Al-Anbya

iq'taraba lilnnāsi ḥisābuhum wahum fī ghaflatin muʿ'riḍūna

Ever closer to people draws their reckoning, while they turn away, heedless.

mā yatīhim min dhik'rin min rabbihim muḥ'dathin illā is'tamaʿūhu wahum yalʿabūna

Whenever any fresh revelation comes to them from their Lord, they listen to it playfully

lāhiyatan qulūbuhum wa-asarrū l-najwā alladhīna ẓalamū hal hādhā illā basharun mith'lukum afatatūna l-siḥ'ra wa-antum tub'ṣirūna

with frivolous hearts. The evildoers conferred in secret: ‘Is this man anything but a mortal like yourselves? Are you going to fall under his spell with your eyes wide open?’

qāla rabbī yaʿlamu l-qawla fī l-samāi wal-arḍi wahuwa l-samīʿu l-ʿalīmu

He said, ‘My Lord knows everything that is said in the heavens and the earth: He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.’

bal qālū aḍghāthu aḥlāmin bali if'tarāhu bal huwa shāʿirun falyatinā biāyatin kamā ur'sila l-awalūna

Some say, ‘Muddled dreams’; others, ‘He made it up’; yet others, ‘He is just a poet, let him show us a sign as previous messengers did.’

mā āmanat qablahum min qaryatin ahlaknāhā afahum yu'minūna

But of the communities We destroyed before them not a single one believed. Will these now believe?

wamā arsalnā qablaka illā rijālan nūḥī ilayhim fasalū ahla l-dhik'ri in kuntum lā taʿlamūna

And even before your time [Prophet], all the messengers We sent were only men We inspired–– if you [disbelievers] do not know, ask people who know the Scripture––

wamā jaʿalnāhum jasadan lā yakulūna l-ṭaʿāma wamā kānū khālidīna

We did not give them bodies that ate no food, nor were they immortal.

thumma ṣadaqnāhumu l-waʿda fa-anjaynāhum waman nashāu wa-ahlaknā l-mus'rifīna

We fulfilled Our promise to them in the end: We saved them and those We wished to save, and We destroyed those who exceeded all bounds.

laqad anzalnā ilaykum kitāban fīhi dhik'rukum afalā taʿqilūna

And now We have sent down to you [people] a Scripture to remind you. Will you not use your reason?

wakam qaṣamnā min qaryatin kānat ẓālimatan wa-anshanā baʿdahā qawman ākharīna

How many communities of evildoers We have destroyed! How many others We have raised up in their places!

falammā aḥassū basanā idhā hum min'hā yarkuḍūna

When they felt Our might coming upon them, see how they tried to escape it!

lā tarkuḍū wa-ir'jiʿū ilā mā ut'rif'tum fīhi wamasākinikum laʿallakum tus'alūna

‘Do not try to escape. Go back to your homes and the pleasure you revelled in: you may be questioned.’

qālū yāwaylanā innā kunnā ẓālimīna

They said, ‘Woe to us! We were wrong!’

famā zālat til'ka daʿwāhum ḥattā jaʿalnāhum ḥaṣīdan khāmidīna

and that cry of theirs did not cease until We made them burnt-offstubble.

wamā khalaqnā l-samāa wal-arḍa wamā baynahumā lāʿibīna

We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them playfully.

law aradnā an nattakhidha lahwan la-ittakhadhnāhu min ladunnā in kunnā fāʿilīna

If We had wished for a pastime, We could have found it within Us- if We had wished for any such thing.

bal naqdhifu bil-ḥaqi ʿalā l-bāṭili fayadmaghuhu fa-idhā huwa zāhiqun walakumu l-waylu mimmā taṣifūna

No! We hurl the truth against falsehood, and truth obliterates it- see how falsehood vanishes away! Woe to you [people] for the way you describe God!

walahu man fī l-samāwāti wal-arḍi waman ʿindahu lā yastakbirūna ʿan ʿibādatihi walā yastaḥsirūna

Everyone in the heavens and earth belongs to Him, and those that are with Him are never too proud to worship Him, nor do they grow weary;

yusabbiḥūna al-layla wal-nahāra lā yafturūna

they glorify Him tirelessly night and day.

ami ittakhadhū ālihatan mina l-arḍi hum yunshirūna

Have they chosen any gods from the earth who can give life to the dead?

law kāna fīhimā ālihatun illā l-lahu lafasadatā fasub'ḥāna l-lahi rabbi l-ʿarshi ʿammā yaṣifūna

If there had been in the heavens or earth any gods but Him, both heavens and earth would be in ruins: God, Lord of the Throne, is far above the things they say:

lā yus'alu ʿammā yafʿalu wahum yus'alūna

He cannot be called to account for anything He does, whereas they will be called to account.

ami ittakhadhū min dūnihi ālihatan qul hātū bur'hānakum hādhā dhik'ru man maʿiya wadhik'ru man qablī bal aktharuhum lā yaʿlamūna l-ḥaqa fahum muʿ'riḍūna

Have they chosen to worship other gods instead of Him? Say, ‘Bring your proof. This is the Scripture for those who are with me and the Scripture for those who went before me.’ But most of them do not recognize the truth, so they pay no heed.

wamā arsalnā min qablika min rasūlin illā nūḥī ilayhi annahu lā ilāha illā anā fa-uʿ'budūni

We never sent any messenger before you [Muhammad] without revealing to him: ‘There is no god but Me, so serve Me.’

waqālū ittakhadha l-raḥmānu waladan sub'ḥānahu bal ʿibādun muk'ramūna

And they say, ‘The Lord of Mercy has taken offspring for Himself.’ May He be exalted! No! They are only His honoured servants:

lā yasbiqūnahu bil-qawli wahum bi-amrihi yaʿmalūna

they do not speak before He speaks and they act by His command.

yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yashfaʿūna illā limani ir'taḍā wahum min khashyatihi mush'fiqūna

He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede without His permission––indeed they themselves stand in awe of Him.

waman yaqul min'hum innī ilāhun min dūnihi fadhālika najzīhi jahannama kadhālika najzī l-ẓālimīna

If any of them were to claim, ‘I am a god beside Him,’ We would reward them with Hell: this is how We reward evildoers.

awalam yara alladhīna kafarū anna l-samāwāti wal-arḍa kānatā ratqan fafataqnāhumā wajaʿalnā mina l-māi kulla shayin ḥayyin afalā yu'minūna

Are the disbelievers not aware that the heavens and the earth used to be joined together and that We ripped them apart, that We made every living thing from water? Will they not believe?

wajaʿalnā fī l-arḍi rawāsiya an tamīda bihim wajaʿalnā fīhā fijājan subulan laʿallahum yahtadūna

And We put firm mountains on the earth, lest it should sway under them, and set broad paths on it, so that they might follow the right direction,

wajaʿalnā l-samāa saqfan maḥfūẓan wahum ʿan āyātihā muʿ'riḍūna

and We made the sky a well-secured canopy- yet from its wonders they turn away.

wahuwa alladhī khalaqa al-layla wal-nahāra wal-shamsa wal-qamara kullun fī falakin yasbaḥūna

It is He who created night and day, the sun and the moon, each floating in its orbit.

wamā jaʿalnā libasharin min qablika l-khul'da afa-in mitta fahumu l-khālidūna

We have not granted everlasting life to any other human being before you either [Muhammad]- if you die, will [the disbelievers] live for ever?

kullu nafsin dhāiqatu l-mawti wanablūkum bil-shari wal-khayri fit'natan wa-ilaynā tur'jaʿūna

Every soul is certain to taste death: We test you all through the bad and the good, and to Us you will all return.

wa-idhā raāka alladhīna kafarū in yattakhidhūnaka illā huzuwan ahādhā alladhī yadhkuru ālihatakum wahum bidhik'ri l-raḥmāni hum kāfirūna

When the disbelievers see you, they laugh at you: ‘Is this the one who talks about your gods?’ They reject any talk of the Lord of Mercy.

khuliqa l-insānu min ʿajalin sa-urīkum āyātī falā tastaʿjilūni

Man was created hasty: I will show you My signs soon, so do not ask Me to hasten them.

wayaqūlūna matā hādhā l-waʿdu in kuntum ṣādiqīna

They say, ‘When will this promise be fulfilled, if what you say is true?’

law yaʿlamu alladhīna kafarū ḥīna lā yakuffūna ʿan wujūhihimu l-nāra walā ʿan ẓuhūrihim walā hum yunṣarūna

If the disbelievers only knew, the time will arrive when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces or their backs, and they will get no help.

bal tatīhim baghtatan fatabhatuhum falā yastaṭīʿūna raddahā walā hum yunẓarūna

It will come upon them suddenly and stupefy them; they will be powerless to push it away; they will not be reprieved.

walaqadi us'tuh'zi-a birusulin min qablika faḥāqa bi-alladhīna sakhirū min'hum mā kānū bihi yastahziūna

Messengers before you [Muhammad] were also ridiculed, but those who mocked them were overwhelmed in the end by the very thing they had mocked.

qul man yakla-ukum bi-al-layli wal-nahāri mina l-raḥmāni bal hum ʿan dhik'ri rabbihim muʿ'riḍūna

Say, ‘Who could protect you night and day from the Lord of Mercy?’ Yet they turn away when their Lord is mentioned.

am lahum ālihatun tamnaʿuhum min dūninā lā yastaṭīʿūna naṣra anfusihim walā hum minnā yuṣ'ḥabūna

Do they have gods who can defend them against Us? Their gods have no power to help themselves, nor can they be protected from Us.

bal mattaʿnā hāulāi waābāahum ḥattā ṭāla ʿalayhimu l-ʿumuru afalā yarawna annā natī l-arḍa nanquṣuhā min aṭrāfihā afahumu l-ghālibūna

We have allowed these sinners and their forefathers to enjoy life for a long time. But do they not see how We are shrinking their borders? Is it they who will prevail?

qul innamā undhirukum bil-waḥyi walā yasmaʿu l-ṣumu l-duʿāa idhā mā yundharūna

Say, ‘I warn you only through the Revelation.’ The deaf will not hear the warning call,

wala-in massathum nafḥatun min ʿadhābi rabbika layaqūlunna yāwaylanā innā kunnā ẓālimīna

yet if a mere breath of your Lord’s punishment touches them, they will be sure to cry, ‘Woe to us! We were wrong!’

wanaḍaʿu l-mawāzīna l-qis'ṭa liyawmi l-qiyāmati falā tuẓ'lamu nafsun shayan wa-in kāna mith'qāla ḥabbatin min khardalin ataynā bihā wakafā binā ḥāsibīna

We will set up scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection so that no one can be wronged in the least, and if there should be even the weight of a mustard seed, We shall bring it out- We take excellent account.

walaqad ātaynā mūsā wahārūna l-fur'qāna waḍiyāan wadhik'ran lil'muttaqīna

We gave Moses and Aaron [the Scripture] that distinguishes right from wrong, a light and a reminder for those who are mindful of God,

alladhīna yakhshawna rabbahum bil-ghaybi wahum mina l-sāʿati mush'fiqūna

those who stand in awe of their Lord, though He is unseen, and who fear the Hour.

wahādhā dhik'run mubārakun anzalnāhu afa-antum lahu munkirūna

This [Quran] too is a blessed message We have sent down- are you [people] going to deny it?

walaqad ātaynā ib'rāhīma rush'dahu min qablu wakunnā bihi ʿālimīna

Long ago We bestowed right judgement on Abraham and We knew him well.

idh qāla li-abīhi waqawmihi mā hādhihi l-tamāthīlu allatī antum lahā ʿākifūna

He said to his father and his people, ‘What are these images to which you are so devoted?’

qālū wajadnā ābāanā lahā ʿābidīna

They replied, ‘We found our fathers worshipping them.’

qāla laqad kuntum antum waābāukum fī ḍalālin mubīnin

He said, ‘You and your fathers have clearly gone astray.’

qālū aji'tanā bil-ḥaqi am anta mina l-lāʿibīna

They asked, ‘Have you brought us the truth or are you just playing about?’

qāla bal rabbukum rabbu l-samāwāti wal-arḍi alladhī faṭarahunna wa-anā ʿalā dhālikum mina l-shāhidīna

He said, ‘Listen! Your true Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, He who created them, and I am a witness to this.

watal-lahi la-akīdanna aṣnāmakum baʿda an tuwallū mud'birīna

By God I shall certainly plot against your idols as soon as you have turned your backs!’

fajaʿalahum judhādhan illā kabīran lahum laʿallahum ilayhi yarjiʿūna

He broke them all into pieces, but left the biggest one for them to return to.

qālū man faʿala hādhā biālihatinā innahu lamina l-ẓālimīna

They said, ‘Who has done this to our gods? How wicked he must be!’

qālū samiʿ'nā fatan yadhkuruhum yuqālu lahu ib'rāhīmu

Some said, ‘We heard a youth called Abraham talking about them.’

qālū fatū bihi ʿalā aʿyuni l-nāsi laʿallahum yashhadūna

They said, ‘Bring him before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness [his trial].’

qālū a-anta faʿalta hādhā biālihatinā yāib'rāhīmu

They asked, ‘Was it you, Abraham, who did this to our gods?’

qāla bal faʿalahu kabīruhum hādhā fasalūhum in kānū yanṭiqūna

He said, ‘No, it was done by the biggest of them- this one. Ask them, if they can talk.’

farajaʿū ilā anfusihim faqālū innakum antumu l-ẓālimūna

They turned to one another, saying, ‘It is you who are in the wrong,’

thumma nukisū ʿalā ruūsihim laqad ʿalim'ta mā hāulāi yanṭiqūna

but then they lapsed again and said, ‘You know very well these gods cannot speak.’

qāla afataʿbudūna min dūni l-lahi mā lā yanfaʿukum shayan walā yaḍurrukum

Abraham said, ‘How can you worship what can neither benefit nor harm you, instead of God?

uffin lakum walimā taʿbudūna min dūni l-lahi afalā taʿqilūna

Shame on you and on the things you worship instead of God. Have you no sense?’

qālū ḥarriqūhu wa-unṣurū ālihatakum in kuntum fāʿilīna

They said, ‘Burn him and avenge your gods, if you are going to do the right thing.’

qul'nā yānāru kūnī bardan wasalāman ʿalā ib'rāhīma

But We said, ‘Fire, be cool and safe for Abraham.’

wa-arādū bihi kaydan fajaʿalnāhumu l-akhsarīna

They planned to harm him, but We made them suffer the greatest loss.

wanajjaynāhu walūṭan ilā l-arḍi allatī bāraknā fīhā lil'ʿālamīna

We saved him and Lot [and sent them] to the land We blessed for all people,

wawahabnā lahu is'ḥāqa wayaʿqūba nāfilatan wakullan jaʿalnā ṣāliḥīna

and We gave him Isaac and Jacob as an additional gift, and made each of them righteous.

wajaʿalnāhum a-immatan yahdūna bi-amrinā wa-awḥaynā ilayhim fiʿ'la l-khayrāti wa-iqāma l-ṣalati waītāa l-zakati wakānū lanā ʿābidīna

We made all of them leaders, guiding others by Our command, and We inspired them to do good works, to keep up the prayer, and to give alms: they were Our true worshippers.

walūṭan ātaynāhu ḥuk'man waʿil'man wanajjaynāhu mina l-qaryati allatī kānat taʿmalu l-khabāitha innahum kānū qawma sawin fāsiqīna

We gave Lot sound judgement and knowledge and saved him from the community who practised obscenities- they were shameless people who broke God’s law!

wa-adkhalnāhu fī raḥmatinā innahu mina l-ṣāliḥīna

We admitted him to Our mercy; he was a righteous man.

wanūḥan idh nādā min qablu fa-is'tajabnā lahu fanajjaynāhu wa-ahlahu mina l-karbi l-ʿaẓīmi

Long before that, We answered Noah when he cried out to Us: We saved him and his family from the great calamity

wanaṣarnāhu mina l-qawmi alladhīna kadhabū biāyātinā innahum kānū qawma sawin fa-aghraqnāhum ajmaʿīna

and We helped him against the people who rejected Our signs- they were evil people, so We drowned them all.

wadāwūda wasulaymāna idh yaḥkumāni fī l-ḥarthi idh nafashat fīhi ghanamu l-qawmi wakunnā liḥuk'mihim shāhidīna

And remember David and Solomon, when they gave judgement regarding the field into which sheep strayed by night and grazed. We witnessed their judgement

fafahhamnāhā sulaymāna wakullan ātaynā ḥuk'man waʿil'man wasakharnā maʿa dāwūda l-jibāla yusabbiḥ'na wal-ṭayra wakunnā fāʿilīna

and made Solomon understand the case [better], though We gave sound judgement and knowledge to both of them. We made the mountains and the birds celebrate Our praises with David- We did all these things-

waʿallamnāhu ṣanʿata labūsin lakum lituḥ'ṣinakum min basikum fahal antum shākirūna

We taught him how to make coats of mail for the benefit of you [people], to protect you in your wars, but are you grateful for this?

walisulaymāna l-rīḥa ʿāṣifatan tajrī bi-amrihi ilā l-arḍi allatī bāraknā fīhā wakunnā bikulli shayin ʿālimīna

We harnessed the stormy wind for Solomon, so that it sped by his command to the land We had blessed- We have knowledge of all things-

wamina l-shayāṭīni man yaghūṣūna lahu wayaʿmalūna ʿamalan dūna dhālika wakunnā lahum ḥāfiẓīna

and We made some of the jinn subservient to him, to dive for him and do other works besides. We were watching over them.

wa-ayyūba idh nādā rabbahu annī massaniya l-ḍuru wa-anta arḥamu l-rāḥimīna

Remember Job, when he cried to his Lord, ‘Suffering has truly afflicted me, but you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.’

fa-is'tajabnā lahu fakashafnā mā bihi min ḍurrin waātaynāhu ahlahu wamith'lahum maʿahum raḥmatan min ʿindinā wadhik'rā lil'ʿābidīna

We answered him, removed his suffering, and restored his family to him, along with more like them, as an act of grace from Us and a reminder for all who serve Us.

wa-is'māʿīla wa-id'rīsa wadhā l-kif'li kullun mina l-ṣābirīna

And remember Ishmael, Idris, and Dhu’l-Kifl: they were all steadfast.

wa-adkhalnāhum fī raḥmatinā innahum mina l-ṣāliḥīna

We admitted them to Our mercy; they were truly righteous.

wadhā l-nūni idh dhahaba mughāḍiban faẓanna an lan naqdira ʿalayhi fanādā fī l-ẓulumāti an lā ilāha illā anta sub'ḥānaka innī kuntu mina l-ẓālimīna

And remember the man with the whale,when he went off angrily, thinking We could not restrict him, but then he cried out in the deep darkness, ‘There is no God but You, glory be to You, I was wrong.’

fa-is'tajabnā lahu wanajjaynāhu mina l-ghami wakadhālika nunjī l-mu'minīna

We answered him and saved him from distress: this is how We save the faithful.

wazakariyyā idh nādā rabbahu rabbi lā tadharnī fardan wa-anta khayru l-wārithīna

Remember Zachariah, when he cried to his Lord, ‘My Lord, do not leave me childless, though You are the best of heirs.’

fa-is'tajabnā lahu wawahabnā lahu yaḥyā wa-aṣlaḥnā lahu zawjahu innahum kānū yusāriʿūna fī l-khayrāti wayadʿūnanā raghaban warahaban wakānū lanā khāshiʿīna

We answered him––We gave him John, and cured his wife of barrenness- they were always keen to do good deeds. They called upon Us out of longing and awe, and humbled themselves before Us.

wa-allatī aḥṣanat farjahā fanafakhnā fīhā min rūḥinā wajaʿalnāhā wa-ib'nahā āyatan lil'ʿālamīna

Remember the one who guarded her chastity. We breathed into her from Our Spirit and made her and her son a sign for all people.

inna hādhihi ummatukum ummatan wāḥidatan wa-anā rabbukum fa-uʿ'budūni

[Messengers], this community of yours is one single community and I am your Lord, so serve Me.

wataqaṭṭaʿū amrahum baynahum kullun ilaynā rājiʿūna

They have torn their unity apart, but they will all return to Us.

faman yaʿmal mina l-ṣāliḥāti wahuwa mu'minun falā kuf'rāna lisaʿyihi wa-innā lahu kātibūna

If anyone does good deeds and is a believer, his efforts will not be ignored: We record them for him.

waḥarāmun ʿalā qaryatin ahlaknāhā annahum lā yarjiʿūna

No community destroyed by Us can escape its return,

ḥattā idhā futiḥat yajūju wamajūju wahum min kulli ḥadabin yansilūna

and when the peoples of Gog and Magog are let loose and swarm swiftly from every highland,

wa-iq'taraba l-waʿdu l-ḥaqu fa-idhā hiya shākhiṣatun abṣāru alladhīna kafarū yāwaylanā qad kunnā fī ghaflatin min hādhā bal kunnā ẓālimīna

when the True Promise draws near, the disbelievers’ eyes will stare in terror, and they will say, ‘Woe to us! We were not aware of this at all. We were wrong.’

innakum wamā taʿbudūna min dūni l-lahi ḥaṣabu jahannama antum lahā wāridūna

You [disbelievers] and what you worship instead of God will be fuel for Hell: that is where you will go-

law kāna hāulāi ālihatan mā waradūhā wakullun fīhā khālidūna

if these [idols] had been real gods they would not have gone there- you will all stay there.

lahum fīhā zafīrun wahum fīhā lā yasmaʿūna

There the disbelievers will be groaning piteously, but the [idols] will hear nothing.

inna alladhīna sabaqat lahum minnā l-ḥus'nā ulāika ʿanhā mub'ʿadūna

But those for whom We have decreed Paradise will be kept far from Hell-

lā yasmaʿūna ḥasīsahā wahum fī mā ish'tahat anfusuhum khālidūna

they will not hear a murmur from it- and endlessly they will enjoy everything their souls desire.

lā yaḥzunuhumu l-fazaʿu l-akbaru watatalaqqāhumu l-malāikatu hādhā yawmukumu alladhī kuntum tūʿadūna

They will have no fear of the great Terror: the angels will receive them with the words, ‘This is the Day you were promised!’

yawma naṭwī l-samāa kaṭayyi l-sijili lil'kutubi kamā badanā awwala khalqin nuʿīduhu waʿdan ʿalaynā innā kunnā fāʿilīna

On that Day, We shall roll up the skies as a writer rolls up [his] scrolls. We shall reproduce creation just as We produced it the first time: this is Our binding promise. We shall certainly do all these things.

walaqad katabnā fī l-zabūri min baʿdi l-dhik'ri anna l-arḍa yarithuhā ʿibādiya l-ṣāliḥūna

We wrote in the Psalms, as We did in [earlier] Scripture: ‘My righteous servants will inherit the earth.’

inna fī hādhā labalāghan liqawmin ʿābidīna

There truly is a message in this for the servants of God!

wamā arsalnāka illā raḥmatan lil'ʿālamīna

It was only as a mercy that We sent you [Prophet] to all people.

qul innamā yūḥā ilayya annamā ilāhukum ilāhun wāḥidun fahal antum mus'limūna

Say, ‘What is revealed to me is that your God is one God- will you submit to Him?’

fa-in tawallaw faqul ādhantukum ʿalā sawāin wa-in adrī aqarībun am baʿīdun mā tūʿadūna

But if they turn away, say, ‘I have proclaimed the message fairly to you all. I do not know whether the judgement you are promised is near or far,

innahu yaʿlamu l-jahra mina l-qawli wayaʿlamu mā taktumūna

but He knows what you reveal and conceal.

wa-in adrī laʿallahu fit'natun lakum wamatāʿun ilā ḥīnin

I do not know: this [time] may well be a test for you, and enjoyment for a while.’

qāla rabbi uḥ'kum bil-ḥaqi warabbunā l-raḥmānu l-mus'taʿānu ʿalā mā taṣifūna

He said,‘My Lord, pass the true judgement.’ And, ‘Our Lord is the Lord of Mercy. We seek His assistance against what you [disbelievers] say.’