Hizb 58

Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a team of the jinn listened [to the Quran] and they said, “Indeed we heard a wonderful Quran,

which guides to rectitude. Hence, we have believed in it and we will never ascribe any partner to our Lord.

Exalted be the majesty of our Lord; He has taken neither any spouse nor son.

The foolish ones among us used to speak atrocious lies concerning Allah.

We thought that humans and jinn would never utter any falsehood concerning Allah.

Indeed some persons from the humans would seek the protection of some persons from the jinn, thus only adding to their rebellion.

They thought, just as you think, that Allah will not raise anyone from the dead.

Indeed we made for the heaven and found it full of mighty sentries and flames.

We used to sit in its positions to eavesdrop, but anyone listening now finds a flame waiting for him.

We do not know whether ill is intended for those who are on the earth, or whether their Lord intends good for them.

Among us some are righteous and some are otherwise: we are various sects.

We know that we cannot frustrate Allah on the earth, nor can we frustrate Him by fleeing.

When we heard the [message of] guidance, we believed in it. Whoever that has faith in his Lord will fear neither privation nor oppression.

Among us some are Muslims and some of us are perverse.” ’ Those who submit [to Allah]—it is they who pursue rectitude.

As for the perverse, they will be firewood for hell.

If they are steadfast on the path [of Allah], We shall provide them with abundant water,

so that We may test them therein, and whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will let him into an escalating punishment.

The places of worship belong to Allah, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah.

When the servant of Allah rose to pray to Him, they almost crowded around him.

Say, ‘I pray only to my Lord, and I do not ascribe any partner to Him.’

Say, ‘I have no power to bring you any harm or good [of my own accord].’

Say, ‘Neither can anyone shelter me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge besides Him.

[I have no duty] except to transmit from Allah, and [to communicate] His messages; and whoever disobeys Allah and His apostle, there will indeed be for him the fire of hell, to remain in it forever.’

When they see what they are promised, they will know who is weaker in supporters and fewer in numbers.

Say, ‘I do not know if what you are promised is near, or if my Lord has set a [long] term for it.’

Knower of the Unseen, He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] Unseen to anyone,

except to an apostle He approves of. Then He dispatches a sentinel before and behind him

so that He may ascertain that they have communicated the messages of their Lord, and He encompasses all that is with them, and He keeps an count of all things.

O you wrapped up in your mantle!

Stand vigil through the night, except for a little [of it],

a half, or reduce a little from that

or add to it, and recite the Quran in a measured tone.

Indeed soon We shall cast on you a weighty discourse.

Indeed the watch of the night is firmer in tread and more upright in respect to speech,

for indeed during the day you have drawn-out engagements.

So celebrate the Name of your Lord and dedicate yourself to Him with total dedication.

Lord of the east and the west, there is no god except Him; so take Him for your trustee,

and be patient over what they say, and distance yourself from them in a graceful manner.

Leave Me [to deal] with the deniers, the opulent, and give them a little respite.

Indeed with Us are heavy fetters and a fierce fire,

and a food that chokes [those who eat it], and a painful punishment [prepared for]

the day when the earth and the mountains will quake, and the mountains will be like dunes of shifting sand.

Indeed We have sent to you an apostle, to be a witness to you, just as We sent an apostle to Pharaoh.

But Pharaoh disobeyed the apostle; so We seized him with a terrible seizing.

So, if you disbelieve, how will you avoid the day, which will make children white-headed,

and wherein the sky will be rent apart? His promise is bound to be fulfilled.

This is indeed a reminder. So let anyone who wishes take the way toward his Lord.

Indeed your Lord knows that you stand vigil for nearly two thirds of the night—or [at times] a half or a third of it—along with a group of those who are with you. Allah measures the night and the day. He knows that you cannot calculate it [exactly], and so He was lenient toward you. So recite as much of the Quran as is feasible. He knows that some of you will be sick, while others will travel in the land seeking Allah’s bounty, and yet others will fight in the way of Allah. So recite as much of it as is feasible, and maintain the prayer and pay the zakat and lend Allah a good loan. Whatever good you send ahead for your souls you will find it with Allah [in a form] that is better and greater with respect to reward. And plead to Allah for forgiveness; indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.

O you wrapped up in your mantle!

Rise up and warn!

Magnify your Lord,

and purify your clothes,

and keep away from all impurity!

Do not grant a favour seeking a greater gain,

and be patient for the sake of your Lord.

When the Trumpet will be sounded,

that will be a day of hardship,

not at all easy for the faithless.

Leave Me [to deal] with him whom I created alone,

and furnished him with extensive means,

[gave him] sons to be at his side,

and facilitated [all matters] for him.

Still he is eager that I should give him more.

No indeed! He is an obstinate opponent of Our signs.

Soon I will overwhelm him with hardship.

Indeed he reflected and decided.

Perish he, how he decided!

Again, perish he, how he decided!

Then he looked;

then frowned and scowled.

Then he walked away disdainfully,

saying, ‘It is nothing but traditional sorcery.

It is nothing but the speech of a human.’

Soon I will cast him into Saqar.

And what will show you what is Saqar?

It neither spares, nor leaves [anything].

It burns the skin.

There are nineteen [keepers] over it.

We have assigned only angels as keepers of the Fire, and We have made their number merely a stumbling block for the faithless, and so that those who were given the Book may be reassured, and the faithful may increase in [their] faith, and so that those who were given the Book and the faithful may not be in doubt, and so that the faithless and those in whose hearts is a sickness may say, ‘What did Allah mean by this description?’ Thus does Allah lead astray whomever He wishes and guides whomever He wishes. No one knows the hosts of your Lord except Him, and it is just an admonition for all humans.

No indeed! By the Moon!

By the night when it recedes!

By the dawn when it brightens!

Indeed they are one of the greatest [signs of God]

—a warner to all humans,

[alike] for those of you who like to advance ahead and those who would remain behind.

Every soul is hostage to what it has earned,

except the People of the Right Hand.

[They will be] in gardens, questioning

the guilty:

‘What drew you into Hell?’

They will answer, ‘We were not among those who prayed.

Nor did we feed the poor.

We used to indulge in [profane] gossip along with the gossipers,

and we used to deny the Day of Retribution

until death came to us.’

So the intercession of the intercessors will not avail them.

What is the matter with them that they evade the Reminder

as if they were terrified asses

fleeing from a lion?

But everyone of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah]!

No! Indeed, they do not fear the Hereafter.

No! It is indeed a reminder.

So let anyone who wishes be mindful of it.

And they will not be mindful unless Allah wishes. He is worthy of [your] being wary [of Him] and He is worthy to forgive.

I swear by the Day of Resurrection!

And I swear by the self-critical soul!

Does man suppose that We will not put together his bones [at resurrection]?

Yes indeed, We are able to [re]shape [even] his fingertips!

Indeed, man desires to go on living viciously.

He asks, ‘When will be this “day of resurrection”?!’

But when the eyes are dazzled,

the moon is eclipsed,

and the sun and the moon are brought together,

that day man will say, ‘Where is the escape [from this day]?’

No indeed! There will be no refuge!

That day the [final] goal will be toward your Lord.

That day man will be informed about what [works] he had sent ahead [to the scene of judgement] and [the legacy that he had] left behind.

Indeed, man is a witness to himself,

though he should offer excuses [to justify his failings].

Do not move your tongue with it to hasten it.

Indeed it is up to Us to put it together and to recite it.

And when We have recited it, follow its recitation.

Then, its exposition [also] lies with Us.

No! Indeed, you love this transitory life

and forsake the Hereafter.

Some faces will be fresh on that day,

looking to their Lord,

and some faces will be scowling on that day,

knowing that they will be dealt out a punishment breaking the spine.

No indeed! When it reaches up to the collar bones

and it is said, ‘Who will take him up?’

and he knows that it is the [time of] parting,

and each shank clasps the other shank,

that day he shall be driven toward your Lord.

He neither confirmed [the messages of Allah], nor did he pray,

but denied [them] and turned away,

and went back swaggering to his family.

So, woe to you! Woe to you!

Again, woe to you! Woe to you!

Does man suppose that he has been abandoned to futility?

Was he not a drop of emitted semen,

and then a clinging mass? Whereat He created and proportioned [him],

and made of him the two sexes, male and female.

Is not [someone like] that able to revive the dead?

Has there been a period of time for man when he was not anything worthy of mention?

Indeed We created man from the drop of a mixed fluid so that We may put him to test, so We endowed with hearing and sight.

Indeed We have guided him to the way, be he grateful or ungrateful.

Indeed for the faithless We have prepared chains, iron collars, and a blaze.

Indeed the pious will drink from a cup seasoned with Kafur,

a spring where Allah’s servants will drink, making it gush forth as they please.

They fulfill their vows and fear a day whose ill will be widespread.

For the love of Him, they feed the needy, the orphan and the prisoner,

[saying,] ‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We desire no reward from you, nor thanks.

Indeed we fear a frowning and fateful day from our Lord.’

So Allah saved them from that day’s ills and graced them with freshness [on this faces] and joy [in their hearts].

He rewarded them for their patience with a garden and [garments of] silk,

reclining therein on couches, without facing any [scorching] sun, or [biting] cold.

Its shades will be close over them and its clusters [of fruits] will be hanging low.

They will be served around with vessels of silver and goblets of crystal

—crystal of silver— [from] which they will dispense in a precise measure.

They will be served therein with a cup of a drink seasoned with Zanjabeel,

from a spring in it named Salsabeel.

They will be waited upon by immortal youths, whom, were you to see them, you will suppose them to be scattered pearls.

As you look on, you will see there bliss and a great kingdom.

Upon them will be cloaks of green silk and brocade and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver. Their Lord will give them to drink a pure drink.

[They will be told]: ‘This is your reward, and your efforts have been well-appreciated.’

Indeed We have sent down to you the Quran in a gradual descent.

So submit patiently to the judgement of your Lord and do not obey any sinner or ingrate from among them,

and celebrate the Name of your Lord morning and evening,

and worship Him for a watch of the night and glorify Him the night long.

Indeed they love this transitory life, and disregard a heavy day that is ahead of them.

We created them and strengthened their joints, and We will replace them with others like them whenever We like.

This is indeed a reminder. So let anyone who wishes take the way toward his Lord.

But you will not wish unless it is willed by Allah. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.

He admits whomever He wishes into His mercy, and He has prepared a painful punishment for the wrongdoers.

By the [angelic] emissaries sent successively,

by those who sweep along like gale,

by those who publish [the Divine messages] far and wide,

by those who separate [the truth from falsehood] distinctly,

by those who inspire [God’s] remembrance,

as exemption or warning:

what you are promised will surely befall.

When the stars are blotted out

and the sky is cleft,

when the mountains are scattered [like dust]

and time is set for the apostles [to bear witness]

—for what day has [all] that been set [to occur]?

For the Day of Judgement!

And what will show you what is the Day of Judgement!?

Woe to the deniers on that day!

Did We not destroy the former generations,

[and] then made the latter ones follow them?

That is how We deal with the guilty.

Woe to the deniers on that day!

Have We not created you from a base fluid,

[and] then lodged it in a secure abode

until a known span [of time]?

Then We determined; and how excellent determiners We are!

Woe to the deniers on that day!

Have We not made the earth a receptacle

for the living and the dead,

and set in it lofty [and] firm mountains, and given you agreeable water to drink?

Woe to the deniers on that day!

[The faithless will be told:] ‘Proceed toward what you used to deny!

Proceed toward the triple-forked shadow,

neither shady nor of any avail against the flames.

Indeed it throws up [giant] sparks like castles,

[bright] like yellow camels.

Woe to the deniers on that day!

This is a day wherein they will not speak,

nor will they be permitted to offer excuses.

Woe to the deniers on that day!

‘This is the Day of Judgement. We have brought you together with the former generations.

If you have any stratagems [left], try them out against Me!’

Woe to the deniers on that day!

Indeed the Godwary will be amid shades and springs

and [enjoying] such fruits as they desire.

[They will be told:] ‘Enjoy your food and drink, [a reward] for what you used to do.

Thus do We reward the virtuous.’

Woe to the deniers on that day!

‘Eat and enjoy a little! You are indeed guilty.’

Woe to the deniers on that day!

When they are told, ‘Bow down [in prayer],’ they do not bow down!

Woe to the deniers on that day!

So what discourse will they believe after this?