By the Name
God
the Fount-of-All-Mercy
the Ever-Merciful
ever closer
to humankind
comes their reckoning
while they
pay no attention
and turn away
no fresh Reminder
comes to them
from their Liege
but they listen to it
as if it was a game
their hearts are distracted
those who do evil
whisper to each other
"Is this man anything
other than a mortal
like yourselves?
do you fall for magic
with your eyes wide open?"
he said
"My Liege
knows what is said
in the heavens and the earth
Hu is
the All-Hearing
the All-Knowing"
some say
"It is just muddled dreams"
and
"He has made it up"
and
"He is a poet"
and
"Let him bring us a Sign
like those sent
to the people of old"
not one city
that We destroyed
before them
believed
so will they believe?
and We did not send
any before you
without giving them
revelation
ask the people
who remember
if you do not know
and We did not
give them bodies
that did not eat food
nor could they live forever
but We kept Our promise
and rescued them
and whoever else We willed
and We destroyed those
who went beyond all bounds
now We have
sent down to you
a Book
in which is
your Reminder
will you not
understand?
how many a city
that did evil
have We destroyed
and raised up
other people
in their place
when they saw
Our mighty power
they ran away from it
"Do not run away
go back to the luxury
that you enjoyed
to the places
where you live
so that you may be
questioned"
they said
"Alas for us
we have been
evil doers"
and they did not
stop crying
until We made them
like stubble
crushed and silent
We did not create
the heaven and earth
and all that is
between them
as a game
if We had wanted
to have amusement
We would have taken it
from Ourself
if We were to do anything
no
We hurl the truth
against what is false
and it cuts right through it
so it vanishes away
woe to you
for what you say
to Hu belongs
whatever is in
the heavens and the earth
and those who are with Hu
are not too proud
to give Hu service
and do not grow weary
they praise Hu's glory
by night
and in the daytime
never tiring
or have they taken
gods out of the earth
who can bring the dead
back to life?
if there had been gods
in heaven and earth
other than God
they would go to ruin
so glory be to God
the Liege of the Throne
far beyond
whatever they describe
Hu will not be questioned
as to what Hu does
but they will be questioned
or have they taken
gods apart from Hu?
say
"Bring your proof
this is what
whoever is with me
remembers
and what those before me
remembered"
but most of them
do not know the truth
so they turn away
and We never sent
a Messenger before you
without revealing to them
"There is no god but Me
so serve Me"
and they say
"The Fount-of-All-Mercy
has had a son"
glory be to Hu
no
they are honoured servants
that do not
go before Hu in speech
and do as Hu commands
Hu knows
what is before them
and what is behind them
and they cannot
ask for mercy
except those with whom
Hu is pleased
and they tremble
in awe of Hu
if any of them says
"I am a god
apart from Hu"
We repay such a one
with Hell
that is how We repay
those who do evil
have those who are
ungrateful
not seen
the heavens and the earth
were sewn together
and We unstitched them
and out of water
We shaped
every living thing?
will they not believe?
and We set in the earth
firm mountains
so it would not
move under them
and We set in it
broad valleys
to serve as roadways
so perhaps
they might be guided
and We set up heaven
as a roof protected
but still
from Our Signs
they turn away
it is Hu created
the night and the day
the sun and the moon
each swimming in a sky
We have not given
any mortal before you
everlasting life
so if you die
will they live forever?
every soul
will taste death
and We try you
with evil and good
for a testing
then to Us
you will be returned
when those who are
ungrateful
see you
they only mock you
"Is this the one
who talks about
your gods?"
yet when it comes to
remembering
the Fount-of-All-Mercy
they are ungrateful
humans
were created
ever hurried
certainly
I will show you
My Signs
so do not ask
that I make haste
they say
"And when will
the promise
come to pass
if you speak truly?"
if those who are
ungrateful
only knew of the time
when they
will not be able
to keep the Fire
away from
their faces
and their backs
and they will not
be helped
no
it will come upon them
suddenly
and strike them dumb
and they will not be able
to keep it away
nor will they be given
any relief
indeed
Messengers
were mocked
before you
but those who
made fun of them
were overwhelmed
by what they had been
mocking
say
"Who will guard you from
the Fount-of-All-Mercy
in the night
and in the daytime?"
but they turn away
from remembering
their Liege
or do they have gods
that will defend them
apart from Us?
they are not able
to help themselves
they will not be guarded
and kept safe from Us
no indeed
We have given these people
and their families
from before them
enjoyment
until life seemed long
and good for them
but do they not see
how We come to the land
shrinking it at its edges?
or will they end up
victorious?
say
"I only warn you
by what is revealed"
but they are deaf
and do not hear the call
when they are warned
if just a breath
of punishment
from your Liege
touched them
they would surely say
"Alas for us
we were unjust"
and We shall set up
the balance of justice
on the Day of Rising
so that not one soul
will be wronged
in any way
even if it be the weight of
one grain of mustard seed
We will produce it
We are enough
as a Reckoner
and We gave to
Moses and Aaron
the way to judge
between right and wrong
and a shining light
and a Reminder
for those who are
Mindful of God
those who fear their Liege
in the Unseen
and tremble
at the thought of
the Hour
this is
a blessed Reminder
that We have sent down
so are you going to deny it?
We gave Abraham
right guiding
We knew him
when he said
to his father and his people
"What are these statues
to which you are clinging?"
they said
"We found our parents
serving them"
he said
"Then surely you
and your parents
have clearly taken
the wrong way"
they said
"Have you really
brought us truth
or are you
playing games?"
he said
"No
your Liege
is the Liege of
the heavens and the earth
Hu created them
and I am one of those
who bear witness to that
and by God
I will surely
outwit your idols
behind your backs
after you have gone away"
so he broke them into pieces
all except the greatest one
so that they could
return to it
they said
"Who has done this
to our gods?
surely he has done wrong"
they said
"We heard a young man
talk about them
and he is called
Abraham"
they said
"Bring him before
the eyes of the people
so they can bear witness"
they said
"So are you the man
who did this to our gods
Abraham?"
he said
"No
it was this one
the biggest of them
that did it
ask them
if they are able to speak"
so they turned
to one another
and they said
"You are the ones
who have been
doing wrong"
then they were
completely confused
saying
"You know very well
that these cannot speak"
he said
"And do you serve
apart from God
what can neither help you
nor harm you?
shame on you
and what you serve
apart from God
do you not understand?"
they said
"Burn him
and help your gods
if you are to do anything"
We said
"O Fire
be cool and safe for
Abraham"
they wanted
to outwit him
but We made them
the worse losers
so We saved him
and Lot
and took them
to the land
that We had blessed
for all beings
and as well as that
We gave him
Isaac and Jacob
and made them all
good doers
and We made them leaders
guiding by Our command
and We revealed to them
what deeds are good to do
and that they should
make the Sala
and pay the Zaka
and they served Us
and to Lot
We gave good judgement
and knowledge
and We rescued him
from the city
that had been
spreading sickness
they were an evil people
those who disobey
and We took him
into Our mercy
he was one of
those who do good
and Noah
when he called out before
and We answered him
and rescued him
with his people
from the great disaster
and We helped him
against the people
who called Our Signs lies
surely they were
an evil people
so We drowned them
all together
and David and Solomon
when they gave judgement
about the field
when the people's sheep
strayed on to it
and We were witness
to their judgement
and We gave Solomon
understanding of it
and We gave each of them
judgement and knowledge
and We put the mountains
at David's service
to give glory
and the birds
this is something We can do
and We taught him
how to make clothing for you
that would protect you
against your violence
but are you thankful?
and to Solomon We gave
the fiercely blowing wind
that ran at his command
throughout the land
that We had blessed
and We had knowledge
of everything
and some of the Satans
dived for him
as well as doing other tasks
and We watched over them
and Job
when he called out
to his Liege
"See how great harm
has come to torment me
and You are
the Most Merciful
of the merciful"
so We answered him
and took away
the torment that was on him
and We gave his people
and those like them
along with them
mercy from Us
and a Reminder
for those who serve
and Ishmael
and Idris and Dhu'l Kifl
each was among
those who are patient
and We took them
into Our mercy
they were of
those who do good
and Dhu'l Nun
when he went out
full of anger
and thought that
We would have
no power over him
then he called out
in the darkness
"There is no God but You
glory be to You
I have done wrong"
so We answered him
and rescued him
out of his sadness
even so do We rescue
those who believe
and Zachariah
when he called out
to his Liege
"O my Liege
do not leave me alone
You are the best
of those who receive"
so We answered him
and gave him John
and We made things right
for his wife and him
truly they competed
with each other
in the doing of good deeds
and they called upon Us
out of longing and wonder
and they were humble
before Us
and she who guarded
her private parts
We breathed into her
of Our spirit
and set her and her son
to be a Sign
for all the worlds
surely
this people of yours
is one people
and I am your Liege
so serve Me
and they argued
and split themselves
into different sects
but all of them
will return to Us
and whoever
does good deeds
and is a believer
their efforts will not
go without thanks
We are writing it down
on their behalf
there is a ban
upon any city
that We have destroyed
they will not return
until
when Gog and Magog
are set loose
and they slide down
from every slope
and the true promise
is very close
and the eyes of
those who are
ungrateful
stare blindly
"Alas for us
we did not think of this
indeed
we were evil doers"
surely you
and what you served
apart from God
are fuel for Hellfire
you shall go down
into it
if they had been gods
they would never have
gone down into it
but every one of them
will live in it
for ever
there will be
sobbing
in it
but they will hear
nothing
but those who
found beforehand
that the reward most fair
was theirs
they shall be
kept far from it
they will not hear
the slightest whisper of it
and they will live
forever
living in
all that
their souls desire
the greatest terror
will not upset them
and the Angels will
welcome them
"This is your day
that you were promised"
on the day
We will fold up heaven
like folding up
the pages of a book
as We began
the first creation
so We will
bring it back again
it is a promise
binding on Us
that is what We will do
and We wrote
in the Psalms
after the Reminder came
"The earth
will be left to
My servants
who do good"
surely in this is
a clear message
for a people
who serve
We have not sent you
except as
a mercy
to all beings
say
"It is revealed to me
that your god is One God
so do you then
surrender?"
then
if they turn their backs
say
"I have called it out
to all of you equally
though I do not know if
what you have
been promised
is near or far
Hu knows
what is spoken aloud
and Hu knows
what you hide
for all I know
perhaps it is
a trial for you
and enjoyment
for a while"
he said
"My Liege
judge with truth
our Liege is
the Fount-of-All-Mercy
Hu's help is always
to be looked for
in the face of
what you say"