| y_ali | asad | literal | tlt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. * | A.L.M. | Alif. Lam. Mim. [See Appendix II.] | A L M. | swr+ al`nkbwt bsm allh alrHmn alrHym ? alm | |||
| 2. * | Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested? | DO MEN THINK that on their [mere] saying, "We have attained to faith", they will be left to themselves, and will not be put to a test? | Did the people think/suppose that they be left that they say: "We believed." And they are not being tested. | aHsb alnas an ytrkwa an yqwlwa amna whm layftnwn | |||
| 3. * | We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. | Yea, indeed, We did test those who lived before them; and so, [too, shall be tested the people now living: and] most certainly will God mark out those who prove themselves true, and most certainly will He mark out those who are lying. [I.e., to others and/or to themselves (see note on verse 11 below). | And We had tested those who (were) from before them, so God knows (E) those who were truthful, and He knows (E) the liars/deniers/falsifiers. | wlqd ftna alXyn mn qblhm fly`lmn allh alXyn Sdqwa wly`lmn alkaXbyn | |||
| 4. * | Do those who practise evil think that they will get the better of Us? Evil is their judgment! | Or do they think - they who do evil deeds [while claiming to have attained to faith] - that they can escape Us? Bad, indeed, is their judgment! | Or those who make/do the sins/crimes thought/supposed that they precede/surpass Us, it became bad/evil/harmful what they judge/rule. | am Hsb alXyn y`mlwn alsyYat an ysbqwna sa' mayHkmwn | |||
| 5. * | For those whose hopes are in the meeting with Allah (in the Hereafter, let them strive); for the term (appointed) by Allah is surely coming and He hears and knows (all things). | Whoever looks forward [with hope and awe] to meeting God [on Resurrection Day, let him be ready for it]: for, behold, the end set by God [for everyone's life] is bound to come - and He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing! | Who was/is hoping/expecting God's meeting, so that God's term/time is coming (E), and He is the hearing/listening, the knowledgeable. | mn kan yrjw lqa' allh fan ajl allh lat whw alsmy` al`lym | |||
| 6. * | And if any strive (with might and main), they do so for their own souls: for Allah is free of all needs from all creation. | Hence, whoever strives hard [in God's cause] does so only for his own good: for, verily, God does not stand in need of anything in all the worlds! | And who struggled/exerted, so but he struggles/exerts for his self, that God (is) rich (E) from (not in need to) the creations all together/(universes) | wmn jahd fanma yjahd lnfsh an allh lGny `n al`almyn | |||
| 7. * | Those who believe and work righteous deeds,--from them shall We blot out all evil (that may be) in them, and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds. | And as for those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds, We shall most certainly efface their [previous] bad deeds, and shall most certainly reward them in accordance with the best that they ever did. | And those who believed and made/did the correct/righteous deeds We will cover/substitute from their sins/crimes (E), and We will reimburse them (E) best (of) what they were making/doing. | walXyn amnwa w`mlwa alSalHat lnkfrn `nhm syYathm wlnjzynhm aHsn alXy kanwa y`mlwn | |||
| 8. * | We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did. | Now [among the best of righteous deeds which] We have enjoined upon man [is] goodness towards his parents; [Cf. 31:14 -15 and the corresponding note.] yet [eeven so,] should they endeavour to make thee ascribe divinity, side by side with Me, to something which thy mind cannot accept [as divine], obey then, not: [Lit., "something of which thou hast no knowledge": i.e., in this particular case, "something which conflicts with thy knowledge that none and nothing can have any share in Gods qualities or powers". According to Razi, this phrase may also allude to concepts not evolved through personal knowledge but, rather, acquired through a blind, uncritical acceptance of other people's views (taqlid).] [for] it is unto Me that you all must return, whereupon I shall make you [truly] understand [the right and wrong of] all that you were doing [in life]. | And We directed/recommended the human (with) a goodness/beauty with (to) his parents, and if they (B) did their utmost against you to share/make partners with Me, for what is not for you knowledge with it, so do not obey them (B), to Me (is) your return, so I inform you with what you were making/doing. | wwSyna alansan bwaldyh Hsna wan jahdak lt$rk by malys lk bh `lm fla tT`hma aly mrj`km fanbYkm bma kntm t`mlwn | |||
| 9. * | And those who believe and work righteous deeds,--them shall We admit to the company of the Righteous. | But as for those who have attained to faith and have done righteous deeds, We shall most certainly cause them to join the righteous [in the hereafter as well]. | And those who believed, and made/did the correct/righteous deeds, We will enter them (E) in (with) the correct/righteous. | walXyn amnwa w`mlwa alSalHat lndKlnhm fy alSalHyn | |||
| 10. * | Then there are among men such as say, "We believe in Allah.; but when they suffer affliction in (the cause of) Allah, they treat men's oppression as if it were the Wrath of Allah. And if help comes (to thee) from thy Lord, they are sure to say, "We have (always) been with you!" Does not Allah know best all that is in the hearts of all creation? | Now there is among men many a one who says [of himself and of others like him], "We do believe in God" - but whenever he is made to suffer in God's cause, he thinks that persecution at the hands of man is as [much to be feared, or even more than,] God's chastisement; [I.e., the suffering which is bound to befall in the hereafter all who abandon their faith for fear of being persecuted in this world. It is to be borne in mind that a mere outward renunciation of faith under torture or threat of death is not considered a sin in Islam, although martyrdom for the sake of one's faith is the highest degree of merit to which man can attain.] whereas, if succour from thy Sustainer comes [to those who truly believe] [I.e., when it is no longer risky to be counted as one of them.] he is sure to say. "Behold, we have always been with you!" Is not God fully aware of what is in the hearts of all creatures? | And from the people who says: "We believed by God." So if he was harmed mildly in God, he made/put the people's test/torture as/like God's torture, and if victory/aid came from your Lord, they will say (E): "That we were with you." Or is not God with more knowledgeable with what (is in) the creation's all together's/(universes) chests (innermosts). | wmn alnas mn yqwl amna ballh faXa awXy fy allh j`l ftn+ alnas k`Xab allh wlYn ja' nSr mn rbk lyqwln ana kna m`km awlys allh ba`lm bma fy Sdwr al`almyn | |||
| 11. * | And Allah most certainly knows those who believe, and as certainly those who are Hypocrites. | [Yea-] and most certainly will God mark out those who have [truly] attained to faith, and most certainly will He mark out the hypocrites. [This is probably the earliest occurrence of the term munafiq in the chronology of Quranic revelation. Idiomatically, the term is derived from the noun nafaq, which denotes an underground passage" having an outlet different from the entry, and signifying, specifically, the complicated burrow of a field-mouse, a lizard, etc., from which the animal can easily escape or in which it can outwit a pursuer. Tropically, the term munafiq describes a person who is "two-faced", inasmuch as he always tries to find an easy way out of any real commitment, be it spiritual or social, by adapting his course of action to what promises to be of practical advantage to him in the situation in which he happens to find himself. Since a person thus characterized usually pretends to be morally better than he really is, the epithet munafiq may roughly be rendered as "hypocrite". It should, however, be noted that whereas this Western term invariably implies conscious dissembling with the intent to deceive others, the Arabic term munafiq may also be applied - and occasionally is applied in the Quran - to a person who, being weak or uncertain in his beliefs or moral convictions, merely deceives himself. Hence, while using in my rendering of the Quranic text the conventional expression "hypocrite", I have endeavoured to point out the above differentiation, whenever possible and necessary, in my explanatory notes.] | And God knows (E) those who believed, and He knows (E) the hypocrites. | wly`lmn allh alXyn amnwa wly`lmn almnafqyn | |||
| 12. * | And the Unbelievers say to those who believe: "Follow our path, and we will bear (the consequences) of your faults." Never in the least will they bear their faults: in fact they are liars! | And [He is aware, too, that] they who are bent on denying the truth speak [thus, as it were,] to those who have attained to faith: "Follow our way [of life], and we shall indeed take your sins upon ourselves!" [The above "saying" of the deniers of the truth is, of course, but a metonym for their attitude towards the believers: hence my interpolation, between brackets, of the words "as it were". The implication is that people who deny the validity of any spiritual commitment arising out of one's faith in "something that is beyond the reach of human perception" (al-ghayb) - in this case, the existence of God - are, as a rule, unwilling to tolerate such a faith and such a commitment in others as well: and so they endeavour to bring the believers to their way of thinking by a sarcastic, contemptuous reference to the alleged irrelevance of the concept of "sin" as such.] But never could they take upon themselves [Lit., "bear" - implying a reduction of the burden which the others would have to bear (Razi). See also next note.] aught of the sins of those [whom they would thus mislead]: behold, they are liars indeed! | And those who disbelieved said to those who believed: "Follow our way/method, and we bear/carry (E) your sins/mistakes." And they are not with carrying from their sins/mistakes from a thing, that they truly are lying/denying/falsifying (E). | wqal alXyn kfrwa llXyn amnwa atb`wa sbylna wlnHml KTayakm wmahm bHamlyn mn KTayahm mn $Y anhm lkaXbwn | |||
| 13. * | They will bear their own burdens, and (other) burdens along with their own, and on the Day of Judgments they will be called to account for their falsehoods. | Yet most certainly will they have to bear their own burdens, and other burdens besides their own; [Cf. the Prophet's saying: "Whoever calls [others] unto the right way shall have a reward equal to the [combined] rewards of all who may follow him until Resurrection Day, without anything being lessened of their rewards; and whoever calls unto the way of error will have to bear a sin equal to the [combined] sins of all who may follow him until Resurrection Day, without anything being lessened of their sins" (Bukhari).] and most certainly will they be called to account on Resurrection Day for all their false assertions! | And they will carry/endure (E) their loads/weights (burdens) and loads/weights (burdens) with their loads/weights (burdens), and they will be asked/questioned (E) (on) the Resurrection Day about what they were fabricating/cutting and splitting. | wlyHmln axqalhm waxqala m` axqalhm wlysAln ywm alqyam+ `ma kanwa yftrwn | |||
| 14. * | We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them a thousand years less fifty: but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin. | And, indeed, [in times long past] We sent forth Noah unto his people, [This passage connects with verse 2 above. "We did test those who lived before them". The story of Noah and of his failure to convert his people occurs in the Quran several times, and most extensively in 11:25 - 48. In the present instance it is meant to illustrate the truth that no one - not even a prophet - can bestow faith on another person (cf. 28:56 - "thou canst not guide aright everyone whom thou lovest"). The same purport underlies the subsequent references, in verses 16 - 40, to other prophets.] and he dwelt among them a thousand years bar fifty; [ Sc., "and despite this great length of time was unable to convince them of the truth of his mission". The identical figure - 950 years - is given in the Bible (Genesis ix, 29) as Noah's life span. By repeating this element of the Biblical legend, the Quran merely stresses the fact that the duration of a prophet's mission has nothing to do with its success or failure, since "all true guidance is God's guidance" | And We had sent Noah to his nation, so he stayed/waited/remained in (between) them one thousand year(s) except fifty year(s), so the deadly/great flood punished them, and (while) they are unjust/oppressive. | wlqd arslna nwHa ali qwmh flbx fyhm alf sn+ ala Kmsyn `ama faKXhm alTwfan whm Zalmwn | |||
| 15. * | But We saved him and the companions of the Ark, and We made the (Ark) a Sign for all peoples! | but We saved him, together with all who were in the ark, which We then set up as a symbol [of Our grace] for all people [to remember]. | So We saved/rescued him and the ship's/boat's owners/company/friends, and We made it a sign/evidence to the creations all together/(universes). | fanjynah waSHab alsfyn+ wj`lnaha ay+ ll`almyn | |||
| 16. * | And (We also saved) Abraham: behold, he said to his people, "Serve Allah and fear Him: that will be best for you- If ye understand! | And Abraham, [too, was inspired by Us] when he said unto his people: "Worship God, and be conscious of Him: this is the best for you, if you but knew it! | And Abraham when he said to his nation: "Worship God, and fear and obey Him, that (is) best for you, if you were knowing." | wabrahym aX qal lqwmh a`bdwa allh watqwh Xlkm Kyr lkm an kntm t`lmwn | |||
| 17. * | "For ye do worship idols besides Allah, and ye invent falsehood. The things that ye worship besides Allah have no power to give you sustenance: then seek ye sustenance from Allah, serve Him, and be grateful to Him: to Him will be your return. | You worship only [lifeless] idols instead of God, and [thus] you give visible shape to a lie! [Lit., you create a lie".] Behold, those [things and beings] that you worship instead of God have it not in their power to provide sustenance for you: seek, then, all [your] sustenance from God, and worship Him [alone] and be grateful to Him: [for] unto Him you shall be brought back! | But/truly you worship from other than God (except) idolized statues/idols, and you create lies/falsehood, that those who you worship from other than God do not own/possess for you a provision, so wish/desire at God the provision, and worship Him, and thank/be grateful to Him, to Him you are being returned. | anma t`bdwn mn dwn allh awxana wtKlqwn afka an alXyn t`bdwn mn dwn allh laymlkwn lkm rzqa fabtGwa `nd allh alrzq wa`bdwh wa$krwa lh alyh trj`wn | |||
| 18. * | "And if ye reject (the Message), so did generations before you: and the duty of the apostle is only to preach publicly (and clearly)." | "And if you give [me] the lie - well, [other] communities have given the lie [to Gods prophets] before your time: but no more is an apostle bound to do than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to him]." | And if you lie/deny/falsify, so nations from before you had lied/denied/falsified, and nothing (is) on the messenger except the information/communication, the clear/evident. | wan tkXbwa fqd kXb amm mn qblkm wma`li alrswl ala alblaG almbyn | |||
| 19. * | See they not how Allah originates creation, then repeats it: truly that is easy for Allah. | Are then they [who deny the truth] not aware of how God creates [life] in the first instance, and then brings it forth anew? This, verily, is easy for God! [This passage -consisting of verses 19 - 23 - is parenthhetically placed in the midst of the story of Abraham, connecting with the latter's reference to resurrection at the end of verse 17 ("unto Him you shall he brought back"). The ever-recurring emergence, decay and re-emergence of life, so vividly exemplified in all organic nature, is often cited in the Quran not merely in support of the doctrine of resurrection, but also as evidence of a consciously-devised plan underlying creation as such - and, thus, of the existence of the Creator.] | Did they not see/understand how God begins/initiates the creation then He returns/repeats it? That (E) that (is) on God easy/little. | awlm yrwa kyf ybdY allh alKlq xm y`ydh an Xlk `li allh ysyr | |||
| 20. * | Say: "Travel through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later creation: for Allah has power over all things. | Say: "Go all over the earth and behold how [wondrously] He has created [man] in the first instance: and thus, too, will God bring into being your second life for, verily, God has the power to will anything! [Cf., for example, 23:12 -14, which alludes to mans coming into existence out of most primitive elements, and gradually evolving into a highly complex being endowed not only with a physical body but also with a mind, with feelings, and instincts.] | Say: "Walk/move/ride in the earth/Planet Earth, so see/wonder about how He began/initiated the creation, then God creates/originates the creation/origination the end/last, that (E) God (is) on every thing capable/able. | ql syrwa fy alarD fanZrwa kyf bda alKlq xm allh yn$Y aln$a+ alaKr+ an allh `li kl $Y qdyr | |||
| 21. * | "He punishes whom He pleases, and He grants Mercy to whom He pleases, and towards Him are ye turned. | He causes to suffer whomever He wills, and bestows His mercy on whomever He wills; and unto Him you shall be made to return: | He tortures whom He wills/wants, and He has mercy (upon) whom He wills/wants, and to Him you are being turned/returned. | y`Xb mn y$a' wyrHm mn y$a' walyh tqlbwn | |||
| 22. * | "Not on earth nor in heaven will ye be able (fleeing) to frustrate (his Plan), nor have ye, besides Allah, any protector or helper." | and never - not on earth and not in the skies - can you [hope to] elude Him: and you have none to protect you from God, and none to bring you succour." | And you are not with disabling/frustrating in the earth/Planet Earth, and nor in the sky/space, and (there is) none for you from other than God from (a) guardian/ally, and nor a victorior/savior. | wmaantm bm`jzyn fy alarD wlafy alsma' wmalkm mn dwn allh mn wly wlanSyr | |||
| 23. * | Those who reject the Signs of Allah and the Meeting with Him (in the Hereafter),--it is they who shall despair of My Mercy: it is they who will (suffer) a most grievous Penalty. | And [thus it is:] they who are bent on denying the truth of God's messages and of their [ultimate] meeting with Him - it is they who abandon all hope of My grace and mercy: and it is they whom grievous suffering awaits [in the life to come]. [Implying that such people deprive themselves of God's grace and mercy (which is the twofold significance of the term rahmah in this context) by rejecting all belief in His existence: in other words, belief in God - or one's readiness to believe in Him - is, in and by itself, already an outcome of His grace and mercy, just as suffering in the hereafter is an outcome of ones being "bent on denying the truth".] | And those who disbelieved with God's verses/evidences/signs, and meeting Him, those, they despaired/became hopeless from My mercy, and those for them (is) a painful torture. | walXyn kfrwa bayat allh wlqaYh awlYk yYswa mn rHmty wawlYk lhm `Xab alym | |||
| 24. * | So naught was the answer of (Abraham's) people except that they said: "Slay him or burn him." But Allah did save him from the Fire. Verily in this are Signs for people who believe. | Now [as for Abraham,] his people's only answer was, "Slay him, or burn him!" - [Lit., "the answer of his people was nothing but that they said" - thus connecting with the passage ending with verse 18.] but God saved him from the fire. [See note on 21:69.] Behold, in this [story] there are messages indeed for people who will believe! | So his nation's answer/reply was not except that they said: "Kill him, or burn him." so God saved/rescued him from the fire, that in that (are) evidences/signs/verses (E), to a nation believing. | fma kan jwab qwmh ala an qalwa aqtlwh aw Hrqwh fanjah allh mn alnar an fy Xlk layat lqwm yWmnwn | |||
| 25. * | And he said: "For you, ye have taken (for worship) idols besides Allah, out of mutual love and regard between yourselves in this life; but on the Day of Judgment ye shall disown each other and curse each other: and your abode will be the Fire, and ye shall have none to help." | And [Abraham] said: "You have chosen to worship idols instead of God for no other reason than to have a bond of love in the life of this world, [Lit., "solely out of love".] between yourselves [and your forebears]: [Thus Razi, explaining this idol-worship is a result of a mere blind imitation (taqlid) of attitudes inherited from past generations.] but then, on Resurrection Day, you shall disown one another and curse one another - for the goal of you all will be the fire, and you will have none to succour you. | And he said: "But/truly you took/received from other than God idols/idolized statues, love/affection/friendship between you in the life the present/worldly life, then (on) the Resurrection Day some of you disbelieves with some, and some of you curses/humiliates some, and your shelter/refuge (is) the fire, and (there are) none from victoriors/saviors for you." | wqal anma atKXtm mn dwn allh awxana mwd+ bynkm fy alHya+ aldnya xm ywm alqyam+ ykfr b`Dkm bb`D wyl`n b`Dkm b`Da wmAwakm alnar wmalkm mn naSryn | |||
| 26. * | But Lut had faith in Him: He said: "I will leave home for the sake of my Lord: for He is Exalted in Might, and Wise." | Thereupon [his brother's son] Lot came to believe in him and said: "Verily, I [too] shall forsake the domain of evil [and turn] to my Sustainer: for, verily, He alone is almighty, truly wise!" [For an explanation of the concept of hijrah and of my above rendering of the term muhajir, see surah 2, note 203, and surah 4, note 24. In the present instance this term is obviously used in both its physical and spiritual senses, analogous to the earlier allusion (in 19:48 - 49) to Abraham's "withdrawal" (itizal) from his evil, native environment and to his physical migration to Harran (in northern Mesopotamia), and thence to Syria and Palestine. The story of lot (Lut) is mentioned in the Quran several times, and particularly in 11:69 - 83.] | So Lot believed to him, so he said: "That I am emigrating to my Lord, that He truly is the glorious/mighty,the wise/judicious." | famn lh lwT wqal any mhajr ali rby anh hw al`zyz alHkym | |||
| 27. * | And We gave (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob, and ordained among his progeny Prophethood and Revelation, and We granted him his reward in this life; and he was in the Hereafter (of the company) of the Righteous. | And [as for Abraham,] We bestowed upon him Isaac and [Isaac's son] Jacob, [I.e., in addition to Ishmael (lsmail). who had been born some years earlier (cf. 21:72).] and caused prophethood and revelation to continue among his offspring. And We vouchsafed him his reward in this world; [Among other things, by making him "a leader of men" | And We granted to him (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob, and We made/put in their descendants the prophethood and The Book, and We gave/brought him his reward/wage/fee in the present world, and that he truly is in the end (other life) from (E) the correct/righteous. | wwhbna lh asHaq wy`qwb wj`lna fy Xryth alnbw+ walktab watynah ajrh fy aldnya wanh fy alaKr+ lmn alSalHyn | |||
| 28. * | And (remember) Lut: behold, he said to his people: "Ye do commit lewdness, such as no people in Creation (ever) committed before you. | And Lot, [too, was inspired by Us] when he said unto his people: "Verily, you commit abominations such as none in all the world has ever committed before you! | And Lot when he said to his nation: "That you do/commit (E) the enormous/atrocious deed not one from the creations all together/(universes) preceded you with it." | wlwTa aX qal lqwmh ankm ltatwn alfaH$+ masbqkm bha mn aHd mn al`almyn | |||
| 29. * | "Do ye indeed approach men, and cut off the highway?--and practise wickedness (even) in your councils?" But his people gave no answer but this: they said: "Bring us the Wrath of Allah if thou tellest the truth." | Must you indeed approach men [with lust], and thus cut across the way [of nature]? [This particular interpretation of the phrase taqta un as-sabil is advanced by Baghawi and (on the authority of Al-Hasan) by Zamakhshari; Razi adopts it exclusively and without reservation.] - and must you commit these shameful deeds in your open] assemblies?" But his people's only answer was, "Bring down upon us God's chastisement, if thou art a man of truth!" | That you are coming/doing/committing (E) (to) the men (sexually), and you cut off/sever the way/path, and you come/commit in your gathering/assembly/club (with) the defiance of God and His orders/obscenity. So his nation's answer/reply was not except that they said: "Come/bring to us with God's torture, if you were from the truthful." | aYnkm ltatwn alrjal wtqT`wn alsbyl wtatwn fy nadykm almnkr fma kan jwab qwmh ala an qalwa aYtna b`Xab allh an knt mn alSadqyn | |||
| 30. * | He said: "O my Lord! help Thou me against people who do mischief!" | [And] he prayed: "O my Sustainer! Succour Thou me against these people who spread corruption!" | He said: "My Lord give me victory/aid over the nation the corrupting."283 | qal rb anSrny `li alqwm almfsdyn | |||
| 31. * | When Our Messengers came to Abraham with the good news, they said: "We are indeed going to destroy the people of this township: for truly they are (addicted to) crime." | And so, when Our [heavenly] messengers came to Abraham with the glad tiding [of the birth of Isaac], [See 11:69 ff., as well as the first half of the corresponding note.] they [also] said, "Behold, we are about to destroy the people of that land, for its people are truly evildoers!" [The term qaryah has here, as so often in classical Arabic, the connotation of "land", in this instance comprising the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah.] | And when Our messengers, came (to) Abraham with the good news, they said: "We are (E), we are perishing/destroying, this the village's/urban cities' people, that (E) its people were unjust/oppressive." | wlma ja't rslna abrahym balb$ri qalwa ana mhlkwa ahl hXh alqry+ an ahlha kanwa Zalmyn | |||
| 32. * | He said: "But there is Lut there." They said: "Well do we know who is there : we will certainly save him and his following,--except his wife: she is of those who lag behind!" | [And when Abraham] exclaimed, "But Lot lives there!" - they answered: We know fully well who is there; most certainly we shall save him and his household - all but his wife: she will indeed be among those that stay behind." [See notes on 7:83 and 11:81. In the present instance, as well as in the next verse, the past-tense auxiliary verb kanat is meant to stress the inevitability of the future event referred to; hence, "she will indeed be...", etc.] | He said: "That (E) in it (is) Lot." They said: "We are more knowledgeable with who (is) in it, we will save/rescue him (E) and his family/people except his woman (wife) was from the remaining behind." | qal an fyha lwTa qalwa nHn a`lm bmn fyha lnnjynh wahlh ala amrath kant mn alGabryn | |||
| 33. * | And when Our Messengers came to Lut, he was grieved on their account, and felt himself powerless (to protect) them: but they said: "Fear thou not, nor grieve: we are (here) to save thee and thy following, except thy wife: she is of those who lag behind. | And when Our messengers came unto Lot, he was sorely grieved on their account, seeing that it was beyond his power to shield them; [See note on 11:77.] but they said: "Fear not, and grieve not! Behold, we shall save thee and thy household - all but thy wife: she will indeed be among those that stay behind. | And when that Our messengers came (to) Lot he felt bad/evil/harm with them, and he was impatient with them/unable to do or accomplish what ought to be done (became troubled), and they said: "Do not fear, and nor be sad/grievous, that we are saving/rescuing you and your family/people except your woman (wife) was from the remaining behind." | wlma an ja't rslna lwTa syY bhm wDaq bhm Xr`a wqalwa latKf wlatHzn ana mnjwk wahlk ala amratk kant mn alGabryn | |||
| 34. * | "For we are going to bring down on the people of this township a Punishment from heaven, because they have been wickedly rebellious." | Verily, we shall bring down upon the people of this land a horror from heaven in requital of all their iniquitous doings!" | We (E), we are descending on, this the village's/urban cities' people, filth/torture from the sky/space because (of) what they were debauching. | ana mnzlwn `li ahl hXh alqry+ rjza mn alsma' bma kanwa yfsqwn | |||
| 35. * | And We have left thereof an evident Sign, for any people who (care to) understand. | And [so it happened; and] thereof, indeed, We have left a clear sign for people who use their reason. [This is an allusion to the Dead Sea - known to this day as Bahr Lut ("The Sea of Lot") - which covers most of the region in which Sodom and Gomorrah were once situated. Its waters contain so high a percentage of sulphur and potash that no fish or plants can live in them.] | And We had left from it an evident sign/evidence to a nation reasoning/understanding. | wlqd trkna mnha ay+ byn+ lqwm y`qlwn | |||
| 36. * | To the Madyan (people) (We sent) their brother Shu'aib. Then he said: "O my people! serve Allah, and fear the Last Day: nor commit evil on the earth, with intent to do mischief." | AND UNTO [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuayb [See note on 7:85. The story of Shuayb and his people appears in greater detail in 11:84 - 95.] who thereupon said: "O my people! Worship God [alone], and look forward to the Last Day, and do not act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption!" | And to Madya their brother Shu'aib, so he said: "My nation worship God, and hope/expect the Day the Last/Resurrection Day, and do not corrupt in the earth/Planet Earth corrupting." | wali mdyn aKahm $`yba fqal yaqwm a`bdwa allh warjwa alywm alaKr wlat`xwa fy alarD mfsdyn | |||
| 37. * | But they rejected him: Then the mighty Blast seized them, and they lay prostrate in their homes by the morning. | But they gave him the lie. Thereupon an earthquake overtook them: and then they lay lifeless, in their very homes, on the ground. [See note on 7:78 (a passage, which relates to the tribe of Thamud), and note on 7:91.] | So they denied him so the tremble and shake/quake/agitation punished/took them, so they became/became in the morning in their home/country/tribe stuck to the ground dead. | fkXbwh faKXthm alrjf+ faSbHwa fy darhm jaxmyn | |||
| 38. * | (Remember also) the 'Ad and the Thamud (people): clearly will appear to you from (the traces) of their buildings (their fate): the Evil One made their deeds alluring to them, and kept them back from the Path, though they were gifted with intelligence and skill. | AND [the tribes of] Ad and Thamud [See notes on 7:65, and 7:73.] [too, did We destroy -] as should have become obvious to you from [whatever there remains of] their dwellings. [As regards the tribe of Ad, the above seems to be an allusion to their one-time capital, the legendary "Iram the many-pillared" (mentioned in the Quran only once, namely, in 89:7). It has since been buried by the moving sand dunes of Al-Ahqaf (a region between Uman and Hadramawt, within the great South-Arabian desert of Rub al-Khali); it is said, however, that its traces are occasionally uncovered by strong winds. For an explanation of the reference to the dwellings of the Thamud, see note on 7:74.] [They perished] because Satan had made their [sinful] doings seem goodly to them, and thus had barred them from the path [of God] despite their having been endowed with the ability to perceive the truth. [Thus, the Quran implies that it is man's "ability to perceive the truth" (istibsar) that makes him morally responsible for his doings and, hence, for his failure to resist his own evil impulses - which is evidently the meaning of "Satan" in this context. See in this connection 14:22 and the corresponding notes.] | And Aad, and Thamud, and had been clarified/shown/explained to you from their residences, and the devil decorated/beautified for them their deeds, so he prevented/obstructed them from the road/path and they were seeing/knowing/understanding. | w`ada wxmwd wqd tbyn lkm mn msaknhm wzyn lhm al$yTan a`malhm fSdhm `n alsbyl wkanwa mstbSryn | |||
| 39. * | (Remember also) Qarun, Pharaoh, and Haman: there came to them Moses with Clear Signs, but they behaved with insolence on the earth; yet they could not overreach (Us). | And [thus, too, did We deal with] Qarun and Pharaoh, and Haman: [As regards Qarun, see 28:76 ff. and, in the corresponding note; for Haman, note on 28:6. The common denominator between these two and Pharaoh is their false pride (takabbur) and arrogance (istikbar), which cause them to become "archetypes of evil" (cf. 28:41 and the corresponding note). A similar attitude of mind is said to have been characteristic of the tribes of Ad and Thamud, mentioned in the preceding verse.] to them had come Moses with all evidence of the truth, but they behaved arrogantly on earth [and rejected him]; and withal, they could not escape [Us]. | And Qaroon/Korah, and Pharaoh and Haman, and had come to them Moses with the evidences, so they became arrogant in the earth/Planet Earth, and they were not racing/surpassing/preceding. | wqarwn wfr`wn whaman wlqd ja'hm mwsi balbynat fastkbrwa fy alarD wmakanwa sabqyn | |||
| 40. * | Each one of them We seized for his crime: of them, against some We sent a violent tornado (with showers of stones); some were caught by a (mighty) Blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some We drowned (in the waters): It was not Allah Who injured (or oppressed) them:" They injured (and oppressed) their own souls. | For, every one of them, did We take to task for his sin: and so, upon some of them We let loose a deadly storm wind; and some of them were overtaken by a [sudden] blast; [Sc., "of Gods punishment": cf. note on 11:67.] and some of them We caused to be swallowed by the earth: and some of them We caused to drown. And it was not God who wronged them, but it was they who had wronged themselves. | So each/all We took/punished with his crime so from them, whom We sent on (to) him a violent wind carrying pebbles and hail/hail laden clouds, and from them whom the loud strong cry/torture raid punished/took him, and from them whom We sunk down/caved in with him the earth/Planet Earth, and from them whom We drowned/sunk, and God was not to cause injustice/oppress them, and but they were themselves causing injustice/oppression. | fkla aKXna bXnbh fmnhm mn arslna `lyh HaSba wmnhm mn aKXth alSyH+ wmnhm mn Ksfna bh alarD wmnhm mn aGrqna wmakan allh lyZlmhm wlkn kanwa anfshm yZlmwn | |||
| 41. * | The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider's house;- if they but knew. | The parable of those who take [beings or forces] other than God for their protectors is that of the spider which makes for itself a house: for, behold, the frailest of all houses is the spiders house. Could they but understand this! | (The) example proverb (of) those who took from other than God guardians/allies, (is) as the example/proverb (of) the spider, it took/received (F) a house/home, and that (the) weakest/most feeble (of) the houses/homes, (is the) house/home (E) (of) the spider, if they were knowing. | mxl alXyn atKXwa mn dwn allh awlya' kmxl al`nkbwn atKXt byta wan awhn albywt lbyt al`nkbwt lw kanwa y`lmwn | |||
| 42. * | Verily Allah doth know of (every thing) whatever that they call upon besides Him: and He is Exalted (in power), Wise. | Verily, God knows whatever it is that men invoke instead of Him [Lit., "whatever thing they invoke instead of Him": i.e., He knows the nothingness of those false objects of worship (Zamakhshari), irrespective of whether they be imaginary deities, or deified saints, or forces of nature, or even false concepts or ideas; but He also knows the weakness of the human heart and mind and, hence, the hidden motivation of all such irrational worship.] - for He alone is almighty, truly wise. | That God knows what they call from other than Him from a thing, and He is the glorious/mighty, the wise/judicious. | an allh y`lm mayd`wn mn dwnh mn $Y whw al`zyz alHkym | |||
| 43. * | And such are the Parables We set forth for mankind, but only those understand them who have knowledge. | And so We propound these parables unto man: but none can grasp their innermost meaning save those who [of Us] are aware [Inasmuch as awareness of the existence of God is here postulated as a prerequisite of a full understanding of the Quranic parables (and, by implication, allegories as well), the above verse should be read side by side with the statement that the Quran is meant to be "a guidance for all the God-conscious, who believe in the existence of a reality which is beyond the reach of human perception" (see 2:2 -3 and the corresponding note).] | And those are the examples/proverbs, We give it to the people and none understands/comprehends it except the knowing. | wtlk alamxal nDrbha llnas wmay`qlha ala al`almwn | |||
| 44. * | Allah created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): verily in that is a Sign for those who believe. | [[and hence are certain that] God has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth: [I.e., endowed with meaning and purpose: see second note on 10:5. In other words, belief in the existence of a meaning and a purpose underlying the creation of the universe is a logical corollary of ones belief in God.] for, behold, in this [very creation] there is a message indeed for all who believe [in Him]. | God created the skies/space and the earth/Planet Earth with the truth, that in that (is) a sign/evidence (E) to the believers.284 | Klq allh alsmawat walarD balHq an fy Xlk lay+ llmWmnyn | |||
| 45. * | Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration to thee, and establish regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do. | CONVEY [unto others] whatever of this divine writ has been revealed unto thee, [If we assume that verses 45 - 46 are addressed not merely to the Prophet but to believers in general (an assumption which is strengthened by the plural form of address in the last clause of verse 45 and throughout verse 46), the above phrase may be taken to mean "whatever of the divine writ has revealed itself to thy understanding".] and be constant in prayer: for, behold, prayer restrains [man] from loathsome deeds and from all that runs counter to reason; [For an explanation of this rendering of the term and concept of al-munkar, see second note on 16:90.] and remembrance of God is indeed the greatest [good]. And God knows all that you do. | Read/recite/follow what was inspired/transmitted to you from The Book, and start/keep up the prayers, that (E) the prayers forbid/prevent from the enormous/atrocious deeds and the defiance of God and His orders/obscenity, and God's remembrance/reminder (E) (is) greater, and God knows what you perform/produce. | atl maawHy alyk mn alktab waqm alSla+ an alSla+ tnhi `n alfH$a' walmnkr wlXkr allh akbr wallh y`lm matSn`wn | |||
| 46. * | And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say, "We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)." | And do not argue with the followers of earlier revelation otherwise than in a most kindly manner - unless it be such of them as are bent onn evildoing [Sc., "and are therefore not accessible to friendly argument": the implication being that in such cases all disputes should a priori be avoided. As regards religious discussions in general, see note on 16:125.] - and say: "We believe in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, as well as that which has been bestowed upon you: or our God and your God is one and the same, and it is unto Him that We [all] surrender ourselves." | And do not argue/dispute with The Book's people except with which it is best, except those who were unjust/oppressive from them, and say: "We believed with what was descended on (to) us, and was descended to you, and our God, and your God (is) one, and we are to Him Moslems/submitters." | wlatjadlwa ahl alktab ala balty hy aHsn ala alXyn Zlmwa mnhm wqwlwa amna balXy anzl alyna wanzl alykm walhna walhkm waHd wnHn lh mslmwn | |||
| 47. * | And thus (it is) that We have sent down the Book to thee. So the People of the Book believe therein, as also do some of these (pagan Arabs): and none but Unbelievers reject our signs. | For it is thus [I.e., "in this spirit": a reference to the sameness of the fundamental truths in all revealed religions.] that We have bestowed this divine writ from on high upon thee [O Muhammad]. And they to whom we have vouchsafed this divine writ believe in it [I.e., "they to whom We grant the ability to understand this divine writ".] - just as among those [followers of earlier revelation] there are some who believe in it. And none could knowingly reject Our messages unless it be such as would deny [an obvious] truth: [This rendering of the verb jahada - in the present instance and in verse 49 below (as well as in 31:32, 40:63 or 41:28) - in the sense of a person's denying or rejecting something which he knows to be true is based on the authority of Zamakhshari's Asas.] | And like that, We descended to you The Book, so those who We gave/brought them The Book, they believe by (in) it, and from those who believes by (in) it, and none disbelieves and denies with Our verses/evidences except the disbelievers. | wkXlk anzlna alyk alktab falXyn atynahm alktab yWmnwn bh wmn hWla' mn yWmn bh wmayjHd bayatna ala alkafrwn | |||
| 48. * | And thou wast not (able) to recite a Book before this (Book came), nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand: In that case, indeed, would the talkers of vanities have doubted. | for, [O Muhammad,] thou hast never been able to recite any divine writ ere this one [was revealed], nor didst thou ever transcribe one with your own hand [Lit., "with thy right hand" - the term yamin being used here metonymically, denoting no more than one's "own hand". It is historically established that Muhammad, the "unlettered prophet" (cf. 7:157 and 158), could neither read nor write, and could not, therefore, have derived his extensive knowledge of the contents of earlier revelations from the Bible or other scriptures: which - as the Quran points out - ought to convince any unprejudiced person that this knowledge must have come to him through divine revelation.] - or else, they who try to disprove the truth [of thy revelation] might indeed have had cause to doubt [it]. [The participial noun mubtil is derived from the verb abtala, "he made a false [or "vain"] claim", or "tried to disprove the truth [of something]", or "to reduce [something] to nothing", or "to prove [it] to be of no account" or "null and void", or "unfounded", "false", "spurious", etc., irrespective of whether the object is true or false, authentic or spurious, valid or unfounded (Lisan al-Arab and Taj al-Arus).] | And We were not reading/reciting from before it from a Book, and nor you write it with your right (hand), then the wasters/falsifiers would have doubted/become suspicious. | wmaknt ttlw mn qblh mn ktab wlatKTh bymynk aXa lartab almbTlwn | |||
| 49. * | Nay, here are Signs self-evident in the hearts of those endowed with knowledge: and none but the unjust reject Our Signs. | Nay, but this [divine writ] consists of messages clear to the hearts of all who are gifted with [innate] knowledge [Lit., "self-evident (bayvinat) in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge" - the term ilm having here the connotation of intuitive, spiritual perception.] - and none could knowingly reject Our messages unless it be such as would do wrong [to themselves]. | But it is verses/evidences evidences in those who were given/brought the knowledge's chests (innermosts), and none disbelieves and denies with Our verses/evidences except the unjust/oppressive. | bl hw ayat bynat fy Sdwr alXyn awtwa al`lm wmayjHd bayatna ala alZalmwn | |||
| 50. * | Ye they say: "Why are not Signs sent down to him from his Lord?" Say: "The signs are indeed with Allah. and I am indeed a clear Warner." | And yet they say, "Why have no miraculous signs ever been bestowed upon him from on high by his Sustainer?" Say: "Miracles are in the power of God alone; [See note on 6:109.] and as for me - I am but a plain warner." | And they said: "If only verses/evidences/signs were descended on (to) him from his Lord." Say: "But/truly the verses/evidence/signs (are) at God, and but/truly I am a clear/evident warner/giver of notice." | wqalwa lwla anzl `lyh ayat mn rbh ql anma alayat `nd allh wanma ana nXyr mbyn | |||
| 51. * | And is it not enough for them that we have sent down to thee the Book which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in it is Mercy and a Reminder to those who believe. | Why - is it not enough for them that We have bestowed this divine writ on thee from on high, to be conveyed [by thee] to them? [I.e., "are the contents of this revelation not enough for them to make them grasp its intrinsic truth without the help of `miraculous proofs' of its divine origin?" (Cf. note on the last sentence of 7:75.)] For, verily, in it is [manifested Our] grace, and a reminder to people who will believe. | Was (it) not enough/sufficient for them that We descended on (to) you The Book (it) is being read/recited on (to) them, that in that (is) mercy (E) and a remembrance/reminder to a nation believing. | awlm ykfhm ana anzlna `lyk alktab ytli `lyhm an fy Xlk lrHm+ wXkri lqwm yWmnwn | |||
| 52. * | Say: "Enough is Allah for a witness between me and you: He knows what is in the heavens and on earth. And it is those who believe in vanities and reject Allah, that will perish (in the end). | Say [unto those who will not believe]: "God is witness enough between me and you! He knows all that is in the heavens and on earth; and they who are bent on believing in what is false and vain, and thus on denying God - it is they, they who shall be the losers!" | Say: "Enough/sufficient by God between me and between you (as) a witness/testifier, He knows what (is) in the skies/space and the earth/Planet Earth, and those who believed by (in) the falsehood, and disbelieved by (in) God, those, they are the losers." | ql kfi ballh byny wbynkm $hyda y`lm mafy alsmawat walarD walXyn amnwa balbaTl wkfrwa ballh awlYk hm alKasrwn | |||
| 53. * | They ask thee to hasten on the Punishment (for them): had it not been for a term (of respite) appointed, the Punishment would certainly have come to them: and it will certainly reach them,--of a sudden, while they perceive not! | Now they challenge thee to hasten the coming upon them of [God's] chastisement: [See note on 8:32.] and indeed, had not a term been set [for it by God], that suffering would already have come upon them! But indeed, it will most certainly come upon them of a sudden, and they will be taken unawares. | And they hasten/urge you with the torture, and where it not for a named/identified (specified) term/time, the torture would have come to them, and it will come to them (E) suddenly/unexpectedly, and (while) they do not feel/sense/know. | wyst`jlwnk bal`Xab wlwla ajl msmi lja'hm al`Xab wlyatynhm bGt+ whm lay$`rwn | |||
| 54. * | They ask thee to hasten on the Punishment: but, of a surety, Hell will encompass the Rejecters of Faith!- | They challenge thee to hasten the coming upon them of [God's] chastisement: but, verily, hell is bound to encompass all who deny the truth - | They hasten/urge you with the torture, and that truly Hell is surrounding/enveloping (E) with the disbelievers. | yst`jlwnk bal`Xab wan jhnm lmHyT+ balkafryn | |||
| 55. * | On the Day that the Punishment shall cover them from above them and from below them, and (a Voice) shall say: "Taste ye (the fruits) of your deeds!" | [encompass them] on the Day when suffering will overwhelm them from above them and from beneath their feet, [I.e., from all directions and from many causes.] whereupon He shall say: "Taste [now the fruit of] your own doings!" | A day/time the torture covers/afflicts them from above them, and from below/beneath their feet, and He/it says: "Taste/experience what you were making/doing." | ywm yG$ahm al`Xab mn fwqhm wmn tHt arjlhm wyqwl Xwqwa makntm t`mlwn | |||
| 56. * | O My servants who believe! truly, spacious is My Earth: therefore serve ye Me--(and Me alone)! | O YOU servants of Mine who have attained to faith! Behold, wide is Mine earth: worship Me, then, Me alone! [Implying that since the earth offers innumerable, multiform facilities to human life, there is no excuse for forgetting God "owing to the pressure of adverse circumstances". Whenever or wherever the worship of God - in its essential, and not merely liturgical sense - becomes impossible, the believer is obliged to "forsake the domain of evil" (which, as explained in note on 4:97, is the innermost meaning of the concept of hijrah) and to "migrate unto God", that is, to a place where it is possible to live in accordance with one's faith.] | You, My worshippers/slaves those who believed, that truly My ground/land/Earth (is) spread/spacious, so (only) Me, so worship Me. | ya`bady alXyn amnwa an arDy was`+ fayay fa`bdwn | |||
| 57. * | Every soul shall have a taste of death in the end to Us shall ye be brought back. | Every human being is bound to taste death, [and] in the end unto Us shall all be brought back: | Each/every self (is) tasting/experiencing the death, then to Us you are being returned. | kl nfs XaYq+ almwt xm alyna trj`wn | |||
| 58. * | But those who believe and work deeds of righteousness--to them shall We give a Home in Heaven,--lofty mansions beneath which flow rivers,--to dwell therein for aye;- an excellent reward for those who do (good)!- | whereupon unto those who have attained to faith and wrought good works We shall most certainly assign mansions in that paradise through which running waters flow, therein to abide: how excellent a reward for those who labour - | And those who believed and made/did the correct/righteous deeds, We (will) reside/assign them (E) from the Paradise/treed garden chambers/elevated (stages/places), the rivers/waterways run/flow from below/beneath it, immorally/eternally in it, blessed/praised (is) the makers'/doers' reward/fee. | walXyn amnwa w`mlwa alSalHat lnbwYnhm mn aljn+ Grfa tjry mn tHtha alanhar Kaldyn fyha n`m ajr al`amlyn | |||
| 59. * | Those who persevere in patience, and put their trust, in their Lord and Cherisher. | those who are patient in adversity and in their Sustainer place their trust! | Those who were patient, and on their Lord they rely/trust in.285 | alXyn Sbrwa w`li rbhm ytwklwn | |||
| 60. * | How many are the creatures that carry not their own sustenance? It is Allah who feeds (both) them and you: for He hears and knows (all things). | And how many a living creature is there that takes no thought of its own sustenance; [Lit., "that does not bear [or "assume responsibility for"] its sustenance" - i.e., is either too weak to fend for itself or (according to Al-Hasan, as quoted by Zamakhshari) does not store up provisions for the morrow. This passage connects with the reference at the end of the preceding verse to "those who in their Sustainer place their trust".] [the while] God provides for it as [He provides] for you - since He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing. | And how many from a walker/creeper/crawler (that) does not bear/carry its provision? God provides for it and you. And He is the hearing/listening, the knowledgeable. | wkayn mn dab+ latHml rzqha allh yrzqha wayakm whw alsmy` al`lym | |||
| 61. * | If indeed thou ask them who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon (to his Law), they will certainly reply, "(Allah)". How are they then deluded away (from the truth)? | And thus it is [with most people]: [Regarding my rendering of lain as "thus it is: if...," etc., see note on 30:51. The people spoken of in the sequence are such as do acknowledge the existence of God but have only a vague idea as to what this acknowledgment implies on should imply.] if thou ask them, "Who is it that has created the heavens and the earth, and made the sun and the moon subservient [to His laws]?" - they will surely answer, "God." How perverted, then, are their minds! [See second note on 5:75. The perversion consists in their thinking that they really "believe in God" and nevertheless worshipping false values and allegedly "divine" powers side by side with Him: all of which amounts to a virtual denial of His almightiness and uniqueness.] | And if (E) you asked/questioned them: "Who created the skies/space and the earth/Planet Earth, and subjugated for you the sun and the moon?" They will say (E): "God." So where/how (would) they be turned away ? | wlYn salthm mn Klq alsmawat walarD wsKr al$ms walqmr lyqwln allh fani yWfkwn | |||
| 62. * | Allah enlarges the sustenance (which He gives) to whichever of His servants He pleases; and He (similarly) grants by (strict) measure, (as He pleases): for Allah has full knowledge of all things. | God grants abundant sustenance, or gives it in scant measure, to whichever He wills of His creatures: for, behold, God has full knowledge of everything. [Sc., "and, hence knows what is really good and, from the viewpoint of His unfathomable plan, necessary for each living being".] | God spreads/extends the provision to whom He wills/wants from His worshippers/slaves, and He is capable/over powering to/for it, that truly God (is) with every thing knowledgeable. | allh ybsT alrzq lmn y$a' mn `badh wyqdr lh an allh bkl $Y `lym | |||
| 63. * | And if indeed thou ask them who it is that sends down rain from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death, they will certainly reply, "(Allah)!" Say, "Praise be to Allah." But most of them understand not. | And thus it is: if thou ask them, "Who is it that sends down water from the skies, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless?" - they will surely answer, "God." Say thou: "[Since this is so,] all praise is due to God [alone]!" But most of them will not use their reason: | And if (E) you asked/questioned them: "Who descended from the sky water, so He revived with it the Earth/land from after its death/lifelessness?" They will say (E): "God." Say: "The praise/gratitude (is) to God, but/indeed most of them, they do not reason/understand." | wlYn salthm mn nzl mn alsma' ma' faHya bh alarD mn b`d mwtha lyqwln allh ql alHmd llh bl akxrhm lay`qlwn | |||
| 64. * | What is the life of this world but amusement and play? but verily the Home in the Hereafter,--that is life indeed, if they but knew. | for, [if they did, they would know that] the life of this world is nothing but a passing delight and a play - whereas, behold, the life in the hereafter is indeed the only [true] life: if they but knew this! | And this the life the present/worldly life is not except a play thing/amusement/diversion and playing/enjoyment, and that the end's (other life's) home/house (E) it is (E) the life if they were knowing. | wmahXh alHya+ aldnya ala lhw wl`b wan aldar alaKr+ lhy alHywan lw kanwa y`lmwn | |||
| 65. * | Now, if they embark on a boat, they call on Allah, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a share (of their worship to others)!-- | And so, when they embark on a ship [and find themselves in danger], they call unto God, [at that moment] sincere in their faith in Him alone; but as soon as He has brought them safe ashore, they [begin to] ascribe to imaginary powers a share in His divinity: | So if they rode/embarked in the ship/ships, they called God faithful/loyal/devoted to him (in) the religion, so when He saved/rescued them to the shore/land, then they share/make partners (with Him). | faXa rkbwa fy alflk d`wa allh mKlSyn lh aldyn flma njahm ali albr aXa hm y$rkwn | |||
| 66. * | Disdaining ungratefully Our gifts, and giving themselves up to (worldly) enjoyment! But soon will they know. | and thus [The particle li prefixed to the subsequent verbs yakfuru ("they show [utter] ingratitude") and yatamattau ("they enjoy" or "go on enjoying") their worldly life") is not an indication of intent ("so that" or "in order that") but merely of a causal sequence; in the above context, it may be appropriately rendered as "and thus".] they show utter ingratitude for all that We have vouchsafed them, and go on [thoughtlessly] enjoying their worldly life. | To disbelieve with what We gave/brought them, and to live long/enjoy, so they will/shall know. | lykfrwa bma atynahm wlytmt`wa fswf y`lmwn | |||
| 67. * | Do they not then see that We have made a sanctuary secure, and that men are being snatched away from all around them? Then, do they believe in that which is vain, and reject the Grace of Allah. | Are they, then, not aware that We have set up a sanctuary secure [for those who believe in Us], the while all around them men are being carried away [by fear and despair]? [See note on the second paragraph of 28:57. In contrast to the "sanctuary secure" the inner peace and sense of spiritual fulfillment which God bestows on those who truly believe in Him - the atheist or agnostic is more often than not exposed to fear of the Unknown and a despair born of the uncertainty as to what will happen to him after death.] Will they, then, [continue to] believe in things false and vain, and thus deny God's blessings. | Do they not see/understand that We made/put (a) respected/sacred safe/secure, and the people (are) being snatched from around/surrounding them, is it with the falsehood they believe and with God's blessing/goodness they disbelieve? | awlm yrwa ana j`lna Hrma amna wytKTf alnas mn Hwlhm afbalbaTl yWmnwn wbn`m+ allh ykfrwn | |||
| 68. * | And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects the Truth when it reaches him? Is there not a home in Hell for those who reject Faith? | And who could be more wicked than he who attributes his own lying inventions to God, [I.e., by persuading himself that there is, side by side with God or even independently of Him, any "power" that could govern men's destinies.] or gives the lie to the truth when it comes unto him [through revelation]? Is not hell the [proper] abode for all who [thus] deny the truth? | And who (is) more unjust/oppressive than who fabricated/cut and split on (about) God lies/falsehood or lied/denied/falsified with the truth when (it) came to him, is not in Hell a home/dwelling to the disbelievers? | wmn aZlm mmn aftri `li allh kXba aw kXb balHq lma ja'h alys fy jhnm mxwi llkafryn | |||
| 69. * | And those who strive in Our (cause),--We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right. | But as for those who strive hard in Our cause -We shall most certainly guide them onto paths that lead unto Us: [Lit., "Our paths". The plural used here is obviously meant to stress the fact - alluded to often in the Quran - that there are many paths, which lead to a cognizance (marifah) of God.] for, behold, God is indeed with the doers of good. | And those who struggled/exerted in Us (for Our sake), We guide them (E) Our ways/paths/methods,and that truly God (is) with the good doers.286 | walXyn jahdwa fyna lnhdynhm sblna wan allh lm` almHsnyn | |||