Smoke, The Evident Smoke — Al Muntakhab Translation – Parallel Quran

1 Lighter Punishment followed by Severer

H. (Ha), M. (Meem) the Surah opens 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

وَٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِینِ ۝٢

And by the Book which is the spirit of truth that guides people into all truth

wal-kitābi l-mubīn

إِنَّاۤ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِی لَیۡلَةࣲ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِینَ ۝٣

The Book which We began revealing at a blessed and a highly esteemed Night, it is incumbent on Us to send a Messenger as a spectacle and a warning and entrust to him an authoritative Book

innā anzalnāhu fī laylatin mubārakatin innā kunnā mundhirīn

فِیهَا یُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ أَمۡرٍ حَكِیمٍ ۝٤

A night in which every affair proceeding from Him, the Absolute source of wisdom, is disposed of in the manner imparting knowledge, wisdom and spiritual light and displaying Allah's Omnipotence and Authority

fīhā yuf'raqu kullu amrin ḥakīmi

أَمۡرࣰا مِّنۡ عِندِنَاۤۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرۡسِلِینَ ۝٥

An ordinance set forth by Us that We send upon man Our high behests through Messengers who would illuminate the souls by divine truth

amran min ʿindinā innā kunnā mur'silīn

رَحۡمَةࣰ مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِیعُ ٱلۡعَلِیمُ ۝٦

An act of mercy vouchsafed by Allah, your Creator, to His Creatures. He is indeed AL-Sami' (with unlimited audition), AL-Alim (the Omniscient)

raḥmatan min rabbika innahu huwa l-samīʿu l-ʿalīm

رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَاۤۖ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِینَ ۝٧

The Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them, a fact acknowledged by you people if your hearts have been touched with the divine hand

rabbi l-samāwāti wal-arḍi wamā baynahumā in kuntum mūqinīn

لَاۤ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ یُحۡیِۦ وَیُمِیتُۖ رَبُّكُمۡ وَرَبُّ ءَابَاۤىِٕكُمُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِینَ ۝٨

There is no Ilah but He. He gives life and inspirits the property of animate existence and He occasions death and deprives of animate existence. He is Allah, your Creator, and the Creator of your forefathers

lā ilāha illā huwa yuḥ'yī wayumītu rabbukum warabbu ābāikumu l-awalīn

بَلۡ هُمۡ فِی شَكࣲّ یَلۡعَبُونَ ۝٩

Yet they are objectively uncertain of the plain truth and they give occasion to uncertainty, and they follow that emotion which they think would help them attain the object from which pleasure and satisfaction are expected

bal hum fī shakkin yalʿabūn

فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ یَوۡمَ تَأۡتِی ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ بِدُخَانࣲ مُّبِینࣲ ۝١٠

You just wait the course of events O Muhammad; there comes a Day when the heavens shall stir smoke-like dust and things end into smoke

fa-ir'taqib yawma tatī l-samāu bidukhānin mubīni

یَغۡشَى ٱلنَّاسَۖ هَـٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِیمࣱ ۝١١

There and then shall your people -the Quraishites- smother out of a small danger into a great one by reason whereof ensues a great famine and they will be reduced to the painful extremities of hunger and the hungry flame devours the silent dead

yaghshā l-nāsa hādhā ʿadhābun alīmu

رَّبَّنَا ٱكۡشِفۡ عَنَّا ٱلۡعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤۡمِنُونَ ۝١٢

Thence they shall plead with Allah for alleviating their distress: " O Allah, our Creator ", they shall say: "deliver us from what is burdensome and exhausting to the mind and we will submit and believe with hearts reflecting religious and spiritual virtues"

rabbanā ik'shif ʿannā l-ʿadhāba innā mu'minūn

أَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ وَقَدۡ جَاۤءَهُمۡ رَسُولࣱ مُّبِینࣱ ۝١٣

But in what way and by what means will they be brought to their senses and keep their promise of submitting to Our Authority with hearts reflecting religious and spiritual virtues once they have been delivered from distress. They have denied Our Messenger who brought them the spirit of truth guiding people into all truth

annā lahumu l-dhik'rā waqad jāahum rasūlun mubīnu

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوۡا۟ عَنۡهُ وَقَالُوا۟ مُعَلَّمࣱ مَّجۡنُونٌ ۝١٤

And they turned a deaf ear and refused to listen and they turned their backs upon him, accusing him at one time of "being taught by others " and at another time "a demoniac, possessed by an evil spirit"

thumma tawallaw ʿanhu waqālū muʿallamun majnūnu

إِنَّا كَاشِفُوا۟ ٱلۡعَذَابِ قَلِیلًاۚ إِنَّكُمۡ عَاۤىِٕدُونَ ۝١٥

But We will, for a while, allow you people to receive Our efficacious grace effecting the end for which it is given. We will help you get over your misfortune, albeit We know that you will return thereafter to the same subject of thought and to your former disposition. You will hug your old irreverent conviction to your hearts and consequently fall from grace

innā kāshifū l-ʿadhābi qalīlan innakum ʿāidūn

یَوۡمَ نَبۡطِشُ ٱلۡبَطۡشَةَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰۤ إِنَّا مُنتَقِمُونَ ۝١٦

There shall come the Day O Muhammad when We strike the blow that is severe, shocking, disastrous and destructive punishing wrong and avenging crime; the great instance of Our vindictive punishment. Indeed, We will take just vengeance on those wretches who had miss-spent life befooling the minds so as to cause what is false to be accepted as true

yawma nabṭishu l-baṭshata l-kub'rā innā muntaqimūn

۞ وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَجَاۤءَهُمۡ رَسُولࣱ كَرِیمٌ ۝١٧

And long before them -the Quraishites- We had tested the people of Pharaoh. There came to them a noble Messenger -Mussa (Moses)- inviting them graciously to do what was agreeable and he presented them with inducements

walaqad fatannā qablahum qawma fir'ʿawna wajāahum rasūlun karīmu

أَنۡ أَدُّوۤا۟ إِلَیَّ عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّی لَكُمۡ رَسُولٌ أَمِینࣱ ۝١٨

(Inducements) to open their hearts' ears and their minds' eyes and listen to his religious and moral discourse. He said to them: "O you servants of Allah; you had better respond favourably to the spirit of truth guiding people into all truth; I come to you with a message which Allah has entrusted to me and in sincerity and honour do I relate it to you"

an addū ilayya ʿibāda l-lahi innī lakum rasūlun amīnu

وَأَن لَّا تَعۡلُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّیۤ ءَاتِیكُم بِسُلۡطَـٰنࣲ مُّبِینࣲ ۝١٩

"Nor Should you pride yourselves on disbelief in Allah, your Creator, or set off yourselves against Him with inordinate self-esteem. I come to present you with delegated authority to influence your conduct and your actions"

wa-an lā taʿlū ʿalā l-lahi innī ātīkum bisul'ṭānin mubīni

وَإِنِّی عُذۡتُ بِرَبِّی وَرَبِّكُمۡ أَن تَرۡجُمُونِ ۝٢٠

"And here do I commit myself to Allah, my Creator and your Creator, counter to your hostile attitude of mind which may induce you to stone me to death"

wa-innī ʿudh'tu birabbī warabbikum an tarjumūn

وَإِن لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوا۟ لِی فَٱعۡتَزِلُونِ ۝٢١

"And it you do not pin your faith upon me and you think I am open to suspicion then leave me alone and keep me out of harm's way"

wa-in lam tu'minū lī fa-iʿ'tazilūn

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُۥۤ أَنَّ هَـٰۤؤُلَاۤءِ قَوۡمࣱ مُّجۡرِمُونَ ۝٢٢

There and then did Mussa make devout and humble supplications to Allah his Creator, praying for His aid, setting forth in words by reference to their wicked characteristics

fadaʿā rabbahu anna hāulāi qawmun muj'rimūn

فَأَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِی لَیۡلًا إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ ۝٢٣

"March My servants to the sea by night", he was told; "you will be followed. for their vengeance shall follow you wherever you are"

fa-asri biʿibādī laylan innakum muttabaʿūn

وَٱتۡرُكِ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ رَهۡوًاۖ إِنَّهُمۡ جُندࣱ مُّغۡرَقُونَ ۝٢٤

And after you have stricken the sea with your staff and made a footpath for your people across, calm yourself and let the sea return to its settled calm. They are a multitude of men destined to drown"

wa-ut'ruki l-baḥra rahwan innahum jundun mugh'raqūn

كَمۡ تَرَكُوا۟ مِن جَنَّـٰتࣲ وَعُیُونࣲ ۝٢٥

And so, how plentiful was what they left behind; they were in a condition of abundance: gardens and springs

kam tarakū min jannātin waʿuyūni

وَزُرُوعࣲ وَمَقَامࣲ كَرِیمࣲ ۝٢٦

And all kinds of vegetal growth and products of the soil and mansions and stately homes

wazurūʿin wamaqāmin karīmi

وَنَعۡمَةࣲ كَانُوا۟ فِیهَا فَـٰكِهِینَ ۝٢٧

And luxuriation in power and luxuriation in abundance of the necessities and comforts of life wherewith they rejoiced beyond a common joy

wanaʿmatin kānū fīhā fākihīn

كَذَ ٰلِكَۖ وَأَوۡرَثۡنَـٰهَا قَوۡمًا ءَاخَرِینَ ۝٢٨

Thus did We put another people of a different race and creed in possession and made them the heirs, whereas their name was the only inheritance they left

kadhālika wa-awrathnāhā qawman ākharīn

فَمَا بَكَتۡ عَلَیۡهِمُ ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُنظَرِینَ ۝٢٩

And neither the heaven nor the earth shed tears over them; they were not going to weep at what they were glad for; nor was the wicked's just punishment meant to be put in respite

famā bakat ʿalayhimu l-samāu wal-arḍu wamā kānū munẓarīn

2 Good and Evil Rewarded

وَلَقَدۡ نَجَّیۡنَا بَنِیۤ إِسۡرَ ٰۤءِیلَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡمُهِینِ ۝٣٠

There and then did We deliver Bani-Israel (the Children of Israel) from the suffering and the painful humiliation

walaqad najjaynā banī is'rāīla mina l-ʿadhābi l-muhīn

مِن فِرۡعَوۡنَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَالِیࣰا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِینَ ۝٣١

Inflicted by Pharaoh who beheld his unfortunate people from an exalted throne and was extravagant in his account of himself and was fond of his own way which he saw but the one way to erect tyrannies in all his cities

min fir'ʿawna innahu kāna ʿāliyan mina l-mus'rifīn

وَلَقَدِ ٱخۡتَرۡنَـٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ ۝٣٢

Such prerogative as We confined to Bani-Israel was based on Our knowledge of who best deserved, among all people of the time, to be the recipient of Our mercy and blessings

walaqadi ikh'tarnāhum ʿalā ʿil'min ʿalā l-ʿālamīn

وَءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِ مَا فِیهِ بَلَـٰۤؤࣱا۟ مُّبِینٌ ۝٣٣

And We conferred on them what was to their need: convenience and comfort and We bestowed on them -through Mussa acts of miraculous nature serving to demonstrate divine power and authority. All together, were a sure test of their actions and reactions which would echo their true beliefs and the prevalent inclination among them

waātaynāhum mina l-āyāti mā fīhi balāon mubīnu

إِنَّ هَـٰۤؤُلَاۤءِ لَیَقُولُونَ ۝٣٤

Yet these -Quraishites- who deny Resurrection, insolently say

inna hāulāi layaqūlūn

إِنۡ هِیَ إِلَّا مَوۡتَتُنَا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُنشَرِینَ ۝٣٥

"We only die once when we come to our life's end and never will we be resurrected"

in hiya illā mawtatunā l-ūlā wamā naḥnu bimunsharīn

فَأۡتُوا۟ بِءَابَاۤىِٕنَاۤ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِینَ ۝٣٦

"And they add, if you Muhammad together with those who have fallen into line truly assert an Eternal Providence and justify the truth of Resurrections then bring back our forefathers"

fatū biābāinā in kuntum ṣādiqīn

أَهُمۡ خَیۡرٌ أَمۡ قَوۡمُ تُبَّعࣲ وَٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَـٰهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوا۟ مُجۡرِمِینَ ۝٣٧

Are they -the Meccan infidels- the better in wordly conditions than the people of Tobba* and their predecessors? But We did away with them, and reduced them into a useless form; they were evil personified

ahum khayrun am qawmu tubbaʿin wa-alladhīna min qablihim ahlaknāhum innahum kānū muj'rimīn

وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَا لَـٰعِبِینَ ۝٣٨

Nor did We create the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them in amusement and diversion

wamā khalaqnā l-samāwāti wal-arḍa wamā baynahumā lāʿibīn

مَا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُمَاۤ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٣٩

In effect We have not created both of them but in conformity with truth and in agreement with reality with soundness of judgment in the choice of means and ends; but, in darkness most of them walk on and they know not, nor do they even understand

mā khalaqnāhumā illā bil-ḥaqi walākinna aktharahum lā yaʿlamūn

إِنَّ یَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ مِیقَـٰتُهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِینَ ۝٤٠

Indeed the Day of segregation of the rightful from the wrongful who indulged in vanity is the calculated point of time and the moment of impact eventful to them al

inna yawma l-faṣli mīqātuhum ajmaʿīn

یَوۡمَ لَا یُغۡنِی مَوۡلًى عَن مَّوۡلࣰى شَیۡءࣰا وَلَا هُمۡ یُنصَرُونَ ۝٤١

This is the Eventful Day when no master shall avail his subordinates nor can a subordinate avail his master but like master, like man, nor can anyone afford them help

yawma lā yugh'nī mawlan ʿan mawlan shayan walā hum yunṣarūn

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِیزُ ٱلرَّحِیمُ ۝٤٢

Except those to whom Allah will extend His mercy; He is AL-Aziz (the Almighty), and AL-Rahim (the Merciful)

illā man raḥima l-lahu innahu huwa l-ʿazīzu l-raḥīm

3 Good and Evil Rewarded

إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ ٱلزَّقُّومِ ۝٤٣

There and then shall the ugly, the bitter and disagreeable tree of Zaqqum or (Zaqqoom)

inna shajarata l-zaqūm

طَعَامُ ٱلۡأَثِیمِ ۝٤٤

Be the edible food of the sinner

ṭaʿāmu l-athīm

كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ یَغۡلِی فِی ٱلۡبُطُونِ ۝٤٥

Food which like molten metals. will keep boiling inside the bellie

kal-muh'li yaghlī fī l-buṭūn

كَغَلۡیِ ٱلۡحَمِیمِ ۝٤٦

And like water brought to the bolting point

kaghalyi l-ḥamīm

خُذُوهُ فَٱعۡتِلُوهُ إِلَىٰ سَوَاۤءِ ٱلۡجَحِیمِ ۝٤٧

The angels posted as sentinels keeping guard of the Fire are commanded, thus: "Seize him and detain him -the sinner- and take him to the depths of Hell."

khudhūhu fa-iʿ'tilūhu ilā sawāi l-jaḥīm

ثُمَّ صُبُّوا۟ فَوۡقَ رَأۡسِهِۦ مِنۡ عَذَابِ ٱلۡحَمِیمِ ۝٤٨

"And pour on his head torrents of painfully tormenting boiling water."

thumma ṣubbū fawqa rasihi min ʿadhābi l-ḥamīm

ذُقۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِیزُ ٱلۡكَرِیمُ ۝٤٩

"Now taste and see," he is told, "how just is the retribution; you had tasted the pleasure of your saw of might and you preferred might to right just as you had enjoyed and abused birthright"

dhuq innaka anta l-ʿazīzu l-karīm

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا مَا كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَمۡتَرُونَ ۝٥٠

"This is the just retribution you had always doubted"

inna hādhā mā kuntum bihi tamtarūn

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِینَ فِی مَقَامٍ أَمِینࣲ ۝٥١

But those who had entertained the profound reverence dutiful to Allah, shall be welcomed to where they are privileged, with safe-conduct and security

inna l-mutaqīna fī maqāmin amīni

فِی جَنَّـٰتࣲ وَعُیُونࣲ ۝٥٢

Amid beautiful gardens and dazzling springs

fī jannātin waʿuyūni

یَلۡبَسُونَ مِن سُندُسࣲ وَإِسۡتَبۡرَقࣲ مُّتَقَـٰبِلِینَ ۝٥٣

Dressed up in silk gowns and ornamented brocade and seated in opposite directions enjoying the glory of heaven

yalbasūna min sundusin wa-is'tabraqin mutaqābilīn

كَذَ ٰلِكَ وَزَوَّجۡنَـٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِینࣲ ۝٥٤

Thus shall it be, and thus shall We join them in wedlock to beauty with attractive dark eyes whose splendour could not have been sustained in life

kadhālika wazawwajnāhum biḥūrin ʿīni

یَدۡعُونَ فِیهَا بِكُلِّ فَـٰكِهَةٍ ءَامِنِینَ ۝٥٥

Whatever fruit they ask for or they portray in their minds shall be given with surety; they have been given the security

yadʿūna fīhā bikulli fākihatin āminīn

لَا یَذُوقُونَ فِیهَا ٱلۡمَوۡتَ إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوۡتَةَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰۖ وَوَقَىٰهُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡجَحِیمِ ۝٥٦

They shall suffer no death other than the first death they had encountered at their life's end, and now they have been saved the torment of the Fire

lā yadhūqūna fīhā l-mawta illā l-mawtata l-ūlā wawaqāhum ʿadhāba l-jaḥīm

فَضۡلࣰا مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِیمُ ۝٥٧

An efficacious grace of Allah your Creator, effecting the supreme triumph for which it is given

faḍlan min rabbika dhālika huwa l-fawzu l-ʿaẓīm

فَإِنَّمَا یَسَّرۡنَـٰهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَتَذَكَّرُونَ ۝٥٨

We have revealed it -the Quran - in your tongue O Muhammad; so that it takes effect and be of operative influence on your people that they may comprehend and lift to Allah their inward sight

fa-innamā yassarnāhu bilisānika laʿallahum yatadhakkarūn

فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ إِنَّهُم مُّرۡتَقِبُونَ ۝٥٩

Events cast their shadow before, therefore await the course of events. O Muhammad you will come to know what fate awaits them and likewise they are also waiting

fa-ir'taqib innahum mur'taqibūn

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