An-Naml
The Ants
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent.
Ṭa. Sin.
طس
These are the signs of the Recitation and an explicit Scripture,
تلك ءايت القرءان وكتاب مبين
guidance and good tidings for the believers, those who maintain the Contact and give pure liberality, and who, as for the last life, are certain of it.
هدى وبشرى للمومنين الذين يقيمون الصلوة ويوتون الزكوة وهم بالءاخرة هم يوقنون
Those who do not believe in the last life, We have embellished their works for them, and they go about blindly.
ان الذين لا يومنون بالءاخرة زينا لهم اعملهم فهم يعمهون
Those are the ones for whom the worst punishment is due, and it is they, in the last life, who will be the greatest losers.
اوليك الذين لهم سوء العذاب وهم في الءاخرة هم الاخسرون
And you, you surely receive the Recitation from a Wise, an All-Knowing.
وانك لتلقى القرءان من لدن حكيم عليم
When Moussa said to his family: "I have made out a fire; I will bring you news of it, or bring you a burning firebrand, perhaps you can warm yourselves."
اذ قال موسى لاهله اني ءانست نارا ساتيكم منها بخبر او ءاتيكم بشهاب قبس لعلكم تصطلون
When he came to it, he was called: "Blessed is he who is in the fire, and he who is around it!
فلما جاءها نودي ان بورك من في النار ومن حولها
And glory be to God, Guardian of all beings!
وسبحن الله رب العلمين
O Moussa, it is indeed I, God, the All-Powerful, the Wise. And throw down your staff."
يموسى انه انا الله العزيز الحكيم والق عصاك
When he saw it vibrate as though it were an Occulted, he turned back in flight and did not return.
فلما رءاها تهتز كانها جان ولى مدبرا ولم يعقب
"O Moussa, do not fear;
يموسى لا تخف
as for Me, the envoys do not fear in My presence,
اني لا يخاف لدى المرسلون
except one who has done wrong, then replaced evil with good; then, indeed, I am Most-Forgiving, Benevolent.
الا من ظلم ثم بدل حسنا بعد سوء فاني غفور رحيم
And put your hand into your neckline: it will come out white, without any harm,
وادخل يدك في جيبك تخرج بيضاء من غير سوء
among nine signs, to Fir'awn and his people;
في تسع ءايت الى فرعون وقومه
they were a people of oversteppers."
انهم كانوا قوما فسقين
When Our signs came to them, plainly visible, they said: "This is a manifest illusion."
فلما جاءتهم ءايتنا مبصرة قالوا هذا سحر مبين
And they stubbornly rejected them, while their Self was certain of them, out of wrongdoing and haughtiness.
وجحدوا بها واستيقنتها انفسهم ظلما وعلوا
So look at what was the end of the corrupters.
فانظر كيف كان عقبة المفسدين
We certainly gave Dawud and Sulayman knowledge; and both said: "Praise be to God, who has favored us above many of His believing obedient ones."
ولقد ءاتينا داود وسليمن علما وقالا الحمد لله الذي فضلنا على كثير من عباده المومنين
And Sulayman inherited from Dawud, and he said: "O men, we have been taught the language of birds, and we have been given a share of everything;
وورث سليمن داود وقال يايها الناس علمنا منطق الطير واوتينا من كل شىء
this is surely the explicit favor."
ان هذا لهو الفضل المبين
And Sulayman's armies were gathered for him, among the Occulted, humans and birds, and they were arranged in columns.
وحشر لسليمن جنوده من الجن والانس والطير فهم يوزعون
Until, when they came to the valley of the ants, an ant said: "O ants, enter your dwellings, lest Sulayman and his armies crush you without sensing it."
حتى اذا اتوا على واد النمل قالت نملة يايها النمل ادخلوا مسكنكم لا يحطمنكم سليمن وجنوده وهم لا يشعرون
He smiled, amused at her saying, and said: "My Guardian, inspire me to be grateful for Your blessing which You have granted me and my parents, and to do sound work that pleases You, and admit me, by Your benevolence, among Your sound obedient ones."
فتبسم ضاحكا من قولها وقال رب اوزعني ان اشكر نعمتك التي انعمت على وعلى ولدى وان اعمل صلحا ترضىه وادخلني برحمتك في عبادك الصلحين
And he reviewed the birds, and said: "Why do I not see the hoopoe? Or is she among the absent?
وتفقد الطير فقال ما لي لا ارى الهدهد ام كان من الغايبين
I will certainly punish her with a severe punishment, or I will slaughter her, unless she brings me a manifest authority."
لاعذبنه عذابا شديدا او لااذبحنه او لياتيني بسلطن مبين
She did not stay away long,
فمكث غير بعيد
and said: "I have encompassed what you have not encompassed, and I bring you from Saba' a sure piece of information.
فقال احطت بما لم تحط به وجيتك من سبا بنبا يقين
I found a woman ruling over them, who has been given everything.
اني وجدت امراة تملكهم واوتيت من كل شىء
And she has an immense edifice.
ولها عرش عظيم
And I found her and her people prostrating before the sun, besides God; and the Diverter has embellished their works for them, and thus barred them from the way, so that they do not let themselves be guided, so that they do not prostrate before God, who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and who knows what they hide and what they disclose.
وجدتها وقومها يسجدون للشمس من دون الله وزين لهم الشيطن اعملهم فصدهم عن السبيل فهم لا يهتدون الا يسجدوا لله الذي يخرج الخبء في السموت والارض ويعلم ما تخفون وما تعلنون
God, there is no deity but Him, the Guardian of the immense Edifice."
الله لا اله الا هو رب العرش العظيم
He said: "We shall look whether you have spoken truly, or are among the liars.
قال سننظر اصدقت ام كنت من الكذبين
Go with this letter of mine, cast it to them, then move away from them, and see what they return."
اذهب بكتبي هذا فالقه اليهم ثم تول عنهم فانظر ماذا يرجعون
She said: "O court, a noble letter has been cast to me. It is from Sulayman, and it reads: 'In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent; do not exalt yourselves against me, and come to me as those true to God alone.'"
قالت يايها الملوا اني القي الى كتب كريم انه من سليمن وانه بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الا تعلوا على واتوني مسلمين
She said: "O court, enlighten me about my affair; I issue no ordinance without you bearing witness to it."
قالت يايها الملوا افتوني في امري ما كنت قاطعة امرا حتى تشهدون
They said: "We are possessors of strength and possessors of severe rigor, but the affair is yours to decide; so consider what you command."
قالوا نحن اولوا قوة واولوا باس شديد والامر اليك فانظري ماذا تامرين
She said: "Indeed, kings, when they enter a city, corrupt it, and reduce the mighty among its people to humiliation;
قالت ان الملوك اذا دخلوا قرية افسدوها وجعلوا اعزة اهلها اذلة
and thus they act.
وكذلك يفعلون
Now, I am going to send them a gift, and look at what the envoys return with."
واني مرسلة اليهم بهدية فناظرة بم يرجع المرسلون
When he came to Sulayman, he said: "Do you wish to provide me with goods? What God has given me is better than what He has given you; it is you rather who rejoice in your gift.
فلما جاء سليمن قال اتمدونن بمال فما ءاتىن الله خير مما ءاتىكم بل انتم بهديتكم تفرحون
Return to them: we shall certainly come to them with armies they cannot withstand, and we shall certainly drive them out from it, humiliated and diminished."
ارجع اليهم فلناتينهم بجنود لا قبل لهم بها ولنخرجنهم منها اذلة وهم صغرون
He said: "O court, which of you will bring me her edifice before they come to me true to God alone?"
قال يايها الملوا ايكم ياتيني بعرشها قبل ان ياتوني مسلمين
An ifrit among the Occulted said: "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place; and I am surely strong for it, and trustworthy."
قال عفريت من الجن انا ءاتيك به قبل ان تقوم من مقامك واني عليه لقوي امين
The one who possessed knowledge of the Code said: "I will bring it to you before even your gaze is given back to you."
قال الذي عنده علم من الكتب انا ءاتيك به قبل ان يرتد اليك طرفك
When he saw it placed beside him, he said: "This is from the favor of my Guardian, to test me: will I acknowledge, or will I disown?
فلما رءاه مستقرا عنده قال هذا من فضل ربي ليبلوني ءاشكر ام اكفر
And whoever acknowledges, does so only for himself,
ومن شكر فانما يشكر لنفسه
and whoever disowns, my Guardian is indeed Self-Sufficient, Generous."
ومن كفر فان ربي غني كريم
He said: "Make her edifice unrecognizable to her; we shall look into whether she lets herself be guided, or is among those who do not let themselves be guided."
قال نكروا لها عرشها ننظر اتهتدي ام تكون من الذين لا يهتدون
When she arrived, it was said: "Is your edifice like this?" She said: "It is as if it were.
فلما جاءت قيل اهكذا عرشك قالت كانه هو
And knowledge had been given to us before her, and we were true to God alone."
واوتينا العلم من قبلها وكنا مسلمين
And what she used to obey, besides God, had barred her from it;
وصدها ما كانت تعبد من دون الله
she belonged to a people who disown.
انها كانت من قوم كفرين
It was said to her: "Enter the belvedere."
قيل لها ادخلي الصرح
When she saw it, she took it for a pool of water, and bared her legs.
فلما راته حسبته لجة وكشفت عن ساقيها
He said: "It is a polished belvedere, made of crystal."
قال انه صرح ممرد من قوارير
She said: "My Guardian, I have indeed wronged myself, and I am true, with Sulayman, to God, Guardian of all beings."
قالت رب اني ظلمت نفسي واسلمت مع سليمن لله رب العلمين
We certainly sent to the Thamud their brother Salih: "Obey God"; and behold, two fractions quarreling.
ولقد ارسلنا الى ثمود اخاهم صلحا ان اعبدوا الله فاذا هم فريقان يختصمون
He said: "O my people, why do you seek to hasten evil before good? Will you not seek God's forgiveness, in the hope that He may show you benevolence?"
قال يقوم لم تستعجلون بالسيية قبل الحسنة لولا تستغفرون الله لعلكم ترحمون
They said: "We see an ill omen in you and in those with you."
قالوا اطيرنا بك وبمن معك
He said: "Your omen is with God;
قال طيركم عند الله
you are rather a people being tried."
بل انتم قوم تفتنون
And there were in the Capital nine individuals who sowed corruption on the earth and made nothing sound.
وكان في المدينة تسعة رهط يفسدون في الارض ولا يصلحون
They said: "Swear to one another by God that we will attack him by night, him and his family, then we will certainly say to his legal guardian: 'We did not witness the annihilation of his family, and we are surely veracious.'"
قالوا تقاسموا بالله لنبيتنه واهله ثم لنقولن لوليه ما شهدنا مهلك اهله وانا لصدقون
And they plotted a plot, and We plotted a plot, without their sensing it.
ومكروا مكرا ومكرنا مكرا وهم لا يشعرون
So look at what was the end of their plot:
فانظر كيف كان عقبة مكرهم
We destroyed them, and their people, all together.
انا دمرنهم وقومهم اجمعين
So there are their houses, empty because of their wrongdoing.
فتلك بيوتهم خاوية بما ظلموا
There is surely in that a sign for a people who know.
ان في ذلك لءاية لقوم يعلمون
And We saved those who had believed and guarded themselves.
وانجينا الذين ءامنوا وكانوا يتقون
And Lut, when he said to his people: "Do you commit indecency while you see clearly?
ولوطا اذ قال لقومه اتاتون الفحشة وانتم تبصرون
Do you really come to men out of desire, instead of women?
اينكم لتاتون الرجال شهوة من دون النساء
You are rather an ignorant people."
بل انتم قوم تجهلون
The only response of his people was to say: "Expel the clan of Lut from your city;
فما كان جواب قومه الا ان قالوا اخرجوا ءال لوط من قريتكم
they are men who want to purify themselves."
انهم اناس يتطهرون
So We saved him, and his family, except his wife; We had determined that she would be among those who linger behind.
فانجينه واهله الا امراته قدرنها من الغبرين
And We rained down upon them a rain;
وامطرنا عليهم مطرا
how evil was the rain of those who had been warned!
فساء مطر المنذرين
Say: "Praise be to God, and peace upon His obedient ones whom He has chosen.
قل الحمد لله وسلم على عباده الذين اصطفى
Is God better, or what you associate?"
ءالله خير اما يشركون
Is it not He who created the heavens and the earth, and who sent down for you, from the sky, water by which We caused enclosed gardens full of delight to grow,
امن خلق السموت والارض وانزل لكم من السماء ماء فانبتنا به حدايق ذات بهجة
without it being possible for you to make their trees grow?
ما كان لكم ان تنبتوا شجرها
Is there a deity alongside God?
اءله مع الله
They are rather a people who set up equals.
بل هم قوم يعدلون
Is it not He who made the earth a stable place, placed rivers within it, placed for it firm anchors, and set between the two seas a partition?
امن جعل الارض قرارا وجعل خللها انهرا وجعل لها روسي وجعل بين البحرين حاجزا
Is there a deity alongside God?
اءله مع الله
But most of them do not know.
بل اكثرهم لا يعلمون
Is it not He who answers the one who is compelled, when he calls upon Him, who removes evil, and who makes you successors on the earth?
امن يجيب المضطر اذا دعاه ويكشف السوء ويجعلكم خلفاء الارض
Is there a deity alongside God?
اءله مع الله
How little you remember!
قليلا ما تذكرون
Is it not He who guides you in the darknesses of land and sea, and who sends the winds, as bearers of good tidings, before His benevolence?
امن يهديكم في ظلمت البر والبحر ومن يرسل الريح بشرا بين يدى رحمته
Is there a deity alongside God?
اءله مع الله
God is far above what they associate with Him!
تعلى الله عما يشركون
Is it not He who begins creation, then remakes it, and who provides for you from the sky and the earth?
امن يبدوا الخلق ثم يعيده ومن يرزقكم من السماء والارض
Is there a deity alongside God?
اءله مع الله
Say: "Bring your demonstration, if you are veracious."
قل هاتوا برهنكم ان كنتم صدقين
Say: "None, in the heavens and on the earth, knows what escapes the senses, except God;
قل لا يعلم من في السموت والارض الغيب الا الله
and they do not sense when they will be raised."
وما يشعرون ايان يبعثون
But rather, their knowledge has reached its limit regarding the last life;
بل ادرك علمهم في الءاخرة
they are rather in doubt about it, they are rather blind to it.
بل هم في شك منها بل هم منها عمون
And those who disown said: "When we are earth, we and our ancestors, will we really be brought out?
وقال الذين كفروا اءذا كنا تربا وءاباونا اينا لمخرجون
We have indeed been promised this, we and our ancestors, before;
لقد وعدنا هذا نحن وءاباونا من قبل
these are nothing but legends of the ancients."
ان هذا الا اسطير الاولين
Say: "Travel the earth, and see what was the end of the severed."
قل سيروا في الارض فانظروا كيف كان عقبة المجرمين
And do not grieve over them, and do not be constrained because of what they plot.
ولا تحزن عليهم ولا تكن في ضيق مما يمكرون
And they say: "When will this promise be, if you are veracious?"
ويقولون متى هذا الوعد ان كنتم صدقين
Say: "It may be that some of what you seek to hasten is very close behind you."
قل عسى ان يكون ردف لكم بعض الذي تستعجلون
And your Guardian surely holds a favor toward mankind,
وان ربك لذو فضل على الناس
but most of them are not grateful.
ولكن اكثرهم لا يشكرون
And your Guardian surely knows what their chests shelter and what they disclose.
وان ربك ليعلم ما تكن صدورهم وما يعلنون
And there is nothing, in the sky and the earth, that escapes the senses without being in an explicit register.
وما من غايبة في السماء والارض الا في كتب مبين
This Recitation relates to the Sons of Israel most of what they differ about.
ان هذا القرءان يقص على بني اسرءيل اكثر الذي هم فيه يختلفون
And it is surely guidance and benevolence for the believers.
وانه لهدى ورحمة للمومنين
Your Guardian indeed decides between them by His judgment,
ان ربك يقضي بينهم بحكمه
and it is He, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing.
وهو العزيز العليم
So entrust yourself to God,
فتوكل على الله
for you are upon the explicit truth.
انك على الحق المبين
You do not make the dead hear, nor do you make the deaf hear the call, when they turn their backs in retreat.
انك لا تسمع الموتى ولا تسمع الصم الدعاء اذا ولوا مدبرين
And you are not the one who guides the blind out of their error;
وما انت بهدي العمي عن ضللتهم
you make hear only him who believes in Our signs, and those are true to God alone.
ان تسمع الا من يومن بايتنا فهم مسلمون
And when the saying is fulfilled against them, We will bring forth for them a conscious being, from the earth, who will speak to them,
واذا وقع القول عليهم اخرجنا لهم دابة من الارض تكلمهم
because men had no certainty regarding Our signs.
ان الناس كانوا بايتنا لا يوقنون
And the day when We gather, from every community, a crowd among those who deny Our signs, they will be marshaled in columns,
ويوم نحشر من كل امة فوجا ممن يكذب بايتنا فهم يوزعون
until, when they arrive, He will say: "Did you deny My signs, without having encompassed them in knowledge?
حتى اذا جاءو قال اكذبتم بايتي ولم تحيطوا بها علما
Or what were you doing?"
اماذا كنتم تعملون
And the saying will be fulfilled against them because of their wrongdoing, and they will utter nothing.
ووقع القول عليهم بما ظلموا فهم لا ينطقون
Do they not see that We made the night for them to rest in, and the day for them to see clearly?
الم يروا انا جعلنا اليل ليسكنوا فيه والنهار مبصرا
There are surely in that signs for a people who believe.
ان في ذلك لءايت لقوم يومنون
And the day the Horn is blown, those in the heavens and those on the earth will be seized with fright, except whom God wills;
ويوم ينفخ في الصور ففزع من في السموت ومن في الارض الا من شاء الله
and all will come to Him, abased.
وكل اتوه دخرين
And you see the mountains, you think them frozen, while they pass as the clouds pass:
وترى الجبال تحسبها جامدة وهي تمر مر السحاب
the work of God, who has perfected everything.
صنع الله الذي اتقن كل شىء
He is Intimately Acquainted with what you do.
انه خبير بما تفعلون
Whoever comes with good will have better than it, and those will be, that day, safe from fright.
من جاء بالحسنة فله خير منها وهم من فزع يوميذ ءامنون
And whoever comes with evil, then their faces will be toppled into the Fire.
ومن جاء بالسيية فكبت وجوههم في النار
Will you be recompensed otherwise than according to what you used to do?
هل تجزون الا ما كنتم تعملون
"I have only been ordered to obey the Guardian of this land, which He has made inviolable, and to whom belongs everything;
انما امرت ان اعبد رب هذه البلدة الذي حرمها وله كل شىء
and I have been ordered to be among those true to God alone, and to recite the Recitation."
وامرت ان اكون من المسلمين وان اتلوا القرءان
Whoever lets himself be guided lets himself be guided only for himself,
فمن اهتدى فانما يهتدي لنفسه
and whoever goes astray, say then: "I am only one of the warners."
ومن ضل فقل انما انا من المنذرين
And say: "Praise be to God; He will show you His signs, and you will recognize them."
وقل الحمد لله سيريكم ءايته فتعرفونها
And your Guardian is not heedless of what you do.
وما ربك بغفل عما تعملون