About the Surah

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Ha-Mim (Only Allah knows their meanings).

By this Book which makes things clear.

Indeed, We made it a Quran in Arabic so that you may understand (its good news and warnings).

And, indeed, this Quran is in the mother of the Book (i.e. Al-Lauh al-Mahfuz) with Us and is highly esteemed, full of wisdom.

Shall We then take away the Reminder (this Quran) from you since you are extremely  transgressing people? (In spite of your denial We shall preach, so that it benefits the believers and serves as a proof against transgressors).

We have sent many Prophets to the earlier people (in spite of their denial). (The chain of Prophethood was not stopped because of their denial).

And whenever a Prophet came to them they used to mock him.

So We destroyed people (due to their mocking) more powerfully than them (i.e. people of Makkah), and example of earlier people has passed (to learn a les-son).

And if you ask them: “Who has created the heavens and the earth?” They will surely say: “The All-Mighty, the All-Knower created them.”

Who has made for you the earth like a (stable) floor, and made roadways in it so that you may be guided (to your destination)?

And Who sends down rain-water from the sky in due measure, then We re-vived the dead land with this water? Exactly this way you will be brought out (alive from your graves).

And Who has created pairs of everything and has made ships for you and (has created) animals on which you ride.

So that you may ride on their backs and then you may remember the Favour of your Creator after you have seated yourself on them and say: “Glory to Him Who has put it under our control and we could never had it under our control on our own.”

“And, indeed, we have to return to our Creator (that is why we are not lazy or arrogant in showing gratefulness to our Creator).”

And (inspite of proofs of the Oneness of Allah) they made slaves of Allah as part of Allah. Indeed, man is openly ungrateful (to his Creator).

Or has Allah kept daughters for Himself out of what He has created and He has chosen sons for you?

And when one of them is given news of (a female child), that which he uses as an example for the Most Gracious (Allah), his face turns dark filled with grief (the whole day).

Or (do they like for Allah) those who are brought up in ornamentation (i.e. female), and whose speech is not very clear in disputes?

And they made the angels, who are slaves of the Most Gracious (Allah) fe-males. Did they witness the creation of angels? Their testimony (which is without any proof) will be recorded, and they will be questioned about it.

And they say: “If Allah willed, we would not have worshipped false deities (i.e. if Allah was unhappy with our worship of false deities, He would have stopped us by force).” They have no (factual) knowledge about it. They are only talking from their guess work (or telling lies).

Or have We given them any Book before this (the Quran) which they are holding onto firmly? 

(Not at all), in fact, they say: “We found our forefathers following a (specif-ic) religion, and we are following their footsteps.”

And, similarly, whenever We sent a warner before you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] to any com-munity, the well-to-do people among them said: “We found our fore-fathers following a (specific) reli-gion, and we will, indeed, follow their footsteps.”

(The warner said): “Even though I bring you a better guidance than that which your forefathers had?” They said: “Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent.”

So We took revenge from them. Hence, see what was the end of those who denied. 

And (remember) when Ibrahim ( )said to his father and his people: “Indeed, I am fed up with (and have no relation with) what you worship.”

“Except He Who created me, so He will, indeed, guide me.”

And he [Ibrahim ] left this very wording (i.e. worship Allah alone) among his children so that they turn back (to repent to Allah).

In fact, I gave luxurious lives to them and to their forefathers till the truth came to them (i.e. the Quran) and a messenger [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] making things clear to them.

And when the truth (this Quran) came to them,  they (the disbelievers) said: “This is magic, and we don’t believe in it.”

And they said: “Why is not this Quran sent down to some (important) per-sons of the two towns (Makkah and Taif)?”

Do they distribute the Mercy (i.e. Prophethood) of your Creator? We dis-tribute their livelihood in this worldly life and (in this distribution) We raise some of them above others in ranks, so that they may employ the others in their work. But the Mercy (i.e. Paradise) of your Creator is far superior to (the world-ly wealth) which they accumulate.

And were it not that whole mankind become one community (of disbelievers desiring the pomp and show of the worldly life), we would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allah), silver roofs for their houses and the ladders (or elevators) by which they ascend (and descend).

And for their houses, doors (of silver) and couches (of silver) on which they recline.

And of gold too (i.e. some things of silver and others of gold to add to the beauty). And, indeed, all these things are only the enjoyment of this worldly life and the Hereafter with your Creator is (only) for the pious persons.

And whosoever intentionally ignores the remembrance of the Most Gracious, We appoint for him a Satan which keeps him company all the time.

And, indeed, they (the Satans) hinder them from the Path (of Allah). And they think that they (such persons) are rightly guided.

Until when such person will come to Us (and his blunders become clear to him), he will say (to Satan): “Would that the distance between me and you be equal to two easts (i.e. east and west). You are, indeed, the worst companion.”

And it will not benefit you this Day (who ignored Allah’s remembrance) since you did wrong, and you will be (with your Satan) partners in the punish-ment.

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Can you make the deaf to hear or can you guide the blind or the one who is obviously in error?

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] So even if We take you away (from Makkah or make you die), We shall, indeed, take re-venge from them.

Or (if) We show you which We promised them, We are, indeed, fully capa-ble of doing that.

Hence, you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] hold to that (i.e. the Quran) which is revealed to you. Indeed, you are on a Straight Path. 

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] And, in-deed, this (i.e. the Quran) is a Reminder for you and for your people, and you will soon (in the Hereafter) be questioned (about it).

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] And you may ask Our messengers sent before you (by way of research): “Did We ever appoint (false) gods to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious (Allah)?” (i.e. anybody is welcomed to research this).

And, indeed, We sent Musa ( )with Our revelations to Firaun and his chiefs. So Musa ( )said: “Indeed, I am the messenger of the Creator of the universe.”

But when Musa ( )came to them with Our miracles (nine miracles) they, suddenly, started mocking them.

And We did not show them any miracle but it was bigger than the previous one (i.e. all were big miracles). And We seized them with torment so that they may return (in repentance to Allah).

And they said [to Musa ( )]: “O you magician! Pray for us to your Creator for what He has promised you. Indeed, we shall be guided.”

But when We removed the tor-ment from them, they, spon-taneous-ly, broke their promise.

And Firaun announced among his people (saying): “O my people! Is Egypt not my kingdom and these rivers which flow beneath me. Don’t you see that?”

“Am I not better than Musa ( )who has no value and can hardly express himself clearly?”

“So why was he not given golden bracelets or angels sent along with him in a procession?”

Hence, Firaun befooled his people and they obeyed him. They were, indeed, evil-doers.

So when they made Us angry (by their disbelief), We took revenge from them and drowned them all.

Hence, We made them a story of the past, and an example for the later gen-erations.

[Once Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “All those who are worshipped besides Allah, there is no good in them.” The  idolaters of Makkah said: “It means there is no good in Isa ( )who is worshipped by Christians like our idols.” Allah answered this in Su-rah Al-Anbiya: 98-103]. And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example (i.e. Isa ( )is worshipped like other idols),  your people sud-denly cried aloud joyfully at this example.

And they said: “Are our gods better or is Isa ( )better?” They did not quote the above example except for fussing. In fact, they are very quarrelsome people.

Indeed, Isa ( )was just Our slave upon whom We be-stowed Our Favour (i.e. made him a Prophet) and We made him a sign for the Children of Israel (and others, since he was created without a father).

(Allah has the power to do even more extraordinary things). If We willed, We would have made angels replace mankind on the earth as Caliphs (i.e. they would live on the earth and produce children like you, generation after genera-tion).

And, indeed, (the descent of) Isa ( )shall be a sign for the coming of the Day of Resurrection. Hence, don’t have any doubt in the coming of the Day of Resurrection. And follow me. This is the Straight Path.

And let not Satan hinder you (from the Right Path). And indeed, Satan is your obvious enemy.

And when Isa ( )came with clear miracles, he said: “I have come to you with wisdom (i.e. Prophethood), and to make those matters clear to you in which you differ. Hence, fear Allah (i.e. don’t deny my Prophethood since it would be like opposition to Allah), and obey me.

“Indeed, Allah is my Creator and your Creator, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path.”

But various groups differed among themselves (about it). So woe to those wrong-doers from the torment of a painful day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).

Are they waiting for the Day of Resurrection which will come to them sud-denly while they don’t perceive it?

On that Day even close friends will become enemies to one another except those who are pious. 

(It will be said to the true believers) My slaves! There shall be no fear for you this Day, nor shall you grieve.

Those who believed in Our revelations and were (practicing) Muslims.

Enter Paradise, you and your wives, cheerfully.

They will be served in golden dishes and glasses and there will be all that in-ner-selves desire and all that eyes could delight in, and you will reside there forever.

This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your (good) deeds which you used to do.

There will be plenty of fruits for you from which you will eat.

Indeed, the criminals will be in the torment of Hell to reside there forever.

(The torment) will not be lightened for them and they will reside there in despair.

And We did not wrong them but they were the wrong-doers.

And they will cry out: “O Malik (keeper of Hell)! May your Creator finish us (by giving us Death).” He will say: “Indeed, you will reside there forever. (i.e. you shall neither die nor be removed from there).”

Indeed, We have brought the truth to you, but most of you hated the truth.

Or have they made a firm strat-egy [to harm the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)]? So, indeed, We have made a firm strat-egy too. (Also see Surah At-Tur:42)

Or do they think that We don’t hear their secret talk and private consulta-tion? Yes (We do) and our angels are with them writing down.

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “If Allah had a son, then I would have been the first worshipper.” (Since Allah does not have a son, hence the question of worshipping him does not arise.)

Glorified is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Creator of the Throne! He is above all that they ascribe to Him.

So leave them engaged in useless talk and play till they see the Day which has been promised to them.

And He is worshipped in the heavens and also worshipped on the earth. And He is the All-Wise, the All-Knower. (Also see Surah Al-Anam:3)

And Blessed is He to Whom belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, and Who has the knowledge of the Hour (Day of Resurrection), and you (all) will be returned to Him.

And those whom they worship instead of Allah, have no power of interces-sion except those who bear witness to the truth (i.e. there is no god worth wor-shipping except Allah) with knowledge (and practice).

And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: “Allah.” How then do they turn away (from the worship of Allah Who created them)?

And [Allah is fully aware of Prophet Muhammad’s (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] saying: “O my Creator! Indeed, these are the people who don’t believe!”

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] So turn away from them and say: “Salam” (or peace, i.e. ignore them). But they will soon come to know about it (as soon as they die).