Part 23

There was but one shout from Gabriel, and lo! they were extinct.

Oh! the misery that rests upon my servants! No apostle cometh to them but they laugh him to scorn.

36:30 See they not how many generations we have destroyed before them?

Not to false gods is it that they shall be brought back,

But all, gathered together, shall be set before Us.

Moreover, the dead earth is a sign to them: we quicken it and bring forth the grain from it, and they eat thereof:

And we make in it gardens of the date and vine; and we cause springs to gush forth in it;

That they may eat of its fruits and of the labour of their hands. Will they not therefore be thankful?

Glory be to Him, who hath created all the sexual pairs of such things as Earth produceth, and of mankind themselves; and of things beyond their ken!

A sign to them also is the Night. We withdraw the day from it, and lo! they are plunged in darkness;

And the Sun hasteneth to her place of rest,. This, the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knowing!

And as for the Moon, We have decreed stations for it, till it change like an old and crooked palm branch.

36:40 To the Sun it is not given to overtake the Moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day; but each in its own sphere doth journey one.

It is also a sign to them that we bare their posterity in the full-laden Ark;

And that we have made for them vessels like it on which they embark;

And if we please, we drown them, and there is none to help them, and they are not rescued,

Unless through our mercy, and that they may enjoy themselves for yet awhile.

And when it is said to them, Fear what is before you and what is behind you, that you may obtain mercy. . . .

Aye, not one sign from among the signs of their Lord dost thou bring them, but they turn away from it!

And when it is said to them, Give alms of what God hath bestowed on you, they who believe not say to the believers, "Shall we feed him whom God can feed if He will? Truly you are in no other than a plain error."

And they said, "When will this promise be fulfilled, if what you say be true?"

They await but a single blast: as they are wrangling shall it assail them:

36:50 And not a bequest shall they be able to make, nor to their families shall they return.

And the trumpet shall be blown, and, lo! they shall speed out of their sepulchres to their Lord:

They shall say, "Oh! woe is us! who hath roused us from our sleeping place? 'Tis what the God of Mercy promised; and the Apostles spake the truth."

But one blast shall there be, and, lo! they shall be assembled before us, all together.

And on that day shall no soul be wronged in the least: neither shall you be rewarded but as you shall have wrought.

But joyous on that day shall be the inmates of Paradise, in their employ;

In shades, on bridal couches reclining, they and their spouses:

Therein shall they have fruits, and shall have whatever they require --

"Peace!" shall be the word on the part of a merciful Lord.

"But be you separated this day, O you sinners!

36:60 Did I not enjoin on you, O sons of Adam, 'Worship not Satan, for that he is your declared foe.'

But 'Worship Me: this is a right path'?

But now hath he led a vast host of you astray. Did you not then comprehend?

This is Hell with which you were threatened:

Endure its heat this day, for that you believed not."

On that day will we set a seal upon their mouths; yet shall their hands speak unto us, and their feet shall bear witness of that which they shall have done.

And, if we pleased, we would surely put out their eyes: yet even then would they speed on with rivalry in their path: but how should they see?

And, if we pleased, we would surely transform them as they stand, and they would not be able to move onward, or to return.

Him cause we to stoop through age whose days we lengthen. Will they not understand?

We have not taught him (Muhammad) poetry, nor would it beseem him. This Book is no other than a warning and a clear Koran.

36:70 To warn whosoever liveth; and, that against the Infidels sentence may be justly given.

See they not that we have created for them among the things which our hands have wrought, the animals of which they are masters?

And that we have subjected them unto them? And on some they ride, and of others they eat;

And they find in them profitable uses and beverages:

Yet have they taken other gods beside God that they might be helpful to them.

No power have they to succour them: yet are their votaries an army at their service.

Let not their speech grieve thee: We know what they hide and what they bring to light.

Doth not man perceive that we have created him of the moist germs of life? Yet lot! is he an open caviller.

And he meeteth us with arguments, and forgetteth his creation: "Who," saith he, "shall give life to bones when they are rotten?"

Say: He shall given life to them who gave them being at the first, for in all creation is he skilled:

36:80 Who even out of the green tree hath given you fire, and lo! you kindle flame from it.

What! must not He who hath created the Heavens and the Earth be mighty enough to create your likes? Yes! and He is the skilful creator.

His command when He willeth aught, is but to say to it, BE, and IT IS.

So glory be to Him in whose hand is sway over all things! And to Him shall you be brought back.

Sura XXXVII (37)

The Ranks

(Mecca -- 182 Verses)

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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

37:1 By the angels ranged in order for Songs of Praise,

And by those who repel demons,

And by those who recite the Koran for warning,

Truly your God is but one,

Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth, and of all that is between them, and Lord of the East.

We have adorned the lower heaven with the adornment of the stars.

They serve also as a guard against every rebellious Satan,

That they overhear not what passeth in the assembly on high, for they are darted at from every side,

Driven off and consigned to a lasting torment;

37:10 While, if one steal a word by stealth, a glistening flame pursueth him.

Ask the Meccans then, Are they, or the angels whom we have made, the stronger creation? Aye, of coarse clay have we created them.

But while thou marvellest they mock;

When they are warned, no warning do they take;

And when they see a sign, they fall to mocking,

And say, "This is no other than clear sorcery:

What! when dead, and turned to dust and bones, shall we indeed be raised?

Our sires also of olden times?"

Say, Yes; and you shall be covered with disgrace.

For, one blast only, and lo! they shall gaze around them,

37:20 And shall say, "Oh! woe to us! this is the day of reckoning;

This is the day of decision which you gainsaid as an untruth."

Gather together those who have acted unjustly, and their consorts, and the gods whom they adored

Beside God; and guide them to the road for Hell.

Set them forth: they shall be questioned.

"How now, that you help not one another?"

But on this day they shall submit themselves to God,

And shall address one another with mutual reproaches.

They shall say, "In sooth, you came to us in well-omened sort:"

But they will answer, "Nay, it was you who would not believe; and we had no power whatever over you. Nay, you were people given to transgress;

37:30 Just, therefore, is the doom which are Lord hath passed upon us. We shall surely taste it:

We made you err, for we had erred ourselves."

Partners therefore shall be in punishment on that day.

Truly, thus will we deal with the wicked,

Because when it was said to them, There is no God but God, they swelled with pride,

And said, "Shall we then abandon our gods for a crazed poet?"

Nay, he cometh with truth and confirmeth the Sent Ones of old.

You shall surely taste the painful punishment,

And you shall not be rewarded but as you have wrought,

Save the sincere servants of God!

37:40 A stated banquet shall they have

Of fruits; and honoured shall they be

In the gardens of delight,

Upon couches face to face.

A cup shall be borne round among them from a fountain,

Limpid, delicious to those who drink;

It shall not oppress the sense, nor shall they therewith be drunken.

And with them are the large-eyed ones with modest refraining glances, fair like the sheltered egg.

And they shall address one another with mutual questions.

Saith one of them, "I truly had a bosom friend,

37:50 Who said, 'Art thou of those who credit it?

What! when we shall have died, and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be judged?'"

He shall say to those around him, "Will you look?"

And he shall look and see him in the midst of Hell.

And he shall say to him, "By God, thou hadst almost caused me to perish;

And, but for the favour of my Lord, I had surely been of those who have been brought with thee into torment."

"But do we not die," say the blessed,

"Any other than our first death? and have we escaped the torment?"

This truly is the great felicity!

For the like of this should the travailers travail!

37:60 Is this the better repast or the tree Ez-zakkoum?

Verily, we have made it for a subject of discord to the wicked.

It is a tree which cometh up from the bottom of hell;

Its fruits is as it were the heads of Satans;

And, lo! the damned shall surely eat of it and fill their bellies with it:

Then shall they have, thereon, a mixture of boiling water:

Then shall they return to hell.

They found their fathers erring,

And they hastened on in their footsteps.

Also before them the greater number of the ancients had erred,

37:70 Though we had sent warners among them.

But see what was the end of these warned one,

Except of God's true servants.

Noah call on us of old, and right prompt were we to hear him,

And we saved him and his family out of the great distress,

And we made his offspring the survivors;

And we left for him with posterity,

"Peace be on Noah throughout the worlds!"

Thus do we reward the well-doers,

For he was one of our believing servants; --

37:80 And the rest we drowned.

And truly, of his faith, was Abraham,

When he brought to his Lord a perfect heart,

When he said to his father and to his people, "What is this you worship?

Prefer you with falsehood gods to God?

And what deem you of the Lord of the worlds?"

So gazing he gazed towards the starts,

And said, "In sooth I am ill:

And they turned their back on him and departed.

He went aside to their gods and said, "Do you not eat?

37:90 What aileth you that you do not speak?"

He broke out upon them, with the right hand striking:

When his tribesmen came back to him with hasty steps --

He said, "Worship you what you carve,

When God hath created you, and that you make?"

They said, "Build up a pyre for him and cast him into the glowing flame."

Fain would they plot against him, but we brought them low.

And he said, "Verily, I repair to my Lord who will guide me:

O Lord give me a son, of the righteous."

We announced to him a youth of meekness.

37:100 And when he became a full-grown youth,

His father said to him, "My son, I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice thee; therefore, consider what thou seest right."

He said, "My father, do what thou art bidden; of the patient, if God please, shalt thou find me."

And when they had surrendered them to the will of God, he laid him down upon his forehead:

We cried unto him, "O Abraham!

Now hast thou satisfied the vision,." See how we recompense the righteous.

This was indeed a decisive test.

And we ransomed his son with a costly victim,

And we left this for him among posterity,

"Peace be on Abraham!"

37-110 Thus do we reward the well-doers,

For he was of our believing servants.

And we announced Isaac to him -- a righteous Prophet --

And on him and on Isaac we bestowed our blessing. And among their offspring were well-doers, and others, to their own hurt undoubted sinners.

And of old, to Moses and to Aaron shewed we favours:

And both of them, and their people, we rescued from the great distress:

And we succoured them, and they became the conquerors:

And we gave them (Moses and Aaron) each the lucid book:

And we guided them each into the right way:

And we left this for each among posterity,

37:120 "Peace be on Moses and Aaron."

Thus do we reward the well-doers,

For they were two of our believing servants.

And Elias truly was of our Sent Ones,

When he said to his people, "Fear you not God?

Invoke you Baal and forsake you the most skilful Creator?

God is your Lord, and the Lord of your sires of old?"

But they treated him as a liar, and shall therefore be consigned to punishment,

Except God's faithful servants.

And we left this for him among posterity,

37:130 "Peace be on Eliasin!"

Thus do we reward the well-doers.

For he was one of our believing servants.

And Lot truly was of our Sent Ones,

When we rescued him and all his family,

Save an aged woman among those who tarried.

Afterward we destroyed the others.

And you indeed pass by their ruined dwellings at morn

And night: will you not then reflect?

Jonas, too, was one of the Apostles,

37:140 When he fled into the laden ship,

And lots were cast, and he was doomed,

And the fish swallowed him, for he was blameworthy.

But had he not been of those who praise Us,

In its belly had he surely remained, till the day of resurrection.

And we cast him on the bare shore -- and he was sick; --

And we caused a gourd-plant to grow up over him,

And we sent him to a hundred thousand persons, or even more,

And because they believed, we continued their enjoyments for a season.

Inquire then of the Meccans whether thy Lord hath daughters, and they, sons?

37:150 Have we created the angels females? and did they witness it?

Is it not a falsehood of their own devising, when they say,,

"God hath begotten"? They are indeed liars.

Would he have preferred daughters to sons?

What reason have you for thus judging?

Will you not then receive this warning?

Have you a clear proof for them?

Produce your Book if you speak truth.

And they make him to be of kin with the Djinn: but the Djinn have long known that these idolaters shall be brought up before God.

Far be the glory of God from what they impute to him.

37:160 "His faithful servants do not thus.

Moreover, you and what you worship

Shall not stir up any against God,

Save him who shall burn in Hell.

And verily each one of us hath his appointed place,

And we range ourselves in order,

And we celebrate His praises."

And if those infidels say,

"Had we a revelation transmitted to us from those of old,

We had surely been God's faithful servants."

37:170 Yet they believe not the Koran. But they shall know its truth at last.

Our word came of old to our servants the apostles,

That they should surely be the succoured,

And that our armies should procure the victory for them.

Turn aside therefore from them for a time,

And behold them, for they too shall in the end behold their doom.

Would they then hasten our vengeance?

But when it shall come down into their courts, an evil morning shall it be to those who have had their warning.

Turn aside from them therefore for a time.

And behold; for they too shall in the end behold their doom.

37:180 Far be the glory of thy Lord, the Lord of all greatness, from what they impute to him,

And peace be on his Apostles!

And praise be to God the Lord of the worlds.

Sura XXXVIII (38)

Sad

(Mecca -- 88 Verses)

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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

38:1 Sad. By the Koran full of warning! In sooth the Infidels are absorbed in pride, in contention with thee.

How many generations have we destroyed before them! And they cried for mercy but no time was it of escape!

And they marvel that a warner from among themselves hath come to them; and the Infidels say, "This is a sorcerer, a liar:

Maketh he the gods to be but one god? A strange thing forsooth is this!"

And their chiefs took themselves off. "Go, said they, and cleave steadfastly to your gods. You see the thing aimed at.

We heard not of this in the previous creed. It is but an imposture:

To him alone of us all hath a book of warning been sent down?" Yes! they are in doubt as to my warnings, for they have not yet tasted my vengeance.

Are the treasures of the mercy of thy Lord, the Mighty, the bounteous, in their hands?

Is the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth and of all that is between them theirs? Then let them mount up by cords!

38:10 Any army of the confederates shall here be routed.

Before them the people of Noah and Ad and Pharaoh the impaler treated their prophets as impostors;

And Themoud, and the people of Lot, and the dwellers in the forest: these were the confederates.

Nought did they all but charge the apostles with falsehood: Just, therefore, the retribution.

And these (Meccans) await but one single trumpet blast -- There shall be no delaying it --

Yet they dare to say, "O our Lord! hasten our lot to us, before the day of reckoning."

Put thou up with what they say: and remember our servant David, a man strong of hand, one who turned him to Us in penitence;

We constrained the mountains to join with him in lauds at even and at sunrise;

And the birds which flocked to him, and would all return to him oft;

And we stablished his kingdom: and wisdom, and skill to pronounce clear decisions, did we bestow on him.

38-20 Hath the story of the two pleaders reached thee, O Muhammad, when they mounted the walls of his closet?

When they entered in upon David, and he was frightened at them, they said, "Be not afraid; we are two opposing parties: one of us hath wronged the other. Judge therefore with truth between us, and be not unjust, but guide us to the right way.

Now this my brother had ninety and nine ewes, and I had but a single ewe; and he said, make me her keeper. And he over-persuaded me in the dispute."

He said, "Certainly he hath wronged thee in asking for thine ewe to add her to his own ewes: and truly many associates do one another wrong -- except those who believe and do the things that are right; and few indeed are they!" And David perceived that we had tried him; so he asked pardon of his Lord, and fell down and bowed himself and repented.

So we forgave him that his sin; and truly he shall have a high rank with Us, and an excellent retreat in Paradise.

O David! verily we have made thee our vicegerent upon earth. Judge therefore between men with truth, and follow not thy passions, lest they cause thee to err from the way of God. For they who err from the way of God shall meet with a grievous chastisement, for that they have forgotten the day of reckoning.

We have not created the heaven and the earth and what is between them for nought. That is the thought of infidels; but woe to the infidels because of the fire!

Shall we treat those who believe and do the things that are right like those who propagate evil on earth? Shall we treat the God-fearing like the impious?

A blessed Book have we sent down to thee, that men may meditate its verses, and that those endued with understanding may bear it in mind.

And Solomon gave we unto David. An excellent servant, for he loved to turn him Godward.

38:30 Remember when at eventide the prancing chargers were displayed before him,

And he said, "Truly I have loved the love of earthly goods above the remembrance of my Lord, till the sun hath been hidden by the veil of darkness.

Bring them back to me," And he began to sever the legs and necks.

We also made trial of Solomon, and placed a phantom on his throne: whereupon he returned to Us (in penitence).

He said, O my Lord! pardon me, and give me a dominion that may not be to any one beside me, for thou art the liberal giver.

So we subjected the wind to him; it ran softly at his bidding, whithersoever he directed it:

And the Satans -- every builder and diver --

And others bound in chains:

"This," said we, "is our gift: be bounteous then, or withhold thy favours; no account shalt thou render."

And his rank also is high with Us, and an excellent retreat.

38:40 And remember our servant Job when he cried to his Lord, "Verily, Satan hath laid on me disease and pain."

"Stamp," said we, "with thy foot. This is to wash with; cool, and to drink."

And we gave him back his family, and as many more with them in our mercy; for a monition to men of judgment.

And we said, "Take in thine hand a rod, and strike with it, nor break thine oath." Verily, we found him patient!

How excellent a servant, one who turned to Us was he!

And remember our servants Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, men of might and vision.

With this cleansing did we cleanse them -- the remembrance of the abode of Paradise.

And verily, they were, in our sight, of the elect and of the good.

And remember Ishmael and Elisha and Dhoulkefl, for all these were of the just.

This is a monition: and verily, the pious shall have a goodly retreat:

38:50 Gardens of Eden, whose portals shall stand open to them:

Therein reclining, they shall there call for many a fruit and drink:

And with them shall be virgins of their own age, with modest retiring glances:

"This is what you were promised at the day of reckoning."

"Yes! this is our provision: it shall never fail."

Even so. But for the evil doers is a wretched home --

Hell -- wherein they shall be burned: how wretched a bed!

Even so. Let them then taste it -- boiling water and gore,

And other things of kindred sort!

To their leaders it shall be said, "This company shall be thrown in headlong with you. No greetings shall await them, for they shall be burned in the fire."

38:60 They shall say: "But you, too! there shall ble no welcome for you. It was you who prepared this for us, and wretched is the abode!"

They will say: "O our Lord! increase twofold in the fire, the punishment of him who hath brought this upon us."

And they will say: "Why see we not the men whom we numbered among the wicked --

Whom we used to treat with scorn? Have they escaped our eyes?:"

Verily this is truth -- the wrangling together of the people of the fire.

Say: I am but a warner; and there is no God but God the One, the Almighty!

Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth, and of all that is between them, the Potent, the Forgiving!

Say: this is a weighty message,

From which you turn aside!

Yet had I no knowledge of what passed among the celestial chiefs when they disputed,

38:70 -- Verily, it hath been revealed to me only because I am a public preacher --

When thy Lord said to the angels, "I am about to make man of clay,

And when I have formed him and breathed my spirit into him, then worshipping fall down before him."

And the angels prostrated themselves, all of them with one accord,

Save Eblis. He swelled with pride, and became an unbeliever.

"O Eblis," said God, "what hindereth thee from prostrating thyself before him whom my hands have made?

Is it that thou are puffed up with pride? or art thou a being of lofty merit?"

He said, "I am more excellent than he; me hast thou created of fire: of clay hast thou created him."

He said: "Begone then hence: thou art accursed,

And lo! my ban shall be on thee till the day of the reckoning."

38:80 He said: "O my Lord! respite me till the day of Resurrection."

He said, "One then of the respited shalt thou be,

Till the day of the time appointed."

He said: "I swear by thy might then that all of them will I seduce,

Save thy sincere servants among them."

He said: "It is truth, and the truth I speak. From thee will I surely fill Hell, and with such of them as shall follow thee, one and all.

Say: I ask no wage of you for this, nor am I one who intermeddleth.

Of a truth the Koran is no other than a warning to all creatures.

And after a time shall you surely know its message.

Sura XXXIX (39)

The Troops

(Mecca -- 75 Verses)

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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

39:1 The Book sent down from God, the Mighty, the Wise!

We have sent down the Book to thee with the truth: serve thou God then, and be sincere in thy worship:

Is not a sincere worship due to God?

But they who take others beside him as lords saying, "We serve them only that they may bring us near to God." -- God will judge between them and the faithful, concerning that wherein they are at variance.

Verily God will not guide him who is a liar, an infidel.

Had God desired to have had a son, he had surely chosen what he pleased out of his own creation,. But praise be to Him! He is God, the One, the Almighty.

For truth hath he created the Heavens and the Earth: It is of Him that the night returneth upon the day and that the day returneth upon the night: and He controlleth the sun and the moon so that each speedeth to an appointed goal. Is He not the Mighty, the Gracious?

He created you all of one man, from whom He afterwards formed his wife; and of cattle He hath sent down to you four pairs. In the wombs of your mothers did He create you by creation upon creation in triple darkness. it is He who is God your Lord: the kingdom is His: There is no God but He. How then are you so turned aside from Him?

Suppose you render him no thanks! yet forsooth is God rich without you: but He is not pleased with thanklessness in His servants: yet if you be thankful He will be pleased with you. The soul burdened with its own works shall not be burdened with the burden of another: hereafter shall you return to your Lord, and he will tell you of all your works,

39:10 For he knoweth the very secrets of your breasts.

When some trouble toucheth a man, he turneth to his Lord and calleth on him: yet no sooner hath He enriched him with his favour than he forgetteth Him on whom he before had called, and setteth up peers with God, that he may beguile others from His way. Say: Enjoy thou thyself yet a little in thine ingratitude! but thou shalt surely be one of the inmates of the fire.

Shall he observeth the hours of the night, prostrate or standing in devotion, heedful of the life to come, and hoping for the mercy of his Lord...? Say: Shall they who have knowledge and they who have it not, be treated alike? In sooth, men of understanding only will take the warning.

Say: O my believing servants, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world there is good:L and broad is God's earth -- verily those who endure with patience shall be repaid: their reward shall not be by measure.

Say: I am bidden to serve God with a sincere worship: and I am bidden to be the firsst of those who surrender themselves to him (Muslims).

Say: Verily I fear if I rebel against my Lord the punishment of a great day.

Say: God will I serve, presenting him with a sincere worship:

And serve you what you choose beside Him. Say: The losers truly will they be who shall lose their own souls and their families on the day of resurrection: Is not this the clear ruin?

Canopies of fire shall be over them, and floors of fire beneath them. With this doth God alarm his servants: Fear you me, then, O my servants!

But good tidings are there for those who shun the worship of Thagout and are tuxned to God. Cheer them with good tidings those my servants who hearken to my word and follow its excellence. These are they whom God guideth, and these are men of insight.

39:20 Him then on whom the sentence of punishment hath justly lighted -- him who is doomed to the fire canst thou rescue?

But for those who fear their Lord are storied pavilions beneath which shall the rivers flow: it is the promise of God, and God will not fail in his promise.

Seest thou not that God sendeth down water from heaven, and guideth it along so as to form springs in the earth -- then bringeth forth by it corn of varied sorts -- then causeth he it to wither, and thou seest it become yellow -- then crumbleth it away? Lo! herein is teaching for men of insight.

Shall he then whose breast God hath opened to Islam, and who hath light from his Lord..." But woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of God! They plainly err.

The best of recitals hath God sent down -- a book in unison with itself, and teaching by iteration. The very skins of those who fear their Lord do creep at it! Then do their skins and their hearts soften at the remembrance of their Lord! This is God's guidance: by it will He guide whom He pleaseth; and, whom God shall mislead, no guide shall there be for him.

Shall he who shall have nought but his own face to shelter him with from the torment of the punishment on the day of the resurrection...? Aye, to the evil doers it shall be said, "Taste you what you have earned."

They who were before them said it was a lie; but a punishment came upon them whence they looked not for it:

And God made them taste humiliation in this present life: but greater surely will be the punishment of the life to come. Did they but know it!

Now have we set before man in this Koran every kind of parable for their warning:

An Arabic Koran, free from tortuous wording, to the intent that they may fear God.

39:30 God setteth forth the comparison of a man with associates at variance among themselves, and of a man devoted wholly to a man. Are these to be held alike? No, praise be to God! But the greater part of them understand not.

Thou truly shall die, O Muhammad, and they too shall die: