Saba

al-ḥamdu lillahi alladhī lahu mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi walahu l-ḥamdu fī l-ākhirati wahuwa l-ḥakīmu l-khabīru

Praise be to God, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and earth, and praise be to Him in the life to come. He is the All Wise, the All Aware.

yaʿlamu mā yaliju fī l-arḍi wamā yakhruju min'hā wamā yanzilu mina l-samāi wamā yaʿruju fīhā wahuwa l-raḥīmu l-ghafūru

He knows all that goes into the earth and all that comes out of it; He knows all that comes down from the heavens and all that goes up to them. He is the Merciful, the Forgiving.

waqāla alladhīna kafarū lā tatīnā l-sāʿatu qul balā warabbī latatiyannakum ʿālimi l-ghaybi lā yaʿzubu ʿanhu mith'qālu dharratin fī l-samāwāti walā fī l-arḍi walā aṣgharu min dhālika walā akbaru illā fī kitābin mubīnin

Still, the disbelievers say, ‘The Last Hour will never come upon us.’ Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, [it will], by Him who knows the unseen! Not even the weight of a speck of dust in the heavens or earth escapes His knowledge, nor anything smaller or greater. It is all recorded in a clear Record

liyajziya alladhīna āmanū waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti ulāika lahum maghfiratun wariz'qun karīmun

so that He can reward those who believe and do good deeds: they will have forgiveness and generous provision.’

wa-alladhīna saʿaw fī āyātinā muʿājizīna ulāika lahum ʿadhābun min rij'zin alīmun

But as for those who work against Our Revelations, seeking to undermine them, there will be a torment of painful suffering.

wayarā alladhīna ūtū l-ʿil'ma alladhī unzila ilayka min rabbika huwa l-ḥaqa wayahdī ilā ṣirāṭi l-ʿazīzi l-ḥamīdi

[Prophet], those who have been given knowledge can see that what has been sent to you from your Lord is the truth, and that it leads to the path of the Almighty, worthy of all praise.

waqāla alladhīna kafarū hal nadullukum ʿalā rajulin yunabbi-ukum idhā muzziq'tum kulla mumazzaqin innakum lafī khalqin jadīdin

But the disbelievers say, ‘Shall we show you a man who claims that, when you have been utterly torn to pieces, you will be raised in a new creation?

aftarā ʿalā l-lahi kadhiban am bihi jinnatun bali alladhīna lā yu'minūna bil-ākhirati fī l-ʿadhābi wal-ḍalāli l-baʿīdi

Has he invented a lie about God? Is he mad?’ No! It is those who do not believe in the life to come who will suffer torment, for they are in gross error.

afalam yaraw ilā mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum mina l-samāi wal-arḍi in nasha nakhsif bihimu l-arḍa aw nus'qiṭ ʿalayhim kisafan mina l-samāi inna fī dhālika laāyatan likulli ʿabdin munībin

Do they not think about what is in front of them and behind them in the heavens and earth? If We wished, We could make the earth swallow them, or make fragments from the heavens fall down upon them. There truly is a sign in this for every servant who turns back to God in repentance.

walaqad ātaynā dāwūda minnā faḍlan yājibālu awwibī maʿahu wal-ṭayra wa-alannā lahu l-ḥadīda

We graced David with Our favour. We said, ‘You mountains, echo God’s praises together with him, and you birds, too.’ We softened iron for him,

ani iʿ'mal sābighātin waqaddir fī l-sardi wa-iʿ'malū ṣāliḥan innī bimā taʿmalūna baṣīrun

saying, ‘Make coats of chain mail and measure the links well.’ ‘Do good, all of you, for I see everything you do.’

walisulaymāna l-rīḥa ghuduwwuhā shahrun warawāḥuhā shahrun wa-asalnā lahu ʿayna l-qiṭ'ri wamina l-jini man yaʿmalu bayna yadayhi bi-idh'ni rabbihi waman yazigh min'hum ʿan amrinā nudhiq'hu min ʿadhābi l-saʿīri

And [We subjected] the wind for Solomon. Its outward journey took a month, and its return journey likewise. We made a fountain of molten brass flow for him, and some of the jinn worked under his control with his Lord’s permission. If one of them deviated from Our command, We let him taste the suffering of the blazing flame.

yaʿmalūna lahu mā yashāu min maḥārība watamāthīla wajifānin kal-jawābi waqudūrin rāsiyātin iʿ'malū āla dāwūda shuk'ran waqalīlun min ʿibādiya l-shakūru

They made him whatever he wanted- palaces, statues, basins as large as water troughs, fixed cauldrons. We said, ‘Work thankfully, family of David, for few of my servants are truly thankful.’

falammā qaḍaynā ʿalayhi l-mawta mā dallahum ʿalā mawtihi illā dābbatu l-arḍi takulu minsa-atahu falammā kharra tabayyanati l-jinu an law kānū yaʿlamūna l-ghayba mā labithū fī l-ʿadhābi l-muhīni

Then, when We decreed Solomon’s death, nothing showed the jinn he was dead, but a creature of the earth eating at his stick: when he fell down they realized- if they had known what was hidden they would not have continued their demeaning labour.

laqad kāna lisaba-in fī maskanihim āyatun jannatāni ʿan yamīnin washimālin kulū min riz'qi rabbikum wa-ush'kurū lahu baldatun ṭayyibatun warabbun ghafūrun

There was a sign for the people of Sheba, too, in their dwelling place: two gardens, one on the right, one on the left: ‘Eat from what your Lord has provided for you and give Him thanks, for your land is good, and your Lord most forgiving.’

fa-aʿraḍū fa-arsalnā ʿalayhim sayla l-ʿarimi wabaddalnāhum bijannatayhim jannatayni dhawātay ukulin khamṭin wa-athlin washayin min sid'rin qalīlin

But they paid no heed, so We let loose on them a flood from the dam and replaced their two gardens with others that yielded bitter fruit, tamarisk bushes, and a few lote trees.

dhālika jazaynāhum bimā kafarū wahal nujāzī illā l-kafūra

In this way We punished them for their ingratitude- would We punish anyone but the ungrateful?

wajaʿalnā baynahum wabayna l-qurā allatī bāraknā fīhā quran ẓāhiratan waqaddarnā fīhā l-sayra sīrū fīhā layāliya wa-ayyāman āminīna

Also, We had placed, between them and the towns We had blessed, other towns within sight of one another to which they could travel easily- ‘ Travel safely in this land by night and by day’-

faqālū rabbanā bāʿid bayna asfārinā waẓalamū anfusahum fajaʿalnāhum aḥādītha wamazzaqnāhum kulla mumazzaqin inna fī dhālika laāyātin likulli ṣabbārin shakūrin

but [still] they complained, ‘Our Lord has made the distance between our staging posts so long!’They wronged themselves and, in the end, We made their fate a byword, and scattered them in countless fragments. There truly are signs in this for every patient, thankful person.

walaqad ṣaddaqa ʿalayhim ib'līsu ẓannahu fa-ittabaʿūhu illā farīqan mina l-mu'minīna

Satan was proved right in his opinion of them, for they all followed him- except for a group of believers-

wamā kāna lahu ʿalayhim min sul'ṭānin illā linaʿlama man yu'minu bil-ākhirati mimman huwa min'hā fī shakkin warabbuka ʿalā kulli shayin ḥafīẓun

even though he had no authority over them. But [We aim] to distinguish those who believe in the life to come from those who doubt it: [Prophet], your Lord observes everything.

quli id'ʿū alladhīna zaʿamtum min dūni l-lahi lā yamlikūna mith'qāla dharratin fī l-samāwāti walā fī l-arḍi wamā lahum fīhimā min shir'kin wamā lahu min'hum min ẓahīrin

Say, ‘Pray to your so-called gods besides God: they do not control even the weight of a speck of dust in heaven or earth, nor do they have any share in them, nor are any of them any help to God.

walā tanfaʿu l-shafāʿatu ʿindahu illā liman adhina lahu ḥattā idhā fuzziʿa ʿan qulūbihim qālū mādhā qāla rabbukum qālū l-ḥaqa wahuwa l-ʿaliyu l-kabīru

Intercession will not work with Him, except by those to whom He gives permission.’ They will be asked, after the terror is lifted from their hearts [on the Day of Judgement], ‘What did your Lord speak?’ and they will answer, ‘The Truth. He is the Most High, the Most Great.’

qul man yarzuqukum mina l-samāwāti wal-arḍi quli l-lahu wa-innā aw iyyākum laʿalā hudan aw fī ḍalālin mubīnin

Say [Prophet], ‘Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and earth?’ Say, ‘God does,’ and ‘[One party of us] must be rightly guided and the other clearly astray.’

qul lā tus'alūna ʿammā ajramnā walā nus'alu ʿammā taʿmalūna

Say, ‘You will not be ques-tioned about our sins, nor will we be questioned about what you do.’

qul yajmaʿu baynanā rabbunā thumma yaftaḥu baynanā bil-ḥaqi wahuwa l-fatāḥu l-ʿalīmu

Say, ‘Our Lord will gather us together, then He will judge justly between us; He alone is the All Knowing Judge.’

qul arūniya alladhīna alḥaqtum bihi shurakāa kallā bal huwa l-lahu l-ʿazīzu l-ḥakīmu

Say, ‘Show me those you joined to Him as partners. No indeed! He alone is God, the Almighty, the All Wise.’

wamā arsalnāka illā kāffatan lilnnāsi bashīran wanadhīran walākinna akthara l-nāsi lā yaʿlamūna

We have sent you [Prophet] only to bring good news and warning to all people, but most of them do not understand.

wayaqūlūna matā hādhā l-waʿdu in kuntum ṣādiqīna

And they say, ‘If what you say is true, when will this promise be fulfilled?’

qul lakum mīʿādu yawmin lā tastakhirūna ʿanhu sāʿatan walā tastaqdimūna

Say, ‘You have an appointment for a Day which you cannot put off nor bring forward, even by a single moment.’

waqāla alladhīna kafarū lan nu'mina bihādhā l-qur'āni walā bi-alladhī bayna yadayhi walaw tarā idhi l-ẓālimūna mawqūfūna ʿinda rabbihim yarjiʿu baʿḍuhum ilā baʿḍin l-qawla yaqūlu alladhīna us'tuḍ'ʿifū lilladhīna is'takbarū lawlā antum lakunnā mu'minīna

The disbelievers say, ‘We will believe neither this Qur an nor the Scriptures that came before it.’ If only you could see [Prophet] how the wrongdoers will be made to stand before their Lord, hurling reproaches at one another. Those who were oppressed will say to the oppressors, ‘If it were not for you, we would have been believers.’

qāla alladhīna is'takbarū lilladhīna us'tuḍ'ʿifū anaḥnu ṣadadnākum ʿani l-hudā baʿda idh jāakum bal kuntum muj'rimīna

The oppressors will say to them, ‘Was it we who prevented you from following right guidance after it had reached you? No! You yourselves were sinners.’

waqāla alladhīna us'tuḍ'ʿifū lilladhīna is'takbarū bal makru al-layli wal-nahāri idh tamurūnanā an nakfura bil-lahi wanajʿala lahu andādan wa-asarrū l-nadāmata lammā ra-awū l-ʿadhāba wajaʿalnā l-aghlāla fī aʿnāqi alladhīna kafarū hal yuj'zawna illā mā kānū yaʿmalūna

The oppressed will say to them, ‘No, it was your scheming, night and day, ordering us to disbelieve in God and set up rivals to Him.’ When they see the punishment, they will fall silent with regret, and We shall put iron collars on the disbelievers’ necks. Why should they be rewarded for anything other than what they have done?

wamā arsalnā fī qaryatin min nadhīrin illā qāla mut'rafūhā innā bimā ur'sil'tum bihi kāfirūna

Never have We sent a warner to a community without those among them who were corrupted by wealth saying, ‘We do not believe in the message you have been sent with.’

waqālū naḥnu aktharu amwālan wa-awlādan wamā naḥnu bimuʿadhabīna

They would say, ‘We have greater wealth and more children than you, and we shall not be punished.’

qul inna rabbī yabsuṭu l-riz'qa liman yashāu wayaqdiru walākinna akthara l-nāsi lā yaʿlamūna

Say [Prophet], ‘My Lord gives in abundance to whoever He will and sparingly to whoever He will, though most people do not understand.

wamā amwālukum walā awlādukum bi-allatī tuqarribukum ʿindanā zul'fā illā man āmana waʿamila ṣāliḥan fa-ulāika lahum jazāu l-ḍiʿ'fi bimā ʿamilū wahum fī l-ghurufāti āminūna

Neither wealth nor children will bring you nearer to Us, but those who believe and do good deeds will have multiple rewards for what they have done, and will live safely in the lofty dwellings of Paradise,

wa-alladhīna yasʿawna fī āyātinā muʿājizīna ulāika fī l-ʿadhābi muḥ'ḍarūna

whereas those who work against Our messages, seeking to undermine them, will be summoned to punishment.’

qul inna rabbī yabsuṭu l-riz'qa liman yashāu min ʿibādihi wayaqdiru lahu wamā anfaqtum min shayin fahuwa yukh'lifuhu wahuwa khayru l-rāziqīna

Say, ‘My Lord gives in abundance to whichever of His servants He will, and sparingly to whichever He will; He will replace whatever you give in alms; He is the best of providers.’

wayawma yaḥshuruhum jamīʿan thumma yaqūlu lil'malāikati ahāulāi iyyākum kānū yaʿbudūna

On the Day He gathers them all together, He will say to the angels, ‘Was it you these people worshipped?’

qālū sub'ḥānaka anta waliyyunā min dūnihim bal kānū yaʿbudūna l-jina aktharuhum bihim mu'minūna

They will reply, ‘May You be exalted! You are our supporter against them! Really, they worshipped the jinn- most of them believed in them.’

fal-yawma lā yamliku baʿḍukum libaʿḍin nafʿan walā ḍarran wanaqūlu lilladhīna ẓalamū dhūqū ʿadhāba l-nāri allatī kuntum bihā tukadhibūna

‘So today neither of you has any power to benefit or harm the other,’ We shall tell the evildoers, ‘Taste the torment of the fire which you called a lie.’

wa-idhā tut'lā ʿalayhim āyātunā bayyinātin qālū mā hādhā illā rajulun yurīdu an yaṣuddakum ʿammā kāna yaʿbudu ābāukum waqālū mā hādhā illā if'kun muf'taran waqāla alladhīna kafarū lil'ḥaqqi lammā jāahum in hādhā illā siḥ'run mubīnun

When Our messages are recited to them, clear as they are, they say, ‘This is only a man who wants to turn you away from what your forefathers worshipped,’ and, ‘This [Quran] is nothing but lies he has made up.’ When the Truth comes to the disbelievers, they say, ‘This is just plain sorcery,’

wamā ātaynāhum min kutubin yadrusūnahā wamā arsalnā ilayhim qablaka min nadhīrin

though We have not given them any books to study nor sent any warner before you.

wakadhaba alladhīna min qablihim wamā balaghū miʿ'shāra mā ātaynāhum fakadhabū rusulī fakayfa kāna nakīri

Those who lived before them also denied the truth- these people have not attained even a tenth of what We gave their predecessors- they, too, rejected My messengers, and how terrible My condemnation was!

qul innamā aʿiẓukum biwāḥidatin an taqūmū lillahi mathnā wafurādā thumma tatafakkarū mā biṣāḥibikum min jinnatin in huwa illā nadhīrun lakum bayna yaday ʿadhābin shadīdin

Say [Prophet], ‘I advise you to do one thing only: stand before God, in pairs or singly, and think: there is no sign of madness in your companion [the Prophet]- he is only warning you before severe suffering arrives.’

qul mā sa-altukum min ajrin fahuwa lakum in ajriya illā ʿalā l-lahi wahuwa ʿalā kulli shayin shahīdun

Say, ‘If I have asked you for any reward, you can keep it. It is God alone who will reward me: He is witness to everything.’

qul inna rabbī yaqdhifu bil-ḥaqi ʿallāmu l-ghuyūbi

Say, ‘My Lord hurls the Truth down [before you]. He has full knowledge of all that is unseen.’

qul jāa l-ḥaqu wamā yub'di-u l-bāṭilu wamā yuʿīdu

Say, ‘The Truth has come; falsehood is powerless.’

qul in ḍalaltu fa-innamā aḍillu ʿalā nafsī wa-ini ih'tadaytu fabimā yūḥī ilayya rabbī innahu samīʿun qarībun

Say, ‘If I go astray, that is my loss, and if I am rightly guided, it is through what my Lord has revealed to me. He is all hearing, and ever near.’

walaw tarā idh faziʿū falā fawta wa-ukhidhū min makānin qarībin

[Prophet], if you could only see their terror! There will be no escape when they are seized from a nearby place;

waqālū āmannā bihi wa-annā lahumu l-tanāwushu min makānin baʿīdin

they will say, ‘Now we believe in it,’ but how can they reach it from such a distant place-

waqad kafarū bihi min qablu wayaqdhifūna bil-ghaybi min makānin baʿīdin

they denied it all in the past, and threw conjecture from a faroff place-

waḥīla baynahum wabayna mā yashtahūna kamā fuʿila bi-ashyāʿihim min qablu innahum kānū fī shakkin murībin

when a barrier has been placed between them and what they desire, just as was done with their kind before? They were deep in doubt and suspicion.