Sourate Al-Anbiya (21) with hamza shown

In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent. Mankind's reckoning has drawn near, while they are turned away in heedlessness.i 1

بسم ٱلله ٱلرحمن ٱلرحيم ٱقترب للناس حسابهم وهم في غفلة معرضون

No new reminder comes to them from their Guardian without their listening to it while playing, their Core distracted.i 3

ما يأتيهم من ذكر من ربهم محدث إلا ٱستمعوه وهم يلعبون لاهية قلوبهم

Those who did wrong hold secret counsel: 'Is this anything but a human being like yourselves?' 3

وأسروا ٱلنجوى ٱلذين ظلموا هل هذآ إلا بشر مثلكم

Will you then go along with illusion, while you can see clearly? 3

أفتأتون ٱلسحر وأنتم تبصرون

Say: 'My Guardian knows what is said in the heaven and on the earth,i 4

قال ربي يعلم ٱلقول في ٱلسمآء وٱلأرض

and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.' 4

وهو ٱلسميع ٱلعليم

They said instead: 'A jumble of confused dreams! He has rather invented it! He is rather a beguiling rhetorician! 5

بل قالوا أضغث أحلم بل ٱفترىه بل هو شاعر

Let him then bring us a sign, just as the earlier ones were sent with.' 5

فليأتنا باية كمآ أرسل ٱلأولون

No city that We destroyed before them had believed — 6

مآ ءامنت قبلهم من قرية أهلكنهآ

will they, then, believe? 6

أفهم يؤمنون

We did not send before you except men to whom it is revealed — ask, then, the people of the remembrance, if you do not know.i 7

ومآ أرسلنا قبلك إلا رجالا نوحي إليهم فسلوا أهل ٱلذكر إن كنتم لا تعلمون

We did not make them bodies that ate no food, 8

وما جعلنهم جسدا لا يأكلون ٱلطعام

nor were they immortal. 8

وما كانوا خلدين

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

ثم صدقنهم ٱلوعد فأنجينهم ومن نشآء وأهلكنا ٱلمسرفين

We have sent down to you a Writ in which is your remembrance —i 10

لقد أنزلنآ إليكم كتبا فيه ذكركم

will you not, then, reason? 10

أفلا تعقلون

How many a city, doing wrong, have We shattered, raising up after it another people! 11

وكم قصمنا من قرية كانت ظالمة وأنشأنا بعدها قوما ءاخرين

Then, when they sensed Our might, at once they were fleeing from it. 12

فلمآ أحسوا بأسنآ إذا هم منها يركضون

'Do not flee — return to the comfort you were given and to your dwellings, so that you may be questioned.' 13

لا تركضوا وٱرجعوا إلى مآ أترفتم فيه ومسكنكم لعلكم تسلون

They said: 'Woe to us — we were indeed wrongdoers!' 14

قالوا يويلنآ إنا كنا ظلمين

That cry did not cease until We made them a mown harvest, extinguished. 15

فما زالت تلك دعوىهم حتى جعلنهم حصيدا خمدين

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

وما خلقنا ٱلسمآء وٱلأرض وما بينهما لعبين

Had We wished to take on a diversion, We would have taken it from within Ourself, 17

لو أردنآ أن نتخذ لهوا لٱتخذنه من لدنآ

had We been ones to do so. 17

إن كنا فعلين

We hurl truth against falsehood instead, so it crushes it, and at once it vanishes. 18

بل نقذف بٱلحق على ٱلبطل فيدمغه فإذا هو زاهق

Woe to you for what you describe! 18

ولكم ٱلويل مما تصفون

To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. 19

وله من في ٱلسموت وٱلأرض

Those who are with Him are not too proud to obey Him, nor do they grow weary; 19

ومن عنده لا يستكبرون عن عبادته ولا يستحسرون

they glorify Him night and day, never flagging. 20

يسبحون ٱليل وٱلنهار لا يفترون

Or have they taken gods from the earth who raise the dead? 21

أم ٱتخذوا ءالهة من ٱلأرض هم ينشرون

Had there been in them [the heaven and earth] gods other than God, both would have fallen into ruin. 22

لو كان فيهمآ ءالهة إلا ٱلله لفسدتا

Glory, then, to God, Guardian of the Edifice, above what they describe! 22

فسبحن ٱلله رب ٱلعرش عما يصفون

He is not questioned about what He does, 23

لا يسل عما يفعل

while they will be questioned. 23

وهم يسلون

Or have they taken gods besides Him? 24

أم ٱتخذوا من دونه ءالهة

Say: 'Bring your proof.' 24

قل هاتوا برهنكم

This is the remembrance of those with me, and the remembrance of those before me. 24

هذا ذكر من معي وذكر من قبلي

But most of them do not know the truth, so they turn away. 24

بل أكثرهم لا يعلمون ٱلحق فهم معرضون

We did not send any messenger before you without its being revealed to him that there is no god but Me — so obey Me.i 25

ومآ أرسلنا من قبلك من رسول إلا نوحي إليه أنه لآ إله إلآ أنا فٱعبدون

And they said: 'The Full of benevolence has taken a child.' 26

وقالوا ٱتخذ ٱلرحمن ولدا

Glory be to Him! 26

سبحنه

They are rather honoured obedient ones, 26

بل عباد مكرمون

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

لا يسبقونه بٱلقول وهم بأمره يعملون

He knows what is before them and what is behind them, 28

يعلم ما بين أيديهم وما خلفهم

and they intercede only for whom He approves, while they tremble in awe of Him. 28

ولا يشفعون إلا لمن ٱرتضى وهم من خشيته مشفقون

Whoever among them were to say, 'I am a god besides Him' — that one We would repay with Jahannam: 29

ومن يقل منهم إني إله من دونه فذلك نجزيه جهنم

thus do We repay the wrongdoers. 29

كذلك نجزي ٱلظلمين

Have those who denied not seen that the heavens and the earth were a joined mass, and We split them apart?i 30

أولم ير ٱلذين كفروا أن ٱلسموت وٱلأرض كانتا رتقا ففتقنهما

And We made every living thing from water — 30

وجعلنا من ٱلمآء كل شىء حى

will they not, then, believe? 30

أفلا يؤمنون

And We placed firm anchors on the earth, lest it sway with them, 31

وجعلنا في ٱلأرض روسي أن تميد بهم

and We made in it passes and paths, so that they might be guided. 31

وجعلنا فيها فجاجا سبلا لعلهم يهتدون

And We made the heaven a protected ceiling, 32

وجعلنا ٱلسمآء سقفا محفوظا

while they turn away from its signs. 32

وهم عن ءايتها معرضون

It is He who created the night and the day, the sun and the moon — 33

وهو ٱلذي خلق ٱليل وٱلنهار وٱلشمس وٱلقمر

each floating in an orbit. 33

كل في فلك يسبحون

We did not grant immortality to any human before you — 34

وما جعلنا لبشر من قبلك ٱلخلد

so if you were to die, would they be immortal? 34

أفإين مت فهم ٱلخلدون

Every Self shall taste death,i 35

كل نفس ذآئقة ٱلموت

and We test you with bad and with good, as a trial; 35

ونبلوكم بٱلشر وٱلخير فتنة

and to Us you will be returned. 35

وإلينا ترجعون

When those who denied see you, they take you as nothing but an object of mockery: 36

وإذا رءاك ٱلذين كفروا إن يتخذونك إلا هزوا

'Is this the one who mentions your gods?' — while they themselves deny the remembrance of the Full of benevolence. 36

أهذا ٱلذي يذكر ءالهتكم وهم بذكر ٱلرحمن هم كفرون

The human being was created out of haste. 37

خلق ٱلإنسن من عجل

I will show you My signs, so do not ask Me to hasten. 37

سأوريكم ءايتي فلا تستعجلون

And they say: 'When will this promise be, if you are truthful?' 38

ويقولون متى هذا ٱلوعد إن كنتم صدقين

If only those who denied knew — the moment when they will not be able to keep the fire off their faces or their backs, and will not be helped... 39

لو يعلم ٱلذين كفروا حين لا يكفون عن وجوههم ٱلنار ولا عن ظهورهم ولا هم ينصرون

It [the Hour] will come to them instead, suddenly, and stun them, so that they will not be able to repel it, nor will they be granted any respite. 40

بل تأتيهم بغتة فتبهتهم فلا يستطيعون ردها ولا هم ينظرون

Messengers before you were indeed mocked, and what they used to mock overtook those who mocked them. 41

ولقد ٱستهزئ برسل من قبلك فحاق بٱلذين سخروا منهم ما كانوا به يستهزءون

Say: 'Who guards you, by night and by day, from the Full of benevolence?' 42

قل من يكلؤكم بٱليل وٱلنهار من ٱلرحمن

Yet they turn away from the remembrance of their Guardian. 42

بل هم عن ذكر ربهم معرضون

Or do they have gods that protect them against Us? 43

أم لهم ءالهة تمنعهم من دوننا

They cannot help themselves, nor are they granted any aid against Us. 43

لا يستطيعون نصر أنفسهم ولا هم منا يصحبون

We rather gave enjoyment to these and to their fathers, until life grew long for them. 44

بل متعنا هؤلآء وءابآءهم حتى طال عليهم ٱلعمر

Do they not see that We come to the earth, reducing it from its edges? 44

أفلا يرون أنا نأتي ٱلأرض ننقصها من أطرافهآ

Are they, then, the victors? 44

أفهم ٱلغلبون

Say: 'I only warn you by the revelation' — 45

قل إنمآ أنذركم بٱلوحي

but the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned. 45

ولا يسمع ٱلصم ٱلدعآء إذا ما ينذرون

And if a breath of your Guardian's punishment were to touch them, they would surely say: 'Woe to us — we were indeed wrongdoers!' 46

ولئن مستهم نفحة من عذاب ربك ليقولن يويلنآ إنا كنا ظلمين

And We shall set up the weights of equity for the Day of Appearance, so that no Self will be wronged in the least;i 47

ونضع ٱلموزين ٱلقسط ليوم ٱلقيمة فلا تظلم نفس شيا

and even if it be the weight of a mustard seed, We shall bring it forth — and We suffice as reckoners. 47

وإن كان مثقال حبة من خردل أتينا بها وكفى بنا حسبين

We certainly gave Moussa and Harun the Criterion, a light, and a remembrance for those who guard themselves, who fear their Guardian without seeing Him, and tremble before the Hour.i 49

ولقد ءاتينا موسى وهرون ٱلفرقان وضيآء وذكرا للمتقين ٱلذين يخشون ربهم بٱلغيب وهم من ٱلساعة مشفقون

And this is a blessed remembrance that We have sent down — 50

وهذا ذكر مبارك أنزلنه

will you, then, deny it? 50

أفأنتم له منكرون

We certainly gave Ibrahim his uprightness before, and We knew him well.i 51

ولقد ءاتينآ إبرهيم رشده من قبل وكنا به علمين

When he said to his father and his people: "What are these statues before which you stand [posted]?" 52

إذ قال لأبيه وقومه ما هذه ٱلتماثيل ٱلتي أنتم لها عكفون

They said: 'We found our fathers obeying them.' 53

قالوا وجدنآ ءابآءنا لها عبدين

He said: 'You and your fathers were indeed in manifest error.' 54

قال لقد كنتم أنتم وءابآؤكم في ضلل مبين

They said: 'Have you come to us with the truth, or are you one of those who jest?' 55

قالوا أجئتنا بٱلحق أم أنت من ٱللعبين

He said: 'Your Guardian is rather the Guardian of the heavens and the earth, who brought them into being, 56

قال بل ربكم رب ٱلسموت وٱلأرض ٱلذي فطرهن

and I am, among you, one of those who bear witness to that.' 56

وأنا على ذلكم من ٱلشهدين

And by God, I will surely devise something against your idols after you have turned your backs and gone. 57

وتٱلله لأكيدن أصنمكم بعد أن تولوا مدبرين

So he broke them into pieces, except a great one of theirs, so that they might return to it. 58

فجعلهم جذذا إلا كبيرا لهم لعلهم إليه يرجعون

They said: 'Who has done this to our gods? He is indeed one of the wrongdoers!' 59

قالوا من فعل هذا بالهتنآ إنه لمن ٱلظلمين

They said: 'We heard a young man mention them; he is called Ibrahim.'i 60

قالوا سمعنا فتى يذكرهم يقال له إبرهيم

They said: 'Bring him, then, before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness.' 61

قالوا فأتوا به على أعين ٱلناس لعلهم يشهدون

They said: 'Is it you who did this to our gods, Ibrahim?'i 62

قالوا ءأنت فعلت هذا بالهتنا يإبرهيم

He said: 'It was rather this, their great one, who did it — ask them, if they can speak.' 63

قال بل فعله كبيرهم هذا فسلوهم إن كانوا ينطقون

So they turned back to themselves and said: 'It is you, truly, who are the wrongdoers.' 64

فرجعوا إلى أنفسهم فقالوا إنكم أنتم ٱلظلمون

Then they were turned back upon their heads [in confusion]: 65

ثم نكسوا على رءوسهم

'You know well that these do not speak!' 65

لقد علمت ما هؤلآء ينطقون

He said: 'Do you, then, obey besides God what neither benefits nor harms you in anything? 66

قال أفتعبدون من دون ٱلله ما لا ينفعكم شيا ولا يضركم

Fie upon you, and upon what you obey besides God! 67

أف لكم ولما تعبدون من دون ٱلله

Will you not, then, reason?' 67

أفلا تعقلون

They said: 'Burn him, and help your gods, if you are going to act!' 68

قالوا حرقوه وٱنصروا ءالهتكم إن كنتم فعلين

We said: 'O fire, be coolness and peace upon Ibrahim.'i 69

قلنا ينار كوني بردا وسلما على إبرهيم

They intended a scheme against him, but We made them the greatest losers. 70

وأرادوا به كيدا فجعلنهم ٱلأخسرين

And We saved him, and Lut, to the land that We blessed for all beings.i 71

ونجينه ولوطا إلى ٱلأرض ٱلتي بركنا فيها للعلمين

And We granted him Ishaq,i 72

ووهبنا له إسحق

and Yaacoub, as a further gift.i 72

ويعقوب نافلة

And each of them We made righteous. 72

وكلا جعلنا صلحين

And We made them leaders who guide by Our command, 73

وجعلنهم أئمة يهدون بأمرنا

and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, the maintaining of the Contact, and the giving of the purifying alms; 73

وأوحينآ إليهم فعل ٱلخيرت وإقام ٱلصلوة وإيتآء ٱلزكوة

and they were obedient ones of Us. 73

وكانوا لنا عبدين

And to Lut We gave judgment and knowledge,i 74

ولوطا ءاتينه حكما وعلما

and We saved him from the city that used to commit vile acts — 74

ونجينه من ٱلقرية ٱلتي كانت تعمل ٱلخبئث

they were indeed an evil people, transgressors. 74

إنهم كانوا قوم سوء فسقين

And We admitted him into Our benevolence, 75

وأدخلنه في رحمتنآ

for he was among the righteous. 75

إنه من ٱلصلحين

And Nuh, when he called out earlier: We answered him, and saved him and his family from the great distress.i 76

ونوحا إذ نادى من قبل فٱستجبنا له فنجينه وأهله من ٱلكرب ٱلعظيم

And We helped him against the people who denied Our signs; 77

ونصرنه من ٱلقوم ٱلذين كذبوا بايتنآ

they were indeed an evil people, so We drowned them all together. 77

إنهم كانوا قوم سوء فأغرقنهم أجمعين

And Dawud and Sulayman, when they judged concerning the cultivated field into which the people's sheep had strayed by night,i 78

وداود وسليمن إذ يحكمان في ٱلحرث إذ نفشت فيه غنم ٱلقوم

and We were witnesses to their judgment. 78

وكنا لحكمهم شهدين

We granted Sulayman the understanding of it,i 79

ففهمنها سليمن

and to each of them We gave judgment and knowledge. 79

وكلا ءاتينا حكما وعلما

And We subjected the mountains to glorify with Dawud, and the birds as well;i 79

وسخرنا مع داود ٱلجبال يسبحن وٱلطير

and We were able to do it. 79

وكنا فعلين

And We taught him the making of coats of mail for you, so that it might protect you from your own violence —i 80

وعلمنه صنعة لبوس لكم لتحصنكم من بأسكم

will you, then, be grateful? 80

فهل أنتم شكرون

And to Sulayman, the raging wind, running by his command to the land that We blessed,i 81

ولسليمن ٱلريح عاصفة تجري بأمره إلى ٱلأرض ٱلتي بركنا فيها

and We had knowledge of all things. 81

وكنا بكل شىء علمين

And among the Diverters were some who dived for him and performed other tasks besides that;i 82

ومن ٱلشيطين من يغوصون له ويعملون عملا دون ذلك

and We were their keeper. 82

وكنا لهم حفظين

And Ayyub, when he called out to his Guardian: 'Harm has touched me, and You are the most benevolent of the benevolent!'i 83

وأيوب إذ نادى ربه أني مسني ٱلضر وأنت أرحم ٱلرحمين

So We answered him and lifted the harm that was upon him, 84

فٱستجبنا له فكشفنا ما به من ضر

and We restored his family to him, and as many again with them, as a benevolence from Us, and a remembrance for the obedient ones. 84

وءاتينه أهله ومثلهم معهم رحمة من عندنا وذكرى للعبدين

And Ismail, and Idris, and Dhul-Kifl:i 85

وإسمعيل وإدريس وذا ٱلكفل

each was among the steadfast. 85

كل من ٱلصبرين

And We admitted them into Our benevolence, 86

وأدخلنهم في رحمتنآ

for they were among the righteous. 86

إنهم من ٱلصلحين

And Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and thought that We would have no power over him: he called out in the darkness: 'There is no god but You! Glory be to You! I have indeed been among the wrongdoers!'i 87

وذا ٱلنون إذ ذهب مغضبا فظن أن لن نقدر عليه فنادى في ٱلظلمت أن لآ إله إلآ أنت سبحنك إني كنت من ٱلظلمين

So We answered him and saved him from distress; 88

فٱستجبنا له ونجينه من ٱلغم

and thus do We save the believers. 88

وكذلك نجي ٱلمؤمنين

And Zakariya, when he called out to his Guardian: 'My Guardian, do not leave me alone, though You are the best of inheritors!'i 89

وزكريآ إذ نادى ربه رب لا تذرني فردا وأنت خير ٱلورثين

So We answered him, and granted him Yahya, and made his wife fit [to bear a child] for him;i 90

فٱستجبنا له ووهبنا له يحيى وأصلحنا له زوجه

they used to hasten to good deeds, and call upon Us in longing and in awe, and were humble before Us. 90

إنهم كانوا يسرعون في ٱلخيرت ويدعوننا رغبا ورهبا وكانوا لنا خشعين

And Maryam, who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our Influx, and made her and her son a sign for all beings.i 91

وٱلتي أحصنت فرجها فنفخنا فيها من روحنا وجعلنها وٱبنهآ ءاية للعلمين

This community of yours is a single community, and I am your Guardian — obey Me, then. 92

إن هذه أمتكم أمة وحدة وأنا ربكم فٱعبدون

But they split their affair among themselves; 93

وتقطعوا أمرهم بينهم

all will return to Us. 93

كل إلينا رجعون

So whoever does righteous deeds, being a believer, his effort will never be denied — 94

فمن يعمل من ٱلصلحت وهو مؤمن فلا كفران لسعيه

and We are indeed recording it for him. 94

وإنا له كتبون

And it is forbidden, for a city that We have destroyed, that they should return —i 95

وحرم على قرية أهلكنهآ أنهم لا يرجعون

until Gog and Magog are opened, and they come streaming down from every height, and the true promise draws near — then at once the eyes of those who denied stare fixedly: 'Woe to us! We were heedless of this — we were rather wrongdoers!'i 97

حتى إذا فتحت يأجوج ومأجوج وهم من كل حدب ينسلون وٱقترب ٱلوعد ٱلحق فإذا هي شخصة أبصر ٱلذين كفروا يويلنا قد كنا في غفلة من هذا بل كنا ظلمين

You, and what you obey besides God, are the fuel of Jahannam — you will come to it. 98

إنكم وما تعبدون من دون ٱلله حصب جهنم أنتم لها وردون

Had these been gods, they would not have come to it; 99

لو كان هؤلآء ءالهة ما وردوها

and all will abide in it forever. 99

وكل فيها خلدون

In it they will have groaning, and in it they will hear nothing. 100

لهم فيها زفير وهم فيها لا يسمعون

As for those to whom the best has already gone forth from Us, those will be kept far from it: 101

إن ٱلذين سبقت لهم منا ٱلحسنى أولئك عنها مبعدون

they will not hear its faintest sound, and they will abide forever in what their Self desires.i 102

لا يسمعون حسيسها وهم في ما ٱشتهت أنفسهم خلدون

The greatest terror will not grieve them, 103

لا يحزنهم ٱلفزع ٱلأكبر

and the Agents will receive them: 'This is your day, the one you were promised.'i 103

وتتلقىهم ٱلملئكة هذا يومكم ٱلذي كنتم توعدون

The day We fold up the heaven as a binder closes over the writings it holds,i 104

يوم نطوي ٱلسمآء كطى ٱلسجل للكتب

just as We began the first creation, We shall repeat it — 104

كما بدأنآ أول خلق نعيده

a promise binding upon Us: 104

وعدا علينآ

We shall indeed do it. 104

إنا كنا فعلين

We have certainly written in the Formulary, after the Remembrance, that the earth will be inherited by My righteous obedient ones.i 105

ولقد كتبنا في ٱلزبور من بعد ٱلذكر أن ٱلأرض يرثها عبادي ٱلصلحون

In this there is indeed a sufficient message for a people of obedient ones. 106

إن في هذا لبلغا لقوم عبدين

And We did not send you except as a benevolence for all beings. 107

ومآ أرسلنك إلا رحمة للعلمين

Say: 'It is only revealed to me that your god is a single god — 108

قل إنما يوحى إلى أنمآ إلهكم إله وحد

will you, then, be true to Him alone?'i 108

فهل أنتم مسلمون

If they turn away, then say: 'I have informed you all equally, 109

فإن تولوا فقل ءاذنتكم على سوآء

and I do not know whether what you are promised is near or far.' 109

وإن أدري أقريب أم بعيد ما توعدون

He indeed knows what is said aloud, and He knows what you conceal. 110

إنه يعلم ٱلجهر من ٱلقول ويعلم ما تكتمون

And I do not know — perhaps it is a trial for you, and an enjoyment for a while.' 111

وإن أدري لعله فتنة لكم ومتع إلى حين

Say: 'My Guardian, judge with truth;i 112

قل رب ٱحكم بٱلحق

and our Guardian is the Full of benevolence, whose help is sought against what you describe.' 112

وربنا ٱلرحمن ٱلمستعان على ما تصفون