The Winnowing Winds

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

[51:1]

By those that winnow with a winnowing

[51:2]

And those that bear the burden (of the rain)

[51:3]

And those that glide with ease (upon the sea)

[51:4]

And those who distribute (blessings) by command,

[51:5]

Lo! that wherewith ye are threatened is indeed true,

[51:6]

And lo! the judgment will indeed befall.

[51:7]

By the heaven full of paths,

[51:8]

Lo! ye, forsooth, are of various opinion (concerning the truth).

[51:9]

He is made to turn away from it who is (himself) averse.

[51:10]

Accursed be the conjecturers

[51:11]

Who are careless in an abyss!

[51:12]

They ask: When is the Day of Judgment ?

[51:13]

(It is) the day when they will be tormented at the Fire,

[51:14]

(And it will be said unto them): Taste your torment (which ye inflicted). This is what ye sought to hasten.

[51:15]

Lo! those who keep from evil will dwell amid gardens and watersprings,

[51:16]

Taking that which their Lord giveth them; for lo! aforetime they were doers of good;

[51:17]

They used to sleep but little of the night,

[51:18]

And ere the dawning of each day would seek forgiveness,

[51:19]

And in their wealth the beggar and the outcast had due share.

[51:20]

And in the earth are portents for those whose faith is sure.

[51:21]

And (also) in yourselves. Can ye then not see ?

[51:22]

And in the heaven is your providence and that which ye are promised;

[51:23]

And by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, it is the truth, even as (it is true) that ye speak.

[51:24]

Hath the story of Abraham’s honoured guests reached thee (O Muhammad) ?

[51:25]

When they came in unto him and said: Peace! he answered, Peace! (and thought): Folk unknown (to me).

[51:26]

Then he went apart unto his housefolk so that they brought a fatted calf;

[51:27]

And he set it before them, saying: Will ye not eat ?

[51:28]

Then he conceived a fear of them. They said: Fear not! and gave him tidings of (the birth of) a wise son.

[51:29]

Then his wife came forward, making moan, and smote her face, and cried: A barren old woman!

[51:30]

They said: Even so saith thy Lord. Lo! He is the Wise, the Knower.

[51:31]

(Abraham) said: And (afterward) what is your errand, O ye sent (from Allah) ?

[51:32]

They said: Lo! we are sent unto a guilty folk,

[51:33]

That we may send upon them stones of clay,

[51:34]

Marked by thy Lord for (the destruction of) the wanton.

[51:35]

Then we brought forth such believers as were there.

[51:36]

But We found there but one house of those surrendered (to Allah).

[51:37]

And We left behind therein a portent for those who fear a painful doom.

[51:38]

And in Moses (too, there is a portent) when We sent him unto Pharaoh with clear warrant,

[51:39]

But he withdrew (confiding) in his might, and said: A wizard or a madman.

[51:40]

So We seized him and his hosts and flung them in the sea, for he was reprobate.

[51:41]

And in (the tribe of) A’ad (there is a portent) when we sent the fatal wind against them.

[51:42]

It spared naught that it reached, but made it (all) as dust.

[51:43]

And in (the tribe of) Thamud (there is a portent) when it was told them: Take your ease awhile.

[51:44]

But they rebelled against their Lord’s decree, and so the thunderbolt overtook them even while they gazed;

[51:45]

And they were unable to rise up, nor could they help themselves.

[51:46]

And the folk of Noah aforetime. Lo! they were licentious folk.

[51:47]

We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof).

[51:48]

And the earth have We laid out, how gracious is the Spreader (thereof)!

[51:49]

And all things We have created by pairs, that haply ye may reflect.

[51:50]

Therefor flee unto Allah; lo! I am a plain warner unto you from him.

[51:51]

And set not any other god along with Allah; lo! I am a plain warner unto you from Him.

[51:52]

Even so there came no messenger unto those before them but they said: A wizard or a madman!

[51:53]

Have they handed down (the saying) as an heirloom one unto another ? Nay, but they are froward folk.

[51:54]

So withdraw from them (O Muhammad), for thou art in no wise blameworthy,

[51:55]

And warn, for warning profiteth believers.

[51:56]

I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me.

[51:57]

I seek no livelihood from them, nor do I ask that they should feed

[51:58]

Lo! Allah! He it is that giveth livelihood, the Lord of unbreakable might.

[51:59]

And lo! for those who (now) do wrong there is an evil day like unto the evil day (which came for) their likes (of old); so let them not ask Me to hasten on (that day).

[51:60]

And woe unto those who disbelieve, from (that) their day which they are promised.