 Surah 9 of the meaning of the glorious Quran. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by M.B. The meaning of the glorious Quran, translated by Muhammad Marmadouk Pikthal. Surah 9. Repentance. Revealed at Medina. Freedom from obligation is proclaimed from Allah and His Messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom ye made a treaty. Travel freely in the land for months and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the disbelievers in His guidance. And a proclamation from Allah and His Messenger to all men on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah is free from obligation to the idolaters and so is His Messenger. So, if ye repent, it will be better for you. But if ye are averse, then know that ye cannot escape Allah. Give tidings, O Muhammad, of a painful doom to those who disbelieve. Accepting those of the idolaters with whom ye Muslims have a treaty and who have since abated nothing of your right nor have supported anyone against you. As for these, fulfill their treaty to them till their term. Lo, Allah loveth those who keep their duty unto Him. Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them and take them captive and besiege them and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor due, then leave their way free. Lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. And if any one of the idolaters seek at thy protection, O Muhammad, then protect him so that he may hear the word of Allah and afterward convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a folk who know not. How can there be a treaty with Allah and with His Messenger for the idolaters save those with whom you made a treaty at the inviolable place of worship? So long as they are true to you, be true to them. Lo, Allah loveth those who keep their duty. How can there be any treaty for the others when, if they have the upper hand of you, they regard not pact nor honor in respect of you? They satisfy you with their mouths the while their hearts refuse, and most of them are wrongdoers. They have purchased with the revelations of Allah a little gain so they debar men from his way. Lo, evil is that which they are want to do. And they observe toward a believer neither pact nor honor. These are they who are transgressors. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor due, then they are your brethren in religion. We detail our revelations for a people who have knowledge. And if they break their pledges after their treaty have been made with you and assail your religion, then fight the heads of disbelief. Lo, they have no binding owes in order that they may desist. Will ye not fight a folk who broke their solemn pledges and proposed to drive out the messenger and did attack you first? What? Fear ye them? Now Allah hath more right that ye should fear him if ye are believers. Fight them. Allah will chastise them at your hands, and he will lay them low and give you victory over them, and he will heal the breasts of folk who are believers. And he will remove the anger of their hearts. Allah relentless toward whom he will. Allah is knower, wise. Or deemed ye that ye would be left in peace when Allah yet knoweth not those of you who strive, choosing for familiar, none, save Allah and his messenger and the believers? Allah is informed of what ye do. It is not for the idolaters to tend Allah's sanctuaries, bearing witness against themselves of disbelief. As for such, their works are vain, and in the fire they will abide. He only shall tend Allah's sanctuaries who believeth in Allah, and the last day, and observeeth proper worship and payeth the poor due, and feareth none, save Allah. For such only is it possible that they can be of the rightly guided. Count ye the slaking of a pilgrim's thirst and the tendons of the inviolable place of worship as equal to the worth of him who believeth in Allah, and the last day, and striveeth in the way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. Allah guideth no wrongdoing folk. Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way, are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant. Their Lord giveth them good tidings of mercy from him, and acceptance, and gardens where enduring pleasure will be theirs. There they will abide forever. Lo, with Allah there is immense reward. O ye who believe, choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends, if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you take them for friends, such are wrongdoers. Say, if your fathers and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your tribe, and the wealth ye have acquired, and merchandise for which ye fear that there will be no sale, and dwellings ye desire, are dearer to you than Allah, and his messenger, and striving in his way, then wait till Allah bringeth his command to you. Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. Allah hath given you victory on many fields, and on the day of Hunayn, when ye exalted in your multitude, but it availed you not, and the earth, vast as it is, was straightened for you, then ye turned back in flight. Then Allah sent his peace of reassurance down upon his messenger, and upon the believers, and sent down hosts ye could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such is the reward of disbelievers. Then afterward Allah will relent toward whom he will, for Allah is forgiving, merciful. O ye who believe, the idolaters only are unclean, so let them not come near the inviolable place of worship after this their year. If ye fear poverty from the loss of their merchandise, Allah shall preserve you of his bounty if he will. Low, Allah is knower, wise. Fight against such of those who have been given the scripture, as believe not in Allah nor the last day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by his messenger, and follow not the religion of truth, until they pay the tribute readily being brought low. And the Jews say Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say the Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah himself fighteth against them. How perverse are they? They have taken as lords beside Allah, their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only one God. There is no God save him, be he glorified from all that they ascribe as partner unto him. Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdainest ought save that he shall perfect his light, however much the disbelievers are averse. He it is who has sent his messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that he may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse. O ye who believe, lo, many of the Jewish rabbis and the Christian monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar men from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings, O Muhammad, of a painful doom. On the day when it will all be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith, and it will be said unto them, here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves, now taste of what ye used to hoard. Lo, the number of the months with Allah is twelve months by Allah's ordinance in the day that he created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred, that is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves in them, and wage war on all of the idolaters as they are waging war on all of you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty unto him. Postponement of a sacred month is only an excess of disbelief whereby those who disbelieve are misled. They allow it one year and forbid it another year, that they may make up the number of the months which Allah hath allowed, so that they allow that which Allah hath forbidden. The evil of their deeds is made fair seeming unto them. Allah guideeth not the disbelieving folk. O ye who believe, what ill of you that when it is said unto you, Go forth in the way of Allah, you are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the hereafter. If ye go not forth, he will afflict you with a painful doom and will choose instead of you a folk other than you. Ye cannot harm him at all. Allah is able to do all things. If ye help him not, still Allah helped him when those who disbelieve drove him forth. The second of two, when they were in the cave, when he said unto his comrade, Grieve not, lo, Allah is with us. Then Allah caused his peace of reassurance to descend upon him and supported him with hosts he cannot see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the nethermost, while Allah's word it was that became the uppermost. Allah is mighty, wise. Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah. That is best for you, if ye but knew. Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee, but the distance seemed too far for them. Yet they will swear by Allah, saying, If we had been able, we surely would have set out with you. They destroy their souls, and Allah knoweth that they verily are liars. Allah forgive thee, O Muhammad. Wherefore didst thou grant them leave, ere those who told the truth were manifest to thee, and thou didst know the liars. Those who believe in Allah and the last day ask no leave of thee, lest they should strive with their wealth and their lives. Allah is aware of those who keep their duty unto him. They alone ask leave of thee, who believes not in Allah and the last day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver. And if they had wished to go forth, they would assuredly have made ready some equipment. But Allah was averse to their being sent forth, and held them back, and it was said unto them, Sit ye with the sedentary. Had they gone forth among you, they had added to you not save trouble, and had hurried to and fro among you, seeking to cause sedition among you, and among you there are some who would have listened to them. Allah is aware of evil doers. A foretime they sought to cause sedition and raise difficulties for thee till the truth came, and the decree of Allah was made manifest, though they were loath. Of them is he who sayeth, Grant me leave to stay at home, and tempt me not. Surely it is unto temptation that they thus have fallen. Lo, hell verily is all around the disbelievers. If good befalleth thee, O Muhammad, it affected them, and if calamity befalleth thee, they say, We took precaution, and they turn away well pleased. Say, not befalleth us, save that which Allah hath decreed for us. He is our protecting friend. In Allah let believers put their trust. Say, can ye await for us ought save one of two good things, death or victory, in Allah's way? While we await for you, that Allah will afflict you with a doom from him at our hands. Await then, lo, we are waiting for you. Say, pay your contribution. Willingly or unwillingly it will not be accepted from you. Lo, ye were ever froward folk, and not preventeth that their contributions should be accepted from them, save that they have disbelieved in Allah and in his messenger, and they come not to worship save as idlers, and pay not their contributions save reluctantly. So let not their riches nor their children please thee, O Muhammad. Allah thereby intended but to punish them in the life of the world, and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers. And they swear by Allah that they are in truth of you, when they are not of you, but they are folk who are afraid. Had they but found a refuge or caverns or a place to enter, they surely had resorted thither, swift as runaways. And of him is he who defameeth thee in the matter of the alms. If they are given thereof, they are content, and if they are not given thereof, behold, they are enraged. How much more seemingly had they been content with that which Allah and his messenger had given them, and had said, Allah sufficeth the us, Allah will give us of his bounty, and also his messenger, unto Allah we are suppliants. The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer, a duty imposed by Allah. Allah is knower, wise, and of them are those who vex the prophet and say, he is only a hearer. Say, a hearer of good for you, who believeth in Allah and is true to the believers, and a mercy for such of you as believe. Those who vex the messenger of Allah, for them there is a painful doom. They swear by Allah to you, Muslims, to please you, but Allah with his messenger hath more right that they should please him, if they are believers. Know they not that those who so opposeth Allah and his messenger, his verily is fire of hell, to abide therein? That is the extreme abasement. The hypocrites fear lest a surah should be revealed concerning them, proclaiming what is in their hearts. Say, scoff your fill, lo, Allah is disclosing what ye fear, and if thou ask them, O Muhammad, they will say, we did but talk and jest. Say, was it at Allah and his revelations and his messenger that ye did scoff? Make no excuse, ye have disbelieved after your confession of belief. If we forgive a party of you, a party of you we shall punish because they have been guilty. The hypocrites, both men and women, precede one from another. They enjoin the wrong, and they forbid the right, and they withhold their hands from spending for the cause of Allah. They forget Allah, so he hath forgotten them. Lo, the hypocrites, they are the transgressors. Allah promises the hypocrites both men and women and the disbelievers fire of hell for their abode. It will suffice them. Allah curseth them, and theirs is lasting torment. Even as those before you who were might hear their new in strength and more affluent than you in wealth and children, they enjoyed their lot a while, so ye enjoy your lot a while, while even as those before you did enjoyed their lot a while, and ye preyed on, and ye preyed even as they preyted, such are they whose works have perished in the world and the hereafter. Such are they who are the losers. Hath not the fame of those before them reached them, the folk of Noah, Ahad, Thamud, the folk of Abraham, the dwellers of Midian, and the disasters which befell them? Their messengers from Allah came unto them with proofs of Allah's sovereignty. So Allah surely wronged them not, but they did wrong themselves. And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends one of another. They enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay the poor due, and they obey Allah and His messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Low, Allah is mighty, wise. Allah promised to the believers men and women gardens underneath which rivers flow wherein they will abide, blessed dwellings in the gardens of Eden, and greater, far, acceptance from Allah. That is the supreme triumph. O prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end. They swear by Allah that they said nothing wrong, yet they did say the word of disbelief and did disbelieve after their surrender to Allah. And they proposed that which they could not attain, and they sought revenge only that Allah by His messenger should enrich them of His bounty. If they repent, it will be better for them. And if they turn away, Allah will afflict them with a painful doom in the world and the hereafter, and they have no protecting friend nor helper in the earth. And of them is He who made a covenant with Allah, saying, if He give us of His bounty, we will give alms and become of the righteous. Yet when He gave them of His bounty, they hoarded it and turned away a verse. So He hath made the consequence to be hypocrisy in their hearts, until the day when they shall meet Him, because they broke their word to Allah that they promised Him, and because they lied. Know they not that Allah knoweth both their secret and their thought that they confide, and that Allah is the knower of things hidden. Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as confine not to give but their endeavours and deride them, Allah Himself derideth them, theirs will be a painful doom. Ask forgiveness for them, O Muhammad, or ask not forgiveness for them. Ask forgiveness for them seventy times Allah will not forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and Allah guideeth not wrongdoing folk. Those who were left behind rejoiced at sitting still behind the messenger of Allah, and were averse to striving with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way, and they say, go not forth in the heat. Say, the fire of hell is more intensive heat if they but understood. Then let them laugh a little. They will weep much as the reward of what they used to earn. If Allah bring thee back from the campaign unto a party of them and they ask of thee leave to go out to fight, then say unto them, ye shall never more go out with me nor fight with me against a foe. Ye were content with sitting still the first time. So sit still with thee useless. And never, O Muhammad, pray for one of them who dieth nor stand by his grave. Lo, they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and they died while they were evil doers. Let not their wealth nor their children please thee. Allah purposeth only to punish them thereby in the world, and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers. And when a surah is revealed which sayeth, believe in Allah and strive along with his messenger, the wealth of men among them still ask leave of thee and say, suffer us to be with those who sit at home. They are content that they should be with the useless and their hearts are sealed so that they apprehend not. But the messenger and those who believe with him strive with their wealth and their lives. Such are they for whom are the good things, such are they who are the successful. Allah hath made ready for them gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. That is the supreme triumph. And those among the wandering Arabs who had an excuse came in order that permission might be granted them. And those who lied to Allah and his messenger sat at home, a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve. Not unto the weak, nor unto the sick, nor unto those who confined not to spend, is any fault to be imputed though they stay at home. If they are true to Allah and his messenger, not unto the good is there any road of blame. Allah is forgiving, merciful. Nor unto those whom, when they came to thee asking that thou shouldst mount them, thou didst tell, I cannot find whereon to mount you. They turned back with eyes flowing with tears, for sorrow that they could not find the means to spend. The road of blame is only against those who ask for leave of thee to stay at home when they are rich. They are content to be with the useless. Allah hath sealed their hearts so that they know not. They will make excuse to you Muslims when ye return unto them. Say, make no excuse, for we shall not believe you. Allah hath told us tidings of you. Allah and his messenger will see your conduct, and then ye will be brought back unto him who knoweth the invisible as well as the visible, and he will tell you what ye used to do. They will swear by Allah unto you when ye return unto them that ye may let them be, let them be for lo, they are unclean, and their abode is hell as the reward for what they used to earn. They swear unto you that ye may accept them, though ye accept them, Allah verily accepteth not wrongdoing folk. The wandering Arabs are more hard in disbelief and hypocrisy and more likely to be ignorant of the limits which Allah hath revealed unto his messenger, and Allah is knower, wise. And of the wandering Arabs, there is he who taketh that which he expendeth for the cause of Allah as a loss and awaiteth evil turns of fortune for you that he may be rid of it. The evil turn of fortune will be theirs. Allah is hearer, knower. And of the wandering Arabs, there is he who believeth in Allah and the last day and taketh that which he expendeth and also the prayers of the messenger as acceptable offerings in the sight of Allah. Lo, verily, it is an acceptable offering for them. Allah will bring them into his mercy. Lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. And the first to lead the way of the muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed in goodness, Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with him and he hath made ready for them gardens underneath which rivers flow wherein they will abide forever. That is the supreme triumph. And among those of you of the wandering Arabs there are hypocrites and among the townspeople of Al-Madinah there are some who persist in hypocrisy whom thou, O Muhammad, knowest not. We, we know them and we shall chastise them twice. Then they will be relegated to a painful doom. And there are others who have acknowledged their faults. They mixed a righteous action with another that was bad. It may be that Allah will relent toward them. Lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. Take alms of their wealth wherewith thou mayst purify them and mayst make them grow and pray for them. Lo, thy prayer is an assuagement for them. Allah is hearer, knower. Know they not that Allah is He who accepted repentance from His bondsmen and taketh the alms and that Allah is He who is the relenting, the merciful. And say unto them, Act. Allah will behold your actions and so will His messenger and the believers and He will be brought back to the knower of the invisible and the visible and He will tell you what He used to do. And there are others who await Allah's decree whether He will punish them or will forgive them. Allah is knower, wise. And as for those who choose a place of worship to opposition and disbelief and in order to cause dissent among the believers and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His messenger of foretime, they will surely swear, we purposed not save good. Allah beareth witness that they verily are liars. Never stand to pray there. A place of worship which was found upon duty to Allah from the first day is more worthy that thou should stand to pray therein, wherein are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loveth the purifiers. Is He who founded His building upon duty to Allah and His good pleasure better or He who founded His building on the brink of a crumbling, overhanging precipice so that it toppled with Him into the fire of hell? Allah guideeth not wrongdoing folk. The building which they built will never cease to be a misgiving in their hearts unless their hearts be torn to pieces. Allah is knower, wise. Lo, Allah hath bought from the believers their lives and their wealth because the garden will be theirs. They shall fight in the way of Allah and shall slay and be slain. It is a promise which is binding on Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Quran. Who fulfileth His covenant better than Allah? Rejoice then in your bargain that ye have made, for that is the supreme triumph. Triumphant are those who turn repentant to Allah, those who serve Him, those who praise Him, those who fast, those who bow down, those who fall prostrate in worship, those who enjoin the right and who forbid the wrong, and those who keep the limits ordained of Allah, and give glad tidings to believers. It is not for the prophet and those who believe to pray for the forgiveness of idolaters, even though they may be near of kin to them after it hath become clear that they are people of hellfire. The prayer of Abraham for the forgiveness of his father was only because of a promise he had promised him. But when it had become clear unto him that his father was an enemy to Allah, he, Abraham, disowned him. Lo, Abraham was soft of heart, long suffering. It was never Allah's part that he should send a focused ray after he had guided them until he had made clear unto them what they should avoid. Lo, Allah is aware of all things. Lo, Allah, unto him belongeth the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He quickeneth, and he giveth death. And ye have, instead of Allah, no protecting friend nor helper. Allah hath turned in mercy to the prophet and to the muhajireen and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of hardship. After the hearts of a party of them had almost swerved aside, then turned he unto them in mercy. Lo, he is full of pity, merciful for them. And to the three also he did turn in mercy who were left behind when the earth, vast as it is, was straightened for them and their own souls were straightened for them till they bethought them that there is no refuge from Allah saved toward him. Then turned he unto them in mercy that they too might turn repentant unto him. Lo, Allah, he is the relenting, the merciful. O ye who believe, be careful of your duty to Allah and be with the truthful. It is not for the townsfolk of Al-Madinah and for those around them of the wandering Arabs to stay behind the messenger of Allah and prefer their lives to his life. That is because neither thirst nor toil nor hunger afflicteth them in the way of Allah nor step they any step that angereth the disbelievers nor gain they from the enemy a gain but a good deed is rendered for them therefore. Lo, Allah looseth not the wagers of the good. Nor spend they any spending small or great nor do they cross a valley but it is rewarded for them that Allah may repay them the best of what they used to do. And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them a party only should go forth that they who are left behind may gain sound knowledge in religion and that they may warn their folk when they return to them so that they may beware. O ye who believe, fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you and let them find harshness in you and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty unto him and whenever a surah is revealed there are some of them who say which one of you hath thus increased in faith? As for those who believe it hath increased them in faith and they rejoice therefore but as for those in whose hearts is disease it only addeth wickedness to their wickedness that they die while they are disbelievers. See they not that they are tested once or twice in every year? Still they turn not in repentance. Neither pay they heed and whenever a surah is revealed they look one at another as who should say doth anybody see you? Then they turn away. Allah turneth away their hearts because they are a folk who understand not. There hath come unto you a messenger, one of yourselves, unto whom ought that ye are overburdened is grievous. Full of concern for you for the believers full of pity, merciful. Now if they turn away, O Muhammad, say Allah suffices me. There is no God save him. In him have I put my trust and he is Lord of the tremendous throne. End of Surah 9 Surah 10 of the meaning of the glorious Qur'an This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Linny The meaning of the glorious Qur'an Translated by Muhammad Marmaduk Pigtol Surah 10 Jonah Revealed at Mecca In the name of Allah the most beneficent, the most merciful Aleph Lom Ra These are verses of the wise scripture. Is it a wonder for mankind that we have inspired a man among them saying warn mankind and bring unto those who believe the good tidings that they have assured footing with their Lord? The disbelievers say, Lo, this is a mere wizard. Lo, your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth in six days. Then he established himself upon the throne directing all things. There is no intercessor with him save after his permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship him. Oh, will you not remind? Unto him is the return of all of you. It is a promise of Allah in truth. Lo, he produces creation then reproduces it that he may reward those who believe and do good works with equity while as for those who disbelieve theirs will be a boiling drink and painful doom because they disbelieved. Here it is who appointed the sun a splendor and the moon a light and measured for her stages that you might know the number of the years and the reckoning. Allah created not all that save in truth. He detaileth the revelations for people who have knowledge. Lo, in the difference of day and night and all that Allah have created in the heavens and the earth are portents, verily, for folk who ward off evil. Lo, those who expect not the meeting with us but desire the life of the world and feel secure therein and those who are neglectful of our revelations their home will be the fire because of what they use to earn. Lo, those who believe and do good works their Lord guideeth them by their faith. Rivers will flow beneath them in the gardens of the light. Their prayer therein will be glory be to thee, O Allah and their greeting therein will be peace and the conclusion of their prayer will be praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. If Allah were to hasten on for men the ill that they have earned as they would hasten on the good the respite would already have expired but we suffer those who look not for the meeting with us to wander blindly on in their contumacy and if misfortune touch a man he cryeth unto us while reclining on his side or sitting or standing but when we have relieved him of the misfortune he gulf his way as though he had not cried unto us because of a misfortune that afflicted him. Thus is what they do made seeming fair unto the prodigal. We destroy the generations before you when they did wrong and their messengers from Allah came unto them with clear proofs of his sovereignty but they would not believe. Thus do we reward the guilty folk. Then we appointed you viceroyce in the earth after them that we might see how you behave and when our clear revelations are recited unto them they who look not for the meeting with us say bring a lecture other than this or change it say, O Muhammad it is not for me to change it of my accord I only follow that which is inspired in me though if I disobey my lord I fear the retribution of an awful day say if Allah had so willed I should not have recited it to you nor would he have made it known to you I dwelled among you a whole lifetime before it came to me have you then no sense? who doth greater wrong than he who invented the lie concerning Allah and deny his revelations lo the guilty never are successful they worship beside Allah that which neither hurteth them nor profiteth them and they say these are our intercessors with Allah say would you inform Allah of something that he knoweth not in the heavens or in the earth praise be he and high exalted above all that ye associate with him mankind were but one community then they differed and had it not been for a word that had already gone forth from thy lord it had been judged between them and respect of what wearing they differ and they will say if only a portent were sent down upon him from his lord then say oh Muhammad the unseen belongeth to Allah so wait lo I am waiting with you and when we cause mankind to taste of mercy for some adversity which had afflicted them behold they have some plot against our revelations say Allah is more swift in plotting lo our messengers write down that which he plot here it is who maketh you to go on the land and the sea till when ye are in the ships and they sail with them with a fair breeze and they are glad they're in a storm wind riches them and they comeeth unto them from every side and they deem that they are overwhelmed therein then they cry unto Allah making their faith pure for him only if thou deliver us from this which truly will be of the thankful yet when he hath delivered them behold they rebel in the earth wrongfully oh mankind your rebellion is only against yourselves we have enjoyment of the life of the world then unto us is your return and we shall proclaim unto you what he used to do the similitude of the life of the world is only as water which we send down from the sky then the earth's growth of that which men and cattle eat mingles with it till when the earth hath taken on her ornaments and is embellished and her people deem that they are masters of her our commandment cometh by night or by day and we make it as reaped corn as if it hath not flourished yesterday thus we do expound the revelations for people who reflect and Allah summons to the abode of peace and leadeth whom he will to a straight path for those who do good is the best reward and more thereto neither dust nor ignominy cometh near their faces such are rightful owners of the garden they will abide therein and those who earn ill-deeds for them reputable of each ill-deed by the like thereof and ignominy overtakeeth them they have no protector from Allah as if their faces hath been covered with a cloak of darkest night such are rightful owners of the fire they will abide therein on the day when we gather all together, then we say unto those who ascribe partners unto us stand back, ye and your pretended partners of Allah and we separate them the one from the other and their pretended partners say it was not us you worshipped Allah suffices as a witness between us and you that we were unaware of your worship there doth every soul experience that which it did a foretime and they are returned unto Allah their rightful Lord and that which they used to invent hath failed them say unto them, O Muhammad who provided for you from the sky and the earth or who oneth hearing inside and who bringeth forth the living from the dead and bringeth forth the dead from the living and who directed the course they will say Allah then say will ye not then keep your duty unto him such then is Allah your rightful Lord after the truth what is there saving error how then are ye turned away thus is the word of thy Lord justified concerning those who do wrong that they believe not say is there of your partners whom ye ascribed unto Allah one that produces creation and then reproduces it say Allah produces creation then reproduces it how then are ye misled say is there of your partners whom ye ascribe unto Allah one that leadeth to the truth say Allah leadeth to the truth is he who leadeth to the truth more deserving that he should be followed he who findeth not the way unless he himself be guided what aileth you how judge ye most of them follow not the conjecture assuredly conjecture can by no means take the place of truth lo Allah is aware of what they do and this Quran is not such as could ever be invented in the spite of Allah but it is a confirmation of that for it and an exposition of that which is decreed for mankind therein is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds or say they he hath invented it say then bring a surah like unto it and call for help on all ye can besides Allah if ye are truthful they but they deny that the knowledge were off they could not compass and were off the interpretation and the consequences have not yet come unto them even so did those before them deny then see what was the consequence for the wrong doers and of them is he who believeth therein and of them is he who believeth not therein and thy Lord is best aware of the corrupters and if they deny they say unto me my work and unto you your work is what I do and I am innocent of what ye do and of them are some who listen unto thee but canst thou make the death to hear even though they apprehend not and of them is he who looketh toward thee but canst thou guide the blind even though they see not low Allah wrongeth not mankind in ought but mankind wrong themselves and on the day when he shall gather them together when it will seem as though they had tarried but an hour of the day recognizing one another those will verily have perished who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided whether we let thee O Muhammad behold something of that which we promise them or whether we cause thee to die still unto us is their return and Allah moreover his witness over what they do and for every nation there is a messenger and with their messenger cometh on the day of judgment it will be judged between them fairly and they will not be wronged and they say when will this promise be fulfilled if ye are truthful say I have no power to hurt or benefit myself save that which Allah willeth for every nation there is an appointed time when their time cometh then they cannot put it off no power nor hasten it say have ye thought when his doom cometh unto you as a raid by night or in the busy day what is there of it that the guilty ones desire to hasten is it only then when it hath befallen you that ye will believe what believe now when until now you have been hasten it on through disbelief that ye will be dealt unjustly taste the torment of eternity are ye requited ought save what ye used to earn and they asked thee to inform them saying is it true say ye by my lord verily it is true and ye cannot escape and if each soul that doth wrong hath all that is in the earth it would seek to ransom itself therewith and they will feel remorse within them when they see the doom but it hath been judged between them fairly and they are not wronged lo verily all that is in the heavens and the earth is alas lo verily alas promise is true but most of them know not he quickeneth and giveth death and unto him ye will be returned oh mankind there hath come unto you an exhortation from your lord a balm for that which is in the breasts a guidance and a mercy for believers say in the bounty of Allah and in his mercy therein let them rejoice it is better than what they hoard say have ye considered what provision Allah hath sent down for you how ye have made of it lawful and unlawful hath Allah permitted you or do ye invent Allah concerning Allah and what think those who invent Allah concerning Allah will be their ply upon the day of resurrection lo Allah truly is bountiful toward mankind but most of them give not thanks and thou Muhammad are not occupied with any business and thou recite us not a lecture from this scripture and ye mankind perform no act we are witness of you when ye are engaged therein and not an atom's weight in the earth or in the sky escapeth your lord nor what is less than that or greater than that but it is written in a clear book lo verily the friends of Allah are those on whom fear cometh not nor do they grieve those who believe and keep their duty to Allah theirs are good tidings in the life of the world and in the hereafter there is no changing the words of Allah that is the supreme triumph and let not their speech grieve thee o Muhammad lo power belongeth holy to Allah he is the hearer the knower lo is it not unto Allah that belongeth whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth those who follow Allah follow not his partners they follow only a conjecture and they do but guess he it is who hath appointed for you the night that ye should rest therein and the day giving side lo herein verily are portents for a folk that heed they say Allah hath taken unto him a son glorified be he he hath no needs his is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth ye hath no warrant for this tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not say verily those who invent Allah concerning Allah will not succeed this world's portion will be theirs then unto us is their return then we make them taste a dreadful doom because they use to disbelieve recite unto them the story of Noah when he told his people all my people if my sojourn here and my reminding you by Allah's revelations are an offence unto you in Allah hath I put my trust so decide upon your course of action you and your partners let not your course of action being doubt for you then have at me give me no respite but if ye are averse I hath asked of you no wage of Allah only and I am commended to be of those who surrender unto him but they denied him so we saved him and those with him in the ship and made the vice-rise in the earth while we drowned those who denied our revelations see them the nature of the consequence for those who had been warned then after him we sent messengers unto their folk and they brought them clear proofs but they were not ready to believe in that which they before denied thus sprint we on the hearts of the transgressors then after them we sent Moses and Aaron unto Pharaoh and his chiefs with our revelations but they were arrogant and were a guilty folk and when the truth from our presence came unto them they said this is mere magic Moses said speak your soul of the truth come unto you is this magic now magicians thrive not they said hast thou come unto us to pervert us from that faith in which we found our fathers and that you too may own the place of greatness in the land we will not believe you too and Pharaoh said bring every cunning wizard unto me and when the wizards came Moses said unto them cast your cast and when they had cast Moses said that which he have brought is magic low Allah will make it vain low Allah upholdeth not the work of mischief makers and Allah will vindicate the truth by his words however much the guilty be averse but non-trusted Moses save some science of his people and they were in fear of Pharaoh and their chiefs that would persecute them low Pharaoh was verily a tyrant in the land and low he verily was of the wanted and Moses said oh my people if you have believed in Allah then put trust in him if you have indeed surrendered unto him they said in Allah we put trust our lord oh make us not allure for the wrongdoing folk and of thy mercy save us from the folk that disbelieve and we inspired Moses and his brother saying appoint houses for your people in Egypt and make your houses oratories and establish worship and give good news to the believers and Moses said our lord low thou hast given Pharaoh and his chiefs splendor and riches in the life of the world our lord that they may lead man astray from thy way our lord destroy their riches and harden their hearts so that they will believe not till they see the painful doom he said your prayer is heard do ye twain keep to the straight path and follow not the road of those who have no knowledge and we brought the children of Israel across the sea and Pharaoh with his host pursued them in rebellion and transgression till when the fate of drowning overtook him he explained I believe that there is no god save him in whom the children of Israel believe and I am of those who surrender unto him what? now when hitherto thou hast rebelled and been of the wrongdoers but this day we save thee in thy body that thou mayst be important for those after thee low most of mankind are heedless of our portents and we verily did a lot unto the children of Israel affix the bold and did provide them with good things and they differed not until the knowledge came unto them low thy lord will judge between them on the day of resurrection concerning that wherein they used to differ and if thou, Muhammad art in doubt concerning that which we reveal unto thee then question those who read the scripture that was before thee the truth from thy lord have come unto thee so be not thou of the waivers and be not thou of those who deny the revelations of Allah for then were thou of the losers low those for whom the word of thy lord concerning sinners have effect will not believe though every token come unto them till they see the painful doom if only there had been a community of all those that were destroyed of old that believed and profited by its belief as did the folk of Jonah when they believed we drew off from them the torment of this grace in the life of the world and gave them comfort for a while and if thy lord willed all who are in the earth would have believed together would thou, Muhammad compel men unto they are believers it is not for any soul to believe save by the permission of Allah we have said uncleanness upon those who have no sense say behold what is in the heavens and the earth but revelations and warnings avail not folk who will not believe what expect they save the like of the days of those who passed away before them say expect then I am with you among the expectant then shall we save our messengers and the believers in like manner as of old it is incumbent upon us to save believers say oh Muhammad oh mankind if you are in doubt of my religion then know that I worship not those whom you worship instead of Allah but I worship Allah who causes you to die and I have been commended to be of the believers and oh Muhammad set thy purpose resolutely for religion as a man by nature upright do not of those who ascribe partners to Allah and cry not beside Allah unto that which cannot profit thee nor hurt thee for if thou didst so then were thou of the wrong doers if Allah afflicteth thee with some hurt there is none who can remove it save him and if he desires good for thee there is none who can repel his bounty he strikeeth with it his bondmen he is the forgiving the merciful say oh mankind now hath the truth from your lord come unto you so whosoever is guided is guided only for the good of his soul and whosoever earth earth only against it and I am not a warder over you and oh Muhammad follow that which is inspired in thee and forbear until Allah give judgment and he is the best of judges end of surah 10 hood revealed at mecca in the name of Allah the most beneficent the most merciful alif lamra this is a scripture the revelations were off up effected and then it spounded it cometh from one wise informed saying serve none but Allah low I am unto you from him a warner and a bringer of good tidings and bidding you ask pardon of your lord and turn to him repentant he will cause you to enjoy a fairer state until a time appointed he giveth his bounty unto every bountiful one but if ye turn away low then I fear for you the retribution of an awful day unto Allah is your return and he is able to do all things low now they fold up their breasts that they may hide their thoughts from him at the very moment when they cover themselves with their clothing Allah knoweth that which they keep hidden and that which they proclaim low he is aware of what is in the breasts of men and there is not a beast in the earth but the sustenance thereof depended on Allah he knoweth its habitation and its repository all is in a clear record and he it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days and his throne was upon the water that he might try you which of you is best in conduct yet if thou O Muhammad sayest low ye will be raised again after death those who disbelieve will surely say this is naught but mere magic and if we delay for them the doom until a reckoned time they will surely say what withholdeth it verily on the day when it cometh unto them it cannot be averted from them and that which they derided will surround them and if we cause man to taste some mercy from us afterward withdraw it from him low he is despairing thankless and if we cause him to taste grace after some misfortune that had befallen him he sayeth the ills have gone from me low he is a resultant boastful save those who persevere and do good works theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward a likely thing that thou wouldest forsake or of that which hath been revealed unto thee and that thy breast should be straightened for it because they say why hath not a treasure been sent down for him or an angel come with him thou art but a warner and Allah is in charge of all things or they say he hath invented it say then bring 10 surahs the like their off invented and call on everyone you can beside Allah if ye are truthful and if they answer not your prayer then know that it is revealed only in the knowledge of Allah and that there is no God save him will ye then be of those who surrender who so desire of the life shall be filled in its pomp we shall repay them their deeds herein and therein they will not be wronged those are they for whom is naught in the hereafter save the fire all that they contrive here is vain and all that they are want to do is fruitless is he to be counted equal with them who relyeth on a clear proof from his Lord Moses an example and a mercy such believe therein and who so disbelieve if therein of the clans the fire is his appointed place so be not thou in doubt concerning it lo it is the truth from thy Lord but most of mankind believe not who doeth greater wrong than he who invented the lie concerning Allah such will be brought before their Lord and the witnesses will say these are they who lied concerning their Lord now the curse of Allah is upon wrongdoers who debar men from the way of Allah and would have it crooked and who are disbelievers in the hereafter such will not escape the earth nor have they any protecting friends beside Allah for them the torment will be double they could not bear to hear and they used not to see such are they who have lost their souls and that which they used to invent hath failed them assuredly in the hereafter they will be the greatest losers lo those who believe and do good works and humble themselves before their Lord such are rightful owners of the garden they will abide therein the similitude of the two parties is as the blind and the deaf and the seer and the hearer are they equal in similitude will you not then be admonished and we sent Noah unto his folk and he said lo I am a plain warner unto you that ye serve none save Allah lo I fear for you the retribution of a painful day the chieftains of his folk who disbelieved said we see thee but immortal like us and we see not that any follow thee save the most abject among us without reflection we beholden you no merit above us nay we deem you liars he said oh my people but thank you if I rely on a clear proof from my Lord and there have come unto me a mercy from his presence and it hath been made obscure to you can we compel you to accept it when ye are adverse thereto and oh my people I ask of you no wealth therefore my reward is the concern only of Allah and I am not going to thrust away those who believe lo they have to meet their Lord but I see you a folk that are ignorant and oh my people who would deliver me from Allah if I thrust them away will ye not then reflect I say not unto you I have the treasures of Allah nor I have knowledge of the unseen nor say I lo I am an angel nor say I unto those whom your eyes scorn that Allah will not give them good Allah knoweth best what is in their hearts lo then indeed I should be of the wrongdoers they said oh Noah thou hast disputed with us and multiplied disputation with us now bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us if thou art of the truthful he said only Allah will bring it upon you and ye can by no means escape my council will not profit you if I were minded to advise you if Allah's will is to keep you astray he is your Lord and unto him ye will be brought back or say they again he hath invented it say if I have invented it upon me be my crimes but I am innocent of all that ye commit and it was inspired in Noah saying now one of my folk will believe save him who hath believed already be not distressed because of what they do build the ship under our eyes and by our inspiration and speak not unto me on behalf of those who do wrong lo they will be drowned and he was building the ship and every time that cheap dens of his people passed him they made mock of him he said though ye make mock of us yet we mock at you even as ye mock and ye shall know to whom a punishment that will confound him cometh and upon whom a lasting doom will fall thus it was till when our commandment came to pass and the oven gushed forth water we said load therein two of every kind a pair the male and female and thy household save him against whom the word hath gone forth already and those who believe and but a few were they who believed with him and he said embark therein in the name of Allah the its course and its mooring lo my lord is forgiving merciful and it sailed with them in midwaves like mountains and Noah cried unto his son and he was standing aloof oh my son come ride with us and be not with the disbelievers he said I shall but take me to some mountain that will save me from the water Noah said this day there is none that saveth from the commandment of Allah save him on whom he hath had mercy and the wave came in between them so he was among the drowned and it was said oh earth swallow thy water and oh sky be cleared of clouds and the water was made to subside and the commandment was fulfilled and it the ship came to rest upon the mount Ayud and it was said a far removal for wrongdoing folk and Noah cried unto his lord and said my lord lo my son is of my household surely thy promise is the truth and thou are the most just of judges he said oh Noah lo he is not of thy household lo he is of the evil conduct so ask not of me that whereof thou has no knowledge I admonish thee lest thou be among the ignorant he said my lord lo in thee do I seek refuge from the sin that I should ask of thee that whereof I have no knowledge unless thou forgive me and have mercy on me I shall be among the lost it was said unto him oh Noah go thou down from the mountain with peace from us and some nations that will spring from those with thee there will be other nations unto whom we shall give enjoyment a long while and then a painful doom from us will overtake them this is of the tidings of the unseen which we inspire in thee Muhammad thou thyself newest it not nor did thy folk know it before this then have patience lo the sequel it is for those who ward off evil and unto the tribe of Aad we sent their brother who he said oh my people serve Allah ye have no other gods save him lo ye do but invent oh my people I ask of you no reward for it lo my reward is the concern only of him who made me have ye then no sense and oh my people ask forgiveness of your lord then turn unto him repentant he will cause the sky to reign abundance on you and will add unto you strength to your strength turn not away guilty they said oh who'd they prove and we are not going to forsake our gods on thy mere saying and we are not believers in thee we say naught save that one of our gods hath possessed thee in an evil way he said I call Allah to witness and do ye too bear witness that I am innocent of all that ye ascribe as partners to Allah beside him so try to circumvent me all of you give me no respite lo I have put my trust in Allah my lord and your lord not an animal but he doth grasp it by the forelock lo my lord is on a straight path and if ye turn away still I have conveyed unto you that wherewith I was sent unto you and my lord will set in place of you a folk other than you ye cannot injure him at all lo my lord is guardian over all things and when our commandment came to pass we saved Hud and those who believed with him by a mercy from us we saved them from a harsh doom and such were Ahad they denied the revelations of their lord and flouted his messengers and followed the command of every foward potential and a curse was made to follow them in the world and on the day of resurrection lo, Ahad disbelieved in their lord a far removal for Ahad the folk of Hud and unto the tribe of Tharmud we sent their brother Salih he said oh my people serve Allah ye have no other god save him he breathed him he brought you forth from the earth and hath made you husband dead so ask forgiveness of him and turn unto him repentant lo, my lord is nigh responsive they said oh Salih thou hast been among us hitherto as that wherein our hope was placed thus thou askest not to worship what our fathers worshipped lo, we verily are engraved out concerning that to which thou callest us he said oh my people if I am acting on clear proof from my lord and there hath come unto me a mercy from him who will save me from Allah if I disobey him ye would add to me nor to say perdition oh my people this is the camel of Allah a token unto you so suffer her to feed in Allah's earth and touch her not with harm lest a near torment seize you but they hamstrung her and then he said enjoy life in your dwelling place three days this is a threat that will not be belied so when our commandment came to pass we saved Salih and those who believed with him by mercy from us from the ignominy of that day lo, thy lord he is the strong the mighty and the awful cry overtook those who did wrong so the morning found them prostrate in their dwellings as though they had not dwelt there lo, Thamud disbelieved in their lord a far removal for Thamud and our messengers came unto Abraham with good news they said peace he answered peace and delayed not to bring a roasted calf and when he saw the hands reached not to it he mistrusted them and conceived a fear of them they said fear not lo, we are sent unto the folk of a lot and his wife standing by laughed when we gave her good tidings of the birth of Isaac and after Isaac of Jacob she said oh, woe is me shall I bear a child when I am an old woman and this my husband is an old man lo, this is a strange thing they said wanderest thou at the commandment of Allah the mercy of Allah and his blessings be upon you oh people of the house lo, he is owner of praise owner of glory and when the order parted from Abraham and the glad news reached him he pleaded with us on behalf of the folk of Lot lo, Abraham was mild imploring, penitent it was said oh Abraham forsake this lo, thy Lord's commandment hath gone forth and lo, there cometh unto them a doom which cannot be repelled and when our messengers came unto Lot he was distressed and knew not how to protect them he said this is a distressful day and his people came unto him running towards him and before then they used to commit abominations oh my people here are my daughters they are purer for you beware of Allah and degrade me not in the person of my guests is there not among you any upright man they said well thou knowest that we have no right to thy daughters and well thou knowest what we want he said would that I had strength to resist you that's some strong support among you the messengers said oh Lot, lo we are messengers of thy Lord they shall not reach thee so travel with thy people in a part of the night and let not one of you turn round all save thy wife lo, that which smite of them will smite her also lo, their trist is for the morning is not the morning nigh so when our commandment came to pass we overthrew that township and rained upon it stones of clay one after another marked with fire in the providence of thy Lord for the destruction of the wicked and they are never far from the wrongdoers and unto Median we sent their brother Shu'ayb he said oh my people serve Allah and God save him and give not short measure and short weight lo, I see you well to do and lo, I fear for you the doom of a besetting day oh my people give full measure and full weight in justice and wrong not people in respect of their goods and do not evil in the earth causing corruption that which Allah leaveeth with you is better for you if ye are believers and I am not a keeper over you they said oh Shu'ayb doth thy way of prayer command thee that we should forsake that which our fathers used to worship or that we should leave off doing what we will with our own property lo, thou art the mild the guide to right behaviour he said oh my people if I am acting on a clear proof from my Lord and he sustaineth me with fair sustenance from him how can I concede ought to you I desire not to do behind your backs that which I ask you not to do I desire not save reform so far as I am able my welfare is only in Allah in him I trust I turn repentant and oh my people let not the schism with me cause you to sin so that there before you that which befell the folk of Noah and the folk of Hud and the folk of Sali and the folk of Lot are not far off from you ask pardon of your Lord and then turn unto him repentant lo, my Lord is merciful, loving they said oh Shu Aib we understand not much of that thou tellest and lo, we do behold thee weak among us but for thy family we should have stoned thee for thou art not strong against us he said oh my people is my family more to be honoured by you than Allah and ye put him behind you neglected lo, my Lord surroundeth what ye do and oh my people act according to your power lo, I too am acting you will soon know on whom they come at the doom that will abase him and who it is that lieth and watch lo, I am a watcher with you and when our commandment came to pass we saved Shu Aib and those who believed with him by a mercy from us and the awful cry sees those who did injustice and mourning found them prostrate in their dwellings as though they had not dwelt there a far removal for Median even a star mood had been removed afar and verily we sent Moses with our revelations and a clear warrant to Pharaoh and his chiefs but they did follow the command of Pharaoh and the command of Pharaoh was no right guide he will go before his people on the day of resurrection and will lead them to the fire for watering place our hapless is the watering place wither they are led a curse is made to follow them in the world and on the day of resurrection that is something of the tidings of the townships which were destroyed of old we are related unto thee, Muhammad some of them are standing and some already reaped we wronged them not but they did wrong themselves and their gods on whom they call beside Allah availed them naught when came thy Lord's command they added to them naught save run even thus is the grasp of thy Lord when he graspeth the townships while they are doing wrong lo, his grasp is painful very strong lo, here in verily there is a portent for those who fear the doom of the hereafter that is a day unto which mankind will be gathered and that is a day that will be witnessed and we defer it only to a term already reckoned on the day when it cometh no soul will speak except by his permission some among them will be wretched others glad as for those who will be wretched on that day they will be in the fire sighing and wailing will be their portion therein abiding there so long as the heavens and the earth endure save for that which thy Lord willeth lo, thy Lord is doer of what he will and as for those who will be glad that day they will be in the garden abiding there so long as the heavens and the earth endure save for that which thy Lord willeth a gift unfailing so be not thou in doubt concerning that which these folk worship they worship only as their fathers worship to foretime lo, we shall pay them their whole Jew unabated and we verily gave unto Moses the scripture and there was strife thereupon and had it not been for a word that had already gone forth from thy Lord the case would have been judged between them and lo they are in grave doubt concerning it and lo, until each thy Lord will verily repay his works in full lo he is informed of what they do so tread thou the straight path as thou art commanded and those who turn unto Allah with thee and transgress not lo he is seer of what ye do and incline not toward those who do wrong lest the fire touch you and ye have no protecting friends against Allah and afterward ye would not be helped establish worship at the two ends of the day and in some watches of the night lo, good deeds are null ill deeds this is a reminder for the mindful and have patience O Muhammad for lo, Allah looseth not the wages of the good if only there had been among the generations before you men possessing a remnant of good sense to warn their people from corruption in the earth as did a few of those whom we saved from them the wrongdoers followed that by which they were made sapless and were guilty in truth thy Lord destroyed not the townships tyrannously while their folk were doing right and if thy Lord had willed he verily would have made mankind one nation yet they cease not differing save him on whom thy Lord hath mercy and for that he did create them and the word of thy Lord hath been fulfilled verily I shall fill hell with the gin and mankind together and all that we relate under thee of the story of the messengers is in order that thereby we may make firm thy heart and herein have come under thee the truth and an exhortation and a reminder for believers and say unto those who believe not at according to your power low we too are acting and wait low we too are waiting and alas is the invisible of the heavens and the earth and unto him the whole matter will be returned so worship him and put thy trust in him low thy Lord is not unaware of what he mortals do end of surah 11 please visit LibriVox.org recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater the meaning of the glorious Quran translated by Muhammad Mamadouk Pikthal surah 12 the surah of Joseph revealed at Makkah in the name of Allah the most beneficent the most merciful alif, lam, ra these are the verses of the scripture that Makkah's plain low we have revealed it a lecture in Arabic that ye may understand we narrate unto thee Muhammad the best of narratives in that we have inspired in thee this Quran though a foretime thou wast of the heedless when Joseph said unto his father oh my father lo I saw on a dream 11 planets and the sun and the moon I saw them prostrating themselves unto me he said oh my dear son tell not thy brethren of thy vision lest they plot to plot against thee lo Satan is for man an open foe thus thy Lord will prefer thee and will teach thee the interpretation of events and will perfect his grace and will perfect his grace and will perfect his grace and will perfect his grace upon thee and upon the family of Jacob as he perfected it upon thy forefathers Abraham and Isaac lo thy Lord is knower wise verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs of Allah's sovereignty for the inquiring when they said verily Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are many though we be lo our father is in plain aberration one said kill Joseph or cast him to some other land so that your father's favour may be all for you and that ye may afterward be righteous folk one among them said kill not Joseph but if he must be doing fling him into the depth of the pit some caravan will find him they said oh our father why wilt thou not trust us with Joseph when lo we are good friends to him send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play and lo we shall take good care of him he said lo in truth it saddens me that you should take him with you and I fear lest the wolf devour him while ye are heedless of him they said if the wolf should devour him when we are so strong a band that he perished then when they let him off and were of one mind that they should place him in the depth of the pit we inspired in him thou wilt tell them of this deed of theirs when they know thee not and they came weeping to their father in the evening saying oh our father we went racing one with another and left Joseph by our things and the wolf devoured him and thou believest not our saying even when we speak the truth and they came with false blood on his shirt he said my course is comely patience and the law it is whose help is to be sought in that predicament which ye describe and there came a caravan and they sent their water-drawer and he let down his pale into the pit he said good luck here as a youth and they hid him as a treasure and the law was aware of what they did and they sold him for a low price a number of silver coins and they attached no value to him and he of Egypt who purchased him said unto his wife receive him honourably perchance he may prove useful to us or we may adopt him as a son thus we established Joseph in the land that we might teach him the interpretation of events and Allah was predominant in his career but most of mankind know not and when he reached his prime we gave him wisdom and knowledge thus we reward the good and she in whose house he was asked of him an evil act she bolted the doors and said come he said I seek refuge in Allah lo he is my lord who hath treated me honourably lo wrong doers never prosper she verily desired him and he would have desired her if it had not been that he saw the argument of his lord thus it was that we might ward off from him evil and lewdness lo he was of our chosen slaves and they raced with one another to the door and she tore his shirt from behind and they met her lord and master at the door she said she shall be his reward who wishes evil to thy folk save prison or a painful doom Joseph said she it was who asked of me an evil act and a witness of her own folk testified if his shirt is torn from before then she speaketh the truth and he is of the liars and if his shirt is torn from behind then sheeth lied and he is of the truthful so when he saw his shirt torn from behind he said lo this is of the guile of you women lo the guile of you is very great oh Joseph turn away from this and thou o woman ask forgiveness for thy sin lo thou art of the faulty and women in the city said the ruler's wife is asking of her slave boy an ill deed indeed he has smitten her to the heart with love we behold her in plain aberration and when she heard of their sly talk she sent to them and prepared for them a cushioned couch to lie on at the feast and gave to every one of them a knife and said to Joseph come out unto them and when they saw him they exalted him and cut their hands exclaiming Allah blameless this is not a human being this is not other than some gracious angel she said this is he on whose account he blamed me I asked of him an evil act but he proved continent but if he do not my behest he verily shall be imprisoned and verily shall be of those brought low he said oh my lord prison is more dear than that unto which they urge me and if thou fed not off their wiles from me I shall incline unto them and become of the foolish so his lord heard his prayer and fended off their wiles from him low he is hearer knower and it seemed good to them the men folk after they had seen the signs of his innocence to imprison him for a time and two young men went to prison with him one of them said I dreamed that I was pressing wine the other said I dreamed that I was carrying upon my head bread whereof the birds were eating announced unto us the interpretation for we see thee of those good at interpretation he said the food which ye are given daily shall not come unto you but I shall tell you the interpretation ere it cometh unto you this is of that which my lord have taught me low I have forsaken the religion of folk who believe not in a law and are disbelievers in the hereafter and I have followed the religion of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and Jacob it never was for us to attribute ought as partner to a law this is of the bounty of a law unto us the seed of Abraham and unto mankind but most men give not thanks oh my fellow prisoners are diverse lords better or a law the one almighty those whom ye worship beside him are but names which ye have named their fathers a law hath revealed no sanction for them the decision rests with a law only who hath commanded you that ye worship none save him this is the right religion but most men know not oh my two fellow prisoners as for one of you he will pour out wine for his lord to drink and as for the other he will be crucified so that the birds will eat from his head thus is the case judged concerning which he did inquire and he said unto him of the twain who he knew would be released mention me in the presence of thy lord but satan caused him to forget to mention it to his lord so he joseph stayed in prison for some years and the king said lo I saw in a dream seven fat kind four eating and seven green ears of corn and other seven dry oh notables expound for me my vision if ye can interpret dreams they answered jumbled dreams and we are not knowing in the interpretation of dreams and he of the two who was released and now at length remembered said I am going to announce unto you the interpretation therefore send me forth and when he came to joseph in the prison he exclaimed joseph oh thou truthful one expound for us the seven fat kind which seven lean were eating and the seven green ears of corn another seven dry that I may return unto the people so that they may know he said, ye shall sow seven years as usual but that which ye reap leave it in the ear all save a little which ye eat then after that will come seven hard years which will devour all that he have prepared for them save a little of that which he have stored then after that will come a year when the people will have plenty of crops and when they will press wine and oil and the king said bring him unto me and when the messenger came unto him he joseph said return unto thy lord and ask him what was the case of the women and what their hands lo my lord knoweth their guile he the king then sent for those women and said what happened when he asked an evil act of joseph they answered Allah blameless we know no evil of him said the wife of the ruler now the truth is out I asked of him an evil act and he is surely of the truthful then joseph said I asked for this I know that I betrayed him not in secret and that surely Allah guideeth not the snare of the betrayers I do not exculpate myself lo the human soul and joineth unto evil save that were on my lordeth mercy lo my lord is forgiving merciful and the king said bring him unto me that I may attach him to my person and when he had talked with him he said lo thou art today our presence established and trusted he said set me over the storehouses of the land lo I am a skilled custodian thus gave we power to joseph in the land he was the owner of it where he pleased he reached with our mercy whom he will we lose not the reward of the good and the reward of the hereafter is better for those who believe and ward off evil and joseph's brethren came and presented themselves before him and he knew them but they knew him not and when he provided them with their provision he said bring unto me a brother of yours from your father see not that I fill up the measure and I am the best of hosts and if you bring him not unto me then there shall be no measure for you with me nor shall you draw near they said we will try to win him from his father and we will surely do he said unto his young men place their merchandise in their saddle bags so that they may know it when they go back to their folk and so will come again so when they went back to their father they said oh our father the measure is denied us so send us with our brother that we may obtain the measure surely we will guard him well he said can I entrust him to you save as I entrusted his brother to you a foretime Allah is better at guarding and he is the most merciful of those who show mercy and when they opened their belongings they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them they said oh our father what more can we ask here is our merchandise returned to us we shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother and we shall have the extra measure of a camel load he said I will not send him with you till ye give me an undertaking in the name of Allah that you will bring him back to me unless you are surrounded and when they gave him their undertaking he said Allah is the warden over what we say and he said oh my sons go not in by one gate go in by different gates I cannot avail you as against Allah the decision rests with Allah only in him do I put my trust and in him let all the trusting put their trust and when they entered in the manner which their father had enjoined it would have not availed them as against Allah it was but a need of Jacob's soul which he thus satisfied and lo he was a lord of knowledge because we had taught him but most of mankind know not and when they went in before Joseph he took his brother unto him saying lo I even I am thy brother therefore sorrow not for what they did and when he provided them with their provision he put the drinking cup in his brother's saddle bag and then a cryer cried oh camel riders lo ye are surely thieves they cried coming toward them what is it ye have lost we have lost the king's cup and he who bringeth it shall have a camel load and I said Joseph am answerable for it they said by Allah well ye know we came not to do evil in the land and are no thieves they said and what shall be the penalty for it if ye prove liars they said the penalty for it he in whose bag the cup is found he is the penalty for it wrong doers then he Joseph began the search with their bags before his brother's bag then he produced it from his brother's bag thus did we can try for Joseph he could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed we raise by grades of mercy whom we will and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing they said a brother of his stole before but Joseph kept it secret in his soul and revealed it not unto them he said within himself ye are in worse case and Allah knoweth best the truth of that which he allege they said oh ruler of the land lo he hath a very aged father so take one of us instead of him lo we behold thee of those who do kindness he said that we should seize save him with whom we found our property then truly we should be wrong doers so when they despaired of moving him they conferred together a part the eldest of them said know ye not how your father took an undertaking from you in Allah's name and how ye failed in the case of Joseph a foretime therefore I shall not go forth in the land until my father giveth leave for Allah judges for me he is the best of judges return unto your father and say oh our father lo thy son hath stolen we testify only to that which we know we are not guardians of the unseen ask the township where we were and the caravan with which we traveled hither lo we speak the truth and when they came unto their father and had spoken thus to him he said and he turned away from them and said alas my grief for Joseph and his eyes were whitened with the sorrow that he was suppressing they said by Allah thou wilt never cease remembering Joseph till thy health is ruined or thou art of those who perish he said alas my grief for Joseph and his eyes were whitened with the sorrow that he was suppressing they said he said I expose my distress and anguish only unto Allah and I know from Allah that which ye know not go o my sons and ascertain concerning Joseph and his brother and despair not of the Spirit of Allah lo none despair of the Spirit of Allah save disbelieving folk and when they came again before him Joseph they said hath touched us and our folk, and we bring but poor merchandise. So fill for us the measure, and be charitable unto us. Lo, Allah will requite the charitable." He said, "'Know ye what ye did unto Joseph, and his brother, and your ignorance?' They said, "'Is it indeed thou who art Joseph?' He said, "'I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah hath shown us favour. Lo, he who wardeth off evil, and endureth findeth favour. Below Allah looseth not the wages of the kindly.' They said, "'By Allah, verily Allah hath preferred thee above us, and we were indeed sinful.' He said, "'Have no fear this day. May Allah forgive you, and he is the most merciful of those who show mercy. Go with this shirt of mine, and lay it on my father's face, and he will become again a seer, and come to me with all your folk.'" When the caravan departed, their father had said, "'Truly I am conscious of the breath of Joseph, though ye call me doted.'" Those around him said, "'By Allah, lo, thou art in thine old aberration.'" Then when the bear of glad tidings came, he laid it on his face, and he became a seer once more. He said, "'Said I not unto you that I know from Allah that which ye know not?' They said, "'O my father, ask forgiveness of our sins for us, for lo, we were sinful.' He said, "'I shall ask forgiveness for you of my Lord, lo, he is the forgiving, the merciful.'" And when they came in before Joseph, he took his parents unto him, and said, "'Come into Egypt safe, if Allah will.' And he placed his parents on the dais, and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said, "'My father, this is the interpretation of my dream of old. My Lord hath made it true, and he hath shown me kindness. Since he took me out of the prison, and hath brought you from the desert after Satan had made strife between me and my brethren, lo, my Lord is tender unto whom he will. He is the knower, the wise. O my Lord, thou hast given me something of sovereignty, and hast taught me something of the interpretation of events. Creator of the heavens and the earth, thou art my protecting guardian in this world and the hereafter. Make me to die Muslim unto thee, and join me to the righteous. This is of the tidings of the unseen, which we inspire in thee, Muhammad. Thou hast not present with them when they fixed their plan, and they were scheming. And though thou try much, most men will not believe. Or askest them no fee for it. It is not else than a reminder unto the peoples. How many a portent is there in the heavens and the earth which they pass by with face averted, and most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him. Deem they themselves a cure from the coming on them of a pall of Allah's punishment, or the coming of the hour suddenly while they are unaware? Say, this is my way, I call on Allah with sure knowledge, I and whosoever followeth me, glory be to Allah and I am not of the idolaters. We sent not before thee any messengers, save men whom we inspired from among the folk of the townships. Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence, for those who were before them, and verily, the abode of the hereafter, for those who ward off evil is best? Have ye then no sense? Till, when the messengers despaired and thought that they were denied, then came unto them our help, and whom we would was saved, and our wrath cannot be warded from the guilty. In their history verily there is a lesson for men of understanding. It is no invented story but a confirmation of the existing scripture and a detailed explanation of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe. End of Surah 12, Recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater, recorded in Blaynavan, Wales.