التفسير المحرر

Those who do not expect to meet Us say, “Why are angels not sent down to us or why do we not see our Lord?” They have been too proud of themselves, and have transgressed immensely.

The disbelievers do not expect to meet Us; thus, they neither hope for Our reward nor fear Our punishment due to their denial of the Resurrection, said: “Why are the angels not sent down to us, or why do we not see Allah with our own eyes so that we might believe?!” Indeed, the disbelievers who dared to make such a suggestion have become arrogant within themselves, and by proposing this, those disbelievers have transgressed the limit in arrogance, injustice, and tyranny.

On the Day when they see the angels[8], there will be no glad tidings for the wicked, and [the angels] will say, “Absolutely forbidden for you[9].”

On the Day the disbelievers see the angels of death as they descend to seize their souls, and they see the angels of punishment in the Barzakh (after-death period) and on the Day of Resurrection, the angels will give the criminals no good news on the Day they see them, but rather news of disappointment and loss, and the angels will say to the disbelievers, “Success is forbidden, utterly forbidden, to you today.”

We will turn to whatever deeds they did and turn them into scattered dust[10].

On the Day of Judgment, We will turn to whatever good and righteous deeds and acts of worship these criminals performed in this world, and We will render them null and void, making them like scattered and dispersed dust. They will find no benefit in them whatsoever.

On that Day the people of Paradise will have the best abode and the finest resting place.

The people of Paradise, on account of their accepted deeds, have a superior abode and a finer resting-place.

On the Day when the sky will split asunder with clouds, and the angels will be sent down in succession.

And remember—O Messenger—the Day of Resurrection when the sky will split apart with a thin, white cloud, and the angels will be sent down on the Day of Resurrection from the heavens to the land of the gathering in successive descent.

The true dominion on that Day belongs to the Most Compassionate[11], and it will be a hard day for the disbelievers.

The true and established sovereignty on the Day of Resurrection that will never fade belongs to the Most Merciful alone, not to any of the kings of the earth. And the Day of Resurrection will be an intensely hard day for the disbelievers.

On that Day, the wrongdoer will bite his hands saying, “Would that I had taken a way with the Messenger[12]!

And remember the Day of Resurrection when the wrongdoer who opposed the path of the Messenger will bite his hands in regret, sorrow, and grief. This wrongdoer will say: "Oh! I wish I had followed the path of the Messenger of Allah in the world, believed in him, and not opposed him to be saved from the punishment of Allah and reach His Gardens."

Woe to me! Would that I had not taken so-and-so[13] as a close friend!

This wrongdoer will say, "Woe to me! I wish I had not taken the one who led me astray in the world as a friend and a close companion."

He led me astray from the Reminder[14] after it had come to me.” Satan always betrays man[15].

He whom I took as a close friend in the world has indeed led me away from the Qur’an after it came to me, and he barred me from it. Allah said: "It is the habit of Satan and his innate nature to forsake the human who follows him and to abandon his aid and support."

The Messenger said, “O my Lord, my people have taken this Qur’an as a thing to be abandoned[16].”

The Messenger said, complaining in this world to his Lord: "O my Lord, indeed the disbelievers of my people have abandoned the Great Qur’an and deserted it; they do not listen to it, nor do they reflect upon it, nor do they believe in it, nor do they act upon its rulings!"

Thus did we assign for every prophet an enemy from among the wicked, but your Lord is sufficient as a Guide and Helper.

And just as We have made for you—O Muhammad—enemies from the polytheists of your people, so likewise have We made for every prophet enemies from the disbelieving polytheists among their people, opposing and harming them. So be patient, just as the Messengers before you were patient. And sufficient is your Lord as a Guide, Who guides you to the truth and to what is beneficial in matters of religion and the world, and as a Helper for you against your enemies. So pay no heed to those who are hostile to you; be patient and proceed to deliver the message of Allah, placing your trust in Him, Glorified is He.

Those who disbelieve say, “Why was the Qur’an not sent down to him all at once?” [We sent it] in this way so that We may strengthen your heart thereby, and We have revealed it in a gradual manner.

The disbelievers of Quraysh said, “Why was the Qur’an not sent down to Muhammad all at once, not in parts?” Thus have We revealed the Qur’an to you—O Muhammad—in parts, to strengthen your heart so that you may comprehend and memorize it, and increase in certainty, reassurance, and steadfastness. We have sent it down gradually, at a deliberate and slow pace, piece by piece, verse by verse, and have explained it clearly.

Whenever they bring you an argument, We bring you the truth and the best explanation.

Whenever the polytheists of Quraysh bring forth a misconception or a claim to oppose and attack the truth, We reveal in the Qur’an that which nullifies their misconception and refutes their argument with what is superior to what they brought in explanation, clarity, eloquence, and detail.

Those who will be dragged on their faces to Hell – they will be in the worst position and farthest astray from the right path.

Those who will be gathered forcibly and dragged upside down on their faces to Hell on the Day of Resurrection—such are the worst in dwelling and abode in Hell, and most astray from the right path.

We gave Moses the Scripture and appointed along with him his brother Aaron as a helper.

We certainly gave Moses the Scripture and appointed with him his brother Aaron as his helper to strengthen and support him.

We said, “Go, both of you, to the people who have rejected Our signs[17].” Then We destroyed them utterly.

So We said to Moses and Aaron, "Go to Pharaoh and his people, the Copts, who have denied Our signs and proofs." So Moses and Aaron went to them and called them, but they denied them both, so We utterly destroyed them by drowning.

Also the people of Noah, when they rejected the messengers[18], We drowned them and made them an example for mankind. And We have prepared for the wrongdoers a painful punishment.

And We drowned the people of Noah when they denied Noah, and We made their drowning by the flood a lesson and an admonition for the people. And We have prepared in the Hereafter for the wrongdoers—from the people of Noah and others—a painful and agonizing punishment as a recompense for their wrongdoing.

Also [We destroyed] ‘Ād and Thamūd, and the people of the Well[19], and many generations between them.

And We also destroyed ‘Ād, the people of Hūd, and Thamūd, the people of Sālih, and the Companions of the Well, and We destroyed them for their disbelief and denial. And We destroyed, between those disbelieving nations—which we have named—many other nations whom no one knows except Allah.

To each We gave examples [of the previous nations], and each We destroyed completely.

And every disbelieving nation that We destroyed, We had established the proof against them and clarified the evidence for them by citing examples, so that they might take heed and be admonished. And all the past disbelieving nations, We destroyed them completely and eradicated them with punishment.

They have surely passed by the town[20] that was destroyed by a terrible rain [of stones]. Have they not seen it? But they do not expect to be resurrected[21].

The disbelievers of Quraysh passed by the village of the people of Lot, whom Allah destroyed with the stones He rained down upon them. Did the disbelievers of Quraysh not see in their travels the traces of Allah's punishment upon the village of the people of Lot, so that they might take a lesson and be admonished by what befell its people because of their denial? The disbelievers of Quraysh did not deny Muhammad for having not seen what befell the people of Lot; rather, they denied because they do not expect the Resurrection to occur, and so they neither hope for a reward nor fear a punishment in the Hereafter.

When they see you [O Prophet], they only ridicule you, “Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a messenger?

When the disbelievers of Quraysh see you—O Muhammad—they take you for nothing but mockery, for they are persistent in mocking and ridiculing you. They say, in contempt of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Is this the one who claims that Allah has sent him to us as a messenger from among His creation?!"

He would have almost led us astray from our gods if we had not been so devoted to them.” But when they see the punishment, they will come to know who is further astray from the right way.

The disbelievers of Quraysh say, “This Messenger would have almost turned us away from the worship of our idols with his arguments and proofs had we not remained firm in the worship of our gods, clinging to them and not accepting his call. The disbelievers will know when they see the punishment of Allah descending upon them, who has strayed from the path of guidance: them or Muhammad, who called them to the oneness of Allah?!

Have you [O Prophet] seen the one who takes his desire as his god, will you then be a keeper over him?

Have you seen—O Muhammad—the one who follows his own desires, submits to them, and obeys them?! Will you then be—O Muhammad—a keeper over one who follows his desires, to prevent him from misguidance and guide him to the truth?! No, for guidance and misguidance are not entrusted to you; your duty is only to convey the message.

Do you think that most of them hear or understand?[22] They are just like cattle[23], rather they are further astray from the right way.

Or do you think—O Muhammad—that most of these polytheists hear the truth or comprehend it, so you should hope for their faith?! They are not so; the polytheists are only like cattle. Nay, they are even in a worse state than they are.

Do you not see how your Lord extends the shade? If He had willed, He could have made it still. Then We made the sun an indication of it[24].

Have you not seen—O Muhammad—how your Lord extends the shade over the earth from after the dawn until the sun's rise? And if Allah had willed, He could have made the shade permanently still, neither increasing nor decreasing. Then We made the sun, upon its rising, an indication for the shade, for it follows the sun and varies with its movement.

Then We gradually draw it towards Us [i.e., Then the sun climbs up]?

Then We withdraw that extended shade gently and gradually.

It is He Who has made the night as a garment[25] for you, and made sleep for rest; and has made daytime for returning to life[26].

And it is Allah Who has made the night for you—O people—as a cover and a veil that conceals you and envelops you with its darkness, and Allah has made sleep a cessation of your movement and your works, so your bodies may rest in it, and Allah has made the daytime a revival after your sleep, which is like death, and an awakening in which you spread out in its light to seek livelihood.

It is He Who sends the winds as harbingers before His mercy, and We send down from the sky pure water,

It is Allah alone Who sends the winds, bringing glad tidings to the people of the approaching clouds and the descent of rain before it surprises them with its descent, and We send down from the clouds rainwater, pure in itself and purifying for others.

so that We may revive therewith a dead land, and quench the thirst of countless beasts and humans We have created.

That We may revive thereby a lifeless land, and give to drink thereof many of the beasts and humans that We have created, from which they drink and water their crops.

We distribute it among them so that they may take heed[27], but most people persist in their ingratitude.

And We have distributed the rainwater among the people so that they may be reminded and take heed. Yet most people were not reminded by Allah’s distribution of the rain and persisted in disbelief in Allah, denying His blessings, and rejecting His power and wisdom.

If We had willed, We could have sent to each town a warner[28].

Had We willed, We could have sent a messenger to every city to warn the people of Allah's punishment and call them to Him, but We have sent you exclusively—O Muhammad—with the message for all of mankind.

So do not obey the disbelievers, but strive against them with this [Qur’an] a great striving.

So do not obey the disbelievers—O Muhammad—in what they call you to, whether it be the worship of their gods or abandoning anything of what you have been sent with. And strive against them with the Qur’an, a mighty striving, with all your power and without faltering, in support of the truth and suppression of the falsehood.

It is He Who merges the two bodies of water: one fresh and palatable and the other salty and bitter, and He has made between them a barrier and an insurmountable partition[29].

It is Allah alone Who releases the two seas and lets them flow, one not mixing with the other: one is very fresh and the other is very salty and bitter. And Allah, by His power, has placed between them a barrier and an insurmountable partition that prevents them from mingling and mixing with each other.

It is He Who created human beings from water[30], then made between them bonds of kinship and marriage, for your Lord is Most Capable.

And it is Allah alone Who creates from semen human beings, male and female, and then establishes for them bonds of kinship and marriage. And your Lord—O Muhammad—has ever been characterized by perfect power, such as His ultimate ability to create whatever He wills.

Yet they worship besides Allah that which can neither benefit nor harm them; the disbeliever always collaborates against his Lord[31].

The polytheists worship besides Allah deities that can not benefit them in anything, nor can they harm them at all. They abandon the worship of Allah Who created them, bestowed His blessings upon them, and has power over their benefit and harm. And the disbeliever is ever a helper to Satan and his party against Allah, associating partners with Him, disobeying Him, allying with His enemies, and fighting His friends!

We have not sent you [O Prophet] except as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.

And We have not sent you—O Muhammad—to people except to give glad tidings to those who believe in you and follow you of goodness and reward in this world and the Hereafter, and to warn those who disbelieve in you, deny you, and disobey you of misery and punishment in this world and the Hereafter.

Say, “I do not ask you for any reward for it, except that anyone who wishes to take a path to his Lord[32].”

Say—O Muhammad—to those to whom I have sent you: “I do not ask you for any payment for conveying the message of Allah to you. But whoever among you wishes to take a path that draws him near to Allah, let him do so, and part of that is to spend from his wealth in the cause of Allah.”

Put your trust in the Ever-Living Who never dies, and glorify Him with praise. He is Sufficient as All-Aware of the sins of His slaves –

And put your trust—O Muhammad—in Allah, Who possesses perfect and eternal life and never dies. Entrust all your affairs to Him alone, not to anyone else. And exalt your Lord above imperfections, rivals, and partners, praising Him with His attributes of perfection and thanking Him for His blessings. Your Lord is sufficient as the All-Aware of the sins of His servants, for nothing of them is hidden from Him, and He will recompense them for them on the Day of Resurrection.

it is He Who created the heavens and earth and all that is between them in six Days[33], then rose over the Throne[34]. He is the Most Compassionate, so ask about Him the One Who is All-Aware.

Put your trust in the Ever-Living One Who created the seven heavens and the earth and the creatures between them in six Days, then Allah, the Most Compassionate, rose over His Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty. So ask about the Most Compassionate from one who is well-informed, who can tell you about Him, His greatness, His creation, His sovereignty, His actions, and His attributes of perfection.

When it is said to them, “Prostrate to the Most Compassionate,” they say, “What is ‘the Most Compassionate?’ Shall we prostrate to what you order us?” And it only increases their aversion.

When it is said to those polytheists, “Prostrate to the Most Compassionate, Who alone has bestowed blessings upon you and averted calamities from you,” they say in astonishment, denying His name, the Most Compassionate: “We do not know the Most Compassionate! Should we obey you—O Muhammad—and prostrate to Allah alone simply because of your words and your command to do so?!” And the command to prostrate to the Most Compassionate only increased their aversion and flight from the truth.

Blessed is He Who placed in the sky constellations and placed therein a radiant lamp[35] and a luminous moon.

Magnified is Allah, Whose attributes are perfect, His bounties are abundant, and His blessings are everlasting. He is the One Who placed in the sky stations for the sun and the moon in their courses, and Allah created in the sky a radiant sun that emits light and heat, and a luminous moon for the night.

It is He Who made the night and the day to follow each other so that everyone who wishes may reflect or become grateful.

It is Allah Who made the night and the day to succeed each other, so they alternate perpetually and never meet. He made the night and the day a succession for whoever wishes to take heed and reflect upon their alternation or wishes to show gratitude to Allah for His blessings, so that he may worship Him in both of them and make up for what he missed in one of them by doing it in the time of the other.

The slaves of the Most Compassionate are those who walk on earth humbly[36], and when the ignorant address them, they only say words of peace[37];

The slaves of the Most Compassionate are those who walk with forbearance and serenity, dignity and humility, kindness and gentleness; without insolence, arrogance, or tyranny; and without seeking to cause corruption or commit sins. And when the foolish address them with offensive words, they respond with sound and upright speech, pardoning and forgiving them. Thus, they are saved from sin, from responding to their ignorance by harming them, and from transgression in hurting them.

and those who spend the night prostrating and standing before their Lord;

The slaves of the Most Merciful are those who spend the night praying to their Lord with sincere devotion, prostrating and standing.

and those who say, “Our Lord, turn the punishment of Hell away from us, for its punishment is unrelenting[38].”

And those who say, out of fear and caution of the punishment of Allah: "Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell by granting us success in acts of obedience and avoidance of sins, and by expiating our misdeeds. Indeed, the punishment of Hell is inseparable from the people of the Fire, never leaving them; rather, destroying them."

It is an evil place to settle and an evil abode.”

Indeed, Hell is an evil abode for its inhabitants to settle in, and a wretched place of residence for them to stay.

And those who neither spend wastefully nor stingily, but are moderate between them;

And those who, when they spend their wealth on themselves, their families, and others, do not exceed the limit in their spending to be extravagant, nor do they fall short of what is needed to be miserly, and their spending is moderate, a middle way between extravagance and stinginess.

and those who do not invoke besides Allah another god, and who do not kill a soul whom Allah has forbidden, except in the course of justice, and who do not commit adultery, for whoever does any of this will face the penalty,

And those who do not invoke another deity with Allah, but rather, they devote their worship to Allah alone, nor do they kill those whom Allah has forbidden to be killed except for a legitimate reason that authorizes their killing, nor do they commit adultery. And whoever does any of these acts will face his recompense and punishment in the Hereafter.

the punishment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, wherein he will remain disgraced forever,

Allah will make his punishment severe for him on the Day of Resurrection and will multiply it, and the disobedient polytheist will remain in the multiplied punishment forever, humiliated and despised.

except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds; for them Allah will change their evil deeds into good deeds, for Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Except those who repent, regret it and desist from it, believe in what they are obligated to believe in, and do righteous deeds with sincerity to Allah and in following His Messenger—for them, Allah will replace their evil deeds with good deeds by His grace and mercy. And Allah always covers the sins of His repenting servants, pardons them, and has mercy on them, for He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Whoever repents and does righteous deeds has turned to Allah with sincere repentance.

Whoever repents to Allah and does righteous deeds after his repentance, then he returns to Allah with a true, good, accepted, and pleasing return.

And those who do not witness falsehood[39], and when they pass by futility, they pass by with dignity;

And those who do not attend anything of falsehood and avoid all gatherings that include forbidden words or deeds. If they happen to pass by anything futile—whether a word or a deed—and hear or see it unintentionally, they turn away from it, honoring themselves by not engaging or participating in it.

and those who, when they are reminded of the verses of their Lord, they do not turn a deaf ear or a blind eye to them;

And those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not turn away from them, nor are they deaf to hearing them, nor do they avert their sight and hearts from them, unlike the disbelievers who, when reminded of them, deny and reject them and persist in their disbelief, as if they do not hear or see.

and those who say, “Our Lord, let our spouses and children be a source of joy for us[40], and make us good examples for the righteous.”

And those who call upon Allah, saying: "Our Lord, make righteous our spouses, our children, and our grandchildren, that we may be delighted in this world by seeing them in Your obedience, and in the Hereafter by entering Your Paradise. And make us a role model for those who follow Your commands and avoid Your prohibitions, so that they may follow our example in goodness.

It is they who will be rewarded with high palaces [in Paradise] for their perseverance, and they will be received therein with salutations and greetings of peace,

The servants of the Most Merciful who are characterized by those attributes will be rewarded by Allah with the high chambers (mansions) in Paradise because of their patience in this world, and they will be received therein with greetings and peace.

abiding therein forever. What an excellent abode and a resting place!

Abiding in the chambers, never dying. What excellent chambers are those as a permanent abode and a place of residence for them!

Say [O Prophet], “My Lord would not care at all about you, were it not for your supplication[41]. Now since you have rejected [the truth], the inevitable is bound to come[42].”

Say—O Muhammad—to those to whom you were sent: Were it not for your supplication to Him, He would not have cared for you nor paid any attention to you. But now you have denied—O polytheists—the truth, so the punishment is bound to be yours in this world and the Hereafter as a recompense for your denial.

Ash-Shu‘arā’

Tā sīn mīm.[1]

These disjointed letters with which this Surah and others begin are meant to demonstrate the miraculous (inimitable) nature of the Qur’an; they show the inability of creation to challenge it with something similar to it, even though it is composed of these very Arabic letters with which they speak.

These are the verses of the clear Book.

These are the verses of the clear Qur’an, whose truth is evident, making manifest through its clarity the guidance and truth it contains.

Perhaps you[2] will grieve yourself to death because they do not believe.

Perhaps you—O Muhammad—will destroy yourself with grief and sorrow over your people's disbelief in the truth you have brought them. So do not destroy yourself with grief over them; for your duty is only to deliver the message, and Allah guides whom He wills.

If We willed, We could send down upon them a sign from the heaven, at which their necks would stay bowed in humility[3].

Had We willed, We could have sent down upon these disbelievers a clear sign from the sky that would compel them to believe so that they would submit to the truth by force. But Allah, in His wisdom, willed that everyone's faith be a matter of choice.

No new reminder comes to them from the Most Compassionate except that they turn away from it.

And whenever a new revelation comes to the disbelievers from the Most Compassionate so that they may be reminded, take heed and follow it; they turn away from it, neither believing in it nor contemplating it!

They have rejected [the Truth], soon there will come to them the consequences of their ridicule.

The disbelievers have indeed denied the Qur’an that came to them from Allah. So the truth of the Qur’an’s news, which they mocked, will come to them in the future: their destruction, Allah’s victory for His Prophet, the resurrection in the Hereafter, and their entry into the Fire.

Do they not see the earth, how many fine kinds of plants We grow in it?

Have those polytheists not looked at the earth and reflected upon the abundance of every good, fine, and beneficial kinds We have caused to grow in it?!

Indeed, there is a sign in this, yet most of them will not believe.

Indeed, in the revival of the earth and its growth after its death is a sign of Allah's power to revive the dead, yet most of these polytheists do not believe in Allah Almighty and His signs.

Your Lord is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

And indeed, your Lord—O Muhammad—is the All-Powerful, the All-Prevailing, the All-Subduer Who takes vengeance on His enemies, and the Most Merciful to His servants. He does not hasten their punishment, and He accepts the repentance of those who believe in Him.

And [remember] when your Lord called out to Moses, “Go to the wrongdoing people –

And remember—O Muhammad—when Allah spoke to Moses and commanded him to go to the wrongdoers, those who wronged themselves with disbelief and sins and wronged the Children of Israel by enslaving them, persecuting them, and inflicting upon them the worst torment.

the people of Pharaoh; will they not fear [the punishment of] Allah?”

And the wrongdoing people are the people of Pharaoh, the Copts. So say to them, O Moses: “Will you not fear Allah and dread His punishment, so that you may believe in Him and cease oppressing His servants?”

He said, “My Lord, I fear that they may reject me,

Moses said, “My Lord! Verily, I fear that Pharaoh and his people will belie me and not believe that I am Your messenger to them.”

and I will feel distressed and my tongue will not be fluent, so send Aaron along [to help me].

And my chest tightens at their rejection of me and will not be at ease, and my tongue will not be fluent when I address Pharaoh, so I cannot clearly explain to him what You have sent me with. Therefore, reveal—O Lord—to my brother Aaron, so he may be a messenger with me to assist me.

Moreover, they have a charge against me, so I fear they may kill me[4].”

Moreover, Pharaoh's people have a charge of a sin against me, for which they are pursuing me, because I killed a man from among them, and I fear they will kill me for it.

Allah said, “Certainly not! Go, both of you, with Our signs[5]; We are with you, listening.

Allah responded to Moses: "The people of Pharaoh cannot kill you, so go, you and your brother Aaron, to them with Our miracles that prove your truthfulness. Indeed, I am with you both with support and protection; I hear what you will say to Pharaoh and his people, and how they will respond to you."

Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘We are the messengers[6] from the Lord of the worlds,

So go—you and Aaron—to Pharaoh and say to him, 'We are two messengers to you from the Creator, Owner, and Administrator of the worlds.

that you let the Children of Israel go with us.’”

Release—O Pharaoh—the Children of Israel from your oppression and torment, and let them go with us to the Holy Land to worship Allah and establish His religion.'

Pharaoh said, “Did we not bring you up as a child among us, and you stayed with us several years of your life?

Pharaoh protested to Moses, "Did we not raise you since you were a child in the cradle? And you stayed numerous years of your life in our care, enjoying our bounties!"

Yet you did what you did[7], and you are extremely ungrateful.”

And you killed a man from among us, as you know, being ungrateful for our favor upon you, for you repaid us for raising you by killing one of our men!

He said, “I did it when I had no guidance.

Moses said, answering Pharaoh: "I killed the Copt by mistake when I was among the ignorant before Allah revealed the message to me.

So I fled from you in fear. Then my Lord gave me wisdom and made me one of the messengers.

So I fled from you, fearing that you would kill me for that Coptic man. Then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me one of His messengers to convey His message to you.

Is this a favor that you remind me with, that you have enslaved the Children of Israel?[8]

And you remind me—O Pharaoh—of your favor in having raised me, yet you have taken my people, the Children of Israel, as slaves for you. How then can you reproach me with this favor, that you enslaved the Children of Israel and did not enslave me?! Is this then a favor?!

Pharaoh said, “What is ‘the Lord of the worlds’?”

Pharaoh said, denying his knowledge of Allah: "What is the Lord of the worlds whom you claim—O Moses—has sent you and is worthy of worship?"

Moses said, “The Lord of the heavens and earth and all that is between them, if only you had sure faith.”

Moses said, “He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything between them, their Owner and Controller. If you are truly certain, then be certain that He is the Creator, as this is clear with no concealment.”

Pharaoh said to those around him, “Did you hear [what he just said]?”

Pharaoh said to the nobles of his people around him: "Did you not hear what Moses is saying and are amazed by his words?!"

Moses said, “Your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.”

Moses said: "Allah, Whom I call you to worship, is your Lord, Who created you and your forefathers who came before you, and is your Owner and the Disposer of your affairs. How then can there be any lord besides Allah?!"

Pharaoh said, “Your messenger who has been sent to you is truly insane!”

Pharaoh said mockingly, "Indeed, the Moses who claims to be a messenger to you must be insane, and says things whose reality we do not know!"

Moses said, “Lord of the east and west and all that is between them, if only you had sense!”

Moses said to Pharaoh and his people, "The One I call you to His worship is the Lord of the east and the west and what is between them and what occurs within them, and His dominion is not flawed like yours. If you had the sense to recognize the truth of my words, then believe in Allah alone."

Pharaoh said, “If you take any god other than me, I will throw you into prison.”

Pharaoh said, threatening Moses (peace be upon him), "If you persist—O Moses—in taking any other god besides me, I will certainly make you one of the tortured prisoners in my prisons."

Moses said, “What if I bring you a clear proof?”

Moses (peace be upon him) responded to Pharaoh: "Will you imprison me even if I bring you a clear miracle and a decisive proof that shows you my truthfulness and the soundness of what I have brought?!"

Pharaoh said, “Bring it then if you are truthful!”

Pharaoh said to Moses (peace be upon him), "Then bring this clear proof, if you are truthful in your claim."

So he threw down his staff, and suddenly it was a real serpent.

So Moses threw down his staff to the ground, and it turned into a huge snake, clearly visible to those who saw it.

And he drew out his hand, and it was glowing white to the beholders.

And Moses drew out his hand—from the upper opening of his shirt at the neck—and it was white, shining to all the onlookers in Pharaoh's assembly.

Pharaoh said to the chiefs around him, “This is indeed a learned magician!

Pharaoh said to the chiefs around him: "This is indeed a skillful magician, well-versed and expert in magic, making it appear to the people that his staff turns into a serpent and that his hand becomes white."

He wants to drive you out of your land with his magic. What do you suggest?”

“He wants to drive you out of your land—Egypt—with his magic.” Pharaoh then said to those around him, “So what do you advise me concerning him, and what shall we do with him?!”

They said, “Let him and his brother wait and dispatch heralds to the cities

The chiefs said to Pharaoh, “Let Moses and his brother Aaron wait, grant them respite, and dispatch—O Pharaoh—mobilizers to the cities of your kingdom to muster the magicians from there for you.”

to bring you every learned magician.”

They will bring you all the skilled magicians to oppose what Moses has brought.

So the magicians were assembled at an appointed time on a known day[9].

So the summoners assembled the magicians from the cities for the appointed time of their assembly.

And it was said to the people, “Will you join the gathering,

And it was said to the people of Egypt, “Will you assemble to see what the two parties will do and who will prevail?”

so that we may follow the magicians, if they are victorious?”

"Perhaps we will follow the magicians if they defeat Moses."

When the magicians came, they said to Pharaoh, “Will there be a reward for us if we are victorious?”

When the magicians came, they said to Pharaoh, "Will you grant us a reward if we defeat Moses?"

He said, “Yes, and then you will surely be of those who are close to me.”

Pharaoh said to them, "Yes, I will grant you a reward if you defeat Moses, and furthermore, I will make you among those close to me."

Moses said to them, “Throw whatever you wish to throw.”

Moses said to the magicians: "Cast on the ground what you wish to cast, whatever it may be."

So they threw their ropes and staffs, and said, “By the glory of Pharaoh, it is we who will be the victorious!”

So the magicians cast the ropes and staffs that they had prepared for magic and made it appear to the people that they were slithering snakes. And the magicians said: "By the majesty of Pharaoh, his power, ability, dominance, and his strength of authority, we will surely be the victors over Moses."

Then Moses threw his staff, and at once it swallowed up all objects of their illusion.

So Moses threw his staff, and it started swallowing swiftly all the ropes and staffs that the magicians had thrown, with which they had deluded the people into thinking they were snakes and thus deceived them.

So the magicians fell down in prostration.

The magicians could not contain themselves when they witnessed that, and they knew the truthfulness of Moses (peace be upon him), and that what he had brought them was the truth, so they prostrated to Allah Almighty, rushing without hesitation.

They said, “We believe in the Lord of the worlds,

The magicians said when they prostrated to Allah: "We believe in the Creator, the Owner, and the Controller of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, the One whom Moses called us to worship."

the Lord of Moses and Aaron.”

The Lord of Moses and Aaron, Who supported them with this great miracle, which attests their truthfulness.

Pharaoh said, “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission. Indeed, he is your master who taught you magic, but you will soon come to know. I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, then I will crucify you all.”

Pharaoh said to the magicians who had believed: "Have you believed that what Moses brought is the truth and submitted to him before I gave you permission for that?! Indeed, Moses is your chief who taught you the craft of magic, and that is why you believed in him and conspired in what you did! You will surely know what I will do to you as punishment. I will surely cut off from every magician among you his hand and foot on opposite sides and crucify you all on the trunks of palm trees."

They said, “No harm; we will surely return to our Lord.

The believing magicians said to Pharaoh: "There is no harm to us from your temporary punishment, and we do not mind it, for surely to Allah we will all return. He will then reward us with the best of rewards for our faith and our perseverance through your punishment."

We hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, as we are the first of the believers.”

We really hope that our Lord will conceal our sins and pardon us for them, as we were the first to believe in Moses upon the appearance of his sign.

We inspired Moses, “Leave with My slaves by night; you will surely be pursued.”

And We inspired Moses, "Travel by night with My servants, the Children of Israel, for Pharaoh and his soldiers will pursue you to prevent you from leaving the land of Egypt."

So Pharaoh sent heralds to the cities[10],

So Pharaoh sent mobilizers to many cities to gather soldiers, to pursue the Children of Israel and turn them back.

saying, “These are but a small band,

Pharaoh said, “Indeed, the Children of Israel are just a weak and small group.”

and they have enraged us,

And indeed, the Children of Israel have provoked Our most intense anger.

but we are all well-prepared.”

And we are all prepared with force and weapons for war against the Children of Israel, and we have taken our precautions against them.

Thus did We drive them[11] out of their gardens and springs,

So Allah drove Pharaoh and his people out of gardens with many trees and crops and springs of water.

and their treasures and splendid dwellings.

And He drove them out of their properties and fine dwellings in which they took delight.

So it was, and We made the Children of Israel to inherit them.

So it was, and Allah caused the Children of Israel to inherit the gardens, springs, treasures, and dwellings that had belonged to Pharaoh and his people.

They pursued them at sunrise.

So Pharaoh and his soldiers caught up with the Children of Israel at sunrise.

When the two groups saw each other, the companions of Moses said, “We are surely overtaken!”

When each of the groups of Moses and Pharaoh saw the other, the companions of Moses said: "Pharaoh and his soldiers will overtake us, and we cannot flee, for the sea is before us, and they are behind us."

Moses said, “Certainly not! My Lord is with me; He will guide me.”

Moses said, reassuring his people: "It is not as you have mentioned, that we will be overtaken, for my Lord is certainly with me with His victory and support, and He will guide me to the path of salvation."

Then We inspired Moses, “Strike the sea with your staff,” so it parted, and each part became like a huge mountain.

Then Allah inspired Moses and said to him, "Strike the sea before you with your staff." So Moses struck the sea with his staff, and it parted, and each part of the water became like a huge mountain!

Then We brought the others [i.e., the pursuers] close to that place,

And We brought Pharaoh and his soldiers near the sea, and We made them enter that parted path to drown them.

and We saved Moses and all those who were with him.

And We saved Moses and all those with him from drowning and delivered them from their enemy.

Then we drowned the others.

Then We drowned Pharaoh and his people, all of them, in the sea, and none of them could escape.

Indeed, there is a sign in this, yet most of them would not believe.

Indeed, in the story of Moses and Pharaoh, there is a great lesson and admonition and a clear sign to the people concerning the truthfulness of the Messenger, the wisdom of Allah and His Oneness, and His great power to destroy the disbelievers and deliver the believers. Yet most of Pharaoh's people would not believe in Allah, for only a very few among them believed.

Indeed, your Lord is the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

And indeed, your Lord—O Muhammad—is All-Mighty, the Subduer, the Victorious, the Avenger against His enemies, and the Most Merciful to His servants.

Relate to them the story of Abraham,

And recite—O Muhammad—to your people the great story of Abraham.

when he said to his father and his people, “What do you worship?”

When Abraham said to his father and his polytheist people, "What is it that you worship and are so devoted to?"

They said, “We worship idols and remain devoted to them.”

The polytheists replied to Abraham: "We worship idols, and we are fully devoted to their worship for a long time."

He said, “Do they hear you when you call upon them?

Abraham asked his people: "Can your idols hear you when you call upon them?"

Or can they benefit or harm you?”

"Or can they benefit you or inflict harm upon you or your enemies?"

They said, “No, but this is what we found our forefathers doing.”

Abraham's people said: "The idols do not hear us, nor do they benefit us or harm us, but we found our fathers worshipping them and were devoted to them, so we follow their example!"

He said, “Do you see what you have been worshiping,

Abraham said: "Have you considered—O people—these idols that you used to worship?"

you and your ancestors?

You and your ancient forefathers have been worshipping them?

Indeed, they are my enemies, except the Lord of the worlds[12],

Indeed, they are all enemies to me—I worship none of them but disown them—except the Lord of the worlds, for I worship Him alone.

Who created me, so He guides me;

The One Who alone created me from nothingness, and guides me to what is in my best interest concerning my religion and my worldly life.

and it is He Who provides me with food and drink;

And it is He Who provides me with food and drink.

and when I am ill He heals me;

And when my body ails and my health fails, it is He alone Who heals me.

and He will cause me to die and then bring me back to life;

And He alone is the One Who will take my soul when my term ends, and then bring me back to life on the Day of Resurrection to reward me.

and I hope that He will forgive me my sins on the Day of Judgment.”

And He is the only One Who I hope will forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment.

“My Lord, grant me knowledge, and join me with the righteous,

My Lord, grant me understanding and abundant knowledge, and join me with the righteous in this world and the Hereafter.

and grant me an honorable mention among the later generations[13],

And grant me a lasting honorable mention so that later generations may remember me and follow my example.

and make me of those who will inherit the Garden of Bliss;

And make me one of the inheritors of Paradise in the Hereafter.

and forgive my father, for he is one of those who have gone astray;

And forgive my father, for he is one of those who have gone astray from the path of truth, so punish him not.

and do not disgrace me on the Day when all will be resurrected –

And do not disgrace me on the Day of Resurrection when You raise Your servants for the final judgment.

the Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any avail,

The Day when neither his wealth nor his children will benefit a person.

except the one who comes to Allah with a sound heart[14].”

Except the one who meets Allah on the Day of Resurrection with a heart pure from Shirk (polytheism), doubt, false beliefs, blameworthy characteristics, and corrupt intentions.

Paradise will be brought near to the righteous,

And Paradise will be brought near on the Day of Resurrection for those who guarded themselves against Allah's punishment in the world by carrying out His commands and avoiding His prohibitions.

and Hellfire will be uncovered to those who went astray,

And Hellfire will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection for those who went astray from the truth in the world.

and they will be told, “Where are those whom you used to worship

And it was said to the misguided, rebuking them: "Where are your deities that you used to worship in the world?"

other than Allah? Can they help you or even help themselves?”

You used to worship them besides Allah, and claim that they benefit you and intercede for you. Can they save you from Allah's punishment, or even save themselves from it?!

Then they will be hurled into Hell one upon another, along with those who led them astray,

So the worshipped ones and their worshippers will be thrown into Hell, one upon another.

and the followers of Iblīs, all together.

And all the soldiers and followers of Iblīs in this world, from among mankind and jinn, will be cast into Hell.

There the deviants will say while quarreling with their false deities,

The denizens of Hellfire will say to their deities as they dispute and argue with one another in the Fire.

“By Allah, we were clearly misguided,

By Allah, we were indeed clearly straying from the truth in the world.

when we deemed you equal to the Lord of the worlds.

When we equated you with the Lord of the worlds, we worshipped you and obeyed you as Allah is worshipped and obeyed.

None led us astray except the wicked.

And none turned us away and misled us from the truth except the misguided.

Now we neither have any intercessors,

So now we have none to intercede for us with Allah, to pardon us and take us out of the Fire!

nor a close friend.

Nor a friend—a compassionate and sincere in his affection.

If only we had a chance to return, we would be among the believers.”

If only we could have a chance to return to the world, we would believe in Allah and obey Him, so we would be safe from the punishment of the Hereafter and deserve its reward!

Indeed, there is a sign in this, yet most of them would not believe.

Indeed, in the aforementioned story of Abraham and his people is a lesson, an admonition, and a clear indication of the oneness of Allah and the falsehood of polytheism, and that Allah will punish on the Day of Resurrection those who associate partners with Him. Despite the clear miracles and the verses being sent down, most of them would not believe in the oneness of Allah.

Your Lord is surely the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

And indeed, your Lord—O Muhammad—is Al--Mighty, the Subduer, the Victorious, the Avenger against His enemies, and the Most Merciful to His servants.

The people of Noah rejected the messengers[15]

The people of Noah denied all the Messengers of Allah.

when their brother Noah said to them, “Do you not fear Allah?

When Noah—who was their brother in lineage—said to them: "Will you not fear Allah and be wary of His punishment, so that you worship Allah alone and abandon the worship of idols?!"

I am a trustworthy messenger to you,

I am a messenger to you from Allah, trustworthy with His revelation, which He has sent me with to you, so I convey to you the message of Allah without addition or omission.

so fear Allah, and obey me.

So fear the wrath of Allah and His punishment, and obey me in what I command you and what I forbid you.

I seek of you no reward for this; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds;

I do not ask you for any reward for my advice. My reward is only from Allah, the Creator, the Provider, the Sovereign, and the Controller of all the worlds.

so fear Allah, and obey me.”

So fear the wrath of Allah and His punishment, and obey me in what I command you and forbid you, for my truthfulness has become clear to you.

They said, “Shall we believe in you when you are followed by the lowest people[16]?”

The people of Noah said: “Shall we believe in you—O Noah—and follow you, when you are followed only by the weak, the poor, and the lowest of the people? How then could we be equal to them in following you?!”

He said, “What knowledge do I have of what they do?

Noah said to his people, “What knowledge do I have of what my followers used to do? I have not been charged with knowing their religious and worldly deeds and affairs. Allah has only commanded me to call them to faith and to accept their acknowledgement, their belief, and their submission.”

Their reckoning is only with my Lord if you realize!

The reckoning of my followers is only upon my Lord; He is the One Who knows what is secret and what is public. It is not for me to know their deeds or their inner secrets; my duty is only to deliver the message. If you knew that their reckoning is with Allah alone, and could perceive the reality of the matter, you would not have found fault with them, nor would you have questioned me about them.

I am not going to drive the believers away.

And I will not drive away those who believe in Allah and follow me.

I am only a clear warner.”

Allah has sent me only as a warner to make His warning clear to all of you—your rich and your poor, your noble and your lowly.

They said, “O Noah, if you do not desist, you will certainly be stoned.”

The polytheists of Noah's people said: "If you do not stop calling us, O Noah, we will surely stone you."

He said, “My Lord, my people have rejected me.

Noah prayed: "My Lord, my people have denied me in what I have brought them of the truth, and they have no intention of following it!"

So judge between me and them decisively, and save me and the believers who are with me.”

So judge between me and my people with a decisive judgment from Yourself, by which You will uproot and destroy the wrongdoer, and save me and my believing followers from Your punishment that You send down upon the wrongdoers.

So We saved him and those who were with him in the fully laden Ark.

So We saved Noah and those who were carried with him in the Ark, filled with people, animals, birds, and others.

Then We drowned thereafter all the rest.

Then We drowned all the disbelievers who were left behind, as they did not board the ship.

Indeed, there is a sign in this, yet most of them would not believe.

Indeed, in the salvation of Noah and his believing followers and the destruction of those who denied him, there is a lesson, an admonition, and a clear sign of the oneness of Allah, the truthfulness of His messengers, and the falsehood of polytheism. Yet most of Noah's people were not believers.

Indeed, your Lord is the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

And indeed, your Lord—O Muhammad—is All-Mighty, the Subduer, the Victorious, the Avenger against His enemies, and the Most Merciful to His servants.

The people of ‘Ād rejected the messengers

The tribe of ‘Ād rejected all the messengers of Allah.

when their brother Hūd said to them, “Will you not fear Allah?

They rejected Hud—their brother in lineage—when he said to them: “Will you not fear Allah and be wary of His punishment, so you worship Him alone and abandon the worship of idols?!”

I am a trustworthy messenger to you,

I am a messenger to you from Allah, trustworthy with His revelation that He has sent me with to you, so I convey His message to you without addition or omission.

so fear Allah, and obey me.

So fear the wrath of Allah and His punishment, and obey me in what I command you and what I forbid you.

I do not ask you for any reward for this; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.

And I do not ask for any reward for my advice to you. My reward is only from Allah, the Creator, the Provider, the Owner, the Governor of all the worlds, and none other.

Do you build a landmark[17] on every high place for no purpose?

Hūd said to his people: "Do you build on every high place a towering monument as a sign of your strength and might, and take it as a source of pride and a display of power and greatness, without any real need or benefit to you?!"

And do you construct for yourselves palaces, hoping that you will live forever?

And you build strong buildings, as if you will live forever in the world.

And when you attack [others], do you attack ruthlessly?

And when you seize and overpower people, you are excessive in harming them aggressively and unjustly, such as killing them or striking them cruelly without right.

So fear Allah, and obey me.

So fear the wrath of Allah and His punishment, and obey me in what I command you and forbid you, for my truthfulness has become clear to you.

And fear the One Who has provided you with everything you know:

And fear Allah, Who has given you what you know of the continuous blessings and good things.

Who provided you with livestock and children,

He provided you with what you know of livestock and male children.

and with gardens and springs.

And He provided you with what you know of gardens and springs.

I fear for you the punishment of a momentous day.”

Indeed, I fear that a punishment from Allah will befall you on a day of great horrors if you persist in disbelief and denial.

They said, “It is the same to us whether you admonish us or not.

The people of Hūd said to their prophet: "It is all the same to us whether you preach to us or not. We will not believe in you, and we will not abandon our religion."

This is nothing but the custom of the former people,

This is nothing but the custom of our forefathers, and we are their followers, emulating them.

and we will never be punished.”

Allah will not punish us in this worldly life, nor will He resurrect us after our death to punish us in the Hereafter.

Thus they rejected him, so We destroyed them. Indeed, there is a sign in this, yet most of them would not believe,

The polytheists from the people of ‘Ād denied their messenger, Hūd, so We destroyed them in this world. Indeed, in the destruction of the people of Hūd is a lesson, an admonition, and a clear indication of the truthfulness of His messenger. And most of the people of Hūd were not true believers, despite the presence of the signs that necessitated their faith.

Your Lord is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

And indeed, your Lord—O Muhammad—is All-Mighty, the Subduer, the Victorious, the Avenger of His enemies, and the Most Merciful to His servants.

The people of Thamūd rejected the messengers

The tribe of Thamūd rejected all the messengers of Allah.

when their brother Sālih said to them, “Will you not fear Allah?

When Sālih—who was their brother in lineage, so they knew his truthfulness, his trustworthiness, and his compassion for them—said to them: "Will you not fear Allah and be wary of His punishment?"

I am a trustworthy messenger to you,

I am a messenger to you from Allah, entrusted with His revelation that He has sent me with to you. I convey to you what I was sent with, without addition or omission.

so fear Allah, and obey me.

So fear the wrath of Allah and His punishment, and obey me in what I command you and forbid you from.

I do not ask you for any reward for this; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.

I do not ask you for any reward for my advice to you; my reward is only from Allah, the Creator, the Provider, the Owner, the Disposer of the affairs of all the worlds, and from none of His creation.

Will you be left secure in whatever you have here,

Do you think Allah will leave you to enjoy these blessings, secure from death and punishment?!

in gardens and springs,

In gardens and springs of water.

and in fields of crops and date palms laden with tender fruit,

And in crops and palm trees, with tender and fresh fruit.

carving out houses in the mountains with great skill?

And you skillfully carve houses for yourselves from the mountains.

So fear Allah, and obey me.

So fear the wrath of Allah and His punishment, and obey me in what I command you and forbid you from, for my truthfulness has become clear to you.

And do not obey the command of the transgressors,

And do not follow the command of the transgressors, who have gone to extremes and transgressed the bounds in disbelief in Allah and disobedience to Him.

those who spread corruption in the land and never do what is right.”

Those who spread corruption on earth through disbelief, injustice, and sins and by calling others to it neither reform themselves with righteous deeds nor enjoin righteousness upon others.

They said, “You are but one of those who are bewitched!

The people of Sālih said: "You are only one of the bewitched, who have been utterly repeatedly enchanted. You have no intellect and you are only raving senselessly."

You are but a human like us, so bring a sign if you are one of the truthful.”

You are only a human like us, so how did Allah single you out from among us with the message that we should follow you?! Bring forth clear proof for the truth of what you say if you are truthful that you are a true messenger from Allah to us.

Sālih said, “This is a she-camel[18]; she will have her share of water and you will have yours, each on a specified day.

Sālih said to his people: "This is a she-camel, which Allah has made a sign for you proving my truthfulness. She has a share of the water on a day when you do not share with her, and you have a share of the water on a day when she does not share with you."

Do not touch her with harm, or you will be seized by the punishment of a horrible day.”

And do not touch the she-camel with any harm whatsoever, for if you do, the punishment of a day of great horrors from Allah will befall you.

But they hamstrung her, then they became regretful,

But the people of Sālih killed the she-camel, and they became regretful for that when they were certain of the punishment.

So the punishment seized them[19]. Indeed, there is a sign in this, yet most of them would not believe.

So Allah destroyed them with the punishment their prophet had warned them of. Indeed, in the destruction of the people of Sālih is a lesson, an example, and proof of their prophet's truthfulness, yet most of the people of Sālih were not believers.

Your Lord is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

And indeed, your Lord—O Muhammad—is All-Mighty, the Subduer, the Victorious, the Avenger against His enemies, and the Most Merciful to His servants.

The people of Lot rejected the messengers,

The people of Lūt (Lot) rejected all the messengers of Allah.

when their brother Lot said to them, “Will you not fear Allah?

When their brother Lot said to them, “Will you not fear Allah and beware His punishment?”

I am a trustworthy messenger to you,

I am indeed a messenger to you from Allah, trustworthy with His revelation, which He has sent me with to you, so I convey to you what I was sent with, without addition or omission.

so fear Allah, and obey me.

So fear the wrath of Allah and His punishment, and obey me in what I command you and forbid you from.

I do not ask you for any reward for this; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.

And I do not ask you for any reward for my advice to you; my reward is only from Allah, the Creator, the Provider, the Owner, the Controller of all the worlds, and not from His creation.

Do you approach males with lust among all people[20],

Do you have intercourse with males among the people?! No one in the world has ever committed such an immorality before you!

leaving the wives whom your Lord has created for you? You are but a transgressing people.”

And you leave what your Lord has created for you of your wives, though He has made it lawful to enjoy them. Rather, you are people who transgress the limits in disobedience to Allah, overstepping what your Lord has made lawful for you for that which He has forbidden you.

They said, “O Lot, If you do not desist, you will surely be expelled.”

The people of Lot said: "If you do not stop—O Lot—forbidding and denouncing us for approaching males, you will surely be among those expelled from our town."

Lot said, “I am one of those who utterly abhor your practice.

Lot said to his people, “I am truly one of those who utterly detest this shameful practice of yours, forsaking its practice and denouncing it.”

My Lord, save me and my family from [the consequences of] what they do.”

Lot said, praying to his Lord: "My Lord, save me and my family from the punishment of my people when You send it down upon them."

So We saved him and all his family,

So We saved Lot and all his family from the punishment.

except an old woman who was among those who remained behind[21].

Except his elderly wife; We did not save her, and she perished with the rest of her people in the punishment.

Then We destroyed the rest,

Then We utterly destroyed the people of Lot.

and We poured down upon them a rain [of stones]. How terrible was the rain of those who were warned!

And We sent down upon them a rain of brimstone from the sky. How terrible was the rain that We rained upon the people of Lot, whom their prophet had warned of Allah's punishment, but they denied him!

Indeed, there is a sign in this, yet most of them would not believe.

Indeed, in the destruction of the people of Lot there is a clear sign of the truthfulness of their prophet, Lot, and a lesson and an admonition for those who commit indecencies. Yet most of them would not believe.

Your Lord is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

And indeed, your Lord—O Muhammad—is All-Mighty, the Subduer, the Victorious, the Avenger against His enemies, and the Most Merciful to His servants.

The people of the Forest[22] rejected the messengers.

The people of the Forest (tangled trees) denied all the messengers of Allah.

When Shu‘ayb said to them, “Will you not fear Allah?

When Shu‘ayb said to them: "Will you not fear Allah, and beware of His punishment?!"

I am a trustworthy messenger to you,

I am a messenger to you from Allah, entrusted with His revelation with which He has sent me to you. I convey to you what I was sent with, without addition or omission.

so fear Allah, and obey me.

So fear the wrath of Allah and His punishment, and obey me in what I command you and forbid you from.

I do not ask you for any reward for this; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.

And I do not ask you for any reward for my advice to you. My reward is only from Allah, the Creator, the Provider, the Owner, the Disposer of the affairs of all the worlds, and not from His creation.

Give full measure and do not be of those who defraud others,

Shu‘ayb said to his people: "Give people their due in full measure, and do not be of those who defraud people of their rights."

and weigh with accurate scales,

And weigh for the people—when you weigh for them—with the just scale, which has no tilt or deviation in it.

and do not defraud people of their goods, nor go about in the land spreading corruption.

And do not defraud people of their rights, and do not go about the land committing sin and spreading corruption.

And fear the One Who created you and the former peoples[23].”

And fear Allah, Who created you and the past generations before you.

They said, “You are truly bewitched!

The people of Shu‘ayb said to him: "You are only one of the bewitched, those who have been utterly enchanted time and again, so you have no sense, and you are only raving senselessly."

You are only a human being like us, and we think you are nothing but a liar.

You are nothing but a human like us, so how did Allah single you out with the message from among us for us to follow you?! And we think you are one of the liars in your claim that you are a messenger from Allah.

So cause pieces of the sky to fall upon us, if you are of the truthful.”

So send down upon us pieces from the sky to destroy us, if you are truthful in being a messenger from Allah.

Shu‘ayb said, “My Lord knows best whatever you do.”

Shu‘ayb said to his people: "My Lord knows best what you do of polytheism, sins, and giving short measure and weight. He will recompense you for your deeds and punish you for them if He wills, and my only duty is to convey the message to you."

Thus they rejected him, so they were seized by the punishment of the cloudy day; it was the punishment of a horrible day.

Thus, the people of Shu‘ayb denied their prophet, so Allah destroyed them with a punishment that overshadowed them, and they perished beneath it. Indeed, the punishment of the Day of the Canopy that afflicted the people of Shu‘ayb was the punishment of a day of great terror.

Indeed, there is a sign in this, yet most of them would not believe.

Indeed, in the destruction of the people of Shu‘ayb is a clear sign of the truthfulness of their prophet, Shu‘ayb, and a lesson and an admonition for those who give short measure and weight, and most of the people of Shu‘ayb were not believers.

Your Lord is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

And indeed, your Lord—O Muhammad—is All-Mighty, the Subduer, the Victorious, the Avenger against His enemies, and the Most Merciful to His servants.

This is indeed a revelation from the Lord of the worlds,

Indeed, the Qur’an is a revelation from Allah, Who sustains all the worlds with His bounties and guides them through His mercy to that which is beneficial for them.

which the Trustworthy Spirit [Gabriel] has brought down

Jibrīl (Gabriel), the one entrusted with Allah's revelation to His prophets, descended with the Qur’an; he neither adds to it nor omits anything from it.

to your heart [O Prophet] so that you may be one of the warners,

Gabriel has brought the Qur’an down to your heart—O Muhammad—for you to comprehend and preserve it so that you may be of those who warn people with it.

in a clear Arabic language.

In a clear Arabic language.

And it was indeed [mentioned] in the scriptures of the former peoples.

And this Qur’an has indeed been foretold in the scriptures of the previous prophets who prophesied it, which proves its authenticity.

Was it not a proof for them that the learned men of the Children of Israel recognized it [to be true][24]?

Was it not proof for the deniers among the polytheists regarding the authenticity of the revelation brought by the Messenger that the scholars of the Children of Israel recognize its truth and find it mentioned in the scriptures they study?

If We had sent it down to any of the non-Arabs,

And if We had sent down the Qur’an to a man from among the non-Arabs who is not proficient in speaking Arabic.

and he had recited it to them[25]; still, they would not have believed in it.

Had the Qur’an been recited to the Arab disbelievers in a language other than Arabic, they would not have believed that it is from Allah, and they would have said: "We do not understand what you are saying!"

This is how We made it [i.e., disbelief] enter the hearts of the wicked.

Thus did We cause the Qur’an to enter the hearts of the polytheists, yet they denied it!

They will not believe in it until they see the painful punishment,

They will not believe in the Qur’an until they see the punishment of Allah, at which point they will believe, but belief will be of no benefit to them.

which will come upon them suddenly when they least expect it.

So the punishment of Allah will take the deniers of the Qur’an by surprise, without any warning, when they least expect its coming.

They will then say, “Can we be granted some respite?”

The criminals will say, when the punishment comes upon them suddenly, "Can we be given some respite so that we may repent to Allah, believe, and do righteous deeds?!"

Do they really seek to hasten Our punishment?

Do these criminals seek to hasten Our punishment, which should not be taken lightly?!

Tell me [O Prophet] if We give them a life of ease for years,

Suppose it is as they believe about their long lives; then tell me, if We grant them respite and let them live on, enjoying this world for many years.

then there came to them what they were warned of,

Then, after those many years, there came to them the punishment of Allah that they had been promised for their disbelief and denial.

what would avail them the life of ease that they were given?

So what benefit will they have then from their enjoyment in this world, and from the many years We delayed their punishment?!

We never destroyed any town without sending them warners,

And We never destroyed any of the past townships except after the argument had been established against their people by sending messengers to warn them of the wrath of Allah and His punishment if they persisted in their disbelief.

to admonish them, for We are never unjust.

We sent the warning messengers as a reminder to the people of the towns, and a reminder to them before their destruction. We were not unjust to them after the proof had been established against them, and they had been warned and left with no excuse.

This [Qur’an] is not sent down by the devils[26],

The devils did not bring the Qur’an down upon Muhammad; rather, the Trustworthy Gabriel brought it down upon him.

it is not for them to do this, nor is it within their capability,

It is not for the devils, nor is it right for them to bring down the Qur’an, for it does not suit them, as it contradicts their nature and purposes; and even if they wanted to bring it down, they are not able to.

for they are strictly barred from overhearing it[27].

For they are barred from overhearing the Qur'an in heaven.

So do not call upon any other god besides Allah, lest you become of those who will be punished.

So do not call upon any other god besides Allah whom you worship and call upon, or else you will be one of those who are punished.

And warn [starting with] the nearest kinsfolk,

And warn your nearest kinsmen of Allah's punishment if they do not believe, and prioritize warning them over that of others, and do not show them favor because of their kinship.

and lower your wing [in kindness] to the believers who follow you.

And be gracious to your believing followers, be humble to them, be kind to them, and show affection to them.

But if they disobey you, say, “I disown what you do.”

But if your closest kinsmen disobey your command and do not follow you, then say to them: "I am free from what you do of your polytheism and your disobedience."

And put your trust in the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful,

And in all your affairs, put your trust in Allah, All-Mighty in His retribution against His enemies, for He is never subdued or overcome; He is the Most Merciful Who accepts repentance from His servants and does not hasten punishment. Entrust your affairs to Him so that He may protect you and grant you victory.

Who sees you when you stand up [for prayer],

Put your trust in Allah, Who sees you when you rise for your prayer.

and your movements among those who prostrate.

And He sees you as you move among the worshippers in prayer, standing, bowing, and prostrating.

Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Indeed, Allah is the All-Hearing of all sounds, the All-Knowing of all deeds, states, and intentions. This includes His hearing the recitation of Muhammad and his remembrance in his prayer, and the All-Knowing of what he does therein and of the faith within his heart.

Shall I inform you upon who the devils descend?

Shall I inform you of the description of those upon whom the devils descend?

They descend upon every sinful liar,

They descend frequently upon every great liar in his words and great sinner in his deeds.

who whisper hearsay in the ears, but most of them are liars.

The devils eavesdrop on some of what they hear from the angels in heaven, and they cast it to their allies among the lying, sinful soothsayers before they are pelted with shooting stars. And most of them are liars in what they report of the unseen.

As for poets, they are followed by the deviants.

As for poets, they are followed by the erring deviants of mankind and jinn, who follow their whims and desires. The Qur’an is not poetry, nor is Muhammad a poet. And his followers are the rightly guided.

Do you not see that they wander aimlessly in every valley[28],

Do you not see that the poets speak falsehood in every form of idle talk and aspect of speech—like praise and satire, elegy, boasting, and love poetry—plunging into them, wandering and bewildered, and never settling on a single state?

and that they say what they do not do?

And that the poets tell lies, speaking of what they do not do in reality.

Except those who believe, do righteous deeds, remember Allah much and defend themselves[29] after being wronged. The wrongdoers will come to know what end awaits them.

Except for the believing poets who do righteous deeds and remember Allah often and satirize the polytheist poets who unjustly satirize them, so they respond to them with truth in defense of the Muslims. These exceptions are not among the blameworthy poets. And those who wrong themselves with polytheism, sins, and transgressing against the rights of the servants of Allah will know the evil end to which they will return after their death, for their destination is the Fire.

An-Naml

Tā Sīn[1]. These are the verses of the Qur’an and a clear book;

Ta-Sin. These disjointed letters, with which this Surah and others begin, are to demonstrate the miraculous (inimitable) nature of the Qur’an, as they show the inability of creation to challenge it with something similar, despite it being composed of these Arabic letters that they speak. Those great verses are the verses of the Qur’an and a clear Book whose truthfulness is evident and that it is from Allah, and which reveals the truth through its clarity.

a guidance and glad tidings for the believers,

It is guidance for the believers, guiding them to the straight path, and it is a glad tiding for them of goodness and reward in this life and the Hereafter.

those who establish prayer and give zakah, and who firmly believe in the Hereafter.

Indeed, the Qur'an is guidance and glad tidings for the believers who steadfastly observe the prayers with their pillars, conditions, and limits, give the obligatory Zakah to its due recipients, and have sure faith in the Hereafter.

As for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, We have made their deeds appealing to them, so they wander blindly.

Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter, in the occurrence of the Resurrection after death, and in the recompense for deeds on the Day of Judgment: We have made their wicked and foul deeds appealing to them, endeared them to them, and made them easy for them to commit as a recompense for their disbelief. Thus, they wander blindly in their misguidance and their wicked and foul deeds, not guided to the truth.

Such are those who will have a terrible punishment, and it is they who will be the greatest losers in the Hereafter.

Such are those who will have the severest, worst, and greatest punishment, and on the Day of Resurrection, they will be the greatest losers for having missed the reward and deserved the punishment.

Indeed, you are receiving the Qur’an from the All-Wise, All-Knowing.

And indeed, you are receiving the Qur’an, O Muhammad—taking it, being instructed in it, and learning it through Gabriel—from the One Who possesses perfect wisdom in His creation and His law, and Who possesses perfect knowledge. And since the Quran is from the All-Wise, and the All-Knowing, then it is known that all of it is wisdom and knowledge, and a source of righteousness for the servants in their worldly life and their Hereafter.

[Remember] when Moses said to his family, “I have spotted a fire. I will bring you some news[2] from there, or bring you a burning brand so that you may warm yourselves.”

Remember—O Muhammad—when Moses said to his family while he was traveling from Midian to Egypt on a dark and cold night: "Indeed, I have spotted a fire. I will bring you news from the fire, or I will bring you a burning brand that I can take from that fire so that you may warm yourselves with it from the cold."

When he came to it, he was called, “Blessed is He Who is at the fire and those who are around it[3]. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

But when Moses came to the fire—it is said that it was a light—he was called by Allah Almighty: “Blessed is whoever is in that fire, and blessed is whoever is around it. And exalted is Allah, Lord of the worlds, above every imperfection, evil, and flaw.”

O Moses, verily this is Me – Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

O Moses, indeed, I am Allah, the One worthy of worship alone, the All-Powerful, the All-Prevailing who cannot be overcome, and the All-Wise in His command, His word, and His deed.

Throw down your staff!” But when he saw it slithering as if it were a snake, he turned and ran away without looking back. “O Moses, do not be afraid! Indeed, the messengers should have no fear in My presence,

"Throw down your staff." So he threw it, and it turned into a great serpent. When Moses saw it moving and slithering with agility and speed, as if it were a small snake, he fled from it hastily and did not return or look back. So We said, "O Moses, do not fear what you see, for the messengers do not fear in My presence."

except he who does wrong, then substitutes good for evil, then I am indeed All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

But whoever wronged himself by committing evil and falling into sin, then repented and did righteous deeds after his evil deed, then I am indeed All-Forgiving of his sin—I conceal it for him and overlook holding him accountable for it—and Most Merciful to him.

Put your hand into your garment, it will come out shining white without blemish, as one of nine signs to Pharaoh and his people[4], for they are indeed a rebellious people.”

And put your hand into the opening of your garment, then draw it out; it will come out bright, without leprosy or any other affliction. It is one of nine signs with which We send you to Pharaoh and his people, for they were a people who disbelieved in Allah, transgressing from His obedience.

But when Our visible signs came to them, they said, “This is clear magic.”

So when Our nine signs came to Pharaoh and his people, illuminating, manifest, and clear evidence of the truthfulness of Moses and his message, one after another, they said: "This which Moses has shown us is obvious magic, not hidden from anyone!"

They denied them wrongfully and arrogantly, although their hearts were convinced that they were true. See then how was the end of those who spread corruption!

Pharaoh and his people rejected the signs and denied with their tongues that they were from Allah, though in their hearts they were completely certain that they were from Allah without a doubt. But they rejected and denied out of transgression and arrogance against following the truth. See—O Muhammad—at the end of those who spread corruption on earth through polytheism and sins, how Allah destroyed and annihilated them!

We gave David and Solomon knowledge, and they said, “All praise be to Allah, Who has favored us[5] over many of His believing slaves.”

Indeed, We granted knowledge to David and his son Solomon. David and Solomon said: “All praise be to Allah Who has favored us over many of His faithful servants for the distinction He has granted us.”

Solomon succeeded David, and said, “O people, we have been taught the speech of birds, and we have been given from all things. This is indeed a clear favor.”

Solomon inherited from his father David prophethood, knowledge, and the kingdom of the Children of Israel. Solomon said to the Children of Israel, speaking of Allah's blessing upon him: "O people, Allah has taught us the speech of birds and made us understand the meanings of their sounds and has given us of all blessings and good things. Indeed, this that we have been given is the manifest and clear favor."

Solomon’s armies of jinn, men and birds were assembled before him, marching in organized ranks,

And Solomon’s vast and diverse armies of jinn, men, and birds were gathered for him, and they were organized in their march, with the front being held back for the rear, so they would remain assembled and in orderly ranks.

until when they reached a valley of ants, an ant said, “O ants, get into your dwellings, so Solomon and his armies do not crush you unknowingly.”

So they marched until, when Solomon and his soldiers passed by the valley of the ants, one of the ants, upon seeing the army, warned them, saying: “O ants, enter your dwellings swiftly and with caution, lest Solomon and his army break and crush you as they pass through your valley, while they would neither perceive such destruction nor intend it.”

So he smiled in amusement at its words and said, “My Lord, inspire me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and my parents, and to do righteous deeds that please you. And admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous slaves.”

So Solomon smiled, laughing in amusement and delight at the ant's speech, and Solomon said: "My Lord, inspire me and enable me to be grateful for Your favor upon me and upon my parents, such that I may be constant in gratitude for Your religious and worldly blessings upon us and do for the rest of my life righteous deeds purely for You, following Your law and in accordance with Your pleasure. And admit me in the Hereafter by Your mercy—not by my deeds—among Your righteous servants into Your Paradise."

Once he checked the birds, and said, “Why is it that I do not see the hoopoe – or is he among the absent?

Solomon inspected the birds and said when he did not see the hoopoe: "Why do I not see the hoopoe? Is he present and have I overlooked him, or was he absent without my permission and did not attend?"

I will surely punish him severely, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a valid reason.”

Solomon said in anger, "By Allah, I will surely punish the hoopoe with a severe punishment for his absence without permission, or I will surely kill him, or he must bring me clear proof explaining his excuse for his absence."

It was not long before the hoopoe came and said, “I have learned something that you do not know; I come to you from Sheba with sure news.

So the hoopoe was absent for a short while, then came to Solomon and said to him: "I have learned something that you do not know! And I have come to you from the land of Sheba in Yemen with true news, and a truth in which there is no doubt."