English - Chapter 26 - Ash-Shuara

Ta´. Sin. Mim

These are the verses of the Clear Book

(O Muhammad), you will perhaps grieve yourself to death because these people do not believe

If We will, We can send down a Sign to them from heaven, so their necks will be humbled to it

Never does there come to them an admonition from the Merciful Lord but they turn away from it

They will soon come to know the truth of that which they have been scoffing at

Do they not look at the earth, how We caused a variety of fine vegetation to grow from it (in abundance)

Surely there is a Sign in this, but most of them would not believe

Verily Your Lord is Infinitely Mighty, Most Compassionate

(Recount to them about the time) when Your Lord called Moses: "Go to the wrong-doing people

the people of Pharaoh: do they have no fear

He said: "My Lord! I fear that they will brand me a liar

My breast is constricted and my tongue is not fluent, so endow Messengership on Aaron

As for me, they hold the charge of a crime against me. I fear they will put me to death

He said: "Certainly not! So go both of you with Our Signs. We shall be with you listening to everything

Go, then, to Pharaoh and say to him: ´The Lord of the Universe has sent us

that you let the Children of Israel go with us.´

Pharaoh said: "Did we not bring you up among us when you were a child

You spent many years of your life among us and then you committed that deed of yours. You are very ungrateful indeed

Moses replied: "I committed that act erringly

Then I fled for fear of you. Then my Lord bestowed wisdom and authority on me and made me one of the Messengers

Now this is the favour that you tauntingly remind me of: that you enslaved the Children of Israel

Pharaoh said: "And who is this Lord of the Universe

Moses answered: "The Lord of the heavens and the earth and of all that is between them, if you were only to believe

Pharaoh said to those around him: "Do you hear (what he says)

Moses said: "(He is) Your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of yore

Pharaoh said to the audience: "This Messenger of yours who has been sent to you is simply mad

Moses continued: "(He is) the Lord of the east and the west, and all between them. If you only had any understanding

Pharaoh said: "If you take any god other than me, I will certainly make you one of those (who are rotting) in prison

Moses said: "Even if I were to bring a Clear Sign to you

Pharaoh said: "Then bring it if you are truthful at all

(No sooner had he said this than) Moses threw down his rod and behold, it was a veritable serpent

and he drew his hand (out of his armpit) and lo! it had become a shining object to the beholders

Pharaoh said to the nobles around him: "Surely this man is a skilled magician

who wants to drive you out of your land by his magic. Tell us, what do you advise us

They said: "Detain him and his brother for a while and send forth heralds to the cities

to mobilise all skilled magicians

So the magicians were brought together on a particular day at a set time

and the people were told: "Will you join the assembly

We may perhaps follow the religion of the magicians if they triumph

When the magicians came forth (for the encounter) they said to Pharaoh: "Is there a reward for us if we triumph

He said: "Yes, you will then become those near-stationed to me

Moses said to them: "Throw down whatever you wish to throw

Thereupon they threw down their ropes and their rods, and said: "By the glory of Pharaoh, we shall prevail

Thereafter, Moses threw down his rod and behold, it went about swallowing up all the false devices they had contrived

Thereupon the magicians fell down in prostration

saying: "We (now) believe in the Lord of the Universe

the Lord of Moses and Aaron

Pharaoh said: "You accepted the word of Moses even before I granted you the leave to do so. Surely he is your chief who has taught you magic. Soon shall you come to know. I shall cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides and shall crucify all of you

They said: "We do not care, for we are bound to return to our Lord

and we surely expect that Our Lord will forgive us our sins for we are the first ones to believe

We revealed to Moses: "Set forth with My servants by night for you will be pursued

Then Pharaoh sent heralds to the cities (to mobilise troops)

saying: "These (Israelites) are only a small band of people

who have certainly provoked our wrath

But we are a numerous host, ever on guard

Thus did We drive them out of their gardens and springs

and their treasures and excellent dwellings

This happened with them; (but on the other hand), We enabled the Children of Israel to inherit those bounties

At sunrise they set off in pursuit of them

and when the groups came face to face, the companions of Moses cried out: "We are overtaken

Moses said: "Certainly not. My Lord is with me; He will direct me

Then We revealed to Moses, (commanding him): "Strike the sea with your rod." Thereupon the sea split up, and then each became like the mass of a huge mount

We also brought the other party close to the same spot

and We delivered Moses and his companions, all of them

then We drowned the others

Surely there is a Sign in this, but most of them would not believe

Verily your Lord is Immensely Mighty, Ever Compassionate

And recount to them the story of Abraham

when he asked his father and his people: "What do you worship

They answered: "There are some idols that we worship and are devoted to them with constancy

He asked: "Do they hear you when you call them

or do they cause you any benefit or harm

They answered: "No; but we found our forefathers doing so

Thereupon, Abraham said: "Have you seen (with your eyes) those whom you have been worshipping

you and your forefathers of yore

They are all enemies to me; all, except the Lord of the Universe

Who created me and Who guides me

Who gives me food and drink

and Who, when I am ill, heals me

Who will cause me to die and then will again restore me to life

Who, I hope, will forgive me my sins on the Day of Judgement

(And then Abraham prayed): "My Lord, endow me with knowledge and wisdom and join me with the righteous

and grant me an honourable reputation among posterity

and make me of those who will inherit the Garden of Bliss

and forgive my father for he is among those who strayed

and disgrace me not on the Day when people will be raised to life

the Day when nothing will avail, neither wealth nor offspring

but only he that brings to Allah a sound heart will (attain to success)

(On that Day) the Garden will be brought near to the God-fearing

and the Fire will be uncovered for those who strayed

and they will be asked: "Where are the gods that you worshipped

beside Allah? Can they be of any help to you, or even be of any help to themselves

Then the idols and those who strayed will be hurled into the Fire headlong, one upon another

and so too the hosts of Iblis, all of them

There they will quarrel with one another and the erring ones will say (to their deities)

By Allah, we were surely in clear error

when we assigned to you a position equal to that of the Lord of the Universe

It is none but those steeped in guilt who led us into this error

and now we have none to intercede on our behalf

nor do we have a truly sincere friend

If only we could return we would be among the believers

Surely there is a Sign in this, but most of them would not believe

Verily Your Lord is Immensely Mighty, Ever Compassionate

The people of Noah gave the lie to the Messengers

Recall when their brother Noah said to them: "Do you have no fear

I am a trustworthy Messenger to you

so fear Allah and obey me

I seek of you no reward for this: my reward is with none except the Lord of the Universe

So fear Allah and obey me

They answered: "Shall we accept you even though it is the meanest of people who follow you

Noah said: "What knowledge do I have about their deeds

It is only for my Lord to take account of them. Would that you made use of your understanding

It is not for me to repel those who choose to believe

I am none but a plain warner

They said: "O Noah! If you do not desist, you will certainly become one of the accursed

He said: "My Lord! My people have branded me a liar

So pass a clear judgement between me and them and rescue me and the believers with me

Thereafter We rescued him and those who were with him in the laden Ark

and drowned the rest

Surely there is a Sign in this, but most of them would not believe

Verily Your Lord is Immensely Mighty, Ever Compassionate

The Ad gave the lie to the Messengers

Recall, when their brother Hud said to them: "Have you no fear

I am a trustworthy Messenger to you

So fear Allah and obey me

I seek of you no reward for this; my reward is with none but the Lord of the Universe

What, you build a monument on every hill merely for fun

and erect huge palaces as though you will live for ever

and when you strike you strike like tyrants

So fear Allah and obey me

Have fear of Him Who has provided you with all the (good) things you know

Who has provided you with flocks and children

and with gardens and springs

I fear for you the chastisement of an Awesome Day

They replied: "It is all the same for us whether you admonish us or not

This has been happening all along

We will not be subjected to any chastisement

Eventually they gave the lie to him and We destroyed them. Surely there is a Sign in this, but most of them would not believe

Verily your Lord is Immensely Mighty, Most Compassionate

The Thamud gave the lie to the Messengers

Recall when their brother Salih said to them: "Have you no fear

I am a trustworthy Messenger to you

So fear Allah and obey me

I ask of you no reward. My reward is with none but the Lord of the Universe

Do you believe that you will be left here to live securely in the present state

amidst gardens and springs

and cornfields and date-palms laden with juicy fruits

You hew dwellings in mountains and exult in that

Fear Allah and obey me

and do not follow the biddings of those that go to excesses

and spread mischief in the land rather than set things right

They replied: "You are nothing but one of those who are bewitched

you are no different from a mortal like us. So produce a sign if you are truthful

Salih said: "This is a she-camel. There is a day set for her to drink and there is a day set for you to drink

Do not molest her lest the chastisement of an Awesome Day should seize you

But they hamstrung her and then regretted it

So the chastisement seized them. Surely there is a Sign in this, but most of them would not believe

Verily Your Lord is Immensely Mighty, Most Compassionate

The people of Lot rejected the Messengers, branding them liars

Recall, when their brother Lot said to them: "Have you no fear

I am a trustworthy Messenger to you

So fear Allah and obey me

I seek of you no reward. My reward is with none but the Lord of the Universe

What, of all creation will you go to (fornicate with) the males

leaving aside those whom Allah has created for you as your mates. Nay, you are a people that has transgressed all limits

They said: "O Lot! If you do not desist, you will be one of those expelled (from our towns)

He said: "I am one of those who abhor your practice

My Lord, deliver me and my family from their wicked deeds

Then We delivered him and all his family

except an old woman who was among those that stayed behind

Thereafter, We utterly destroyed the rest

and We sent upon them a rain, an evil rain that fell on those who had been warned

Surely there is a Sign in this, but most of them would not believe

Verily Your Lord is Immensely Mighty, Most Compassionate

The people of Aykah also gave the lie to the Messengers

Recall, when Shuayb said to them: "Have you no fear

I am a trustworthy Messenger to you

So fear Allah and obey me

I ask of you no reward for this. My reward is with none but the Lord of the Universe

Fill up the measure and do not diminish the goods of people

weigh with an even balance

and do not deliver short, and do not go about creating mischief in the land

and have fear of Him Who created you and the earlier generations

They said: "You are no more than one of those who have been bewitched

you are only a mortal like us. Indeed we believe that you are an utter liar

So cause a piece of the sky to fall upon us if you are truthful

Shuayb said: "My Lord knows well all what you do

Then they branded him a liar, whereupon the chastisement of the Day of Canopy overtook them. It was the chastisement of a very awesome day

Surely there is a Sign in this, but most of them would not believe

Verily Your Lord is Immensely Mighty, Most Compassionate

Indeed this is a revelation from the Lord of the Universe

which the truthful spirit has carried down

to your heart that you might become one of those who warn (others on behalf of Allah)

(a revelation) in clear Arabic language

(a revelation embodied) in the scriptures of the ancients

Is it not a Sign to them ? (to wit, the Makkans) ? that the learned men of the Children of Israel know that

(But such is their adamance) that had We revealed it to one of the non-Arabs and even if he had recited (this clear Arabic discourse) to them

they would still not have believed in it

Thus have We caused this (Admonition) to penetrate the hearts of the culprits (like a hot rod)

They will not believe in it until they clearly see the grievous chastisement

But when it comes upon them suddenly, taking them unawares

they say: "Can we be granted some respite

Do they really want Our chastisement to be expedited

Did you consider that if We were to let them enjoy life for many years

and then the chastisement of which they were being warned were to come upon them

of what avail will be the provisions of life which they have been granted to enjoy

We never destroyed any habitation but that it had warners

to admonish them. We have never been unjust

The satans did not bring down this (Clear Book)

nor does it behove them, nor does it lie in their power

Indeed they are debarred from even hearing it

So do not call any other god beside Allah lest you become of those who will be punished

and warn your nearest kinsmen

and be meek to the believers who follow you

Then if they disobey you say to them: "I am quit of what you do

And put your trust in Him Who is Immensely Mighty, Most Compassionate

Who observes you when you rise (to pray)

and observes your movements among those who prostrate themselves

He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing

O people, shall I tell you on whom it is that satans descend

They descend on every forgerer steeped in sin

on those who whisper hearsay in the ears of people; and most of them are liars

As for poets, only the wayward follow them

Do you not see that they wander about in every valley

and say things which they do not act upon

except those who believed and acted righteously and remembered Allah much, and when they themselves were subjected to wrong, they exacted retribution no more than to the extent of the wrong? Soon will the wrong-doers know the end that they shall reach