Chapter 21, 112 verses
Closer and closer to mankind comes their Reckoning: yet they heed not and they turn away.
Their reckoning has drawn near to men, and in heedlessness are they turning aside.
Never comes (aught) to them of a renewed Message from their Lord, but they listen to it as in jest, -
There comes not to them a new reminder from their Lord but they hear it while they sport,
Their hearts toying as with trifles. The wrong - doers conceal their private counsels, (saying), "Is this (one) more than a man like yourselves? Will ye go to witchcraft with your eyes open?"
Their hearts trifling; and those who are unjust counsel together in secret: He is nothing but a mortal like yourselves; what! will you then yield to enchantment while you see?
Say: "My Lord knoweth (every) word (spoken) in the heavens and on earth: He is the One that heareth and knoweth (all things)."
He said: My Lord knows what is spoken in the heaven and the earth, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
"Nay," they say, "(these are) medleys of dream! - Nay, He forged it! - Nay, He is (but) a poet! Let him then bring us a Sign like the ones that were sent to (Prophets) of old!"
Nay! say they: Medleys of dreams; nay! he has forged it; nay! he is a poet; so let him bring to us a sign as the former (prophets) were sent (with).
(As to those) before them, not one of the populations which We destroyed believed: will these believe?
There did not believe before them any town which We destroyed, will they then believe?
Before thee, also, the messengers We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration: If ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the Message.
And We did not send before you any but men to whom We sent revelation, so ask the followers of the reminder if you do not
Nor did We give them bodies that ate no food, nor were they exempt from death.
And We did not make them bodies not eating the food, and they were not to abide (forever).
In the end We fulfilled to them Our Promise, and We saved them and those whom We pleased, but We destroyed those who transgressed beyond bounds.
Then We made Our promise good to them, so We delivered them and those whom We pleased, and We destroyed the extravagant.
We have revealed for you (O men!) a book in which is a Message for you: will ye not then understand?
Certainly We have revealed to you a Book in which is your good remembrance; what! do you not then understand?
How many were the populations We utterly destroyed because of their iniquities, setting up in their places other peoples?
And how many a town which was iniquitous did We demolish, and We raised up after it another people!
Yet, when they felt Our Punishment (coming), behold, they (tried to) flee from it.
So when they felt Our punishment, lo! they began to fly
Flee not, but return to the good things of this life which were given you, and to your homes in order that ye may be called to account.
Do not fly (now) and come back to what you were made to lead easy lives in and to your dwellings, haply you will be questioned.
They said: "Ah! woe to us! We were indeed wrong - doers!"
They said: O woe to us! surely we were unjust.
And that cry of theirs ceased not, till We made them as a field that is mown, as ashes silent and quenched.
And this ceased not to be their cry till We made them cut off, extinct.
Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between!
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them for sport.
If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do (such a thing)!
Had We wished to make a diversion, We would have made it from before Ourselves: by no means would We do (it).
Nay, We hurl the Truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood doth perish! Ah! woe be to you for the (false) things ye ascribe (to Us).
Nay! We cast the truth against the falsehood, so that it breaks its head, and lo! it vanishes; and woe to you for what you describe;
To Him belong all (creatures) in the heavens and on earth: Even those who are in His (very) Presence are not too proud to serve Him, nor are they (ever) weary (of His service):
And whoever is in the heavens and the earth is His; and those who are with Him are not proud to serve Him, nor do they grow weary.
They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit.
They glorify (Him) by night and day; they are never languid.
Or have they taken (for worship) gods from the earth who can raise (the dead)?
Or have they taken gods from the earth who raise (the dead).
If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! but glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above what they attribute to Him!
If there had been in them any gods except Allah, they would both have certainly been in a state of disorder; therefore glory be to Allah, the Lord of the dominion, above what they attribute (to Him).
He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs).
He cannot be questioned concerning what He does and they shall be questioned.
Or have they taken for worship (other) gods besides him? Say, "Bring your convincing proof: this is the Message of those with me and the Message of those before me." But most of them know not the Truth, and so turn away.
Or, have they taken gods besides Him? Say: Bring your proof; this is the reminder of those with me and the reminder of those before me. Nay! most of them do not know the truth, so they turn aside.
Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me.
And We did not send before you any apostle but We revealed to him that there is no god but Me, therefore serve Me.
And they say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten offspring." Glory to Him! they are (but) servants raised to honour.
And they say: The Beneficent Allah has taken to Himself a son. Glory be to Him. Nay! they are honored servants
They speak not before He speaks, and they act (in all things) by His Command.
They do not precede Him in speech and (only) according to His commandment do they act.
He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable, and they stand in awe and reverence of His (Glory).
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede except for him whom He approves and for fear of Him they tremble.
If any of them should say, "I am a god besides Him", such a one We should reward with Hell: thus do We reward those who do wrong.
And whoever of them should say: Surely I am a god besides Him, such a one do We recompense with hell; thus do, We recompense the unjust.
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?
Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were closed up, but We have opened them; and We have made of water everything living, will they not then believe?
And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them, and We have made therein broad highways (between mountains) for them to pass through: that they may receive Guidance.
And We have made great mountains in the earth lest it might be convulsed with them, and We have made in it wide ways that they may follow a right direction.
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)!
And We have made the heaven a guarded canopy and (yet) they turn aside from its signs.
It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.
And He it is Who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all (orbs) travel along swiftly in their celestial spheres.
We granted not to any man before thee permanent life (here): if then thou shouldst die, would they live permanently?
And We did not ordain abiding for any mortal before you. What! Then if you die, will they abide?
Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial. to Us must ye return.
Every soul must taste of death and We try you by evil and good by way of probation; and to Us you shall be brought back.
When the Unbelievers see thee, they treat thee not except with ridicule. "Is this," (they say), "the one who talks of your gods?" and they blaspheme at the mention of (Allah) Most Gracious!
And when those who disbelieve see you, they do not take you but for one to be scoffed at: Is this he who speaks of your gods? And they are deniers at the mention of the Beneficent Allah.
Man is a creature of haste: soon (enough) will I show you My Signs; then ye will not ask Me to hasten them!
Man is created of haste; now will I show to you My signs, therefore do not ask Me to hasten (them) on.
They say: "When will this promise come to pass, if ye are telling the truth?"
And they say: When will this threat come to pass if you are truthful?
If only the Unbelievers knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor yet from their backs, and (when) no help can reach them!
Had those who disbelieve but known (of the time) when they shall not be able to ward off the fire from their faces nor from their backs, nor shall they be helped.
Nay, it may come to them all of a sudden and confound them: no power will they have then to avert it, nor will they (then) get respite.
Nay, it shall come on them all of a sudden and cause them to become confounded, so they shall not have the power to avert it, nor shall they be respited.
Mocked were (many) messenger before thee; But their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked.
And certainly apostles before you were scoffed at, then there befell those of them who scoffed that at which they had scoffed.
Say: "Who can keep you safe by night and by day from (the Wrath of) (Allah) Most Gracious?" Yet they turn away from the mention of their Lord.
Say: Who guards you by night and by day from the Beneficent Allah? Nay, they turn aside at the mention of their Lord.
Or have they gods that can guard them from Us? They have no power to aid themselves, nor can they be defended from Us.
Or, have they gods who can defend them against Us? They shall not be able to assist themselves, nor shall they be defended from Us.
Nay, We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?
Nay, We gave provision to these and their fathers until life was prolonged to them. Do they not then see that We are visiting the land, curtailing it of its sides? Shall they then prevail?
Say, "I do but warn you according to revelation": But the deaf will not hear the call, (even) when they are warned!
Say: I warn you only by revelation; and the deaf do not hear the call whenever they are warned.
If but a breath of the Wrath of thy Lord do touch them, they will then say, "Woe to us! we did wrong indeed!"
And if a blast of the chastisement of your Lord were to touch them, they will certainly say: O woe to us! surely we were unjust.
We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.
And We will set up a just balance on the day of resurrection, so no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least; and though there be the weight of a grain of mustard seed, (yet) will We bring it, and sufficient are We to take account.
In the past We granted to Moses and Aaron the criterion (for judgment), and a Light and a Message for those who would do right, -
And certainly We gave to Musa and Haroun the Furqan and a light and a reminder for those who would guard (against evil).
Those who fear their Lord in their most secret thoughts, and who hold the Hour (of Judgment) in awe.
(For) those who fear their Lord in secret and they are fearful of the hour.
And this is a blessed Message which We have sent down: will ye then reject it?
And this is a blessed Reminder which We have revealed; will you then deny it?
We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct, and well were We acquainted with him.
And certainly We gave to Ibrahim his rectitude before, and We knew him fully well.
Behold! he said to his father and his people, "What are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted?"
When he said to his father and his people: What are these images to whose worship you cleave?
They said, "We found our fathers worshipping them."
They said: We found our fathers worshipping them.
He said, "Indeed ye have been in manifest error - ye and your fathers."
He said: Certainly you have been, (both) you and your fathers, in manifest error.
They said, "Have you brought us the Truth, or are you one of those who jest?"
They said: Have you brought to us the truth, or are you one of the triflers?
He said, "Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, He Who created them (from nothing): and I am a witness to this (Truth).
He said: Nay! your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who brought them into existence, and I am of those who bear witness to this:
"And by Allah, I have a plan for your idols - after ye go away and turn your backs"..
And, by Allah! I will certainly do something against your idols after you go away, turning back.
So he broke them to pieces, (all) but the biggest of them, that they might turn (and address themselves) to it.
So he broke them into pieces, except the chief of them, that haply they may return to it.
They said, "Who has done this to our gods? He must indeed be some man of impiety!"
They said: Who has done this to our gods? Most surely he is one of the unjust.
They said, "We heard a youth talk of them: He is called Abraham."
They said: We heard a youth called Ibrahim speak of them.
They said, "Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness."
Said they: Then bring him before the eyes of the people, perhaps they may bear witness.
They said, "Art thou the one that did this with our gods, O Abraham?"
They said: Have you done this to our gods, O Ibrahim?
He said: "Nay, this was done by - this is their biggest one! ask them, if they can speak intelligently!"
He said: Surely (some doer) has done it; the chief of them is this, therefore ask them, if they can speak.
So they turned to themselves and said, "Surely ye are the ones in the wrong!"
Then they turned to themselves and said: Surely you yourselves are the unjust;
Then were they confounded with shame: (they said), "Thou knowest full well that these (idols) do not speak!"
Then they were made to hang down their heads: Certainly you know that they do not speak.
(Abraham) said, "Do ye then worship, besides Allah, things that can neither be of any good to you nor do you harm?
He said: What! do you then serve besides Allah what brings you not any benefit at all, nor does it harm you?
"Fie upon you, and upon the things that ye worship besides Allah! Have ye no sense?"..
Fie on you and on what you serve besides Allah; what! do you not then understand?
They said, "Burn him and protect your gods, If ye do (anything at all)!"
They said: Burn him and help your gods, if you are going to do (anything).
We said, "O Fire! be thou cool, and (a means of) safety for Abraham!"
We said: O fire! be a comfort and peace to Ibrahim;
Then they sought a stratagem against him: but We made them the ones that lost most!
And they desired a war on him, but We made them the greatest losers.
But We delivered him and (his nephew) Lut (and directed them) to the land which We have blessed for the nations.
And We delivered him as well as Lut (removing them) to the land which We had blessed for all people.
And We bestowed on him Isaac and, as an additional gift, (a grandson), Jacob, and We made righteous men of every one (of them).
And We gave him Ishaq and Yaqoub, a son's son, and We made (them) all good.
And We made them leaders, guiding (men) by Our Command, and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to practise regular charity; and they constantly served Us (and Us only).
And We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of the alms, and Us (alone) did they serve;
And to Lut, too, We gave Judgment and Knowledge, and We saved him from the town which practised abominations: truly they were a people given to Evil, a rebellious people.
And (as for) Lut, We gave him wisdom and knowledge, and We delivered him from the town which wrought abominations; surely they were an evil people, transgressors;
And We admitted him to Our Mercy: for he was one of the Righteous.
And We took him into Our mercy; surely he was of the good.
(Remember) Noah, when he cried (to Us) aforetime: We listened to his (prayer) and delivered him and his family from great distress.
And Nuh, when he cried aforetime, so We answered him, and delivered him and his followers from the great calamity.
We helped him against people who rejected Our Signs: truly they were a people given to Evil: so We drowned them (in the Flood) all together.
And We helped him against the people who rejected Our communications; surely they were an evil people, so We drowned them all.
And remember David and Solomon, when they gave judgment in the matter of the field into which the sheep of certain people had strayed by night: We did witness their judgment.
And Dawood and Sulaiman when they gave judgment concerning the field when the people's sheep pastured therein by night, and We were bearers of witness to their judgment.
To Solomon We inspired the (right) understanding of the matter: to each (of them) We gave Judgment and Knowledge; it was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things).
So We made Sulaiman to understand it; and to each one We gave wisdom and knowledge; and We made the mountains, and the birds to celebrate Our praise with Dawood; and We were the doers.
It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful?
And We taught him the making of coats of mail for you, that they might protect you in your wars; will you then be grateful?
(It was Our power that made) the violent (unruly) wind flow (tamely) for Solomon, to his order, to the land which We had blessed: for We do know all things.
And (We made subservient) to Sulaiman the wind blowing violent, pursuing its course by his command to the land which We had blessed, and We are knower of all things.
And of the evil ones, were some who dived for him, and did other work besides; and it was We Who guarded them.
And of the rebellious people there were those who dived for him and did other work besides that, and We kept guard over them;
And (remember) Job, when He cried to his Lord, "Truly distress has seized me, but Thou art the Most Merciful of those that are merciful."
And Ayub, when he cried to his Lord, (saying): Harm has afflicted me, and Thou art the most Merciful of the merciful.
So We listened to him: We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his people to him, and doubled their number, - as a Grace from Ourselves, and a thing for commemoration, for all who serve Us.
Therefore We responded to him and took off what harm he had, and We gave him his family and the like of them with them: a mercy from Us and a reminder to the worshippers.
And (remember) Isma'il, Idris, and Zul - kifl, all (men) of constancy and patience;
And Ismail and Idris and Zulkifl; all were of the patient ones;
We admitted them to Our mercy: for they were of the righteous ones.
And We caused them to enter into Our mercy, surely they were of the good ones.
And remember Zun - nun, when he departed in wrath: He imagined that We had no power over him! But he cried through the deptHs of darkness, "There is no god but thou: glory to thee: I was indeed wrong!"
And Yunus, when he went away in wrath, so he thought that We would not straiten him, so he called out among afflictions: There is no god but Thou, glory be to Thee; surely I am of those who make themselves to suffer loss.
So We listened to him: and delivered him from distress: and thus do We deliver those who have faith.
So We responded to him and delivered him from the grief and thus do We deliver the believers.
And (remember) Zakariya, when he cried to his Lord: "O my Lord! leave me not without offspring, though thou art the best of inheritors."
And Zakariya, when he cried to his Lord: O my Lord leave me not alone; and Thou art the best of inheritors.
So We listened to him: and We granted him Yahya: We cured his wife's (Barrenness) for him. These (three) were ever quick in emulation in good works; they used to call on Us with love and reverence, and humble themselves before Us.
So We responded to him and gave him Yahya and made his wife fit for him; surely they used to hasten, one with another In deeds of goodness and to call upon Us, hoping and fearing and they were humble before Us.
And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.
And she who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our inspiration and made her and her son a sign for the nations.
Verily, this brotherhood of yours is a single brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore serve Me (and no other).
Surely this Islam is your religion, one religion (only), and I am your Lord, therefore serve Me.
But (later generations) cut off their affair (of unity), one from another: (yet) will they all return to Us.
And they broke their religion (into sects) between them: to Us shall all come back.
Whoever works any act of righteousness and has faith, - His endeavour will not be rejected: We shall record it in his favour.
Therefore whoever shall do of good deeds and he is a believer, there shall be no denying of his exertion, and surely We will write (It) down for him.
But there is a ban on any population which We have destroyed: that they shall not return,
And it is binding on a town which We destroy that they shall not return.
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill.
Even when Gog and Magog are let loose and they shall break forth from every elevated place.
Then will the true promise draw nigh (of fulfilment): then behold! the eyes of the Unbelievers will fixedly stare in horror: "Ah! Woe to us! we were indeed heedless of this; nay, we truly did wrong!"
And the true promise shall draw nigh, then lo! the eyes of those who disbelieved shall be fixedly open: O woe to us! surely we were in a state of heedlessness as to this; nay, we were unjust.
Verily ye, (unbelievers), and the (false) gods that ye worship besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! to it will ye (surely) come!
Surely you and what you worship besides Allah are the firewood of hell; to it you shall come.
If these had been gods, they would not have got there! but each one will abide therein.
Had these been gods, they would not have come to it and all shall abide therein.
There, sobbing will be their lot, nor will they there hear (aught else).
For them therein shall be groaning and therein they shall not hear.
Those for whom the good (record) from Us has gone before, will be removed far therefrom.
Surely (as for) those for whom the good has already gone forth from Us, they shall be kept far off from it;
Not the slightest sound will they hear of Hell: what their souls desired, in that will they dwell.
They will not hear its faintest sound, and they shall abide in that which their souls long for.
The Great Terror will bring them no grief: but the angels will meet them (with mutual greetings): "This is your Day, - (the Day) that ye were promised."
The great fearful event shall not grieve them, and the angels shall meet them: This is your day which you were promised.
The Day that We roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books (completed), - even as We produced the first creation, so shall We produce a new one: a promise We have undertaken: truly shall We fulfil it.
On the day when We will roll up heaven like the rolling up of the scroll for writings, as We originated the first creation, (so) We shall reproduce it; a promise (binding on Us); surely We will bring it about.
Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants the righteous, shall inherit the earth."
And certainly We wrote in the Book after the reminder that (as for) the land, My righteous servants shall inherit it.
Verily in this (Qur'an) is a Message for people who would (truly) worship Allah.
Most surely in this is a message to a people who serve
We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.
And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds.
Say: "What has come to me by inspiration is that your Allah is One Allah: will ye therefore bow to His Will (in Islam)?"
Say: It is only revealed to me that your Allah is one Allah; will you then submit?
But if they turn back, Say: "I have proclaimed the Message to you all alike and in truth; but I know not whether that which ye are promised is near or far.
But if they turn back, say: I have given you warning in fairness and I do not know whether what you are threatened with is near or far;
"It is He Who knows what is open in speech and what ye hide (in your hearts).
Surely He knows what is spoken openly and He knows what you hide;
"I know not but that it may be a trial for you, and a grant of (worldly) livelihood (to you) for a time."
And I do not know if this may be a trial for you and a provision till a time.
Say: "O my Lord! judge Thou in truth!""Our Lord Most Gracious is the One Whose assistance should be sought against the blasphemies ye utter!"
He said: O my Lord! judge Thou with truth; and our Lord is the Beneficent Allah, Whose help is sought against what you ascribe (to Him).