Verse 45:20 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

16 وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَیۡنَا بَنِیۤ إِسۡرَ ٰۤءِیلَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحُكۡمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّیِّبَـٰتِ وَفَضَّلۡنَـٰهُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ ۝١٦ walaqad ātaynā banī is'rāīla l-kitāba wal-ḥuk'ma wal-nubuwata warazaqnāhum mina l-ṭayibāti wafaḍḍalnāhum ʿalā l-ʿālamīn We gave scripture, wisdom, and prophethood to the Children of Israel; We provided them with good things and favoured them above others 17 وَءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُم بَیِّنَـٰتࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ فَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوۤا۟ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَهُمُ ٱلۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡیَۢا بَیۡنَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ یَقۡضِی بَیۡنَهُمۡ یَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِیَـٰمَةِ فِیمَا كَانُوا۟ فِیهِ یَخۡتَلِفُونَ ۝١٧ waātaynāhum bayyinātin mina l-amri famā ikh'talafū illā min baʿdi mā jāahumu l-ʿil'mu baghyan baynahum inna rabbaka yaqḍī baynahum yawma l-qiyāmati fīmā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūn We gave them clear proof in matters [of religion]. They differed among themselves out of mutual rivalry, only after knowledge came to them: on the Day of Resurrection your Lord will judge between them regarding their differences 18 ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَـٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِیعَةࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡرِ فَٱتَّبِعۡهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَاۤءَ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝١٨ thumma jaʿalnāka ʿalā sharīʿatin mina l-amri fa-ittabiʿ'hā walā tattabiʿ ahwāa alladhīna lā yaʿlamūn Now We have set you [Muhammad] on a clear religious path, so follow it. Do not follow the desires of those who lack [true] knowledge 19 إِنَّهُمۡ لَن یُغۡنُوا۟ عَنكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَیۡءࣰاۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِیَاۤءُ بَعۡضࣲۖ وَٱللَّهُ وَلِیُّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِینَ ۝١٩ innahum lan yugh'nū ʿanka mina l-lahi shayan wa-inna l-ẓālimīna baʿḍuhum awliyāu baʿḍin wal-lahu waliyyu l-mutaqīn they cannot help you against God in any way. Wrongdoers only have each other to protect them; the righteous have God Himself as their protector

20 هَـٰذَا بَصَـٰۤىِٕرُ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدࣰى وَرَحۡمَةࣱ لِّقَوۡمࣲ یُوقِنُونَ ۝٢٠ hādhā baṣāiru lilnnāsi wahudan waraḥmatun liqawmin yūqinūn This [revelation] is a means of insight for people, a source of guidance and mercy for those of sure faith

21 أَمۡ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِینَ ٱجۡتَرَحُوا۟ ٱلسَّیِّءَاتِ أَن نَّجۡعَلَهُمۡ كَٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ سَوَاۤءࣰ مَّحۡیَاهُمۡ وَمَمَاتُهُمۡۚ سَاۤءَ مَا یَحۡكُمُونَ ۝٢١ am ḥasiba alladhīna ij'taraḥū l-sayiāti an najʿalahum ka-alladhīna āmanū waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti sawāan maḥyāhum wamamātuhum sāa mā yaḥkumūn Do those who commit evil deeds really think that We will deal with them in the same way as those who believe and do righteous deeds, that they will be alike in their living and their dying? How badly they judge 22 وَخَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلِتُجۡزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ وَهُمۡ لَا یُظۡلَمُونَ ۝٢٢ wakhalaqa l-lahu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa bil-ḥaqi walituj'zā kullu nafsin bimā kasabat wahum lā yuẓ'lamūn God created the heavens and earth for a true purpose: to reward each soul according to its deeds. They will not be wronged 23 أَفَرَءَیۡتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمࣲ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِۦ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَـٰوَةࣰ فَمَن یَهۡدِیهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱللَّهِۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ۝٢٣ afara-ayta mani ittakhadha ilāhahu hawāhu wa-aḍallahu l-lahu ʿalā ʿil'min wakhatama ʿalā samʿihi waqalbihi wajaʿala ʿalā baṣarihi ghishāwatan faman yahdīhi min baʿdi l-lahi afalā tadhakkarūn [Prophet], consider the one who has taken his own desire as a god, whom God allows to stray in the face of knowledge, sealing his ears and heart and covering his eyes- who can guide such a person after God [has done this]? Will you [people] not take heed 24 وَقَالُوا۟ مَا هِیَ إِلَّا حَیَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنۡیَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحۡیَا وَمَا یُهۡلِكُنَاۤ إِلَّا ٱلدَّهۡرُۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَ ٰلِكَ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍۖ إِنۡ هُمۡ إِلَّا یَظُنُّونَ ۝٢٤ waqālū mā hiya illā ḥayātunā l-dun'yā namūtu wanaḥyā wamā yuh'likunā illā l-dahru wamā lahum bidhālika min ʿil'min in hum illā yaẓunnūn They say, ‘There is only our life in this world: we die, we live, nothing but time destroys us.’ They have no knowledge of this; they only follow guesswork. Their only argument