21. Al-Anbya

1 The reckoning for mankind has drawn near, while they turn away in heedlessness.

2 No new reminder comes to them from their Lord except that they listen to it while they play.

3 Their hearts distracted. And those who do wrong conceal their private conversation, saying, Is this except a human being like you? So would you approach magic while you see?

4 He said, My Lord knows what is said in the heaven and earth, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

5 But they say, Confused dreams; rather, he has invented it; rather, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign like the ones sent to the former people.

6 Not a city We destroyed believed before them, so will they believe?

7 And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed, so ask the people of the message if you do not know.

8 And We did not make them bodies not eating food, nor were they immortal.

9 Then We fulfilled for them the promise, and We saved them and whom We willed and destroyed the transgressors.

10 We have certainly sent down to you a Book in which is your mention. Then will you not reason?

11 And how many a city that was unjust have We shattered and produced after it another people.

12 And when they perceived Our punishment, at once they fled from it.

13 Do not flee and return to where you were given luxury and to your homes, perhaps you will be questioned.

14 They said, O woe to us! Indeed, we were wrongdoers.

15 And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them as a harvest, extinguished.

16 We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them for play.

17 If We had intended to take a pastime, We could have taken it from what is with Us, if We were to do so.

18 Rather, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes it, and suddenly it vanishes. And woe to you for what you describe.

19 To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those near Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they tire.

20 They glorify Him night and day, they do not slacken.

21 Or have they taken gods from the earth who can resurrect?

22 If there were in them gods besides God, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is God, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.

23 He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.

24 Or have they taken gods besides Him? Say, Bring your proof. This is the message for those with me and the message of those before me. But most of them do not know the truth, so they turn away.

25 And We did not send before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that there is no god except Me, so worship Me.

26 And they say, The Most Merciful has taken a son. Exalted is He. Rather, they are honored servants.

27 They do not precede Him in speech, and they act by His command.

28 He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede except for whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive.

29 And whoever of them should say, Indeed, I am a god besides Him, that one We would recompense with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrongdoers.

30 Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, then We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?

31 And We placed within the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with them, and We made therein broad passes as ways that they might be guided.

32 And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away.

33 And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all in an orbit are swimming.

34 We have not granted immortality to any human before you. So if you die, would they live forever?

35 Every soul will taste death. We test you with evil and good as a trial, and to Us you will return.

36 When the disbelievers see you, they only take you in mockery. Is this the one who speaks about your gods? They disbelieve at the mention of the Most Merciful.

37 Man was created from haste. I will show you My signs, so do not ask Me to hasten.

38 And they say, When will this promise come, if you are truthful?

39 If only the disbelievers knew the time when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces or from their backs, and they will not be helped.

40 Rather, it will come to them suddenly and bewilder them, and they will not be able to repel it, nor will they be given respite.

41 Messengers before you were ridiculed, but those who mocked them were surrounded by what they used to ridicule.

42 Say, Who can protect you by night and day from the Most Merciful? Yet they turn away from the remembrance of their Lord.

43 Or do they have gods to defend them other than Us? They cannot help themselves, nor can they be protected from Us.

44 But We gave enjoyment to these people and their fathers until life grew long for them. Do they not see that We come to the land, reducing it from its borders? So is it they who will overcome?

45 Say, I only warn you by revelation. But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned.

46 If a breath of your Lords punishment were to touch them, they would surely say, Woe to us! Indeed we were wrongdoers.

47 We will set up the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.

48 We gave Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and a reminder for the righteous

49 Those who fear their Lord unseen and are apprehensive of the Hour

50 And this is a blessed reminder which We have sent down. So are you denying it

51 We gave Abraham his guidance before, and We knew him well.

52 When he said to his father and his people, What are these statues to which you are devoted?

53 They said, We found our fathers worshipping them.

54 He said, You and your fathers have been in clear error.

55 They said, Have you brought us the truth, or are you one of those who jest?

56 He said, No, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who created them, and I am among those who testify to that.

57 And by God, I will surely plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away.

58 So he broke them into pieces, except the largest of them, that they might return to it.

59 They said, Who has done this to our gods? Indeed, he is of the wrongdoers.

60 They said, We heard a young man mention them; he is called Abraham.

61 They said, Then bring him before the eyes of the people that they may testify.

62 They said, Did you do this to our gods, O Abraham?

63 He said, Rather, this largest one of them did it, so ask them, if they can speak.

64 So they returned to themselves and said, Indeed, you are the wrongdoers.

65 Then they reversed themselves, You have already known that these do not speak.

66 He said, Do you then worship instead of God that which does not benefit you at all or harm you?

67 Shame on you and what you worship instead of God. Do you not reason?

68 They said, Burn him and support your gods, if you are to act.

69 We said, O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham.

70 And they intended for him harm, but We made them the greatest losers.

71 And We delivered him and Lot to the land which We had blessed for the worlds.

72 And We gave him Isaac and Jacob in addition, and all We made righteous.

73 And We made them leaders, guiding by Our command. And We inspired to them the doing of good deeds, establishment of prayer, and giving of charity, and they were worshippers of Us.

74 And to Lot We gave wisdom and knowledge, and We saved him from the city that was committing wicked deeds. Indeed, they were an evil people who were defiantly disobedient.

75 And We admitted him into Our mercy. Indeed, he was of the righteous.

76 And Noah, when he called out before, so We responded to him and saved him and his family from the great affliction.

77 And We aided him against the people who denied Our signs. Indeed, they were an evil people, so We drowned them all.

78 And David and Solomon, when they judged concerning the field when the sheep of a people strayed and grazed therein by night, and We were witness to their judgment.

79 And We gave understanding of it to Solomon, and to each We gave wisdom and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains to exalt with David and the birds. And We were the doer.

80 And We taught him the making of coats of armor to protect you from your battle. So will you then be grateful?

81 And to Solomon the wind, blowing forcefully, proceeding by his command toward the land which We had blessed. And We are ever, of all things, Knowing.

82 And of the devils were those who dived for him and did work other than that. And We were of them a guardian.

83 And Job, when he called to his Lord, Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.

84 So We responded to him and removed what afflicted him of adversity. And We gave him his family and the like thereof with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for the worshippers.

85 And Ishmael and Idris and Dhul-Kifl; all were of the patient.

86 And We admitted them into Our mercy. Indeed, they were of the righteous.

87 And the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.

88 So We responded to him and saved him from the distress. And thus do We save the believers.

89 And Zechariah, when he called to his Lord, My Lord, do not leave me alone, while you are the best of inheritors.

90 So We responded to him, and We gave to him John, and amended for him his wife. Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive.

91 And she who guarded her chastity, so We blew into her through Our angel, and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds.

92 Indeed, this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.

93 But they divided their affair among themselves, yet all will return to Us.

94 So whoever does righteous deeds while he is a believer, no denial will there be for his effort, and indeed We are recording it for him.

95 And there is prohibition upon a city which We have destroyed that they will not return.

96 Until when Gog and Magog are let loose and they swiftly descend from every elevation.

97 And the true promise approaches; then suddenly the eyes of those who disbelieved will stare in horror. Woe to us; we had been unmindful of this; rather, we were wrongdoers.

98 Indeed, you and what you worship other than God are the fuel of Hell. You will enter it.

99 If these had been gods, they would not have entered it, but all will abide in it eternally.

100 For them therein is heavy sighing, and they therein will not hear.

101 Indeed, those for whom the best has preceded from Us, they are from it far removed.

102 They will not hear its sound, while they are, in that which their souls desire, abiding eternally.

103 The greatest terror will not grieve them, and the angels will meet them, This is your Day which you have been promised.

104 The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a scroll for records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. A promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it.

105 And We have already written in the Psalms after the reminder that the earth is inherited by My righteous servants.

106 Indeed, in this is a message for a worshipping people.

107 And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.

108 Say, It is only revealed to me that your god is one God; so will you submit to Him?

109 But if they turn away, then say, I have announced to you equally. And I know not whether near or far is that which you are promised.

110 Indeed, He knows what is declared of speech, and He knows what you conceal.

111 And I know not; perhaps it is a trial for you and enjoyment for a time.

112 Say, My Lord, judge in truth. And our Lord is the Most Merciful, the one whose help is sought against that which you describe.