Sâffât Sûresi Wahiduddin Khan Meâli

By those [angels] who range themselves in close ranks ﴾ 1 ﴿
and those who drive away [the wicked] with reproof ﴾ 2 ﴿
and by the reciters of the Reminder: ﴾ 3 ﴿
your God is One, ﴾ 4 ﴿
Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything between them; Lord of the Easts. ﴾ 5 ﴿
We have adorned the lowest heaven with the beauty of the planets; ﴾ 6 ﴿
and guarded it against all rebellious devils: ﴾ 7 ﴿
they cannot overhear the Higher Assembly for they are pelted from every side, ﴾ 8 ﴿
driven away, and will suffer eternal punishment. ﴾ 9 ﴿
But if anyone does succeed in snatching a glimpse [of such knowledge], he shall be pursued by a piercing flame. ﴾ 10 ﴿
So, ask those who deny the truth if it was harder to create them than all the other things We have created? We created them from sticky clay. ﴾ 11 ﴿
No wonder you are surprised as they laugh with scorn. ﴾ 12 ﴿
When they are reminded, they do not pay heed, ﴾ 13 ﴿
and whenever they see some sign, they ridicule it, ﴾ 14 ﴿
saying, "This is plain sorcery!" ﴾ 15 ﴿
"What! When we have died and become dust and bones, will we be brought back to life again, ﴾ 16 ﴿
along with our forefathers?" ﴾ 17 ﴿
Say, "Yes indeed, and you will be brought low." ﴾ 18 ﴿
There will be but a single blast and then their eyes will open. ﴾ 19 ﴿
They will say, "Woe to us! This is the Day of Reckoning." ﴾ 20 ﴿
[It will be said], "This is the Day of Judgement which you have been denying." ﴾ 21 ﴿
But We shall say, "Assemble those who did wrong together with their associates and what they worshipped ﴾ 22 ﴿
besides God, and lead them to the path of the Fire; ﴾ 23 ﴿
and stop them there for questioning: ﴾ 24 ﴿
'But what is the matter with you that you cannot help one another?,'" ﴾ 25 ﴿
indeed, on that Day they will surrender themselves. ﴾ 26 ﴿
They will turn upon one another, and question one another. ﴾ 27 ﴿
They will say, "You used to come at us from the right." ﴾ 28 ﴿
They will say, "No! It was you who would not believe -- ﴾ 29 ﴿
we had no power over you; but you yourselves were a rebellious people. ﴾ 30 ﴿
But now our Lord's word has come true against us: truly, we are bound to taste [the punishment]. ﴾ 31 ﴿
We led you astray as we were ourselves astray." ﴾ 32 ﴿
On that Day they will all share the punishment: ﴾ 33 ﴿
that is how We deal with evil-doers. ﴾ 34 ﴿
When they were told, "There is no deity but God," they turned away with disdain, ﴾ 35 ﴿
and replied, "Shall we then give up our deities at the bidding of a mad poet?" ﴾ 36 ﴿
"Surely, he has brought the truth, confirming those who were sent before; ﴾ 37 ﴿
you shall surely taste the painful punishment, ﴾ 38 ﴿
and be rewarded only according to your deeds." ﴾ 39 ﴿
But the chosen servants of God; ﴾ 40 ﴿
shall have a known provision -- ﴾ 41 ﴿
fruits of various kinds; and they shall be honoured, ﴾ 42 ﴿
in the Gardens of Bliss, ﴾ 43 ﴿
seated on couches, facing one another. ﴾ 44 ﴿
A drink will be passed round among them from a flowing spring: ﴾ 45 ﴿
white and delicious to those who drink it, ﴾ 46 ﴿
causing no headiness or intoxication. ﴾ 47 ﴿
With them will be spouses, modest of gaze and beautiful of eye, ﴾ 48 ﴿
like closely guarded pearls. ﴾ 49 ﴿
They will turn to one another with questions: ﴾ 50 ﴿
one of them will say, "I had a friend, ﴾ 51 ﴿
who used to ask, 'Do you really believe that ﴾ 52 ﴿
after we die and become dust and bones, we shall be brought to judgement?'" ﴾ 53 ﴿
Then he will say, "Shall we look for him?" ﴾ 54 ﴿
Then he will look and see him in the midst of the Fire. ﴾ 55 ﴿
He will say, "By God! You almost brought me to ruin! ﴾ 56 ﴿
If it had not been for the blessing of my Lord, I would also have been taken to Hell." ﴾ 57 ﴿
Then he will say [to his blessed companions], "Are we not going to die, ﴾ 58 ﴿
except for our first death? Are we not going to be punished? ﴾ 59 ﴿
Truly, this is a great victory!" ﴾ 60 ﴿
It is for the like of this that all should strive. ﴾ 61 ﴿
Is that better by way of hospitality or the Zaqqum tree, ﴾ 62 ﴿
which We have made as a test for the wrongdoers. ﴾ 63 ﴿
For it is a tree that springs out of the bottom of Hellfire: ﴾ 64 ﴿
and its fruits are like devils' heads. ﴾ 65 ﴿
They will eat from it and fill their bellies with it; ﴾ 66 ﴿
then in addition to it they shall have a draught of boiling water to drink; ﴾ 67 ﴿
then surely they shall return to Hell. ﴾ 68 ﴿
They found their fathers had gone astray; ﴾ 69 ﴿
so they are rushing to follow in their footsteps. ﴾ 70 ﴿
And assuredly many of the ancients went astray before them, ﴾ 71 ﴿
though We had sent warners among them. ﴾ 72 ﴿
See how those who were warned met their end! ﴾ 73 ﴿
Not so the chosen servants of God. ﴾ 74 ﴿
Noah cried to Us, and how excellent was Our response! ﴾ 75 ﴿
We saved him and his people from great distress, ﴾ 76 ﴿
and We made his offspring the only survivors. ﴾ 77 ﴿
We left mention of him among later generations. ﴾ 78 ﴿
Peace be upon Noah among all the peoples! ﴾ 79 ﴿
That is how We recompense the righteous: ﴾ 80 ﴿
he was truly one of Our faithful servants. ﴾ 81 ﴿
We drowned the rest. ﴾ 82 ﴿
Abraham was of the same faith: ﴾ 83 ﴿
he came to his Lord with a sound heart. ﴾ 84 ﴿
"Behold!" he said to his father and to his people, "What are these that you worship? ﴾ 85 ﴿
Would you serve false deities instead of God? ﴾ 86 ﴿
What do you think of the Lord of the Worlds?" ﴾ 87 ﴿
He looked up at the stars. ﴾ 88 ﴿
And said, "I am sick," ﴾ 89 ﴿
so they turned their backs on him and went off. ﴾ 90 ﴿
He turned to their gods and said, "Do you not eat? ﴾ 91 ﴿
What is the matter with you that you do not speak?" ﴾ 92 ﴿
then he turned on them, striking them down with his right hand. ﴾ 93 ﴿
His people came rushing towards him, ﴾ 94 ﴿
but he said, "How can you worship things you carve with your own hands, ﴾ 95 ﴿
when it is God who has created you and all your handiwork?" ﴾ 96 ﴿
They said, "Build a pyre for him and throw him into the blaze!" ﴾ 97 ﴿
They wanted to harm him, but We humiliated them all. ﴾ 98 ﴿
He said, "I will go to my Lord: He is sure to guide me. ﴾ 99 ﴿
Lord, grant me a righteous son." ﴾ 100 ﴿
We gave him the good news that he would have a patient, forbearing son. ﴾ 101 ﴿
And when he reached the age when he could work with him, he said, "O my son, I have seen in a dream that I am sacrificing you. So tell me what you think of it!" He replied, "O my father, do as you are commanded; and God willing, you will find me steadfast." ﴾ 102 ﴿
When they had both submitted to God, and he had laid his son down on his face, ﴾ 103 ﴿
We called out to him, "Abraham, ﴾ 104 ﴿
you have fulfilled the dream." It is thus indeed that We reward those who do good, ﴾ 105 ﴿
that surely was a manifest trial, ﴾ 106 ﴿
We ransomed him with a great sacrifice, ﴾ 107 ﴿
and left him thus to be succeeded by a group [of followers] among later generations: ﴾ 108 ﴿
"Peace and salutation to Abraham!" ﴾ 109 ﴿
That is how We recompense the righteous: ﴾ 110 ﴿
truly, he was one of Our faithful servants. ﴾ 111 ﴿
We gave Abraham the good news of Isaac, a prophet and a righteous man, ﴾ 112 ﴿
and blessed him and Isaac too: some of their offspring were good, but some clearly sinned against their souls. ﴾ 113 ﴿
We also bestowed Our favour on Moses and Aaron: ﴾ 114 ﴿
We saved them and their people from great distress; ﴾ 115 ﴿
and We helped them, so that they were victorious; ﴾ 116 ﴿
and We gave them the Book which helps to make things clear; ﴾ 117 ﴿
and guided them to the straight path; ﴾ 118 ﴿
and We left them thus to be succeeded by a group [of followers] among later generations: ﴾ 119 ﴿
"Peace be upon Moses and Aaron!" ﴾ 120 ﴿
This is how We reward those who do good: ﴾ 121 ﴿
truly they were among Our faithful servants. ﴾ 122 ﴿
Elijah too was one of the messengers. ﴾ 123 ﴿
He said to his people, "Have you no fear [of God?] ﴾ 124 ﴿
Do you call on Baal and abandon the Best of Creators, ﴾ 125 ﴿
God your Lord and Lord of your forefathers?" ﴾ 126 ﴿
but they rejected him, and thus will certainly be called to account; ﴾ 127 ﴿
except the chosen servants of God. ﴾ 128 ﴿
We left him thus to be succeeded by a group [of followers] among the following generations -- ﴾ 129 ﴿
"Peace be on Elijah and his people!" ﴾ 130 ﴿
It is thus indeed that We reward those who do good: ﴾ 131 ﴿
surely he was one of Our believing servants. ﴾ 132 ﴿
Lot was also one of the messengers. ﴾ 133 ﴿
We saved him and all his people, ﴾ 134 ﴿
except for an old woman who stayed behind, ﴾ 135 ﴿
and We destroyed the rest. ﴾ 136 ﴿
You pass by their ruins morning ﴾ 137 ﴿
and night: will you not take heed? ﴾ 138 ﴿
Jonah too was one of the messengers. ﴾ 139 ﴿
He fled to the overloaded ship. ﴾ 140 ﴿
And then they cast lots and he was the one who lost, ﴾ 141 ﴿
and the fish swallowed him while he was blaming himself. ﴾ 142 ﴿
Had he not been one of those who acknowledge the glory of God, ﴾ 143 ﴿
he would certainly have remained inside the fish till the Day of Resurrection. ﴾ 144 ﴿
But We caused him to be cast forth on to the beach, sick as he was, ﴾ 145 ﴿
and We caused a gourd tree to grow over him. ﴾ 146 ﴿
We sent him as a messenger to a hundred thousand people or more, ﴾ 147 ﴿
and they believed in him: so We let them live in ease for a while. ﴾ 148 ﴿
Now ask them whether your Lord has daughters, whereas they have sons. ﴾ 149 ﴿
Did We create the angels females, to which they were witnesses? ﴾ 150 ﴿
No indeed! It is one of their fabrications when they say: ﴾ 151 ﴿
"God has begotten children." They are truly liars. ﴾ 152 ﴿
Has He chosen daughters over sons? ﴾ 153 ﴿
What is the matter with you? How do you form your judgement? ﴾ 154 ﴿
Will you not then reflect? ﴾ 155 ﴿
Or have you clear evidence? ﴾ 156 ﴿
Then produce your scriptures, if you are telling the truth. ﴾ 157 ﴿
They claim that He has kinship with the jinn, yet the jinn themselves know that they will be produced before Him [for judgement]. ﴾ 158 ﴿
God is far above what they attribute to Him, ﴾ 159 ﴿
but not so the true servants of God, ﴾ 160 ﴿
neither you nor what you worship ﴾ 161 ﴿
can lure away from God any ﴾ 162 ﴿
except those who will burn in Hell. ﴾ 163 ﴿
[The angels say], "Every single one of us has his place assigned: ﴾ 164 ﴿
we are those who stand ranged in ranks. ﴾ 165 ﴿
We glorify God." ﴾ 166 ﴿
They say, ﴾ 167 ﴿
"If we had had with us a Book like that of the people of old, ﴾ 168 ﴿
we would surely have been God's chosen servants," ﴾ 169 ﴿
but they have rejected it, [the Quran] and they shall soon learn! ﴾ 170 ﴿
And surely Our word has gone forth respecting Our servants, the messengers: ﴾ 171 ﴿
that it is certainly they who will be helped; ﴾ 172 ﴿
and that it is Our host that would certainly triumph. ﴾ 173 ﴿
So turn away from them for a while. ﴾ 174 ﴿
Watch them: they will soon see. ﴾ 175 ﴿
Do they really wish to hasten Our punishment? ﴾ 176 ﴿
When it descends on their courtyards, how terrible that morning will be for those who were warned! ﴾ 177 ﴿
So turn away from them for a while. ﴾ 178 ﴿
And watch, for they will soon see. ﴾ 179 ﴿
Glory be to your Lord: the Lord of Glory is far above what they attribute to Him. ﴾ 180 ﴿
Peace be upon the Messengers ﴾ 181 ﴿
and praise be to God, the Lord of all the Worlds. ﴾ 182 ﴿