Part 26
Sura XLVI (46)
Al Ahkaf
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Ha.
Mim. The Revelation (sending down) of this Book is from the Mighty, the Wise!
We
have not created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is between them otherwise
than in truth and for a settled term. But they who believe not, turn away from
their warning.
Say: What think you? As for those whom you invoke
beside God, shew me what part of the earth it is which they have created? Had
they a share in the Heavens? Bring me a Book sent down by them before this
Koran, or traces of their knowledge; -- if you are men of truth.
And
who erreth more than he who, beside God, calleth upon that which shall not
answer him until the day of Resurrection? Yes, they regard not their
invocations;
And
when mankind shall be assembled together, they will become their enemies, and
ungratefully disown their worship.
And
when our clear signs are recited to them, they who believe not say of the truth
when it cometh to them, "This is plain sorcery."
Will
they say, "he hath devised It?" Say:
If I have devised the Koran, then not one single thing shall you ever obtain
for me from God! He best knoweth what you utter in its regard! Witness enough
is He between me and you! And He is the Gracious, the Merciful.
Say: I am no apostle of new doctrines: neither know I what will be done with me or you.
Only what is revealed to me do I follow, and I am only charged to warn openly.
Say: What think you? If this Book be from God, and you
believe it not, and a witness of the children of
46:10 But the infidels say of the believers,
"If it were a good Book they would not have been before us in believing it:" And not having submitted to guidance, they
proceed to say, "It is an old lying legend!"
But
before the Koran was the Book of Moses, a rule and a mercy; and this Book
confirmeth it (the Pentateuch) in the Arabic tongue -- that those who are
guilty of that wrong may be warned, and as glad tidings to the doers of good.
Assuredly
they who say, "Our Lord is God," and take the straight way to Him --
no fear shall come on them, neither shall they be put to grief:
These
shall be the inmates of Paradise to remain therein for ever, -- the recompense
of their deeds!
Moreover,
we have enjoined on man to shew kindness to his parents. With pain his mother
beareth him; with pain she bringeth him forth:
and his bearing and his weaning is thirty months; until when he attaineth his
strength, and attaineth to forty years, he saith, "O my Lord! stir me up
to be grateful for thy favours wherewith thou hast favoured me and my parents,
and to do good works which shall please thee:
and prosper me in my offspring: for to thee am
I turned, and am resigned to thy will" (am a Muslim).
These
are they from whom we will accept their best works, and whose evil works we
will pass by; among the inmates shall they be of Paradise: -- a true promise which they are promised.
But he
who saith to his parents, "Fie on you both! Promise you me that I shall be
taken forth from the grave alive, when whole generations have already passed
away before me?" But they both will implore the help of God, and say,
"Alas for thee! Believe: for the promise
of God is true." But he saith, "It is no more than a fable of the
ancients."
These
are they in whom the sentence passed on the nations, djinn and men, who
flourished before them, is made good. They shall surely perish.
And
there are grades for all, according to their works, that God may repay them for
their works; and they shall not be dealt with unfairly.
And
they who believe not shall one day be set before the fire. "You made away
your precious gifts during your life on earth; and you took your fill of
pleasure in them: This day, therefore, with
punishment of shame shall you be rewarded, for that you behaved you proudly and
unjustly on the earth, and for that you were given to excesses."
46:20 Remember, too, the brother of Ad when
he warned his people in Al Ahkaf -- and before and since his time there have
been warners -- "Worship none but God:
verily I fear for you the punishment of the great day."
They
said, "Art thou come to us to turn us away from our Gods? Bring on us now
the woes which thou threatenest if thou speakest truth."
"That
knowledge," said he, "is with God alone:
I only proclaim to you the message with which I am sent. But I perceive that
you are a people sunk in ignorance."
So when
they saw a cloud coming straight for their valleys, they said, "It is a
passing cloud that shall give us rain." "Nay, it is that whose speedy
coming you challenged -- a blast wherein is an afflictive punishment: --
It
will destroy everything at the bidding of its Lord!" And at morn nought
was to be seen but their empty dwellings! Thus repay we a wicked people.
With
power had we endued them, even as with power have we endued you; and we had
given them ears and eyes and hearts: yet
neither their eyes, nor their ears, nor their hearts aided them at all, when
once they gainsaid the signs of God; but that punishment which they had mocked
at enveloped them on all sides.
Of
old, too, did we destroy the cities which were round about you; and in order
that they might return to us, we varied our signs before them.
But
did those whom they took for gods beside God as his kindred deities, help them?
Nay, they withdrew from them. Such was their delusion, and their device!
And
remember when we turned aside a company of the djinn to thee, that they might
hearken to the Koran: and no sooner were they
present at its reading than they said to each other, "Hist;" and when
it was ended, they returned to their people with warnings.
They
said, "O our people! verily we have been listening to a book sent down
since the days of Moses, affirming the previous scriptures; it guideth to the
truth, and to the right way.
46:30 O our people! Obey the Summoner of
God, and believe in him, that He may forgive your sins, and rescue from an
afflictive punishment.
And he
who shall not respond to God's preacher, yet cannot weaken God's power on
earth, nor shall he have protectors beside Him. These are in obvious
error."
See
they not that God who created the Heavens and the Earth, and was not wearied
with their creation, is of power to quicken the dead? Yea, he is for all things
Potent.
And a
day is coming when the infidels shall be set before the fire. "Is not this
it in truth?" They shall say, "Aye, by our Lord." He said,
"Taste then the punishment for that you would not believe."
Bear
thou up, then, with patience, as did the Apostles endued with firmness, and
seek not to accelerate their doom. For, on the day when they shall see that
with which they have been menaced,
It
shall be as though they had waited but an hour of the day. Enough! shall any
perish save they who transgress?
Sura XLVII (47)
Muhammad
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Whoso
believe not, and prevent others from the way of God -- their works will He
cause to miscarry;
But
whoso believe, and do things that are right, and believe in what hath been sent
down to Muhammad -- for it is the truth from their Lord -- their sins will He
cancel, and dispose their hearts aright.
This
-- because the infidels followed vanity, while those who believe, followed the
truth from their Lord. Thus to men doth God set forth their likenesses.
When
you encounter the infidels, strike off their heads till you have made a great
slaughter among them, and of the rest make fast the fetters.
And
afterwards let there either be free dismissals or ransomings, till the war hath
laid down its burdens. Thus do. Were such the pleasures of God, he could
himself take vengeance upon them: but He would
rather prove the one of you by the other. And whoso fight for the cause of God,
their works he will not suffer to miscarry;
He
will vouchsafe them guidance, and dispose their hearts aright;
And he
will bring them into
Believers!
if you help God, God will help you, and will set your feet firm:
But as
for the infidels, let them perish: and their
works shall God bring to nought:
47:10 This -- because they were averse from the
command which God sent down; Fruitless, therefore, shall their works become!
Have
they not journeyed through the land, and seen what hath been the end of those
who flourished before them? God brought destruction on them: and the like of this doth await the infidels.
This
-- because God is the protector of those who believe, and because the infidels
have no protector.
Verily
God will bring those who believe, and do the things that are right, into the
Gardens, beneath whose shades the rivers flow:
but they who believe not, take their fill, and eat as the beasts eat! And their
dwelling- place the fire!
And
how many cities were mightier in strength than thy city,. which hath thrust
thee forth! We destroyed them, and there was none to help them.
Shall
he who followeth the clear teaching of his Lord be as he, the evil of whose
doings hath been made to seem good to him, or like those who follow their own
lusts?
A
picture of the Paradise which is promised to the Godfearing! Therein are rivers
of water, which corrupt not: rivers of milk,
whose taste changeth not: and rivers of wine,
delicious to those who quaff it;
And
rivers of honey clarified: and therein are all
kinds of fruit for them from their Lord! Is this like the lot of those who must
dwell for ever in the fire? and shall have draughts of boiling water forced on
them which will rend their bowels asunder?
Some
of them indeed hearken to thee, until when they go out from thee, they say with
sneers to those to whom "the knowledge" hath been given, "What
is this he said?" These are they whose hearts God hath sealed up, and who
follow their own lusts.
But as
to those who have the guidance, He will increase their guidance, and He will
teach them what to fear.
47:20 For what do the infidels wait, but
that the Hour come suddenly on them? Already are its signs come, and when it
hath come on them indeed, how can they be warned then?
Know,
then, that there is no god but God: and ask
pardon for thy sin, and for believers, both men and women. God knoweth your busy
movements, and your final resting-places.
The
believers say, "Oh, would that a Sura were sent down!" but when a
peremptory Sura is revealed, whose burden is war, thou mayest see the diseased
of heart look toward thee, with a look of one on whom the shadows of death have
fallen! But better in them would be obedience and becoming language.
And
if, when the command for war is issued, they are true to God, it will be
assuredly best for them.
Were
you not ready, if you had turned back from Him, to spread disorder in the land,
and violate the ties of blood?
These
are they whom God hath cursed, and made deaf, and blinded their eyes!
Will
they not then meditate on the Koran? Are locks upon their hearts?
But as
to those who return to their errors after "the guidance" hath been
made plain to them, Satan shall beguile them, and fill them with his
suggestions.
This
-- because they say to those who abhor what God hath sent down, "We will
comply with you in part of what you enjoin." But God knoweth their secret
reservations.
But
how? When the angels, in causing them to die, shall smite them on the face and
back!
47:30 This -- because they follow that which
angerth God, and abhor what pleaseth Him:
therefore will He make their works fruitless.
Think
these men of diseased hearts, that God will not bring out their malice to
light?
If
such were our pleasure, we could point them out to thee, and thou surely know
them by their tokens: and know them thou
shalt, by the strangeness of their words. God knoweth your doings.
And we
will surely test you, until we know the valiant and the steadfast among you: and we will test the reports of your conduct.
Verily
they who believe not, and turn others from the way of God, and separate from
the Apostle after that "the guidance" hath been clearly shewn them,
shall in no way injure God: but their works
shall he bring to naught.
Believers!
obey God and the Apostle: and render not your
works vain.
Verily
those who believe not, and who pervert others from the way of God, and then die
in unbelief, God will not forgive.
Be not
fainthearted then; and invite not the infidels to peace when you have the upper
hand: for God is with you, and will not
defraud you of the recompense of your works.
Surely
this present life is only a play, and pastime! but if you believe, fear God; He
will give you your rewards: but He will not
ask all your riches of you.
Should
He ask them of you, and urge you, you would shew yourself niggards: and He would bring your grudges to light.
37:40 Lo! you are they, who are called to
expend for the cause of God: and some of you
are niggards: but whoso is niggardly shall be
niggard only to his own loss; for God is the Rich, and you are the poor: and if you turn back, He will change you for
another people, and they shall not be your like!
Sura XLVIII (48)
The Victory
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Verily,
We have won for thee an undoubted victory --
In
token that God forgiveth thy earlier and later faults, and fulfilleth His
goodness to thee, and guideth thee on the right way,
And
that God succoureth thee with a mighty succour.
He it
is who sendeth down a spirit of secure repose into the hearts of the faithful
that they might add faith to their faith; (for God's are the armies of the
Heavens and of the Earth: and God is Knowing,
Wise:)
And
that He may bring the believing men and the believing women into gardens 'neath
whose trees the rivers flow, to dwell therein for ere, and that He may cancel
their evil deeds: for this is the great bliss
with God:
And
that He may punish the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women, and the men
and women who join other gods with God, and think evil thoughts of Him. Theirs
shall be a round of evil; and God is angry with them:
and, an evil journey thither!
The
armies of the Heavens and of the Earth are God's, and God is Mighty, Wise!
Verily,
we have sent thee to be a witness and a herald of good (an announcer), and a
warner,
That
you may believe on God and on His Apostle; and may assist Him, and honour Him,
and praise him, morning and evening.
48:10 In truth, they who plighted fealty to
thee, really plighted that fealty to God: the
hand of God was over their hands! Whoever, therefore, shall break his oath
shall only break it to his own hurt; but whoever shall be true to his
engagement with God, He will give him a great reward.
The
Arabs who took not the field with you, will say to thee, "We were engaged
with our property and our families; therefore ask thou pardon for us."
They speak with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: And who can have any power over God in your
behalf, whether he will you some loss, or whether he will you an advantage?
Yes, God is acquainted with your doings.
But
you thought that the Apostle and the faithful could never more come back to
their families; and your hearts were pleased at this; and you thought an evil
thought of this expedition, and you became an undone people:
For,
whoso believeth not in God, and His Apostle. . . . Verily, we have got ready
the flame for the Infidels!
And
God's is the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth:
Whom He will He forgiveth, and whom He will He punisheth: and God is Gracious, Merciful!
They
who took not the field with you will say, when you go forth to the spoil to
take it, "Let us follow you." Fain would they change the word of God.
Say: You shall by no means follow us: thus hath God said already. They will say,.
"Nay, you are jealous of us." Nay! they are men of little
understanding.
Say to
those Arabs of the desert, who took not the field, you shall be called forth
against a people of mighty valour. You shall do battle with them, or they shall
profess Islam. If you obey, a goodly recompense will God give you; but if you
turn back, as you turned back aforetime, He will chastise you with a sore
chastisement.
It
shall be no crime on the part of the blind, the lame, or the sick, if they go
not to the fight. But whoso shall obey God and His Apostle, he shall bring him
into the gardens 'neath which the rivers flow:
but whoso shall turn back, He will punish him with a sore punishment.
Well
pleased now hath God been with the believers when they plighted fealty to thee
under the tree; and He knew what was in their hearts:
therefore did He send down upon them a spirit of secure repose, and rewarded
them with a speedy victory,
And
with the rich booty which they took: for God
is Mighty, Wise!
48:20 God promised you the taking of a rich
booty and sped it to you; and He withheld men's hands from you, for a sign to
the faithful, and that He might guide you along the right way: --
And other
booty, over which you have not yet had power:
but now hath God compassed them for you; for God is over all things Potent.
If the
Infidels shall fight against you, they shall assuredly turn their backs; then,
neither protector nor helper shall they find!
Such
is God's method carried into effect of old; no change canst thou find in God's
mode of dealing.
And He
it was who held their hands from you and your hands from them in the valley of
Mecca, after that He had given you the victory over them: for God saw what you did.
These
are they who believed not, and kept you away from the sacred Mosque, as well as
the offering which was prevented from reaching the place of sacrifice. And had
it not been that you would have trodden down believers, both men and women,
whom you knew not, so that a crime might have lighted on you without your
knowledge on their account, and that God would bring whom He will within His
mercy, this would have been otherwise ordered. Had they been apart, we had
surely punished such of them as believed not, with a sore punishment.
When
the unbelievers had fostered rage in their hearts -- the rage of ignorance (of
heathens) God sent down His peace on His Apostle and on the faithful, and
stablished in them the word of piety, for they were most worthy and deserving
of it: and God knoweth all things.
Now
hath God in truth made good to His Apostle the dream in which he said,
"You shall surely enter the sacred Mosque, if God will, in full security,
having your heads shaved and your hair cut:
you shall not fear; for He knoweth what you know not; and He hath ordained you,
beside this, a speedy victory."
It is
He who hath sent His Apostle with "the Guidance," and the religion of
truth, that He may exalt it above every religion. And enough for thee is this
testimony on the part of God.
Muhammad
is the Apostle of God; and his comrades are vehement against the infidels, but
full of tenderness among themselves. Thou mayest see them bowing down,
prostrating themselves, imploring favours from God, and His acceptance. Their
tokens are on their faces, the marks of their prostrations. This is their
picture in the Law, and their picture in the Evangel:
they are as the seed which putteth forth its stalk; then strengtheneth it, and
it groweth stout, and riseth upon its stem, rejoicing the husbandman -- that
the infidels may be wrathful at them. To such of them as believe and do the
things that are right, hath God promised forgiveness and a noble recompense.
Sura XLIX (49)
the apartments
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
O
Believers! enter not upon any affair ere God and His Apostle permit you; and
fear you God: for God Heareth, Knoweth.
O
Believers! raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, neither speak
loud to him as you speak loud one to another, lest your works come to nought,
and you unaware of it.
They
who lower their voices in the presence of the Apostle of God, are the persons
whose hearts God hath inclined to piety. Forgiveness shall be theirs and a rich
reward.
They
who call out to thee while thou art within thine apartments, have most of them
no right perception of what is due to thee.
But if
they wait patiently till thou come forth to them, it were far better for them.
But God is Indulgent, Merciful.
O
Believers! if any bad man come to you with news, clear it up at once, lest
through ignorance you harm others, and speedily have to repent of what you have
done.
And
know that an Apostle of God is among you! should he give way to you in many
matters you would certainly become guilty of a crime. But God hath endeared the
faith to you, and hath given it favour in your hearts, and hath made unbelief,
and wickedness, and disobedience hateful to you. Such are they who pursue a
right course.
Through
the bounty and grace which is from God: and
God is Knowing, Wise.
If two
bodies of the faithful are at war, then make you peace between them: and if the one of them wrong the other, fight
against that part which doth the wrong, until they come back to the precepts of
God: if they come back, make peace between
them with fairness, and act impartially; God loveth those who act with
impartiality.
49:10 Only the faithful are brethren;
wherefore make peace between your brethren; and fear God, that you may obtain
mercy.
O
Believers! let not men laugh men to scorn who haply may be better than
themselves; neither let women laugh women to scorn who may haply be better than
themselves! Neither defame one another, nor call one another by nicknames. Bad
is it to be called wicked after having professed the faith: and whoso repent not of this are doers of wrong.
O
Believers! avoid frequent suspicions, for some suspicions are a crime; and pry
not: neither let the one of you traduce
another in his absence. Would any one of you like to eat the flesh of his death
brother? Surely you would loathe it. And fear you God:
for God is Ready to turn, Merciful.
O men!
verily, we have created you of a male and a female; and we have divided you
into peoples and tribes that you might have knowledge one of another. Truly,
the most worthy of honour in the sight of God is he who feareth Him most.
Verily, God is Knowing, Cognisant.
The
Arabs of the desert say, "We believe." Say thou: You believe not; but rather say, "We profess
Islam;" for the faith hath not yet found its way into your hearts. But if
you obey God and His Apostle, he will not allow you to lose any of your actions: for God is Indulgent, Merciful.
The
true believers are those only who believe in God and His Apostle, and
afterwards doubt not; and who contend with their substance and their persons on
the path of God. These are the sincere.
Say: Will you teach God about your religion? when God
knoweth whatever is in the Heavens and on the Earth:
yea, God hath knowledge of all things.
They
taunt thee with their having embraced Islam. Say:
Taunt me not with your having embraced Islam:
God rather taunteth you with His having guided you to the faith: acknowledge this if you are sincere.
Verily,
God knoweth the secrets of the Heavens and of the Earth:
and God beholdeth what you do.
Sura L (50)
Kaf
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Kaf.
By the glorious Koran:
They
marvel forsooth that one of themselves hath come to them charged with warnings.
"This," say the infidels, "is a marvellous thing:
What!
when dead and turned to dust shall we. . . . ? Far off is such a return as
this?"
Now
know we what the earth consumeth of them, and with us is a Book in which
account is kept.
But
they have treated the truth which hath come to them as falsehood; perplexed
therefore is their state.
Will they
not look up to the heaven above them, and consider how we have reared it and
decked it forth, and that there are no flaws therein?
And as
to the earth, we have spread it out, and have thrown the mountains upon it, and
have caused an upgrowth in it of all beauteous kinds of plants,
For
insight and admonition to every servant who loveth to turn to God:
And we
send down the rain from Heaven with its blessings, by which we cause gardens to
spring forth and the grain of harvest,
50:10 And the tall palm trees with
date-bearing branches one above the other
For
man's nourishment: And life give we thereby to
a dead land. So also shall be the resurrection.
Ere
the days of these (Meccans) the people of Noah, and the men of Rass and
Themoud, treated their prophets as impostors:
And Ad
and Pharaoh, and the brethren of
Are we
wearied out with the first creation? Yet are they in doubt with regard to a new
creation!
We
created man: and we know what his soul
whispereth to him, and we are closer to him than his neck-vein.
When
the two angels charged with taking account shall take it, one sitting on the
right hand,
Not a word
doth he utter, but there is a watcher with him ready to note it down:
And
the stupor of certain death cometh upon him:
-- "This is what thou wouldst have shunned" --
And
there was a blast on the trumpet, -- it was the threatened day!
50:20 And every soul came, -- an angel with
it urging it along, and an angel to witness against it --
Saith
he, "Of this day didst thou live in heedlessness:
but we have taken off they veil from thee, and thy sight is becoming sharp this
day."
And he
who is at this side shall say, "This is what I am prepared with against
thee."
And
God will say, "Cast into Hell, you twain, every infidel, every hardened
one,
The
hinderer of the good, the transgressor, the doubter,
Who
set up other gods with God. Cast you him into the fierce torment."
He who
is at his side shall say, "O our Lord! I led him not astray, yet was he in
an error wide of truth."
He
shall say, "Wrangle not in my presence. I had plied you beforehand with
menaces:
My
doom changeth not, and I am not unjust to man."
On
that day will we cry to Hell, "Art thou full?" And it shall say,
"Are there more?"
50:30 And not far from thence shall Paradise
be brought near unto the Pious:
-
"This is what you have been promised: to every
one who hath turned in penitence to God and kept his laws;
Who
hath feared the God of Mercy in secret, and come to him with a contrite heart:
Enter
it in peace: this is the day of
Eternity."
There
shall they have all that they can desire: and our's
will it be to augment their bliss:
And
how many generations have we destroyed ere the days of these (Meccans),
mightier than they in strength! Search you then the land. Is there any escape?
Lo!
herein is warning for him who hath a heat, or giveth ear, and is himself an
eye-witness.
We
created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days, and
no weariness touched us.
Wherefore
put up with what they say, and celebrate the praise of thy Lord before sunrise
and before sunset:
And
praise Him in the night: and perform the two
final prostrations.
50:40 And list for the day whereon the crier
shall cry from a place near to every one alike:
The
day on which men shall in truth hear that shout will be the day of their coming
forth from the grave.
Verily,
we cause to live, and we cause to die. To us shall all return.
On the
day when the earth shall swiftly cleave asunder over the dead, will this
gathering be easy to Us.
We
know best what the infidels say: and thou art
not to compel them.
Warn
then by the Koran those who fear my menace.
Sura LI (51)
The Scattering
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
By the
clouds which scatter with scattering,
And
those which bear their load,
And by
those which speed lightly along,
And
those which apportion by command!
True,
indeed, is that with which you are threatened,
And
lo! the religion will surely come.
By the
star-tracked heaven!
You are
discordant in what you say;
But
whoso turneth him from the truth, is turned from it by a divine decree.
51:10 Perish the liars,
Who
are bewildered in the depths of ignorance!
They
ask, "When this day of judgment?"
On
that day they shall be tormented at the fire.
"Taste
you of this your torment, whose speedy coming you challenged."
But
the God-fearing shall dwell amid gardens and fountains,
Enjoying
what their Lord hath given them, because, aforetime they were well-doers:
But
little of the night was it that they slept,
And at
dawn they prayed for pardon,
And
gave due share of their wealth to the suppliant and the outcast.
51:20 On Earth are signs for men of firm
belief,
And
also in your own selves: Will you not then
behold them?
The
Heaven hath sustenance for you, and it containeth that which you are promised.
By the
Lord then of the heaven and of the earth, I swear that this is the truth, even
as you speak yourselves.
Hath
the story reached thee of Abraham's honoured guests?
When
they went in unto him and said, "Peace!" he replied, "Peace: -- they are strangers."
And he
went apart to his family, and brought a fatted calf,
And
set it before them. He said, "Eat you not?"
And he
conceived a fear of them. They said to him, "Fear not:" and announced to him a wise son.
His
wife came up with outcry: she smote her face
and said, "What I, old and barren!"
51:30 They said, "Thus saith thy Lord.
He truly is the Wise, the Knowing."