44. And We bestowed on him (again) his household and therewith the like thereof, a mercy from Us, and a memorial for men of understanding.
45. And (it was said unto him): Take in thine hand a branch and smite therewith, and break not thine oath. Lo! We found him stedfast, how excellent a slave! Lo! he was ever turning in repentance (to his Lord).
46. And make mention of our bondmen, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, men of parts and vision.
47. Lo! We purified them with a pure thought, remembrance of the Home (of the Hereafter).
48. Lo! in Our sight they are verily of the elect, the excellent.
I Lit. i(viU, XXXVIII SAD 469 49. And make mention of Ishmael and Elisha and Dhu’l- Kifi/ All are of the chosen.
50. This is a reminder. And lof for those who ward off (evil) is a happy journey's end, 51. Gardens of Eden, whereof the gates are opened for them, 52. Wherein, reclining, they call for plenteous fruit and cool drink (that is) therein.
53. And with them are those of modest gaze, companions.
54. This it is that ye are promised for the Day of Reckoning.
55. Lo! this in truth is Our provision, which will never waste away. 56. This (is for the righteous). And lo! for the transgressors there will be an evil journey’s end, 57. Hell, where they will burn, an evil resting place.
58. Here is a boiling and an ice-cold draught, so let them taste it, 59. And other (torment) of the kind in pairs (the two extremes)!
60. Here is an army rushing blindly with you. (Those who are already in the fire say); No word of welcome for them. Lo! they will roast at the Fire.
61. They say: Nay, but you (misleaders), for you there is no word of welcome. Ye prepared this for us (by your misleading). Now hapless is the plight, 62. They say: Our Lord! Whoever did prepare this for us, oh, give him double portion of the Fire!
63. And they say;What aileth us that we behold not men whom we were wont to count among the wicked?
64. Did we take them (wrongly) for a laughing-stock, or have our eyes missed them?
I A prophet of the Arabs whose story is like that of Ezekiel.
470 THE GLORIOUS KORAN si!)rah 65. Lo! that is very truth: the wrangling of the dwellers in the Fire, 66. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): I am only a warner, and there is no God save Allah, the One, the Absolute, 67. Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the Mighty, the Pardoning.
68. Say: It is tremendous tidings 69. Whence ye turn away!
70. I had no knowledge of the Highest Chiefs when they disputed; 71. It is revealed unto me only that I may be a plain warner.
72. When thy Lord said unto the angels: lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire, 73. And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down before him prostrate, 74. The angels fell down prostrate, every one, 75. Saving Iblis; he was scornful and became one of the disbelievers.
76. He said: O Iblis! What hindereth thee from falling prostrate before that which I have created with both My hands’* Arc thou too proud or art thou of the high exalted?
77. He said: I am better than him. Thou createdst me of fire, whilst him Thou didst create of clay.
78. He said: Go forth from hence, for lo! thou art outcast, 79. And lo! My curse is on thee till the Day of Judgement.
80. He said: My Lord! Reprieve me till the day when they are raised.
81. He said: Lo! thou art of those reprieved 82. Until the day of the time appointed. • The Muslim mystics explain this as meaning with both the glorious and the terrific attributes of God, whereas the angels were created by the exercise of only one class of attributes.
xxxviii SAD 471 83. He said: Then, by Thy might, I surely will beguile them every one, 84. Save Thy single-minded slaves among them.
85. He said: The Truth is, and the Truth I speak, 86. That I shall fill hell with thee and with such of them as follow thee, together.
87. Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I ask of you no fee for this, and I am no impostor.
88. Lo! it is naught else than a reminder for all peoples 89. And ye will come in time to know the truth thereof.
SURAH XXXIX A^Zumar, “The Troops,” takes its name from a peculiar word, meaning troops or companies, which occurs in v. 71, and again in v. 73. Some authorities think that vv. 53 and 54 were revealed at Al-Madi- nah.
It seems manifestly to belong to the middle group of Meccan Surahs, though Noldeke places it in his last group.
THE TROOPS Revealed at Mecca In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
1. The revelation of the Scripture is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise. 2. Lo! We have revealed the Scripture unto thee (Muhammad) with truth; so worship Allah, making religion pure for Him (only).
3. Surely pure religion is for Allah only. And those who choose protecting friends beside Him (say): We worship them only that they may bring us near unto Allah. Lo! Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Lo! Allah guideth not him who is a liar, an ingrate.
4. If Allah had willed to choose a son, he could have chosen what he would of that which He hath created. Be He glorified! He is Allah, the One, the Absolute.
5. He hath created the heavens and the earth with truth. He maketh night to succeed day, and He maketh day to succeed night, and He constraineth the sun and the moon to SURAH XXXIX THE TROOPS give service, each running on for an appointed term. Is not He the Mighty, the Forgiver?
6. He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of cattle eight kinds. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no God save Him. How then are ye turned away?
7. If ye are thankless, yet Allah is Independent of you, though He is not pleased with thanklessness for His bond- men; and if ye are thankful He is pleased therewith for you. No laden soul will bear another’s load. Then unto your Lord is your return; and He will tell you what ye used to do. Lol He knoweth what is in the breasts (of men).
8. And when some hurt toucheth man, he crieth unto his Lord, turning unto Him (repentant). Then, when He granteth him a boon from Him he forgetteth that for which he cried unto Him before, and setteth up rivals to Allah that he may beguile (men) from His way. Say (O Muhammad, unto such an one): Take pleasure in thy disbelief a while. Lo! thou art of the owners of the Fire.
9. Is he who payeth adoration in the watches of the night, prostrate and standing, bewaring of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (to be accounted equal with a disbeliever)? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Are those who know equal with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed.
10. Say: O My bondmen who believe! Observe your duty to your Lord. For those who do good in this world there is good, and Allah’s earth is spacious. Verily the stedfast will be paid their wages without stint, 11. Say (O Muhammad): Lo! I am commanded to worship Allah, making religion pure for Him (only).
474 the glorious KORAN sOrah 12. And I am commanded to be the first of those who surrender' (unto Him). 13. Say: Lo! if I should disobey my Lord, I fear the doom of a tremendous Day.
14. Say: Allah I worship, making my religion pure for Him (only).
15. Then worship what ye will beside Him. Say: The losers will be those who lose themselves and their housefolk on the Day of Resurrection. Ah, that will be the manifest loss!
16. They have an awning of fire above them and beneath them a dais (of fire).With this doth Allah appal His bond- men. O My bondmen, therefor fear Me!
17. And those who put away false gods lest they should worship them and turn to Allah in repentance, for them there are glad tidings. Therefor give good tidings (O Muhammad) to my bondmen iS. Who hear advice and follow the best thereof. Such are those whom Allah guideth, and such are men of understanding.
19. Is he on whom the word of doom is fulfilled (to be helped), and canst thou (O Muhammad) rescue him who is in the Fire?
20. But those who keep their duty to their Lord, for them are lofty halls with lofty halls above them, built (for them), beneath which rivers flow. (It is) a promise of Allah. Allah faileth not His promise. 21. Hast thou not seen how Allah hath sent down water from the sky and hath caused it to penetrate the earth as watersprings, and afterward thereby produceth crops of divers hues; and afterward they wither and thou seest them turn yellow; then He maketh them chaff. Lo! herein verily is a reminder for men of understanding.
> Ar. Muslimtn, XXXIX THE TROOPS 22. Is he whose bosom Allah hath expanded for the Surrender’ (unto Him), so that he folioweth a light from His Lord, (as he who disbelieveth)? Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allah. Such are in plain error.
23. Allah hath (now) revealed the fairest of statements, a Scripture consistent, (wherein promises of reward are) paired (with threats of punishment), whereat doth creep the flesh of those who fear their Lord, so that their flesh and their hearts soften to Allah’s reminder. Such is Allah’s guidance, wherewith He guideth whom He will. And him whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.
24. Is he then, who will strike his face against the awful doom upon the Day of Resurrection (as he who doeth right)? And it will be said unto the wrong-doers: Taste what ye used to earn.
25. Those before them denied, and so the doom came on them whence they knew not. 26. Thus Allah made them taste humiliation in the life of the world, and verily the doom of the Hereafter will be greater if they did but know.
27. And verily We have coined for mankind in this Qur’an all kinds of similitudes, that haply they may reflect; 28. A Lecture^ in Arabic, containing no crookedness, that haply they may ward off (evil).
29. Allah coineth a similitude: A man in relation to whom are several part-owners, cjuarrelling, and a man belonging wholly to one man. Are the two equal in similitude? •Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not.
30. Lo! thou wilt die, and lo! they will die; 31. Then lo! on the Day of R.esurrection, before your Lord ye will dispute.
I Ar. Al-Isldm.
2 Ar. Qur’an.
476 THE GLORIOUS KORAN s£)rah 32. And who doth greater wrong than he who telleth a lie against Allah, and denieth the truth when it reacheth him? Will not the home of disbelievers be in hell?
33. And whoso bringeth the truth and believeth therein— Such are the dutiful.
34. They shall have what they will of their Lord's bounty. That is the reward of the good; 35. That Allah will remit from them the worst of what they did, and will pay them for reward the best they used to do. 36. Will not Allah defend His slave? Yet they would frighten thee with those beside Him. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.
37. And he whom Allah guideth, for him there can be no misleader. Is not Allah Mighty, Able to Requite (the wrong)?
38. And verily, if thou shouldsf ask them: Who created the heavens and the earth? they will say: Allah. Say: Bethink you then of those ye worship beside Allah, if Allah willed some hurt for me, could they remove from me His hurt; or if He willed some mercy for me, could they restrain His mercy? Say: Allah is my all. In Him do (all) the trusting put their trust.
39. Say: O my people! Act in your manner. I too am acting. Thus ye will come to know 40. Who it is unto whom cometh a doom that will abase him, and on whom there falleth everlasting doom.
41. Lo! We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture for mankind with truth. Then whosoever goeth right it is for his soul, and whosoever strayeth, strayeth only to its hurt. And thou art not a warder over them.
42. Allah receiveth (men’s) souls at the time of their death, and that (soul) which dieth not (yet) in its sleep. He XXXIX THE TROOPS 477 keepeth that (soul) for which He hath ordained death and dismisseth the rest till an appointed term. Lo! herein verily are portents for people who take thought.
43. Or choose they intercessors other than Allah? Say: What! Even though they have power over nothing and have no intelligence?
44. Say: Unto Allah belongeth all intercession. His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. And afterward unto Him ye will be brought back.
45. And when Allah alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are repelled, and when those (whom they worship) beside Him are mentioned, behold! they are glad.
46. Say: O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! Knower of the invisible and the visible! Thou wilt judge between Thy slaves concerning that wherein they used to differ.
47. And though those who do wrong possess all that is in the earth, and therewith as much again, they verily will seek to ransom themselves therewith on the Day of Resurrection from the awful doom; and there will appear unto them, from their Lord, that wherewith they never reckoned.
48. And the evils that they earned will appear unto them, and that whereat they used to scoff will surround them. 49. Now when hurt toucheth a man he crieth unto Us, and afterward when We have granted him a boon from Us, he saith: Only by force of knowledge I obtained it. Nay, but it is a test. But most of them know not.
50. Those before them said it, yet (all) that they had earned availed them not; 51. But the evils that they earned smote them; and such of these as do wrong, the evils that they earn will smite them; they cannot escape.
THE GLORIOUS KORAN SURAH 52. Know they not that Allah enlargeth providence for whom He will, and straiteneth it (for whom He will). Lo! herein verily are portents for people who believe.
53. Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
54. Turn unto Him repentant, and surrender unto Him, before there come unto you the doom, when ye cannot be helped.
55. And follow the better (guidance) of that which is revealed unto you from your Lord, before the doom cometh on you suddenly when ye know not, 56. Lest any soul should say: Alas, my grief that I was unmindful of Allah, and I was indeed among the scoffers!
57. Or should say: If Allah had but guided me I should have been among the dutiful!
58. Or should say, when it seeth the doom: Oh, that I had but a second chance that I might be among the righteous! 59. (But now the answer will be): Nay, for My revelations came unto thee, but thou didst deny them and wast scornful and wast among^the disbelievers.
60. And on the Day of Resurrection thou (Muhammad) seest those who lied concerning Allah with their faces blackened. Is not the home of the scorners in hell?
61. And Allah delivereth those who ward off (evil) because of their deserts. Evil toucheth them not, nor do they grieve.
62. Allah is Creator of all things, and He is Guardian over all things.
63. His are the keys of the heavens and the earth, and they who disbelieve the revelations of Allah—such are they who are the losers.
64. Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): Do ye bid me serve other than Allah? O ye fools!
XXXIX THE TROOPS 65. And verily it hath been revealed unto thee as unto those before thee (saying): If thou ascribe a partner to Allah thy work will fail and thou indeed wilt be among the losers.
66. Nay, but Allah must thou serve, and be among the thankful!
67. And they esteem not Allah as He hath the right to be esteemed, when the whole earth is His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens are rolled in His right hand. Glorified is He and High Exalted from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him). 68. And the trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and the earth swoon away, save him whom Allah willeth. Then it is blown a second time, and behold them standing waiting!
69. And the earth shineth with the light of her Lord, and the Book is set up, and the Prophets and the witnesses are brought, and it is judged between them with truth, and they are not wronged.
70. And each soul is paid in full for what it did. And He is best aware of what they do.
71. And those who disbelieve are driven unto hell in troops till, when they reach it and the gates thereof are opened, and the warders thereof say unto them: Came there not unto you messengers of your own, reciting unto you the revelations of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this your Day? they say: Yea, verily. But the word of doom for disbelievers is fulfilled.
72. It is said (unto them): Enter ye the gates of hell to dwell therein. Thus hapless is the journey’s end of the scorners.
73. And those who keep their duty to their Lord are driven unto the Garden in troops till, when they reach it, and the gates thereof are opened, and the warders thereof say unto 480 THE GLORIOUS KORAN siIjrah xxxix them: Peace be unto you! Ye are good, so enter ye (the Garden of delight), to dwell therein; 74. They say: Praise be to Allah, Who hath fulfilled His promise unto us and hath made us inherit the land, sojourning in the Garden where we will! So bounteous is the wage of workers.
75. And thou (O Muhammad) seest the angels thronging round the Throne, hymning the praises of their Lord. And they are judged aright. And it is said: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
SORAH XL Al-Mutnin, “The Believer,” takes its name from vv. 28—45, which describe the attempt of a believer, in the house of Pharaoh, to dissuade his people from opposing Moses and Aaron. It is the first of seven Surahs beginning with the Arabic letters HS, Mim, all of which are sometimes referred to as Hi, Mim.
It belongs to the middle group of Meccan Surahs. Some authorities hold vv. 56 and 57 to have been revealed at Al-Madinah.
THE BELIEVER Revealed at Mecca In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
1. Ha. Mim 2. The revelation of the Scripture is from Allah, the Mighty, the Knower, 3. The Fotgiver of sin, the Accepter of repentance, the Stern in punishment, the Bountiful. There is no God save Him. Unto Him is the journeying. 4. None argue concerning the revelations of Allah save those who disbelieve, so let not their turn of fortune in the land deceive thee (O Muhammad).
5. The folk of Noah and the factions after them denied (their messengers) before these, and every nation purposed to seize their messenger and argued falsely, (thinking) thereby to refute the Truth. Then I seized them, and how (awful) was My punishment.
II ^ See Sur. II, v. i, footnote.
482 THE GLORIOUS KORAN sArah 6. Thus was the wore! of thy Lord concerning those who disbelieve fulfilled: that they are owners of the Fire.
7. Those who hear the Throne, and all who are round about it, hymn the praises of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying): Our Lord! Thou comprehendcst all things in mercy and knowledge, therefor forgive those who repent and follow Thy way. Ward off from them the punishment of hell.
8. Our Lord! And make them enter the Gardens of Eden which thou hast promised them, with such of their fathers and their wives and their descendants as do right. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, the Wise. 9. And ward off from them ill deeds; and he from whom Thou wardest off ill deeds that day, him verily hast Thou taken into mercy. That is the supreme triumph.
10. Lo! (on that day) those who disbelieve are informed by proclamation: Verily Allah’s abhorrence is more terrible than your abhorrence one of another, when ye were called unto the faith but did refuse.
n. They say: Our Lord! Twice hast Thou made us die, and twice hast Thou made us live. Now we confess our sins. Is there any way to go out?
12. (It is said unto them): This is (your plight) because, when Allah only was invoked, ye disbelieved, but when some partner was ascribed to Him ye were believing. But the command belongeth only to Allah, the Sublime, the Majestic.
13. He it is who showeth you His portents, and sendeth down for you provision from the sky. None payeth heed save him who turneth (unto Him) repentant.
14. Therefor (O believers) pray unto Allah, making religion pure for Him (only), however much the disbelievers be averse— 15. The Exalter of Ranks, the Lord of the Throne. He XL THE BELIEVER 483 casteth the Spirit of His command upon whom He will of His slaves, that He may warn of the Day of Meeting, 16. The day when they come forth, nothing of them being hidden from Allah. Whose is the sovereignty this day? It is Allah’s, the One, the Almighty.
17. This day is each soul requited that which it hath earned; no wrong (is done) this day. Lo! Allah is swift at reckoning.
18. Warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of the approaching (doom), when the hearts will be choking the throats, (when) there will be no friend for the wrong-doers, nor any intercessor who will be heard.
19. He knoweth the traitor of the eyes, and that which the bosoms hide.
20. Allah judgeth with truth, while those to whom they cry instead of Him judge not at all. Lo! Allah, He is the Hearer, the Seer.
21. Have they not travelled in the land to see the nature of the consequence for those who disbelieved before them? They were mightier than these in power and (in the) traces (which they left behind them) in the earth. Yet Allah seized them for their sins, and they had no protector from Allah.
22. That was because their messengers kept bringing them clear proofs (of Allah’s Sovereignty) but they disbelieved; so Allah seized them. Lo! He is Strong, Severe in punishment.
23. And verily We sent Moses with Our revelations and a clear warrant 24. Unto Pharaoh and Hainan and Korah, but they said: A lying sorcerer! 25. And when he brought them the Truth from Our presence, they said: Slay the sons of those who believe with him, and spare their women. But the plot of disbelievers is in naught but error.
SURAH 484 THE GLORIOUS KORAN 26. And PharaoK said: Suffer me to kill Moses, and let him cry unto his Lord. Lo! I fear that he will alter your religion or that he will cause confusion in the land.
27. Moses said: Lo! I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every scorner who believeth not in a Day of Reckoning.
28. And a believing man of Pharaoh’s family, who hid his faith, said: Would ye kill a man because he saith: My Lord is Allah, and hath brought you clear proofs from your Lord? If he is lying, then his lie is upon him; and if he is truthful, then some of that wherewith he threateneth you will strike you. Lo! Allah guideth not one who is a prodigal, a liar.
29. O my people! Yours is the kingdom to-day, ye being uppermost in the land. But who would save us from the wrath of Allah should it reach us? Pharaoh said: I do but show you what I think, and I do hut guide you to wise policy.
30. And he who believed said: O my people! Lo! I fear for you a fate like that of the factions (of old); 31. A plight like that of Noah’s folk, and A'ad and Thamud, and those after them, and Allah willeth no injustice for (His) slaves. 32. And, O my people! Lo! I fear for you a Day of Summoning, 33. A day when ye will turn to flee, having no preserver from Allah: and he whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.
34. And verily Joseph brought you of old clear proofs, yet ye ceased not to be in doubt concerning what he brought you till, when he died, ye said: Allah will not send any messenger after him. Thus Allah deceiveth him who is a prodigal, a doubter.
35. Those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah without any warrant that hath come unto them, it is greatly XL THE BELIEVER hateful in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who believe. Thus doth Allah print on every arrogant, disdainful heart.
36. And Pharaoh said: O Haman! Build for me a tower that haply I may reach the roads, 37. The roads of the heavens, and may look upon the God of Moses, though verily I think him a liar. Thus was the evil that he did made fair-seeming unto Pharaoh, and he was debarred from the (right) way. The plot of Pharaoh ended but in ruin.
38. And he who believed said: O my people! Follow me. I will show you the way of right conduct.
39. O my people! Lo! this life of the world is but a passing comfort, and lo! the Hereafter, that is the enduring home. 40. Whoso doeth an ill-deed, he will be repaid the like thereof, while whoso doeth right, whether male or female, and is a believer, (all) such will enter the Garden, where they will be nourished without stint.
41. And, O my people! What aileth me that I call you unto deliverance when ye call me unto the Fire?
42. Ye call me to disbelieve in Allah and ascribe unto Him as partners that whereof I have no knowledge, while I call you unto the Mighty, the Forgiver.
43. Assuredly that whereunto ye call me hath no claim in the world or in the Hereafter, and our return will be unto Allah, and the prodigals will be owners of the fire.
44. And ye will remember what I say unto you. I confide my cause unto Allah. Lo! Allah is Seer of (His) slaves.
45. So Allah warded off from him the evils which they plotted, while a dreadful doom encompassed Pharaoh’s folk, 46. The Fire; they are exposed to it morning and evening; and on the day when the Hour upriseth (it is said): Cause Pharaoh’s folk to enter the most awful doom.
486 THE GLORIOUS KORAN sArah 47. And when they wrangle in the fire, the weak say unto those who were proud: Lo! we were a following unto you; will ye therefor rid us of a portion of the Fire? 48. Those who were proud say: Lo! we are all (together) herein. Lo! Allah hath judged between (His) slaves.
49. And those in the Fire say unto the guards of hell; Entreat your Lord that He relieve us of a day of the torment.
50. They say: Came not your messengers unto you with clear proofs? They say; Yea, verily. They say: Then do ye prav, although the prayer of disbelievers is in vain.
51. Lo! We verily do help Our messengers, and those who believe, in the life of the world and on the day when the witnesses arise, 52. The day when their excuse availeth not the evil-doers, and theirs is the curse, and theirs the ill abode.
53. And We verily gave Moses the guidance, and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit the Scripture, 54. A guide and a reminder for men of understanding.
55. Then have patience (O Muhammad). Lo! the promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness of thy sin, and hymn the praise of thy Lord at fall of night and in the early hours.
56. Lo! those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah without a warrant having come unto them, there is naught else in their breasts save pride which they will never attain. So take thou refuge in Allah. Lo! He, only He, is the Hearer, the Seer. 57. Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind; but most of mankind know not.
58. And the blind man and the seer are not equal, neither are those who believe and do good works (equal with) the evil-doer. Little do ye reflect!
XL THE BELIEVER 487 59. Lo! the Hour is surely coming, there is no doubt thereof; yet most of mankind believe not.
60. And your Lord hath said: Pray unto me and I will hear your prayer. Lo! those who scorn My service, they will enter hell, disgraced.
61. Allah it is Who hath appointed for you night that ye may rest therein, and day for seeing. Lo! Allah is a Lord of bounty for mankind, yet most of mankind give not thanks.
62. Such is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of all things. There is no God save Him. How then are ye perverted?
63. Thus are they perverted who deny the revelations of Allah.
64. Allah it is Who appointed for you the earth for a dwelling-place and the sky for a canopy, and fashioned you and perfected your shapes, and hath provided you with good things. Such is Allah, your Lord. Then blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds! 65. He is the Living One. There is no God save Him. So pray unto Him, making religion pure for Him (only). Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
66. Say (O Muhammad): I am forbidden to worship those unto whom ye cry beside Allah since there have come unto me clear proofs from my Lord, and I am commanded to surrender to the Lord of the Worlds.
67. He it is Who created you from dust, then from a drop (of seed) then from a clot, then bringeth you forth as a child, then (ordaineth) chat ye attain full strength and afterward that ye become old men—though some among you die before—and that ye reach an appointed term, that haply ye may understand.
68. He it is who quickeneth and giveth death. When He ordaineth a thing. He saich unto it only: Be! and it is.
69. Hast thou not seen those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah, how they are turned away?— SURAH 488 THE GLORIOUS KORAN 70. Those who deny the Scripture and that wherewith We send Our messengers. But they will come to know, 71. When carcans are about their necks and chains. They are dragged 72. Through boiling waters; then they are thrust into the Fire.
73. Then it is said unto them: Where are (all) that ye used to make partners (in the Sovereignty) 74. Beside Allah? They say: They have failed us; but we used not to pray to anything before. Thus doth Allah send astray the disbelievers (in His guidance).
75. (And it is said unco them): This is because ye exulted in the earth without right, and because ye were petulant.
76. Enter ye the gates of hell, to dwell therein. Evil is the habitation of the scornful.
77. Then have patience (O Muhammad). Lo! the promise of Allah is true. And whether we let thee see a part of that which We promise them, or (whether) We cause thee to die, still unto us they will be brought back.
78. Verily We sent messengers before thee, among them those of whom We have told thee, and some of whom We have not told thee; and it was not given to any messenger that he should bring a portent save by Allah’s leave, but when Allah’s commandment cometh (the cause) is judged aright, and the followers of vanity will then be lost.
79. Allah it is Who hath appointed for you cattle, that ye may ride on some of them, and eat of some— 80. (Many) benefits ye have from them—and that ye may satisfy by their means a need that is in your breasts, and may be borne upon them as upon the ship.
81. And He showeth you His tokens. Which, then, of the tokens of Allah do ye deny? 82. Have they not travelled in the land to see the nature of XL THE BELIEVER 489 the consequence for those before them? They were more numerous than these, and mightier in power and (in the) traces (which they left behind them) in the earth. But all that they used to earn availed them not.
83. And when their messengers brought them clear proofs (of Allah’s Sovereignty) they exulted in the knowledge they (themselves) possessed. And that which they were wont to mock befell them.
84. Then, when they saw Our doom, they said; We believe in Allah only and reject (all) that we used to associate (with Him).
85. But their faith could not avail them when they saw Our doom. This is Allah’s law which hath ever taken course for His bondmen. And then the disbelievers will be ruined.
sOrah xli Fusilat, “They are expounded,” derives its title from a word in v. 2. It is also often called Hd, Mtm, As-Sajdah, from a word in v. 37, Hd Miffl being added to distinguish it from Surah XXXII, which is called As-Sajdah.
It belongs to the middle group of Meccan Surahs.
FUSILAT (“THEY ARE EXPOUNDED”) Revealed at Mecca In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, 1. Ha. Mim.'
2. A revelation from the Beneficent, the Merciful, 3. A Scripture whereof the verses are expounded, a Lecture' in Arabic for people who have knowledge, 4. Good tidings and a warning. But most of them turn away so that they hear not.
5. And they say: Our hearts are protected from that unto which thou (O Muhammad) callest us, and in our ears there is a deafness, and between us and thee there is a veil. Act, then, Lo! we also shall be acting.
6. Say (unto them O Muhammad): I am only a mortal like you. It is inspired in me that your God is One God, therefor take the straight path unto Him and seek forgiveness of Him. And woe unto the idolaters, 7. Who give not the poor-due, and who are disbelievers in the Hereafter.
' See Suf. II, V. I, footnote.
2 At. Quran.
sCtrah xli FUSILAT 491 8. Lo! as for those who believe and do good works, for them is a reward enduring.
9. Say (O Muhammad, unto the idolaters): Disbelieve ye verily in Him Who created the earth in two Days,^ and ascribe ye unto Him rivals? He (and none else) is the Lord of the Worlds.
10. He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessed it and measured therein its sustenance in four Days, alike for (all) who ask; 11. Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient.
12. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days^ and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and we decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable.^" That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower.
13. But if they turn away, then say: I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt (which fell of old upon the tribes) of A'ad and Thamud; 14. When their messengers came unto them from before them and behind them, saying: Worship none but Allah! they said: If our Lord had willed, He surely would have sent down angels (unto us), so lo! we are disbelievers in that wherewith ye have been sent.
15. As for A'ad, they were arrogant in the land without right, and they said: Who is mightier than us in power? Could they not see that Allah Who created them. He was mightier than them in power? And they denied Our revelations.
16. Therefor We let loose on them a raging wind in evil days, that We might make them taste the torment of disgrace in the life of the world. And verily the doom of the THE GLORIOUS KORAN s£fRAH Hereafter will be more shameful, and they will not be 17. And as for Thamud, We gave them guidance, but they preferred blindness to the guidance, so the bolt of the doom of humiliation overtook them because of what they used to earn.
18. And We delivered those who believed and used to keep their duty to Allah.
19. And (make mention of) the day when the enemies of Allah are gathered unto the Fire, they are driven on 20. Till, when they reach it, their ears and their eyes and their skins testify against them as to what they used to do.
21. And they say unto their skins: Why testify ye against us? They say: Allah hath given us speech Who giveth speech to all things, and Who created you at the first, and unto Whom ye are returned.
22. Ye did not hide yourselves lest your ears and your eyes and your skins should testify against you, but ye deemed that Allah knew not much of what ye did.
23. That, your thought which ye did think about your Lord, hath ruined you; and ye find yourselves (this day) among the lost.
24. And though they are resigned, yet the Fire is still their home; and if they ask for favour, yet they are not of those unto whom favour can be shown. 25. And We assigned them comrades (in the world), who made their present and their past fair-seeming unto them. And the Word concerning nations of the jinn and humankind who passed away before them hath effect for them. Verily they are the losers, 26. Those who disbelieve say: Heed not this Qur’an, and drown the hearing of it; haply ye may conquer.
27. But verily We shall cause those who disbelieve to XLI FUSILAT taste an awful doom, and verily We shall requite them the worst of what they used to do.
28. That is the reward of Allah’s enemies: the Fire. Therein is their immortal home, payment forasmuch as they denied Our revelations.
29. And those who disbelieve will say: Our Lord! Show us those who beguiled us of the jinn and humankind. We will place them underneath our feet that they may be among the nethermost.
30. Lo! those who say: Our Lord is Allah, and afterward are upright, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not nor grieve, but hear good tidings of the paradise which ye are promised.
31. We are your protecting friends in the life of the world and in the Hereafter. There ye will have (all) that your souls desire, and there ye will have (all) for which ye pray.
32 33