SURAH AZ-ZUMAR

The revelation of the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] is from Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book, [O Muḥammad], in truth. So worship Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion.

Unquestionably, for Allāh is the pure religion.¹³³⁹ And those who take protectors besides Him [say], "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allāh in position." Indeed, Allāh will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allāh does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.

If Allāh had intended to take a son, He could have chosen from what He creates whatever He willed. Exalted is He; He is Allāh, the One, the Prevailing.¹³⁴⁰

He created the heavens and earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. Unquestionably, He is the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.¹³⁴¹

He created you from one soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He produced for you from the grazing livestock eight mates.¹³⁴² He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, within three darknesses.¹³⁴³ That is Allāh, your Lord; to Him belongs dominion. There is no deity except Him, so how are you averted?

If you disbelieve - indeed, Allāh is Free from need of you. And He does not approve for His servants disbelief. And if you are grateful, He approves [i.e., likes] it for you; and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you about what you used to do. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.

And when adversity touches man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him [alone]; then when He bestows on him a favor from Himself, he forgets Him whom he called upon before,¹³⁴⁴ and he attributes to Allāh equals to mislead [people] from His way. Say, "Enjoy your disbelief for a little; indeed, you are of the companions of the Fire."

Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.

Say,¹³⁴⁵ "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allāh is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account [i.e., limit]."

Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion.

And I have been commanded to be the first [among you] of the Muslims."

Say, "Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day."

Say, "Allāh [alone] do I worship, sincere to Him in my religion,

So worship what you will besides Him." Say, "Indeed, the losers are the ones who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, that is the manifest loss."

They will have canopies [i.e., layers] of fire above them and below them, canopies. By that Allāh threatens [i.e., warns] His servants. O My servants, then fear Me.

But those who have avoided ṭāghūt,¹³⁴⁶ lest they worship it, and turned back to Allāh - for them are good tidings. So give good tidings to My servants

Who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allāh has guided, and those are people of understanding.

Then, is one who has deserved the decree of punishment [to be guided]? Then, can you save one who is in the Fire?

But those who have feared their Lord - for them are chambers,¹³⁴⁷ above them chambers built high, beneath which rivers flow. [This is] the promise of Allāh. Allāh does not fail in [His] promise.

Do you not see that Allāh sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs [and rivers] in the earth; then He produces thereby crops of varying colors; then they dry and you see them turned yellow; then He makes them [scattered] debris. Indeed in that is a reminder for those of understanding.

So is one whose breast Allāh has expanded to [accept] Islām and he is upon [i.e., guided by] a light from his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]? Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allāh. Those are in manifest error.

Allāh has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance [i.e., mention] of Allāh. That is the guidance of Allāh by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allāh sends astray - for him there is no guide.

Then is he who will shield with his face¹³⁴⁸ the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection [like one secure from it]? And it will be said to the wrongdoers, "Taste what you used to earn."

Those before them denied, and punishment came upon them from where they did not perceive.

So Allāh made them taste disgrace in worldly life. But the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.

And We have certainly presented for the people in this Qur’ān from every [kind of] example - that they might remember.

[It is] an Arabic Qur’ān, without any deviance¹³⁴⁹ that they might become righteous.¹³⁵⁰

Allāh presents an example: a man [i.e., slave] owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allāh! But most of them do not know.

Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die.

Then indeed you, on the Day of Resurrection, before your Lord, will dispute.

So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allāh and denies the truth when it has come to him? Is there not in Hell a residence for the disbelievers?

And the one who has brought the truth [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] and [they who] believed in it - those are the righteous.

They will have whatever they desire with their Lord. That is the reward of the doers of good -

That Allāh may remove from them the worst of what they did and reward them their due for the best of what they used to do.

Is not Allāh sufficient for His Servant [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)]? And [yet], they threaten you with those [they worship] other than Him. And whoever Allāh leaves astray - for him there is no guide.

And whoever Allāh guides - for him there is no misleader. Is not Allāh Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution?

And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered¹³⁵¹ what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."

Say, "O my people, work according to your position, [for] indeed, I am working; and you are going to know

To whom will come a torment disgracing him and on whom will descend an enduring punishment."

Indeed, We sent down to you the Book for the people in truth. So whoever is guided - it is for [the benefit of] his soul; and whoever goes astray only goes astray to its detriment. And you are not a manager [i.e., authority] over them.

Allāh takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.

Or have they taken other than Allāh as intercessors? Say, "Even though they do not possess [power over] anything, nor do they reason?"

Say, "To Allāh belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned."

And when Allāh is mentioned alone, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion, but when those [worshipped] other than Him are mentioned, immediately they rejoice.

Say, "O Allāh, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, You will judge between your servants concerning that over which they used to differ."

And if those who did wrong had all that is in the earth entirely and the like of it with it, they would [attempt to] ransom themselves thereby from the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to them from Allāh that which they had not taken into account.¹³⁵²

And there will appear to them the evils they had earned, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.

And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow on him a favor from Us, he says, "I have only been given it because of [my] knowledge." Rather, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.

Those before them had already said it, but they were not availed by what they used to earn.