التفسير المحرر
Who is then more unjust than he who tells lies about Allah and rejects the truth when it comes to him? Is there no abode for the disbelievers in Hell?
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Who is then more unjust than he who tells lies about Allah and rejects the truth when it comes to him? Is there no abode for the disbelievers in Hell?
Who is more unjust than one who lies against Allah, attributing falsehood to Him—like one who claims that Allah has partners in His worship—and denies the clear truth when it reaches him? Is there not in Hell an abode and a resting place for those who disbelieved, for their lie against Allah and their denial of the truth when it came to them, and likewise for every disbeliever in Allah Almighty?
But the one who came with the truth [i.e., the prophet] and [those who] believed in it, it is they who are the righteous.
But those who call to the Quran and the truth it contains and believe in it: it is they who truly have the quality of piety towards Allah Almighty.
They will have with their Lord whatever they wish for. Such is the reward of those who do good.
The pious will have with their Lord on the Day of Resurrection whatever they desire in Paradise. That bliss is the reward for those who excelled in deeds in the world.
And Allah will absolve them of their worst deeds and reward them according to the best of what they used to do.
So that Allah may expiate from the good-doers the worst of what they did of evil deeds, and reward them their due according to the best of what they used to do of acts of obedience.
Is Allah not sufficient for His slave? Yet they frighten you with those [whom they worship] besides Him. Whoever Allah causes to stray, there is none to guide him.
Is not Allah sufficient for His worshipper against all evil, and a protector for him from every plot? Yet the polytheists of your people, O Muhammad, frighten you with those besides Allah, claiming that they will inflict harm upon you. Whoever Allah leads astray from the path of truth, there is none to guide him to it.
And whoever Allah guides, none can lead him astray. Is not Allah All-Mighty, Capable of Retribution?
And whoever Allah guides to the truth, no one can lead him astray from it. Is not Allah All-Powerful in His retribution against the disbelievers, Unassailable, Dominant over His servants? And by His might, He suffices His servant and repels from him the plot of his enemies; a Possessor of retribution against those who deny His oneness, who deny His messengers, and who disobey His command?
If you ask them who created the heavens and earth, they will surely say, “Allah.” Say, “Then tell me about those whom you supplicate besides Allah; if Allah wills to harm me, can they remove His harm? Or if He wills mercy for me, can they withhold His mercy?” Say, “Allah is sufficient for me; in Him alone do the reliant put their trust.”
If you were to ask the polytheists, O Muhammad: "Who created the heavens and the earth?" They would surely say: "Allah alone is their Creator." Say: "Have you considered the deities you call upon besides Allah: Are they able to remove any harm that afflicts me if Allah intends to afflict me with it? Or can your deities withhold my Lord's mercy from me if Allah intends to bestow it upon me?" Say, O Muhammad: "Allah alone is sufficient for me in all things. I entrust all my affairs to Him, and I rely on Him alone, and no other; in Allah alone do those who trust place their trust to secure their benefits and ward off their harms.
Say, “O my people, carry on as you are, and so will I. You will come to know
Say—O Muhammad—to the polytheists of your people: "O my people, persist in your way, your path, and your state which you have chosen for yourselves and to which you rigidly adhere; I am acting upon the path which Allah has commanded me. You will soon know.
who will receive a humiliating punishment, and upon whom will descend an everlasting punishment.”
You will soon know who will receive a punishment from Allah in this world that humiliates and disgraces him, and upon whom a lasting, inescapable punishment will descend at its appointed time.
We have sent down to you the Book with the truth for all mankind. Whoever follows the guidance, it is to his own benefit, and whoever goes astray, it is only to his own loss. You are not a keeper over them.
Indeed, We have sent down to you, O Muhammad, the Qur'an for the people in truth, so that you may warn them with it and make clear to them the guidance. So whoever acts according to the Qur'an and follows it, the benefit of that returns only to himself. And whoever strays from the truth, and does not believe in the Qur'an and follow it, the consequence and harm of that returns only to himself, not to anyone else. And you, O Muhammad, are not a guardian over the guidance of the people to compel them to follow the truth, nor a watcher over their deeds, nor a keeper over them, nor one to hold them accountable. Your duty is only to convey the message.
Allah takes away the souls at the time of their death and of those who do not die during their sleep. He withholds the souls of those on whom He has decreed death and releases others until an appointed term. Indeed, there are signs in this for people who reflect.
Allah takes away the souls when the appointed term of their owners comes to an end, and Allah takes away during sleep the souls of those whose term has not yet ended. He then withholds the souls of those upon whom He has decreed death, so He does not return their souls to their bodies in this world. And Allah releases the souls of the living when they awaken from their sleep, so they return to their bodies, and He does not take them in the final death except at the end of their term in this worldly life. Indeed, in this taking, withholding, and releasing of souls are signs, proofs, lessons, and admonitions for those who reflect upon this matter, whereby they deduce the perfect power of Allah Almighty, His sole right to be worshipped without any other, the certainty of the occurrence of the Resurrection, and other such truths.
Or have they taken besides Allah others as intercessors? Say, “Even though they have no power nor do they understand?”
Or have the polytheists taken gods besides Allah whom they worship to intercede for them with Allah in fulfilling their needs? Say to them, O Muhammad: "Do they take those idols as intercessors for them, even if they possess nothing and have no reason?!"
Say, “All intercession belongs to Allah alone. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth, then to Him you will be returned.”
Say to them, O Muhammad, "Intercession belongs to Allah alone, and all of it is referred to Him; thus, no one besides Him possesses any part of it. He is the only One Who permits it, if He wills, to whom He wills of His servants. To Him alone belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and He alone has authority over them as He wills. So worship Him alone, and do not worship others besides Him who possess nothing. Then to Allah is your return on the Day of Resurrection, not to anyone else, and He will judge between you and recompense each of you."
When Allah alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion, but as soon as those other than Him are mentioned, they rejoice.
When Allah Almighty is mentioned alone, without other false deities, the hearts of the polytheists who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink, their faces scowl, and they turn away in hatred of the oneness of Allah, the Exalted. But when their gods are mentioned favorably, their joy intensifies and happiness appears on their faces.
Say, “O Allah, Originator of the heavens and earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, it is you who will judge between Your slaves concerning that over which they used to differ.
Say, O Muhammad, calling upon your Lord alone: "O Allah, O Creator of the heavens and the earth without a prior example, O Knower of what is hidden from creation and what is apparent to them, so nothing of that is hidden from You. You alone will judge between Your servants on the Day of Resurrection with justice concerning that in which they used to differ in the world.
If the wrongdoers were to possess all that is on earth and the like of it, they would surely offer it to ransom themselves from the terrible punishment on the Day of Resurrection. There will appear to them from Allah what they had never anticipated[12].
If those who wronged themselves through polytheism possessed all that is on earth and twice as much along with it, they would have offered it as a ransom to save themselves from the terrible punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to the wrongdoers from Allah's decree and punishment prepared for them what had never crossed their minds, nor had it occurred in their thoughts, for they had always judged for themselves otherwise.
The evil consequences of their deeds will become apparent to them, and they will be overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.
The evil deeds of disbelief and sins the polytheists committed in the world will appear to them on the Day of Resurrection, and the punishment of Allah that they used to ridicule in the world will overwhelm and befall them.
When adversity befalls man, he cries out to Us. Then when We grant him a favor from Us, he says, “I have been granted this only because of my knowledge.” It is rather a test, but most of them do not know.
When man is afflicted with harm, hardship, and distress, he calls upon Us to relieve him of it. Then, when We grant him a favor of wealth or well-being or the like, he says: "I was only given this because of my knowledge!" The matter is not as he claims; rather, this blessing We have bestowed upon him is a test. But most people, due to their ignorance, do not know this, so they are deceived by what Allah has bestowed upon them.
It was already said by those before them[13], but all what they earned was of no avail to them,
This statement was also made by those from past nations who came before them, saying, “I was only given this because of my own knowledge.” Yet what they had earned was of no avail to them when the punishment overtook them.
Therefore the evil consequences of their deeds overtook them, and the wrongdoers among these [pagans] will be overtaken by the evil consequences of their deeds, and they will have no escape[14].
So the evil consequences of their deeds struck them, and the ruinous outcome of what they earned befell them. And the wrongdoers among the disbelievers of Quraysh will also be struck by the ruinous outcome of what they earned; and they will not render Allah powerless, for they can neither overpower Him nor escape Him by fleeing throughout the land to avoid His punishment.
Do they not know that Allah extends provision to whom He wills or restricts it? Indeed, there are signs in this for people who believe.
Do those who claim they were given blessings because of their knowledge not know that Allah expands provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts it for whom He wills of them? Indeed, there are signs and indications in that for the believers, from which they infer the Oneness of Allah Almighty, His wisdom, His mercy, and His sole authority in managing the provisions of His servants, and more.
Say [Allah says], “O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy, for indeed Allah forgives all sins[15]. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Say, O Muhammad, conveying from Allah that He says: "O My servants who have excessively committed sins through disbelief or disobedience, and have burdened themselves with sins: Do not lose hope and do not despair of Allah's mercy, thinking that Allah will never forgive your sins. Indeed, Allah covers all sins and overlooks holding you accountable for them. Indeed, Allah alone is the One of immense forgiveness for the sins of His servants, and the Most Merciful to them.
Turn to your Lord [in repentance] and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you, for then you will not be helped.
Turn, O people, to your Lord by repenting to Him and obeying Him alone, and submit and humble yourselves to Him, and surrender to Him before the punishment of Allah comes to you for your disbelief in Him and your disobedience to Him, then no helper will help you.
Follow the best of what has been sent down to you all from your Lord, before the punishment comes upon you by surprise while you are unaware,
And follow the Qur’an: believe its reports, take heed and learn lessons from its stories and parables, obey its commands, avoid its prohibitions, and entrust its ambiguous verses to its Knower, before Allah's punishment comes upon you suddenly while you are heedless and unaware of its arrival.
lest someone should say[16], “Woe to me for neglecting my duties towards Allah and for being among those who mocked [the truth]”;
Lest a soul should say on the Day of Resurrection, in regret for not having repented: 'Oh, my sorrow for what I neglected in my duty to Allah, and for failing to do what He commanded me, while I was indeed among those who mocked the command of Allah, His Book, His Messenger, and the believers.'
or says, “If only Allah had guided me, I would have been among the righteous”;
Lest a soul should say: "If only Allah had guided me to the truth, I would have been among those who feared Him, obeyed Him, and avoided associating partners with Him and His disobedience."
or says, upon seeing the punishment, “If only I had another chance[17], I could be among those who do good.”
Or lest a soul should say, upon seeing the punishment of Allah in the Hereafter, ‘If only I had a chance to return to the world, I would have been one of the doers of good.’
[Allah will say,] “No indeed! My verses had already come to you, but you rejected them and acted arrogantly, and you were among the disbelievers.”
Allah will refute him, saying: "The matter is not as you say; for the verses of the Qur’an which point to the truth had already come to you, but you denied them and were too arrogant to accept and follow them, and you were in the worldly life among the disbelievers in them; therefore, you have no excuse."
On the Day of Resurrection, you will see those who lied against Allah with their faces darkened. Is there not in Hell an abode for the arrogant?
On the Day of Resurrection, you will see the polytheists who lied about Allah—by claiming that He has a partner or a son, or alleging that He legislated something which He did not really legislate, and so on—their faces will be darkened. Is there not in Hell an abode and a dwelling place for those who were arrogant towards the truth, so they turned away from the Oneness of Allah, from accepting His law, and refrained from obeying Him in His commands and prohibitions?
But Allah will save those who fear Him, for they have attained salvation[18]; no harm will touch them, nor will they grieve.
But Allah will save those who feared Allah by complying with what He commanded and avoiding what He forbade, through their triumph: their salvation from the Fire and their entry into Paradise. No evil will touch the pious in the Hereafter, nor will they ever grieve.
Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Guardian over everything.
Allah alone is the Creator of all things; He is their Lord, their Owner, and the sole Disposer of their affairs. And Allah is the Sustainer, Maintainer, and Governor of all things.
To Him belong the keys of the heavens and earth. As for those who disbelieve in the verses of Allah, it is they who are the losers.
The reins of all affairs are in the Hands of Allah Almighty alone; to Him alone belong the treasuries of the heavens and the earth and their keys, and He is the Only One Who governs them and disposes of their affairs. As for those who rejected the signs of Allah and His proofs which indicate Him and His oneness, it is they who have lost this world and the Hereafter. They are forsaken in this world from faith and righteous deeds, will abide eternally in the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, and will be deprived of entering Paradise.
Say [O Prophet], “Do you order me to worship other than Allah, O ignorant people?”
Say, O Muhammad, to the polytheists of Quraysh: "Do you command me to worship other than Allah Almighty, O you who are ignorant of His greatness and His right to be worshipped alone, to the exclusion of all others?!
It has already been revealed to you and to those who came before you that if you associate others with Allah, your deeds will surely become worthless, and you will certainly be among the losers.
It has already been revealed to you, O Muhammad—and to the Prophets before you—that if you associate others with Allah, your righteous deeds will surely be rendered void, and Allah will not reward you for them. And you will certainly be—if you associate others with Allah—among those who have lost the reward for their deeds and have deserved the punishment of Allah.
Rather, worship Allah alone and be among those who are grateful.
Rather, worship Allah alone, O Muhammad, to the exclusion of all other deities, being sincere to Him in your worship, and be among those who are grateful to Allah for His blessings through righteous deeds.
They did not revere Allah His true reverence[19]. On the Day of Resurrection, the whole earth will be in His Grip, and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified and exalted is He above all what they associate with Him!
The polytheists did not magnify Allah as He should be magnified, as they worshipped others along with Him and did not describe Him with the attributes that befit Him, the Exalted. They have not shown Allah His proper reverence, when the whole earth will be in His Grip on the Day of Judgment, and the seven heavens will all be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified and Greatly Exalted is He above the polytheism of the polytheists.
The Trumpet will be blown and all those in the heavens and all those on earth will fall dead, except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on.
On the Day of Resurrection, the great Trumpet will be blown, and all those in the heavens and all those on the earth will fall dead, except whom Allah wills. Then the Trumpet will be blown a second time, and at once all the creatures who had died will be standing, looking on.
The earth[20] will shine with the light of its Lord, the record of deeds will be laid open, the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forth, and judgment will be passed between them with fairness, and they will not be wronged.
The Land of the Gathering will shine with the light of its Lord when He reveals Himself to judge between His slaves. The records of the deeds of the slaves will be brought forth and placed for their reckoning and recompense according to what they contain of good or evil. The prophets will be brought so that their Lord may ask them how their nations responded to them, and the witnesses will be brought to testify against the people for their deeds. Allah will judge between the slaves on the Day of Judgment with perfect justice, and they will not be wronged in the least; no one will be punished for what he did not do, nor be burdened with the sin of another, nor have his reward diminished, nor his sins increased.
Every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, for He knows best[21] what they do.
Allah will give every soul the full recompense for its deeds, whether good or evil, and Allah knows better than the prophets and the witnesses what His servants do in the world, and He will recompense them on the Day of Resurrection according to their deeds.
Those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups, until when they reach it, its gates will be opened and its keepers will say to them, “Did there not come to you messengers from among you, reciting the verses of your Lord and warning you of your meeting of this Day?” They will say, “Yes indeed, but the decree of punishment has come to pass against the disbelievers.”
The disbelievers will be driven to Hell on the Day of Resurrection in separate groups. Until, when the disbelievers reach Hell, its seven gates will be opened for them suddenly upon their arrival, and the keepers of Hell assigned to it will say to them: "Did not messengers from among you come to you, reciting to you the verses of your Lord, and warning you of the evil of the Day of Resurrection and your fate in it?" Those who disbelieved will say: "Yes indeed! Messengers from among us did come to us, reciting to us the revelation of our Lord and warning us of the Day of Resurrection, but we denied them." And the word of punishment became due—in Allah's prior knowledge—upon those who disbelieved in Him, His signs, and His messengers.
It will be said, “Enter the gates of Hell, abiding therein forever.” What a terrible abode for the arrogant!
It will be said to them, “Enter the seven gates of Hell, abiding therein forever. Its torment will never cease from you, nor will you ever be brought out of it.” What a terrible abode and resting place for the arrogant towards the truth: the fire of Hell!
But those who feared their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups, until when they reach it, its gates will be wide open, and its keepers will say to them, “Peace be upon you. You have done well, so enter it, abiding forever.”
And on the Day of Resurrection, those who feared their Lord by obeying what He commanded and avoiding what He forbade will be led to Paradise in throngs and groups, until, when the righteous reach Paradise and its gates have been opened for them, the keepers of Paradise appointed over it will say to the righteous: “A greeting and security from Allah be upon you; no evil or harm shall befall you. Your deeds and your words have become pure, and thus you are worthy to dwell in Paradise; so enter it to abide therein forever.”
They will say, “All praise be to Allah Who has fulfilled His promise to us, and made us inherit the land[22] to dwell wherever we please in Paradise.” How excellent is the reward of those who do [good]!
The righteous will say: "Praise be to Allah alone, Who has fulfilled for us what He promised us as a reward for our obedience to Him in the world, and has fulfilled it to us in the Hereafter and made us inherit the land of Paradise. We settle therein wherever we please and desire, and reside in any place we wish. So wherever we wish, we settle. How excellent is the reward of those who worked in obedience to Allah in the world: the bliss of Paradise in the Hereafter."
You will see the angels surrounding the Throne, glorifying their Lord with His praise, and matters will be settled between them with justice, and it will be said[23]: All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”
You, O Muhammad, will see the angels surrounding the Throne of the Most Merciful, declaring their Lord free from all flaws and imperfections while describing Him with the attributes of perfection, out of love and reverence for Him. And Allah will judge between His servants with perfect justice, and it will be said: "Praise be to Allah Almighty alone, the Creator, the Sovereign, the Provider, the Disposer of all creation."
Ghāfir
Hā Mīm[1].
These two disjointed letters with which some surahs of the Noble Qur'an begin are meant to demonstrate the miraculous (inimitable) nature of this Qur'an; they show the inability of creation to challenge it with something similar, even though it is composed of these very Arabic letters with which they speak.
The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing,
The revelation of the Quran is from Allah, the Overpowering, the Prevailing, the Unassailable in His Majesty, the One free from every imperfection and flaw, the Possessor of Power and Sovereignty; the All-Knowing, Whose knowledge encompasses all things.
the Forgiver of sin and Accepter of repentance, the Severe in punishment and Infinite in bounty. None has the right to be worshiped except Him. To Him is the final return.
The Forgiver of the sins of His servants, and Acceptor of the repentance of the repentant from polytheism and all sins, severe in punishment for those of His servants who deserve it, the Possessor of vast bounty, and of grace and favor upon His creation. There is no true deity except Allah alone; to Him alone is the return of the servants, and He will recompense them for their deeds.
None disputes against the signs of Allah except those who disbelieve, so do not be deceived by their movements in the land.
None disputes with falsehood the signs of Allah that indicate the truth except the disbelievers who reject and challenge them, intending to refute the truth and extinguish the light of Allah Almighty. So do not be deceived, O Muhammad, by the disbelievers' free movement throughout the land, their travels for various gains and other purposes, and their enjoyment of this world in safety despite their disbelief in Allah, lest you think well of them, that they are upon the truth, or that Allah will not hold them accountable for their sins. For Allah is aware of their condition; He gives them respite and leads them gradually with blessings until He destroys them.
Before them, the people of Noah rejected and so did [other] parties after them. Every nation plotted against its messenger to seize him and falsely argued to refute the truth with falsehood, so I seized them. How [horrible] was My punishment!
The past nations denied their messengers before the disbelievers of Quraysh, namely the people of Noah and the denying nations after them who formed factions and conspired to invalidate the truth and support falsehood—such as ‘Ad, Thamūd, the people of Lot, the people of Midian, and the people of Pharaoh. Every nation from among those disbelieving factions plotted to kill their messenger whom they denied, and disputed by means of falsehood to refute the truth therewith. So I seized them with a destructive punishment. And how terrible was My punishment that befell them?
Thus the decree of your Lord was passed against those who disbelieve, that they will be the people of the Fire.
And just as the punishment has been proven true against the disbelievers of bygone nations, so too has it been proven true against the disbelievers of your people and all disbelievers—that they will be the inmates of the Fire in the Hereafter.
Those [angels] who bear the Throne and those around it glorify their Lord with His praise and believe in Him, and seek forgiveness for those who believe, [saying], “Our Lord, Your mercy and knowledge encompass everything, so forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and protect them from the punishment of the Blazing Fire.
The angels who carry the Throne and the angels nearest to Him who surround it exalt their Lord above all imperfections, an exaltation coupled with describing Him with attributes of perfection, out of love and magnification. They believe in their Lord and that He alone is worthy of worship, and they ask Allah for forgiveness for the believers, saying: "Our Lord, Your mercy has encompassed all things, for there is nothing that Your mercy does not include, and Your knowledge has encompassed all things, for there is nothing that Your knowledge has not encompassed. So forgive those who have repented from polytheism and sins and have adhered to what You have legislated of the religion of Islam, thus affirming Your oneness and obeying You, and protect them from the punishment of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.
Our Lord, admit them to the Gardens of Eternity which You have promised them, and the righteous from among their parents, their spouses and their offspring. Indeed, it is You Who are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
Our Lord, and admit those who have repented and followed Your path into the Gardens of Eternity which You have promised them, and whoever was righteous in the world among their fathers, their spouses, and their offspring—those who believed and did righteous deeds. Indeed, You are the All-Mighty, Possessor of Might and Sovereignty, the Prevailing, the Subduer of all things, the One Transcendent of all defects and imperfections; the All-Wise in Your legislation, Your decree, and Your management of Your creation.
And protect them from the evil consequences [of their sins]. For whoever You protect from the evil consequences on that Day, You have surely bestowed mercy upon him. That is the supreme triumph.”
And protect the believers who have repented and followed Your path from what harms them, from committing evil deeds and their punishments that bring evil to their doers. And whoever You avert from the evil consequence of his misdeeds on the Day of Resurrection, You have indeed shown him mercy by saving him from Your punishment and admitting him into Your Paradise. And that is the great triumph, a triumph like no other.
Those who disbelieve will be addressed[2], “Allah’s abhorrence of you when you were called to believe but you disbelieved was greater than your abhorrence of yourselves [Today].”
Indeed, the disbelievers will be addressed while they are being punished in the Fire: "The intense hatred of Allah for you in the world—when you were invited therein to faith, but you disbelieved—is greater than your intense hatred for yourselves this Day."
They will say, “Our Lord, You have caused us to die twice[3] and brought us to life twice. Now we acknowledge our sins; is there any way out?”
Those disbelievers among the people of the Fire will say: “Our Lord! You have made us die twice—when we were as lifeless seed before the soul was breathed into us, and then at the end of our appointed terms in the world—and You have given us life twice—by breathing the soul into them in the world, and when they are resurrected on the Day of Resurrection. So we have confessed the sins we committed, so is there any way or means to get out of the Fire?”
[They will be told], “This is because when Allah was invoked alone, you disbelieved, but when others were associated with Him, you believed. The judgment belongs to Allah, the Most High, the All-Great.”
They will be answered that there is no way for you to get out of the Fire, because when you were in the world, if Allah alone was invoked, you disbelieved in His Oneness, but if a partner was associated with Him in worship, you believed in polytheism! So the just judgment among the servants belongs to Allah alone, the Most High in Essence, Status, and Attributes; the Subduer of all things, the Most High above having a partner; the Great, Possessor of pride and greatness in His Essence, His Names, His Attributes, and His Actions.
It is He Who shows you His signs and sends down for you provision from the sky, but none will take heed except those who turn to Him.
It is Allah alone Who shows you—O people—His signs, which indicate His oneness and His power, and the perfection of His attributes and actions, and He sends down for you provision from the sky. Yet none is mindful of the signs nor takes heed when reminded of them, except one who turns to Allah by forsaking disbelief, polytheism, and sin for faith, monotheism, and obedience, and by turning to Him with love and fear.
So call upon Allah with sincere devotion to Him, even if the disbelievers may dislike it.
So call upon Allah alone, with sincere devotion to Him, not associating anything with Him in any circumstance, even if the disbelievers may detest it.
He is Exalted in Rank, Lord of the Throne. He sends down the revelation by His command to whom He wills of His slaves, in order to warn of the Day of Meeting,
He is the Most High, the Exalted, above the heavens, Possessor of the Great Throne, High above all creatures. He has established Himself upon it in a manner befitting His greatness and majesty. Allah sends down the revelation by His command upon whom He wills of His servants, who are the Messengers, to warn the people and caution them of the Day of Resurrection.
the Day when they will be brought forth, nothing about them will be hidden from Allah. [He will say], “To whom does the dominion belong this Day[4]? To Allah, the One, the Subjugator!
The Day when the people will be brought forth from their graves, appearing on a single plain, nothing about them will be hidden from Allah—not their beings, their conditions, their outward appearances, or their inner secrets. On the Day of Judgment, Allah Almighty will say: “To whom does the dominion belong this Day?” He will answer Himself, saying: “To Allah, the One, Who has no partner in His dominion, nor any like in His essence, names, attributes, and actions; the Subjugator, Who has subdued and overcome all things, for everything besides Him is subservient to Him.”
Today every soul will be recompensed for what it has earned; no injustice Today! Allah is swift in reckoning.”
Today, every person will be rewarded for what he did in the world with a recompense befitting his deeds, whether good or evil. There shall be no injustice on the Day of Resurrection for anyone in any way; no one shall be punished for the sin of another, nor punished with more than he deserves. Nothing shall be added to his evil deeds, nor shall anything be taken away from his good deeds. Indeed, Allah is exceedingly swift in reckoning with His servants for what they did in the world.
Warn them of the approaching Day, when hearts will be at the throats, full of distress. The wrongdoers will have no close friend or intercessor whose word may be heeded.
Warn the people, O Muhammad, and caution them of the Day of Resurrection and the horrors it contains, when the hearts of the servants will reach their throats from the intensity of their fear, getting stuck there, neither coming out of their bodies so they would die, nor returning to their places. They are filled with fear, grief, and horror, so they will be speechless. On the Day of Resurrection, those who wronged themselves by associating partners with Allah will have neither a relative nor a loving, compassionate companion to fend off the punishment of Allah from them, nor will they have an intercessor to intercede for them before Allah whose intercession would be accepted.
He knows the sneaky glances of the eyes and what the hearts conceal.
Allah knows the treachery of the eyes and what the hearts conceal.
Allah judges with justice, whereas those whom they invoke besides Him cannot judge at all. Indeed, it is Allah Who is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
Allah judges between His servants with perfect justice, while those whom the polytheists invoke besides Allah cannot judge at all, for they possess nothing and have no power over anything. Indeed, Allah is the All-Hearing of every sound, and the All-Seeing of everything.
Have they not traveled in the land to see what was the end of those who came before them? They were far superior in strength and left more impressive marks in the land, but Allah seized them for their sins, and they had none to protect them from Allah.
Have not those polytheists from the disbelievers of Quraysh traveled in the land to see and take heed of the end of those who were before them from the past nations? They were far superior in might and greater in monuments throughout the land, but their strength and monuments did not avail them when Allah punished them and destroyed them because of their sins, and when the punishment of Allah came to them, they had no one to protect them from it or ward it off.
That was because their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they disbelieved; so Allah seized them. He is indeed All-Powerful and Severe in punishment.
That punishment befell them only because their messengers came to them with clear proofs of the Oneness of Allah and the truthfulness of His messengers, but they disbelieved, denied His Oneness and rejected His messengers. So Allah punished them with His torment and destroyed them. Indeed, Allah is of immense power; nothing is beyond His ability and nothing can overcome Him, the Exalted, and His punishment is severe for those who deserve it.
We sent Moses with Our signs and compelling proof
Indeed, We sent Moses with Our miracles and compelling proof revealing the truth.
to Pharaoh, Hāmān and Korah, but they said, “A magician! An utter liar!”
To Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and his minister Hamān, and Korah, who was of Moses’ people but transgressed against them. But they said of Moses: “He is a magician regarding the signs he shows us, and a liar in his claim that Allah has sent him to us.”
When he came to them with the truth from Us, they said, “Kill the sons of those who believe with him and keep their women alive.” However, the plots of the disbelievers are always bound to fail.
So when Moses came to them with the truth from Allah, they did not submit to him and said, "Kill the sons of those who have believed with Moses and keep their women alive!" But this plot of theirs was nothing but a false and vanishing plot, so what they intended by it was not accomplished for them.
Pharaoh said, “Let me kill Moses, and let him call upon his Lord! For I fear that he may change your religion or spread corruption[5] in the land.”
And Pharaoh said: "Let me kill Moses, and let him call upon his Lord whom he claims has sent him to us so He may protect him from me. Indeed, I fear—if I leave Moses—that he will change with his magic your religion that you follow, or that he will cause to spread corruption in the land of Egypt!
Moses said, “I seek refuge with my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.”
And Moses said: "I seek refuge and protection with my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant person who is arrogant towards the truth, who does not believe in the Day of Resurrection on which Allah will hold His servants accountable and recompense them for their deeds."
A believing man from the house of Pharaoh, who was concealing his faith, said, “Would you kill a man[6] simply because he says: ‘My Lord is Allah,’ even though he has come to you with clear proofs from your Lord? If he is a liar, he will suffer the consequences of his lie, but if he is truthful, some of what he is threatening you with will befall you. Surely Allah does not guide anyone who is a transgressor and an utter liar.
A believing man from the people of Pharaoh, who was concealing from them his faith in Allah and the prophethood of Moses, said: "How can you justify killing Moses for saying, 'My Lord is Allah'?! For he has committed no sin for which he deserves death, nor was his claim without evidence, as he has come to you with clear proofs. If Moses is a liar in his claim, then the harm of his lie is upon him alone, and you will suffer no harm from it. But if he is truthful in his claim and you deny him, then you will surely be afflicted with some of the punishments he is threatening you with. Therefore, there is no need for you to kill him! Indeed, Allah does not guide to the truth one who is a spreader of corruption, a transgressor, and a total liar."
O my people, the authority is yours today, being dominant in the land. But who would help us against Allah’s punishment, if it came upon us?” Pharaoh said, “I am only telling you what I think is right, and I am only guiding you to the right way.”
O my people! The dominion and authority are yours today in the land of Egypt, reigning supreme over its people. But who will defend us from the punishment of Allah should it befall us?! For our strength will be of no avail if the punishment of Allah comes upon us. Pharaoh said: "I only advise and tell you what I believe and see to be the truth and what is right, so I show you nothing contrary to what I conceal, and I call you only to the path of truth and the right way!"
The man who believed said, “O my people, I fear for you [a fate] like the day of the enemy forces[7],
The believer from the family of Pharaoh said to his people: "O my people, I fear for you—if you kill Moses—a day when your destruction will come, like the days of the nations that confederated against their messengers and united in denying them, so Allah, the Exalted, destroyed them.
like the fate of the people of Noah, ‘Ād and Thamūd, and those who came after them. And Allah does not want injustice for [His] slaves.
Like the fate of the people of Noah, ‘Ād and Thamūd, and the nations who came after them—such as the people of Lot and Shu‘ayb—who persisted in denying their messengers so Allah destroyed them with His punishment. Allah does not want injustice for His servants. He only destroyed the disbelieving factions of past nations because they disbelieved in Him, their disobedience to His command, and their denial of His messengers.
O my people, I fear for you the Day of crying out to one another[8],
And O my people, I fear for you the Day of Resurrection, the Day when there will be much mutual calling.
the Day when you will turn your backs fleeing; having none to protect you from Allah. Whoever Allah causes to stray, he will have no guide.
The Day you turn to flee, you will have no protector from Allah to prevent you from His punishment. Whoever Allah leaves to stray from the truth, there is none to guide him to it.
Joseph came to you[9] before with clear proofs, but you never ceased to doubt what he brought you. Then when he died, you said, ‘Allah will never send a messenger after him.’ This is how Allah causes to stray anyone who transgresses and is given to much doubting,
The believer from the family of Pharaoh said to his people: "Joseph had already come to your forefathers before Moses with clear arguments demonstrating the oneness of Allah and the truthfulness of his prophethood. Yet you—following your forefathers—have remained in doubt about the clear proofs Joseph brought. You did not believe with the requisite faith, free from doubt, until when Joseph died, your forefathers said out of false conjecture, "Allah will never send another messenger after Joseph!" And just as Allah led you astray when you did not accept what Joseph brought you because of your transgression and doubt, so does Allah lead astray everyone who is transgressor against himself through disbelief, oppression, or disobedience, who is full of doubt, suspicion, and confusion regarding the truth.
those who argue against Allah’s signs with no proof given to them. How loathsome is that to Allah and to those who believe! This is how Allah seals the heart of every arrogant tyrant.”
Those who dispute with falsehood the signs and proofs of Allah that the messengers brought, without any authority from Allah: how great is the hatred of Allah and the believers for them and their disputation! Just as Allah has sealed the hearts of these disputers, Allah seals the heart of every arrogant person who rejects the truth, is insolent towards creation, and is excessive in tyranny and transgression.
Pharaoh said, “O Hāmān, build a tower for me so that I may reach the pathways[10] –
Pharaoh ordered, “O Hamān! Build me a high tower so I may reach the pathways and the gates!”
the pathways to the heavens so that I have a look at the God of Moses, for I think he is a liar.” This is how Pharaoh’s evil deeds were made appealing to him and he was hindered from the [right] way, and the plan of Pharaoh led only to ruin.
Hoping to reach the ways of the heavens and their gates that will lead me to the God of Moses so I may look at Him! And indeed, I think Moses is a liar in his claim that there is a god in heaven! Thus, Pharaoh's evil deed was made appealing to him so he saw falsehood as good! And he was barred and turned away from the path of truth, and the plot of Pharaoh, which he devised to look at the God of Moses—as he claimed—was only in loss and ruin, by which he gained nothing of what he desired.
The man who believed said, “O my people, follow me, I will guide you to the right way.
The man who believed said, advising his people: "O my people, if you follow me, I will show you the right path by which you will reach Paradise.
O my people, the life of this world is only a brief enjoyment, whereas the Hereafter is the permanent abode.
O my people, this worldly life is only a brief and fleeting enjoyment, and indeed, the Hereafter is the home of permanent settlement—either in the bliss of Paradise or the torment of the Fire. Therefore, work for your afterlife, which has no end and from which there is no departure.
Whoever does an evil deed will only be recompensed with the like thereof, but whoever does a righteous deed, whether male or female, and he is a believer – it is they who will enter Paradise, wherein they will be given provision without measure.
Whoever sins in this world, whatever it may be, Allah will only recompense him in the Hereafter with its like without any increase. He will punish him with what displeases him as a recompense for what he did. But whoever among the servants—whether male or female—does a righteous deed by obeying Allah's commands and avoiding His prohibitions, while being a believer in Allah and His Messengers, then they will enter Paradise in the Hereafter, wherein they will be given an abundant reward that never ends, without limit or measure.
O my people, how is it that I call you to salvation while you call me to the Fire?
The believer from the family of Pharaoh said to his people: "O my people, how is it that I call you to the way of salvation from the punishment, while you call me to the path of the Fire?!
You call me to disbelieve in Allah and associate with Him what I have no knowledge of, while I call you to the All-Mighty, the Most Forgiving.
You call me to disbelieve in Allah and associate with Him what I have no proof of its validity, while I call you to the All-Mighty, the Subduer, the Avenger against those who were arrogant toward the truth and disbelieved in it, the One of vast forgiveness for whoever repents to Him.
There is no doubt that those [gods] to whom you call me are not worthy of calling upon, neither in this world nor in the Hereafter. Our return is to Allah, and it is the transgressors who are the people of the Fire.
There is truly no doubt whatsoever that what you invite me to the worship of idols is powerless and cannot answer its caller in this world or in the Hereafter. And there is no doubt that our return is to Allah after our death, and He will reward every doer according to their deeds. And undoubtedly, the disbelievers who have transgressed the limits of Allah are the people of the Fire, abiding therein.
You will remember what I am telling you, and I entrust my affairs to Allah. Allah is All-Seeing of [His] slaves.”
You will remember what I have advised you, and you will know my truthfulness, and you will regret it when the punishment of Allah comes to you. I submit my affair to Allah, and I put my trust in Him, and I hold fast to Him. Indeed, Allah is Aware of His servants, Knowledgeable of their deeds, their conditions, and all of their affairs; nothing of them is hidden from Him.
So Allah protected him from the evil that they plotted, and the people of Pharaoh were overwhelmed by an evil punishment:
So Allah protected the believer of Pharaoh’s people from their evil plot, and the evil punishment from Allah that was due upon them encompassed Pharaoh and his followers.
the Fire, which they will be exposed to [in their graves] morning and evening[11], and on the Day when the Hour takes place [it will be said], “Admit the people of Pharaoh into the most severe punishment.”
They are exposed to the Fire in their graves every morning and evening, to be tormented by it. And on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say to the angels: "Admit Pharaoh and his followers to the most severe torment of the Fire."
[Imagine] when they will argue in the Fire: the weak will say to those who were arrogant, “We were your followers, can you then relieve us of a portion of the Fire?”
And mention, O Muhammad, when the disbelievers will argue and dispute in the Fire. The weak—who are the followers—will say to their arrogant leaders who were followed and who disdained to accept and follow the truth: "Indeed, in the worldly life we used to follow you and obey you in the misguidance to which you called us, so will you bear on behalf of us a portion and a part of the Fire?!"
Those who were arrogant will say, “We are all in it. Allah has already passed judgment among [His] slaves.”
The arrogant ones will say: "We and you are all punished in the Fire. Indeed, Allah has judged between His servants with justice, so He does not hold anyone for the sin of another, and has apportioned the punishment among us according to what each one of us deserves."
Those who are in the Fire will say to the keepers of Hell, “Pray to your Lord to lighten for us the punishment for just one day.”
The people of the Fire will say to the keepers of Hell, “Pray to your Lord to lighten for us the torment of the Fire for just one day so that we may find some rest!”
They will say, “Did your messengers not come to you with clear proofs?” They will say, “Yes.” They will say, “Then keep praying! The prayer of the disbelievers is only in vain.”
The keepers of Hell will say to them: "Did not your messengers come to you in the world with clear proofs indicating the truth?" Those in the Fire will reply: "Yes, the messengers did come to us with clear signs, but we denied them and did not believe in the truth after Allah's conclusive argument was established against us!" The keepers of Hell will say: "Then call upon Allah to lighten the punishment for you." The supplication of the disbelievers to Allah while they are in the fire of Hell is only in vain, for it does not lead to the intended goal, nor does it achieve what is sought; Allah does not answer their supplication, nor does He accept it from them!
We will surely help Our messengers and those who believe in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will come forward,
Indeed, We will surely grant victory to Our messengers and the believers over their enemies in the life of this world and on the Day of Resurrection when the witnesses will come forward.
the Day when the excuses of the wrongdoers will be of no benefit to them; and they will be cursed and for them there will be the worst abode[12].
It is the Day when the wrongdoers' excuses for their wrongdoing will not benefit them, for Allah had already warned them in this world, so no apology will be accepted from them in the Hereafter. The wrongdoers will be banished and cast out from the mercy of Allah Almighty, for they deserve that, and in addition, they will have the Fire, which is evil for those who dwell in it. What an evil abode it is!
We gave Moses guidance, and made the Children of Israel inherit the Scripture,
We certainly gave Moses guidance, and We sent down the Torah to the Children of Israel and made it a Scripture inherited among them.
as a guide and a reminder to people of understanding.
A clear statement of the Truth and a reminder from Us to the people of understanding among them.
So be patient, for Allah’s promise is true. Seek forgiveness for your sin[13], and glorify your Lord with His praise evening and morning.
So be patient, O Muhammad, in the face of the harm and stubbornness of the disbelievers, and in your call to them. For what Allah has promised of victory in this world and the Hereafter is inevitably coming, just as Allah Almighty granted victory to Moses and the Children of Israel over Pharaoh and his people. And ask your Lord for forgiveness of your sin, and exalt your Lord, declaring Him free from every imperfection and flaw—an exaltation coupled with describing Him with attributes of perfection—out of love and reverence for Him, the Exalted, in the evening and the morning.
Those who argue against the verses of Allah without any proof given to them, there is nothing in their hearts but a quest for dominance which they will never attain. So seek refuge with Allah, for He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
Indeed, those who argue and dispute with falsehood against the verses and proofs of Allah without any evidence they have from Allah: in their hearts is only arrogance and haughtiness against accepting and following the truth, and contempt for the one who brought it and those who followed him. They will never attain the supremacy, high station, and greatness which they hoped for in this world, for Allah is the Granter of victory to His religion and the Exalter of His Word. So seek refuge and protection in Allah, O Muhammad. Indeed, Allah is the All-Hearing of the speech of those who argue against the verses of Allah, and of others among the creation; and the All-Seeing of what they do and of all things, so nothing of the voices, beings, or deeds of the creation is hidden from Him.
The creation of the heavens and earth is far greater than the creation of mankind, but most people do not know.
The creation of the heavens and the earth by Allah is indeed greater than His creation of mankind, so how could He be incapable of creating them anew after He has caused them to die?! For He Who was able to create the great celestial bodies and perfected them is all the more capable of recreating humankind after their death. But most people do not know, so they do not ponder or reflect to realize that this is easy for Allah.
The blind and the seeing are not equal, nor are those who believe and do righteous deeds [equal] to those who do evil. Little do you take heed!
The blind who cannot see, and the seeing who can, are not equal; there is a great difference between them. Likewise, the wicked disbelievers and the righteous believers are not equal, nor are the believers who are obedient to Allah equal to those who commit evil deeds. How little you remember Allah's proofs, that you might take heed and learn a lesson! For if you had remembered and learned the lesson, you would have preferred guidance over misguidance.
Indeed, the Hour is coming; there is no doubt about it, but most people do not believe.
Indeed, the Resurrection is surely coming; there is no doubt about it. But most people do not believe in the coming of the Day of Judgment, for they deny it.
Your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, utterly debased.”
Your Lord said—O people—, "Call upon Me with the supplication of request and the supplication of worship; I will grant you your request, accept your worship from you, and reward you. Indeed, those who are arrogant and too proud to worship Me and call upon Me will enter Hell, humbled and debased."
It is Allah Who has made the night for you to rest therein and the day bright. Indeed, Allah is the Most Bountiful to people, but most people are ungrateful.
Allah, the only One worthy of worship, is the One Who created the night for you, O people, so that you may rest in it from the movement and hardship of your daytime occupations, and He made the day bright for you to see, so that you may seek and fulfill your needs. Indeed, Allah is truly Bountiful to all people, and His favor upon them is immense, with no favor to match it. This requires them to be grateful to Him, but most people do not thank Allah for His blessings.
Such is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of everything; none has the right to be worshiped except Him. How are you then deluded?
Such is the One Who is unique in answering your supplications, Who made the night for you to rest in and the day bright.. He alone is Allah, your Lord and the Benefactor, Who created all things. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and worship is due to none but Him alone. How can you then be turned away from faith in Allah and from worshipping Him alone to the worship of others, despite the clear proofs of His Oneness?!
This is how those who rejected Allah’s signs were deluded.
Just like this wondrous turning away from monotheism and sincere devotion, everyone who persists in denying the signs of Allah out of stubbornness and arrogance is also turned away, without contemplating or reflecting on their meanings and indications!
It is Allah Who has made the earth a dwelling place for you and the sky a canopy. He shaped you and perfected your form, and provided you with good things. Such is Allah, your Lord; Blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.
It is Allah Who made the earth a stable place for you to settle on, without any disorder, so that you may dwell in it, cultivate it, plant in it, and build upon it. And He made the sky a raised structure and a roof for the earth, and He created you and fashioned you in the best of forms, and provided you with wholesome, delicious, and beneficial sustenance. That is the One Who has done all this and bestowed these blessings upon you; He is Allah, the One worthy of worship alone, with no other. He is your Lord, the Creator, the Provider, the Sovereign, the Disposer of all your affairs. So exalted and sanctified is He, and abundant is His goodness and benevolence: Allah is the Creator, Owner, Provider, and Disposer of all creation.
He is the Ever-Living[14]; none has the right to be worshiped except Him. So call upon Him with sincere devotion to Him. All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
Allah is the One Who possesses perfect and complete life; His life was not preceded by non-existence, nor will it ever come to an end. He is eternally and forever Living, Who never dies. There is no deity worthy of worship except Him alone, the Exalted. So call upon Him alone, sincere in your devotion to Him, without ostentation, associating none of His creation with Him. All praise is for Allah, the Creator of all creation, their Owner, and the Disposer of their affairs.
Say [O Prophet], “I have been forbidden to worship those whom you worship besides Allah since the clear proofs have come to me from my Lord, and I have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds.”
Say, O Muhammad, to the polytheists among your people: "I have been forbidden to worship the deities you invoke besides Allah, since clear proofs have come to me from my Lord demonstrating His Oneness and His attributes of perfection. And I have been commanded to submit, surrender, and yield in obedience to the Creator, Owner, and Disposer of all things.
It is He Who created you from dust[15], then from a sperm drop[16], then from a clinging clot[17]. Then He brings you out as an infant, so that you may reach your age of full strength, then you become old, even though some of you may die earlier – and so that you may reach an appointed term[18], and so that you may understand.
Allah alone is the One Who created your father Adam—O people—from dust, then He created you from a sperm drop, then from a clot of congealed blood that clings to the woman's womb. Then Allah brings you forth from your mothers' wombs as infants, so that you may gradually reach your full strength and intellect. Thereafter, you become old and weak, while some of you may die earlier. And so that you may reach an appointed term in which you will die—which you neither go beyond nor precede—and so that you may comprehend Allah's proofs and signs, to worship Him alone and to recognize the perfection of His power and wisdom, and His other attributes of perfection.
It is He Who gives life and causes death. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is.
It is He Who alone gives life and causes death; no one has power over that except Him. When He wills something, He only says to it once, "Be," and what He willed comes to be.
Do you not see those who dispute concerning the signs of Allah, how can they be turned away?
Have you not seen, O Muhammad, the polytheists among your people who argue and dispute concerning the signs of Allah, and you wonder how their minds are turned away from the truth to falsehood?!
those who reject the Book and what We sent Our messengers with. They will soon come to know,
They are those who reject the Qur’an and that with which We sent Our messengers of guidance and truth. They will come to know the consequences of their affair.
when the shackles will be around their necks, and with chains they will be dragged
They will soon come to know when shackles will be around their necks and they will be dragged with chains in humiliation and torment!
into the scalding water, then they will be burned in the Fire.
They are dragged into the scalding water that has boiled intensely and reached extreme heat, then they are thrown into the Fire as its fuel, and it is heated with them.
Then it will be said to them, “Where are those whom you used to associate as partners
Then it will be said to them, “Where are your gods whom you used to associate with Him in worship, to save you from the torment today?”
with Allah?” They will say, “We have lost them; rather, we never used to call upon anything before.” This is how Allah causes the disbelievers to stray.
They will say: "They have vanished from us, leaving us in torment, and they did not benefit us at all. In fact, we never used to worship anything in the world besides Allah!" This is how Allah leaves the disbelievers to stray because of their disbelief.
[They will be told], “This is because you used to rejoice on earth wrongfully, and you used to exult [arrogantly].
It will be said to them: "This is because in the world you used to rejoice in falsehood, and you were insolent, arrogant, conceited, and boastful in falsehood."
Enter the gates of Hell, abiding therein forever. Terrible is indeed the abode of the arrogant!”
It will be said to them on the Day of Resurrection, "Enter the seven gates of Hell, abiding therein forever. What a terrible abode for those who were arrogant towards the truth: Hell, wherein they will abide eternally!"
So be patient [O Prophet]. Allah’s promise is true; whether We show you some of what We threaten them with, or cause you to die [before that], to Us they will be returned.
So be patient, O Muhammad, with the harm of the disbelievers, for Allah will inevitably fulfill what He has promised you of punishing the disbelievers and granting victory to the believers in this world and the Hereafter. So whether We show you some of the punishment We promise the disbelievers in this world and hasten it in your lifetime, or We cause you to die before that befalls them, to Us is their return and upon Us is their reckoning. They will then receive their share of the punishment.
We have sent messengers before you; of them are some whose stories We have told you, and some We have not. It was not for a messenger to bring a sign except with Allah’s permission. But when the decree of Allah comes, judgment will be passed with justice, thereupon the people of falsehood will be in utter loss.
We have certainly sent, O Muhammad, messengers before you to the past nations, calling them to Allah Almighty. Among those messengers are some whose stories and news We have related to you, and among them are some whose stories and news We have not related to you. It is not for any messenger of Allah to bring a sign indicating his truthfulness and the validity of the truth he brought except by the command and will of Allah Almighty. So when the appointed time comes for judgment between the messengers and their peoples, Allah will judge between them with justice; thereupon, the polytheistic followers of falsehood will perish, for their trade did not profit.
Allah is the One Who made the livestock for you, so that you may ride some and eat others,
Allah, the only One worthy of worship, is the One Who created livestock for you; you ride some and eat others.
and you may have other benefits[19] from them, and by them you may fulfill your heartfelt need [to reach distant places], and on them and on the ships you are carried.
And there are benefits for you in cattle; you take from them clothing and furnishings, and you benefit from their offspring and from ploughing with them, and other such benefits. And that you may travel on them to distant places which you have a need in your hearts to reach. And upon cattle on land and upon ships at sea you ride and carry your belongings.
And He shows you His signs; so which of the signs of Allah will you deny?
And Allah shows you His signs which point to His Oneness, His power, and His other attributes; He makes them apparent and clarifies them for you. Which, then, of the signs of Allah can you deny or refuse to acknowledge, such that you would be justified in following falsehood or disputing the truth?! For it has been established with you that all the signs are from Allah Almighty, leaving no room to deny them or turn away from them.
Have they not traveled through the land to see what was the end of those who came before them? They were more in number and far superior in strength, and more impressive in marks that they left behind in the land, but all what they had earned was of no avail to them.
Have those polytheists from your people, O Muhammad, not traveled through the land to see with their eyes and reflect with their hearts on what the end of the disbelievers before them was, so that they may take a lesson?! The disbelievers of the previous nations were more numerous than the disbelievers of the Quraysh, more powerful than them, and left more impressive marks on the earth. Yet, their great numbers did not ward off the punishment from them, nor did their immense strength, nor their impressive marks.
When their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they exulted in whatever knowledge they had[20], and they were overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.
When their messengers came to those past nations with the clear signs of Allah and the conclusive proofs, they did not believe in them. And those disbelievers rejoiced in the knowledge they had and were content with it, and the punishment of Allah, which they used to mock and deny, descended upon and overwhelmed the disbelievers.
But when they saw Our punishment, they said, “We believe in Allah alone, and we reject what we used to associate with Him.”
But when they saw the punishment of Allah descending upon them, they said: "We believe in the oneness of Allah, for there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, and we have rejected the gods we used to worship, and we have disowned them."
But their faith was of no benefit to them when they saw Our punishment. This has always been Allah’s way with His slaves; whereupon the disbelievers were in utter loss.
Yet their belief in the oneness of Allah did not benefit them when they saw His punishment descending upon them! Allah Almighty has decreed that He does not accept the repentance of the disbelievers when the punishment descends, nor does their faith benefit them in that state. And this way and method has been established among His servants, and the disbelievers in their Lord—those who associated partners in His worship—perished when the punishment of Allah came, so their trade was in utter loss.
Fussilat
Hā Mīm[1].
These two letters are from the disjointed letters with which some chapters of the Noble Quran begin and are meant to demonstrate the inimitable (miraculous) nature of this Qur’an, as they show the inability of creation to challenge it with something similar, even though it is composed of these very Arabic letters they speak.
A revelation from the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,
This Qur'an is a revelation to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), from Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, Whose mercy encompasses all things. And part of His mercy to His servants is the revelation of the Qur'an.
a Book whose verses are well explained; an Arabic Qur’an[2] for people who understand,
This is a Book whose verses Allah has fully and clearly explained—an Arabic Quran for a people who know the Arabic language, enabling them to understand it, reflect upon it, and benefit from its clear explanation.
as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; yet most of them turn away and they do not listen.
The Quran gives glad tidings of obtaining goodness and mercy to those who believe and do righteous deeds, and warns those who disbelieve and do evil deeds of evil consequence and retribution. Yet, most of the disbelievers of the Quraysh turned away from hearing the Quran, contemplating it, and following it, for they do not listen to it with a hearing of acceptance and benefit.
They say, “Our hearts are covered against what you are calling us to; there is deafness in our ears, and there is a barrier between us and you. So carry on [in your way], we will carry on [in our way].”
Those who turn away from the Quran say: “Our hearts are within coverings, preventing us from comprehending what you call us to, O Muhammad! And in our ears is deafness, so we do not hear what you call us to! And between us and you is a barrier that veils us from you, so we do not see you! So work, O Muhammad, according to your religion, for we are working according to our religion that we have approved for ourselves, and we will never follow you.”
Say [O Prophet], “I am only a human being like yourselves; it has been revealed to me that your god is only One God, so seek the straight path to Him and seek His forgiveness, and woe to those who associate partners with Him,
Say, O Muhammad, to the polytheists: "I am only like you in kind, form, appearance, and human qualities. It is revealed to me that your deity is one deity; worship is not valid except for Him alone. So, follow the straight path that leads to Allah, turning to Him with sincere worship, and ask Him for forgiveness for your sins. Woe and severe punishment to those who associate partners with Allah in His worship."
those who do not give zakah, and who disbelieve in the Hereafter.
Those who neither purify nor cleanse themselves with faith in Allah, obedience to Him alone, righteous deeds, and avoiding associating partners with Allah and disobeying Him. They are deniers of the Hereafter, rejecting it, so they do not believe in the other life after death.
Those who believe and do righteous deeds, they will have a never-ending reward.
Indeed, those who believe in what they are required to believe, and do righteous deeds with sincerity to Allah Almighty and in accordance with His law will have a lasting and never-ending reward.
Say, “Do you disbelieve in the One Who created the earth in two Days[3] and you set up rivals to Him? Such is the Lord of the worlds.
Say, O Muhammad, to the polytheists: “Do you really disbelieve in Allah, the One Who created the earth in all its vastness and greatness from nothing in two Days, and set up equals and rivals to Him, whom you take as deities alongside Him?! That Great One Who did this is the Creator, the Provider, the Owner, and the Disposer of all creation.”
He placed on it firm mountains standing high above it, showered His blessings upon it, and measured its sustenance totaling exactly four Days[4], for all who ask.
Allah Almighty placed firm mountains upon the surface of the earth, and showered His blessings upon it with many lasting benefits and bounties He created therein for its inhabitants. He created the means of sustenance for people and animals. That was in two other days, which, with the two preceding days, make four complete days—without increase or decrease. This is made clear for those who ask in how many days the earth and all it contains were created.
Then He turned to the heaven when it was all smoke, and said to it and to the earth, ‘Come into being, willingly or unwillingly.’ They both said, ‘We come willingly.’
Then Allah rose and ascended, intending to create the heaven while it was smoke. He then said to the heaven and the earth, after He had created them: "Respond to My command and submit to My obedience, willingly or unwillingly." The heaven and the earth said: "We have responded to Your command and submitted to Your obedience; we do not oppose Your will, our Lord."
He then formed them into seven heavens in two Days[5] and assigned to each heaven its mandate. And We adorned the lowest heaven with lamps [i.e., stars] which also serve as protection[6]. That is the design of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.”
So Allah finished their creation as seven heavens, and He perfected and completed them in two days. And Allah commanded in each of the seven heavens what He willed of creation and management. And Allah adorned the lowest heaven with luminous stars, and protected it with these stars from the devils who eavesdrop on the highest assembly. That which has been mentioned is the decree of the All-Mighty, the Possessor of great esteem, the Subduer, the Prevailing over all things, the One Who is free from every flaw and imperfection; the All-Knowing of everything.
But if they turn away, then say, “I warn you of a blast like the one that befell ‘Ād and Thamūd,
But if the polytheists of your people, O Muhammad, turn away from the truth and do not believe, and persist in their falsehood after this complete clarification, then say to them: "I warn you of a severe punishment that will destroy and eradicate you, like the punishment with which Allah destroyed ‘Ād and Thamūd."
when the messengers came to them from the front and from behind [saying], “Worship none but Allah,” they said, “If our Lord had willed [7], He would have sent down angels; so we disbelieve in what you have been sent with.”
That was when the messengers of Allah came to ‘Ād and Thamūd from every side, and they strove in their call to them from every direction that they should worship none but Allah alone. The disbelievers of ‘Ād and Thamūd said to their messengers: "Had our Lord willed to command us to worship Him alone, He would have sent down angels to us from heaven with that command, and not sent us a human like us! So we surely disbelieve in the Oneness of Allah that you claim He has sent you with!"
As for ‘Ād, they were arrogant in the land without right, and said, “Who is more powerful than us?” Did they not see that Allah, Who created them, is more powerful than them? Yet they continued to reject Our signs.
As for ‘Ād, they were arrogant, tyrannical, and unjustly transgressed in the land without any right to do so, and they said, "Who is mightier than us in strength?" Did the disbelievers of ‘Ād not see that Allah, Who created them from nothingness—when they were nothing—and gave them the strength that He gave them, is mightier than them in strength?! Yet they persisted in denying the signs of Allah, which proved the truthfulness of His messengers concerning the truth to which they called them.
So We sent against them a roaring wind[8] for several inauspicious days to make them taste a disgracing punishment in the life of this world, but the punishment of the Hereafter is far more disgracing, and they will not be helped.
So We sent upon them a mighty, cold wind, violent in sound and gusting, during inauspicious days for them, in which evil and a severe punishment befell them; so that We might make them taste the punishment that humiliates, disgraces, and exposes them in the life of this world, and the punishment of the Hereafter is surely more disgraceful, and greater in humiliation and degradation for them, and no helper will help them against Allah; to repel His punishment from them or to rescue them from it.
As for Thamūd, We showed them guidance, but they preferred blindness over guidance. So they were seized by the blast of a debasing punishment for what they used to commit.
As for Thamūd, We guided them and showed them the path of truth, but they chose and preferred disbelief over faith, and misguidance over guidance, even though the truth had been made clear to them. So Allah destroyed them with a blast of punishment that humiliated and disgraced them because of the sins they used to commit: their disbelief in Allah, their disobedience to Him, their denial of His messenger, and their hamstringing of the she-camel.
And We saved those who believed and feared Allah.
And We saved from the punishment Sālih and the believers with him from those of his people who worshipped Allah alone, obeyed His command, and avoided associating partners with Him and disobeying Him.
And [consider] the Day when Allah’s enemies will be gathered to the Fire, driven in rows.
And remember the Day when Allah will gather His enemies, those who disbelieved in Him, and the first of them will be held back for the last of them until they are all assembled and driven violently to the Fire!
until when they reach it, their hearing, their sight and their skins will testify[9] against them concerning what they used to do.
Until when the disbelievers come to the Fire, their hearing, their sight, and their skins will testify against them for the sins they used to commit in the world.
They will say to their skins, “Why did you testify against us?” They will say, “It is Allah Who made us to speak, the One Who made everything speak. It is He Who created you the first time, and to Him you will be returned.
The disbelievers will say to their skins, rebuking and denying them, "Why did you testify against us for the evil deeds we used to commit in the world?!" Their skins will answer them: "Allah Who made everything speak, made us speak by His power and will! And Allah created you the first time when you were nothing, so He Who was able to do that is able to make the skins speak, and to Allah you will be returned after your death, and He will recompense you for your deeds."
You did not bother to hide yourselves [when committing sins] from your hearing, your sight, and your skins lest they testify against you; rather you thought that Allah does not know much of what you do.
You did not conceal yourselves in the world by abandoning disbelief and sins, so that your hearing, your sight, and your skins would not testify against you on the Day of Resurrection! But you assumed in the world that Allah does not know much of the evil deeds that you used to do.
Such was your assumption that you entertained about your Lord that ruined you, so you became losers.”
Such an evil assumption of yours has brought about your doom, so you have become among the doomed on the Day of Resurrection.
Even if they endure patiently, the Fire will still be their abode; and if they seek to make amends, they will not be allowed to do so.
Even if those disbelievers endure the Fire patiently, the Fire will be their dwelling and abode, and they will never have an escape from it. And if they ask Allah to be pleased with them, to accept their repentance, and to lift the punishment from them, He will not be pleased with them, nor will He accept their repentance or their apology, and He will not take them out of the Fire.
We assigned to them [evil] associates[10] who made appealing to them what was before them[11] and what was behind them[12], so the decree [of punishment] became due against them along with nations that passed before them of jinn and men, for indeed they were losers.
We have appointed for the disbelievers evil companions, and We decreed that they should be their constant companions to lead them astray, because of their denial and turning away. So they made worldly life and its forbidden desires appealing to them, until they preferred it over the Hereafter, and they made the denial of the Resurrection and the Recompense appealing to them. And the punishment of Allah, which He had decreed for the disbelievers, became due upon them, among the nations of disbelievers from among the jinn and mankind that had passed away before them. Indeed, the nations from among the jinn and mankind, both past and present, upon whom the punishment of Allah became due, were losers for having traded the pleasure and mercy of Allah for His wrath and punishment. They lost the deeds they performed in this world, and they lost themselves and their families in the Hereafter.
Those who disbelieve say, “Do not listen to this Qur’an, but make noise [when it is recited], so that you may prevail.”
And the disbelievers of the Quraysh said: "Do not listen to this Qur'an, lest you submit to it. Make idle talk during its recitation, and speak falsehood when you hear it being recited, hoping that you may thereby overcome Muhammad and his followers."
We will surely make those who disbelieve taste a severe punishment, and We will surely recompense them according to the worst of what they used to do.
We will surely make those who disbelieve taste a severe punishment, and We will surely recompense them for the worst of what they used to do.
Such is the recompense of the enemies of Allah: the Fire, which will be their eternal home, as a recompense for their rejection of Our verses.
That punishment with which We recompense the disbelievers is the Fire. For them in the Fire will be the abode of eternity, permanence, and endless stay. We have recompensed them with that because they used to disbelieve and deny Our verses in the world.
Those who disbelieved will say, “Our Lord, show us those jinn and men who led us astray; we will trample them under our feet, so that they become among the lowest[13].”
Those who disbelieved will say, "Our Lord, show us those who led us astray from the truth, from the devils of the jinn and mankind. We will place these two who led us astray under our feet so that they may be beneath us, and lower than us in the Fire, and more severe than us in punishment, so we may satisfy our rage against them!
Those who say, “Our Lord is Allah,” then remain steadfast, the angels will descend upon them[14][saying], “Do not fear, nor grieve, but receive glad tidings of Paradise which you were promised.
Indeed, those who said with their tongues and believed in their hearts, "Our Lord is Allah alone," then remained steadfast upon the Oneness of Allah, obeying His commands, avoiding His prohibitions, and persisting in His obedience with sincerity to Him and in accordance with His law—those are the upright believers upon whom the angels descend, saying, "Do not fear what is to come, nor grieve over what has passed, but receive glad tidings that you were promised in the scriptures of Allah and upon the tongues of His messengers that you would enter Paradise, as a reward for your faith in Allah and your steadfastness upon His religion.
We are your allies in the life of this world and in the Hereafter. You will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you ask for,
We are your guardians in the life of this world and in the Hereafter. You will have in the Hereafter whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you ask and wish for.
as a hospitality from the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful One.”
This great reward in the Hereafter is given to you as hospitality and honor from Allah, the All-Forgiving Who conceals your sins and overlooks your punishment; the Most Merciful to you.
Who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah, does righteous deeds, and says, “I am one of the Muslims [submitting to Allah]”?
No one is better in speech than one who calls people to the Oneness of Allah and His obedience, does righteous deeds with sincerity to Allah and in adherence to His law, and says, "Indeed, I am of those who submit to Allah," who acknowledge His oneness, are submissive to Him, and yield to Him in obedience.
Good and evil are not equal. Repel evil with what is good; the one whom you have enmity with will become as if he were a close friend.
Good deeds and bad traits are not equal in reward and good outcome. So repel, O Muhammad, the evil of people with the best of traits. Be good to those who have wronged you, and call them with wisdom, gentleness, leniency, and good speech. Be forbearing with them, pardon them, and be patient with the harm they cause. For if you do that, the one with whom you have enmity will become as though he were a deeply devoted friend, loving you, showing you compassion, being good to you, and supporting you.
But none can attain this except those who are patient, and none can attain this except those who are greatly fortunate.
But none is granted this noble quality—to repay evil with good—except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having an abundant portion of goodness.
If you are prompted by Satan’s provocation, seek refuge with Allah, for He is indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
If you find, O Muhammad, a whisper from Satan in your soul, seeking to sow discord between you and others, tempting you to be hostile and to harm them, then seek refuge in Allah. Ask Him to shield you from him and to guard you from his schemes and evil. Indeed, Allah, in Whom you seek refuge from Satan's temptations, is the All-Hearing of every word, including your plea for refuge; the All-Knowing of everything, including His knowledge of what Satan casts into your soul. Thus, his schemes are not hidden from Him, and He will take charge of his matter and his recompense.
Among His signs are the night and the day, the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate to Allah Who created them, if you truly worship Him[15]
Among the signs of Allah that indicate His existence, His oneness, His power, His mercy upon His servants, and other attributes of His perfection are: the night and the day in their succession, and their variance in darkness and light, and so on. And among His signs are the sun and the moon in their continuous, orderly rotation, and the determination of their phases for the benefit of mankind, and their other benefits and wonders. Do not prostrate, O people, to the sun or to the moon, for they are both governed and made subservient, but prostrate to Allah alone, Who created them, if you truly worship Him and humbly submit to Him in obedience.
But if they show arrogance, then those [angels] who are with your Lord glorify Him night and day, and they never grow weary.
But if the polytheists are too arrogant and proud to single out Allah for worship and prostrate to Him alone, then He has other servants—the angels who are with your Lord, O Muhammad—who exalt Him night and day, and they never grow weary of it.
And among His signs is that you see the land withered, but when We send down rain upon it, it stirs and swells. He Who gives it life will surely give life to the dead, for He is Most Capable of all things.
And among the signs of Allah indicating His oneness and His Almighty power to resurrect the dead and other things is that you see the earth dry and barren, with no vegetation or crops in it. Then when We send down rain upon that dry land, it stirs and swells. Indeed, the One Who revived that still land, bringing forth from it vegetation and crops with the rain, is surely able to resurrect the dead on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, Allah has power over all things, so nothing can frustrate Him, whatever it may be.
Those who seek to cause deviation in Our verses[16] are not hidden from Us. Is one who will be cast into the Fire better or one who will come safely on the Day of Resurrection? Do whatever you wish, for He is All-Seeing of what you do.
Indeed, those who seek to cause deviation in Allah's verses from the truth—such as by denying them, rejecting them, or distorting their meanings from what is valid—are not hidden from Allah Almighty. He is Aware of them and will recompense them for their deviation, casting them into the Fire on the Day of Resurrection. Is one who is cast into the Fire and punished therein better, or one who comes on the Day of Resurrection secure from the punishment of Allah because he believed in His verses and did not seek to cause deviation in them?! Are these two equal?! They are not equal. Do—O polytheists—what you will! Indeed, Allah is All-Seeing of what you do. Nothing of your deeds is hidden from Him—the Exalted—and He will recompense you for them.
Those who disbelieve in the Reminder[17] when it comes to them [will be punished], for it is truly a mighty Book[18].
Indeed, those who disbelieve in the Quran when it came to them are the losers, the most humiliated, and the lowest. Indeed, this Quran is a mighty Book, which Allah has honored and protected from falsehood, and from all alteration and distortion. It is impossible for creation to produce its like or to overcome its arguments.
No falsehood can approach it from the front or from behind; a revelation from the One Who is All-Wise, Praiseworthy.
Falsehood has no way to the Quran; a revelation from One who is All-Wise, who places everything in its right and fitting place, and from One who is Praiseworthy, fully possessing the attributes of perfection, free from every imperfection and flaw, and praised for that.
Nothing is said to you [O Prophet] except what was already said to the messengers before you. Indeed, your Lord is All-Forgiving, but Severe in punishment.
Nothing is said to you, O Muhammad, except what was said to the messengers who were sent before you. Indeed, your Lord, O Muhammad, is surely the Possessor of forgiveness for the sins of His repenting servants, and He is the Possessor of a painful punishment for those who persist in their disbelief and disobedience and do not repent of their sins before their death.
If We had made it a non-Arabic Qur’an, they would have said, “If only its verses were made clear? What! A non-Arabic [book] and an Arab [messenger]?” Say, “It is a guidance and healing for those who believe. As for those who do not believe, there is deafness in their ears and they are blind to [understand] it – it is as if they are being called from a far-off place[19].”
If We had made the Quran in a language other than Arabic, the disbelievers of the Quraysh would have said, "Why has Allah not explained the verses of His Book to us in our Arabic language so that we may comprehend what is in it? A non-Arabic Quran and an Arab messenger?!" Say, O Muhammad, to the polytheists: "For the believers, the Quran is a guidance that directs them to the truth and teaches them what is beneficial, and it is a healing for them from ignorance, doubt, ambiguities, and ailments of the hearts and bodies. As for those who do not believe, in their ears is a heaviness, so they do not benefit from hearing the truth, and the Quran is a blindness upon their hearts, so they do not see its arguments against them, nor are they guided to the clarity within it. Those, because of the blindness of their hearts to understanding what was revealed in the Quran of its arguments and admonitions, and their lack of benefit from it, are as if they are being called from a distant place, so they do not hear the call, nor do they understand it.
We gave Moses the Scripture, but differences arose concerning it. Were it not for a prior decree[20] from your Lord, it would have been judged between them. Surely they are in a disquieting doubt about it.
We had certainly given Moses the Torah, but his people differed therein; some of them believed in it and followed it, while others among them did not believe in it and turned away from it. So do not grieve over the denial of the polytheists of what We have given you of the Quran. Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord, O Muhammad, to delay the punishment until an appointed term, Allah would have destroyed them immediately. And indeed, they are in grave doubt about it, causing anxiety and leading to turmoil.
Whoever does a righteous deed, it is to his own benefit; and whoever does an evil deed, it is to his own loss. Your Lord is not unjust to His slaves.
Whoever does a righteous deed in this world with sincerity to Allah Almighty and in accordance with His law, the reward of that righteous deed is for himself, and its benefit is his. And whoever does an evil deed, the punishment of his evil deed is upon himself, not upon anyone else. Your Lord, O Muhammad, is not unjust to His servants in the least; He does not punish anyone for a sin he did not commit, nor does He increase his evil deeds or his punishment, nor does He diminish his good deeds.
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