English - Chapter 37 - As-Saffat

(Allah swears by the angels), those who stand in rows, awaiting orders, keeping ranks

They restrain (and rebuke the unbelievers) constantly

And carry and convey the word _ (the inspiration and revelation from Allah)

(Allah proclaims that) certainly, your God is the Absolute One

The Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, the Lord of each and every point of sunrise (the Lord of the Easts)

Indeed, We brightened the heaven (the sky) of this world with beautiful stars

Then screened and shielded it against every defiant Shaitan

These Shaitans are chased out of everywhere as they attempt to eavesdrop on the conversation of the exalted angels (to learn about the events to come)

These Shaitans are outcasts. Theirs is the perpetual punishment

If one (of the Shaitans) succeeds in snatching away a fragment (of knowledge), a piercing flame follows him (in hot pursuit)

Just ask their (the disbelievers´) opinion. What is harder to create? They, or the other things We have created? We created them from sticky clay

In fact, (Oh prophet)! you are struck with awe, while they just mock

And when advised, they do not heed

When shown the sign, they scoff and laugh it off

And respond, "This is evidently just magic

Is it possible? Once we die and wither away into dust and bones, would we really be brought back to life

And our forefathers, too

Say, "Yes! Of course you (all) would! You would be humbled

In fact, it will take just a single hoot (and rebuke), and at once they shall (wake up and) stare

They will say, "Oh misery to us, this is the Day of Judgment

(They will hear the reply), "This is the day of the verdict you used to reject

(Allah will order the angels): Gather together all the evildoers, their wives and also those (deities) they used to worship

Instead of Allah! Then, shove them along the path towards the blazing fire

But detain them for a while! First, they must answer

What is wrong with you? Why are you not helping each other out, (today)

In fact, that day they shall (concede and) give in so sheepishly

Right then, they will confront and accuse each other

Some will say to others, "You (swore and) came to us (feigning sincerity); you had (an imposing) status over us

Others will reply, "Not so at all! You were disbelievers yourselves

We had no control over you. You were certainly a defiant people

So (now), in our case the prediction of our Lord has come to pass. We (both of us) shall have to taste (the torment)

We led you astray, but we too, were (lost and) on the wrong path

On that day, they shall all share that torment together

This is really the way We shall deal with the criminals

They used to scorn and scoff arrogantly when told that there is no god except Allah

They said, "Should we give up our gods for the sake of an obsessed poet

On the contrary, he brought them the absolute truth; it confirmed the (teachings of the previous) messengers

(You did not accept), so you definitely have to taste the painful punishment

You will be punished strictly in accordance with what you had done

But the sincere and obedient servants of Allah (will be safe)

The known rewards (and riches) will be theirs

Fruits (of all kinds)! They will be the honored (residents)

In the blessings filled paradise

Seated on elevated thrones, facing each other

Cups filled with drinks from the fountains (of paradise) will be passed around among them

White (wine)! A delicious and delectable drink

It will neither inebriate; nor cause a hangover

(They will be) accompanied by chaste and demure females, with eyes only for their mates

So dainty and delicate; like a thin film lining the eggshell

(Surrounded by such luxuries) they will face each other and converse

One of them would say to others, "I had a friend

He used to say (to me): are you also one of those who believe

That we would be asked to face the reckoning even after we turn into dust and bones

He would be asked, "Would you look at him now

He would look and spot his ex-friend in the thick of the blazing fire

He would call out (to his ex friend in the hellfire), "I swear by Allah, you had all but ruined me

Had it not been for my Lord´s blessings, I would be there (burning in the hellfire) with you, right now

(Happily, he would muse), "Are we never going to die now

Was our death in our previous life final? Are we never going to be punished

That, indeed, is a tremendous triumph

Those desirous (of success) should strive for just such an outcome

Isn´t a gracious feast (in paradise) better than the tree of ´zaqum´

We have deemed that tree to be a test for the evildoers

That tree springs forth from the very bottom of hell

Its buds (and crop) resemble the heads of Shaitans

The evil doers will have (nothing but) that to eat. They will stuff their stomachs with it

They will get (only) boiling water (to gulp down the ´zaqum´)

After (such a meal) they will come right back to the blazing fire of hell

(Their crime): they found their parents astray

Yet (without thinking) they rushed along in their (parents´) footsteps

(Even though they knew that) the earlier people (blundered and) had gone astray

We certainly raised messengers among them to warn them

So look at how those people forewarned met their end. The fate that they fared

But the sincere and the obedient servants of Allah (will be safe)

Earlier, Nooh called Us and We responded. We are simply the Best of those who respond

We rescued him and his household from an awful torture

We arranged it so that only his progeny survived (the flood)

And among the generations to follow, We let his name be honored and revered

Peace (and honor) is for ´Nooh´ in the entire universe

This is really how We reward the righteous ones

Indeed, he was one of Our (obedient and) believing servants

We drowned the others _ all the rest of them

Among those who followed him and his ways, was Ibraheem

He brought back to his Lord an untainted (and unblemished) heart, free from evil

He said to his father and his people, "What do you worship? (These idols)

Do you prefer lies? Do you seek false gods instead of Allah

Is this your notion of the Lord of the universe

Then he (rolled his eyes and) cast a sweeping glance at the stars

And said, "I really feel sick

So they turned their backs and left him alone

Stealthily, he approached their gods and said, "Why do you not eat (the offerings)

What is wrong? You don´t even talk

And then he attacked them, striking sharp blows with his right hand

The worshippers came rushing towards him

He asked, "You worship these idols? You have carved them yourself (they are your handiwork)

While you _ as also your handiwork _ are the creation of Allah

They said, "Let us build a (furnace shaped) pyre for him, and let us toss him into the blazing fire (burning inside)

Skillfully, they devised a plan against him, but We made their plans go awry and We humiliated them. We brought them down

(After his rescue) he said, "I am going towards my Lord! He will guide me

My Lord, grant me a righteous (son)

So We gave him the glad tidings of a gentle lad

When that boy was old enough to share his father´s interests, Ibraheem said, "Oh my son, in my dream I saw myself slaughtering you (by His command)! So now, tell me what you think?" The son said, "Oh my father, do carry out your command. You will find me _ if Allah so wills _ patient and steadfast

When both agreed to submit (their wills to Allah), the father flung his son down on his face

That is when We called out, "Oh Ibraheem

You have made this dream come true! We reward the righteous ones in this manner

In fact, this was meant to be a clear (and specific) trial for you

Therefore, We offered in exchange (for his son) the great sacrifice (the rite of sacrifice on the day after Hajj)

And among the generations to follow We let his name be honored and revered

Peace is upon Ibraheem

This is how We reward the righteous ones

Indeed, he was one of Our (obedient and) believing servants

We gave him the good news of the birth of Ishaq _ a righteous prophet

We blessed him and Ishaq. Now, some of their descendants are righteous, while others (disbelieved and so) are unjust to their own selves

And We certainly bestowed Our favor upon Musa, and (his brother) Haroon

And We rescued them, and their nation, from an awful torture

And We came to their aid. So they ended up being the victors

And We gave them the divine book (so they may know right from wrong)

And We guided them to the straight path

And among the generations to follow, We let their names be honored and revered

Peace is upon Musa and Haroon

This is really how We reward the righteous ones

Those two were among Our (obedient and) believing servants

And Ilyas, too, was one of the messengers

He said to his people, "Do you not fear Allah

Do you pray to (the idol) ´Baal´ (a bull believed to be a god of fertility) while you quit (worshipping) the Best of the creators

Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers

But they (disbelieved and) called him a liar. Therefore, they will certainly be present there (on the Day of Judgment to face the punishment)

Except the sincere servants of Allah

And among the generations to follow, We let his name be honored and revered

Peace be upon Ilyas

This is really how We reward the righteous ones

Indeed, he was one of Our (obedient and) believing servants

´Loot´ was also one of the messengers

We rescued him and all the members of his family

Except an old woman destined to stay behind

Then We destroyed the others _ all the rest of them

In fact, you do pass by their ruins during the day

And during the night! Don´t you have any sense

And surely, Yunus was also one of the messengers

He (abandoned his post and) fled aboard a crowded ship

(To save the ship) he agreed to take part in the casting of the lots _ and lost. (Hence, he was thrown overboard)

A whale swallowed him. He was (at fault and) blame worthy

He was one of those who (extol and) glorify Allah routinely

Else, he would have stayed in the belly of the fish till the day of resurrection

But We tossed him ashore in a barren area without any shade. He was stricken with illness and emaciated

We grew a plant _ a creeper _ over and around (to shade and protect) him

(Later), We sent him back to the community of a hundred thousand plus

They believed, so We had them enjoy life for a while

Ask their opinion. (Is it fair that) your Lord should have daughters while they prefer sons for themselves

Or did We create the angels as female beings? Were they present there, watching

Beware! What they utter is certainly self-conceived, and merely fiction

(Do they say) Allah has borne a child? Of course they are lying

Does He (really) prefer daughters over sons

What is wrong with you? How can you hold such views

Won´t you (reflect and) come back to your senses

Or do you have a clear authority (to hold such views)

So bring your scriptures (and quote your authority) if you are truthful

They conjure up kinship between Him and the jinn. But (all) jinn are well aware that the evildoers will have to appear before Him (for reckoning)

Allah is Exalted _ infinitely more Sublime than what they describe

The sincere servants of Allah are excepted _ (they associate no one with Allah)

Of course you and those (false gods) you worship

Can never tempt and entice away

Anybody except the one who will burn in the fire of hell

(The angels say) "Every single one of us has been assigned a place

(Before Him). We, too stand in rows to pray

We, too, (extol His glory and) chant His praises

They surely used to claim (that)

Like the earlier people, if we had received the (divine) advice

Then of course we would have been the chosen people of Allah

(Divine advice they did receive), but they have rejected it already! So now, they will soon find out

We already gave Our word to Our servants _ the messengers

That they would certainly be helped

Our army would triumph, for sure

So leave them alone for a while

Are they clamoring for Our torment to be hastened

For those forewarned, dreadful would be the dawn when the doom descends on their doorstep

So leave them alone for a while

Watch them! Soon they will see it

Glorified is your Lord, the Majestic Lord of honor and power. (He is Free) from the lies they attribute to Him

Peace is upon the messengers

And all praise is for Allah, the Lord of the universe