English - Chapter 43 - Az-Zukhruf

Mim

By the clear Book

truly We have made it an Arabic Quran, that haply you may understand

and truly it is with Us in the Mother of the Book, sublime indeed, wise

Shall We withdraw the reminder from you altogether for your having been a prodigal people

How many a prophet did We send among those of old

Yet never did a prophet come unto them, but that they mocked him

So We destroyed those of greater prowess than them, and the example of those of old has passed

Wert thou to ask them, “Who created the heavens and the earth?” they would surely say, “The Mighty, the Knowing created them.”

He it is Who made the earth a cradle for you and made paths for you therein, that haply you may be guided

Who sent down water from the sky in due measure, whereby We revived a dead land—thus shall you be brought forth

and Who created the pairs, all of them, and appointed for you ships and cattle that you ride

that you may mount their backs and then remember the blessing of your Lord when you are mounted thereon and say, “Glory be to God, Who made this subservient unto us, though we were not equal to it

Truly unto our Lord do we turn.”

Yet they assign to Him a portion from some of His servants. Truly man is a manifest ingrate

Or has He taken daughters from that which He creates and favored you with sons

And when one of them receives glad tidings of that which he has set forth as a description of the Compassionate, his face blackens and he chokes with anguish

“What! One who is reared amid ornaments and is incoherent in dispute?”

And they have made the angels, who are servants of the Compassionate, females. Did they witness their creation? Their witnessing shall be recorded, and they will be questioned

They say, “Had the Compassionate willed, we would not have worshipped them.” They have no knowledge thereof. They do naught but guess

Or did We give them a book beforehand to which they hold fast

Nay! They say, “We found our fathers upon a creed, and surely we are rightly guided in their footsteps.”

Likewise, We sent no warner unto a town before thee, but that those living in luxury therein said, “We found our fathers upon a creed, and we are surely following in their footsteps.”

He replied, “What! Though I bring you better guidance than that which you found your fathers following?” They said, “Truly we disbelieve in that wherewith you have been sent.”

So We took vengeance upon them. And behold how the deniers fared in the end

And [remember] when Abraham said to his father and his people, “Truly I am quit of that which you worship

save Him who originated me, for surely He will guide me.”

And He made it a word enduring among his posterity, that haply they may return

Nay, I provided for these and their fathers until the Truth came unto them and a clear messenger

And when the Truth came unto them, they said, “This is sorcery, and we do not believe in it.”

And they said, “Why was this Quran not sent down to a great man from one of the two towns?”

Is it they who apportion the Mercy of thy Lord? We have apportioned for them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in rank, that some of them may take others into service. And the Mercy of thy Lord is better than that which they amass

And were it not that mankind would be one community, We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Compassionate silver roofs for their houses, stairways whereon to ascend

doors to their houses, couches whereon to recline

and gold ornaments. Yet all of that would be but enjoyment of the life of this world. And the Hereafter, in the presence of thy Lord, is for the reverent

Whosoever turns blindly away from the remembrance of the Compassionate, We assign to him a satan who is then a companion unto him

And they turn them from the way; yet they suppose that they are rightly guided

till, when he comes unto Us, he will say, “Would that there were between me and thee the distance of the two easts! What an evil companion!”

Yet on that Day it will not benefit you, since you did wrong, to share in the punishment

Dost thou, then, make the deaf to hear or guide the blind and those in manifest error

Either We shall take thee away, and then take vengeance upon them

or We shall show thee that which We have promised them. For surely We have power over them

So hold fast to that which We have revealed unto thee. Truly thou art upon a straight path

Truly it is a reminder unto thee and thy people, and you will be questioned

Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before thee, “Have We appointed gods to be worshipped apart from the Compassionate?”

We did indeed send Moses with Our signs unto Pharaoh and his notables. And he said, “I am a messenger of the Lord of the worlds.”

But when he brought them Our signs, behold, they laughed at them

They said, “O sorcerer, call upon your Lord for us in accord with that which He has covenanted with you; surely we shall then be guided.”

Yet when We removed the punishment from them, behold, they reneged

And Pharaoh called out among his people, saying, “O my people! Is not the sovereignty of Egypt mine, and do these streams not flow beneath me? Do you not, then, see

Am I not better than this one who is vile and can scarcely speak plain

Why, then, have armlets of gold not been cast upon him, and why do angels not accompany him?”

Then he incited his people to make light, and they obeyed him. Truly they were an iniquitous people

So when they roused Our Anger, We took vengeance upon them and drowned them all together

We made them a bygone people and an example for those of later times

And when the son of Mary is set forth as an example, behold, thy people turn away from it

They say, “Are our gods better, or is he?” They do not cite him to thee, save to dispute. Nay, they are a contentious people

He was naught but a servant whom We blessed and whom We made an example for the Children of Israel

Had We willed, We would have appointed angels among you, succeeding one another upon the earth

And he is indeed a portent of the Hour; so doubt not concerning it and follow Me. This is a straight path

And let not Satan turn you away; truly he is a manifest enemy unto you

When Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, “I have come unto you with wisdom and to make clear to you some of that wherein you differ. So reverence God and obey me

Truly God is my Lord and your Lord; so worship Him. This is a straight path.”

But, then, the parties differed among themselves. Woe unto those who do wrong for the punishment of a painful day

Do they await aught but that the Hour should come upon them suddenly, while they are unaware

Friends on that Day will be enemies to one another, save for the reverent. h

My servants! No fear shall be upon you this Day; nor shall it be you who grieve

you who believed in Our signs and who were submitters

enter the Garden, you and your spouses, made joyous

For them are brought round trays and goblets of gold. Therein is whatsoever souls desire and eyes find pleasing. And you shall abide therein

This is the Garden that you have inherited for that which you used to do

Abundant fruit from which you will eat shall be yours therein

Truly the guilty are abiding in the punishment of Hell

It will not be lightened for them, and therein will they despair

We did not wrong them; rather, it is they who were the wrongdoers

And they will call, “O Malik, let thy Lord put an end to us.” He will reply, “You will surely remain

We did indeed bring you the truth, but most of you were averse to the truth.”

Or have they devised anything? Truly it is We Who devise

Or do they suppose that We hear not their secret and their secret converse? Yea, and Our envoys are present with them, recording

Say, “If the Compassionate had a child, then I would be the first of the worshippers.”

Glory be to the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne, above that which they ascribe

And leave them to indulge in idle talk and play until they meet the Day that they are promised

He it is Who is God in Heaven and God on earth. And He is the Wise, the Knowing

Blessed is He unto Whom belongs sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them, and with Whom lies knowledge of the Hour, and unto Whom you will be returned

Those upon whom they call apart from Him have no power of intercession, save such as have borne witness to the truth knowingly

Wert thou to ask them, “Who created you?” they would surely say, “God.” How, then, are they perverted

And as for his saying, “O my Lord, truly these are a people who believe not,”

bear with them and say, “Peace.” For soon they will know