English - Chapter 37 - As-Saffat

By those [angels] who range themselves in close ranks

and those who drive away [the wicked] with reproof

and by the reciters of the Reminder

your God is One

Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything between them; Lord of the Easts

We have adorned the lowest heaven with the beauty of the planets

and guarded it against all rebellious devils

they cannot overhear the Higher Assembly for they are pelted from every side

driven away, and will suffer eternal punishment

But if anyone does succeed in snatching a glimpse [of such knowledge], he shall be pursued by a piercing flame

So, ask those who deny the truth if it was harder to create them than all the other things We have created? We created them from sticky clay

No wonder you are surprised as they laugh with scorn

When they are reminded, they do not pay heed

and whenever they see some sign, they ridicule it

saying, "This is plain sorcery

What! When we have died and become dust and bones, will we be brought back to life again

along with our forefathers

Say, "Yes indeed, and you will be brought low

There will be but a single blast and then their eyes will open

They will say, "Woe to us! This is the Day of Reckoning

But We shall say, "Assemble those who did wrong together with their associates and what they worshipped

besides God, and lead them to the path of the Fire

and stop them there for questioning

But what is the matter with you that you cannot help one another

indeed, on that Day they will surrender themselves

They will turn upon one another, and question one another

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

They will say, "No! It was you who would not believe

we had no power over you; but you yourselves were a rebellious people

But now our Lord's word has come true against us: truly, we are bound to taste [the punishment]

We led you astray as we were ourselves astray

On that Day they will all share the punishment

that is how We deal with evil-doers

When they were told, "There is no deity but God," they turned away with disdain

and replied, "Shall we then give up our deities at the bidding of a mad poet

Surely, he has brought the truth, confirming those who were sent before

you shall surely taste the painful punishment

and be rewarded only according to your deeds

But the chosen servants of God

shall have a known provision

fruits of various kinds; and they shall be honoured

in the Gardens of Bliss

seated on couches, facing one another

A drink will be passed round among them from a flowing spring

white and delicious to those who drink it

causing no headiness or intoxication

With them will be spouses, modest of gaze and beautiful of eye

like closely guarded pearls

They will turn to one another with questions

one of them will say, "I had a friend

who used to ask, 'Do you really believe that

after we die and become dust and bones, we shall be brought to judgement

Then he will say, "Shall we look for him

Then he will look and see him in the midst of the Fire

He will say, "By God! You almost brought me to ruin

If it had not been for the blessing of my Lord, I would also have been taken to Hell

Then he will say [to his blessed companions], "Are we not going to die

except for our first death? Are we not going to be punished

Truly, this is a great victory

It is for the like of this that all should strive

Is that better by way of hospitality or the Zaqqum tree

which We have made as a test for the wrongdoers

For it is a tree that springs out of the bottom of Hellfire

and its fruits are like devils' heads

They will eat from it and fill their bellies with it

then in addition to it they shall have a draught of boiling water to drink

then surely they shall return to Hell

They found their fathers had gone astray

so they are rushing to follow in their footsteps

And assuredly many of the ancients went astray before them

though We had sent warners among them

See how those who were warned met their end

Not so the chosen servants of God

Noah cried to Us, and how excellent was Our response

We saved him and his people from great distress

and We made his offspring the only survivors

We left mention of him among later generations

Peace be upon Noah among all the peoples

That is how We recompense the righteous

he was truly one of Our faithful servants

We drowned the rest

Abraham was of the same faith

he came to his Lord with a sound heart

Behold!" he said to his father and to his people, "What are these that you worship

Would you serve false deities instead of God

What do you think of the Lord of the Worlds

He looked up at the stars

And said, "I am sick

so they turned their backs on him and went off

He turned to their gods and said, "Do you not eat

What is the matter with you that you do not speak

then he turned on them, striking them down with his right hand

His people came rushing towards him

but he said, "How can you worship things you carve with your own hands

when it is God who has created you and all your handiwork

They said, "Build a pyre for him and throw him into the blaze

They wanted to harm him, but We humiliated them all

He said, "I will go to my Lord: He is sure to guide me

Lord, grant me a righteous son

We gave him the good news that he would have a patient, forbearing son

And when he reached the age when he could work with him, he said, "O my son, I have seen in a dream that I am sacrificing you. So tell me what you think of it!" He replied, "O my father, do as you are commanded; and God willing, you will find me steadfast

When they had both submitted to God, and he had laid his son down on his face

We called out to him, "Abraham

you have fulfilled the dream." It is thus indeed that We reward those who do good

that surely was a manifest trial

We ransomed him with a great sacrifice

and left him thus to be succeeded by a group [of followers] among later generations

Peace and salutation to Abraham

That is how We recompense the righteous

truly, he was one of Our faithful servants

We gave Abraham the good news of Isaac, a prophet and a righteous man

and blessed him and Isaac too: some of their offspring were good, but some clearly sinned against their souls

We also bestowed Our favour on Moses and Aaron

We saved them and their people from great distress

and We helped them, so that they were victorious

and We gave them the Book which helps to make things clear

and guided them to the straight path

and We left them thus to be succeeded by a group [of followers] among later generations

Peace be upon Moses and Aaron

This is how We reward those who do good

truly they were among Our faithful servants

Elijah too was one of the messengers

He said to his people, "Have you no fear [of God]

Do you call on Baal and abandon the Best of Creators

God your Lord and Lord of your forefathers

but they rejected him, and thus will certainly be called to account

except the chosen servants of God

We left him thus to be succeeded by a group [of followers] among the following generations

Peace be on Elijah and his people

It is thus indeed that We reward those who do good

surely he was one of Our believing servants

Lot was also one of the messengers

We saved him and all his people

except for an old woman who stayed behind

and We destroyed the rest

You pass by their ruins morning

and night: will you not take heed

Jonah too was one of the messengers

He fled to the overloaded ship

And then they cast lots and he was the one who lost

and the fish swallowed him while he was blaming himself

Had he not been one of those who acknowledge the glory of God

he would certainly have remained inside the fish till the Day of Resurrection

But We caused him to be cast forth on to the beach, sick as he was

and We caused a gourd tree to grow over him

We sent him as a messenger to a hundred thousand people or more

and they believed in him: so We let them live in ease for a while

Now ask them whether your Lord has daughters, whereas they have sons

Did We create the angels females, to which they were witnesses

No indeed! It is one of their fabrications when they say

God has begotten children." They are truly liars

Has He chosen daughters over sons

What is the matter with you? How do you form your judgement

Will you not then reflect

Or have you clear evidence

Then produce your scriptures, if you are telling the truth

They claim that He has kinship with the jinn, yet the jinn themselves know that they will be produced before Him [for judgement]

God is far above what they attribute to Him

but not so the true servants of God

neither you nor what you worship

can lure away from God any

except those who will burn in Hell

[The angels say], "Every single one of us has his place assigned

we are those who stand ranged in ranks

We glorify God

They say

If we had had with us a Book like that of the people of old

we would surely have been God's chosen servants

but they have rejected it, [the Quran] and they shall soon learn

And surely Our word has gone forth respecting Our servants, the messengers

that it is certainly they who will be helped

and that it is Our host that would certainly triumph

So turn away from them for a while

Watch them: they will soon see

Do they really wish to hasten Our punishment

When it descends on their courtyards, how terrible that morning will be for those who were warned

So turn away from them for a while

And watch, for they will soon see

Glory be to your Lord: the Lord of Glory is far above what they attribute to Him

Peace be upon the Messengers

and praise be to God, the Lord of all the Worlds