الزخرف
Az-Zukhruf
In the Footsteps of the Ancestors
بسم ٱلله ٱلرحمن ٱلرحيم
In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent.
Ḥa. Mim.
حم
By the clear Scripture! We have indeed made it a flawless Recitation, perhaps you will reason.
وٱلكتب ٱلمبين إنا جعلنه قرءنا عربيا لعلكم تعقلون
And it is, in the Matrix of the Scripture with Us, surely exalted, full of wisdom.
وإنه في أم ٱلكتب لدينا لعلي حكيم
Shall We cease to multiply for you the pages of the Reminder, because you are an excessive people?
أفنضرب عنكم ٱلذكر صفحا أن كنتم قوما مسرفين
How many an informant did We send among the earlier ones!
وكم أرسلنا من نبي في ٱلأولين
Yet no informant came to them without their mocking him.
وما يأتيهم من نبي إلا كانوا به يستهزءون
So We annihilated those more formidable than they in striking,
فأهلكنآ أشد منهم بطشا
and the example of the earlier ones has already passed.
ومضى مثل ٱلأولين
And if you ask them: "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they will surely say: "The All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, created them."
ولئن سألتهم من خلق ٱلسموت وٱلأرض ليقولن خلقهن ٱلعزيز ٱلعليم
He who made the earth for you a spread-out expanse, and made for you upon it ways, perhaps you will guide yourselves;
ٱلذي جعل لكم ٱلأرض مهدا وجعل لكم فيها سبلا لعلكم تهتدون
and who sent down from the sky water in due measure, by which We deployed a dead land —
وٱلذي نزل من ٱلسمآء مآء بقدر فأنشرنا به بلدة ميتا
thus will you be brought forth;
كذلك تخرجون
and who created all the pairs, and made for you, among vessels and cattle, that which you ride, that you may establish yourselves upon their backs, then remember the blessing of your Guardian once established upon them, and say: "Glory be to the One who has subjected this to us, for we were not capable of it by ourselves; and to our Guardian we shall surely turn."
وٱلذي خلق ٱلأزوج كلها وجعل لكم من ٱلفلك وٱلأنعم ما تركبون لتستوا على ظهوره ثم تذكروا نعمة ربكم إذا ٱستويتم عليه وتقولوا سبحن ٱلذي سخر لنا هذا وما كنا له مقرنين وإنآ إلى ربنا لمنقلبون
Yet they have assigned to Him, from among His obedient ones, a part.
وجعلوا له من عباده جزءا
The human being is surely a great disowner, plainly so.
إن ٱلإنسن لكفور مبين
Or would He have taken, from what He creates, daughters, while reserving for you sons?
أم ٱتخذ مما يخلق بنات وأصفىكم بٱلبنين
Yet when one of them receives the news of what he himself multiplies as an example for the All-Benevolent, his face stays darkened, and he is filled with suppressed distress.
وإذا بشر أحدهم بما ضرب للرحمن مثلا ظل وجهه مسودا وهو كظيم
Is it then one who is brought up amid ornaments and who, in a quarrel, lacks clarity?
أومن ينشؤا في ٱلحلية وهو في ٱلخصام غير مبين
And they have made the Agents, who are the obedient ones of the All-Benevolent, female.
وجعلوا ٱلملئكة ٱلذين هم عبد ٱلرحمن إنثا
Did they witness their creation?
أشهدوا خلقهم
Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned.
ستكتب شهدتهم ويسلون
And they say: "Had the All-Benevolent willed, we would not have obeyed them."
وقالوا لو شآء ٱلرحمن ما عبدنهم
They have no knowledge of that;
ما لهم بذلك من علم
they do nothing but guess.
إن هم إلا يخرصون
Or have We given them a Scripture before this, to which they hold fast?
أم ءاتينهم كتبا من قبله فهم به مستمسكون
They say rather: "We indeed found our ancestors upon a way, and it is in their footsteps that we let ourselves be guided."
بل قالوا إنا وجدنآ ءابآءنا على أمة وإنا على ءاثرهم مهتدون
Thus We never sent, before you, a warner into a city, without its affluent ones saying: "We indeed found our ancestors upon a way, and it is on their footsteps that we model ourselves."
وكذلك مآ أرسلنا من قبلك في قرية من نذير إلا قال مترفوهآ إنا وجدنآ ءابآءنا على أمة وإنا على ءاثرهم مقتدون
He said: "Even if I brought you what guides better than what you found your ancestors upon?"
قل أولو جئتكم بأهدى مما وجدتم عليه ءابآءكم
They said: "We indeed disown what you have been sent with."
قالوا إنا بمآ أرسلتم به كفرون
So We took vengeance upon them; look, then, at what was the end of those who denied.
فٱنتقمنا منهم فٱنظر كيف كان عقبة ٱلمكذبين
And when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: "I am indeed quit of what you obey, except Him who originated me, for it is He who will guide me" —
وإذ قال إبرهيم لأبيه وقومه إنني برآء مما تعبدون إلا ٱلذي فطرني فإنه سيهدين
and he made it a lasting word among his descendants, perhaps they would return.
وجعلها كلمة باقية في عقبه لعلهم يرجعون
Rather, I granted enjoyment to these and to their ancestors, until truth came to them, and a clear messenger.
بل متعت هؤلآء وءابآءهم حتى جآءهم ٱلحق ورسول مبين
And when the truth came to them, they said: "This is an illusion, and we indeed disown it."
ولما جآءهم ٱلحق قالوا هذا سحر وإنا به كفرون
And they said: "Why was this Recitation not sent down upon an important man from one of the two cities!"
وقالوا لولا نزل هذا ٱلقرءان على رجل من ٱلقريتين عظيم
Is it they who apportion the benevolence of your Guardian?
أهم يقسمون رحمت ربك
It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the present life, and elevated some of them above others in degree, so that some of them may take others into their service;
نحن قسمنا بينهم معيشتهم في ٱلحيوة ٱلدنيا ورفعنا بعضهم فوق بعض درجت ليتخذ بعضهم بعضا سخريا
and the benevolence of your Guardian is better than what they amass.
ورحمت ربك خير مما يجمعون
And were it not that mankind would become a single community, We would have made, for those who disown the All-Benevolent, roofs of silver for their houses, and stairways by which they ascend, and doors for their houses, and couches upon which they recline, and gilding.
ولولآ أن يكون ٱلناس أمة وحدة لجعلنا لمن يكفر بٱلرحمن لبيوتهم سقفا من فضة ومعارج عليها يظهرون ولبيوتهم أبوبا وسررا عليها يتكون وزخرفا
And all that is nothing but the enjoyment of the present life;
وإن كل ذلك لما متع ٱلحيوة ٱلدنيا
while the last life, with your Guardian, is for those who guard themselves.
وٱلءاخرة عند ربك للمتقين
And whoever lets his sight grow dim before the Reminder of the All-Benevolent, We detail to him a Diverter, who becomes an acolyte to him;
ومن يعش عن ذكر ٱلرحمن نقيض له شيطنا فهو له قرين
and these surely bar them from the way, while they think they are among those who let themselves be guided;
وإنهم ليصدونهم عن ٱلسبيل ويحسبون أنهم مهتدون
until, when the two of them come to Us, he says: "Would that between me and you there were the distance of the two risings!"
حتى إذا جآءنا قال يليت بيني وبينك بعد ٱلمشرقين
What a wretched acolyte!
فبئس ٱلقرين
And it will not benefit you at all today, since you have done wrong, that you are associates in the punishment.
ولن ينفعكم ٱليوم إذ ظلمتم أنكم في ٱلعذاب مشتركون
Is it you who will make the deaf hear, or guide the blind and whoever is in manifest error?
أفأنت تسمع ٱلصم أو تهدي ٱلعمي ومن كان في ضلل مبين
Whether We take you away — We will indeed take vengeance upon them; or whether We show you what We promised them — We have, in any case, full mastery over them.
فإما نذهبن بك فإنا منهم منتقمون أو نرينك ٱلذي وعدنهم فإنا عليهم مقتدرون
So hold fast to what has been revealed to you;
فٱستمسك بٱلذي أوحي إليك
you are indeed upon a straight path.
إنك على صرط مستقيم
And it is surely a Reminder for you and for your people;
وإنه لذكر لك ولقومك
and you will soon be questioned.
وسوف تسلون
And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you:
وسل من أرسلنا من قبلك من رسلنآ
did We appoint, besides the All-Benevolent, deities to be obeyed?
أجعلنا من دون ٱلرحمن ءالهة يعبدون
And We indeed sent Moussa with Our signs to Fir'awn and his court; he said: "I am the messenger of the Guardian of all beings."
ولقد أرسلنا موسى بايتنآ إلى فرعون وملإيه فقال إني رسول رب ٱلعلمين
But when he brought them Our signs, behold, they laughed at them.
فلما جآءهم بايتنآ إذا هم منها يضحكون
And every sign We showed them was greater than its like;
وما نريهم من ءاية إلا هي أكبر من أختها
and We seized them with punishment, perhaps they would return.
وأخذنهم بٱلعذاب لعلهم يرجعون
And they said: "O worker of illusion, call upon your Guardian for us by virtue of the pact He has made with you; we shall surely let ourselves be guided."
وقالوا يأيه ٱلساحر ٱدع لنا ربك بما عهد عندك إننا لمهتدون
But when We removed the punishment from them, there they were, going back on their word.
فلما كشفنا عنهم ٱلعذاب إذا هم ينكثون
And Fir'awn called out among his people, saying: "O my people, does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me, and these rivers flowing beneath me?
ونادى فرعون في قومه قال يقوم أليس لي ملك مصر وهذه ٱلأنهر تجري من تحتي
Will you not then see clearly?
أفلا تبصرون
Or am I better than this one, who is contemptible and can hardly express himself clearly?
أم أنا خير من هذا ٱلذي هو مهين ولا يكاد يبين
Why, then, were bracelets of gold not cast upon him, or the Agents not come with him in procession!"
فلولآ ألقي عليه أسورة من ذهب أو جآء معه ٱلملئكة مقترنين
He made his people light, and they deferred to him;
فٱستخف قومه فأطاعوه
for they were a people of oversteppers.
إنهم كانوا قوما فسقين
So when they angered Us, We took vengeance upon them: We drowned them all, and made of them a people of former days and an example for later generations.
فلمآ ءاسفونا ٱنتقمنا منهم فأغرقنهم أجمعين فجعلنهم سلفا ومثلا للءاخرين
And when the son of Maryam was multiplied as an example, your people held back from it;
ولما ضرب ٱبن مريم مثلا إذا قومك منه يصدون
and they said: "Are our deities better, or is he?"
وقالوا ءألهتنا خير أم هو
They set this example before you only out of a taste for arguing.
ما ضربوه لك إلا جدلا
They are rather a quarrelsome people.
بل هم قوم خصمون
He is only an obedient one whom We blessed, and whom We made an example for the Sons of Israel;
إن هو إلا عبد أنعمنا عليه وجعلنه مثلا لبني إسرءيل
and had We willed, We would have made of you Agents succeeding one another on the earth.
ولو نشآء لجعلنا منكم ملئكة في ٱلأرض يخلفون
And this is surely a knowledge for the Hour; so do not contend about it,
وإنه لعلم للساعة فلا تمترن بها
and follow me: this is a straight path.
وٱتبعون هذا صرط مستقيم
And let not the Diverter bar you;
ولا يصدنكم ٱلشيطن
for he is for you a manifest enemy.
إنه لكم عدو مبين
And when Issa came with the clear proofs, he said: "I have brought you wisdom, and to make clear to you some of that over which you differ;
ولما جآء عيسى بٱلبينت قال قد جئتكم بٱلحكمة ولأبين لكم بعض ٱلذي تختلفون فيه
so guard yourselves toward God and defer to me,
فٱتقوا ٱلله وأطيعون
for God is my Guardian and your Guardian; so obey Him:
إن ٱلله هو ربي وربكم فٱعبدوه
this is a straight path."
هذا صرط مستقيم
Yet the parties diverged among themselves;
فٱختلف ٱلأحزاب من بينهم
so woe to those who did wrong, because of the punishment of a painful day!
فويل للذين ظلموا من عذاب يوم أليم
Do they await anything but the Hour, that it should come upon them unexpectedly, while they do not sense it?
هل ينظرون إلا ٱلساعة أن تأتيهم بغتة وهم لا يشعرون
On that Day, intimate friends will be, to one another, enemies, except those who guard themselves.
ٱلأخلآء يومئذ بعضهم لبعض عدو إلا ٱلمتقين
"O My obedient ones, no fear upon you today, and you will not grieve,
يعباد لا خوف عليكم ٱليوم ولآ أنتم تحزنون
you who believed in Our signs and were true to God alone: enter the Garden, you and your spouses, overjoyed."
ٱلذين ءامنوا بايتنا وكانوا مسلمين ٱدخلوا ٱلجنة أنتم وأزوجكم تحبرون
Trays of gold and goblets will be passed among them,
يطاف عليهم بصحاف من ذهب وأكواب
and therein will be whatever the Self may desire, and whatever the eyes relish;
وفيها ما تشتهيه ٱلأنفس وتلذ ٱلأعين
and you will abide therein eternally.
وأنتم فيها خلدون
And such is the Garden which you have inherited, for what you used to do.
وتلك ٱلجنة ٱلتي أورثتموها بما كنتم تعملون
Therein you will have abundant savoury fruit, from which you will eat.
لكم فيها فكهة كثيرة منها تأكلون
The severed will indeed abide eternally in the punishment of Jahannam,
إن ٱلمجرمين في عذاب جهنم خلدون
it will not abate for them, and they will be therein in despair.
لا يفتر عنهم وهم فيه مبلسون
We did not wrong them,
وما ظلمنهم
but it was they who were the wrongdoers.
ولكن كانوا هم ٱلظلمين
And they will call out: "O Possessor, let your Guardian put an end to us!"
ونادوا يملك ليقض علينا ربك
He will say: "You are indeed to remain."
قال إنكم مكثون
We had indeed brought you the truth,
لقد جئنكم بٱلحق
but most of you were averse to the truth.
ولكن أكثركم للحق كرهون
Or have they clinched some plan? It is We who clinch.
أم أبرموا أمرا فإنا مبرمون
Or do they think that We do not hear their secret and their secret talk? But yes!
أم يحسبون أنا لا نسمع سرهم ونجوىهم بلى
and Our envoys, with them, are recording.
ورسلنا لديهم يكتبون
Say: "If the All-Benevolent had a child,
قل إن كان للرحمن ولد
I would be the first of the obedient."
فأنا أول ٱلعبدين
Glory be to the Guardian of the heavens and the earth, Guardian of the Edifice, above what they describe!
سبحن رب ٱلسموت وٱلأرض رب ٱلعرش عما يصفون
So let them be: let them immerse themselves and play, until they meet their Day, the one they are promised.
فذرهم يخوضوا ويلعبوا حتى يلقوا يومهم ٱلذي يوعدون
It is He who is, in the heaven, Deity, and on the earth, Deity;
وهو ٱلذي في ٱلسمآء إله وفي ٱلأرض إله
and He is the Wise, the All-Knowing.
وهو ٱلحكيم ٱلعليم
And blessed is He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them;
وتبارك ٱلذي له ملك ٱلسموت وٱلأرض وما بينهما
and with Him is the knowledge of the Hour;
وعنده علم ٱلساعة
and to Him you will be returned.
وإليه ترجعون
And those they invoke besides Him have no power of mediation, except those who bear witness to the truth, in full knowledge.
ولا يملك ٱلذين يدعون من دونه ٱلشفعة إلا من شهد بٱلحق وهم يعلمون
And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: "God."
ولئن سألتهم من خلقهم ليقولن ٱلله
How then are they turned away?
فأنى يؤفكون
And of his saying: "O my Guardian, these are indeed a people who do not believe."
وقيله يرب إن هؤلآء قوم لا يؤمنون
So turn the page on them, and say: "Peace!"
فٱصفح عنهم وقل سلم
They will soon know.
فسوف يعلمون