I CALL TO witness those who stand arrayed in rows
And those who restrain by reprimanding
And those who recite the Reminder
Verily your God is One
The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them, and the Lord of the Easts
He decked the nearest heavens with ornaments of stars
Protecting them against every wayward devil
So that they are not able to listen to the angels of higher (echelons), and are pelted from all side
And kept far away. There is perpetual punishment for them
Except those who eavesdrop and are pursued by a shooting flame
So ask them if they are more difficult to create, or the rest We have created? Indeed (man) We created from fermented clay
Yet while you are filled with wonder, they just scoff
And when they are warned they pay no heed
When they see a sign, they laugh at it
And say: "This is only magic
When we are dead and turned to dust and bones, how can we be raised again
And our fathers too?"
You say: "Yes; and you will be lowly made."
There will only be a single jerk, and they will gape
And say: "Ah woe! This is the Day of Reckoning."
"(Yes,) this is the Day of Judgement you had called a lie."
Gather all the wicked together and their comrades, and those they had worshippe
Other than God," (the angels will be told), "then show them the way to Hell
And detain them, for they will be questioned."
"What is the matter with you that you do not help each other?"
They will submit to questioning then
And some of them will confront the others
Saying: "It were you who imposed yourselves upon us."
They will say: "No, you were the ones who would not believe
We had no power over you. In fact, you were a people rebellious
The sentence of our Lord has come true for us. We have certainly to taste (the punishment)
For we had led you astray. In fact we ourselves were astray."
So, they will become partners in punishment
That is how We deal with sinners
They were those who, when it was said to them, "There is no god but God," behaved with insolence
And said: "Should we abandon our gods for the sake of an insane poet?"
Not in the least. He has brought the truth and confirmed the other messengers
You will indeed taste a painful punishment
And be rewarded but only for what you had done
Except the chosen creatures of God
Whose provision is predetermined -
Fruits of every kind, and they will be honoure
In gardens of delight
(Sitting) on couches, face to face
With cups from a flowing stream being passed around
Clear, delicious to drink
Neither dulling the senses nor intoxicating
And with them maidens of modest look and large lustrous eyes
Like sheltered eggs in a nest
Then one turned to the other in an enquiry
Said one of the speakers: "I had a friend
Who used to say: 'Are you one of those who can testify to the truth
(Do you think) we would be paid back our due when we are dead and reduced to dust and bones?
He said: 'Will you look down?
He looked down and saw (his friend) in the midst of Hell
'By God', he said, 'you had almost ruined me
Had it not been for the grace of my Lord I too would have been there (in Hell)
(Another will say:)"Is it true, we are not going to di
Other than our first death, and we shall not be punished
This will indeed be great happiness
For this the toilers should strive."
Is this better or the tree of Zaqqum
Which We have reserved as punishment for evil-doers
It is a tree that grows at the bottom of Hell
Its spathes are like the prickly pear
They will eat and fill their bellies with it
Washing it down with boiling water
Then to Hell they will surely be returned
They had found their fathers astray
Yet they hasten to follow in their footsteps
So had many an earlier people gone astray
And We had sent admonishers to them
Look, then how was the end of those who had been warned
Other than the chosen creatures of God
Noah had verily called to Us. And how gracious was He who answered (him)
We saved him and his family from the great affliction
And made his progeny survive
And left (his name) for posterity
Peace on Noah among all men
That is how We reward those who do good
Surely he was among Our faithful creatures
Afterwards We drowned the others
And Abraham indeed was of his inducement
When he came to his Lord with a heart compliant
When he said to his father and his people: "What is this you worship
Why do you solicit false gods instead of God
What do you imagine the Lord of the worlds to be?"
Then he looked up at the stars (they worshipped)
And said: "I am sick (of what you worship)!"
But they turned their backs on him and went away
Then he turned towards their gods and said: "Why do you not eat (of these offerings)
What is wrong with you that you do not speak?"
Then he started striking them down with his right hand
So the people descended upon him
"Why do you worship these you carve yourselves," he asked
"When God has created you and what you make?"
"Build a pyre for him and throw him into the raging fire."
So they contrived a plot against him, but We made them abject
And he said: "I am going away to my Lord who will show me the way
(And he prayed:) "O Lord, grant me a righteous son."
So We gave him the good news of a clement son
When he was old enough to go about with him, he said: "O my son, I dreamt that I was sacrificing you. Consider, what you think?" He replied: "Father, do as you are commanded. If God pleases you will find me firm."
When they submitted to the will of God, and (Abraham) laid (his son) down prostrate on his temple
We called out: "O Abraham
You have fulfilled your dream." Thus do We reward the good
That was indeed a trying test
So We ransomed him for a great sacrifice
And left (his hallowed memory) for posterity
Peace be on Abraham
That is how We reward those who do good
He is truly among Our faithful creatures
So We gave him the good news of Isaac, apostle, who is among the righteous
And We blessed him and Isaac. Among their descendants are some who do good, but some who wrong themselves
We were indeed gracious to Moses and Aaron
And saved them and their people from great distress
And helped them, so they were victorious
We gave them the explicit Book
And showed them the straight path
And left (their remembrance) for posterity
Peace be on Moses and Aaron
That is how We reward those who do good
They are among Our faithful devotees
Verily Elias is one of the apostles
When he said to his people: "Will you not be mindful of God
Would you call on Baal and leave the best of creators
God, your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers?"
They denied him, and will surely be brought to punishment
Except the chosen creatures of God
And We left his (memory) for posterity
Peace be on Elias
That is how We reward those who do good
He is truly among Our faithful devotees
Verily Lot was one of the apostles
Wherefore We saved him and his entire family
Except an old woman who was one of those who stayed behind
Then We destroyed the others
You pass by (their habitations) in the morning
Or at night. Then how is it you do not understand
Verily Jonah is one of the apostles
When he fled on the laden ship
And lots were cast (when a storm overtook them), he was rejected, (and thrown overboard)
Then he was swallowed by a large fish as he was worthy of blame
Had he not been one of those who struggled hard
He would have stayed in its belly till the day the dead are raised
So We cast him, sick, on a barren shore
And We made a gourd tree grow over him
We sent him to a hundred thousand men or more
And they came to believe; so We allowed them to enjoy the good things of life for an age
Now ask them if their Lord has daughters, and they sons
Or did We make the angels females, and they witnessed it
Is it not a lie invented by them when they say
"God has begotten (children)?" They are liars indeed
Does He prefer sons to daughters
What ails you that you judge in such a wise
Why do you not reflect
Or have you received some clear authority
Then bring your scripture, if what you say is true
They link Him with jinns by lineage, yet the jinns know they will be brought before Him
God is too glorious for what they ascribe to Hi
Except His chosen creatures who do not
So neither you nor those you worship
Can mislead anyone away from Him
Except one who is (destined) to burn in Hell
"There is not one of us who does not have his appointed place," (declare the angels.
"And we are truly those who stand in rows
And we are those who sing hallelujas to Him."
They used to say
If we had the account of earlier people with us
We would have been the chosen creatures of God."
Yet now (that it has come) they refuse to believe in it; but they will come to know soon
Our word had already been given before to Our votaries, the apostles, -
That they would be helped
And that certainly Our armies will be victorious
So you ignore them for a tim
And wait; they will come to know soon
Do they want to hasten Our punishment
When it comes down on their plains, it will be an evil dawn for those who had been warned
So turn away from them for a tim
And watch; they will come to know soon
Too glorious is your Lord, the Lord of power, for what they ascribe to Him
So peace be on the messengers
And all praise to God, the Lord of all the worlds