English - Chapter 37 - As-Saffat

As the Ranks are drawn up

rebuking with restraint

and reciting a Reminder

your God is One [Alone]

Lord of Heaven and Earth and whatever lies between them, plus Lord of the Eastern parts

We have beautified the worldly sky with the splendor of stars

plus a safeguard against every stubborn devil

so they may not listen to the supreme council and are hurled forth on every side

Driven away, they will have lingering torment

except for someone who tries to eavesdrop so that a blazing meteor follows him

Ask their opinion whether they or someone We created have been created stronger. We created them from sticky clay

Rather you have been surprised as they sneered

yet whenever they are reminded, they do not recall anything

Whenever they see some sign, they make fun of it

and say: "This is just sheer magic

When we have died and become dust and bones, will we be raised up again

Along with our earliest forefathers

SAY: "Yes, and you yourselves abashed

There will only be a single rebuke and then, they shall see

They will say: ´How awful it is for us; this is the Day for Repayment

This is the day for sorting things out which you have been denying

Summon the ones who have done wrong plus their spouses, and anything they have been worshipping

instead of God; lead them along the road towards Hades

Stop them! They must be questioned

What´s wrong with you that you do not support each other

Rather today they are surrendering

Some of them will step forth to question one another

They will say: "You used to come at us from the right

They will say: "Rather, you were not believers

We have no authority over you. Instead you have been such arrogant folk

Our Lord´s sentence has been confirmed against us; we are indeed tasting it

We lured you on, we were seducers

They will become partners in torment on that day

Thus We deal with criminals

They have acted so proudly whenever: "There is no deity except God [Alone]" was said to them

and they were saying: ´Should we abandon our gods for a crazy poet

Rather he has brought the Truth and vouches for the emissaries

Yet you will taste painful torment

and only be rewarded for what you have been doing

except for God´s sincere servants

Those will have an acknowledged provision

of fruit, and will be honored

in gardens of Bliss

facing one another on couches

A cup will he passed around for them from a clear spring

[which will be] delicious for anyone who drinks from it

There will be no hangover from it nor will they feel exhausted by it

With them will be bashful women whose eyes still sparkle

as if they were hidden [like hatching] eggs

Some of them will step forward to question one another

Someone among them will speak up and say: "Once there was a soulmate of mine

who used to say: ´Have you become convinced

When we have, died and become dust and bones, will we he called to account

He will say: "Will you (all) just take a look

So he did look down and saw he was [standing] in the midst of Hades

He said: "By God, you have almost ruined me

If it were not for my Lord´s favor, I´d have been made to appear

Aren´t we mortal

except for our first death? Will we not be punished

This is the splendid Achievement!´

For such as this let workers toil

Is that a better welcome or is the Infernal Tree

We have placed it as a trial for wrongdoers

It is a tree that rises from the depths of Hades

Its cluster [of fruit] looks like devils´ heads

they will eat some of it and fill their stomachs with it

Then on top of it, they will have a concoction made from bathwater [to drink]

Then their return must be to Hades

They discovered their forefathers had been misled

and yet they went scurrying along in their footsteps

Most primitive men went astray before them

even though We had sent warners out among them

yet see what the outcome was for those who were warned

except for God´s sincere servants

Noah called out to Us, and how favored are those [like him] who respond

We saved him and his family from serious grief

and set his offspring up as survivors

We left [mention] of him among later men

Peace be upon Noah throughout the Universe

Thus We reward those who act kindly

he was one of Our believing servants

Then We let the rest drown

To his sect belonged Abraham

when he came to his Lord with a sound heart

as he said to his father and his people: "What are you worshipping

Is it some sham; do you want (other) gods instead of God [Himself]

What is your opinion concerning the Lord of the Universe

So he took a glance at the stars

and said: "I feel heartsick

They turned their backs on him

so he shifted [his attention] to their (false) gods, and said: "Don´t you eat

What is wrong with you that you don´t utter a word

He aimed a blow at them with his right hand

They quickly pounced on him

He said: "Do you worship something you have been carving

while God created you and whatever you make

They said: "Build him a pyre and cast him into Hades

They wanted to plot against him, so We made them come out on the shorter end of things

He said; "I am going away to [meet] my Lord; He will guide me

My Lord, bestow some honorable men on me

So We gave him news about an even-tempered boy

When [the son] reached the stage of working alongside him, he said: "My son, I saw in my sleep that I must sacrifice you. Look for whatever you may see [in it]." He said: "My father, do anything you are ordered to; you will find me to be patient, if God so wishes

When they both had committed themselves peacefully [to God] and he had placed him face down

We called out to him: "Abraham

you have already confirmed the dream!" Thus We reward those who act kindly

This was an obvious test

We ransomed him by means of a Splendid victim

and left [him to be mentioned] among later men

Peace be upon Abraham

Thus We reward those who act kindly

He was one of Our believing servants

We announced to him that Isaac would become a prophet who was honorable

We blessed both him and Isaac; some of their offspring have acted kindly while others have clearly wronged themselves

We endowed Moses and Aaron

and saved both them and their people from serious distress

We supported them and they became victorious

and We gave them both the clarifying Book

We guided them along the Straight Road

and left [mention] of them among later men

Peace be upon Moses and Aaron

Thus We reward those who act kindly

They were both Our believing servants

Elijah was an emissary

when he told his folk: "Will you not do your duty

Do you appeal to Baal and ignore the Best Creator

God your Lord, and your earliest forefathers´ Lord

They rejected him, yet they were made to appear

except for God´s sincere servants

We left [mention] of him among later men

Peace be upon Elijah

Thus We reward those who act kindly

he was one of Our believing servants

Lot was an emissary

when We saved him and his entire family

except for an old woman who lagged behind

Then We annihilated the rest

You still pass by them in the morning

and at night. Will you not use your reason

Jonah was an emissary

when he deserted to the laden ship

gambled and was one of those who lost out

The fish swallowed him while he was still to blame

If he had not been someone who glorified [God]

he would have lingered on in its belly until the day when they will be raised up again

We flung him up on the empty shore and he [felt] heartsick

We made a gourd tree grow up over him

and sent him off to a hundred thousand [people] or even more

They believed so We let them enjoy themselves for a while

Ask their opinion as to whether your Lord has daughters while they have sons

or did We create the angels as females while they were looking on

Are they not saying something they have trumped up with [the statement that]

God has fathered something

Would He select daughters ahead of sons

What is wrong with you? How do you make decisions

Will you not be reminded

Or do you have some clear authority

Bring on your scripture if you are so truthful

They have even placed a tie of kinship between Him and the sprites. Yet the sprites well know that they too will be made to appear

Glory be to God over whatever they describe

except for God´s loyal servants

You and anything you serve

except for someone who will roast in Hades

There is none of us but he has an acknowledged status

We are drawn up in ranks

We are those who glorify [God]

There were some [people] saying

If we only had a reminder from early men

we should have become God´s loyal servants

They have disbelieved in Him so they soon shall know

Our word has already gone on ahead to Our servants who were sent forth

they will indeed be supported

Our army will be victorious over them

Turn aside from them for a while

watch them, for they too will be made to watch

Do they seek to hasten Our torment

Whenever it settles down into their courtyard, how dismal will be the morning for those who have been forewarned

Turn aside from them for a while

watch, for they too will have to watch

Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Grandeur, beyond what they describe

Peace be on the emissaries

Praise be to God