As-Saaffaat

Wassaaaffaati saffaa

CONSIDER these [messages] ranged in serried ranks,

Fazzaajiraati zajraa

and restraining [from evil] by a call to restraint,

Fattaaliyaati Zikra

and conveying [to all the world] a reminder:

Inna Illaahakum la Waahid

Verily, most surely, your God is One –

Rabbus samaawaati wal ardi wa maa bainahumaa wa Rabbul mashaariq

the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and of all that is between them, and the Sustainer of all the points of sunrise!

Innaa zaiyannas samaaa 'ad dunyaa bizeenatinil kawaakib

Behold, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with the beauty of stars,

Wa hifzam min kulli Shaitaanim maarid

and have made them secure against every rebellious, satanic force,

Laa yassamma 'oona ilal mala il a'alaa wa yuqzafoona min kulli jaanib

[so that] they [who seek to learn the unknowable] should not be able to overhear the host on high, but shall be repelled from all sides,

Duhooranw wa lahum 'azaabunw waasib

cast out [from all grace], with lasting suffering in store for them [in the life to come];

Illaa man khatifal khatfata fa atba'ahoo shihaabun saaqib

but if anyone does succeed in snatching a glimpse [of such knowledge], he is [henceforth] pursued by a piercing flame.

Fastaftihim ahum ashaddu khalqan am man khalaqnaa; innaa khalaqnaahum min teenil laazib

AND NOW ask those [who deny the truth] to enlight­en thee: Were they more difficult to create than all those [untold marvels] that We have created? - for, behold, them have We created out of [mere] clay commingled with water!

Bal'ajibta wa yaskharoon

Nay, but whereas thou dost marvel, they [only] scoff;

Wa izaa zukkiroo laa yazkuroon

and when they are reminded [of the truth], they refuse to take it to heart;

Wa izaa ra aw Aayatinw yastaskhiroon

and when they become aware of a [divine] message, they turn it to ridicule

Wa qaalooo in haazaa illaa sihrum mubeen

and say: “This is clearly nothing but [a mortal’s] spellbinding eloquence!

'A-izaa mitnaa wa kunnaa turaabanw wa 'izaaman 'ainnaa lamab'oosoon

Why - after we have died and become mere dust and bones, shall we, forsooth, be raised from the dead? –

Awa aabaa'unal awwaloon

and perhaps also our forebears of old?”

Qul na'am wa antum daakhiroon

Say: “Yea, indeed - and most abject will you then be!” –

Fa innamaa hiya zajra tunw waahidatun fa izaa hum yanzuroon

for that [resurrection which they deride] will be [upon them of a sudden, as if it were] but a single accusing cry - and then, lo! they will begin to see [the truth]

Qa qaaloo yaa wailanaa haazaa Yawmud-Deen

and will say: “Oh, woe unto us! This is the Day of Judgment!”

Haazaa Yawmul Faslil lazee kuntum bihee tukaziboon

[And they will be told:] “This is the Day of Distinction [between the true and the false - the Day] which you were wont to call a lie!”

Uhshurul lazeena zalamoo wa azwaajahum wa maa kaanoo ya'budoon

[And God will thus command:] “Assemble all those who were bent on evildoing, together with others of their ilk and [with] all that they were wont to worship

Min doonil laahi fahdoohum ilaa siraatil Jaheem

instead of God, and lead them all onto the way to the blazing fire,

Wa qifoohum innahum mas'ooloon

and halt them [there]!” [And then,] behold, they shall be asked,

Maa lakum laa tanaasaroon

“How is it that [now] you cannot succour one another?”

Bal humul Yawma mustaslimoon

Nay, but on that Day they would willingly surrender [to God];

Wa aqbala ba'duhum 'alaa ba'diny yatasaaa'aloon

but [since it will be too late,] they will turn upon one another, demanding of each other [to relieve them of the burden of their past sins].

Qaalooo innakum kuntum taatoonanaa 'anil yameen

Some [of them] will say: “Behold, you were wont to approach us [deceptively] from the right!”

Qaaloo bal lam takoonoo mu'mineen

[To which] the others will reply: “Nay, you yourselves were bereft of all faith!

Wa maa kaana lanaa 'alaikum min sultaanim bal kuntum qawman taagheen

Moreover, we had no power at all over you: nay, you were people filled with overweening arrogance!

Fahaqqa 'alainaa qawlu Rabbinaaa innaa lazaaa'iqoon

But now our Sustainer’s word has come true against us [as well]: verily, we are bound to taste [the fruit of our sins].

Fa aghwainaakum innaa kunnaa ghaaween

So then, [if it be true that] we have caused you to err grievously - behold, we ourselves had been lost in grievous error!”

Fa innahum Yawma'izin fil'azaabi mushtarikoon

And, verily, on that Day they all will share in their common suffering.

Innaa kazaalika naf'alu bil mujrimeen

Verily, thus shall We deal with all who were lost in sin:

Innahum kaanooo izaa qeela lahum laaa ilaaha illal laahu yastakbiroon

for, behold, whenever they were told, “There is no deity save God,” they would glory in their arrogance

Wa yaqooloona a'innaa lataarikooo aalihatinaa lishaa'irim majnoon

and would say, “Shall we, then, give up our deities at the bidding of a mad poet?”

bal jaaa'a bilhaqqi wa saddaqal mursaleen

Nay, but he [whom you call a mad poet] has brought the truth; and he confirms the truth of [what the earlier of God’s] message-bearers [have taught].

Innakum lazaaa'iqul 'azaabil aleem

Behold, you will indeed taste grievous suffering [in the life to come],

Wa maa tujzawna illaa maa kuntum ta'maloon

although you shall not be requited for aught but what you were wont to do.

Illaa 'ibaadal laahil mukhlaseen

Not so, however, God’s true servants:

Ulaaa'ika lahum rizqum ma'loom

[in the hereafter,] theirs shall be a sustenance which they will recognize

Fa waakihu wa hum mukramoon

as the fruits [of their life on earth]; and honoured shall they be

Fee jannaatin Na'eem

in gardens of bliss,

'Alaa sururim mutaqaa bileen

facing one another [in love] upon thrones of happiness.

Yutaafu 'alaihim bikaasim mim ma'een

A cup will be passed round among them [with a drink] from unsullied springs,

Baidaaa'a laz zatil lish shaaribeen

clear, delightful to those who drink it:

Laa feehaa ghawlunw wa laa hum 'anhaa yunzafoon

no headiness will be in it, and they will not get drunk thereon.

Wa 'indahum qaasiraatut tarfi 'een

And with them will be mates of modest gaze, most beautiful of eye,

Ka annahunna baidum maknoon

[as free of faults] as if they were hidden [ostrich] eggs.

Fa aqbala ba'duhum 'alaa badiny yatasaaa 'aloon

And they will all turn to one another, asking each other [about their past lives].

Qaala qaaa'ilum minhum innee kaana lee qareen

One of them speaks thus: “Behold, I had [on earth] a close companion

Yaqoolu a'innnaka laminal musaddiqeen

who was wont to ask [me], ‘Why - art thou really one of those who believe it to be true

'A-izaa mitnaa wa kunnaa turaabanw wa 'izaaman 'ainnaa lamadeenoon

[that] after we have died and become mere dust and bones we shall, forsooth, be brought to judgment?”’

Qaala hal antum muttali'oon

[And] he adds: “Would you like to look [and see him]?” –

Fattala'a fara aahu fee sawaaa'il Jaheem

and then he looks and sees that [companion of his] in the midst of the blazing fire,

Qaala tallaahi in kitta laturdeen

and says: “By God! Verily, thou hast almost destroyed me [too, O my erstwhile companion]

Wa law laa ni'matu Rabbee lakuntu minal muhdareen

for had it not been for my Sustainer’s favour, I would surely be [now] among those who are given over [to suffering]!

Afamaa nahnu bimaiyiteen

But then, [O my friends in paradise,] is it [really] so that we are not to die

Illa mawtatanal oola wa maa nahnu bimu'azzabeen

[again,] beyond our previous death, and that we shall never [again] be made to suffer?

Inna haazaa falya'ma lil'aamiloon

Verily, this - this indeed - is the triumph supreme!”

Limisli haaza falya'ma lil 'aamiloon

For the like of this, then, let them labour, those who labour [in God’s way]!

Azaalika khairun nuzulan am shajaratuz Zaqqom

Is such [a paradise] the better welcome - or the [hellish] tree of deadly fruit?

Innaa ja'alnaahaa fitnatal lizzaalimeen

Verily, We have caused it to be a trial for evildoers:

Innahaa shajaratun takhruju feee aslil Jaheem

for, behold, it is a tree that grows in the very heart of the blazing fire [of hell],

Tal'uhaa ka annahoo ru'oosush Shayaateen

its fruit [as repulsive] as satans’ heads;

Fa innahum la aakiloona minhaa famaali'oona minhal butoon

and they [who are lost in evil] are indeed bound to eat thereof, and to fill their bellies therewith.

Summa inna lahum 'alaihaa lashawbam min hameem

And, behold, above all this they will be confounded with burning des­pair!

Summa inna marji'ahum la ilal Jaheem

And once again: Verily, the blazing fire is their ultimate goal –

Innahum alfaw aabaaa'ahum daaalleen

for, behold, they found their forebears on a wrong way,

Fahum 'alaa aasaarihim yuhra'oon

and [now] they make haste to follow in their footsteps!

Wa laqad dalla qablahum aksarul awwaleen

Thus, indeed, most of the people of old went astray before them,

Wa laqad arsalnaa feehim munzireen

although, verily, We had sent warners unto them:

Fanzur kaifa kaana 'aaqibatul munzareen

and behold what happened in the end to those that had been warned [to no avail]!

Illaa 'ibaadal laahil mukhlaseen

EXCEPT for God’s true servants, [most people are apt to go astray.]

Wa laqad naadaanaa Noohun falani'mal mujeeboon

And, indeed, [it was for this reason that] Noah cried unto Us - and how excellent was Our response:

Wa jajainaahu wa ahlahoo minal karbil 'azeem

for We saved him and his household from that awesome calamity,

Wa ja'alnaa zurriyyatahoo hummul baaqeen

and caused his offspring to endure [on earth];

Wa taraknaa 'alaihi fil aakhireen

and We left him thus to be remembered among later generations:

Salaamun 'alaa Noohin fil 'aalameen

“Peace be upon Noah throughout all the worlds!”

Innaa kazaalika najzil muhsineen

Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good –

Innahoo min 'ibaadinal mu'mineen

for he was truly one of our believing servants:

Summa aghraqnal aakhareen

[and so We saved him and those who followed him] and then We caused the others to drown.

Wa ina min shee'atihee la Ibraaheem

AND, BEHOLD, of his persuasion was Abraham, too,

Iz jaaa'a Rabbahoo bi qalbin saleem

when he turned to his Sustainer with a heart free of evil,

Iz qaala li abeehi wa qawmihee maazaa ta'budoon

and [thus] spoke to his father and his people: “What is it that you worship?

A'ifkan aalihatan doonal laahi tureedoon

Do you want [to bow down before] a lie - [before] deities other than God?

Famaa zannukum bi Rabbil'aalameen

What, then, do you think of the Sustainer of all the worlds?”

Fanazara nazratan finnujoom

Then he cast a glance at the stars,

Faqaala inee saqeem

and said, “Verily, I am sick [at heart]!”

Fatawallaw 'anhu mudbireen

and at that they turned their backs on him and went away.

Faraagha ilaaa aalihatihim faqaala alaa taakuloon

Thereupon he approached their gods stealthily and said, “What! You do not eat [of the offerings placed before you]?

Maa lakum laa tantiqoon

What is amiss with you that you do not speak?”

Faraagha 'alaihim darbam bilyameen

And then he fell upon them, smiting them with his right hand.

Fa aqbalooo ilaihi yaziffoon

[But] then the others came towards him hur­riedly [and accused him of his deed].

Qaala ata'budoona maa tanhitoon

He answered: “Do you worship something that you [yourselves] have carved,

Wallaahu khalaqakum wa maa ta'maloon

the while it is God who has created you and all your handiwork?”

Qaalub noo lahoo bun yaanan fa alqoohu fil jaheem

They exclaimed: “Build a pyre for him, and cast him into the blazing fire!”

Fa araadoo bihee kaidan faja 'alnaahumul asfaleen

But whereas they sought to do evil unto him, We [frustrated their designs, and thus] brought them low?

Wa qaala innee zaahibun ilaa Rabbee sa yahdeen

And [Abraham] said: “Verily, I shall [leave this land and] go wherever my Sustainer will guide me!”

Rabbi hab lee minas saaliheen

[And he prayed:] “O my Sustainer! Bestow upon me the gift of [a son who shall be] one of the righteous!” –

Fabashsharnaahu bighulaamin haleem

whereupon We gave him the glad tiding of a boy-child gentle [like himself]?

Falamma balagha ma'a hus sa'ya qaala yaa buniya inneee araa fil manaami anneee azbahuka fanzur maazaa taraa; qaala yaaa abatif 'al maa tu'maru satajidunee in shaaa'allaahu minas saabireen

And [one day,] when [the child] had become old enough to share in his [father’s] endeavours, the latter said: “O my dear son! I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice thee: consider, then, what would be thy view!” [Ishmael] answered: “O my father! Do as thou art bidden: thou wilt find me, if God so wills, among those who are patient in adversity!”

Falammaaa aslamaa wa tallahoo liljabeen

But as soon as the two had surrendered themselves to [what they thought to be] the will of God, and [Abraham] had laid him down on his face,

Wa naadainaahu ai yaaaa Ibraheem

We called out to him: “O Abraham,

Qad saddaqtar ru'yaa; innaa kazaalika najzil muhsineen

thou hast already fulfilled [the purpose of] that dream- vision!” Thus, verily, do We reward the doers of good:

Inna haazaa lahuwal balaaa'ul mubeen

for, behold, all this was indeed a trial, clear in itself.

Wa fadainaahu bizibhin 'azeem

And We ransomed him with a tremendous sacrifice,

Wa taraknaa 'alaihi fil aakhireen

and left him thus to be remembered among later generations:

Salaamun 'alaaa Ibraaheem

“Peace be upon Abraham!”

Kazaalika najzil muhsineen

Thus do We reward the doers of good –

Innahoo min 'ibaadinal mu'mineen

for he was truly one of our believing servants.

Wa bashsharnaahu bi Ishaaqa Nabiyayam minas saaliheen

And [in time] We gave him the glad tiding of Isaac, [who, too, would be] a prophet, one of the righteous;

Wa baaraknaa 'alaihi wa 'alaaa Ishaaq; wa min zurriyya tihimaa muhsinunw wa zaalimul linafshihee mubeen

and We blessed him and Isaac: but among the offspring of these two there were [des­tined] to be both doers of good and such as would glaringly sin against themselves.

Wa laqad mananna alaa Moosaa wa Haaroon

THUS, INDEED, did We bestow Our favour upon Moses and Aaron;

Wa najjainaahumaa wa qawmahumaa minal karbil 'azeem

and We saved them and their people from the awesome calamity [of bondage],

Wa nasarnaahum fakaanoo humul ghaalibeen

and succoured them, so that [in the end] it was they who achieved victory.

Wa aatainaahumal Kitaabal mustabeen

And We gave them the divine writ that made [right and wrong] distinct,

Wa hadainaahumus Siraatal Mustaqeem

and guided them the straight way,

Wa taraknaa 'alaihimaa fil aakhireen

and left them thus to be remem­bered among later generations:

Salaamun 'alaa Moosaa wa Haaroon

“Peace be upon Moses and Aaron!”

Innaa kazaalika najzil muhsineen

Thus do We reward the doers of good –

Innahumaa min 'ibaadinal mu'mineen

for those two were truly among Our believing ser­vants.

Wa inna Ilyaasa laminal mursaleen

AND, BEHOLD, Elijah [too] was indeed one of Our message-bearers

Iz qaala liqawmiheee alaa tattaqoon

when he spoke [thus] to his people: “Will you not remain conscious of God?

Atad'oona Ba'lanw wa tazaroona ahsanal khaaliqeen

Will you invoke Baal and forsake [God,] the best of artisans -

Allaaha Rabbakum wa Rabba aabaaa'ikumul awwaleen

God, your Sustainer and the Sustainer of your forebears of old?”

Fakazzaboohu fa inna hum lamuhdaroon

But they gave him the lie: and therefore they will most surely be arraigned [on Judgment Day],

Illaa 'ibaadal laahil mukhlaseen

excepting only [those who were] God’s true servants;

Wa taraknaa 'alaihi fil aakhireen

and him We left thus to be remem­bered among later generations:

Salaamun 'alaaa Ilyaaseen

“Peace be upon Elijah and his followers!”

Innaa kazaalika najzil muhsineen

Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good –

Innahoo min 'ibaadinal mu'mineen

for he was truly one of Our believing servants!

Wa inna Lootal laminal mursaleen

AND, BEHOLD, Lot was indeed one of Our mes­sage-bearers;

Iz najjainaahu wa ahlahooo ajma'een

[and so,] when [We decreed the doom of his sinful town,] We saved him and his household,

Illaa 'ajoozan fil ghaabireen

except an old woman who was among those that stayed behind;

Summa dammarnal aakhareen

and then We utterly destroyed the others:

Wa innakum latamurroona 'alaihim musbiheen

and, verily, [to this day] you pass by the remnants of their dwellings at morning-time

Wa billail; afalaa ta'qiloon

and by night. Will you not, then, use your reason?

Wa inna Yoonusa laminal mursaleen

AND, BEHOLD, Jonah was indeed one of Our mes­sage-bearers

Iz abaqa ilal fulkil mash hoon

when he fled like a runaway slave onto a laden ship.

Fasaahama fakaana minal mudhadeen

And then they cast lots, and he was the one who lost;

Faltaqamahul hootu wa huwa muleem

[and they cast him into the sea,] whereupon the great fish swallowed him, for he had been blameworthy.

Falaw laaa annahoo kaana minal musabbiheen

And had he not been of those who [even in the deep darkness of their distress are able to] extol God’s limitless glory,

Lalabisa fee batniheee ilaa Yawmi yub'asoon

he would indeed have remained in its belly till the Day when all shall be raised from the dead:

Fanabaznaahu bil'araaa'i wa huwa saqeem

but We caused him to be cast forth on a desert shore, sick [at heart] as he was,

Wa ambatnaa 'alaihi shajaratam mai yaqteen

and caused a creeping plant to grow over him [out of the barren soil].

Wa arsalnaahu ilaa mi'ati alfin aw yazeedoon

And [then] We sent him [once again] to [his people,] a hundred thousand [souls] or more:

Fa aamanoo famatta' naahum ilaa heen

and [this time] they believed [in him] and so We allowed them to enjoy their life during the time allotted to them?

Fastaftihim ali Rabbikal banaatu wa lahumul banoon

AND NOW ask them to enlighten thee: Has thy Sustainer daughters, whereas they would have [only] sons?

Am khalaqnal malaaa'i kata inaasanw wa hm shaahidoon

- or is it that We have created the angels female, and they [who believe them to be divine] have witnessed [that act of creation]?

Alaaa innahum min ifkihim la yaqooloon

Oh, verily, it is out of their own [inclination to] falsehood that some people assert,

Waladal laahu wa innhum lakaaziboon

“God has begotten [a son]”; and, verily, they are lying [too, when they say],

Astafal banaati 'alal baneen

“He has chosen daughters in preference to sons”!

Maa lakum kaifa tahkumoon

What is amiss with you and your judgment?

Afalaa tazakkaroon

Will you not, then, bethink yourselves?

Am lakum sultaanum mubeen

Or have you, perchance, a clear evidence [for your assertions]?

Faatoo bi Kitaabikum in kuntum saadiqeen

Produce, then, that divine writ of yours, if you are speaking the truth!

Wa ja'aloo bainahoo wa bainal jinnati nasabaa; wa laqad 'alimatil jinnatu innahum lamuhdaroon

And some people have invented a kinship between Him and all manner of invisible forces although [even] these invisible forces know well that, verily, they [who thus blaspheme against God] shall indeed be arraigned [before Him on Judgment Day: for]

Subhaanal laahi 'ammaa yasifoon

limitless is God in His glory, above anything that men may devise by way of definition!

Illaa 'ibaadal laahil mukhlaseen

Not thus, however, [behave] God’s true ser­vants:

Fa innakum wa maa ta'ubdoon

for, verily, neither you [blasphemers] nor the objects of your worship

Maaa antum 'alaihi befaaatineen

can cause anyone to fall prey to your temptation

Illaa man huwa saalil jaheem

unless it be such as rushes towards the blazing fire [of his own accord]!

Wa maa minnasa illaa lahoo maqaamum ma'loom

[All forces of nature praise God and say:] “Among us, too, there is none but has a place assigned to it [by Him];

Wa innaa llanah nus saaffoon

and, verily, we too are ranged [before Him in worship];

Wa innaa lanah nul musabbihoon

and, verily, we too extol His limitless glory!”

Wa in kaanoo la yaqooloon

AND, INDEED, they [who deny the truth] have always been wont to say,

Law anna 'indana zikram minal awwaleen

“If only we had a tradition [to this effect] from our forebears,

Lakunna 'ibaadal laahil mukhlaseen

we would certainly be true servants of God.”

Fakafaroo bihee fasawfa ya'lamoon

And yet, [now that this divine writ has been placed before them,] they refuse to acknowledge it as true! In time, however, they will come to know [what it was that they had rejected]:

Wa laqad sabaqat Kalimatunaa li'ibaadinal mursa leen

for, long ago has Our word gone forth unto Our servants, the message- bearers,

Innaa hum lahumul mansooroon

that, verily, they - they indeed - would be succoured,

Wa inna jundana lahumul ghaaliboon

and that, verily, Our hosts - they indeed - would [in the end] be victorious!

Fatawalla 'anhum hatta heen

Hence, turn thou aside for a while from those [who deny the truth],

Wa absirhum fasawfa yubsiroon

and see them [for what they are]; and in time they [too] will come to see [what they do not see now].

Afabi'azaabinaa yasta'jiloon

Do they, then, [really] wish that Our chas­tisement be hastened on?

Fa izaa nazala bisaahatihim fasaaa'a sabaahul munzareen

But then, once it alights upon them, hapless will be the awakening of those who were warned [to no avail]!

Wa tawalla 'anhum hattaa heen

Hence, turn thou aside for a while from them,

Wa absir fasawfa yubsiroon

and see [them for what they are]; and n time they [too] will come to see [what they do not see now].

Subhaana Rabbika Rabbil 'izzati 'amma yasifoon

LIMITLESS in His glory is thy Sustainer, the Lord of almightiness, [exalted] above anything that men may devise by way of definition!

Wa salaamun 'alalmursaleen

And peace be upon all His message-bearers!

Walhamdu lillaahi Rabbil 'aalameen

And all praise is due to God alone, the Sus­tainer of all the worlds!