 Surah 37 of the Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an. The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an, translated by Muhammad Marmadouk Pikthal. Surah 37, those who set the ranks, revealed at Makkah. In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. By those who set the ranks in battle order, and those who drive away the wicked with reproof, and those who read the word for a reminder, lo, thy Lord is surely one, Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and all that is in between them, and the Lord of the sun's risings. Lo, we have adorned the lowest heaven with an ornament, the planets with security from every forward devil. They cannot listen to the highest chiefs, for they are pelted from every side, outcast, and theirs is a perpetual torment. Save him who snatches a fragment, and there pursue with him a piercing flame. Then ask them, O Muhammad, are they stronger as a creation, or those others whom we have created? Lo, we created them of plastic clay. Nay, but thou dost marvel when they mock, and heed not when they are reminded, and seek to scoff when they behold a portent. And they say, Lo, this is mere magic. When we are dead, and have become dust and bones, shall we then, forsooth, be raised again? And our forefathers say, O Muhammad, ye in truth, and ye will be brought lo. There is but one shout, and lo, they behold, and say, Woe for us! This is the day of judgment. This is the day of separation, which ye used to deny. And it is said unto the angels, Assemble those who did wrong, together with their wives and what they used to worship, instead of Allah, and lead them to the path to hell, and stop them for they must be questioned. What elith ye that ye did not help one another? Nay, but this day they make full submission, and some of them draw near unto others, mutually questioning. They say, Lo, ye used to come unto us, imposing, swearing that ye spoke the truth. They answer, Nay, but ye yourselves were not believers. We had no power over ye, but ye were wayward folk. Now the word of our Lord hath been fulfilled concerning us. Lo, we are about to taste the doom. Thus we misled you. Lo, we were ourselves astray. Then Lo, this day they both are sharers in the doom. Lo, thus steal we with the guilty. For when it was said unto them, There is no God save Allah, they were scornful, and said, Shall we forsake our gods for a mad poet? Nay, but he brought the truth, and he confirmed those sent before him. Lo, now verily ye taste the painful doom. Ye are requited not save what ye did. Save single-minded slaves of Allah. For them there is a known provision, fruits, and they will be honoured in the gardens of delight, on couches facing one another. A cup from a gushing spring is brought round for them. White, delicious to the drinkers, wherein there is no headache, nor are they made mad thereby. And with them are those of modest gaze, with lovely eyes, pure as they were hidden eggs of the ostrich. And some of them draw near unto others, mutually questioning. A speaker of them sayeth, Lo, I had a comrade who used to say, art thou in truth of those who put faith in his words? Can we, when we are dead and have become mere dust and bones, can we then, very thoroughly, be brought to book? He sayeth, will ye look? Then looketh he, and seeeth him in the depth of hell. He sayeth, by Allah, thou verily didst all but cause my ruin. And had it not been for the favour of my Lord, I too had been of those hailed forth to doom. Are we then not to die, saving our former death, and are we not to be punished? Lo, this is the supreme triumph. For the like of this, then, let the workers work. Is this better as a welcome, or the tree of Zakam? Lo, we have appointed it a torment for wrongdoers. Lo, it is a tree that springeth in the heart of hell. It is a crop, as it were the heads of devils. And lo, they verily must eat thereof, and fill their bellies therewith. And afterward, lo, thereupon they have a drink of boiling water. And afterward, lo, their return is surely unto hell. They indeed found their fathers astray, but they make haste to follow in their footsteps. And verily most of the men of old went astray before them, and verily we sent among them warners. Then see the nature of the consequence for those warned, save single-minded slaves of Allah. And Noah verily prayed unto us, and gracious was the hearer of his prayer, and we saved him and his household from the great distress, and made his seed the survivors, and left for him among the later folk, the salutation, peace be unto Noah among the peoples. Lo, thus do we reward the good. Lo, he is one of our believing slaves. Then we did drown the others. And lo, of his persuasion verily was Abraham, when he came unto his lord with a whole heart, when he said unto his father and his folk, What is it that ye worship? Is it a falsehood, gods beside Allah, that ye desire? What then is your opinion of the lord of the worlds? And he glanced a glance at the stars, then said, Lo, I feel sick. And they turned their backs and went away from him. Then turned he to their gods, and said, Will ye not eat? What aleeth you that you speak not? Then he attacked them, striking with his right hand, and his people came toward him hastening. He said, Worship ye that which ye yourselves do carve, when Allah hath created you, and what ye make? They said, Build for him a building, and fling him in the red-hot fire. And they designed a stair for him, but we made them the undermost. And he said, Lo, I am going unto my lord, who will guide me. My lord, vouch save me of the righteous. So we gave him tidings of a gentle son. And when his son was old enough to walk with him, Abraham said, O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice thee. So look, what thinkest thou? He said, O my father, do that which thou art commanded. Allah willing, thou shalt find me of the steadfast. Then when they had both surrendered to Allah, and he had flung him down upon his face, we called unto him, O Abraham, thou hast already fulfilled the vision. Lo, thus do we reward the good. Lo, that verily was a clear test. Then we ransomed him with a tremendous victim. And we left for him among the later folk the salutation, peace be unto Abraham. Thus do we reward the good. Lo, he is one of our believing slaves. And we gave him tidings of the birth of Isaac, a prophet of the righteous. And we blessed him and Isaac. And of their seed are some who do good, and some who plainly wrong themselves. And we verily gave grace unto Moses and Aaron, and saved them and their people from the great distress, and helped them so that they became the victors. And we gave them the clear scripture, and showed them the right path. And we left for them among the later folk the salutation, peace be unto Moses and Aaron. Lo, thus do we reward the good. Lo, they are two of our believing slaves. And Lo, Elias was of those sent to warn, when he said unto his folk, Will ye not ward off evil? Will ye cry unto Baal, and forsake the best of creators? Allah, your Lord, and Lord of your forefathers? But they denied him, so they surely will be hailed forth to the doom. Save the single-minded slaves of Allah. And we left for him among the later folk the salutation, peace be unto Elias. Lo, thus do we reward the good. Lo, he is one of our believing slaves. And Lo, Lot, verily, was of those sent to warn. And we saved him in his household every one, save an old woman among those who stayed behind. Then we destroyed the others, and Lo ye verily passed by the ruin of them in the morning, and at night-time. Have ye then no sense? And Lo Jonah verily was of those sent to warn, when he fled unto the laden ship. And then drew Lot's, and was of those rejected, and the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy. And had he not been of one of those who glorify Allah, he would have tarried in its belly till the day when they are raised. Then we cast him on a desert shore while he was sick, and we caused a tree of gourd to grow above him. And we sent him to a hundred thousand folk or more, and they believed, therefore, we gave them comfort for a while. Now ask them, O Muhammad, hath thy Lord daughters, whereas they have sons? Or created we the angels, females, while they were present? Though it is of their falsehood that they say, Allah hath begotten, Allah verily they tell a lie, and again of their falsehood, he hath preferred daughters to sons. What aileth you, how judgy! Will ye not then reflect, or have ye a clear warrant? Then produce your writ, if ye are truthful. And they imagine kinship between him and the jinn, whereas the jinn know well that they will be brought before him. I'd be Allah, from that which they attribute unto him, save single-minded slaves of Allah. Lo, verily, ye, and that which ye worship, ye cannot excite any one against him. Save him who is to burn in hell. There is not one of us, but hath his known position. Lo, we, even we, are they who set the ranks. Lo, we, even we, are they who hymn his praise. And indeed they used to say, if we had but a reminder from the men of old, we would be single-minded slaves of Allah. Yet now that it is come they disbelieve therein, but they will come to know. And verily our word went forth of old unto our bondmen sent to warn, that they verily would be helped, and that our host they verily would be the victors. So withdraw from them, O Muhammad, a while, and watch, for they will soon see. Would they hasten on our doom? But when it cometh home to them, then it will be a hapless morning for those who have been warned. Withdraw from them a while, and watch, for they will soon see. Glorified be thy Lord, and the Lord of Majesty, from that which they attribute unto him. And peace be unto those sent to warn, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Side by the renowned Quran, nay, but those who disbelieve are in false pride and schism. How many a generation we destroyed before them, and they cried out when it was no longer the time for escape. And they marvel that a warner from among themselves hath come unto them, and the disbelievers say, this is a wizard, a charlatan. Makeeth he the gods, one Allah? Lo, that is an astounding thing. The chiefs among them go about, extorting, go, and be staunch to your gods. Lo, this is a thing designed. We have not heard of this in later religion. This is not but in an invention. Hath the reminder been unto him alone among us? Nay, but they are in doubt concerning my reminder. Nay, but they have not yet tasted my doom. Or are there's the treasures of the mercy of thy Lord, the mighty, the stower? Or is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them theirs, then let them ascend by ropes? A defeated host are all the factions that are there. The folk of Noah before them denied their messenger, and so did the tribe of A'ad and Pharaoh firmly planted, and the tribe of Tammud and the folk of Lot, and the dwellers in the wood. These were the factions. Not one of them but did deny the messengers, therefore my doom was justified. These wait, for but one shout. There will be no second there, too. They say, Our Lord, hasten on for us our fate before the day of reckoning. Bear with what they say, and remember, our bondman David, Lord of might, lo, he was ever turning in repentance toward Allah. Lo, we subdued the hills to him the praises of their Lord, his hymn at nightfall and sunrise, and the birds assembled, and all were turning unto him. We made his kingdom strong, and gave him wisdom and decisive speech, and hath the story of the litigants come unto thee, how they climbed the wall into the royal chamber, how they burst in upon David, and he was afraid of them. They said, Be not afraid, we are two litigants, one of whom hath wronged the other, therefore judge a right between us, be not unjust, and show us the fair way. Lo, this my brother hath ninety and nine yews while I had won you, and he said, Interest it to me, and he conquered me in speech. David said, He hath wronged thee in demanding thine you in addition to his yews, and lo, many partners oppress one another, save such as believe and do good works, and they are few. And David guessed that we had tried him, and he sought forgiveness of his Lord, and he bowed himself and fell down prostrate and repented. So we forgave him that, and lo, he had access to our presence, and a happy journey's end. And it was said unto him, O David, lo, we have set thee as a vice-roy in the earth, therefore judge a right between mankind, and follow not desire that it beguile thee from the way of Allah. Lo, those who wander from the way of Allah have an awful doom, for as much as they forgot the day of reckoning. And we created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in vain. That is the opinion of those who disbelieve, and woe unto those who disbelieve from the fire. Shall we treat those who believe and do good works as those who spread corruption in the earth, or shall we treat the pious as the wicked? This is a scripture that we have revealed unto thee, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that men of understanding may reflect. And we bestowed on David, Solomon, how excellent a slave! Lo, he was ever turning in repentance toward Allah. When there was shown to him at Eventide light-footed coarsers, and he said, Lo, I have perverted the good things of the world to the remembrance of my Lord till they were taken out of sight behind the curtain. Then he said, bring them to me, and fell to slashing with his sword their legs and necks. And verily we tried Solomon and set upon his throne a mere body. Then did he repent. He said, My Lord, forgive me and bestow on me sovereignty such as shall not belong to any after me. Lo, thou art the bestower. So we made the wind subservient unto him, setting fair by his command whithersoever he intended. And the unruly, every builder and diver we made subservient. And others linked together in chains, saying, This is our gift. So bestow thou, or withhold, without reckoning. And Lo, he hath favour with us and a happy journey's end. And make mention, O Muhammad, of our bondman Job, when he cried unto his Lord, saying, Lo, the devil doth afflict me with distress and torment. And it was said unto him, Strike the ground with thy foot. This spring is a cool bath and a refreshing drink. And we bestowed on him again his household and, wherewith the like of, a mercy from us and a memorial for men of understanding. And it was said unto him, Take in thine hand a branch and smite therewith, and break not thine oath. Lo, we found him steadfast, how excellent a slave. Lo, he was ever turning in repentance to his Lord. And make mention of our bondman Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, men of parts and vision. Lo, we purified them with a pure thought, remembrance of the home of the hereafter. Lo, in our sight they are verily of the elect, the excellent. And make mention of Ishmael and Elisha and Duel Kifful, all are of the chosen. This is a reminder. And Lo, for those who ward off evil is a happy journey's end. Gardens of Eden, whereof the gates are opened for them. Wherein, reclining, they call for plenty as food and cool drink that is therein. And with them there are those of modest gaze, companions. This is that year promised for the day of reckoning. Lo, this is in truth our provision, which will never waste away. This is for the righteous, and Lo, for the transgressors there will be an evil journey's end. Hell, where they will burn, an evil resting place. Here is a boiling and an ice-cold draught, so let them taste it. And other torment of the kind in pairs, the two extremes. 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. They say, Nay, but you misleaders, for there is no word of welcome. Ye prepared this for us by your misleading. Now hapless is the plight. They say, Our Lord, whoever did prepare this for us. Oh, give him double portion of the fire. They say, What aileth us that we behold not men who we were want to count among the wicked? Did we take them wrongly for a laughing-stock? Or have our eyes missed them? Lo, that is very truth, the wrangling of the dwellers in the fire. Say unto them, O Muhammad, I am only a warner, and there is no Allah save Allah, the One, the Absolute, Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, the mighty, the pardoning. Nay, it is a tremendous tidings, whence ye turn away. I had no knowledge of the highest chiefs when they disputed. It is revealed unto me only that I may be a plain warner. When thy Lord said unto the angels, Lo, I am about to create a mortal out of mire, and when I have fastened him and breathed into him of my spirit, then fall down before him prostrate. The angels fell down prostrate every one, saving Iblis. He was scornful, and became one of the disbelievers. He said, O Iblis, what hindreth thee from falling prostrate before that which I have created with both my hands? Art thou too proud, or art thou of the Akai exalted? He said, I am better than him. Thou createst me a fire, whilst him thou didst create of clay. He said, Go forth from hence, for Lo, thou art outcast. And Lo, my curse is on thee till the day of judgment. He said, My Lord, reprieve me till the day when they are raised. He said, Lo, thou art of those reprieved until the day of the time appointed. He said, Then, by thy might, I surely will beguile them every one, save thy single-minded slaves among them. He said, The truth is, and the truth I speak, that I shall fill hell with thee and with such of them as follow thee together. Say, O Muhammad unto mankind, I ask of you no fee for this, and I am no simulating. Lo, it is not else than a reminder for all peoples, and ye will come in time to know the truth thereof. End of Sura 38 The troops, revealed at Mecca, in the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful. The revelation of the scriptures from Allah, the mighty, the wise. Lo, we have revealed the scripture unto thee, Muhammad, with truth. So worship Allah, making religion pure for Him only. 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 guideeth not Him who is a liar and ingrate. If Allah had willed to choose a son, he could have chosen what he would of what he hath created. Be he glorified, he is Allah, the One, the Absolute. 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 give service, each running on for an appointed term. Is he not the mighty, the forgiver? 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 you turned away? If ye are thankless, yet Allah is independent of you, though he is not pleased with thanklessness for his bondmen, 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 you used to do. Lo, he knoweth what is in the breast of men. And when some hurt toucheth man, he cryeth unto his Lord, turning unto him repentant. Then when he granted him a boon from him, he forgetteth that for which he cried unto him before, and seteth up rivals to Allah that he may beguile men from his way. Say, O Muhammad, unto such a one, take pleasure in thy disbelief awhile. Lo, thou art of the owners of the fire. Is he who payeth adoration in the watches of the night, prostrate and standing, be wearing 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? 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 steadfast will be paid their wages without stint. Say, O Muhammad, lo, I am commanded to worship Allah, making religion pure for him only. And I am commanded to be the first of those who are Muslims, surrender unto him. Say, lo, if I should disobey my Lord, I fear the doom of a tremendous day. Say, Allah, I worship, making my religion pure for him only. 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. They have an awning of fire above them and beneath them a dais of fire. With this doth Allah appall his bondmen. O my bondmen, therefore, fear me. And those who put away false gods lest they should worship them and turn to Allah in repentance, for them there are glad tidings. Therefore give good tidings, O Muhammad, to my bondmen, who hear advice and follow the best thereof. Such are those whom Allah guideeth and such are men of understanding. 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? 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. Hast thou not seen how Allah hath sent down water from the sky, and hath caused it to penetrate the earth as water springs, and afterward thereby produceeth crops of diverse hues, and afterward they wither, and thou seest them turn yellow, when he maketh them chaff? Lo, herein verily is a reminder for men of understanding. Is he whose bosom Allah hath expanded for all Islam, so that he followeth a light from his Lord, as he who disbelieveeth? Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allah, such are in plain error. 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 the Lord, so that their flesh and their hearts soften to Allah's reminder, such is Allah's guidance, wherewith he guideeth whom he will, and him whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide. 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 wrongdoers, taste what ye use to earn. Those before them denied, and so the doom came on them whence they knew not. 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. And verily we have coined for mankind in this Quran all kinds of similitudes that happily they may reflect, a lecture in Arabic containing no crookedness that happily they may ward off evil. Allah coineth a similitude, a man in relation to whom there are several partners quarreling, and a man belonging holy to one man. Are the two equal in similitude? Praise be to Allah, but most of them know not. Lo, thou wilt die, and lo they will die, then lo on the day of resurrection before your Lord ye will dispute. And who doth greater wrong than he who telleth the lie against Allah, and denyeth the truth when it reacheth him? Will not the home of disbelievers be in hell? And who so bringeth the truth, and believe therein? Such are the dutiful. They shall have what they will of their Lord's bounty. That is the reward of the good, that Allah will remit from them the worst of what they did, and will pay them for reward the best they used to do. 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. And he whom Allah guideth, for him there can be no misleader, is not Allah mighty, able to requite the wrong? And verily, if thou shaltst 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. Say, O my people, act in your manner. Lo, I too am acting. Thus ye will come to know. Thus ye will come to know who it is, unto whom cometh a doom that will abase him, and on whom there falleth everlasting doom. 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. Allah receiveth men's souls at the time of their death, and that soul which dyeth not yet in its sleep. He keepeth that soul for which he hath ordained death, and dismisses the rest till an appointed term. Lo, herein verily are portents for people who take thought. Or choose they intercessors other than Allah? Say what, even though they have power over nothing and have no intelligence? Say, unto Allah belongeth all intercession. This is the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. And afterward unto him ye will be brought back. 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. 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. And though those who do wrong possess all that is in the earth, and their with as much again, they verily will seek to ransom themselves their with on the day of resurrection from the awful doom, and there will appear unto them, from their Lord, that wherewith they never reckoned. And the evils that they earned will appear unto them, and that whereat they used to scoff will surround them. Now when hurt touches a man he cryeth unto us, and afterward when we have granted him a boon from us he sayeth, only by force of knowledge I obtained it. Nay, but it is a test, but most of them know not. Those before them said it, yet all that they had earned availed them not. But the evils that they earned smote them, and such of these as do wrong, the evils that they earned will smite them. They cannot escape. Know they not that Allah enlargeeth providence for whom he will, and straighteneth it for whom he will. Lo, herein verily are portents for people who believe. Say, O my slaves, who have been prodigal to their own hurt, for not the mercy of Allah, who forgiveth all sins. Lo, he is the forgiving, the merciful. Turn unto your Lord, repentant, and surrender unto him, before there come unto you the doom, when you cannot be helped. And follow the better guidance of that which is revealed unto you from your Lord, before the doom cometh on you suddenly when you know not, lest any soul should say, alas, my grief that I was unmindful of Allah, and I was indeed among the scoffers, or should say, if Allah had but guided me, I should have been among the dutiful, or should say, when it seeth the doom, O that I had but a second chance, that I might be among the righteous. But now the answer will be, nay, for my revelations came unto thee, but thou didst deny them, and was scornful, and was among the disbelievers. 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, and Allah delivereth those who ward off evil because of their deserts. Evil touches them not, nor do they grieve. Allah is creator of all things, and he is guardian of all things. 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. Say, O Muhammad, to the disbelievers, do ye bid me serve other than Allah? O ye fools! 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. Nay, but Allah must thou serve, and be among the thankful. 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 in high exalted from all that they ascribe his partner unto him. And the trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are in the earth swoon away, save him whom Allah willeth. Then it is blown a second time, and behold them standing waiting. 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. And each soul is paid in full for what it did, and he is best aware of what they do. And those who disbelieve are driven into hell in troops, till, when they reach it and the gates thereof are opened, and the waters 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 of disbelievers is fulfilled. It is said unto them, enter ye the gates of hell to dwell therein. Thus hapless is the journey's end of the scorners. 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 waters thereof say unto them, peace be unto you, ye are good, so enter ye the garden of delight to dwell therein. They say, praise be to Allah, who hath fulfilled his promise unto us, and hath made us inherit the land, so journey in the garden where we will. So bounteous is the wage of workers. And thou, O Muhammad, seeest 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. End of Surah 39 Surah number 40 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. The Meaning of the Glorious Quran, translated by Muhammad Marmadukh Pikthal, Surah 40. The Forgiver, God, revealed at Mecca, in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, Hamim. The revelation of the Scripture is from Allah, the mighty, the knower. The Forgiver of sin, the accepter of repentance, the stern in punishment, the bountiful. There is no God save him. Unto him is the journeying. 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. The folk of Noah and the factions after him 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. Thus was the word of thy Lord concerning those who disbelieve fulfilled, that they are owners of the fire. Those who bear the throne, and all those who are round about it, him the praises of their Lord and believe in him and ask forgiveness for those who believe, saying, Our Lord, thou comprehendest all things in mercy and knowledge, therefore forgive those who repent and follow thy way. Ward off from them the punishment of hell. Our Lord, and make them enter the Garden 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. And ward off from their 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. 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 you were called into the faith but did refuse. 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? It is said unto them, This is your plight, because when Allah only was in vote, ye disbelieved, but when some partner was ascribed to him, ye were believing. But the command belongedeth only to Allah, the sublime, the majestic. He it is who showeth you his portents, and sendeth down for you under provision from the sky. None payeth heed save him who turneth unto him repentant. Therefore, O believers, pray unto Allah, making religion pure for him only, however much the disbelievers be adverse. The exalted of ranks, the Lord of the throne, he causeth the spirit of his command upon whom he will of his slaves, that he may warn of the day of meeting. 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. This day is each soul requited, that which it hath earned. No wrong is done this day. Lo, Allah is swift at reckoning. Warn them, O Muhammad, of the day of the approaching doom, when the hearts will be choking throats, when there will be no friend for the wrongdoers, nor any intercessor who will be heard. He knoweth the traitor of the eyes, and that which the bosoms hide. Allah judgesth with truth, while those to whom they cry instead of him judge not at all. Lo, Allah, he is the hearer, the seer. Have they not traveled in the land to see the nature of the consequence for those who have 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. 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. And verily we sent Moses with our revelations, and a clear warrant, unto Pharaoh, and Hamah and Korah, but they said, a lying sorcerer. 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 not but error. And Pharaoh 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. Moses said, Lo, I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every scorner who believe with not in a day of reckoning. And a believing man of Pharaoh's family, who hid his faith, said, Would you 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 guideeth not one who is a prodigal, a liar. Oh, my people, yours is the kingdom today, ye being uppermost in the land. And 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 but guide you to wise policy. And he who believed said, O my people, Lo, I fear for you a fate like that of the factions of old. Applied like that of Noah's folk, and Ahad and Tumad, and those after them, and Allah willeth no injustice for his slaves. And O my people, Lo, I fear for you a day of summoning. 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. And verily Joseph brought you of old clear proofs, yet ye cease 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. Those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah without any warrant that hath come unto them, it is greatly hateful in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who believe. Thus doth Allah print on every arrogant, disdainful heart. And Pharaoh said, O Haman, build for me a tower that happily I may reach the roads, 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. And he who believed said, O my people, follow me, I will show you the way of right conduct. O my people, lo, this life of the world is but a passing comfort, and lo, the hereafter, that is the enduring home. Whoso doeth an ill deed he will be prepaid the like thereof, while whoso doeth right, whether male or female, and is a believer, all such will enter into the garden, where they will be nourished without stint. And O my people, what aileth me, that I call you unto deliverance when ye call me unto the fire. 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. Assuredly, that where unto 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. And ye will remember what I say unto you. I confide my cause unto Allah. Lo, Allah is seer of his slaves. So Allah warded off from him the evils which they plotted, while a dreadful doom encompassed Pharaoh's folk. The fire, they are exposed to it morning and evening, and on the day when the hour up rises it is said, Cause Pharaoh's folk to enter the most awful doom. And when they wrangle in the fire, the weak say unto those who were proud, Lo, we were a following unto you. Will ye therefore rid us of a portion of the fire? Those who were proud say, Lo, we are all together herein. Lo, Allah hath judged between his slaves. And those in the fire say unto the guards of hell, Entreat your Lord that he relieve us of a day of the torment. They say, Came not your messengers unto you with clear proofs? They say, Ye verily. They say, Then do ye pray, although the prayer of disbelievers is in vain. 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. The day when their excuse availeth not the evildoers, and theirs is the curse, and theirs the ill-abode. And we verily gave Moses the guidance, and we caused the children of Israel to inherit the scripture, a guide and a reminder for men of understanding. Then have patience, O Muhammad. Lo, the promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness of thy sin, and him the praise of thy Lord, at fall of night and in the early hours. Lo, those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah, without a warrant having come unto them, there is not 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. Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of mankind know not. And the blind man and the seer are not equal. Neither are those who believe and do good works equal with the evildoer. Little do ye reflect. Lo, the hour is surely coming. There is no doubt thereof, yet most of mankind believe not. And your Lord hath said, Pray unto me, and I will hear your prayer. Lo, those who scorn my service, they will enter into hell, disgraced. Allah it is who hath appointed for you night that ye may rest therein, and day for seeing. Lo, Allah is the Lord of bounty for mankind, yet most of mankind give not thanks. Such is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of all things. There is no God save him. How then are ye perverted? Thus are they perverted who deny the revelations of Allah. 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. He is the living one. There is no God save him. So pray unto him, making religion purer for him only. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. 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. 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 that ye attain full strength, and afterward that ye became old men, though some among you die before, and that ye reach an appointed term that happily ye may understand. He it is who quickeneth and giveth death. When he ordaineth a thing, he sayeth unto it only, be, and it is. Hast thou not seen those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah, how they are turned away? Those who deny the scripture, and that wherewith we send our messengers, but they will come to know. When carcins are about their necks and chains, they are dragged through boiling waters, when they are thrust into the fire. Then it is said unto them, Where are all that ye used to make partners in the sovereignty beside Allah? They say, They have failed us, but we use not to pray to anything before. Thus doth Allah send astray the disbelievers in his guidance. And it is said unto them, This is because ye exalted in the earth without right, and because ye were petulant. Enter ye the gates of hell to dwell therein. Hell is the habitation of the scornful. 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. Verily we send 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 saved by Allah's leave. But when Allah's commandment cometh, the cause is judged aright, and the followers of vanity will then be lost. Allah it is who hath appointed for you cattle, that you may ride on some of them, and eat some of them. Many benefits ye have from them, and that ye may satisfy by their means a need that is in your breasts, and may be born upon them as upon a ship. And he showeth you his tokens. Which then of the tokens of Allah do ye deny? Have they not travelled in the land to see the nature of 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. And when their messengers brought them clear proofs of Allah's sovereignty, they exalted in the knowledge that they themselves possessed, and that which they were want to mock befell them. Then when they saw our doom they said, We believe in Allah only, and reject all that we used to associate with him. 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. End of Surah 40. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Meaning of the Glorious Quran, translated by Muhammad Marmadukh Pikthal, Surah 41, explained in detail, revealed at Mecca. In the name of Allah the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, Ha-Mim. A revelation from the Beneficent, the Merciful, a scripture whereof the verses are expounded, a lecture in Arabic for people who have knowledge, good tidings and a warning, but most of them turn away so that they hear not. 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 avail. Act then, lo, we also shall be acting. Say unto them, O Muhammad, I am only immortal like you. It is inspired in me that your Allah is one Allah. Therefore take the straight path unto him and seek forgiveness of him. And woe unto the idolaters, who give not the poor due, and who are disbelievers in the hereafter. Lo, as for those who believe and do good works, for them is reward enduring. Say, O Muhammad, to 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. He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessing it and measured therein its sustenance in four days, alike for all who asked. Then turned he to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth, Come, both of you, willingly or lost. They said, We come, obedient. Then he ordered them seven heavens in two days and inspired in each heaven its mandate, and we decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it invaluable. That is the measuring of the mighty, the knower. But if they turn away, then say, I warn ye of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt which fell of old upon the tribes of Ahad and Thamud. 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 low we are disbelievers in that wherewith ye have been sent. As for Ahad, 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. Therefore we let loose on them a raging wind in evil days, that we might make them taste the dormant of disgrace in the life of the world, and verily the doom of the hereafter will be more shameful and they will not be help. And as for Thamud we gave them guidance, but they preferred blindness to guidance, so the bolt of the doom of ameliation overtook them because of what they used to earn. And we delivered those who believed and used to keep their duty to Allah. And make mention of the day when the enemies of Allah are gathered unto the fire. They are driven on till when they reach it, their ears and their eyes and their skins testify against them as to what they used to do. 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. 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. That your thought which ye did think about your Lord hath ruined you, and ye find yourselves this day among the lost. And though they are resigned, yet the fire is still their home, and if they ask for favor, yet they are not of those unto whom favor can be shown. And we assigned them comrades in the world who made their present and their past far seeming unto them. And the word concerning nations of the jinn and humankind who passed away before them hath effect for them. Lo, they were ever losers. Those who disbelieve say, heed not this Quran and drown the hearing of it, happily ye may conquer. But verily we shall cause those who disbelieve to taste an awful doom, and verily we shall requite them the worst of what they used to do. What is the reward of Allah's enemies, the fire? Therein is their immortal home, payment for as much as they denied our revelations. 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 amongst the nethermost. 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. 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. A gift of welcome from one forgiving, merciful. And who is better in speech than him who prayeth unto his Lord and doeth right, and sayeth, Lo, I am of those who are Muslims, surrender unto him. The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then, Lo, he, between whom and thee there was an enmity, will become as though he was a bosom friend. But none is granted it save those who are studfast, and none is granted it save the owner of great happiness. And if a whisper from the devil reach thee, O Muhammad, then seek refuge in Allah. Lo, he is the hearer, the knower. And of his portents are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon, but prostrate to Allah, who created them, if it is in truth him whom ye worship. But if they are too proud, still those who are with thy Lord glorify him night and day, and tire not. And of his portents is this, that thou seest the earth lowly, but when we sent down water thereon it thrilled and groweth. Lo, he who quickeneth it is verily the quickener of the dead. Lo, he is able to do all things. Lo, those who distort our revelations are not hid from us. Is he who is hurled into the fire better, or he who cometh secure on the day of resurrection? Do what she will. Lo, he is the seeer of what you do. Lo, those who disbelieve in the reminder when it cometh unto them are guilty, for lo it is an unassailable scripture. Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or behind it. It is a revelation from the wise, the owner of praise. Not is said unto thee, Muhammad, save what was said unto the messengers before thee. Lo, thy owner is owner of forgiveness, and owner also of dire punishment. And if we had appointed it a lecture in a foreign tongue, they would assuredly have said, if only its verses were expounded, so that we might understand. What, a foreign tongue and an Arab? Say unto them, O Muhammad, for those who believe it is a guidance and a healing, and as for those who disbelieve there is a deafness in their ears, and it is a blindness for them. Such are called, too, from afar. And we verily gave Moses the scripture, but here hath been dispute concerning it, but for a word that had already gone forth from thy Lord it would ere now have been judged between them. But lo, they are in hopeless doubt concerning it. Whoso doeth right it is for his soul, and whoso doeth wrong it is against it. And thy Lord is not at all a tyrant to his slaves. Unto him is referred all knowledge of the hour, and no fruits burst forth from their sheaths, and no female carryeth or bringeth forth but with his knowledge. And on the day when he calleth unto them, Where are now my partners? They will say, We confess unto thee, not one of us is a witness for them. And those to whom they used to cry of old have failed them, and they perceive they have no place of refuge. Man tireth not of praying for good, and if ill toucheth him, then he is disheartened, desperate. And verily, if we cause him to taste mercy after some hurt that hath touched him, he will say, This is my own, and I deem not that the hour will ever rise. And if I am brought back to my Lord, I surely shall be better off with him. But we verily shall tell those who disbelieve all that they did, and we verily shall make them taste hard punishment. When we show favor unto man, he withdraweth and turneth aside. But when ill toucheth him, then he aboundeth in prayer. Be-think you, if it is from Allah, and ye reject it, who is further astray than one who is in an open feud with Allah? We shall show them our portents on the horizons, and within themselves, until it will be manifest unto them that it is the truth. Doth not thy Lord suffice, since he is witness over all things? How are they still in doubt about the meeting with their Lord? Low is he not surrounding all things? End of Surah 41 In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful, ha-mim, ayin sinquaf. Thus Allah the mighty, the knower, inspireeth thee, Muhammad, as he inspired those before thee. Unto him belongeth all that is in the heavens, and all that is in the earth, and he is the sublime, the tremendous. Almost might the heavens above be rent asunder, while the angels hymn the praise of their Lord, and ask forgiveness for those on earth. Low, Allah, he is the forgiver, the merciful. And as for those who choose protecting friends beside him, Allah is warden over them, and thou art in no wise a guardian over them. And thus we have inspired in thee a lecture in Arabic, that thou mayest warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayest warn of a day of assembling, whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the garden, and a host of them in the flame. Had Allah willed he could have made them one community, but Allah bringeth whom he will into his mercy, and the wrongdoers have no friend nor helper. Or have they chosen protecting friends beside him? But Allah he alone is the protecting friend. He quickeneth the dead, and he is able to do all things. And in whatsoever ye differ, the verdict therein belongeth to Allah, such is my Lord in whom I put my trust, and unto whom I turn. The Creator of the heavens and the earth. He hath made for you pairs of yourselves, and of the cattle also pairs, whereby he multipleth you. Not is as his likeness, and he is the hearer, the seer. His are the keys of the heavens and the earth. He enlarges providence for whom he will, and straighteneth it for whom he will. He is knower of all things. He hath ordained for you that religion which he commended unto Noah, and that which we inspire in thee, Muhammad, and that which we commended unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying, Establish the religion and be not divided therein. Dreadful for the idolaters is that unto which thou callest them. Allah choseeth for himself whom he will, and guideeth unto himself who turneth toward him. And they were not divided until after the knowledge came unto them, through rivalry among themselves, and had it not been for a word that had already gone forth from thy Lord for an appointed term, it surely had been judged between them. And those who were made to inherit the scripture after them are verily in hopeless doubt concerning it. Unto this, then, summon, O Muhammad, and be thou upright as thou art commanded, and follow not their lusts, but say, I believe in whatever scripture Allah hath sent down, and I am commanded to be just among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. Unto us our works, and unto you your works. No argument between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and unto him is the journeying. And those who argue concerning Allah after he hath been acknowledged, their argument hath no weight with their Lord, and wrath is upon them, and theirs will be an awful doom. Allah it is who hath revealed the scripture with truth and the balance. How canst thou know? It may be that the hour is nigh. Those who believe not, their ends seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the truth. Are not they who dispute in doubt concerning the hour far astray? Allah is gracious unto his slaves, he providedth for whom he will, and he is the strong, the mighty. And whoso desireth the harvest of the hereafter, we give him increase in its harvest. And whoso desireth the harvest of the world, we give him thereof, and he hath no portion in the hereafter. Or have they partners of Allah who have made lawful for them in religion that which Allah allowed not, and but for a decisive word gone forth already, it would have been judged between them. Lo, for wrongdoers is a painful doom. Now seeest the wrongdoers fearful of that which they have earned, and it will surely befall them, while those who believe and do good works will be in flowering meadows of the gardens, having what they wish from their Lord. This is the great preferment. This it is which Allah announces under his bondmen who believe and do good works. Say, O Muhammad unto mankind, I ask of ye no fee, therefore save loving kindness among kinsfolk. And whoso thscoreth a good deed, we add unto its good for him. Lo, Allah is forgiving, responsive. Or say they, he hath invented a lie concerning Allah. If Allah willed, he could have sealed thy heart against them, and Allah will wipe out the lie and will vindicate the truth by his words. Lo, he is aware of what is hidden in the breasts of men. And he it is who accepteth repentance from his bondmen, and pardoneth the evil deeds, and knoweth what ye do, and accepteth those who do good works, and giveth increase unto them of his bounty. And as for disbelievers, theirs will be an awful doom. And if Allah were to enlarge the provision for his slaves, they would surely rebel in the earth. But he sendeth down by measure as he willeth. Lo, he is informed, a seer of his bondmen. And he it is who sendeth down the saving rain after they have despaired, and spreadeth out his mercy. He is the protecting friend, the praiseworthy. And of his portents is the creation of the heaven and the earth, and of whatever beasts he hath dispersed therein. And he is able to gather them when he will. Whatever of misfortune strikeeth you, it is what your right hands have earned, and he forgiveth much. You cannot escape in the earth, for beside Allah you have no protecting friend nor any helper. And of his portents are the ships, like banners on the sea. If he will calmeth the wind so that they keep still upon its surface, lo herein verily are signs for every steadfast, grateful heart. Or he causeth them to perish on account of that which they have earned, and he forgiveth much. And that those who argue concerning our revelations may know they have no refuge. Now whatever ye have been given is but a passing comfort for the life of the world, and that which Allah hath is better and more lasting, for those who believe and put their trust in the Lord. And those who shun the worst of sins and indecencies, and when they are wroth forgive. And those who answer the call of their Lord and establish worship, and those whose affairs are a matter of counsel, and who spend of what we have bestowed on them, and those who, when great wrong is done to them, defend themselves. The garden of an ill deed is an ill the like thereof. But whosoever pardoneth and amendeth, his wage is the affair of Allah. Lo, he loveth not wrong doers. And whoso defendeth himself after he hath suffered wrong, for such there is no way of blame against them. The way of blame is only against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such there is a painful doom. And verily whoso is patient and forgiveth, lo, that verily is of the steadfast heart of things. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no protecting friend after him. And thou, Muhammad, wilt see the evil doers when they see the doom, how they say, is there any way of return? And thou wilt see them exposed to the fire, made humble by disgrace, and looking with veiled eyes. And those who believe will say, lo, the eternal losers are they who lose themselves and their housefolk on the day of resurrection. Lo, are not the wrongdoers in perpetual torment? And they will have no protecting friends to help them instead of Allah. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no road. Answer the call of your Lord before their cometh unto you from Allah a day which there is no averting. We have no refuge on that day, nor have ye any power of refusal. But if they are averse, we have not sent thee as a water over them. Thine is only to convey the message. And lo, when we cause man to taste of mercy from us, he exulteth therefore. And if some evil strikeeth them because of that which their own hands have sent before, then lo, man is an ingrate. Unto Allah belongeth the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He createeth what he will. He bestoweth female offspring upon whom he will, and bestoweth male offspring upon whom he will. Or he mingleeth them, males and females, and he maketh barren whom he will. Lo, he is a knower, powerful. And it was not vouchsafed to any mortal that Allah should speak to him, unless it be by revelation or from behind a veil, or that he sendeth a messenger to reveal what he will by his leave. Lo, he is exalted, wise. And thus we have inspired in thee, Muhammad, a spirit of our command. Thou knewest not what the scripture was, nor what the faith. But we have made it a light whereby we guide whom we will of our bondmen. And lo, thou verily dust guide unto a right path. The path of Allah unto whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Do not all things reach Allah at last? End of Surah 42 Surah 43 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. The Meaning of the Glorious Quran. Translated by Muhammad Marmadouk Pikthal. Surah 43, Ornaments of Gold. Revealed Ekmekah. In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Ha Meem. By the scripture, which Ekmekah's plain, lo, we have appointed it a lecture in Arabic that happily ye may understand. And lo, in the source of decrees which we possess, it is indeed sublime, decisive. Shall we utterly ignore ye because ye are wanton folk? How many a prophet did we send among the men of old? And never came there unto them a prophet, but they used to mock him. Then we destroyed men mightier than those in prowess, and the example of the men of old hath gone before them. And if thou, Muhammad, ask them, who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely answer, the mighty, the knower created them, who made the earth a resting place for you, and placed roads for you therein, that happily ye may find your way. And who sendeth down water from the sky in due measure, and we revive a dead land therewith? Even so will ye be brought forth. He who created all the pairs, and appointed for you ships and cattle whereupon ye ride, that ye may mount upon their backs, and may remember your Lord's favor when ye mount thereon, and may say, glorified be he who hath subdued these unto us, and we were not capable of subduing them. And lo, unto our Lord, we surely are returning. And they allot to him a portion of his bondmen. Lo, man is verily a mere ingrate. Or chooseth he the daughters of all that he hath created, and honoreth he you with sons? And if one of them hath tidings of that which he likeneth to the beneficent one, his countenance becomeeth black, and he is full of inward rage. Can they, then, to Allah, that which is bred up in outward show, and in dispute cannot make itself plain? And they make the angels, who are the slaves of the beneficent, females. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned. And they say, if the beneficent one hath so willed, we should not have worshiped them. They have no knowledge whatsoever of that. They do, but guess. So that they are holding fast there, too? Nay, for they only say, Lo, we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints. And even so we sent not a warner before thee, Muhammad, into any township, but its luxurious one said, Lo, we found our fathers following a religion, and we are following in their footsteps. And the warner said, What, even though I bring you better guidance than that you found your fathers following? They answered, Lo, in what ye bring we are disbelievers. So we requited them. Then see the nature of the consequence for the rejecters. And when Abraham said unto his father and his folk, Lo, I am innocent of what ye worship. Save him who did create me, for he will surely guide me. And he made it a word enduring among his seed, that happily they might return. Nay, but I let these and their fathers enjoy life, only till there should come unto them the truth and a messenger making plain. And now that the truth hath come unto them they say, This is mere magic, and, Lo, we are disbelievers therein. And they say, If only this Quran had been revealed to some great man of the two towns. Is it they who apportion thy Lord's mercy? We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of the world, and raised some of them above others in rank that some of them may take labor from others, and the mercy of thy Lord is better than the wealth that they amass. And were it not that mankind would have become one community, we might well have appointed, for those who disbelieve in the beneficent, roofs of silver for their houses, and stairs of silver whereby to mount, and for their houses, doors of silver and couches of silver whereon to recline, and ornaments of gold. Yet all that would have been but a provision of the life of the world, and the hereafter with your Lord would have been for those who keep from evil. And he who side is dim to the remembrance of the beneficent, we assign unto him a devil who becometh his comrade, and, Lo, they surely turn them away from the way of Allah, and yet they deem that they are rightly guided. Till when he cometh unto us, he saith unto his comrade, Ah, would that between me and thee there were the distance of the two horizons, and evil comrade? And it profiteth you not this day, because ye did wrong, that she will be sharers in the doom. Canst thou, Muhammad, make the deaf to hear, or canst thou guide the blind, or him who is in error manifest? And if we take thee away, we surely shall take vengeance on them. Or if we show thee that wherewith we threaten them, for, Lo, we have complete command of them, so hold thou fast to that which is inspired in thee. Lo, thou art on a right path. And Lo, it is in truth a reminder for thee and for thy folk, and ye will be questioned. And ask those of our messengers whom we sent before thee, did we ever appoint gods to be worshiped beside the beneficent? And verily we sent Moses with our revelations unto Pharaoh and his chiefs, and he said, I am a messenger of the Lord of the worlds. But when he brought them our tokens, behold, they laughed at them. And every token that we showed them was greater than its sister token, and we grasped them with the torment that happily they might turn again. And they said, O wizard, entreat thy Lord for us by the pact that he hath made with thee. Lo, we verily will walk aright. But when we eased them of the torment, behold, they broke their word, and Pharaoh caused a proclamation to be made among his people, saying, O my people, is not mine the sovereignty of Egypt and these rivers flowing under me? Can you not discern them? I am surely better than this fellow, who is despicable, and can hardly make his meaning plain. Why then have armless of gold not been set upon him, or angels sent along with him? Thus he persuaded his people to make light of Moses, and they obeyed him. Lo, they were a wanton folk. So when they angered us, we punished them and drowned them every one. And we made them a thing past and an example for those after them. And when the son of Mary is quoted as an example, behold, the folk laugh out, and say, Are our gods better, or is he? They raise not the objections, save for argument. Nay, but they are a contentious folk. He is nothing but a slave on whom we bestowed favor, and we made him a pattern for the children of Israel. And had we willed we could have set among you angels to be viceroys in the earth, and lo, verily, there is knowledge of the hour, so doubt ye not concerning it, but follow me, this is the right path. And let not Satan turn you aside. Lo, he is an open enemy for you. When Jesus came with clear proofs of Allah's sovereignty, he said, I have come unto you with wisdom, and to make plain some of that concerning which ye differ. So keep your duty to Allah and obey me. Lo, Allah, he is my Lord and your Lord, so worship him, this is a right path. But the factions among them differed, then woe unto those who do wrong from the doom of a painful day. Await they ought, save the hour, that it shall come upon them suddenly when they know not. Friends on that day will be foes one to another, save those who kept their duty to Allah. O my slaves, for you there is no fear this day, nor is it ye who grieve. Ye who believed our revelations, and were self-surrendered, enter the garden ye and your wives to be made glad. Therein are brought round for them trays of gold and goblets, and therein is all that souls desire and eyes find sweet. And ye are immortal therein. This is the garden which ye are made to inherit because of what she used to do. Therein for you is fruit in plenty whence to eat. Lo, the guilty are immortal in hell's torment. It is not relaxed for them, and they despair therein. We wronged them not, but they it was who did the wrong. And they cry, O Master, let thy Lord make an end of us. He saith, Lo, here you must remain. We verily brought the truth unto you, but ye were most of you averse to the truth. Or do they determine anything against the prophet? Lo, we also are determining. Or deem they that we cannot hear their secret thoughts and private confidences? Nay, but our envoys, present with them, do record. Say, O Muhammad, if the beneficent one hath a son, then I shall be first among the worshipers, but there is no son. Glorified be the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the throne, from that which they ascribe unto him. So let them flounder in their talk, and play until they meet the day which they are promised. And he it is who in the heaven is Allah, and in the earth Allah. He is the wise, the knower. And blessed be unto whom belongeth the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, and with whom is knowledge of the hour, and unto whom ye will be returned. And those unto whom they cry, instead of him, possess no power of intercession, saving him who beareth witness unto the truth knowingly. And if thou ask them who created them, they will surely say, Allah, how then are they turned away? And he saith, O my Lord, these are a folk who believe not. Then bear with them, O Muhammad, and say, Peace, but they will come to know. End of Surah 43 Surah 44 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 Nicholas James Bridgewater. The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an Translated by Muhammad Marmadouk Pikthal Surah 44 The Surah of Smoke at Dukhan Revealed at Makkah In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful Ha Meem By the scripture that maketh plain, low we revealed it on a blessed night, low we are ever warning, whereon every wise command is made clear as a command from our presence, low we are ever sending a mercy from thy Lord, low he, even he is the hearer, the knower, Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if ye would be sure. There is no God save him, he quickeneth and giveth death, your Lord and Lord of your forefathers. Nay, but they play in doubt, but watch thou, O Muhammad, for the day when the sky will produce visible smoke, that will envelop the people, this will be a painful torment, then they will say, Our Lord, leave us of the torment, low we are believers. How can there be remembrance for them when a messenger maketh plain the truth had already come unto them and they had turned away from him and said, One taught by others, a madman, low we withdraw the torment a little, low ye return to disbelief. On the day when we shall seize them with great seizure, then in truth we shall punish, and verily we tried before them pharaohs spoke, when there came unto them a noble messenger saying, Give up to me the slaves of Allah, low I am a faithful messenger unto you, and saying, Be not proud against Allah, low I bring you a clear warrant, and low I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord, lest ye stone me to death. And if ye put no faith in me, then let me go. And he cried unto his Lord saying, These are guilty folk, then his Lord commanded, Take away my slaves by night, low ye will be followed, and leave the sea behind at rest, for low they are a drowned host. How many were the gardens and the water springs that they left behind, and the corlands and the goodly sites, and pleasant things wherein they took delight, even so it was, and we made it an inheritance for other folk. And the heaven and the earth wept not for them, nor were they reprieved. And we delivered the children of Israel from the shameful doom, we delivered them from Pharaoh, low he was a tyrant of the one-ton ones, and we chose them purposely above all creatures, and we gave them portents wherein was a clear trial, low these forsooth are saying, There is not but our first death, and we shall not be raised again. Bring back our fathers if ye speak the truth. Are they better, or the folk of Tube'ah? Or those before them? We destroyed them, for surely they were guilty. And we created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them in play. We created them not saved with truth, but most of them know not. A surely the day of decision is the term for all of them, a day when friend can not avail friend, nor can they be helped, save him on whom Allah hath mercy, though he is the mighty, the merciful, though the tree of Zaqum, the food of the sinner, like molten brass it see the thin their bellies as the seething of boiling water, and it will be said, take him and drag him to the midst of hell, then pour upon his head the torment of boiling water, saying, taste, lo, thou wast forsooth the mighty the noble. Lo, this is that whereof ye used to doubt. Lo, those who kept their duty will be in a place secured amid gardens and water springs, attired in silk and silk embroidery facing one another. Even so it will be, and we shall wed them unto fair ones with wide lovely eyes. They call therein for every fruit in safety, they taste not death therein, save the first death, and he hath saved them from the doom of hell, a bounty from thy Lord, that is the supreme triumph, and we have made this scripture easy in thy language, only that they may heed. Wait then, O Muhammad. Lo, they too are waiting. End of Surah 44. Recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater. Recorded in Alexandria, Egypt, North Africa. Surah 45 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. The Meaning of the Glorious Quran. Translated by Muhammad Marmadouk Pikthal. Surah 45. Crouching. Revealed at Mecca. In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful, Ha-Mim. The revelation of the scripture is from Allah, the mighty, the wise. Lo, in the heavens and the earth are portents for believers. And in your creation and all the beasts that he scattereth in the earth are portents for a folk whose faith is sure. And the difference of the night and day and the provision that Allah sendeth down from the sky and thereby quickeneth the earth after her death and the ordering of the winds are portents for a people who have sense. These are the portents of Allah, which we recite unto thee, Muhammad, with truth. Then in what fact, after Allah and his portents, will they believe? Woe unto each sinful liar, who heareth the revelations of Allah recited unto him and then continueeth in pride as though he heard them not. Give him tidings of a painful doom. And when he knoweth, ought of our revelations, he maketh it a jest, for such there is a shameful doom. Beyond them there is a hell, and that which they have earned will not avail them, nor those whom they have chosen for protecting friends beside Allah. There is will be an awful doom. This is guidance, and those who disbelieve the revelations of their Lord, for them there is a painful doom of wrath. Allah it is who hath made the sea of service unto you that ships may run thereon by his command, and that you may seek of his bounty, and that happily you may be thankful. And hath made of service unto you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. It is all from him. Lo, herein verily are portents for a people who reflect. Tell those who believe to forgive those who hope not for the days of Allah, in order that he may requite folk for what they use to earn. Whoso doeth right it is for his soul, and whoso doeth wrong it is against it. And afterward unto your Lord ye will be brought back. And verily we gave the children of Israel the Scripture and the command and the prophethood, and provided them with good things, and favoured them above all people, and gave them plain commandments. And they differed not until after the knowledge came unto them, through rivalry among themselves. Lo, thy Lord will judge between them on the day of resurrection concerning that wherein they used to differ. And now we have set thee, O Muhammad, on a clear road of our commandment. So follow it, and follow not the whims of those who know not. Lo, they can avail thee not against Allah, and lo, as for the wrongdoers, some of them are friends of others, and Allah is the friends of those who ward off evil. This is clear indication for mankind, and a guidance and a mercy for a folk whose faith is sure. For do those who commit ill deeds suppose that we shall make them as those who believe and do good works, the same in life and death, bad as their judgment. And Allah hath created the heavens and the earth with truth, and that every soul may be repaid what it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. Hast thou seen him who maketh his desire his God, and Allah sendeth him astray purposely, and sealeth up his hearing in his heart, and sedeth on his sight a covering? Then who will lead him after Allah hath condemned him? Will ye not then heed? And they say, There is not but our life of the world. We die and we live, and not destroyeth us, save time. When they have no knowledge whatsoever of all that, they do but guess. And when our clear revelations are recited unto them, their only argument is that they say, Bring back our fathers, then, if ye are truthful. Say unto them, O Muhammad, Allah giveth life to you, then causeth you to die. Then gathereth you unto the day of resurrection, whereof there is no doubt. But most of mankind know not. And unto Allah belongeth the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and on the day when the hour riseth, and on the day whose follow falsehood will be lost. And thou wilt see each nation crouching, each nation summoning to its record. And it will be said unto them, This day ye are requited what ye use to do. This our book pronounces against you with truth. Lo, we have caused all that ye did to be recorded. Then, as for those who believed and did good works, their Lord will bring them unto his mercy. That is the evident triumph. And as for those who disbelieved, it will be said unto them, We're not our revelations recited unto you, but ye were scornful and became a guilty folk. And when it was said, Lo, Allah's promise is the truth, and there is no doubt of the hour's coming, ye said, We know not what the hour is. We deem it not but a conjecture, and we are by no means convinced. And the evils of what they did will appear unto them, and that which they use to deride will befall them. And then it will be said, This day we forgot you, even as ye forgot the meaning of this your day, and your habitation is the fire, and there is none to help you. This, for as much as ye made the revelations of Allah adjust, and the life of the world beguiled you. Therefore this day they come not forth from thence, nor can they make amends. Then praise me to Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth and Lord of the worlds. And unto him alone belongeth majesty in the heavens and the earth, and he is the mighty, the wise. End of Surah 45. Surah 46 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. The Meaning of the Glorious Quran. Translated by Muhammad Marmadouk Pikthal. Surah 46. The Wind Curved Sandhills. Revealed at Mecca. In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful, Ha-Mim. The revelation of the scriptures from Allah the mighty, the wise. We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, save with truth, and for a term appointed. But those who disbelieve turn away from that whereof they are warned. Say of them, O Muhammad, have ye thought on all the eon-voke beside Allah? Show me what they have created of the earth, or have they any portion in the heaven? Bring me a scripture before this scripture, or some vestige of knowledge in support of what ye say if ye are truthful. And who is further astray than those who, instead of Allah, pray unto such as hear not their prayer until the day of resurrection, and are unconscious of their prayer. And when mankind are gathered to the judgment, will become enemies for them, and will become deniers of having been worshiped. And when our clear revelations are recited unto them, those who disbelieve say of the truth when it reached them, this is mere magic. Or say they, he hath invented it? Say, O Muhammad, if I have invented it, still ye have no power to support me against Allah. He is best aware of what ye say among yourselves concerning it. He suffices for witness between me and you, and he is forgiving the merciful. Say, I am no new thing among the messengers of Allah, nor know I what will be done with me or with you. I do but follow that which is inspired in me, and I am but a plain warner. But think ye, if it is from Allah, and ye disbelieve therein, and a witness of the children of Israel hath already testified to the like thereof, and hath believed, and ye are too proud, what plight is yours? Low, Allah guideeth not wrongdoing folk. And those who disbelieve say of those who believe, if it had been any good, they would not have been before us in attaining it. And since they will not be guided by it, they say, this is an ancient lie, when before it there was the scripture of Moses, an example and a mercy, and this is a confirming scripture in the Arabic language, that it may warn those who do wrong and bring good tidings for the righteous. Low, those who say our Lord is Allah and therefore walk a right, there shall be no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve. Such are rightful owners of the garden, immortal therein, as a reward for what they used to do. And we have commended unto men kindness toward parents. His mother beareth him with reluctance and bringeth him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till when he attaineth full strength and reaches forty years, he saith, my Lord, arouse me that I may give thanks for the favor wherewith thou hast favored me and my parents, and that I may do right acceptable unto thee, and be gracious unto me in the matter of my seed. Low, I have turned unto thee repentant, and low I am of those who surrender unto thee. Those are they who from we accept the best of what they do, and overlook their evil deeds. They are among the owners of the garden. This is the true promise which they were promised in the world. And whoso saith unto his parents, I upon you both, d. threaten me that I shall be brought forth again when generations before me have passed away. And they twain cry unto Allah for help, and say, woe unto thee, believe, lo, the promise of Allah is true. But he saith, this is not, say, fables of the men of old. Such are those on whom the word concerning nations of the chin and mankind have passed away before them hath effect. Lo, they are the losers. And for all there will be ranks from what they do, but he may pay them for their deeds, and they will not be wronged. And on the day when those who disbelieve are exposed to the fire, it will be said, ye squandered your good things in the life of the world, and sought comfort therein. Now this day ye are rewarded with the doom of Vignamy, because ye were disdainful in the land without a right, and because ye used to transgress. And make mention, O Muhammad, of the brother of A'ad, when he warned his folk among the wind-curved sandhills, verily warners came and went before him, saying, Serve none but Allah. Lo, I fear for you the doom of a tremendous day. They said, Hast thou come to turn us away from our gods? Then bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou art of the truthful. He said, The knowledge is with Allah only. I convey unto you that wherewith I have been sent, but I see you are a folk that know not. Then when they beheld it as a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said, Here is a cloud bringing rain. Nay, but it is that which ye did seek to hasten, a wind whereof is painful torment, destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And mourning found them so that not could be seen save their dwellings. Thus do we reward the guilty folk. And verily we had empowered them, with that wherewith we have not empowered you, and had assigned them ears and eyes and hearts, but their ears and eyes and hearts availed them not since they denied the revelations of Allah, and what they used to mock befell them. And verily we have destroyed townships round about you, and displayed for them our revelation, that happily they may return. Then why did those whom they had chosen for gods as a way of approach unto Allah not help them? Nay, but they did fail them utterly, and all that was their lie and what they used to invent. And when we inclined toward the Mohammed, certain of the Jinn, who wished to hear the Koran, and when they were in its presence said, Give ear, and when it was finished, turned their back to the people, warning. They said, O our people, lo, we have heard a scripture which hath been revealed after Moses, confirming that which was before it, guiding unto the truth and a right road. O our people, respond to Allah's summoner and believe in him. He will forgive you some of your sins and guard you from a painful doom. And whoso respondeth not to Allah's summoner, he can know wise escape in the earth, and he hath no protecting friends instead of him. Such are in error manifest. Have they not seen that Allah, who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Aye, he verily is able to do all things. And on the day when those who disbelieve are exposed to the fire they will be asked, Is this not real? They will say, Yea, by our Lord. He will say, Then taste the doom that ye disbelieved. Then have patience, O Muhammad, even as the stout of heart among the messengers of old had patience, and seek not to hasten on the doom for them. On the day when they see that which they are promised, it will seem to them as though they had tarried but an hour of daylight. A clear message. Shall any be destroyed save evil living folk? End of Surah 46 Surah 47 In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful. Those who disbelieve and turn men from the way of Allah, he rendereth their actions vain. And those who believe and do good works, and believe in that which is revealed unto Muhammad, and it is the truth from their Lord, he riddeth them of their ill deeds and improveeth their state. That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood, and because those who believe follow the truth from their Lord. Thus Allah coineth their similitudes for mankind. Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, then it is smiting of the next until, when ye have routed them, then making fast of bonds, and afterward either grace or ransom till the war lay down its burdens. That is the ordinance, and if Allah willed he could have punished them without you, but thus it is ordained that he may try some of you by means of others. And those who are slain in the way of Allah, he rendereth not their actions vain. He will guide them and improve their state, and bring them into the garden which he had made known to them. O ye who believe, if ye help Allah he will help you and make your foothold firm. And those who disbelieve, perdition is for them, and he will make their actions vain. That is because they are averse to that which Allah hath revealed. Therefore maketh he their actions fruitless. Have they not traveled in the land to see the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? Allah wiped them out, and for the disbelievers there will be the like thereof. That is because Allah is patron of those who believe, and because the disbelievers have no patron. Lo, Allah will cause those who believe and do good works to enter gardens underneath which rivers flow, while those who disbelieve take their comfort in this life and eat even as the cattle eat, and the fire is their habitation. And how many a township stronger than thy township, O Muhammad, which hath cast thee out, we have destroyed, and they had no helper? Is he who relyeth on a clear proof from his Lord like those for whom the evil that they do is beautiful, while they follow their own lusts? A similitude of the garden which those who keep their duty to Allah are promised. Therein are rivers of water unpolluted, and rivers of milk, whereof the flavor changes not, and rivers of wine, delicious to the drinkers, and rivers of clear-run honey, therein for them is every kind of fruit, with pardon from their Lord. And those who enjoy all this, like those who are immortal in the fire and are giving boiling water to drink, so that it teareth their bowels? Among them are some who give ear unto thee, O Muhammad, till when they go forth from thy presence they say unto those who have been given knowledge. What was that he said just now? Those are they whose hearts Allah hath sealed, and they follow their own lusts. While as for those who walk a right he added to their guidance, and giveth them their protection against evil. Away they ought, save the hour, that should come upon them unawares, and the beginnings thereof have already come. But how, when it hath come upon them, can they take their warning? So know, O Muhammad, that there is no God save Allah, and ask forgiveness for thy sin, and for believing men and believing women. Allah knoweth both your place of turmoil and your place of rest. And those who believe say, If only a surah were revealed, but when a decisive surah is revealed, and war is mentioned therein, thou seest those in whose hearts is disease, looking at thee with the look of men fainting unto that. Therefore woe unto them, obedience and a civil word. Then when the matter is determined, if they are loyal to Allah it will be well for them. Would ye then, if ye were given the command, work corruption in the land and sever your ties of kinship? Such are they whom Allah curseth, so that he deafeneth them and maketh blind their eyes. Will they then not mediate on the Qur'an, or are their locks on their hearts? Lo, those who turn back after their guidance hath been manifested unto them, Satan hath seduced them, and he hath given them the rain. That is because they say unto those who hate what Allah hath revealed. They will obey you in some matters, and Allah knoweth their secret talk. Then how will it be with them when the angels gather them, smiting their faces and their backs? That will be because they followed which ain grith Allah, and hateeth that which pleadeth him. Therefore he hath made their actions vain. Or do those in whose hearts a disease deem that Allah will not bring to light their secret hates? And if we would we could show them unto thee, Muhammad, so that thou shouldst knowest them surely by their marks, and thou shalt know them by the burden of their talk, and Allah knoweth your deeds. And verily we shall try you till we know those of who you strive hard for the cause of Allah, and the steadfast, and we will test your record. Lo, those who disbelieve and turn from the way of Allah and oppose the messenger after the guidance hath been manifested unto them, they hurt Allah not a jot, and he will make their actions fruitless. O ye who believe, obey Allah and obey the messenger, and render not your actions vain. Lo, those who disbelieve and turn from the way of Allah and then die disbelievers, Allah surely will not pardon them. So do not falter and cry out for peace when you will be the uppermost, and Allah is with you, and he will not grudge the reward of your actions. The life of the world is but a sport and a pastime. And if you believe a word of evil, he will give you your wages and will not ask of you your worldly wealth. If he should ask it of you, and impertune you, you would hoard it, and he would bring to light your secret hates. Lo, ye are those who are called to spend in the way of Allah, yet among you there are some who hoard, and as for him who hoardeth, he hoardeth only from his soul, and Allah is the rich, and ye are the poor, and if ye turn away he will exchange you for some other folk, and they will not be the likes of you. End of Surah 47 Surah 48 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. The Meaning of the Glorious Quran. Translated by Muhammad Marmadouk Pikthal. Surah 48 Victory. Revealed at Medina. In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Lo, we have given thee, O Muhammad, a signal victory, that Allah may forgive thee of thy sin, which is past and that which is to come, and may perfect his favor unto thee, and may guide thee on a right path, and that Allah may help thee with strong help. He it is who set down reassurance into the hearts of believers that they might add faith unto their faith. Allahs are the hosts of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is ever-knowner, wise, that he may bring the believing men and the believing women into gardens, underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide, and may remit from their evil deeds, that in the sight of Allah is the Supreme Triumph, and may punish the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women, and the idolatrous men and the idolatrous women, who think an evil thought concerning Allah. For them is the evil turn of fortune, and Allah is rawth against them, and hath cursed them, and hath made ready for them hell a hapless journey's end. Allahs are the hosts of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is ever-mighty, wise. Lo, we have sent thee, O Muhammad, as a witness and a bearer of good tidings, and a warner, that ye, mankind, may believe in Allah and his messenger, and may honor him, and may revere him, and may glorify him at early dawn and at the close of day. Lo, those who swear allegiance unto thee, Muhammad, swear allegiance only unto Allah. The hand of Allah is above their hands, so whosoever breaketh his oath, breaketh it only to his soul's hurt, while whosoever keepeth his covenant with Allah, on him will he bestow immense reward. Those of the wandering Arabs who were left behind will tell thee, our possessions and our household occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us. They speak with their tongues that which is not in their hearts. Say, who can avail you ought against Allah if he intends you hurt or intends you profit? Nay, but Allah is ever aware of what ye do. Nay, but ye deem that the messenger and the believers would never return to their own folk, and that was made fair seeming in your hearts, and ye did think an evil thought, and ye were worthless folk. And so for him who believeth not in Allah and his messenger, lo we have prepared a flame for disbelievers. And Allah's is the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He forgiveth whom he will, and punisheth whom he will. And Allah is ever forgiving, merciful. Those who are left behind will say, when ye set forth to capture booty, let us go with you. They feign would change the verdict of Allah. Say unto them, O Muhammad, ye shall not go with us. Thus hath Allah said beforehand, Then they will say, ye are envious of us. Nay, but they understand not, save a little. Say unto those of the wandering Arabs who were left behind, ye will be called against a folk of mighty prowess, to fight them until they surrender, and if ye obey, Allah will give you a fair reward. But if ye turn away as ye did before, he will punish you with a painful doom. There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick, that they not go forth to war. And whoso obeyeth Allah and his messenger, he will make him enter gardens underneath which rivers flow, and whoso turneth back, him will he punish with a painful doom. Allah was well pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance unto thee beneath the tree, and he knew what was in their hearts, and he sent down peace of reassurance on them, and hath rewarded them with a near victory, and much booty that they will capture. Allah is ever mighty, wise. Allah promiseseth ye much booty that ye will capture, and hath given ye this in advance, and hath withheld men's hands from ye, that it may be a token for the believers, and that he may guide ye on a right path. And other gain which ye have not been able to achieve, Allah will compass it. Allah is able to do all things. And if those who disbelieve join battle with ye, they will take to flight, and afterward they will find no protecting friend, nor helper. It is the law of Allah which hath taken course of four time. Thou wilt not find for the law of Allah ought of power to change. And he it is who hath withheld men's hands from you, and hath withheld your hands from them in the valley of Mecca, after he had made you victors over them. Allah is seer of what ye do. These it was who disbelieved and debarred you from the inviolable place of worship, and debarred the offering from reaching its goal. And if it had not been for believing men and believing women, whom ye know not, lest ye should tread them under foot and thus incur guilt for them unknowingly, that Allah might bring into his mercy whom he will. If the believers and the disbelievers had been clearly separated, we verily had punished those of them who disbelieved with painful punishment. When those who disbelieve had set up in their hearts zealotry, the zealotry of the age of ignorance, then Allah sent down his piece of reassurance upon his messenger and upon the believers, and imposed on them the word of self-restraint, for they were worthy of it and meet for it. And Allah is aware of all things. Allah hath fulfilled the vision for his messengers in very truth. Ye shall indeed enter the inviolable place of worship, if Allah will, secure, having your hair shaven and cut, not fearing. But he knoweth that which ye know not, and hath given you a near victory beforehand. He it is who hath sent his messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth that he may cause it to prevail over all religion. And Allah sufficeseth as a witness. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. Thou, O Muhammad, seeest them bowing and falling prostrate in worship, seeking bounty from Allah and his acceptance. The mark of them is on their foreheads, from the traces of prostration, such as their likeness in the Torah and their likeness in the Gospel, like as sown corn that sendeth forth its chute and strengtheneth it, and riseth firm upon its stalk, delighting the sowers, that he may enrage the disbelievers with the sight of them. Allah hath promised unto such of them as believe and do good works, forgiveness and immense reward. End of Surah 48 Surah 49 of the meaning of the glorious Qur'an. This is a LibriVox recording. While LibriVox recordings are in the public domain, for more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org, recording by Julie Bynum. The meaning of the glorious Qur'an, translated by Muhammad Marmadukh Pictthal, Surah 49, Al-Hujarat, the private apartments, revealed at Al-Medina. In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. O ye who believe, be not forward in the presence of Allah and his messenger, and keep your duty to Allah. Lo, Allah is here, knower. O ye who believe, lift not up your voices above the voice of the prophet, nor shout when speaking to him as ye shout one to another, lest your works be rendered vain while ye perceive not. Lo, they who subdue their voices in the presence of the messenger of Allah, those are they whose hearts Allah hath proven unto righteousness. Theirs will be forgiveness and immense reward. Lo, those who call thee from behind the private apartments, most of them have no sense. And if they had had patience till thou camest forth unto them, it had been better for them, and Allah is forgiving, merciful. O ye who believe, if an evil liver bring you tidings, verify it. Lest ye smite some folk in ignorance, and afterward repent of what ye did. And know that the messenger of Allah is among you. If he were to obey you in much of the government, ye would surely be in trouble. But Allah hath endeared the faith to you, and hath beautified it in your hearts, and hath made disbelief and lewdness and rebellion hateful unto you. Such are they who are rightly guided. It is a bounty and a grace from Allah, and Allah is knower, wise. And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah, then if it return, make peace between them justly and act equitably. Lo, Allah loveth the equitable. The believers are not else than brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah that happily ye may obtain mercy. O ye who believe, let not a folk derive a folk who may be better than they are. Not let women deride women who may be better than they are. Neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance such are evil doers. O ye who believe, shun much suspicion, for lo, some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye abhor that, so abhor the other. And keep your duty to Allah. Lo, Allah is relenting, merciful. O mankind, lo, we have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the best in conduct. Lo, Allah is knower, aware. The wandering Arabs say we believe. Say unto them, O Muhammad. We believe not, but rather say we submit. For the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet if ye obey Allah and his messenger, he will not withhold from you ought of the reward of your deeds. Lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. The true believers are those only who believe in Allah and his messenger, and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere. Say unto them, O Muhammad. Did you teach Allah your religion when Allah knoweth all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is aware of all things? They make it a favor unto thee, Muhammad, that they have surrendered unto him. Say, deem not your surrender a favor unto me, but Allah doth confer a favor on you in as much as he hath led you to the faith, if ye are earnest. Lo, Allah knoweth the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is seer of what you do. End of