some apostles We have

Already told thee the story;

Of others we have not;--

And to Moses God spoke direct;--

165. Apostles who gave good news

As well as warning,

That mankind, after (the coming)

Of the apostles, should have

No plea against God:

For God is Exalted in Power,

Wise.

166. But God beareth witness

That what He hath sent

Unto thee He hath sent

From His (own) knowledge,

And the angels bear witness:

But enough is God for a witness.

167. Those who reject Faith

And keep off (men)

From the Way of God,

Have verily strayed far,

Far away from the Path.

168. Those who reject Faith

And do wrong,--God

Will not forgive them

Nor guide them

To any way--

169. Except the way of Hell,

To dwell therein for ever.

And this to God is easy.

170. O mankind! the Apostle

Hath come to you in truth

From God: believe in him:

It is best for you. But if

Ye reject Faith, to God

Belong all things in the heavens

And on earth: and God

Is All-knowing, All-wise.

171. O People of the Book!

Commit no excesses

In your religion: nor say

Of God aught but the truth.

Christ Jesus the son of Mary

Was (no more than)

An apostle of God,

And His Word,

Which He bestowed on Mary,

And a Spirit proceeding

From Him: so believe

In God and His apostles.

Say not "Trinity": desist:

It will be better for you:

For God is One God:

Glory be to Him:

(Far Exalted is He) above

Having a son, To Him

Belong all things in the heavens

And on earth. And enough

Is God as a Disposer of affairs.

SECTION 24.

172. Christ disdaineth not

To serve and worship God,

Nor do the angels, those

Nearest (to God):

Those who disdain

His worship and are arrogant,--

He will gather them all

Together unto Himself

To (answer).

173. But to those who believe

And do deeds of righteousness,

He will give their (due)

Rewards,--and more,

Out of His bounty:

But those who are

Disdainful and arrogant,

He will punish

With a grievous penalty;

Nor will they find,

Besides God, any

To protect or help them.

174. O mankind! Verily

There hath come to you

A convincing proof

From your Lord:

For We have sent unto you

A light (that is) manifest.

175. Then those who believe

In God, and hold fast

To Him,--soon will He

Admit them to Mercy

And Grace from Himself,

And guide them to Himself

By a straight Way.

176. They ask thee

For a legal decision.

Say: God directs (thus)

About those who leave

No descendants or ascendants

As heirs. If it is a man

That dies, leaving a sister

But no child, she shall

Have half the inheritance:

If (such a deceased was)

A woman, who left no child,

Her brother takes her inheritance:

If there are two sisters,

They shall have two-thirds

Of the inheritance

(Between them): if there are

Brothers and sisters, (they share),

The male having twice

The share of the female.

Thus doth God make clear

To you (His law), lest

Ye err. And God

Hath knowledge of all things.

Sura V.

Maida, or The Table Spread.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. O ye who believe!

Fulfil (all) obligations

Lawful unto you (for food)

Are all four-footed animals,

With the exceptions named:

But animals of the chase

Are forbidden while ye

Are in the Sacred Precincts

Or in pilgrim garb:

For God doth command

According to His Will and Plan

2. O ye who believe!

Violate not the sanctity

Of the Symbols of God,

Nor of the Sacred Month,

Nor of the animals brought

For sacrifice, nor the garlands

That mark out such animals,

Nor the people resorting

To the Sacred House,

Seeking of the bounty

And good pleasure

Of their Lord.

But when ye are clear

Of the Sacred Precincts

And of pilgrim garb,

Ye may hunt

And let not the hatred

Of some people

In (once) shutting you out

Of the Sacred Mosque

Lead you to transgression

(And hostility on your part).

Help ye one another

In righteousness and piety,

But help ye not one another

In sin and rancour:

Fear God: for God

Is strict in punishment.

3. Forbidden to you (for food)

Are: dead meat, blood,

The flesh of swine, and that

On which hath been invoked

The name of other than God;

That which hath been

Killed by strangling,

Or by a violent blow,

Or by a headlong fall,

Or by being gored to death;

That which hath been (partly)

Eaten by a wild animal;

Unless ye are able

To slaughter it (in due form);

That which is sacrificed

On stone (altars);

(Forbidden) also is the division

(Of meat) by raffling

With arrows: that is impiety.

This day have those who

Reject Faith given up

All hope of your religion:

Yet fear them not

But fear Me.

This day have I

Perfected your religion

For you, completed

My favour upon you,

And have chosen for you

Islam as your religion.

But if any is forced

By hunger, with no inclination

To transgression, God is

Indeed Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

4. They ask thee what is

Lawful to them (as food)

Say: Lawful unto you

Are (all) things good and pure:

And what ye have taught

Your trained hunting animals

(To catch) in the manner

Directed to you by God:

Eat what they catch for you,

But pronounce the name

Of God over it: and fear

God; for God is swift

In taking account.

5. This day are (all) things

Good and pure made lawful

Unto you. The food

Of the People of the Book

Is lawful unto you

And yours is lawful

Unto them.

(Lawful unto you in marriage)

Are (not only) chaste women

Who are believers, but

Chaste women among

The People of the Book,

Revealed before your time,--

When ye give them

Their due dowers, and desire

Chastity, not lewdness,

Nor secret intrigues.

If any one rejects faith,

Fruitless is his work,

And in the Hereafter

He will be in the ranks

Of those who have lost

(All spiritual good).

SECTION 2.

6. O ye who believe!

When ye prepare

For prayer, wash

Your faces, and your hands

(And arms) to the elbows;

Rub your heads (with water);

And (wash) your feet

To the ankles.

If ye are in a state

Of ceremonial impurity,

Bathe your whole body.

But if ye are ill,

Or on a journey,

Or one of you cometh

From offices of nature,

Or ye have been

In contact with women,

And ye find no water,

Then take for yourselves

Clean sand or earth,

And rub therewith

Your faces and hands.

God doth not wish

To place you in a difficulty,

But to make you clean,

And to complete

His favour to you,

That ye may be grateful.

7. And call in remembrance

The favour of God

Unto you, and His Covenant,

Which He ratified

With you, when ye said:

"We hear and we obey":

And fear God, for God

Knoweth well

The secrets of your hearts.

8. O ye who believe!

Stand out firmly

For God, as witnesses

To fair dealing, and let not

The hatred of others

To you make you swerve

To wrong and depart from

Justice. Be just: that is

Next to Piety: and fear God.

For God is well-acquainted

With all that ye do.

9. To those who believe

And do deeds of righteousness

Hath God promised forgiveness

And a great reward.

10. Those who reject faith

And deny Our Signs

Will be Companions

Of Hell-fire.

11. O ye who believe

Call in remembrance

The favour of God

Unto you when

Certain men formed the design

To stretch out

Their hands against you,

But (God) held back

Their hands from you:

So fear God. And on God

Let Believers put

(All) their trust.

SECTION 3.

12. God did aforetime

Take a Covenant from

The Children of Israel,

And We appointed twelve

Captains among them.

And God said: "I am

With you: if ye (but)

Establish regular Prayers,

Practise regular Charity,

Believe in My apostles,

Honour and assist them,

And loan to God

A beautiful loan,

Verily I will wipe out

From you your evils,

And admit you to Gardens

With rivers flowing beneath;

But if any of you, after this,

Resisteth faith, he hath truly

Wandered from the path

Of rectitude."

13. But because of their breach

Of their Covenant, We

Cursed them, and made

Their hearts grow hard:

They change the words

From their (right) places

And forget a good part

Of the Message that was

Sent them, nor wilt thou

Cease to find them

Barring a few--ever

Bent on (new) deceits:

But forgive them, and overlook

(Their misdeeds): for God

Loveth those who are kind.

14. From those, too, who call

Themselves Christians,

We did take a Covenant,

But they forgot a good part

Of the Message that was

Sent them: so We estranged

Them, with enmity and hatred

Between the one and the other,

To the Day of Judgment.

And soon will God show

Them what it is

They have done.

15. O People of the Book!

There hath come to you

Our Apostle, revealing

To you much that ye

Used to hide in the Book,

And passing over much

(That is now unnecessary):

There hath come to you

From God a (new) light

And a perspicuous Book,--

16. Wherewith God guideth all

Who seek His good pleasure

To ways of peace and safety,

And leadeth them out

Of darkness, by His Will,

Unto the light,--guideth them

To a Path that is Straight.

17. In blasphemy indeed

Are those that say

That God is Christ

The son of Mary.

Say: "Who then

Hath the least power

Against God, if His Will

Were to destroy Christ

The son of Mary, his mother,

And all--every one

That is on the earth?

For to God belongeth

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth, and all

That is between. He createth

What He pleaseth. For God

Hath power over all things."

18. (Both) the Jews and the Christians

Say: "We are sons

Of God, and His beloved."

Say: "Why then doth He

Punish you for your sins?

Nay, ye are but men,

Of the men He hath created:

He forgiveth whom He pleaseth,

And He punisheth whom He pleaseth:

And to God belongeth

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth, and all

That is between:

And unto Him

Is the final goal (of all)"

19. O People of the Book!

Now hath come unto you,

Making (things) clear unto you,

Our Apostle, after the break

In (the series of) our apostles,

Lest ye should say:

"There came unto us

No bringer of glad tidings

And no warner (from evil)":

But now hath come

Unto you a bringer

Of glad tidings

And a warner (from evil).

And God hath power

Over all things.

SECTION 4.

20. Remember Moses said

To his people: "O my People!

Call in remembrance the favour

Of God unto you, when He

Produced prophets among you,

Made you kings, and gave

You what He had not given

To any other among the peoples.

21. "O my people! enter

The holy land which

God hath assigned unto you,

And turn not back

Ignominiously, for then

Will ye be overthrown,

To your own ruin."

22. They said: "O Moses!

In this land are a people

Of exceeding strength:

Never shall we enter it

Until they leave it:

If (once) they leave,

Then shall we enter."

23. (But) among (their) God-fearing men

Were two on whom

God had bestowed His grace:

They said: "Assault them

At the (proper) Gate:

When once ye are in,

Victory will be yours;

But on God put your trust

If ye have faith."

24. They said: "O Moses!

While they remain there,

Never shall we be able

To enter, to the end of time.

Go thou, and thy Lord,

And fight ye two,

While we sit here"

(And watch)."

25. He said: "O my Lord!

I have power only

Over myself and my brother:

So separate us from this

Rebellious people!"

26. God said: "Therefore

Will the land be out

Of their reach for forty years:

In distraction will they

Wander through the land:

But sorrow thou not

Over these rebellious people.

SECTION 5.

27. Recite to them the truth

Of the story of the two sons

Of Adam. Behold! they each

Presented a sacrifice (to God):

It was accepted from one,

But not from the other.

Said the latter: "Be sure

I will slay thee." "Surely,"

Said the former, "God

Doth accept of the sacrifice

Of those who are righteous.

28. "If thou dost stretch thy hand

Against me, to slay me,

It is not for me to stretch

My hand against thee

To slay thee: for I do fear

God, the Cherisher of the Worlds.

29. "For me, I intend to let

Thee draw on thyself

My sin as well as thine,

For thou wilt be among

The Companions of the Fire,

And that is the reward

Of those who do wrong."

30. The (selfish) soul of the other

Led him to the murder

Of his brother: he murdered

Him, and became (himself)

One of the lost ones.

31. Then God sent a raven,

Who scratched the ground,

To show him how to hide

The shame of his brother.

"Woe is me!" said he;

"Was I not even able

To be as this raven,

And to hide the shame

Of my brother?" Then he became

Full of regrets--

32. On that account: We ordained

For the Children of Israel

That if any one slew

A person--unless it be

For murder or for spreading

Mischief in the land--

It would be as if

He slew the whole people:

And if any one saved a life,

It would be as if he saved

The life of the whole people.

Then although there came

To them Our Apostles

With Clear Signs, yet,

Even after that, many

Of them continued to commit

Excesses in the land.

33. The punishment of those

Who wage war against God

And His Apostle, and strive

With might and main

For mischief through the land

Is: execution, or crucifixion,

Or the cutting off of hands

And feet from opposite sides,

Or exile from the land:

That is their disgrace

In this world, and

A heavy punishment is theirs

In the Hereafter;

34. Except for those who repent

Before they fall

Into your power:

In that case, know

That God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 6.

35. O ye who believe!

Do your duty to God,

Seek the means

Of approach unto Him,

And strive with might

And main in His cause:

That ye may presper.

36. As to those who reject

Faith,--if they had

Everything on earth,

And twice repeated,

To give as ransom

For the penalty of the Day

Of Judgment, it would

Never be accepted of them.

Theirs would be

A grievous Penalty.

37. Their wish will be

To get out of the Fire,

But never will they

Get out therefrom:

Their Penalty will be

One that endures.

38. As to the thief,

Male or female,

Cut off his or her hands:

A punishment by way

Of example, from God,

For their crime:

And God is Exalted in Power.

39. But if the thief repent

After his crime,

And amend his conduct,

God turneth to him

In forgiveness; for God

Is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

40. Knowest thou not

That to God (alone)

Belongeth the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth?

He punisheth whom He pleaseth,

And He forgiveth whom He pleaseth:

And God hath power

Over all things.

41. O Apostle! let not

Those grieve thee, who race

Each other into Unbelief:

(Whether it be) among those

Who say "We believe"

With their lips but

Whose hearts have no faith;

Or it be among the Jews,--

Men who will listen

To any lie,--will listen

Even to others who have

Never so much as come

To thee. They change the words

From their (right) times

And places; they say,

"If ye are given this,

Take it, but if not,

Beware!" If any one's trial

Is intended by God, thou hast

No authority in the least

For him against God.

For such--it is not

God's will to purify

Their hearts. For them

There is disgrace

In this world, and

In the Hereafter

A heavy punishment.

42. (They are fond of) listening

To falsehood, of devouring

Anything forbidden.

If they do come to thee,

Either judge between them,

Or decline to interfere.

If thou decline, they cannot

Hurt thee in the least.

If thou judge, judge

In equity between them.

For God loveth those

Who judge in equity.

43. But why do they come

To thee for decision,

When they have (their own)

Law before them?

Therein is the (plain)

Command of God; yet

Even after that, they would

Turn away. For they

Are not (really)

People of Faith.

SECTION 7.

44. It was We who revealed

The Law (to Moses): therein

Was guidance and light.'

By its standard have been judged

The Jews, by the Prophets

Who bowed (as in Islam)

To God's Will, by the Rabbis

And the Doctors of Law:

For to them was entrusted

The protection of God's Book,

And they were witnesses thereto:

Therefore fear not men,

But fear Me, and sell not

My Signs for a miserable price.

If any do fail to judge

By (the light of) what God

Hath revealed, they are

(No better than) Unbelievers.

45. We ordained therein for them:

"Life for life, eye for eye,

Nose for nose, ear for ear,

Tooth for tooth, and wounds

Equal for equal." But if

Any one remits the retaliation

Byway of charity, it is

An act of atonement for himself.

And if any fail to judge

By (the light of) what God

Hath revealed, they are

(No better than) wrong-doers.

46. And in their footsteps

We sent Jesus the son

Of Mary, confirming

The Law that had come

Before him: We sent him

The Gospel: therein

Was guidance and light,

And confirmation of the Law

That had come before him:

A guidance and an admonition

To those who fear God.

47. Let the People of the Gospel

Judge by what God hath revealed

Therein. If any do fail

To judge by (the light of)

What God hath revealed,

They are (no better than)

Those who rebel.

48. To thee We sent the Scripture

In truth, confirming

The scripture that came

Before it, and guarding it's

In safety: so judge

Between them by what

God hath revealed,

And follow not their vain

Desires, diverging

From the Truth that hath come

To thee. To each among you

Have We prescribed a Law

And an Open Way.

If God had so willed.

He would have made you

A single People, but (His

Plan is) to test you in what

He hath given you: so strive

As in a race in all virtues.

The goal of you all is to God;

It is He that will show you

The truth of the matters

In which ye dispute;

49. And this (He commands):

Judge thou between them

By what God hath revealed,

And follow not their vain

Desires, but beware of them

Lest they beguile thee

From any of that (teaching)

Which God hath sent down

To thee. And if they turn

Away, be assured that

For some of their crimes

It is God's purpose to punish

Them. And truly most men

Are rebellious.

50. Do they then seek after

A judgment of (the Days

Of) Ignorance? But who,

For a people whose faith

Is assured, can give

Better judgment than God?

SECTION 8.

51. O ye who believe!

Take not the Jews

And the Christians

For your friends and protectors:

They are but friends and protectors)

To each other. And he

Amongst you that turns to them

(For friendship) is of them.

Verily God guideth not

A people unjust.

52. Those in whose hearts

Is a disease--thou seest

How eagerly they run about

Amongst them, saying:

"We do fear lest a change

Of fortune bring us disaster."

Ah! perhaps God will give

(Thee) victory, or a decision

According to His Will.

Then will they repent

Of the thoughts which they secretly

Harboured in their hearts.

53. And those who believe

Will say: "Are these

The men who swore

Their strongest oaths by God,

That they were with you?"

All that they do

Will be in vain,

And they will fall

Into (nothing but) ruin.

54. O ye who believe!

If any from among you

Turn back from his Faith,

Soon will God produce

A people whom He will love

As they will love Him,--

Lowly with the Believers,

Mighty against the Rejecters,

Fighting in the Way of God,

And never afraid

Of the reproaches

Of such as find fault.

That is the Grace of God,

Which He will bestow

On whom He pleaseth.

And God encompasseth all,

And He knoweth all things.

55. Your (real) friends are

(No less than) God,

His Apostle, and the (Fellowship

Of) Believers,--those who

Establish regular prayers

And regular charity,

And they bow

Down humbly (in worship).

56. As to those who turn

(For friendship) to God,

His Apostle, and the (Fellowship

Of) Believers,--it is

The Fellowship of God

That must certainly triumph.

SECTION 9.

57. O ye who believe!

Take not for friends

And protectors those

Who take your religion

For a mockery or sport,--

Whether among those

Who received the Scripture

Before you, or among those

Who reject Faith;

But fear ye God,

If ye have Faith (indeed).

58. When ye proclaim

Your call to prayer,

They take it (but)

As mockery and sport;

That is because they are

A people without understanding.

59. Say: "O People of the Book!

Do ye disapprove of us

For no other reason than

That we believe in God,

And the revelation

That hath come to us

And that which came

Before (us), and (perhaps)

That most of you

Are rebellious and disobedient?

60. Say: "Shall I point out

To you something much worse

Than this, (as judged)

By the treatment it received

From God? Those who

Incurred the curse of God

And His wrath, those of whom some

He transformed into apes and swine,

Those who worshipped Evil;--

These are (many times) worse

In rank, and far more astray

From the even Path!"

61. When they come to thee,

They say: "We believe":

But in fact they enter

With a mind against Faith,

And they go out

With the same.

But God knoweth fully

All that they hide.

62. Many of them dost thou

See, racing each other

In sin and rancour,

And their eating of things

Forbidden. Evil indeed

Are the things that they do.

63. Why do not the Rabbis

And the doctors of law forbid

Them from their (habit

Of) uttering sinful words

And eating things forbidden?

Evil indeed are their works.

64. The Jews say: "God's hand

Is tied up." Be their hands

Tied up and be they accursed

For the (blasphemy) they utter.

Nay, both His hands

Are widely outstretched:

He giveth and spendeth

(Of His bounty) as He pleaseth.

But the revelation that

Cometh to thee from God

Increaseth in most of them

Their obstinate rebellion

And blasphemy. Amongst them

We have placed enmity

And hatred till the Day

Of Judgment. Every time

They kindle the fire of war,

God doth extinguish it;

But they (ever) strive

To do mischief on earth.

And God loveth not

Those who do mischief.

65. If only the People of the Book

Had believed and been righteous,

We should indeed have

Blotted out their iniquities

And admitted them

To Gardens of Bliss.

66. If only they had stood fast

By the Law, the Gospel,

And all the revelation that was sent

To them from their Lord,

They would have enjoyed

Happiness from every side.'

There is from among them

A party on the right course:

But many of them

Follow a course that is evil.

SECTION 10.

67. O Apostle! proclaim

The (Message) which hath been

Sent to thee from thy Lord.

If thou didst not, thou

Wouldst not have fulfilled

And proclaimed His Mission.

And God will defend thee

From men (who mean mischief).

For God guideth not

Those who reject Faith.

68. Say: "O People of the Book!

Ye have no ground

To stand upon unless

Ye stand fast by the Law,

The Gospel, and all the revelation

That has come to you from

Your Lord." It is the revelation

That cometh to thee from

Thy Lord, that increaseth in most

Of them their obstinate

Rebellion and blasphemy.

But sorrow thou not

Over (these) people without Faith.

69. Those who believe (in the Qur-an),

Those who follow the Jewish (scriptures),

And the Sabians and the Christians,--

Any who believe in God

And the Last Day,

And work righteousness,--

On them shall be no fear,

Nor shall they grieve.

70. We took the Covenant

Of the Children of Israel

And sent them apostles.

Every time there came

To them an apostle

With what they themselves

Desired not--some

(Of these) they called

Impostors, and some they

(Go so far as to) slay.

71. They thought there would be

No trial (or punishment);

So they became blind and deaf;

Yet God (in mercy) turned

To them; yet again many

Of them became blind and deaf.

But God sees well

All that they do.

72. They do blaspheme who say:

"God is Christ the son

Of Mary" But said Christ:

"O Children of Israel!

Worship God, my Lord

And your Lord." Whoever

Joins other gods with God,--

God will forbid him

The Garden, and the Fire

Will be his abode. There will

For the wrong-doers

Be no one to help.

73. They do blaspheme who say:

God is one of three

In a Trinity: for there is

No god except One God.

If they desist not

From their word (of blasphemy),

Verily a grievous penalty

Will befall the blasphemers

Among them.

74. Why turn they not to God,

And seek His forgiveness?

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

75. Christ the son of Mary

Was no more than

An Apostle; many were

The apostles that passed away

Before him. His mother

Was a woman of truth.

They had both to eat

Their (daily) food.

See how God doth make

His Signs clear to them;

Yet see in what ways

They are deluded

Away from the truth!

76. Say: "Will ye worship,

Besides God, something

Which hath no power either

To harm or benefit you?

But God,--He it is

That heareth and knoweth

All things."

77. Say: "O People of the Book!

Exceed not in your religion

The bounds (of what is proper),

Trespassing beyond the truth,

Nor follow the vain desires

Of people who went wrong

In times gone by,--who misled

Many, and strayed (themselves)

From the even Way.

SECTION 11.

78. Curses were pronounced

On those among the Children

Of Israel who rejected Faith,

By the tongue of David

And of Jesus the son of Mary:

Because they disobeyed

And persisted in Excesses.

79. Nor did they (usually)

Forbid one another

The iniquities which they

Committed: evil indeed

Were the deeds which they did.

80. Thou seest many of them

Turning in friendship

To the Unbelievers.

Evil indeed are (the works) which

Their souls have sent forward

Before them (with the result),

That God's wrath

Is on them,

And in torment

Will they abide.

81. If only they had believed

In God, in the Apostle,

And in what hath been

Revealed to him, never

Would they have taken

Them for friends and protectors,

But most of them are

Rebellious wrong-doers.

82. Strongest among men in enmity

To the Believers wilt thou

Find the Jews and Pagans;

And nearest among them in love

To the Believers wilt thou

Find those who say,

"We are Christians":

Because amongst these are

Men devoted to learning

And men who have renounced

The world, and they

Are not arrogant.

83. And when they listen

To the revelation received

By the Apostle, thou wilt

See their eyes overflowing

With tears, for they

Recognise the truth:

They pray: "Our Lord!

We believe; write us

Down among the witnesses.

84. "What cause can we have

Not to believe in God

And the truth which has

Come to us, seeing that

We long for our Lord

To admit us to the company

Of the righteous?"

85. And for this their prayer

Hath God rewarded them

With Gardens, with rivers

Flowing underneath,--their eternal

Home. Such is the recompense

Of those who do good.

86. But those who reject Faith

And belie Our Signs,--

They shall be Companions

Of Hell-fire.

SECTION 12.

87. O ye who believe!

Make not unlawful

The good things which God

Hath made lawful for you,

But commit no excess:

For God loveth not

Those given to excess.

88. Eat of the things which

God hath provided for you,

Lawful and good; but fear

God, in Whom ye believe.

89. God will not call you

To account for what is

Futile in your oaths,

But He will call you

To account for your deliberate

Oaths: for expiation, feed

Ten indigent persons,

On a scale of the average

For the food of your families;

Or clothe them; or give

A slave his freedom.

If that is beyond your means,

Fast for three days.

That is the expiation

For the oaths ye have sworn.

But keep to your oaths.

Thus doth God make clear

To you His Signs, that ye

May be grateful.

90. O ye who believe!

Intoxicants and gambling,

(Dedication of) stones,

And (divination by) arrows,

Are an abomination,--

Of Satan's handiwork:

Eschew such (abomination),

That ye may prosper.

91. Satan's plan is (but)

To excite enmity and hatred

Between you, with intoxicants

And gambling, and hinder you

From the remembrance

Of God, and from prayer:

Will ye not then abstain?

92. Obey God, and obey the Apostle,

And beware (of evil):

If ye do turn back,

Know ye that it is

Our Apostle's duty

To proclaim (the Message)

In the clearest manner.

93. On those who believe

And do deeds of righteousness

There is no blame

For what they ate (in the past),

When they guard themselves

From evil, and believe,

And do deeds of righteousness,--

(Or) again, guard themselves

From evil and believe,--

(Or) again, guard themselves

From evil and do good.

For God loveth those

Who do good.

SECTION 13.

94. O ye who believe!

God doth but make a trial of you

In a little matter

Of game well within reach

Of your hands and your lances,

That He may test

Who feareth Him unseen:

Any who transgress

Thereafter, will have

A grievous penalty.

95. O ye who believe!

Kill not game

While in the Sacred

Precincts or in pilgrim garb.

If any of you doth so

Intentionally, the compensation

Is an offering, brought

To the Ka'ba, of a domestic animal

Equivalent to the one he killed,

As adjudged by two just men

Among you; or by way

Of atonement, the feeding

Of the indigent; or its

Equivalent in fasts: that he

May taste of the penalty

Of his deed. God

Forgives what is past:

For repetition God will

Exact from him the penalty.

For God is Exalted,

And Lord of Retribution.

96. Lawful to you is the pursuit

Of water-game and its use

For food,--for the benefit

Of yourselves and those who

Travel; but forbidden

Is the pursuit of land-game;--

As long as ye are

In the Sacred Precincts

Or in pilgrim garb.

And fear God, to Whom

Ye shall be gathered back.

97. God made the Ka'ba,

The Sacred House, an asylum

Of security for men, as

Also the Sacred Months,

The animals for offerings,

And the garlands that mark them:

That ye may know

That God hath knowledge

Of what is in the heavens

And on earth and that God

Is well acquainted

With all things.

98. Know ye that God

Is strict in punishment

And that God is

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

99. The Apostle's duty is

But to proclaim (the Message).

But God knoweth all

That ye reveal and ye conceal.

100. Say: "Not equal are things

That are bad and things

That are good, even though

The abundance of the bad

May dazzle thee;

So fear God, O ye

That understand;

That (so) ye may prosper."

SECTION 14.

101. O ye who believe!

Ask not questions

About things which,

If made plain to you,

May cause you trouble.

But if ye ask about things

When the Qur-an is being

Revealed, they will be

Made plain to you,

God will forgive those:

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Forbearing.

102. Some people before you

Did ask such questions,

And on that account

Lost their faith.

103. It was not God

Who instituted (superstitions

Like those of) a slit-ear

She-camel, or a she-camel

Let loose for free pasture,

Or idol sacrifices for

Twin-births in animals,

Or stallion-camels

Freed from work

It is blasphemers

Who Invent a lie

Against God; but most

Of them lack wisdom.

104. When it is said to them:

"Come to what God

Hath revealed; come

To the Apostle":

They say: "Enough for us

Are the ways we found

Our fathers following."

What! even though their fathers

Were void of knowledge

And guidance?

105. O ye who believe!

Guard your own souls:

If ye follow (right) guidance,

No hurt can come to you

From those who stray.

The goal of you all

Is to God: it is He

That will show you

The truth of all

That ye do.

106. O ye who believe!

When death approaches

Any of you, (take) witnesses

Among yourselves when making

Bequests,--two just men

Of your own (brotherhood)

Or others from outside

If ye are journeying

Through the earth,

And the chance of death

Befalls you (thus).

If ye doubt (their truth),

Detain them both

After prayer, and let them both

Swear by God:

"We wish not in this

For any worldly gain,

Even though the (beneficiary)

Be our near relation:

We shall hide not

The evidence before God:

If we do, then behold!

The sin be upon us!"

107. But if it gets known

That these two were guilty

Of the sin (of perjury),

Let two others stand forth

In their places,--nearest

In kin from among those

Who claim a lawful right:

Let them swear by God:

"We affirm that our witness

Is truer than that

Of those two, and that we

Have not trespassed (beyond

The truth): if we did,

Behold! the wrong be

Upon us!"

108. That is most suitable:

That they may give the evidence

In its true nature and shape,

Or else they would fear

That other oaths would be

Taken after their oaths.

Hut fear God, and listen

(To His counsel): for God

Guideth not a rebellious people:

SECTION 15.

109. One day will God

Gather the apostles together,

And ask: "What was

The response ye received

(From men to your teaching)?"

They will say: "We

Have no knowledge: it is Thou

Who knowest in full

All that is hidden."

110. When will God say:

"O Jesus the son of Mary!

Recount My favour"'

To thee and to thy mother.

Behold! I strengthened thee

With the holy spirit,

So that thou didst speak

To the people in childhood

And in maturity.

Behold! I taught thee

The Book and Wisdom,

The Law and the Gospel.

And behold! thou makest

Out of clay, as it were,

The figure of a bird,

By My leave,

And thou breathest into it,

And it becometh a bird

By My leave,

And thou healest those

Born blind, and the lepers,

By My leave.

And behold! thou

Bringest forth the dead

By My leave ego

And behold! I did

Restrain the Children of Israel

From (violence to) thee

When thou didst show them

The Clear Signs,

And the unbelievers among them

Said: 'This is nothing

But evident magic.

111. "And behold! I inspired

The Disciples to have faith

In Me and Mine Apostle:

They said, 'We have faith,

And do thou bear witness

That we bow to God

As Muslims'."

112. Behold! the Disciples said:

"O Jesus the son of Mary!

Can thy Lord send down to us

A Table set (with viands)

From heaven?" Said Jesus:

"Fear God, if ye have faith."

113. They said: "We only wish

To eat thereof and satisfy

Our hearts, and to know

That thou hast indeed

Told us the truth; and

That we ourselves may be

Witnesses to the miracle."

114. Said Jesus the son of Mary:

"O God our Lord!

Send us from heaven

A Table set (with viands),

That there may be for us

For the first and the last of us--

A solemn festival

And a. Sign from Thee;

And provide for our sustenance,

For Thou art the best

Sustainer (of our needs)."

115. God said: "I will

Send it down unto you:

But if any of you

After that resisteth faith,

I will punish him

With a penalty such

As I have not inflicted

On any one among

All the peoples."

SECTION 16.

116. And behold! God will say:

"O Jesus the son of Mary!

Didst thou say unto men,

Worship me and my mother

As gods in derogation of God'?"

He will say: "Glory to Thee!

Never could I say

What I had no right

(To say). Had I said

Such a thing, Thou wouldst

Indeed have known it.

Thou knowest what is

In my heart, though I

Know not what is

In Thine. For Thou

Knowest in full

All that is hidden.

117. "Never said I to them

Aught except what Thou

Didst command me

To say, to wit, 'Worship

God, my Lord and your Lord';

And I was a witness

Over them whilst I dwelt

Amongst them; when thou

Didst take me up

Thou wast the Watcher

Over them, and Thou

Art a witness to all things.

118. "If Thou dost punish them,

They are Thy servants:

If Thou dost forgive them,

Thou art the Exalted in power,

The Wise."

119. God will say: "This is

A day on which

The truthful will profit

From their truth: theirs

Are Gardens, with rivers

Flowing beneath,--their eternal

Home: God well-pleased

With them, and they with God:

That is the great Salvation,

(The fulfilment of all desires).

120. To God doth belong the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth,

And all that is therein,

And it is He who hath power

Over all things.

Sura VI.

An'am, or Cattle.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to God,

Who created the heavens

And the earth,

And made the Darkness

And the Light.

Yet those who reject Faith

Hold (others) as equal.

With their Guardian-Lord.

2. He it is Who created

You from clay, and then

Decreed a stated term

(For you). And there is

In His Presence another

Determined term; yet

Ye doubt within yourselves!

3. And He is God

In the heavens

And on earth.

He knoweth what ye

Hide, and what ye reveal,

And He knoweth

The (recompense) which

Ye earn (by your deeds)

4. But never did a single

One of the Signs

Of their Lord reach them,

But they turned

Away therefrom.

5. And now they reject

The truth when it reaches

Them: but soon shall they

Learn the reality of what

They used to mock at.

6. See they not how many

Of those before them

We did destroy?--

Generations We had established

On the earth, in strength

Such as We have not given

To you--for whom

We poured out rain

From the skies in abundance,

And gave (fertile) streams

Flowing beneath their (feet):

Yet for their sins

We destroyed them,

And raised in their wake

Fresh generations

(To succeed them).

7. If We had sent

Unto thee a written

(Message) on parchment,

So that they could

Touch it with their hands,

The Unbelievers would

Have been sure to say:

"This is nothing but

Obvious magic!"

8. They say: "Why is not

An angel sent down to him?"

If We did send down

An angel, the matter

Would be settled at once,

And no respite

Would be granted them.

9. If We had made it

An angel, We should

Have sent him as a man,

And We should certainly

Have caused them confusion

In a matter which they have

Already covered with confusion.

10. Mocked were (many)

Apostles before thee;

But their scoffers

Were hemmed in

By the thing that they mocked.

SECTION 2.

11. Say: "Travel through the earth

And see what was the end

Of those who rejected Truth".

12. Say: "To whom I elongeth

All that is in the heavens

And on earth?" Say:

"To God. He hath inscribed

For Himself (the rule of) Mercy.

That He will gather you

Together for the Day of Judgment,

There is no doubt whatever.

It is they who have lost

Their own souls, that will

Not believe.

13. To him belongeth all

That dwelleth (or lurketh)

In the Night and the Day.

For He is the One

Who heareth and knoweth

All things."

14. Say: "Shall I take

For my protector

Any other than God,

The Maker of the heavens

And the earth?

And He it is that

Feedeth but is not fed."

Say: "Nay! but I am

Commanded to be the first

Of those who bow

To God (in Islam),

And be not thou

Of the company of those

Who join gods with God."

15. Say: "I would, if I

Disobeyed my Lord,

Indeed have fear

Of the Penalty

Of a Mighty Day.

16. "On that day, if the Penalty

Is averted from any,

It is due to God's Mercy;

And that would be (Salvation),

The obvious fulfilment

Of all desire.

17. "If God touch thee

With affliction, none

Can remove it but He;

If He touch thee with happiness,

He hath power over all things.

18. "He is the Irresistible, (watching)

From above over His worshippers;

And He is the Wise,

Acquainted with all things."

19. Say: "What thing is most

Weighty in evidence?"

Say: "God is witness

Between me and you;

This Qur-an hath been

Revealed to me by inspiration,

That I may warn you

And all whom it reaches.

Can ye possibly bear witness

That besides God there is

Another God?" Say:

"Nay! I cannot bear witness!"

Say: But in truth

He is the One God,

And I truly am innocent

Of (your blasphemy of) joining

Others with Him."

20. Those to whom

We have given the Book

Know this as they know

Their own sons.

Those who have lost

Their own souls

Refuse therefore to believe.

SECTION 3.

21. Who doth more wrong

Than he who inventeth

A lie against God

Or rejecteth His Signs?

But verily the wrong-doers

Never shall prosper.

22. One day shall We gather

Them all together: We

Shall say to those

Who ascribed partners (to Us):

"Where are the partners

Whom ye (invented

And) talked about?"

23. There will then be (left)

No subterfuge for them

But to say: "By God

Our Lord, we were not

Those who joined gods

With God."

24. Behold! how they lie

Against their own souls!

But the (lie) which they

Invented will leave themes:

In the lurch.

25. Of them there are some

Who (pretend to) listen to thee;

But We have thrown

Veils on their hearts,

So they understand it not,

And deafness in their ears;

If they saw every one

Of the Signs, not they

Will believe in them;

In so much that

When they come to thee,

They (but) dispute with thee;

The Unbelievers say:

"These are nothing

But tales of the ancients."

26. Others they keep away from it,

And themselves they keep away;

But they only destroy

Their own souls,

And they perceive it not.

27. If thou couldst but see

When they are confronted

With the Fire!

They will say:

"Would that we were

But sent back!

Then would we not reject

The Signs of our Lord,

But would be amongst those

Who believe!"

28. Yea, in their own (eyes)

Will become manifest

What before they concealed.

But if they were returned,

They would certainly relapse

To the things they were forbidden,

For they are indeed liars.

29. And they (sometimes) say:

"There is nothing except

Our life on this earth,

And never shall we be

Raised up again."

30. If thou couldst but see

When they are confronted

With their Lord!

He will say:

"Is not this the truth?"

They will say:

"Yea, by our Lord!"

He will say:

"Taste ye then the Penalty,

Because ye rejected Faith."

SECTION 4.

31. Lost indeed are they

Who treat it as a falsehood

That they must meet God,

Until on a sudden

The hour is on them,

And they say: "Ah! woe

Unto us that we took

No thought of it";

For they bear their burdens

On their backs,

And evil indeed are

The burdens that they bear?

32. What is the life of this world

But play and amusement? ess

But best is the Home

In the Hereafter, for those

Who are righteous.

Will ye not then understand?

33. We know indeed the grief

Which their words do cause thee:

It is not thee they reject:

It is the Signs of God,

Which the wicked contemn.

34. Rejected were the Apostles

Before thee: with patience

And constancy they bore

Their rejection and their wrongs,

Until Our aid did reach

Them: there is none

That can alter the Words

(And Decrees) of God.

Already hast thou received

Some account of those Apostles.

35. If their spurning is hard

On thy mind, yet if

Thou wert able to seek

A tunnel in the ground

Or a ladder to the skies

And bring them a Sign,--

(What good?). If it were

God's Will, He could

Gather them together

Unto true guidance:

So be not thou

Amongst those who are swayed

By ignorance (and impatience)!

36. Those who listen (in truth),

Be sure, will accept:

As to the dead, God will

Raise them up; then will they

Be turned unto Him.

37. Whey say: "Why is not

A Sign sent down

To him from his Lord?"

Say: "God hath certainly

Power to send down a Sign:

But most of them

Understand not."

38. There is not an animal

(That lives) on the earth,

Nor a being that flies

On its wings, but (forms

Part of) communities like you.

Nothing have we omitted

From the Book, and they (all)

Shall be gathered to their Lord

In the end.

39. Those who reject our Signs

Are deaf and dumb,--

In the midst of darkness

Profound: whom God willeth,

He leaveth to wander:

Whom He willeth, He placeth

On the Way that is Straight.

40. Say: "Think ye to yourselves,

If there come upon you

The Wrath of God,

Or the Hour (that ye dread),

Would ye then call upon

Other than God?--

(Reply) if ye are truthful!

41. "Nay,--On Him would ye

Call, and if it be

His Will, He would remove

(The distress) which occasioned

Your call upon Him,

And ye would forget

(The false gods) which ye

Join with Him!"

SECTION 5.

42. Before thee We sent

(Apostles) to many nations,

And We afflicted the nations

With suffering and adversity,

That they might learn humility.

43. When the suffering reached

Them from Us, why then

Did they not learn humility?

On the contrary their hearts

Became hardened, and Satan

Made their (sinful) acts

Seem alluring to them.

44. But when they forgot

The warning they had received,

We opened to them the gates

Of all (good) things,

Until, in the midst

Of their enjoyment

Of our gifts,

On a sudden, We called

Them to account, when lo!

They were plunged in despair!

45. Of the wrong-doers the last

Remnant was cut off.

Praise be to God,

The Cherisher of the Worlds.

46. Say:"Think ye, if God

Took away your hearing

And your sight, and sealed up

Your hearts, who--a god

Other than God--could

Restore them to you?"

See how We explain

The Signs by various (symbols);

Yet they turn aside.

47. Say:"Think ye, if

The Punishment of God

Comes to you,

Whether suddenly or openly,

Will any be destroyed

Except those who do wrong?

48. We send the apostles

Only to give good news

And to warn: so those

Who believe and mend

(Their lives),--upon them

Shall be no fear,

Nor shall they grieve.

49. But those who reject

Our Signs,--them

Shall punishment touch,

For that they ceased not

From transgressing.

50. Say:"I tell you not

That with me

Are the Treasures of God,

Nor do I know

What is hidden,

Nor do I tell you I am

An angel. I but follow

What is revealed to me."

Say:"Can the blind

Be held equal to the seeing?"

Will ye then consider not?

SECTION 6.

51. Give this warning to those

In whose (hearts) is the fear

That they will be brought

(To Judgment) before their Lord:

Except for Him

They will have no protector

Nor intercessor:

That they may guard

(Against evil).

52. Send not away those

Who call on their Lord

Morning and evening,

Seeking His Face.

In naught art thou accountable

For them, and in naught are they

Accountable for thee,

That thou shouldst turn

Them away, and thus be

(One) of the unjust.

53. Thus did We try

Some of them by comparison

With others, that they

Should say:"Is it these

Then that God hath

Favoured from amongst us?"

Doth not God know best

Those who are grateful?

54. When those come to thee

Who believe in Our Signs,

Say: "Peace be on you:

Your Lord hath inscribed

For Himself (the rule

Of) Mercy: verily,

If any of you did evil

In ignorance, and thereafter

Repented, and amended

(His conduct), lo! He is

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

55. Thus do We explain

The Signs in detail:

That the way of the sinners

May be shown up.

SECTION 7.

56. Say: "I am forbidden

To worship those--others

Than God--whom ye

Call upon." Say: "I will

Not follow your vain desires:

If I did, I would stray

From the path, and be not

Of the company of those

Who receive guidance."

57. Say; "For me, I (work)

On a clear Sign from my Lord,

But ye reject Him. What ye

Would see hastened, is not

In my power. The Command

Rests with none but God:

He declares the Truth,

And He is the best of judges."

58. Say: "If what ye would see

Hastened were in my power,

The matter would be settled

At once between you and me.

But God knoweth best

Those who do wrong."

59. With Him are the keys

Of the Unseen, the treasures

That none knoweth but He.

He knoweth whatever there is

On the earth and in the sea.

Not a leaf doth fall

But with His knowledge:

There is not a grain

In the darkness (or depths)

Of the earth, nor anything

Fresh or dry (green or withered),

But is (inscribed) in a Record

Clear (to those who can read).

60. It is He Who doth take

Your souls by night,

And hath knowledge of all

That ye have done by day:

By day doth He raise

You up again; that a term

Appointed be fulfilled;

In the end unto Him

Will be your return;

Then will He show you

The truth of all

That ye did.

SECTION 8.

61He is the Irresistible, (watching)

From above over His worshippers,

And He sets guardians

Over you. At length,

When death approaches

One of you, Our angels

Take his soul, and they

Never fail in their duty.

62. Then are men returned

Unto God, their Protector,

The (only) Reality:

Is not His the Command?

And He is the Swiftest

In taking account.

63. Say: "Who is it

That delivereth you

From the dark recesses

Of land and sea,

When ye call upon Him

In humility

And silent terror:

If He only delivers us

From these (dangers),

(We vow) we shall truly

Show our gratitude?"

64. Say: "It is God

That delivereth you

From these and all (other)

Distresses: and yet

Ye worship false gods!"

65. Say: "He hath power

To send calamities

On you, from above

And below, or to cover

You with confusion

In party strife,

Giving you a taste

Of mutual vengeance--

Each from the other."

See how We explain

The Signs by various (symbols);

That they may understand.

66. But thy people reject

This, though it is

The Truth. Say: "Not mine

Is the responsibility

For arranging your affairs;

67. For every Message

Is a limit of time,

And soon shall ye

Know it."

68. When thou seest men

Engaged in vain discourse

About Our Signs, turn

Away from them unless

They turn to a different

Theme. If Satan ever

Makes thee forget, then

After recollection, sit not

Thou in the company

Of those who do wrong.

69. On their account

No responsibility

Falls on the righteous,

But (their duty)

Is to remind them,

That they may (learn

To) fear God.

70. Leave alone those

Who take their religion

To be mere play

And amusement,

And are deceived

By the life of this world.

But proclaim (to them)

This (truth): that every soul

Delivers itself to ruin

By its own acts:

It will find for itself

No protector or intercessor

Except God: if it offered

Every ransom, (or

Reparation), none

Will be accepted: such is

(The end of) those who

Deliver themselves to ruin

By their own acts:

They will have for drink

(Only) boiling water,

And for punishment,

One most grievous:

For they persisted

In rejecting God.

SECTION 9.

71. Say: "Shall we indeed

Call on others besides God,

Things that can do us

Neither good nor harm,--

And turn on our heels

After receiving guidance

From God?--like one

Whom the evil ones

Have made into a fool,

Wandering bewildered

Through the earth, his friends

Calling 'Come to us',

(Vainly) guiding him to the Path."

Say: "God's guidance

Is the (only) guidance,

And we have been directed

To submit ourselves

To the Lord of the worlds;--

72. "To establish regular prayers

And to fear God:

For it is to Him

That we shall be

Gathered together."

73. It is He Who created

The heavens and the earth

In true (proportions):

The day He saith, "Be,"

Behold! it is. His Word

Is the Truth. His will be

The dominion the day

The trumpet will be blown.

He knoweth the Unseen

As well as that which is

Open. For He

Is the Wise, well acquainted

(With all things).

74. Lo! Abraham said

To his father Azar:

"Takest thou idols for gods?

For I see thee

And thy people

In manifest error."

75. So also did We show

Abraham the power

And the laws of the heavens

And the earth, that he

Might (with understanding)

Have certitude.

76. When the night

Covered him over,

He saw a star:

He said: "This is my Lord."

But when it set,

He said: "I love not

Those that set."

77. When he saw the moon

Rising in splendour,

He said: "This is my Lord."

But when the moon set,

He said: "Unless my Lord

Guide me, I shall surely

Be among those

Who go astray.

78. When he saw the sun

Rising in splendour,

He said: "This is my Lord;

This is the greatest (of all)."

But when the sun set,

He said: "O my people!

I am indeed free

From your (guilt)

Of giving partners to God.

79. "For me, I have set

My face, firmly and truly,

Towards Him Who created

The heavens and the earth,

And never shall I give

Partners to God."

80. His people disputed

With him. He said:

"(Come) ye to dispute

With me, about God,

When He (Himself)

Hath guided me?

I fear not (the beings)

Ye associate with God:

Unless my Lord willeth,

(Nothing can happen).

My Lord comprehendeth

In His knowledge all things.

Will ye not (yourselves)

Be admonished?

81. "How should I fear

(The beings) ye associate

With God, when ye

Fear not to give partners

To God without any warrant

Having been given to you?

Which of (us) two parties

Hath more right to security?

(Tell me) if ye know.

82. "It is those who believe

And confuse not their beliefs

With wrong--that are

(Truly) in security, for they

Are on (right) guidance."

SECTION 10.

83. That was the reasoning

About Us, which

We gave to Abraham

(To use) against his people:

We raise whom We will,

Degree after degree:

For thy Lord is full

Of wisdom and knowledge.

84. We gave him Isaac

And Jacob: all (three)

We guided:

And before him,

We guided Noah,

And among his progeny,

David, Solomon, Job,

Joseph, Moses, and Aaron:

Thus do We reward

Those who do good:

85. And Zakariya and John,

And Jesus and Elias:

All in the ranks

Of the Righteous:

86. And Isma'il and Elisha,

And Jonas, and Lot:

And to all We gave

Favour above the nations:

87. (To them) and to their fathers,

And progeny and brethren:

We chose them,

And We guided them

To a straight Way.

88. This is the Guidance

Of God: He giveth

That guidance to whom

He pleaseth, of His worshippers.

If they were to join

Other gods with Him,

All that they did

Would be vain for them,

89. These were the men

To whom We gave

The Book, and Authority,

And Prophethood: if these

(Their descendants) reject them,

Behold! We shall entrust

Their charge to a new People

Who reject them not.

90. Those were the (prophets)

Who received God's guidance:

Copy the guidance they received;

Say: "No reward for this

Do I ask of you:

This is no less than

A Message for the nations."

SECTION 11.

91. No just estimate of God

Do they make when they say:

"Nothing doth God send down

To man (by way of revelation)":

Say: "Who then sent down

The Book which Moses brought?--

A light and guidance to man:

But ye make it into

(Separate) sheets for show,

While ye conceal much

(Of its contents): therein

Were ye taught that

Which ye knew not

Neither ye nor your fathers."

Say: "God (sent it down)":

Then leave them to plunge

In vain discourse and trifling.

92. And this is a Book

Which We have sent down,

Bringing blessings, and confirming

(The revelations) which came

Before it: that thou

Mayest warn the Mother

Of Cities and all around her.

Those who believe

In the Hereafter

Believe in this (Book),

And they are constant

In guarding their Prayers.

93. Who can be more wicked

Than one who inventeth

A lie against God,

Or saith, "I have

Received inspiration,"

When he hath received

None, or (again) who saith,

"I can reveal the like

Of what God hath revealed"?

If thou couldst but see

How the wicked (do fare)

In the flood of confusion

At death!--the angels

Stretch forth their hands,

(Saying), "Yield up your souls:

This day shall ye receive

Your reward,--a penalty

Of shame, for that ye used

To tell lies against God,

And scornfully to reject

Of His Signs!"

94. "And behold! ye come

To Us bare and alone

As We created you

For the first time:

Ye have left behind you

All (the favours) which

We bestowed on you:

We see not with you

Your intercessors

Whom ye thought to be

Partners in your affairs:

So now all relations

Between you have been

Cut off, and your (pet) fancies

Have left you in the lurch!

SECTION 12.

95. It is God Who causeth

The seed-grain

And the date-stone

To split and sprout.

He causeth the living

To issue from the dead,

And He is the One

To cause the dead

To issue from the living.

That is God: then how

Are ye deluded

Away from the truth?

96. He it is that cleaveth

The day-break (from the dark):

He makes the night

For rest and tranquillity,

And the sun and moon

For the reckoning (of time):

Such is the judgment

And ordering of (Him),

The Exalted in Power,

The Omniscient.

97. It is He Who maketh

The stars (as beacons) for you,

That ye may guide yourselves,

With their help,

Through the dark spaces

Of land and sea:

We detail Our Signs

For people who know.

98. It is He Who hath

Produced you

From a single person:

Here is a place of sojourn

And a place of departure:

We detail Our signs

For people who understand.

99. It is He Who sendeth down

Rain from the skies:

With it We produce

Vegetation of all kinds:

From some We produce

Green (crops), out of which

We produce grain,

Heaped up (at harvest);

Out of the date-palm

And its sheaths (or spathes)

(Come) clusters of dates

Hanging low and near:

And (then there are) gardens

Of grapes, and olives,

And pomegranates,

Each similar (in kind)

Yet different (in variety):

When they begin to bear fruit,

Feast your eyes with the fruit

And the ripeness thereof.

Behold! in these things

There are Signs for people

Who believe.

100.Yet they make

The Jinns equals

With God, though God

Did create the Jinns;

And they falsely,

Having no knowledge,

Attribute to Him

Sons and daughters.

Praise and glory be

To Him! (for He is) above

What they attribute to Him!

SECTION 13.

101. To Him is due

The primal origin

Of the heavens and the earth:

How can He have a son

When He hath no consort?

He created all things,

And He hath full knowledge

Of all things.

102. That is God, your Lord!

There is no god but He,

The Creator of all things:

Then worship ye Him:

And He hath power

To dispose of all affairs.

103. No vision can grasp Him,

But His grasp is over

All vision: He is

Above all comprehension,

Yet is acquainted with all things.

104. "Now have come to you,

From your Lord, proofs

(To open your eyes):

If any will see,

It will be for (the good

Of) his own soul;

If any will be blind,

It will be to his own

(Harm): I am not (here)

To watch over your doings.

105. Thus do We explain

The Signs by various (symbols):

That they may say,

"Thou hast taught (us) diligently,"

And that We may make

The matter clear

To those who know.

106. Follow what thou art taught

By inspiration from thy Lord:

There is no god but He:

And turn aside from those

Who join gods with God.

107. If it had been God's Plan,

They would not have taken

False gods: but We

Made thee not one

To watch over their doings,

Nor art thou set

Over them to dispose

Of their affairs.

108. Revile not ye

Those whom they call upon

Besides God, lest

They out of spite

Revile God

In their ignorance.

Thus have We made

Alluring to each people'

Its own doings.

In the end will they

Return to their Lord,

And We shall then

Tell them the truth

Of all that they did.

109. They swear their strongest

Oaths by God, that if

A (special) Sign came

To them, by it they would

Believe. Say: "Certainly

(All) Signs are in the power

Of God: but what will

Make you (Muslims) realise

That (even) if (special) Signs

Came, they will not believe."?

110. We (too) shall turn

To (confusion) their hearts

And their eyes, even as they

Refused to believe in this

In the first instance:

We shall leave them

In their trespasses,

To wander in distraction.

SECTION 14.

111. Even if We did send

Unto them angels,

And the dead did speak

Unto them, and We gathered

Together all things before

Their very eyes, they are not

The ones to believe,

Unless it is in God's Plan.

But most of them

Ignore (the truth).

112. Likewise did We make

For every Messenger

An enemy,--evil ones

Among men and Jinns,

Inspiring each other

With flowery discourses

By way of deception.

If thy Lord had so planned,

They would not have

Done it: so leave them

And their inventions alone.

113. To such (deceit)

Let the hearts of those

Incline, who have no faith

In the Hereafter: let them

Delight in it, and let them

Earn from it what they may

114. Say: "Shall I seek

For judge other than God?--

When He it is

Who hath sent unto you

The Book, explained in detail."

They know full well,

To whom We have given

The Book, that it hath been

Sent down from thy Lord

In truth. Never be then

Of those who doubt.

115. The Word of thy Lord

Doth find its fulfilment

In truth and in justice:

None can change His Words:

For He is the one Who

Heareth and knoweth all.

116. Wert thou to follow

The common run of those

On earth, they will lead

Thee away from the Way

Of God. They follow

Nothing but conjecture: they

Do nothing but lie.

117. Thy Lord knoweth best

Who strayeth from His Way:

He knoweth best

Who they are that receive

His guidance.

118. So eat of (meats)

On which God's name

Hath been pronounced,

If ye have faith

In His Signs.

119. Why should ye not

Eat of (meats) on which

God's name hath been

Pronounced, when He hath

Explained to you in detail

What is forbidden to you--

Except under compulsion

Of necessity?

But many do mislead (men)

By their appetites unchecked

By knowledge. Thy Lord

Knoweth best those who transgress

120. Eschew all sin,

Open or secret:

Those who earn sin

Will get due recompense

For their "earnings."

121. Eat not of (meats)

On which God's name

Hath not been pronounced:

That would be impiety.

But the evil ones

Ever inspire their friends

To contend with you

If ye were to obey them,

Ye would indeed be Pagans.

SECTION 15.

122. Can he who was dead,

To whom We gave life,

And a Light whereby

He can walk amongst men,

Be like him who is

In the depths of darkness,

From which he can

Never come out?

Thus to those without Faith

Their own deeds seem pleasing.

123. Thus have We placed

Leaders in every town,

Its wicked men, to plot

(And burrow) therein:

But they only plot

Against their own souls,

And they perceive it not.

124. When there comes to them

A Sign (from God),

They say: "We shall not

Believe until we receive

One (exactly) like those

Received by God's apostles."

God knoweth best where

(And how) to carry out

His mission. Soon

Will the wicked

Be overtaken by

Humiliation before God,

And a severe punishment,

For all their plots.

125. Those whom God (in His Plan)

Willeth to guide,--He openeth

Their breast to Islam;

Those whom He willeth

To leave straying,--He maketh

Their breast close and constricted,

As if they had to climb

Up to the skies: thus

Doth God (heap) the penalty

On those who refuse to believe.

126. This is the Way

Of thy Lord, leading straight:

We have detailed the Signs

For those who

Receive admonition.

127. For them will be a Home

Of Peace in the presence

Of their Lord: He will be

Their Friend, because

They practised (righteousness).

128. One day will He gather

Them all together, (and say):

"O ye assembly of Jinns!

Much (toll) did ye take

Of men." Their friends

Amongst men will say:

"Our Lord! we made profit no

From each other: but (alas!)

We reached our term--

Which Thou didst appoint

For us." He will say:

"The Fire be your dwelling-place:

You will dwell therein for ever,

Except as God willeth."

For thy Lord is full

Of wisdom and knowledge.

129. Thus do We make

The wrong-doers turn

To each other, because

Of what they earn.

SECTION 16.

130. "O ye assembly of Jinns

And men! came there not

Unto you apostles from amongst you

Setting forth unto you

My Signs, and warning you

Of the meeting of this Day

Of yours?" They will say:

"We bear witness against

Ourselves." It was

The life of this world

That deceived them. So

Against themselves will they

Bear witness that they

Rejected Faith.

131. (The apostles were sent) thus,

For thy Lord would not

Destroy for their wrong-doing

Men's habitations whilst

Their occupants were unwarned.

132. To all are degrees (or ranks)

According to their deeds:

For thy Lord

Is not unmindful

Of anything that they do.

133. Thy Lord is Self-sufficient,

Full of Mercy: if it were

His Will, He could destroy

You, and in your place

Appoint whom He will

As your successors, even as

He raised you up

From the posterity

Of other people.

134. All that hath been

Promised unto you

Will come to pass:

Nor can ye frustrate it

(In the least bit).

135. Say: "O my people!

Do whatever ye can:

I will do (my part):

Soon will ye know

Who it is whose end

Will be (best) in the Hereafter:

Certain it is that

The wrong-doers will not prosper."

136. Out of what God

Hath produced in abundance

In tilth and in cattle,

They assigned Him a share:

They say, according to their fancies:

"This is for God, and this"--

For Our "partners"!

But the share of their "partners"

Reacheth not God, whilst

The share of God reacheth

Their "partners"! Evil

(And unjust) is their assignment!

137. Even so, in the eyes

Of most of the Pagans,

Their "partners" made alluring

The slaughter of their children,

In order to lead them

To their own destruction,

And cause confusion

In their religion.

If God had willed,

They would not have done so:

But leave alone

Them and their inventions.

138. And they say that

Such and such cattle and crops

Are taboo, and none should

Eat of them except those

Whom--so they say--We

Wish; further, there are

Cattle forbidden to yoke

Or burden, and cattle

On which, (at slaughter),

The name of God is not

Pronounced;--inventions

Against God's name: soon

Will He requite them

For their inventions.

139. They say: "What is

In the wombs of

Such and such cattle

Is specially reserved

(For food) for our men,

And forbidden to our women;

But if it is still-born,

Then all have shares therein.

For their (false) attribution

(Of superstitions to God),

He will soon punish them:

For He is full

Of wisdom and knowledge.

140. Lost are those who slay

Their children, from folly,

Without knowledge, and forbid

Food which God hath provided

For them, inventing (lies)

Against God. They have

Indeed gone astray

And heeded no guidance.

SECTION 17.

141. It is He who produceth

Gardens, with trellises

And without, and dates,

And tilth with produce

Of all kinds, and olives

And pomegranates,

Similar (in kind)

And different (in variety):

Eat of their fruit

In their season, but render

The dues that are proper

On the day that the harvest

Is gathered. But waste not

By excess: for God

Loveth not the wasters.

142. Of the cattle are some

For burden and some for meat:

Eat what God hath provided

For you, and follow not

The footsteps of Satan:

For he is to you

An avowed enemy.

143. (Take) eight (head of cattle)

In (four) pairs:

Of sheep a pair,

And of goats a pair;

Say, hath He forbidden

The two males,

Or the two females,

Or (the young) which the wombs

Of the two females enclose?

Tell me with knowledge

If ye are truthful:

144. Of camels a pair,

And of oxen a pair;

Say, hath He forbidden

The two males,

Or the two females,

Or (the young) which the wombs

Of the two females enclose?--

Were ye present when God

Ordered you such a thing?

But who doth more wrong

Than one who invents

A lie against God,

To lead astray men

Without knowledge?

For God guideth not

People who do wrong

SECTION 18.

145. Say: "I find not

In the Message received

By me by inspiration

Any (meat) forbidden

To be eaten by one

Who wishes to eat it,

Unless it be dead meat,

Or blood poured forth,

Or the flesh of swine,--

For it is an abomination--

Or, what is impious, (meat)

On which a name has been

Invoked, other than God's."

But (even so), if a person

Is forced by necessity,

Without wilful disobedience,

Nor transgressing due limits,--

Thy Lord is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

146. For those who followed

The Jewish Law, We forbade

Every (animal) with

Undivided hoof,

And We forbade them

The fat of the ox

And the sheep, except

What adheres to their backs

Or their entrails,

Or is mixed up

With a bone:

This in recompense

For their wilful disobedience:

For We are True

(In Our ordinances).

147. If they accuse thee

Of falsehood, say:

"Your Lord is full

Of mercy all-embracing;

But from people in guilt

Never will His wrath

Be turned back.

148. Those who give partners

(To God) will say:

"If God had wished,

We should not have

Given partners to Him,

Nor would our fathers;

Nor should we have had

Any taboos." So did

Their ancestors argue

Falsely, until they tasted

Of Our wrath. Say:

"Have ye any (certain)

Knowledge? If so, produce

It before us. Ye follow

Nothing but conjecture:

Ye do nothing but lie."

149. Say: "With God is the argument

That reaches home: if it had

Been His Will, He could

Indeed have guided you all."

150. Say: "Bring forward your witnesses

To prove that God did

Forbid so and so." If they

Bring such witnesses,

Be not thou amongst them:

Nor follow thou the vain

Desires of such as treat

Our Signs as falsehoods,

And such as believe not

In the Hereafter: for they

Hold others as equal

With their Guardian-Lord.

SECTION 19.

151. Say: "Come, I will rehearse

What God hath (really)

Prohibited you from": join not

Anything as equal with Him;

Be good to your parents;

Kill not your children

On a plea of want;--We

Provide sustenance for you

And for them;--come not

Nigh to shameful deeds,

Whether open or secret;

Take not life, which God

Hath made sacred, except

By way of justice and law:

Thus doth He command you,

That ye may learn wisdom.

152. And come not nigh

To the orphan's property,

Except to improve it,

Until he attain the age

Of full strength; give measure

And weight with (full) justice;--

No burden do We place

On any soul, but that

Which it can bear;--

Whenever ye speak, speak justly,

Even if a near relative

Is concerned; and fulfil

The Covenant of God:

Thus doth He command you,

That ye may remember.

153. Verily, this is My Way,

Leading straight: follow it:

Follow not (other) paths:

They will scatter you about

From His (great) Path:

Thus doth He command you,

That ye may be righteous.

154. Moreover, We gave Moses

The Book, completing

(Our favour) to those

Who would do right,

And explaining all things

In detail,--and a guide

And a mercy, that they

Might believe in the meeting

With their Lord.

SECTION 20.

155. And this is a Book

Which We have revealed

As a blessing: so follow it

And be righteous, that ye

May receive mercy:

156. Lest ye should say:

"The Book was sent down

To two Peoples before us,

And for our part, we

Remained unacquainted

With all that they learned

By assiduous study;"

157. Or lest ye should say:

"If the Book had only

Been sent down to us,

We should have followed

Its guidance better than they."

Now then hath come

Unto you a Clear (Sign)

From your Lord,--and a guide

And a mercy: then who

Could do more wrong

Than one who rejecteth

God's Signs, and turneth

Away therefrom? In good time

Shall We requite those

Who turn away from Our Signs,

With a dreadful penalty,

For their turning away.

158. Are they waiting to see

If the angels come to them,

Or thy Lord (Himself),

Or certain of the Signs

Of thy Lord!

The day that certain

Of the Signs of thy Lord

Do come, no good

Will it do to a soul

To believe in them then,

If it believed not before

Nor earned righteousness

Through its Faith. Say:

"Wait ye: we too

Are waiting."

159. As for those who divide

Their religion and break up

Into sects, thou hast

No part in them in the least:

Their affair is with God:

He will in the end

Tell them the truth

Of all that they did.

160. He that doeth good

Shall have ten times

As much to his credit:

He that doeth evil

Shall only be recompensed

According to his evil:

No wrong shall be done

Unto (any of) them.

161. Say: "Verily, my Lord

Hath guided me to

A Way that is straight,--

A religion of right,

The Path (trod) by Abraham

The true in faith,

And he (certainly)

Joined not gods with God."

162. Say: "Truly, my prayer

And my service of sacrifice,

My life and my death,

Are (all) for God,

The Cherisher of the Worlds:

163. No partner hath He:

This am I commanded,

And I am the first

Of those who bow

To His Will.

164. Say: "Shall I seek

For (my) Cherisher

Other than God,

When He is the Cherisher

Of all things (that exist)?

Every soul draws the meed

Of its acts on none

But itself: no bearer

Of burdens can bear

The burden of another.

Your goal in the end

Is towards God: He will tell

You the truth of the things

Wherein ye disputed."

165. It is He Who hath made

You (His) agents, inheritors

Of the earth: He hath raised

You in ranks, some above

Others: that He may try you

In the gifts He hath given you:

For thy Lord is quick

In punishment: yet He

Is indeed Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

Sura VII.

A'raf, or the Heights

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. Alif, Lam, Mim, Sad.

2. A Book revealed unto thee,--

So let thy heart be oppressed'

No more by any difficulty

On that account,

That with it thou mightest

Warn (the erring) and teach

The Believers.

3. Follow (O men!) the revelation

Given unto you from your Lord,

And follow not, as friends

Or protectors, other than Him.

Little it is ye remember

Of admonition.

4. How many towns have We

Destroyed (for their sins)?

Our punishment took them

On a sudden by night

Or while they slept

For their afternoon rest.

5. When (thus) Our punishment

Took them, no cry

Did they utter but this:

"Indeed we did wrong."

6. When shall we question

Those to whom Our Message

Was sent and those by whom

We sent it.

7. And verily We shall recount

Their whole story

With knowledge, for We

Were never absent

(At any time or place).

8. The balance that day

Will be true (to a nicety):

Those whose scale (of good)

Will be heavy, will prosper:

9. Those whose scale will be light,

Will find their souls

In perdition, for that they

Wrongfully treated Our Signs.

10. It is We Who have

Placed you with authority

On earth, and provided

You therein with means

For the fulfilment of your life:

Small are the thanks

That ye give!

SECTION 2.

11. It is We Who created you

And gave you shape;

Then We bade the angels

Bow down to Adam, and they

Bowed down; not so Iblis;

He refused to be of those

Who bow down.

12. (God) said: "What prevented

Thee from bowing down

When I commanded thee?"

He said: "I am better

Than he: Thou didst create

Me from fire, and him from clay."

13. (God) said: "Get thee down

From this: it is not

For thee to be arrogant

Here: get out, for thou

Art of the meanest (of creatures)."

14. He said: "Give me respite

Till the day they are

Raised up."

15. (God) said: "Be thou

Among those who have respite."

16. He said: "Because thou

Hast thrown me out

Of the Way, lo! I will

Lie in wait for them

On Thy Straight Way:

17. "Then will I assault them

From before them and behind them,

From their right and their left:

Nor wilt Thou find,

In most of them,

Gratitude (for Thy mercies).

18. (God) said: "Get out

From this, disgraced

And expelled. If any

Of them follow thee,--

Hell will I fill

With you all.

19. "O Adam! dwell thou

And thy wife in the Garden,

And enjoy (its good things)

As ye wish: but approach not

This tree, or ye run

Into harm and transgression."

20. Then began Satan to whisper

Suggestions to them, bringing

Openly before their minds

All their shame

That was hidden from them

(Before): he said: "Your Lord

Only forbade you this tree,

Lest ye should become angels

Or such beings as live for ever."

21. And he swore to them

Both, that he was

Their sincere adviser.

22. So by deceit he brought about

Their fall: when they

Tasted of the tree,

Their shame became manifest

To them, and they began

To sew together the leaves

Of the Garden over their bodies.

And their Lord called

Unto them: "Did I not

Forbid you that tree,

And tell you that Satan

Was an avowed

Enemy unto you?"

23. They said: "Our Lord!

We have wronged our own souls:

If Thou forgive us not

And bestow not upon us

Thy Mercy, we shall

Certainly be lost."

24. (God) said: "Get ye down,

With enmity between yourselves.

On earth will be your dwelling-place

And your means of livelihood,--

For a time."

25. He said: "Therein shall ye

Live, and therein shall ye

Die; but from it shall ye

Be taken out (at last)."

SECTION 3.

26. O ye Children of Adam!

We have bestowed raiment

Upon you to cover

Your shame, as well as

To be an adornment to you.

But the raiment of righteousness,--

That is the best.

Such are among the Signs

Of God, that they

May receive admonition!

27. O ye Children of Adam!

Let not Satan seduce you,

In the same manner as

He got your parents out

Of the Garden, stripping them

Of their raiment, to expose

Their shame: for he

And his tribe watch you

From a position where ye

Cannot see them: We made

The Evil Ones friends

(Only) to those without Faith.

28. When they do aught

That is shameful, they say:

"We found our fathers

Doing so"; and "God

Commanded us thus":

Say: "Nay, God never

Commands what is shameful:

Do ye say of God

What ye know not?"

29. Say: "My Lord hath commanded

Justice; and that ye set

Your whole selves (to Him)

At every time and place

Of prayer, and call upon Him,

Making your devotion sincere

As in His sight:

Such as He created you

In the beginning, so

Shall ye return."

30. Some He hath guided:

Others have (by their choice)

Deserved the loss of their way;

In that they took

The Evil Ones, in preference

To God, for their friends

And protectors, and think

That they receive guidance.

31. O Children of Adam!

Wear your beautiful apparel

At every time and place

Of prayer: eat and drink:

But waste not by excess,

For God loveth not the wasters.

SECTION 4.

32. Say: Who hath forbidden

The beautiful (gifts) of God,

Which He hath produced

For His servants,

And the things, clean and pure,

(Which He hath provided)

For sustenance?

Say: They are, in the life

Of this world, for those

Who believe, (and) purely

For them on the Day

Of Judgment. Thus do We

Explain the Signs in detail

For those who understand.

33. Say: The things that my Lord

Hath indeed forbidden are:

Shameful deeds, whether open

Or secret; sins and trespasses

Against truth or reason; assigning

Of partners to God, for which

He hath given no authority;

And saying things about God

Of which ye have no knowledge.

34. To every People is a term.

Appointed: when their term

Is reached, not an hour

Can they cause delay,

Nor (an hour) can they

Advance (it in anticipation).

35. O ye Children of Adam!

Whenever there come to you

Apostles from amongst you,

Rehearsing My Signs unto you,

Those who are righteous

And mend (their lives),--

On them shall be no fear

Nor shall they grieve.

36. But those who reject

Our Signs and treat them

With arrogance,--they

Are Companions of the Fire,

To dwell therein (for ever).

37. Who is more unjust

Than one who invents

A lie against God

Or rejects His Signs?

For such, their portion

Appointed must reach them

From the Book (of Decrees):

Until, when Our messengers

(Of death) arrive and take

Their souls, they say:

"Where are the things

That ye used to invoke

Besides God?"

They will reply, "They

Have left us in the lurch,"

And they will bear witness

Against themselves, that they

Had rejected God.

38. He will say: "Enter ye

In the company of

The Peoples who passed away

Before you--men and Jinns,--

Into the Fire. Every time

A new People enters,

It curses its sister-People

(That went before), until

They follow each other, all

Into the Fire. Saith the last

About the first: "Our Lord!

It is these that misled us:

So give them a double

Penalty in the Fire."

He will say: "Doubled

For all": but this

Ye do not understand.

39. Then the first will say

To the last: "See then!

No advantage have ye

Over us; so taste ye

Of the Penalty for all

That ye did!"

SECTION 5.

40. To those who reject

Our Signs and treat them

With arrogance, no opening

Will there be of the gates

Of heaven, nor will they

Enter the Garden, until

The camel can pass

Through the eye of the needle:

Such is Our reward

For those in sin.

41. For them there is

Hell, as a couch

(Below) and folds and folds

Of covering above: such

Is Our requital of those

Who do wrong.

42. But those who believe

And work righteousness,--

No burden do We place

On any soul, but that

Which it can bear,

They will be Companions

Of the Garden, therein

To dwell (for ever).

43. And We shall remove

From their hearts any

Lurking sense of injury;--

Beneath them will be

Rivers flowing;--and they

Shall say: "Praise be, to God,

Who hath guided us

To this (felicity): never

Could we have found

Guidance, had it not been

For the guidance of God:

Indeed it was the truth.

That the Apostles of our Lord

Brought unto us." And they

Shall hear the cry:

"Behold! the Garden before you!

Ye have been made

Its inheritors, for your

Deeds (of righteousness)."

44. The Companions of the Garden

Will call out to the Companions

Of the Fire: "We have

Indeed found the promises

Of our Lord to us true:

Have you also found

Your Lord's promises true?"

They shall say, "Yes"; but

A Crier shall proclaim

Between them: "The curse

Of God is on the wrong-doers;--

45. "Those who would hinder (men)

From the path of God

And would seek in it

Something crooked:

They were those who

Denied the Hereafter."

46. Between them shall be

A veil, and on the Heights

Will be men

Who would know every one

By his marks: they will call

Out to the Companions

Of the Garden, "Peace on you":

They will not have entered,

But they will have

An assurance (thereof.)

47. When their eyes shall be turned

Towards the Companions

Of the Fire, they will say:

"Our Lord! send us not

To the company

Of the wrong-doers."

SECTION 6.

48. The men on the Heights

Will call to certain men

Whom they will know

From their m arks, saying:

"Of what profit to you

Were your hoards and your

Arrogant ways?

49. "Behold! are these not

The men whom you swore

That God with His Mercy

Would never bless?

Enter ye the Garden:

No fear shall be on you,

Nor shall ye grieve."

50. The Companions of the Fire

Will call to the Companions

Of the Garden: "Pour down

To us water or anything

That God doth provide

For your sustenance."

They will say: "Both

These things hath God forbidden

To those who rejected Him;--

51. "Such as took their religion

To be mere amusement

And play, and were deceived

By the life of the world."

That day shall We forget them

As they forgot the meeting

Of this day of theirs,

And as they were wont

To reject Our Signs.

52. For We had certainly

Sent unto them a Book,

Based on knowledge,

Which We explained

In detail,--a guide

And a mercy

To all who believe.

53. Do they just wait

For the final fulfilment

Of the event? On the day

The event is finally fulfilled,

Those who disregarded it

Before will say: "The apostles

Of our Lord did indeed

Bring true (tidings). Have we

No intercessors now to intercede

On our behalf? Or could we

Be sent back? Then should eve

Behave differently from our

Behaviour in the past."

In fact they will have lost

Their souls, and the things

They invented will leave

Them in the lurch.

SECTION 7.

54. Your Guardian-Lord

Is God, Who created

The heavens and the earth

In six Days, and is firmly

Established on the Throne

(Of authority): He draweth

The night as a veil

O'er the day, each seeking

The other in rapid succession:

He created the sun,

The moon, and the stars,

(All) governed by laws

Under His Command.

Is it not His to create

And to govern? Blessed

Be God, the Cherisher

And Sustainer of the Worlds!

55. Call on your Lord

With humility and in private:

For God loveth not

Those who trespass beyond bounds.

56. Do no mischief on the earth,

After it hath been

Set in order, but call

On Him with fear

And longing (in your hearts):

For the Mercy of God

Is (always) near

To those who do good.

57. It is He Who sendeth

The Winds like heralds

Of glad tidings, going before

His Mercy: when they have

Carried the heavy-laden

Clouds, We drive them

To a land that is dead,

Make rain to descend thereon,

And produce every kind

Of harvest therewith: thus

Shall We raise up the dead:

Perchance ye may remember.

58. From the land that is clean

And good, by the Will

Of its Cherisher, springs up

Produce, (rich) after its kind:

But from the land that is

Bad, springs up nothing

But that which is niggardly:

Thus do we explain the Signs

By various (symbols) to those

Who are grateful.

SECTION 8.

59. We sent Noah to his people.

He said: "O my people!

Worship God! ye have

No other god but Him.

I fear for you the Punishment

Of a dreadful Day!

60. The leaders of his people

Said: "Ah! we see thee

Evidently wandering (in mind)."

61. He said: "O my people!

No wandering is there

In my (mind): on the contrary

I am an apostle from

The Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds!

62."I but fulfil towards you

The duties of my Lord's mission:

Sincere is my advice to you,

And I know from God

Something that ye know not.

63. "Do ye wonder that

There hath come to you

A message from your Lord,

Through a man of your own

People, to warn you,--

So that ye may fear God

And haply receive His Mercy?"

64. But they rejected him,

And We delivered him,

And those with him,

In the Ark:

But We overwhelmed

In the Flood those

Who rejected Our Signs.

They were indeed

A blind people!

SECTION 9.

65. To the 'Ad people,

(We sent) Hud, one

Of their (own) brethren:

He said: "O my people!

Worship God! ye have

No other god but Him.

Will ye not fear (God)?

66. The leaders of the unbelievers

Among his people said:

"Ah! we see thou art

An imbecile!" and "We think

Thou art a liar!"

67. He said: "O my people!

I am no imbecile, but

(I am) an apostle from

The Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds!

68. "I but fulfil towards you

The duties of my Lord's mission:

I am to you a sincere

And trustworthy adviser.

69. "Do ye wonder that

There hath come to you

A message from your Lord

Through a man of your own

People, to warn you?

Call in remembrance

That He made you

Inheritors after the people

Of Noah, and gave you

A stature tall among the nations.

Call in remembrance

The benefits (ye have received)

From God: that so

Ye may prosper."

70. They said: "Comest thou

To us, that we may worship

God alone, and give up

The cult of our fathers?

Bring us what thou

Threatenest us with,

If so be that thou

Tellest the truth!"

71. He said: "Punishment

And wrath have already

Come upon you from your Lord

Dispute ye with me

Over names which ye

Have devised--ye

And your fathers,

Without authority from God?

Then wait: I am

Amongst you, also waiting."

72. We saved him and those

Who adhered to him,

By Our Mercy, and We

Cut off the roots of those

Who rejected Our Signs

And did not believe.

SECTION 10.

73. To the Thamud people

(We sent) Salih, one

Of their own brethren:

He said: "O my people!

Worship God; ye have

No other god but Him.

Now hath come unto you

A clear (Sign) from your Lord!

This she-camel of God

Is a Sign unto you:

So leave her to graze

In God's earth, and let her

Come to no harm,

Or ye shall be seized

With a grievous punishment.

74. "And remember how He

Made you inheritors

After the 'Ad people

And gave you habitations

In the land: ye build

For yourselves palaces and castles

In (open) plains, and carve out

Homes in the mountains;

So bring to remembrance

The benefits (ye have received)

From God, and refrain

From evil and mischief

On the earth."

75. The leaders of the arrogant

Party among his people said

To those who were reckoned

Powerless--those among them

Who believed: "Know ye

Indeed that Salih is

An apostle from his Lord?"

They said: "We do indeed

Believe in the revelation

Which hath been sent

Through him."

76. The arrogant party said:

"For our part, we reject

What ye believe in."

77. Then they ham-strung

The she-camel, and insolently

Defied the order of their Lord,

Saying: "O Salih! bring about

Thy threats, if thou art

An apostle (of God)!"

78. So the earthquake took them

Unawares, and they lay

Prostrate in their homes

In the morning!

79. So Salih left them,

Saying: "O my people!

I did indeed convey to you

The message for which

I was sent by my Lord:

I gave you good counsel,

But ye love not good counsellors!"

80. We also (sent) Lut:

He said to his people:

"Do ye commit lewdness

Such as no people

In creation (ever) committed

Before you?

81. "For ye practise your lusts

On men in preference

To women: ye are indeed

A people transgressing

Beyond bounds."

82. And his people gave

No answer but this:

They said, "Drive them out

Of your city: these are

Indeed men who want

To be clean and pure!"

83. But we saved him

And his family, except

His wife: she was

Of those who lagged behind

84. And we rained down on them

A shower (of brimstone):

Then see what was the end

Of those who indulged

In sin and crime!

SECTION 11.

85. To the Madyan people

We sent Shu'aib, one

Of their own brethren: he said:

"O my people! worship God;

Ye have no other god

But Him. Now hath come

Unto you a clear (Sign)

From your Lord! Give just

Measure and weight, nor withhold

From the people the things

That are their due; and do

No mischief on the earth

After it has been set

In order: that will be best

For you, if ye have Faith.

86. "And squat not on every road,

Breathing threats, hindering

From the path of God

Those who believe in Him,

And seeking in it

Something crooked;

But remember how ye were

Little, and He gave you increase.

And hold in your mind's eye

What was the end

Of those who did mischief.

87. "And if there is a party

Among you who believes

In the Message with which

I have been sent, and a party

Which does not believe,

Hold yourselves in patience

Until God doth decide

Between us: for He

Is the best to decide."

88. The leaders, the arrogant

Party among his people, said:

"O Shu'aib! we shall

Certainly drive thee out

Of our city--(thee) and those

Who believe with thee;

Or else ye (thou and they)

Shall have to return

To our ways and religion."

He said: "What! even

Though we do detest (them)?

89. "We should indeed invent

A lie against God,

If we returned to your ways

After God hath rescued

Us therefrom; nor could we

By any manner of means

Return thereto unless it be

As in the will and plan of God,

Our Lord. Our Lord

Can reach out to the utmost

Recesses of things by His

knowledge.

In God is our trust.

Our Lord! Decide thou

Between us and our people

In truth, for thou

Art the best to decide."

90. The leaders, the Unbelievers

Among his people, said:

"If ye follow Shu'aib,

Be sure then ye are ruined!"

91. But the earthquake took them

Unawares, and they lay

Prostrate in their homes

Before the morning!"

92. The men who rejected

Shu'aib became as if

They had never been

In the homes where they

Had flourished: the men

Who rejected Shu'aib--

It was they who were ruined!

93. So Shu'aib left them,

Saying: "O my people!

I did indeed convey to you

The Messages for which

I was sent by my Lord:

I gave you good counsel,

But how shall I lament

Over a people who refuse

To believe!"

SECTION 12.

94. Whenever We sent a prophet

To a town, We took up

Its people in suffering

And adversity, in order

That they might learn humility.

95. Then We changed their suffering

Into prosperity, until they grew

And multiplied, and began

To say: "Our fathers (too)

Were touched by suffering

And affluence"... Behold!

We called them to account

Of a sudden, while they

Realised not (their peril).

96. If the people of the towns

Had but believed and feared

God, We should indeed

Have opened out to them

(All kinds of) blessings

From heaven and earth;

But they rejected (the truth),

And We brought them

To book for their misdeeds.

97. Did the people of the towns

Feel secure against the coming

Of Our wrath by night

While they were asleep?

98. Or else did they feel

Secure against its coming

In broad daylight while they

Played about (care-free)?

99. Did they then feel secure

Against the Plan of God?--

But no one can feel

Secure from the Plan

Of God, except those

(Doomed) to ruin!

SECTION 13.

100. To those who inherit

The earth in succession

To its (previous) possessors,

Is it not a guiding (lesson)

That, if We so willed,

We could punish them (too)

For their sins, and seal up

Their hearts so that they

Could not hear?

101. Such were the towns

Whose story We (thus)

Relate unto thee:

There came indeed to them

Their apostles with clear (Signs):

But they would not believe

What they had rejected before.

Thus doth God seal up

The hearts of those

Who reject Faith.

102. Most of them We found not

Men (true) to their covenant:

But most of them We found

Rebellious and disobedient.

103. Then after them We sent

Moses with Our Signs

To Pharaoh and his chiefs,

But they wrongfully rejected them:

So see what was the end

Of those who made mischief.

104. Moses said: "O Pharaoh!

I am an apostle from

The Lord of the Worlds,--

105. One for whom it is right

To say nothing but truth

About God. Now have I

Come unto you (people), from

Your Lord, with a clear (Sign):

So let the Children of Israel

Depart along with me."

106. (Pharaoh) said: "If indeed

Thou hast come with a Sign,

Show it forth,

If thou tellest the truth."

107. Then (Moses) threw his rod,

And behold! it was

A serpent, plain (for all to see)!

108. And he drew out his hand,

And behold! it was white

To all beholders!

SECTION 14.

109. Said the Chiefs of the people

Of Pharaoh: "This is indeed

A sorcerer well-versed.

110. "His plan is to get you out

Of your land: then

What is it ye counsel?"

111. They said: "Keep him

And his brother in suspense

(For a while); and send

To the cities men to collect--

112. And bring up to thee

All (our) sorcerers well-versed.

113. So there came

The sorcerers to Pharaoh:

They said, "Of course

We shall have a (suitable)

Reward if we win!"

114. He said: "Yea, (and more),--

For ye shall in that case

Be (raised to posts)

Nearest (to my person)."

115. They said: "O Moses!

Wilt thou throw (first),

Or shall we have

The (first) throw?"

116. Said Moses: "Throw ye (first)."

So when they threw,

They bewitched the eyes

Of the people, and struck

Terror into them: for they

Showed a great (feat of) magic.

117. We put it into Moses's mind

By inspiration: "Throw (now)

Thy rod": and behold!

It swallows up straightway

All the falsehoods

Which they fake!

118. Thus truth was confirmed.

And all that they did

Was made of no effect.

119. So the (great ones) were vanquished

There and then, and were

Made to look small.

120. But the sorcerers fell down

Prostrate in adoration,

121. Saying: "We believe

In the Lord of the Worlds,--

122. "The Lord of Moses and Aaron.

123. Said Pharaoh: "Believe ye

In Him before I give

You permission? Surely

This is a trick which ye

Have planned in the City

To drive out its people:

But soon shall ye know

(The consequences).

124. "Be sure I will cut off

Your hands and your feet

On opposite sides, and I

Will cause you all

To die on the cross."

125. They said: "For us,

We are but sent back

Unto our Lord:

126. "But thou dost wreak

Thy vengeance on us

Simply because we believed

In the Signs of our Lord

When they reached us!

Our Lord! pour out on us

Patience and constancy, and take

Our souls unto Thee

As Muslims (who bow

To Thy Will)!

SECTION 15.

127. Said the chiefs of Pharaoh's

People: "Wilt thou leave

Moses and his people,

To spread mischief in the land,

And to abandon thee

And thy gods?" He said:

"Their male children will we

Slay; (only) their females

Will we save alive;

And we have over them

(Power) irresistible."

128. Said Moses to his people:

"Pray for help from God,.

And (wait) in patience and

constancy:

For the earth is God's,

To give as a heritage

To such of His servants

As He pleaseth; and the end

Is (best) for the righteous.

129. They said: "We have had

(Nothing but) trouble, both before

And after thou camest

To us." He said:

"It may be that your Lord

Will destroy your enemy

And make you inheritors

In the earth; that so

He may try you

By your deeds."

SECTION 16.

130. We punished the people

Of Pharaoh with years

(Of drought) and shortness

Of crops; that they might

Receive admonition.

131. But when good (times) came,

They said, "This is due

To us;" when gripped

By calamity, they ascribed it

To evil omens connected

With Moses and those with him!

Behold! in truth the omens

Of evil are theirs

In God's sight, but most

Of them do not understand!

132. They said (to Moses):

"Whatever be the Signs

Thou bringest, to work

Therewith thy sorcery on us,"

We shall never believe

In thee."

133. So We sent (plagues) on them:

Wholesale Death,

Locusts, Lice, Frogs,

And Blood: Signs openly

Self-explained: but they

Were steeped in arrogance,--

A people given to sin.

134. Every time the Penalty

Fell on them, they said:

"O Moses! on our behalf

Call on thy Lord in virtue

Of his promise to thee:

If thou wilt remove

The Penalty from us,

We shall truly believe in thee,

And we shall send away

The Children of Israel

With thee."

135. But every tune We removed

The Penalty from them

According to a fixed term

Which they had to fulfil,--

Behold! they broke their word!

136. So We exacted retribution

From them: We drowned them

In the sea, because they

Rejected Our Signs, and failed

To take warning from them.

137. And We made a people,

Considered weak (and of no account),

Inheritors of lands

In both East and West,--

Lands whereon We sent

Down Our blessings.

The fair promise of thy Lord

Was fulfilled for the Children

Of Israel, because they had

Patience and constancy,

And We levelled to the ground

The great Works and fine Buildings

Which Pharaoh and his people

Erected (with such pride).

138. We took the Children of Israel

(With safety) across the sea.

They came upon a people

Devoted entirely to some idols

They had. They said:

"O Moses! fashion for us

A god like unto the gods

They have." He said:

"Surely ye are a people

Without knowledge.

139. "As to these folk,--

The cult they are in

Is (but) a fragment of a ruin,

And vain is the (worship)

Which they practise."

140. He said: "Shall I seek for you

A god other than the (true)

God, when it is God

Who hath endowed you

With gifts above the nations?"

141. And remember We rescued you

From Pharaoh's people,

Who afflicted you with

The worst of penalties,

Who slew your male children

And saved alive your females:

In that was a momentous

Trial from your Lord.

SECTION 17.

142. We appointed for Moses

Thirty nights, and completed

(The period) with ten (more):

Thus was completed the term

(Of communion) with his Lord,

Forty nights. And Moses

Had charged his brother Aaron

(Before he went up):

"Act for me amongst my people:

Do right, and follow not

The way of those

Who do mischief."

143. When Moses came

To the place appointed by Us,

And his Lord addressed him,

He said: "O my Lord!

Show (Thyself) to me,

That I may look upon Thee."

God said, "By no means

Canst thou see Me (direct);

But look upon the mount;

If it abide

In its place, then

Shalt thou see Me."

When his Lord manifested

His glory on the Mount,

He made it as dust,

And Moses fell down

In a swoon. When he

Recovered his senses he said:

"Glory be to Thee! To Thee

I turn in repentance, and I

Am the first to believe."

144. (God) said: "O Moses!

I have chosen thee

Above (other) men,

By the mission I (have

Given thee) and the words

I (have spoken to thee):

Take then the (revelation)

Which I give thee,

And be of those

Who give thanks."

145. And We ordained laws

For him in the Tablets

In all matters, both

Commanding and explaining

All things, (and said):

"Take and hold these

With firmness, and enjoin

Thy people to hold fast

By the best in the precepts:

Soon shall I show you

The homes of the wicked,--

(How they lie desolate)."

146. Those who behave arrogantly

On the earth in defiance

Of right--them will I

Turn away from My Signs:

Even if they see all the Signs,

They will not believe in them;

And if they see the way

Of right conduct, they will

Not adopt it as the Way;

But if they see the way

Of error, that is

The Way they will adopt.

For they have rejected

Our Signs, and failed

To take warning from them.

147. Those who reject Our Signs

And the Meeting in the Hereafter,--

Vain are their deeds:

Can they expect to be rewarded

Except as they have wrought?

SECTION 18.

148. The people of Moses made,

In his absence, out of their ornaments,

The image of a calf,

(for worship):

It seemed to low: did they

Not see that it could

Neither speak to them, nor

Show them the Way?

They took it for worship

And they did wrong.

149. When they repented, and saw

That they had erred,

They said: "if our Lord

Have not mercy upon us

And forgive us, we shall

Indeed be of those who perish."

150. When Moses came back

To his people, angry and grieved,

He said: "Evil it is that ye

Have done in my place

In my absence: did ye

Make haste to bring on

The judgment of your Lord?"

He put down the Tablets,

Seized his brother by (the hair

Of) his head, and dragged him

To him. Aaron said:

"Son of my mother! The people

Did indeed reckon me

As naught, and went near

To slaying me! Make not

The enemies rejoice over

My misfortune, nor count thou

Me amongst the people

Of sin."

151. Moses prayed: "O my Lord!

Forgive me and my brother!

Admit us to Thy mercy!

For Thou art the Most Merciful

Of those who show mercy!"

SECTION 19.

152. Those who took the calf

(For worship) will indeed

Be overwhelmed with wrath

From their Lord, and with

Shame in this life:

Thus do We recompense

Those who invent (falsehoods).

153. But those who do wrong

But repent thereafter and

(Truly) believe,--verily

Thy Lord is thereafter

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

154. When the anger of Moses

Was appeased, he took up

The Tablets: in the writing

Thereon was Guidance and Mercy

For such as fear their Lord.

155. And Moses chose seventy

Of his people for Our place

Of meeting: when they

Were seized with violent quaking,

He prayed: "O my Lord!

If it had been Thy Will

Thou couldst have destroyed,

Long before, both them

And me: wouldst Thou

Destroy us for the deeds

Of the foolish ones among us?

This is no more than

Thy trial: by it Thou causest

Whom Thou wilt to stray,

And Thou leadest whom

Thou wilt into the right path.

Thou art our Protector:

So forgive us and give us

Thy mercy; for Thou art

The Best of those who forgive.

156. "And ordain for us

That which is good,

In this life

And in the Hereafter:

For we have turned unto Thee."

He said: "With My Punishment

I visit whom I will;

But My Mercy extendeth

To all things. That (Mercy)

I shall ordain for those

Who do right, and practise

Regular charity, and those

Who believe in Our Signs;--

157. "Those who follow the Apostle,

The unlettered Prophet,

Whom they find mentioned

In their own (Scriptures),--

In the Law and the Gospel;--

For he commands them

What is just and forbids them

What is evil; he allows

Them as lawful what is good

(And pure) and prohibits them

From what is bad (and impure);

He releases them

From their heavy burdens

And from the yokes

That are upon them.

So it is those who believe

In him, honour him,

Help him, and follow the Light

Which is sent down with him,--

It is they who will prosper."

SECTION 20.

158. Say: "O men! I am sent

Unto you all, as the Apostle

Of God, to Whom belongeth

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth: there is no god

But He: it is He that giveth

Both life and death. So believe

In God and His Apostle,

The unlettered Prophet,

Who believeth in God

And His Words: follow him

That (so) ye may be guided."

159. Of the people of Moses

There is a section

Who guide and do justice

In the light of truth.

160. We divided them into twelve Tribes

Or nations. We directed

Moses by inspiration,

When his (thirsty) people asked

Him for water: "Strike the rock

With thy staff": out of it

There gushed forth twelve springs:

Each group knew its own place

For water. We gave them

The shade of clouds, and sent

Down to them manna and quails,

(Saying): "Eat of the good things

We have provided for you":

(But they rebelled); to Us

They did no harm, but

They harmed their own souls.

161. And remember it was

Said to them:

"Dwell in this town

And eat therein as ye wish,

But say the word of humility

And enter the gate

In a posture of humility:

We shall forgive you

Your faults; We shall increase

(The portion of) those who do good."

162. But the transgressors among them

Changed the word from that

Which had been given them

So we sent on them

A plague from heaven.

For that they repeatedly transgressed.

SECTION 21.

163. Ask them concerning the town

Standing close by the sea.

Behold! they transgressed

In the matter of the Sabbath.

For on the day of their Sabbath

Their fish did come to them,

Openly holding up their heads,

But on the day they had

No Sabbath, they came not:

Thus did We make a trial

Of them, for they were

Given to transgression.

164. When some of them said:

"Why do ye preach

To a people whom God

Will destroy or visit

With a terrible punishment?"--

Said the preachers: "To discharge

Our duty to your Lord,

And perchance they may fear Him."

165. When they disregarded the warnings

That had been given them,

We rescued those who forbade

Evil; but We visited

The wrong-doers with a

Grievous , because

They were given to transgression.

166. When in their insolence

They transgressed (all) prohibitions,

We said to them:

"Be ye apes,

Despised and rejected."

167. Behold! thy Lord did declare

That He would send

Against them, to the Day

Of Judgment, those who would

Afflict them with grievous

Penalty. Thy Lord is quick

In retribution, but He is also

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

168. We broke them up

Into sections on this earth.

There are among them some

That are the righteous, and some

That are the opposite.

We have tried them

With both prosperity and adversity:

In order that they

Might turn (to Us).

169. After them succeeded

An (evil) generation: they

Inherited the Book, but

They chose (for themselves)

The vanities of this world,

Saying (for excuse): "(Everything)

Will be forgiven us."

(Even so), if similar vanities

Came their way, they would

(Again) seize them.

Was not the Covenant

Of the Book taken from them,

That they would not

Ascribe to God anything

But the truth? And they

Study what is in the Book.

But best for the righteous

Is the Home in the Hereafter.

Will ye not understand?

170. As to those who hold fast

By the Book and establish

Regular Prayer,--never

Shall we suffer the reward

Of the righteous to perish.

171. When We shook the Mount

Over them, as if it had been

A canopy, and they thought

It was going to fall on them

(We said): "Hold firmly

To what We have given you,

And bring (ever) to remembrance

What is therein;

Perchance ye may fear God."

SECTION 22.

172. When thy Lord drew forth

From the Children of Adam--

From their loins--

Their descendants, and made them

Testify concerning themselves, (saying):

"Am I not your Lord

(Who cherishes and sustains you)?"--

They said: "Yea!

We do testify!" (This), lest

Ye should say on the Day

Of Judgment: "Of this we

Were never mindful":

173. Or lest ye should say:

"Our fathers before us

May have taken false gods,

But we are (their) descendants

After them: wilt Thou then

Destroy us because of the deeds

Of men who were futile?"

174. Thus do We explain

The Signs in detail;

And perchance they may turn

(Unto Us).

175. Relate to them the story

Of the man to whom

We sent Our Signs,

But he passed them by:

So Satan followed him up,

And he went astray.

176. If it had been Our Will,

We should have elevated him

With Our Signs; but he

Inclined to the earth,

And followed his own vain desires.

His similitude is that

Of a dog: if you attack

Him, he lolls out his tongue,

Or if you leave him alone,

He (still) lolls out his tongue.

That is the similitude

Of those who reject Our Signs;

So relate the story;

Perchance they may reflect.

177. Evil as an example are

People who reject Our Signs

And wrong their own souls.

178. Whom God doth guide,

He is on the right path:

Whom He rejects from His guidance,--

Such are the persons who perish.

179. Many are the Jinns and men

We have made for Hell:

They have hearts wherewith they

Understand not, eyes wherewith

They see not, and ears wherewith

They hear not. They are

Like cattle,--nay more

Misguided: for they

Are heedless (of warning).

180. The most beautiful names

Belong to God:

So call on him by them;

But shun such men as

Use profanity in His names:

For what they do, they will

Soon be requited.

181. Of those We have created

Are people who direct

(Others) with truth.

And dispense justice therewith,

SECTION 23.

182. Those who reject Our Signs,

We shall gradually visit

With punishment, in ways

They perceive not;

183. Respite will I grant

Unto them: for My scheme

Is strong (and unfailing).

184. Do they not reflect?

Their Companion is not seized

With madness: he is but

A perspicuous warner.

185. Do they see nothing

In the government of the heavens

And the earth and all

That God hath created?

(Do they not see) that

It may well be that

Their term is nigh

Drawing to an end?

In what Message after this

Will they then believe?

186. To such as God rejects

From His guidance, there can be

No guide: He will

Leave them in their trespasses,

Wandering in distraction.

187. Whey ask thee about

The (final) Hour--when

Will be its appointed time?

Say: "The knowledge thereof

Is with my Lord (alone):

None but He can reveal

As to when it will occur.

Heavy were its burden through

The heavens and the earth.

Only, all of a sudden

Will it come to you."

They ask thee as if thou

Wert eager in search thereof:

Say: "The knowledge thereof

Is with God (alone),

But most men know not."

188. Say: "I have no power

Over any good or harm

To myself except as God

Willeth. If I had knowledge

Of the unseen, I should have

Multiplied all good, and no evil

Should have touched me:

I am but a warner,

And a bringer of glad tidings

To those who have faith."

SECTION 24.

189. It is He Who created

You from a single person,

And made his mate

Of like nature, in order

That he might dwell with her

(In love). When they are

United, she bears a light

Burden and carries it about

(Unnoticed). When she grows

Heavy, they both pray

To God their Lord, (saying):

"If Thou givest us

A goodly child,

We vow we shall

(Ever) be grateful."

190. But when He giveth them

A goodly child, they ascribe

To others a share in the gift

They have received:

But God is exalted

High above the partners

They ascribe to Him.

191. Do they indeed ascribe

To Him as partners things

That can create nothing,

But are themselves created?

192. No aid can they give them,

Nor can they aid themselves!

193. If ye call them to guidance,

They will not obey:

For you it is the same

Whether ye call them

Or ye hold your peace!

194. Verily those whom ye

Call upon besides God

Are servants like unto you:

Call upon them, and let them

Listen to your prayer,

If ye are (indeed) truthful!

195. Have they feet to walk with?

Or hands to lay hold with?

Or eyes to see with?

Or ears to hear with?

Say: "Call your 'god-partners',

Scheme (your worst) against me,

And give me no respite!

196. "For my Protector is God,

Who revealed the Book

(From time to time),

And He will choose

And befriend the righteous.

197. "But those ye call upon

Besides Him, are unable

To help you, and indeed

To help themselves."

198. If thou callest them

To guidance, they hear not.

Thou wilt see them

Looking at thee, but

They see not.

199. Hold to forgiveness;

Command what is right;

But turn away from the ignorant.

200. If a suggestion from Satan

Assail thy (mind)

Seek refuge with God;

For He heareth and knoweth

(All things).

201. Those who fear God,

When a thought of evil

From Satan assaults them,

Bring God to remembrance,

When lo! they see (aright)!

202. But their brethren (the evil ones)

Plunge them deeper into error,

And never relax (their efforts).

203. If thou bring them not

A revelation, they say:

"Why hast thou not

Got it together?"

Say: "I but follow

What is revealed to me

From my Lord:

This is (nothing but)

Lights from your Lord,

And Guidance, and Mercy,

For any who have Faith."

204. When the Qur-an is read,

Listen to it with attention,

And hold your peace:

That ye may receive Mercy.

205. And do thou (O reader!)

Bring thy Lord to remembrance

In thy (very) soul,

With humility and in reverence,

Without loudness in words,

In the mornings and evenings;

And be not thou

Of those who are unheedful.

206. Those who are near

To thy Lord, disdain not

To do Him worship:

They celebrate His praises,

And bow down before Him.

Sura VIII.

Anfal, or the Spoils of War.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. They ask thee concerning

(Things taken as) spoils of war.

Say: "(Such) spoils are

At the disposal of God

And the Apostle: so fear

God, and keep straight

The relations between yourselves:

Obey God and His Apostle,

If ye do believe."

2. For, Believers are those

Who, when God is mentioned,

Feel a tremor in their hearts,

And when they hear

His Signs rehearsed, find

Their faith strengthened,

And put (all) their trust

In their Lord;

3. Who establish regular prayers

And spend (freely) out of

The gifts We have given

Them for sustenance:

4. Such in truth are the Believers:

They have grades of dignity

With their Lord, and forgiveness,

And generous sustenance:

5. Just as thy Lord ordered thee

Out of thy house in truth,

Even though a party among

The Believers disliked it,

6. Disputing with thee concerning

The truth after it was made

Manifest, as if they were

Being driven to death

And they (actually) saw it.

7. Behold! God promised you

One of the two (enemy) parties,

That it should be yours:

Ye wished that the one

Unarmed should be yours,

But God willed

To justify the Truth

According to His words,

And to cut off the roots

Of the Unbelievers;--

8. That He might justify Truth

And prove Falsehood false,

Distasteful though it be

To those in guilt.

9. Remember ye implored

The assistance of your Lord,

And He answered you:

"I will assist you

With a thousand of the angels,

Ranks on ranks."

10. God made it but a message

Of hope, and an assurance

To your hearts: (in any case)

There is no help.

Except from God:

And God is Exalted in Power,

Wise.

SECTION 2.

11. Remember He covered you

With a sort of drowsiness,

To give you calm as from

Himself, and he caused

Rain to descend on you

From heaven, to clean you

Therewith, to remove from you

The stain of Satan,

To strengthen your hearts,

And to plant your feet

Firmly therewith.

12. Remember thy Lord inspired

The angels (with the message):

"I am with you: give

Firmness to the Believers:

I will instil terror

Into the hearts of the Unbelievers:

Smite ye above their necks

And smite all their

Finger-tips off them.

13. This because they contended

Against God and His Apostle:

If any contend against God

And His Apostle, God

Is strict in punishment.

14. Thus (will it be said): "Taste ye

Then of the (punishment):

For those who resist God,

Is the penalty of the Fire."

15. O ye who believe!

When ye meet

The Unbelievers

In hostile array,

Never turn your backs

To them.

16. If any do turn his back

To them on such a day--

Unless it be in a stratagem

Of war, or to retreat

To a troop (of his own)--

He draws on himself

The wrath of God,

And his abode is Hell,--

An evil refuge (indeed)!

17. It is not ye who

Slew them; it was God:

When thou threwest (a handful

Of dust), it was not

Thy act, but God's:

In order that He might

Test the Believers

By a gracious trial

From Himself: for God

Is He Who heareth

And knoweth (all things).

18. That, and also because

God is He Who makes feeble

The plans and stratagems

Of the Unbelievers.

19. (O Unbelievers!) if ye prayed

For victory and judgment,

Now hath the judgment

Come to you: if ye desist

(From wrong), it will be

Best for you: if ye return

(To the attack), so shall We.

Not the least good

Will your forces be to you

Even if they were multiplied:

For verily God

Is with those who believe!

SECTION 3.

20. O ye who believe!

Obey God and His Apostle,

And turn not away from him

When ye hear (him speak).

21. Nor be like those who say,

"We hear," but listen not:

22. For the worst of beasts

In the sight of God

Are the deaf and the dumb,--

Those who understand not.

23. If God had found in them

Any good, He would indeed

Have made them listen:

(As it is), if He had made them

Listen, they would but have

Turned back and declined (faith).

24. O ye who believe!

Give your response to God

And His Apostle, when He

Calleth you to that which

Will give you life;

And know that God

Cometh in between a man

And his heart, and that

It is He to Whom

Ye shall (all) be gathered.

25. And fear tumult or oppression,

Which affecteth not in particular

(Only) those of you who do wrong:

And know that God

Is strict in punishment.

26. Call to mind when ye

Were a small (band),

Despised through the land,

And afraid that men might

Despoil and kidnap you;

But He provided a safe asylum

For you, strengthened you

With His aid, and gave you

Good things for sustenance:

That ye might be grateful.

27. O ye that believe!

Betray not the trust

Of God and the Apostle,

Nor misappropriate knowingly

Things entrusted to you.

28. And know ye

That your possessions

And your progeny

Are but a trial;

And that it is God

With whom lies

Your highest reward.

SECTION 4

29. O ye who believe!

If ye fear God,

He will grant you a Criterion

(To judge between right and wrong),

Remove from you (all) evil

(That may afflict) you,

And forgive you:

For God is the Lord

Of grace unbounded.

30. Remember how the Unbelievers

Plotted against thee, to keep

Thee in bonds, or slay thee,

Or get thee out (of thy home).

They plot and plan,

And God too plans,

But the best of planners

Is God.

31. When Our Signs are rehearsed

To them, they say: "We

Have heard this (before):

If we wished, we could

Say (words) like these:

These are nothing

But tales of the ancients."

32. Remember how they said:

"O God! if this is indeed

The Truth from Thee,

Rain down on as a shower

Of stones from the sky,

Or send us a grievous Penalty.

33. But God was not going

To send them a Penalty

Whilst thou wast amongst them;

Nor was He going to send it

Whilst they could ask for pardon

34. But what plea have they

That God should not punish

Them, when they keep out

(Men) from the Sacred Mosque--

And they are not its guardians?

No men can be its guardians

Except the righteous; but most

Of them do not understand.

35. Their prayer at the House

(Of God) is nothing but

Whistling and clapping of hands:

(Its only answer can be),

"Taste ye the Penalty

Because ye blasphemed."

36. The Unbelievers spend their wealth

To hinder (men) from the path

Of God, and so will they

Continue to spend; but

In the end they will have

(Only) regrets and sighs;

At length they will be overcome:

And the Unbelievers will be

Gathered together to Hell;--

37. In order that God may separate

The impure from the pure,

Put the impure, one on another,

Heap them together, and cast them

Into Hell. They will be

The ones to have lost.

SECTION 5.

38. Say to the Unbelievers,

If (now) they desist (from Unbelief),

Their past would be forgiven them;

But if they persist, the punishment

Of those before them is already

(A matter of warning for them).

39. And fight them on

Until there is no

Tumult or oppression,

And there prevail

Justice and faith in God

Altogether and everywhere;

But if they cease, verily God

Doth see all that they do.

40. If they refuse, be sure

That God is your Protector--

The Best to protect

And the Best to help.

41. And know that out of

All the booty that ye

May acquire (in war),

A fifth share is assigned

To God,--and to the Apostle,

And to near relatives,

Orphans, the needy,

And the wayfarer,

If ye do believe in God

And in the revelation

We sent down to Our Servant

On the Day of Testing,--

The Day of the meeting

Of the two forces.

For God hath power

Over all things.

42. Remember ye were

On the hither side

Of the valley, and they

On the farther side,

And the caravan

On lower ground than ye.

Even if ye had made

A mutual appointment

To meet, ye would certainly:

Have failed in the appointment:

But (thus ye met),

That God might accomplish

A matter already enacted;

That those who died might

Die after a clear Sign

(Had been given), and those who lived

Might live after a Clear Sign

(Had been given). And verily

God is He who heareth

And knoweth (all things).

43. Remember in thy dream

God showed them to thee

As few: if He had shown

Them to thee as many,

Ye would surely have been

Discouraged, and ye would

Surely have disputed

In (your) decision: but God

Saved (you): for He knoweth

Well the (secrets) of (all) hearts.

44. And remember when ye met,

He showed them to you

As few in your eyes,

And He made you appear

As contemptible in their eyes:

That God might accomplish

A matter already enacted.

For to God do all questions

Go back (for decision).

SECTION 6.

45. O ye who believe!

When ye meet a force,

Be firm, and call God

In remembrance much (and often);

That ye may prosper:

46. And obey God and His Apostle;

And fall into no disputes,

Lest ye lose heart

And your power depart;

And be patient and persevering:

For God is with those

Who patiently persevere:

47. And be not like those

Who started from their homes

Insolently and to be seen of men,

And to hinder (men)

From the path of God:

For God compasseth round about

All that they do.

48. Remember Satan made

Their (sinful) acts seem

Alluring to them, and said:

"No one among men

Can overcome you this day,

While I am near to you":

But when the two forces

Came in sight of each other,

He turned on his heels,

And said: "Lo! I am clear

Of you; to! I see

What ye see not;

Lo! I fear God; for God

Is strict in punishment.

SECTION 7.

49. Lo! the Hypocrites say, and those

In whose hearts is a disease:

"These people,--their religion

Has misled them." But

If any trust in God, behold!

God is Exalted in might, Wise.

50. If thou couldst see,

When the angels take the souls

Of the Unbelievers (at death),

(How) they smite their faces

And their backs, (saying):

"Taste the Penalty of the blazing Fire--

51. "Because of (the deeds) which

Your (own) hands sent forth:

For God is never unjust

To His servants:

52. "(Deeds) after the manner

Of the People of Pharaoh

And of those before them:

They rejected the Signs of God,

And God punished them

For their crimes: for God

Is Strong, and Strict in punishment:

53. "Because God will never change

The Grace which He hath bestowed

On a people until they change

What is in their (own) souls:

And verily God is He

Who heareth and knoweth (all things)."

54. "(Deeds) after the manner

Of the People of Pharaoh

And those before them":

They treated as false the Signs

Of their Lord: so We

Destroyed them for their crimes,

And We drowned the People

Of Pharaoh: for they were all

Oppressors and wrong-doers.

55. For the worst of beasts

In the sight of God

Are those who reject Him:

They will not believe.

56. They are those with whom

Thou didst make a covenant,

But they break their covenant

Every time, and they have not

The fear (of God).

57. If ye gain the mastery

Over them in war,

Disperse, with them, those

Who follow them,

That they may remember.

58. If thou fearest treachery

From any group, throw back

(Their Covenant) to them, (so as

To be) on equal terms:

For God loveth not the treacherous.

SECTION 8.

59. Let not the Unbelievers

Think that they can

Get the better (of the godly):

They will never frustrate (them).

60. Against them make ready

Your strength to the utmost

Of your power, including

Steeds of war, to strike terror

Into (the hearts of) the enemies,

Of God and your enemies,

And others besides, whom

Ye may not know, but whom

God doth know. Whatever

Ye shall spend in the Cause

Of God, shall be repaid

Unto you, and ye shall not

Be treated unjustly.

61. But if the enemy

Incline towards peace,

Do thou (also) incline

Towards peace, and trust

In God: for He is the One

That heareth and knoweth

(All things).

62. Should they intend

To deceive thee,--verily God

Sufficeth thee: He it is

That hath strengthened thee

With his aid and

With (the company of)

The Believers;

63. And (moreover) He hath put

Affection between their hearts:

Not if thou hadst spent

All that is in the earth,

Couldst thou have produced

That affection, but God

Hath done it: for He

Is Exalted in might, Wise.

64. O Apostle! Sufficient

Unto thee is God,--

(Unto thee) and unto those

Who follow thee

Among the Believers.

SECTION 9.

65. O Apostle! rouse the Believers

To the fight. If there are

Twenty amongst you, patient

And persevering, they will

Vanquish two hundred: if a hundred,

They will vanquish a thousand

Of the Unbelievers: for these

Are a people without understanding.

66. For the present, God

Hath lightened your (task),

For He knoweth that there is

A weak spot in you:

But (even so), if there are

A hundred of you, patient

And persevering, they will

Vanquish two hundred, and if

A thousand, they will vanquish

Two thousand, with the leave

Of God: for God is with those

Who patiently persevere.

67. It is not fitting

For an Apostle

That he should have

Prisoners of war until

He hath thoroughly subdued

The land. Ye look

For the temporal goods

Of this world; but God

Looketh to the Hereafter:

And God is Exalted in might, Wise.

68. Had it not been for

A previous ordainment

From God, a severe penalty

Would have reached you

For the (ransom) that ye took.

69. But (now) enjoy what ye took

In war, lawful and good:

But fear God: for God

Is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

SECTION 10.

70, O Apostle! say to those

Who are captives in your hands:

"If God findeth any good

In your hearts, He will

Give you something better

Than what has been taken

From you, and He will

Forgive you: for God

Is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."

71. But if they have

Treacherous designs against thee,

(O Apostle!), they have already

Been in treason against God,

And so hath He given

(Thee) power over them.

And God is He who hath

(Full) knowledge and wisdom.

72. Those who believed,

And adopted exile,

And fought for the Faith,

With their property

And their persons,

In the cause of God,

As well as those

Who gave (them) asylum

And aid,--these are (all)

Friends and protectors,

One of another.

As to those who believed

But came not into exile,

Ye owe no duty

Of protection to them

Until they come into exile;

But if they seek

Your aid in religion,

It is your duty

To help them,

Except against a people

With whom ye have

A treaty of mutual alliance.

And (remember) God

Seeth all that ye do.

73. The Unbelievers are

Protectors, one of another:

Unless ye do this,

(Protect each other),

There would be

Tumult and oppression

On earth, and great mischief.

74. Those who believe,

And adopt exile,

And tight for the Faith,

In the cause of God,

As well as those

Who give (them) asylum

And aid,--these are (all)

In very truth the Believers:

For them is the forgiveness

Of sins and a provision

Most generous.

75. And those who

Accept Faith subsequently,

And adopt exile,

And fight for the Faith

In your company,

They are of you.

But kindred by blood

Have prior rights

Against each other

In the Book of God.

Verily God is well-acquainted

With all things.

Sura IX.

Tauba (Repentance) or Baraat (Immunity).

1. A (declaration) of immunity

From God and His Apostle,

To those of the Pagans

With whom ye have contracted

Mutual alliances:--

2. Go ye, then, for four months,

Backwards and forwards,

(As ye will), throughout the land,

But know ye that ye cannot

Frustrate God (lay your falsehood)

But that God will cover

With shame those who reject Him.

3. And an announcement from God

And His Apostle, to the people

(Assembled) on the day

Of the Great Pilgrimage,--

That God and His Apostle

Dissolve (treaty) obligations

With the Pagans.

If, then, ye repent,

It were best for you;

But if ye turn away,

Know ye that ye cannot

Frustrate God. And proclaim

A grievous penalty to those

Who reject Faith.

4. (But the treaties are)not dissolved

With those Pagans with whom

Ye have entered into alliance

And who have not subsequently

Failed you in aught,

Nor aided any one against you.

So fulfil your engagements

With them to the end

Of their term: for God

Loveth the righteous.

5. But when the forbidden months

Are past, then fight and slay

The Pagans wherever ye find them,

And seize them, beleaguer them,

And lie in wait for them

In every stratagem (of war);

But if they repent,

And establish regular prayers

And practise regular charity,

Then open the way for them:

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

6. If one amongst the Pagans

Ask thee for asylum,

Grant it to him,

So that he may hear the Word

Of God; and then escort him

To where he can be secure.

That is because they are

Men without knowledge.

SECTION 2.

7. How can there be a league,

Before God and His Apostle,

With the Pagans, except those

With whom ye made a treaty

Near the Sacred Mosque?

As long as these stand true

To you, stand ye true to them:

For God doth love the righteous.

8. How (can there be such a league),

Seeing that if they get an advantage

Over you, they respect not

In you the ties either of kinship

Or of covenant? With (fair words

From) their mouths they entice you,

But their hearts are averse

From you; and most of them

Are rebellious and wicked.

9. The Signs of God have they sold

For a miserable price,

And (many) have they hindered

From His Way: evil indeed

Are the deeds they have done.

10. In a Believer they respect not

The ties either of kinship

Or of covenant! It is they

Who have transgressed all bounds.

11. But (even so), if they repent,

Establish regular prayers,

And practise regular charity,--

They are your brethren in Faith:

(Thus) do We explain the Signs

in detail, for those who understand.

12. But if they violate their oaths

After their covenant,

And taunt you for your Faith,--

Fight ye the chiefs of Unfaith:

For their oaths are nothing to them:

That thus they may be restrained.

13. Will ye not fight people

Who violated their oaths,

Plotted to expel the Apostle,

And took the aggressive

By being the first (to assault) you?

Do ye fear them? Nay,

It is God Whom ye should

More justly fear, if ye believe!

14. Fight them, and God will

Punish them by your hands,

Cover them with shame,

Help you (to victory) over them,

Heal the breasts of Believers,

15. And still the indignation of their hearts!

For God will turn (in mercy)

To whom He will; and God

Is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

16. Or think ye that ye

Shall be abandoned,

As though God did not know'

Those among you who strive

With might and main, and take

None for friends and protectors

Except God, His Apostle,

And the (community of) Believers?

But God is well-acquainted

With (all) that ye do.

SECTION 3.

17. It is not for such

As join gods with God,

To visit or maintain

The mosques of God

While they witness

Against their own souls

To infidelity. The works

Of such bear no fruit:

In Fire shall they dwell.

18. The mosques of God

Shall be visited and maintained

By such as believe in God

And the Last Day, establish

Regular prayers, and practise

Regular charity, and fear

None (at all) except God.

It is they who are expected

To be on true guidance!

19. Do ye make the giving

Of drink to pilgrims,

Or the maintenance of

The Sacred Mosque, equal

To (the pious service of) those

Who believe in God

And the Last Day, and strive

With might and main

In the cause of God?

They are not comparable

In the sight of God:

And God guides not

Those who do wrong.

20. Those who believe, and suffer

Exile and strive with might

And main, in God's cause,

With their goods and their persons,

Have the highest rank

In the sight of God:

They are the people

Who will achieve (salvation).

21. Their Lord doth give them

Glad tidings of a Mercy

From Himself, of His good pleasure,

And of Gardens for them,

Wherein are delights

That endure:

22. They will dwell therein

For ever. Verily in God's presence

Is a reward, the greatest (of all).

23. O ye who believe! Take not

For protectors your fathers

And your brothers if they love

Infidelity above Faith:

If any of you do so,

They do wrong.

24. Say; If it be that your fathers,

Your sons, your brothers,

Your mates, or your kindred;

The wealth that ye have gained;

The commerce in which ye fear

A decline: or the dwellings

In which ye delight--

Are dearer to you than God,

Or His Apostle, or the striving

In His cause;--then wait

Until God brings about

His Decision: and God

Guides not the rebellious.

SECTION 4.

25. Assuredly God did help you

In many battle-fields

And on the day of Hunain:

Behold! your great numbers

Elated you, but they availed

You naught: the land,

For all that it is wide,

Did. constrain you, and ye

Turned back in retreat.

26. But God did pour His calm

On the Apostle and on the Believers,

And sent down forces which ye

Saw not: He punished

The Unbelievers: thus doth He

Reward those without Faith.

27. Again will God, after this,

Turn (in mercy) to whom

He will: for God

Is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

28. O ye who believe! Truly

The Pagans are unclean;

So let them not,

After this year of theirs,

Approach the Sacred Mosque.

And if ye fear poverty,

Soon will God enrich you,

If He wills, out of His bounty,

For God is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

29. Fight those who believe not

In God nor the Last Day,

Nor hold that forbidden

Which hath been forbidden

By God and His Apostle,

Nor acknowledge the Religion

Of Truth, (even if they are)

Of the People of the Book,

Until they pay the Jizya

With willing submission,

And feel themselves subdued.

SECTION 5.

30. The Jews call 'Uzair a son

Of God, and the Christians

Call Christ the Son of God.

That is a saying from their mouth;

(In this) they but imitate

What the Unbelievers of old

Used to say. God's curse

Be on them: how they are deluded

Away from the Truth!

31. They take their priests

And their anchorites to be

Their lords in derogation of God,

And (they take as their Lord)

Christ the son of Mary;

Yet they were commanded

To worship but One God:

There is no god but He.

Praise and glory to Him

(Far is He) from having

The partners they associate

(With Him).

32. Fain would they extinguish

God's Light with their mouths,

But God will not allow

But that His Light should be

Perfected, even though the Unbelievers

May detest (it).

33. It is He Who hath sent

His Apostle with Guidance

And the Religion of Truth,

To proclaim it

Over all religion,

Even though the Pagans

May detest (it).

34. O ye who believe! There are

Indeed many among the priests

And anchorites, who in falsehood

Devour the substance of men

And hinder (them) from the Way

Of God. And there are those

Who bury gold and silver

And spend it not in the Way.

Of God: announce unto them

A most grievous penalty--

35. On the Day when heat

Will be produced out of

That (wealth) in the fire

Of Hell, and with it will be

Branded their foreheads,

Their flanks, and their backs.

--"This is the (treasure) which ye

Buried for yourselves: taste ye,

Then, the (treasures) ye buried!"

36. The number of months

In the sight of God

Is twelve (in a year)

So ordained by Him

The day He created

The heavens and the earth;

Of them four are sacred:

That is the straight usage.

So wrong not yourselves

Therein, and fight the Pagans

All together as they

Fight you all together.

But know that God

Is with those who restrain

Themselves.

37. Verily the transposing

(Of a prohibited month)

Is an addition to Unbelief:

The Unbelievers are led

To wrong thereby: for they make

It lawful one year,

And forbidden another year,

In order to adjust the number

Of months forbidden by God

And make such forbidden ones

Lawful. The evil of their course

Seems pleasing to them.

But God guideth not

Those who reject Faith.

SECTION 6.

38. O ye who believe! what

Is the matter with you,

That, when ye are asked

To go forth in the Cause of God,

Ye cling heavily to the earth?

Do ye prefer the life

Of this world to the Hereafter?

But little is the comfort

Of this life, as compared

With the Hereafter.

39. Unless ye go forth,

He will punish you

With a grievous penalty,

And put others in your place;

But Him ye would not harm

In the least. For God

Hath power over all things.

40. If ye help not (your Leader),

(it is no matter): for God

Did indeed help him,

When the Unbelievers

Drove him out: he had

No more than one companion:

They two were in the Cave,

And he said to his companion,

"Have no fear, for God

Is with us": then God

Sent down His peace upon him,

And strengthened him with forces

Which ye saw not, and humbled

To the depths the word

Of the Unbelievers.

But the word of God

Is exalted to the heights:

For God is Exalted in might, Wise

41. Go ye forth, (whether equipped)

Lightly or heavily, and strive

And struggle, with your goods

And your persons, in the Cause

Of God. That is best

For you, if ye (but) knew.

42. If there had been

Immediate gain (in sight),

And the journey easy,

They would (all) without doubt

Have followed thee, but

The distance was long,

(And weighed) on them.

They would indeed swear

By God, "If we only could,

We should certainly

Have come out with you:"

They would destroy their own souls;

For God doth know

That they are certainly lying.

SECTION 7.

43. God give thee grace! Why

Didst thou grant them exemption

Until those who told the truth

Were seen by thee in a clear light,

And thou hadst proved the liars?

44. Those who believe in God

And the Last Day ask thee

For no exemption from fighting

With their goods and persons.

And God knoweth well

Those who do their duty.

45. Only those ask thee for exemption

Who believe not in God

And the Last Day, and

Whose hearts are in doubt,

So that they are tossed

In their doubts to and fro.

46. If they had intended

To come out, they would

Certainly have made

Some preparation therefor;

But God was averse

To their being sent forth;

So He made them lag behind,

And they were told,

"Sit ye among those

Who sit (inactive)."

47. If they had come out

With you, they would not

Have added to your (strength)

But only (made for) disorder,

Hurrying to and fro in your midst

And sowing sedition among you,

And there would have been

Some among you

Who would have listened to them.

But God knoweth well

Those who do wrong.

48. Indeed they had plotted

Sedition before, and upset

Matters for thee,--until

The Truth arrived, and the Decree

Of God became manifest,

Much to their disgust.

49. Among them is (many) a man

Who says: "Grant me exemption

And draw me not.

Into trial." Have they not

Fallen into trial already?

And indeed Hell surrounds

The Unbelievers (on all sides).

50. If good befalls thee,

It grieves them; but if

A misfortune befalls thee,

They say, "We took indeed

Our precautions beforehand,"

And they turn away rejoicing.

51. Say: "Nothing will happen to us

Except what God has decreed

For us: He is our Protector":

And on God let the Believers

Put their trust.

52. Say: "Can you expect for us

(Any fate) other than one

Of two glorious things--

(Martyrdom or victory)?

But we can expect for you

Either that God will send

His punishment from Himself,

Or by our hands. So wait

(Expectant); we too

Will wait with you."

53. Say: "Spend (for the Cause)

Willingly or unwillingly:

Not from you will it be

Accepted: for ye are indeed

A people rebellious and wicked."

54. The only reasons why

Their contributions are not

Accepted are: that they reject

God and His Apostle;

That they come to prayer

Without earnestness; and that

They offer contributions unwillingly.

55. Let not their wealth rats

Nor their (following in) sons

Dazzle thee: in reality

God's Plan is to punish them

With these things in this life,

And that their souls may perish

In their (very) denial of God.

56. They swear by God

That they are indeed

Of you; but they are not

Of you: yet they are afraid

(To appear in their true colours).

57. If they could find

A place to flee to,

Or caves, or a place

Of concealment, they would

Turn straightway thereto,

With an obstinate rush.

58. And among them are men

Who slander thee in the matter

Of (the distribution of) the alms:

If they are given part thereof,

They are pleased, but if not,

Behold! they are indignant!

59. If only they had been content

With what God and His Apostle

Gave them, and had said,

"Sufficient unto us is God!

God and His Apostle will soon

Give us of His bounty:

To God do we turn our hopes!"

(That would have been the right course).

SECTION 8.

60. Alms are for the poor

And the needy, and those

Employed to administer the (funds);

For those whose hearts

Have been (recently) reconciled

(To Truth); for those in bondage

And in debt; in the cause

Of God; and for the wayfarer:

(Thus is it) ordained by God,

And God is full of knowledge

And wisdom.

61. Among them are men

Who molest the Prophet

And say, "He is (all) ear."

Say, "He listens to what is

Best for you: he believes

In God, has faith

In the Believers, and is a Mercy

To those of you who believe."

But those who molest the Apostle

Will have a grievous penalty.

62. To you they swear by God.

In order to please you:

But it is more fitting

That they should please

God and His Apostle,

If they are Believers.

63. Know they not that for those

Who oppose God and His Apostle,

Is the Fire of Hell?--

Wherein they shall dwell.

That is the supreme disgrace.

64. The Hypocrites are afraid

Lest a Sura should be sent down

About them, showing them what

Is (really passing) in their hearts.

Say: "Mock ye! But verily

God will bring to light all

That ye fear (should be revealed).

65. If thou dost question them,

They declare (with emphasis):

"We were only talking idly

And in play." Say: "Was it

At God, and His Signs,

And His Apostle, that ye

Were mocking?"

66. Make ye no excuses:

Ye have rejected Faith

After ye had accepted it.

If We pardon some of you,

We will punish others amongst you,

For that they are in sin.

SECTION 9.

67. The Hypocrites, men and women,

(Have an understanding) with each other:

They enjoin evil, and forbid

What is just, and are close

With their hands. They have

Forgotten God; so He

Hath forgotten them. Verily

The Hypocrites are rebellious

And perverse.

68. God hath promised the Hypocrites

Men and women, and the rejecters,

Of Faith, the fire of Hell:

Therein shall they dwell:

Sufficient is it for them:

For them is the curse of God,

And an enduring punishment,--

69. As in the case of those

Before you: they were

Mightier than you in power,

And more flourishing in wealth

And children. They had

Their enjoyment of their portion:

And ye have of yours, as did

Those before you; and ye

Indulge in idle talk

As they did. They!--

Their works are fruitless

In this world and in the Hereafter,

And they will lose

(All spiritual good).

70. Hath not the story reached them

Of those before them?--

The people of Noah, and 'Ad,

And Thamud; the people

Of Abraham, the men

Of Midian, and the Cities overthrown.

To them came their apostles

With Clear Signs. It is

Not God Who wrongs them,

But they wrong their own souls.

71. The Believers, men

And women, are protectors,

One of another: they enjoin

What is just, and forbid

What is evil: they observe

Regular prayers, practise

Regular charity, and obey

God and His Apostle.

On them will God pour

His mercy: for God

Is Exalted in power, Wise:

72. God hath promised to Believers,

Men and women, Gardens

Under which rivers flow,

To dwell therein,

And beautiful mansions

In Gardens of everlasting bliss.

But the greatest bliss

Is the Good Pleasure of God:

That is the supreme felicity.

SECTION 10.

73. O Prophet! strive hard against

The Unbelievers and the Hypocrites,

And be firm against them.

Their abode is Hell,--

An evil refuge indeed.

74. They swear by God that they

Said nothing (evil), but indeed

They uttered blasphemy,

And they did it after accepting

Islam; and they meditated

A plot which they were unable

To carry out: this revenge

Of theirs was (their) only return

For the bounty with which

God and His Apostle had enriched

Them! If they repent,

It will be best for them;

But if they turn back

(To their evil ways),

God will punish them

With a grievous penalty

In this life and in the Hereafter:

They shall have none on earth

To protect or help them.

75. Amongst them are men

Who made a Covenant with God,

That if He bestowed on them

Of His bounty, they would give

(Largely) in charity, and be truly

Amongst those who are righteous.

76. But when He did bestow

Of His bounty, they became

Covetous, and turned back

(From their Covenant), averse

(From its fulfilment).

77. So He hath put as a consequence

Hypocrisy into their hearts,

(To last) till the Day whereon

They shall meet Him: because

They broke their Covenant

With God, and because they

Lied (again and again).

78. Know they not that God

Doth know their secret (thoughts)

And their secret counsels,

And that God knoweth well

All things unseen?

79. Those who slander such

Of the Believers as give themselves

Freely to (deeds of) charity,

As well as such as can find

Nothing to give except

The fruits of their labour,--

And throw ridicule on them,--

God will throw back

Their ridicule on them:

And they shall have

A grievous penalty.

80. Whether thou ask

For their forgiveness,

Or not, (their sin is unforgivable):

If thou ask seventy times

For their forgiveness, God

Will not forgive them:

Because they have rejected

God and His Apostle: and God

Guideth not those

Who are perversely rebellious.

SECTION 11.

81. Those who were left behind

(In the Tabuk expedition)

Rejoiced in their inaction

Behind the back of the Apostle

Of God: they hated to strive

And fight, with their goods

And their persons, in the Cause

Of God: they said,

"Go not forth in the heat."

Say, "The fire of Hell

Is fiercer in heat." If

Only they could understand!

82. Let them laugh a little:

Much will they weep:

A recompense for the (evil)

That they do.

83. If, then, God bring thee back

To any of them, and they ask

Thy permission to come out

(With thee), say: "Never shall ye

Come out with me, nor fight

An enemy with me:

For ye preferred to sit

Inactive on the first occasion:

Then sit ye (now)

With those who lag behind."

84. Nor do thou ever pray

For any of them that dies,

Nor stand at his grave;

For they rejected God

And His Apostle, and died

In a state of perverse rebellion.

85. Nor let their wealth

Nor their (following in) sons

Dazzle thee: God's Plan

Is to punish them

With these things in this world,

And that their souls may perish

In their (very) denial of God.

86. When a Sura comes down,

Enjoining them to believe

In God and to strive and fight

Along with His Apostle,

Those with wealth and influence

Among them ask thee

For exemption, and say:

"Leave us (behind): we

Would be with those

Who sit (at home)."

87. They prefer to be with (the women),

Who remain behind (at home):

Their hearts are sealed

And so they understand not.

88. But the Apostle, and those

Who believe with him,

Strive and fight with their wealth

And their persons: for them

Are (all) good things:

And it is they

Who will prosper.

89. God hath prepared for them

Gardens under which rivers flow,

To dwell therein:

That is the supreme felicity.

SECTION 12.

90. And there were, among

The desert Arabs (also),

Men who made excuses

And came to claim exemption;

And those who were false

To God and His Apostle

(Merely) sat inactive.

Soon will a grievous penalty

Seize the Unbelievers

Among them.

91. There is no blame

On those who are infirm,

Or ill, or who find

No resources to spend

(On the Cause), if they

Are sincere (in duty) to God

And His Apostle:

No ground (of complaint)

Can there be against such

As do right: and God

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

92. Nor (is there blame)

On those who came to thee

To be provided with mounts,

And when thou saidst,

"I can find no mounts

For you, "they turned back,

Their eyes streaming with tears

Of grief that they had

No resources wherewith

To provide the expenses.

93. The ground (of complaint)

Is against such as claim

Exemption while they are rich.

They prefer to stay

With the (women) who remain

Behind: God hath sealed

Their hearts; so they know not

(What they miss).

94. They will present their excuses

To you when ye return

To them. Say thou: "Present

No excuses: we shall not

Believe you: God hath already

Informed us of the true state

Of matters concerning you:

It is your actions that God

And His Apostle will observe:

In the end will ye

Be brought back to Him

Who knoweth what is hidden

And what is open:

Then will He show you

The truth of all

That ye did."

95. They will swear to you by God,

When ye return to them,

That ye may leave them alone.

So leave them alone:

For they are an abomination,

And Hell is their dwelling-place,--

A fitting recompense

For the (evil) that they did.

96. They will swear unto you,

That ye may be pleased with them,

But if ye are pleased with them,

God is not pleased

With those who disobey.

97. The Arabs of the desert

Are the worst in unbelief

And hypocrisy, and most fitted

To be in ignorance

Of the command which God

Hath sent down to His Apostle:

But God is All-Knowing,

All-Wise.

98. Some of the desert Arabs

Look upon their payments

As a fine, and watch

For disasters for you: on them

Be the disaster of Evil:

For God is He that heareth

And knoweth (all things).

99. But some of the desert Arabs

Believe in God and the Last Day,

And look on their payments

As pious gifts bringing them

Nearer to God and obtaining

The prayers of the Apostle.

Aye, indeed they bring them

Nearer (to Him): soon will God

Admit them to His Mercy:

For God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 13.

100. The vanguard (of Islam)--

The first of those who forsook

(Their homes) and of those

Who gave them aid, and (also)

Those who follow them

In (all) good deeds,--

Well-pleased is God with them,

As are they with Him:

For them hath He prepared

Gardens under which rivers flow,

To dwell therein for ever:

That is the supreme Felicity.

101. Certain of the desert Arabs

Round about you are Hypocrites,

As well as (desert Arabs) among

The Medina folk: they are

Obstinate in hypocrisy: thou

Knowest them not: We know them:

Twice shall We punish them:

And in addition shall they be

Sent to a grievous Penalty.

102. Others (there are who) have

Acknowledged their wrong-doings:

They have mixed an act

That was good with another

That was evil. Perhaps God

Will turn unto them (in mercy):

For God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

103. Of their goods take alms,

That so thou mightest

Purify and sanctify them;

And pray on their behalf.

Verily thy prayers are a source

Of security for them:

And God is One

Who heareth and knoweth.

104. Know they not that God

Doth accept repentance from

His votaries and receives

Their gifts of charity, and that

God is verily He,

The Oft-Returning, Most Merciful?

105. And say: "Work (righteousness):

Soon will God observe your work,

And His Apostle, and the Believers:

Soon will ye be brought back

To the Knower of what is

Hidden and what is open:

Then will He show you

The truth of all that ye did."

106. There are (yet) others,

Held in suspense for the command

Of God, whether He will

Punish them, or turn in mercy

To them: and God

Is All-Knowing, Wise.

107. And there are those

Who put up a mosque

By way of mischief and infidelity--

To disunite the Believers

And in preparation for one

Who warred against God

And His Apostle aforetime.

They will indeed swear

That their intention is nothing

But good; but God doth declare

That they are certainly liars.

108. Never stand thou forth therein.

There is a mosque whose foundation

Was laid from the first day

On piety; it is more worthy

Of thy standing forth (for prayer)

Therein. In it are men who

Love to be purified; and God

Loveth those who make themselves pure.

109. Which then is best?--he that

Layeth his foundation

On piety to God

And His Good Pleasure?--or he

That layeth his foundation

On an undermined sand-cliff

Ready to crumble to pieces?

And it doth crumble to pieces

With him, into the fire

Of Hell. And God guideth not

People that do wrong.

110. The foundation of those

Who so build is never free

From suspicion and shakiness

In their hearts, until

Their hearts are cut to pieces.

And God is All-Knowing, Wise.

SECTION 14.

111. God hath purchased of the Believers

Their persons and their goods;

For theirs (in return)

Is the Garden (of Paradise):

They fight in His Cause,

And slay and are slain:

A promise binding on Him

In Truth, through the Law,

The Gospel, and the Qur-an:

And who is more faithful

To his Covenant than God?

Then rejoice in the bargain

Which ye have concluded:

That is the achievement supreme.

112. Those that turn (to God)

In repentance; that serve Him,

And praise Him; that wander

In devotion to the Cause of God;

That bow down and prostrate themselves

In prayer; that enjoin good

And forbid evil; and observe

The limits set by God;--

(These do rejoice). So proclaim

The glad tidings to the Believers.

113. It is not fitting,

For the Prophet and those

Who believe, that they should

Pray for forgiveness

For Pagans, even though

They be of kin, after it is

Clear to them that they

Are companions of the Fire.

114. And Abraham prayed

For his father's forgiveness

Only because of a promise

He had made to him.

But when it became clear

To him that he was

An enemy to God, he

Dissociated himself from him:

For Abraham was most

Tender-hearted, forbearing.

115. And God will not mislead

A people after He hath

Guided them, in order that

He may make clear to them

What to fear (and avoid)--

For God hath knowledge

Of all things.

116. Unto God belongeth

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth. He giveth life

And He taketh it. Except for Him

Ye have no protector

Nor helper.

117. God turned with favour

To the Prophet, the Muhajirs,

And the Ansar,--who followed

Him in a time of distress,

After that the hearts of a part

Of them had nearly swerved

(From duty); but He turned

To them (also): for He is

Unto them Most Kind,

Most Merciful.

118. (He turned in mercy also)

To the three who were left

Behind; (they felt guilty)

To such a degree that the earth

Seemed constrained to them,

For all its speciousness,

And their (very) Souls seemed

Straitened to them,

And they perceived that

There is no fleeing from God

(And no refuge) but to Himself.

Then He turned to them,

That they might repent:

For God is Oft-Returning,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 15.

119. O ye who believe! Fear God

And be with those

Who are true (in word and deed).

120. It was not fitting

For the people of Medina

And the Bedouin Arabs

Of the neighbourhood, to refuse

To follow God's Apostle,

Nor to prefer their own lives

To his: because nothing

Could they suffer or do,

But was reckoned to their credit

As a deed of righteousness,--

Whether they suffered thirst,

Or fatigue, or hunger, in the Cause

Of God, or trod paths

To raise the ire of the Unbelievers,

Or received any injury

Whatever from an enemy:

For God suffereth not

The reward to be lost

Of those who do good;--

121, Nor could they spend anything

(For the Cause)--small or great--

Nor cut across a valley,

But the deed is inscribed

To their credit; that God

May requite their deed

With the best (possible reward).

122. Nor should the Believers

All go forth together:

If a contingent

From every expedition

Remained behind,

They could devote themselves

To studies in religion,

And admonish the people

When they return to them,--

That thus they (may learn)

To guard themselves (against evil)

SECTION 16.

123. O ye who believe! Fight

The Unbelievers who gird you about,

And let them find firmness

In you: and know that God

Is with those who fear Him.

124. Whenever there cometh down'

A Sura, some of them say:

"Which of you has had

His faith increased by it?"

Yea, those who believe,--

Their faith is increased,

And they do rejoice.

125. But those in whose hearts

Is a disease,--it will add doubt

To their doubt, and they will die

In a state of Unbelief.

126. See they not that they

Are tried every year

Once or twice? Yet they

Turn not in repentance,

And they take no heed.

127. Whenever there cometh down

A Sura, they look at each other,

(Saying), "Doth anyone see you?"

Then they turn aside:

God hath turned their hearts

(From the light); for they

Are a people that understand not.

128. Now hath come unto you

An Apostle from amongst

Yourselves: it grieves him

That ye should perish:

Ardently anxious is he

Over you: to the Believers

Is he most kind and merciful.

129. But if they turn away,

Say: "God sufficeth me:

There is no god but He:

On Him is my trust,

He the Lord of the Throne

(Of Glory) Supreme!

Sura X.

Yunus, or Jonah.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. A. L. R.

These are the Ayats

Of the Book of Wisdom.

2. Is it a matter

Of wonderment to men

That We have sent

Our inspiration to a man

From among themselves?--

That he should warn mankind

(Of their danger), and give

The good news to the Believers

That they have before their Lord

The lofty rank of Truth.

(But) say the Unbelievers:

"This is indeed

An evident sorcerer!"

3. Verily your Lord is God,

Who created the heavens

And the earth in six Days,

And is firmly established

On the Throne (of authority),

Regulating and governing all things.

No intercessor (can plead with Him)

Except after His leave

(Hath been obtained). This

Is God your Lord; Him therefore

Serve ye: will ye not

Receive admonition?

4. To Him will be your return--

Of all of you. The promise

Of God is true and sure.

It is He who beginneth

The process of creation,

And repeateth it, that He

May reward with justice

Those who believe

And work righteousness;

But those who reject Him

Will have draughts

Of boiling fluids,

And a Penalty grievous,

Because they did reject Him.

5. It is He who made the sun

To be a shining glory

And the moon to be a light

(Of beauty), and measured out

Stages for her; that ye might

Know the number of years

And the count (of time).

Nowise did God create this

But in truth and righteousness.

(Thus) doth He explain His Signs

In detail, for those who understand.

6. Verily, in the alternation

Of the Night and the Day,

And in all that God

Hath created, in the heavens

And the earth, are Signs

For those who fear Him.

7. Those who rest not their hope

On their meeting with Us,

But are pleased and satisfied

With the life of the Present,

And those who heed not

Our Signs,--

8. Their abode is the Fire,

Because of the (evil)

They earned.

9. Those who believe,

And work righteousness,--

Their Lord will guide them

Because of their Faith:

Beneath them will flow

Rivers in Gardens of Bliss.

10. (This will be) their cry therein:

"Glory to Thee, O God!"

And "Peace" will be their greeting therein!

And the close of their cry

Will be: "Praise be to God,

The Cherisher and Sustainer.

Of the Worlds!"

SECTION 2.

11. If God were to hasten for men

The ill (they have earned)

As they would fain hasten on

The good,--then would

Their respite be settled at once.

But We leave those

Who rest not their hope

On their meeting with Us,

In their trespasses, wandering

In distraction to and fro.

12. When trouble toucheth a man,

He crieth unto Us

(In all postures)--lying down

On his side, or sitting,

Or standing. But when We

Have solved his trouble,

He passeth on his way as if

He had never cried to Us

For a trouble that touched him!

Thus do the deeds of transgressors

Seem fair in their eyes!

13. Generations before you

We destroyed when they

Did wrong: their Apostles

Came to them with Clear Signs,

But they would not believe!

Thus do We requite

Those who sin!

14. Then We made you heirs

In the land after them,

To see how ye would behave!

15. But when Our Clear Signs

Are rehearsed unto them,

Those who rest not their hope

On their meeting with Us,

Say: "Bring us a Reading

Other than this, or change this,"

Say: "It is not for me,

Of my own accord,

To change it: I follow

Naught but what is revealed

Unto me: if I were

To disobey my Lord,

I should myself fear the Penalty

Of a Great Day (to come)."

16. Say: "If God had so willed,

I should not have rehearsed it

To you, nor whould He

Have made it known to you.

A whole life-time before this

Have I tarried amongst you:

Will ye not then understand?

17. Who doth more wrong

Than such as forge a lie

Against God, or deny

His Signs? But never

Will prosper those who sin.

18. They serve, besides God,

Things that hurt them not

Nor profit them, and they say:

"These are our intercessors

With God." Say: "Do ye

Indeed inform God of something

He knows not, in the heavens

Or on earth?--Glory to Him!

And far is He above the partners

They ascribe (to Him)!"

19. Mankind was but one nation,

But differed (later). Had it not

Been for a Word

That went forth before

From thy Lord, their differences

Would have been settled

Between them.

20. They say: "Why is not

A Sign sent down to him

From his Lord?" Say:

"The Unseen is only

For God (to know).

Then wait ye: I too

Will wait with you.

SECTION 3.

21. When We make mankind

Taste of some mercy after

Adversity hath touched them,

Behold! they take to plotting

Against Our Signs! Say:

"Swifter to plan is God!"

Verily, Our messengers record

All the plots that ye make!

22. He it is who enableth you

To traverse through land

And sea; so that ye even board

Ships;--they sail with them

With a favourable wind,

And they rejoice thereat;

Then comes a stormy wind

And the waves come to them

From all sides, and they think

They are being overwhelmed:

They cry unto God, sincerely

Offering (their) duty unto Him,

Saying, "If Thou dost deliver us

From this, we shall truly

Show our gratitude!"

23. But when he delivereth them,

Behold! they transgress

Insolently through the earth

In defiance of right!

O mankind! your insolence

Is against your own souls,--

An enjoyment of the life

Of the Present: in the end,

To Us is your return,

And We shall show you

The truth of all that ye did.

24. The likeness of the life

Of the Present is

As the rain which We

Send down from the skies:

By its mingling arises

The produce of the earth--

Which provides food

For men and animals:

(It grows) till the earth

Is clad with its golden

Ornaments and is decked out

(In beauty): the people to whom

It belongs think they have

All powers of disposal over it:

There reaches it Our command

By night or by day,

And We make it

Like a harvest clean-mown,

As if it had not flourished

Only the day before!

Thus do We explain

The Signs in detail

For those who reflect.

25. But God doth call

To the Home of Peace:

He doth guide whom He pleaseth

To a Way that is straight.

26. To those who do right

Is a goodly (reward)--

Yea, more (than in measure)!

No darkness nor shame

Shall cover their faces!

They are Companions of the Garden;

They will abide therein

(For aye)!

27. But those who have earned

Evil will have a reward

Of like evil: ignominy

Will cover their (faces):

No defender will they have

From (the wrath of) God:

Their faces will be covered,

As it were, with pieces

From the depth of the darkness

Of Night: they are Companions

Of the Fire: they will

Abide therein (for aye)!

28. One Day shall We gather them

All together. Then shall We say

To those who joined gods (with Us):

"To your place! ye and those

Ye joined as "partners"."

We shall separate them,

And their "partners" shall say:

"It was not us

That ye worshipped!

29. "Enough is God for a witness

Between us and you: we

Certainly knew nothing

Of your worship of us!"

30. There will every soul prove

(The fruits of) the deeds

It sent before : they will

Be brought back to God

Their rightful Lord,

And their invented falsehoods

Will leave them in the lurch.

SECTION 4.

31. Say: "Who is it that

Sustains you (in life)

From the sky and from the earth?

Or who is it that

Has power over hearing

And sight? And who

Is it that brings out

The living from the dead

And the dead from the living?

And who is it that

Rules and regulates all affairs?"

They will soon say, "God".

Say, "Will ye not then

Show piety (to Him)?"

32. Such is God, your real

Cherisher and Sustainer:

Apart from Truth,

What (remains) but error?

How then are ye turned away?

33. Thus is the Word

Of thy Lord proved true

Against those who rebel:

Verily they will not believe.

34. Say: "Of your 'partners',

Can any originate creation

And repeat it?" Say:

"It is God Who originates

Creation and repeats it:

Then how are ye deluded

Away (from the truth)?"

35. Say: "Of your "partners"

Is there any that

Can give any guidance

Towards Truth?" Say: "It is God

Who gives guidance

Towards Truth. Is then He

Who gives guidance to Truth

More worthy to be followed,

Or he who finds not guidance

(Himself) unless he is guided?

What then is the matter

With you? How judge ye?"

36. But most of them follow

Nothing but fancy: truly

Fancy can be of no avail

Against Truth. Verily God

Is well aware of all

That they do.

37. This Qur-an is not such

As can be produced

By other than God;

On the contrary it is

A confirmation of (revelations)

That went before it,

And a fuller explanation

Of the Book--wherein

There is no doubt

From the Lord of the Worlds.

38. Or do they say,

"He forged it"?

Say: "Bring then

A Sura like unto it,

And call (to your aid)

Anyone you can,

Besides God, if it be

Ye speak the truth!"

39. Nay, they charge with falsehood

That whose knowledge they

Cannot compass, even before

The elucidation thereof"

Hath reached them: thus

Did those before them

Make charges of falsehood:

But see what was the end

Of those who did wrong!

40. Of them there are some

Who believe therein,

And some who do not:

And thy Lord knoweth best

Those who are out for mischief.

SECTION 5.

41. If they charge thee

With falsehood, say:

"My work to me,

And yours to you!

Ye are free from responsibility

For what I do, and I

For what ye do!"

42. Among them are some who

(Pretend to) listen to thee:

But canst thou make the deaf

To hear,--even though

They are without understanding?

43. And among them are some

Who look at thee:

But canst thou guide

The blind,--even though

They will not see?

44. Verily God will not deal

Unjustly with man in aught:

It is man that wrongs

His own soul.

45. One day He will

Gather them together:

(It will be) as if

They had tarried

But an hour of a day:

They will recognise each other:

Assuredly those will be lost

Who denied the meeting

With God and refused

To receive true guidance.

46. Whether We show thee

(Realised in thy life-time)

Some part of what We

Promise them,--or We

Take thy soul (to Our Mercy)

(Before that),--in any case,

To Us is their return:

Ultimately God is witness.

To all that they do.

47. To every people (was sent)

An Apostle: when their Apostle

Comes (before them), the matter

Will be judged between them

With justice, and they

Will not be wronged.

48. They say: "When

Will this promise

Come to pass,

If ye speak the truth?"

49. Say: "I have no power

Over any harm or profit

To myself except as God

Willeth. To every People

Is a term appointed:

When their term is reached,

Not an hour can they cause

Delay, nor (an hour) can they

Advance (it in anticipation)."

50. Say: "Do ye see,

If His punishment should come

To you by night or by day,--

What portion of it

Would the Sinners

Wish to hasten?

51. "Would ye then believe in it

At last, when it actually cometh

To pass? (It will then be said:)

'Ah! now? and ye wanted

(Aforetime) to hasten it on!'

52. "At length will be said

To the wrong-doers: 'Taste ye

The enduring punishment!

Ye get but the recompense

Of what ye earned!'"

53. They seek to be informed

By thee: "Is that true?"

Say: "Aye! by my Lord!

It is the very truth!

And ye cannot frustrate it!"

SECTION 6.

54. Every soul that hath sinned,

If it possessed all

That is on earth,

Would fain give it in ransom:

They would declare (their) repentance

When they see the Penalty:

But the judgment between them

Will be with justice,

And no wrong will be done

Unto them.

55. Is it not (the case) that to God

Belongeth whatever is

In the heavens and on earth?

Is it not (the case) that

God's promise is assuredly true?

Yet most of them understand not.

56. It is He who giveth life

And who taketh it,

And to Him shall ye

All be brought back.

57. O mankind! there hath come

To you a direction from your Lord

And a healing for the (diseases)

In your hearts,--and for those

Who believe, a Guidance

And a Mercy.

58. Say: "In the Bounty of God.

And in His Mercy,--in that

Let them rejoice": that is better

Than the (wealth) they hoard.

59. Say: "See ye what things

God hath sent down to you

For sustenance? Yet ye

Hold forbidden some things

Thereof and (some things) lawful."

Say: "Hath God indeed

Permitted you, or do ye invent

(Things) to attribute to God?"

60. And what think those

Who invent lies against God,

Of the Day of Judgment?

Verily God is full of Bounty

To mankind, but most

Of them are ungrateful!"

SECTION 7.

61. In whatever business thou

Mayest be, and whatever portion

Thou mayest be reciting

From the Qur-an,--and whatever

Deed ye (mankind) may be doing,--

We are Witnesses thereof

When ye are deeply engrossed

Therein. Nor is hidden

From thy Lord (so much as)

The weight of an atom

On the earth or in heaven.

And not the least

And not the greatest

Of these things but are recorded

In a clear Record.

62. Behold! verily on the friends

Of God there is no fear,

Nor shall they grieve;

63. Those who believe

And (constantly) guard

Against evil;--

64. For them are Glad Tidings,

In the life of the Present

And in the Hereafter:

No change can there be

In the Words of God.

This is indeed

The supreme Felicity.

65. Let not their speech

Grieve thee: for all power

And honour belong to God:

It is He Who heareth

And knoweth (all things).

66. Behold! verily to God

Belong all creatures,

In the heavens and on earth.

What do they follow

Who worship as His "partners"

Other than God? They follow

Nothing but fancy, and

They do nothing but lie.

67. He it is that hath

Made you the Night

That ye may rest therein,

And the Day to make

Things visible (to you).

Verily in this are Signs

For those who listen

(To His Message).

68. They say, "God hath begotten

A son!"--Glory be to Him!

He is Self-Sufficient! His

Are all things in the heavens

And on earth! No warrant

Have ye for this! Say ye

About God what ye know not?

69. Say: "Those who invent

A lie against God

Will never prosper."

70. A little enjoyment

In this world!--

And then, to Us

Will be their return.

Then shall We make them

Taste the severest Penalty

For their blasphemies.

SECTION 8.

71. Relate to them the story

Of Noah. Behold! he said

To his People: "O my People,

If it be hard on your (mind)

That I should stay (with you)

And commemorate the Signs

Of God,--yet I put

My trust in God.

Get ye then an agreement

About your plan and among

Your Partners, so your plan

Be not to you dark and dubious.

Then pass your sentence on me,

And give me no respite.

72. "But if ye turn back, (consider):

No reward have I asked

Of you: my reward is only

Due from God, and I

Have been commanded to be

Of those who submit

To God's Will (in Islam)."

73. They rejected him,

But We delivered him,

And those with him,

In the Ark, and We made

Them inherit (the earth),

While We overwhelmed

In the Flood those

Who rejected Our Signs.

Then see what was the end

Of those who were warned

(But heeded not)!

74. Then after him We sent

(Many) apostles to their Peoples:

They brought them Clear Signs,

But they would not believe

What they had already rejected

Beforehand. Thus do We seal

The hearts of the transgressors.

75. Then after them sent We

Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh

And his chiefs with Our Signs.

But they were arrogant:

They were a people in sin.

76. When the Truth did come

To them from Us, they said:

"This is indeed evident sorcery!"

77. Said Moses: "Say ye (this)

About the Truth when

It hath (actually) reached you?

Is sorcery (like) this?

But sorcerers will not prosper."

78. They said: "Hast thou

Come to us to turn us

Away from the ways

We found our fathers following,--

In order that thou and thy brother

May have greatness in the land?

But not we shall believe in you!"

79. Said Pharaoh: "Bring me

Every sorcerer well versed."

80. When the sorcerers came,

Moses said to them:

"Throw ye what ye (wish)

To throw!"

81. When they had had their throw,

Moses said: "What ye

Have brought is sorcery:

God will surely make it

Of no effect: for God

Prospereth not the work

Of those who make mischief.

82. "And God by His Words

Doth prove and establish

His Truth, however much

The Sinners may hate it!"

SECTION 9.

83. But none believed in Moses

Except some children of his People,

Because of the fear of Pharaoh

And his chiefs, lest they

Should persecute them; and certainly

Pharaoh was mighty on the earth

And one who transgressed all bounds.

84. Moses said: "O my People!

If ye do (really) believe

In God, then in Him

Put your trust if ye

Submit (your will to His)."

85. They said: "In God

Do we put our trust.

Our Lord! make us not

A trial for those

Who practise oppression;

86."And deliver us by Thy Mercy

From those who reject (Thee)."

87. We inspired Moses and his brother

With this Message: "Provide

Dwellings for your People

In Egypt, make your dwellings

Into places of worship,

And establish regular prayers:

And give Glad Tidings

To those who believe!"

88. Moses prayed: "Our Lord!

Thou hast indeed bestowed

On Pharaoh and his Chiefs

Splendour and wealth in the life

Of the Present, and so,

Our Lord, they mislead (men)

From Thy Path. Deface.

Our Lord, the features of their wealth,

And send hardness to their hearts,

So they will not believe

Until they see

The grievous Penalty."

89. God said: "Accepted is

Your prayer (O Moses and Aaron)

So stand ye straight,

And follow not the path

Of those who know not.

90. We took the Children

Of Israel across the sea:

Pharaoh and his hosts followed them

In insolence and spite.

At length, when overwhelmed

With the flood, he said:

"I believe that there is no god

Except Him Whom the Children

Of Israel believe in:

I am of those who submit

(To God in Islam)."

91. (It was said to him:)

"Ah now!--But a little while

Before, wast thou in rebellion!--

And thou didst mischief (and violence)!

92. "This day shall We save thee

In thy body, that thou

Mayest be a Sign to those

Who come after thee!

But verily, many among mankind

Are heedless of Our Signs!"

SECTION 10.

93. We settled the Children

Of Israel in a beautiful

Dwelling-place, and provided

For them sustenance of the best:

It was after knowledge had been

Granted to them, that they

Fell into schisms. Verily

God will judge between them

As to the schisms amongst them,

On the Day of Judgment.

94. If thou wert in doubt

As to what We have revealed

Unto thee, then ask those

Who have been reading

The Book from before thee:

The Truth hath indeed come

To thee from thy Lord:

So be in no wise

Of those in doubt.

95. Nor be of those who reject

The Signs of God,

Or thou shalt be of those

Who perish.

96. Whose against whom the Word

Of thy Lord hath been verified

Would not believe--

97. Even if every Sign was brought

Unto them,--until they see

(For themselves) the Penalty Grievous.

98. Why was there not

A single township (among those

We warned), which believed,--

So its Faith should have

Profited it,--except the People

Of Jonah? When they believed,

We removed from them

The Penalty of Ignominy

In the life of the Present,

And permitted them to enjoy

(Their life) for a while.

99. If it had been thy Lord's Will,

They would all have believed,--

All who are on earth!

Wilt thou then compel mankind,

Against their will, to believe!

100. No soul can believe, except

By the Will of God,

And He will place Doubt

(Or obscurity) on those

Who will not understand.

101. Say: "Behold all that is

In the heavens and on earth ";

But neither Signs nor Warners

Profit those who believe not.

102. Do they then expect

(Any thing) but (what happened

In) the days of the men

Who passed away before them?

Say: "Wait ye then:

For I, too, will wait with you."

103. In the end We deliver

Our apostles and those who believe:

Thus is it fitting on Our part

That We should deliver

Those who believe!

SECTION 11.

104. Say: "O ye men!

If ye are in doubt

As to my religion, (behold!)

I worship not what ye

Worship, other than God!

But I worship God

Who will take your souls

(At death): I am commanded

To be (in the ranks)

Of the Believers,

105. "And further (thus), "set thy face

Towards Religion with true piety,

And never in any wise

Be of the Unbelievers;

106. "Nor call on any,

Other than God;--

Such will neither profit thee

Nor hurt thee: if thou dost,

Behold! thou shalt certainly

Be of those who do wrong."

107. If God do touch thee

With hurt, there is none

Can remove it but He:

If He do design some benefit

For thee, there is none

Can keep back His favour:

He causeth it to reach

Whomsoever of His servants

He pleaseth. And He is

The Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

108. Say: "O ye men! Now

Truth hath reached you

From your Lord! Those who receive

Guidance, do so for the good

Of their own souls; those

Who stray, do so to their own loss:

And I am not (set) over you

To arrange your affairs."

109. Follow thou the inspiration

Sent unto thee, and be

Patient and constant, till God

Do decide: for He

Is the Best to decide.

Sura XI.

Hud (The Prophet Hud).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. R.

(This is) a Book,

With verses basic or fundamental

(Of established meaning),

Further explained in detail,--

From One Who is Wise

And Well-Acquainted (with al] things):

2. (It teacheth) that ye should

Worship none but God.

(Say:) "Verily I am

(Sent) unto you from Him

To warn and to bring

Glad tidings:

3. "(And to preach thus), "Seek ye

The forgiveness of your Lord,

And turn to Him in repentance;

That He may grant you

Enjoyment, good (and true),

For a term appointed,

And bestow His abounding grace

On all who abound in merit!

But if ye turn away,

Then I fear for you

The Penalty of a Great Day:

4. "'To God is your return,

And He hath power

Over all things.'"

5. Behold! they fold up

Their hearts, that they may lie

Hid from Him! Ah! even

When they cover themselves

With their garments, He knoweth

What they conceal, and what

They reveal: for He knoweth

Well the (inmost secrets)

Of the hearts

6. Where is no moving creature

On earth but its sustenance

Dependeth on God: He knoweth

The time and place of its

Definite abode and its

Temporary deposit:

All is in a clear Record.

7. He it is Who created

The heavens and the earth

In six Days--and His Throne

Was over the Waters--

That He might try you,

Which of you is best

In conduct. But if

Thou wert to say to them,

"Ye shall indeed be raised up

After death", the Unbelievers

Would be sure to say,

"This is nothing but

Obvious sorcery!"

8. If We delay the penalty

For them for a definite term,

They are sure to say,

"What keeps it back?"

Ah! On the day it (actually)

Reaches them, nothing will.

Turn it away from them,

And they will be completely

Encircled by that which

They used to mock at!

SECTION 2.

9. If We give man a taste

Of Mercy from Ourselves,

And then withdraw it from him,

Behold! he is in despair

And (falls into) blasphemy.

10. But if We give hint a taste

Of (Our) favours after

Adversity hath touched him,

He is sure to say,

"All evil has departed from me:

Behold! he falls into exultation

And pride.

11. Not so do those who show

Patience and constancy, and work

Righteousness; for them

Is forgiveness (of sins)

And a great reward.

12. Perchance thou mayest (feel

The inclination) to give up

A part of what is revealed

Unto thee, and thy heart

Feeleth straitened lest they say,

"Why is not a treasure sent down

Unto him, or why does not

An angel come down with him?"

But thou art there only to warn!

It is God that arrangeth

All affairs!

13. Or they may say, "He forged it."

Say, "Bring ye then ten Suras

Forged, like unto it, and call

(To your aid) whomsoever

Ye can, other than God!--

If ye speak the truth!

14. "If then they (your false gods)

Answer not your (call),

Know ye that this Revelation

Is sent down (replete) with the knowledge

Of God, and that there is

No god but He! Will ye

Even then submit (to Islam)?"

15. Those who desire

The life of the Present

And its glitter,--to them

We shall pay (the price

Of) their deeds therein,--

Without diminution.

16. They are those for whom

There is nothing in the Hereafter

But the Fire: vain

Are the designs they frame therein,

And of no effect

Are the deeds that they do!

17. Can they be (like) those

Who accept a Clear (Sign)

From their Lord, and whom

A witness from Himself

Doth teach, as did the Book

Of Moses before it,--a guide

And a mercy? They believe

Therein; but those of the Sects

That reject it,--the Fire

Will be their promised

Meeting-place. Be not then

In doubt thereon: for it is

The Truth from thy Lord:

Yet many among men

Do not believe!

18. Who doth more wrong

Than those who invent a lie

Against God? They will be

Turned back to the presence

Of their Lord, and the witnesses

Will say, "These are the ones

Who lied against their Lord!

Behold! the Curse of God

Is on those who do wrong!--

19. "Those who would hinder (men)

From the path of God

And would seek in it

Something crooked: these were

They who denied the Hereafter!"

20. They will in no wise

Frustrate (His design) on earth,

Nor have they protectors

Besides God! Their penalty

Will be doubled! They lost

The power to hear,

And they did not see!

21. They are the ones who

Have lost their own souls:

And the (fancies) they invented

Have left them in the lurch!

22. Without a doubt, these

Are the very ones who

Will lose most in the Hereafter!

23. But those who believe

And work righteousness,

And humble themselves

Before their Lord,--

They will be Companions

Of the Garden, to dwell

Therein for aye!

24. These two kinds (of men)

May be compared to

The blind and deaf,

And those who can see

And hear well. Are they

Equal when compared?

Will ye not then take heed?

SECTION 3.

25. We sent Noah to his People

(With a mission): "I have come

To you with a Clear Warning:

26. "That ye serve none but God:

Verily I do fear for you

The Penalty of a Grievous Day."

27. But the Chiefs of the Unbelievers

Among his People said:

"We see (in) thee nothing

But a man like ourselves:

Nor do we see that any

Follow thee but the meanest

Among us, in judgment immature:

Nor do we see in you (all)

Any merit above us:

In fact we think ye are liars!"

28. He said: "O my People!

See ye if (it be that)

I have a Clear Sign

From my Lord, and that He

Hath sent Mercy unto me

From His own Presence, but

That the Mercy hath been

Obscured from your sight?

Shall we compel you

To accept it when ye

Are averse to it?

29. "And O my People!

I ask you for no wealth

In return: my reward

Is from none but God:

But I will not drive away

(In contempt) those who believe:

For verily they are

To meet their Lord, and ye

I see are the ignorant ones!

30. "And O my People!

Who would help me against God

If I drove them away?

Will ye not then take heed?

31. "I tell you not that

With me are the Treasures

Of God, nor do I know

What is hidden,

Nor claim I to be

An angel. Nor yet

Do I say, of those whom

Your eyes do despise

That God will not grant them

(All) that is good:

God knoweth best

What is in their souls:

I should, if I did,

Indeed be a wrong-doer."

32. They said: "O Noah!

Thou hast disputed with us,

And (much) hast thou prolonged

The dispute with us: now

Bring upon us what thou

Threatenest us with, if thou

Speakest the truth!?"

33. He said: "Truly, God

Will bring it on you

If He wills,--and then,

Ye will not be able

To frustrate it!

34. "Of no profit will be

My counsel to you,

Much as I desire

To give you (good) counsel,

If it be that God

Willeth to leave you astray:

He is your Lord!

And to Him will ye return!"

35. Or do they say,

"He has forged it "? Say:

"If I had forged it,

On me were my sin!

And I am free

Of the sins of which

Ye are guilty!

SECTION 4.

36. It was revealed to Noah:

"None of thy People will believe

Except those who have believed

Already! So grieve no longer

Over their (evil) deeds.

37. "But construct an Ark

Under Our eyes and Our

Inspiration, and address Me

No (further) on behalf

Of those who are in sin:

For they are about to be

Overwhelmed (in the Flood)."

38. Forthwith he (starts)

Constructing the Ark:

Every time that the Chiefs

Of his People passed by him,

They threw ridicule on him.

He said: "If ye ridicule

Us now, we (in our turn)

Can look down on you

With ridicule likewise!

39. "But soon will ye know

Who it is on whom

Will descend a Penalty

That will cover them

With shame,--on whom will be

Unloosed a Penalty lasting:"

40. At length, behold!

There came Our Command,

And the fountains of the earth

Gushed forth! We said:

"Embark therein, of each kind

Two, male and female,

And your family--except

Those against whom the Word

Has already gone forth,--

And the Believers."

But only a few

Believed with him.

41. So he said: "Embark ye

On the Ark,

In the name of God,

Whether it move

Or be at rest!

For my Lord is, be sure,

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!"

42. So the Ark floated

With them on the waves

(Towering) like mountains,

And Noah called out

To his son, who had

Separated himself (from the rest):

"O my son! embark

With us, and be not

With the Unbelievers!"

43. The son replied: "I will

Betake myself to some mountain:

It will save me from

The water." Noah said:

"This day nothing can save,

From the Command of God,

Any but those on whom

He hath mercy!"--

And the waves came

Between them, and the son

Was among those

Overwhelmed in the Flood.

44. Then the word went forth:

"O earth! swallow up

Thy water, and O sky!

Withhold (thy rain)!"

And the water abated,

And the matter was ended.

The Ark rested on Mount

Judi, and the word

Went forth: "Away

With those who do wrong!"

45. And Noah called upon

His Lord, and said:

"O my Lord! surely

My son is of my family!

And Thy promise is true,

And Thou art

The Justest of Judges!"

46. He said: "O Noah!

He is not of thy family:

For his conduct is unrighteous.

So ask not of Me

That of which thou

Hast no knowledge!

I give thee counsel, lest

Thou act like the ignorant!"

47. Noah said: "O my Lord!

I do seek refuge with Thee,

Lest I ask Thee for that

Of which I have no knowledge.

And unless Thou forgive me

And have Mercy on me,

I should indeed be lost!"

48. The word came: "O Noah!

Come down (from the Ark)

With Peace from Us,

And Blessing on thee

And on some of the Peoples

(Who will spring) from those

With thee: but (there will be

Other) Peoples to whom We

Shall grant their pleasures

(For a time), but in the end

Will a grievous Penalty

Reach them from Us."

49. Such are some of the stories

Of the Unseen, which We

Have revealed unto thee:

Before this, neither thou

Nor thy People knew them.

So persevere patiently:

For the End is for those

Who are righteous.

SECTION 5.

50. To the 'Ad People

(We sent) Hud, one

Of their own brethren.

He said: "O my people!

Worship God! ye have

No other god but Him.

(Your other gods) ye do nothing

But invent!

51. "O my people! I ask of you

No reward for this (Message).

My reward is from none

But Him who created me:

Will ye not then understand?

52. "And O my people! Ask

Forgiveness of your Lord,

And turn to Him (in repentance):

He will send you the skies

Pouring abundant rain,

And add strength

To your strength:

So turn ye not back

In sin!"

53. They said: "O Hud!

No Clear (Sign) hast thou

Brought us, and we are not

The ones to desert our gods

On thy word! Nor shall we

Believe in thee!

54. "We say nothing but that

(Perhaps) some of our gods

May have seized thee

With imbecility." He said:

"I call God to witness,

And do ye bear witness,

That I am free from the sin

Of ascribing, to Him,

55. "Other gods as partners!

So scheme (your worst) against me,

All of you, and give me

No respite.

56. "I put my trust in God,

My Lord and your Lord!

There is not a moving

Creature, but He hath

Grasp of its fore-lock.

Verily, it is my Lord

That is on a straight Path.

57. "If ye turn away,--

I (at least) have conveyed

The Message with which I

Was sent to you. My Lord

Will make another People

To succeed you, and you

Will not harm Him

In the least. For my Lord

Hath care and watch

Over all things."

58. So when Our decree

Issued, We saved Hud

And those who believed

With him, by (special) Grace

From Ourselves: We saved them

From a severe Penalty.

59. Such were the 'Ad People:

They rejected the Signs

Of their Lord and Cherisher;

Disobeyed His Apostles;

And followed the command

Of every powerful, obstinate

Transgressor.

60. And they were pursued

By a Curse in this Life,

And on the Day of Judgment.

Ah! Behold! For the 'Ad

Rejected their Lord and Cherisher

Ah! Behold! Removed (from sight)

Were 'Ad the People of Hud!

SECTION 6.

61. To the Thamud People

(We sent) Salih, one

Of their own brethren.

He said: "O my People!

Worship God: ye have

No other God but Him.

It is He Who hath produced you

From the earth and settled you

Therein: then ask forgiveness

Of Him, and turn to Him

(In repentance): for my Lord

Is (always) near, ready

To answer."

62. They said: "O Salib!

Thou hast been of us!--

A centre of our hopes

Hitherto! Dost thou (now)

Forbid us the worship

Of what our fathers worshipped?

But we are really

In suspicious (disquieting)

Doubt as to that to which

Thou invitest us."

63. He said: "O my people!

Do ye see?--If I have

A Clear (Sign) from my Lord

And He hath sent Mercy

Unto me from Himself,--who

Then can help me

Against God if I were

To disobey Him? What

Then would ye add

To my (portion) but perdition?

64. "And O my people!

This she-camel of God is

A symbol to you:

Leave her to feed

On God's (free) earth,

And inflict no harm

On her, or a swift Penalty

Will seize you!"

65. But they did ham-string her.

So he said: "Enjoy yourselves

In your homes for three days:

(Then will be your ruin):

(Behold) there a promise

Not to be belied!"

66. When Our Decree issued,

We saved Salib and those

Who believed with him,

By (special) Grace from

Ourselves--

And from the Ignominy

Of that Day. For thy Lord--

He is the Strong One, and Able

To enforce His Will.

67. The (mighty) Blast overtook

The wrong-doers, and they

Lay prostrate in their homes

Before the morning,--

68. As if they had never

Dwelt and flourished there.

Ah! Behold! For the Thamud

Rejected their Lord and Cherisher!

Ah! Behold! Removed

(From sight) were the Thamud!

SECTION 7.

69. There came Our Messengers

To Abraham with glad tidings.

They said, "Peace!" He answered,

"Peace!" and hastened

To entertain them

With a roasted calf.

70. But when he saw

Their hands went not

Towards the (meal), he felt

Some mistrust of them,

And conceived a fear of them.

They said: "Fear not:

We have been sent

Against the people of Lut."

71. And his wife was standing

(There), and she laughed:

But We gave her

Glad tidings of Isaac,

And after him, of Jacob.

72. She said: "Alas for me!

Shall I bear a ,

Seeing I am an old woman,

And my husband here

Is an old man?

That would indeed

Be a wonderful thing!"

73. They said: "Dost thou

Wonder at God's decree?

The grace of God

And His blessings on you,

O ye people of the house!

For He is indeed

Worthy of all praise,

Full of all glory!"

74. When fear had passed

From (the mind of) Abraham

And the glad tidings

Had reached him, he

Began to plead with Us

For Lut's people.

75. For Abraham was,

Without doubt, forbearing

(Of faults), compassionate,

And given to look to God.

76. O Abraham! Seek not this.

The decree of thy Lord

Hath gone forth: for them

There cometh a Penalty

That cannot be turned back!

77. When Our Messengers

Came to Lut, he was

Grieved on their account

And felt himself powerless

(To protect) them. He said:

"This is a distressful day."

78. And his people came

Rushing towards him,

And they had been long

In the habit of practising

Abominations. He said:

"O my people! Here are

My daughters: they are purer

For you (if ye marry)!

Now fear God, and cover me not

With shame about my guests!

Is there not among you

A single right-minded man?"

79. They said: "Well dost thou

Know we have no need

Of thy daughters: indeed

Thou knowest quite well

What we want!"

80. He said: "Would that I

Had power to suppress you

Or that I could betake

Myself to some powerful support."

81. (The Messengers) said: "O Lut

We are Messengers from thy Lord!

By no means shall they

Reach thee! Now travel

With thy family while yet

A part of the night remains,

And let not any of you

Look back: but thy wife

(Will remain behind):

To her will happen

What happens to the people.

Morning is their time appointed:

Is not the morning nigh?"

82. When Our decree issued,

We turned (the cities)

Upside down, and rained down

On them brimstones

Hard as baked clay,

Spread, layer on layer,--

83. Marked as from thy Lord:

Nor are they ever far

From those who do wrong!

SECTION 8.

84. To the Madyan people

(We sent) Shu'aib, one

Of their own brethren: he said:

"O my people! worship God:

Ye have no other god

But Him. And give not

Short measure or weight:

I see you in prosperity,

But I fear for you

The Penalty of a Day

That will compass (you) all round.

85. "And O my people! give

Just measure and weight,

Nor withhold from the people

The things that are their due:

Commit not evil in the land

With intent to do mischief.

86. "That which is left you

By God is best for you,

If ye (but) believed!

But I am not set

Over you to keep watch!"

87. They said: "O Shu'aib!

Does thy (religion of) prayer

Command thee that we

Leave off the worship which

Our fathers practised, or

That we leave off doing

What we like with our property?

Truly, thou art the one

That forbeareth with faults

And is right-minded!"

88. He said: "O my people!

See ye whether I hate

A Clear (Sign) from my Lord,

And He hath given me

Sustenance (pure and) good

As from Himself? I wish not,

In opposition to you, to do

That which I forbid you to do.

I only desire (your) betterment

To the best of my power;

And my success (in my task)

Can only come from God.

In Him I trust,

And unto Him I look.

89. "And O my people!

Let not my dissent (from you)

Cause you to sin,

Lest ye suffer

A fate similar to that

Of the people of Noah

Or of Hud or of Salib,

Nor are the people of Lut

Far off from you!

90. "But ask forgiveness

Of your Lord, and turn

Unto Him (in repentance):

For my Lord is indeed

Full of mercy and loving-kindness."

91. They said: "O Shu'aib!

Much of what thou sayest

We do not understand!

In fact among us we see

That thou hast no strength!

Were it not for thy family,

We should certainly

Have stoned thee!

For thou hast among us

No great position!"

92. He said: "O my people!

Is then my family

Of more consideration with you

Than God? For ye cast Him

Away behind your backs

(With contempt). But verily

My Lord encompasseth

On all sides

All that ye do!

93. "And O my people!

Do whatever ye can:

I will do (my part):

Soon will ye know

Who it is on whom

Descends the Penalty

Of ignominy, and who

Is a liar!

And watch ye!

For I too am watching

With you!"

94. When Our decree issued,

We saved Shu'aib and those

Who believed with him,

By (special) Mercy from Ourselves

But the (mighty) Blast did seize

The wrong-doers, and they

Lay prostrate in their homes

By the morning,--

95. As if they had never

Dwelt and flourished there!

Ah! Behold! How the Madyan

Were removed (from sight)

As were removed the Thamud!

SECTION 9.

96. And we sent Moses,

With our Clear (signs)

And an authority manifest,

97. Unto Pharaoh and his Chiefs:

But they followed the command

Of Pharaoh, and the command

Of Pharaoh was no right (guide).

98. He will go before his people

On the Day of Judgment,

And lead them into the Fire

(As cattle are led to water):

But woeful indeed will be

The place to which they are led!

99. And they are followed

By a curse in this (life)

And on the Day of Judgment:

And woeful is the gift

Which shall be given

(Unto them)!

100. These are some of the stories

Of communities which We

Relate unto thee: of them

Some are standing, and some

Have been mown down

(By the sickle of time.

101. It was not We that wronged them:

They wronged their own souls:

The deities, other than God,

Whom they invoked, profited them

No whit when there issued

The decree of thy Lord:

Nor did they add aught

(To their lot) but perdition!

102. Such is the chastisement

Of thy Lord when He chastises

Communities in the midst of

Their wrong: grievous, indeed,

And severe is His chastisement.

103. In that is a Sign

For those who fear

The Penalty of the Hereafter:

That is a Day for which mankind

Will be gathered together:

That will be a Day

Of Testimony.

104. Nor shall We delay it

But for a term appointed.

105. The day it arrives,

No soul shall speak

Except by His leave:

Of those (gathered) some

Will be wretched and some

Will be blessed.

106. Those who are wretched

Shall be in the Fire:

There will be for them

Therein (nothing but) the heaving

Of sighs and sobs:

107. They will dwell therein

For all the time that

The heavens and the earth

Endure, except as thy Lord

Willeth: for thy Lord

Is the (sure) Accomplisher

Of what He planneth.

108. And those who are blessed

Shall be in the Garden:

They will dwell therein

For all the time that

The heavens and the earth

Endure, except as thy Lord

Willeth: a gift without break.

109. Be not then in doubt

As to what these men

Worship. They worship nothing

But what their fathers worshipped

Before (them): but verily

We shall pay them back

(In full) their portion

Without (the least) abatement.

SECTION 10.

110. We certainly gave the Book

To Moses, but differences

Arose therein: had it not been

That a Word had gone forth

Before from thy Lord, the matter

Would have been decided

Between them: but they

Are in suspicious doubt

Concerning it.

111. And, of a surety, to all

Will your Lord pay back

(In full the recompense)

Of their deeds: for He

Knoweth well all that they do.

112. Therefore stand firm (in the straight

Path) as thou art commanded,--

Thou and those who with thee

Turn (unto God); and transgress not

(From the Path): for He seeth

Well all that ye do.

113. And incline not to those

Who do wrong, or the Fire

Will seize you; and ye have

No protectors other than God,

Nor shall ye be helped.

114. And establish regular prayers

At the two ends of the day

And at the approaches of the night:

For those things that are good

Remove those that are evil:

Be that the word of remembrance

To those who remember (their Lord):

115. And be steadfast in patience;

For verily God will not suffer

The reward of the righteous

To perish.

116. Why were there not,

Among the generations before you,

Persons possessed of balanced

Good sense, prohibiting (men)

From mischief in the earth--

Except a few among them

Whom We saved (from harm)?

But the wrong-doers pursued

The enjoyment of the good things

Of life which were given them,

And persisted in sin.

117. Nor would thy Lord be

The One to destroy

Communities for a single wrong-doing,

If its members were likely

To mend.

118. If thy Lord had so willed,

He could have made mankind

One People: but they

Will not cease to dispute,

119. Except those on whom thy Lord

Hath bestowed His Mercy:

And for this did He create

Them: and the Word

Of thy Lord shall be fulfilled:

"I will fill Hell with jinns

And men all together."

120. All that we relate to thee

Of the stories of the apostles,--

With it We make firm

Thy heart: in them there cometh

To thee the Truth, as well as

An exhortation and a message

Of remembrance to those who believe.

121. Say to those who do not

Believe: "Do whatever ye can:

We shall do our part;

122. "And wait ye!

We too shall wait."

123. To God do belong

The unseen (secrets)

Of the heavens and the earth,

And to Him goeth back

Every affair (for decision)

Then worship Him,

And put thy trust in Him .

And thy Lord is not

Unmindful of aught

That ye do.

Sura XII.

Yusuf, or Joseph.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. R. These are

The Symbols (or Verses)

Of the Perspicuous Book.

2. We have sent it down

As an Arabic Qur-an,

In order that ye may

Learn wisdom.

3. We do relate unto thee

The most beautiful of stories,

In that We reveal to thee

This (portion of the) Qur-an:

Before this, thou too

Was among those

Who knew it not.

4. Behold, Joseph said

To his father: "O my father!

I did see eleven stars

And the sun and the moon:

I saw them prostrate themselves

To me!"

5. Said (the father):

"My (dear) little son!

Relate not thy vision

To thy brothers, lest they

Concoct a plot against thee:

For Satan is to man

An avowed enemy!

6. "Thus will thy Lord

Choose thee and teach thee

The interpretation of stories (and events)

And perfect His favour

To thee and to the posterity

Of Jacob--even as He

Perfected it to thy fathers

Abraham and Isaac aforetime!

For God is full of knowledge

And wisdom."

SECTION 2.

7. Verily in Joseph and his brethren

Are Signs (or Symbols)

For Seekers (after Truth).

8. They said: "Truly Joseph

And his brother are loved

More by our father than we:

But we are a goodly body!

Really our father is obviously

Wandering (in his mind)!

9. "Slay ye Joseph or cast him out

To some (unknown) land,

That so the favour

Of your father may be

Given to you alone:

(There will be time enough)

For you to be righteous after that!"

10. Said one of them: "Slay not

Joseph, but if ye must

Do something, throw him down

To the bottom of the well:

He will be picked up

By some caravan of travellers."

11. They said: "O our father!

Why dost thou not

Trust us with Joseph,

Seeing we are indeed

His sincere well-wishers?

12. "Send him with us tomorrow

To enjoy himself and play,

And we shall take

Every care of him."

13. (Jacob) said: "Really

It saddens me that ye

Should take him away:

I fear lest the wolf

Should devour him

While ye attend not

To him."

14. They said: "If the wolf

Were to devour him

While we are (so large) a party,

Then should we indeed

(First) have perished ourselves!"

15. So they did take him away,

And they all agreed

To throw him down

To the bottom of the well:

And We put into his heart

(This Message): "Of a surety

Thou shalt (one day)

Tell them the truth

Of this their affair

While they know (thee) not"

16. Then they came

To their father

In the early part

Of the night,

Weeping.

17. They said: "O our father!

We went racing with one another,

And left Joseph with our things;

And the wolf devoured him....

But thou wilt never believe us

Even though we tell the truth.

18. They stained his shirt

With false blood. He said:

"Nay, but your minds

Have made up a tale

(That may pass) with you.

(For me) patience is most fitting:

Against that which ye assert,

It is God (alone)

Whose help can be sought"...

19. Then there came a caravan

Of travellers: they sent

Their water-carrier (for water),

And he let down his bucket

(Into the well)... He said:

"Ah there! Good news!

Here is a (fine) young man!"

So they concealed him

As a treasure! But God

Knoweth well all that they do!

20. The (Brethren) sold him

For a miserable price,--

For a few dirhams counted out:

In such low estimation

Did they hold him!

SECTION 3.

21. The man in Egypt

Who bought him, said

To his wife: "Make his stay

(Among us) honourable:

Maybe he will bring us

Much good, or we shall

Adopt him as a son."

Thus did We establish

Joseph in the land,

That We might teach him

The interpretation of stories

(And events). And God

Hath full power and control

Over His affairs; but most

Among mankind know it not.

22. When Joseph attained

His full manhood, We gave him

Power and knowledge: thus do We

Reward those who do right.

23. But she in whose house

He was, sought to seduce him

From his (true) self: she fastened

The doors, and said:

"Now come, thou (dear one)!"

He said: "God forbid!

Truly (thy husband) is

My lord! he made

My sojourn agreeable!

Truly to no good

Come those who do wrong!"

24. And (with passion) did she

Desire him, and he would

Have desired her, but that

He saw the evidence

Of his Lord: thus

(Did We order) that We

Might turn away from him

(All) evil and shameful deeds:

For he was one of Our servants,

Sincere and purified.

25. So they both raced each other

To the door, and she

Tore his shirt from the back:

They both found her lord

Near the door. She said:

"What is the (fitting) punishment

For one who formed

An evil design against

Thy wife, but prison

Or a grievous chastisement?"

26. He said: "It was she

That sought to seduce me--

From my (true) self." And one

Of her household saw (this)

And bore witness, (thus):--

"If it be that his shirt

Is rent from the front, then

Is her tale true,

And he is a liar!

27. "But if it be that his shirt

Is torn from the back,

Then is she the liar,

And he is telling the truth!"

28. So when he saw his shirt,--

That it was torn at the back,

(Her husband) said: "Behold!

It is a snare of you women!

Truly, mighty is your snare!

29. "O Joseph, pass this over!

(O wife), ask forgiveness

For thy sin, for truly

Thou hast been at fault!"

SECTION 4.

30. Ladies said in the City:

"The wife of the (great) 'Aziz

Is seeking to seduce her slave

From his (true) self:

Truly hath he inspired her

With violent love: we see

She is evidently going astray."

31. When she heard

Of their malicious talk,

She sent for them

And prepared a banquet

For them: she gave

Each of them a knife:

And she said (to Joseph),

"Come out before them."

When they saw him,

Thy did extol him,

And (in their amazement)

Cut their hands: they said,

"God preserve us! no mortal

Is this! This is none other

Than a noble angel!"

32. She said: "There before you

Is the man about whom

Ye did blame me!

I did seek to seduce him from

His (true) self but he did

Firmly save himself guiltless!...

And now, if he doth not

My bidding, he shall certainly

Be cast into prison,

And (what is more)

Be of the company of the vilest!"

33. He said: "O my Lord!

The prison is more

To my liking than that

To which they invite me:

Unless Thou turn away

Their snare from me,

I should (in my youthful folly)

Feel inclined towards them

And join the ranks of the ignorant."

34. So his Lord hearkened to him

(In his prayer), and turned

Away from him their snare:

Verily He heareth and knoweth

(All things).

35. Then it occurred to the men,

After they had seen the Signs,

(That it was best)

To Imprison him

For a time.

SECTION 5.

36. Now with him there came

Into the prison two young men.

Said one of them: "I see

Myself (in a dream)

Pressing wine." Said the other:

"I see myself (in a dream)

Carrying bread on my head,

And birds are eating thereof."

"Tell us" (they said) "the truth

And meaning thereof: for we

See thou art one

That doth good (to all)."

37. He said: "Before any food

Comes (in due course)

To feed either of you,

I will surely reveal

To you the truth

And meaning of this

Ere it befall you

That is part of the (Duty)

Which my Lord hath taught me.

I have (I assure you)

Abandoned the ways

Of a people that believe not

In God and that (even)

Deny the Hereafter.

38. "And I follow the ways

Of my fathers,--Abraham,

Isaac, and Jacob; and never

Could we attribute any partners

Whatever to God: that (comes)

Of the grace of God to us

And to mankind: yet

Most men are not grateful

39. "O my two companions.

Of the prison! (I ask you):

Are many lords differing

Among themselves better,

Or the One God,

Supreme and Irresistible?

40. "If not Him, ye worship nothing

But names which ye have named,--

Ye and your fathers,--

For which God hath sent down

No authority: the Command

Is for none but God: He

Hath commanded that ye worship

None but Him: that is

The right religion, but

Most men understand not...

41. "O my two companions

Of the prison! As to one

Of you, he will pour out

The wine for his lord to drink:

As for the other, he will

Hang from the cross, and the birds

Will eat from off his head.

(So) hath been decreed

That matter whereof

Ye twain do enquire"...

42. And of the two,

To that one whom he considered

About to be saved, he said:

"Mention me to thy lord."

But Satan made him forget

To mention him to his lord:

And (Joseph) lingered in prison

A few (more) years.

SECTION 6.

43. The king (of Egypt) said:

"I do see (in a vision)

Seven fat kine, whom seven

Lean ones devour,--and seven

Green ears of corn, and seven (others)

Withered. O ye chiefs!

Expound to me my vision

If it be that ye can

Interpret visions."

44. They said: "A confused medley

Of dreams: and we are not

Skilled in the interpretation

Of dreams."

45. But the man who had been

Released, one of the two

(Who had been in prison)

And who now bethought him

After (so long) a space of time,

Said: "I will tell you

The truth of its interpretation:

Send ye me (therefor)."

46."O Joseph!" (he said).

"O man of truth! Expound

To us (the dream)

Of seven fat kine

Whom seven lean ones

Devour, and of seven

Green ears of corn

And (seven) others withered:

That I may return

To the people, and that

They may understand."

47. (Joseph) said: "For seven years

Shall ye diligently sow

As is your wont:

And the harvests that ye reap,

Ye shall leave them in the ear,--

Except a little, of which

Ye shall eat.

48. "Then will come

After that (period)

Seven dreadful (years),

Which will devour

What ye shall have laid by

In advance for them,--

(All) except a little

Which ye shall have

(Specially) guarded.

49. "Then will come

After that (period) a year

In which the people will have

Abundant water, and in which

They will press (wine and oil)."

SECTION 7.

50. So the king said:

"Bring ye him unto me."

But when the messenger

Came to him, (Joseph) said:

"Go thou back to thy lord,

And ask him, "What is

The state of mind

Of the ladies

Who cut their hands?"

For my Lord is

Certainly well aware

Of their snare."

51. (The king) said (to the ladies):

"What was your affair

When ye did seek to seduce

Joseph from his (true) self?"

The ladies said: "God

Preserve us! no evil

Know we against him!"

Said the 'Aziz's wife:

"Now is the truth manifest

(To all): it was I

Who sought to seduce him

From his (true) self:

He is indeed of those

Who are (ever) true (and virtuous).

52. "This (say I), in order that

He may know that I

Have never been false

To him in his absence,

And that God will never

Guide the snare of the false ones.

53. "Nor do I absolve my own self

(Of blame): the (human) soul

Is certainly prone to evil,

Unless my Lord do bestow

His Mercy: but surely

My Lord is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful."

54. So the king said:

"Bring him unto me;

I will take him specially

To serve about my own person."

Therefore when he had spoken

To him, he said:

"Be assured this day,

Thou art, before our own Presence,

With rank firmly established,

And fidelity fully proved!

55. (Joseph) said: "Set me

Over the store-houses

Of the land: I will

Indeed guard them,

As one that knows

(Their importance)."

56. "Thus did we give

Established power to Joseph

In the land, to take possession

Therein as, when, or where

He pleased. We bestow

Of Our mercy on whom

We please, and We suffer not,

To be lost, the reward

Of those who do good.

57. But verily the reward

Of the Hereafter

Is the best, for those

Who believe, and are constant

In righteousness.

SECTION 8.

58. Then came Joseph's brethren:

They entered his presence,

And he knew them,

But they knew him not.

59. And when he had furnished

Them forth with provisions

(Suitable) for them, he said:

"Bring unto me a brother

Ye have, of the same father

As yourselves, (but a different mother):

See ye not that I pay out

Full measure, and that I

Do provide the best hospitality?

60. "Now if ye bring him not

To me, ye shall have

No measure (of corn) from me,

Nor shall ye (even) come

Near me."

61. They said: "We shall

Certainly seek to get

Our wish about him

From his father:

Indeed we shall do it."

62. And (Joseph) told his servants

To put their stock-in-trade

(With which they had bartered)

Into their saddle-bags,

So they should know it only

When they returned to their people,

In order that they

Might come back.

63. Now when they returned

To their father, they said:

"O our father! No more

Measure of grain shall we get

(Unless we take our brother):

So send our brother with us,

That we may get our measure;

And we will indeed

Take every care of him."

64. He said: "Shall I trust you

With him with any result

Other than when I trusted you

With his brother aforetime?

But God is the best

To take care (of him),

And He is the Most Merciful

Of those who show mercy!"

65. Then when they opened

Their baggage, they found

Their stock-in-trade had been

Returned to them. They said:

"O our father! What (more)

Can we desire? This our

Stock-in-trade has been returned

To us: so we shall get

(More) food for our family;

We shall take care of our brother;

And add (at the same time)

A full camel's load (of grain

To our provisions).

This is but a small quantity.

66. (Jacob) said: "Never will I

Send him with you until

Ye swear a solemn oath to me,

In God's name, that ye

Will be sure to bring him back

To me unless ye are yourselves

Hemmed in (and made powerless)."

And when they had sworn

Their solemn oath,

He said: "Over all

That we say, be God

The Witness and Guardian!"

67. Further he said:

"O my sons! enter not

All by one gate: enter ye

By different gates. Not that

I can profit you aught

Against God (with my advice):

None can command except God:

On Him do I put my trust:

And let all that trust

Put their trust on Him."

68. And when they entered

In the manner their father

Had enjoined, it did not

Profit them in the least

Against (the Plan of) God:

It was but a necessity

Of Jacob's soul, which he

Discharged. For he was,

By Our instruction, full

Of knowledge (and experience):

But most men know not.

SECTION 9.

69. Now when they came

Into Joseph's presence,

He received his (full) brother

To stay with him. He said

(To him): "Behold! I am thy (own)

Brother; so grieve not

At aught of their doings."

70. At length when he had furnished

Them forth with provisions

(Suitable) for them, he put

The drinking cup into

His brother's saddle-bag.

Then shouted out a Crier:

"O ye (in) the Caravan!

Behold! ye are thieves,

Without doubt!"

71. They said, turning towards them:

"What is it that ye miss?"

72. They said: "We miss

The great beaker of the king;

For him who produces it,--

Is (the reward of)

A camel load; I

Will be bound by it."

73. (The brothers) said: "By God!

Well ye know that we

Came not to make mischief

In the land, and we are

No thieves!"

74. (The Egyptians) said: "What then

Shall be the penalty of this,

If ye are (proved) to have lied?"

75. They said: "The penalty

Should be that he

In whose saddle-bag

It is found, should be held

(As bondman) to atone

For the (crime). Thus it is

We punish the wrong-doers!"

76. So he began (the search)

With their baggage,

Before (he came to) the baggage

Of his brother: at length

He brought it out of his

Brother's baggage. Thus did We

Plan for Joseph. He could not

Take his brother by the law

Of the king except that God

Willed it (so). We raise

To degrees (of wisdom) whom

We please: but over all

Endued with knowledge is One,

The All-Knowing.

77. They said: "If he steals,

There was a brother of his

Who did steal before (him)."

But these things did Joseph

Keep locked in his heart,

Revealing not the secrets to them.

He (simply) said (to himself):

"Ye are the worse situated;

And God knoweth best

The truth of what ye assert!"

78. They said: "O exalted one!

Behold! he has a father,

Aged and venerable, (who will

Grieve for him); so take

One of us in his place;

For we see that thou art

(Gracious) in doing good."

79. He said: "God forbid

That we take other than him

With whom we found

Our property: indeed

(If we did so), we should

Be acting wrongfully.

SECTION 10.

80. Now when they saw

No hope of his (yielding),

They held a conference in private.

The leader among them said:

"Know ye not that your father

Did take an oath from you

In God's name, and how,

Before this, ye did fail

In your duty with Joseph?

Therefore will I not leave

This land until my father

Permits me, or God

Commands me; and He

Is the best to command.

81. "Turn ye back to your father,

And say, "O our father!

Behold! thy son committed theft!

We bear witness only to what

We know, and we could not

Well guard against the unseen!

82. "Ask at the town where

We have been and the caravan

In which we returned,

And (you will find) we are

Indeed telling the truth."

83. Jacob said: "Nay, but ye

Have yourselves contrived

A story (good enough) for you.

So patience is most fitting

(For me). Maybe God will

Bring them (back) all

To me (in the end).

For He is indeed full

Of knowledge and wisdom.

84. And he turned away from them,

And said: "How great

Is my grief for Joseph!"

And his eyes became white

With sorrow, and he fell

Into silent melancholy.

85. They said: "By God!

(Never) wilt thou cease

To remember Joseph

Until thou reach the last

Extremity of illness,

Or until thou die!"

86. He said: "I only complain

Of my distraction and anguish

To God, and I know from God

That which ye know not...

87. "O my sons! go ye

And enquire about Joseph

And his brother, and never

Give up hope of God's

Soothing Mercy: truly

No one despairs of God's

Soothing Mercy, except

Those who have no faith."

88. Then, when they came

(Back) into (Joseph's) presence

They said: "O exalted one!

Distress has seized us

And our family: we have

(Now) brought but scanty capital:

So pay us full measure,

(We pray thee), and treat it

As charity to us: for God

Doth reward the charitable."

89. He said: "Know ye

How ye dealt with Joseph

And his brother, not knowing

(What ye were doing)?"

90. They said: "Art thou indeed

Joseph?" He said . "I am

Joseph, and this is my brother:

God has indeed been gracious

To us (all): behold, he that is

Righteous and patient,--never

Will God suffer the reward

To be lost, of those

Who do right."

91. They said: "By God! Indeed

Has God preferred thee

Above us, and we certainly

Have been guilty of sin!"

92. He said: "This day

Let no reproach be (cast)

On you; God will forgive you,

And He is the Most Merciful

Of those who show mercy!

93. "Go with this my shirt,

And cast it over the face

Of my father: he will

Come to see (clearly). Then come

Ye (here) to me together

With all your family."

SECTION 11.

94. When the Caravan left (Egypt),

Their father said: "I do indeed

Scent the presence of Joseph:

Nay, think me not a dotard."

95. They said: "By God!

Truly thou art in

Thine old wandering mind."

96. Then when the bearer

Of the good news came,

He cast (the shirt)

Over his face, and he

Forthwith regained clear sight.

He said: "Did I not say

To you, "I know from God

That which ye know not?"

97. They said: "O our father!

Ask for us forgiveness

For our sins, for we

Were truly at fault."

98. He said: "Soon will I

Ask my Lord for forgiveness

For you: for He is indeed

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

99. Then when they entered

The presence of Joseph,

He provided a home

For his parents with himself,

And said: "Enter ye

Egypt (all) in safety

If it please God."

100. And he raised his parents

High on the throne (of dignity),

And they fell down in prostration,

(All) before him. He said:

"O my father! this is

The fulfilment of my vision

Of old! God hath made it

Come true! He was indeed

Good to me when He

Took me out of prison

And brought you (all here)

Out of the desert,

(Even) after Satan had sown

Enmity between me and my brothers.

Verily my Lord understandeth

Best the mysteries of all

that He planneth to do.

For verily He is full

Of knowledge and wisdom.

101."O my Lord! Thou hast

Indeed bestowed on me

Some power, and taught me

Something of the interpretation

Of dreams and events,--O Thou

Creator of the heavens

And the earth! Thou art

My Protector in this world

And in the Hereafter.

Take Thou my soul (at death)

As one submitting to Thy Will

(As a Muslim), and unite me

With the righteous."

102. Such is one of the stories

Of what happened unseen,

Which We reveal by inspiration

Unto thee: nor wast thou

(Present) with them when they

Concerted their plans together

In the process of weaving their plots.

103. Yet no faith will

The greater part of mankind

Have, however ardently

Thou dost desire it.

104. And no reward dost thou ask

Of them for this: it is

No less than a Message

For all creatures.

SECTION 12.

105. And how many Signs

In the heavens and the earth

Do they pass by? Yet they

Turn (their faces) away from them!

106. And most of them

Believe not in God

Without associating (others

As partners) with Him!

107. Do they then feel secure

From the coming against them

Of the covering veil

Of the wrath of God,

Or of the coming against them

Of the (final) Hour

All of a sudden

While they perceive not?

108. Say thou: "This is my Way:

I do invite unto God,

On evidence clear as

The seeing with one's eyes,--

I and whoever follows me.

Glory to God! and never

Will I join gods with God!"

109. Nor did We send before thee

(As apostles) any but men,

Whom We did inspire,--

(Men) living in human habitations.

Do they not travel

Through the earth, and see

What was the end

Of those before them?

But the home of the Hereafter

Is best, for those who do right.

Will ye not then understand?

110. (Respite will be granted)

Until, when the apostles

Give up hope (of their people)

And (come to) think that they

Were treated as liars,

There reaches them Our help,

And those whom We will

Are delivered into safety.

But never will be warded off

Our punishment from those

Who are in sin.

111. There is, in their stories,

Instruction for men endued

With understanding. It is not

A tale invented, but a confirmation

Of what went before it,--

A detailed exposition

Of all things, and a Guide

And a Mercy to any such

As believe.

Sura XIII.

Ra'd, or Thunder.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M. R. These are

The Signs (or Verses)

Of the Book: that which

Hath been revealed unto thee

From thy Lord is the Truth;

But most men believe not.

2. God is He Who raised

The heavens without any pillars

That ye can see; is firmly

Established on the Throne (of Authority);

He has subjected the sun

And the moon (to his Law)!

Each one runs (its course)

For a term appointed.

He doth regulate all affairs,

Explaining the Signs in detail,

That ye may believe with certainty

In the meeting with your Lord.

3. And it is He Who spread out

The earth, and set thereon

Mountains standing firm,

And (flowing) rivers: and fruit

Of every kind He made

In pairs, two and two:

He draweth the Night as a veil

O'er the Day. Behold, verily

In these things there are Signs

For those who consider!

4. And in the earth are tracts

(Diverse though) neighbouring,

And gardens of vines

And fields sown with corn,

And palm trees--growing

Out of single roots or otherwise:

Watered with the same water,

Yet some of them We make

More excellent than others to eat.

Behold, verily in these things

There are Signs for those

Who understand!

5. If thou dost marvel

(At their want of faith),

Strange is their saying:

"When we are (actually) dust,

Shall we indeed then be

In a creation renewed?" They are

Those who deny their Lord! They

Are those round whose necks

Will be yokes (of servitude):

They will be Companions

Of the Fire, to dwell therein

(For aye)!

6. They ask thee to hasten on

The evil in preference to the good:

Yet have come to pass,

Before them, (many) exemplary

Punishments! But verily

Thy Lord is full of forgiveness

For mankind for their wrong-doing,

And verily thy Lord

Is (also) strict in punishment.

7. And the Unbelievers say:

"Why is not a Sign sent down

To him from his Lord?

But thou art truly

A warner, and to every people

A guide.

SECTION 2.

8. God doth know what

Every female (womb) doth bear,

By how much the wombs

Fall short (of their time

Or number) or do exceed.

Every single thing is before

His sight, in (due) proportion.

9. He knoweth the Unseen

And that which is open:

He is the Great,

The most High.

10. It is the same (to Him)

Whether any of you

Conceal his speech or

Declare it openly;

Whether he lie hid by night

Or walk forth freely by day.

11. For each (such person)

There are (angels) in succession,

Before and behind him:

They guard him by command

Of God. Verily never

Will God change the condition

Of a people until they

Change it themselves

(With their own souls).

But when (once) God willeth

A people's punishment,

There can be no

Turning it back, nor

Will they find, besides Him,

Any to protect

12. It is He Who doth show you

The lightning, by way

Both of fear and of hope:

It is He Who doth raise up

The clouds, heavy

With (fertilising) rain!

13. Nay, thunder repeateth His praises,

And so do the angels, with awe:

He flingeth the loud-voiced

Thunder-bolts, and therewith

He striketh whomsoever He will...

Yet these (are the men)

Who (dare to) dispute

About God, with the strength

Of His power (supreme)!

14. For Him (alone) is prayer

In Truth: any others that they

Call upon besides Him hear them

No more than if they were

To stretch forth their hands

For water to reach their mouths

But it reaches them not:

For the prayer of those

Without Faith is nothing

But (futile) wandering (in the mind).

15. Whatever beings there are

In the heavens and the earth

Do prostrate themselves to God

(Acknowledging subjection),--with good-will

Or in spite of themselves:

So do their shadows

In the mornings and evenings.

16. Say: "Who is the Lord and Sustainer

Of the heavens and the earth?"

Say: "(It is) God."

Say: "Do ye then take

(For worship) protectors other

Than Him, such as have

No power either for good

Or for harm to themselves?"

Say: "Are the blind equal

With those who see?

Or the depths of darkness

Equal with Light?"

Or do they assign to God

Partners who have created

(Anything) as He has created,

So that the creation seemed

To them similar?

Say: "God is the Creator

Of all things: He is

The One, the Supreme and

Irresistible."

17. He sends down water

From the sides, and the channels

Flow, each according to its measure:

But the torrent bears away

The foam that mounts up

To the surface. Even so,

Form that (ore) which they heat

In the fire, to make ornaments

Or utensils therewith,

There is a scum likewise.

Thus doth God (by parables)

Show forth Truth and Vanity.

For the scum disappears

Like froth cast out;

While that which is for the good

Of mankind remains

On the earth. Thus doth God

Set forth parables.

18. For those who respond

To their Lord, are (all)

Good things. But those

Who respond not to Him,

Even if they had all

That is in the heavens

And on earth, and as much more,

(In vain) would they offer it

For ransom. For them

Will the reckoning be terrible:

Their abode will be Hell,----

What a bed of misery!

SECTION 3.

19. Is then one who doth know

That that which hath been

Revealed unto thee

From thy Lord is the Truth,

Like one who is blind?

It is those who are

Endued with understanding

That receive admonition;--

20. Those who fulfil the Covenant

Of God and fail not

In their plighted word;

21. Those who join together

Those things which God

Hath commanded to be joined,

Hold their Lord in awe,

And fear the terrible reckoning;

22. Those who patiently persevere,

Seeking the countenance of their Lord;

Establish regular prayers; spend,

Out of (the gifts) We have bestowed

For their sustenance, secretly

And openly; and turn off Evil

With good: for such there is

The final attainment

Of the (Eternal) Home,--

23. Gardens of perpetual bliss:

They shall enter there,

As well as the righteous

Among their fathers, their spouses,

And their offspring:

And angels shall enter unto them

From every gate (with the salutation):

24. "Peace unto you for that ye

Persevered in patience! Now

How excellent is the final Home!"

25. But those who break

The Covenant of God, after

Having plighted their word thereto,

And cut asunder those things

Which God has commanded

To be joined, and work mischief

In the land;--on them

Is the Curse; for them

Is the terrible Home!

26. God doth enlarge, or grant

By (strict) measure, the Sustenance

(Which He giveth) to whomso

He pleaseth. (The worldly) rejoice

In the life of this world:

But the life of this world

Is but little comfort

In the Hereafter.

SECTION 4.

27. The Unbelievers say: "Why

Is not a Sign sent down

To him from his Lord?"

Say: "Truly God leaveth,

To stray, whom He will;

But He guideth to Himself

Those who turn to Him

In penitence,--

28. "Those who believe, and whose hearts

Find satisfaction in the remembrance

Of God: for without doubt

In the remembrance of God

Do hearts find satisfaction.

29. "For those who believe

And work righteousness,

Is (every) blessedness,

And a beautiful place

Of (final) return."

30. Thus have We sent thee

Amongst a People before whom

(Long since) have (other) Peoples

(Gone and) passed away;

In order that thou mightest

Rehearse unto them what We

Send down unto thee by inspiration;

Yet do they reject (Him),

The Most Gracious!

Say: "He is my Lord!

There is no god but He!

On Him is my trust,

And to Him do I turn!"

31. If there were a Qur-an

With which mountains were moved,

Or the earth were cloven asunder,

Or the dead were made to speak,

(This would be the one!)

But, truly, the Command is

With God in all things!'

Do not the Believers know,

That, had God (so) willed,

He could have guided

All mankind (to the Right)?

But the Unbelievers,--never

Will disaster cease to seize

Them for their (ill) deeds,

Or to settle close to their homes,

Until the promise of God

Come to pass, for, verily,

God will not fail

In His promise.

SECTION 5.

32. Mocked were (many) apostles

Before thee: but I granted

Respite to the Unbelievers,

And finally I punished them:

Then how (terrible) was My requital!

33. Is then He Who standeth

Over every soul (and knoweth)

All that it doth,

(Like any others)? And yet

They ascribe partners to God.

Say: "But name them!

Is it that ye will

Inform Him of something

He knoweth not on earth,

Or is it (just) a show

Of words?" Nay! to those

Who believe not, their pretence

seems pleasing, but they are

Kept back (thereby) from the Path.

And those whom God leaves

To stray, no one can guide.

34. For them is a Penalty

In the life of this world,

But harder, truly, is the Penalty

Of the Hereafter: and defender

Have they none against God.

35. The parable of the Garden

Which the righteous are promised!--

Beneath it flow rivers:

Perpetual is the enjoyment thereof

And the shade therein:

Such is the End

Of the Righteous; and the End

Of Unbelievers is the Fire.

36. Those to whom We have

Given the Book rejoice

At what hath been revealed

Unto thee: but there are

Among the clans those who reject

A part thereof. Say:

"I am commanded to worship

God, and not to join partners

With Him. Unto him

Do I call, and

Unto Him is my return."

37. Thus have We revealed it

To be a judgment of authority

In Arabic. Wert thou to follow

Their (vain) desires after the knowledge

Which hath reached thee,

Then wouldst thou find

Neither protector nor defender

Against God.

SECTION 6.

38. We did send apostles

Before thee, and appointed

For them wives and children:

And it was never the part

Of an apostle to bring a Sign

Except as God permitted

(Or commanded). For each period

Is a Book (revealed).

39. God doth blot out

Or confirm what He pleaseth:

With Him is

The Mother of the Book.

40. Whether We shall show thee

(Within thy life-time)

Part of what We promised them

Or take to ourselves thy soul

(Before it is all accomplished),--

Thy duty is to make

(The Message) reach them:

It is Our part

To call them to account.

41. See they not that We

Gradually reduce the land

(In their control) from its

Outlying borders ? (Where) God

Commands, there is none

To put back His command:

And He is Swift

In calling to account.

42. Those before them did (also)

Devise plots; but in all things

The master-planning is God's.

He knoweth the doings

Of every soul: and soon

Will the Unbelievers know

Who gets home in the End.

43. The Unbelievers say: "No apostle

Art thou." Say: "Enough

For a witness between me

And you is God, and such

As have knowledge of the Book."

Sura XIV.

Ibrahim, or Abraham.

In the name of God, Most Gracious

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. R. A Book

Which We have revealed

Unto thee, in order that

Thou mightest lead mankind

Out of the depths of darkness

Into light--by the leave

Of their Lord--to the Way

Of (Him) the Exalted in Power,

Worthy of all Praise!--

2. Of God, to Whom do belong

All things in the heavens

And on earth!

But alas for the Unbelievers

For a terrible Penalty

(Their Unfaith will bring them)!--

3. Those who love the life

Of this world more than

The Hereafter, who hinder (men)

From the Path of God

And seek therein something crooked:

They are astray

By a long distance.

4. We sent not an apostle

Except (to teach) in the language

Of his (own) people, in order

To make (things) clear to them.

Now God leaves straying

Those whom He pleases

And guides whom He pleases:

And He is Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom.

5. We sent Moses with Our Signs

(And the command). "Bring out

Thy people from the depths

Of darkness into light,

And teach them to remember

The Days of God." Verily

In this there are Signs

For such as are firmly patient

And constant,--grateful and appreciative.

6. Remember! Moses said

To his people: "Call to mind

The favour of God to you

When He delivered you

From the people of Pharaoh:

They set you hard tasks

And punishments, slaughtered

Your sons, and let your women-folk

Live: therein was

A tremendous trial from your Lord."

SECTION 2.

7. And remember! your Lord

Caused to be declared (publicly):

"If ye are grateful, I will

Add more (favours) unto you;

But if ye show ingratitude,

Truly my punishment

Is terrible indeed."

8. And Moses said: "If ye

Show ingratitude, ye and all

On earth together,--yet

Is God Free of all wants,

Worthy of all praise.

9. Has not the story

Reached you, (O people!), of those

Who (went) before you?--

Of the People of Noah,

And 'Ad, and Thamud?--

And of those who (came)

After them? None knows them

But God. To them came

Apostles with Clear (Signs);

But they put their hands

Up to their mouths, and said:

"We do deny (the mission)

On which ye have been sent,

And we are really

In suspicious (disquieting) doubt

As to that to which

Ye invite us."

10. Their apostles said: "Is there

A doubt about God,

The Creator of the heavens

And the earth? It is He

Who invites you, in order

That He may forgive you

Your sins and give you

Respite for a term appointed!"

They said: "Ah! ye are

No more than human,

Like ourselves! Ye wish

To turn us away from

The (gods) our fathers

Used to worship: then

Bring us some clear authority."

11. Their apostles said to them:

"True, we are human

Like yourselves, but God

Doth grant His grace

To such of His servants

As He pleases. It is not

For us to bring you

An authority except as God

Permits. And on God

Let all men of faith

Put their trust.

12. "No reason have we why

We should not put our trust

On God. Indeed He

Has guided us to the Ways

We (follow). We shall certainly

Bear with patience all

The hurt you may cause us.

For those who put their trust

Should put their trust on God."

SECTION 3.

13. And the Unbelievers said

To their apostles: "Be sure

We shall drive you out

Of our land, or ye shall

Return to our religion."

But their Lord inspired

(This Message) to them:

"Verily We shall cause

The wrong-doers to perish!

14. "And verily We shall

Cause you to abide

In the land, and succeed them.

This for such as fear

The Time when they shall stand

Before My tribunal,--such

As fear the Punishment denounced."

15. But they sought victory and decision

(There and then), and frustration

Was the lot of every

Powerful obstinate transgressor.

16. In front of such a one

Is Hell, and he is given,

For drink, boiling fetid water.

17. In gulps will he sip it,

But never will he be near

Swallowing it down his throat:

Death will come to him

From every quarter, yet

Will he not die: and

In front of him will be

A chastisement unrelenting.

18. The parable of those who

Reject their Lord is that

Their works are as ashes,

On which the wind blows

Furiously on a tempestuous day:

No power have they over

Aught that they have earned:

That is the straying

Far, far (from the goal).

19. Seest thou not that God

Created the heavens and the earth

In Truth? If He so will,

He can remove you

And put (in your place)

A new Creation?

20. Nor is that for God

Any great matter.

21. They will all be marshalled

Before God together: then

Will the weak say to those

Who were arrogant, "For us,

We but followed you; can ye

Then avail us at all

Against the Wrath of God?"

They will reply, "If we

Had received the guidance

Of God, we should have

Given it to you: to us

It makes no difference (now)

Whether we rage, or bear

(These torments) with patience:

For ourselves there is no way

Of escape."

SECTION 4.

22. And Satan will say

When the matter is decided:

"It was God Who gave you

A promise of Truth: I too

Promised, but I failed

In my promise to you.

I had no authority over you

Except to call you, but ye

Listened to me: then

Reproach not me, but reproach

Your own souls. I cannot listen

To your cries, nor can ye

Listen to mine. I reject

Your former act in associating

Me with God.

For wrong-doers there must be

A grievous Penalty."

23. But those who believe

And work righteousness

Will be admitted to Gardens

Beneath which rivers flow,--

To dwell therein for aye

With the leave of their Lord.

Their greeting therein

Will be: "Peace!"

24. Seest thou not how

God sets forth a parable?--

A goodly Word

Like a goodly tree,

Whose root is firmly fixed,

And its branches (reach)

To the heavens,--

25. It brings forth its fruit

At all times, by the leave

Of its Lord.

So God sets forth parables

For men, in order that

They may receive admonition.

26. And the parable

Of an evil Word

Is that of an evil tree:

It is torn up by the root

From the surface of the earth:

It has no stability.

27. God will establish in strength

Those who believe, with the Word

That stands firm, in this world

And in the Hereafter; but God

Will leave, to stray, those

Who do wrong: God doeth

What He willeth.

SECTION 5.

28, Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those who

Have changed the favour of God.

Into blasphemy and caused

Their people to descend

To the House of Perdition?--

29. Into Hell? They will burn

Therein,--an evil place

To stay in!

30. And they set up (idols)

As equal to God, to mislead

(Men) from the Path! Say:

"Enjoy (your brief power)!

But verily ye are making

Straightway for Hell!"

31. Speak to my servants

Who have believed,

That they may establish

Regular prayers, and spend

(In charity) out of the Sustenance

We have given them,

Secretly and openly, before

The coming of a Day

In which there will be

Neither mutual bargaining

Nor befriending.

32. It is God Who hath created

The heavens and the earth

And sendeth down rain

From the skies, and with it

Bringeth out fruits wherewith

To feed you; it is He

Who hath made the ships subject

To you, that they may sail

Through the sea by His Command;

And the rivers (also)

Hath He made subject to you.

33. And He hath made subject

To you the sun and the moon,

Both diligently pursuing

Their courses; and the Night

And the Day hath He (also)

Made subject to you.

34. And He giveth you

Of all that ye ask for.

But if ye count the favours

Of God, never will ye

Be able to number them.

Verily, man is given up

To injustice and ingratitude.

SECTION 6.

35. Remember Abraham said:

"O my Lord! make this city

One of peace and security:

And preserve me and my sons

From worshipping idols.

36. "O my Lord! they have indeed

Led astray many among mankind;

He then who follows my (ways)

Is of me, and he that

Disobeys me,--but Thou

Art indeed Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

37. "O our Lord! I have made

Some of my offspring to dwell

In a valley without cultivation,

By Thy Sacred House;

In order, O our Lord, that they

May establish regular Prayer:

So till the hearts of some

Among men with love towards them,

And feed them with Fruits:

So that they may give thanks.

38. "O our Lord! truly Thou

Dost know what we conceal

And what we reveal:

For nothing whatever is hidden

From God, whether on earth

Or in heaven.

39. "Praise be to God, Who hath

Granted unto me in old age

Isma'il and Isaac: for truly

My Lord is He, the Hearer

Of Prayer!

40. "O my Lord! make me

One who establishes regular Prayer,

And also (raise such)

Among my offspring

O our Lord!

And accept Thou my Prayer.

41. "O our Lord! cover (us)

With Thy Forgiveness--me,

My parents, and (all) Believers,

On the Day that the Reckoning

Will be established!

SECTION 7.

42. Think not that God

Doth not heed the deeds

Of those who do wrong.

He but giveth them respite

Against a Day when

The eyes will fixedly stare

In horror,--

43. They running forward

With necks outstretched,

Their heads uplifted, their gaze

Returning not towards them,

And their hearts a (gaping) void!

44. So warn mankind

Of the Day when the Wrath

Will reach them: then will

The wrong-doers say: "Our Lord!

Respite us (if only)

For a short Term: we will

Answer Thy Call, and follow

The apostles!"

"What! were ye not wont

To swear aforetime that ye

Should suffer no decline?

45. "And ye dwelt in the dwellings

Of men who wronged their own

Souls; ye were clearly shown

How We dealt with them;

And We put forth (many) Parables

In your behoof!"

46. Mighty indeed were the plots

Which they made, but their plots

Were (well) within the sight

Of God, even though they were

Such as to shake the hills!

47. Never think that God would fail

His apostles in His promise:

For God is Exalted in Power,--

The Lord of Retribution.

48. One day the Earth will be

Changed to a different Earth,

And so will be the Heavens,

And (men) will be marshalled

Forth, before God, the One,

The Irresistible;

49. And thou wilt see

The Sinners that day

Bound together in fetters;--

50. Their garments of liquid pitch,

And their faces covered with Fire;

51. That God may requite

Each soul according

To its deserts;

And verily God is Swift

In calling to account.

52. Here is a Message for mankind:

Let them take warning therefrom,

And let them know that He

Is (no other than) One God

Let men of understanding

Take heed.

Sura XV.

Al-Hijr, or The Rocky Tract.

In the name of God, Most Gracious;

Most Merciful

1. A. L. R. These are

The Ayats of Revelation,--

Of a Qur-an

That makes things clear.

2. Again and again will those

Who disbelieve, wish that they

Had bowed (to God's Will)

In Islam.

3. Leave them alone, to enjoy

(The good things of this life)

And to please themselves:

Let (false) Hope amuse them: soon

Will knowledge (undeceive them).

4. Never did We destroy

A population that had not

A term decreed and assigned

Beforehand.

5. Neither can a people anticipate

Its Term, nor delay it.

6. They say: "O thou to whom

The Message is being revealed!

Truly thou art mad (or possessed)!

7. "Why bringest thou not

Angels to us if it be

That thou hast the Truth?"

8. We send not the angels

Down except for just cause:

If they came (to the ungodly),

Behold! no respite would they have!

9. We have, without doubt,

Sent down the Message;

And We will assuredly

Guard it (from corruption).

10. We did send apostles before thee

Amongst the religious sects

Of old:

11. But never came an apostle

To them but they mocked him.

12. Even so do we let it creep

Into the hearts of the sinners--

13. That they should not believe

In the (Message); but the ways

Of the ancients have passed away.

14. Even if We opened out to them

A gate from heaven,

And they were to continue

(All day) ascending therein,

15. They would only say:

"Our eyes have been intoxicated:

Nay, we have been bewitched

By sorcery."

SECTION 2.

16. It is We Who have set out

The Zodiacal Signs in the heavens,

And made them fair-seeming

To (all) beholders;

17. And (moreover) We have guarded them

From every evil spirit accursed:

18. But any that gains a hearing

By stealth, is pursued

By a flaming fire, bright (to see).

19. And the earth We have spread out

(Like a carpet); set thereon

Mountains firm and immovable;

And produced therein all kinds

Of things in due balance.

20. And We have provided therein

Means of subsistence,--for you

And for those for whose sustenance

Ye are not responsible.

21. And there is not a thing

But its (sources and) treasures

(Inexhaustible) are with Us;

But We only send down

Thereof in due and ascertainable measures.

22. And We send the fecundating winds,

Then cause the rain to descend

From the sky, therewith providing

You with water (in abundance),

Though ye are not the guardians

Of its stores.

23. And verily, it is We

Who give life, and Who give

Death: it is We Who remain Inheritors

(After all else passes away).

24. To Us are known those of you

Who hasten forward, and those

Who lag behind.

25. Assuredly it is thy Lord

Who will gather them together:

For He is Perfect in Wisdom

And Knowledge.

SECTION 3.

26. We created man from sounding clay,

From mud moulded into shape;

27. And the Jinn race, We had

Created before, from the fire

Of a scorching wind.

28. Behold! thy Lord said

To the angels: "I am about

To create man, from sounding clay

From mud moulded into shape;

29. "When I have fashioned him

(In due proportion) and breathed

Into him of My spirit,

Fall ye down in obeisance

Unto him.

30. So the angels prostrated themselves,

All of them together:

31. Not so Iblis: he refused to be

Among those who prostrated themselves.

32. (God) said: "O Iblis!

What is your reason

For not being among those

Who prostrated themselves?"

33. (Iblis) said: "I am not one

To prostrate myself to man,

Whom Thou didst create

From sounding clay, from mud

Moulded into shape."

34. (God) said: "Then get thee out

From here; for thou art

Rejected, accursed.

35. "And the Curse shall be

On thee till the Day of Judgment."

36. (Iblis) said: "O my Lord!

Give me then respite

Till the Day

The (dead) are raised."

37. (God) said: "Respite

Is granted thee--

38. "Till the Day

Of the Time Appointed."

39. (Iblis) said: "O my Lord!

Because Thou hast put me

In the wrong, I will

Make (wrong) fair-seeming

To them on the earth,

And I will put them

All in the wrong,--

40. "Except Thy servants among them,

Sincere and purified

(By Thy grace)."

41. (God) said: "This (Way

Of My sincere servants) is

Indeed a Way that leads

Straight to Me.

42. "For over My servants

No authority shalt thou

Have, except such as

Put themselves in the wrong

And follow thee."

43. And verily, Hell

Is the promised abode

For them all!

44. To it are seven Gates:

For each of those Gates

Is a (special) class

(Of sinners) assigned.

SECTION 4.

45. The righteous (will be)

Amid Gardens

And fountains

(Of clear-flowing water).

46. (Their greeting will be):

"Enter ye here

In Peace and Security."

47. And We shall remove

From their hearts any

Lurking sense of injury:

(They will be) brothers

(Joyfully) facing each other

On thrones (of dignity).

48. There no sense of fatigue

Shall touch them,

Nor shall they (ever)

Be asked to leave.

49. Tell My servants

That I am indeed

The Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful;

50. And that My Penalty

Will be indeed

The most grievous Penalty.

51. Tell them about

The guests of Abraham.

52. When they entered his presence

And said, "Peace!"

He said, "We feel

Afraid of you!"

53. They said: "Fear not!

We give thee glad tidings

Of a son endowed

With wisdom."

54. He said: "Do ye give me

Glad tidings that old age

Has seized me? Of what,

Then, is your good news?"

55. They said: "We give thee

Glad tidings in truth:

Be not then in despair!"

56. He said: "And who

Despairs of the mercy

Of his Lord, but such

As go astray?"

57. Abraham said: "What then

Is the business on which

Ye (have come), O ye

Messengers (of God)?"

58. They said: "We have been

Sent to a people

(Deep) in sin,

59. "Excepting the adherents

Of Lut: them we are certainly

(Charged) to save (from harm),--

All--

60. "Except his wife, who,

We have ascertained,

Will be among those

Who will lag behind."

SECTION 5.

61. At length when the messengers

Arrived among the adherents

Of Lut,

62. He said: "Ye appear

To be uncommon folk."

63. They said: "Yea,

We have come to thee

To accomplish that

Of which they doubt.

64. "We have brought to thee

That which is inevitably

Due, and assuredly

We tell the truth.

65. "Then travel by night

With thy household,

When a portion of the night

(Yet remains), and do thou

Bring up the rear:

Let no one amongst you

Look back, but pass on

Whither ye are ordered."

66. And We made known

This decree to him,

That the last remnants

Of those (sinners) should be

Cut off by the morning.

67. The inhabitants of the City

Came in (mad) joy

(At news of the young men).

68. Lut said: "These are

My guests: disgrace me not:

69. "But fear God,

And shame me not."

70. They said: "Did we not

Forbid thee (to speak)

For all and sundry?"

71. He said: "There are

My daughters (to marry),

If ye must act (so)."

72. Verily, by thy life (O Prophet),

In their wild intoxication,

They wander in distraction,

To and fro.

73. But the (mighty) Blast

Overtook them before morning;

74. And We turned (the Cities)

Upside down, and rained down

On them brimstones

Hard as baked clay.

75. Behold! in this are Signs

For those who by tokens

Do understand.

76. And the (Cities were)

Right on the high-road.

77. Behold! in this

Is a Sign

For those who believe!

78. And the Companions of the Wood

Were also wrong-doers;

79. So We exacted retribution

From them. They were both

On an open highway,

Plain to see.

SECTION 6.

80. The Companions of the Rocky Tract

Also rejected the apostles:

81. We sent them Our Signs,

But they persisted

In turning away from them.

82. Out of the mountains

Did they hew (their) edifices,

(Feeling themselves) secure.

83. But the (mighty) Blast

Seized them of a morning,

84. And of no avail to them

Was all that they did

(With such art and care)!

85. We created not the heavens,

The earth, and all between them,

But for just ends.

And the Hour is surely

Coming (when this will be manifest).

So overlook (any human faults)

With gracious forgiveness.

86. For verily it is thy Lord

Who is the Master-Creator,

Knowing all things.

87. And We have bestowed

Upon thee the Seven

Oft-repeated (Verses)

And the Grand Qur-an.

88. Strain not thine eyes.

(Wistfully) at what We

Have bestowed on certain classes

Of them, nor grieve over them:

But lower thy wing

(in gentleness)

To the Believers.

89. And say: "I am indeed he

That warneth openly

And without ambiguity,"--

90. (Of just such wrath)

As We sent down

On those who divided

(Scripture into arbitrary parts),--

91. (So also on such)

As have made Qur-an

Into shreds (as they please).

92. Therefore, by the Lord,

We will, of a surety,

Call them to account,

93. For all their deeds.

94. Therefore expound openly

What thou art commanded,

And turn away from those

Who join false gods with God.

95. For sufficient are We

Unto thee against those

Who scoff,--

96. Those who adopt, with God,

Another god: but soon

Will they come to know.

97. We do indeed know

How thy heart is distressed

At what they say.

98. But celebrate the praises

Of thy Lord, and be of those

Who prostrate themselves

In adoration.

99. And serve thy Lord

Until there come unto thee

The Hour that is Certain.

Sura XVI.

Nahl or The Bee.

In the name of God Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. (Inevitable) cometh (to pass)

The Command of God:

Seek ye not then

To hasten it: glory to Him,

And far is He above

Having the partners

They ascribe unto Him!

2. He doth send down His angels

With inspiration of His Command,

To such of His servants

As He pleaseth, (saying):

"Warn (Man) that there is

No god but I: so do

Your duty unto Me."

3. He has created the heavens

And the earth for just ends:

Far is He above having

The partners they ascribe to Him!

4. He has created man

From a sperm-drop;

And behold this same (man)

Becomes an open disputer!

5. And cattle He has created

For you (men): from them

Ye derive warmth,

And numerous benefits,

And of their (meat) ye eat.

6. And ye have a sense

Of pride and beauty in them

As ye drive them home

In the evening, and as ye

Lead them forth to pasture

In the morning.

7. And they carry your heavy loads

To lands that ye could not

(Otherwise) reach except with

Souls distressed: for your Lord

Is indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful

8. And (He has created) horses,

Mules, and donkeys, for you

To ride and use for show;

And He has created (other) things

Of which ye have no knowledge.

9. and unto God leads straight

The Way, but there are ways

That turn aside: if God

Had willed, He could have

Guided all of you.

SECTION 2.

10. It is He Who sends down

Rain from the sky:

From it ye drink,

And out of it (grows)

The vegetation on which

Ye feed your cattle.

11. With it He produces

For you corn, olives,

Date-palms, grapes,

And every kind of fruit:

Verily in this is a Sign

For those who give thought.

12. He has made subject to you

The Night and the Day;

The Sun and the Moon;

And the Stars are in subjection

By His Command: verily

In this are Signs

For men who are wise.

13. And the things on this earth

Which He has multiplied

In varying colours

(and qualities):

Verily in this is a Sign

For men who celebrate

The praises of God

(in gratitude).

14. It is He Who has made

The sea subject, that ye

May eat thereof flesh

That is fresh and tender,

And that ye may extract

Therefrom ornaments to wear;

And thou seest the ships

Therein that plough the waves,

That ye may seek (thus)

Of the bounty of God

And that ye may be grateful.

15. And He has set up

On the earth mountains

Standing firm, lest it should

Shake with you; and rivers

And roads; that ye

May guide yourselves;

16. And marks and sign-posts;

And by the stars

(Men) guide themselves.

17. Is then He Who creates

Like one that creates not?

Will ye not receive admonition?

18. If ye would count up

The favours of God,

Never would ye be able

To number them: for God

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

19. And God doth know

What ye conceal,

And what ye reveal.

20. Those whom they invoke

Besides God create nothing

And are themselves created.

21. (They are things) dead,

Lifeless: nor do they know

When they will be raised up.

SECTION 3.

22. Your God is One God:

As to those who believe not

In the Hereafter, their hearts

Refuse to know, and they

Are arrogant.

23. Undoubtedly God doth know

What they conceal,

And what they reveal:

Verily He loveth not the arrogant.

24. When it is said to them,

"What is it that your Lord

Has revealed?" they say,

"Tales of the ancients!"

25. Let them bear, on the Day

Of Judgment, their own burdens

In full, and also (something)

Of the burdens of those

Without knowledge, whom they

Misled. Alas, how grievous

The burdens they will bear!

SECTION 4.

26. Those before them did also

Plot (against God's Way):

But God took their structures

From their foundations, and the roof

Fell down on them from above;

And the Wrath seized them

From directions they did not perceive.

27. Then, on the Day of Judgment,

He will cover them

With shame, and say:

"Where are My "partners"

Concerning whom ye used

To dispute (with the godly)?"

Those endued with knowledge

Will say: "This Day, indeed,

Are the Unbelievers covered

With Shame and Misery,--

28. "(Namely) those whose lives the angels

Take in a state of wrong-doing

To their own souls."

Then would they offer submission

(With the pretence), "We did

No evil (knowingly)." (The angels

Will reply), "Nay, but verily

God knoweth all that ye did;

29. "So enter the gates of Hell,

To dwell therein.

Thus evil indeed

Is the abode of the arrogant."

30. To the righteous

(When) it is said, "What

Is it that your Lord

Has revealed?" they say,

"All that is good." To those

Who do good, there is good

In this world, and-the Home

Of the Hereafter is even better

And excellent indeed is the Home

Of the righteous,--

31. Gardens of Eternity which they

Will enter: beneath them

Flow (pleasant) rivers: they

Will have therein all

That they wish: thus doth

God reward the righteous,--

32. (Namely) those whose lives

The angels take in a state

Of purity, saying (to them),

"Peace be on you; enter ye

The Garden, because of (the good)

Which ye did (in the world)."

33. Do the (ungodly) wait until

The angels come to them,

Or there comes the Command

Of thy Lord (for their doom)?

So did those who went

Before them. But God

Wronged them not: nay,

They wronged their own souls.

34. But the evil results

Of their deeds overtook them,

And that very (Wrath)

At which they had scoffed

Hemmed them in.

SECTION 5.

35. The worshippers of false gods

Say: "If God had so willed,

We should not have worshipped

Aught but Him--neither we

Nor our fathers,--nor should

We have prescribed prohibitions

Other than His." So did those

Who went before them.

But what is the mission

Of apostles but to preach

The Clear Message?

36. For We assuredly sent

Amongst every People an apostle,

(With the Command), "Serve

God, and eschew Evil":

Of the people were some whom

God guided, and some

On whom Error became

Inevitably (established). So travel

Through the earth, and see

What was the end of those

Who denied (the Truth).

37. If thou art anxious

For their guidance, yet

God guideth not such

As He leaves to stray,

And there is none

To help them.

38. They swear their strongest oaths

By God, that God will not

Raise up those who die

Nay, but it is a promise

(Binding) on Him in truth:

But most among mankind

Realise it not.

39. (They must be raised up),

In order that He may manifest

To them the truth of that

Wherein they differ, and that

The rejecters of Truth

May realise that they had

Indeed (surrendered to)

Falsehood.

40. For to anything which We

Have willed, We but say

The Word, "Be ", and it is.

SECTION 6.

41. To those who leave

Their homes in the cause

Of God, after suffering

oppression,--

We will assuredly give

A goodly home in this world;

But truly the reward

Of the Hereafter will be greater.

If they only realised (this)!

42. (They are) those who persevere

In patience, and put

Their trust on their Lord.

43. And before thee also

The apostles We sent

Were but men, to whom

We granted inspiration: if ye

Realise this not, ask of those

Who possess the Message.

44. (We sent them) with Clear Signs

And Books of dark prophecies;

And We have sent down

Unto thee (also) the Message;

That thou mayest explain clearly

To men what is sent

For them, and that they

May give thought.

45. Do then those who devise

Evil (plots) feel secure

That God will not cause

the earth to swallow them up,

Or that the Wrath will not

Seize them from directions

They little perceive?--

46. Or that He may not

Call them to account

In the midst of their goings

To and fro, without a chance

Of their frustrating Him?--

47. Or that He may not

Call them to account

By a process of slow wastage--

For thy Lord is indeed

Full of kindness and mercy.

48. Do they not look

At God's creation, (even)

Among (inanimate) things,--

How their (very) shadows

Turn round, from the right

And the left, prostrating

Themselves to God, and that

In the humblest manner?

49. And to God doth obeisance

All that is in the heavens

And on earth, whether

Moving (living) creatures

Or the angels: for none

Are arrogant (before their Lord).

50. They all revere their Lord,

High above them, and they do

All that they are commanded.

SECTION 7.

51. God has said: "Take not

(For worship) two gods:

For He is just One God:

Then fear Me (and Me alone)."

52. To Him belongs whatever

Is in the heavens and on earth,

And to Him is duty due always:

Then will ye fear other

Than God?

53. And ye have no good thing

But is from God: and moreover,

When ye are touched by distress,

Unto Him ye cry with groans;

54. Yet, when He removes

The distress from you, behold!

Some of you turn to other gods

To join with their Lord--

55. (As if) to show their ingratitude

For the favours We have

Bestowed on them! Then enjoy

(Your brief day); but soon

Will ye know (your folly)!

56. And they (even) assign,

To things they do not know,

A portion out of that

Which We have bestowed

For their sustenance!

By God, ye shall certainly

Be called to account

For your false inventions.

57. And they assign daughters

For God!--Glory be to Him!--

And for themselves (sons,

The issue) they desire!

58. When news is brought

To one of them, of (the birth

Of) a female (child), his face

Darkens, and he is filled

With inward grief!

59. With shame does he hide

Himself from his people,

Because of the bad news

He has had!

Shall he retain it

On (sufferance and) contempt,

Or bury it in the dust?

Ah! what an evil (choice)

They decide on?

60. To those who believe not

In the Hereafter, applies

The similitude of evil:

To God applies the highest

Similitude: for He is

The Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom.

SECTION 8.

61. If God were to punish

Men for their wrong-doing,

He would not leave, on the (earth);

A single living creature:

But He gives them respite

For a stated Term:

When their Term expires,

They would not be able

To delay (the punishment)

For a single hour, just as

They would not be able

To anticipate it (for a single hour).

62. They attribute to God

What they hate (for themselves),

And their tongues assert

The falsehood that all good things

Are for themselves: without doubt

For them is the Fire, and they

Will be the first to be

Hastened on into it!

63. By God, We (also) sent

(Our apostles) to Peoples

Before thee; but Satan

Made, (to the wicked),

Their own acts seem alluring:

He is also their patron to-day,

But they shall have

A most grievous penalty.

64. And We sent down the Book

To thee for the express purpose,

That thou shouldst make clear

To them those things in which

They differ, and that it should he

A guide and a mercy

To those who believe.

65. And God sends down rain

From the skies, and gives therewith

Life to the earth after its death:

Verily in this is a Sign

For those who listen.

SECTION 9.

66. And verily in cattle (too)

Will ye find an instructive Sign.

From what is within their bodies,

Between excretions and blood,

We produce, for your drink,

Milk, pure and agreeable

To those who drink it.

67. And from the fruit

Of the date-palm and the vine,

Ye get out wholesome drink

And food: behold, in this

Also is a Sign

For those who are wise.

68. And thy Lord taught the Bee

To build its cells in hills,

On trees, and in (men's) habitations;

69. Then to eat of all

The produce (of the earth),

And find with skill the spacious

Paths of its Lord: there issues

From within their bodies

A drink of varying colours,

Wherein is healing for men:

Verily in this is a Sign

For those who give thought.

70. It is God Who creates you

And takes your souls at death;

And of you there are

Some who are sent back

To a feeble age, so that

They know nothing after

Having known (much):

For God is All-Knowing,

All-Powerful.

SECTION 10.

71. God has bestowed His gifts

Of sustenance more freely on some

Of you than on others: those

More favoured are not going

To throw back their gifts

To those whom their right hands

Possess, so as to be equal

In that respect. Will they then

Deny the favours of God?

72. And God has made for you

Mates (and Companions) of your own nature,

And made for you, out of them,

Sons and daughters and grandchildren,

And provided for you sustenance

Of the best: will they

Then believe in vain things,

And be ungrateful for God's favours?--

73. And worship others than God,--

Such as have no power

Of providing them, for sustenance,

With anything in heavens or earth,

And cannot possibly have

Such power?

74. Invent not similitudes

For God: for God knoweth,

And ye know not.

75. God sets forth the Parable

(Of two men: one) a slave

Under the dominion of another;

He has no power of any sort;

And (the other) a man

On whom We have bestowed

Goodly favours from Ourselves,

And he spends thereof (freely),

Privately and publicly:

Are the two equal?

(By no means;)

Praise be to God. But

Most of them understand not.

76. God sets forth (another) Parable

Of two men: one of them

Dumb, with no power

Of any sort; a wearisome burden

Is he to his master;

Whichever way he directs him,

He brings no good:

Is such a man equal

With one who commands

Justice, and is on

A Straight Way?

SECTION 11.

77. To God belongeth the Mystery

Of the heavens and the earth.

And the Decision of the Hour

(Of Judgment) is as

The twinkling of an eye,

Or even quicker:

For God hath power

Over all things.

78. It is He Who brought you

Forth from the wombs

Of your mothers when

Ye knew nothing; and He

Gave you hearing and sight

And intelligence and affections:

That ye may give thanks

(To God).

79. Do they not look at

The birds, held poised

In the midst of (the air

And) the sky? Nothing

Holds them up but (the power

Of) God. Verily in this

Are Signs for those who believe.

80. It is God Who made your habitations

Homes of rest and quiet

For you; and made for you,

Out of the skins of animals,

(Tents for) dwellings, which

Ye find so light (and handy)

When ye travel and when

Ye stop (in your travels);

And out of their wool,

And their soft fibres

(Between wool and hair),

And their hair, rich stuff

And articles of convenience

(To serve you) for a time.

81. It is God Who made.

Out of the things He created,

Some things to give you shade;

Of the hills He made some

For your shelter; He made you

Garments to protect you

From heat, and coats of mail

To protect you from

Your (mutual) violence.

Thus does He complete

His favours on you, that

Ye may bow to His Will

(In Islam).

82. But if they turn away,

Thy duty is only to preach

The Clear Message.

83. They recognise the favours

Of God; then they deny them;

And most of them

Are (creatures) ungrateful.

SECTION 12.

84. One Day We shall raise

From all Peoples a Witness:

Then will no excuse be accepted

From Unbelievers, nor will they

Receive any favours.

85. When the wrong-doers

(Actually) see the Penalty,

Then will it in no way

Be mitigated, nor will they

Then receive respite.

86. When those who gave partners

To God will see their "partners",

They will say: "Our Lord!

These are our "partners," those

Whom we used to invoke

Besides Thee." But they will

Throw back their word at them

(And say): "Indeed ye are liars!"

87. That day shall they (openly) show

(Their) submission to God; and all

Their inventions shall leave

Them in the lurch.

88. Those who reject God

And hinder (men) from the Path

Of God--for them

Will We add Penalty

To Penalty; for that they

Used to spread mischief.

89. One day We shall raise

From all Peoples a witness

Against them, from amongst themselves:

And We shall bring thee

As a witness against these

(Thy people): and We have sent down

To thee the Book explaining

All things, a Guide, a Mercy,

And Glad Tidings to Muslims.

SECTION 13.

90. God commands justice, the doing

Of good, and liberality to kith

And kin, and He forbids

All shameful deeds, and injustice

And rebellion: He instructs you,

That ye may receive admonition.

91. Fulfil the Covenant of God

When ye have entered into it,

And break not your oaths

After ye have confirmed them;

Indeed ye have made

God your surety; for God

Knoweth all that ye do.

92. And be not like a woman

Who breaks into untwisted strands

The yarn which she has spun,

After it has become strong

Nor take your oaths to practise

Deception between yourselves,

Lest one party should be

More numerous than another:

For God will test you by this;

And on the Day of Judgment

He will certainly make clear

To you (the truth of) that

Wherein ye disagree.

93. If God so willed, He

Could make you all one People:

But He leaves straying

Whom He pleases, and He guides

Whom He pleases: but ye

Shall certainly be called to account

For all your actions.

94. And take not your oaths,

To practise deception between

yourselves,

With the result that someone's foot

May slip after it was

Firmly planted, and ye may

Have to taste the evil

(consequences)

Of having hindered (men)

From the Path of God,

And a mighty Wrath

Descend on you.

95. Nor sell the Covenant of God

For a miserable price:

For with God is (a prize)

Far better for you,

If ye only knew.

96. What is with you must vanish:

What is with God will endure.

And We will certainly bestow,

On those who patiently persevere,

Their reward according to

The best of their actions.

97. Whoever works righteousness,

Man or woman, and has Faith,

Verily, to him will We give

A new Life, a life

That is good and pure, and We

Will bestow on such their reward

According to the best

Of their actions.

98. When thou dost read

The Qur-an, seek God's protection

From Satan the Rejected One.

99. No authority has he over those

Who believe and put their trust

In their Lord.

100. His authority is over those

Only, who take him as patron

And who join partners with God.

SECTION 14.

101. When We substitute one revelation

For another,--and God knows best

What He reveals (in stages),--

They say, "Thou art but a forger":

But most of them understand not.

102. Say, the Holy Spirit has brought

The revelation from thy Lord

In Truth, in order to strengthen

Those who believe, and as a Guide

And Glad Tidings to Muslims.

103. We know indeed that they

Say, "It is a man that.

Teaches him." The tongue

Of him they wickedly point to

Is notably foreign, while this

Is Arabic, pure and clear.

104. Those who believe not

In the Signs of God,--

God will not guide them,

And theirs will be

A grievous Penalty.

105. It is those who believe not

In the Signs of God,

That forge falsehood:

It is they who lie!

106. Any one who, after accepting

Faith in God, utters Unbelief,--

Except under compulsion,

His heart remaining firm

In Faith--but such as

Open their breast to Unbelief,--

On them is Wrath from God,

And theirs will be

A dreadful Penalty.

107. This because they love

The life of this world

Better than the Hereafter:

And God will not guide

Those who reject Faith.

108. Those are they whose hearts,

Ears, and eyes God has sealed up

And they take no heed.

109. Without doubt, in the Hereafter

They will perish.

110. But verily thy Lord,--

To those who leave their homes

After trials and persecutions,--

And who thereafter strive

And fight for the Faith

And patiently persevere,

Thy Lord, after all this

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

SECTION 15.

111. One Day every soul

Will come up struggling

For itself, and every soul

Will be recompensed (fully)

For all its actions, and none

Will be unjustly dealt with.

112. God sets forth a Parable:

A city enjoying security

And quiet, abundantly supplied

With sustenance from every place:

Yet was it ungrateful

For the favours of God:

So God made it taste

Of hunger and terror (in extremes)

(Closing in on it) like a garment

(From every side), because

Of the (evil) which

(Its people) wrought.

113. And there came to them

An Apostle from among themselves,

But they falsely rejected him;

So the Wrath seized them

Even in the midst

Of their iniquities.

114. So eat of the sustenance

Which God has provided

For you, lawful and good;

And be grateful for the favours

Of God, if it is He

Whom ye serve.

115. He has only forbidden you

Dead meat, and blood,

And the flesh of swine,

And any (food) over which

The name of other than God

Has been invoked.

But if one is forced by necessity,

Without wilful disobedience,

Nor transgressing due limits,--

Then God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

116. But say not--for any false thing

That your tongues may put forth,--

"This is lawful, and this

Is forbidden," so as to ascribe

False things to God. For those

Who ascribe false things

To God, will never prosper.

117. (In such falsehood)

Is but a paltry profit;

But they will have

A most grievous Penalty.

118. To the Jews We prohibited

Such things as We have

Mentioned to thee before:

We did them no wrong,

But they were used to

Doing wrong to themselves.

119. But verily thy Lord,--

To those who do wrong

In ignorance, but who

Thereafter repent and make amends,--

Thy Lord, after all this,

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most

Merciful.

SECTION 16.

120. Abraham was indeed a model,

Devoutly obedient to God,

(And) true in faith, and he

Joined not gods with God:

121. He showed his gratitude

For the favours of God,

Who chose him, and guided him

To a Straight Way.

122. And We gave him Good

In this world, and he will be,

In the Hereafter, in the ranks

Of the Righteous,''

123. So We have taught thee

The inspired (message),

"Follow the ways of Abraham

The True in Faith, and he

Joined not gods with God."

124. The Sabbath was only made

(Strict) for those who disagreed

(As to its observance);

But God will judge between them

On the Day of Judgment,

As to their differences,

125. Invite (all) to the Way

Of thy Lord with wisdom

And beautiful preaching;

And argue with them

In ways that are best

And most gracious:

For thy Lord knoweth best,

Who have strayed from His Path,

And who receive guidance.

126. And if ye do catch them out,

Catch them out no worse

Than they catch you out:

But if ye show patience,

That is indeed the best (course)

For those who are patient.

127. And do thou be patient,

For thy patience is but

From God; nor grieve over them:

And distress not thyself

Because of their plots.

128. For God is with those

Who restrain themselves,

And those who do good.

Sura XVII.

Bani Isra-il, or the Children of Israel,

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Glory to (God)

Who did take His Servant

For a Journey by night

From the Sacred Mosque

To the Farthest Mosque,

Whose precincts We did

Bless,--in order that We

Might show him some

Of Our Signs: for He

Is the One Who heareth

And seeth (all things).

2. We gave Moses the Book,

And made it a Guide

To the Children of Israel,

(Commanding): "Take not

Other than Me

As Disposer of (your) affairs."

3. O ye that are sprung

From those whom We carried

(In the Ark) with Noah!

Verily he was a devotee

Most grateful.

4. And We gave (clear) warning

To the Children of Israel

In the Book, that twice

Would they do mischief

On the earth and be elated

With mighty arrogance

(And twice would they be punished)!

5. When the first of the warnings

Came to pass, We sent

Against you Our servants

Given to terrible warfare:

They entered the very inmost

Parts of your homes;

And it was a warning

(Completely) fulfilled.

6. Then did We grant you

The Return as against them:

We gave you increase

In resources and sons,

And made you

The more numerous

In man-power.

7. If ye did well,

Ye did well for yourselves;

If ye did evil,

(Ye did it) against yourselves?

So when the second

Of the warnings came to pass,

(We permitted your enemies)

To disfigure your faces,

And to enter your Temple

As they had entered it before,

And to visit with destruction

All that fell into their power.

8. It may be that your Lord

May (yet) show Mercy

Unto you; but if ye

Revert (to your sins),

We shall revert

(To Our punishments):

And We have made Hell

A prison for those who

Reject (all Faith),

9. Verily this Qur-an

Doth guide to that

Which is most right (or stable),

And giveth the glad tidings

To the Believers who work

Deeds of righteousness,

That they shall have

A magnificent reward;

10. And to those who believe not

In the Hereafter, (it announceth)

That We have prepared

For them a Penalty

Grievous (indeed).

SECTION 2.

11. The prayer that man

Should make for good,

He maketh for evil;

For man is given to

Hasty (deeds).

12. We have made the Night

And the Day as two

(Of Our) Signs: the Sign

Of the Night have We obscured,

While the Sign of the Day

We have made to enlighten

You; that ye may seek

Bounty from your Lord,

And that ye may know

The number and count

Of the years: all things

Have We explained in detail.

13. Every man's fate

We have fastened

On his own neck:

On the Day of Judgment

We shall bring out

For him a scroll,

Which he will see

Spread open.

14. (It will be said to him:)

"Read thine (own) record:

Sufficient is thy soul

This day to make out

An account against thee."

15. Who receiveth guidance,

Receiveth it for his own

Benefit: who goeth astray

Doth so to his own loss:

No bearer of burdens

Can bear the burden

Of another: nor would We

Visit with Our Wrath

Until We had sent

An apostle (to give warning).

16. When We decide to destroy

A population, We (first) send

A definite order to those

Among them who are given

The good things of this life

And yet transgress; so that

The word is proved true

Against them: then (it is)

We destroy them utterly.

17. How many generations

Have We destroyed. after Noah?

And enough is thy Lord

To note and see

The sins of His servants

18. If any do wish

For the transitory things

(Of this life), We readily

Grant them--such things

As We will, to such persons

As We will: in the end

Have We provided Hell

For them: they will burn

Therein, disgraced and rejected.

19. Those who do wish

For the (things of) the

Hereafter,

And strive therefor

With all due striving,

And have Faith,--

They are the ones

Whose striving is acceptable

(To God).

20. Of the bounties of thy Lord

We bestow freely on all--

These as well as those:

The bounties of thy Lord

Are not closed (to anyone).

21. See how We have bestowed

Sura XVIII.

Kahf, or the Cave.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to God,

Who hath sent to His Servant

The Book, and hath allowed

Therein no Crookedness:

2. (He hath made it) Straight

(And Clear) in order that

He may warn (the godless)

Of a terrible Punishment

From Him, and that He

May give Glad Tidings

To the Believers who work

Righteous deeds, that they

Shall have a goodly Reward,

3. Wherein they shall

Remain for ever:

4. Further; that He may warn

Those (also) who say,

"God hath begotten a son"

5. No knowledge have they

Of such a thing, nor

Had their fathers. It is

A grievous thing that issues

From their mouths as a saying.

What they say is nothing

But falsehood!

6. Thou wouldst only, perchance,

Fret thyself to death,

Following after them, in grief,

If they believe not

In this Message.

7. That which is on earth

We have made but as

A glittering show for the earth,

In order that We may test

Them--as to which of them

Are best in conduct.

8. Verily what is on earth

We shall make but as

Dust and dry soil

(Without growth or herbage).

9. Or dost thou reflect

That the Companions of the Cave

And of the Inscription

Were wonders among Our Signs?

10. Behold, the youths betook themselves

To the Cave: they said,

"Our Lord! bestow on us

Mercy from Thyself,

And dispose of our affair

For us in the right way!"

11. Then We draw (a veil)

Over their ears, for a number

Of years, in the Cave,

(So that they heard not):

12. Then We roused them,

In order to test which

Of the two parties was best

At calculating the term

Of years they had tarried!

SECTION 2.

13. We relate to thee their story

In truth: they were youths

Who believed in their Lord,

And We advanced them In guidance:

14. We gave strength to their hearts:

Behold, they stood up

And said: "Our Lord is

The Lord of the heavens

And of the earth: never

Shall we call upon any god

Other than Him: if we

Did, we should indeed

Have uttered an enormity!

15. "These our people have taken

For worship gods other

Than Him: why do they

Not bring forward an authority

Clear (and convincing)

For what they do?

Who doth more wrong

Than such as invent

A falsehood against God?

16. "When ye turn away

From them and the things

They worship other than God,

Betake yourselves to the Cave:

Your Lord will shower

His mercies on you

And dispose of your affair

Towards comfort and ease."

17. Thou wouldst have seen

The sun, when it rose,

Declining to the right

From their Cave, and when

It set, turning away

From them to the left,

While they lay in the open

Space in the midst

Of the Cave. Such are

Among the Signs of God:

He whom God guides

Is rightly guided; but he

Whom God leaves to stray,--

For him wilt thou find

No protector to lead him

To the Right Way.

SECTION 3.

18. Thou wouldst have deemed them

Awake, whilst they were asleep,

And We turned them

On their right and on

Their left sides: their dog

Stretching forth his two fore-legs

On the threshold: if thou

Hadst come up on to them,

Thou wouldst have certainly

Turned back from them in flight,

And wouldst certainly have been

Filled with terror of them.

19. Such (being their state),

We raised them up (from sleep),

That they might question

Each other. Said one of them,

"How long have ye stayed (here)?"

They said, "We have stayed

(Perhaps) a day, or part

Of a day." (At length)

They (all) said, "God (alone)

Knows best how long

Ye have stayed here...

Now send ye then one of you

With this money of yours

To the town: let him

Find out which is the best

Food (to be had) and bring some

To you, that (ye may)

Satisfy your hunger therewith:

And let him behave

With care and courtesy,

And let him not inform

Any one about you.

20. "For if they should

Come upon you, they would

Stone you or force you

To return to their cult,

And in that case ye would

Never attain prosperity."

21. Thus did We make

Their case known to the people,

That they might know

That the promise of God

Is true, and that there can

Be no doubt about the Hour

Of Judgment. Behold,

They dispute among themselves

As to their affair. (Some) said,

"Construct a building over them":

Their Lord knows best

About them: those who prevailed

Over their affair said,

"Let us surely build a place

Of worship over them."

22. (Some) say they were three,

The dog being the fourth

Among them; (others) say

They were five, the dog

Being the sixth,--doubtfully

Guessing at the unknown;

(Yet others) say they were

Seven, the dog being the eighth.

Say thou: "My Lord

Knoweth best their number;

It is but few that know

Their (real case)." Enter not,

Therefore, into controversies

Concerning them, except

On a matter that is clear,

Nor consult any of them

About (the affair of) the Sleepers.

SECTION 4.

23. Nor say of anything,

"I shall be sure to do

So and so to-morrow"--

24. Without adding, "So please God!"

And call thy Lord to mind

When thou forgettest, and say,

"I hope that my Lord

Will guide me ever closer

(Even) than this

To the right road."

25. So they stayed in their Cave

Three hundred years, and (some)

Add nine (more)

26. Say: "God knows best

How long they stayed:

With Him is (the knowledge

Of) the secrets of the heavens

And the earth: how clearly

He sees, how finely He hears

(Everything)! They have no protector

Other than Him; nor does

He share His Command

With any person whatsoever.

27. And recite (and teach)

What has been revealed

To thee of the Book

Of thy Lord: none

Can change His Words,

And none wilt thou find

As a refuge other than Him.

28. And keep thy soul content

With those who call

On their Lord morning

And evening, seeking

His Face; and let not

Thine eyes pass beyond them,

Seeking the pomp and glitter

Of this Life; nor obey

Any whose heart We

Have permitted to neglect

The remembrance of Us,

One who follows his own

Desires, whose case has

Gone beyond all bounds.

29. Say, "The Truth is

From your Lord":

Let him who will,

Believe, and let him

Who will, reject (it):

For the wrong-doers We

Have prepared a Fire

Whose (smoke and flames),

Like the walls and roof

Of a tent, will hem

Them in: if they implore

Relief they will be granted

Water like melted brass,

That will scald their faces.

How dreadful the drink!

How uncomfortable a couch

To recline on!

30. As to those who believe

And work righteousness,

Verily We shall not suffer

To perish the reward

Of any who do

A (single) righteous deed.

31. For them will be Gardens

Of Eternity; beneath them

Rivers will flow: they will

Be adorned therein

With bracelets of gold,

And they will wear

Green garments of fine silk

And heavy brocade;

They will recline therein

On raised thrones.

How good the recompense!

How beautiful a couch

To recline on!

SECTION 5.

32. Set forth to them

The parable of two men:

For one of them We provided

Two gardens of grape-vines

And surrounded them

With date palms;

In between the two

We placed corn-fields.

33. Each of those gardens

Brought forth its produce,

And failed not in the least

Therein: in the midst

Of them We caused

A river to flow.

34. (Abundant) was the produce

This man had: he said

To his companion, in the course

Of a mutual argument:

"More wealth have I

Than you, and more honour

And power in (my following

Of) men."

35. He went into his garden

In a state (of mind)

Unjust to his soul:

He said, "I deem not

That this will ever perish,

36. "Nor do I deem

That the Hour (of Judgment)

Will (ever) come:

Even if I am brought back

To my Lord, I shall

Surely find (there)

Something better in exchange."

37. His companion said to him,

In the course of the argument

With him: "Dost thou deny

Him Who created thee

Out of dust, then out of

A sperm-drop, then fashioned

Thee into a man?

38. "But (I think) for my part

That He is God,

My Lord, and none shall I

Associate with my Lord.

39. "Why didst thou not,

As thou wentest into

Thy garden, say, "God's Will

(Be done)! There is no power

But with God!" If thou

Dost see me less than

Thee in wealth and sons,

40. "It may be that my Lord

Will give me something

Better than thy garden,

And that He will send

On thy garden thunderbolts

(By way of reckoning)

From heaven, making it

(But) slippery sand!--

41. "Or the water of the garden

Will run off underground

So that thou wilt never

Be able to find it."

42. So his fruits (and enjoyment)

Were encompassed (with ruin),

And he remained twisting

And turning his hands

Over what he had spent

On his property, which had

(Now) tumbled to pieces

To its very foundations,

And he could only say,

"Woe is me! Would I had

Never ascribed partners

To my Lord and Cherisher!"

43. Nor had he numbers

To help him against God,

Nor was he able

To deliver himself.

44. There, the (only) protection comes

From God, the True One.

He is the Best to reward,

And the Best to give success.

SECTION 6.

45. Set forth to them

The similitude of the life

Of this world: it is like

The rain which We send

Down from the skies:

The earth's vegetation absorbs it,

But soon it becomes

Dry stubble, which the winds

Do scatter: it is (only) God

Who prevails over all things.

46. Wealth and sons are allurements

Of the life of this world:

But the things that endure,

Good Deeds, are best

In the sight of thy Lord,

As rewards, and best

As (the foundation for) hopes.

47. One Day We shall

Remove the mountains, and thou

Wilt see the earth

As a level stretch,

And We shall gather them,

All together, nor shall We

Leave out any one of them.

48. And they will be marshalled

Before thy Lord in ranks,

(With the announcement),

"Now have ye come to Us

(Bare) as We created you

First: aye, ye thought

We shall not fulfil

The appointment made to you

To meet (Us)!":

49. And the Book (of Deeds)

Will be placed (before you);

And thou wilt see

The sinful in great terror

Because of what is (recorded)

Therein; they will say,

"Ah! woe to us!

What a book is this!

It leaves out nothing

Small or great, but

Takes account thereof!"

They will find all that they

Did, placed before them:

And not one will thy Lord

Treat with injustice.

SECTION 7.

50. Behold! We said

To the angels, "Bow down

To Adam": they bowed down

Except Iblis. He was

One of the Jinns, and he

Broke the Command

Of his Lord.

Will ye then take him

And his progeny as protectors

Rather than Me? And they

Are enemies to you!

Evil would be the exchange

For the wrong-doers!

51. I called them not

To witness the creation

Of the heavens and the earth,

Nor (even) their own creation:

Nor is it for Me

To take as helpers

Such as lead (men) astray!

52. One Day He will say,

"Call on those whom ye

Thought to be My partners,"

And they will call on them,

But they will not listen

To them; and We shall

Make for them a place

Of common perdition

53. And the Sinful shall see

The Fire and apprehend

That they have to fall

Therein no means will they

Find to turn away therefrom.

SECTION 8.

54. We have explained

In detail in this Qur-an,

For the benefit of mankind,

Every kind of similitude:

But man is, in most things,

Contentious.

55. And what is there

To keep back men

From believing, now that

Guidance has come to them,

Nor from praying for forgiveness

From their Lord, but that

(They ask that) the ways

Of the ancients be repeated

With them, or the Wrath

Be brought to them

Face to face?

56. We only send the apostles

To give glad tidings

And to give warnings

But the Unbelievers dispute

With vain argument, in order

Therewith to weaken the truth,

And they treat My Signs

As a jest, as also the fact

That they are warned!

57. And who doth more wrong

Than one who is reminded

Of the Signs of his Lord,

But turns away from them,

Forgetting the (deeds) which his hands

Have sent forth? Verily We

Have set veils over their hearts

Lest they should understand this,

and over their ears, deafness.

If thou callest them

To guidance, even then

Will they never accept guidance.

58. But your Lord is most forgiving,

Full of Mercy. If he were

To call them (at once) to account

For what they have earned,

then surely He would

Have hastened their Punishment:

But they have their appointed

Time, beyond which they

Will find no refuge.

59. Such were the populations

We destroyed when they

Committed iniquities; but

We fixed an appointed time

For their destruction.

Section 9.

60. Behold, Moses said

To his attendant, "I will not

Give up until I reach

The junction of the two

Seas or (until) I spend

Years and years in travel."

61. But when they reached

The Junction, they forgot

(About) their Fish, which took

Its course through the sea

(Straight) as in a tunnel.

62. When they had passed on

(Some distance), Moses said

To his attendant: "Bring us

Our early meal; truly

We have suffered much fatigue

At this (stage of) our journey."

63. He replied: "Sawest thou

(What happened) when we

Betook ourselves to the rock?

I did indeed forget

(About) the Fish: none but

Satan made me forget

To tell (you) about it:

It took its course through

The sea in a marvellous way!"

64. Moses said: "That was what

We were seeking after:"

So they went back

On their footsteps, following

(The path they had come).

65. So they found one

Of Our servants,

On whom We had bestowed

Mercy from Ourselves

And whom We had taught

Knowledge from Our own

Presence.

66. Moses said to him:

"May I follow thee,

On the footing that

Thou teach me something

Of the (Higher) Truth

Which thou hast been taught?"

67. (The other) said: "Verily

Thou wilt not be able

To have patience with me!

68. "And how canst thou

Have patience about things

About which thy understanding

Is not complete?"

69. Moses said: "Thou wilt

Find me, if God so will,

(Truly) patient: nor shall I

Disobey thee in aught."

70. The other said: "If then

Thou wouldst follow me,

Ask me no questions

About anything until I

Myself speak to thee

Concerning it."

SECTION 10.

71. So they both proceeded:

Until, when they were

In the boat, he scuttled it.

Said Moses: "Hast thou

Scuttled it in order

To drown those in it?

Truly a strange thing

Hast thou done!"

72. He answered: "Did I not

Tell thee that thou canst

Have no patience with me?"

73. Moses said: "Rebuke me not

For forgetting, nor grieve me

By raising difficulties

In my case."

74. Then they proceeded:

Until, when they met

A young man, he slew him.

Moses said: "Hast thou

Slain an innocent person

Who had slain none?

Truly a foul (unheard-of) thing

Hast thou done!"

75. He answered, "Did I not

Tell thee that thou canst

Have no patience with me?"

76. (Moses) said: "If ever I

Ask thee about anything

After this, keep me not

In thy company: then wouldst

Thou have received (full) excuse

From my side.

77. Then they proceeded:

Until, when they came

To the inhabitants of a town,

They asked them for food,

But they refused them

Hospitality. They found there

A wall on the point of

Falling down, but he

Set it up straight.

(Moses) said: "If thou

Hadst wished, surely thou

Couldst have exacted some

Recompense for it!"

78. He answered: "This is

The parting between me

And thee: now will I

Tell thee the interpretation

Of (those things) over which

Thou wast unable

To hold patience.

79. "As for the boat,

It belonged to certain

Men in dire want:

They plied on the water:

I but wished to render it

Unserviceable, for there was

After them a certain king

Who seized on every boat

By force.

80. "As for the youth,

His parents were people

Of Faith, and we feared

That he would grieve them

By obstinate rebellion

And ingratitude (to God and man).

81. "So we desired that

Their Lord would give them

In exchange (a son)

Better in purity (of conduct)

And closer in affection.

82. "As for the wall,

It belonged to two youths,

Orphans, in the Town;

There was, beneath it,

A buried treasure, to which

They were entitled; their father

Had been a righteous man:

So thy Lord desired that

They should attain their age

Of full strength and get out

Their treasure--a mercy

(And favour) from thy Lord.

I did it not of my own

Accord. Such is the interpretation

Of (those things) over which

Thou wast unable

To hold patience."

SECTION 11.

83. They ask thee concerning

Zul-qarnain. Say,

"I will rehearse to you

Something of his story."

84. Verily We established his power

On earth, and We gave him

The ways and the means

To all ends.

85. One (such) way he followed,

86. Until, when he reached

The setting of the sun,

He found it set

In a spring of murky water:

Near it he found a People:

We said: "O Zul-qarnain!

(Thou hast authority,) either

To punish them, or

To treat them with kindness."

87. He said: "Whoever doth wrong,

Him shall we punish; then

Shall he be sent back

To his Lord; and He will

Punish him with a punishment

Unheard-of (before).

88. "But whoever believes,

And works righteousness,--

He shall have a goodly

Reward, and easy will be

His task as we order it

By our command."

89. Then followed he (another) way,

90. Until, when he came

To the rising of the sun,

He found it rising

On a people for whom

We had provided

No covering protection

Against the sun.

91. (He left them) as they were:

We completely understood

What was before him.

92. Then followed he (another) way,

93. Until, when he reached

(A tract) between two mountains,

He found, beneath them, a people

Who scarcely understood a word.

94. They said: "O Zul-qarnain!

The Gog and Magog (people)

Do great mischief on earth:

Shall we then render thee

Tribute in order that

Thou mightest erect a barrier

Between us and them?

95. He said: "(The power) in which

My Lord has established me

Is better (than tribute):

Help me therefore with strength

(And labour): I will

Erect a strong barrier

Between you and them:

96. "Bring me blocks of iron."

At length, when he had

Filled up the space between

The two steep mountain-sides,

He said, "Blow (with your bellows)"

Then, when he had made

It (red) as fire, he said:

"Bring me, that I may

Pour over it, molten lead."

97. Thus were they made

Powerless to scale it

Or to dig through it.

98. He said: "This is

A mercy from my Lord:

But when the promise

Of my Lord comes to pass,

He will make it into dust;

And the promise of

My Lord is true."

99. On that day We shall

Leave them to surge

Like waves on one another

The trumpet will be blown,

And We shall collect them

All together.

100. And We shall present

Hell that day for Unbelievers

To see, all spread out,--

101. (Unbelievers) whose eyes

Had been under a veil

From Remembrance of Me,

And who had been unable

Even to hear.

SECTION 12.

102. Do the Unbelievers think

That they can take

My servants as protectors

Besides Me? Verily We

Have prepared Hell

For the Unbelievers

For (their) entertainment.

103. Say: "Shall we tell you

Of those who lose most

In respect of their deeds?--

104. "Those whose efforts have

Been wasted in this life,

While they thought that

They were acquiring good

By their works?"

105. They are those who deny

The Signs of their Lord

And the fact of their

Having to meet Him

(In the Hereafter): vain

Will be their works,

Nor shall We, on the Day

Of Judgment, give them

Any weight.

106. That is their reward,

Hell; because they rejected

Faith, and took My Signs

And My Messengers

By way of jest.

107. As to those who believe

And work righteous deeds,

They have, for their entertainment,

The Gardens of Paradise,

108. Wherein they shall dwell

(For aye): no change

Will they wish for from them.

109. Say: "If the ocean were

Ink (wherewith to write out)

The words of my Lord,

Sooner would the ocean be

Exhausted than would the words

Of my Lord, even if we

Added another ocean

Like it, for its aid."

110. Say: "I am but a man

Like yourselves, (but)

The inspiration has come

To me, that your God is

One God: whoever expects

To meet his Lord, let him

Work righteousness, and,

In the worship of his Lord,

Admit no one as partner.

Sura XIX.

Maryam, or Mary.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Kaf. Ha. Ya. 'Ain Sad.

2. (This is) a recital

Of the Mercy of thy Lord

To His servant Zakariya.

3. Behold! he cried

To his Lord in secret,

4. Praying: "O my Lord!

Infirm indeed are my bones,

And the hair of my head

Doth glisten with grey:

But never am I unblest,

O my Lord, in my prayer

To Thee!

5. "Now I fear (what)

My relatives (and colleagues)

(Will do) after me:

But my wife is barren:

So give me an heir

As from Thyself,--

6. "(One that) will (truly)

"Represent me, and represent

The posterity of Jacob;

And make him, O my Lord!

One with whom Thou art

Well-pleased!"

7. (His prayer was answered):

"O Zakariya! We give thee

Good news of a son:

His name shall be Yahya:

On none by that name

Have We conferred distinction before."

8. He said: "O my Lord!

How shall I have a son,

When my wife is barren

And I have grown quite decrepit

From old age?"

9. He said: "So (it will be):

Thy Lord saith, "That is

Easy for Me: I did

Indeed create thee before,

When thou hadst been nothing!"

10. (Zakariya) said: "O my Lord!

Give me a Sign."

"Thy Sign," was the answer,

"Shall be that thou

Shalt speak to no man

For three nights,

Although thou art not dumb."

11. So Zakariya came out

To his people

From his chamber:

He told them by signs

To celebrate God's praises

In the morning

And in the evening.

12. (To his son came the command):

"O Yahya! take hold

Of the Book with might":

And We gave him Wisdom

Even as a youth,

13. And pity (for all creatures)

As from us, and purity:

He was devout,

14. And kind to his parents,

And he was not overbearing

Or rebellious.

15. So Peace on him

The day he was born,

The day that he dies,

And the day that he

Will be raised up

To life (again)

SECTION 2.

16. Relate in the Book

(The story of) Mary,

When she withdrew

From her family

To a place in the East.

17. She placed a screen

(To screen herself) from them;

Then We sent to her

Our angel, and he appeared

Before her as a man

In all respects.

18. She said: "I seek refuge

From thee to (God)

Most Gracious: (come not near)

If thou dost fear God."

19. He said: "Nay, I am only

A messenger from thy Lord,

(To announce) to thee

The gift of a holy son."

20. She said: "How shall I

Have a son, seeing that

No man has touched me,

And I am not unchaste?"

21. He said: "So (it will be):

Thy Lord saith, "That is

Easy for Me: and (We

Wish) to appoint him

As a Sign unto men

And a Mercy from Us":

It is a matter

(So) decreed."

22. So she conceived him,

And she retired with him

To a remote place.

23. And the pains of childbirth

Drove her to the trunk

Of a palm-tree:

She cried (in her anguish):

"Ah! would that I had

Died before this! would that

I had been a thing

Forgotten and out of sight!"

24. But (a voice) cried to her

From beneath the (palm-tree):

"Grieve not! for thy Lord

Hath provided a rivulet

Beneath thee;

25. "And shake towards thyself

The trunk of the palm-tree:

It will let fall

Fresh ripe dates upon thee

26. "So eat and drink

And cool (thine) eye.

And if thou dost see

Any man, say, 'I have

Vowed a fast to (God)

Most Gracious, and this day

Will I enter into no talk

With any human being'"

27. At length she brought

The (babe) to her people,

Carrying him (in her arms).

They said: "O Mary!

Truly an amazing thing

Hast thou brought!

28. "O sister of Aaron!

Thy father was not

A man of evil, nor thy

Mother a woman unchaste!"

29. But she pointed to the babe.

They said: "How can we

Talk to one who is

A child in the cradle?"

30. He said: "I am indeed

A servant of God:

He hath given me

Revelation and made me

A prophet;

31. "And He hath made me

Blessed wheresoever I be,

And hath enjoined on me

Prayer and Charity as long

As I live;

32. "(He) hath made me kind

To my mother, and not

Overbearing or miserable;

33. "So Peace is on me

The day I was born,

The day that I die,

And the day that I

Shall be raised up

To life (again)"!

34. Such (was) Jesus the son

Of Mary: (it is) a statement

Of truth, about which

They (vainly) dispute.

35. It is not befitting

To (the majesty of) God

That He should beget

A son. Glory be to Him!

When He determines

A matter, He only says

To it, "Be", and it is.

36. Verily God is my Lord

And your Lord: Him

Therefore serve ye: this is

A Way that is straight.

37. But the sects differ

Among themselves: and woe

To the Unbelievers because

Of the (coming) Judgment

Of a momentous Day!

38. How plainly will they see

And hear, the Day that

They will appear before Us!

But the unjust to-day

Are in error manifest!

39. But warn them of the Day

Of Distress, when

The matter will be determined:

For (behold,) they are negligent

And they do not believe!

40. It is We Who will inherit

The earth, and all beings

Thereon: to Us will they

All be returned.

SECTION 3.

41. (Also) mention in the Book

(The story of) Abraham:

He was a man of Truth,

A prophet.

42. Behold, he said to his father:

"O my father! why

Worship that which heareth not

And seeth not, and can

Profit thee nothing?

43. "O my father! to me

Hath come knowledge which

Hath not reached thee:

So follow me: I will guide

Thee to a Way that

Is even and straight.

44. "O my father! serve not

Satan: for Satan is

A rebel against (God)

Most Gracious

45. "O my father! I fear

Lest a Penalty afflict thee

From (God) Most Gracious,

So that thou become

To Satan a friend."

46. (The father) replied: "Dost thou

Hate my gods, O Abraham?

If thou forbear not, I will

Indeed stone thee:

Now get away from me

For a good long while!"

47. Abraham said: "Peace be

On thee: I will pray

To my Lord for thy

forgiveness:

For He is to me

Most Gracious.

48. "And I will turn away

From you (all) and from those

Whom ye invoke besides God:

I will call on my Lord:

Perhaps, by my prayer to my Lord,

I shall be not unblest."

49. When he had turned away

From them and from those

Whom they worshipped besides

God, We bestowed on him

Isaac and Jacob, and each one

Of them We made a prophet.

50. And We bestowed

Of Our Mercy on them,

And We granted them

Lofty honour on the tongue

Of truth.

SECTION 4.

51. Also mention in the Book

(The story of) Moses:

For he was specially chosen,

And he was an apostle

(And) a prophet.

52. And We called him

From the right side

Of Mount (Sinai), and made

Him draw near to Us,

For mystic (converse).

53. And, out of Our Mercy,

We gave him his brother

Aaron, (also.) a prophet.

54. Also mention in the Book

(The story of) Isma'il

He was (strictly) true

To what he promised,

And he was an apostle

(And) a prophet.

55. He used to enjoin

On his people Prayer

And Charity, and he was

Most acceptable in the sight

Of his Lord.

56. Also mention in the Book

The case of Idris

He was a man of truth

(And sincerity), (and) a prophet:

57. And We raised him

To a lofty station.

58. Those were some

Of the prophets on whom

God did bestow His Grace,--

Of the posterity of Adam,

And of those whom We

Carried (in the Ark)

With Noah, and of

The posterity of Abraham

And Israel--of those

Whom We guided and chose.

Whenever the Signs

Of (God) Most Gracious

Were rehearsed to them,

They would fall down

In prostrate adoration

And in tears.

59. But after them there followed

A posterity who missed

Prayers and followed after lusts

Soon, then, will they

Face Destruction,--

60. Except those who repent

And believe, and work

Righteousness: for these

Will enter the Garden

And will not be wronged

In the least,--

61. Gardens of Eternity, those

Which (God) Most Gracious

Has promised to His servants

In the Unseen: for His promise

Must (necessarily) come to pass.

62. They will not there hear

Any vain discourse, but

Only salutations of Peace:

And they will have therein

Their sustenance, morning

And evening.

63. Such is the Garden which

We give as an inheritance

To those of Our servants

Who guard against evil.

64. (The angels say:)

"We descend not but

By command of thy Lord:

To Him belongeth what is

Before us and what is

Behind us, and what is

Between: and thy Lord

Never doth forget,--

65. "Lord of the heavens

And of the earth,

And of all that is

Between them: so worship Him,

And be constant and patient

In His worship: knowest thou

Of any who is worthy

Of the same Name as He?"

SECTION 5.

66. Man says: "What!

When I am dead, shall I

Then be raised up alive?"

67. But does not man

Call to mind that We

Created him before

Out of nothing?

68. So, by thy Lord,

Without doubt, We shall gather

Them together, and (also)

The Evil Ones (with them);

Then shall We bring them

Forth on their knees

Round about Hell;

69. Then shall We certainly

Drag out from every sect

All those who were worst

In obstinate rebellion

Against (God) Most Gracious.

70. And certainly We know best

Those who are most worthy

Of being burned therein.

71. Not one of you but will

Pass over it: this is,

With thy Lord, a Decree

Which must be accomplished.

72. But We shall save those

Who guarded against evil,

And We shall leave

The wrong-doers therein,

(Humbled) to their knees.

73. When Our Clear Signs

Are rehearsed to them,

The Unbelievers say to those

Who believe, "Which of the two

Sides is best in point of

Position? which makes the best

Show in Council?"

74. But how many (countless)

Generations before them

Have We destroyed,

Who were even better

In equipment and in glitter

To the eye?

75. Say: "If any men go

Astray, (God) Most Gracious

Extends (the rope) to them,

Until, when they see

The warning of God (being

Fulfilled)--either in punishment

Or in (the approach of)

The Hour,--they will

At length realise who is

Worst in position, and (who)

Weakest in forces!

76. "And God doth advance

In guidance those who seek

Guidance: and the things

That endure, Good Deeds,

Are best in the sight

Of thy Lord, as rewards,

And best in respect of

(Their) eventual returns."

77. Hast thou then seen

The (sort of) man who

Rejects Our Signs, yet

Says: "I shall certainly

Be given wealth and children?"

78. Has he penetrated to

The Unseen, or has he

Taken a contract with

(God) Most Gracious?

79. Nay! We shall record

What he says, and We

Shall add and add

To his punishment.

80. To Us shall return

All that he talks of,

And he shall appear

Before Us bare and alone.

81. And they have taken

(For worship) gods other than

God, to give them

Power and glory!

82. Instead, they shall reject

Their worship, and become

Adversaries against them.

SECTION 6.

83. Seest thou not that We

Have set the Evil Ones on

Against the Unbelievers,

To incite them with fury?

84. So make no haste

Against them, for We

But count out to them

A (limited) number (of days).

85. The day We shall gather

The righteous to (God)

Most Gracious, like a hand

Presented before a king for honours,

86. And We shall drive

The sinners to hell,

Like thirsty cattle

Driven down to water,--

87. None shall have the power

Of intercession, but such a one

As has received permission (or promise)

From (God) Most Gracious.

88. They say: "(God) Most Gracious

Has begotten a son!"

89. Indeed ye have put forth

A thing most monstrous!

90. At it the skies are ready

To burst, the earth

To split asunder, and

The mountains to fall down

In utter ruin,

91. That they should invoke

A son for (God) Most Gracious.

92. For it is not consonant

With the majesty of (God)

Most Gracious that He

Should beget a son.

93. Not one of the beings

In the heavens and the earth

But must come to (God)

Most Gracious as a servant.

94. He does take an account

Of them (all), and hath

Numbered them (all) exactly.

95. And everyone of them

Will come to Him singly

On the Day of Judgment.

96. On those who believe

And work deeds of righteousness,

Will (God) Most Gracious

Bestow Love.

97. So have We made

The (Qur-an) easy

In thine own tongue,

That with it thou mayest give

Glad tidings to the righteous,

And warnings to people

Given to contention.

98. But how many (countless)

Generations before them

Have We destroyed? Canst thou

Find a single one of them

(Now) or hear. (so much

As) a whisper of them?

Sura XX.

Ta-Ha. (Mystic Letters, T. H.)

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ta-Ha.

2. We have not sent down

The Qur-an to thee to be

(An occasion) for thy distress,

3. But only as an admonition

To those who fear (God),--

4. A revelation from Him

Who created the earth

And the heavens on high.

5. (God) Most Gracious

Is firmly established

On the throne (of authority).

6. To Him belongs what is

In the heavens and on earth,

And all between them,

And all beneath the soil.

7. If thou pronounce the word

Aloud, (it is no matter):

For verily He knoweth

What is secret and what

Is yet more hidden.

8. God! there is no god

But He! To Him belong

The Most Beautiful Names.

9. Has the story of Moses

Reached thee?

10. Behold, he saw a fire:

So he said to his family,

"Tarry ye; I perceive

A fire; perhaps I can

Bring you some burning brand

Therefrom, or find some guidance

At the fire."

11. But when he came

To the fire, a voice

Was heard: "O Moses!

12. "Verily I am thy Lord!

Therefore (in My presence)

Put off thy shoes: thou art

In the sacred valley Tuwa

13. "I have chosen thee:

Listen, then, to the inspiration

(Sent to thee).

14. "Verily, I am God:

There is no god but I:

So serve thou Me (only),

And establish regular prayer

For celebrating My praise.

15. "Verily the Hour is coming--

My design is to keep it

Hidden--for every soul

To receive its reward

By the measure of

Its Endeavour.

16. "Therefore let not such as

Believe not therein

But follow their own

Lusts, divert thee therefrom,

Lest thou perish!"...

17. "And what is that

In thy right hand,

O Moses?"

18. He said, "It is

My rod: on it

I lean; with it

I beat down fodder

For my flocks; and

In it I find

Other uses."

19. (God) said, "Throw it,

O Moses!"

20. He threw it, and behold!

It was a snake,

Active in motion.

21. (God) said, "Seize it,

And fear not: We

Shall return it at once

To its former condition"...

22. "Now draw thy hand

Close to thy side:

It shall come forth white

(And shining), without harm

(Or stain),--as another Sign,--

23. "In order that We

May show thee

(Two) of our Greater Signs.

24. "Go thou to Pharaoh,

For he has indeed

Transgressed all bounds."

SECTION 2.

25. (Moses) said: "O my Lord!

Expand me my breast;

26. "Ease my task for me;

27. "And remove the impediment

From my speech,

28. "So they may understand

What I say:

29. "And give me a Minister

From my family,

30. "Aaron, my brother;

31. "Add to my strength

Through him,

32. "And make him share

My task:

33. "That we may celebrate

Thy praise without stint,

34. "And remember Thee

Without stint:

35. "For Thou art He

That (ever) regardeth us."

36. (God) said: "Granted

Is thy prayer, O Moses!"

37. "And indeed We conferred

A favour on thee

Another time (before).

38. "Behold! We sent

To thy mother, by inspiration,

The message:

39. "Throw (the child)

Into the chest, and throw

(The chest) into the river:

The river will cast him

Up on the bank, and he

Will be taken up by one

Who is an enemy to Me

And an enemy to him

But I cast (the garment

Of) love over thee from Me

And (this) in order that

Thou mayest be reared

Under Mine eye.

40. "Behold! thy sister goeth forth

And saith, "Shall I show you

One who will nurse

And rear the (child)?

So We brought thee back

To thy mother, that her eye

Might be cooled and she

Should not grieve.

Then thou didst slay

A man, but We saved thee

From trouble, and We tried

Thee in various ways.

Then didst thou tarry

A number of years

With the people of Midian.

Then didst thou come hither

As ordained, O Moses!

41. "And I have prepared thee

For Myself (for service)"...

42. "Go, thou and thy brother,

With My Signs,

And slacken not,

Either of you, in keeping

Me in remembrance.

43. "Go, both of you, to Pharaoh,

For he has indeed

Transgressed all bounds;

44. "But speak to him mildly;

Perchance he may take

Warning or fear (God)."

45. They (Moses and Aaron) said:

"Our Lord! We fear lest

He hasten with insolence

Against us, or lest he

Transgress all bounds."

46. He said: "Fear not:

For I am with you:

I hear and see (everything).

47. "So go ye both to him,

And say, "Verily we are

Apostles sent by thy Lord:

Send forth, therefore, the Children

Of Israel with us, and

Afflict them not:

With a Sign, indeed,

Have we come from thy Lord!

And Peace to all

Who follow guidance!

48. "Verily it has been revealed

To us that the Penalty

(Awaits) those who reject

And turn away."

49. (When this message was delivered),

(Pharaoh) said: "Who, then,

O Moses, is the Lord

Of you two?"

50. He said: "Our Lord is

He Who gave to each

(Created) thing its form

And nature, and further,

Gave (it) guidance."

51. (Pharaoh) said: "What then

Is the condition

Of previous generations?"

52. He replied: "The knowledge

Of that is with my Lord,

Duly recorded: my Lord

Never errs, nor forgets,--

53. "He Who has made for you

The earth like a carpet

Spread out; has enabled you

To go about therein by roads

(And channels); and has sent

Down water from the sky."

With it have We produced

Divers pairs of plants

Each separate front the others.

54. Eat (for yourselves) and pasture

Your cattle: verily, in this

Are Signs for men

Endued with understanding.

SECTION 3.

55. From the (earth) did We

Create you, and into it

Shall We return you,

And from it shall We

Bring you out once again"

56. And We showed Pharaoh

All Our Signs, but he

Did reject and refuse.

[p. 80l]

57. He said: "Hast thou come

To drive us out

Of our land with thy magic,

O Moses?

58. "But we can surely produce

Magic to match thine!

So make a tryst

Between us and thee,

Which we shall not fail

To keep--neither we nor thou--

In a place where both

Shall have even chances."

59. Moses said: "Your tryst

Is the Day of the Festival,

And let the people be assembled

When the sun is well up."

60. So Pharaoh withdrew:

He concerted his plan,

And then came (back).

61. Moses said to him:

Woe to you! Forge not

Ye a lie against God,

Lest He destroy you (at once)

Utterly by chastisement:

The forger must suffer

Frustration!"

62. So they disputed, one with

Another, over their affair,

But they kept their talk secret.

63. They said: "These two

Are certainly (expert) magicians:

Their object is to drive you

Out from your land

With their magic, and

To do away with your

Most cherished institutions.

64. "Therefore concert your plan,

And then assemble

In (serried) ranks:

He wins (all along) to-day

Who gains the upper hand"

65. They said: "O Moses!

Whether wilt thou

That thou throw (first)

Or that we be the first

To throw?"

66. He said, "Nay, throw ye

First!" Then behold

Their ropes and their rods--

So it seemed to him

On account of their magic--

Began to be in lively motion!

67. So Moses conceived

In his mind

A (sort of) fear.

68. We said: "Fear not!

For thou hast indeed

The upper hand:

69. "Throw that which is

In thy right hand:

Quickly will it swallow up

That which they have faked

What they have faked

Is but a magician's trick:

And the magician thrives not,

(No matter) where he goes."

70. So the magicians were

Thrown down to prostration:

They said, "We believe

In the Lord of Aaron and Moses".

71. (Pharaoh) said: "Believe ye

In Him before I give

You permission? Surely

This must be your leader,

Who has taught you magic!

Be sure I will cut off

Your hands and feet

On opposite sides, and I

Will have you crucified

On trunks of palm-trees:

So shall ye know for certain,

Which of us can give

The more severe and the more

Lasting Punishment!"

72. They said: "Never shall we

Regard thee as more than

The Clear Signs that have

Come to us; or than

Him Who created us!

So decree whatever thou

Desirest to decree: for thou

Canst only decree (touching)

The life of this world.

73. "For us, we have believed

In our Lord: may He

Forgive us our faults,

And the magic to which

Thou didst compel us:

For God is Best

And Most Abiding."

74. Verily he who comes

To his Lord as a sinner

(At Judgment),--for him

Is Hell: therein shall he

Neither die nor live.

75. But such as come

To Him as Believers

Who have worked righteous deeds,--

For them are ranks exalted,--

76. Gardens of Eternity,

Beneath which flow rivers:

They will dwell therein

For aye: such is the reward

Of those who purify

Themselves (from evil).

SECTION 4.

77. We sent an inspiration

To Moses: "Travel by night

With My servants, and strike

A dry path for them

Through the sea, without fear

Of being overtaken (by Pharaoh)

And without (any other) fear."

78. Then Pharaoh pursued them

With his forces, but

The waters completely overwhelmed

Them and covered them up.

79. Pharaoh led his people astray

Instead of leading them aright.

80. O ye Children of Israel!

We delivered you from

Your enemy, and We

Made a Covenant with you

On the right side of

Mount (Sinai), and We sent

Down to you Manna

And quails:

81. (Saying): "Eat of the good

Things We have provided

For your sustenance, but

Commit no excess therein,

Lest My Wrath should justly

Descend on you: and those

On whom descends My Wrath

Do perish indeed!

82. "But, without doubt, I am

(Also) He that forgives

Again and again, to those

Who repent, believe,

And do right,--who,

In fine, are ready to receive

True guidance."

83. (When Moses was up on the Mount,

God said:) "What made thee

Hasten in advance of thy people,

O Moses?"

84. He replied: "Behold, they are

Close on my footsteps:

I hastened to Thee.

O my Lord,

To please Thee."

85. (God) said: "We have tested

Thy people in thy absence:

The Samiri has led them

Astray."

86. So Moses returned to his people

In a state of indignation

And sorrow. He said:

"O my people! did not

Your Lord make a handsome

Promise to you? Did then

The promise seem to you

Long (in coming)? Or did ye

Desire that Wrath should

Descend from your Lord on you,

And so ye broke your promise

To me?"

87. They said: "We broke not

The promise to thee, as far

As lay in our power:

But we were made to carry

The weight of the ornaments

Of the (whole) people, and we

Threw them (into the fire),

And that was what

The Samiri suggested.

88. "Then he brought out

(Of the fire) before the (people)

The image of a calf:

It seemed to low:

So they said, "This is

Your god, and the god

Of Moses, but (Moses)

Has forgotten!"

89. Could they not see that

It could not return them

A word (for answer), and that

It had no power either

To harm them or

To do them good?

SECTION 5.

90. Aaron had already, before this

Said to them: ."O my people!

Ye are being tested in this:

For verily your Lord is (God)

Most Gracious: so follow me

And obey my command."

91. They had said: "We will not

Abandon this cult, but we

Will devote ourselves to it

Until Moses returns to us.

92. (Moses) said: "O Aaron!

What kept thee back, when

Thou sawest them going wrong,

93. "From following me? Didst thou

Then disobey my order?"

94. (Aaron) replied: "O son

Of my mother! Seize (me) not

By my beard nor by

(The hair of) my head!

Truly I feared lest thou

Shouldst say, "Thou hast caused

A division among the Children

Of Israel, and thou didst not

Respect my word!"

95. (Moses) said: "What then

Is thy case, O Samari?"

96. He replied: "I saw what

They saw not: so I took

A handful (of dust) from

The footprint of the Apostle,

And threw it (into the calf):

Thus did my soul suggest

To me."

97. (Moses) said: "Get thee gone!

But thy (punishment) in this life

Will be that thou wilt say,

'Touch me not'; and moreover

(For a future penalty) thou hast

A promise that will not fail:

Now look at thy god,

Of whom thou hast become

A devoted worshipper:

We will certainly (melt) it

In a blazing fire and scatter

It broadcast in the sea!"

98. But the God of you all

Is the One God: there is

No god but He: all things

He comprehends in His knowledge.

99. Thus do We relate to thee

Some stories of what happened

Before: for We have sent

Thee a Message from

Our own Presence,

100. If any do turn away

Therefrom, verily they will

Bear a burden

On the Day of Judgment;

101. They will abide in this (state):

And grievous will the burden

Be to them on that Day,--

102. The Day when the Trumpet

Will be sounded: that Day,

We shall gather the sinful,

Blear-eyed (with terror).

103. In whispers will they consult

Each other: "Ye tarried not

Longer than ten (Days);"

104. We know best what they

Will say, when their leader

Most eminent in Conduct

Will say: "Ye tarried not

Longer than a day!"

SECTION 6.

105. They ask thee concerning

The Mountains: say, "My Lord

Will uproot them and scatter

Them as dust;

106. "He will leave them as plains

Smooth and level;

107. "Nothing crooked or curved

Wilt thou see in their place."

108. On that Day will they follow

The Caller (straight): no crookedness

(Can they show) him: all sounds

Shall humble themselves in

The Presence of (God) Most Gracious:

Nothing shalt thou hear

But the tramp of their feet

(As they march).

109. On that Day shall no

Intercession avail

Except for those for whom

Permission has been granted

By (God) Most Gracious

And whose word is

Acceptable to Him.

110. He knows what (appears

To His creatures as) before

Or after or behind them:

But they shall not compass it

With their knowledge.

111. (All) faces shall be humbled

Before (Him)--the Living,

The Self-Subsisting, Eternal:

Hopeless indeed will be

The man that carries

Iniquity (on his back).

112. But he who works deeds

Of righteousness, and has faith,

Will have no fear of harm

Nor of any curtailment

(Of what is his due).

113. Thus have We sent this

Down--an Arabic Qur-an--

And explained therein in detail

Some of the warnings,

In order that they may

Fear God, or that it may

Cause their remembrance (of Him).

114. High above all is God,

The King, the Truth!

Be not in haste

With the Qur-an before

Its revelation to thee

Is completed, but say,

"O my Lord! advance me

In knowledge."

115. We had already, beforehand,

Taken the covenant of Adam,

But he forgot: and We found

On his part no firm resolve.

SECTION 7.

116. When We said to the angels,

"Prostrate yourselves to Adam",

They prostrated themselves, but not

Iblis: he refused.

117. Then We said: "O Adam!

Verily, this is an enemy

To thee and thy wife:

So let him not get you

Both out of the Garden,

So that thou art landed

In misery.''

118. "There is therein (enough provision)

For thee not to go hungry

Nor to go naked,

119. "Nor to suffer from thirst,

Nor from the sun's heat."

120. But Satan whispered evil

To him: he said, "O Adam!

Shall I lead thee to

The Tree of Eternity

And to a kingdom

That never decays?"

121. In the result, they both

Ate of the tree, and so

Their nakedness appeared

To them: they began to sew

Together, for their covering,

Leaves from the Garden:

Thus did Adam disobey

His Lord, and allow himself

To be seduced.

122. But his Lord chose him

(For His Grace): He turned

To him, and gave him guidance.

123. He said: "Get ye down,

Both of you,--all together,

From the Garden, with enmity

One to another: but if,

As is sure, there comes to you

Guidance from Me, whosoever

Follows My guidance, will not

Lose his way, nor fall

Into misery.

124. "But whosoever turns away

From My Message, verily

For him is a life narrowed

Down, and We shall raise

Him up blind on the Day

Of Judgment."

125. He will say: "O my Lord!

Why hast thou raised me

Up blind, while I had

Sight (before)?"

126. (God) will say: "Thus

Didst thou, when Our Signs

Came unto thee, disregard

Them: so wilt thou,

This day, be disregarded."

127. And thus do We recompense

Him who transgresses beyond bounds

And believes not in the Signs

Of his Lord: and the Penalty

Of the Hereafter is far more

Grievous and more enduring.

128. Is it not a warning to such

Men (to call to mind)

How many generations before them

We destroyed, in whose haunts

They (now) move? Verily,

In this are Signs for men

Endued with understanding.

SECTION 8.

129. Had it not been

For a Word that went forth

Before from thy Lord,

(Their punishment) must necessarily

Have come; but there is

A term appointed (for respite).

130. Therefore be patient with what

They say, and celebrate (constantly)

The praises of thy Lord,

Before the rising of the sun,

And before its setting;

Yea, celebrate them

For part of the hours

Of the night, and at the sides

Of the day: that thou

Mayest have (spiritual) joy.

131. Nor strain thine eyes in longing

For the things We have given

For enjoyment to parties ,

Of them, the splendour

Of the life of this world,

Through which We test them:

But the provision of thy Lord

Is better and more enduring.

132. Enjoin prayer on thy people,

And be constant therein.

We ask thee not to provide

Sustenance: We provide it

For thee. But the (fruit of)

The Hereafter is for Righteousness.

133. ''They say: "Why does he not

Bring us a Sign from

His Lord?" Has not

A Clear Sign come to them

Of all that was

In the former Books

Of revelation?

134. And if We had inflicted

On them a penalty before this,

They would have said:

"Our Lord! If only Thou

Hadst sent us an apostle,

We should certainly have followed

Thy Signs before we were

Humbled and put to shame."

135. Say: "Each one (of us)

Is waiting: wait ye, therefore,

And soon shall ye know

Who it is that is

On the straight and even

Way, and who it is

That has received guidance."

Sura XXI.

Anbiyaa, or The Prophets

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Closer and closer to mankind

Comes their Reckoning: yet they

Heed not and they turn away.

2. Never comes (aught) to them

Of a renewed Message

From their Lord, but they

Listen to it as in jest,--

3. Their hearts toying as with

Trifles. The wrong-doers conceal

Their private counsels, (saying),

"Is this (one) more than

A man like yourselves?

Will ye go to witchcraft

With your eyes open?"

4. Say: "My Lord

Knoweth (every) word (spoken)

In the heavens and on earth:

He is the One that heareth

And knoweth (all things)."

5. "Nay," they say, "(these are)

Medleys of dreams!--Nay,

He forged it!--Nay,

He is (but) a poet!

Let him then bring us

A Sign like the ones

That were sent to

(Prophets) of old!"

6. (As to those) before them,

Not one of the populations

Which We destroyed believed:

Will these believe?

7. Before thee, also, the apostles

We sent were but men,

To whom We granted inspiration:

If ye realise this not, ask

Of those who possess the Message.

8. Nor did We give them

Bodies that ate no food,

Nor were they exempt from death.

9. In the end We fulfilled

To them Our promise,

And We saved them

And those whom We pleased,

But We destroyed those

Who transgressed beyond bounds.

10. We have revealed for you

(O men!) a book in which

Is a Message for you:

Will ye not then understand?

SECTION 2.

11. How many were the populations

We utterly destroyed because

Of their iniquities, setting up

In their places other peoples?

12. Yet, when they felt

Our Punishment (coming),

Behold, they (tried to) flee

From it.

13. Flee not, but return to

The good things of this life

Which were given you,

And to your homes,

In order that ye may

Be called to account

14. They said: "Ah! woe to us!

We were indeed wrong-doers!"

15. And that cry of theirs

Ceased not, till we made

Them as a field

That is mown, as ashes

Silent and quenched.

16. Not for (idle) sport did We

Create the heavens and the earth

And all that is between!

17. If it had been Our wish

To take (just) a pastime,

We should surely have taken

It from the things nearest

To Us, if We would

Do (such a thing)!

18. Nay, We hurl the Truth

Against falsehood, and it knocks

Out its brain, and behold,

Falsehood doth perish!

Ah! woe be to you

For the (false) things

Ye ascribe (to Us).

19. To Him belong all (creatures)

In the heavens and on earth:

Even those who are in His

(Very) Presence are not

Too proud to serve Him,

Nor are they (ever) weary

(Of His service):

20. They celebrate His praises

Night and day, nor do they

Ever flag or intermit.

21. Or have they taken

(For worship) gods from the earth

Who can raise (the dead)?

22. If there were, in the heavens

And the earth, other gods

Besides God, there would

Have been confusion in both!

But glory to God,

The Lord of the Throne:

(High is He) above

What they attribute to Him!

23. He cannot be questioned

For His acts, but they

Will be questioned (for theirs).

24. Or have they taken

For worship (other) gods

Besides him? Say, "Bring

Your convincing proof: this

Is the Message of those

With me and the Message

Of those before me."

But most of them know not

The Truth, and so turn away.

25. Not an apostle did We

Send before thee without

This inspiration sent by Us

To him: that there is

No god but I; therefore

Worship and serve Me.

26. And they say: "(God)

Most Gracious has begotten

Offspring." Glory to Him!

They are (but) servants raised

To honour.

27. They speak not before

He speaks, and they act

(In all things) by His command.

28. He knows what is before them,

And what is behind them,

And they offer no intercession

Except for those who are

Acceptable, and they stand

In awe and reverence

Of His (glory).

29. If any of them should say,

"I am a god besides Him",

Such a one We should

Reward with Hell: thus

Do We reward those

Who do wrong.

SECTION 3.

30. Do not the Unbelievers see

That the heavens and the earth

Were joined together (as one

Unit of Creation), before

We clove them asunder?

We made from water

Every living thing. Will they

Not then believe?

31. And We have set on the earth

Mountains standing firm,

Lest it should shake with them,

And We have made therein

Broad highways

(between mountains)

For them to pass through:

That they may receive guidance.

32. And We have made

The heavens as a canopy

Well guarded: yet do they

Turn away from the Signs

Which these things (point to)!

33. It is He Who created

The Night and the Day,

And the sun and the moon:

All (the celestial bodies)

Swim along, each in its

Rounded course.

34. We granted not to any man

Before thee permanent life

(Here): If then thou shouldst die,

Would they live permanently?

35. Every soul shall have

A taste of death:

And We test you

By evil and by good

By way of trial.

To Us must ye return.

36. When the Unbelievers see thee,

They treat thee not except

With ridicule. "Is this,"

(They say), "the one who talks

Of your gods?" And they

Blaspheme at the mention

Of (God) Most Gracious!

37. Man is a creature of haste:

Soon (enough) will I show

You My Signs; then

Ye will not ask Me

To hasten them!

38. They say: "When will this

Promise come to pass,

If ye are telling the truth?"

39. If only the Unbelievers

Knew (the time) when they

Will not be able

To ward off the Fire

From their faces, nor yet

From their backs, and (when)

No help can reach them!

40. Nay, it may come to them

All of a sudden and confound

Them: no power will they

Have then to avert it,

Nor will they (then)

Get respite.

41. Mocked were (many)

Apostles before thee;

But their scoffers

Were hemmed in

By the thing that they mocked.

SECTION 4.

42. Say, "Who can keep

You safe by night and by day

From (the Wrath of) (God)

Most Gracious?" Yet they

Turn away from the mention

Of their Lord.

43. Or have they gods that

Can guard them from Us?

They have no power to aid

Themselves, nor can they

Be defended from Us.

44. Nay, We gave the good things

Of this life to these men

And their fathers until

The period grew long for them;

See they not that We

Gradually reduce the land

(In their control) from

Its outlying borders? Is it

Then they who will win?

45. Say, "I do but warn you

According to revelation":

But the deaf will not hear

The call, (even) when

They are warned!

46. If but a breath of the Wrath

Of thy Lord do touch them,

They will then say, "Woe

To us! we did wrong indeed!"

47. We shall set up scales

Of justice for the day

Of Judgment, so that

Not a soul will be dealt with

Unjustly in the least.

And if there be

(No more than) the weight

Of a mustard seed,

We will bring it (to account):

And enough are We

To take account.

48. In the past We granted

To Moses and Aaron

The Criterion (for judgment),

And a Light and a Message

For those who would do right,--

49. Those who fear their Lord

In their most secret thoughts,

And who hold the Hour

(Of Judgment) in awe.

50. And this is a blessed

Message which We have

Sent down: will ye then

Reject it?

51. We bestowed aforetime

On Abraham his rectitude

Of conduct, and well were we

Acquainted with him.

52. Behold! he said

To his father and his people

"What are these images,

To which ye are

(So assiduously) devoted?"

53. They said, "We found

Our fathers worshipping them."

54. He said, "Indeed ye

Have been made in manifest

Error--ye and your fathers."

55. They said, "Have you

Brought us the Truth,

Or are you one

Of those who jest?"

56. He said, "Nay, your Lord

Is the Lord of the heavens

And the earth, He Who

Created them (from nothing):

And I am a witness

To this (truth).

57. "And by god, I have

A plan for your idols--

After ye go away

And turn your backs"...

58. So he broke them to pieces,

(All) but the biggest of them,

That they might turn

(And address themselves) to it.

59. They said, "Who has

Done this to our gods?

He must indeed be

Some man of impiety!"

60. They said, "We heard

A youth talk of them:

He is called Abraham."

61. They said, "Then bring him

Before the eyes of the people,

That they may bear witness:"

62. They said, "Art thou

The one that did this

With our gods, O Abraham?"

63. He said: "Nay, this

Was done by --

This is their biggest one!

Ask them, if they

Can speak intelligently!"

64. So they turned to themselves

And said, "Surely ye

Are the ones in the wrong!

65. Then were they confounded

With shame: (they said),

"Thou knowest full well that

These (idols) do not speak!"

66. (Abraham) said, "Do ye then

Worship, besides God,

Things that can neither

Be of any good to you

Nor do you harm?

67. "Fie upon you, and upon

The things that ye worship

Besides God! Have ye

No sense?"...

68. They said, "Burn him

And protect your gods,

If ye do (anything at all)!"

69. We said, "O Fire!

Be thou cool,

And (a means of) safety

For Abraham!"

70. Then they sought a stratagem

Against him: but We

Made them the ones

That lost most!

71. But We delivered him

And (his nephew) Lut

(And directed them) to the land

Which We have blessed

For the nations.

72. And We bestowed on him Isaac

And, as an additional gift,

(A grandson), Jacob, and We

Made righteous men of every one

(Of them).

73. And We made them

Leaders, guiding (men) by

Our Command, and We

Sent them inspiration

To do good deeds,

To establish regular prayers,

And to practise regular charity;

And they constantly served

Us (and Us only).

74. And to Lut, too,

We gave Judgment and Knowledge,

And We saved him

From the town which practised

Abominations: truly they were

A people given to Evil,

A rebellious people.

75. And We admitted him

To Our Mercy: for he

Was one of the Righteous.

SECTION 6.

76. (Remember) Noah, when

He cried (to Us) aforetime:

We listened to his (prayer)

And delivered him and his

Family from great distress.

77. We helped him against

People who rejected Our Signs:

Truly they were a people

Given to Evil: so We

Drowned them (in the Flood)

All together.

78. And remember David

And Solomon, when they

Gave judgment in the matter

Of the field into which

The sheep of certain people

Had strayed by night:

We did witness their judgment.

79. To Solomon We inspired

The (right) understanding

Of the matter: to each

(Of them) We gave Judgment

And Knowledge; it was

Our power that made

The hills and the birds

Celebrate Our praises,

With David: it was We

Who did (all these things).

80. It was We Who taught him

The making of coats of mail

For your benefit, to guard

You from each other's violence:

Will ye then be grateful?

81. (It was Our power that

Made) the violent (unruly)

Wind flow (tamely) for Solomon,

To his order, to the land

Which We had blessed:

For We do know all things.

82. And of the evil ones,

Were some who dived

For him, and did other work

Besides; and it was We

Who guarded them.

83. And (remember) Job, when

He cried to his Lord,

"Truly distress has seized me,

But Thou art the Most

Merciful of those that are

Merciful."

84. So We listened to him:

We removed the distress

That was on him,

And We restored his people

To him, and doubled

Their number,--as a Grace

From Ourselves, and a thing

For commemoration, for all

Who serve Us.

85. And (remember) Isma'il,

Idris, and Zul-kifl, all

(Men) of constancy and patience;

86. We admitted them to

Our Mercy: for they

Were of the Righteous ones.

87. And remember Zun-nun,

When he departed in wrath:

He imagined that We

Had no power over him!

But he cried through the depths

Of darkness, "There is

No god but Thou:

Glory to Thee: I was

Indeed wrong!"

88. So We listened to him:

And delivered him from

Distress: and thus do We

Deliver those who have faith.

89. And (remember) Zakariya,

When he cried to his Lord:

"O my Lord! leave me not

Without offspring, though Thou

Art the best of inheritors."

90. So We listened to him:

And We granted him

Yabya: We cured his wife's

(Barrenness) for him. These (three)

Were ever quick in emulation

In good works: they used

To call on Us with love

And reverence, and humble themselves

Before Us.

91. And (remember) her who

Guarded her chastity:

We breathed into her

Of Our Spirit, and We

Made her and her son

A Sign for all peoples.

92. Verily, this Brotherhood

Of yours is a single Brotherhood,

And I am your Lord

And Cherisher: therefore

Serve Me (and no other).

93. But (later generations) cut off

Their affair (of unity),

One from another: (yet)

Will they all return to Us.

SECTION 7.

94. Whoever works any act

Of Righteousness and has Faith,--

His endeavour will not

Be rejected: We shall

Record it in his favour.

95. But there is a ban

On any population which

We have destroyed: that they

Shall not return,

96. Until the Gog and Magog (people)

Are let through (their barrier),

And they swiftly swarm

From every hill.

97. Then will the True Promise

Draw nigh (of fulfilment):

Then behold! the eyes

Of the Unbelievers will

Fixedly stare in horror: "Ah!

Woe to us! we were indeed

Heedless of this; nay, we

Truly did wrong!"

98. Verily ye, (Unbelievers),

And the (false) gods that

Ye worship besides God,

Are (but) fuel for Hell!

To it will ye (surely) come!

99. If these had been gods,

They would not have got there!

But each one will abide

Therein.

100. There, sobbing will be

Their lot, nor will they

There hear (aught else).

101. Whose hose for whom

The Good (Record) from Us

Has gone before, will be

Removed far therefrom.

102. Not the slightest sound

Will they hear of Hell:

What their souls desired,

In that will they dwell.

103. The Great Terror will

Bring them no grief:

But the angels will meet them

(With mutual greetings):

"This is your Day,--

(The Day) that ye were promised."

104. The Day that We roll up

The heavens like a scroll

Rolled up for books (completed),--

Even as We produced

The first Creation, so

Shall We produce

A new one: a promise

We have undertaken:

Truly shall We fulfil it.

105. Before this We wrote

In the Psalms, after the Message

(Given to Moses): "My servants,

The righteous, shall inherit

The earth."

106. Verily in this (Qur-an)

Is a Message for people

Who would (truly) worship God.

107. We sent thee not, but

As a Mercy for all creatures.

108. Say: "What has come to me

By inspiration is that

Your God is One God:

Will ye therefore bow

To His Will (in Islam)?"

109. But if they turn back,

Say: "I have proclaimed

The Message to you all alike

And in truth; but I

Know not whether that

Which ye are promised

Is near or far.

110. "It is He Who knows

What is open in speech

And what ye hide

(In your hearts).

111. "I know not but that

It may be a trial

For you, and a grant

Of (worldly) livelihood

(To you) for a time."

112. Say: "O my Lord!

Judge Thou in truth!

"Our Lord Most Gracious

Is the One Whose assistance

Should be sought against

The blasphemies ye utter!

Sura XXII.

Hajj, or The Pilgrimage.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. O mankind! Fear your Lord!

For the convulsion of the Hour

(Of Judgment) will be

A thing terrible!

2. The Day ye shall see it,

Every mother giving suck

Shall forget her suckling-babe,

And every pregnant female

Shall drop her load (unformed):

Thou shalt see mankind

As in a drunken riot,

Yet not drunk: but dreadful

Will be the Wrath of God.

3. And yet among men

There are such as dispute

About God, without knowledge,

And follow every evil one

Obstinate in rebellion!

4. About the (Evil One)

It is decreed that whoever

Turns to him for friendship,

Him will he lead astray,

And he will guide him

To the Penalty of the Fire.

5. O mankind! if ye have

A doubt about the Resurrection,

(Consider) that We created you

Out of dust, then out of

Sperm, then out of a leech-like

Clot, then out of a morsel

Of flesh, partly formed

And partly unformed, in order

That We may manifest

(Our power) to you;

And We cause whom We will

To rest in the wombs

For an appointed term,

Then do We bring you out

As babes, then (foster you)

That ye may reach your age

Of full strength; and some

Of you are called to die,

And some are sent back

To the feeblest old age,

So that they know nothing

After having known (much),

And (further), thou seest

The earth barren and lifeless,

But when We pour down

Rain on it, it is stirred

(To life), it swells,

And it puts forth every kind

Of beautiful growth (in pairs).

6. This is so, because God

Is the Reality: it is He

Who gives life to the dead,

And it is He Who has

Power over all things.

7. And verily the Hour will come:

There can be no doubt

About it, or about (the fact)

That God will raise up

All who are in the graves.

8. Yet there is among men

Such a one as disputes

About God, without knowledge,

Without guidance, and without

A Book of Enlightenment,--

9. (Disdainfully) bending his side,

In order to lead (men) astray

From the Path of God:

For him there is disgrace

In this life, and on the Day

Of Judgment We shall

Make him taste the Penalty

Of burning (Fire).

10. (It will be said): "This is

Because of the deeds which

Thy hands sent forth,

For verily God is not

Unjust to His servants."

SECTION 2.

11. There are among men

Some who serve God,

As it were, on the verge:

If good befalls them, they are,

Therewith, well content; but

If a trial comes to them,

They turn on their faces:

They lose both this world

And the Hereafter: that

Is loss for all to see!

12. They call on such deities:

Besides God, as can neither

Hurt nor profit them:

That is straying far indeed

(From the Way)!

13. (Perhaps) they call on one

Whose hurt is nearer

Than his profit: evil, indeed,

Is the patron, and evil

The companion (for help)!

14. Verily God will admit

Those who believe and work

Righteous deeds, to Gardens,

Beneath which rivers flow:

For God carries out

All that He plans,

15. If any think that God

Will not help him

(His Apostle) in this world

And the Hereafter, let him

Stretch out a rope

To the ceiling and cut (himself)

Off: then let him see

Whether his plan will remove

That which enrages (him)!

16. Thus have We sent down

Clear Signs; and verily

God Both guide whom

He will!

17. Those who believe (in the Qur-an),

Those who follow the Jewish (scriptures),

And the Sabians, Christians,

Magians, and Polytheists,--

God will judge between them

On the Day of Judgment:

For God is witness

Of all things.

18. Seest thou not that

To God bow down in worship

All things that are

In the heavens and on earth,--

The sun, the moon, the stars;

The hills, the trees, the animals;

And a great number among

Mankind? But a great number

Are (also) such as are

Fit for Punishment: and such

As God shall disgrace,

None can raise to honour:

For God carries out

All that He wills.

19. These two antagonists dispute

With each other about their Lord:

But those who deny (their Lord),--

For them will be cut out

A garment of Fire:

Over their heads will be

Poured out boiling water.

20. With it will be scalded

What is within their bodies,

As well as (their) skins.

21. In addition there will be

Maces of iron (to punish) them.

22. Every time they wish

To get away therefrom,

From anguish, they will be

Forced back therein, and

(It will be said), "Taste ye

The Penalty of Burning!"

SECTION 3.

23. God will admit those

Who believe and work righteous deeds,

To Gardens beneath which

Rivers flow: they shall be

Adorned therein with bracelets

Of gold and pearls; and

Their garments there

Will be of silk.

24. For they have been guided

(In this life) to the purest

Of speeches; they have been

Guided to the Path of Him

Who is Worthy of (all) Praise.

25. As to those who have rejected

(God), and would keep back (men)

From the Way of God, and

From the Sacred Mosque, which

We have made (open) to (all) men--

Equal is the dweller there

And the visitor from the country

And any whose purpose therein

Is profanity or wrong-doing--

Them will We cause to taste

Of a most grievous Penalty.

SECTION 4.

26. Behold! We gave the site,

To Abraham, of the (Sacred) House,

(Saying): "Associate not anything

(In worship) with Me;

And sanctify My House

For those who compass it round,

Or stand up,

Or bow, or prostrate themselves

(Therein in prayer).

27. "And proclaim the Pilgrimage

Among men: they will come

To thee on foot and (mounted)

On every kind of camel,

Lean on accout of journeys

Through deep and distant

Mountain highways;

28. "That they may witness

The benefits (provided) for them,

And celebrate the name

Of God, through the Days

Appointed, over the cattle

Which He has provided for them

(For sacrifice): then eat ye

Thereof and feed the distressed

Ones in want.

29. "Then let them complete

The rites prescribed

For them, perform their vows,

And (again) circumambulate

The Ancient House."

30. Such (is the Pilgrimage):

Whoever honours the sacred

Rites of God, for him

It is good in the sight

Of his Lord. Lawful to you

(For food in Pilgrimage) are cattle,

Except those mentioned to you

(As exceptions): but shun

The abomination of idols,

And shun the word

That is false,--

31. Being true in faith to God,

And never assigning partners

To Him: if anyone assigns

Partners to God, he is

As if he had fallen

From heaven and been snatched up

By birds, or the wind

Had swooped (like a bird

On its prey) and thrown him

Into a far-distant place.

32. Such (is his state): and

Whoever holds in honour

The Symbols of God,

(In the sacrifice of animals),

Such (honour) should come truly

From piety of heart.

33. In them ye have benefits

For a term appointed:

In the end their place

Of sacrifice is near

The Ancient House.

SECTION 5.

34. To every people did We

Appoint rites (of sacrifice),

That they might celebrate

The name of God over

The sustenance He gave them

From animals (fit for food).

But your god is One God:

Submit then your wills to him

(In Islam): and give thou

The good news to those

Who humble themselves,--

35. To those whose hearts,

When God is mentioned,

Are filled with fear,

Who show patient perseverance

Over their afflictions, keep up

Regular prayer, and spend

(In charity) out of what

We have bestowed upon them.

36. The sacrificial camels

We have made for you

As among the symbols from

God: in them is (much)

Good for you: then pronounce

The name of God over them

As they line up (for sacrifice):

When they are down

On their sides (after slaughter),

Eat ye thereof, and feed

Such as (beg not but)

Live in contentment,

And such as beg

With due humility: thus have

We made animals subject

To you, that ye

May be grateful.

37. It is not their meat

Nor their blood, that reaches

God: it is your piety

That reaches Him: He

Has thus made them subject

To you, that ye may glorify

God for his guidance to you:

And proclaim the Good News

To all who do right.

38. Verily God will defend

(From ill) those who believe:

Verily, God loveth not

Any that is a traitor

To faith, or shows ingratitude.

SECTION 6.

39. To those against whom

War is made, permission

Is given (to fight), because

They are wronged;--and verily,

God is most Powerful

For their aid;--

40. (They are) those who have

Been expelled from their homes

In defiance of right,

(For no cause) except

That they say," Lord

Is God". Did not God

Check one set of people

By means of another,

There would surely have been

Pulled down monasteries, churches,

Synagogues, and mosques, in which

The name of God is commemorated

In abundant measure. God will

Certainly aid those who

Aid His (cause);--for verily

God is Full of Strength,

Exalted in Might,

(Able to enforce His Will).

41. (They are) those who,

If We establish them

In the land, establish

Regular prayer and give

Regular charity, enjoin

The right and forbid wrong:

With God rests the end

(And decision) of (all) affairs.

42. If they treat thy (mission)

As false, so did the Peoples

Before them (with their Prophets),--

The People of Noah,

And 'Ad and Thamud;

43. Those of Abraham and Lut;

44. And the Companions

Of the Madyan people;

And Moses was rejected

(In the same way). But I

Granted respite to the Unbelievers,

And (only) after that

Did I punish them:

But how (terrible) was

My rejection (of them)!

45. How many populations have We

Destroyed, which were given

To wrong-doing? They tumbled down

On their roofs. And how many

Wells are lying idle and neglected,

And castles lofty and well-built?

46. Do they not travel

Through the land, so that

Their hearts (and minds)

May thus learn wisdom

And their ears may

Thus learn to hear?

Truly it is not their eyes

That are blind, but their

Hearts which are

In their breasts.

47. Yet they ask thee

To hasten on the Punishment!

But God will not fail

In His promise. Verily

A Day in the sight of thy Lord

Is like a thousand years

Of your reckoning.

48. And to how many populations

Did I give respite, which

Were given to wrong-doing?

In the end I punished them.

To Me is the destination (of all).

SECTION 7.

49. Say: "O men! I am

(Sent) to you only to give

A clear warning:

50. "Those who believe and work

Righteousness, for them

Is forgiveness and a sustenance

Most generous.

51. "But those who strive

Against Our Signs, to frustrate

Them,--they will be

Companions of the Fire."

52. Never did We send

An apostle or a prophet

Before thee, but, when he

Framed a desire, Satan

Threw some (vanity)

Into his desire: but God

Will cancel anything (vain)

That Satan throws in,

And God will confirm

(And establish) His Signs:

For God is full of knowledge

And wisdom:

53. That He may make

The suggestions thrown in

By Satan, but a trial

For those in whose hearts

a disease and who are

Hardened of heart: verily

The wrong-doers are in a schism

Far (from the Truth):

54. And that those on whom

Knowledge has been bestowed may learn

That the (Qur-an) is the Truth

From thy Lord, and that they

May believe therein, and their hearts

May be made humbly (open)

To it: for verily God is

The Guide of those who believe,

To the Straight Way.

55. Those who reject Faith

Will not cease to be

In doubt concerning (Revelation)

Until the Hour (of Judgment)

Comes suddenly upon them,

Or there comes to them

The Penalty of a Day of Disaster.

56. On that Day the Dominion

Will be that of God:

He will judge between them:

So those who believe

And work righteous deeds will be

In Gardens of Delight.

57. And for those who reject Faith

And deny Our Signs,

There will be a humiliating

Punishment.

SECTION 8.

58. Those who leave their homes

In the cause of God,

And are then slain or die,

On them will God bestow verily

A goodly Provision:

Truly God is He Who

Bestows the best Provision.

59. Verily He will admit then

To a place with which

They shall be well pleased:

For God is All-Knowing,

Most Forbearing.

60. That (is so). And if one

Has retaliated to no greater

Extent than the injury he received,

And is again set upon

Inordinately, God will help

Him: for God is One

That blots out (sins)

And forgives (again and again).

61. What is because God merges

Night into Day, and He

Merges Day into Night, and

Verily it is God Who hears

And sees (all things).

62. That is because God--He

Is the Reality; and those

Besides Him whom they invoke,--

They are but vain Falsehood:

Verily God is He, Most High,

Most Great.

63. Seest thou not that God

Sends down rain from the sky,

And forthwith the earth

Becomes clothed with green?

For God is He Who understands

The finest mysteries, and

Is well-acquainted (with them).

64. To Him belongs all that is

In the heavens and on earth:

For verily God,--He is

Free of all wants,

Worthy of all praise.

SECTION 9.

65. Seest thou not that God

Has made subject to you (men)

All that is on the earth,

And the ships that sail

Through the sea by His command?

He withholds the sky (rain)

From falling on the earth

Except by His leave:

For God is Most Kind

And Most Merciful to man.

66. It is He Who gave you life,

Will cause you to die,

And will again give you

Life: truly man is

A most ungrateful creature!

67. To every People have We

Appointed rites and ceremonies

Which they must follow:

Let them not then dispute

With thee on the matter,

But do thou invite (them)

To thy Lord: for thou art

Assuredly on the Right Way.

68. If they do wrangle with thee,

Say, "God knows best

What it is ye are doing."

69. "God will judge between you

On the Day of Judgment

Concerning the matters in which

Ye differ."

70. Knowest thou not that

God knows all that is

In heaven and on earth?

Indeed it is all

In a record, and that

Is easy for God.

71. Yet they worship, besides God,

Things for which no authority

Has been sent down to them,

And of which they have

(Really) no knowledge:

For those that do wrong

There is no helper.

72. When Our Clear Signs

Are rehearsed to them,

Thou wilt notice a denial

On the faces of the Unbelievers!

They nearly attack with violence

Those who rehearse Our Signs

To them. Say, "Shall I

Tell you of something

(Far) worse than these Signs?

It is the Fire (of Hell)!

God has promised it

To the Unbelievers!

And evil is that destination!"

SECTION 10.

73. O men! Here is

A parable set forth!

Listen to it! Those

On whom, besides God,

Ye call, cannot create

(Even) a fly, if they all

Met together for the purpose!

And if the fly should snatch

Away anything from them,

They would have no power

To release it from the fly.

Feeble are those who petition

And those whom they petition!

74. No just estimate have they

Made of God: for God

Is He Who is strong

And able to carry out

His Will.

75. God chooses Messengers

From angels and from men

For God is He Who hears

And sees (all things).

76. He knows what is before them

And what is behind them:

And to God go back

All questions (for decision).

77. O ye who believe!

Bow down, prostrate yourselves,

And adore your Lord;

And do good;

That ye may prosper.

78. And strive in His cause

As ye ought to strive,

(With sincerity and under discipline).

He has chosen you, and has

Imposed no difficulties on you

In religion; it is the cult

Of your father Abraham.

It is He Who has named

You Muslims, both before

And in this (Revelation);

That the Apostle may be

A witness for you, and ye

Be witnesses for mankind!

So establish regular Prayer,

Give regular Charity,

And hold fast to God!

He is your Protector--

The best to protect

And the Best to help!

Sura XXIII.

Mu-minun, or The Believers.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. The Believers must

(Eventually) win through,--

2. Those who humble themselves

In their prayers;

3. Who avoid vain talk;

4. Who are active in deeds

Of charity;

5. Who abstain from sex,

6. Except with those joined

To them in the marriage bond,

Or (the captives) whom

Their right hands possess,--

For (in their case) they are

Free from blame,

7. But those whose desires exceed

Those limits are transgressors;--

8. Those who faithfully observe

Their trusts and their covenants;

9. And who (strictly) guard

Their prayers;--

10. These will be the heirs,

11. Who will inherit Paradise:

They will dwell therein

(For ever).

12. Man We did create

From a quintessence (of clay);

13. Then We placed him

As (a drop of) sperm

In a place of rest,

Firmly fixed;

14. Then We made the sperm

Into a clot of congealed blood;

Then of that clot We made

A (foetus) lump; then We

Made out of that lump

Bones and clothed the bones

With flesh; then We developed

Out of it another creature.

So blessed be God,

The Best to create!

15. After that, at length

Ye will die.

16. Again, on the Day

Of Judgment, will ye be

Raised up.

17. And We have made, above you,

Seven tracts; and We

Are never unmindful

Of (Our) Creation,

18. And We send down water

From the sky according to

(Due) measure, and We cause it

To soak in the soil;

And We certainly are able

To drain it off (with ease).

19. With it We grow for you

Gardens of date-palms

And vines: in them have ye

Abundant fruits: and of them

Ye eat (and have enjoyment),--

20. Also a tree springing

Out of Mount Sinai,

Which produces oil,

And relish for those

Who use it for food.

21. And in cattle (too) ye

Have an instructive example:

From within their bodies

We produce (milk) for you

To drink; there art, in them,

(Besides), numerous (other)

Benefits for you;

And of their (meat) ye eat;

22. And on them, as well as

In ships, ye ride.

SECTION 2.

23. (Further, We sent a long line

Of prophets for your instruction).

We sent Noah to his people:

He said, "O my people!

Worship God! Ye have

No other god but Him.

Will ye not fear (Him)?"

24. The chiefs of the Unbelievers

Among his people said:

"He is no more than a man

Like yourselves: his wish is

To assert his superiority

Over you: if God had wished

(To send messengers),

He could have sent down

Angels: never did we hear

Such a thing (as he says),

Among our ancestors of old."

25. (And some said): "He is

Only a man possessed:

Wait (and have patience)

With him for a time."

26. (Noah) said: "O my Lord!

Help me: for that they

Accuse me of falsehood!"

27. So We inspired him

(With this message): "Construct

The Ark within Our sight

And under Our guidance: then

When comes Our command,

And the fountains of the earth

Gush forth, take thou on board

Pairs of every species, male

And female, and thy family--

Except those of them

Against whom the Word

Has already gone forth:

And address Me not

In favour of the wrong-doers;

For they shall be drowned

(In the Flood).

28. And when thou hast embarked

On the Ark--thou and those

With thee,--say: "Praise be

To God, Who has saved us

From the people who do wrong."

29. And say: "O my Lord!

Enable me to disembark

With Thy blessing: for Thou

Art the Best to enable (us)

To disembark."

30. Verily in this there are

Signs (for men to understand);

(Thus) do We try (men)."

31. Then We raised after them

Another generation.

32. And We sent to them

An apostle from among themselves,

(Saying), "Worship God!

Ye have no other god

But Him. Will ye not

Fear (Him)?"

SECTION 3.

33. And the chiefs

Of his people, who disbelieved

And denied the Meeting

In the Hereafter, and on whom

We had bestowed the good things

Of this life, said: "He is

No more than a man

Like yourselves: he eats

Of that of which ye eat,

And drinks of what ye drink.

34. "If ye obey a man

Like yourselves, behold,

It is certain ye will be lost.

35. "Does he promise that

When ye die and become dust

And bones, ye shall be

Brought forth (again)?

36. "Far, very far is that

Which ye are promised!

37. "There is nothing but

Our life in this world!

We shall die and we live!

But we shall never

Be raised up again!

38. "He is only a man

Who invents a lie

Against God, but we

Are not the ones

To believe in him!"

39. (The prophet) said:

"O my Lord! help me:

For that they accuse me

Of falsehood."

40. (God) said: "In but

A little while, they

Are sure to be sorry!"

41. Then the Blast overtook them

With justice, and We made them

As rubbish of dead leaves

(Floating on the stream of Time)!

So away with the people

Who do wrong!

42. Then We raised after them

Other generations.

43. No people can hasten

Their term, nor can they

Delay (it).

44. Then sent We Our apostles

In succession: every time

There came to a people

Their apostle, they accused him

Of falsehood: so We made

Them follow each other

(In punishment): We made them

As a tale (that is told):

So away with a people

That will not believe!

45. When We sent Moses

And his brother Aaron,

With Our Signs and

Authority manifest,

46. To Pharaoh and his Chiefs:

But these behaved insolently:

They were an arrogant people.

47. They said: "Shall we believe

In two men like ourselves?

And their people are subject

To us!"

48. So they accused them

Of falsehood, and they became

Of those who were destroyed.

49. And We gave Moses

The Book, in order that

They might receive guidance.

50. And We made

The son of Mary

And his mother

As a Sign:

We gave them both

Shelter on high ground,

Affording rest and security

And furnished with springs.

SECTION 4.

51. O ye apostles! enjoy

(All) things good and pure,

And work righteousness:

For I am well-acquainted

With (all) that ye do.

52. And verily this Brotherhood

Of yours is a single Brotherhood,

And I am your Lord

And Cherisher: therefore

Fear Me (and no other).

53. But people have cut off

Their affair (of unity),

Between them, into sects:

Each party rejoices in that

Which is with itself.

54. But leave them

In their confused ignorance

For a time.

55. Do they think that because

We have granted them abundance

Of wealth and sons,

56. We would hasten them

On in every good? Nay,

They do not understand.

57. Verily those who live

In awe for fear of their Lord;

58. Those who believe

In the Signs of their Lord;

59. Those who join not (in worship)

Partners with their Lord;

60. And those who dispense

Their charity with their hearts

Full of fear, because

They will return to their Lord;--

61. It is these who hasten

In every good work,

And these who are

Foremost in them.

62. On no soul do We

Place a burden greater

Than it can bear:

Before Us is a record

Which clearly shows the truth:

They will never be wronged.

63. But their hearts are

In confused ignorance

Of this; and there are,

Besides that, deeds of theirs,

Which they will (continue)

To do,--

64. Until, when We seize

In Punishment those of them

Who received the good things

Of this world, behold,

They will groan in supplication!

65. (It will be said):

"Groan not in supplication

This day; for ye shall

Certainly not be helped by Us.

66. "My Signs used to be

Rehearsed to you, but ye

Used to turn back

On your heels--

67. "In arrogance: talking nonsense

About the (Qur-an), like one

Telling fables by night."

68. Do they not ponder over

The Word (of God), or

Has anything (new) come

To them that did not

Come to their fathers of old?

69. Or do they not recognise

Their Apostle, that they

Deny him?

70. Or do they say, "he is

Possessed"? Nay, he has

Brought them the Truth,

But most of them

Hate the Truth.

71. If the Truth had been

In accord with their desires,

Truly the heavens and the earth,

And all beings therein

Would have been in confusion

And corruption! Nay, We

Have sent them their admonition,

But they turn away

From their admonition.

72. Or is it that thou

Askest them for some

Recompense? But the recompense

Of thy Lord is best:

He is the Best of those

Who give sustenance.

73. But verily thou callest them

To the Straight Way;

74. And verily those who

Believe not in the Hereafter

Are deviating from that Way.

75. If We had mercy on them

And removed the distress

Which is on them, they

Would obstinately persist

In their transgression,

Wandering in distraction

To and fro.

76. We inflicted Punishment

On them, but they

Humbled not themselves

To their Lord, nor do they

Submissively entreat (Him)!--

77. Until We open on them

A gate leading to

A severe Punishment: then

Lo! they will be plunged

In despair therein!

SECTION 5.

78. It is He Who has created

For you (the faculties of)

Hearing, sight, feeling

And understanding: little thanks

It is ye give!

79. And He Has multiplied you

Through the earth, and to Him

Shall ye be gathered back.

80. It is He Who gives

Life and death, and to Him

(Is due) the alternation

Of Night and Day:

Will ye not then understand?

81. On the contrary they say

Things similar to what

The ancients said.

82. They say: "What! When we

Die and become dust and bones,

Could we really be

Raised up again?

83. "Such things have been promised

To us and to our fathers

Before! They are nothing

But tales of the ancients!"

84. Say: "To whom belong

The earth and all beings therein?

(Say) if ye know!"

85. They will say, "To God!"

Say: "Yet will ye not

Receive admonition?"

86. Say: "Who is the Lord

Of the seven heavens,

And the Lord of the Throne

(Of Glory) Supreme?"

87. They will say, "(They belong)

To God." Say: "Will ye not

Then be filled with awe?"

88. Say: "Who is it in whose

Hands is the governance

Of all things,--who protects

(All), but is not protected

(Of any)? (Say) if ye know."

89. They will say, "(It belongs)

To God." Say: "Then how

Are ye deluded?"

90. We have sent them the Truth:

But they indeed practise Falsehood!

91. No son did God beget,

Nor is there any god

Along with Him: (if there were

Many gods), behold, each god

Would have taken away

What he had created,

And some would have

Lorded it over others!

Glory to God! (He is free)

From the (sort of) things

They attribute to Him!

92. He knows what is hidden

And what is open: too high

Is He for the partners

They attribute to Him!

SECTION 6.

93. Say: "O my Lord!

If Thou wilt show me

(In my lifetime) that which

They are warned against,--

94. "Then, O my Lord! put me not

Amongst the people

Who do wrong!"

95. And We are certainly able

To show thee (in fulfilment)

That against which they are warned.

96. Repel evil with that'

Which is best: We are

Well acquainted with

The things they say.

97. And say "O my Lord!

I seek refuge with Thee

From the suggestions

Of the Evil Ones.

98. "And I seek refuge with Thee

O my Lord! lest they

Should come near me."

99. (In Falsehood will they be)

Until, when death comes

To one of them, he says:

"O my Lord! send me back

(To life),--

100. "In order that I may

Work righteousness in the things

I neglected."--"By no means!

It is but a word he says."--

Before them is a Partition

Till the Day they are

Raised up.

101. When the Trumpet

Is blown, there will be

No more relationships

Between them that day,

Nor will one ask after another!

102. Then those whose balance

(Of good deeds) is heavy,--

They will attain salvation:

103. But those whose balance

Is light, will be those

Who have lost their souls;

In Hell will they abide.

104. The Fire will burn their faces,

And they will therein

Grin, with their lips displaced.

105. "Were not My Signs rehearsed

To you, and ye did but

Treat them as falsehoods?"

106. They will say: "Our Lord!

Our misfortune overwhelmed us,

And we became a people

Astray!

107. "Our Lord! Bring us out

Of this: if ever we return

(To evil), then shall we be

Wrong-doers indeed!"

108. He will say: "Be ye

Driven into it (with ignominy)!

And speak ye not to Me!

109. "A part of My servants

There was, who used to pray,

'Our Lord! we believe;

Then do Thou forgive us,

And have mercy upon us:

For Thou art the Best

Of those who show mercy!'

110. "But ye treated them

With ridicule, so much so

That (ridicule of) them made you

Forget My Message while

Ye were laughing at them!

111. "I have rewarded them

This day for their patience

And constancy: they are indeed

The ones that have achieved Bliss:.."

112. He will say: "What number

Of years did ye stay

On earth?"

113. They will say: "We stayed

A day or part of a day:

But ask those who

Keep account."

114. He will say: "Ye stayed

Not but a little,--

If ye had only known!

115. "Did ye then think

That We had created you

In jest, and that ye

Would not be brought back

To Us (for account)?"

116. Therefore exalted be God,

The King, the Reality:

There is no god but He,

The Lord of the Throne

Of Honour!

117. If anyone invokes, besides God,

Any other god, he has

No authority therefor;

And his reckoning will be

Only with his Lord!

And verily the Unbelievers

Will fail to win through

118. So say: "O my Lord!

Grant Thou forgiveness and mercy!

For Thou art the Best

Of those who show mercy!"

Sura XXIV.

Nur, or Light.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A Sura which We

Have sent down and

Which We have ordained:

In it have We sent down

Clear Signs, in order that

Ye may receive admonition.

2. The woman and the man

Guilty of adultery or fornication,--

Flog each of them

With a hundred stripes:

Let not compassion move you

In their case, in a matter

Prescribed by God, if ye believe

In God and the Last Day:

And let a party

Of the Believers

Witness their punishment.

3. Let no man guilty of

Adultery or fornication marry

Any but a woman

Similarly guilty, or an Unbeliever:

Nor let any but such a man

Or an Unbeliever

Marry such a woman:

To the Believers such a thing

Is forbidden.

4. And those who launch

A charge against chaste women,

And produce not four witnesses

(To support their allegations),--

Flog them with eighty stripes;

And reject their evidence

Ever after: for such men

Are wicked transgressors;--

5. Unless they repent thereafter

And mend (their conduct);

For God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

6. And for those who launch

A charge against their spouses,

And have (in support)

No evidence but their own,--

Their solitary evidence

(Can be received) if they

Bear witness four times

(With an oath) by God

That they are solemnly

Telling the truth;

7. And the fifth (oath)

(Should be) that they solemnly

Invoke the curse of God

On themselves if they

Tell a lie.

8. But it would avert

The punishment from the wife,

If she bears witness

Four times (with an oath)

By God, that (her husband)

Is telling a lie;

9. And the fifth (oath)

Should be that she solemnly

Invokes the wrath of God

On herself if (her accuser)

Is telling the truth.

10. If it were not

For God's grace and mercy

On you, and that God

Is Oft-Returning,

Full of wisdom,

(Ye would be ruined indeed).

SECTION 2.

11. Those who brought forward

The lie are a body

Among yourselves: think it not

To be an evil to you;

On the contrary it is good

For you: to every man

Among them (will come

The punishment) of the sin

That he earned, and to him

Who took on himself the lead

Among them, will be

A Penalty grievous.

12. Why did not the Believers

Men and women--when ye

Heard of the affair,--put

The best construction on it

In their own minds

And say, "This (charge)

Is an obvious lie"?

13. Why did they not bring

Four witnesses to prove it?

When they have not brought

The witnesses, such men,

In the sight of God,

(Stand forth) themselves as liars!

14. Were it not for the grace

And mercy of God on you,

In this world and the Hereafter,

A grievous penalty would have

Seized you in that ye rushed

Glibly into this affair.

15. Behold, ye received it

On your tongues,

And said out of your mouths

Things of which ye had

No knowledge; and ye thought

It to be a light matter,

While it was most serious

In the sight of God.

16. And why did ye not,

When ye heard it, say?--

"It is not right of us

To speak of this:

Glory to God! this is

A most serious slander!"

17. God doth admonish you,

That ye may never repeat

Such (conduct), if ye

Are (true) Believers.

18. And God makes the Signs

Plain to you: for God

Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

19. Those who love (to see)

Scandal published broadcast

Among the Believers, will have

A grievous Penalty in this life

And in the Hereafter: God

Knows, and ye know not.

20. Were it not for the grace

And mercy of God on you,

And that God is

Full of kindness and mercy,

(Ye would be ruined indeed).

SECTION 3.

21. O ye who believe!

Follow not Satan's footsteps:

If any will follow the footsteps

Of Satan, he will (but) command

What is shameful and wrong:

And were it not for the grace

And mercy of God on you.

Not one of you would ever

Have been pure: but God

Doth purify whom He pleases:

And God is One Who

Hears and knows (all things).

22. Let not those among you

Who are endued with grace

And amplitude of means

Resolve by oath against helping

Their kinsmen, those in want,

And those who have left

Their homes in God's cause:

Let them forgive and overlook,

Do you not wish

That God should forgive you?

For God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

23. Those who slander chaste women,

Indiscreet but believing,

Are cursed in this life

And in the Hereafter:

For them is a grievous Penalty,--

24. On the Day when their tongues,

Their hands, and their feet

Will bear witness against them

As to their actions.

25. On that Day God

Will pay them back

(All) their just dues,

And they will realise

That God is

The (very) Truth,

That makes all things manifest.

26. Women impure are for men impure

And men impure for women impure

And women of purity

Are for men of purity,

And men of purity

Are for women of purity:

These are not affected

By what people say:

For them there is forgiveness,

And a provision honourable.

SECTION 4.

27. O ye who believe!

Enter not houses other than

Your own, until ye have

Asked permission and saluted

Those in them: that is

Best for you, in order that

Ye may heed (what is seemly).

28. If ye find no one

In the house, enter not

Until permission is given

To you: if ye are asked

To go back, go back:

That makes for greater purity

For yourselves: and God

Knows well all that ye do.

29. It is no fault on your part

To enter houses not used

For living in, which serve

Some (other) use for you:

And God has knowledge

Of what ye reveal

And what ye conceal.

30. Say to the believing men

That they should lower

Their gaze and guard

Their modesty: that will make

For greater purity for them:

And God is well acquainted

With all that they do.

31. And say to the believing women

That they should lower

Their gaze and guard

Their modesty; that they

Should not display their

Beauty and ornaments except

What (must ordinarily) appear

Thereof; that they should

Draw their veils over

Their bosoms and not display

Their beauty except

To their husbands, their fathers,

Their husbands' fathers, their sons,

Their husbands' sons,

Their brothers or their brothers' sons,

Or their sisters' sons,

Or their women, or the slaves

Whom their right hands

Possess, or male servants

Free of physical needs,

Or small children who

Have no sense of the shame

Of sex; and that they

Should not strike their feet

In order to draw attention

To their hidden ornaments.

And O ye Believers!

Turn ye all together

Towards God, that ye

May attain Bliss.

32. Marry those among you

Who are single, or

The virtuous ones among

Your slaves, male or female:

If they are in poverty,

God will give them

Means out of His grace:

For God encompasseth all,

And He knoweth all things.

33. Let those who find not

The wherewithal for marriage

Keep themselves chaste, until

God gives them means

Out of His grace.

And if any of your slaves

Ask for a deed in writing

(To enable them to earn

Their freedom for a certain sum),

Give them such a deed

If ye know any good

In them; yea, give them

Something yourselves

Out of the means which

God has given to you.

But force not your maids

To prostitution when they desire

Chastity, in order that ye

May make a gain

In the goods of this life.

But if anyone compels them,

Yet, after such compulsion,

Is God Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful (to them).

34. We have already sent down

To you verses making things

Clear, an illustration from (the story

Of) people who passed away

Before you, and an admonition

For those who fear (God).

SECTION 5.

35. God is the Light

Of the heavens and the earth.

The parable of His Light

Is as if there were a Niche

And within it a Lamp:

The Lamp enclosed in Glass:

The glass as it were

A brilliant star:

Lit from a blessed Tree,

An Olive, neither of the East

Nor of the West,

Whose Oil is well-nigh

Luminous,

Though fire scarce touched it

Light upon Light!

God doth guide

Whom He will

To His Light:

God doth set forth Parables

For men: and God

Doth know all things.

36. (Lit is such a Light)

In houses, which God

Hath permitted to be raised

To honour; for the celebration,

In them, of His name:

In them is He glorified

In the mornings and

In the evenings, (again and again),

37. By men whom neither

Traffic nor merchandise

Can divert from the Remembrance

Of God, nor from regular Prayer,

Nor from the practice

Of regular Charity:

Their (only) fear is

For the Day when

Hearts and eyes

Will be transformed

(In a world wholly new),--

38. That God may reward them

According to the best

Of their deeds, and add

Even more for them

Out of His Grace:

For God doth provide

For those whom He will,

Without measure.

39. but the Unbelievers,--

Their deeds are like a mirage

In sandy deserts, which

The man parched with thirst

Mistakes for water; until

When he comes up to it,

He finds it to be nothing:

But he finds God

(Ever) with him, and God

Will pay him his account:

And God is swift

In taking account.

40. Or (the Unbelievers' state)

Is like the depths of darkness

In a vast deep ocean,

Overwhelmed with billow

Topped by billow,

Topped by (dark) clouds:

Depths of darkness, one

Above another: if a man

Stretches out his hand,

He can hardly see it!

For any to whom God

Giveth not light,

There is no light!

SECTION 6.

41. Seest thou not that it is

God Whose praises all beings

In the heavens and on earth

Do celebrate, and the birds

(Of the air) with wings

Outspread? Each one knows

Its own (mode of) prayer

And praise. And God

Knows well all that they do.

42. Yea, to God belongs

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth; and to God

Is the final goal (of all).

43. Seest thou not that God

Makes the clouds move

Gently, then joins them

Together, then makes them

Into a heap?--then wilt thou

See rain issue forth

From their midst. And He

Sends down from the sky

Mountain masses (of clouds)

Wherein is hail: He strikes

Therewith whom He pleases

And He turns it away

From whom He pleases.

The vivid flash of His lightning

Well-nigh blinds the sight.

44. It is God Who alternates

The Night and the Day:

Verily in these things

Is an instructive example

For those who have vision!

45. And God has created

Every animal from water: sort

Of them there are some

That creep on their bellies;

Some that walk on two legs;

And some that walk on four.

God creates what He wills;

For verily God has power

Over all things.

46. We have indeed sent down

Signs that make things manifest:

And God guides whom He wills

To a Way that is straight.

47. They say, "We believe

In God and in the Apostle,

And we obey": but

Even after that, some of them

Turn away: they are not

(Really) Believers.

48. When they are summoned

To God and His Apostle,

In order that he may judge

Between them, behold, some

Of them decline (to come).

49. But if the right is

On their side, they come

To him with all submission

50. Is it that there is

A disease in their hearts

Or do they doubt,

Or are they in fear,

That God and His Apostle

Will deal unjustly with them?

Nay, it is they themselves

Who do wrong.

SECTION 7.

51. The answer of the Believers,

When summoned to God

And His Apostle, in order

That he may judge between them,

Is no other than this:

They say, "We hear and we obey":

It is such as these

That will attain felicity.

52. It is such as obey

God and His Apostle,

And fear God and do

Right, that will win

(In the end).

53. They swear their strongest oaths

By God that, if only thou

Wouldst command them, they

Would leave (their homes).

Say: "Swear ye not;

Obedience is (more) reasonable;

Verily, God is well acquainted

With all that ye do."

54. Say: "Obey God, and obey

The Apostle: but if ye turn

Away, he is only responsible

For the duty placed on him

And ye for that placed

On you. If ye obey him,

Ye shall be on right guidance.

The Apostle's duty is only

To preach the clear (Message).

55. God has promised, to those

Among you who believe

And work righteous deeds, that He

Will, of a surety, grant them

In the land, inheritance

(Of power), as He granted it

To those before them; that

He will establish in authority

Their religion--the one

Which He has chosen for them;

And that He will change

(Their state), after the fear

In which they (lived), to one

Of security and peace:

'They will worship Me (alone)

And not associate aught with Me.'

If any do reject Faith

After this, they are

Rebellious and wicked.

56. So establish regular Prayer

And give regular Charity;

And obey the Apostle;

That ye may receive mercy.

57. Never think thou

That the Unbelievers

Are going to frustrate

(God's Plan) on earth:

Their abode is the Fire,--

And it is indeed

An evil refuge!

SECTION 8.

58. O ye who believe!

Let those whom your right hands

Possess, and the (children) among you

Who have not come of age

Ask your permission (before

They come to your presence),

On three occasions: before

Morning prayer; the while

Ye doff your clothes

For the noonday heat;

And after the late-night prayer:

These are your three times

Of undress: outside those times

It is not wrong for you

Or for them to move about

Attending to each other:

Thus does God make clear

The Signs to you: for God

Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

59. But when the children among you

Come of age, let them (also)

Ask for permission, as do those

Senior to them (in age):

Thus does God make clear

His Signs to you: for God

Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

60. Such elderly women as are

Past the prospect of marriage,--

There is no blame on them

If they lay aside

Their (outer) garments, provided

They make not a wanton display

Of their beauty: but

It is best for them

To be modest: and God

Is One Who sees and knows

All things.

61. It is no fault in the blind

Nor in one born lame, nor

In one afflicted with illness,

Nor in yourselves, that ye

Should eat in your own houses,

Or those of your fathers,

Or your mothers, or your brothers,

Or your sisters, or your father's brothers

Or your father's sisters,

Or your mother's brothers,

Or your mother's sisters,

Or in houses of which

The keys are in your possession,

Or in the house of a sincere

Friend of yours: there is

No blame on you, whether

Ye eat in company or

Separately. But if ye

Enter houses, salute each other--

A greeting of blessing

And purity as from God.

Thus does God make clear

The Signs to you: that ye

May understand.

SECTION 9.

62. Only those are Believers,

Who believe in God and

His Apostle: when they are

With him on a matter

Requiring action,

They do not depart until

They have asked for his leave;

Those who ask for thy leave

Are those who believe in God

And His Apostle; so when

They ask for thy leave,

For some business of theirs,

Give leave to those of them

Whom thou wilt, and ask

God for their forgiveness:

For God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

63. Deem not the summons

Of the Apostle among yourselves

Like the summons of one

Of you to another: God

Doth know those of you

Who slip away under shelter

Of some excuse: then

Let those beware who

Withstand the Apostle's order,

Lest some trial befall them,

Or a grievous Penalty

Be inflicted on them.

64. Be quite sure that

To God doth belong

Whatever is in the heavens

And on earth. Well doth He

Know what ye are intent upon:

And one day they will be

Brought back to Him, and He

Will tell them the truth

Of what they did:

For God doth know

All things.

Sura XXV.

Furqan, or The Criterion.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Blessed is He Who

Sent down the Criterion

To His Servant, that

May be an admonition

To all creatures;--

2. He to Whom belongs

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth: no son

Has He begotten, nor has He

A partner in His dominion:

It is He Who created

All things, and ordered them

In due proportions.

3. Yet have they taken,

Besides Him, gods that can

Create nothing but are themselves

Created; that have no control

Of hurt or good to themselves;

Nor can they control Death

Nor Life nor Resurrection.

4. But the Misbelievers say:

"Naught is this but a lie

Which he has forged,

And others have helped him

At it." In truth it is they

Who have put forward

An iniquity and a falsehood.

5. And they say: "Tales of

The ancients, which he has caused

To be written: and they

Are dictated before him

Morning and evening."

6. Say: "The (Qur-an) was sent down

By Him Who knows

The Mystery (that is) in the heavens

And the earth: verily He

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

7. find they say: "What sort

Of an apostle is this,

Who eats food, and walks

Through the streets? Why

Has not an angel

Been sent down to him

To give admonition with him?

8. "Or (why) has not a treasure

Been bestowed on him, or

Why has he (not) a garden

For enjoyment?" The wicked

Say: "Ye follow none other

Than a man bewitched."

9. See what kinds of comparisons

They make for thee!

But they have gone astray,

And never a way will they

Be able to find!

SECTION 2.

10. Blessed is He Who,

If that were His Will,

Could give thee better (things)

Than those,--Gardens beneath which

Rivers flow; and He could

Give thee Palaces (secure

To dwell in).

11. Nay, they deny the Hour

(Of the Judgment to come):

But We have prepared

A Blazing Fire for such

As deny the Hour:

12. When it sees them

From a place far off,

They will hear its fury

And its raging sigh.

13. And when they are cast,

Bound together, into a

Constricted place therein, they

Will plead for destruction

There and then!

14. "This day plead not

For a single destruction:

Plead for destruction oft-repeated!"

15. Say: "Is that best, or

The eternal Garden, promised

To the righteous? For them,

That is a reward as well

As a goal (of attainment).

16. "For them there will be

Therein all that they wish for:

They will dwell (there) for aye:

A promise to be prayed for

From thy Lord."

17. The Day He will gather

Them together as well as

Those whom they worship

Besides God, He will ask;

"Was it ye who led

These My servants astray,

Or did they stray

From the Path themselves?"

18. They will say: "Glory to Thee!

Not meet was it for us

That we should take

For protectors others besides Thee:

But Thou didst bestow,

On them and their fathers,

Good things (in life), until

They forgot the Message:

For they were a people

(Worthless and) lost."

19. (God will say): "Now

Have they proved you liars

In what ye say: so

Ye cannot avert (your penalty)

Nor (get) help." And whoever

Among you does wrong,

Him shall We cause to taste

Of a grievous Penalty.

20. And the apostles whom We

Sent before thee were all

(Men) who ate food

And walked through the streets:

We have made some of you

As a trial for others:

Will ye have patience?

For God is One Who

Sees (all things).

SECTION 3.

21. Such as fear not

The meeting with Us

(For Judgment) say:

"Why are not the angels

Sent down to us, or

(Why) do we not see

Our Lord?" Indeed they

Have an arrogant conceit

Of themselves, and mighty

Is the insolence of their impiety!

22. The Day they see the angels,--

No joy will there be

To the sinners that Day:

The (angels) will say:

"There is a barrier

Forbidden (to you) altogether!

23: And We shall turn

To whatever deeds they did

(In this life), and We shall

Make such deeds as floating dust

Scattered about.

24. The Companions of the Garden

Will be well, that Day,

In their abode, and have

The fairest of places for repose:

25. The Day the heaven shall be

Rent asunder with clouds,

And angels shall be sent down,

Descending (in ranks),--

26. That Day, the dominion

As of right and truth,

Shall be (wholly) for (God)

Most Merciful: it will be

A Day of dire difficulty

For the Misbelievers.

27. I the Day that the wrong-doer

Will bite at his hands,

He will say, "Oh! would that

I had taken a (straight) path

With the Apostle!

28. "Ah! woe is me!

Would that I had never

Taken such a one

For a friend!

29. "He did lead me astray

From the Message (of God)

After it had come to me!

Ah! the Evil One is

But a traitor to man!

Then the Apostle will say:

30 "O my Lord! Truly

My people took this Qur-an

For just foolish nonsense."

31. Thus have We made

For every prophet an enemy

Among the sinners: but enough

Is thy Lord to guide

And to help.

32. Whose who reject Faith

Say: "Why is not the Qur-an

Revealed to him all at once?

Thus (is it revealed), that We

May strengthen thy heart

Thereby, and We have

Rehearsed it to thee in slow,

Well-arranged stages, gradually.

33. And no question do they

Bring to thee but We

Reveal to thee the truth

And the best explanation (thereof),

34. Whose who will be gathered

To Hell (prone) on their faces,--

They will be in an evil

Plight, and, as to Path,

Most astray.

SECTION 4.

35. (Before this,) We sent Moses

The Book, and appointed

His brother Aaron with him

As Minister;

36. And We commanded: "Go ye

Both, to the people who

Have rejected our Signs:"

And those (people) We destroyed

With utter destruction.

37. And the people of Noah,--

When they rejected the apostles,

We drowned them,

And We made them

As a Sign for mankind;

And We have prepared

For (all) wrong-doers

A grievous Penalty;--

38. As also 'Ad and Thamud,

And the Companions

Of the Rass, and many

A generation between them.

39. To each one We set forth

Parables and examples;

And each one We broke

To utter annihilation

(For their sins).

40. And the (Unbelievers) must indeed

Have passed by the town

On which was rained

A shower of evil: did they not

Then see it (with their own

Eyes)? But they fear not

The Resurrection.

41. When they see thee,

They treat thee no otherwise

Than in mockery: "Is this

The one whom God has sent

As an apostle?"

42. "He indeed would well-nigh

Have misled us from

Our gods, had it not been

That we were constant

To them!"--Soon will they

Know, when they see

The Penalty, who it is

That is most misled

In Path!

43. Seest thou such a one

As taketh for his god

His own passion (or impulse)?

Couldst thou be a disposer

Of affairs for him?

44. Or thinkest thou that most

Of them listen or understand?

They are only like cattle;--

Nay, they are worse astray

In Path.

SECTION 5.

45. Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to thy Lord?--

How He doth prolong

The Shadow! If He willed,

He could make it stationary!

Then do We make

The sun its guide;

46. Then We draw it in

Towards Ourselves,

A contraction by easy stages.

47. And He it is Who makes

The Night as a Robe

For you, and Sleep as Repose,

And makes the Day

(As it were) a Resurrection.

48. And He it is Who sends

The Winds as heralds

Of glad tidings, going before

His Mercy, and We send down

Pure water from the sky,--

49. That with it We may give

Life to a dead land,

And slake the thirst

Of things We have created,--

Cattle and men in great numbers.

50. And We have distributed

The (water) amongst them, in order

That they may celebrate

(Our) praises, but most men

Are averse (to aught) but

(Rank) ingratitude.

51. Had it been Our Will,

We could have sent

A warner to every centre

Of population.

52. Therefore listen not

To the Unbelievers, but strive

Against them with the utmost

Strenuousness, with the (Qur-an).

53. It is He Who has

Let free the two bodies

Of flowing water:

One palatable and sweet,

And the other salt

And hitter; yet has He

Made a barrier between them,

A partition that is forbidden

To be passed.

54. It is He Who has

Created man from water:

Then has He established

Relationships of lineage

And marriage: for thy Lord

Has power (over all things).

55. Yet do they worship,

Besides God, things that can

Neither profit them nor

Harm them: and the Misbeliever

Is a helper (of Evil),

Against his own Lord!

56. But thee We only sent

To give glad tidings

And admonition.

57. Say: "No reward do I

Ask of you for it but this:

That each one who will

May take a (straight) Path

To his Lord."

58. And put thy trust

In Him Who lives

And dies not; and celebrate

His praise; and enough is He

To be acquainted with

The faults of His servants;--

59. He Who created the heavens

And the earth and all

That is between, in six days,

And is firmly established

On the Throne (of authority):

God Most Gracious:

Ask thou, then, about Him

Of any acquainted (with such things).

60. When it is said to them,

"Adore ye (God) Most Gracious!",

They say, "And what is (God)

Most Gracious? Shall we adore

That which thou commandest us?"

And it increases their flight

(From the Truth).

SECTION 6

61. Blessed is He Who made

Constellations in the skies,

And placed therein a Lamp

And a Moon giving light;

62. And it is He Who made

The Night and the Day

To follow each other:

For such as have the will

To celebrate His praises

Or to show their gratitude.

63. And the servants of (God)

Most Gracious are those

Who walk on the earth

In humility, and when the ignorant

Address them, they say,

"Peace!";

64. Those who spend the night

In adoration of their Lord

Prostrate and standing;

65. Those who say, "Our Lord!

Avert from us the Wrath

Of Hell, for its Wrath

Is indeed an affliction grievous,--

66. "Evil indeed is it

As an abode, and as

A place to rest in";

67. Those who, when they spend,

Are not extravagant and not

Niggardly, but hold a just (balance)

Between those (extremes);

68. Those who invoke not,

With God, any other god,

Nor slay such life as God

Has made sacred, except

For just cause, nor commit

Fornication;--and any that does

This (not only) meets punishment

69. (But) the Penalty on the Day

Of Judgment will be doubled

To him, and he will dwell

Therein in ignominy,--

70. Unless he repents, believes,

And works righteous deeds,

For God will change

The evil of such persons

Into good, and God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,

71. And whoever repents and does good

Has truly turned to God

With an (acceptable) conversion;--

72. Those who witness no falsehood;

And, if they pass by futility,

They pass by it

With honourable (avoidance);

73. Those who, when they are

Admonished with the Signs

Of their Lord, droop not down

At them as if they were

Deaf or blind;

74. And these who pray,

"Our Lord! Grant unto us

Wives and offspring who will be

The comfort of our eyes,

And give us (the grace)

To lead the righteous."

75. Those are the ones who

Will be rewarded with

The highest place in heaven,

Because of their patient constancy:

Therein shall they be met

With salutations and peace,

76. Dwelling therein;--how beautiful

An abode and place of rest!

77. Say (to the Rejecters):

"My Lord is not uneasy

Because of you if ye call not on Him

But ye have indeed rejected

(Him), and soon will come

The inevitable (punishment)!"

Sura XXVI.

Shu'araa, or The Poets.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ta. Sin. Mim.

2. These are Verses of the Book

That makes (things) clear.

3. It may be thou frettest

Thy soul with grief, that they

Do not become Believers.

4. If (such) were Our Will,

We could send down to them

From the sky a Sign,

To which they would bend

Their necks in humility.

5. But there comes not

To them a newly-revealed

Message from (God) Most Gracious,

But they turn away therefrom.

6. They have indeed rejected

(The Message): so they will

Know soon (enough) the truth

Of what they mocked at!

7. Do they not look

At the earth,--how many

Noble things of all kinds

We have produced therein?

8. Verily, in this is a Sign:

But most of them

Do not believe.

9. And verily, thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 2.

10. Behold, thy Lord called

Moses: "Go to the people

Of iniquity,--

11. "The people of Pharaoh:

Will they not fear God?"

12. He said: "O my Lord!

I do fear that they

Will charge me with falsehood:

13. "My breast will be straitened?'

And my speech may not go

(Smoothly): so send unto Aaron.

14. "And (further), they have

A charge of crime against me;

And I fear they may

Slay me."

15. God said: "By no means!

Proceed then, both of you,

With Our Signs; We

Are with you, and will

Listen (to your call).

16. "So go forth, both of you,

To Pharaoh, and say:

'We have been sent

By the Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds;

17. "'Send thou with us

The Children of Israel.'"

18. (Pharaoh) said: "Did we not

Cherish thee as a child

Among us, and didst thou not

Stay in our midst

Many years of thy life?

19. "And thou didst a deed

Of thine which (thou knowest)

Thou didst, and thou art

An ungrateful (wretch)!"

20. Moses said: "I did it

Then, when I was

In error.

21. "So I fled from you (all)

When I feared you;

But my Lord has (since)

Invested me with judgment

(And wisdom) and appointed me

As one of the apostles.

22. "And this is the favour

With which thou dost

Reproach me,--that thou

Hast enslaved the Children

Of Israel!"

23. Pharaoh said: "And what

Is the 'Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds'?

24. (Moses) said: "The Lord

And Cherisher of the heavens

And the earth, and all between,

If ye want to be

Quite sure."

25. (Pharaoh) said to those

Around: "Do ye not listen

(To what he says)?

26. (Moses) said: "Your Lord

And the Lord of your fathers

From the beginning!"

27. (Pharaoh) said: "Truly

Your apostle who has been

Sent to you is

A veritable madman!"

28. (Moses) said: "Lord of the East

And the West, and all between!

If ye only had sense!"

29. (Pharaoh) said: "If thou

Dost put forward any god

Other than me, I will

Certainly put thee in prison!"

30. (Moses) said: "Even if I

Showed you something

Clear (and) convincing?"

31. (Pharaoh) said: "Show it then,

If thou tellest the truth!"

32. So (Moses) threw his rod,

And behold, it was

A serpent, plain (for all to see)!

33. And he drew out his hand,

And behold, it was white

To all beholders!

SECTION 3.

34. (Pharaoh) said to the Chiefs

Around him: "This is indeed

A sorcerer well-versed:

35. "His plan is to get you out

Of your land by his sorcery;

Then what is it ye counsel?"

36. They said: "Keep him

And his brother in suspense

(For a while), and dispatch

To the Cities heralds to collect--

37. "And bring up to thee

All (our) sorcerers well-versed."

38. So the sorcerers were got

Together for the appointment

Of a day well-known,

39. And the people were told:

"Are ye (now) assembled?--

40. "That we may follow

The sorcerers (in religion)

If they win?"

41. So when the sorcerers arrived,

They said to Pharaoh:

"Of course--shall we have

A (suitable) reward

If we win?"

42. He said: "Yea, (and more),--

For ye shall in that case

Be (raised to posts)

Nearest (to my person)."

43. Moses said to them:

"Throw ye--that which

Ye are about to throw!"

44. So they threw their ropes

And their rods, and said:

"By the might of Pharaoh,

It is we who will

Certainly win!"

45. Then Moses threw his rod,

When, behold, it straightway

Swallows up all

The falsehoods which they fake!

46. When did the sorcerers

Fall down, prostrate in adoration,

47. Saying: "We believe

In the Lord of the Worlds,

48. "The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

49. Said (Pharaoh): "Believe ye

In Him before I give

You permission? Surely he

Is your leader, who has

Taught you sorcery!

But soon shall ye know!

50. "Be sure I will cut off

Your hands and your feet

On opposite sides, and I

Will cause you all

To die on the cross!"

51. They said: "No matter!

For us, we shall but

Return to our Lord!

52. "Only, our desire is

That our Lord will

Forgive us our faults,

That we may become

Foremost among the Believers!"

SECTION 4.

53. By inspiration We told Moses:

"Travel by night with

My servants; for surely

Ye shall be pursued."

54. Then Pharaoh sent heralds

To (all) the Cities,

55. (Saying): "These (Israelites)

Are but a small band,

56. "And they are raging

Furiously against us;

57. "But we are a multitude

Amply fore-warned."

58. So We expelled them

From gardens, springs,

59. Treasures, and every kind

Of honourable position;

60. Thus it was, but

We made the Children

Of Israel inheritors

Of such things.

61. So they pursued them

At sunrise.

62. And when the two bodies

Saw each other, the people

Of Moses said: "We are

Sure to be overtaken."

63. (Moses) said: "By no means!

My Lord is with me!

Soon will He guide me!"

64. Then We told Moses

By inspiration: "Strike

The sea with thy rod."

So it divided, and each

Separate part became

Like the huge, firm mass

Of a mountain.

65. And We made the other

Party approach thither.

66. We delivered Moses and all

Who were with him;

67. But We drowned the others.

68. Verily in this is a Sign:

But most of them

Do not believe.

69. And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 5.

70. And rehearse to them

(Something of) Abraham's story.

71. Behold, he said

To his father and his people:

"What worship ye?"

72. They said: "We worship

Idols, and we remain constantly

In attendance on them."

73. He said: "Do they listen

To you when ye call (on them),

Or do you good or harm?"

74. They said: "Nay, but we

Found our fathers doing

Thus (what we do)."

75. He said: "Do ye then

See whom ye have been

Worshipping,--

76. "Ye and your fathers before you?--

77. "For they are enemies to me;

Not so the Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds;

78. "Who created me, and

It is He who guides me;

79. "Who gives me food and drink,

80. "And when I am ill,

It is He who cures me;

81. "Who will cause me to die,

And then to live (again);

82. "And who, I hope,

Will forgive me my faults

On the Day of Judgment.

83. "O my Lord! bestow wisdom

On me, and join me

With the righteous;

84. "Grant me honourable mention

On the tongue of truth

Among the latest (generations);

85. "Make me one of the inheritors

Of the Garden of Bliss;

86. "Forgive my father, for that

He is among those astray;

87. "And let me not be

In disgrace on the Day

When (men) will be raised up;--

88. "The Day whereon neither

Wealth nor sons will avail,

89. "But only he (will prosper)

That brings to God

A sound heart;

90. "To the righteous, the Garden

Will be brought near,

91. "And to those straying in Evil,

The Fire will be placed

In full view;

92. "And it shall be said

To them, 'Where are

The (gods) ye worshipped--

93. "'Besides God? Can they

Help you or help themselves?'

94. "Then they will be thrown

Headlong into the (Fire),--

They and those straying

In Evil,

95. "And the whole hosts

Of Iblis together.

96. "They will say there

In their mutual bickerings:

97. "'By God, we were truly

In an error manifest,

98. "'When we held you as equals

With the Lord of the Worlds;

99. "'And our seducers were

Only those who were

Steeped in guilt.

100. "'Now, then, we have none

To intercede (for us),

101. "'Nor a single friend

To feel (for us).

102. "'Now if we only had

A chance of return,

We shall truly be

Of those who believe!'"

103. Verily in this is a Sign

But most of them

Do not believe.

104. And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 6.

105. The people of Noah rejected

The apostles.

106. Behold, their brother Noah

Said to them: "Will ye not

Fear (God)?

107. "I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust:

108. "So fear God, and obey me.

109. "No reward do I ask

Of you for it: my reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds:

110. "So fear God, and obey me."

111. They said: "Shall we

Believe in thee when it is

The meanest that follow thee?"

112. He said: "And what

Do I know as to

What they do?

113. "Their account is only

With my Lord, if ye

Could (but) understand.

114. "I am not one to drive away

Those who believe.

115. "I am sent only

To warn plainly in public."

116. They said: "If thou

Desist not, O Noah!

Thou shalt be stoned

(to death)."

117. He said: "O my Lord!

Truly my people have

Rejected me.

118. "Judge thou, then, between me

And them openly, and deliver

Me and those of the Believers

Who are with me."

119. So We delivered him

And those with him,

In the Ark filled

(With all creatures).

120. Thereafter We drowned those

Who remained behind.

121. Verily in this is a Sign:

But most of them

Do not believe.

122. And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 7.

123. The 'Ad (people) rejected'

The apostles.

124. Behold, their brother Hud

Said to them: "Will ye not

Fear (God)?

125. "I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust:

126. "So fear God and obey me.

127. "No reward do I ask

Of you for it my reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

128. "Do ye build a landmark

On every high place

To amuse yourselves?

129. "And do ye get for yourselves

Fine buildings in the hope

Of living therein (for ever)?

130. "And when ye exert

Your strong hand,

Do ye do it like men

Of absolute power?

131. "Now fear God, and obey me.

132. "Yea, fear Him Who

Has bestowed on you

Freely all that ye know.

133. "Freely has He bestowed

On you cattle and sons,--

134. "And Gardens and Springs.

135. "Truly I fear for you

The Penalty of a Great Day."

136. They said: "It is the same

To us whether thou

Admonish us or be not

Among (our) admonishers!

137. "This is no other than

A customary device

Of the ancients,

138. "And we are not the ones

To receive Pains and Penalties!"

139. So they rejected him,

And We destroyed them.

Verily in this is a Sign:

But most of them

Do not believe.

140. And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 8.

141. The Thamud (people) rejected

The apostles.

142. Behold, their brother Salih

Said to them: "Will you not

Fear (God)?

143. "I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust.

144. "So fear God, and obey me.

145. "No reward do I ask

Of you for it: my reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

146. "Will ye be left secure,

In (the enjoyment of) all

That ye have here?--

147. "Gardens and Springs,

148. "And corn-fields and date palms

With spathes near breaking

(With the weight of fruit)?

149. "And ye carve houses

Out of (rocky) mountains

With great skill.

150. "But fear God and obey me;

151. "And follow not the bidding

Of those who are extravagant,--

152. "Who make mischief in the land,

And mend not (their ways)."

153. Whey said: "Thou art only

One of those bewitched!'

154. "Thou art no more than

A mortal like us:

Then bring us a Sign,

If thou tellest the truth!"

155. He said: "Here is

A she-camel: she has

A right of watering,

And ye have a right

Of watering, (severally)

On a day appointed.

156. "Touch her not with harm,

Lest the Penalty

Of a Great Day

Seize you."

157. But they ham-strung her:

Then did they become

Full of regrets.

158. But the Penalty seized them.

Verily in this is a Sign:

But most of them

Do not believe.

159. And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 9

160. The people of Lut rejected'

The apostles.

161. Behold, their brother Lut

Said to them: "Will ye not

Fear (God)?

162. "I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust.

163. "So fear God and obey me.

164. "No reward do I ask

Of you for it my reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

165. "Of all the creatures

In the world, will ye

Approach males,

166. "And leave those whom God

Has created for you

To be your mates?

Nay, ye are a people

Transgressing (all limits)!"

167. Whey said: "If thou desist not,

O Lut! thou wilt assuredly

Be cast out!"

168. He said: "I do detest

Your doings:"

169. "O my Lord! deliver me

And my family from

Such things as they do!"

170. So We delivered him

And his family,--all

171. Except an old woman

Who lingered behind.

172. But the rest We destroyed Utterly.

173. We rained down on them

A shower (of brimstone):

And evil was the shower

On those who were admonished

(But heeded not)!

174. Verily in this is a Sign

But most of them

Do not believe.

175. And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might

Most Merciful.

SECTION 10.

176. The Companions of the Wood

Rejected the apostles.

177. Behold, Shu'aib said to them:

Will ye not fear (God)?

178. "I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust.

179. "So fear God and obey me.

180. "No reward do I ask

Of you for it: my, reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

181. "Give just measure,''

And cause no loss

(To others by fraud).

182. "And weigh with scales

True and upright.

183. "And withhold not things

Justly due to men,

Nor do evil in the land,

Working mischief.

184. "And fear Him Who created

You and (Who created)

The generations before (you)"

185. Whey said: "Thou art only

One of those bewitched!

186. "Thou art no more than

A mortal like us,

And indeed we think

Thou art a liar!

187. "Now cause a piece

Of the sky to fall on us,

If thou art truthful!"

188. He said: "My Lord

Knows best what ye do."

189. But they rejected him.

Then the punishment

Of a day of overshadowing gloom

Seized them, and that was

The Penalty of a Great Day.

190. Verily in that is a Sign:

But most of them

Do not believe.

191. And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

SECTION 11.

192. Verily this is a Revelation

From the Lord of the Worlds:

193. With it came down

The Spirit of Faith and Truth--

194. To thy heart and mind,

That thou mayest admonish

195. In the perspicuous

Arabic tongue.

196. Without doubt it is (announced)

In the mystic Book

Of former peoples.

197. Is it not a Sign

To them that the Learned

Of the Children of Israel

Knew it (as true)?

198. Had We revealed it

To any of the non Arabs,

199. And had he recited it

To them, they would not

Have believed in it.

200. Thus have We caused it

To enter the hearts

Of the Sinners.

201. They will not believe

In it until they see

The grievous Penalty;

202. But the (Penalty) will come

To them of a sudden,

While they preceive it not;

203. Then they will say:

"Shall we be respited?"

204. Do they then ask

For Our Penalty to be

Hastened on?

205. Seest thou? If We do

Let them enjoy (this life)

For a few years,

206. Yet there comes to them

At length the (Punishment)

Which they were promised!

207. It will profit them not

That they enjoyed (this life)!

208. Never did We destroy

A population, but had

Its warners--

209. By way of reminder;

And We never are unjust.

210. No evil ones have brought

Down this (Revelation):

211. It would neither suit them

Nor would they be able

(To produce it).

212. Indeed they have been removed

Far from even (a chance of)

Hearing it.

213. So call not on any

Other god with God,

Or thou wilt be among

Those under the Penalty.

214. And admonish thy nearest

Kinsmen,

215. And lower thy wing

To the Believers who

Follow thee.

216. Then if they disobey thee,

Say: "I am free (of responsibility)

For what ye do!"

217. And put thy trust

On the Exalted in Might,

The Merciful,--

218. Who seeth thee standing

Forth (in prayer),

219. And thy movements among

Those who prostrate themselves.

220. For it is He

Who heareth and knoweth

All things.

221. Shall I inform you.

(O people!), on whom it is

That the evil ones descend?

222. They descend on every

Lying, wicked person,

223. (Into whose ears) they pour

Hearsay vanities, and most

Of them are liars.

224. And the Poets,--

It is those straying in Evil,

Who follow them:

225. Seest thou not that they

Wander distracted in every

Valley?--

226. And that they say

What they practise not?--

227. Except those who believe,

Work righteousness, engage much

In the remembrance of God,

And defend themselves only after

They are unjustly attacked.

And soon will the unjust'

Assailants know what vicissitudes

Their affairs will take!

Sura XXVII.

Naml, or the Ants.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ta. Sin.

These are verses

Of the Qur-an,--a Book

That makes (things) clear;

2. A Guide; and Glad Tidings

For the Relievers,--

3. Those who establish regular prayers

And give in regular charity,

And also have (full) assurance

Of the Hereafter.

4. As to those who believe not

In the Hereafter, We have

Made their deeds pleasing

In their eyes; and so they

Wander about in distraction.

5. Such are they for whom

A grievous Penalty is (waiting):

And in the Hereafter theirs

Will be the greatest loss.

6. As to thee, the Qur-an

Is bestowed upon thee

From the presence of One

Who is Wise and All-Knowing.

7. Behold! Moses said

To his family "I perceive

A fire; soon will I bring you

From there some information,

Or I will bring you

A burning brand to light

Our fuel, that ye may

Warm yourselves.

8. But when he came

To the (Fire), a voice

Was heard: "Blessed are those

In the Fire and those around:

And Glory to God,

The Lord of the Worlds.

9. "O Moses! Verily,

I am God, the Exalted

In Might, the Wise!...

10. "Now do thou throw thy rod!"

But when he saw it

Moving (of its own accord)

As if it had been a snake,

He turned back in retreat,

And retraced not his steps:

"O Moses!" (it was said),

"Fear not: truly, in My presence,

Those called as apostles

Have no fear,--

11. "But if any have done wrong

And have thereafter substituted

Good to take the place of evil,

Truly, I am Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

12. "Now put thy hand into

Thy bosom, and it will

Come forth white without stain

(Or harm): (these are) among

The nine Signs (thou wilt take)

To Pharaoh and his people:

For they are a people

Rebellious in transgression."

13. But when Our Signs came

To them, that should have""

Opened their eyes, they said:

"This is sorcery manifest!"

14. And they rejected those Signs

In iniquity and arrogance,

Though their souls were convinced

Thereof: so see what was

The end of those

Who acted corruptly!

SECTION 2.

15. We gave (in the past)

Knowledge to David and Solomon

And they both said:

"Praise be to God, Who

Has favoured us above many

Of His servants who believe!

16. And Solomon was David's heir.

He said: "O ye people!

We have been taught the speech"

Of Birds, and on us

Has been bestowed (a little)

Of all things: this is

Indeed Grace manifest (from God.)"

17. And before Solomon were marshalled

His hosts,--of Jinns and men

And birds, and they were all

Kept in order and ranks.

18. At length, when they came

To a (lowly) valley of ants,

One of the ants said:

"O ye ants, get into

Your habitations, lest Solomon

And his hosts crush you

(Under foot) without knowing it."

19. So he smiled, amused

At her speech; and he said:

"O my Lord! so order me

That I may be grateful

For Thy favours, which Thou

Hast bestowed on me and

On my parents, and that

I may work the righteousness

That will please Thee:

And admit me, by Thy Grace,

To the ranks of Thy

Righteous Servants."

20. And he took a muster

Of the Birds; and he said:

"Why is it I see not

The Hoopoe? Or is he

Among the absentees?"

21. "I will certainly punish him

With a severe penalty,

Or execute him, unless he

Bring me a clear reason

(For absence)."

22. But the Hoopoe tarried not

Far: he (came up and) said:

"I have compassed (territory)

Which thou hast not compassed,

And I have come to thee

From Saba with tidings true.

23. "I found (there) a woman

Ruling over them and provided

With every requisite; and she

Has a magnificent throne.

24. "I found her and her people

Worshipping the sun besides God:

Satan has made their deeds

Seem pleasing in their eyes,

And has kept them away

From the Path,--so

They receive no guidance,--

25. "(Kept them away from the Path),

That they should not worship

God, Who brings to light

What is hidden in the heavens

And the earth, and knows

What ye hide and what

Ye reveal.

26. "God!--there is no god

But He!--Lord of the Throne's

Supreme!"

27. (Solomon) said: "Soon shall we

See whether thou hast told

The truth or lied!

28. "Go thou, with this letter

Of mine, and deliver it

To them: then draw back

From them, and (wait to) see

What answer they return"...

29. (The Queen) said: "Ye chiefs!

Here is--delivered to me--

A letter worthy of respect.

30. "It is from Solomon, and is

(As follows), 'In the name

Of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful:

31. "'Be ye not arrogant

Against me, but come

To me in submission

(To the true Religion).'"

SECTION 3.

32. the said: "Ye chiefs!

Advise me in (this)

My affair: no affair

Have I decided

Except in your presence."

33. They said: "We are endued

With strength, and given

To vehement war:

But the command is

With thee; so consider

What thou wilt command."

34. She said: "Kings, when they

Enter a country, despoil it,

And make the noblest

Of its people its meanest

Thus do they behave.

35. "But I am going to send

Him a present, and (wait)

To see with what (answer)

Return (my) ambassadors."

36. Now when (the embassy) came

To Solomon, he said:

"Will ye give me abundance

In wealth? But that which

God has given me is better

Than that which He has

Given you! Nay it is ye

Who rejoice in your gift!

37. "Go back to them, and be sure

We shall come to them

With such hosts as they

Will never be able to meet:

We shall expel them

From there in disgrace,

And they will feel

Humbled (indeed)."

38. He said (to his own men):

"Ye Chiefs! which of you

Can bring me her throne

Before they come to me

In submission?"

39. Said an 'Ifrit, of the Jinns:

"I will bring it to thee

Before thou rise from thy

Council: indeed I have

Full strength for the purpose,

And may he trusted."

40. Said one who had knowledge

Of the Book: "I will

Bring it to thee within

The twinkling of an eye!"

Then when (Solomon) saw it

Placed firmly before him,

He said: "This is

By the grace of my Lord!

To test me whether I am

Grateful or ungrateful!

And if any is grateful,

Truly his gratitude is (a gain)

For his own soul; hut if

Any is ungrateful, truly

My Lord is Free of all Needs,

Supreme in Honour!"

41. He said: "Transform her throne

Out of all recognition by her:

Let us see whether she

Is guided (to the truth)

Or is one of those who

Receive no guidance."

42. So when she arrived,

She was asked, "Is this

Thy throne?" She said,

"It was just like this;

And knowledge was bestowed

On us in advance of this,

And we have submitted

To God (in Islam)."

43. And he diverted her

From the worship of others

Besides God: for she was

(Sprung) of a people

That had no faith.

44. She was asked to enter

The lofty Palace: but

When she saw it, she

Thought it was a lake

Of water, and she (tucked up

Her skirts), uncovering her legs.

He said: "This is

But a palace paved

Smooth with slabs of glass."

She said: "O my Lord!

I have indeed wronged"

My soul: I do (now)

Submit (in Islam), with Solomon,

To the Lord of the Worlds."

SECTION 4.

45. We sent (aforetime),

To the Thamud, their brother

Salih, saying, "Serve God":

But behold, they became

Two factions quarrelling

With each other.

46. He said: "O my people!

Why ask ye to hasten on

The evil in preference to the good?

If only ye ask God for forgiveness,

Ye may hope to receive mercy.

47. They said: "Ill omen

Do we augur from thee

And those that are with thee".

He said: "Your ill omen

Is with God; yea, ye are

A people under trial."

48. There were in the City

Nine men of a family,

Who made mischief in the land,

And would not reform.

49. They said: "Swear

A mutual oath by God

That we shall make

A secret night attack

On him and his people,

And that we shall then

Say to his heir (when he

Seeks vengeance), 'We were not

Present at the slaughter

Of his people, and we are

Positively telling the truth'."

50. They plotted and planned,

But We too planned,

Even while they perceived it not.

51. Then see what was the end

Of their plot!--this,

That We destroyed them

And their people, all (of them).

52. Now such were their houses,--

In utter ruin,--because

They practised wrong-doing.

Verily in this is a Sign

For people of knowledge.

53. And We saved those

Who believed and practised

Righteousness.

54. (We also sent) Lut

(As an apostle): behold,

He said to his people,

"Do ye do what is shameful

Though ye see (its iniquity)?

55. Would ye really approach men

In your lusts rather than

Women? Nay, ye are

A people (grossly) ignorant!

56. But his people gave

No other answer but this:

They said, "Drive out

The followers of Lut from

Your city: these are

Indeed men who want

To be clean and pure!"

57. But We saved him

And his family, except

His wife: her We destined

To be of those

Who lagged behind.

58. And We rained down on them

A shower (of brimstone):

And evil was the shower

On those who were admonished

(But heeded not)!

SECTION 5.

59. Say: Praise be to God,

And Peace on His servants

Whom He has chosen

(For His Message). (Who)

Is better?--God or

The false gods they associate

(With Him)?

60. Or, who has created

The heavens and the earth,

And who sends you down

Rain from the sky?

Yea, with it We cause

To grow well-planted orchards

Full of beauty and delight:

It is not in your power

To cause the growth

Of the trees in them. (Can there be

Another) god besides God?

Nay, they are a people

Who swerve from justice.

61. Or, who has made the earth

Firm to live in; made

Rivers in its midst; set

Thereon mountains immovable;

And made a separating bar

Between the two bodies

Of flowing water?

(Can there be another) god

Besides God? Nay, most

Of them know not.

62. Or, who listens to the (soul)

Distressed when it calls

On Him, and who relieves

Its suffering, and makes you

(Mankind) inheritors of the earth?'

(Can there be another) god

Besides God? Little it is

That ye heed!

63. Or, who guides you

Through the depths of darkness

On land and sea, and who

Sends the winds as heralds

Of glad tidings, going before

His Mercy? (Can there be

Another) god besides God?--

High is God above what

They associate with Him!

64. Or, who originates Creation,

Then repeats it,

And who gives you sustenance

From heaven and earth?

(Can there be another) god

Besides God? Say, "Bring forth

Your argument, if ye

Are telling the truth!"

65. Say: None in the heavens

Or on earth, except God,

Knows what is hidden:

Nor can they perceive

When they shall be raised

Up (for Judgment).

66. Still less can their knowledge

Comprehend the Hereafter: nay,

They are in doubt and uncertainty

Thereanent; nay, they are blind

Thereunto!

SECTION 6.

67. The Unbelievers say: "What!

When we become dust,

We and our fathers,--shall we

Really be raised (from the dead)?

68. "It is true we were promised

This,--we and our fathers

Before (us): these are nothing

But tales of the ancients."

69. Say: "Go ye through the earth

And see what has been

The end of those guilty

(Of sin)."

70. But grieve not over them,

Nor distress thyself

Because of their plots.

71. They also say: "When will

This promise (come to pass)?

(Say) if ye are truthful."

72. Say: "It may be that

Some of the events which

Ye wish to hasten on

May be (close) in your pursuit!"

73. But verily thy Lord is

Full of grace to mankind:

Yet most of them are ungrateful.

74. And verily thy Lord knoweth

All that their hearts do hide,

As well as all that

They reveal.

75. Nor is there aught

Of the Unseen, in heaven

Or earth, but is (recorded)

In a clear record.

76. Verily this Qur-an doth explain

To the Children of Israel

Most of the matters

In which they disagree.

77. And it certainly is

A Guide and a Mercy

To those who believe.

78. Verily thy Lord will decide

Between them by His Decree:

And He is Exalted in Might,

All-Knowing.

79. So put thy trust in God:

For thou art on (the Path

Of) manifest Truth.

80. Truly thou canst not cause

The Dead to listen, nor

Canst thou cause the Deaf

To hear the call,

(Especially) when they

Turn back in retreat.

81. Nor canst thou be a guide

To the Blind, (to prevent them)

From straying: only those

Wilt thou get to listen

Who believe in Our Signs,

And they will bow in Islam.

82. And when the Word is

Fulfilled against them (the unjust),

We shall produce from the earth

A Beast to (face) them:

He will speak to them,

For that mankind did not

Believe with assurance

In Our Signs.

SECTION 7.

83. One Day We shall gather

Together from every people

A troop of those who reject

Our Signs, and they shall

Be kept in ranks,--

84. Until, when they come

(Before the Judgment-seat),

(God) will say: "Did ye

Reject My Signs, though ye

Comprehended them not

In knowledge, or what

Was it ye did?"

85. And the Word will be

Fulfilled against them, because

Of their wrong-doing, and they

Will be unable to speak

(In plea).

86. See they not that We

Have made the Night

For them to rest in

And the Day to give

Them light? Verily in this

Are Signs for any people

That believe!

87. And the Day that the Trumpet

Will be sounded--then will be

Smitten with terror those

Who are in the heavens,

And those who are on earth,

Except such as God will please

(To exempt): and all shall come

To His (Presence) as beings

Conscious of their lowliness.

88. Thou seest the mountains

And thinkest them firmly fixed:

But they shall pass away

As the clouds pass away:

(Such is) the artistry of God,

Who disposes of all things

In perfect order: for He is

Well acquainted with all that ye do.

89. If any do good, good will

(Accrue) to them therefrom;

And they will be secure

From terror that Day.

90. And if any do evil,

Their faces will be thrown

Headlong into the Fire:

"Do ye receive a reward

Other than that which ye

Have earned by your deeds?"

91. For me, I have been

Commanded to serve the Lord

Of this City, Him Who has

Sanctified it and to Whom

(Belong) all things:

And I am commanded

To be of those who bow

In Islam to God's Will,--

92. And to rehearse the Qur-an:

And if any accept guidance,

They do it for the good

Of their own souls,

And if any stray, say:

"I am only a Warner".

93. And say: "Praise be to God,

Who will soon show you

His Signs, so that ye

Shall know them"; and thy Lord

Is not unmindful

Of all that ye do.

Sura XXVIII.

Qasas, or the Narration.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ta. Sin. Mim.

2. These are Verses of the Book

That makes (things) clear.

3. We rehearse to thee some

Of the story of Moses

And Pharaoh in Truth,

For people who believe.

4. Truly Pharaoh elated himself

In the land and broke up

Its people into sections,

Depressing a small group

Among them: their sons he slew,

But he kept alive their females:

For he was indeed

A maker of mischief.

5. And We wished to be

Gracious to those who were

Being depressed in the land,

To make them leaders (in faith)

And make them heirs,

6. To establish a firm place

For them in the land,

And to show Pharaoh, Haman,

And their hosts, at their hands,

The very things against which

They were taking precautions.

7. So We sent this inspiration

To the mother of Moses:

"Suckle (thy child), but when

Thou hast fears about him,

Cast him into the river,

But fear not nor grieve:

For We shall restore him

To thee, and We shall make

Him one of Our apostles."

8. Then the people of Pharaoh

Picked him up (from the river):

(It was intended) that (Moses)

Should be to them an adversary

And a cause of sorrow:

For Pharaoh and Haman

And (all) their hosts were

Men of sin.

9. The wife of Pharaoh said:

"(Here is) a joy of the eye,'

For me and for thee:

Slay him not. It may be

That he will be of use

To us, or we may adopt

Him as a son." And they

Perceived not (what they

Were doing)!

10. But there came to be

A void in the heart

Of the mother of Moses:

She was going almost to

Disclose his (case), had We

Not strengthened her heart

(With faith), so that she

Might remain a (firm) believer.

11. And she said to the sister

Of (Moses), "Follow him".

So she (the sister) watched him

In the character of a stranger.

And they knew not.

12. And We ordained that he

Refused suck at first, until

(His sister came up

And) said: "Shall I

Point out to you the people

Of a house that will nourish

And bring him up for you'"

And be sincerely attached

To him?"...

13. Thus did We restore him

To his mother, that her eye

Might be comforted, that she

Might not grieve, and that

She might know that the promise

Of God is true: but

Most of them do not understand.

SECTION 2.

14. When he reached full age,

And was firmly established

(In life), We bestowed on him

Wisdom and knowledge: for thus

Do We reward those

Who do good.

15. And he entered the City

At a time when its people

Were not watching: and he

Found there two men fighting,--

One of his own religion,

And the other, of his foes.

Now the man of his own

Religion appealed to him

Against his foe, and Moses

Struck him with his fist

And made an end of him.

He said: "This is a work

Of Evil (Satan): for he is

An enemy that manifestly

Misleads!"

16. He prayed: "O my Lord!

I have indeed wronged my soul!

Do Thou then forgive me!"

So (God) forgave him: for He

Is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

17. He said: "O my Lord!

For that Thou hast bestowed

Thy Grace on me, never

Shall I be a help

To those who sin!"

18. So he saw the morning

In the City, looking about,

In a state of fear, when

Behold, the man who had,

The day before, sought his help

Called aloud for his help

(Again). Moses said to him:

"Thou art truly, it is clear,

A quarrelsome fellow!"

19. Then, when he decided to lay

Hold of the man who was

An enemy to both of them,

That man said: "O Moses!

Is it thy intention to slay me

As thou slewest a man

Yesterday? Thy intention is

None other than to become

A powerful violent man

In the land, and not to be

One who sets things right!

20. And there came a man,

Running, from the furthest end

Of the City. He said:

"O Moses! the Chiefs

Are taking counsel together

About thee, to slay thee:

So get thee away, for I

Do give thee sincere advice."

21. He therefore got away therefrom,

Looking about, in a state

Of fear. He prayed:

"O my Lord! save me

From people given to wrong-doing."

SECTION 3.

22. When, when he turned his face

Towards (the land of) Madyan,

He said: "I do hope

That my Lord will show me

The smooth and straight Path."

23. And when he arrived at

The watering (place) in Madyan;

He found there a group

Of men watering (their flocks),

And besides them he found

Two women who were keeping

Back (their flocks). He said:

"What is the matter with you?"

They said: "We cannot water

(Our flocks) until the shepherds

Take back (their flocks):

And our father is

A very old man."

24. So he watered (their flocks)

For them; then he turned back

To the shade, and said:

"O my Lord!

Truly am I

In (desperate) need

Of any good

That Thou dost send me!"

25. Afterwards one of the (damsels)

Came (back) to him, walking

Bashfully. She said: "My father

Invites thee that he may

Reward thee for having watered

(Our flocks) for us." So when

He came to him and narrated

The story, he said:

"Fear thou not: (well) hast thou

Escaped from unjust people."

26. Said one of the (damsels):

"O my (dear) father! engage

Him on wages: truly the best

Of men for thee to employ is

The (man) who is strong and trusty"...

27. He said: "I intend to wed

One of these my daughters

To thee, on, condition that

Thou serve me for eight years;

But if thou complete ten years,

It will be (grace) from thee.

But I intend not to place

Thee under a difficulty:

Thou wilt find me,

Indeed, if God wills,

One of the righteous."

28. He said: "Be that (the agreement)

Between me and thee:

Whichever of the two terms

I fulfil, let there be

No ill-will to me.

Be God a witness

To what we say."

SECTION 4.

29. Now when Moses had fulfilled

The term, and was travelling

With his family, he perceived

A fire in the direction

Of Mount Tur. He said

To his family: "Tarry ye;

I perceive a fire; I hope

To bring you from there

Some information, or a burning

Firebrand, that ye may

Warm yourselves."

30. But when he came

To the (Fire), a voice

Was heard from the right bank

Of the valley, from a tree

In hallowed ground:

"O Moses! Verily

I am God, the Lord

Of the Worlds...

31. "Now do thou throw thy rod!"

But when he saw it

Moving (of its own accord)

As if it had been a snake,

He turned back in retreat,

And retraced not his steps:

"O Moses!" (it was said),

"Draw near, and fear not:

For thou art of those

Who are secure.

32. "Move thy hand into

Thy bosom, and it will

Come forth white without stain

(Or harm), and draw thy hand

Close to thy side

(To guard) against fear.

Those are the two credentials

From thy Lord to Pharaoh

And his Chiefs: for truly

They are a people

Rebellious and wicked."

33. He said: "O my Lord!

I have slain a man

Among them, and I fear

Lest they slay me.

34. "And my brother Aaron--

He is more eloquent in speech

Than I: so send him

With me as a helper,

To confirm (and strengthen) me:

For I fear that they may

Accuse me of falsehood."

35. He said: "We will certainly

Strengthen thy arm through

Thy brother, and invest you both

With authority, so they

Shall not be able to

Touch you: with Our Signs

Shall ye triumph,--you two

As well as those

Who follow you."

36. When Moses came to them

With Our Clear Signs, they said:

"This is nothing but sorcery

Faked up: never did we

Hear the like among our fathers

Of old!"

37. Moses said: "My Lord

Knows best who it is

That comes with guidance

From Him and whose End

Will be best in the Hereafter:

Certain it is that

The wrong-doers will not prosper."

38. Pharaoh said: "O Chiefs!

No god do I know for you

But myself: therefore,

O Haman! light me a (kiln

To bake bricks) out of clay,

And build me a lofty

Palace, that I may mount up

To the god of Moses:

But as far as I am concerned,

I think (Moses) is a liar!"

39. And he was arrogant and insolent

In the land, beyond reason,--

He and his hosts: they thought

That they would not have

To return to Us!"

40. So We seized him

And his hosts, and We

Flung them into the sea:

Now behold what was the End

Of those who did wrong!

41. And We made them (but)

Leaders inviting to the Fire;

And on the Day of Judgment

No help shall they find.

42. In this world We made

A Curse to follow them:

And on the Day of Judgment

They will be among

The loathed (and despised).

SECTION 5.

43. We did reveal to Moses

The Book after We had

Destroyed the earlier generations,

(To give) Insight to men,

And Guidance and Mercy,

That they might receive admonition.

44. Thou wast not on the Western

Side when We decreed

The Commission to Moses,

Nor wast thou a witness

(Of those events).

45. But We raised up (new)

Generations, and long were the ages

That passed over them;

But thou vast not a dweller

Among the people of Madyan,

Rehearsing Our Signs to them;

But it is We Who send

Apostles (with inspiration).

46. Nor wast thou at the side

Of (the Mountain of) Tur

When We called (to Moses).

Yet (art thou sent)

As a Mercy from thy Lord,

To give warning to a people

To whom no warner had come

Before thee: in order that

They may receive admonition.

47. If (We had) not (sent thee

To the Quraish),--in case

A calamity should seize them

For (the deeds) that their hands

Have sent forth, they might say:

"Our Lord! why didst Thou not

Send us an apostle? We

Should then have followed

Thy Signs and been amongst

Those who believe!"

48. But (now), when the Truth

Has come to them from Ourselves,

They say, "Why are not

(Signs) sent to him, like

Those which were sent to Moses?"

Do they not then reject

(The Signs) which were formerly

Sent to Moses? They say:

"Two kinds of sorcery,

Each assisting the other .

And they say: "For us,

We reject all (such things)!"

49. Say: "Then bring ye

A Book from God,

Which is a better Guide

Than either of them,

That I may follow it!

(Do), if ye are truthful!"

50. But if they hearken not

To thee, know that they

Only follow their own lusts:

And who is more astray

Than one who follows his own

Lusts, devoid of guidance

From God? For God guides not

People given to wrong-doing.

SECTION 6.

51. Now have We caused

The Word to reach them

Themselves, in order that

They may receive admonition.

52. Those to whom We sent

The Book before this,--they

Do believe in this (Revelation);

53. And when it is recited

To them, they say: "We

Believe therein, for it is

The Truth from our Lord:

Indeed we have been Muslims

(Bowing to God's Will)

From before this.

54. Twice will they be given

Their reward, for that they

Have persevered, that they avert

Evil with Good, and that

They spend (in charity) out of

What We have given them.

55. And when they hear vain talk,

They turn away therefrom

And say: "To us our deeds,

And to you yours;

Peace be to you: we

Seek not the ignorant."

56. It is true thou wilt not

Be able to guide every one;

Whom thou lowest; but God

Guides those whom He will.

And He knows best those

Who receive guidance.

57. They say: "If we were

To follow the guidance with thee,

We should be snatched away

From our land." Have We not

Established for them a secure

Sanctuary, to which are brought

As tribute fruits of all kinds,--

A provision from Ourselves?

But most of them understand not.

58. And how many populations

We destroyed, which exulted

In their life (of ease and plenty)!

Now those habitations of theirs,

After them, are deserted,--

All but a (miserable) few!

And We are their heirs!"

59. Nor was thy Lord the one

To destroy a population until

He had sent to its Centre

An apostle, rehearsing to them

Our Signs; nor are We

Going to destroy a population

Except when its members

Practise iniquity.

60. The (material) things which

Ye are given are but

The conveniences of this life

And the glitter thereof;

But that which is with God

Is better and more enduring:

Will ye not then be wise?

SECTION 7.

61. Are (these two) alike?--

One to whom We have made

A goodly promise, and who

Is going to reach its (fulfilment),

And one to whom We have

Given the good things of this

Life, but who, on the Day

Of Judgment, is to be among

Those brought up (for punishment)?

62. That Day (God) will

Call to them, and say:

"Where are My 'partners'?--

Whom ye imagined (to be such)?"

63. Those against whom the charge

Will be proved, will say:

"Our Lord! These are the ones

Whom we led astray:

We led them astray, as we

Were astray ourselves: we free

Ourselves (from them) in Thy presence:

It was not us they worshipped."

64. It will be said (to them):

"Call upon your 'partners'

(For help)": they will call

Upon them, but they will not

Listen to them; and they

Will see the Penalty (before them);

(How they will wish)

'If only they had been

Open to guidance!'

65. That Day (God) will

Call to them, and say:

"What was the answer

Ye gave to the apostles?"

66. Then the (whole) story that day

Will seem obscure to them

(Like light to the blind)

And they will not be able

(Even) to question each other.

67. But any that (in this life)

Had repented, believed, and worked

Righteousness, will have hopes

To be among those who

Achieve salvation.

68. Why by Lord does create and choose

As He pleases: no choice

Have they (in the matter):

Glory to God! and far

Is He above the partners

They ascribe (to Him)!

69. And thy Lord knows all

That their hearts conceal

And all that they reveal.

70. And He is God: there is

No god. but He. To Him

Be praise, at the first

And at the last:

For Him is the Command,

And to Him shall ye

(All) be brought back.

71. Say: See ye? If God

Were to make the Night

Perpetual over you to the Day

Of Judgment, what god

Is there other than God,

Who can give you enlightenment?

Will ye not then hearken?

72. Say: See ye? If God

Were to make the Day

Perpetual over you to the Day

Of Judgment, what god

Is there other than God,

Who can give you a Night

In which ye can rest?

Will ye not then see?

73. It is out of His Mercy

That He has made for you

Night and Day,--that ye

May rest therein, and that

Ye may seek of His Grace;--

And in order that ye

May be grateful.

74. The Day that He will

Call on them, He will say:

"Where are My 'partners'?--

Whom ye imagined (to be such)?"

75. And from each people

Shall We draw a witness,

And We shall say: "Produce

Your Proof": then shall they

Know that the Truth is in

God (alone), and the (lies)

Which they invented will

Leave them in the lurch.

SECTION 8.

76. Qarun was doubtless,

Of the people of Moses; but

He acted insolently towards them:

Such were the treasures We

Had bestowed on him, that

Their very keys would

Have been a burden to

A body of strong men.

Behold, his people said to him:

"Exult not, for God loveth not

Those who exult (in riches).

77. "But seek, with the (wealth)

Which God has bestowed on thee,

The Home of the Hereafter,

Nor forget thy portion in this

World: but do thou good,

As God has been good

To thee, and seek not

(Occasions for) mischief in the land:

For God loves not those

Who do mischief."

78. He said: "This has been given

To me because of a certain

Knowledge which I have."

Did he not know that God

Had destroyed, before him,

(Whole) generations,--which were

Superior to him in strength

And greater in the amount

(Of riches) they had collected?

But the wicked are not

Called (immediately) to account

For their sins.

79. So he went forth among

His people in the (pride

Of his worldly) glitter.

Said those whose aim is

The Life of this World:

"Oh! that we had the like

Of what Qarun has got!

For he is truly a lord

Of mighty good fortune!"

80. But those who had been granted

(True) knowledge said: "Alas

For you! The reward of God

(In the Hereafter) is best

For those who believe

And work righteousness: but this

None shall attain, save those

Who steadfastly persevere

(in good)."

81. Then We caused the earth

To swallow up him and

His house; and he had not

(The least little) party

To help him against God,

Nor could he defend himself.

82. And those who had envied

His position the day before

Began to say on the morrow:

"Ah! It is indeed God

Who enlarges the provision"'

Or restricts it, to any

Of His servants He pleases!

Had it not been that God

Was gracious to us, He

Could have caused the earth

To swallow us up! Ah!

Those who reject God

Will assuredly never prosper."

SECTION 9.

83. What Home of the Hereafter

We shall give to those

Who intend not high-handedness

Or mischief on earth:

And the End is (best)

For the righteous.

84. If any does good, the reward

To him is better than

His deed; but if any

Does evil, the doers of evil

Are only punished (to the extent)

Of their deeds.

85. Verily He Who ordained

The Qur-an for thee, will bring

Thee back to the Place

Of Return. Say: "My Lord

Knows best who it is

That brings true guidance,

And who is in manifest error."

86. And thou hadst not expected

That the Book would be

Sent to thee except as

A Mercy from thy Lord:

Therefore lend not thou support

In any way to those

Who reject (God's Message).

87. And let nothing keep thee

Back from the Signs of God

After they have been revealed

To thee: and invite (men)

To thy Lord, and be not

Of the company of those

Who join gods with God.

88. And call not, besides God,

On another god. There is

No god but He. Everything

(That exists) will perish

Except His own Face

To Him belongs the Command,

And to Him will ye

(All) be brought back.

Sura XXIX.

'Ankabut, or the Spider

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. Do men think that

They will he left alone

On saying, "We believe",

And that they will not

Be tested?

3. We did test those

Before them, and God will

Certainly know those who are

True from those who are false.

4. Do those who practise

Evil think that they

Will get the better of us?

Evil is their judgment!

5. For those whose hopes are

in the meeting with God

(In the Hereafter, let them strive);

For the Term (appointed)

By God is surely coming:

And He hears and knows

(All things).

6. And if any strive (with might

And main), they do so

For their own souls:

For God is free of all

Needs from all creation.

7. Whose who believe and work

Righteous deeds,--from them

Shall We blot out all evil

(That may be) in them,

And We shall reward

Them according to

The best of their deeds.

8. We have enjoined on man

Kindness to parents: but if

They (either of them) strive

(To force) thee to join

With Me (in worship)

Anything of which thou hast

No knowledge, obey them not.

Ye have (all) to return

To Me, and I will

Tell you (the truth)

Of all that ye did.

9. And those who believe

And work righteous deeds,--

Them shall We admit

To the company of the Righteous.

10. Then there are among men

Such as say, "We believe

In God"; but when they suffer

Affliction in (the cause of) God,

They treat men's oppression

As if it were the Wrath

Of God! And if help

Comes (to thee) from thy Lord,

They are sure to say,'

"We have (always) been

With you!" Does not God

Know best all that is

In the hearts of all Creation?

11. And God most certainly knows

Those who believe, and as certainly

Those who are Hypocrites.

12. And the Unbelievers say

To those who believe:

"Follow our path, and we

Will bear (the consequences)"

Of your faults." Never

In the least will they

Bear their faults: in fact

They are liars!

13. They will bear their own

Burdens, and (other) burdens

Along with their own,

And on the Day of Judgment.

They will be called to account

For their falsehoods.

SECTION 2.

14. We (once) sent Noah

To his people, and he tarried

Among them a thousand years

Less fifty: but the Deluge

Overwhelmed them while they

(Persisted in) sin.

15. But We saved him

And the Companions

Of the Ark, and We made

The (Ark) a Sign

For all Peoples!

16. And (We also saved)

Abraham: behold, he said

To his people, "Serve God

And fear Him: that

Will be best for you

If ye understand!

17. "For ye do worship idols

Besides God, and ye invent

Falsehood. The things that ye

Worship besides God have

No power to give you sustenance:

Then seek ye sustenance

From God, serve Him,

And be grateful to Him:

To Him will be your return.

18. "And if ye reject (the Message),

So did generations before you:

And the duty of the apostle

Is only to preach publicly

(And clearly)."

19. See they not how God

Originates creation, then

Repeats it: truly that

Is easy for God.

20. Say: "Travel through the earth

And see how God did

Originate creation; so will

God produce a later creation:

For God has power

Over all things.

21. "He punishes whom He pleases,

And He grants mercy to whom

He pleases, and towards Him

Are ye turned.

22. "Not on earth nor in heaven

Will ye be able (fleeing)

To frustrate (His Plan),

Nor have ye, besides God,

Any protector or helper."

SECTION 3.

23. Those who reject the Signs

Of God and the Meeting

With Him (in the Hereafter),

It is they who shall despair

Of My mercy: it is they

Who will (suffer)

A most grievous Penalty.

24. So naught was the answer

Of (Abraham's) people except

That they said: "Slay him

Or burn him." But God

Did save him from the Fire

Verily in this are Signs

For people who believe.

25. And he said: "For you,

Ye have taken (for worship)

Idols besides God, out of

Mutual love and regard

Between yourselves in this life;

But on the Day of Judgment

Ye shall disown each other

And curse each other:

And your abode will be

The Fire, and ye shall have

None to help."

26. But Lut had faith in Him:

He said: "I will leave

Home for the sake of

My Lord: for He is

Exalted in Might, and Wise."

27. And We gave (Abraham)

Isaac and Jacob, and ordained

Among his progeny Prophethood

And Revelation, and We

Granted him his reward

In this life; and he was

In the Hereafter (of the company)

Of the Righteous.

28. And (remember) Lut: behold,

He said to his people:

"Ye do commit lewdness,

Such as no people in Creation

(Ever) committed before you.

29. "Do ye indeed approach men,

And cut off the highway?

And practise wickedness

(Even) in your councils?"

But his people gave no answer

But this: they said:

"Bring us the Wrath of God

If thou tellest the truth."

30. He said: "O my Lord!

Help Thou me against people

Who do mischief!"

SECTION 4.

31. When Our Messengers came

To Abraham with the good news,

They said: "We are indeed

Going to destroy the people

Of this township: for truly

They are (addicted to) crime."

32. He said: "But there is

Lut there." They said:

"Well do we know who

Is there: we will certainly

Save him and his following,--

Except his wife: she is

Of those who lag behind!"

33. And when Our Messengers

Came to Lut, he was

Grieved on their account,

And felt himself powerless

(To protect) them: but they said:

"Fear thou not, nor grieve:

We are (here) to save thee

And thy following, except

Thy wife: she is

Of those who lag behind.

34. "For we are going to

Bring down on the people

Of this township a Punishment

From heaven, because they

Have been wickedly rebellious."

35. And We have left thereof

An evident Sign,

For any people who

(Care to) understand.

36. To the Madyan (people)

(We sent) their brother Shu'aib.

Then he said: "O my people!

Serve God, and fear the Last

Day: nor commit evil

On the earth, with intent

To do mischief."

37. But they rejected him:

Then the mighty Blast

Seized them, and they lay

Prostrate in their homes

By the morning.

38. (Remember also) the 'Ad

And the Thamud (people):

Clearly will appear to you

From (the traces) of their buildings

(Their fate): the Evil One

Made their deeds alluring

To them, and kept them hack

From the Path, though they

Were gifted with Intelligence

And Skill.

39. (Remember also) Qarun,

Pharaoh, and Haman: there came

To them Moses with Clear Signs,

But they behaved with insolence

On the earth; yet they

Could not overreach (Us).

40. Each one of them We seized

For his crime: of them,

Against some We sent

A violent tornado (with showers

Of stones); some were caught

By a (mighty) Blast; some

We caused the earth

To swallow up; and some

We drowned (in the waters):

It was net God Who

Injured (or oppressed) them:

They injured (and oppressed)

Their own souls.

41. The parable of those who

Take protectors other than God

Is that of the Spider,

Who builds (to itself)

A house; but truly

The flimsiest of houses

Is the Spider's house;--

If they but knew.

42. Verily God doth know

Of (every thing) whatever

That they call upon

Besides Him: and He is

Exalted (in power), Wise.

43. And such are the Parables

We set forth for mankind,

But only those understand them

Who have Knowledge.

44. God created the heavens

And the earth in true (proportions):

Verily in that is a Sign

For those who believe.

SECTION 5.

45. Recite what is sent

Of the Book by inspiration

To thee, and establish

Regular Prayer: for Prayer

Restrains from shameful

And unjust deeds;

And remembrance of God

Is the greatest (thing in life)

Without doubt. And God knows

The (deeds) that ye do.

46. And dispute ye not

With the People of the Book,

Except with means better

(Than mere disputation), unless

It be with those of them

Who inflict wrong (and injury):

But say, "We believe

In the Revelation which has

Come down to us and in that

Which came down to you;

Our God and your God

Is One; and it is to Him

We bow (in Islam)."

47. And thus (it is) that We

Have sent down the Book

To thee. So the People

Of the Book believe therein,

As also do some of these

(Pagan Arabs): and none

But Unbelievers reject Our Signs.

48. And thou vast not (able)

To recite a Book before

This (Book came), nor art thou

(Able) to transcribe it

With thy right hand:

In that case, indeed, would

The talkers of vanities

Have doubted.

49. Nay, here are Signs

Self-evident in the hearts

Of those endowed with

knowledge:

And none but the unjust

Reject Our Signs.

50. Yet they say: "Why

Are not Signs sent down

To him from his Lord?"

Say: "The Signs are indeed

With God: and I am

Indeed a clear Warner.

51. And is it not enough

For them that We have

Sent down to thee

The Book which is rehearsed

To them? Verily, in it

Is Mercy and a Reminder

To those who believe.

SECTION 6.

52. Say: "Enough is God

For a Witness between me

And you: He knows

What is in the heavens

And on earth. And it is

Those who believe in vanities

And reject God, that

Will perish (in the end).

53. They ask thee

To hasten on the Punishment

(For them): had it not been

For a term (of respite)

Appointed, the Punishment

Would certainly have come

To them: and it will

Certainly reach them,--

Of a sudden, while they

Perceive not!

54. They ask thee

To hasten on the Punishment:

But, of a surety,

Hell will encompass

The rejecters of Faith!--

55. On the Day that

The Punishment shall cover them

From above them and

From below them,

And (a Voice) shall say:

"Taste ye (the fruits)

Of your deeds!

56. O My servants who believe!

Truly, spacious is My Earth:

Therefore serve ye Me--

(And Me alone)!

57. Every soul shall have

A taste of death:

In the end to Us

Shall ye be brought back.

58. But those who believe

And work deeds of righteousness--

To them shall We give

A Home in Heaven,--

Lofty mansions beneath which

Flow rivers,--to dwell therein

For aye;--an excellent reward

For those who do (good)!--

59. Those who persevere in patience,

And put their trust

In their Lord and Cherisher.

60. How many are the creatures

That carry not their own

Sustenance? It is God

Who feeds (both) them and you:

For He hears and knows

(All things).

61. If indeed thou ask them

Who has created the heavens

And the earth and subjected

The sun and the moon

(To His Law), they will

Certainly reply, "God".

How are they then deluded

Away (from the truth)?

62. God enlarges the sustenance

(Which He gives) to whichever

Of His servants He pleases;

And He (similarly) grants

By (strict) measure, (as He pleases):

For God has full knowledge

Of all things.

63. And if indeed thou ask them

Who it is that sends down

Rain from the sky,

And gives life therewith

To the earth after its death,

They will certainly reply,

"God!" Say, "Praise be

To God!" But most

Of them understand not.

SECTION 7.

64. What is the life of this world

But amusement and play?

But verily the Home

In the Hereafter,--that is

Life indeed, if they but knew.

65. Now, if they embark

On a boat, they call

On God, making their devotion

Sincerely (and exclusively) to Him;

But when He has delivered

Them safely to (dry) land,

Behold, they give a share

(Of their worship to others)!--

66. Disdaining ungratefully Our gifts,

And giving themselves up

To (worldly) enjoyment! But soon

Will they know.

67. Do they not then see

That We have made

A Sanctuary secure, and that

Men are being snatched away

From all around them?

Then, do they believe in that

Which is vain, and reject

The Grace of God?

68. And who does more wrong

Than he who invents

A lie against God

Or rejects the Truth

When it reaches him?

Is there not a home

In Hell for those who

Reject Faith?

69. And those who strive

In Our (Cause),--We will

Certainly guide them

To Our Paths:

For verily God

Is with those

Who do right.

Sura XXX.

Rum, or The Roman Empire.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. The Roman Empire

Has been defeated--

3. In a land close by;

But they, (even) after

(This) defeat of theirs,

Will soon be victorious--

4. Within a few years.

With God is the Decision,

In the Past

And in the Future:

On that Day shall

The Believers rejoice--

5. With the help of God.

He helps whom He will,

And He is Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

6. (It is) the promise of God.

Never does God depart

From His promise:

But most men understand not.

7. They know but the outer

(Things) in the life

Of this world: but

Of the End of things

They are heedless.

8. Do they not reflect

In their own minds?

Not but for just ends

And for a term appointed,

Did God create the heavens

And the earth, and all

Between them: yet are there

Truly many among men

Who deny the meeting

With their Lord

(At the Resurrection)!

9. Do they not travel

Through the earth, and see

What was the End

Of those before them?

They were superior to them

In strength: they tilled

The soil and populated it

In greater numbers than these

Have done: there came to them

Their apostles with Clear (Signs),

(Which they rejected, to their

Own destruction): it was not

God who wronged them, but

They wronged their own souls.

10. In the long run

Evil in the extreme

Will be the End of those

Who do evil; for that

They rejected the Signs

Of God, and held them up

To ridicule.

SECTION 2.

11. It is God Who begins

(The process of) creation;

Then repeats it; then

Shall ye be brought back

To Him.

12. On the Day that

The Hour will be established,

The guilty will be

Struck dumb with despair.

13. No intercessor will they have

Among their "Partners",

And they will (themselves)

Reject their "Partners".

14. On the Day that

The Hour will he established,--

That Day shall (all men)

Be sorted out.

15. Then those who have believed

And worked righteous deeds,

Shall be made happy

In a Mead of Delight.

16. And those who have rejected

Faith and falsely denied

Our Signs and the meeting

Of the Hereafter,--such

Shall be brought forth to

Punishment.

17. So (give) glory to God,

When ye reach eventide

And when ye rise

In the morning;

18. Yea, To Him be praise,

In the heavens and on earth;

And in the late afternoon

And when the day

Begins to decline.

19. It is He Who brings out

The living from the dead,

And brings out the dead

From the living, and Who

Gives life to the earth

After it is dead:

And thus shall ye be

Brought out (from the dead).

SECTION 3.

20. Among His Signs is this,

That He created you

From dust; and then,--

Behold, ye are men

Scattered (far and wide)!

21. And among His Signs

Is this, that He created

For you mates from among

Yourselves, that ye may

Dwell in tranquillity with them,

And He has put love

And mercy between your (hearts):

Verily in that are Signs

For those who reflect.

22. And among His Signs

Is the creation of the heavens

And the earth, and the variations

In your languages

And your colours: verily

In that are Signs

For those who know.

23. And among His Signs

Is the sleep that ye take

By night and by day,

And the quest that ye

(Make for livelihood)

Out of His Bounty: verily

In that are Signs

For those who hearken.

24. And among His Signs,

He shows you the lightning,

By way both of fear

And of hope, and He sends

Down rain from the sky

And with it gives life to

The earth after it is dead:

Verily in that are Signs

For those who are wise.

25. And among His Signs is this,

That heaven and earth

Stand by His Command:

Then when He calls you,

By a single call, from the earth,

Behold, ye (straightway) come forth.

26. To Him belongs every being

That is in the heavens

And on earth: all are

Devoutly obedient to Him.

27. It is He Who begins

(The process of) creation;

Then repeats it; and

For Him it is most easy.

To Him belongs the loftiest

Similitude (we can think of)

In the heavens and the earth:

For He is Exalted in Might,

Full of wisdom.

SECTION 4.

28. He does propound

To you a similitude

From your own (experience):

Do ye have partners

Among those whom your right hands

Possess, to share as equals

In the wealth We have

Bestowed on you? Do ye

Fear them as ye fear

Each other? Thus do We

Explain the Signs in detail

To a people that understand.

29. Nay, the wrong-doers (merely)

Follow their own lusts,

Being devoid of knowledge.

But who will guide those

Whom God leaves astray?

To them there will be

No helpers.

30. So set thou thy face

Steadily and truly to the Faith:

(Establish) God's handiwork according

To the pattern on which

He has made mankind:

No change (let there be)

In the work (wrought)

By God: that is

The standard Religion

But most among mankind

Understand not.

31. Turn ye back in repentance

To Him, and fear Him:

Establish regular prayers,

And be not ye among those

Who join gods with God,--

32. Those who split up

Their Religion, and become

(Mere) Sects,--each party

Rejoicing in that which

Is with itself!

33. When trouble touches men,

They cry to their Lord,

Turning back to Him

In repentance: but when

He gives them a taste

Of Mercy as from Himself,

Behold, some of them

Pay part-worship to

Other god's besides their Lord,--

34. (As if) to show their ingratitude

For the (favours) We have

Bestowed on them! Then enjoy

(Your brief day); but soon

Will ye know (your folly).

35. Or have We sent down

Authority to them, which

Points out to them

The things to which

They pay part-worship?

36. When We give men

A taste of Mercy,

They exult thereat:

And when-some evil

Afflicts them because of

What their (own) hands

Have sent forth, behold,

They are in despair!

37. See they not that God

Enlarges the provision and

Restricts it, to whomsoever

He pleases? Verily in that

Are Signs for those who believe.

38. So give what is due

To kindred, the needy,

And the wayfarer.

That is best for those

Who seek the Countenance,

Of God, and it is they

Who will prosper.

39. That which ye lay out

For increase through the property

Of (other) people, will have

No increase with God:

But that which ye lay out

For charity, seeking

The Countenance of God,

(Will increase): it is

These who twill get

A recompense multiplied.

40. It is God Who has

Created you: further, He has

Provided for your sustenance;

Then He will cause you

To die; and again He will

Give you life. Are there

Any of your (false) "Partners"

Who can do any single

One of these things?

Glory to Him! and High

Is He above the partners

They attribute (to Him)!

SECTION 5.

41. Mischief has appeared

On land and sea because

Of (the meed) that the hands

Of men have earned,

That (God) may give them

A taste of some of their

Deeds: in order that the

May turn back (from Evil).

42. Say: "Travel through the earth

And see what was the End

Of those before (you):

Most of them worshipped

Others besides God."

43. But set thou thy face

To the right Religion,

Before there come from God

The Day which there is

No chance of averting:

On that Day shall men

Be divided (in two).

44. Those who reject Faith

Will suffer from that rejection:

And those who work righteousness

Will spread their couch

(Of repose) for themselves

(In heaven):

45. That He may reward those

Who believe and work righteous

Deeds, out of His Bounty.

For He loves not those

Who reject Faith.

46. Among His Signs is this,

That He sends the Winds,

As heralds of Glad Tidings,

Giving you a taste

Of His (Grace and) Mercy,--

That the ships may sail

(Majestically) by His Command

And that ye may seek

Of His Bounty: in order

That ye may be grateful.

47. We did indeed send,

Before thee, apostles

To their (respective) peoples,

And they came to them

With Clear Signs: then,

To those who transgressed,

We meted out Retribution:

And it was due from us

To aid those who believed.

48. It is God Who sends

The Winds, and they raise

The Clouds: then does He

Spread them in the sky

As He wills, and break them

Into fragments, until thou seest

Rain-drops issue from the midst

Thereof: then when He has

Made them reach such

His servants as He wills,

Behold, they do rejoice!--

49. Even though, before they received

(The rain)--just before this--

They were dumb with despair!

50. Then contemplate (O man!)

The memorials of God's Mercy!--

How He gives life

To the earth after

Its death: verily the Same

Will give life to the men

Who are dead: for He

Has power over all things.

51. And if We (but) send

A Wind from which

They see (their tilth)

Turn yellow,--behold,

They become, thereafter,

Ungrateful (Unbelievers)!

52. So verily thou canst not

Make the dead to hear,

Nor canst thou make

The deaf to hear

The call, when they show

Their backs and turn away.

53. Nor canst thou lead back

The blind from their straying:

Only those wilt thou make

To hear, who believe

In Our Signs and submit

(Their wills in Islam).

SECTION 6.

54. It is God Who

Created you in a state

Of (helpless) weakness, then

Gave (you) strength after weakness,

Then, after strength, gave (you)

Weakness and a hoary head:

He creates as He wills,

And it is He Who has

All knowledge and power.

55. On the Day that

The Hour (of reckoning)

Will be established,

The transgressors will swear

That they tarried not

But an hour: thus were

They used to being deluded!

56. But those endued with knowledge

And faith will say:

"Indeed ye did tarry,

Within God's Decree,

To the Day of Resurrection,

And this is the Day

Of Resurrection: but ye--

Ye were not aware!"

57. So on that Day no excuse

Of theirs will

Avail the Transgressors,

Nor will they be invited (then)

To seek grace (by repentance).

58. Verily We have propounded

For men, in this Qur-an.

Every kind of Parable:

But if thou bring to them

Any Sign, the Unbelievers

Are sure to say, "Ye

Do nothing but talk vanities."

59. Thus does God seal up

The hearts of those

Who understand not.

60. So patiently persevere: for

Verily the promise of God

Is true: nor let those

Shake thy firmness, who have

(Themselves) no certainty of faith.

Sura XXXI.

Luqman (the Wise).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. These are Verses

Of the Wise Book,--

3. A Guide and a Mercy

To the Doers of Good,--

4. Those who establish regular Prayer,

And give regular Charity,

And have (in their hearts)

The assurance of the Hereafter.

5. These are on (true) guidance

From their Lord; and these

Are the ones who will prosper.

6. But there are, among men,

Those who purchase idle tales,'

Without knowledge (or meaning),

To mislead (men) from the Path

Of God and throw ridicule

(On the Path): for such

There will be a humiliating

Penalty.

7. When Our Signs are rehearsed

To such a one, he turns

Away in arrogance, as if

He heard them not, as if

There were deafness in both

His ears: announce to him

A grievous Penalty.

8. For those who believe

And work righteous deeds,

There will be Gardens

Of Bliss,--

9. To dwell therein. The promise

Of God is true: and He

Is Exalted in power, Wise.

10. He created the heavens

Without any pillars that ye

Can see; He set

On the earth mountains

Standing firm, lest it

Should shake with you;

And He scattered through it

Beasts of all kinds.

We send down rain

From the sky, and produce

On the earth every kind.

Of noble creature, in pairs.

11. Such is the Creation of God:

Now show Me what is there

That others besides Him

Have created: nay, but

The Transgressors are

In manifest error.

SECTION 2.

12. We bestowed (in the past)

Wisdom on Luqman:

"Show (thy) gratitude to God."

Any who is (so) grateful

Does so to the profit

Of his own soul: but if

Any is ungrateful, verily

God is free of all wants,

Worthy of all praise.

13. Behold, Luqman said

To his son by way of

Instruction: "O my son!

Join not in worship

(Others) with God: for

False worship is indeed

The highest wrong-doing."

14. And We have enjoined on man

(To be good) to his parents:

In travail upon travail

Did his mother bear him,

And in years twain

Was his weaning: (hear

The command), "Show gratitude

To Me and to thy parents:

To Me is (thy final) Goal.

15. "But if they strive

To make thee join

In worship with Me

Things of which thou hast

No knowledge, obey them not;

Yet bear them company

In this life with justice

(And consideration), and follow

The way of those who

Turn to Me (in love):

In the End the return

Of you all is to Me,

And I will tell you

The truth (and meaning)

Of all that ye did."

16. "O my son!" (said Luqman),

"If there be (but) the weight

Of a mustard-seed and

It were (hidden) in a rock,'

Or (anywhere) in the heavens or

On earth, God will bring it

Forth: for God understands'

The finest mysteries, (and)

Is well-acquainted (with them).

17. "O my son! establish

Regular prayer, enjoin what is

Just, and forbid what is wrong:

And bear with patient constancy

Whate'er betide thee; for this

Is firmness (of purpose)

In (the conduct of) affairs.

18. "And swell not thy cheek

(For pride) at men,

Nor walk in insolence

Through the earth;

For God loveth not

Any arrogant boaster.

19. "And be moderate

In thy pace, and lower

Thy voice; for the harshest

Of sounds without doubt

Is the braying of the ass."

SECTION 3.

20. Do ye not see

That God has subjected

To your (use) all things

In the heavens and on earth,

And has made His bounties

Flow to you in exceeding

Measure, (both) seen and unseen?

Yet there are among men

Those who dispute about God,

Without knowledge and without

Guidance, and without a Book

To enlighten them!

21. When they are told to follow

The (Revelation) that God

Has sent down, they say:

"Nay, we shall follow

The ways that we found

Our fathers (following)."

What! even if it is

Satan beckoning them

To the Penalty

Of the (Blazing) Fire?

22. Whoever submits

His whole self to God,

And is a doer of good,

Has grasped indeed

The most trustworthy hand-hold

And with God rests the End

And Decision of (all) affairs.

23. But if any reject Faith,

Let not his rejection

Grieve thee: to Us

Is their Return, and We

Shall tell them the truth

Of their deeds: for God

Knows well all that is

In (men's) hearts.

24. We grant them their pleasure

For a little while

In the end shall We

Drive them to

A chastisement unrelenting.

25. If thou ask them,

Who it is that created

The heavens and the earth.

They will certainly say,

"God". Say: "Praise be to God!"

But most of them

Understand not.

26. To God belong all things

In heaven and earth: verily

God is He (that is)

Free of all wants,

Worthy of all praise.

27. And if all the trees

On earth were pens

And the Ocean (were ink),

With seven Oceans behind it

To add to its (supply),

Yet would not the Words

Of God be exhausted

(In the writing): for God

Is Exalted in power,

Full of Wisdom.

28. And your creation

Or your resurrection

Is in no wise but

As an individual soul:

For God is He Who

Hears and sees (all things).

29. Seest thou not that

God merges Night into Day

And He merges Day into Night;

That He has subjected the sun,

And the moon (to His Law),

Each running its course

For a term appointed; and

That God is well acquainted

With all that ye do?

30. That is because God is

The (only) Reality, and because

Whatever else they invoke

Besides Him is Falsehood;

And because God,--He is

The Most High, Most Great.

SECTION 4.

31. Seest thou not that

The ships sail through

The Ocean by the grace

Of God?--that He may

Show you of His Signs?

Verily in this are Signs

For all who constantly persevere

And give thanks.

32. When a wave covers them

Like the canopy (of clouds),

They call to God

Offering Him sincere devotion.

But when He has delivered them

Safely to land, there are

Among them those that halt

Between (right and wrong).

But none reject Our Signs

Except only a perfidious

Ungrateful (wretch)!

33. O mankind! do your duty

To your Lord, and fear

(The coming of) a Day

When no father can avail

Aught for his son, nor

A son avail aught

For his father.

Verily, the promise of God

Is true: let not then

This present life deceive you,

Nor let the Chief Deceiver

Deceive you about God.

34, Verily the knowledge

Of the Hour is

With God (alone).

It is He Who sends down

Rain, and He Who knows

What is in the wombs.

Nor does any one know

What it is that he will

Earn on the morrow:

Nor does any one know

In what land he is

To die. Verily with God

Is full knowledge and He

Is acquainted (with all things)

Sura XXXII

Sajda, or Adoration.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. (This is) the revelation

Of the Book in which

There is no doubt,--

From the Lord of the Worlds.

3. Or do they say,

"He has forged it"?

Nay, it is the Truth

From thy Lord, that thou

Mayest admonish a people

To whom no warner

Has come before thee:

In order that they

May receive guidance.

4. It is God Who has

Created the heavens

And the earth, and all

Between them, in six Days,

And is firmly established

On the Throne (of authority):

Ye have none, besides Him,

To protect or intercede (for you):

Will ye not then

Receive admonition?

5. He rules (all) affairs

From the heavens

To the earth: in the end

Will (all affairs) go up

To Him, on a Day,

The space whereof will be

(As) a thousand years

Of your reckoning.

6. Such is He, the Knower

Of all things, hidden

And open, the Exalted

(In power), the Merciful;--

7. He Who has made

Everything which He has created

Most Good: He began

The creation of man

With (nothing more than) clay,

8. And made his progeny

From a quintessence

Of the nature of

A fluid despised:

9. But He fashioned him

In due proportion, and breathed

Into him something of

His spirit. And He gave

You (the faculties of) hearing

And sight and feeling

(And understanding):

Little thanks do ye give!

10. And they say: "What!

When we lie, hidden

And lost, in the earth,

Shall we indeed be

In a Creation renewed?

Nay, they deny the Meeting

With their Lord!"

11. Say: "The Angel of Death,

Put in charge of you,

Will (duly) take your souls:

Then shall ye be brought

Back to your Lord."

SECTION 2.

12. If only thou couldst see

When the guilty ones

Will bend low their heads

Before their Lord, (saying:)

"Our Lord! We have seen

And we have heard:

Now then send us back

(To the world): we will

Work righteousness: for we

Do indeed (now) believe."

13. If We had so willed,

We could certainly have brought

Every soul its true guidance:

But the Word from Me

Will come true, "I will

Fill Hell with Jinns

And men all together."

14. "Taste ye then--for ye

Forgot the Meeting

Of this Day of yours,

And We too will

Forget you--taste ye

The Penalty of Eternity

For your (evil) deeds!"

15. Only those believe

In Our Signs, who, when

They are recited to them,

Fall down in adoration,

And celebrate the praises

Of their Lord, nor are they

(Ever) puffed up with pride.

16. Their limbs do forsake

Their beds of sleep, the while

They call on their Lord,

In Fear and Hope:

And they spend (in charity)

Out of the sustenance which

We have bestowed on them.

17. Now no person knows

What delights of the eye

Are kept hidden (in reserve)

For them--as a reward

For their (good) Deeds.

18. Is then the man

Who believes no better

Than the man who is

Rebellious and wicked?

Not equal are they.

19. For those who believe

And do righteous deeds,

Are Gardens as hospitable

Homes, for their (good) deeds.

20. As to those who are

Rebellious and wicked, their abode

Will be the Fire: every time

They wish to get away

Therefrom, they will be forced

Thereinto, and it will be said

To them: "Taste ye

The Penalty of the Fire,

The which ye were wont

To reject as false."

21. And indeed We will make

Them taste of the Penalty

Of this (life) prior to

The supreme Penalty, in order

That they may (repent and) return.

22. And who does more wrong

Than one to whom are recited

The Signs of his Lord,

And who then turns away

Therefrom? Verily from those

Who transgress We shall exact

(Due) Retribution.

SECTION 3.

23. We did indeed aforetime

Give the Book to Moses:

Be not then in doubt

Of its reaching (thee):

And We made it

A guide to the Children

Of Israel.

24. And We appointed, from among

Them, Leaders, giving guidance

Under Our command, so long

As they persevered with patience

And continued to have faith

In Our Signs.

25. Verily thy Lord will judge

Between them on the Day

Of Judgment, in the matters

Wherein they differ

(among themselves)

26. Does it not teach them

A lesson, how many generations

We destroyed before them,

In whose dwellings they

(Now) go to and fro?

Verily in that are Signs:

Do they not then listen?

27. And do they not see

That We do drive Rain

To parched soil (bare

Of herbage), and produce therewith

Crops, providing food

For their cattle and themselves?

Have they not the vision?

28. They say: "When will

This Decision be, if ye

Are telling the truth?"

29. Say: "On the Day

Of Decision, no profit

Will it he to Unbelievers

If they (then) believe!

Nor Will they he granted

A respite."

30. So turn away from them,

And wait: they too

Are waiting.

Sura XXXIII.

Ahzab, or The Confederates.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. O Prophet! Fear God,

And hearken not

To the Unbelievers

And the Hypocrites:

Verily god is full

Of knowledge and wisdom.

2. But follow that which

Comes to thee by inspiration

From thy Lord: for God

Is well acquainted

With (all) that ye do.

3. And put thy trust

In God, and enough is God

As a Disposer of affairs.

4. God has not made

For any man two hearts

In his (one) body: nor has

He made your wives whom

Ye divorce by Zihar

Your mothers: nor has He

Made your adopted sons

Your sons. Such is (only)

Your (manner of) speech

By your mouths. but God

Tells (you) the Truth, and He

Shows the (right) Way.

5. Call them by (the names

Of) their fathers: that is

Juster in the sight of God.

But if ye know not

Their father's (names, call

Them) your Brothers in faith,

Or your Maulas.

But there is no blame

On you if ye make

A mistake therein:

(What counts is)

The intention of your hearts:

And god is Oft-Returning,

Most Merciful.

6. The Prophet is closer

To the Believers than

Their own selves,

And his wives are

Their mothers. Blood-relations

Among each other have

Closer personal ties,

In the Decree of God.

Than (the Brotherhood of)

Believers and Muhajirs:

Nevertheless do ye

What is just to your

Closest friends: such is

The writing in the Decree

(Of God).

7. And remember We took

From the Prophets their

Covenant:

As (We did) from thee:

From Noah, Abraham, Moses,

And Jesus the son of Mary:

We took from them

A solemn Covenant:

8. That (God) may question

The (Custodians) of Truth concerning

The Truth they (were charged with):

And He has prepared

For the Unbelievers

A grievous Penalty.

SECTION 2.

9. O ye who believe!

Remember the Grace of God,

(Bestowed) on you, when

There came down on you

Hosts (to overwhelm you):

But We sent against them

A hurricane and forces

That ye saw not:

But God sees (clearly)

All that ye do.

10. Behold! they came on you

From above you and from

Below you, and behold,

The eyes became dim

And the hearts gaped

Up to the throats,

And ye imagined various

(Vain) thoughts about God!

11. In that situation

Were the Believers tried:

They were shaken as by

A tremendous shaking.

12. Find behold! The Hypocrites

And those in whose hearts

Is a disease (even) say: "God

And His Apostle promised us

Nothing but delusions!"

13. Behold! A party among them

Said: "Ye men of Yathrib!

Ye cannot stand (the attack)!

Therefore go back!"

And a band of them

Ask for leave of the Prophet,

Saying, "Truly our houses

Are bare and exposed," though

They were not exposed:

They intended nothing but

To run away.

14. And if an entry had

Been effected to them

From the sides of the (City),

And they had been

Incited to sedition.

They would certainly have

Brought it to pass, with

None but a brief delay!

15. And yet they had already

Covenanted with God not to turn

Their backs, and a covenant

With God must (surely)

Be answered for.

16. Say: "Running away will not

Profit you if ye are

Running away from death

Or slaughter; and even if

(Ye do escape), no more

Than a brief (respite)

Will ye be allowed to enjoy!"

17. Say: "Who is it that can

Screen you from God

If it be His wish

To give you Punishment

Or to give you Mercy?"

Nor will they find for themselves,

Besides God, any protector

Or helper.

18. Verily God knows those

Among you who keep back

(Men) and those who say

To their brethren, "Come along

To us", but come not

To the fight except

For just a little while,

19. Covetous over you

Then when fear comes,

Thou wilt see them looking

To thee, their eyes revolving,

Like (those of) one over whom

Hovers death: but when

The fear is past,

They will smite you

With sharp tongues, covetous

Of goods. Such men have

No faith, and so God

Has made their deeds

Of none effect: and that

Is easy for God.

20. They think that the Confederates

Have not withdrawn; and if

The Confederates should come (again),

They would wish they were

In the deserts (wandering)

Among the Bedouins, and

Seeking news about you

(From a safe distance);

And if they were

In your midst, they

Would fight but little.

SECTION 3.

21. Ye have indeed

In the Apostle of God

A beautiful pattern (of conduct)

For any one whose hope is

In God and the Final Day,

And who engages much

In the praise of God.

22. When the Believers saw

The Confederate forces,

They said: "This is

What God and His Apostle is

Had promised us, and God

And His Apostle told us

What was true." And it

Only added to their faith

And their zeal in obedience.

23. Among the Believers are then

Who have been true to

Their Covenant with God:

Of them some have completed

Their vow (to the extreme),

And some (still) wait:

But they have never changed

(Their determination) in the least:

24. That God may reward

The men of Truth for

Their Truth, and punish

The Hypocrites if that be

His Will, or turn to them

In Mercy: for God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

25. And God turned back

The Unbelievers for (all)

Their fury: no advantage

Did they gain; and enough

Is God for the Believers

In their fight. And God

Is full of Strength, Able

To enforce His Will.

26. And those of the people

Of the Book who aided

Them--God did take them

Down from their strongholds

And cast terror into

Their hearts, (so that)

Some ye slew, and some

Ye made prisoners,

27. And He made you heirs

Of their lands, their houses,

And their goods,

And of a land which

Ye had not frequented

(Before). And God has

Power over all things.

SECTION 4.

28. O Prophet! say

To thy Consorts:

"If it be that ye desire

The life of this world,

And its glitter,--then come!

I will provide for your

Enjoyment and set you free

In a handsome manner.

29. But if ye seek God

And His Apostle, and

The Home of the Hereafter,

Verily God has prepared

For the well-doers amongst you

A great reward.

30. O Consorts of the Prophet

If any of you were guilty

Of evident unseemly conduct,

The Punishment would be

Doubled to her, and that

Is easy for God

31. But any of you that is

Devout in the service of

God and His Apostle,

And works righteousness,--

To her shall We grant

Her reward twice: and We

Have prepared for her

A generous Sustenance.

32. O Consorts of the Prophet!

Ye are not like any

Of the (other) women:

If ye do fear (God),

Be not too complaisant

Of speech, lest one

In whose heart is

A disease should be moved

With desire: but speak ye

A speech (that is) just.

33. And stay quietly in

Your houses, and make not

A dazzling display, like

That of the former Times

Of Ignorance; and establish

Regular Prayer, and give

Regular Charity; and obey

God and His Apostle.

And God only wishes

To remove all abomination

From you, ye Members

Of the Family, and to make

You pure and spotless.

34. And recite what is

Rehearsed to you in your

Homes, of the Signs of God

And His Wisdom:

For God understands

The finest mysteries and

Is well-acquainted (with them).

SECTION 5.

35. For Muslim men and women,--

For believing men and women,

For devout men and women,

For true men and women,

For men and women who are

Patient and constant, for men

And women who humble themselves

For men and women who give

In charity, for men and women

Who fast (and deny themselves),

For men and women who

Guard their chastity, and

For men and women who

Engage much in God's praise,--

For them has God prepared

Forgiveness and great reward.

36. It is not fitting

For a Believer, man or woman.

When a matter has been decided

By God and His Apostle,

To have any option

About their decision:

If any one disobeys God

And His Apostle, he is indeed

On a clearly wrong Path.

37. Behold! thou didst say

To one who had received

The grace of God

And thy favour: "Retain thou

(In wedlock) thy wife,

And fear God." But thou

Didst hide in thy heart

That which God was about

To make manifest: thou didst

Fear the people, but it is

More fitting that thou shouldst

Fear God. Then when Zaid

Had dissolved (his marriage)

With her, with the necessary

(Formality), We joined her

In marriage to thee:

In order that (in future)

There may be no difficulty

To the Believers in (the matter

Of) marriage with the vives

Of their adopted sons, when

The latter have dissolved

With the necessary (formality)

(Their marriage) with them.

And God's command must

Be fulfilled.

38. There can be no difficulty

To the Prophet in what

God has indicated to him

As a duty. It was

The practice (approved) of God

Amongst those of old

That have passed away.

And the command of God

Is a decree determined.

39. (It is the practice of those)

Who preach the Messages

Of God, and fear Him,

And fear none but God.

And enough is God

To call (men) to account.

40. Muhammad is not

The father of any

Of your men, but (he is)

The Apostle of God,

And the Seal of the Prophets:

And God has full knowledge

Of all things.

SECTION 6.

41. O ye who believe!

Celebrate the praises of God,

And do this often;

42. And glorify Him

Morning and evening.

43. He it is Who sends

Blessings on you, as do

His angels, that He may

Bring you out from the depths

Of Darkness into Light:

And He is Full of Mercy

To the Believers.

44. Their salutation on the Day

They meet Him will be

"Peace!"; and He has

Prepared for them

A generous Reward.

45. O Prophet! Truly We

Have sent thee as

A Witness, a Bearer

Of Glad Tidings,

And a Warner,--

46. And as one who invites

To God's (Grace) by His leave,

And as a Lamp

Spreading Light.

47. Then give the glad tidings

To the Believers, that

They shall have from God

A very great Bounty.

48. And obey not (the behests)

Of the Unbelievers

And the Hypocrites,

And heed not their annoyances,

But put thy trust in God.

For enough is God

As a Disposer of affairs.

49. O ye who believe!

When ye marry believing women,

And then divorce them

Before ye have touched them,

No period of 'Iddat

Have ye to count

In respect of them:

So give them a present,

And set them free

In a handsome manner.

50. O Prophet! We have

Made lawful to thee

Thy wives to whom thou

Hast paid their dowers;

And those whom thy

Right hand possesses out of

The prisoners of war whom

God has assigned to thee;

And daughters of thy paternal

Uncles and aunts, and daughters

Of thy maternal uncles

And aunts, who migrated

(From Mecca) with thee;

And any believing woman

Who dedicates her soul

To the Prophet if the Prophet

Wishes to wed her;--this

Only for thee, and not

For the Believers (at large);

We know what We have

Appointed for them as to

Their wives and the captives

Whom their right hands

Possess;--in order that

There should be no difficulty

For thee. And God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

51. Thou mayest defer (the turn

Of) any of them that thou

Pleasest, and thou mayest receive

Any thou pleasest: and there

Is no blame on thee if

Thou invite one whose (turn)

Thou hadst set aside.

This were nigher to

The cooling of their eyes,

The prevention of their grief,

And their satisfaction--

That of all of them--

With that which thou

Hast to give them:

And God knows (all)

That is in your hearts:

And God is All-Knowing,

Most Forbearing.

52. It is not lawful for thee

(To marry more) women

After this, nor to change

Them for (other) wives,

Even though their beauty

Attract thee, except any

Thy right hand should

Possess (as handmaidens):

And God doth watch

Over all things.

SECTION 7.

53. O ye who believe!

Enter not the Prophet's houses,--

Until leave is given you,

For a meal, (and then)

Not (so early as) to wait

For its preparation: but when

Ye are invited, enter;

And when ye have taken

Your meal, disperse,

Without seeking familiar talk.

Such (behaviour) annoys

The Prophet: he is ashamed

To dismiss you, but

God is not ashamed

(To tell you) the truth.

And when ye

Ask (his ladies)

For anything ye want,

Ask them from before

A screen: that makes

For greater purity for

Your hearts and for theirs.

Nor is it right for you

That ye should annoy

God's Apostle, or that

Ye should marry his widows

After him at any time.

Truly such a thing is

In God's sight an enormity.

54. Whether ye reveal anything

Or conceal it, verily

God has full knowledge

Of all things.

55. There is no blame

(On these ladies if they

Appear) before their fathers

Or their sons, their brothers,

Or their brothers' sons,

Or their sisters' sons,

Or their women,

Or the (slaves) whom

Their right hands possess.

And, (ladies), fear God;

For God is Witness

To all things.

56. God and His Angels

Send blessings on the Prophet:

O ye that believe!

Send ye blessings on him,

And salute him

With all respect.

57. Those who annoy

God and His Apostle--

God has cursed them

In this world and

In the Hereafter,

And has prepared for them

A humiliating Punishment.

58. And those who annoy

Believing men and women

Undeservedly, bear

(on themselves)

A calumny and a glaring sin.

SECTION 8.

59. O Prophet! Tell

Thy wives and daughters,

And the believing women,

That they should cast

Their outer garments over

Their persons (when abroad):

That is most convenient,

That they should be known

(As such) and not molested.

And God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

60. Truly, if the Hypocrites,

And those in whose hearts

Is a disease, and those who

Stir up sedition in the City,

Desist not, We shall certainly

Stir thee up against them:

Then will they not be

Able to stay in it

As thy neighbours

For any length of time:

61. They shall have a curse

On them: wherever they

Are found, they shall be

Seized and slain

(Without mercy).

62. (Such was) the practice

(Approved) of God among those

Who lived aforetime:

No change wilt thou find

In the practice (approved)

Of God.

63. Men ask thee concerning

The Hour: say, "The knowledge

Thereof is with God (alone)":

And what will make thee

Understand?--perchance

The Hour is nigh!

64. Verily God has cursed

The Unbelievers and prepared

For them a Blazing Fire,--

65. To dwell therein for ever:

No protector will they find,

Nor helper.

66. The Day that their faces

Will be turned upside down

In the Fire, they will say:

"Woe to us! would that

We had obeyed God

And obeyed the Apostle!"

67. And they would say:

"Our Lord! We obeyed

Our chiefs and our great ones,

And they misled us

As to the (right) path.

68. "Our Lord! Give them

Double Penalty

And curse them

With a very great Curse!"

SECTION 9.

69. O ye who believe!

Be ye not like those

Who vexed and insulted Moses,

But God cleared him

Of the (calumnies) they

Had uttered: and he

Was honourable in God's sight.

70. O ye who believe!

Fear God, and (always) say

A word directed to the Right:

71. That He may make

Your conduct whole and sound

And forgive you your sins:

He that obeys God

And His Apostle, has already

Attained the highest

Achievement.

72. We did indeed offer

The Trust to the Heavens

And the Earth

And the Mountains;

But they refused

To undertake it,

Being afraid thereof:

But man undertook it;--

He was indeed unjust

And foolish;--

73. (With the result (that

God has to punish

The Hypocrites, men and women,

And the Unbelievers, men

And women, and God turns

In Mercy to the Believers,

Men and women: for God

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Sura XXXIV.

Saba, or the City of Saba

(see verse 15).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to God,

To Whom belong all things

In the heavens and on earth:

To Him be Praise

In the Hereafter:

And He is Full of Wisdom,

Acquainted with all things.

2. He knows all that goes

Into the earth, and all that

Comes out thereof; all that

Comes down from the sky

And all that ascends thereto

And He is the Most Merciful,

The Oft-Forgiving.

3. The Unbelievers say,

"Never to us will come

The Hour": say, "Nay!

But most surely,

By my Lord, it will come

Upon you;--by Him

Who knows the unseen,--

From Whom is not hidden

The least little atom

In the Heavens or on earth:

Nor is there anything less

Than that, or greater, but

Is in the Record Perspicuous:

4. That He may reward

Those who believe and work

Deeds of righteousness: for such

Is Forgiveness and a Sustenance

Most Generous."

5. But those who strive

Against Our Signs, to frustrate

Them,--for such will be

A Penalty,--a Punishment

Most humiliating.

6. And those to whom

Knowledge has come see

That the (Revelation) sent down

To thee from thy Lord--

That is the Truth,

And that it guides

To the Path of the Exalted

(In Might), Worthy

Of all praise.

7. The Unbelievers say

(In ridicule): "Shall we

Point out to you a man

That will tell you,

When ye are all scattered

To pieces in disintegration,

That ye shall (then be

Raised) in a New Creation?

8. "Has he invented a falsehood

Against God, or has

A spirit (seized) him?"--

Nay, it is those who

Believe not in the Hereafter,

That are in (real) Penalty,

And in farthest Error.

9. See they not what is

Before them and behind them,

Of the sky and the earth

If We wished, We could

Cause the earth to swallow

Them up, or cause a piece

Of the sky to fall upon them.

Verily in this is a Sign

For every devotee that

Turns to God (in repentance).

SECTION 2.

10. We bestowed Grace aforetime

On David from Ourselves:

"O ye Mountains! sing ye

Back the Praises of God

With him! and ye birds

(Also)! And We made

The iron soft for him;--

11. (Commanding), "Make thou

Coats of mail, balancing well

The rings of chain armour,

And work ye righteousness;

For be sure I see

(Clearly) all that ye do."

12. And to Solomon (We

Made) the Wind (obedient):

Its early morning (stride)

Was a month's (journey),

And its evening (stride)

Was a month's (journey);

And We made a Font

Of molten brass to flow

For him; and there were

Jinns that worked in front

Of him, by the leave

Of his Lord, and if any

Of them turned aside

From Our command, We

Made him taste

Of the Penalty

Of the Blazing Fire.

13. They worked for him

As he desired, (making) Arches,

Images, Basons

As large as Reservoirs,

And (cooking) Cauldrons fixed

(In their places): "Work ye,

Sons of David, with thanks!

But few of My servants

Are grateful!"

14. Then, when We decreed

(Solomon's) death, nothing showed them

His death except a little

Worm of the earth, which

Kept (slowly) gnawing away

At his staff: so when he

Fell down, the Jinns saw

Plainly that if they had

Known the unseen, they

Would not have tarried

In the humiliating Penalty

(Of their Task).

15. There was, for Saba,

Aforetime, a Sign in their

Home-land--two Gardens

To the right and to the left.

"Eat of the Sustenance (provided)

By your Lord, and be grateful

To Him: a territory fair and happy,

And a Lord Oft-Forgiving!

16. But they turned away

(From God), and We sent

Against them the flood

(Released) from the Dams,

And We converted their two

Garden (rows) into "gardens"

Producing bitter fruit,

And tamarisks, and some few

(Stunted) Lote-trees.

17. That was the Requital

We gave them because

They ungratefully rejected Faith:

And never do We give

(Such) requital except to such

As are ungrateful rejecters.

18. Between them and the Cities

On which We had poured

Our blessings, We had placed

Cities in prominent positions,

And between them We had

Appointed stages of journey

In due proportion: "Travel therein,

Secure, by night and by day."

19. But they said: "Our Lord!

Place longer distances

Between our journey-stages":

But they wronged themselves (therein).

At length We made them

As a tale (that is told),

And We dispersed them

All in scattered fragments.

Verily in this are Signs

For every (soul that is)

Patiently constant and grateful.

20. And on them did Satan

Prove true his idea,

And they followed him, all

But a Party that believed.

21. But he had no authority

Over them,--except that We

Might test the man who

Believes in the Hereafter

From him who is in doubt

Concerning it: and thy Lord

Doth watch over all things.

SECTION 3.

22. Say: "Call upon other (gods)

Whom ye fancy, besides God:

They have no power,

Not the weight of an atom,--

In the heavens or on earth:

No (sort of) share have they

Therein, nor is any of them

A helper to God.

23. "No intercession can avail

In His Presence, except for those

For whom He has granted

Permission. So far (is this

The case) that, when terror

Is removed from their hearts

(At the Day of Judgment, then)

Will they say, "What is it

That your Lord commanded?"

They will say, "That which is

True and just; and He is

The Most High, Most Great."

24. Say: "Who gives you

Sustenance, from the heavens

And the earth?" Say:

"It is God; and certain it is

That either we or ye

Are on right guidance

Or in manifest error!"

25. Say: "Ye shall not be

Questioned as to our sins,

Nor shall we be questioned

As to what ye do."

26. Say: "Our Lord will gather us

Together and will in the end

Decide the matter between us

(And you) in truth and justice:

And He is the One to decide,

The One Who knows all."

27. Say: "Show me those whom

Ye have joined with Him

As partners: by no means

(Can ye). Nay, He is God,

The Exalted in Power,

The Wise."

28. We have not sent thee

But as a universal (Messenger)

To men, giving them

Glad tidings, and warning them

(Against sin), but most men

Understand not.

29. They say: "When will this

Promise (come to pass)

If ye are telling the truth?"

30. Say: "The appointment to you

Is for a Day, which ye

Cannot put back for an hour

Nor put forward."

SECTION 4.

31. The Unbelievers say:

"We shall neither believe

In this scripture nor in (any)

That (came) before it."

Couldst thou but see when

The wrong-doers will be made

To stand before their Lord,

Throwing back the word (of blame)

On one another! Those who

Had been despised will say

To the arrogant ones:

"Had it not been for you,

We should certainly

Have been believers!"

32. The arrogant ones will say

To those who had been despised:

"Was it we who kept you

Back from Guidance after

It reached you? Nay, rather,

It was ye who transgressed.

33. Those who had been despised

Will say to the arrogant ones:

"Nay! it was a plot

(Of yours) by day and by night:

Behold! ye (constantly) ordered us

To be ungrateful to God

And to attribute equals to Him!

They will declare (their) repentance

When they see the Penalty:

We shall put yokes

On the necks of the Unbelievers:

It would only be a requital

For their (ill) Deeds.

34. Never did We send

A Warner to a population,

But the wealthy ones among them

Said: "We believe not

In the (Message) with which

Ye have been sent."

35. They said: "We have more

In wealth and in sons

And we cannot be punished."

36. Say: "Verily my Lord enlarges

And restricts the Provision

To whom He pleases, but

Most men understand not."

SECTION 5.

37. It is not your wealth

Nor your sons, that will

Bring you nearer to Us

In degree: but only

Those who believe and work

Righteousness--these are

The ones for whom there is

A multiplied Reward

For their deeds, while

Secure they (reside)

In the dwellings on high!

38. Those who strive against

Our Signs, to frustrate them,

Will be given over

Into Punishment.

39. Say: "Verily my Lord enlarges

And restricts the Sustenance

To such of His servants

As He pleases: and nothing

Do ye spend in the least

(In His Cause) but He

Replaces it: for He is

The Best of those who

Grant Sustenance.

40. One Day He will

Gather them all together,

And say to the angels,

"Was it you that these

Men used to worship?"

41. They will say, "Glory to Thee!

Our (tie) is with Thee

As Protector--not with them.

Nay, but they worshipped

The Jinns: most of them

Believed in them."

42. So on that Day

No power shall they have

Over each other, for profit

Or harm: and We shall

Say to the wrong-doers,

"Taste ye the Penalty's

Of the Fire,--the which

Ye were wont to deny!"

43. When Our Clear Signs

Are rehearsed to them,

They say, "This is only

A man who wishes

To hinder you from the (worship)

Which your fathers practised."

And they say, "This is

Only a falsehood invented!"

And the Unbelievers say

Of the Truth when it comes

To them, "This is nothing

But evident magic!"

44. But We had not given

Them Books which they could

Study, nor sent apostles

To them before thee

As Warners.

45. And their predecessors rejected

(The Truth); these have

Not received a tenth

Of what We had granted

To those: yet when they rejected

My apostles, how (terrible)

Was My rejection (of them)!

SECTION 6.

46. Say: "I do admonish you

On one point: that ye

Do stand up before God,--

(It may be) in pairs,

Or (it may be) singly,--

And reflect (within yourselves):

Your Companion is not

Possessed: he is no less

Than a Warner to you,

In face of a terrible

Penalty."

47. Say: "No reward do I

Ask of you: it is (all)

In your interest: my reward

Is only due from God:

And He is Witness

To all things."

48. Say: "Verily my Lord

Doth cast the (mantle

Of) Truth (over His servants),--

He that has full knowledge

Of (all) that is hidden."

49. Say: "The Truth has arrived,

And Falsehood neither creates

Anything new, nor restores

Anything."

50. Say: "If I am astray,

I only stray to the loss

Of my own soul: but if

I receive guidance, it is seen

Because of the inspiration

Of my Lord to me:

It is He Who hears

All things, and is (ever) near."

51. If thou couldst but see

When they will quake

With terror; but then

There will be no escape

(For them), and they will he

Seized from a position

(Quite) near.

52. And they will say,

"We do believe (now)

In the (Truth)"; but how

Could they receive (Faith)

From a position (so) far off,--

53. Seeing that they did reject

Faith (entirely) before, and

That they (continually) cast

(Slanders) on the Unseen

From a position far off?

54. And between them

And their desires,

Is placed a barrier,

As was done in the past

With their partisans:

For they were indeed

In suspicious (disquieting) doubt.

Sura XXXV.

Fatir, or The Originator of Creation; or Malaika, or The Angels.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to God,

Who created (out of nothing)

The heavens and the earth,

Who made the angels

Messengers with wings,--

Two, or three, or four (Pairs):

He adds to Creation

As He pleases: for God

Has power over all things.

2. What God out of His Mercy

Doth bestow on mankind

There is none can withhold:

What He doth withhold,

There is none can grant,

Apart from Him:

And He is the Exalted

In Power, Full of Wisdom.

3. O men! call to mind

The grace of God unto you!

Is there a Creator, other

Than God, to give you

Sustenance from heaven

Or earth? There is

No god but He: how

Then are ye deluded

Away from the Truth?

4. And if they reject thee,

So were apostles rejected

Before thee: to God

Go back for decision

All affairs.

5. O men! certainly

The promise of God

Is true. Let not then

This present life deceive you,

Nor let the Chief Deceiver

Deceive you about God.

6. Verily Satan is an enemy

To you: so treat him

As an enemy. He only

Invites his adherents,

That they may become

Companions of the Blazing Fire.

7. For those who reject God,

Is a terrible Penalty: but

For those who believe

And work righteous deeds,

Is Forgiveness, and

A magnificent Reward.

SECTION 2.

8. Is he, then, to whom

The evil of his conduct

Is made alluring, so

That he looks upon it

As good, (equal to one

Who is rightly guided)?

For God leaves to stray

Whom He wills, and guides

Whom He wills. So

Let not thy soul go out

In (vainly) sighing after them:

For God knows well

All that they do!

9. It is God Who sends

Forth the Winds, so that

They raise up the Clouds,

And We drive them

To a land that is dead,

And revive the earth therewith

After its death: even so

(Will be) the Resurrection!

10. If any do seek

For glory and power,--

To God belong

All glory and power.

To Him mount up

(All) Words of Purity:

It is He Who exalts

Each Deed of Righteousness.

Those that lay Plots

Of Evil,--for them

Is a Penalty terrible;

And the plotting of such

Will be void (of result).

11. And God did create

You from dust;

Then from a sperm-drop;

Then He made you

In pairs. And no female

Conceives, or lays down

(Her load), but with His

Knowledge. Nor is a man

Long-lived granted length

Of days, nor is a part

Cut off from his life,

But is in a Decree

(Ordained). All this

Is easy to God.

12. Nor are the two bodies

Of flowing water alike,--

The one palatable, sweet,

And pleasant to drink,

And the other, salt

And bitter. Yet from each

(Kind of water) do ye

Eat flesh fresh and tender,

And ye extract ornaments

To wear; and thou seest

The ships therein that plough

The waves, that ye may

Seek (thus) of the Bounty

Of God that ye

May be grateful.

13. He merges Night into Day,

And He merges Day

Into Night, and He has

Subjected the sun and

The moon (to His Law):

Each one runs its course

For a term appointed.

Such is God your Lord:

To Him belongs all Dominion.

And those whom ye invoke

Besides Him have not

The least power.

14. If ye invoke them,

They will not listen

To your call, and if

They were to listen,

They cannot answer

Your (prayer). On the Day

Of Judgment they will reject

Your "Partnership". And none,

(O man!) can tell thee

(The Truth) like the One

Who is acquainted with all things.

SECTION 3.

15. O ye men! It is

Ye that have need

Of God: but God is

The One Free of all wants,

Worthy of all praise.

16. If He so pleased, He

Could blot you out

And bring in

A New Creation.

17. Nor is that (at all)

Difficult for God.

18. Nor can a bearer of burdens

Bear another's burden.

If one heavily laden should

Call another to (bear) his load,

Not the least portion of it

Can be carried (by the other),

Even though he be nearly

Related. Thou canst but

Admonish such as fear

Their Lord unseen

And establish regular Prayer.

And whoever purifies himself

Does so for the benefit

Of his own soul; and

The destination (of all)

Is to God.

19. The blind and the seeing

Are not alike;

20. Nor are the depths

Of Darkness and the Light;

21. Nor are the (chilly) shade

And the (genial) heat of the sun:

22. Nor are alike those

That are living and those

That are dead. God can

Make any that He wills

To hear; but thou

Canst not make those

To hear who are

(Buried) in graves.

23. Thou art no other

Than a warner.

24. Verily We have sent thee

In truth, as a bearer

Of glad tidings,

And as a warner:

And there never was

A people, without a warner

Having lived among them

(In the past).

25. And if they reject thee,

So did their predecessors,

To whom came their apostles

With Clear Signs, Books

Of dark prophecies,

And the Book

Of Enlightenment.

26. In the end did I

Punish those who rejected

Faith: and how (terrible)

Was My rejection (of them)!

SECTION 4.

27. Seest thou not that

God sends down rain

From the sky? With it

We then bring out produce

Of various colours

And in the mountains

Are tracts white and red,

Of various shades of colour,

And black intense in hue.

28. And so amongst men

And crawling creatures and cattle,

Are they of various colours.

Those truly fear God,

Among His Servants,

Who have knowledge:

For God is Exalted in Might,

Oft-Forgiving.

29. Those who rehearse the Book

Of God, establish regular Prayer,

And spend (in Charity)

Out of what We have provided

For them, secretly and openly,

Hope for a Commerce

That will never fail:

30. For He will pay them

Their meed, nay, He will

Give them (even) more

Out of His Bounty:

For He is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Ready to appreciate (service).

31. That which We have revealed

To thee of the Book

Is the Truth,--confirming

What was (revealed) before it:

For God is assuredly--

With respect to His servants--

Well acquainted and

Fully Observant.

32. Then We have given

The Book for inheritance

To such of Our servants

As We have chosen:

But there are among them

Some who wrong their own

Souls; some who follow

A middle course; and some

Who are, by God's leave,

Foremost in good deeds;

That is the highest Grace.

33. Gardens of Eternity will they

Enter: therein will they

Be adorned with bracelets

Of gold and pearls;

And their garments there

Will be of silk.

34. And they will say:

"Praise be to God,

Who has removed from us

(All) sorrow: for our Lord

Is indeed Oft-Forgiving

Ready to appreciate (service):

35. "Who has, out of His Bounty,

Settled us in a Home

That will last: no toil

Nor sense of weariness

Shall touch us therein."

36. But those who reject (God)--

For them will be

The Fire of Hell:

No term shall be determined

For them, so they should die,

Nor shall its Penalty

Be lightened for them.

Thus do We reward

Every ungrateful one!

37. Therein will they cry

Aloud (for assistance):

"Our Lord! Bring us out:

We shall work righteousness,

Not the (deeds) we used

To do"--"Did We not

Give you long enough life

So that he that would

Should receive admonition?

And (moreover) the warner

Came to you. So taste ye

(The fruits of your deeds):

For the Wrong-doers

There is no helper."

SECTION 5.

38. Verily God knows

(All) the hidden things

Of the heavens and the earth:

Verily He has full knowledge

Of all that is

In (men's) hearts.

39. He it is that has made

You inheritors in the earth:

If, then, any do reject

(God), their rejection (works)

Against themselves: their rejection

But adds to the odium

For the Unbelievers

In the sight of their Lord:

Their rejection but adds

To (their own) undoing.

40. Say: "Have ye seen

(These) "Partners" of yours

Whom ye call upon

Besides God? Show me

What it is they have created

In the (wide) earth.

Or have they a share

In the heavens? Or

Have We given them a Book

From which they (can derive)

Clear (evidence)?--Nay,

The wrong-doers promise

Each other nothing but delusions.

41. It is God Who sustains

The heavens and the earth,

Lest they cease (to function):

And if they should fail,

There is none--not one--

Can sustain them thereafter:

Verily He is Most Forbearing,

Oft-Forgiving.

42. They swore their strongest oaths

By God that if a warner

Came to them, they would

Follow his guidance better

Than any (other) of the Peoples:

But when a warner came

To them, it has only

Increased their flight

(From righteousness),--

43. On account of their arrogance

In the land and their

Plotting of Evil.

But the plotting of Evil

Will hem in only

The authors thereof. Now

Are they but looking for

The way the ancients

Were dealt with? But

No change wilt thou find

In God's way (of dealing):

No turning off wilt thou

Find in God's way (of dealing).

44. Do they not travel

Through the earth, and see.

What was the End

Of those before them,

Though they were superior

To them in strength?

Nor is God to be frustrated

By anything whatever

In the heavens

Or on earth: for He

Is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.

45. If God were to punish

Men according to what

They deserve, He would not

Leave on the back

Of the (earth) a single

Living creature: but He

Gives them respite

For a stated Term:

When their Term expires,

Verily God has in His sight

All His servants.

Sura XXXVI.

Ya-Sin (being Abbreviated Letters).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ya Sin.

2. By the Qur-an

Full of Wisdom,--

3. Thou art indeed

One of the apostles,

4. On a Straight Way.

5. It is a Revelation

Sent down by (Him),

The Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful,

6. In order that thou mayest

Admonish a people,

Whose fathers had received

No admonition, and who

Therefore remain heedless

(Of the Signs of God).

7. The Word is proved true

Against the greater part of them:

For they do not believe.

8. We have put yokes

Round their necks

Right up to their chins,

So that their heads are

Forced up (and they cannot see).

9. And We have put

A bar in front of them

And a bar behind them,

And further, We have

Covered them up; so that

They cannot see.

10. The same is it to them

Whether thou admonish them

Or thou do not admonish

Them: they will not believe.

11. Thou canst but admonish

Such a one as follows

The Message and fears

The (Lord) Most Gracious, unseen:

Give such a one, therefore,

Good tidings, of Forgiveness

And a reward most generous.

12. Verily We shall give life

To the dead, and We record

That which they send before

And that which they leave

Behind, and of all things

Have We taken account

In a clear Book

(Of evidence).

SECTION 2.

13. Set forth to them,

By way of a parable,

The (story of) the Companions

Of the City. Behold,

There came apostles to it.

14. When We (first) sent

To them two apostles,

They rejected them:

But We strengthened them

With a third: they said,

"Truly, we have been sent

On a mission to you."

15. The (people) said: "Ye are

Only men like ourselves

And (God) Most Gracious

Sends no sort of revelation:

Ye do nothing but lie."

16. They said: "Our Lord doth

Know that we have been sent

On a mission to you:

17. "And our duty is only

To proclaim the clear Message.

18. The (people) said: "For us,

We augur an evil omen

From you: if ye desist not,

We will certainly stone you.

And a grievous punishment

Indeed will be inflicted

On you by us."

19. They said: "Your evil omens

Are with yourselves:

(Deem ye this an evil omen).

If ye are admonished?

Nay, but ye are a people

Transgressing all bounds!

20. Then there came running,

From the farthest part

Of the City, a man,

Saying, "O my People!

Obey the apostles:

21. "Obey those who ask

No reward of you

(For themselves), and who have

Themselves received Guidance

22, "It would not be reasonable

In me if I did not

Serve Him Who created me,

And to Whom ye shall

(All) be brought back.

23. "Shall I take (other) gods

Besides Him? If (God)

Most Gracious should

Intend some adversity for me,

Of no use whatever

Will be their intercession

For me, nor can they

Deliver me.

24."I would indeed,

If I were to do so,

Be in manifest Error.

25. "For me, I have faith

In the Lord of you (all):

Listen, then, to me!"

26. It was said: "Enter thou

The Garden." He said:

"Ah me! Would that

My People knew (what I know)!--

27. "For that my Lord

Has granted me Forgiveness

And has enrolled me

Among those held in honour!"

28. And We sent not down

Against his People, after him,

Any hosts from heaven,

Nor was it needful

For Us so to do.

29. It was no more than

A single mighty Blast,

And behold! they were (like ashes)

Quenched and silent.

30. Ah! alas for (My) servants!

There comes not an apostle

To them but they mock him!

31. See they not how many

Generations before them

We destroyed? Not to them

Will they return:

32. But each one of them

All--will be brought

Before Us (for judgment).

SECTION 3.

33. A Sign for them

Is the earth that is dead:

We do give it life,

And produce grain therefrom,

Of which ye do eat.

34. And We produce therein

Orchards with date-palms

And vines, and We cause

Springs to gush forth therein:

35. That they may enjoy

The fruits of this (artistry):

It was not their hands

That made this:

Will they not then give thanks?

36. Glory to God, Who created

In pairs all things that

The earth produces, as well as

Their own (human) kind

And (other) things of which

They have no knowledge.

37. And a Sign for them

Is the Night: We withdraw

Therefrom the Day, and behold

They are plunged in darkness;

38. And the Sun

Runs his course

For a period determined

For him: that is

The decree of (Him),

The Exalted in Might,

The All-Knowing.

39. And the Moon,

We have measured for her

Mansions (to traverse)

Till she returns

Like the old (and withered)

Lower part of a date-stalk.

40. It is not permitted

To the Sun to catch up

The Moon, nor can

The Night outstrip the Day:

Each (just) swims along (its own) orbit

(According to Law).

41. And a Sign for them

Is that We bore

Their race (through the Flood)

In the loaded Ark;

42. And We have created

For them similar (vessels)

On which they ride.

43. If it were Our Will,

We could drown them:

Then would there be

No helper (to hear

Their cry), nor could

They be delivered,

44. Except by way of Mercy

From Us, and by way

Of (worldly) convenience

(To serve them) for a time.

45. When they are told,

"Fear ye that which is

Before you and that which

Will be after you, in order

That ye may receive Mercy,"

(They turn back).

46. Not a Sign comes to them

From among the Signs

Of their Lord, but they

Turn away therefrom.

47. And when they are told,

"Spend ye of (the bounties)

With which God

Has provided you," the Unbelievers

Say to those who believe:

"Shall we then feed those

Whom, if God had so willed,

He would have fed, (Himself)?--

Ye are in nothing

But manifest error."

48. Further, they say, "When

Will this promise (come to pass),

If what ye say is true?"

49. They will not (have

To) wait for aught

But a single Blast:

It will seize them while

They are yet disputing

Among themselves!

50. No (chance) will they then

Have, by will, to dispose

(Of their affairs), nor

To return to their own people!

SECTION 4.

51. The trumpet shall be

Sounded, when behold!

From the sepulchres (men)

Will rush forth

To their Lord!

52. They will say: "Ah!

Woe unto us! Who

Hath raised us up

From our beds of repose?"

(A voice will say:)

"This is what (God)

Most Gracious had promised.

And true was the word

Of the apostles!"

53. It will be no more

Than a single Blast,

When to! they will all

Be brought up before Us!

54. Then, on that Day,

Not a soul will be

Wronged in the least,

And ye shall but

Be repaid the meeds

Of your past Deeds.

55. Verily the Companions

Of the Garden shall

That Day have joy

In all that they do:

56. They and their associates

Will be in groves

Of (cool) shade, reclining

On Thrones (of dignity);

57. (Every) fruit (enjoyment)

Will be there for them;

They shall have whatever

They call for;

58. "Peace!"--a Word

(Of salutation) from a Lord

Most Merciful!

59. "And O ye in sin!

Get ye apart this Day!

60. "Did I not enjoin

On you, O ye children

Of Adam, that ye

Should not worship Satan;

For that he was to you

An enemy avowed?--

61. "And that ye should

Worship Me, (for that) this

Was the Straight Way?

62. "But he did lead astray

A great multitude of you.

Did ye not, then, understand?

63. "This is the Hell

Of which ye were

(Repeatedly) warned!

64. "Embrace ye the (Fire)

This Day, for that ye

(Persistently) rejected (Truth)."

65. That Day shall We set

A seal on their mouths.

But their hands will speak

To Us, and their feet

Bear witness, to all

That they did.

66. If it had been Our Will,

We could surely have

Blotted out their eyes;

Then should they have

Run about groping for the Path,

But how could they have seen?

67. And if it had been

Our Will, We could

Have transformed them

(To remain) in their places;

Then should they have been

Unable to move about,

Nor could they have returned

(After error).

SECTION 5.

68. If We grant long life

To any, We cause him

To be reversed in nature:

Will they not then understand?

69. We have not instructed

The (Prophet) in Poetry,

Nor is it meet for him:

This is no less than

A Message and a Qur-an

Making things clear:

70. That it may give admonition

To any (who are) alive,

And that the charge

May be proved against those

Who reject (Truth).

71. See they not that it is

We Who have created

For them--among the things

Which our hands have fashioned--

Cattle, which are under

Their dominion?--

72. And that We have

Subjected them to their (use)?

Of them some do carry them

And some they eat:

73. And they have (other) profits

From them (besides), and they

Get (milk) to drink.

Will they not then

Be grateful?

74. Yet they take (for worship)

Gods other than God,

(Hoping) that they might

Be helped!

75. They have not the power

To help them: but they

Will be brought up

(Before Our Judgment-seat)

As a troop (to be condemned).

76. Let not their speech, then,

Grieve thee. Verily We know

What they hide as well as

What they disclose.

77. Doth not man see

That it is We Who

Created him from sperm?

Yet behold! he (stands forth)

As an open adversary!

78. And he makes comparisons

For Us, and forgets his own

(Origin and) Creation:

He says, "Who can give

Life to (dry) bones

And decomposed ones (at that)?"

79. Say, "He will give them

Life Who created them

For the first time!

For He is well-versed

In every kind of creation!

80. "The same Who produces

For you fire out of

The green tree, when behold!

Ye kindle therewith

(Your own fires)!

81. "Is not He Who created

The heavens and the earth

Able to create the like

Thereof?"--Yea, indeed!

For he is the Creator Supreme,

Of skill and knowledge (infinite)!

82. Verily, when He intends

A thing, His Command is,

"Be", and it is!

83. So glory to Him

In Whose hands is

The dominion of all things:

And to Him will

Be all brought back.

Sura XXXVII.

Saffat, or Those Ranged in Ranks.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By those who range

Themselves in ranks,

2. And so are strong

In repelling (evil),

3. And thus proclaim

The Message (of God)!

4. Verily, verily, your God

Is One!--

5. Lord of the heavens

And of the earth,

And all between them,

And Lord of every point

At the rising of the sun!

6. We have indeed decked

The lower heaven with beauty

(In) the stars,--

7. (For beauty) and for guard

Against all obstinate

Rebellious evil spirits,

8. (So) they should not strain

Their ears in the direction

Of the Exalted Assembly

But be cast away

From every side,

9. Repulsed, for they are

Under a perpetual penalty,

10. Except such as snatch away

Something by stealth, and they

Are pursued by a flaming

Fire, of piercing brightness.

11. Just ask their opinion:

Are they the more difficult

To create, or the (other) beings

We have created?

Them have We created

Out of a sticky clay!

12. Truly dost thou marvel,

While they ridicule,

13. And, when they are

Admonished, pay no heed,--

14. And, when they see

A Sign, turn it

To mockery,

15. And say, "This is nothing

But evident sorcery!

16. "What! when we die,

And become dust and bones,

Shall we (then) be

Raised up (again)?

17. "And also our fathers

Of old?"

18. Say thou: "Yea, and ye shall

Then be humiliated

(On account of your evil).

19. Then it will be a single

(Compelling) cry;

And behold, they will

Begin to see!

20. They will say, "Ah!

Woe to us! this is

The Day of Judgment!"

21. (A voice will say,)

"This is the Day

Of Sorting Out, whose

Truth ye (once) denied!"

SECTION 2.

22. "Bring ye up",

It shall be said,

"The wrong-doers

And their wives,

And the things they worshipped--

23. "Besides God,

And lead them to the Way

To the (Fierce) Fire!

24. "But stop them,

For they must be asked:

25. "What is the matter

With you that ye

Help not each other?"

26. Nay, but that day they

Shall submit (to judgment);

27. And they will turn to

One another, and question

One .

28. They will say: "It was ye

Who used to come to us

From the right hand

(Of power and authority)!"

29. They will reply: "Nay, ye

Yourselves had no Faith!

30. "Nor had we any authority

Over you. Nay, it was

Ye who were a people

In obstinate rebellion!

31. "So now has been proved true,

Against us, the Word

Of our Lord that we

Shall indeed (have to) taste

(The punishment of our sins).

32. "We led you astray: for truly

We were ourselves astray."

33. Truly, that Day, they will

(All) share in the Penalty.

34. Verily that is how We

Shall deal with Sinners.

35. For they, when they were

Told that there is

No god except God, would

Puff themselves up with Pride,

36. And say: "What! Shall we

Give up our gods.

For the sake of

A Poet possessed?"

37. Nay! he has come

With the (very) Truth,

And he confirms (the Message

Of) the apostles (before him).

38. Ye shall indeed taste

Of the Grievous Penalty;--

39. But it will be no more

Than the retribution

Of (the Evil) that ye

Have wrought;--

40. But the sincere (and devoted)

Servants of God,--

41. For them is a Sustenance

Determined,

42. Fruits (Delights); and they

(Shall enjoy) honour and dignity,

43. In Gardens of Felicity,

44. Facing each other

On Thrones (of dignity):

45. Round will be passed

To them a Cup

From a clear-flowing fountain,

46. Crystal-white, of a taste

Delicious to those

Who drink (thereof),

47. Free from headiness;

Nor will they suffer

Intoxication therefrom.

48. And besides them will be

Chaste women, restraining

Their glances, with big eyes

(Of wonder and beauty).

49. As if they were

(Delicate) eggs closely guarded.

50. When they will turn to

One another and question

One another.

51. One of them will start

The talk and say:

"I had an intimate

Companion (on the earth),

52. "Who used to say,

"What! art thou amongst those

Who bear witness to

The truth (of the Message)?

53. "When we die and become

Dust and bones, shall we

Indeed receive rewards

And punishments?"

54. (A voice) said: "Would ye

Like to look down?"

55. He looked down

And saw him

In the midst of the Fire.

56. He said: "By God!

Thou wast little short

Of bringing me to perdition!

57. "Had it not been for

The Grace of my Lord,

I should certainly have been

Among those brought (there)!

58. "Is it (the case) that

We shall not die,

59. "Except our first death,

And that we

Shall not be punished?"

60. Verily this is

The supreme achievement!

61. For the like of this

Let all strive,

Who wish to strive.

62. Is that the better entertainment

Or the Tree of Zaqqum?

63. For We have truly

Made it (as) a trial

For the wrong-doers.

64. For it is a tree

That springs out

Of the bottom of Hell-fire:

65. The shoots of its fruit-stalks

Are like the heads

Of devils:

66. Truly they will eat thereof

And fill their bellies therewith.

67. Then on top of that

They will be given

A mixture made of

Boiling water.

68. Then shall their return

Be to the (Blazing) Fire.

69. Truly they found their fathers

On the wrong Path;

70. So they (too) were rushed

Down on their footsteps!

71. And truly before them,

Many of the ancients

Went astray;--

72. But We sent aforetime,

Among them, (apostles)

To admonish them;--

73. Then see what was

The End of those who

Were admonished (but heeded not),--

74. Except the sincere (and devoted)

Servants of God.

SECTION 3.

75. (In the days of old),

Noah cried to Us,

And We are the Best

To hear prayer.

76. And We delivered him

And his people from

The Great Calamity,

77. And made his progeny

To endure (on this earth);

78. And We left (this blessing)

For him among generations

To come in later times:

79. "Peace and salutation to Noah

Among the nations!"

80. Thus indeed do We reward

Those who do right.

81. For he was one

Of Our believing Servants.

82. Then the rest We overwhelmed

In the Flood.

83. Verily among those

Who followed his Way

Was Abraham.

84. Behold, he approached his Lord

With a sound heart.

85. Behold, he said to his father

And to his people, "What

Is that which ye worship?

86. "Is it a Falsehood--

Gods other than God--

That ye desire?

87. "Then what is your idea

About the Lord of the

Worlds?"

88. Then did he cast

A glance at the Stars,

89. And he said, "I am

Indeed sick (at heart)!"

90. So they turned away

From him, and departed.

91. When did he turn

To their gods and said,

"Will ye not eat

(Of the offerings before you)?...

92. "What is the matter

With you that ye

Speak not (intelligently)?"

93. Then did he turn

Upon them, striking (them)

With the right hand.

94. Then came (the worshippers)

With hurried steps,

And faced (him).

95. He said: "Worship ye

That which ye have

(Yourselves) carved?

96. "But God has created you

And your handiwork!"

97. They said, "Build him

A furnace, and throw him

Into the blazing fire!"

98. (This failing), they then

Sought a stratagem against him,

But We made them the ones

Most humiliated!

99. He said: "I will go

To my Lord! He

Will surely guide me!

100. "O my Lord! grant me

A righteous (son)!"

101. So We gave him

The good news

Of a boy ready

To suffer and forbear.

102. Then, when (the son)

Reached (the age of)

(Serious) work with him,

He said: "O my son

I see in vision

That I offer thee in sacrifice:

Now see what is

Thy view!" (The son) said:

"O my father! Do

As thou art commanded:

Thou will find me,

If God so wills one

Practising Patience and Constancy!"

103. So when they had both

Submitted their wills (to God),

And he had laid him

Prostrate on his forehead

(For sacrifice),

104. We called out to him,

"O Abraham!

105. "Thou hast already fulfilled

The vision!"--thus indeed

Do We reward

Those who do right.

106. For this was obviously

A trial--

107. And We ransomed him

With a momentous sacrifice:

108. And We left (this blessing)

For him among generations

(To come) in later times:

109. "Peace and salutation

To Abraham!"

110. Thus indeed do We reward

Those who do right

111. For he was one

Of Our believing Servants.

112. And We gave him

The good news

Of Isaac--a prophet,--

One of the Righteous.

113. We blessed him and Isaac:

But of their progeny

Are (some) that do right,

And (some) that obviously

Do wrong, to their own souls.

SECTION 4.

114. Again, (of old,)

We bestowed Our favour

On Moses and Aaron,

115. And We delivered them

And their people from

(Their) Great Calamity;

116. And We helped them,

So they overcame

(their troubles);

117. And We gave them

The Book which helps

To make things clear;

118. And We guided them

To the Straight Way.

119. And We left (this blessing)

For them among generations

(To come) in later times:

120. "Peace and salutation

To Moses and Aaron!"

121. Thus indeed do We reward

Those who do right.

122. For they were two

Of Our believing Servants.

123. So also was Elias

Among those sent (by Us).

124. Behold, he said

To his people,

"Will ye not fear (God)?

125. "Will ye call upon Baal

And forsake the Best

Of Creators,--

126. "God, your Lord and Cherisher

And the Lord and Cherisher

Of your fathers of old?"

127. But they rejected him,

And they will certainly

Be called up (for punishment),--

128. Except the sincere and devoted

Servants of God (among them).

129. And We left (this blessing)

For him among generations

(To come) in later times:

130. "Peace and salutation

To such as Elias!"

131. Thus indeed do We reward

Those who do right.

132. For he was one

Of Our believing Servants.

133. So also was Lot

Among those sent (by Us).

134. Behold, We delivered him

And his adherents, all

135. Except an old woman

Who was among those

Who lagged behind:

136. Then We destroyed

The rest.

137. Verily, ye pass

By their (sites),

By day--

138. And by night:

Will ye not understand?

SECTION 5.

139. So also was Jonah

Among those sent (by Us).

140. When he ran away

(Like a slave from captivity)

To the ship (fully) laden,

141. He (agreed to) cast lots,

And he was condemned:

142. Then the big Fish

Did swallow him,

And he had done

Acts worthy of blame.

143. Had it not been

That he (repented and)

Glorified God,

144. He would certainly have

Remained inside the Fish

Till the Day of Resurrection.

145. But We cast him forth

On the naked shore

In a state of sickness,

146. And We caused to grow,

Over him, a spreading plant

Of the Gourd kind.

147. And We sent him

(On a mission)

To a hundred thousand

(Men) or more.

148. And they believed;

So We permitted them

To enjoy (their life)

For a while.

149. Now ask them their opinion:

Is it that thy Lord

Has (only) daughters, and they

Have sons?--

150. Or that We created

The angels female, and they

Are witnesses (thereto)?

151. Is it not that they

Say, from their own invention,

152. "God has begotten children"?

But they are liars!

153. Did He (then) choose

Daughters rather than sons?

154. What is the matter

With you? How judge ye?

155. Will ye not then

Receive admonition?

156. Or have ye

An authority manifest?

157. Then bring ye your Book

(Of authority) if ye be

Truthful!

158. And they have invented

A blood-relationship

Between Him and the Jinns:

But the Jinns know

(Quite well) that they

Have indeed to appear

(Before His Judgment-seat)!

159. Glory to God! (He is free)

From the things they ascribe

(To Him)!

160. Not (so do) the Servants

Of God, sincere and devoted.

161. For, verily, neither ye

Nor those ye worship--

162. Can lead (any)

Into temptation

Concerning God,

163. Except such as are

(Themselves) going to

The blazing Fire!

164. (Those ranged in ranks say):

"Not one of us but has

A place appointed;

165. "And we are verily

Ranged in ranks (for service);

166. "And we are verily those

Who declare (God's) glory!"

167. And there were those

Who said,

168. "If only we had had

Before us a Message

From those of old,

169. "We should certainly have

Been Servants of God,

Sincere (and devoted)!"

170. But (now that the Qur-an

Has come), they reject it:

But soon will they know!

171. Already has Our Word

Been passed before (this)

To Our Servants sent (by Us),

172. That they would certainly

Be assisted,

173. And that Our forces,--

They surely must conquer.

174. So turn thou away

From them for a little while,

175. And watch them (how

They fare), and they soon

Shall see (how thou farest)!

176. Do they wish (indeed)

To hurry on our Punishment?

177. But when it descends

Into the open space

Before them, evil will be

The morning for those who

Were warned (and heeded not)!

178. So turn thou away

From them for a little while,

179. And watch (how they fare)

And they soon shall see

(How thou farest)!

180. Glory to thy Lord,

The Lord of Honour

And Power! (He is free)

From what they ascribe

(To Him)!

181. And Peace on the apostles!

182. And Praise to God,

The Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds.

Sura XXXVIII.

Sad (being one of the Abbreviated Letters).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Sad:

By the Qur-an,

Full of Admonition:

(This is the Truth).

2. But the Unbelievers

(Are steeped) in Self-glory

And Separatism.

3. How many generations

Before them did We destroy?

In the end they cried

(For mercy)--when

There was no longer time

For being saved!

4. So they wonder

That a Warner has come

To them from among themselves!

And the Unbelievers say,

"This is a sorcerer

Telling lies!

5. "Has he made the gods

(All) into one God?

Truly this is

A wonderful thing!"

6. And the leaders among them

Go away (impatiently), (saying),

"Walk ye away, and remain

Constant to your gods!

For this is truly

A thing designed (against you)!

7. "We never heard (the like)

Of this among the people

Of these latter days:

This is nothing but

A made-up tale!"

8. "What! Has the Message

Been sent to him--

(Of all persons) among us?"...

But they are in doubt

Concerning My (own) Message!

Nay, they have not yet

Tasted My Punishment!

9. Or have they the Treasures

Of the Mercy of thy Lord,--

The Exalted in Power,

The Grantor of Bounties

Without measure?

10. Or have they the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth

And all between? If so,

Let them mount up

With the ropes and means

(To reach that end)!

11. But there--will be

Put to flight even a host

Of confederates.

12. Before them (were many

Who) rejected apostles,--

The People of Noah,

And 'Ad, and Pharaoh

The Lord of Stakes,

13. And Thamud, and the People

Of Lut, and the Companions

Of the Wood;--such were

The Confederates.

14. Not one (of them) but

Rejected the apostles,

But My Punishment

Came justly and inevitably

(On them).

SECTION 2.

15. These (to-day) only wait

For a single mighty Blast,

Which (when it comes)

Will brook no delay.

16. They say: "Our Lord!

Hasten to us our sentence

(Even) before the Day

Of Account!"

17. Have patience at what they

Say, and remember Our Servant

David, the man of strength:

For he ever turned (to God).

18. It was We that made

The hills declare,

In unison with him,

Our Praises, at eventide

And at break of day,

19. And the birds gathered

(In assemblies): all with him

Did turn (to God).

20. We strengthened his kingdom,

And gave him wisdom

And sound judgment

In speech and decision.

21. Has the Story of

The Disputants reached thee?

Behold, they climbed over

The wall of the private chamber;

22. When they entered

The presence of David,

And he was terrified

Of them, they said:

"Fear not: we are two

Disputants, one of whom

Has wronged the other:

Decide now between us

With truth, and treat us not

With unjustice, but guide us

To the even Path.

23. "This man is my brother:

He has nine and ninety

Ewes, and I have (but) one:

Yet he says, "Commit her

To my care," and is (moreover)

Harsh to me in speech."

24. (David) said: "He has

Undoubtedly wronged thee

In demanding thy (single) ewe

To be added to his (flock

Of) ewes: truly many

Are the Partners (in business)

Who wrong each other:

Not so do those who believe

And work deeds of righteousness,

And how few are they?"...

And David gathered that we

Had tried him: he asked

Forgiveness of his Lord,

Fell down, bowing

(In prostration), and turned

(To God in repentance).

25. So We forgave him

This (lapse): he enjoyed,

Indeed, a Near Approach to Us,

And a beautiful Place

Of (final) Return.

26, O David! We did indeed

Make thee a vicegerent

On earth: so judge thou

Between men in truth (and justice):

Nor follow thou the lusts

(Of thy heart), for they will

Mislead thee from the Path

Of God: for those who

Wander astray from the Path

Of God, is a Penalty Grievous,

For that they forget

The Day of .

SECTION 3.

27. Not without purpose did We

Create heaven and earth

And all between! That

Were the thought of Unbelievers!

But woe to the Unbelievers

Because of the Fire (of Hell)!

28. Shall We treat those

Who believe and work deeds

Of righteousness, the same

As those who do mischief

On earth? Shall We treat

Those who guard against evil,

The same as those who

Turn aside from the right?

29. (Here is) a Book which

We have sent down

Unto thee, full of blessings,

That they may meditate

On its Signs, and that

Men of understanding may

Receive admonition.

30. To David We gave

Solomon (for a son),--

How excellent in Our service!

Ever did he turn (to Us)!

31. Behold, there were brought

Before him, at eventide,

Coursers of the highest breeding,

And swift of foot;

32. And he said, "Truly

Do I love the love

Of Good, with a view

To the glory of my Lord,"--

Until (the sun) was hidden

In the veil (of Night):

33. "Bring them back to me."

Then began he to pass

His hand over (their) legs

And their necks.

34. And We did try

Solomon: We placed

On his throne a body

(Without life): but he did turn

(To Us in true devotion):

35. He said, "O my Lord!

Forgive me, and grant me

A Kingdom which,

(It may be), suits not

Another after me:

For Thou art the Grantor

Of Bounties (without measure).

36. Then We subjected the Wind

To his power, to flow

Gently to his order,

Whithersoever he willed,--

37. As also the evil ones,

(Including) every kind

Of builder and diver,--

38. As also others bound

Together in fetters.

39. "Such are Our Bounties:

Whether thou bestow them

(On others) or withhold them,

No account will be asked."

40. And he enjoyed, indeed,

A Near Approach to Us,

And a beautiful Place

Of (final) Return.

SECTION 4.

41. Commemorate Our Servant Job.

Behold he cried to his Lord:

"The Evil One has afflicted

Me with distress and suffering!"

42. (The command was given:)

"Strike with thy foot:

Here is (water) wherein

To wash, coal and refreshing,

And (water) to drink."

43. And We gave him (back)

His people, and doubled

Their number,--as a Grace

From Ourselves, and a thing

For commemoration, for all

Who have Understanding.

44. "And take in thy hand

A little grass, and strike

Therewith: and break not

(Thy oath)." Truly We found

Him full of patience and constancy.

How excellent in Our service!

Ever did he turn (to Us)!

45. And commemorate Our Servants

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

Possessors of Power and Vision.

46. Verily We did choose them

For a special (purpose)--

Proclaiming the Message

Of the Hereafter.

47. They were, in Our sight,

Truly, of the company

Of the Elect and the Good.

48. And commemorate Isma'il,

Elisha, and Zul-Kifl:

Each of them was

Of the company of the Good.

49. This is a Message

(Of admonition): and verily,

For the Righteous,

Is a beautiful place

Of (final) Return,--

50. Gardens of Eternity,

Whose doors will (ever)

Be open to them;

51. Therein will they

Recline (at ease);

Therein can they

Call (at pleasure)

For fruit in abundance,

And (delicious) drink;

52. And beside them will be

Chaste women restraining

Their glances, (companions)

Of equal age.

53. Such is the Promise

Made to you

For the Day of Account!

54. Truly such will be

Our Bounty (to you);

It will never fail;--

55. ''Yea, such! But

For the wrong-doers

Will be an evil place

Of (final) Return!--

56. Hell!--they will burn

Therein,--an evil bed

(Indeed, to lie on)!--

57. Yea, such!--Then

Shall they taste it,

A boiling fluid, and a fluid

Dark, murky, intensely cold!--

58. And other Penalties

Of a similar kind,

To match them!

59. Here is a troop

Rushing headlong with you!

No welcome for them!

Truly, they shall burn

In the Fire!

60. (The followers shall cry

To the misleaders:)

"Nay, ye (too)! No welcome

For you! It is ye who

Have brought this upon us!

Now evil is (this) place

To stay in!"

61. They will say: "Our Lord!

Whoever brought this upon us,--

Add to him a double

Penalty in the Fire!"

62. And they will say:

"What has happened to us

That we see not men

Whom we used to number

Among the bad ones?

63. "Did we treat them

(As such) in ridicule,

Or have (our) eyes

Failed to perceive them?"

64. Truly that is just and fitting,--

The mutual recriminations

Of the People of the Fire!

SECTION 5.

65. Say: "Truly am I

A Warner: no god

Is there but the One

God, Supreme and Irresistible,--

66. "The Lord of the heavens

And the earth, and all

Between,--Exalted in Might,

Able to enforce His Will,

Forgiving again and again."

67. Say: "That is a Message

Supreme (above all),--

68. "From which ye

Do turn away!

69. "No knowledge have I

Of the Chiefs on high,

When they discuss

(Matters) among themselves.

70. "Only this has been revealed

To me: that I am

To give warning

Plainly and publicly."

71. Behold, thy Lord said

To the angels: "I am

About to create man

From clay:

72. "When I have fashioned him

(In due proportion) and breathed

Into him of My spirit,

Fall ye down in obeisance

Unto him."

73. So the angels prostrated themselves,

All of them together:

74. Not so Iblis: he

Was haughty, and became

One of those who reject Faith.

75. (God) said: "O Iblis!

What prevents thee from

Prostrating thyself to one

Whom I have created

With My hands?

Art thou haughty?

Or art thou one

Of the high (and mighty) ones?"

76. (Iblis) said: "I am better

Than he: Thou createdst

Me from fire, and him

Thou createdst from clay."

77. (God) said: "Then get thee

Out from here: for thou

Art rejected, accursed.

78. "And My Curse shall be

On thee till the Day

Of Judgment."

79. (Iblis) said: "O my Lord!

Give me then respite

Till the Day

The (dead) are raised."

80. (God) said: "Respite then

Is granted thee--

81. "Till the Day

Of the Time Appointed."

82. (Iblis) said: "Then,

By Thy Power, I will

Put them all in the wrong,--

83. "Except Thy Servants

Amongst them, sincere

And purified (by Thy grace)."

84. (God) said: "Then

It is just and fitting--

And I say what is

Just and fitting--

85. "That I will certainly fill

Hell with thee

And those that follow thee,--

Every one."

86. Say: "No reward do I ask

Of you for this (Qur-an),

Nor am I a pretender.

87. "This is no less than

A Message to (all)

The Worlds.

88. "And ye shall certainly

Know the truth of it (all)

After a while."

Sura XXXIX.

Zumar, or the Crowds.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. The revelation

Of this Book

Is from God,

The Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom.

2. Verily it is We Who have

Revealed the Book to thee

In Truth: so serve God,

Offering Him sincere devotion.

3. Is it not to God

That sincere devotion

Is due? But those who

Take for protectors others

Than God (say): "We only

Serve them in order that

They may bring us nearer

To God." Truly God

Will judge between them

In that wherein they differ.

But God guides not

Such as are false

And ungrateful.

4. Had God wished

To take to Himself

A son, He could have

Chosen whom He pleased

Out of those whom He

Doth create: but Glory

Be to Him! (He is above

Such things.) He is God,

The One, the Irresistible.

5. He created the heavens

And the earth

In true (proportions):

He makes the Night

Overlap the Day, and the Day

Overlap the Night:

He has subjected

The sun and the moon

(To His law):

Each one follows a course

For a time appointed.

Is not He the Exalted

In Power--He Who forgives

Again and again?

6. He created you (all)

From a single Person:

Then created, of like nature,

His mate; and He

Sent down for you eight head

Of cattle in pairs:

He makes you,

In the wombs

Of your mothers,

In stages, one after another,

In three veils of darkness.

Such is God, your Lord

And Cherisher: to Him belongs

(All) dominion. There is

No god but He: then

How are ye turned away

(From your true Centre)?

7. If ye reject (God),

Truly God hath no need

Of you; but He liketh not

Ingratitude from His servants:

If ye are grateful, He

Is pleased with you.

No bearer of burdens

Can bear the burden

Of another. In the End,

To your Lord is your Return,

When He will tell you

The truth of all

That ye did (in this life).

For He knoweth well

All that is in (men's) hearts.

8. When some trouble toucheth man,

He crieth unto his Lord,

Turning to Him in repentance:

But when He bestoweth

A favour upon him

As from Himself, (man)

Doth forget what he cried

And prayed for before,

And he doth set up

Rivals unto God,

Thus misleading others

From God's Path.

Say, "Enjoy thy blasphemy

For a little while:

Verily thou art (one)

Of the Companions of the Fire!"

9. Is one who worships devoutly

During the hours of the night

Prostrating himself or standing

(In adoration), who takes heed

Of the Hereafter, and who

Places his hope in the Mercy

Of his Lord--(like one

Who does not)? Say:

"Are those equal, those who know

And those who do not know?

It is those who are

Endued with understanding

That receive admonition.

SECTION 2.

10. Say: "O ye

My servants who believe!

Fear your Lord.

Good is (the reward)

For those who do good

In this world.

Spacious is God's earth!

Those who patiently persevere

Will truly receive

A reward without measure!"

11. Say: "Verily, I am commanded

To serve God

With sincere devotion;

12. "And I am commanded

To be the first

Of those who bow

To God in Islam."

13. Say: "I would, if I

Disobeyed my Lord,

Indeed have fear

Of the Penalty

Of a Mighty Day."

14. Say: "It is God I serve,

With my sincere

(And exclusive) devotion:

15. "Serve ye what ye will

Besides Him." Say:

"Truly, those in loss

Are those who lose

Their own souls

And their People

On the Day of Judgment:

Ah! that is indeed

The (real and) evident Loss!

16. They shall have Layers

Of Fire above them,

And Layers (of Fire)

Below them: with this

Doth God warn off

His Servants: "O My Servants!

Then fear ye Me!"

17. Those who eschew Evil,

And fall not into

Its worship,--and turn

To God (in repentance),--

For them is Good News:

So announce the Good News

To My Servants,--

18. Those who listen

To the Word,

And follow

The best (meaning) in it:

Those are the ones

Whom God has guided, and those

Are the ones endued

With understanding.

19. Is, then, one against whom

The decree of Punishment

Is justly due (equal

To one who eschews evil)?

Wouldst thou, then, deliver

One (who is) in the Fire?

20. But it is for those

Who fear their Lord,

That lofty mansions,

One above another,

Have been built:

Beneath them flow

Rivers (of delight): (such is)

The Promise of God:

Never doth God fail in

(His) promise.

21. Seest thou not that God

Sends down rain from

The sky, and leads it

Through springs in the earth.?

Then He causes to grow,

Therewith, produce of various

Colours: then it withers;

Thou wilt see it grow yellow;

Then He makes it

Dry up and crumble away.

Truly, in this, is

A Message of remembrance to

Men of understanding.

SECTION 3.

22. Is one whose heart

God has opened to Islam,

So that he has received

Enlightenment from God,

(No better than one hard-hearted)?

Woe to those whose hearts

Are hardened against celebrating

The praises of God! They

Are manifestly wandering

(In error)!

23. God has revealed

(From time to time)

The most beautiful Message

In the form of a Book,

Consistent with itself,

(Yet) repeating (its teaching

In various aspects):

The skins of those who

Fear their Lord tremble

Thereat; then their skins

And their hearts do soften

To the celebration of

God's praises. Such is

The guidance of God:

He guides therewith

Whom He pleases, but such

As God leaves to stray,

Can have none to guide.

24. Is, then, one who

Has to fear the brunt

Of the Penalty on the Day

Of Judgment (and receive it)

On his face, (like one

Guarded therefrom)? It will

Be said to the wrong-doers:

"Taste ye (the fruits

Of) what ye earned!

25. Those before them (also)

Rejected (revelation), and so

The Punishment came to them

From directions they did not

Perceive.

26. So God gave them

A taste of humiliation

In the present life,

But greater is the Punishment

Of the Hereafter,

If they only knew!

27. We have put forth

For men, in this Qur-an

Every kind of Parable,

In order that they

May receive admonition.

28. (It is) a Qur-an

In Arabic, without any

Crookedness (therein):

In order that they

May guard against Evil.

29. God puts forth a Parable--

A man belonging to many

Partners at variance with each other,

And a man belonging entirely

To one master: are those two

Equal in comparison?

Praise be to God!

But most of them

Have no knowledge.

30. Truly thou wilt die

(One day), and truly they

(Too) will die (one day).

31. In the End will ye

(All), on the Day

Of Judgment, settle your disputes

In the presence of your Lord.

SECTION 4.

32. Who, then, doth more wrong

Than one who utters

A lie concerning God,

And rejects the Truth

When it comes to him

Is there not in Hell

An abode for blasphemers?

33. And he who brings the Truth

And he who confirms

(And supports) it--such are

The men who do right.

34. They shall have all

That they wish for,

In the presence of their Lord:

Such is the reward

Of those who do good:

35. So that God will

Turn off from them

(Even) the worst in their deeds

And give them their reward

According to the best

Of what they have done.

36. Is not God enough

For His servant? But

They try to frighten thee

With other (gods) besides Him!

For such as God leaves

To stray, there can be

No guide.

37. And such as God doth

Guide there can be

None to lead astray.

Is not God Exalted

In Power, (Able to enforce

His Will), Lord of Retribution?

38. If indeed thou ask them

Who it is that created

The heavens and the earth,

They would be sure to say.

"God ". Say: "See ye then?

The things that ye invoke

Besides God,--can they,

If God wills some Penalty

For me, remove His Penalty?--

Or if He wills some Grace

For me, can they keep back

His Grace?" Say: "Sufficient

Is God for me!

In Him trust those

Who put their trust."

39. Say: "O my people!

Do whatever ye can:

I will do (my part):

But soon will ye know--

40. "Who it is to whom

Comes a Penalty

Of ignominy, and on whom

Descends a Penalty that abides."

41. Verily We have revealed

The Book to thee

In Truth, for (instructing)

mankind.

He, then, that receives guidance

Benefits his own soul:

But he that strays

Injures his own soul.

Nor art thou set

Over them to dispose

Of their affairs.

SECTION 5.

42. It is God that takes

The souls (of men) at death;

And those that die not

(He takes) during their sleep:

Those on whom He

Has passed the decree

Of death, He keeps back

(From returning to life),

But the rest He sends

(To their bodies)

For a term appointed.

Verily in this are Signs

For those who reflect.

43. What! Do they take

For intercessors others

Besides God? Say: "Even if

They have no power whatever

And no intelligence?"

44. Say: "To God belongs

Exclusively (the right

To grant) Intercession:

To Him belongs the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth:

In the End, it is to Him

That ye shall be

Brought back."

45. When God, the One and Only,

Is mentioned, the hearts

Of those who believe not

In the Hereafter are filled

With disgust and horror;

But when (gods) other than He

Are mentioned, behold,

They are filled with joy!

46. Say: "O God!

Creator of the heavens

And the earth!

Knower of all that is

Hidden and open!

It is Thou that wilt

Judge between Thy Servants

In those matters about which

They have differed."

47. Even if the wrong-doers

Had all that there is

On earth, and as much more,

(In vain) would they offer it

For ransom from the pain

Of the Penalty on the Day

Of Judgment: but something

Will confront them from God,

Which they could never

Have counted upon!

48. For the evils of their Deeds

Will confront them,

And they will be (completely)

Encircled by that which

They used to mock at!

49. Now, when trouble touches man,

He cries to Us:

But when We bestow

A favour upon him

As from Ourselves,

He says, "This has been

Given to me because of

A certain knowledge (I have)!"

Nay, but this is

But a trial, but most

Of them understand not!

50. Thus did the (generations)

Before them say! But

All that they did

Was of no profit to them.

51. Nay, the evil results

Of their deeds overtook them.

And the wrong-doers

Of this (generation)

The evil results of their deeds

Will soon overtake them (too),

And they will never be

Able to frustrate (Our Plan)!

52. Know they not that

God enlarges the provision

Or restricts it, for any

He pleases? Verily, in this are

Signs for those who believe!

SECTION 6.

53. Say: "O my Servants who

Have transgressed against their souls

Despair not of the Mercy

Of God: for God forgives

All sins: for He is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

54. "Turn ye to your Lord

(In repentance) and bow

To His (Will), before

The Penalty comes on you:

After that ye shall not

Be helped.

55. "And follow the Best

Of (the courses) revealed

To you from your Lord,

Before the Penalty comes

On you--of a sudden,

While ye perceive not!--

56. "Lest the soul should (then)

Say: "Ah! woe is me!--

In that I neglected

(My Duty) towards God,

And was but among those

Who mocked!"--

57. "Or (lest) it should say:

"If only God had guided

Me, I should certainly

Have been among the righteous!"--

58. "Or (lest) it should say

When it (actually) sees

The Penalty, "If only

I had another chance,

I should certainly be

Among those who do good!"

59. "(The reply will be:) "Nay,

But there came to thee

My Signs, and thou didst

Reject them: thou vast

Haughty, and became one

Of those who reject Faith!

60. (On the Day of Judgment

Wilt thou see those

Who told lies against God;--

Their faces will be turned

Black; is there not

In Hell an abode

For the Haughty?

61. But God will deliver

The righteous to their place

Of salvation: no evil

Shall touch them,

Nor shall they grieve.

62. God is the Creator

Of all things, and He

Is the Guardian and Disposer

Of all affairs.

63. To Him belong the keys

Of the heavens

And the earth:

And those who reject

The Signs of God,--

It is they who will

Be in loss.

SECTION 7.

64. Say: "Is it

Some one other than God

That ye order me

To worship, O ye

Ignorant ones?"

65. But it has already

Been revealed to thee,--

As it was to those

Before thee,--"If thou

Wert to join (gods

With God), truly fruitless

Will be thy work (in life),

And thou wilt surely

Be in the ranks of those

Who lose (all spiritual good)".

66. Nay, but worship God,

And be of those who

Give thanks.

67. No just estimate

Have they made of God,

Such as is due to Him:

On the Day of Judgment

The whole of the earth

Will be but His handful,

And the heavens will be

Rolled up in His right hand:

Glory to Him!

High is He above

The Partners they attribute

To Him!

68. The Trumpet will (just)

Be sounded, when all

That are in the heavens

And on earth will swoon,

Except such as it will

Please God (to exempt).

Then will a second one

Be sounded, when, behold,

They will be standing

And looking on!

69. And the Earth will shine

With the glory of its Lord:

The Record (of Deeds)

Will be placed (open);

The prophets and the witnesses

Will be brought forward;

And a just decision

Pronounced between them;

And they will not

Be wronged (in the least).

70. And to every soul will be

Paid in full (the fruit)

Of its deeds; and (God)

Knoweth best all that

They do.

SECTION 8.

71. The Unbelievers will be

Led to Hell in crowd:

Until, when they arrive there,

Its gates will be opened.

And its Keepers will say,

"Did not apostles come

To you from among yourselves,

Rehearsing to you the Signs

Of your Lord, and warning you

Of the Meeting of this Day

Of yours?" The answer

Will be: "True: but

The Decree of Punishment

Has been proved true

Against the Unbelievers!"

72. (To them) will be said:

"Enter ye the gates of Hell,

To dwell therein:

And evil is (this)

Abode of the arrogant!"

73. And those who feared

Their Lord will be led

To the Garden in crowds:

Until behold, they arrive there;

Its gates will be opened;

And its Keepers will say:

"Peace be upon you!

Well have ye done!"

Enter ye here,

To dwell therein."

74. They will say: "Praise be

To God, Who has

Truly fulfilled His promise

To us, and has given us

(This) land in heritage:

We can dwell in the Garden

As we will: how excellent

A reward for those

Who work (righteousness)!"

75. And thou wilt see

The angels surrounding

The Throne (Divine)

On all sides, singing Glory

And Praise to their Lord.

The Decision between them

(At Judgment) will be

In (perfect) justice,

And the cry (on all sides)

Will be, "Praise be to God,

The Lord of the Worlds!"

Sura XL.

Mu-min, or The Believer.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim.

2. The revelation

Of this Book

Is from God,

Exalted in Power,

Full of Knowledge,--

3. Who forgiveth Sin,

Accepteth Repentance,

Is Strict in Punishment,

And hath a Long Reach

(In all things).

There is no god

But He: to Him

Is the Final Goal.

4. None can dispute

About the Signs of God

But the Unbelievers.

Let not, then,

Their strutting about

Through the land

Deceive thee!

5. But (there were people) before them,

Who denied (the Signs),--

The People of Noah,

And the Confederates

(Of Evil) after them;

And every People plotted

Against their prophet,

To seize him, and disputed

By means of vanities,

Therewith to condemn

The Truth: but it was I

That seized them!

And how (terrible)

Was My Requital!

6. Thus was the Decree

Of thy Lord proved true

Against the Unbelievers

That truly they are

Companions of the Fire!

7. Those who sustain

The Throne (of God)

And those around it

Sing Glory and Praise

To their Lord; believe

In Him; and implore Forgiveness

For those who believe:

"Our Lord! Thy Reach

Is over all things,

In Mercy and Knowledge.

Forgive, then, those who

Turn in Repentance, and follow

Thy Path; and preserve them

From the Penalty

Of the Blazing Fire!

8. "And grant, our Lord!

That they enter

The Gardens of Eternity,

Which Thou hast promised

To them, and to the righteous

Among their fathers,

Their wives, and their posterity!

For Thou art (He),

The Exalted in Might,

Full of Wisdom.

9. "And preserve them

From (all) ills;

And any whom Thou

Dost preserve from ills

That Day,--on them

Wilt Thou have bestowed

Mercy indeed: and that

Will be truly (for them)

The highest Achievement".

SECTION 2.

10. The Unbelievers will be

Addressed: "Greater was

The aversion of God to you

Than (is), your aversion

To yourselves, seeing that ye

Were called to the Faith

And ye used to refuse."

11. They will say: "Our Lord!

Twice hast Thou made us

Without life, and twice

Hast Thou given us Life!

Now have we recognised

Our sins: is there

Any way out (of this)?"

12. (The answer will be:)

"This is because, when

God was invoked as

The Only (object of worship),

Ye did reject Faith,

But when partners were

Joined to Him, ye believed!

The Command is with God,

Most High, Most Great!"

13. He it is Who showeth

You His Signs, and sendeth

Down Sustenance for you

From the sky: but only

Those receive admonition

Who turn (to God).

14. Call ye, then, upon God

With sincere devotion to Him,

Even though the Unbelievers

May detest it.

15. Raised high above ranks

(Or degrees),

(He is) the Lord

Of the Throne (of authority):

By His Command doth He

Send the spirit (of inspiration)

To any of His servants

He pleases, that it may

Warn (men) of the Day

Of Mutual Meeting,--

16. The Day whereon

They will (all) come forth:

Not a single thing

Concerning them is hidden

From God. Whose will be

The Dominion that Day?

That of God, the One,

The Irresistible!

17. That Day will every soul

Be requited for what

It earned; no injustice

Will there be that Day,

For God is Swift

In taking account.

18. Warn them of the Day

That is (ever) drawing near,

When the Hearts will

(Come) right up to the Throats

To choke (them);

No intimate friend

Nor intercessor will the

wrong-doers

Have, who could be

Listened to.

19. (God) knows of (the tricks)

That deceive with the eyes,

And all that the hearts

(Of men) conceal.

20. And God will judge

With (Justice and) Truth:

But those whom (men)

Invoke besides Him, will

Not (be in a position)

To judge at all.

Verily it is God (alone)

Who hears and sees

(All things).

SECTION 3.

21. Do they not travel

Through the earth and see

What was the End

Of those before them

They were even superior

To them in strength,

And in the traces (they

Have left) in the land:

But God did call them

To account for their sins,

And none had they

To defend them against God.

22. That was because there came

To them their apostles

With Clear (Signs),

But they rejected them:

So God called them

To account: for He is

Full of Strength,

Strict in Punishment.

23. Of old We sent Moses,

With Our Signs

And an Authority manifest,

24. To Pharaoh, Haman,

And Qarun; but they

Called (him) "a sorcerer

Telling lies!"...

25. Now, when he came to them

In Truth, from Us,

They said, "Slay the sons

Of those who believe a

With him, and keep alive

Their females," but the plots

Of Unbelievers (end) in nothing

But errors (and delusions)!...

26. Said Pharaoh: "Leave me

To slay Moses; and let him

Call on his Lord!

What I fear is lest

He should change your religion,

Or lest he should cause

Mischief to appear

In the land!"

27. Moses said: "I have indeed

Called upon my Lord

And your Lord

(For protection) from every

Arrogant one who believes not

In the Day of Account!"

SECTION 4.

28. A Believer, a man

From among the people

Of Pharaoh, who had concealed

His faith, said: "Will ye

Slay a man because he

Says, "My Lord is God"?--

When he has indeed come

To you with Clear (Signs)

From your Lord? And if

He be a liar, on him

Is (the sin of) his lie;

But, if he is telling

The Truth, then will

Fall on you something

Of the (calamity) of which

He warns you: truly

God guides not one

Who transgresses and lies!

29. "O my People! yours

Is the dominion this day:

Ye have the upper hand

In the land: but who

Will help us from

The Punishment of God,

Should it befall us?"

Pharaoh said: "I but

Point out to you that

Which I see (myself);

Nor do I guide you

But to the Path of Right!"

30. Then said the man

Who believed: "O my People!

Truly I do fear

For you something like

The Day (of disaster)

Of the Confederates (in sin)!--

31. "Something like the fate

Of the People of Noah,

The 'Ad, and the Thamud,

And those who came

After them: but God

Never wishes injustice

To His Servants.

32. "And O my People!

I fear for you a Day

When there will be

Mutual calling (and wailing),--

33. "A Day when ye

Shall turn your backs

And flee: no defender

Shall ye have from God:

Any whom God leaves

To stray, there is none

To guide...

34. "And to you there came

Joseph in times gone by,

With Clear Signs, but

Ye ceased not to doubt

Of the (mission) for which

He had come: at length,

When he died, ye said:

"No apostle will God send

After him." Thus doth God

Leave to stray such as

Transgress and live in doubt,--

35. "(Such) as dispute about

The Signs of God,

Without any authority

That hath reached them.

Grievous and odious

(Is such conduct)

In the sight of God

And of the Believers.

Thus doth God seal up

Every heart--of arrogant

And obstinate transgressors."

36. Pharaoh said: "O Haman!

Build me a lofty palace,

That I may attain

The ways and means--

37. "The ways and means

Of (reaching) the heavens,

And that I may mount up

To the God of Moses:

But as far as I am concerned,

I think (Moses) is a liar!"

Thus was made alluring,

In Pharaoh's eyes,

The evil of his deeds,

And he was hindered

From the Path; and the plot

Of Pharaoh led to nothing

But perdition (for him).

SECTION 5.

38. The man who believed said

Further: "O my People!

Follow me: I will lead

You to the Path of Right.

39. "O my People! This life

Of the present is nothing

But (temporary) convenience:

It is the Hereafter

That is the Home

That will last.

40. "He that works evil

Will not be requited

But by the like thereof:

And he that works

A righteous deed--whether

Man or woman--and is

A Believer--such will enter

The Garden (of Bliss): therein

Will they have abundance

Without measure.

41. "And O my People!

How (strange) it is

For me to call you

To Salvation while ye

Call me to the Fire!

42. "Ye do call upon me

To blaspheme against God,

And to join with Him

Partners of whom I have

No knowledge; and I

Call you to the Exalted

In Power, Who forgives

Again and again!"

43. "Without doubt ye do call

Me to one who is not

Fit to be called to,

Whether in this world,

Or in the Hereafter;

Our Return will be

To God; and the Transgressors

Will be Companions

Of the Fire!

44. "Soon will ye remember

What I say to you (now).

My (own) affair I commit

To God: for God (ever)

Watches over His Servants."

45. Then God saved him

From (every) ill that they

Plotted (against him),

But the brunt of the Penalty

Encompassed on all sides

The People of Pharaoh.

46. In front of the Fire

Will they be brought,

Morning and evening:

And (the Sentence will be)

On the Day that

Judgment will be established:

"Cast ye the People

Of Pharaoh into

The severest Penalty!"

47. Behold, they will dispute

With each other in the Fire!

The weak ones (who followed)

Will say to those who

Had been arrogant, "We but

Followed you: can ye then

Take (on yourselves) from us

Some share of the Fire?"

48. Those who had been arrogant

Will say: "We are all

In this (Fire)! Truly,

God has judged

Between (His) Servants!"

49. Those in the Fire will say

To the Keepers of Hell:

"Pray to your Lord

To lighten us the Penalty

For a Day (at least)!"

50. They will say: "Did there

Not come to you

Your apostles with Clear Signs?"

They will say, "Yes".

They will reply, "Then

Pray (as ye like)! But

The Prayer of those

Without Faith is nothing

But (futile wandering)

In (mazes of) error!"

SECTION 6.

51. We will, without doubt,

Help Our apostles and those

Who believe, (both)

In this world's life

And on the Day

When the Witnesses

Will stand forth,--

52. The Day when no profit

Will it be to Wrong-doers

To present their excuses,

But they will (only) have

The Curse and the Home

Of Misery.

53. We did aforetime give Moses

The (Book of) Guidance,

And We gave the Book

In inheritance to the Children

Of Israel,--

54. A Guide and a Message

To men of understanding.

55. Patiently, then, persevere:

For the Promise of God

Is true: and ask forgiveness

For thy fault, and celebrate

The Praises of thy Lord

In the evening

And in the morning.

56. Those who dispute

About the Signs of God

Without any authority

Bestowed on them,--there is

Nothing in their breasts

But (the quest of) greatness,

Which they shall never

Attain to: seek refuge,

Then, in God: it is He

Who hears and sees (all things).

57. Assuredly the creation

Of the heavens

And the earth

Is a greater (matter)

Than the creation of men:

Yet most men understand not.

58. Not equal are the blind

And those who (clearly) see:

Nor are (equal) those

Who believe and work

Deeds of righteousness, and

Those who do evil.

Little do ye learn

By admonition!

59. The Hour will certainly come:

Therein is no doubt:

Yet most men believe not.

60. And your Lord says:

"Call on Me; I

Will answer your (Prayer):

But those who are

Too arrogant to serve Me

Will surely find themselves

In Hell--in humiliation!"

SECTION 7.

61. It is God Who has

Made the Night for you,

That ye may rest therein,

And the Day, as that

Which helps (you) to see.

Verily God is Full of

Grace and Bounty to men:

Yet most men give

No thanks.

62. Such is God, your Lord,

The Creator of all things.

There is no god but He:

Then how ye are delude

Away from the Truth!

63. Thus are deluded those

Who are wont to reject

The Signs of God.

64. It is God Who has

Made for you the earth

As a resting place,

And the sky as a canopy,

And has given you shape--

And made your shapes

Beautiful,--and has provided

For you Sustenance,

Of things pure and good;--

Such is God your Lord.

So Glory to God,

The Lord of the Worlds!

65. He is the Living (One):

There is no god but He:

Call upon Him, giving Him

Sincere devotion. Praise he

To God, Lord of the Worlds!

66. Say: "I have been forbidden

To invoke those whom ye

Invoke besides God,--seeing that

The Clear Signs have come

To me from my Lord;

And I have been commanded

To bow (in Islam)

To the Lord of the Worlds."

67. It is He Who has

Created you from dust,

Then from a sperm-drop,

Then from a leech-like clot;

Then does He get you

Out (into the light)

As a child: then lets you

(Grow and) reach your age

Of full strength; then

Lets you become old,--

Though of you there are

Some who die before;--

And lets you reach

A Term appointed;

In order that ye

May learn wisdom.

68. It is He Who gives Life

And Death; and when He

Decides upon an affair,

He says to it, "Be",

And it is.

SECTION 8.

69. Seest thou not those

That dispute concerning

The Signs of God?

How are they turned away

(From Reality)?--

70. Those who reject the Book

And the (revelations) with which

We sent Our apostles:

But soon shall they know,--

71. When the yokes (shall be)

Round their necks,

And the chains;

They shall be dragged along--

72. In the boiling fetid fluid

Then in the Fire

Shall they be burned;

73. Then shall it be said

To them: "Where are

The (deities) to which

Ye gave part-worship--

74. "In derogation of God?"

They will reply: "They have

Left us in the lurch:

Nay, we invoked not,

Of old, anything (that had

Real existence)." Thus

Does God leave

The Unbelievers to stray.

75. "That was because

Ye were wont to rejoice

On the earth in things

Other than the Truth,

And that ye were wont

To be insolent.

76. "Enter ye the gates

Of Hell, to dwell therein:

And evil is (this) abode

Of the arrogant!"

77. So persevere in patience;

For the Promise of God

Is true: and whether

We show thee (in this life)

Some part of what We

Promise them,--or We

Take thy soul (to Our Mercy)

(Before that),--(in any case)

It is to Us that

They shall (all) return.

78. We did aforetime send

Apostles before thee: of them

There are some whose story

We have related to thee,

And some whose story

We have not related

To thee. It was not

(Possible) for any apostle

To bring a Sign except

By the leave of God:

But when the Command

Of God issued,

The matter was decided

In truth and justice,

And there perished,

There and then, those

Who stood on Falsehoods.

SECTION 9.

79. It is God who made

Cattle for you, that ye

May use some for riding

And some for food;

80. And there are (other) advantages

In them for you (besides);

That ye may through them

Attain to any need

(There may be) in your hearts;

And on them and on ships

Ye are carried.

81. And He shows you (always)

His Signs: then which

Of the Signs of God

Will ye deny?

82. Do they not travel through

The earth and see what

Was the End of those

Before them? They were

More numerous than these

And superior in strength

And in the traces

(They have left) in the land:

Yet all that they accomplished

Was of no profit to them.

83. For when their apostles

Came to them

With Clear Signs, they exulted

In such knowledge (and skill)

As they had; but

That very (Wrath) at which

They were wont to scoff

Hemmed them in.

84. But when they saw

Our Punishment, they said:

"We believe in God,--

The One God--and we

Reject the partners we used

To join with Him."

85. But their professing the Faith

When they (actually) saw

Our Punishment was not going

To profit them.

(Such has been) God's way

Of dealing with His servants

(From the most ancient times).

And even thus did

The rejecters of God

Perish (utterly)!

Sura XLI.

Ha-mim (Abbreviated Letters), or Ha-Mim Sajda, or Fussilat

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim:

2. A revelation from (God).

Most Gracious, Most Merciful--

3. A Book, whereof the verses

Are explained in detail;--

A Qur-an in Arabic,

For people who understand;--

4. Giving Good News

And Admonition: yet most

Of them turn away

And so they hear not.

5. They say: "Our hearts are

Under veils, (concealed)

From that to which thou

Dost invite us, and

In our ears is a deafness,

And between us and thee

Is a screen: so do

Thou (what thou wilt);

For us, we shall do

(What we will!)"

6. Say thou: "I am

But a man like you:

It is revealed to me

By inspiration, that your God

Is One God: so stand

True to Him, and ask

For His forgiveness."

And woe to those who

Join gods with God,--

7. Those who practise not

Regular Charity, and who

Even deny the Hereafter.

8. For those who believe

And work deeds of righteousness

Is a reward that will

Never fail.

SECTION 2.

9. Say: Is it that ye

Deny Him Who created

The earth in two Days?

And do ye join equals

With Him? He is

The Lord of (all)

The Worlds.

10. He set on the (earth),

Mountains standing firm,

High above it,

And bestowed blessings on

The earth, and measured therein

All things to give them

Nourishment in due proportion,

In four Days, in accordance

With (the needs of)

Those who seek (sustenance).

11. Moreover He comprehended

In His design the sky,

And it had been (as) smoke:

He said to it

And to the earth:

"Come ye together,

Willingly or unwillingly."

They said: "We do come

(Together), in willing obedience."

12. So he completed them

As seven firmaments

In two Days, and He

Assigned to each heaven

Its duty and command.

And We adorned

The lower heaven

With lights, and (provided it)

With guard. Such

Is the Decree of (Him)

The Exalted in Might,

Full of knowledge.

13. But if they turn away,

Say thou: "I have warned

You of a stunning Punishment

(As of thunder and lightning)

Like that which (overtook)

The 'Ad and the Thamud!"

14. Behold, the apostles came

To them, from before them

And behind them, (preaching):

"Serve none but God."

They said, "If our Lord

Had so pleased, He would

Certainly have sent down angels

(To preach): now we reject

Your mission (altogether)."

15. Now the 'Ad behaved

Arrogantly through the land,

Against (all) truth and reason,

And said: "Who is superior

To us in strength?" What!

Did they not see that

God, Who created them,

Was superior to them

In strength? But they

Continued to reject Our Signs!

16. So We sent against them

A furious Wind through days

Of disaster, that We might

Give them a taste

Of a Penalty of humiliation

In this Life; but the Penalty

Of a Hereafter will be

More humiliating still:

And they will find

No help.

17. As to the Thamud,

We gave them guidance,

But they preferred blindness

(Of heart) to Guidance:

So the stunning Punishment

Of humiliation seized them,

Because of what they had earned.

18. But We delivered those

Who believed and practised righteousness.

SECTION 3.

19. On the Day that

The enemies of God

Will be gathered together

To the Fire, they will

Be marched in ranks.

20. At length, when they reach

The (Fire), their hearing,

Their sight, and their skins

Will bear witness against them,

As to (all) their deeds.

21. They will say to their skins:

"Why bear ye witness

Against us?" They will say:

"God hath given us speech,--

(He) Who giveth speech

To everything: He created

You for the first time,

And unto Him were ye

To return.

22. "Ye did not seek

To hide yourselves, lest

Your hearing, your sight,

And your skins should bear

Witness against you! But

Ye did think that God

Knew not many of things

That ye used to do!

23. "But this thought of yours

Which ye did entertain

Concerning your Lord, hath

Brought you to destruction,

And (now) have ye become

Of those utterly lost!"

24. If, then, they have patience,

The Fire will be

A Home for them!

And if they beg

To be received into favour,

Into favour will they not

(Then) be received.

25. And We have destined

For them intimate companions

(Of like nature), who made

Alluring to them what was

Before them and behind them;

And the sentence among

The previous generations of Jinns

And men; who have passed away,

Is proved against them;

For they are utterly lost.

SECTION 4.

26. The Unbelievers say

"Listen not to this Qur-an,

But talk at random

In the midst

Of its (reading), that ye

May gain the upper hand!"

27. But We will certainly

Give the Unbelievers a taste

Of a severe Penalty,

And We will requite them

For the worst of their deeds.

28. Such is the requital

Of the enemies of God,--

The Fire: therein will be

For them the Eternal Home:

A (fit) requital, for

That they were wont

To reject Our Signs.

29. And the Unbelievers will say:

"Our Lord! Show us those,

Among Jinns and men,

Who misled us: we shall

Crush them beneath our feet,

So that they become

The vilest (before all)."

30. In the case of those

Who say, "Our Lord

Is God", and, further,

Stand straight and steadfast,

The angels descend on them.

(From time to time):

"Fear ye not!" (they suggest),

"Nor grieve! But receive

The Glad Tidings

Of the Garden (of Bliss),

The which ye were promised!

31. "We are your protectors

In this life and

In the Hereafter:

Therein shall ye have

All that your souls

Shall desire; therein

Shall ye have all

That ye ask for!--

32. "A hospitable gift from One

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!"

SECTION 5.

33. Who is better in speech

Than one who calls (men)

To God, works righteousness,

And says, "I am of those

Who bow in Islam"?

34. Nor can Goodness and Evil

Be equal. Repel (Evil)

With what is better:

Then will he between whom

And thee was hatred

Become as it were

Thy friend and intimate!

35. And no one will be

Granted such goodness

Except those who exercise

Patience and self-restraint,--

None but persons of

The greatest good fortune.

36. And if (at any time)

An incitement to discord

Is made to thee

By the Evil One,

Seek refuge in God.

He is the One

Who hears and knows

All things.

37. Among His Signs are

The Night and the Day,

And the Sun and the Moon.

Adore not the sun

And the moon, but adore

God, Who created them,

If it is. Him ye wish

To serve.

38. But if the (Unbelievers)

Are arrogant, (no matter):

For in the presence

Of thy Lord are those

Who celebrate His praises

By night and by day.

And they never flag

(Nor feel themselves

Above it).

39. And among His Signs

In this: thou seest

The earth barren and desolate;

But when We send down

Rain to it, it is stirred

To life and yields increase.

Truly, He Who gives life

To the (dead) earth

Can surely give life

To (men) who are dead.

For He has power

Over all things.

40. Those who pervert

The Truth in Our Signs

Are not hidden from Us.

Which is better?--he that

Is cast into the Fire,

Or he that comes safe through,

On the Day of Judgment?

Do what ye will:

Verily He seeth (clearly)

All that ye do.

41. Those who reject the Message

When it comes to them

(Are not hidden from Us).

And indeed it is a Book

Of exalted power.

42. No falsehood can approach it

From before or behind it:

It is sent down

By One Full of Wisdom,

Worthy of all Praise.

43. Nothing is said to thee

That was not said

To the apostles before thee:

That thy Lord has

At His command (all) Forgiveness

As well as a most

Grievous Penalty.

44. Had We sent this as

A Qur-an (in a language)

Other than Arabic, they would

Have said: "Why are not

Its verses explained in detail?

What! (a Book) not in Arabic

And (a Messenger) an Arab?"

Say: "It is a guide

And a healing to those

Who believe; and for those

Who believe not, there is

A deafness in their ears,

And it is blindness in their (eyes):

They are (as it were)

Being called from a place

Far distant!"

SECTION 6.

45. We certainly gave Moses

The Book aforetime: but disputes

Arose therein. Had it not

Been for a Word

That went forth before

From thy Lord, (their differences)

Would have been settled

Between them: but they

Remained in suspicious

Disquieting doubt thereon.

46. Whoever works righteousness

Benefits his own soul;

Whoever works evil, it is

Against his own soul:

Nor is thy Lord ever

Unjust (in the least)

To His servants.

47. To Him is referred

The Knowledge of the Hour

(Of Judgment: He knows all):

No date-fruit comes out

Of its sheath, nor does

A female conceive (within

Her womb) nor bring forth

(Young), but by His Knowledge.

The Day that (God) will propound

To them the (question),

"Where are the Partners

(Ye attributed) to Me?"

They will say, "We do

Assure Thee not one

Of us can bear witness!"

48. The (deities) they used to invoke

Aforetime will leave them

In the lurch, and they

Will perceive that they

Have no way of escape.

49. Man does not weary

Of asking for good (things),

But if ill touches him,

He gives up all hope

(And) is lost in despair.

50. When We give him a taste

Of some mercy from Ourselves.

After some adversity has

Touched him, he is sure

To say, "This is due

To my (merit): I think not

That the Hour (of Judgment)

Will (ever) be established;

But if I am brought back

To my Lord, I have

(Much) good (stored) in His sight!"

But We will show

The Unbelievers the truth

Of all that they did,

And We shall give them

The taste of a severe

Penalty.

51. When We bestow favours

On man, he turns away,

And gets himself remote

On his side (instead of'

Coming to Us); and when

Evil seizes him, (he comes)

Full of prolonged prayer!

52. Say: "See ye if

The (Revelation) is (really)

From God, and yet do ye

Reject it? Who is more

Astray than one who

Is in a schism

Far (from any purpose)?"

53. Soon will We show them

Our Signs in the (furthest)

Regions (of the earth), and

In their own souls, until

It becomes manifest to them

That this is the Truth.

Is it not enough that

Thy Lord doth witness

All things?

54. Ah indeed! are they

In doubt concerning

The Meeting with their Lord?

Ah indeed! it is He

That doth encompass

All things!

Sura XLII.

Shura, or Consultation.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim;

2. 'Ain. Sin. Kaf.

3. Thus doth (He) send

Inspiration to thee

As (He did) to those before thee,--

God, Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom.

4. To Him belongs all

That is in the heavens

And on earth: and He

Is Most High, Most Great.

5. The heavens are almost

Rent asunder from above them

(By His Glory):

And the angels celebrate

The Praises of their Lord,

And pray for forgiveness

For (all) beings on earth:

Behold! Verily God is He,

The Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.

6. And those who take

As protectors others besides

Him,--

God doth watch over them;

And thou art not

The disposer of their affairs.

7. Thus have We sent

By inspiration to thee

An Arabic Qur-an:

That thou mayest warn

The Mother of Cities

And all around her,--

And warn (them) of

The Day of Assembly,

Of which there is no doubt:

(When) some will be

In the Garden, and some

In the Blazing Fire.

8. If God had so willed,

He could have made them

A single people; but He

Admits whom He will

To His Mercy;

And the wrong-doers

Will have no protector

Nor helper.

9. What! Have they taken

(For worship) protectors

Besides Him? But it is

God,--He is the Protector,

And it is He Who

Gives life to the dead:

It is He Who has power

Over all things.

SECTION 2.

10. Whatever it be wherein

Ye differ, the decision

Thereof is with God:

Such is God my Lord:

In Him I trust,

And to Him I turn.

11. (He is) the Creator

Of the heavens and

The earth: He has made

For you pairs

From among yourselves,

And pairs among cattle:

By this means does He

Multiply you: there is nothing

Whatever like unto Him,

And He is the One

That hears and sees (all things).

12. To Him belong the keys

Of the heavens and the earth:

He enlarges and restricts.

The Sustenance to whom

He will: for He knows

Full well all things.

13. The same religion has He

Established for you as that

Which He enjoined on Noah--

The which We have sent

By inspiration to thee--

And that which We enjoined

On Abraham, Moses, and Jesus:

Namely, that ye should remain

Steadfast in Religion, and make

No divisions therein:

To those who worship

Other things than God,

Hard is the (way)

To which thou callest them,

God chooses to Himself

Those whom He pleases,

And guides to Himself

Those who turn (to Him).

14. And they became divided

Only after knowledge

Reached them,--through selfish

Envy as between themselves.

Had it not been

For a Word that

Went forth before

From thy Lord,

(Tending) to a Term appointed,

The matter would have

Been settled between them:

But truly those who have

Inherited the Book after them

Are in suspicious (disquieting)

Doubt concerning it.

15. Now then, for that (reason),

Call (them to the Faith),

And stand steadfast

As thou art commanded,

Nor follow thou their vain

Desires; but say: "I believe

In the Book which

God has sent down;

And I am commanded

To judge justly between you.

God is our Lord

And your Lord. For us

(Is the responsibility for)

Our deeds, and for you

For your deeds. There is

No contention between us

And you. God will

Bring us together,

And to Him is

(Our) final goal.

16. But those who dispute

Concerning God after He

Has been accepted,--

Futile is their dispute

In the sight of

Their Lord: on them

Is Wrath, and for them

Will be a Penalty

Terrible.

17. It is God Who has

Sent down the Book in truth,

And the Balance

(By which to weigh conduct).

And what will make thee

Realise that perhaps the Hour

Is close at hand?

18. Only those wish to

Hasten it who believe not

In it: those who believe

Hold it in awe,

And know that it is

The Truth. Behold, verily

Those that dispute concerning

The Hour are far astray.

19. Gracious is God

To His servants:

He gives Sustenance

To whom He pleases:

And He has Power

And can carry out

His Will.

SECTION 3.

20. To any that desires

The tilth of the Hereafter,

We give increase

In his tilth; and to any

That desires the tilth

Of this world, We grant

Somewhat thereof, but he

Has no share or lot

In the Hereafter.

21. What! Have they partners

(In godhead), who have

Established for them some

Religion without the permission

Of God? Had it not

Been for the Decree

Of Judgment, the matter

Would have been decided

Between them (at once).

But verily the wrong-doers

Will have a grievous Penalty.

22. Thou wilt see the wrong-doers

In fear on account of what

They have earned, and (the burden

Of) that must (necessarily)

Fall on them. But those

Who believe and work

Righteous deeds will be

In the luxuriant meads

Of the Gardens: they shall

Have, before their Lord,

All that they wish for.

That will indeed be

The magnificent Bounty

(Of God).

23. That is (the Bounty) whereof

God gives Glad Tidings

To His Servants who

Believe and do righteous deeds.

Say: "No reward do I

Ask of you for this

Except the love

Of those near of kin."

And if any one earns

Any good, We shall give

Him an increase of good

In respect thereof: for God

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready

To appreciate (service).

24. What! Do they say,

"He has forged a falsehood

Against God"? But if God

Willed, He could seal up

Thy heart. And God

Blots out Vanity, and proves

The Truth by His Words.

For He knows well

The secrets of all hearts.

25. He is the One that accepts

Repentance from His Servants

And forgives sins:

And He knows all

That ye do.

26. And He listens to

Those who believe and

Do deeds of righteousness,

And gives them increase

Of His Bounty: but

For the Unbelievers there is

A terrible Penalty.

27. If God were to enlarge

The provision for His Servants,

They would indeed transgress

Beyond all bounds

Through the earth;

But He sends (it) down

In due measure

As He pleases.

For He is with His Servants

Well-acquainted, Watchful.

28. He is the One that sends down

Rain (even) after (men) have

Given up all hope,

And scatters His Mercy

(Far and wide). And He

Is the Protector, Worthy

Of all Praise.

29. And among His Signs

Is the creation of

The heavens and the earth,

And the living creatures

That He has scattered

Through them: and He

Has power to gather them

Together when He wills.

SECTION 4.

30. Whatever misfortune

Happens to you, is because

Of the things your hands

Have wrought, and for many

(Of them) He grants forgiveness.

31. Nor can ye frustrate (aught),

(Fleeing) through the earth;

Nor have ye, besides God,

Any one to protect

Or to help.

32. And among His Signs

Are the ships, smooth-running

Through the ocean, (tall)

As mountains.

33. If it be His Will,

He can still the Wind:

Then would they become

Motionless on the back

Of the (ocean). Verily

In this are Signs

For everyone who patiently

Perseveres and is grateful.

34. Or He can cause them

To perish because of

The (evil) which (the men)

Have earned; but much

Doth He forgive.

35. But let those know, who

Dispute about Our Signs,

That there is for them

No way of escape.

36. Whatever ye are given (here)

Is (but) a convenience

Of this Life: but that

Which is with God

Is better and more lasting:

(It is) for those who believe

And put their trust

In their Lord;

37. Those who avoid the greater

Crimes and shameful deeds,

And, when they are angry

Even then forgive;

38. Those who hearken

To their Lord, and establish

Regular prayer; who (conduct)

Their affairs by mutual

Consultation;

Who spend out of what

We bestow on them

For Sustenance;

39. And those who, when

An oppressive wrong is inflicted

On them, (are not cowed

But) help and defend themselves.

40. The recompense for an injury

Is an injury equal thereto

(In degree): but if a person

Forgives and makes reconciliation,

His reward is due

From God: for (God)

Loveth not those who

Do wrong.

41. But indeed if any do help

And defend themselves

After a wrong (done)

To them, against such

There is no cause

Of blame.

42. The blame is only

Against those who oppress

Men with wrong-doing

And insolently transgress

Beyond bounds through the land,

Defying right and justice:

For such there will be

A Penalty grievous.

43. But indeed if any

Show patience and forgive,

That would truly be

An exercise of courageous will

And resolution in the conduct

Of affairs.

SECTION 5.

44. For any whom God

Leaves astray, there is

No protector thereafter.

And thou wilt see

The wrong-doers, when

In sight of the Penalty,

Say: "Is there any way

(To effect) a return?"

45. And thou wilt see them

Brought forward to the (Penalty),

In a humble frame of mind

Because of (their) disgrace,

(And) looking with a stealthy

Glance. And the Believers

Will say: "Those are indeed.

In loss. who have given

To perdition their own selves

And those belonging to them

On the Day of Judgment.

Behold! Truly the wrong-doers

Are in a lasting Penalty!"

46. And no protectors have they

To help them,

Other than God.

And for any whom God

Leaves to stray, there is

No way (to the Goal).

47. Hearken ye to your Lord,

Before there come a Day

Which there will be

No putting back, because

Of (the ordainment of) God!

That Day there will be

For you no place of refuge

Nor will there be for you

Any room for denial

(Of your sins)!

48. If then they turn away,

We have not sent thee

As a guard over them.

Thy duty is but to convey

(The Message). And truly,

When We give man

A taste of a Mercy

From ourselves, he doth

Exult thereat, but

When some ill happens

To him, on account

Of the deeds which

His hands have sent forth,

Truly then is man ungrateful!

49. To God belongs the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth.

He creates what He wills

(And plans). He bestows

(Children) male or female

According to His Will (and Plan),

50. Or He bestows both males

And females, and He leaves

Barren whom He will:

For He is full

Of knowledge and power.

51. It is not fitting

For a man that God

Should speak to him

Except by inspiration,

Or from behind a veil,

Or by the sending

Of a Messenger

To reveal, with God's permission,

What God wills: for He

Is Most High, Most Wise.

52. And thus have We,

By Our command, sent

Inspiration to thee:

Thou knewest not (before)

What was Revelation, and

What was Faith; but We

Have made the (Qur-an)

A Light, wherewith We

Guide such of Our servants

As We will; and verily

Thou dost guide (men)

To the Straight Way,--

53. The Way of God,

To Whom belongs

Whatever is in the heavens

And whatever is on earth.

Behold (how) all affairs

Tend towards God!

Sura XLIII.

Zukhruf, or Gold Adornments.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim

2. By the Book that

Makes things clear,--

3. We have made it

A Qur-an in: Arabic,

That ye may be able

To understand (and learn wisdom).

4. And verily, it is

In the Mother of the Book,

In Our Presence, high

(In dignity), full of wisdom.

5. Shall We then

Take away the Message

From you and repel (you),

For that ye are a people

Transgressing beyond bounds?

6. But how many were

The prophets We sent

Amongst the peoples of old?

7. And never came there

A prophet to them

But they mocked him.

8. So We destroyed (them)--

Stronger in power than these;--

And (thus) has passed on

The Parable of the peoples

Of old.

9. If thou wert

To question them, "Who created

The heavens and the earth?''

They would be sure to reply,

"They were created by (Him),

The Exalted in Power,

Full of Knowledge";--

10. (Yea, the same that)

Has made for you

The earth (like a carpet)

Spread out, and has made

For you roads (and channels)

Therein, in order that ye

May find guidance (on the way);

11. That sends down

(From time to time)

Rain from the sky

In due measure;--

And We raise to life

Therewith a land that is

Dead; even so will ye

Be raised (from the dead);--

12. That has created pairs

In all things, and has made

For you ships and cattle

On which ye ride,

13. In order that ye may

Sit firm and square

On their backs, and when

So seated, ye may

Celebrate the (kind) favour

Of your Lord, and say,

"Glory to Him Who

Has subjected these

To our (use), for we

Could never have accomplished

This (by ourselves),

14. "And to our Lord, surely,

Must we turn back!"

15. Yet they attribute

To some of His servants

A share with Him

(In His godhead)!

Truly is man a blasphemous

Ingrate avowed!

SECTION 2.

16. What! Has He taken

Daughters out of what He

Himself creates, and granted

To you sons for choice?

17. When news is brought

To one of them of (the birth

Of) what he sets up

As a likeness to (God)

Most Gracious, his face

Darkens, and he is filled

With inward grief!

18. Is then one brought up

Among trinkets, and unable

To give a clear account

In a dispute (to be

Associated with God)?

19. And they make into females

Angels who themselves serve

God. Did they witness

Their creation? Their evidence

Will be recorded, and they

Will be called to account!

20. ("Ah!") they say, "If

It had been the Will

Of (God) Most Gracious,

We should not have

Worshipped such (deities)!"

Of that they have

No knowledge! They

Do nothing but lie!

21. What! have We given them

A Book before this,

To which they are

Holding fast?

22. Nay! they say: "We found

Our fathers following

A certain religion,

And we do guide ourselves

By their footsteps."

23. Just in the same way,

Whenever We sent a Warner

Before thee to any people,

The wealthy ones among them

Said: "We found our fathers

Following a certain religion,

And we will certainly

Follow in their footsteps."

24. He said: "What!

Even if I brought you

Better guidance than that

Which ye found

Your fathers following?"

They said: "For us,

We deny that ye (prophets)

Are sent (on a mission

At all)."

25. So We exacted retribution

From them: now see

What was the end

Of those who rejected (Truth)!

SECTION 3.

26. Behold! Abraham said

To his father and his people:

"I do indeed clear myself

Of what ye worship:

27. "(I worship) only Him

Who made me, and He

Will certainly guide me."

28. And he left it

As a Word

To endure among those

Who came after him,

That they may turn back

(To God).

29. Yea, I have given

The good things of this life

To these (men) and

Their fathers, until the Truth

Has come to them,

And an Apostle

Making things clear.

30. But when the Truth came

To them, they said:

"This is sorcery, and we

Do reject it."

31. Also, they say: "Why

Is not this Qur-an sent

Down to some leading man

In either of the two

(Chief) cities?"

32. Is it they who would portion out

The Mercy of thy Lord?

It is We Who portion out

Between them their livelihood

In the life of this world:

And We raise some of them

Above others in ranks,

So that some may command

Work from others.

But the Mercy of thy Lord

Is better than the (wealth)

Which they amass.

33. And were it not that

(All) men might become

Of one (evil) way of life,

We would provide,

For everyone that blasphemes

Against (God) Most Gracious,

Silver roofs for their houses,

And (silver) stair-ways

On which to go up,

34. And (silver) doors

To their houses, and thrones

(Of silver) on which

They could recline,

35. And also adornments

Of gold. But all this

Were nothing but conveniences

Of the present life:

The Hereafter, in the sight

Of thy Lord, is

For the Righteous.

SECTION 4.

36. If anyone withdraws himself

From remembrance

Of (God) Most Gracious,

We appoint for him

An evil one, to be

An intimate companion to him.

37. Such (evil ones) really

Hinder them from the Path,

But they think that they

Are being guided aright!

38. At length, when (such a one)

Comes to Us, he says

(To his evil companion):

"Would that between me

And thee were the distance

Of East and West!" Ah!

Evil is the companion (indeed)!

39. When ye have done wrong,

It will avail you nothing,

That day, that ye shall be

Partners in punishment!

40. Canst thou then make

The deaf to hear, or give

Direction to the blind

Or to such as (wander)

In manifest error?

41. Even if We take thee

Away, We shall be sure

To exact retribution from them,

42. Or We shall show thee

That (accomplished) which We

Have promised them:

For verily We shall

Prevail over them.

43. So hold thou fast

To the Revelation sent down

To thee: verily thou

Art on a Straight Way.

44. The (Qur-an) is indeed

The Message, for thee

And for thy people;

And soon shall ye

(All) be brought to account.

45. And question thou our apostles

Whom We sent before thee;

Did We appoint any deities

Other than (God) Most Gracious,

To be worshipped?

SECTION 5.

46. We did send Moses

Aforetime, with Our Signs,

To Pharaoh and his Chiefs:

He said, "I am an apostle

Of the Lord of the Worlds."

47. But when he came to them

With Our Signs, behold,

They ridiculed them.

48. We showed them Sign

After Sign, each greater

Than, its fellow, and We

Seized them with Punishment,

In order that they

Might turn (to Us).

49. And they said, "O thou

Sorcerer! Invoke thy Lord

For us according to

His covenant with thee;

For we shall truly

Accept guidance."

50. But when We removed

The Penalty from them,

Behold, they broke their word.

51. And Pharaoh proclaimed

Among his people, saying:

"O my people! Does not

The dominion of Egypt

Belong to me, (witness)

These streams flowing

Underneath my (palace)? What!

See ye not then?

52. "Am I not better

Than this (Moses), who

Is a contemptible wretch

And can scarcely

Express himself clearly?

53. "Then why are not

Gold bracelets bestowed

On him, or (why)

Come (not) with him

Angels accompanying him

In procession?"

54. Thus did he make

Fools of his people,

And they obeyed him:

Truly were they a people

Rebellious (against God).

55. When at length they

Provoked Us, We exacted

Retribution from them, and

We drowned them all.

56. And We made them

(A people) of the Past

And an Example

To later ages.

SECTION 6.

57. When (Jesus) the son

Of Mary is held up

As an example, behold,

Thy people raise a clamour

Thereat (in ridicule)!

58. And they say, "Are

Our gods best, or he?"

This they set forth

To thee, only by way

Of disputation: yea, they

Are a contentious people.

59. He was no more than

A servant: We granted

Our favour to him,

And We made him

An example to the Children

Of Israel.

60. And if it were Our Will,

We could make angels

From amongst you, succeeding

Each other on the earth.

61. And (Jesus) shall be

A Sign (for the coming

Of) the Hour (of Judgment):

Therefore have no doubt

About the (Hour), but

Follow ye Me: this

Is a Straight Way.

62. Let not the Evil One

Hinder you: for he is

To you an enemy avowed.

63. When Jesus came

With Clear Signs, he said:

"Now have I come

To you with Wisdom,

And in order to make

Clear to you some

Of the (points) on which

Ye dispute: therefore fear God

And obey me.

64. "For God, He is my Lord

And your Lord: so worship

Ye Him: this is

A Straight Way."

65. But sects from among

Themselves fell into disagreement:

Then woe to the wrong-doers,

From the Penalty

Of a Grievous Day!

66. Do they only wait

For the Hour--that it

Should come on them

All of a sudden,

While they perceive not?

67. Friends on that Day

Will be foes, one

To another,--except

The Righteous.

SECTION 7.

68. My devotees

No fear shall be

On you that Day,

Nor shall ye grieve,--

69. (Being) those who have believed

In Our Signs and bowed

(Their wills to Ours) in Islam.

70. Enter ye the Garden,

Ye and your wives,

In (beauty and) rejoicing.

71. To them will be passed

Round, dishes and goblets

Of gold: there will be

There all that the souls

Could desire, all that

The eyes could delight in:

And ye shall abide

Therein (for aye).

72. Such will be the Garden

Of which ye are made

Heirs for your (good) deeds

(In life).

73. Ye shall have therein

Abundance of fruit, from which

Ye shall have satisfaction.

74. The Sinners will be

In the Punishment of Hell,

To dwell therein (for aye):

75. Nowise will the (punishment)

Be lightened for them,

And in despair will they

Be there overwhelmed.

76. Nowise shall We

Be unjust to them:

But it is they who

Have been unjust themselves.

77. They will cry: "O Malik!

Would that thy Lord

Put an end to us!"

He will say, "Nay, but

Ye shall abide!"

78. Verily We have brought

The Truth to you:

But most of you

Have a hatred for Truth.

79. What! Have they settled

Some Plan (among themselves)?

But it is We Who

Settle things.

80. Or do they think

That We hear not

Their secrets and their

Private counsels? Indeed

(We do), and Our Messengers

Are by them, to record.

81. Say: If (God) Most Gracious

Had a son, I would

Be the first to worship."

82. Glory to the Lord

Of the heavens and the earth,

The Lord of the Throne

(Of Authority)! (He is

Free) from the things

They attribute (to Him)!

83. So leave them to babble

And play (with vanities)

Until they meet that Day,

Of theirs, which they

Have been promised.

84. It is He Who is God

In heaven and God on earth;

And He is Full

Of Wisdom and Knowledge.

85. And blessed is He

To Whom belongs the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth,

And all between them:

With Him is the knowledge

Of the Hour (of Judgment):

And to Him shall ye

Be brought back.

86. And those whom they invoke

Besides God have no power

Of intercession;--only he

Who bears witness to the Truth,

And they know (him).

87. If thou ask them, Who

Created them, they will

Certainly say, God: how

Then are they deluded

Away (from the Truth)?

88. (God has knowledge)

Of the (Prophet's) cry,

"O my Lord! Truly

These are a people

Who will not believe!"

89. But turn away from them,

And say "Peace!"

But soon shall they know!

Sura XLIV.

Dukhan, or Smoke (or Mist.)

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim.

2. By the Book that

Makes things clear;--

3. We sent it down

During a blessed night:

For We (ever) wish

To warn (against Evil).

4. In that (night) is made

Distinct every affair

Of wisdom,

5. By command, from Our

Presence. For We (ever)

Send (revelations),

6. As a Mercy

From thy Lord:

For He hears and knows

(All things);

7. The Lord of the heavens

And the earth and all

Between them, if ye (but)

Have an assured faith.

8. There is no god but He:

It is He Who gives life

And gives death,

The Lord and Cherisher

To you and your earliest

Ancestors.

9. Yet they play about

In doubt.

10. Then watch thou

For the Day

That the sky will

Bring forth a kind

Of smoke (or mist)

Plainly visible,

11. Enveloping the people:

This will be a Penalty

Grievous.

12. (They will say:)

"Our Lord! Remove

The Penalty from us,

For we do really believe!"

13. How shall the Message

Be (effectual) for them,

Seeing that an Apostle

Explaining things clearly

Has (already) come to them,--

14. Yet they turn away

From him and say: "Tutored

(By others), a man possessed!"

15. We shall indeed remove

The Penalty for a while,

(But) truly ye will revert

(To your ways).

16. One day We shall seize

You with a mighty onslaught:

We will indeed (then)

Exact Retribution!

17. We did, before them,

Try the people of Pharaoh:

There came to them

An apostle most honourable,

18. Saying: "Restore to me

The servants of God:

I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust;

19. "And be not arrogant

As against God:

For I come to you

With authority manifest.

20. "For me, I have sought

Safety with my Lord

And your Lord, against

Your injuring me.

21. "If ye believe me not,

At least keep yourselves

Away from me."

22. (But they were aggressive:)

Then he cried

To his Lord:

"These are indeed

A people given to sin."

23. (The reply came:)

"March forth with my servants

By night: for ye are

Sure to be pursued.

24. "And leave the sea

As a furrow (divided):

For they are a host

(Destined) to be drowned."

25. How many were the gardens

And springs they left behind,

26. And corn-fields

And noble buildings,

27. And wealth (and conveniences

Of life), wherein they

Had taken such delight!

28. Thus (was their end)!

And We made other people

Inherit (those things)!

29. And neither heaven

Nor earth shed a tear

Over them: nor were

They given a respite (again).

SECTION 2.

30. We did deliver aforetime

The Children of Israel

From humiliating Punishment,

31. Inflicted by Pharaoh, for he

Was arrogant (even) among

Inordinate transgressors.

32. And We chose them aforetime

Above the nations, knowingly,

33. And granted them Signs

In which there was

A manifest trial.

34. As to these (Quraish),

They say forsooth:

35. "There is nothing beyond

Our first death,

And we shall not

Be raised again.

36. "Then bring (back)

Our forefathers, if what

Ye say is true!"

37. What! are they better

Than the people of Tubba'

And those who were

Before them? We destroyed

Them because they were

Guilty of sin.

38. We created not

The heavens, the earth,

And all between them,

Merely in (idle) sport:

39. We created them not

Except for just ends:

But most of them

Do not understand.

40. Verily the Day of

Sorting Out is the time

Appointed for all of them,--

41. The Day when no protector

Can avail his client

In aught, and no help

Can they receive,

42. Except such as receive

God's Mercy: for He is

Exalted in Might, Most Merciful.

SECTION 3.

43. Verily the tree

Of Zaqqum

44. Will be the food

Of the Sinful,--

45. Like molten brass;

It will boil

In their insides,

46. Like the boiling

Of scalding water.

47. (A voice will cry:

"Seize ye him

And drag him

Into the midst

Of the Blazing Fire!

48. "Then pour over his head

The Penalty of Boiling Water

49. "Taste thou (this)!

Truly wast thou

Mighty, full of honour!

50. "Truly this is what

Ye used to doubt!"

51. As to the Righteous

(They will be) in

A position of Security,

52. Among Gardens and Springs;

53. Dressed in fine silk

And in rich brocade,

They will face each other;

54. So; and We shall

Join them to Companions

With beautiful, big,

And lustrous eyes.

55. There can they call

For every kind of fruit

In peace and security;

56. Nor will they there

Taste Death, except the first

Death; and He will preserve

Them from the Penalty

Of the Blazing Fire,--

57. As a Bounty from thy Lord!

That will be

The supreme achievement!

58. Verily, We have made

This (Qur-an) easy,

In thy tongue,

In order that they

May give heed.

59. So wait thou and watch;

For they (too) are waiting.

Sura XLV.

Jathiya, or Bowing the Knee.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim.

2. The revelation

Of the Book

Is from God

The Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom.

3. Verily in the heavens

And the earth, are Signs

For those who believe.

4. And in the creation

Of yourselves and the fact

That animals are scattered

(Through the earth), are Signs

For those of assured Faith.

5. And in the alternation

Of Night and Day,

And the fact that God

Sends down Sustenance from

The sky, and revives therewith

The earth after its death,

And in the change

Of the winds,--are Signs

For those that are wise.

6. Such are the Signs

Of God, which We rehearse to thee

In truth: then in what

Exposition will they believe

After (rejecting) God

And His Signs?

7. Woe to each sinful

Dealer in Falsehoods:

8. He hears the Signs

Of God rehearsed to him,

Yet is obstinate and lofty,

As if he had not

Heard them: then announce

To him a Penalty Grievous!

9. And when he learns

Something of Our Signs,

He takes them in jest:

For such there will be

A humiliating Penalty.

10. In front of them is

Hell: and of no profit

To them is anything

They may have earned,

Nor any protectors they

May have taken to themselves

Besides God: for them

Is a tremendous Penalty.

11. This is (true) Guidance:

And for those who reject

The Signs of their Lord,

Is a grievous Penalty

Of abomination.

SECTION 2.

12. It is God Who has

Subjected the sea to you,

That ships may sail

Through it by His command,

That ye may seek

Of His Bounty, and that

Ye may be grateful.

13. And He has subjected

To you, as from Him,

All that is in the heavens

And on earth: behold,

In that are Signs indeed

For those who reflect.

14. Tell those who believe,

To forgive those who

Do not look forward

To the Days of God:

It is for Him to recompense

(For good or ill) each People

According to what

They have earned.

15. If any one does

A righteous deed,

It enures to the benefit

Of his own soul;

If he does evil,

It works against

(His own soul).

In the end will ye

(All) be brought back

To your Lord.

16. We did aforetime

Grant to the Children

Of Israel the Book,

The Power of Command,

And Prophethood; We gave

Them, for Sustenance, things

Good and pure; and We

Favoured them above the nations.

17. And We granted them

Clear Signs in affairs

(Of Religion): it was only

After knowledge had been

Granted to them that they

Fell into schisms, through

Insolent envy among themselves

Verily thy Lord will judge

Between them on the Day

Of Judgment as to those

Matters in which they

Set up differences.

18. Then we put thee

On the (right) Way

Of Religion: so follow

Thou that (Way),

And follow not the desires

Of those who know not.

19. They will be of no

Use to thee in the sight

Of God: it is only

Wrong-doers (that stand as)

Protectors, one to another:

But God is the Protector

Of the Righteous.

20. These are clear evidences

To men, and a Guidance

And Mercy to those

Of assured Faith.

21. What! do those who

Seek after evil ways

Think that We shall

Hold them equal with

Those who believe and

Do righteous deeds,--that

Equal will be their

Life and their death?

Ill is the judgment

That they make.

SECTION 3.

22. God created the heavens

And the earth for

Just ends, and in order

That each soul may find

The recompense of what

It has earned, and none

Of them be wronged.

23. Then seest thou such

A one as takes

As his god his own

Vain desire? God has,

Knowing (him as such),

Left him astray, and sealed

His hearing and his heart

(And understanding), and put

A cover on his sight.

Who, then, will guide him

After God (has withdrawn

Guidance)? Will ye not

Then receive admonition?

24. And they say: "What is

There but our life

In this world?

We shall die and we live,

And nothing but Time

Can destroy us." But

Of that they have no

Knowledge: they merely conjecture:

25. And when Our Clear

Signs are rehearsed to them,

Their argument is nothing

But this: they say, "Bring

(Back) our forefathers, if

What ye say is true!"

26. Say: "It is God Who

Gives you life, then

Gives you death; then

He will gather you together

For the Day of Judgment

About which there is

No doubt": but most

Men do not understand.

SECTION 4.

27. To God belongs

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth, and

The Day that the Hour

Of Judgment is established,--

That Day will the dealers

In Falsehood perish!

28. And thou wilt see

Every sect bowing the knee:

Every sect will be called

To its Record: "This Day

Shall ye be recompensed

For all that ye did!

29. "This Our Record speaks

About you with truth:

For We were wont

To put on record

All that ye did."

30. Then, as to those who

Believed and did righteous

Deeds, their Lord will

Admit them to His Mercy:

That will be the Achievement's

For all to see.

31. But as to those who

Rejected God, (to them

Will be said): "Were not

Our Signs rehearsed to you?

But ye were arrogant,

And were a people

Given to sin!

32. "And when it was said

That the promise of God

Was true, and that the Hour--

There was no doubt

About its (coming), ye

Used to say, "We

Know not what is

The Hour: we only think

It is an idea, and we

Have no firm assurance."

33. Then will appear to them

The evil (fruits) of what

They did, and they will be

Completely encircled by that

Which they used to mock at!

34. It will also be said:

"This Day We will forget

You as ye forgot

The meeting of this Day

Of yours! And your

Abode is the Fire, and

No helpers have ye!

35. "This, because ye used

To take the Signs of God

In jest, and the life

Of the world deceived you:

(From) that Day, therefore,

They shall not be taken out

Thence, nor shall they be

Received into Grace.

36. Then Praise be to God,

Lord of the heavens

And Lord of the earth,--

Lord and Cherisher

Of all the worlds!

37. To Him be Glory

Throughout the heavens

And the earth: and He

Is Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom!

Sura XLVI.

Ahqaf, or Winding Sand-tracts.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim.

2. The revelation

Of the Book

Is from God

The Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom.

3. We created not

The heavens and the earth

And all between them

But for just ends, and

For a term appointed:

But those who reject Faith

Turn away from that

Whereof they are warned.

4. Say: "Do ye see

What it is ye invoke

Besides God? Show me

What it is they

Have created on earth,

Or have they a share

In the heavens?

Bring me a Book

(Revealed) before this,

Or any remnant of knowledge

(Ye may have), if ye

Are telling the truth!

5. And who is more astray

Than one who invokes,

Besides God, such as will

Not answer him to the Day

Of Judgment, and who

(In fact) are unconscious

Of their call (to them)?

6. And when mankind

Are gathered together

(At the Resurrection),

They will be hostile

To them and reject

Their worship (altogether)!

7. When Our Clear Signs

Are rehearsed to them,

The Unbelievers say,

Of the Truth

When it comes to them:

"This is evident sorcery!"

8. Or do they say,

"He has forged it"?

Say: "Had I forged it,

Then can ye obtain

No single (blessing) for me

From God. He knows best

Of that whereof ye talk

(So glibly)! Enough is He

For a witness between me

And you! And He is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

9. Say: "I am no bringer

Of new-fangled doctrine

Among the apostles, nor

Do I know what will

Be done with me or

With you. I follow

But that which is revealed

To me by inspiration;

I am but a Warner

Open and clear."

10. Say: "See ye?

If (this teaching) be

From God, and ye reject it,

And a witness from among

The Children of Israel testifies

To its similarity

(With earlier scripture),

And has believed

While ye are arrogant,

(How unjust ye are!)

Truly, God guides not

A people unjust."

SECTION 2.

11. The Unbelievers say

Of those who believe:

"If (this Message) were

A good thing, (such men)

Would not have gone

To it first, before us!"

And seeing that they

Guide not themselves thereby,

They will say, "This is

An (old,) old falsehood!"

12. And before this, was

The Book of Moses

As a guide and a mercy:

And this Book confirms (it)

In the Arabic tongue;

To admonish the unjust,

And as Glad Tidings.

To those who do right.

13. Verily those who say,

"Our Lord is God,"

And remain firm

(On that Path),

On them shall be no fear,

Nor shall they grieve.

14. Such shall be Companions

Of the Garden, dwelling

Therein (for aye): a recompense

For their (good) deeds.

15. We have enjoined on man

Kindness to his parents:

In pain did his mother

Bear him, and in pain

Did she give him birth.

The carrying of the (child)

To his weaning is

(A period of) thirty months.

At length, when he reaches

The age of full strength

And attains forty years,

He says, "O my Lord!

Grant me that I may be

Grateful for Thy favour

Which Thou hast bestowed

Upon me, and upon both

My parents, and that I

May work righteousness

Such as Thou mayest approve;

And be gracious to me

In my issue. Truly

Have I turned to Thee

And truly do I bow

(To Thee) in Islam."

16. Such are they from whom

We shall accept the best

Of their deeds and pass by

Their ill deeds: (they shall

Be) among the Companions

Of the Garden: a promise!

Of truth, which was

Made to them

(In this life).

17. But (there is one)

Who says to his parents,

"Fie on you! Do ye

Hold out the promise

To me that I

Shall be raised up,

Even though generations

Have passed before me

(Without rising again)?"

And they two seek

God's aid, (and rebuke

The son): "Woe to thee!

Have Faith! For the promise

Of God is true."

But he says, "This is

Nothing but tales

Of the ancients!"

18. Such are they against whom

Is proved the Sentence

Among the previous generations

Of Jinns and men, that have

Passed away; for they will

Be (utterly) lost.

19. And to all

Are (assigned) degrees

According to the deeds

Which they (have done),

And in order that (God)

May recompense their deeds,

And no injustice be done

To them.

20. And on the Day that

The Unbelievers will be

Placed before the Fire,

(It will be said to them):

"Ye received your good things

In the life of the world,

And ye took your pleasure

Out of them: but to-day

Shall ye be recompensed

With a Penalty of humiliation:

For that ye were arrogant

On earth without just cause,

And that ye (ever) transgressed."

SECTION 3.

21. Mention (Hud)

One of 'Ad's (own) brethren:

Behold, he warned his people

About the winding Sand-tracts:

But there have been Warners

Before him and after him:

"Worship ye none other

Than God: truly I fear

For you the Penalty

Of a Mighty Day."

22. They said: "Hast thou come

In order to turn us aside

From our gods? Then bring

Upon us the (calamity)

With which thou dost

Threaten us, if thou

Art telling the truth!"

23. He said: "The Knowledge

(Of when it will come)

Is only with God: I

Proclaim to you the mission

On which I have been sent:

But I see that ye

Are a people in ignorance!"...

24. Then, when they saw

The (Penalty in the shape of)

A cloud traversing the sky,

Corning to meet their valleys,

They said, "This cloud

Will give us rain!"

"Nay, it is the (calamity)

Ye were asking to be

Hastened!--a wind

Wherein is a Grievous Penalty!

25. "Everything will it destroy

By the command of its Lord!"

Then by the morning they--

Nothing was to be seen

But (the ruins of) their houses!

Thus do We recompense

Those given to sin!

26. And We had firmly established

Them in a (prosperity and) power

Which We have not given

To you (ye Quraish!)

And We had endowed them

With (faculties of)

Hearing, seeing, heart and intellect

But of no profit to them

Were their (faculties of)

Hearing, sight, and heart

And intellect, when they

Went on rejecting the Signs

Of God; and they were

(Completely) encircled

By that which they

Used to mock at!

SECTION 4.

27. We destroyed aforetime

Populations round about you;

And We have shown

The Signs in various ways,

That they may turn (to Us).

28. Why then was no help

Forthcoming to them from those

Whom they worshipped as gods,

Besides God, as a means

Of access (to God)? Nay,

They left them in the lurch:

But that was their

Falsehood and their invention.

29, Behold, We turned

Towards thee a company

Of Jinns (quietly) listening

To the Qur-an: when they

Stood in the presence

Thereof, they said, "Listen

In silence!" When the (reading)

Was finished, they returned

To their people, to warn

(Them of their sins).

30. They said, "O our people!

We have heard a Book

Revealed after Moses,

Confirming what came

Before it: it guides (men)

To the Truth and

To a Straight Path.

31. "O our people, hearken

To the one who invites

(You) to God, and believe

In him: He will forgive

You your faults,

And deliver you from

A Penalty Grievous.

32. "If any does not hearken

To the one who invites

(Us) to God, he cannot

Frustrate (God's Plan) on earth,

And no protectors can he have

Besides God: such men

(Wander) in manifest error."

33. See they not that

God, Who created the heavens

And the earth, and never

Wearied with their creation,

Is able to give life

To the dead? Yea, verily

He has power over all things.

34. And on the Day that

The Unbelievers will be

Placed before the Fire,

(They will be asked,)

Is this not the Truth?"

They will say, "Yea,

By our Lord!"

(One will say:)

"Then taste ye

The Penalty, for that ye

Were wont to deny (Truth)!"

35. Therefore patiently persevere,

As did (all) apostles

Of inflexible purpose;

And be in no haste

About the (Unbelievers). On the Day

That they see the (Punishment)

Promised them, (it will be)

As if they had not

Tarried more than an hour

In a single day. (Thine

But) to proclaim the Message:

But shall any be destroyed

Except those who transgress?

Sura XLVII.

Muhammad (the Prophet).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Those who reject God

And hinder (men) from

The Path of God,

Their deeds will God

Render astray

(From their mark).

2. But those who believe

And work deeds of

Righteousness, and believe

In the (Revelation) sent down

To Muhammad--for it is

The Truth from their Lord,

He will remove from them

Their ills and improve

Their condition.

3. This because those who

Reject God follow vanities,

While those who believe follow

The Truth from their Lord:

Thus does God set forth

For men their lessons

By similitudes.

4. Therefore, when ye meet

The Unbelievers (in fight),

Smite at their necks;

At length, when ye have

Thoroughly subdued them,

Bind a bond

Firmly (on them): thereafter

(Is the time for) either

Generosity or ransom:

Until the war lays down

Its burdens. Thus (are ye

Commanded): but if it

Had been God's Will,

He could certainly have exacted

Retribution from them (Himself);

But (He lets you fight)

In order to test you,

Some with others.

But those who are slain

In the way of God,

He will never let

Their deeds be lost.

5. Soon will He guide them

And improve their condition,

6. And admit them to

The Garden which He

Has announced for them.

7. O ye who believe!

If ye will aid

(The cause of) God,

He will aid you,

And plant your feet firmly.

8. But those who reject (God),

For them is destruction,

And (God) will render

Their deeds astray

(From their mark).

9. That is because they

Hate the Revelation of God;

So He has made

Their deeds fruitless.

10. Do they not travel

Through the earth, and see

What was the End

Of those before them

(Who did evil)?

God brought utter destruction

On them, and similar

(Fates await) those who

Reject God.

11. That is because God

Is the Protector of those

Who believe, but

Those who reject God

Have no protector.

SECTION 2.

12. Verily God will admit

Those who believe and do

Righteous deeds, to Gardens

Beneath which rivers flow;

While those who reject God

Will enjoy (this world)

And eat as cattle eat;

And the Fire will

Be their abode.

13. And how many cities,

With more power than

Thy city which has

Driven thee out,

Have We destroyed

(For their sins)?

And there was none

To aid them.

14. Is then one who is

On a clear (Path)

From his Lord,

No better than one

To whom the evil

Of his conduct seems pleasing,

And such as follow

Their own lusts?

15. (Here is) a Parable

Of the Garden which

The righteous are promised:

In it are rivers

Of water incorruptible;

Rivers of milk

Of which the taste

Never changes; rivers

Of wine, a joy

To those who drink;

And rivers of honey

Pure and clear. In it

There are for them

All kinds of fruits;

And Grace from their Lord.

(Can those in such Bliss)

Be compared to such as

Shall dwell for ever

In the Fire, and be given,

To drink, boiling water,

So that it cuts up

Their bowels (to pieces)?

16. And among them are men

Who listen to thee,

But in the end, when they

Go out from thee,

They say to those who

Have received Knowledge,

"What is it he said

Just then?" Such are

Men whose hearts God

Has sealed, and who

Follow their own lusts.

17. But to those who receive

Guidance, He increases

The (light of) Guidance,

And bestows on them

Their Piety and Restraint

(From evil).

18. Do they then only wait

For the Hour,--that it

Should come on them

Of a sudden? But already

Have come some tokens

Thereof, and when it

(Actually) is on them,

How can they benefit

Then by their admonition?

19. Know, therefore, that

There is no god

But God, and ask

Forgiveness for thy fault,

And for the men

And women who believe:

For God knows how ye

Move about and how

Ye dwell in your homes.

SECTION 3.

20. Those who believe say,

"Why is not a Sura

Sent down (for us)?"

But when a Sura

Of basic or categorical

Meaning is revealed,

And fighting is mentioned

Therein, thou wilt see those

In whose hearts is a disease

Looking at thee with a look

Of one in swoon at

The approach of death.

But more fitting for them--

21. Were it to obey

And say what is just,

And when a matter

Is resolved on, it were

Best for them if they

Were true to God.

22. Then, is it

To be expected of you,

If ye were put in authority,

That ye will do mischief

In the land, and break

Your ties of kith and kin?

23, Such are the men

Whom God has cursed

For He has made them

Deaf and blinded their sight.

24. Do they not then

Earnestly seek to understand

The Qur-an, or are

Their hearts locked up

By them?

25. Those who turn back

As apostates after Guidance

Was clearly shown to them,--

The Evil One has instigated

Them and buoyed them up

With false hopes.

26. This, because they said

To those who hate what

God has revealed, "We

Will obey you in part

Of (this) matter"; but God

Knows their (inner) secrets.

27. But how (will it be)

When the angels take

Their souls at death,

And smite their faces

And their backs?

28. This because they followed

That which called forth

The Wrath of God, and

They hated God's good pleasure;

So He made their deeds

Of no effect.

SECTION 4.

29. Or do those in whose

Hearts is a disease, think

That God will not bring

To light all their rancour?

30. Had We so willed,

We could have shown them

Up to thee, and thou

Shouldst have known them

By their marks: but surely

Thou wilt know them

By the tone of their speech!

And God knows

All that ye do.

31. And We shall try you

Until We test those

Among you who strive

Their utmost and persevere

In patience; and We shall

Try your reported (mettle).

32. Those who reject God,

Hinder (men) from

The Path of God, and resist

The Apostle, after Guidance

Has been clearly shown to them,

Will not injure God

In the least, but He

Will make their deeds

Of no effect.

33. O ye who believe!

Obey God, and obey

The Apostle, and make

Not vain your deeds!

34. Those who reject God,

And hinder (men) from the Path

Of God, then die rejecting God,--

God will not forgive them.

35. Be not weary and

Faint-hearted, crying for peace,

When ye should be

Uppermost: for God is

With you, and will never

Put you in loss

For your (good) deeds.

36. The life of this world

Is but play and amusement:

And if ye believe

And guard against evil,

He will grant you

Your recompense, and will not

Ask you (to give up)

Your possessions.

37. If He were to ask you

For all of them, and

Press you, ye would

Covetously withhold, and He would

Bring out all your ill-feeling.

38. Behold, ye are those

Invited to spend

(Of your substance)

In the Way of God:

But among you are some

That are niggardly. But any

Who are niggardly are so

At the expense of

Their own souls.

But God is free

Of all wants,

And it is ye that are needy.

If ye turn back

(From the Path), He will

Substitute in your stead

Another people; then they

Would not be like you!

Sura XLVIII.

Fat-h or Victory.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Verily We have granted

Thee a manifest Victory:

2. That God may forgive thee

Thy faults of the past

And those to follow;

Fulfil His favour to thee;

And guide thee

On the Straight Way;

3. And that God may help

Thee with powerful help.

4. It is He Who sent

Down Tranquillity

Into the hearts of

The Believers, that they may

Add Faith to their Faith;--

For to God belong

The Forces of the heavens

And the earth; and God is

Full of Knowledge and Wisdom;--

5. That He may admit

The men and women

Who believe, to Gardens

Beneath which rivers flow,

To dwell therein for aye,

And remove their ills

From them;--and that is,

In the sight of God,

The highest achievement

(For man),--

6. And that He may punish

The Hypocrites, men and

Women, and the Polytheists,

Men and women, who imagine

An evil opinion of God.

On them is a round

Of Evil: the Wrath of God

Is on them: He has cursed

Them and got Hell ready

For them: and evil

Is it for a destination.

7. For to God belong

The Forces of the heavens

And the earth; and God is

Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom.

8. We have truly sent thee

As a witness, as a

Bringer of Glad Tidings,

And as a Warner:

9. In order that ye

(O men) may believe

In God and His Apostle,

That ye may assist

And honour Him,

And celebrate His praises

Morning and evening.

10. Verily those who plight

Their fealty to thee

Do no less than plight

Their fealty to God:

The Hand of God is

Over their hands:

Then any one who violates

His oath, does so

To the harm of his own

Soul, and any one who

Fulfils what he has

Covenanted with God,--

God will soon grant him

A great Reward.

SECTION 2.

11. The desert Arabs who

Lagged behind will

Say to thee:

"We were engaged in

(Looking after) our flocks

And herds, and our families:

Do thou then ask

Forgiveness for us.

They say with their tongues

What is not in their hearts.

Say: "Who then has

Any power at all

(To intervene) on your behalf

With God, if His Will

Is to give you some loss

Or to give you some profit?

But God is well acquainted

With all that ye do.

12. "Nay, ye thought that

The Apostle and the Believers

Would never return to

Their families; this seemed

Pleasing in your hearts, and

Ye conceived an evil thought,

For ye are a people

Lost (in wickedness)."

13. And if any believe not

In God and His Apostle,

We have prepared,

For those who reject God,

A Blazing Fire!

14. To God belongs the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth:

He forgives whom He wills,

And He punishes whom He

Wills: but God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

15. Those who lagged behind

(Will say), when ye (are

Free to) march and take

Booty (in war): "Permit us

To follow you." They wish

To change God's decree:

Say: "Not thus

Will ye follow us:

God has already declared

(This) beforehand": then they

Will say, "But ye are

Jealous of us." Nay,

But little do they understand

(Such things).

16. Say to the desert Arabs

Who lagged behind: "Ye

Shall be summoned (to fight)

Against a people given to

Vehement war: then shall ye

Fight, or they shall submit.

Then if ye show obedience,

God will grant you

A goodly reward, but if

Ye turn back as ye

Did before, He will punish

You with a grievous Penalty."

17. No blame is there

On the blind, nor is

There blame on the lame,

Nor on one ill (if he

Joins not the war):

But he that obeys God

And His Apostle,--(God)

Will admit him to Gardens

Beneath which rivers flow;

And he who turns back,

(God) will punish him

With a grievous Penalty.

SECTION 3.

18. God's Good Pleasure

Was on the Believers

When they swore Fealty

To thee under the Tree:

He knew what was

In their hearts, and He

Sent down Tranquillity

To them; and He rewarded

Them with a speedy Victory;

19. And many gains will they

Acquire (besides): and God

Is Exalted in Power,

Full of Wisdom.

20. God has promised you

Many gains that ye shall

Acquire, and He has given

You these beforehand; and

He has restrained the hands

Of men from you; that it

May be a Sign for

The Believers, and that

He may guide you

To a Straight Path;

21. And other gains (there are),

Which are not within

Your power, but which

God has compassed: and God

Has power over all things.

22. If the Unbelievers

Should fight you, they would

Certainly turn their backs;

Then would they find

Neither protector nor helper.

23. (Such has been) the practice

(Approved) of God already

In the past: no change

Wilt thou find in

The practice (approved) of God.

24. And it is He Who

Has restrained their hands

From you and your hands

From them in the midst

Of Mecca, after that He

Gave you the victory

Over them. And God sees

Well all that ye do.

25. They are the ones who

Denied revelation and hindered you

From the Sacred Mosque

And the sacrificial animals,

Detained from reaching their

Place of sacrifice. Had there

Not been believing men

And believing women whom

Ye did not know that

Ye were trampling down

And on whose account

A crime would have accrued

To you without (your) knowledge,

(God would have allowed you

To force your way, but

He held back your hands)

That He may admit

To His Mercy whom He will.

If they had been

Apart, We should

Certainly have punished

The Unbelievers among them

With a grievous punishment.

26. While the Unbelievers

Got up in their hearts

Heat and cant--the heat

And cant of Ignorance,--

God sent down His Tranquillity

To his Apostle and to

The Believers, and made them

Stick close to the command

Of self-restraint; and well

Were they entitled to it

And worthy of it.

And God has full knowledge

Of all things.

SECTION 4.

27. Truly did God fulfil

The vision for His Apostle:

Ye shall enter the Sacred

Mosque, if God wills,

With minds secure, heads shaved,

Hair cut short, and without fear.

For He knew what ye

Knew not, and He granted,

Besides this, a speedy victory.

28. It is He Who has sent

His Apostle with Guidance

And the Religion of Truth,

To proclaim it over

All religion: and enough

Is God for a Witness.

29. Muhammad is the Apostle

Of God; and those who are

With him are strong

Against Unbelievers, (but)

Compassionate amongst each other.

Thou wilt see them bow

And prostrate themselves

(In prayer), seeking Grace

From God and (His) Good

Pleasure.

On their faces are their

Marks, (being) the traces

Of their prostration.

This is their similitude

In the Taurat;

And their similitude

In the Gospel is:

Like a seed which sends

Forth its blade, then

Makes it strong; it then

Becomes thick, and it stands

On its own stem, (filling)

The sowers with wonder

And delight. As a result,

It fills the Unbelievers

With rage at them.

God has promised those

Among them who believe

And do righteous deeds

Forgiveness,

And a great Reward.

Sura XLIX.

Hujurat, or the Inner Apartments.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. O ye who believe!

Put not yourselves forward

Before God and His Apostle;

But fear God: for God

Is He Who hears

And knows all things.

2. O ye who believe!

Raise not your voices!

Above the voice of the Prophet,

Nor speak aloud to him

In talk, as ye may

Speak aloud to one another,

Lest your deeds become!

Vain and ye perceive not.

3. Those that lower their voice

In the presence of

God's Apostle,--their hearts

Has God tested for piety:

For them is Forgiveness

And a great Reward.

4. Those who shout out

To thee from without

The Inner Apartments--

Most of them lack understanding.

5. If only they had patience

Until thou couldst

Come out to them,

It would be best

For them: but God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

6. O ye who believe!

If a wicked person comes

To you with any news,

Ascertain the truth, lest

Ye harm people unwittingly,

And afterwards become

Full of repentance for

What ye have done.

7. And know that among you

Is God's Apostle: were he,

In many matters, to follow

Your (wishes), ye would

Certainly fall into misfortune:

But God has endeared

The Faith to you, and

Has made it beautiful

In your hearts, and He

Has made hateful to you

Unbelief, wickedness, and

Rebellion: such indeed are

Those who walk in righteousness;--

8. A grace and favour

From God; and God

Is full of Knowledge

And Wisdom.

9. If two parties among

The Believers fall into

A quarrel, make ye peace

Between them: but if

One of them transgresses

Beyond bounds against the other,

Then fight ye (all) against

The one that transgresses

Until it complies with

The command of God;

But if it complies, then

Make peace between them

With justice, and be fair:

For God loves those

Who are fair (and just).

10. The Believers are but

A single Brotherhood:

So make peace and

Reconciliation between your

Two (contending) brothers;

And fear God, that ye

May receive Mercy.

SECTION 2.

11. O ye who believe!

Let not some men

Among you laugh at others:

It may be that

The (latter) are better

Than the (former):

Nor let some women

Laugh at others:

It may be that

The (latter) are better

Than the (former):

Nor defame nor be

Sarcastic to each other,

Nor call each other

By (offensive) nicknames:

Ill-seeming is a name

Connoting wickedness,

(To be used of one)

After he has believed:

And those who

Do not desist are

(Indeed) doing wrong.

12. O ye who believe!

Avoid suspicion as much

(As possible): for suspicion

In some cases is a sin:

And spy not on each other,

Nor speak ill of each other

Behind their backs. Would any

Of you like to eat

The flesh of his dead

Brother? Nay, ye would

Abhor it... But fear God:

For God is Oft-Returning,

Most Merciful.

13. O mankind! We created

You from a single (pair)

Of a male and a female,

And made you into

Nations and tribes, that

Ye may know each other

(Not that ye may despise

(Each other). Verily

The most honoured of you

In the sight of God

Is (he who is) the most

Righteous of you.

And God has full knowledge

And is well acquainted

(With all things).

14. The desert Arabs say,

"We believe." Say, ''Ye

Have no faith; but ye

(Only) say, "We have submitted

Our wills to God,"

For not yet has Faith

Entered your hearts.

But if ye obey God

And His Apostle, He

Will not belittle aught

Of your deeds: for God

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

15. Only those are Believers

Who have believed in God

And His Apostle, and have

Never since doubted, but

Have striven with their

Belongings and their persons

In the Cause of God:

Such are the sincere ones.

16. Say: "What! Will ye

Instruct God about your

Religion? But God knows

All that is in the heavens

And on earth: He has

Full knowledge of all things.

17. They impress on thee

As favour that they

Have embraced Islam.

Say, "Count not your Islam

As a favour upon me:

Nay, God has conferred

A favour upon you

That He has guided you

To the Faith, if ye

Be true and sincere.

18. "Verily God knows

The secrets of the heavens

And the earth: and God

Sees well all

That ye do."

Sura L.

Qaf.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Qaf.

By the Glorious Qur-an

(Thou art God's Apostle).

2. But they wonder that

There has come to them

A Warner from among

Themselves.

So the Unbelievers say:

"This is a wonderful thing!

3. "What! When we die

And become dust, (shall we

Live again?) That is

A (sort of) Return

Far (from our understanding)."

4. We already know

How much of them

The earth takes away:

With Us is a Record

Guarding (the full account).

5. But they deny the truth

When it comes to them:

So they are in

A confused state.

6. Do they not look

At the sky above them?--

How We have made it

And adorned it,

And there are no

Flaws in it?

7. And the earth--

We have spread it out,

And set thereon mountains

Standing firm, and produced

Therein every kind of

Beautiful growth (in pairs)--

8. To be observed

And commemorated

By every devotee

Turning (to God).

9. And We send down

From the sky Rain

Charged with blessing,

And We produce therewith

Gardens and Grain for harvests;

10. And tall (and stately)

Palm-trees, with shoots

Of fruit-stalks, piled

One over another;--

11, As sustenance for

(God's) Servants;--

And We give (new) life

Therewith to land that is

Dead: thus will be

The Resurrection.

12. Before them was denied

(The Hereafter) by the People

Of Noah, the Companions

Of the Rass, the Thamud,

13. The 'Ad, Pharaoh,

The Brethren of Lut,

14. The Companions of the Wood,

And the People of Tubba';

Each one (of them) rejected

The apostles, and My warning

Was duly fulfilled (in them).

15. Were We then weary

With the first Creation,

That they should be

In confused doubt

About a new Creation?

SECTION 2.

16. It was We Who

Created man, and We know

What dark suggestions his soul

Makes to him: for We

Are nearer to him

Than (his) jugular vein.

17. Behold, two (guardian angels)

Appointed to learn (his doings)

Learn (and note them),

One sitting on the right

And one on the left.

18. Not a word does he

Utter but there is

A sentinel by him,

Ready (to note it).

19. And the stupor of death

Will bring truth (before

His eyes): "This was

The thing which thou

Wast trying to escape!"

20. And the Trumpet

Shall be blown:

That will be the Day

Whereof Warning (had been given).

21. And there will come forth

Every soul: with each

Will be an (angel) to drive,

And an (angel) to

Bear witness.

22. (It will be said:)

"Thou wast heedless

Of this; now have We

Removed thy veil,

And sharp is thy sight

This Day!"

23. And his Companion will say:

"Here is (his Record) ready

With me!"

24. (The sentence will be:)

"Throw, throw into Hell

Every contumacious Rejecter

(Of God)!--

25. "Who forbade what was good,

Transgressed all bounds,

Cast doubts and suspicions;

26. "Who set up another god

Beside God: throw him

Into a severe Penalty."

27. His Companion will say:

"Our Lord! I did not

Make him transgress,

But he was (himself)

Far astray."

28. He will say: "Dispute not

With each other

In My Presence:

I had already in advance

Sent you Warning.

29. "The Word changes not

Before Me, and I do not

The least injustice

To My Servants."

SECTION 3.

30. One Day We will

Ask Hell, "Art thou

Filled to the full?"

It will say, "Are there

Any more (to come)?"

31. And the Garden

Will be brought nigh

To the Righteous,--no more

A thing distant.

32. (A voice will say:)

"This is what was

Promised for you,

For every one who turned

(To God) in sincere repentance,

Who kept (His Law),

33. "Who feared (God)

Most Gracious unseen,

And brought a heart

Turned in devotion (to Him):

34. "Enter ye therein

In Peace and Security;

This is a Day

Of Eternal Life!"

35. There will be for them

Therein all that they wish,--

And more besides

In Our Presence,

36. But how many

Generations before them

Did We destroy (for their

Sins),--stronger in power

Than they? Then did they

Wander through the land:

Was there any place

Of escape (for them)?

37. Verily in this

Is a Message

For any that has

A heart and understanding

Or who gives ear and

Earnestly witnesses (the truth).

38. We created the heavens

And the earth and all

Between them in Six Days,

Nor did any sense

Of weariness touch Us.

39. Bear, then, with patience,

All that they say,

And celebrate the praises

Of thy Lord, before

The rising of the sun

And before (its) setting,

40. And during part

Of the night, (also,)

Celebrate His praises,

And (so likewise)

After the postures

Of adoration.

41. And listen for the Day

When the Caller will call

Out from a place

Quite near,--

42. The Day when they will

Hear a (mighty) Blast

In (very) truth: that

Will be the Day

Of Resurrection.

43. Verily it is We Who

Give Life and Death;

And to Us is

The Final Goal--

44. The Day when

The Earth will be

Rent asunder, from (men)

Hurrying out: that will be

A gathering together,--

Quite easy for Us.

45. We know best what they

Say; and thou art not

One to overawe them

By force. So admonish

With the Qur-an such

As fear My Warning!

Sura LI.

Zariyat, or the Winds That Scatter.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the (Winds)

That scatter broadcast;

2. And those that

Lift and bear away

Heavy weights;

3. And those that

Flow with ease

And gentleness;

4. And those that

Distribute and apportion

By Command;--

5. Verily that which ye

Are promised is true;

6. And verily Judgment

And Justice must

Indeed come to pass.

7. By the Sky

With (its) numerous Paths,

8. Truly ye are in

A doctrine discordant,

9. Through which are deluded (away

From the Truth) such

As would be deluded.

10. Woe to the falsehood-mongers,--

11. Those who (flounder) heedless

In a flood of confusion:

12. They ask, "When will be

The Day of Judgment

And Justice?"

13. (It will be) a Day

When they will be tried

(And tested) over the Fire!

14. "Taste ye your trial!

This is what ye used

To ask to be hastened!

15. As to the Righteous,

They will be in the midst

Of Gardens and Springs,

16. Taking joy in the things

Which their Lord gives them,

Because, before then, they

Lived a good life.

17. They were in the habit

Of sleeping but little

By night,

18. And in the hours

Of early dawn,

They (were found) praying

For Forgiveness;

19. And in their wealth

And possessions (was remembered)

The right of the (needy,)

Him who asked, and him

Who (for some reason) was

Prevented (from asking).

20. On the earth

Are Signs for those

Of assured Faith,

21. As also in your, own

Selves: will ye not

Then see?

22. And in heaven is

Your Sustenance, as (also)

That which ye are promised.

23. Then, by the Lord

Of heaven and earth,

This is the very Truth,

As much as the fact

That ye can speak

Intelligently to each other.

SECTION 2.

24. Has the story

Reached thee, of the honoured

Guests of Abraham?

25. Behold, they entered

His presence, and said:

"Peace!" He said, "Peace"

(And thought, "These seem)

Unusual people."

26. Then he turned quickly

To his household, brought

Out a fatted calf,

27. And placed it before them...

He said, "Will ye not

Eat?"

28. (When they did not eat),

He conceived a fear of them.

They said, "Fear not,"

And they gave him

Glad tidings of a son

Endowed with knowledge.

29. But his wife came forward

(Laughing) aloud: she smote

Her forehead and said:

"A barren old woman!"

30. They said, "Even so

Has thy Lord spoken:

And He is full

Of Wisdom and Knowledge."

31. (Abraham) said: "And what,

O ye Messengers,

Is your errand (now)?"

32. They said, "We have

Been sent to a people

(Deep) in sin;--

33. "To bring on, on them,

(A shower of) stones

Of clay (brimstone),

34. "Marked as from thy Lord

For those who trespass

Beyond bounds."

35. Then We evacuated

Those of the Believers

Who were there,

36. But We found not there

Any just (Muslim) persons

Except in one house:

37. And We left there

A Sign for such as

Fear the Grievous Penalty.

38. And in Moses

(Was another Sign):

Behold, We sent him

To Pharaoh, with authority

Manifest.

39. But (Pharaoh) turned back

With his Chiefs, and said,

"A sorcerer, or

One possessed!"

40. So We took him

And his forces, and

Threw them into the sea;

And his was the blame:

41. And in the 'Ad (people)

(Was another Sign):

Behold, We sent against them

The devastating Wind:

42. It left nothing whatever

That it came up against,

But reduced it to ruin

And rottenness.

43. And in the Thamud

(Was another Sign):

Behold, they were told,

"Enjoy (your brief day)

For a little while!"

44. But they insolently defied

The Command of their Lord:

So the stunning noise

(Of an earthquake) seized

Them, even while they

Were looking on.

45. Then they could not

Even stand (on their feet),

Nor could they help themselves.

46. So were the People

Of Noah before them:

For they wickedly transgressed.

SECTION 3.

47. With power and skill

Did We construct

The Firmament:

For it is We Who create

The vastness of Space.

48. And We have spread out

The (spacious) earth:

How excellently

We do spread out!

49. And of every thing

We have created pairs

That ye may receive

Instruction.

50. Hasten ye then (at once)

To God: I am from Him

A Warner to you,

Clear and open!

51. And make not another

An object of worship

With God:

I am from Him

A Warner to you,

Clear and open!

52. Similarly, no apostle came

To the Peoples before them,

But they said (of him)

In like manner,

"A sorcerer, or

One possessed"!

53. Is this the legacy

They have transmitted,

One to another

Nay, they are themselves

A people transgressing

Beyond bounds!

54. So turn away

From them: not thine

Is the blame.

55. But teach (thy Message):

For teaching benefits

The Believers.

56. I have only created

Jinns and men, that

They may serve Me.

57. No Sustenance do I require

Of them, nor do I

Require that they should

Feed Me.

58. For God is He Who

Gives (all) Sustenance,--

Lord of Power,--

Steadfast (for ever).

59. For the wrong-doers,

Their portion is like

Unto the portion of their

Fellows (of earlier generations):

Then let them not ask Me

To hasten (that portion)!

60. Woe, then, to the Unbelievers,

On account of that Day

Of theirs which they

Have been promised!

Sura LII.

Tur, or the Mount.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the Mount (of Revelation);

2. By a Decree Inscribed

3. In a Scroll unfolded;

4. By the much-frequented Fane;

5. By the Canopy Raised High;

6. And by the Ocean

Filled with Swell;--

7. Verily, the Doom of thy Lord

Will indeed come to pass;--

8. There is none

Can avert it;--

9. On the Day when

The firmament will be

In dreadful commotion.

10. And the mountains will fly

Hither and thither.

11. Then woe that Day

To those that treat

(Truth) as Falsehood;--

12. That play (and paddle)

In shallow trifles.

13. That Day shall they be

Thrust down to the Fire

Of Hell, irresistibly.

14. "This", it will be said,

"Is the Fire,--which ye

Were wont to deny!

15. "Is this then a fake,

Or is it ye that

Do not see?

16. "Burn ye therein:

The same is it to you

Whether ye bear it

With patience, or not:

Ye but receive the recompense

Of your (own) deeds."

17. As to the Righteous,

They will be in Gardens,

And in Happiness,--

18. Enjoying the (Bliss) which

Their Lord hath bestowed

On them, and their Lord

Shall deliver them from

The Penalty of the Fire.

19. (To them will be said:)

"Eat and drink ye,

With profit and health,

Because of your (good) deeds."

20. They will recline (with ease)

On Thrones (of dignity)

Arranged in ranks;

And We shall join them

To Companions, with beautiful

Big and lustrous eyes.

21. And those who believe

And whose families follow

Them in Faith,-- to them

Shall We join their families:

Nor shall We deprive them

(Of the fruit) of aught

Of their works:

(Yet) is each individual

In pledge for his deeds.

22. And We shall bestow

On them, of fruit and meat,

Anything they shall desire.

23. They shall there exchange,

One with another,

A (loving) cup

Free of frivolity,

Free of all taint

Of ill.

24. Round about them will serve,

(Devoted) to them,

Youths (handsome) as Pearls

Well-guarded.

25. They will advance

To each other, engaging

In mutual enquiry.

26. They will say: "Aforetime,

We were not without fear

For the sake of our people.

27. "But God has been good

To us, and has delivered us

From the Penalty

Of the Scorching Wind.

28. "Truly, we did call

Unto Him from of old:

Truly it is He,

The Beneficent, the Merciful!

SECTION 2.

29. Wherefore proclaim thou

The praises (of thy Lord):

For by the Grace

Of thy Lord, thou art

No (vulgar) soothsayer, nor

Art thou one possessed.

30. Or do they say:--

"A Poet! we await

For him some calamity

(Hatched) by Time!"

31. Say thou: "Await ye!--

I too will wait

Along with you!"

32. Is it that their faculties

Of understanding urge them

To this, or are they

But a people transgressing

Beyond bounds?

33. Or do they say,

"He fabricated the (Message)"?

Nay, they have no faith!

34. Let them then produce

A recital like unto it,--

If (it be) they speak

The Truth!

35. Were they created of

nothing,

Or were they themselves

The creators?

36. Or did they create

The heavens and the earth?

Nay, they have

No firm belief.

37. Or are the Treasures

Of thy Lord with them,

Or are they the managers

(Of affairs)?

38. Or have they a ladder,

By which they can (climb

Up to heaven and) listen

(To its secrets)? Then let

(Such a) listener of theirs

Produce a manifest proof.

39. Or has He only daughters

And ye have sons?

40. Or is it that thou

Dost ask for a reward,

So that they are burdened

With a load of debt?--

41. Or that the Unseen

Is in their hands,

And they write it down?

42. Or do they intend

A plot (against thee)?

But those who defy God

Are themselves involved

In a Plot!

43. Or have they a god

Other than God?

Exalted is God

Far above the things

They associate with Him!

44. Were they to see

A piece of the sky

Falling (on them), they

Would (only) say: "Clouds

Gathered in heaps!"

45. So leave them alone

Until they encounter

That Day of theirs,

Wherein they shall (perforce)

Swoon (with terror),--

46. The Day when their plotting

Will avail them nothing

And no help shall be

Given them.

47. And verily, for those

Who do wrong, there is

Another punishment besides this:

But most of them

Understand not.

48. Now await in patience

The command of thy Lord:

For verily thou art

In Our eyes:

And celebrate the praises

Of thy Lord the while

Thou standest forth,

49. And for part of the night

Also praise thou Him,--

And at the retreat

Of the stars!

Sura LIII.

Najm, or the Star.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the Star

When it goes down,--

2. Your Companion is neither

Astray nor being misled,

3. Nor does he say (aught)

Of (his own) Desire.

4. It is no less than

Inspiration sent down to him:

5. He was taught by one

Mighty in Power,

6. Endued with Wisdom:

For he appeared

(In stately form)

7. While he was in

The highest part

Of the horizon:

8. Then he approached

And came closer,

9. And was at a distance

Of but two bow-lengths

Or (even) nearer;

10. So did (God) convey

The inspiration to His Servant--

(Conveyed) what He (meant)

To convey.

11. The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart

In no way falsified

That which he saw.

12. Will ye then dispute

With him concerning

What he saw?

13. For indeed he saw him

At a second descent,

14. Near the Lote-tree

Beyond which none may pass:

15. Near it is the Garden

Of Abode.

16. Behold, the Lote-tree

Was shrouded

(In mystery unspeakable!)

17. (His) sight never swerved,

Nor did it go wrong!

18. For truly did he see,

Of the Signs of his Lord,

The Greatest!

19. Have ye seen

Lat, and 'Uzza,

20. And another,

The third (goddess), Manat?

21. What! For you

The male sex,

And for Him, the female?

22. Behold, such would be

Indeed a division

Most unfair!

23. These are nothing but names

Which ye have devised,--

Ye and your fathers,

For which God has sent

Down no authority (whatever).

They follow nothing but

Conjecture and what

Their own souls desire!--

Even though there has already

Come to them Guidance

From their Lord!

24. Nay, shall man have (just)

Anything he hankers after?

25. But it is to God

That the End and

The Beginning (of all things)

Belong.

SECTION 2.

26. How many-so-ever be

The angels in the heavens,

Their intercession will avail nothing

Except after God has given

Leave for whom He pleases

And that he is acceptable

To Him.

27. Those who believe not

In the Hereafter, name

The angels with female names.

28. But they have no knowledge

Therein. They follow nothing

But conjecture; and conjecture

Avails nothing against Truth.

29. Therefore shun those who

Turn away from Our Message

And desire nothing but

The life of this world.

30. That is as far as

Knowledge will reach them.

Verily thy Lord knoweth best

Those who stray from

His Path, and He knoweth

Best those who receive guidance.

31. Yea, to God belongs all

That is in the heavens

And on earth: so that

He rewards those who do

Evil, according to their deeds,

And He rewards those who

Do good, with what is best.

32. Those who avoid

Great sins and shameful deeds,

Only (falling into) small faults,

Verily thy Lord is ample

In forgiveness. He knows

You well when He brings

You out of the earth,

And when ye are hidden

In your mothers' wombs.

Therefore justify not yourselves;

He knows best who it is

That guards against evil.

SECTION 3.

33. Seest thou one

Who turns back,

34. Gives a little,

Then hardens (his heart)?

35. What! Has he knowledge

Of the unseen

So that he can see?

36. Nay, is he not acquainted

With what is in the books

Of Moses--

37. And of Abraham

Who fulfilled his

engagements;--

38. Namely, that no bearer

Of burdens can bear

The burden of another;

39. That man can have nothing

But what he strives for;

40. That (the fruit of) his striving

Will soon come in sight;

41. Then will he be rewarded

With a reward complete;

42. That to thy Lord

Is the final Goal;

43. That it is He Who

Granteth Laughter and Tears;

44. That it is He Who

Granteth Death and Life;

45. That He did create

In pairs,--male and female,

46. From a seed when lodged

(In its place);

47. That He hath promised

A Second Creation

(Raising of the Dead);

48. That it is He Who

Giveth wealth and satisfaction;

49. That He is the Lord

Of Sirius (the Mighty Star);

50. And that it is He

Who destroyed the (powerful)

Ancient 'Ad (people),

51. And the Thamud,

Nor gave them a lease

Of perpetual life.

52. And before them,

The people of Noah,

For that they were (all)

Most unjust

And most insolent transgressors,

53. And He destroyed

The Overthrown Cities

(Of Sodom and Gomorrah),

54. So that (ruins unknown)

Have covered them up.

55. Then which of the gifts

Of thy Lord, (O man,)

Wilt thou dispute about?

56. This is a Warner,

Of the (series of) Warners

Of old!

57. The (Judgment) ever approaching

Draws nigh:

58. No (soul) but God

Can lay it bare.

59. Do ye then wonder

At this recital?

60. And will ye laugh

And not weep,--

61. Wasting your time

In vanities?

62. But fall ye down in prostration

To God, and adore (Him)!

Sura LIV.

Qamar, or the Moon.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. The Hour (of Judgment)

Is nigh, and the moon

Is cleft asunder.

2. But if they see

A Sign, they turn away,

And say, "This is

(But) transient magic."

3. They reject (the warning)

And follow their (own) lusts

But every matter has

Its appointed time.

4. There have already come

To them Recitals wherein

There is (enough) to check (them),

5. Mature wisdom;--but

(The preaching of) Warners

Profits them not.

6. Therefore, (O Prophet,)

Turn away from them.

The Day that the Caller

Will call (them)

To a terrible affair,

7. They will come forth,

Their eyes humbled--

From (their) graves, (torpid)

Like locusts scattered abroad,

8. Hastening, with eyes transfixed,

Towards the Caller!--

"Hard is this Day!",

The Unbelievers will say.

9. Before them the People

Of Noah rejected (their apostle):

They rejected Our servant,

And said, "Here is

One possessed!", and he

Was driven out.

10. Then he called on his Lord:

"I am one overcome:

Do Thou then help (me)!

11. So We opened the gates

Of heaven, with water

Pouring forth.

12. And We caused the earth

To gush forth with springs.

So the waters met (and rose)

To the extent decreed.

13. But We bore him

On an (Ark) made of

Broad planks and caulked

With palm-fibre:

14. She floats under our eyes

(And care): a recompense

To one who had been

Rejected (with scorn)!

15. And We have left

This as a Sign

(For all time): then

Is there any that will

Receive admonition?

16. But how (terrible) was

My Penalty and My Warning?

17. And We have indeed

Made the Qur-an easy

To understand and remember:

Then is there any that

Will receive admonition?

18. The 'Ad (people) (too)

Rejected (Truth): then

How terrible was

My Penalty and My Warning?

19. For We sent against them

A furious wind, on a Day

Of violent Disaster,

20. Plucking out men as if

They were roots of palm-trees

Torn up (from the ground).

21. Yea, how (terrible) was

My Penalty and My Warning!

22. But We have indeed

Made the Qur-an easy

To understand and remember:

Then is there any that

Will receive admonition?

SECTION 2.

23. The Thamud (also)

Rejected (their) Warners.

24. For they said: "What!

A man! a solitary one

From among ourselves!

Shall we follow such a one?

Truly should we then be

Straying in mind, and mad!

25. "Is it that the Message

Is sent to him,

Of all people amongst us?

Nay, he is a liar,

An insolent one!"

26. Ah! they will know

On the morrow, which is

The liar, the insolent one!

27. For We will send

The she-camel

By way of trial for them.

So watch them, (O Salih),

And possess thyself in patience!

28. And tell them that

The water is to be

Divided between them:

Each one's right to drink

Being brought forward

(By suitable turns).

29. But they called

To their companion,

And he took a sword

In hand, and hamstrung (her).

30. Ah! how (terrible) was

My Penalty and My Warning!

31. For We sent against them

A single Mighty Blast,

And they became

Like the dry stubble used

By one who pens cattle.

32. And we have indeed

Made the Qur-an easy

To understand and remember:

Then is there any that

Will receive admonition?

33. The People of Lut

Rejected (his) Warning.

34. We sent against them

A violent tornado

With showers of stones,

(Which destroyed them), except

Lut's household: them We

Delivered by early Dawn,--

35. As a Grace from Us:

Thus do We reward

Those who give thanks.

36. And (Lut) did warn them

Of Our Punishment, but

They disputed about the Warning.

37. And they even sought

To snatch away his guests

From him, but We blinded

Their eyes. (They heard:)

"Now taste ye My Wrath

And My Warning."

38. Early on the morrow

An abiding Punishment

Seized them:

39. "So taste ye My Wrath

And My Warning."

40. And We have indeed

Made the Qur-an easy

To understand and remember:

Then is there any that

Will receive admonition?

SECTION 3.

41. To the People

Of Pharaoh, too, aforetime,

Came Warners (from God).

42. The (people) rejected all

Our Signs; but We

Seized them with such Penalty

(As comes) from One

Exalted in Power,

Able to carry out His Will.

43. Are your Unbelievers,

(O Quraish), better than they?

Or have ye an immunity

In the Sacred Books?

44. Or do they say:

"We acting together

Can defend ourselves"?

45. Soon will their multitude

Be put to flight,

And they will show

Their backs.

46. Nay, the Hour (of Judgment)

Is the time promised them

(For their full recompense):

And that Hour will be

Most grievous and most bitter.

47. Truly those in sin

Are the ones

Straying in mind, and mad.

48. The Day they will be

Dragged through the Fire

On their faces, (they

Will hear:) "Taste ye

The touch of Hell!"

49. Verily, all things

Have We created

In proportion and measure.

50. And Our Command

Is but a single (Act),--

Like the twinkling

Of an eye.

51. And (oft) in the past,

Have We destroyed gangs

Like unto you: then

Is there any that

Will receive admonition?

52. All that they do

Is noted in (their)

Books (of Deeds):

53. Every matter, small and great,

Is on record.

54. As to the Righteous,

They will be in the midst

Of Gardens and Rivers,

55. In an Assembly of Truth,

In the Presence of

A Sovereign Omnipotent.

Sura LV.

Rahman, or (God) Most Gracious.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. (God) Most Gracious!

2. It is He Who has

Taught the Qur-an.

3. He has created man:

4. He has taught him speech

(And Intelligence).

5. The sun and the moon

Follow courses (exactly) computed;

6. And the herbs and the trees--

Both (alike) bow in adoration.

7. And the Firmament has He

Raised high, and He has set up

The Balance (of Justice),

8. In order that ye may

Not transgress (due) balance.

9. So establish weight with justice

And fall not short

In the balance.

10. It is He Who has

Spread out the earth

For (His) creatures:

11. Therein is fruit

And date-palms, producing

Spathes (enclosing dates);

12. Also corn, with (its)

Leaves and stalk for fodder,

And sweet-smelling plants.

13. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

14. He created man

From sounding clay

Like unto pottery,

15. And He created Jinns

From fire free of smoke:

16. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

17. (He is) Lord

Of the two Easts

And Lord

Of the two Wests:

18. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

19. He has let free

The two bodies

Of flowing water,

Meeting together:

20. Between them is a Barrier

Which they do not transgress:

21. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

22. Out of them come

Pearls and Coral:

23. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

24. And His are the Ships

Sailing smoothly through the seas,

Lofty as mountains:

25. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

SECTION 2.

26. All that is on earth

Will perish:

27. But will abide (for ever)

The Face of thy Lord,--

Full of Majesty,

Bounty and Honour.

28. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

29. Of Him seeks (its need)

Every creature in the heavens

And on earth:

Every day in (new) Splendour

Doth He (shine)!

30. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

31. Soon shall We

Settle your affairs,

O both ye worlds!

32. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

33. O ye assembly of Jinns,

And men! If it be

Ye can pass beyond

The zones of the heavens

And the earth, pass ye!

Not without authority

Shall ye be able to pass!

34. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

35. On you will be sent

(O ye evil ones twain!)

A flame of fire (to burn)

And a smoke (to choke):

No defence will ye have:

36. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

37. When the sky is rent

Asunder, and it becomes red

Like ointment:

38. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

39. On that Day

No question will be asked

Of man or Jinn

As to his sin,

40. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

41. (For) the sinners will be

Known by their Marks:

And they will be seized

By their forelocks and

Their feet.

42. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

43. This is the Hell which

The Sinners deny:

44. In its midst

And in the midst

Of boiling hot water

Will they wander round!

45. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

SECTION 3.

46. But for such as fear

The time when they will

Stand before (the Judgment Seat

Of) their Lord,

There will be two Gardens--

47. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?--

48. Containing all kinds

(Of trees and delights);--

49. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?--

50. In them (each) will be

Two Springs flowing (free);

51. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?--

52. In them will be Fruits

Of every kind, two and two.

53. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

54. They will recline on Carpets,

Whose inner linings will be

Of rich brocade: the Fruit

Of the Gardens will be

Near (and easy of reach).

55. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

56. In them will be (Maidens),

Chaste, restraining their glances,

Whom no man or Jinn

Before them has touched;--

57. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?--

58. Like unto rubies and coral.

59. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

60. Is there any Reward

For Good-other than Good?

61. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

62. And besides these two,

There are two other Gardens,--

63. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?--

64. Dark-green in colour

(From plentiful watering).

65. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

66. In them (each) will be

Two Springs pouring forth water

In continuous abundance:

67. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

68. In them will be Fruits,

And dates and pomegranates:

69. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

70. In them will be

Fair (Companions), good,

beautiful;--

71. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?--

72. Companions restrained (as to

Their glances), in (goodly)

pavilions;--

73. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?--

74. Whom no man or Jinn

Before them has touched;--

75. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?--

76. Reclining on green Cushions

And rich Carpets of beauty.

77. Then which of the favours

Of your Lord will ye deny?

78. Blessed be the name

Of thy Lord,

Full of Majesty,

Bounty and Honour.

Sura LVI.

Waqi'a, or The Inevitable Event.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. When the Event Inevitable

Cometh to pass,

2. Then will no (soul)

Entertain falsehood

Concerning its coming.

3. (Many) will it bring low;

(Many) will it exalt;

4. When the earth shall be

Shaken to its depths,

5. And the mountains shall

Be crumbled to atoms,

6. Becoming dust scattered abroad,

7. And ye shall be sorted out

Into three classes.

8. Then (there will be)

The Companions of

The Right Hand;--

What will be

The Companions of

The Right Hand?

9. And the Companions of

The Left Hand,--

What will be

The Companions of

The Left Hand?

10. And those Foremost

(In Faith) will be

Foremost (in the Hereafter).

11. These will be

Those Nearest to God:

12. In Gardens of Bliss:

13. A number of people

From those of old,

14. And a few from those

Of later times.

15. (They will be) on Thrones

Encrusted (with gold

And precious stones),

16. Reclining on them,

Facing each other.

17. Round about them will (serve)

Youths of perpetual (freshness),

18. With goblets, (shining) beakers,

And cups (filled) out of

Clear-flowing fountains:

19. No after-ache will they

Receive therefrom, nor will they

Suffer intoxication:

20. And with fruits,

Any that they may select;

21. And the flesh of fowls,

Any that they may desire.

22. And (there will be) Companions

With beautiful, big,

And lustrous eyes,--

23. Like unto Pearls

Well-guarded.

24. A Reward for the Deeds

Of their past (Life).

25. No frivolity will they

Hear therein, nor any

Taint of ill,--

26. Only the saying,

"Peace! Peace".

27. The Companions of

The Right Hand,--

What will be

The Companions of

The Right Hand?

28. (They will be) among

Lote-trees without thorns,

29. Among Talh trees

With flowers (or fruits)

Piled one above another,--

30. In shade long-extended,

31. By water flowing constantly,

32. And fruit in abundance.

33. Whose season is not limited,

Nor (supply) forbidden,

34. And on Thrones (of Dignity),

Raised high.

35. We have created

(their Companions)

Of special creation.

36. And made them

Virgin-pure (and undefiled),--

37. Beloved (by nature),

Equal in age,--

38. For the Companions

Of the Right Hand.

SECTION 2.

39. A (goodly) number

From those of old,

40. And a (goodly) number

From those of later times.

41. The Companions of

The Left Hand,--

What will be

The Companions of

The Left Hand?

42. (They will be) in the midst

Of a fierce Blast of Fire

And in Boiling Water,

43. And in the shades

Of Black Smoke:

44. Nothing (will there be)

To refresh, nor to please:

45. For that they were wont

To be indulged, before that,

In wealth (and luxury),

46. And persisted obstinately

In wickedness supreme!

47. And they used to say,

"What! when we die

And become dust and bones,

Shall we then indeed

Be raised up again?--

48. "(We) and our fathers of old?"

49. Say: "Yea, those of old

And those of later times,

50. "All will certainly be

Gathered together for the meeting

Appointed for a Day

Well-known.

51. "Then will ye truly,--

O ye that go wrong,

And treat (Truth) as Falsehood!--

52. "Ye will surely taste

Of the Tree of Zaqqum.

53. "Then will ye fill

Your insides therewith,

54. "And drink Boiling Water

On top of it:

55. "Indeed ye shall drink

Like diseased camels

Raging with thirst!"

56. Such will be their entertainment

On the Day of Requital!

57. It is We Who have

Created you: why will ye

Not witness the Truth?

58. Do ye then see?--

The (human Seed) that

Ye throw out,--

59. Is it ye who create it,

Or are We the Creators?

60. We have decreed Death

To be your common lot,

And We are not

To be frustrated

61. From changing your Forms

And creating you (again)

In (Forms) that ye know not.

62. And ye certainly know already

The first form of creation:

Why then do ye not

Celebrate His praises?

63. See ye the seed that

Ye sow in the ground?

64. Is it ye that cause it

To grow, or are We

The Cause?

65. Were it Our Will,

We could crumble it

To dry powder, and ye would

Be left in wonderment,

66. (Saying), "We are indeed

Left with debts (for nothing):

67. "Indeed are we shut out

(Of the fruits of our labour)",

68. See ye the water

Which ye drink?

69. Do ye bring it Down

(In rain) from the Cloud

Or do We?

70. Were it Our Will,

We could make it

Salt (and unpalatable):

Then why do ye not

Give thanks?

71. See ye the Fire

Which ye kindle?

72. Is it ye who grow

The tree which feeds

The fire, or do We

Grow it?

73. We have made it

A memorial (of Our handiwork),

And an article of comfort

And convenience for

The denizens of deserts.

74. Then celebrate with praises,

The name of thy Lord,

The Supreme!

SECTION 3.

75. Furthermore I call

To witness the setting

Of the Stars,--

76. And that is indeed

A mighty adjuration

If ye but knew,--

77. That this is indeed

A Qur-an most honourable,

78. In a Book well-guarded,

79. Which none shall touch

But those who are clean:

80. A Revelation from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

81. Is it such a Message

That ye would hold

In light esteem?

82. And have ye made it

Your livelihood that ye

Should declare it false?

83. Then why do ye not

(Intervene) when (the soul

Of the dying man)

Reaches the throat,--

84. And ye the while

(Sit) looking on,--

85. But We are nearer

To him than ye,

And yet see not,--

86. Then why do ye not,--

If you are exempt

From (future) account,--

87. Call back the soul,

If ye are true

(In your claim of Independence)?

88. Thus, then, if he

Be of those Nearest to God,

89. (There is for him) Rest

And Satisfaction, and

A Garden of Delights.

90. And if he be

Of the Companions of

The Right Hand,

91. (For him is the salutation),

"Peace be unto thee",

From the Companions

Of the Right Hand.

92. And if he be

Of those who treat

(Truth) as Falsehood,

Who go wrong,

93. For him is Entertainment

With Boiling Water,

94. And burning in Hell-Fire.

95. Verily, this is

The Very Truth

And Certainty.

96. So celebrate with praises

The name of thy Lord,

The Supreme.

Sura LVII.

Hadid, or Iron.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is in

The heavens and on earth,--

Let it declare

The Praises and Glory of God:

For He is the Exalted

In Might, the Wise.

2. To Him belongs the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth:

It is He Who gives

Life and Death; and He

Has Power over all things.

3. He is the First

And the Last,

The Evident

And the Immanent:

And He has full knowledge

Of all things.

4. He it is Who created

The heavens and the earth

In six Days, and is moreover

Firmly established on the Throne

(Of authority). He knows

What enters within the earth

And what comes forth out

Of it, what comes down

From heaven and what mounts

Up to it. And He is

With you wheresoever ye

May be. And God sees

Well all that ye do.

5. To Him belongs the dominion

Of the heavens and the earth:

And all affairs are

Referred back to God.

6. He merges Night into Day,

And He merges Day into Night;

And He has full knowledge

Of the secrets of (all) hearts.

7. Believe in God

And His Apostle,

And spend (in charity)

Out of the (substance)

Whereof He has made you

Heirs. For, those of you

Who believe and spend

(In charity),--for them

Is a great Reward.

8. What cause have ye

Why ye should not believe

In God?--And the Apostle

Invites you to believe

In your Lord, and has

Indeed taken your Covenant,

If ye are men of faith.

9. He is the One Who

Sends to His Servant

Manifest Signs, that He

May lead you from

The depths of Darkness

Into the Light And verily,

God is to you

Most kind and Merciful.

10. And what cause have ye

Why ye should not spend

In the cause of God?--

For to God belongs

The heritage of the heavens

And the earth.

Not equal among you

Are those who spent (freely)

And fought, before the Victory,

(With those who did so later).

Those are higher in rank

Than those who spent (freely)

And fought afterwards.

But to all has God promised

A goodly (reward). And God

Is well acquainted

With all that ye do.

SECTION 2.

11. Who is he that will

Loan to God a beautiful

Loan? For (God) will

Increase it manifold

To his credit,

And he will have (besides)

A liberal reward.

12. One Day shalt thou see

The believing men and

The believing women--

How their Light runs

Forward before them

And by their right hands:

(Their greeting will be):

"Good News for you this Day!

Gardens beneath which How rivers!

To dwell therein for aye!

This is indeed

The highest Achievement!

13. One Day will the Hypocrites

Men and women--say

To the Believers: "Wait

For us! Let us borrow

(A light) from your Light!"

It will be said: "Turn

Ye back to your rear!

Then seek a light (where

Ye can)!" So a wall

Will be put up betwixt them,

With a gate therein.

Within it will be Mercy

Throughout, and without it,

All alongside, will be

(Wrath and) Punishment!

14. (Those without) will call out,

"Were we not with you?

(The others) will reply, "True!

But ye led yourselves

Into temptation; ye looked forward

(To our ruin); ye doubted

(God's Promise); and (your false)

Desires deceived you; until

There issued the Command

Of God. And the Deceiver

Deceived you in respect of God.

15. "This Day shall no ransom

Be accepted of you, nor

Of those who rejected God.

Your abode is the Fire:

That is the proper place .

To claim you: and an evil

Refuge it is!"

16. Has not the time arrived

For the Believers that

Their hearts in all humility

Should engage in the remembrance

Of God and of the Truth

Which has been revealed (to them),

And that they should not

Become like those to whom

Was given Revelation aforetime,

But long ages passed over them

And their hearts grew hard?

For many among them

Are rebellious transgressors.

17. Know ye (all) that

God giveth life

To the earth after its death

Already have We shown

The Signs plainly to you,

That ye may learn wisdom.

18. For those who give

In Charity, men and women,

And loan to God

A Beautiful Loan,

It shall be increased manifold

(To their credit),

And they shall have (besides)

A liberal reward.

19. And those who believe

In God and His apostles--

They are the Sincere

(Lovers of Truth), and

The Witnesses (who testify),

In the eyes of their Lord:

They shall have their Reward

And their Light,

But those who reject God

And deny Our Signs,--

They are the Companions

Of Hell-Fire.

SECTION 3.

20. Know ye (all), that

The life of this world

Is but play and amusement,

Pomp and mutual boasting

And multiplying, (in rivalry)

Among yourselves, riches

And children.

Here is a similitude:

How rain and the growth

Which it brings forth, delight

(The hearts of) the tillers;

Soon it withers; thou

Wilt see it grow yellow;

Then it becomes dry

And crumbles away.

But in the Hereafter

Is a Penalty severe

(For the devotees of wrong).

And Forgiveness from God

And (His) Good Pleasure

(For the devotees of God).

And what is the life

Of this world, but

Goods and chattels

Of deception?

21. Be ye foremost (in seeking)

Forgiveness from your Lord,

And a Garden (of Bliss),

The width whereof is

As the width of

Heaven and earth,

Prepared for those who believe

In God and His apostles:

That is the Grace of God,

Which He bestows on whom

He pleases: and God is

The Lord of Grace abounding.

22. No misfortune can happen

On earth or in your souls

But is recorded in

A decree before We bring

It into existence:

That is truly easy for God:

23. In order that ye may

Not despair over matters

That pass you by,

Nor exult over favours

Bestowed upon you.

For God loveth not

Any vainglorious boaster,--

24. Such persons as are

Covetous and commend

Covetousness to men.

And if any turn back

(From God's Way), verily

God is free of all needs,

Worthy of all praise.

25. We sent aforetime

Our apostles with Clear Signs

And sent down with them

The Book and the Balance

(Of Right and Wrong), that men

May stand forth in justice;

And We sent down Iron

In which is (material for)

Mighty war, as well as

Many benefits for mankind,

That God may test who

It is that will help,

Unseen, Him and His apostles:

For God is Full of Strength,

Exalted in Might

(And able to enforce His Will).

SECTION 4.

26. And We sent Noah

And Abraham, and established

In their line Prophethood

And Revelation: and some of them!

Were on right guidance,

But many of them

Became rebellious transgressors.

27. Then, in their wake,

We followed them up

With (others of) Our apostles:

We sent after them

Jesus the son of Mary,

And bestowed on him

The Gospel; and We ordained

In the hearts of those

Who followed him

Compassion and Mercy.

But the Monasticism

Which they invented

For themselves, We did not

Prescribe for them:

(We commanded) only

The seeking for the Good

Pleasure of God; but that

They did not foster

As they should have done.

Yet We bestowed, on those

Among them who believed,

Their (due) reward, but

Many of them are

Rebellious transgressors.

28. O ye that believe!

Fear God, and believe

In His Apostle, and He will

Bestow on you a double

Portion of His Mercy:

He will provide for you

A Light by which ye

Shall walk (straight

In your path), and He

Will forgive you (your past):

For God is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful:

29. That the People of

The Book may know

That they have no power

Whatever over the Grace

Of God, that (His) Grace

Is (entirely) in his hand,

To bestow it on

Whomsoever He wills.

For God is the Lord.

Of Grace abounding.

Sura LVIII.

Mujadila, or The Woman who Pleads.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. God has indeed

Heard (and accepted) the statement

Of the woman who pleads

With thee concerning her husband

And carries her complaint

(In prayer) to God:

And God (always) hears

The arguments between both

Sides among you: for God

Hears and sees (all things).

2. If any men among you

Divorce their wives by

(Calling them mothers),

They cannot be their mothers:

None can be their mothers

Except those who gave them

Birth. And in fact

They use words (both) iniquitous

And false: but truly

God is One that blots out

(Sins), and forgives

(Again and again).

3. But those who divorce

Their wives by Zihar,

Then wish to go back

On the words they uttered,--

(It is ordained that

Such a one)

Should free a slave

Before they touch each other:

This are ye admonished

To perform: and God is

Well-acquainted with (all)

That ye do.

4. And if any has not

(The wherewithal),

He should fast for

Two months consecutively

Before they touch each other.

But if any is unable

To do so, he should feed

Sixty indigent ones.

This, that ye may show

Your faith in God

And His Apostle.

Those are limits (set

By) God. For those who

Reject (Him), there is

A grievous Penalty.

5. Those who resist God

And His Apostle will be

Humbled to dust, as were

Those before them: for We

Have already sent down

Clear Signs. And the Unbelievers

(Will have) a humiliating Penalty,--

6. On the Day that

God will raise them

All up (again) and show

Them the truth (and meaning)

Of their conduct. God has

Reckoned its (value), though

They may have forgotten it,

For God is Witness

To all things.

SECTION 2.

7. Seest thou not that

God doth know (all) that is

In the heavens and

On earth? There is not

A secret consultation

Between three, but He

Makes the fourth among them,--

Nor between five but

He makes the sixth,--

Nor between fewer nor more,

But He is in their midst,

Wheresoever they be:

In the end will He

Tell them the truth

Of their conduct, on the Day

Of Judgment. For God

Has full knowledge

Of all things.

8. Turnest thou not thy sight

Towards those who were

Forbidden secret counsels

Yet revert to that which

They were forbidden (to do)?

And they hold secret counsels

Among themselves for iniquity

And hostility, and disobedience

To the Apostle. And when

They come to thee,

They salute thee,

Not as God salutes thee,

(But in crooked ways):

And they say to themselves,

"Why does not God

Punish us for our words?"

Enough for them is Hell:

In it will they burn,

And evil is that destination!

9. O ye who believe!

When ye hold secret counsel,

Do it not for iniquity

And hostility, and disobedience

To the Prophet; but do it

For righteousness and self-restraint;

And fear God, to Whom

Ye shall be brought back.

10. Secret counsels are only

(Inspired) by the Evil One,

In order that he may

Cause grief to the Believers;

But he cannot harm them

In the least, except as

God permits; and on God

Let the Believers

Put their trust.

11. O ye who believe!

When ye are told

To make room

In the assemblies,

(Spread out and) make room:

(Ample) room will God provide

For you. And when

Ye are told to rise up,

Rise up: God will

Raise up, to (suitable) ranks

(And degrees), those of you

Who believe and who have

Been granted (mystic) Knowledge.

And God is well-acquainted

With all ye do.

12. O ye who believe

When ye consult

The Apostle in private,

Spend something in charity

Before your private consultation.

That will be best for you,

And most conducive

To purity (of conduct).

But if ye find not

(The wherewithal), God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

13. Is it that ye are

Afraid of spending sums

In charity before your

Private consultation (with him)

If, then, ye do not so,

And God forgives you,

Then (at least) establish

Regular prayer; practise

Regular charity; and obey

God and His Apostle.

And God is well-acquainted

With all that ye do.

SECTION 3.

14. Turnest thou not

Thy attention to those

Who turn (in friendship)

To such as have the Wrath

Of God upon them?

They are neither of you

Nor of them, and they

Swear to falsehood knowingly.

15. God has prepared for them

A severe Penalty: evil

Indeed are their deeds.

16. They have made their oaths

A screen (for their misdeeds):

Thus they obstruct (men)

From the Path of God:

Therefore shall they have

A humiliating Penalty.

17. Of no profit whatever

To them, against God,

Will be their riches

Nor their sons:

They will be Companions

Of the Fire, to dwell

Therein (for aye)!

18. One Day will God

Raise them all up

(For Judgment): then

Will they swear to Him

As they swear to you:

And they think that they

Have something (to stand upon).

No, indeed! they are

But liars!

19. The Evil One has

Got the better of them:

So he has made them

Lose the remembrance

Of God. They are the Party

Of the Evil One. Truly,

It is the Party

Of the Evil One

That will perish!

20. Those who resist

God and His Apostle

Will be among those

Most humiliated.

21. God has decreed:

"It is I and My apostles

Who must prevail":

For God is One

Full of strength,

Able to enforce His Will.

22. Thou wilt not find

Any people who believe

In God and the Last Day,

Loving those who resist

God and His Apostle,

Even though they were

Their fathers or their sons,

Or their brothers, or

Their kindred. For such

He has written Faiths

In their hearts, and strengthened

Them with a spirit

From Himself. And He

Will admit them to Gardens

Beneath which Rivers flow,

To dwell therein (for ever).

God will be well pleased

With them, and they with Him.

They are the Party

Of God. Truly it is

The Party of God that

Will achieve Felicity.

Sura LIX.

Hashr, or The Gathering

(or Banishment, lix. 2-3).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is

In the heavens and

On earth, let it declare

The Praises and Glory

Of God: for He is

The Exalted in Might,

The Wise.

2. It is He Who got out

The Unbelievers among

The People of the Book

From their homes

At the first gathering

(Of the forces).

Little did ye think

That they would get out:

And they thought

That their fortresses

Would defend them from God!

But the (Wrath of) God

Came to them from quarters

From which they little

Expected (it), and cast

Terror into their hearts,

So that they destroyed

Their dwellings by their own

Hands and the hands

Of the Believers.

Take warning, then,

O ye with eyes (to see)!

3. And had it not been

That God had decreed

Banishment for them,

He would certainly have

Punished them in this world:

And in the Hereafter

They shall (certainly) have

The Punishment of the Fire.

4. That is because they

Resisted God and His Apostle:

And if any one resists God,

Verily God is severe

In Punishment.

5. Whether ye cut down

(O ye Muslims!)

The tender palm-trees,

Or ye left them standing

On their roots, it was

By leave of God, and

In order that He might

Cover with shame

The rebellious transgressors.

6. What God has bestowed

On His Apostle (and taken

Away) from them--for this

Ye made no expedition

With either cavalry or camelry:

But God gives power

To His apostles over

Any He pleases: and God

Has power over all things.

7. What God has bestowed

On His Apostle (and taken

Away) from the people

Of the townships,--belongs

To God,--to His Apostle

And to kindred and orphans,

The needy and the wayfarer;

In order that it may not

(Merely) make a circuit

Between the wealthy among you.

So take what the Apostle

Assigns to you, and deny

Yourselves that which he

Withholds from you.

And fear God; for God

Is strict in Punishment.

8. (Some part is due)

To the indigent Muhajirs,

Those who were expelled

From their homes and their property,

While seeking Grace from God

And (His) Good Pleasure,

And aiding God and His Apostle:

Such are indeed

The sincere ones;--

9. But those who

Before them, had homes

(In Medina)

And had adopted the Faith,--

Show their affection to such

As came to them for refuge,

And entertain no desire

In their hearts for things

Given to the (latter),

But give them preference

Over themselves, even though

Poverty was their (own lot).

And those saved from

The covetousness of their own

Souls,--they are the ones

That achieve prosperity.

10. And those who came

After them say: "Our Lord!

Forgive us, and our brethren

Who came before us

Into the Faith,

And leave not,

In our hearts,

Rancour (or sense of injury)

Against those who have believed.

Our Lord! Thou art

Indeed Full of Kindness,

Most Merciful."

SECTION 2.

11. Hast thou not observed

The Hypocrites say

To their misbelieving brethren

Among the People of the Book?--

"If ye are expelled,

We too will go out

With you, and we will

Never hearken, to any one

In your affair; and if

Ye are attacked (in fight)

We will help you".

But God is witness

That they are indeed liars.

12. If they are expelled,

Never will they go out

With them; and if they

Are attacked (in fight),

They will never help them;

And if they do help them,

They will turn their backs;

So they will receive no help.

13. Of a truth ye are

Stronger (than they)

Because of the terror

In their hearts,

(Sent) by God.

This is because they are

Men devoid of understanding.

14. They will not fight you

(Even) together, except

In fortified townships,

Or from behind walls.

Strong is their fighting (spirit)

Amongst themselves:

Thou wouldst think

They were united,

But their hearts are divided:

That is because they

Are a people devoid

Of wisdom.

15. Like those who lately

Preceded them, they have

Tasted the evil result

Of their conduct; and

(In the Hereafter there is)

For them a grievous Penalty;--

16. (Their allies deceived them),

Like the Evil One,

When he says to man,

"Deny God": but when

(Man) denies God,

(The Evil One) says,

"I am free of thee:

I do fear God,

The Lord of the Worlds!"

17. The end of both will be

That they will go

Into the Fire, dwelling

Therein for ever.

Such is the reward

Of the wrong-doers.

SECTION 3.

18. O ye who believe!

Fear God,

And let every soul look

To what (provision) he has

Sent forth for the morrow.

Yea, fear God:

For God is well-acquainted

With (all) that ye do.

19. And be ye not like

Those who forgot God;

And He made them forget

Their own souls! Such

Are the rebellious transgressors!

20. Not equal are

The Companions of the Fire

And the Companions

Of the Garden:

It is the Companions

Of the Garden,

That will achieve Felicity.

21. Had We sent down

This Qur-an on a mountain,

Verily, thou wouldst have seen

It humble itself and cleave

Asunder for fear of God.

Such are the similitudes

Which We propound to men,

That they may reflect.

22. God is He, than Whom

There is no other god;--

Who knows (all things)

Both secret and open;

He, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

23. God is He, than Whom

There is no other god;--

The Sovereign, the Holy One,

The Source of Peace

(and Perfection),

The Guardian of Faith,

The Preserver of Safety,

The Exalted in Might,

The Irresistible, the Supreme:

Glory to God!

(High is He)

Above the partners

They attribute to Him.

24. He is God, the Creator,

The Evolver,

The Bestower of Forms

(Or Colours).

To Him belongs

The Most Beautiful Names:

Whatever is in

The heavens and on earth,

Doth declare

His Praises and Glory:

And He is the Exalted

In Might, the Wise.

Sura LX.

Mumtahana, or the Woman to be Examined.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most, Merciful.

1. O ye who believe!

Take not My enemies

And yours as friends

(Or protectors),--offering them

(Your) love, even though

They have rejected the Truth

That has come to you,

And have (on the contrary)

Driven out the Prophet

And yourselves (from your homes),

(Simply) because ye believe

In God your Lord!

If ye have come out

To strive in My Way

And to seek My Good Pleasure,

(Take them not as friends),

Holding secret converse

Of love (and friendship)

With them: for I know

Full well all that ye

Conceal and all that ye

Reveal. And any of you

That does this has strayed

From the Straight Path.

2. If they were to get

The better of you,

They would behave to you

As enemies, and stretch forth

Their hands and their tongues

Against you for evil;

And they desire that ye

Should reject the Truth.

3. Of no profit to you

Will be your relatives

And your children

On the Day of Judgment:

He will judge between you:

For God sees well

All that ye do.

4. There is for you

An excellent example (to follow)

In Abraham and those with him,

When they said

To their people:

"We are clear of you

And of whatever ye worship

Besides God: we have rejected

You, and there has arisen,

Between us and you, enmity

And hatred for ever,--unless

Ye believe in God

And Him alone":

But not when Abraham

Said to his father:

"I will pray for forgiveness

For thee, though I have

No power (to get) aught

On thy behalf from God."

(They prayed): "Our Lord!

In Thee do we trust,

And to Thee do we turn

In repentance: to Thee

Is (our) final Goal.

5. "Our Lord! Make us not

A (test and) trial

For the Unbelievers,

But forgive us, our Lord!

For Thou art the Exalted

In Might, the Wise."

6. There was indeed in them

An excellent example for you

To follow,--for those

Whose hope is in God

And in the Last Day.

But if any turn away,

Truly God is Free of all

Wants, Worthy of all Praise.

SECTION 2.

7. It may be that God

Will grant love (and friendship)

Between you and those whom

Ye (now) hold as enemies.

For God has power

(Over all things); And God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

8. God forbids you not,

With regard to those who

Fight you not for (your) Faith

Nor drive you out

Of your homes,

From dealing kindly and justly

With them: For God loveth

Those who are just.

9. God only forbids you,

With regard to those who

Fight you for (your) Faith,

And drive you out

Of your homes, and support

(Others) in driving you out,

From turning to them

(For friendship and protection).

It is such as turn to them

(In these circumstances),

That do wrong.

10. O ye who believe!

When there come to you

Believing women refugees,

Examine (and test) them:

God knows best as to

Their Faith: if ye ascertain

That they are Believers,

Then send them not back

To the Unbelievers.

They are not lawful (wives)

For the Unbelievers, nor are

The (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands)

For them. But pay

The Unbelievers what they

Have spent (on their dower).

And there will be no blame

On you if ye marry them

On payment of their dower

To them. But hold not

To the guardianship of

Unbelieving women: ask

For what ye have spent

On their dowers, and let

The (Unbelievers) ask for

What they have spent

(On the dowers of women

Who come over to you).

Such is the command

Of God: He judges

(With justice) between you.

And God is Full of

Knowledge and Wisdom.

11. And if any

Of your wives deserts you

To the Unbelievers,

And ye have an accession

(By the coming over of

A woman from the other side),

Then pay to those

Whose wives have deserted

The equivalent of what they

Had spent (on their dower).

And fear God,

In Whom ye believe.

12. O Prophet!

When believing women come

To thee to take the oath

Of fealty to thee, that they

Will not associate in worship

Any other thing whatever

With God, that they

Will not steal, that they

Will not commit adultery

(Or fornication), that they

Will not kill their children,

That they will not utter

Slander, intentionally forging

Falsehood, and that they

Will not disobey thee

In any just matter,

Then do thou receive

Their fealty, and pray to God

For the forgiveness (of

Their sins): for God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

13. O ye who believe!

Turn not (for friendship)

To people on whom

Is the Wrath of God.

Of the Hereafter they are

Already in despair, just as

The Unbelievers are

In despair about those

(Buried) in graves.

Sura LXI.

Saff, or Battle Array.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is

In the heavens and

On earth, let it declare

The Praises and Glory

Of God: for He is

The Exalted in Might,

The Wise.

2. O ye who believe!

Why say ye that

Which ye do not?

3. Grievously odious is it

In the sight of God

That ye say that

Which ye do not.

4. Truly God loves those

Who fight in His Cause

In battle array, as if

They were a solid

Cemented structure.

5. And remember, Moses said

To his people: "O my people!

Why do ye vex and insult

Me, though ye know

That I am the apostle

Of God (sent) to you?"

Then when they went wrong,

God let their hearts go wrong.

For God guides not those

Who are rebellious transgressors.

6. And remember, Jesus,

The son of Mary, said:

"O Children of Israel!

I am the apostle of God

(Sent) to you, confirming

The Law (which came)

Before me, and giving

Glad Tidings of an Apostle

To come after me,

Whose name shall be Ahmad."

But when he came to them

With Clear Signs,

They said, "This is

Evident sorcery!"

7. Who doth greater wrong

Than one who invents

Falsehood against God,

Even as he is being invited

To Islam? And God

Guides not those

Who do wrong.

8. Their intention is

To extinguish God's Light

(By blowing) with their mouths:

But God will complete

(The revelation of) His Light,

Even though the Unbelievers

May detest (it).

9. It is He Who has sent

His Apostle with Guidance

And the Religion of Truth,

That he may proclaim it

Over all religion,

Even though the Pagans

May detest (it).

SECTION 2.

10. O ye who believe!

Shall I lead you

To a bargain that will

Save you from

A grievous Penalty?--

11. That ye believe in God

And His Apostle, and that

Ye strive (your utmost)

In the Cause of God,

With your property

And your persons:

That will be best for you,

If ye but knew!

12. He will forgive you

Your sins, and admit you

To Gardens beneath which

Rivers flow, and to beautiful

Mansions in Gardens

Of Eternity: that is indeed

The supreme Achievement.

13. And another (favour

Will He bestow), which ye

Do love,--help from God

And a speedy victory.

So give the Glad Tidings

To the Believers.

14. O ye who believe!

Be ye helpers of God:

As said Jesus the son of Mary

To the Disciples, "Who will be

My helpers to (the work

Of) God?" Said the Disciples,

"We are God's helpers!"

Then a portion of the Children

Of Israel believed, and

A portion disbelieved:

But We gave power

To those who believed,

Against their enemies,

And they became

The ones that prevailed.

Sura LXII.

Jumu'a, or the Assembly (Friday) Prayer.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is

In the heavens and

On earth, doth declare

The Praises and Glory

Of God,--the Sovereign,

The Holy One, the Exalted

In Might, the Wise.

2. It is He Who has sent

Amongst the Unlettered

An apostle from among

Themselves, to rehearse

To them His Signs,

To sanctify them, and

To instruct them in Scripture

And Wisdom,--although

They had been, before,

In manifest error;--

3. As well as (to confer

All these benefits upon)

Others of them, who

Have not already joined them:

And He is Exalted

In Might, Wise.

4. Such is the Bounty of God,

Which He bestows

On whom He will:

And God is the Lord

Of the highest bounty.

5. The similitude of those

Who were charged

With the (obligations

Of the) Mosaic Law,

But who subsequently failed

In those (obligations), is

That of a donkey

Which carries huge tomes

(But understands them not).

Evil is the similitude

Of people who falsify

The Signs of God:

And God guides not

People who do wrong.

6. Say: "O ye that

Stand on Judaism!

If ye think that ye

Are friends to God,

To the exclusion of

(Other) men, then express

Your desire for Death,

If ye are truthful!"

7. But never will they

Express their desire

(For Death), because of

The (deeds) their hands

Have sent on before them!

And God knows well

Those that do wrong!

8. Say: "The Death from which

Ye flee will truly

Overtake you: then will

Ye be sent back

To the Knower of things

Secret and open: and He

Will tell you (the truth

Of) the things that ye did!"

SECTION 2.

9. O ye who believe!

When the call is proclaimed

To prayer on Friday

(The Day of Assembly),

Hasten earnestly to the

Remembrance

Of God, and leave off

Business (and traffic):

That is best for you

If ye but knew!

10. And when the Prayer

Is finished, then may ye

Disperse through the land,

And seek of the Bounty

Of God: and celebrate

The Praises of God

Often (and without stint):

That ye may prosper.

11. But when they see

Some bargain or some

Amusement, they disperse

Headlong to it, and leave

Thee standing. Say:

"The (blessing) from the Presence

Of God is better than

Any amusement or bargain!

And God is the Best

To provide (for all needs)."

Sura LXIII.

Munafiqun, or the Hypocrites.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. When the Hypocrites

Come to thee, they say,

"We bear witness that thou

Art indeed the Apostle

Of God." Yea, God

Knoweth that thou art

Indeed His Apostle,

And God beareth witness

That the Hypocrites are

Indeed liars.

2. They have made their oaths

A screen (for their misdeeds):

Thus they obstruct (men)

From the Path of God:

Truly evil are their deeds.

3. That is because they believed,

Then they rejected Faith:

So a seal was set

On their hearts: therefore

They understand not.

4. When thou lookest

At them, their exteriors

Please thee; and when

They speak, thou listenest

To their words. They are

As (worthless as hollow)

Pieces of timber propped up,

(Unable to stand on their own).

They think that every

Cry is against them.

They are the enemies;

So beware of them.

The curse of God be

On them! How are they

Deluded (away from the Truth)!

5. And when it is said

To them, "Come, the Apostle

Of God will pray for your

Forgiveness" they turn aside

Their heads, and thou wouldst

See them turning away

Their faces in arrogance.

6. It is equal to them

Whether thou pray for

Their forgiveness or not.

God will not forgive them.

Truly God guides not

Rebellious transgressors.

7. They are the ones who say,

"Spend nothing on those

Who are with God's Apostle,

To the end that they

May disperse (and quit Medina)."

But to God belong

The treasures of the heavens

And the earth; but

The Hypocrites understand not.

8. They say, "If we

Return to Medina, surely

The more honourable (element)

Will expel therefrom the meaner".

But honour belongs to God

And His Apostle, and

To the Believers; but

The Hypocrites know not.

SECTION 2.

9. O ye who believe!

Let not your riches

Or your children divert you

From the remembrance of God.

If any act thus,

The loss is their own.

10. And spend something (in charity)

Out of the substance

Which We have bestowed

On you, before Death

Should come to any of you

And he should say,

"O my Lord! Why didst

Thou not give me

Respite for a little while?

I should then have given

(Largely) in charity, and I

Should have been one

Of the doers of good".

11. But to no soul

Will God grant respite

When the time appointed

(For it) has come; and God

Is well acquainted

With (all) that ye do.

Sura LXIV.

Tagabun, or Mutual Loss and Gain.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is

In the heavens and

On earth, doth declare

The Praises and Glory

Of God: to Him belongs

Dominion, and to Him belongs

Praise: and He has power

Over all things.

2. It is He Who has

Created you; and of you

Are some that are

Unbelievers, and some

That are Believers:

And God sees well

All that ye do.

3. He has created the heavens

And the earth

In just proportions,

And has given you shape,

And made your shapes

Beautiful: and to Him

Is the final Goal.

4. He knows what is

In the heavens

And on earth;

And He knows what

Ye conceal and what

Ye reveal: yea, God

Knows well the (secrets)

Of (all) hearts.

5. Has not the story

Reached you, of those

Who rejected Faith aforetime?

So they tasted the evil

Result of their conduct;

And they had

A grievous Penalty.

6. That was because there

Came to them apostles

With Clear Signs,

But they said:

"Shall (mere) human beings

Direct us?" So they rejected

(The Message) and turned away.

But God can do without (them):

And God is

Free of all needs,

Worthy of all praise.

7. The Unbelievers think

That they will not be

Raised up (for Judgment).

Say: "Yea, by my Lord,

Ye shall surely be

Raised up: then shall ye

Be told (the truth) of

All that ye did.

And that is easy for God."

8. Believe, therefore, in God

And His Apostle, and

In the Light which We

Have sent down. And God

Is well acquainted

With all that ye do.

9. The Day that He assembles

You (all) for a Day

Of Assembly,--that will be

A day of mutual loss

And gain (among you).

And those who believe

In God and work righteousness,--

He will remove from them

Their ills, and He will admit

Them to gardens beneath which

Rivers flow, to dwell therein

For ever: that will be

The Supreme Achievement.

10. But those who reject Faith

And treat Our Signs

As falsehoods, they will be

Companions of the Fire,

To dwell therein for aye:

And evil is that Goal.

SECTION 2.

11. No kind of calamity

Can occur, except

By the leave of God:

And if any one believes

In God, (God) guides his

Heart (aright): for God

Knows all things.

12. So obey God, and obey

His Apostle: but if

Ye turn back, the duty

Of Our Apostle is but

To proclaim (the Message)

Clearly and openly.

13. God! There is no god

But He: and on God,

Therefore, let the Believers

Put their trust.

14. O ye who believe!

Truly, among your wives

And your children are (some

That are) enemies to

Yourselves: so beware

Of them! But if ye

Forgive and overlook,

And cover up (their faults),

Verily God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

15. Your riches and your children

May be but a trial:

But in the Presence of God,

Is the highest Reward.

16. So fear God

As much as ye can;

Listen and obey;

And spend in charity

For the benefit of

Your own souls.

And those saved from

The covetousness of their own

Souls,--they are the ones

That achieve prosperity.

17. If ye loan to God

A beautiful loan, He

Will double it to

Your (credit), and He

Will grant you Forgiveness:

For God is most Ready

To appreciate (service)

Most Forbearing,--

18. Knower of what is hidden

And what is open,

Exalted in Might,

Full of Wisdom.

Sura LXV.

Talaq, or Divorce.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. O Prophet! When ye

Do divorce women,

Divorce them at their

Prescribed periods,

And count (accurately)

Their prescribed periods:

And fear God your Lord:

And turn them not out

Of their houses, nor shall

They (themselves) leave,

Except in case they are

Guilty of some open lewdness,

Those are limits

Set by God: and any

Who transgresses the limits

Of God, does verily

Wrong his (own) soul:

Thou knowest not if

Perchance God will

Bring about thereafter

Some new situation.

2. Thus when they fulfil

Their term appointed,

Either take them back

On equitable terms

Or part with them

On equitable terms;

And take for witness

Two persons from among you,

Endued with justice,

And establish the evidence

(As) before God. Such

Is the admonition given

To him who believes

In God and the Last Day.

And for those who fear

God, He (ever) prepares

A way out,

3. And He provides for him

From (sources) he never

Could imagine. And if

Any one puts his trust

In God, sufficient is (God)

For him. For God will

Surely accomplish His purpose:

Verily, for all things

Has God appointed

A due proportion.

4. Such of your women

As have passed the age

Of monthly courses, for them

The prescribed period, if ye

Have any doubts, is

Three months, and for those

Who have no courses

(It is the same):

For those who carry

(Life within their wombs),

Their period is until

They deliver their burdens:

And for those who

Fear God, He will

Make their path easy.

5. That is the Command

Of God, which He

Has sent down to you:

And if any one fears God,

He will remove his ills

From him, and will enlarge

His reward.

6. Let the women live

(In 'iddat) in the same

Style as ye live,

According to your means:

Annoy them not, so as

To restrict them.

And if they carry (life

In their wombs), then

Spend (your substance) on them

Until they deliver

Their burden: and if

They suckle your (offspring),

Give them their recompense:

And take mutual counsel

Together, according to

What is just and reasonable.

And if ye find yourselves

In difficulties, let another

Woman suckle (the child)

On the (father's) behalf.

7. Let the man of means

Spend according to

His means: and the man

Whose resources are restricted,

Let him spend according

To what God has given him.

God puts no burden

On any person beyond

What He has given him.

After a difficulty, God

Will soon grant relief.

SECTION 2.

8. How many populations

That insolently opposed

The command of their Lord

And of His apostles,

Did We not then

Call to account,

To severe account?

And We imposed on them

An exemplary Punishment.

9. Then did they taste

The evil result of

Their conduct, and the End

Of their conduct

Was Perdition.

10. God has prepared for them

A severe Punishment

(In the Hereafter).

Therefore fear God,

O ye men of understanding--

Who have believed!

For God hath indeed

Sent down to you

A Message,--

11. An Apostle, who rehearses

To you the Signs of God

Containing clear explanations,

That he may lead forth

Those who believe

And do righteous deeds

From the depths of Darkness

Into Light. And those who

Believe in God and work

Righteousness, He will admit

To Gardens beneath which rivers

Flow, to dwell therein

For ever: God has indeed

Granted for them

A most excellent provision.

12. God is He Who

Created seven Firmaments

And of the earth

A similar number.

Through the midst

Of them (all) descends

His Command: that ye may

Know that God has power

Over all things, and that

God comprehends all things

In (His) Knowledge.

Sura LXVI.

Tahrim, or Holding (something) to be Forbidden.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. O Prophet! Why

Holdest thou to be forbidden

That which God has

Made lawful to thee?

Thou seekest to please

Thy consorts. But God

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

2. God has already ordained

For you, (O men),

The dissolution of your oaths

(In some cases): and God

Is your Protector, and He

Is Full of Knowledge

And Wisdom.

3. When the Prophet disclosed

A matter in confidence

To one of his consorts,

And she then divulged it

(To another), and God made it

Known to him, he confirmed

Part thereof and repudiated

A part. Then when he

Told her thereof, she said,

"Who told thee this?"

He said, "He told me

Who knows and is well-acquainted

(With all things)"

4. If ye two turn in repentance

To Him, your hearts

Are indeed so inclined;

But if ye back up

Each other against him,

Truly God is his Protector,

And Gabriel, and (every)

Righteous one among those

Who believe,--and furthermore,

The angels--will back (him) up.

5. It may be, if he

Divorced you (all)

That God will give him

In exchange Consorts

Better than you,

Who submit (their wills),

Who believe, who are devout,

Who turn to God in repentance,

Who worship (in humility),

Who travel (for Faith) and fast,--

Previously married or virgins.

6. O ye who believe!

Save yourselves and your

Families from a Fire

Whose fuel is Men

And Stones, over which

Are (appointed) angels

Stern (and) severe,

Who flinch not (from

Executing) the Commands

They receive from God,

But do (precisely) what

They are commanded.

7. (They will say),

"O ye Unbelievers!

Make no excuses

This Day! Ye are being

But requited for

All that ye did!"

SECTION 2.

8. O ye who believe!

Turn to God

With sincere repentance:

In the hope that

Your Lord will remove

From you your ills

And admit you to Gardens

Beneath which Rivers flow,--

The Day that God

Will not permit

To be humiliated

The Prophet and those

Who believe with him.

Their Light will run

Forward before them

And by their right hands,

While they say, "Our Lord!

Perfect our Light for us,

And grant us Forgiveness:

For Thou hast power

Over all things."

9. O Prophet! Strive hard

Against the Unbelievers

And the Hypocrites,

And be firm against them.

Their abode is Hell,--

An evil refuge (indeed).

10. God sets forth,

For an example

To the Unbelievers,

The wife of Noah

And the wife of Lut:

They were (respectively)

Under two of our righteous

Servants, but they were

False to their (husbands),

And they profited nothing

Before God on their account,

But were told: "Enter ye

The Fire along with

(Others) that enter!"

11. And God sets forth,

As an example

To those who believe,

The wife of Pharaoh:

Behold she said:

"O my Lord! build

For me, in nearness

To Thee, a mansion

In the Garden,

And save me from Pharaoh

And his doings,

And save me from

Those that do wrong";

12. And Mary the daughter

Of 'Imran, who guarded

Her chastity; and We

Breathed into (her body)

Of Our spirit; and she

Testified to the truth

Of the words of her Lord

And of his Revelations,

And was one of the

Devout (servants).

Sura LXVII.

Mulk, or Dominion.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Blessed be He

In Whose hands

Is Dominion;

And He over all things

Hath Power;--

2. He Who created Death

And Life, that He

May try which of you

Is best in deed:

And He is the Exalted

In Might, Oft-Forgiving;--

3. He Who created

The seven heavens

One above another:

No want of proportion

Wilt thou see

In the Creation

Of (God) Most Gracious.

So turn thy vision again:

Seest thou any flaw?

4. Again turn thy vision

A second time: (thy) vision

Will come back to thee

Dull and discomfited,

In a state worn out.

5. And We have,

(From of old),

Adorned the lowest heaven

With Lamps, and We

Have made such (Lamps)

(As) missiles to drive

Away the Evil Ones,

And have prepared for them

The Penalty

Of the Blazing Fire.

6. For those who reject

Their Lord (and Cherisher)

Is the Penalty of Hell:

And evil is (such) destination.

7. When they are cast therein,

They will hear

The (terrible) drawing in

Of its breath

Even as it blazes forth,

8. Almost bursting with fury:

Every time a Group

Is cast therein, its Keepers

Will ask, "Did no Warner

Come to you?"

9. They will say: "Yes indeed;

A Warner did come to us,

But we rejected him

And said, "God never

Sent down any (Message):

Ye are innothing but

An egregious delusion!"

10. They will further say:

"Had we but listened

Or used our intelligence,

We should not (now)

Be among the Companions

Of the Blazing Fire!"

11. They will then confess

Their sins: but far

Will be (Forgiveness)

From the Companions

Of the Blazing Fire!

12. As for those who

Fear their Lord unseen,

For them is Forgiveness

And a great Reward.

13. And whether ye hide

Your word or publish it,

He certainly has (full) knowledge,

Of the secrets of (all) hearts.

14. Should He not know,--

He that created?

And He is the One

That understands the finest

Mysteries (and) is

Well-acquainted (with them).

SECTION 2.

15. It is He Who has

Made the earth manageable

For you, so traverse

Ye through its tracts

And enjoy of the Sustenance

Which He furnishes: but

Unto Him is the Resurrection.

16. Do ye feel secure that

He Who is in Heaven

Will not cause you

To be swallowed up

By the earth when it

Shakes (as in an earthquake)?

17. Or do ye feel secure

That He Who is in Heaven

Will not send against you

A violent tornado

(With showers of stones),

So that ye shall

Know how (terrible)

Was My warning?

18. But indeed men before them

Rejected (My warning):

Then how (terrible) was

My rejection (of them)?

19. Do they not observe

The birds above them,

Spreading their wings

And folding them in?

None can uphold them

Except (God) Most Gracious:

Truly it is He

That watches over all things.

20. Nay, who is there

That can help you,

(Even as) an army,

Besides (God) Most Merciful?

In nothing but delusion

Are the Unbelievers.

21. Or who is there

That can provide you

With Sustenance if He

Were to withhold His provision?

Nay, they obstinately persist

In insolent impiety

And flight (from the Truth).

22. Is then one who

Walks headlong, with his face

Grovelling, better guided,--

Or one who walks

Evenly on a Straight Way?

23. Say: "It is He Who

Has created you (and made

You grow), and made

For you the faculties

Of hearing, seeing,

Feeling and understanding:

Little thanks it is ye give.

24. Say: "It is He Who

Has multiplied you

Through the earth,

And to Him shall ye

Be gathered together."

25. They ask: When will

This promise be (fulfilled)?--

If ye are telling

The truth.

26. Say: "As to the knowledge

Of the time, it is

With God alone:

I am (sent) only

To warn plainly in public."

27. At length, when they

See it close at hand,

Grieved will be the faces

Of the Unbelievers,

And it will be said

(To them): "This is

(The promise fulfilled),

Which ye were calling for!"

28. Say: "See ye?--

If God were

To destroy me,

And those with me,

Or if He bestows

His Mercy on us,--

Yet who can deliver

The Unbelievers from

A grievous Penalty?"

29. Say: "He is (God)

Most Gracious: we have

Believed in Him,

And on Him have we

Put our trust:

So, soon will ye know

Which (of us) it is

That is in manifest error."

30. Say: "See ye?--

If your stream be

Some morning lost

(In the underground earth),

Who then can supply you

With clear-flowing water?"

Sura LXVIII.

Qalam, or the Pen, or Nun.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Nun. By the Pen

And by the (Record)

Which (men) write,--

2. Thou art not,

By the grace of thy Lord,

Mad or possessed.

3. Nay, verily for thee

Is a Reward unfailing:

4. And thou (standest)

On an exalted standard

Of character.

5. Soon wilt thou see,

And they will see,

6. Which of you is

Afflicted with madness.

7. Verily it is thy Lord

That knoweth best,

Which (among men)

Hath strayed from His Path:

And He knoweth best

Those who receive

(True) Guidance.

8. So hearken not

To those who

Deny (the Truth),

9. Their desire is that

Thou shouldst be pliant:

So would they be pliant.

10. Heed not the type

Of despicable man,--

Ready with oaths,

11. A slanderer, going about

With calumnies,

12. (Habitually) hindering (all) good,

Transgressing beyond bounds,

Deep in sin,

13. Violent (and cruel),--

With all that, base-born,--

14. Because he possesses

Wealth and (numerous) sons.

15. When to him are rehearsed

Our Signs,

"Tales of the Ancients",

He cries!

16. Soon shall We brand

(The beast) on the snout!

17. Verily We have tried them

As We tried the People

Of the Garden,

When they resolved to gather

The fruits of the (garden)

In the morning,

18. But made no reservation,

("If it be God's Will").

19. Then there came

On the (garden)

A visitation from thy Lord,

(Which swept away) all around,

While they were asleep.

20. So the (garden) became,

By the morning, like

A dark and desolate spot,

(Whose fruit had been gathered).

21. As the morning broke,

They called out,

One to another,--

22. "Go ye to your tilth

(Betimes) in the morning,

If ye would gather

The fruits."

23. So they departed, conversing

In secret low tones, (saying)--

24. "Let not a single indigent

Person break in upon you

Into the (garden) this day."

25. And they opened the morning,

Strong in an (unjust) resolve.

26. But when they saw

The (garden), they said:

"We have surely lost our way:

27. "Indeed we are shut out

(Of the fruits of our labour)!"

28. Said one of them,

More just (than the rest):

"Did I not say to you,

"Why not glorify (God)?"

29. They said: "Glory

To our Lord! Verily we

Have been doing wrong!"

30. Then they turned, one

Against another, in reproach.

31. They said: "Alas for us!

We have indeed transgressed!

32. "It may be that our Lord

Will give us in exchange

A better (garden) than this:

For we do turn to Him

(In repentance)!"

33. Such is the Punishment

(In this life); but greater

Is the Punishment

In the Hereafter,--

If only they knew!

SECTION 2.

34. Verily, for the Righteous,

Are Gardens of Delight,

In the Presence

Of their Lord.

35. Shall We then treat

The People of Faith

Like the People of Sin?

36. What is the matter

With you? How judge ye?

37. Or have ye a Book

Through which ye learn--

38. That ye shall have,

Through it whatever

Ye choose?

39. Or have ye Covenants

With Us on oath,

Reaching to the Day

Of Judgment, (providing)

That ye shall have

Whatever ye shall demand?

40. Ask thou of them,

Which of them will stand

Surety for that!

41. Or have they some

"Partners" (in Godhead)?

Then let them produce

Their "partners",

If they are truthful!

42. The Day that the Shin

Shall be laid bare,

And they shall be summoned

To bow in adoration,

But they shall not be able,--

43. Their eyes will be

Cast down,--ignominy will

Cover them; seeing that

They had been summoned

Aforetime to bow in adoration,

While they were whole,

(And had refused).

44. Then leave Me alone

With such as reject

This Message: by degrees

Shall We punish them

From directions they perceive not.

45. A (long) respite will I

Grant them: truly

Powerful is My Plan.

46. Or is it that thou dost

Ask them for a reward,

So that they are burdened

With a load of debt?--

47. Or that the Unseen

Is in their hands, so that

They can write it down?

48. So wait with patience

For the Command

Of thy Lord, and be not

Like the Companion

Of the Fish,--when he

Cried out in agony.

49. Had not Grace

From His Lord

Reached him, he

Would indeed have been

Cast off on the naked

Shore, in disgrace.

50. Thus did his Lord

Choose him and make him

Of the company

Of the Righteous.

51. And the Unbelievers

Would almost trip thee up

With their eyes when they

Hear the Message; and they

Say: "Surely he is possessed!"

52. But it is nothing less

Than a Message

To all the worlds.

Sura LXIX.

Haqqa, or the Sure Reality.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. The Sure Reality!

2. What is the Sure Reality?

3. And what will make

Thee realise what

The Sure Reality is?

4. The Thamud

And the 'Ad people

(Branded) as false

The Stunning Calamity!

5. But the Thamud,--

They were destroyed

By a terrible Storm

Of thunder and lightning!

6. And the 'Ad,--

They were destroyed

By a furious Wind,

Exceedingly violent;

7. He made it rage

Against them seven nights

And eight days in succession:

So that thou couldst see

The (whole) people lying

Prostrate in its (path),

As if they had been

Roots of hollow palm-trees

Tumbled down!

8. Then seest thou any

Of them left surviving?

9. And Pharaoh,

And those before him,

And the Cities Overthrown,

Committed habitual Sin,

10. And disobeyed (each)

The apostle of their Lord;

So He punished them

With an abundant Penalty.

11. We, when the water

(Of Noah's Flood) overflowed

Beyond its limits,

Carried you (mankind),

In the floating (Ark),

12. That We might

Make it a Message

Unto you, and that ears

(That should hear the tale

And) retain its memory

Should bear its (lessons)

In remembrance.

13. Then, when one

Blast is sounded

On the Trumpet,

14. And the earth is moved,

And its mountains,

And they are crushed to powder

At one stroke,--

15. On that Day

Shall the (Great) Event

Come to pass,

16. And the sky will be

Rent asunder, for it will

That Day be flimsy,

17. And the angels will be

On its sides,

And eight will, that Day,

Bear the Throne

Of thy Lord above them.

18. That Day shall ye be

Brought to Judgment:

Not an act of yours

That ye hide will be hidden.

19. Then he that will be

Given his Record

In his right hand

Will say: "Ah here!

Read ye my Record!

20. "I did really understand

That my Account would

(One Day) reach me!"

21. And he will be

In a life of Bliss,

22. In a Garden on high,

23. The Fruits whereof

(Will hang in bunches)

Low and near.

24. "Eat ye and drink ye,

With full satisfaction;

Because of the (good)

That ye sent before you,

In the days that are gone!"

25. And he that will

Be given his Record

In his left hand,

Will say: "Ah! would

That my record had not

Been given to me!

26. "And that I had never

Realised how

My account (stood)!

27. "Ah! would that (Death)

Had made an end of me!

28. "Of no profit to me

Has been my wealth!

29. "My power has

Perished from me!"...

30. (The stern command will say):

"Seize ye him,

And bind ye him,

31. "And burn ye him

In the Blazing Fire.

32. "Further, make him march

In a chain, whereof

The length is seventy cubits!

33. "This was he that

Would not believe

In God Most High,

34. "And would not encourage

The feeding of the indigent!

35. "So no friend hath he

Here this Day.

36. "Nor hath he any food

Except the corruption

From the washing of wounds,

37. "Which none do eat

But those in sin."

SECTION 2.

38. So I do

Call to witness

What ye see

39. And what ye see not,

40. That this is

Verily the word

Of an honoured apostle;

41. It is not the word

Of a poet:

Little it is

Ye believe!

42. Nor is it the word

Of a soothsayer:

Little admonition it is

Ye receive.

43. (This is) a Message

Sent down from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

44. And if the apostle

Were to invent

Any sayings in Our name,

45. We should certainly seize him

By his right hand,

46. And We should certainly

Then cut off the artery

Of his heart:

47. Nor could any of you

Withhold him

(From Our wrath).

48. But verily this

Is a Message for

The God-fearing.

49. And We certainly know

That there are amongst you

Those that reject (it).

50. But truly (Revelation)

Is a cause of sorrow

For the Unbelievers.

51. But verily it is Truth

Of assured certainty.

52. So glorify the name

Of thy Lord Most High.

Sura LXX.

Ma'arij, or the Ways of Ascent.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. A questioner asked

About a Penalty

To befall--

2. The Unbelievers,

The which there is none

To ward off,--

3. (A Penalty) from God,

Lord of the Ways

Of Ascent.

4. The angels and

The Spirit ascend

Unto Him in a Day

The measure whereof

Is (as) fifty thousand years:

5. Therefore do thou hold

Patience,--a Patience

Of beautiful (contentment).

6. They see the (Day) indeed

As a far-off (event):

7. But We see it

(Quite) near.

8. The Day that

The sky will be like

Molten brass,

9. And the mountains will be

Like wool,

10. And no friend will ask

After a friend,

11. Though they will be put

In sight of each other,--

The sinner's desire will be:

Would that he could

Redeem himself from

The Penalty of that Day

By (sacrificing) his children,

12. His wife and his brother,

13. His kindred who sheltered him,

14. And all, all that is

On earth,--so it could

Deliver him:

15. By no means!

For it would be

The Fire of Hell!--

16. Plucking out (his being)

Right to the skull!--

17. Inviting (all) such

As turn their backs

And turn away their faces

(From the Right),

18. And collect (wealth)

And hide it (from use)!

19. Truly man was created

Very impatient;--

20. Fretful when evil

Touches him;

21. And niggardly when

Good reaches him;--

22. Not so those devoted

To Prayer;--

23. Those who remain steadfast

To their prayer;

24. And those in whose wealth

Is a recognised right

25. For the (needy) who asks

And him who is prevented

(For some reason from asking);

26. And those who hold

To the truth of the Day

Of Judgment;

27. And those who fear

The displeasure of their Lord,--

28. For their Lord's displeasure

Is the opposite of Peace

And Tranquillity;--

29. And those who guard

Their chastity,

30. Except with their wives

And the (captives) whom

Their right hands possess,--

For (then) they are not

To be blamed,

31. But those who trespass

Beyond this are transgressors;--

32. And those who respect

Their trusts and covenants;

33. And those who stand firm

In their testimonies;

34. And those who guard

(The sacredness) of their

worship;--

35. Such will be

The honoured ones

In the Gardens (of Bliss).

SECTION 2.

36. Now what is

The matter with the Unbelievers

That they rush madly

Before thee--

37. From the right

And from the left,

In crowds?

38. Does every man of them

Long to enter

The Garden of Bliss?

39. By no means!

For We have created them

Out of the (base matter)

They know!

40. Now I do

Call to witness

The Lord of all points

In the East and the West

That We can certainly--

41. Substitute for them

Better (men) than they;

And We are not

To be defeated

(In Our Plan).

42. So leave them

To plunge in vain talk

And play about,

Until they encounter

That Day of theirs which

They have been promised!--

43. The Day whereon

They will issue

From their sepulchres

In sudden haste

As if they were

Rushing to a goal-post

(Fixed for them),--

44. Their eyes lowered

In dejection,

Ignominy covering them

(All over)!

Such is the Day

The which they

Are promised!

Sura LXXI.

Nuh, or Noah.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. We sent Noah

To his People

(With the Command):

"Do thou warn thy People

Before there comes to them

A grievous Penalty."

2. He said: "O my People!

I am to you

A Warner, clear and open:

3. "That ye should worship

God, fear Him,

And obey me:

4. "So He may forgive you

Your sins and give you

Respite for a stated Term:

For when the Term given

By God is accomplished,

It cannot be put forward:

If ye only knew."

5. He, said: "O my Lord!

I have called to my People

Night and day:

6. "But my call only

Increases (their) flight

(From the Right).

7. "And every time I have

Called to them, that Thou

Mightest forgive them,

They have (only) thrust

Their fingers into their ears,

Covered themselves up with

Their garments, grown obstinate,

And given themselves up

To arrogance.

8. "So I have called to them

Aloud;

9. "Further I have spoken

To them in public

And secretly in private,

10. "Saying, "Ask forgiveness

From your Lord;

For He is Oft-Forgiving;

11. "He will send rain

To you in abundance;

12. Give you increase

In wealth and sons;

And bestow on you

Gardens and bestow on you

Rivers (of flowing water).

13. "What is the matter

With you, that ye

Place not your hope

For kindness and long-suffering

In God,--

14. "Seeing that it is He

That has created you

In diverse stages?

15. "See ye not

How God has created

The seven heavens

One above another,

16. "And made the moon

A light in their midst,

And made the sun

As a (Glorious) Lamp?

17. "And God has produced

You from the earth,

Growing (gradually),

18. "And in the End

He will return you

Into the (earth),

And raise you forth

(Again at the Resurrection)?

19. "And God has made

The earth for you

As a carpet (spread out),

20. "That ye may go about

Therein, in spacious roads."

SECTION 2.

21. Noah said: "O my Lord!

They have disobeyed me,

But they follow (men)

Whose wealth and children

Give them no Increase

But only Loss.

22. "And they have devised

A tremendous Plot.

23. "And they have said

(To each other),

"Abandon not your gods:

Abandon neither Wadd

Nor Suwa', neither

Yaguth nor Ya'uq,

Nor Nasr';--

24. "They have already

Misled many; and

Grant Thou no increase

To the wrong-doers but in

Straying (from their mark)."

25. Because of their sins

They were drowned

(In the flood),

And were made to enter

The Fire (of Punishment):

And they found

In lieu of God

None to help them.

26. And Noah said:

"O my Lord! Leave not

Of the Unbelievers,

A single one on earth!

27. "For, if Thou dost leave

(Any of) them, they will

But mislead Thy devotees,

And they will breed none

But wicked ungrateful ones.

28. "O my Lord! Forgive me,

My parents, all who

Enter my house in Faith,

And (all) believing men

And believing women:

And to the wrong-doers

Grant Thou no increase

But in Perdition!"

Sura LXXII.

Jinn, or the Spirits.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Say: It has been

Revealed to me that

A company of Jinns

Listened (to the Qur-an).

They said, 'We have

Really heard a wonderful Recital!

2. 'It gives guidance

To the Right,

And we have believed therein:

We shall not join (in worship)

Any (gods) with our Lord.

3. 'And exalted is the Majesty

Of our Lord: He has

Taken neither a wife

Nor a son.

4. 'There were some foolish ones

Among us, who used

To utter extravagant lies

Against God;

5. 'But we do think

That no man or spirit

Should say aught that is

Untrue against God.

6. 'True, there were persons

Among mankind who took shelter

With persons among the Jinns,

But they increased them

In folly.

7. 'And they (came to) think

As ye thought, that God

Would not raise up

Any one (to Judgment).

8. 'And we pried into

The secrets of heaven;

But we found it filled

With stern guards

And flaming fires.

9. 'We used, indeed, to sit there

In (hidden) stations, to (steal)

A hearing; but any

Who listens now

Will find a flaming fire

Watching him in ambush.

10. 'And we understand not

Whether ill is intended

To those on earth,

Or whether their Lord

(Really) intends to guide

Them to right conduct.

11. 'There are among us

Some that are righteous,

And some the contrary:

We follow divergent paths.

12. 'But we think that we

Can by no means frustrate

God throughout the earth,

Nor can we frustrate Him

By flight.

13. 'And as for us,

Since we have listened

To the Guidance, we have

Accepted it: and any

Who believes in his Lord

Has no fear, either

Of a short (account)

Or of any injustice.

14. 'Amongst us are some

That submit their wills

(To God), and some

That swerve from justice.

Now those who submit

Their wills--they have

Sought out (the path)

Of right conduct:

15. 'But those who swerve,--

They are (but) fuel

For Hell-fire'--

16. (And God's Message is):

"If they (the Pagans)

Had (only) remained

On the (right) Way,

We should certainly have

Bestowed on them Rain

In abundance.

17. "That We might try them

By that (means).

But if any turns away

From the remembrance

Of his Lord, He will

Cause him to undergo

A severe Penalty.

18. "And the places of worship

Are for God (alone):

So invoke not any one

Along with God;

19. "Yet when the Devotee

Of God stands forth

To invoke Him, they just

Make round him a dense crowd."

SECTION 2.

20. Say: "I do

No more than invoke

My Lord, and I join not

With Him any (false god)."

21. Say: "It is not

In my power to cause

You harm, or to bring

You to right conduct."

22. Say: "No one can

Deliver me from God

(If I were to disobey Him),

Nor should I find refuge

Except in Him,

23. "Unless I proclaim what

I receive from God

And His Messages:

For any that disobey God

And His Apostle,--for them

Is Hell: they shall dwell

Therein for ever."

24. At length, when they

See (with their own eyes)

That which they are promised,--

Then will they know

Who it is that is

Weakest in (his) helper

And least important

In point of numbers.

25. Say: "I know not whether

The (Punishment) which ye

Are promised is near,

Or whether my Lord

Will appoint for it

A distant term.

26. "He (alone) knows the Unseen,

Nor does He make any one

Acquainted with his Mysteries,--

27. "Except an apostle

Whom He has chosen:

And then He makes

A band of watchers

March before him

And behind him,

28. "That he may know

That they have (truly)

Brought and delivered

The Messages of their Lord:

And He surrounds

(All the mysteries) that are

With them, and takes account

Of every single thing."

Sura LXXIII.

Muzzammil, or Folded in Garments.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. O thou folded

In garments!

2. Stand (to prayer) by night,

But not all night,--

3. Half of it,--

Or a little less,

4. Or a little more;

And recite the Qur-an

In slow, measured rhythmic tones.

5. Soon shall We send down

To thee a weighty Message.

6. Truly the rising by night

Is most potent for governing

(The soul), and most suitable

For (framing) the Word

(Of Prayer and Praise).

7. True, there is for thee

By day prolonged occupation

With ordinary duties:

8. But keep in remembrance

The name of thy Lord

And devote thyself

To Him whole-heartedly.

9. (He is) Lord of the East

And the West: there is

No god but He:

Take Him therefore

For (thy) Disposer of Affairs.

10. And have patience with what

They say, and leave them

With noble (dignity).

11. And leave Me

(Alone to deal with)

Those in possession of

The good things of life,

Who (yet) deny the Truth;

And bear with them

For a little while.

12. With Us are Fetters

(To bind them), and a Fire

(To burn them),

13. And a Food that chokes,

And a Penalty Grievous.

14. One Day the earth

And the mountains

Will be in violent commotion.

And the mountains will be

As a heap of sand

Poured out and flowing down.

15. We have sent to you,

(O men!) an apostle,

To be a witness concerning you,

Even as We sent

An apostle to Pharaoh.

16. But Pharaoh disobeyed

The apostle; so We

Seized him with

A heavy Punishment.

17. Then how shall ye,

If ye deny (God),

Guard yourselves against

A Day that will make

Children hoary-headed?--

18. Whereon the sky will be

Cleft asunder?

His Promise needs must

Be accomplished.

19. Verily this is an Admonition:

Therefore, whoso will, let him

Take a (straight) path

To his Lord!

SECTION 2.

20. Thy Lord doth know

That thou standest forth

(To prayer) nigh two-thirds

Of the night, or half

The night, or a third

Of the night, and so doth

A party of those with thee.

But God doth appoint Night

And Day in due measure.

He knoweth that ye are

Unable to keep count thereof.

So He hath turned to you

(In mercy): read ye,

Therefore, of the Qur-an

As much as may be

Easy for you. He knoweth

That there may be (some)

Among you in ill-health;

Others travelling through the land,

Seeking of God's bounty;

Yet others fighting

In God's Cause. Read ye,

Therefore, as much of the Qur-an

As may be easy (for you);

And establish regular Prayer

And give regular Charity;

And loan to God

A Beautiful Loan.

And whatever good

Ye send forth

For your souls,

Ye shall find it

In God's Presence,--

Yea, better and

Greater, in Reward.

And seek ye the Grace

Of God: for God is

Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Sura LXXIV.

Muddaththir, or One Wrapped Up.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. O thou wrapped up

(In a mantle)!

2. Arise and deliver thy warning!

3. And thy Lord

Do thou magnify!

4. And thy garments

Keep free from stain!

5. And all abomination shun!

6. Nor expect, in giving,

Any increase (for thyself)!

7. But, for thy Lord's (Cause),

Be patient and constant!

8. Finally, when the trumpet

Is sounded,

9. That will be--that Day--

A Day of Distress,--

10. Far from easy

For those without Faith.

11. Leave Me alone, (to deal)

With the (creature) whom

I created (bare and) alone!--

12. To whom I granted

Resources in abundance,

13. And sons to be

By his side!--

14. To whom I made

(Life) smooth and comfortable!

15. Yet is he greedy--

That I should add

(Yet more);--

16. By no means!

For to Our Signs

He has been refractory!

17. Soon will I visit him

With a mount of calamities!

18. For he thought

And he plotted;--

19. And woe to him!

How he plotted!--

20. Yea, woe to him:

How he plotted!--

21. Then he looked round;

22. Then he frowned

And he scowled;

23. Then he turned back

And was haughty;

24. Then said he:

"This is nothing but magic,

Derived from of old;

25. "This is nothing but

The word of a mortal!"

26. Soon will I

Cast him into Hell-Fire!

27. And what will explain

To thee what Hell-Fire is?

28. Naught doth it permit

To endure, and naught

Doth it leave alone!--

29. Darkening and changing

The colour of man!

30. Over it are Nineteen.

31. And We have set none

But angels as guardians

Of the Fire; and We

Have fixed their number

Only as a trial

For Unbelievers,--in order

That the People of the Book

May arrive at certainty,

And the Believers may increase

In Faith,--and that no doubts

May be left for the People

Of the Book and the Believers,

And that those in whose hearts

Is a disease and the Unbelievers

May say, "What symbol

Doth God intend by this?

Thus doth God leave to stray

Whom He pleaseth, and guide

Whom He pleaseth: and none

Can know the forces

Of thy Lord, except He.

And this is no other than

A warning to mankind.

SECTION 2.

32. Nay, verily:

By the Moon,

33. And by the Night

As it retreateth,

34. And by the Dawn

As it shineth forth,--

35. This is but one

Of the mighty (portents),

36. A warning to mankind,--

37. To any of you that

Chooses to press forward,

Or to follow behind;--

38. Every soul will be (held)

In pledge for its deeds.

39. Except the Companions

Of the Right Hand.

40. (They will be) in Gardens

(Of Delight): they will

Question each other,

41. And (ask) of the Sinners:

42. "What led you

Into Hell-Fire?"

43. They will say:

"We were not of those

Who prayed;

44. "Nor were we of those

Who fed the indigent;

45. "But we used to talk

Vanities with vain talkers;

46. "And we used to deny

The Day of Judgment,

47. "Until there came to us

(The Hour) that is certain."

48. Then will no intercession

Of (any) intercessors

Profit them.

49. When what is

The matter with them

That they turn away

From admonition?

50. As if they were

Affrighted asses,

51. Fleeing from a lion!

52. Forsooth, each one of them

Wants to be given

Scrolls (of revelation) spread out!

53. By no means! But

They fear not the Hereafter.

54. Nay, this surely

Is an admonition:

55. Let any who will,

Keep it in remembrance!

56. But none will keep it

In remembrance except

As God wills: He

Is the Lord of Righteousness,

And the Lord of Forgiveness.

Sura LXXV.

Qiyamat, or the Resurrection.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. I do call to witness

The Resurrection Day;

2. And I do call to witness

The self-reproaching spirit:

(Eschew Evil).

3. Does man think that We

Cannot assemble his bones?

4. Nay, We are able to put

Together in perfect order

The very tips of his fingers.

5. But man wishes to do

Wrong (even) in the time

In front of him.

6. He questions: "When

Is the Day of Resurrection?"

7. At length, when

The Sight is dazed,

8. And the moon is

Buried in darkness.

9. And the sun and moon

Are joined together,--

10. That Day will Man say:

"Where is the refuge?"

11. By no means!

No place of safety!

12. Before thy Lord (alone),

That Day will be

The place of rest.

13. That Day will Man

Be told (all) that he

Put forward, and all

That he put back.

14. Nay, man will be

Evidence against himself,

15. Even though he were

To put up his excuses.

16. Move not thy tongue

Concerning the (Qur-an)

To make haste therewith,

17. It is for Us to collect it

And to promulgate it:

18. But when We have

Promulgated it, follow thou

Its recital (as promulgated):

19. Nay more, it is

For us to explain it

(And make it clear):

20. Nay, (ye men!)

But ye love

The fleeting life,

21. And leave alone

The Hereafter.

22. Some faces, that Day,

Will beam (in brightness

And beauty);--

23. Looking towards their Lord;

24. And some faces, that Day,

Will be sad and dismal,

25. In the thought that some

Back-breaking calamity was about

To be indicted on them;

26. Yea, when (the soul)

Reaches to the collar-bone

(In its exit),

27. And there will be a cry,

"Who is a magician

(To restore him)?"

28. And he will conclude

That it was (the Time)

Of Parting;

29. And one leg will be

Joined with another:

30. That Day the Drive

Will be (all) to thy Lord!

SECTION 2.

31. So he gave nothing

In charity, nor

Did he pray!--

32. But on the contrary,

He rejected Truth

And turned away!

33. Then did he stalk

To his family

In full conceit!

34. Woe to thee,

(O man!, yea, woe!

35. Again, woe to thee,

(O man!), yea, woe!

36. Does Man think

That he will be left

Uncontrolled, (without purpose)?

37. Was he not a drop

Of sperm emitted

(In lowly form)?

38. Then did he become

A leech-like clot;

Then did (God) make

And fashion (him)

In due proportion.

39. And of him He made

Two sexes, male

And female.

40. Has not He, (the same),

The power to give life

To the dead?

Sura LXXVI.

Dahr, or Time, or Insan, or Man.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Has there not been

Over Man a long period

Of Time, when he was

Nothing--(not even) mentioned?

2. Verily We created

Man from a drop

Of mingled sperm,

In order to try him:

So We gave him (the gifts).

Of Hearing and Sight.

3. We showed him, the Way:

Whether he be grateful

Or ungrateful (rests

On his will).

4. For the Rejecters

We have prepared

Chains, Yokes, and

A Blazing Fire.

5. As to the Righteous,

They shall drink

Of a Cup (of Wine)

Mixed with Kafur,--

6. A Fountain where

The Devotees of God

Do drink, making it

Flow in unstinted abundance.

7. They perform (their) vows,

And they fear a Day

Whose evil flies far and wide.

8. And they feed, for the love

Of God, the indigent,

The orphan, and the captive,--

9. (Saying), "We feed you

For the sake of God alone:

No reward do we desire

From you, nor thanks.

10. "We only fear a Day

Of distressful Wrath

From the side of our Lord."

11. But God will deliver

Them from the evil

Of that Day, and will

Shed over them a Light

Of Beauty and

A (blissful) Joy.

12. And because they were

Patient and constant, He will

Reward them with a Garden

And (garments of) silk.

13. Reclining in the (Garden)

On raised thrones,

They will see there neither

The sun's (excessive heat)

Nor (the moon's) excessive cold.

14. And the shades of the (Garden)

Will come low over them,

And the bunches (of fruit),

There, will hang low

In humility.

15. And amongst them will be

Passed round vessels of silver

And goblets of crystal,--

16. Crystal-clear, made of silver:

They will determine

The measure thereof

(According to their wishes).

17. And they will be given

To drink there of a Cup

(Of Wine) mixed

With Zanjabil,--

18. A fountain there,

Called Salsabil.

19. And round about them

Will (serve) youths

Of perpetual (freshness):

If thou seest them,

Thou wouldst think them

Scattered Pearls.

20. And when thou lookest,

It is there thou wilt see

A Bliss and

A Realm Magnificent.

21. Upon them will be

Green Garments of fine silk

And heavy brocade,

And they will be adorned

With Bracelets of silver;

And their Lord will

Give to them to drink

Of a Wine

Pure and Holy.

22. "Verily this is a Reward

For you, and your Endeavour

Is accepted and recognised."

SECTION 2.

23. It is We Who

Have sent down the Qur-an

To thee by stages.

24. Therefore be patient

With constancy to the Command

Of thy Lord, and hearken not

To the sinner or the ingrate

Among them.

25. And celebrate the name

Of thy Lord morning

And evening,

26. And part of the night,

Prostrate thyself to Him;

And glorify Him

A long night through.

27. As to these, they love

The fleeting life,

And put away behind them

A Day (that will be) hard.

28. It is We Who created

Them, and We have made

Their joints strong;

But, when We will,

We can substitute

The like of them

By a complete change.

29. This is an admonition:

Whosoever will, let him

Take a (straight) Path

To his Lord.

30. But ye will not,

Except as God wills;

For God is full of

Knowledge and Wisdom.

31. He will admit

To His Mercy Whom He will;

But the wrong-doers,--

For them has He prepared

A grievous Penalty.

Sura LXXVII.

Mursalat, or Those Sent Forth.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the (Winds) Sent Forth

One after another

(To man's profit);

2. Which then blow violently

In tempestuous Gusts,

3. And scatter (things)

Far and wide;

4. Then separate them,

One from another,

5. Then spread abroad

A Message,

6. Whether of Justification

Or of Warning;--

7. Assuredly, what ye are

Promised must come to pass.

8. Then when the stars

Become dim;

9. When the heaven

Is cleft asunder;

10. When the mountains are

Scattered (to the winds) as dust;

11. And when the apostles

Are (all) appointed a time

(To collect);--

12. For what Day are these

(Portents) deferred?

13. For the Day of Sorting out.

14. And what will explain

To thee what is

The Day of Sorting out?

15. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

16. Did We not destroy

The men of old

(For their evil)?

17. So shall We make

Later (generations)

Follow them.

18. Thus do We deal

With men of sin.

19. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

20. Have We not created

You from a fluid

(Held) despicable?--

21. The which We placed

In a place of rest,

Firmly fixed,

22. For a period (of gestation),

Determined (according to need)?

23. For We do determine

(According to need); for We

Are the Best to determine (things).

24. Ah woe, that Day!

To the Rejecters of Truth!

25. Have We not made

The earth (as a place)

To draw together

26. The living and the dead,

27. And made therein

Mountains standing firm,

Lofty (in stature);

And provided for you

Water sweet (and wholesome)?

28. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

29. (It will be said:)

"Depart ye to that

Which ye used to reject

As false!

30. "Depart ye to a Shadow

(Of smoke ascending)

In three columns,

31. "(Which yields) no shade

Of coolness, and is

Of no use against

The fierce Blaze.

32. "Indeed it throws about

Sparks (huge) as Forts,

33. "As if there were

(A string of) yellow camels

(Marching swiftly).

34. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

35. That will be a Day

When they shall not

Be able to speak,

36. Nor will it be

Open to them

To put forth pleas.

37. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

38. That will be a Day

Of Sorting out! We shall

Gather you together

And those before (you)!

39. Now, if ye have

A trick (or plot),

Use it against Me!

40. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

SECTION 2.

41. As to the Righteous,

They shall be amidst

(Cool) shades and springs

(Of water),

42. And (they shall have)

Fruits,--all they desire.

43. "Eat ye and drink ye

To your heart's content:

For that ye worked

(Righteousness).

44. Thus do We certainly

Reward the Doers of Good.

45. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

46. (O ye Unjust!)

Eat ye and enjoy yourselves

(But) a little while,

For that ye are Sinners.

47. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

48. And when it is said

To them, "Prostrate yourselves!"

They do not so.

49. Ah woe, that Day,

To the Rejecters of Truth!

50. Then what Message,

After that,

Will they believe in?

Sura LXXVIII.

Nabaa, or The (Great) News.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Concerning what

Are they disputing?

2. Concerning the Great News,

3. About which they

Cannot agree.

4. Verily, they shall soon

(Come to) know!

5. Verily, verily they shall

Soon (come to) know!

6. Have We not made

The earth as a wide

Expanse,

7. And the mountains as pegs?

8. And (have We not) created

You in pairs,

9. And made your sleep

For rest,

10. And made the night

As a covering,

11. And made the day

As a means of subsistence?

12. And (have We not)

Built over you

The seven firmaments,

13. And placed (therein)

A Light of Splendour?

14. And do We not send down

From the clouds water

In abundance,

15. That We may produce

Therewith corn and vegetables,

16. And gardens of luxurious growth?

17. Verily the Day

Of Sorting Out

Is a thing appointed,--

18. The Day that the Trumpet

Shall be sounded, and ye

Shall come forth in crowds;

19. And the heavens

Shall be opened

As if there were doors,

20. And the mountains

Shall vanish, as if

They were a mirage.

21. Truly Hell is

As a place of ambush,--

22. For the transgressors

A place of destination:

23. They will dwell therein

For ages.

24. Nothing cool shall they taste

Therein, nor any drink,

25. Save a boiling fluid

And a fluid, dark, murky,

Intensely cold,--

26. A fitting recompense

(For them).

27. For that they used not

To fear any account

(For their deeds),

28. But they (impudently) treated

Our Signs as false.

29. And all things have We

Preserved on record.

30. "So taste ye (the fruits

Of your deeds);

For no increase

Shall We grant you,

Except in Punishment.

SECTION 2.

31. Verily for the Righteous

There will be

A fulfilment of

(The Heart's) desires;

32. Gardens enclosed, and Grapevines;

33. Companions of Equal age;

34. And a Cup full

(To the brim).

35. No Vanity shall they hear

Therein, nor Untruth;--

36. Recompense from thy Lord,

A Gift, (amply) sufficient,--

37. (From the Lord

Of the heavens

And the earth, and all between,--

(God) Most Gracious:

None shall have power

To argue with Him.

38. The Day that

The Spirit and the angels

Will stand forth in ranks,

None shall speak

Except any who is

Permitted by (God) Most Gracious,

And he will say

What is right.

39. that day will be

The sure Reality:

Therefore, whoso will let him

Take a (straight) Return

To his Lord!

40. Verily, we have warned you

Of a Penalty near,--

The Day when man will

See (the Deeds) which

His hands have sent forth,

And the Unbeliever will say,

"Woe unto me! Would that

I were mere dust!"

Sura LXXIX.

Nazi'at, or Those Who Tear Out.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. By the (angels)

Who tear out

(The souls of the wicked)

With violence;

2. By those who gently

Draw out (the souls

Of the blessed);

3. And by those who glide

Along (on errands of mercy),

4. Then press forward

As in a race,

5. Then arrange to do

(The Commands of their Lord),--

6. One Day everything that

Can be in commotion will

Be in violent commotion,

7. Followed by oft-repeated

(Commotions):

8. Hearts that Day

Will be in agitation;

9. Cast down will be

(Their owners') eyes.

10. They say (now): "What!

Shall we indeed be

Returned to (our) former state?--

11. "What!--when we shall

Have become rotten bones?"

12. They say: "It would

In that case, be

A return with loss!"

13. But verily, it will

Be but a single

(Compelling) Cry,

14. When, behold, they

Will be in the (full)

Awakening (to Judgment).

15. Has the story

Of Moses reached thee?

16. Behold, thy Lord did call

To him in the sacred valley

Of Tuwa:--

17. "Go thou to Pharaoh,

For he has indeed

Transgressed all bounds:

18. "And say to him,

"Wouldst thou that thou

Shouldst he purified

(From sin)?--

19. "And that I guide thee

To thy Lord, so thou

Shouldst fear Him?"

20. Then did (Moses) show him

The Great Sign.

21. But (Pharaoh) rejected it

And disobeyed (guidance);

22. Further, he turned his back,

Striving hard (against God).

23. Then he collected (his men)

And made a proclamation,

24. Saying, "I am your Lord,

Most High".

25. But God did punish him,

(And made an) example

Of him,--in the Hereafter,

As in this life.

26. Verily in this is

An instructive warning

For whosoever feareth (God).

SECTION 2.

27. What! Are ye the more

Difficult to create

Or the heaven (above)?

(God) hath constructed it:

28. On high hath He raised

Its canopy, and He hath

Given it order and perfection.

29. Its night doth He

Endow with darkness,

And its splendour doth He

Bring out (with light).

30. And the earth, moreover,

Hath He extended

(To a wide expanse);

31. He draweth out

Therefrom its moisture

And its pasture;

32. And the mountains

Hath He firmly fixed;

33. For use and convenience

To you and your cattle.

34. Therefore, when there comes

The great, overwhelming (Event),--

35. The Day when Man

Shall remember (all)

That he strove for,

36. And Hell-Fire shall be

Placed in full view

For (all) to see,--

37. Then, for such as had

Transgressed all bounds,

38. And had preferred

The life of this world,

39. The Abode will be

Hell-Fire;

40. And for such as had

Entertained the fear

Of standing before

Their Lord's (tribunal)

And had restrained

(Their) soul from lower Desires,

41. Their Abode will be

The Garden.

42. They ask thee

About the Hour,--"When

Will be its appointed time?"

43. Wherein art thou (concerned)

With the declaration thereof?

44. With thy Lord is

The Limit fixed therefor.

45. Thou art but a Warner

For such as fear it.

46. The Day they see it,

(It will be) as if they

Had tarried but a single

Evening, or (at most till)

The following morn!

Sura LXXX.

'Abasa, or He Frowned.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. (The Prophet) frowned

And turned away,

2. Because there came to him

The blind man (interrupting).

3. But what could tell thee

But that perchance he might

Grow (in spiritual understanding)?--

4. Or that he might receive

Admonition, and the teaching

Might profit him?

5. As to one who regards

Himself as self-sufficient,

6. To him dost thou attend;

7. Though it is no blame

To thee if he grow not

(In spiritual understanding).

8. But as to him who came

To thee striving earnestly,

9. And with fear

(In his heart),

10. Of him wast thou unmindful.

11. By no means

(Should it be so)!

For it is indeed

A Message of instruction:

12. Therefore let whoso will,

Keep it in remembrance.

13. (It is) in Books

Held (greatly) in honour,

14. Exalted (in dignity),

Kept pure and holy,

15. (Written) by the hands

Of scribes--

16. Honourable and

Pious and Just.

17. Woe to man!

What hath made him

Reject God:

18. From what stuff

Hath He created him?

19. From a sperm-drop:

He hath created him, and then

Mouldeth him in due proportions;

20. Then doth He make

His path smooth for him;

21. Then He causeth him to die,

And putteth him in his Grave;

22. Then, when it is

His Will, He will

Raise him up (again).

23. By no means hath he

Fulfilled what God

Hath commanded him.

24. Then let man look

At his Food,

(And how We provide it):

25. For that We pour forth

Water in abundance,

26. And We split the earth

In fragments,

27. And produce therein Corn,

28. And Grapes and nutritious Plants,

29. And Olives and Dates,

30. And enclosed Gardens,

Dense with lofty trees,

31. And Fruits and Fodder,--

32. For use and convenience

To you and your cattle.

33. At length, when there

Comes the Deafening Noise,--

34. That Day shall a man

Flee from his own brother,

35. And from his mother

And his father,

36. And from his wife

And his children.

37. Each one of them,

That Day, will have

Enough concern (of his own)

To make him indifferent

To the others,

38. Some Faces that Day

Will be beaming,

39. Laughing, rejoicing.

40. And other faces that Day

Will be dust-stained;

41. Blackness will cover them:

42. Such will be

The Rejecters of God,

The Doers of Iniquity.

Sura LXXXI.

Takwir, or the Folding Up.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. When the sun

(With its spacious light)

Is folded up;

2. When the stars

Fall, losing their lustre;

3. When the mountains vanish

(Like a mirage);

4. When the she-camels,

Ten months with young,

Are left untended;

5. When the wild beasts

Are herded together

(In human habitations);

6. When the oceans

Boil over with a swell;

7. When the souls

Are sorted out,

(Being joined, like with like);

8. When the female (infant),

Buried alive, is questioned--

9. For what crime

She was killed;

10. When the Scrolls

Are laid open;

11. When the World on High

Is unveiled;

12. When the Blazing Fire

Is kindled to fierce heat;

13. And when the Garden

Is brought near;--

14. (Then) shall each soul know

What it has put forward.

15. So verily I call

To witness the Planets--

That recede,

16. Go straight, or hide;

17. And the Night

As it dissipates;

18. And the Dawn

As it breathes away

The darkness;--

19. Verily this is the word

Of a most honourable Messenger,

20. Endued with Power,

With rank before

The Lord of the Throne,

21. With authority there,

(And) faithful to his trust.

22. And (O people!)

Your Companion is not

One possessed;

23. And without doubt he saw him

In the clear horizon.

24. Neither doth he withhold

Grudgingly a knowledge

Of the Unseen.

25. Nor is it the word

Of an evil spirit accursed!

26. When whither go ye?

27. Verily this is no less

Than a Message

To (all) the Worlds:

28. (With profit) to whoever

Among you wills

To go straight:

29. But ye shall not will

Except as God wills,--

The Cherisher of the Worlds.

Sura LXXXII.

Infitar, or The Cleaving Asunder.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. When the Sky

Is cleft asunder;

2. When the Stars

Are scattered;

3. When the Oceans

Are suffered to burst forth;

4. And when the Graves

Are turned upside down;--

5. (Then) shall each soul know

What it hath sent forward

And (what it hath) kept back.

6. O man! what has

Seduced thee from

Thy Lord Most Beneficent?--

7. Him Who created thee.

Fashioned thee in due proportion

And gave thee a just bias;

8. In whatever Form He wills,

Does He put thee together.

9. Nay! but ye do

Reject Right and Judgment!

10. But verily over you

(Are appointed angels)

To protect you,--

11. Kind and honourable,--

Writing down (your deeds):

12. They know (and understand)

All that ye do.

13. As for the Righteous,

They will be in Bliss;

14. And the Wicked--

They will be in the Fire,

15. Which they will enter

On the Day of Judgment,

16. And they will not be

Able to keep away therefrom.

17. And what will explain

To thee what the Day

Of Judgment is?

18. Again, what will explain

To thee what the Day

Of Judgment is?

19. (It will be) the Day

When no soul shall have

Power (to do) aught

For another

For the Command, that Day,

Will be (wholly) with God.

Sura LXXXIII.

Tatfif, or Dealing in Fraud.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Woe to those

That deal in fraud,--

2. Those who, when they

Have to receive by measure

From men, exact full measure,

3. But when they have

To give by measure

Or weight to men,

Give less than due.

4. Do they not think

That they will be called

To account?--

5. On a Mighty Day,

6. A Day when (all) mankind

Will stand before

The Lord of the Worlds?

7. Nay! Surely the Record

Of the Wicked is

(Preserved) in Sijjin.

8. And what will explain

To thee what Sijjin is?

9. (There is) a Register

(Fully) inscribed.

10. Woe, that Day, to those

That deny--

11. Those that deny

The Day of Judgment.

12. And none can deny it

But the Transgressor

Beyond bounds,

The Sinner!

13. When Our Signs are rehearsed

To him, he says,

"Tales of the Ancients!"

14. By no means!

But on their hearts

Is the stain of the (ill)

Which they do!

15. Verily, from (the Light

Of) their Lord, that Day,

Will they be veiled.

16. Further, they will enter

The Fire of Hell.

17. Further, it will be said

To them: "This is

The (reality) which ye

Rejected as false!

18. Nay, verily the Record

Of the Righteous is

(Preserved) in 'Illiyin.

19. And what will explain

To thee what 'Illiyin is?

20. (There is) a Register

(Fully) inscribed,

21. To which bear witness

Those Nearest (to God),

22. Truly the Righteous

Will be in Bliss:

23. On Thrones (of Dignity)

Will they command a sight

(Of all things):

24. Thou wilt recognise

In their Faces

The beaming brightness of Bliss.

25. Their thirst will be slaked

With Pure Wine sealed:

26. The seal thereof will be

Musk: and for this

Let those aspire,

Who have aspirations:

27. With it will be (given)

A mixture of Tasnim:

28. A spring, from (the waters)

Whereof drink

Those Nearest to God.

29. Those in sin used

To laugh at those

Who believed,

30. And whenever they passed

By them, used to wink

At each other (in mockery);

31. And when they returned

To their own people,

They would return jesting;

32. And whenever they saw them,

They would say, "Behold!

These are the people

Truly astray!"

33. But they had not been

Sent as Keepers over them!

34. But on this Day

The Believers will laugh

At the Unbelievers:

35. On Thrones (of Dignity)

They will command (a sight)

(Of all things),

36. Will not the Unbelievers

Have been paid back

For what they did?

Sura LXXXIV.

Inshiqaq, or The Rending Asunder.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. When the Sky is

Rent asunder,

2. And hearkens to

(The Command of) its Lord,--

And it must needs

(Do so);--

3. And when the Earth

Is flattened out,

4. And casts forth

What is within it

And becomes (clean) empty,

5. And hearkens to

(The Command of) its Lord,--

And it must needs

(Do so);--(then will come

Home the full Reality)

6. O thou man!

Verily thou art ever

Toiling on towards thy Lord--

Painfully toiling,--but thou

Shalt meet Him.

7. Then he who is given

His Record in his

Right hand,

8. Soon will his account

Be taken by an easy reckoning,

9. And he will turn

To his people, rejoicing!

10. But he who is given

His Record behind his back,--

11. Soon will he cry

For Perdition,

12. And he will enter

A Blazing Fire.

13. Truly, did he go about

Among his people, rejoicing!

14. Truly, did he think

That he would not

Have to return (to Us)!

15. Nay, nay! for his Lord

Was (ever) watchful of him!

16. So I do call

To witness the ruddy glow

Of Sunset;

17. The Night and its Homing;

18. And the Moon

In her Fulness:

19. Ye shall surely travel

From stage to stage

20. What then is the matter

With them, that they

Believe not?--

21. And when the Qur-an

Is read to them, they

Fall not prostrate,

22. But on the contrary

The Unbelievers reject (it).

23. But God has full Knowledge

Of what they secrete

(In their breasts).

24. So announce to them

A Penalty Grievous,

25. Except to those who believe

And work righteous deeds:

For them is a Reward

That will never fail.

Sura LXXXV.

Buruj, or The Zodiacal Signs.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the Sky, (displaying)

The Zodiacal Signs;

2. By the promised Day

(Of Judgment);

3. By one that witnesses,

And the subject of the witness;--

4. Woe to the makers

Of the pit (of fire),

5. Fire supplied (abundantly)

With Fuel:

6. Behold! they sat

Over against the (fire),

7. And they witnessed

(All) that they were doing

Against the Believers.

8. And they ill-treated them

For no other reason than

That they believed in God,

Exalted in Power,

Worthy of all Praise!--

9 Him to Whom belongs

The dominion of the heavens

And the earth!

And God is Witness

To all things.

10. Those who persecute (or draw

into temptation)

The Believers, men and women,

And do not turn

In repentance, will have

The Penalty of Hell:

They will have the Penalty

Of the Burning Fire.

11. For those who believe

And do righteous deeds,

Will be Gardens,

Beneath which Rivers flow:

That is the great Salvation,

(The fulfilment of all desires),

12. Truly strong is the Grip

(And Power) of thy Lord.

13. It is He Who creates

From the very beginning,

And He can restore (life).

14. And He is the Oft-Forgiving,

Full of loving-kindness,

15. Lord of the Throne of Glory,

16. Doer (without let)

Of all that He intends.

17. Has the story

Reached thee,

Of the Forces--

18. Of Pharaoh

And the Thamud?

19. And yet the Unbelievers

(Persist) in rejecting

(The Truth)!

20. But God doth

Encompass them

From behind!

21. Nay, this is

A Glorious Qur-an,

22. (Inscribed) in

A Tablet Preserved!

Sura LXXXVI.

Tariq, or The Night-Visitant.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the Sky

And the Night-Visitant

(Therein);--

2. And what will explain to thee

What the Night-Visitant is?--

3. (It is) the Star

Of piercing brightness;--

4. There is no soul but has

A protector over it.

5. Now let man but think

From what he is created!

6. He is created from

A drop emitted--

7. Proceeding from between

The backbone and the ribs:

8. Surely (God) is able

To bring him back

(To life)!

9. The Day that

(All) things secret

Will be tested,

10. (Man) will have

No power,

And no helper.

11. By the Firmament

Which returns (in its round),

12. And by the Earth

Which opens out

(For the gushing of springs

Or the sprouting of vegetation),--

13. Behold this is the Word

That distinguishes (Good

From Evil):

14. It is not a thing

For amusement.

15. As for them, they

Are but plotting a scheme,

16. And I am planning

A scheme.

17. Therefore grant a delay

To the unbelievers:

Give respite to them

Gently (for awhile).

Sura LXXXVII.

A'la, or The Most High.

In the name of God, Most Gracious.

Most Merciful

1. Glorify the name

Of' thy Guardian-Lord

Most High,

2. Who hath created,

And further, given

Order and proportion;

3. Who hath ordained laws.

And granted guidance;

4. And Who bringeth out

The (green and luscious) pasture,

5. And then doth make it

(But) swarthy stubble.

6. By degrees shall We

Teach thee to declare

(The Message), so thou

Shalt not forget,

7. Except as God wills:

For He knoweth

What is manifest

And what is hidden.

8. And We will make it

Easy for thee (to follow)

The simple (Path).

9. Therefore give admonition

In case the admonition

Profits (the hearer).

10. The admonition will be received

By those who fear (God):

11. But it will be avoided

By those most unfortunate ones,

12. Who will enter

The Great Fire,

13. In which they will then

Neither die nor live.

14. But those will prosper

Who purify themselves,

15. And glorify the name

Of their Guardian-Lord,

And (lift their hearts)

In Prayer.

16. Nay (behold), ye prefer

The life of this world;

17. But the Hereafter

Is better and more enduring.

18. And this is

In the Books

Of the earliest (Revelations),--

19. The Books of

Abraham and Moses.

Sura LXXXVIII.

Gashiya, or The Overwhelming Event.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Has the story

Reached thee, of

The Overwhelming (Event)?

2. Some faces, that Day,

Will be humiliated,

3. Labouring (hard), weary,--

4. The while they enter

The Blazing Fire,--

5. The while they are given,

To drink, of a bailing hot spring,

6. No food will there be

For them but a bitter Dhari'

7. Which will neither nourish

Nor satisfy hunger.

8. (Other) faces that Day

Will be joyful,

9. Pleased with their Striving,--

10. In a Garden on high,

11. Where they shall hear

No (word) of vanity:

12. Therein will be

A bubbling spring:

13. Therein will be Thrones

(Of dignity), raised on high,

14. Goblets placed (ready),

15. And Cushions set in rows,

16. And rich carpets

(All) spread out.

17. Do they not look

At the Camels,

How they are made?--

18. And at the Sky,

How it is raised high?--

19. And at the Mountains,

How they are fixed firm?--

20. And at the Earth,

How it is spread out?

21. Wherefore do thou give

Admonition, for thou art

One to admonish.

22. Thou art not one

To manage (men's) affairs.

23. But if any turn away

And reject God,--

24. God will punish him

With a mighty Punishment,

25. For to Us will be

Their Return;

26. Then it will be for Us

To call them to account.

Sura LXXXIX.

Fajr, or The Break of Day.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. By the Break of Day;

2. By the Nights twice five;

3. By the Even

And Odd (contrasted);

4. And by the Night

When it passeth away;--

5. Is there (not) in these

An adjuration (or evidence)

For those who understand?

6. Seest thou not

How thy Lord dealt

With the 'Ad (people),--

7. Of the (city of) Iram,

With lofty pillars,

8. The like of which

Were not produced

In (all) the land?

9. And with the Thamud

(People), who cut out

(Huge) rocks in the-valley?--

10. And with Pharaoh,

Lord of Stakes?

11. (All) these transgressed

Beyond bounds in the lands.

12. And heaped therein

Mischief (on mischief).

13. Therefore did thy Lord

Pour on them a scourge

Of diverse chastisements:

14. For thy Lord is

(As a Guardian)

On a watch-tower.

15. Now, as for man,

When his Lord trieth him,

Giving him honour and gifts,

Then saith he, (puffed up),

"My Lord hath honoured me"

16. But when he trieth him,

Restricting his subsistence

For him, then saith he

(In despair), "My Lord

Hath humiliated me I."

17. Nay, nay! But ye

Honour not the orphans!

18. Nor do ye encourage

One another

To feed the poor!--

19. And ye devour Inheritance--

All with greed,

20. And ye love wealth

With inordinate love!

21. Nay! When the earth

Is pounded to powder,

22. And thy Lord cometh,

And His angels,

Rank upon rank,

23. And Hell, that Day,

Is brought (face to face),--

On that Day will man

Remember, but how will

That remembrance profit him?

24. He will say: "Ah!

Would that I had

Sent forth (Good Deeds)

For (this) my (Future) Life!"

25. For, that Day,

His Chastisement will be

Such as none (else)

Can inflict,

26. And His bonds

Will be such as

None (other) can bind.

27. (To the righteous soul

Will be said:)

"O (thou) soul,

In (complete) rest

And satisfaction!

28. "Come back thou

To thy Lord,--

Well pleased (thyself),

And well-pleasing

Unto Him!

29. "Enter thou, then,

Among my Devotees!

30. "Yea, enter thou

My Heaven!

Sura XC.

Balad, or The City.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. I do call to witness

This City;--

2. And thou art a freeman

Of this City;--

3. And (the mystic ties

of) Parent and Child;--

4. Verily We have created

Man into toil and struggle.

5. Thinketh he, that none

Hath power over him?

6. He may say (boastfully):

"Wealth have I squandered

In abundance!"

7. Thinketh he that none

Beholdeth him?

8. Have We not made

For him a pair of eyes?--

9. And a tongue,

And a pair of lips?--

10. And shown him

The two highways?

11. But he hath made no haste

On the path that is steep.

12. And what will explain

To thee the path that is steep?--

13. (It is:) freeing the bondman;

14. Or the giving of food

In a day of privation

15. To the orphan

With claims of relationship,

16. Or to the indigent

(Down) in the dust.

17. Then will he be

Of those who believe,

And enjoin patience, (constancy,

And self-restraint), and enjoin

Deeds of kindness and compassion.

18. Such are the Companions

Of the Right Hand.

19. But those who reject

Our Signs, they are

The (unhappy) Companions

Of the Left Hand.

20. On them will be Fire

Vaulted over (all round).

Sura XCI.

Shams, or The Sun.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the Sun

And his (glorious) splendour;

2. By the Moon

As she follows him;

3. By the Day as it

Shows up (the Sun's) glory;

4. By the Night as it

Conceals it;

5. By the Firmament

And its (wonderful) structure;

6. By the Earth

And its (wide) expanse;

7. By the Soul,

And the proportion and order

Given to it;

8. And its enlightenment

As to its wrong

And its right;--

9. Truly he succeeds

That purifies it,

10. And he fails

That corrupts it!

11. The Thamud (people)

Rejected (their prophet)

Through their inordinate

Wrong-doing.

12. Behold, the most wicked

Man among them was

Deputed (for impiety).

13. But the apostle of God

Said to them: "It is

A She-camel of God!

And (bar her not

From) having her drink!"

14. Then they rejected him

(As a false prophet),

And they hamstrung her.

So their Lord, on account

Of their crime, obliterated

Their traces and made them

Equal (in destruction,

High and low)!

15. And for Him

Is no fear

Of its consequences.

Sura XCII.

Lail, or The Night.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the Night as it

Conceals (the light);

2. By the Day as it

Appears in glory;

3. By (the mystery of)

The creation of male

And female;--

4. Verily, (the ends) ye

Strive for are diverse.

5. So he who gives

(In charity) and fears (God),

6. And (in all sincerity)

Testifies to the Best,--

7. We will indeed

Make smooth for him

The path to Bliss,

8. But he who is

A greedy miser

And thinks himself

Self-sufficient,

9. And gives the lie

To the Best,--

10. We will indeed

Make smooth for him

The Path to Misery;

11. Nor will his wealth

Profit him when he

Falls headlong (into the Pit).

12. Verily We take

Upon Ourselves to guide,

13. And verily unto Us

(Belong) the End

And the Beginning,

14. Therefore do I warn you

Of a Fire blazing fiercely;

15. None shall reach it

But those most unfortunate ones

16. Who give the lie to Truth

And turn their backs.

17. But those most devoted

To God shall be

Removed far from it,--

18. Those who spend their wealth

For increase in self-purification,

19. And have in their minds

No favour from anyone

For which a reward

Is expected in return,

20. But only the desire

To seek for the Countenance

Of their Lord Most High;

21. And soon will they

Attain (complete) satisfaction.

Sura XCIII.

Dhuha, or The Glorious Morning Light.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the Glorious

Morning Light,

2. And by the Night

When it is still,--

3. Thy Guardian-Lord

Hath not forsaken thee,

Nor is He displeased,

4. And verily the hereafter

Will be better for thee

Than the present.

5. And soon will thy

Guardian-Lord give thee

(That wherewith) thou

Shalt be well-pleased.

6. Did He not find thee

An orphan and give thee

Shelter (and care)?

7. And He found thee

Wandering, and He gave

Thee guidance.

8. And He found thee

In need, and made

Thee independent.

9. Therefore, treat not

The orphan with harshness,

10. Nor repulse the petitioner

(Unheard);

11. But the Bounty

Of thy Lord--

Rehearse and proclaim!

Sura XCIV.

Inshirah, or The Expansion.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Have We not

Expanded thee thy breast?--

2. And removed from thee

Thy burden

3. The which did gall

Thy back?--

4. And raised high the esteem

(In which) thou (art held)?

5. So, verily,

With every difficulty,

There is relief:

6. Verily, with every difficulty

There is relief.

7. Therefore, when thou art

Free (from thine immediate task),

Still labour hard,

8. And to thy Lord

Turn (all) thy attention.

Sura XCV.

Tin, or The Fig.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the Fig

And the Olive,

2. And the Mount

Of Sinai,

3. And this City

Of security,--

4. We have created man

In the best of moulds,

5. Then do We abase him

(To be) the lowest

Of the low,--

6. Except such as believe

And do righteous deeds:

For they shall have

A reward unfailing.

7. Then what can,

After this, contradict thee

As to the Judgment

(To come)?

8. Is not God

The wisest of Judges?

Sura XCVI.

Iqraa, or Read! or Proclaim!

Or 'Alaq, or The Clot of Congealed Blood.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Proclaim! (or Read!)

In the name

Of thy Lord and Cherisher,

Who created--

2. Created man, out of

A (mere) clot

Of congealed blood:

3. Proclaim! And thy Lord

Is Most Bountiful,--

4. He Who taught

(The use of) the Pen,--

5. Taught man that

Which he knew not.

6. Nay, but man doth

Transgress all bounds,

7. In that he looketh

Upon himself as self-sufficient.

8. Verily, to thy Lord

Is the return (of all).

9. Seest thou one

Who forbids--

10. A votary when he

(Turns) to pray?

11. Seest thou if

He is on (the road

Of) Guidance?--

12. Or enjoins Righteousness?

13. Seest thou if he

Denies (Truth) and turns away?

14. Knoweth he not

That God doth see?

15. Let him beware! If he

Desist not, We will

Drag him by the forelock,--

16. A lying, sinful forelock!

17. Then, let him call

(For help) to his council

(Of comrades):

18. We will call

On the angels of punishment

(To deal with him)!

19. Nay, heed him not:

But bow down in adoration,

And bring thyself

The closer (to God)!

Sura XCVII.

Qadr, or The Night of Power (or Honour).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. We have indeed revealed

This (Message)

In the Night of Power:

2. And what will explain

To thee what the Night

Of Power is?

3. The Night of Power

Is better than

A thousand Months,

4. Therein come dawn

The angels and the Spirit

By God's permission,

On every errand:

5. Peace!...This

Until the rise of Morn!

Sura XCVIII.

Baiyina, or The Clear Evidence.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Those who reject (Truth),

Among the People of the Book

And among the Polytheists,

Were not going to depart

(From their ways) until

There should come to them

Clear Evidence,--

2. An apostle from God,

Rehearsing scriptures

Kept pure and holy:

3. Wherein are laws (or decrees)

Right and straight.

4. Nor did the People

Of the Book

Make schisms,

Until after there came

To them Clear Evidence.

5. And they have been commanded

No more than this:

To worship God,

Offering Him sincere devotion,

Being True (in faith);

To establish regular Prayer;

And to practise regular Charity;

And that is the Religion

Right and Straight.

6. Those who reject (Truth),

Among the People of the Book

And among the Polytheists,

Will be in hell-fire,

To dwell therein (for aye).

They are the worst

Of creatures.

7. Those who have faith

And do righteous deeds,--

They are the best

Of creatures.

8. Their reward is with God:

Gardens of Eternity,

Beneath which rivers flow;

They will dwell therein

For ever; God well pleased

With them, and they with Him;

All this for such as

Fear their Lord and Cherisher.

Sura XCIX.

Zilzal, or The Convulsion.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. When the Earth is

Shaken to her (utmost)

convulsion,

2. And the Earth throws up

Her burdens (from within),

3. And man cries (distressed):

"What is the matter with her?"--

4. On that Day will she

Declare her tidings:

5. For that thy Lord will

Have given her inspiration,

6. On that Day will men

Proceed in companies sorted out,

To be shown the Deeds

That they (had done).

7. Then shall anyone who

Has done an atom's weight

Of good, see it!

8. And anyone who

Has done an atom's weight

Of evil, shall see it.

Sura C.

'Adiyat, or Those that run.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By the (Steeds)

That run, with panting (breath),

2. And strike sparks of fire,

3. And push home the charge

In the morning,

4. And raise the dust

In clouds the while,

5. And penetrate forthwith

Into the midst (of the foe)

En masse;--

6. Truly Man is,

To his Lord,

Ungrateful;

7. And to that (fact)

He bears witness

(By his deeds);

8. And violent is he

In his love of wealth.

9. Does he not know,--

When that which is

In the graves is

Scattered abroad

10. And that which is

(Locked up) in (human) breasts

Is made manifest--

11. That their Lord had been

Well-acquainted with them,

(Even to) that Day?

Sura CI.

Al-Qari'a, or The Day of Noise and Clamour.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. The (Day) of

Noise and Clamour:

2. What is the (Day)

Of Noise and Clamour?

3. And what will explain

To thee what the (Day)

Of Noise and Clamour is?

4. (It is) a Day whereon

Men will be like moths

Scattered about,

5. And the mountains

Will be like carded wool.

6. Then, he whose

Balance (of good deeds)

Will be (found) heavy,

7. Will be in a Life

Of good pleasure and

satisfaction.

8. But he whose

Balance (of good deeds)

Will be (found) light,--

9. Will have his home

In a (bottomless) Pit.

10. And what will explain

To thee what this is?

11. (It is) a Fire

Blazing fiercely!

Sura CII.

Takathur or Piling Up.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. The mutual rivalry

For piling up (the good things

Of this world) diverts you

(From the more serious things),

2. Until ye visit the graves.

3. But nay, ye soon shall

Know (the reality).

4. Again, ye soon shall know!

5. Nay, were ye to know

With certainty of mind,

(Ye would beware!)

6. Ye shall certainly see

Hell-fire!

7. Again, ye shall see it

With certainty of sight!

8. Then, shall ye be

Questioned that Day

About the joy

(Ye indulged in!)

Sura CIII.

'Asr, or Time through the Ages.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. By (the Token of)

Time (through the Ages),

2. Verily Man

Is in loss,

3. Except such as have Faith,

And do righteous deeds,

And (join together)

In the mutual teaching

Of Truth, and of

Patience and Constancy.

Sura CIV.

Humaza, or the Scandal-monger.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Woe to every

(Kind of) scandal-monger

And backbiter,

2. Who pileth up wealth

And layeth it by,

3. Thinking that his wealth

Would make him last

For ever!

4. By no means! He will

Be sure to be thrown into

That which Breaks to Pieces.

5. And what will explain

To thee That which Breaks

To Pieces?

6. (It is) the Fire

Of (the Wrath of) God

Kindled (to a blaze),

7. The which doth mount

(Right) to the Hearts:

8. It shall be made

Into a vault over them,

9. In columns outstretched.

Sura CV.

Fil, or The Elephant.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Seest thou not

How thy Lord dealt

With the Companions

Of the Elephant?

2. Did He not make

Their treacherous plan

Go astray?

3. And He sent against them

Flights of Birds,

4. Striking them with stones

Of baked clay.

5. Then did He make them

Like an empty field

Of stalks and straw,

(Of which the corn)

Has been eaten up.

Sura CVI.

Quraish or The Quraish, (Custodians of the Ka'ba).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. For the covenants

(Of security and safeguard

Enjoyed) by the Quraish,

2. Their covenants (covering) journeys

By winter and summer,--

3. Let them adore the Lord

Of this House

4. Who provides them

With food against hunger,

And with security

Against fear (of danger).

Sura CVII.

Ma'un, or Neighbourly Needs.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Seest thou one

Who denies the Judgment

(To come)?

2. Then such is the (man)

Who repulses the orphan

(With harshness),

3. And encourages not

The feeding of the indigent.

4. So woe to the worshippers

5. Who are neglectful

Of their Prayers,

6. Those who (want but)

To be seen (of men),

7. But refuse (to supply)

(Even) neighbourly needs.

Sura CVIII.

Kauthar, or Abundance.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. To thee have We

Granted the Fount

(of Abundance).

2. Therefore to thy Lord

Turn in Prayer

And Sacrifice.

3. For he who hateth thee,--

He will be cut off

(From Future Hope).

Sura CIX

Kafirun, or Those who reject Faith.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful

1. Say: O ye

That reject Faith!

2. I worship not that

Which ye worship,

3. Nor will ye worship

That which I worship.

4. And I will not worship

That which ye have been

Wont to worship,

5. Nor will ye worship

That which I worship.

6. To you be your Way,

And to me mine.

Sura CX.

Nasr, or Help.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. When comes the Help

Of God, and Victory,

2. And thou dust see

The People enter God's Religion

In crowds,

3. Celebrate the Praises

Of thy Lord, and pray

For His Forgiveness:

For He is Oft-Returning

(In Grace and Mercy).

Sura CXI.

Lahab, or (the Father of) Flame.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Perish the hands

Of the Father of Flame!

Perish he!

2. No profit to him

From all his wealth,

And all his gains!

3. Burnt soon will he be

In a Fire

Of blazing Flame!

4. His wife shall carry

The (crackling) wood--

As fuel!--

5. A twisted rope

Of palm-leaf fibre

Round her (own) neck!

Sura CXII.

Ikhlas, or Purity (of Faith).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Say: He is God,

The One and Only;

2. God, the Eternal, Absolute;

3. He begetteth not,

Nor is He begotten;

4. And there is none

Like unto Him.

Sura CXIII

Falaq, or The Dawn.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Say: I seek refuge

With the Lord of the Dawn,

2. From the mischief

Of created things;

3. From the mischief

Of Darkness as it overspreads;

4. From the mischief

Of those who practise

Secret Arts:

5. And from the mischief

Of the envious one

As he practises envy.

Sura CXIV.

Nas, or Mankind.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1. Say: I seek refuge

With the Lord

And Cherisher of Mankind,

2. The King (or Ruler)

Of Mankind,

3. The God (or Judge)

Of Mankind,--

4. From the mischief

Of the Whisperer

(Of Evil), who withdraws

(After his whisper),--

5. (The same) who whispers

Into the hearts of Mankind,--

6. Among Jinns

And among Men.

Contents

Sura I.

Sura II.

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Sura III.

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Sura IV.

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