English - Chapter 26 - Ash-Shuara

Ṭâ-Sĩn-Mĩm

These are the verses of the clear Book

Perhaps you ˹O Prophet˺ will grieve yourself to death over their disbelief

If We willed, We could send down upon them a ˹compelling˺ sign from the heavens, leaving their necks bent in ˹utter˺ submission to it

Whatever new reminder comes to them from the Most Compassionate, they always turn away from it

They have certainly denied ˹the truth˺, so they will soon face the consequences of their ridicule

Have they failed to look at the earth, ˹to see˺ how many types of fine plants We have caused to grow in it

Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful

˹Remember˺ when your Lord called out to Moses, “Go to the wrongdoing people—

the people of Pharaoh. Will they not fear ˹Allah˺?”

He replied, “My Lord! I fear that they will reject me

And ˹so˺ my heart will be broken and my tongue will be tied. So send Aaron along ˹as a messenger˺

Also, they have a charge against me, so I fear they may kill me.”

Allah responded, “Certainly not! So go, both of you, with Our signs. We will be with you, listening

Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘We are messengers from the Lord of all worlds

˹commanded to say:˺ ‘Let the Children of Israel go with us.’’”

Pharaoh protested, “Did we not raise you among us as a child, and you stayed several years of your life in our care

Then you did what you did, being ˹utterly˺ ungrateful!”

Moses replied, “I did it then, lacking guidance

How can that be a ‘favour,’ of which you remind me, when ˹it was only because˺ you ˹have˺ enslaved the Children of Israel?”

Pharaoh asked, “And what is ‘the Lord of all worlds’?”

Moses replied, “˹He is˺ the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, if only you had sure faith.”

Pharaoh said to those around him, “Did you hear ˹what he said˺?”

Moses added, “˹He is˺ your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.”

Pharaoh said ˹mockingly˺, “Your messenger, who has been sent to you, must be insane.”

Moses responded: “˹He is˺ the Lord of the east and west, and everything in between, if only you had any sense.”

Pharaoh threatened, “If you take any other god besides me, I will certainly have you imprisoned.”

Moses responded, “Even if I bring you a clear proof?”

Pharaoh demanded, “Bring it then, if what you say is true.”

So he threw down his staff and—behold!—it became a real snake

Then he drew his hand ˹out of his collar˺ and it was ˹shining˺ white for all to see

Pharaoh said to the chiefs around him, “He is indeed a skilled magician

who seeks to drive you from your land by his magic. So what do you propose?”

They replied, “Let him and his brother wait and dispatch mobilizers to all cities

to bring you every skilled magician.”

So the magicians were assembled at the set time on the appointed day

And the people were asked, “Will you join the gathering

so that we may follow the magicians if they prevail?”

When the magicians came, they asked Pharaoh, “Shall we have a ˹suitable˺ reward if we prevail?”

He replied, “Yes, and you will then certainly be among those closest to me.”

Moses said to them, “Cast whatever you wish to cast.”

So they cast down their ropes and staffs, saying, “By Pharaoh’s might, it is we who will surely prevail.”

Then Moses threw down his staff, and—behold!—it devoured the objects of their illusion

So the magicians fell down, prostrating

They declared, “We ˹now˺ believe in the Lord of all worlds—

the Lord of Moses and Aaron.”

Pharaoh threatened, “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission? He must be your master who taught you magic, but soon you will see. I will certainly cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, then crucify you all.”

They responded, “˹That would be˺ no harm! Surely to our Lord we will ˹all˺ return

We really hope that our Lord will forgive our sins, as we are the first to believe.”

And We inspired Moses, ˹saying,˺ “Leave with My servants at night, for you will surely be pursued.”

Then Pharaoh sent mobilizers to all cities

˹and said,˺ “These ˹outcasts˺ are just a handful of people

who have really enraged us

but we are all on the alert.”

So We lured the tyrants out of ˹their˺ gardens, springs

treasures, and splendid residences

So it was. And We awarded it ˹all˺ to the Children of Israel

And so they pursued them at sunrise

When the two groups came face to face, the companions of Moses cried out, “We are overtaken for sure.”

Moses reassured ˹them˺, “Absolutely not! My Lord is certainly with me—He will guide me.”

So We inspired Moses: “Strike the sea with your staff,” and the sea was split, each part was like a huge mountain

We drew the pursuers to that place

and delivered Moses and those with him all together

Then We drowned the others

Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful

Relate to them ˹O Prophet˺ the story of Abraham

when he questioned his father and his people, “What is that you worship ˹besides Allah˺?”

They replied, “We worship idols, to which we are fully devoted.”

Abraham asked, “Can they hear you when you call upon them

Or can they benefit or harm you?”

They replied, “No! But we found our forefathers doing the same.”

Abraham responded, “Have you ˹really˺ considered what you have been worshipping—

you and your ancestors

They are ˹all˺ enemies to me, except the Lord of all worlds

˹He is˺ the One Who created me, and He ˹alone˺ guides me

˹He is˺ the One Who provides me with food and drink

And He ˹alone˺ heals me when I am sick

And He ˹is the One Who˺ will cause me to die, and then bring me back to life

And He is ˹the One˺ Who, I hope, will forgive my flaws on Judgment Day.”

“My Lord! Grant me wisdom, and join me with the righteous

Bless me with honourable mention among later generations

Make me one of those awarded the Garden of Bliss

Forgive my father, for he is certainly one of the misguided

And do not disgrace me on the Day all will be resurrected—

the Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit

Only those who come before Allah with a pure heart ˹will be saved˺.”

˹On that Day˺ Paradise will be brought near to the God-fearing

and the Hellfire will be displayed to the deviant

And it will be said to them, “Where are those you used to worship

besides Allah? Can they help you or even help themselves?”

Then the idols will be hurled headlong into Hell, along with the deviant

and the soldiers of Iblîs, all together

There the deviant will cry while disputing with their idols

“By Allah! We were clearly mistaken

when we made you equal to the Lord of all worlds

And none led us astray other than the wicked

Now we have none to intercede for us

nor a close friend

If only we could have a second chance, then we would be believers.”

Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful

The people of Noah rejected the messengers

when their brother Noah said to them, “Will you not fear ˹Allah˺

I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you

So fear Allah, and obey me

I do not ask you for any reward for this ˹message˺. My reward is only from the Lord of all worlds

So fear Allah, and obey me.”

They argued, “How can we believe in you, when you are followed ˹only˺ by the lowest of the low?”

He responded, “And what knowledge do I have of what they do

Their judgment is with my Lord, if you had any sense

I am not going to expel the believers

I am only sent with a clear warning.”

They threatened, “If you do not desist, O Noah, you will surely be stoned ˹to death˺.”

Noah prayed, “My Lord! My people have truly rejected me

So judge between me and them decisively, and save me and the believers with me.”

So We saved him and those with him in the fully loaded Ark

Then afterwards We drowned the rest

Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful

The people of ’Âd rejected the messengers

when their brother Hûd said to them, “Will you not fear ˹Allah˺

I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you

So fear Allah, and obey me

I do not ask you for any reward for this ˹message˺. My reward is only from the Lord of all worlds

˹Why˺ do you build a landmark on every high place in vanity

and construct castles, as if you are going to live forever

and act so viciously when you attack ˹others˺

So fear Allah, and obey me

Fear the One Who has provided you with ˹the good˺ things you know

He provided you with cattle, and children

and gardens, and springs

I truly fear for you the torment of a tremendous day.”

They responded, “It is all the same to us whether you warn ˹us˺ or not

This is simply the tradition of our predecessors

And we will never be punished.”

So they rejected him, and ˹so˺ We destroyed them. Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful

The people of Thamûd rejected the messengers

when their brother Ṣâliḥ said to them, “Will you not fear ˹Allah˺

I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you

So fear Allah, and obey me

I do not ask you for any reward for this ˹message˺. My reward is only from the Lord of all worlds

Do you think you will be ˹forever˺ left secure in what you have here

amid gardens and springs

and ˹various˺ crops, and palm trees ˹loaded˺ with tender fruit

to carve homes in the mountains with great skill

So fear Allah, and obey me

And do not follow the command of the transgressors

who spread corruption throughout the land, never setting things right.”

They replied, “You are simply bewitched

You are only a human being like us, so bring forth a sign if what you say is true.”

Ṣâliḥ said, “Here is a camel. She will have her turn to drink as you have yours, each on an appointed day

And do not ever touch her with harm, or you will be overtaken by the torment of a tremendous day.”

But they killed her, becoming regretful

So the punishment overtook them. Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful

The people of Lot rejected the messengers

when their brother Lot said to them, “Will you not fear ˹Allah˺

I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you

So fear Allah, and obey me

I do not ask you for any reward for this ˹message˺. My reward is only from the Lord of all worlds

Why do you ˹men˺ lust after fellow men

leaving the wives that your Lord has created for you? In fact, you are a transgressing people.”

They threatened, “If you do not desist, O Lot, you will surely be expelled.”

Lot responded, “I am truly one of those who despise your ˹shameful˺ practice

My Lord! Save me and my family from ˹the consequences of˺ what they do.”

So We saved him and all of his family

except an old woman, who was one of the doomed

Then We utterly destroyed the rest

pouring upon them a rain ˹of brimstone˺. How evil was the rain of those who had been warned

Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful

The residents of the Forest rejected the messengers

when Shu’aib said to them, “Will you not fear ˹Allah˺

I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you

So fear Allah, and obey me

I do not ask you for any reward for this ˹message˺. My reward is only from the Lord of all worlds

Give full measure, and cause no loss ˹to others˺

Weigh with an even balance

and do not defraud people of their property. Nor go about spreading corruption in the land

And fear the One Who created you and ˹all˺ earlier peoples.”

They replied, “You are simply bewitched

Also, you are only a human being like us, and we think you are indeed a liar

So cause ˹deadly˺ pieces of the sky to fall upon us, if what you say is true.”

Shu’aib responded, “My Lord knows best whatever you do.”

So they rejected him, and ˹so˺ were overtaken by the torment of the day of the ˹deadly˺ cloud. That was really a torment of a tremendous day

Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful

This is certainly a revelation from the Lord of all worlds

which the trustworthy spirit ˹Gabriel˺ brought down

into your heart ˹O Prophet˺—so that you may be one of the warners—

in a clear Arabic tongue

And it has indeed been ˹foretold˺ in the Scriptures of those before

Was it not sufficient proof for the deniers that it has been recognized by the knowledgeable among the Children of Israel

Had We revealed it to a non-Arab

who would then recite it to the deniers ˹in fluent Arabic˺, still they would not have believed in it

This is how We allow denial ˹to steep˺ into the hearts of the wicked

They will not believe in it until they see the painful punishment

which will take them by surprise when they least expect ˹it˺

Then they will cry, “Can we be allowed more time?”

Do they ˹really˺ seek to hasten Our torment

Imagine ˹O Prophet˺ if We allowed them enjoyment for years

then there came to them what they had been threatened with

would that enjoyment be of any benefit to them ˹at all˺

We have never destroyed a society without warners

to remind ˹them˺, for We would never wrong ˹anyone˺

It was not the devils who brought this ˹Quran˺ down

it is not for them ˹to do so˺, nor can they

for they are strictly barred from ˹even˺ overhearing ˹it˺

So do not ever call upon any other god besides Allah, or you will be one of the punished

And warn ˹all, starting with˺ your closest relatives

and be gracious to the believers who follow you

But if they disobey you, say, “I am certainly free of what you do.”

Put your trust in the Almighty, Most Merciful

Who sees you when you rise ˹for prayer at night˺

as well as your movements ˹in prayer˺ along with ˹fellow˺ worshippers

He ˹alone˺ is indeed the All-Hearing, All-Knowing

Shall I inform you of whom the devils ˹actually˺ descend upon

They descend upon every sinful liar

who gives an ˹attentive˺ ear ˹to half-truths˺, mostly passing on sheer lies

As for poets, they are followed ˹merely˺ by deviants

Do you not see how they rant in every field

only saying what they never do

Except those who believe, do good, remember Allah often, and ˹poetically˺ avenge ˹the believers˺ after being wrongfully slandered. The wrongdoers will come to know what ˹evil˺ end they will meet