الزُّخرُف

Hā Mīm1.

By the clear Book,

Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur’an so that you may understand,

and it is in the Master Book2 with us, highly esteemed, full of wisdom.

Should We then turn the Reminder3 away from you simply because you are a transgressing people?

How many a prophet did We send to the earlier peoples!

No prophet ever came to them except that they ridiculed him.

So We destroyed them, although they were greater in might than these [Pagans]4, and the stories of the earlier nations have already been related5.

If you ask them, “Who created the heavens and earth?”, they will surely say, “The All-Mighty, the All-Knowing created them.”

It is He Who spread out the earth for you, and made therein pathways for you, so that you may find your way.

And it is He Who sends down rain from the sky in due measure, by which We revive dead land. This is how you will be brought forth [from the grave].

And it is He Who created all pair of things6, and made for you ships and animals on which you ride,

so that you may settle yourselves on their backs, then remember the blessings of your Lord when you have settled thereupon and say, “Glory be to Him Who has subjected this for us, for we could not have done it by ourselves7.

It is to our Lord that we will surely return.”

Yet they ascribe to Him some of His slaves as offspring8. Indeed, man is clearly ungrateful.

Has He taken for Himself daughters from what He has created, and favored you with sons?

When one of them is given tidings of [a baby girl] the like of which he ascribes to the Most Compassionate, his face darkens as he suppresses his rage.

Or [do they ascribe to Allah] one who is brought up in adornments and is not able to present a clear argument in disputation?

They regard the angels, who are slaves of the Most Compassionate, as female. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be written, and they will be questioned!

They say, “If the Most Compassionate had willed, we would not have worshiped them.” They have no knowledge of that; they do nothing but conjecture.

Or have We given them a Book before this [Qur’an], to which they are holding fast?

They rather say, “We found our forefathers on a path, and we are seeking guidance in their footsteps.”

Likewise, We never sent any warner to a town before you except that its affluent ones said, “We found our forefathers on a path, and we are following their footsteps.”

[The warner] said, “Even if I bring you a better guidance than what you have found your forefathers upon?” They said, “We totally reject what you [prophets] have been sent with.”

So We took revenge on them; see what was the end of the deniers!

And [remember] when Abraham said to his father and his people, “I disown all that you worship,

except the One Who created me; He will surely guide me.”

And he made it9 a lasting word among his descendants, so that they may return [to Allah].

However, I let these [Makkans] and their forefathers10 enjoy their lives, until there came to them the truth and a clear messenger11.

But when the truth came to them, they said, “This is magic, and we definitely reject it.”

And they said, “Why was this Qur’an not sent down to a great man from one of the two towns12?”

Is it they who distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We Who have distributed their livelihood among them in the life of this world, and have raised some of them above others in ranks, so that they may serve one another. But the mercy of your Lord is better than what they accumulate.

Were it not that all people might become a single community [of disbelievers]13, We would have given those who disbelieve in the Most Compassionate One houses of sliver roofs and staircases to ascend,

and their houses having [silver] doors and couches on which they recline,

and [golden] ornaments. But all of these are mere enjoyments of the life of this world, and the Hereafter with your Lord is [only] for those who fear Allah.

Whoever turns away from the Reminder of the Most Compassionate [i.e., the Qur’an], We assign to him a devil to be his close associate,

who will surely avert them from the [right] way, while they think that they are rightly guided.

Then when he comes to Us, he will say [to his devil associate], “I wish you were as distant from me as the East and West. What a terrible associate [you were]!”

[They will be told], “As you have done wrong, it will not benefit you Today that you are sharing the punishment14.”

Can you make the deaf hear, or guide the blind or the one who is clearly misguided?

Either We take you away [in death], We will surely exact retribution upon them,

or We will show you what We warned them of, for We have full power over them.

So hold fast to what is revealed to you. You are indeed on a straight path.

This [Qur’an] is surely a glory15 for you and your people, and you will [all] be questioned.

Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We appoint gods to be worshiped besides the Most Compassionate?

Indeed, We sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his courtiers, so he said: “I am a messenger of the Lord of the worlds.”

But as soon as he came to them with Our signs, they laughed at them.

Every sign We showed them was greater than the one before it16, and We seized them with punishment17 so that they may turn in repentance.

They said, “O magician, call upon your Lord for us, by virtue of the covenant He has made with you18; we will surely accept guidance.”

But as soon We removed the punishment from them, they broke their promise.

Pharaoh proclaimed to his people, saying, “O my people, does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me, and these streams19 flowing at my feet? Do you not see?

Or am I not better than this contemptible one who can hardly express himself20?

Then why are there not sent down upon him bracelets of gold or come with him angels to support him?”

Thus he made a fool of his people and they obeyed him. They were indeed a wicked people.

When they angered Us, We exacted Our retribution and drowned them all.

Thus We made them a precedent and a lesson21 for the later generations.

When the example of the son of Mary was given, your people laughed and jeered22,

and they said, “Are Our gods better or he23?” They only mentioned him to you for the sake of argument. They are indeed a contentious people.

He was only a slave whom We24 favored and made him an example for the Children of Israel.

If We willed, We could [destroy you all and] replace you with angels, succeeding you on earth.

And he [i.e., Jesus] will be a sign of the Hour; so do not have doubt about it and follow me25. This is a straight path.

Do not let Satan turn you away [from the straight path], for he is your sworn enemy.

When Jesus came with clear signs, he said, “I have come to you with wisdom, and to clarify to you some of that concerning which you differ; so fear Allah and obey me.

Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord; so worship Him. This is a straight path.”

But the factions differed among themselves [about Jesus]; so woe to the wrongdoers from the punishment of a painful Day!

Are they waiting except for the Hour to come upon them by surprise when they least expect it?

On that Day, close friends will become enemies to one another, except the righteous,

[It will be said to them], “O My slaves, there is no fear for you Today, nor will you grieve,

[those] who believed in Our verses and submitted [to Us as Muslims].

Enter Paradise, you and your companions26, rejoicing in bliss.”

Golden trays and cups will be passed around among them; there will be all that souls desire and eyes delight in, and you will abide therein forever.

That is Paradise which you will inherit for what you used to do.

You will have therein abundant fruit27 to eat from.

Indeed, the wicked will be in the punishment of Hell forever.

It will not be lightened for them, and they will remain therein in utter despair.

We did not wrong them, but they themselves were the wrongdoers.

They will cry out, “O Mālik28, let your Lord put an end to us!” He will say, “You are here to stay.”

We surely brought you the truth, but most of you were averse to the truth.

Have they devised a plan29? We too have devised a plan.

Do they think that We do not hear their secret talks and private counsels? Yes indeed, and Our angel-messengers are with them recording everything.

Say, “If the Most Compassionate truly had a son, I would be the first of [his] worshipers30.”

Glory be to the Lord of the heavens and earth, Lord of the Throne, far above what they ascribe [to Him].

So leave them to indulge in falsehood and amuse themselves until they meet their Day that they are promised.

It is He Who is God in the heaven and God on earth, and He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.

Blessed is He to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth and all that is between them. With Him is the knowledge of the Hour, and to Him you will be returned.

Those whom they supplicate31 besides Him have no power to intercede, except those who testify to the truth knowingly32.

If you ask them who created them33, they will surely say, “Allah.” How are they then deluded?

And [Allah acknowledges] his saying34, “O my Lord, these are a people who do not believe.”

So turn away from them and say, “Peace35.” They will come to know.