The Romans, The Byzantines — Al Muntakhab Translation – Parallel Quran

1 A Great Prophecy

۞ الۤمۤ ۝١

A. (Alef), L. (lam), M. (Meem) the Surah open with these introductory letters from the Arabic Alphabet to draw attention to the miracle of the Quran which though written in the people's tongue, cannot be emulated

غُلِبَتِ ٱلرُّومُ ۝٢

3, 4, 5, The Romans -Christians- have been defeated (by the Persians) - Atheists-, in the land near by - (the near end of the Roman Empire, Syria). but the tide of battle shall turn and following their defeat shall victory and fortune sit on their helm, in some few years from hence. to Allah alone. The Ultimate Authority, are committed and submitted all matters and all affairs for consideration, decision and execution in the beginning and the end, past, present and time to come; there and then shall the Muslims rejoice beyond a common joy for the victory of the Romans. Allah gives mastery and triumph to whom. He will and He is AL-Aziz and AL-Rahim (the Almighty and the Merciful). Tide of battl

ghulibati l-rūm

فِیۤ أَدۡنَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ غَلَبِهِمۡ سَیَغۡلِبُونَ ۝٣

3, 4, 5, The Romans -Christians- have been defeated (by the Persians) - Atheists-, in the land near by - (the near end of the Roman Empire, Syria). but the tide of battle shall turn and following their defeat shall victory and fortune sit on their helm, in some few years from hence. to Allah alone. The Ultimate Authority, are committed and submitted all matters and all affairs for consideration, decision and execution in the beginning and the end, past, present and time to come; there and then shall the Muslims rejoice beyond a common joy for the victory of the Romans. Allah gives mastery and triumph to whom. He will and He is AL-Aziz and AL-Rahim (the Almighty and the Merciful). Tide of battl

fī adnā l-arḍi wahum min baʿdi ghalabihim sayaghlibūn

فِی بِضۡعِ سِنِینَۗ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدُۚ وَیَوۡمَىِٕذࣲ یَفۡرَحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ۝٤

3, 4, 5, The Romans -Christians- have been defeated (by the Persians) - Atheists-, in the land near by - (the near end of the Roman Empire, Syria). but the tide of battle shall turn and following their defeat shall victory and fortune sit on their helm, in some few years from hence. to Allah alone. The Ultimate Authority, are committed and submitted all matters and all affairs for consideration, decision and execution in the beginning and the end, past, present and time to come; there and then shall the Muslims rejoice beyond a common joy for the victory of the Romans. Allah gives mastery and triumph to whom. He will and He is AL-Aziz and AL-Rahim (the Almighty and the Merciful). Tide of battl

fī biḍ'ʿi sinīna lillahi l-amru min qablu wamin baʿdu wayawma-idhin yafraḥu l-mu'minūn

بِنَصۡرِ ٱللَّهِۚ یَنصُرُ مَن یَشَاۤءُۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِیزُ ٱلرَّحِیمُ ۝٥

3, 4, 5, The Romans -Christians- have been defeated (by the Persians) - Atheists-, in the land near by - (the near end of the Roman Empire, Syria). but the tide of battle shall turn and following their defeat shall victory and fortune sit on their helm, in some few years from hence. to Allah alone. The Ultimate Authority, are committed and submitted all matters and all affairs for consideration, decision and execution in the beginning and the end, past, present and time to come; there and then shall the Muslims rejoice beyond a common joy for the victory of the Romans. Allah gives mastery and triumph to whom. He will and He is AL-Aziz and AL-Rahim (the Almighty and the Merciful)

binaṣri l-lahi yanṣuru man yashāu wahuwa l-ʿazīzu l-raḥīm

وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِۖ لَا یُخۡلِفُ ٱللَّهُ وَعۡدَهُۥ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٦

Such is the promise of Allah Who never breaks His promise but most people fail to realize this fact

waʿda l-lahi lā yukh'lifu l-lahu waʿdahu walākinna akthara l-nāsi lā yaʿlamūn

یَعۡلَمُونَ ظَـٰهِرࣰا مِّنَ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡءَاخِرَةِ هُمۡ غَـٰفِلُونَ ۝٧

They -people- only look at things in life with respect to the aspect presenting itself to a slight or casual mental view and they are deceived by the smiling surface of the deep. They fail to take into account what the deep end affecting them profoundly is like. They are allured by the mundane, and oblivious of the Hereafter

yaʿlamūna ẓāhiran mina l-ḥayati l-dun'yā wahum ʿani l-ākhirati hum ghāfilūn

أَوَ لَمۡ یَتَفَكَّرُوا۟ فِیۤ أَنفُسِهِمۗ مَّا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَاۤ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَجَلࣲ مُّسَمࣰّىۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِیرࣰا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِلِقَاۤىِٕ رَبِّهِمۡ لَكَـٰفِرُونَ ۝٨

Do they -people- not weigh matters mentally and think deeply that Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them but in truth and for just ends for a predetermined point of time, notwithstanding that many among the people deny the assemblage before Allah, not to mention the Day of Judgement

awalam yatafakkarū fī anfusihim mā khalaqa l-lahu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa wamā baynahumā illā bil-ḥaqi wa-ajalin musamman wa-inna kathīran mina l-nāsi biliqāi rabbihim lakāfirūn

أَوَ لَمۡ یَسِیرُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَیَنظُرُوا۟ كَیۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَانُوۤا۟ أَشَدَّ مِنۡهُمۡ قُوَّةࣰ وَأَثَارُوا۟ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَعَمَرُوهَاۤ أَكۡثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَاۤءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِۖ فَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِیَظۡلِمَهُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوۤا۟ أَنفُسَهُمۡ یَظۡلِمُونَ ۝٩

Have they -the Meccans- not journeyed through the land and looked with their minds' eyes to see what was the end of those who preceded them, who wore far mightier and their diligence never wearied! They broke up the earth and turned over the soil and populated and peopled the land far more than these people have done! Their Messengers presented them with convincing divine signs and revelations -but they closed their, minds' eyes and counselled deaf-. Therefore it was not Allah Who would wrong them but it was they who wronged themselves

awalam yasīrū fī l-arḍi fayanẓurū kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu alladhīna min qablihim kānū ashadda min'hum quwwatan wa-athārū l-arḍa waʿamarūhā akthara mimmā ʿamarūhā wajāathum rusuluhum bil-bayināti famā kāna l-lahu liyaẓlimahum walākin kānū anfusahum yaẓlimūn

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةَ ٱلَّذِینَ أَسَـٰۤءُوا۟ ٱلسُّوۤأَىٰۤ أَن كَذَّبُوا۟ بِءَایَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُوا۟ بِهَا یَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ ۝١٠

Then there came the evil end of those who perpetuated mischief and discord, moral depravity and the antithesis of good. They denied Allah's evident signs and His divine revelations and they mocked them and laughed them to scorn

thumma kāna ʿāqibata alladhīna asāū l-sūā an kadhabū biāyāti l-lahi wakānū bihā yastahziūn

2 The two Parties

ٱللَّهُ یَبۡدَؤُا۟ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ یُعِیدُهُۥ ثُمَّ إِلَیۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ۝١١

Allah starts creation and reproduces it. He creates and recreates* and to Him shall all of you be sent back

al-lahu yabda-u l-khalqa thumma yuʿīduhu thumma ilayhi tur'jaʿūn

وَیَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ یُبۡلِسُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ۝١٢

And on the Day the Final Hour has come, the wicked shall despair of making an earnest supplication begging and imploring Allah's forgiveness

wayawma taqūmu l-sāʿatu yub'lisu l-muj'rimūn

وَلَمۡ یَكُن لَّهُم مِّن شُرَكَاۤىِٕهِمۡ شُفَعَـٰۤؤُا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ بِشُرَكَاۤىِٕهِمۡ كَـٰفِرِینَ ۝١٣

And none of their predominant partners can present himself or itself to intercede on their behalf nor interpose a veto upon Allah's decision. On the contrary, they -the guilty- shall themselves deny, curse and condemn those partners

walam yakun lahum min shurakāihim shufaʿāu wakānū bishurakāihim kāfirīn

وَیَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ یَوۡمَىِٕذࣲ یَتَفَرَّقُونَ ۝١٤

So that the Day the Final Hour comes to pass shall all of them be segregated

wayawma taqūmu l-sāʿatu yawma-idhin yatafarraqūn

فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَهُمۡ فِی رَوۡضَةࣲ یُحۡبَرُونَ ۝١٥

Then those who conformed to Allah's system of faith and worship and imprinted their deeds with wisdom and piety shall be rejoicing beyond a common joy in the bliss and the beatitude of heaven's realm

fa-ammā alladhīna āmanū waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti fahum fī rawḍatin yuḥ'barūn

وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِءَایَـٰتِنَا وَلِقَاۤىِٕ ٱلۡءَاخِرَةِ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ فِی ٱلۡعَذَابِ مُحۡضَرُونَ ۝١٦

But as for those who denied Allah and/or His system of faith and worship and dismissed the idea of assembling before Him Hereafter, they shall have much to answer for. They shall be overtaken by the torment laid upon the damned

wa-ammā alladhīna kafarū wakadhabū biāyātinā waliqāi l-ākhirati fa-ulāika fī l-ʿadhābi muḥ'ḍarūn

فَسُبۡحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ حِینَ تُمۡسُونَ وَحِینَ تُصۡبِحُونَ ۝١٧

Therefore, praise Allah and extoll His glorious attributes at the close of the day and when you rise in the morning

fasub'ḥāna l-lahi ḥīna tum'sūna waḥīna tuṣ'biḥūn

وَلَهُ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَعَشِیࣰّا وَحِینَ تُظۡهِرُونَ ۝١٨

And to Him is addressed the grateful acknowledgement of benefits and favours in the heavens and on earth and when darkness prevails and when the day has climbed its peak of highest noon

walahu l-ḥamdu fī l-samāwāti wal-arḍi waʿashiyyan waḥīna tuẓ'hirūn

یُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَیَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَیِّتِ وَیُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَیِّتَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَیِّ وَیُحۡیِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۚ وَكَذَ ٰلِكَ تُخۡرَجُونَ ۝١٩

He causes the living to issue Jorth from the dead and He causes the dead to fall from the living and He revives the earth after it has suffered death; similarly shall you be resurrected

yukh'riju l-ḥaya mina l-mayiti wayukh'riju l-mayita mina l-ḥayi wayuḥ'yī l-arḍa baʿda mawtihā wakadhālika tukh'rajūn

3 Manifestation of Divine Power in Nature

وَمِنۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦۤ أَنۡ خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابࣲ ثُمَّ إِذَاۤ أَنتُم بَشَرࣱ تَنتَشِرُونَ ۝٢٠

And among His visible signs and His marvels displaying Omnipotence and Authority is that He brought you to being from dust by special creation and you evolved as human beings spreading throughout the earth in various directions

wamin āyātihi an khalaqakum min turābin thumma idhā antum basharun tantashirūn

وَمِنۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦۤ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَ ٰجࣰا لِّتَسۡكُنُوۤا۟ إِلَیۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَیۡنَكُم مَّوَدَّةࣰ وَرَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰلِكَ لَءَایَـٰتࣲ لِّقَوۡمࣲ یَتَفَكَّرُونَ ۝٢١

And among His marvels is that by a special creation did He evolve from you and of your own kind mates to form the complement to you as your counterparts in whom you seek consolation and find comfort, and between you both He implanted affection and mercy. These are tokens emblematic indeed of Allah's Omnipotence and Authority that are observed by people who ponder

wamin āyātihi an khalaqa lakum min anfusikum azwājan litaskunū ilayhā wajaʿala baynakum mawaddatan waraḥmatan inna fī dhālika laāyātin liqawmin yatafakkarūn

وَمِنۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ خَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَـٰفُ أَلۡسِنَتِكُمۡ وَأَلۡوَ ٰنِكُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰلِكَ لَءَایَـٰتࣲ لِّلۡعَـٰلِمِینَ ۝٢٢

And among his marvels is the creation* of the heavens and the earth* and the variation in your tongues when you express your thoughts in words and in your colour -the skin, the eyes and the hair-, marvels symbolizing Allah's Omnipotence and Authority, apprehended by those who know the fact

wamin āyātihi khalqu l-samāwāti wal-arḍi wa-ikh'tilāfu alsinatikum wa-alwānikum inna fī dhālika laāyātin lil'ʿālimīn

وَمِنۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ مَنَامُكُم بِٱلَّیۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱبۡتِغَاۤؤُكُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦۤۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰلِكَ لَءَایَـٰتࣲ لِّقَوۡمࣲ یَسۡمَعُونَ ۝٢٣

And among His marvels is the phenomenon of sleep* or the unconscious state, the condition regularly and naturally assumed by man and other created beings during the night and during the day to recuperate power and ability to accomplish objects which are sought after of His bounty; signs so significant as to impress those who open their hearts' ears

wamin āyātihi manāmukum bi-al-layli wal-nahāri wa-ib'tighāukum min faḍlihi inna fī dhālika laāyātin liqawmin yasmaʿūn

وَمِنۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ یُرِیكُمُ ٱلۡبَرۡقَ خَوۡفࣰا وَطَمَعࣰا وَیُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ مَاۤءࣰ فَیُحۡیِۦ بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۤۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰلِكَ لَءَایَـٰتࣲ لِّقَوۡمࣲ یَعۡقِلُونَ ۝٢٤

And among His marvels is that He exhibits to view lightening or the electrical discharges between groups of clouds and between the clouds and the ground -mountains- which actuate you with the feeling of fear -might bring you suffering, strike you dead or engender a cyclonic storm and with the feeling of hope- of rainfalls to revive the land which has been pined with drought- And from the floor of the vault of heaven He sends water reviving the earth after it had suffered death. All precepts concerning Allah's Omnipotence and Authority are in effect comprehended in these signs by those who exercise sound judgment and have the ability to perceive and adopt the best means for accomplishing an end and who are characterized by good sense and prudence

wamin āyātihi yurīkumu l-barqa khawfan waṭamaʿan wayunazzilu mina l-samāi māan fayuḥ'yī bihi l-arḍa baʿda mawtihā inna fī dhālika laāyātin liqawmin yaʿqilūn

وَمِنۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦۤ أَن تَقُومَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦۚ ثُمَّ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ دَعۡوَةࣰ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِذَاۤ أَنتُمۡ تَخۡرُجُونَ ۝٢٥

And among His marvels is the stability of the heavens and the earth and the precision* with which they perform at Allah's command (moons regions, spheres, celestial bodies galaxies and realms of space describing their orbits, each in its own path suspended in the immense expanse by the invisible force which you cannot see) This is besides the fact that when He summons you -people- to appear before Him for Judgement you emerge from the graves in response to His command

wamin āyātihi an taqūma l-samāu wal-arḍu bi-amrihi thumma idhā daʿākum daʿwatan mina l-arḍi idhā antum takhrujūn

وَلَهُۥ مَن فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ كُلࣱّ لَّهُۥ قَـٰنِتُونَ ۝٢٦

And to Allah belong all created beings* in the heavens and on earth, each and all being obedient and submissive to His will

walahu man fī l-samāwāti wal-arḍi kullun lahu qānitūn

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِی یَبۡدَؤُا۟ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ یُعِیدُهُۥ وَهُوَ أَهۡوَنُ عَلَیۡهِۚ وَلَهُ ٱلۡمَثَلُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِیزُ ٱلۡحَكِیمُ ۝٢٧

And it is He Who begins creation and reproduce it and creates and recreates, a process that is indeed quite easy for Him to do -all it takes is "Be" and it is- Idealism, subjective and objective is exclusively an attribute of His, for nothing is like unto Him in the heavens and on earth, and He is the AL-Aziz and AL-Hakim (the Source of wisdom and wise mysterious dispensations.

wahuwa alladhī yabda-u l-khalqa thumma yuʿīduhu wahuwa ahwanu ʿalayhi walahu l-mathalu l-aʿlā fī l-samāwāti wal-arḍi wahuwa l-ʿazīzu l-ḥakīm

4 Appeal to Human Nature

ضَرَبَ لَكُم مَّثَلࣰا مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡۖ هَل لَّكُم مِّن مَّا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُكُم مِّن شُرَكَاۤءَ فِی مَا رَزَقۡنَـٰكُمۡ فَأَنتُمۡ فِیهِ سَوَاۤءࣱ تَخَافُونَهُمۡ كَخِیفَتِكُمۡ أَنفُسَكُمۡۚ كَذَ ٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمࣲ یَعۡقِلُونَ ۝٢٨

Do you -people- have part- owners among those you have on hand, be they captives or reduced to a servile state who go shares with you in what We bestowed on you of affluence and stand with you on equal terms and you fear them as you fear yourselves - for injustice and temptation for ill-gotten gain! Then how could you relate to Allah partners of His created beings?. Thus do We expound Our revelations distinctly expressing all that they meant leaving nothing merely implied to those who exercise sound judgment and have the ability to perceive and adopt the best means for accomplishing an end

ḍaraba lakum mathalan min anfusikum hal lakum min mā malakat aymānukum min shurakāa fī mā razaqnākum fa-antum fīhi sawāon takhāfūnahum kakhīfatikum anfusakum kadhālika nufaṣṣilu l-āyāti liqawmin yaʿqilūn

بَلِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوۤا۟ أَهۡوَاۤءَهُم بِغَیۡرِ عِلۡمࣲۖ فَمَن یَهۡدِی مَنۡ أَضَلَّ ٱللَّهُۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِینَ ۝٢٩

In effect the wrongful of actions have carried to excess their evil line of conduct by following their own wishes and by acting upon their own desires, a disposition reflecting ignorance and want of knowledge. Therefore, who can guide those whom Allah has justly destined to deviate from sense and miss the path of righteousness and who can afford them help

bali ittabaʿa alladhīna ẓalamū ahwāahum bighayri ʿil'min faman yahdī man aḍalla l-lahu wamā lahum min nāṣirīn

فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّینِ حَنِیفࣰاۚ فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِی فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَیۡهَاۚ لَا تَبۡدِیلَ لِخَلۡقِ ٱللَّهِۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ ٱلدِّینُ ٱلۡقَیِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٣٠

And so set your heart and thoughts O Muhammad upon the Faith and rest your eyes upon Allah with sincere feeling and actions and with firmness in fidelity and allegiance and in the fulfillment of all duties owed to Him. This is the natural instinct and the innate propensity Allah has implanted in mankind and no change ever shall there be nor should there be. This right and commendable religion is the only system of faith and worship that leads directly to Allah, but most people fail to realize this fact

fa-aqim wajhaka lilddīni ḥanīfan fiṭ'rata l-lahi allatī faṭara l-nāsa ʿalayhā lā tabdīla likhalqi l-lahi dhālika l-dīnu l-qayimu walākinna akthara l-nāsi lā yaʿlamūn

۞ مُنِیبِینَ إِلَیۡهِ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَقِیمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِینَ ۝٣١

Turn to Allah and have recourse to Him for guidance and entertain the profound reverence dutiful to Him and engage in the act of worship and never be among those who incorporate with Him other deities

munībīna ilayhi wa-ittaqūhu wa-aqīmū l-ṣalata walā takūnū mina l-mush'rikīn

مِنَ ٱلَّذِینَ فَرَّقُوا۟ دِینَهُمۡ وَكَانُوا۟ شِیَعࣰاۖ كُلُّ حِزۡبِۭ بِمَا لَدَیۡهِمۡ فَرِحُونَ ۝٣٢

who divided their same religion -Polytheism- into various denominations, each forming a bigoted adherence of a sect and each holding certain views and rejoicing at its distinctive name and its own place of worship (some worship the Jinn, others the angels, others the priests, the rabbins, stones and trees, stars, planets, fire, day, night and kings)

mina alladhīna farraqū dīnahum wakānū shiyaʿan kullu ḥiz'bin bimā ladayhim fariḥūn

وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلنَّاسَ ضُرࣱّ دَعَوۡا۟ رَبَّهُم مُّنِیبِینَ إِلَیۡهِ ثُمَّ إِذَاۤ أَذَاقَهُم مِّنۡهُ رَحۡمَةً إِذَا فَرِیقࣱ مِّنۡهُم بِرَبِّهِمۡ یُشۡرِكُونَ ۝٣٣

And when people are touched or befallen with a misfortune or wedded to a calamity they invoke Allah, their Creator, turning to Him exclusively and when He extends to them His mercy and delivers them from what was burdensome and exhaustive to the mind, some of them incorporate with Him other deitie

wa-idhā massa l-nāsa ḍurrun daʿaw rabbahum munībīna ilayhi thumma idhā adhāqahum min'hu raḥmatan idhā farīqun min'hum birabbihim yush'rikūn

لِیَكۡفُرُوا۟ بِمَاۤ ءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُمۡۚ فَتَمَتَّعُوا۟ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٣٤

They sink under the vexations of their minds and deny all that We have given them. You may enjoy yourselves, you people, it shall not be for long, then shall you come to know the sad truth

liyakfurū bimā ātaynāhum fatamattaʿū fasawfa taʿlamūn

أَمۡ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَیۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَـٰنࣰا فَهُوَ یَتَكَلَّمُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ یُشۡرِكُونَ ۝٣٥

Or did We send down to them an authorization or someone with delegated authority to enforce polytheism and defend their course of action for incorporating with Allah other deities

am anzalnā ʿalayhim sul'ṭānan fahuwa yatakallamu bimā kānū bihi yush'rikūn

وَإِذَاۤ أَذَقۡنَا ٱلنَّاسَ رَحۡمَةࣰ فَرِحُوا۟ بِهَاۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ سَیِّئَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَیۡدِیهِمۡ إِذَا هُمۡ یَقۡنَطُونَ ۝٣٦

And should We extend to people Our mercy and make them taste benediction they rejoice beyond a common joy and if they happen to meet with a misfortune as a result of what their wrongful and unclean hands have committed they nurse despair

wa-idhā adhaqnā l-nāsa raḥmatan fariḥū bihā wa-in tuṣib'hum sayyi-atun bimā qaddamat aydīhim idhā hum yaqnaṭūn

أَوَ لَمۡ یَرَوۡا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ یَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن یَشَاۤءُ وَیَقۡدِرُۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰلِكَ لَءَایَـٰتࣲ لِّقَوۡمࣲ یُؤۡمِنُونَ ۝٣٧

Do they -the infidels- not see that Allah gives livelihood generously and confers support gratuitously on whom He will and He also gives with restraint and by measure to whom He will. These divine actions are the best interpreters of Allah's Omnipotence and Authority that are apprehended by the senses of those whose hearts have been touched with the divine hand

awalam yaraw anna l-laha yabsuṭu l-riz'qa liman yashāu wayaqdiru inna fī dhālika laāyātin liqawmin yu'minūn

فَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِینَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِیلِۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ خَیۡرࣱ لِّلَّذِینَ یُرِیدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ۝٣٨

Therefore, give your kindred what is benevolently due and be glad to do your benevolence to the needy and to the wayfarer specially the one who journeys on foot -due to lack or want of means-. This is better and advantageous indeed for those who wish to fulfill their obligation to Allah and to satisfy their conscience and their hearts

faāti dhā l-qur'bā ḥaqqahu wal-mis'kīna wa-ib'na l-sabīli dhālika khayrun lilladhīna yurīdūna wajha l-lahi wa-ulāika humu l-muf'liḥūn

وَمَاۤ ءَاتَیۡتُم مِّن رِّبࣰا لِّیَرۡبُوَا۟ فِیۤ أَمۡوَ ٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَلَا یَرۡبُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَاۤ ءَاتَیۡتُم مِّن زَكَوٰةࣲ تُرِیدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُضۡعِفُونَ ۝٣٩

And whatever you invest of money expecting interest or profit by way of usury to appropriate people's property wrongfully to yourselves is an ill- gotten gain which shall never yield an increment with Allah nor shall it ever grow with Him, like benevolence does and excessively. Whereas what you invest in charity or benevolence as an obligation to Allah and to satisfy your conscience shall Allah increase immeasurably and such persons are those to whom what is saved with Allah shall be redoubled to their credit

wamā ātaytum min riban liyarbuwā fī amwāli l-nāsi falā yarbū ʿinda l-lahi wamā ātaytum min zakatin turīdūna wajha l-lahi fa-ulāika humu l-muḍ'ʿifūn

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِی خَلَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ رَزَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ یُمِیتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ یُحۡیِیكُمۡۖ هَلۡ مِن شُرَكَاۤىِٕكُم مَّن یَفۡعَلُ مِن ذَ ٰلِكُم مِّن شَیۡءࣲۚ سُبۡحَـٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا یُشۡرِكُونَ ۝٤٠

Allah is He Who brought you to being and caused you to exist and provisioned you with livelihood. He then deprives you of animate existence and at a predetermined point of time He shall resurrect you. Is there any among your predominant partners who is able to do that! Glory be to Him and extolled are His glorious attributes, He is infinitely beyond those you incorporate with Him

al-lahu alladhī khalaqakum thumma razaqakum thumma yumītukum thumma yuḥ'yīkum hal min shurakāikum man yafʿalu min dhālikum min shayin sub'ḥānahu wataʿālā ʿammā yush'rikūn

5 A Transformation

ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِی ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَیۡدِی ٱلنَّاسِ لِیُذِیقَهُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِی عَمِلُوا۟ لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَرۡجِعُونَ ۝٤١

Evil is wrought by want of thought; there has come about the age of mischief and discord on land and at sea as a result of what the peoples' wrongful and unclean hands have committed. Allah shall make them taste and suffer the consequence that they might hopefully turn to Him in repentance

ẓahara l-fasādu fī l-bari wal-baḥri bimā kasabat aydī l-nāsi liyudhīqahum baʿḍa alladhī ʿamilū laʿallahum yarjiʿūn

قُلۡ سِیرُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَیۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلُۚ كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّشۡرِكِینَ ۝٤٢

Say to them: "Journey through the land and use your minds' eyes to see what was the end of those who came to this world before you; most of them were polytheists who incorporated with Allah other deities

qul sīrū fī l-arḍi fa-unẓurū kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu alladhīna min qablu kāna aktharuhum mush'rikīn

فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّینِ ٱلۡقَیِّمِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن یَأۡتِیَ یَوۡمࣱ لَّا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۖ یَوۡمَىِٕذࣲ یَصَّدَّعُونَ ۝٤٣

And set your face and your thoughts O Muhammad upon Allah and set your eyes and your heart sincerely upon His system of faith and worship, the right, the correct and the true religious system that is in accordance with what is authoritatively established. Be a firm adherent thereto, before the inevitable Day which no one can avert nor will it be revoked by Allah. This shall be the Day when they -these people and all people- shall be separated from each other and divided into aggregates of like persons

fa-aqim wajhaka lilddīni l-qayimi min qabli an yatiya yawmun lā maradda lahu mina l-lahi yawma-idhin yaṣṣaddaʿūn

مَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَیۡهِ كُفۡرُهُۥۖ وَمَنۡ عَمِلَ صَـٰلِحࣰا فَلِأَنفُسِهِمۡ یَمۡهَدُونَ ۝٤٤

And he who denies Allah's system of faith and worship or incorporates with Him other deities shall find that the consequence of his infidelity rebounds back on him. And those who imprint their deeds with wisdom and piety, simply pave the way for a blissful abode in the beatitude of heaven, Allah willing

man kafara faʿalayhi kuf'ruhu waman ʿamila ṣāliḥan fali-anfusihim yamhadūn

لِیَجۡزِیَ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۤۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا یُحِبُّ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ ۝٤٥

For He rewards those whose hearts reflect the image of religious and spiritual virtues and their deeds wisdom and piety, in contrast to the infidels whom He simply detests

liyajziya alladhīna āmanū waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti min faḍlihi innahu lā yuḥibbu l-kāfirīn

وَمِنۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦۤ أَن یُرۡسِلَ ٱلرِّیَاحَ مُبَشِّرَ ٰتࣲ وَلِیُذِیقَكُم مِّن رَّحۡمَتِهِۦ وَلِتَجۡرِیَ ٱلۡفُلۡكُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦ وَلِتَبۡتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ۝٤٦

And among His marvels is that He sends forth the winds as a forerunner heralding a joyful event -rain and the propulsion by its action upon the sails- And the ships move on the surface of the water by His invisible acting force which produces their buoyancy and their motion, to accomplish your objects sought after of His bounty to the end that your bosoms may hopefully surge forth and answer thanks

wamin āyātihi an yur'sila l-riyāḥa mubashirātin waliyudhīqakum min raḥmatihi walitajriya l-ful'ku bi-amrihi walitabtaghū min faḍlihi walaʿallakum tashkurūn

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ رُسُلًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِمۡ فَجَاۤءُوهُم بِٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِ فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِینَ أَجۡرَمُوا۟ۖ وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَیۡنَا نَصۡرُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ ۝٤٧

And before you. O Muhammad We sent Messengers conveying Our divine message to their people. They presented them with clear and plain revelations guiding out of darkness and superstitions of later times and out of want of spiritual and intellectual sight into illumination and enlightenment -but they counselled deaf and closed their hearts' ears-. And by consequence We avenged our right by inflicting retributive punishment upon those who were steeped in crime. At the same time it was incumbent on Us to save and deliver to safety those whose hearts reflected the image of religious and spiritual virtues

walaqad arsalnā min qablika rusulan ilā qawmihim fajāūhum bil-bayināti fa-intaqamnā mina alladhīna ajramū wakāna ḥaqqan ʿalaynā naṣru l-mu'minīn

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِی یُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّیَـٰحَ فَتُثِیرُ سَحَابࣰا فَیَبۡسُطُهُۥ فِی ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ كَیۡفَ یَشَاۤءُ وَیَجۡعَلُهُۥ كِسَفࣰا فَتَرَى ٱلۡوَدۡقَ یَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ خِلَـٰلِهِۦۖ فَإِذَاۤ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن یَشَاۤءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۤ إِذَا هُمۡ یَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ ۝٤٨

It is Allah Who sends the winds -carrying water vapour extracted* chiefly from the water mass on the surface of the earth- to raise clouds He spreads in the floor of the vault of heaven as He wills. Then He makes a cumulus or rounded masses heaped upon each other like towers or mountains where you see the rain drops issuing from within; And when He makes it light upon whom He wills of His servants they rejoice beyond a common joy

al-lahu alladhī yur'silu l-riyāḥa fatuthīru saḥāban fayabsuṭuhu fī l-samāi kayfa yashāu wayajʿaluhu kisafan fatarā l-wadqa yakhruju min khilālihi fa-idhā aṣāba bihi man yashāu min ʿibādihi idhā hum yastabshirūn

وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن یُنَزَّلَ عَلَیۡهِم مِّن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمُبۡلِسِینَ ۝٤٩

Albeit before it rained they had lost hope and nursed despair

wa-in kānū min qabli an yunazzala ʿalayhim min qablihi lamub'lisīn

فَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰۤ ءَاثَـٰرِ رَحۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ كَیۡفَ یُحۡیِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۤۚ إِنَّ ذَ ٰلِكَ لَمُحۡیِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَیۡءࣲ قَدِیرࣱ ۝٥٠

Therefore, look with your minds' eyes into the effect of Allah's mercy when extended to the people how He revives the land after it had suffered death! And it is He who shall bring the dead back to life, for He is indeed Qadirun (Omnipotent) over all things

fa-unẓur ilā āthāri raḥmati l-lahi kayfa yuḥ'yī l-arḍa baʿda mawtihā inna dhālika lamuḥ'yī l-mawtā wahuwa ʿalā kulli shayin qadīru

وَلَىِٕنۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رِیحࣰا فَرَأَوۡهُ مُصۡفَرࣰّا لَّظَلُّوا۟ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ یَكۡفُرُونَ ۝٥١

And should We send a wind drying up moisture and depriving plants and fruits of their natural colour making it turn yellow, they would be actuated with the feeling of ingratitude and ungratefulness and turn renegade

wala-in arsalnā rīḥan fara-awhu muṣ'farran laẓallū min baʿdihi yakfurūn

فَإِنَّكَ لَا تُسۡمِعُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ وَلَا تُسۡمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ ٱلدُّعَاۤءَ إِذَا وَلَّوۡا۟ مُدۡبِرِینَ ۝٥٢

And so, you just shall not be able O Muhammad to make your voice reach the spiritually dead nor shall you be able to make it reach the worthless who counsel deaf and do not open their hearts' ears when they turn their backs

fa-innaka lā tus'miʿu l-mawtā walā tus'miʿu l-ṣuma l-duʿāa idhā wallaw mud'birīn

وَمَاۤ أَنتَ بِهَـٰدِ ٱلۡعُمۡیِ عَن ضَلَـٰلَتِهِمۡۖ إِن تُسۡمِعُ إِلَّا مَن یُؤۡمِنُ بِءَایَـٰتِنَا فَهُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ ۝٥٣

Nor shall you be able to guide those who lack intellectual or spiritual perception and their minds' eyes are blind nor can you extricate them or disengage out of the entangled wood of error. You will be audible only to those who acknowledge Our signs and Our divine revelations betokening Omnipotence and Authority and they have conformed to Islam

wamā anta bihādi l-ʿum'yi ʿan ḍalālatihim in tus'miʿu illā man yu'minu biāyātinā fahum mus'limūn

6 Overthrow of Opposition

۞ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِی خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعۡفࣲ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَعۡفࣲ قُوَّةࣰ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ قُوَّةࣲ ضَعۡفࣰا وَشَیۡبَةࣰۚ یَخۡلُقُ مَا یَشَاۤءُۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِیمُ ٱلۡقَدِیرُ ۝٥٤

Allah is He Who created you and delivered you over to this world in a stage of utter weakness then from weakness to strength He evolved you, then He reversed the stage of strength to a stage of weakness and gray hair. He creates and evolves what He will and He is AL-Alim (the Omniscient), AL-Qadir (the Omnipotent)

al-lahu alladhī khalaqakum min ḍaʿfin thumma jaʿala min baʿdi ḍaʿfin quwwatan thumma jaʿala min baʿdi quwwatin ḍaʿfan washaybatan yakhluqu mā yashāu wahuwa l-ʿalīmu l-qadīr

وَیَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ یُقۡسِمُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ مَا لَبِثُوا۟ غَیۡرَ سَاعَةࣲۚ كَذَ ٰلِكَ كَانُوا۟ یُؤۡفَكُونَ ۝٥٥

And the Day when the Final Hour has come to pass, the wicked steeped in crime shall swear they only reposed for an hour. And just as they shall make the wrong estimate of time, similarly they will have done in life, they wrongly estimate the truth and they favour declination from religion

wayawma taqūmu l-sāʿatu yuq'simu l-muj'rimūna mā labithū ghayra sāʿatin kadhālika kānū yu'fakūn

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ وَٱلۡإِیمَـٰنَ لَقَدۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡ فِی كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَىٰ یَوۡمِ ٱلۡبَعۡثِۖ فَهَـٰذَا یَوۡمُ ٱلۡبَعۡثِ وَلَـٰكِنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٥٦

But those to whose minds was imparted divine and spiritual knowledge and in whose bosoms was implanted faith as a conviction operative on their character and will, shall express the true estimate of time, thus: "But," they say to the infidels, "you were reposed in the grave as is registered in the archetypal Book of Allah till the Day of Resurrection and this is it, the promised Day which you did not realize was the truth personified "

waqāla alladhīna ūtū l-ʿil'ma wal-īmāna laqad labith'tum fī kitābi l-lahi ilā yawmi l-baʿthi fahādhā yawmu l-baʿthi walākinnakum kuntum lā taʿlamūn

فَیَوۡمَىِٕذࣲ لَّا یَنفَعُ ٱلَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَعۡذِرَتُهُمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ یُسۡتَعۡتَبُونَ ۝٥٧

There and then no excuse shall be accepted from the wrongful of actions nor shall they be reproved nor be graced now by repentance

fayawma-idhin lā yanfaʿu alladhīna ẓalamū maʿdhiratuhum walā hum yus'taʿtabūn

وَلَقَدۡ ضَرَبۡنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِی هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلࣲۚ وَلَىِٕن جِئۡتَهُم بِءَایَةࣲ لَّیَقُولَنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوۤا۟ إِنۡ أَنتُمۡ إِلَّا مُبۡطِلُونَ ۝٥٨

We have quoted in this Quran examples of typical instances that form particular cases of principle, rule and state of things, examples illustrating qualities and signal instances of punishment, action or conduct inducing imitation, examples discoursed in parables of persons whose fate serves as a deterrent., Yet if you should present them with divine signs emblematic of Allah's Omnipotence and Authority, the infidels label them fictitious, worthless and vain

walaqad ḍarabnā lilnnāsi fī hādhā l-qur'āni min kulli mathalin wala-in ji'tahum biāyatin layaqūlanna alladhīna kafarū in antum illā mub'ṭilūn

كَذَ ٰلِكَ یَطۡبَعُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٥٩

Thus does Allah imprint an objectionable disposition on the hearts of those who do not realize the object of thought nor do they bring it vividly and clearly before their minds

kadhālika yaṭbaʿu l-lahu ʿalā qulūbi alladhīna lā yaʿlamūn

فَٱصۡبِرۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقࣱّۖ وَلَا یَسۡتَخِفَّنَّكَ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یُوقِنُونَ ۝٦٠

Therefore, be patient O Muhammad and be unwearied in the face of difficulties and hindrances, and quietly await the course of events; the promise of Allah is the truth personified. Let not their disdainful attitude and their unsettled allegiance and belief influence your firm mind and your firm thoughts nor should you let them disturb or discompose your peace of mind

fa-iṣ'bir inna waʿda l-lahi ḥaqqun walā yastakhiffannaka alladhīna lā yūqinūn

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