English - Chapter 27 - An-Naml

Tua Sin. These are verses of the Qur’an, the Glorious Book

a guide and good news for the believers

who establish the Salah (prayer) and pay the Zakah (charity) and firmly believe in the hereafter

As for those who do not believe in the hereafter, We make their deeds seem fair to them, therefore they blunder about in their folly

They are the ones for whom there is an evil punishment, and in the hereafter, they will be the greatest losers

And O Muhammad, most surely you are receiving this Qur’an from the One Who is wise and All-Knowing

Relate to them the story of Moses, when he said to his family: "I have seen a fire; soon I may either bring you some information from there or a lighted torch to warm yourselves with

When he came to it, a voice called out to him: "Blessed be He Who is in this fire and all around it! Glory be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds

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

Throw down your staff." When he saw it moving like a snake, he turned back and fled without even looking back. "O Moses, do not be afraid," said Allah, "My Messenger need not be afraid in My presence

unless, of course, he is guilty of wrongdoing; even then, if he replaces that wrongdoing with a good deed, I am indeed Forgiving, Merciful

Now put your hand into your pocket, it will come out shining white without any harm. These two signs are from the nine signs that you will be given during your mission to Pharoah (Pharaoh) and his people; for truly, they are a people of transgressors

But, when our signs were shown to them, they said: "This is clear sorcery

They were convinced in their hearts about the truth of those miracles, yet they denied those signs in their wickedness and pride. So you see, what was the end of those transgressors

We bestowed knowledge on Davidand Solomon. They both said: "Praise be to Allah Who has exalted us above many of His believing servants

Solomon succeeded David. He said: "O people! We have been taught the language of birds and given all sort of things. This is indeed a great blessing from Allah

Solomon gathered an army comprised of Jinns, men and birds; they all were kept under strict discipline

Once in an expedition he was marching with his army when they came across a valley of ants, one of the ants said: "O ants, get into your habitations lest Solomon and his army crush you under their feet without even noticing it

So Solomon smiled, laughing at its statement, and said: "O Lord! Inspire me to render thanks for Your favors, which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, to do such good deeds that will please You; and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants

He took a roll call of the birds and said: "I do not see the hoopoe, where is he? How could he be absent

I will certainly punish him severely or even slay him, if he does not offer me a reasonable excuse for his absence

The hoopoe, who did not take long in coming, said: I have just found out that which you do not know. I have brought you reliable information about the people of Sheba

I found that a woman is ruling over them, she has been given everything and she possesses a magnificent throne

Further I found that she and her people prostrate themselves before the sun instead of Allah. Satan has made their deeds fair-seeming to them and thus turned them away from the Right Way, so that they may not be guided

to prostrate themselves before Allah, the One Who brings to light all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth and knows exactly what you hide and what you reveal

Allah! There is no god but Him. He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne

Solomon said: "Soon we shall find out whether what you say is true or false

Go and deliver to them this letter of mine, then turn aside and wait for their answer

The Queen said: "O my chiefs! A very important letter has been delivered to me

it is from Solomon, and it begins with the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

It reads: Do not be arrogant against me and come to me in complete submission (as a Muslim)

Then she asked: "O chiefs! Let me hear your advice, for I make no decision without your counsel

They replied: "We are a valiant and mighty nation. You are the commander. So we shall be waiting for your command

The queen said: "When the kings invade a town, they ruin it and debase its honorable people; and thus they always do

Therefore, I shall send them a present and see with what reply my envoys will return

When the envoys of the queen came to Solomon, he said: "Do you want to provide me wealth? The wealth which Allah has given me is far more than what He has given you. You may very well keep your presents

Go back to your people: if your people do not submit, we will march against them with such an army of which they shall never be able to face, and we shall drive them out of their land humbled and disgraced

Later on when Solomon heard that the Queen of Sheba was coming in submission, he asked: "O my chiefs! Which of you can bring to me her throne before they come to me in submission

An audacious one from the Jinns said: "I will bring it to you before you adjourn your court; and most surely I have the necessary strength and I am trustworthy

One person who had knowledge of the Book said: "I can bring it to you in the twinkling of an eye." As soon as Solomon saw the throne placed before him, he exclaimed: "This is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. Any who is grateful, surely his gratitude is a gain for his own soul, and any who is ungrateful should know that surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Self- Exalted

Further he said: "Without any comment to her, set her throne in her sight; let us see whether she recognize it or she is of those who cannot recognize the Truth

So when the queen arrived, she was asked: "Is your throne like this?" She replied: "It looks as if it is the same; we had come to know that Solomon is not only a king but also a Prophet, therefore we have already become Muslims

Other deities whom she worshiped besides Allah had prevented her from believing, for she belonged to an unbelieving folk

Then she was asked to enter the palace. When she saw its floor, she thought that there was pool of water, so she tucked up her skirts uncovering her legs. Solomon said. "This is just a glossy paving of this palace." At this she exclaimed: "O my Lord

To the people of Thamud, We sent their brother Saleh, saying: "Worship Allah," but they divided themselves into two discordant factions

Saleh said: "O my people! Why do you wish to hasten towards evil rather than good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of Allah so that you may be shown mercy

They said: "We consider you and your companions a sign of bad luck." He said: "Your luck is with Allah; in fact, you are a people under trial

There were nine ringleaders in the city who created mischief in the land and reformed nothing

They said to one another: "Let us pledge on oath by Allah that we shall make a secret night attack on him and his family, then we shall tell his guardian that we were not even present at the time his family was killed, and that we are telling the truth

Thus they plotted a plan, and We too plotted a plan which they did not perceive

Just see what was the outcome of their plot! We annihilated them completely, together with all their people

There lies their houses in desolate ruins as a result of their wrongdoings. Verily in this story there is a lesson for those people who use their common sense

Yet We delivered the true believers who were righteous

Also mention to them of Lot, when he said to his people: "Do you commit indecency though you see its iniquity

Do you approach men for your sexual desires instead of women? The fact is that you are a people steeped in ignorance

But his people gave no answer except that they said: "Drive out the family of Lot from your city: they pose to be very pious

So, We delivered him and his family except his wife - about whom We had decreed that she shall be of those who will remain behind

and We rained down on them a shower of brimstones, and evil was the rain which fell on those who were forewarned

Say: "Praise be to Allah and peace be on His servants whom He has chosen to deliver His message. Ask them: " Who is better? Allah or the deities they associate with Him

Is not He (Allah), Who has created the heavens and the earth, sends down rain from the sky and with it brings forth the beautiful gardens not better than the false gods that they worship? It is not in your ability to cause the growth of trees for those gardens. Is there another god besides Allah who could do that? No doubt they are a people who have swerved from justice in ascribing equals to Him

Just think who has made the earth a place for your residence, caused in it the rivers to flow, set mountains upon it and placed a barrier between the two seas? Is there another god besides Allah? Nay, most of them have no knowledge

Just think who answers the oppressed person when he cries out to Him and relieves his affliction, and makes you, O mankind, inheritors of the earth? Is there another god besides Allah? How little do you reflect

Just think who guides you in darkness on the land and the sea, and who sends the winds as heralds of good news of His mercy? Is there another god besides Allah? Exalted be Allah above what they associate with Him

Just think who originates creation and then repeats its production, and who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth? Is there another god besides Allah? Say: "Show us your proof if you are telling the truth

Say: No one in the heavens or in the earth has the knowledge of the unseen except Allah and their gods do not know when they shall be raised to life again

Their knowledge does not grasp the Hereafter; rather they are in doubt about it; nay, they are blind concerning it

The unbelievers say: "What! When we and our fathers have become dust, shall we really be raised from the dead

This promise which is made to us was also made to our forefathers before us; these are nothing but the legends of primitive people

Say: "Travel through the earth and see what has been the end of the criminals

O Prophet, do not worry about them nor feel distressed because of their plots

They also say: "When will this promise be fulfilled if what you say be true

Say: "It may be that a part of what you wish to hasten is near at hand

The fact is that your Lord is very gracious to mankind: yet most of them are ungrateful

Indeed your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they reveal

Nor there is any secret in the heaven and the earth which is not recorded in a clear Book

In fact, this Qur’an clarifies for the Children of Israel most of those matters in which they differ

It is certainly a guide and blessing to true believers

Surely your Lord will decide between them by His judgement, He is the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing

Therefore, put your trust in Allah, for you are certainly on the manifest Truth

The fact is that you cannot make the dead hear you, nor can you make the deaf hear the call especially when they turn their backs and pay no heed

nor can you guide the blind people to prevent them from straying; none will listen to you except those who believe in Our revelations and become Muslims

When the time to fulfill Our word comes to pass, We will bring out from the earth a monster that shall speak to them, because the people did not believe in Our revelations

On that Day We shall gather from every nation a multitude of those who disbelieved Our revelations; then they shall be arranged in classifications according to their merits

until when they have all arrived, their Lord will ask: "Did you deny My revelations without gaining their comprehensive knowledge? If not this, what else were you doing

The sentence will be carried out against them for the consequence of their wrongdoings and they will not be able to utter a word

Do they not see that We have made the night for them to rest in, and the day to give them light? Surely there are signs in this for the true believers

On the Day, when the trumpet shall be blown and all who dwell in the heavens and the earth shall be terrified except those whom Allah will choose to spare, and all shall come to Him in utter humiliation

these mountains which you see and think are firmly fixed, will pass away like clouds. Such is the might of Allah, Who has perfected all things. He is aware of what you do

Those who have done good deeds shall be rewarded with what is better and shall be secure from the terror of that Day

And those who have done evil deeds, shall be flung upon their faces in the hellfire. Should you not be rewarded according to your deeds

O Muhammad, say to them: "I have been commanded to worship the Lord of this city (Mecca), the One Who has made it sacred and Who is the Owner of all things; and I am commanded to be of those who are Muslims

and that I should recite The Qur’an. Now, whoever follows this guidance will be guided for his own good, and to him who goes astray, say: "I am merely a Warner

Then proclaim: "Praise be to Allah, very soon He will show you His signs and you will recognize them. Your Lord is not unaware of what you do