Az-Zumar

tanzīlu l-kitābi mina l-lahi l-ʿazīzi l-ḥakīmi

This Scripture is sent down from God the Mighty, the Wise.

innā anzalnā ilayka l-kitāba bil-ḥaqi fa-uʿ'budi l-laha mukh'liṣan lahu l-dīna

It is We who sent down the Scripture to you [Prophet] with the Truth, so worship God with your total devotion:

alā lillahi l-dīnu l-khāliṣu wa-alladhīna ittakhadhū min dūnihi awliyāa mā naʿbuduhum illā liyuqarribūnā ilā l-lahi zul'fā inna l-laha yaḥkumu baynahum fī mā hum fīhi yakhtalifūna inna l-laha lā yahdī man huwa kādhibun kaffārun

true devotion is due to God alone. [As for] those who choose other protectors beside Him, saying, ‘We only worship them because they bring us nearer to God,’ God Himself will judge between them regarding their differences. God does not guide any ungrateful liar.

law arāda l-lahu an yattakhidha waladan la-iṣ'ṭafā mimmā yakhluqu mā yashāu sub'ḥānahu huwa l-lahu l-wāḥidu l-qahāru

God could have chosen any of His creation He willed for offspring, but He is far above this! He is the One, the Almighty.

khalaqa l-samāwāti wal-arḍa bil-ḥaqi yukawwiru al-layla ʿalā l-nahāri wayukawwiru l-nahāra ʿalā al-layli wasakhara l-shamsa wal-qamara kullun yajrī li-ajalin musamman alā huwa l-ʿazīzu l-ghafāru

He created the heavens and earth for a true purpose; He wraps the night around the day and the day around the night; He has subjected the sun and moon to run their courses for an appointed time; He is truly the Mighty, the Forgiving.

khalaqakum min nafsin wāḥidatin thumma jaʿala min'hā zawjahā wa-anzala lakum mina l-anʿāmi thamāniyata azwājin yakhluqukum fī buṭūni ummahātikum khalqan min baʿdi khalqin fī ẓulumātin thalāthin dhālikumu l-lahu rabbukum lahu l-mul'ku lā ilāha illā huwa fa-annā tuṣ'rafūna

He created you all from a single being, from which He made its mate; He gave you four kinds of livestock in pairs; He creates you in your mothers’ wombs, in one stage after another, in threefold depths of darkness. Such is God, your Lord; He holds control, there is no god but Him. How can you turn away?

in takfurū fa-inna l-laha ghaniyyun ʿankum walā yarḍā liʿibādihi l-kuf'ra wa-in tashkurū yarḍahu lakum walā taziru wāziratun wiz'ra ukh'rā thumma ilā rabbikum marjiʿukum fayunabbi-ukum bimā kuntum taʿmalūna innahu ʿalīmun bidhāti l-ṣudūri

If you are ungrateful, remember God has no need of you, yet He is not pleased by ingrati-tude in His servants; if you are grateful, He is pleased [to see] it in you. No soul will bear another’s burden. You will return to your Lord in the end and He will inform you of what you have done: He knows well what is in the depths of [your] hearts.

wa-idhā massa l-insāna ḍurrun daʿā rabbahu munīban ilayhi thumma idhā khawwalahu niʿ'matan min'hu nasiya mā kāna yadʿū ilayhi min qablu wajaʿala lillahi andādan liyuḍilla ʿan sabīlihi qul tamattaʿ bikuf'rika qalīlan innaka min aṣḥābi l-nāri

When man suffers some affliction, he prays to his Lord and turns to Him, but once he has been granted a favour from God, he forgets the One he had been praying to and sets up rivals to God, to make others stray from His path. Say, ‘Enjoy your ingratitude for a little while: you will be one of the inhabitants of the Fire.’

amman huwa qānitun ānāa al-layli sājidan waqāiman yaḥdharu l-ākhirata wayarjū raḥmata rabbihi qul hal yastawī alladhīna yaʿlamūna wa-alladhīna lā yaʿlamūna innamā yatadhakkaru ulū l-albābi

What about someone who worships devoutly during the night, bowing down, standing in prayer, ever mindful of the life to come, hoping for his Lord’s mercy? Say, ‘How can those who know be equal to those who do not know?’ Only those who have understanding will take heed.

qul yāʿibādi alladhīna āmanū ittaqū rabbakum lilladhīna aḥsanū fī hādhihi l-dun'yā ḥasanatun wa-arḍu l-lahi wāsiʿatun innamā yuwaffā l-ṣābirūna ajrahum bighayri ḥisābin

Say, ‘[God says], believing servants, be mindful of your Lord! Those who do good in this world will have a good reward- God’s earth is wide––and those who persevere patiently will be given a full and unstinting reward.’

qul innī umir'tu an aʿbuda l-laha mukh'liṣan lahu l-dīna

Say, ‘I have been commanded to serve God, dedicating my worship entirely to Him.

wa-umir'tu li-an akūna awwala l-mus'limīna

I have been commanded to be the first to submit.’

qul innī akhāfu in ʿaṣaytu rabbī ʿadhāba yawmin ʿaẓīmin

Say, ‘I fear the torment of a terrible Day if I disobey my Lord.’

quli l-laha aʿbudu mukh'liṣan lahu dīnī

Say, ‘It is God I serve, dedicating my worship entirely to Him-

fa-uʿ'budū mā shi'tum min dūnihi qul inna l-khāsirīna alladhīna khasirū anfusahum wa-ahlīhim yawma l-qiyāmati alā dhālika huwa l-khus'rānu l-mubīnu

you may serve whatever you please beside Him.’ Say, ‘The true losers are the ones who will lose themselves and their people on the Day of Resurrection: that is the most obvious loss.

lahum min fawqihim ẓulalun mina l-nāri wamin taḥtihim ẓulalun dhālika yukhawwifu l-lahu bihi ʿibādahu yāʿibādi fa-ittaqūni

They will have layers of Fire above them and below.’ This is how God puts fear into His servants: My servants, beware of Me.

wa-alladhīna ij'tanabū l-ṭāghūta an yaʿbudūhā wa-anābū ilā l-lahi lahumu l-bush'rā fabashir ʿibādi

There is good news for those who shun the worship of false gods and turn to God, so [Prophet] give good news to My servants

alladhīna yastamiʿūna l-qawla fayattabiʿūna aḥsanahu ulāika alladhīna hadāhumu l-lahu wa-ulāika hum ulū l-albābi

who listen to what is said and follow what is best. These are the ones God has guided; these are the people of understanding.

afaman ḥaqqa ʿalayhi kalimatu l-ʿadhābi afa-anta tunqidhu man fī l-nāri

What about the one who has been sentenced to punishment? Can you [Prophet] rescue those already in the Fire?

lākini alladhīna ittaqaw rabbahum lahum ghurafun min fawqihā ghurafun mabniyyatun tajrī min taḥtihā l-anhāru waʿda l-lahi lā yukh'lifu l-lahu l-mīʿāda

But those who are mindful of their Lord will have lofty dwellings built for them, one above the other, graced with flowing streams. This is a promise from God: God does not break His promise.

alam tara anna l-laha anzala mina l-samāi māan fasalakahu yanābīʿa fī l-arḍi thumma yukh'riju bihi zarʿan mukh'talifan alwānuhu thumma yahīju fatarāhu muṣ'farran thumma yajʿaluhu ḥuṭāman inna fī dhālika ladhik'rā li-ulī l-albābi

Have you not considered that God sends water down from the sky, guides it along to form springs in the earth, and then, with it, brings forth vegetation of various colours, which later withers, turns yellow before your eyes, and is crumbled to dust at His command? There is truly a reminder in this for those who have understanding.

afaman sharaḥa l-lahu ṣadrahu lil'is'lāmi fahuwa ʿalā nūrin min rabbihi fawaylun lil'qāsiyati qulūbuhum min dhik'ri l-lahi ulāika fī ḍalālin mubīnin

What about the one whose heart God has opened in devotion to Him, so that he walks in light from his Lord? Alas for those whose hearts harden at the mention of God! They have clearly lost their way.

al-lahu nazzala aḥsana l-ḥadīthi kitāban mutashābihan mathāniya taqshaʿirru min'hu julūdu alladhīna yakhshawna rabbahum thumma talīnu julūduhum waqulūbuhum ilā dhik'ri l-lahi dhālika hudā l-lahi yahdī bihi man yashāu waman yuḍ'lili l-lahu famā lahu min hādin

God has sent down the most beautiful of all teachings: a Scripture that is consistent and draws comparisons; that causes the skins of those in awe of their Lord to shiver. Then their skins and their hearts soften at the mention of God: such is God’s guidance. He guides with it whoever He will; no one can guide those God leaves to stray.

afaman yattaqī biwajhihi sūa l-ʿadhābi yawma l-qiyāmati waqīla lilẓẓālimīna dhūqū mā kuntum taksibūna

What about the one who will only have his bare face to protect him from his terrible suffering on the Day of Resurrection? It will be said to the evildoers, ‘Taste what you have earned.’

kadhaba alladhīna min qablihim fa-atāhumu l-ʿadhābu min ḥaythu lā yashʿurūna

Others before them also disbelieved, and the punishment fell on them unawares:

fa-adhāqahumu l-lahu l-khiz'ya fī l-ḥayati l-dun'yā walaʿadhābu l-ākhirati akbaru law kānū yaʿlamūna

God gave them the punishment of disgrace in this world to taste; the punishment will be even harder in the Hereafter, if only they knew.

walaqad ḍarabnā lilnnāsi fī hādhā l-qur'āni min kulli mathalin laʿallahum yatadhakkarūna

In this Quran, We have put forward all kinds of illustration for people, so that they may take heed-

qur'ānan ʿarabiyyan ghayra dhī ʿiwajin laʿallahum yattaqūna

an Arabic Quran, free from any distortion- so that people may be mindful.

ḍaraba l-lahu mathalan rajulan fīhi shurakāu mutashākisūna warajulan salaman lirajulin hal yastawiyāni mathalan l-ḥamdu lillahi bal aktharuhum lā yaʿlamūna

God puts forward this illustration: can a man who has for his masters several partners at odds with each other be considered equal to a man devoted wholly to one master? All praise belongs to God, though most of them do not know.

innaka mayyitun wa-innahum mayyitūna

You [Prophet] will certainly die, and so will they,

thumma innakum yawma l-qiyāmati ʿinda rabbikum takhtaṣimūna

and, on the Day of Resurrection, you will dispute with one another in the presence of your Lord.

faman aẓlamu mimman kadhaba ʿalā l-lahi wakadhaba bil-ṣid'qi idh jāahu alaysa fī jahannama mathwan lil'kāfirīna

So who could be more wrong than the person who invents a lie about God and rejects the truth when it comes to him? Is there not ample punishment for the disbelievers in Hell?

wa-alladhī jāa bil-ṣid'qi waṣaddaqa bihi ulāika humu l-mutaqūna

It is the one who brings the truth and the one who accepts it as true who are mindful of God:

lahum mā yashāūna ʿinda rabbihim dhālika jazāu l-muḥ'sinīna

they will have everything they wish for with their Lord. Such is the reward of those who do good:

liyukaffira l-lahu ʿanhum aswa-a alladhī ʿamilū wayajziyahum ajrahum bi-aḥsani alladhī kānū yaʿmalūna

God will absolve them even of their worst deeds and will reward them according to their best.

alaysa l-lahu bikāfin ʿabdahu wayukhawwifūnaka bi-alladhīna min dūnihi waman yuḍ'lili l-lahu famā lahu min hādin

Is God not enough for His servant? Yet they threaten you [Prophet] with those they worship other than Him. If God allows someone to stray he has no one to guide him;

waman yahdi l-lahu famā lahu min muḍillin alaysa l-lahu biʿazīzin dhī intiqāmin

if God guides someone no one can lead him astray. Is God not mighty and capable of retribution?

wala-in sa-altahum man khalaqa l-samāwāti wal-arḍa layaqūlunna l-lahu qul afara-aytum mā tadʿūna min dūni l-lahi in arādaniya l-lahu biḍurrin hal hunna kāshifātu ḍurrihi aw arādanī biraḥmatin hal hunna mum'sikātu raḥmatihi qul ḥasbiya l-lahu ʿalayhi yatawakkalu l-mutawakilūna

If you [Prophet] ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and earth?’ they are sure to answer, ‘God,’ so say, ‘Consider those you invoke beside Him: if God wished to harm me, could they undo that harm? If God wished to show me mercy, could they withhold that mercy?’ Say, ‘God is enough for me: all those who trust should put their trust in Him.’

qul yāqawmi iʿ'malū ʿalā makānatikum innī ʿāmilun fasawfa taʿlamūna

Say, ‘My people, do whatever is in your power- and so will I. You will find out

man yatīhi ʿadhābun yukh'zīhi wayaḥillu ʿalayhi ʿadhābun muqīmun

who will suffer humiliation, and on whom a lasting torment will descend.’

innā anzalnā ʿalayka l-kitāba lilnnāsi bil-ḥaqi famani ih'tadā falinafsihi waman ḍalla fa-innamā yaḍillu ʿalayhā wamā anta ʿalayhim biwakīlin

We have sent the Scripture down to you [Prophet] with the Truth for people. Whoever follows the guidance does so for his own benefit, whoever strays away from it does so at his own peril: you are not in charge of them.

al-lahu yatawaffā l-anfusa ḥīna mawtihā wa-allatī lam tamut fī manāmihā fayum'siku allatī qaḍā ʿalayhā l-mawta wayur'silu l-ukh'rā ilā ajalin musamman inna fī dhālika laāyātin liqawmin yatafakkarūna

God takes the souls of the dead and the souls of the living while they sleep- He keeps hold of those whose death He has ordained and sends the others back until their appointed time- there truly are signs in this for those who reflect.

ami ittakhadhū min dūni l-lahi shufaʿāa qul awalaw kānū lā yamlikūna shayan walā yaʿqilūna

Yet they take intercessors besides God! Say, ‘Even though these have no power or understanding?’

qul lillahi l-shafāʿatu jamīʿan lahu mul'ku l-samāwāti wal-arḍi thumma ilayhi tur'jaʿūna

Say, ‘All intercession belongs to God alone; He holds control of the heavens and the earth; in the end you will all return to Him.’

wa-idhā dhukira l-lahu waḥdahu ish'ma-azzat qulūbu alladhīna lā yu'minūna bil-ākhirati wa-idhā dhukira alladhīna min dūnihi idhā hum yastabshirūna

Whenever God is mentioned on His own, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion, but they rejoice when gods other than Him are mentioned.

quli l-lahuma fāṭira l-samāwāti wal-arḍi ʿālima l-ghaybi wal-shahādati anta taḥkumu bayna ʿibādika fī mā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūna

Say, ‘God! Creator of the heavens and earth! Knower of all that is hidden and all that is open, You will judge between Your servants regarding their differences.’

walaw anna lilladhīna ẓalamū mā fī l-arḍi jamīʿan wamith'lahu maʿahu la-if'tadaw bihi min sūi l-ʿadhābi yawma l-qiyāmati wabadā lahum mina l-lahi mā lam yakūnū yaḥtasibūna

If the evildoers possessed the earth’s assets twice over they would offer them to ransom themselves from the terrible suffering on the Day of Resurrection: God will show them something they had not reckoned with,

wabadā lahum sayyiātu mā kasabū waḥāqa bihim mā kānū bihi yastahziūna

the evil of their deeds will become plain to them, and they will be overwhelmed by that at which they used to laugh.

fa-idhā massa l-insāna ḍurrun daʿānā thumma idhā khawwalnāhu niʿ'matan minnā qāla innamā ūtītuhu ʿalā ʿil'min bal hiya fit'natun walākinna aktharahum lā yaʿlamūna

When man suffers some affliction, he cries out to Us, but when We favour him with Our blessing, he says, ‘All this has been given to me because of my knowledge’- it is only a test, though most of them do not know it.

qad qālahā alladhīna min qablihim famā aghnā ʿanhum mā kānū yaksibūna

Those who lived before them said the same. What they did was of no use to them;

fa-aṣābahum sayyiātu mā kasabū wa-alladhīna ẓalamū min hāulāi sayuṣībuhum sayyiātu mā kasabū wamā hum bimuʿ'jizīna

they suffered its evil effects. Today’s wrongdoers will also suffer the evil effects of their deeds: they will not escape.

awalam yaʿlamū anna l-laha yabsuṭu l-riz'qa liman yashāu wayaqdiru inna fī dhālika laāyātin liqawmin yu'minūna

Do they not know that God provides abun-dantly for anyone He will and gives sparingly to anyone He will? There truly are signs in this for those who believe.

qul yāʿibādiya alladhīna asrafū ʿalā anfusihim lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati l-lahi inna l-laha yaghfiru l-dhunūba jamīʿan innahu huwa l-ghafūru l-raḥīmu

Say, ‘[God says], My servants who have harmed yourselves by your own excess, do not despair of God’s mercy. God forgives all sins: He is truly the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

wa-anībū ilā rabbikum wa-aslimū lahu min qabli an yatiyakumu l-ʿadhābu thumma lā tunṣarūna

Turn to your Lord. Submit to Him before the punishment overtakes you and you can no longer be helped.

wa-ittabiʿū aḥsana mā unzila ilaykum min rabbikum min qabli an yatiyakumu l-ʿadhābu baghtatan wa-antum lā tashʿurūna

Follow the best teaching sent down to you from your Lord, before the punishment suddenly takes you, unawares,

an taqūla nafsun yāḥasratā ʿalā mā farraṭtu fī janbi l-lahi wa-in kuntu lamina l-sākhirīna

and your soul says, “Woe is me for having neglected what is due to God, and having been one of those who scoffed!”

aw taqūla law anna l-laha hadānī lakuntu mina l-mutaqīna

Or it says, “If God had guided me, I would have joined the righteous!”

aw taqūla ḥīna tarā l-ʿadhāba law anna lī karratan fa-akūna mina l-muḥ'sinīna

Or, faced by punishment, it says, “If only I could have another chance, I would join those who do good!”

balā qad jāatka āyātī fakadhabta bihā wa-is'takbarta wakunta mina l-kāfirīna

No indeed! My messages came to you and you rejected them: you were arrogant and rejected the truth.’

wayawma l-qiyāmati tarā alladhīna kadhabū ʿalā l-lahi wujūhuhum mus'waddatun alaysa fī jahannama mathwan lil'mutakabbirīna

On the Day of Resurrection, you [Prophet] will see those who told lies against God, their faces darkened. Is there not ample punishment for the arrogant in Hell?

wayunajjī l-lahu alladhīna ittaqaw bimafāzatihim lā yamassuhumu l-sūu walā hum yaḥzanūna

But God will deliver those who took heed of Him to their place of safety: no harm will touch them, nor will they grieve.

al-lahu khāliqu kulli shayin wahuwa ʿalā kulli shayin wakīlun

God is the Creator of all things; He has charge of everything;

lahu maqālīdu l-samāwāti wal-arḍi wa-alladhīna kafarū biāyāti l-lahi ulāika humu l-khāsirūna

the keys of the heavens and earth are His. Those who have rejected the revelations of God will be the losers.

qul afaghayra l-lahi tamurūnnī aʿbudu ayyuhā l-jāhilūna

Say, ‘Do you order me to worship someone other than God, you foolish people?’

walaqad ūḥiya ilayka wa-ilā alladhīna min qablika la-in ashrakta layaḥbaṭanna ʿamaluka walatakūnanna mina l-khāsirīna

It has already been revealed to you [Prophet] and to those before you: ‘If you ascribe any partner to God, all your work will come to nothing: you will be one if the losers.

bali l-laha fa-uʿ'bud wakun mina l-shākirīna

No! Worship God alone and be one of those who are grateful to Him.’

wamā qadarū l-laha ḥaqqa qadrihi wal-arḍu jamīʿan qabḍatuhu yawma l-qiyāmati wal-samāwātu maṭwiyyātun biyamīnihi sub'ḥānahu wataʿālā ʿammā yush'rikūna

These people have no grasp of God’s true measure. On the Day of Resurrection, the whole earth will be in His grip. The heavens will be rolled up in His right hand- Glory be to Him! He is far above the partners they ascribe to Him!-

wanufikha fī l-ṣūri faṣaʿiqa man fī l-samāwāti waman fī l-arḍi illā man shāa l-lahu thumma nufikha fīhi ukh'rā fa-idhā hum qiyāmun yanẓurūna

the Trumpet will be sounded, and everyone in the heavens and earth will fall down senseless except those God spares. It will be sounded once again and they will be on their feet, looking on.

wa-ashraqati l-arḍu binūri rabbihā wawuḍiʿa l-kitābu wajīa bil-nabiyīna wal-shuhadāi waquḍiya baynahum bil-ḥaqi wahum lā yuẓ'lamūna

The earth will shine with the light of its Lord; the Record of Deeds will be laid open; the prophets and witnesses will be brought in. Fair judgement will be given between them: they will not be wronged

wawuffiyat kullu nafsin mā ʿamilat wahuwa aʿlamu bimā yafʿalūna

and every soul will be repaid in full for what it has done. He knows best what they do.

wasīqa alladhīna kafarū ilā jahannama zumaran ḥattā idhā jāūhā futiḥat abwābuhā waqāla lahum khazanatuhā alam yatikum rusulun minkum yatlūna ʿalaykum āyāti rabbikum wayundhirūnakum liqāa yawmikum hādhā qālū balā walākin ḥaqqat kalimatu l-ʿadhābi ʿalā l-kāfirīna

Those who rejected the Truth will be led to Hell in their throngs. When they arrive, its gates will open and its keepers will say to them, ‘Were you not sent your own messengers to recite the revelations of your Lord to you and warn you that you would meet this Day?’ and they will say, ‘Yes indeed we were.’ But the sentence of punishment will have been passed against those who rejected the truth.

qīla ud'khulū abwāba jahannama khālidīna fīhā fabi'sa mathwā l-mutakabirīna

It will be said, ‘Enter the gates of Hell: there you will remain. How evil is the abode of the arrogant!’

wasīqa alladhīna ittaqaw rabbahum ilā l-janati zumaran ḥattā idhā jāūhā wafutiḥat abwābuhā waqāla lahum khazanatuhā salāmun ʿalaykum ṭib'tum fa-ud'khulūhā khālidīna

Those who were mindful of their Lord will be led in throngs to the Garden. When they arrive, they will find its gates wide open, and its keepers will say to them, ‘Peace be upon you. You have been good. Come in: you are here to stay,’

waqālū l-ḥamdu lillahi alladhī ṣadaqanā waʿdahu wa-awrathanā l-arḍa natabawwa-u mina l-janati ḥaythu nashāu faniʿ'ma ajru l-ʿāmilīna

and they will say, ‘Praise be to God who has kept His promise to us and given us this land as our own. Now we may live wherever we please in the Garden.’ How excellent is the reward of those who labour!

watarā l-malāikata ḥāffīna min ḥawli l-ʿarshi yusabbiḥūna biḥamdi rabbihim waquḍiya baynahum bil-ḥaqi waqīla l-ḥamdu lillahi rabbi l-ʿālamīna

You [Prophet] will see the angels surrounding the Throne, glorifying their Lord with praise. True judgement will have been passed between them, and it will be said, ‘Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.’