Surah 10. Surah Yunus (Jonah)
Bismillah ir Rahman ir Raheem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
- Alif Lam Ra.
These are Signs from the Book,
(Full) of Wisdom. - Are the people surprised
That We have sent down Revelation
To a man among themselves,
So that he may warn humankind
And give glad tidings to those
Who have certainty of faith,
And confirm their (spiritual) station with their Rabb (Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher)?
The disbelievers say:
“Indeed, here is an obvious sorcerer!” - Verily, your Rabb is He
Who created the heavens and the earth in six epochs,
And He established the Heavenly Throne.
He plans all affairs.
None can intercede except as He permits.
That is your Rabb,
So worship (serve) Him!
Will you not remember? - To Him shall you return, all of you.
The promise of Allah is true.
Indeed, He it is Who originates creation.
Then He causes it to return unto Him,
So that He may grant recompense
To those who had certainty of faith,
And engaged in virtuous deeds, firm with justice.
Those who rejected the truth,
For them is a drink putrid,
And a painful punishment –
Because they rejected the truth. - He it is who made the sun self luminescent,
And the moon a reflector of light,
And established their orbits,
So that you know the number of years,
And (learn) mathematics,
Allah has not created it all except in (dynamic) balance,
(He) explains the Signs in detail
For a people who have knowledge. - Lo! In the alteration of the night and the day,
And in what Allah has created in the heavens and the earth,
Are Signs for a people who are conscious of the Divine. - Indeed, those who do not hope to meet Us,
And are happy with the life of this world,
And are content with it,
And those who are unaware of Our Signs, - It is such as they who have their abode in the Fire,
For what they earned. - Verily, those who have the certainty of faith,
And perform righteous deeds,
There is guidance from their Rabb
For the certitude of their faith,
Gardens with bounties,
Beneath which flow streams (of Divine Grace). - Their prayer therein is:
“Glorified are you, O Allah!”
And their salutation therein is: “Peace!”
And the prayer at the end is:
“All glory is to Allah,
The Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher
Of all universes (all that exists).” - And if Allah were to hasten the evil on humankind,
As fast as they rush towards what benefits them,
Their life span would already have been exhausted.
Thus do We leave those
Who have no faith in meeting Us,
In their rebellious delirium. - And when a difficulty overwhelms a human,
He implores Us,
Lying or sitting or standing,
And when We remove his difficulty,
He moves on as if he had never pleaded with Us
When he was in difficulty.
That is how those who transgress
Puff themselves up with what they do. - And behold! We destroyed
Communities (civilizations) before you,
When they became violators of justice!
And there came to them
Messengers with clear Signs,
But they did not believe.
That is how we recompense
A people who are violators (of justice)! - Then, after them,
We made you inheritors of the land,
So that We observe how you conduct yourselves. - And, when Our clear Signs are recited to them,
The disbelievers who do not believe in their return to Us, say:
“Bring a Qur’an other than this one,
Or change it.”
Say: “It is not up to me to change it by myself,
I obey what is revealed to me;
I fear the punishment from my Rabb
On the Momentous Day,
If I were to disobey.” - Say: “If Allah so willed it,
I would not have recited it to you,
Nor would I mention it to you.
Verily, I have lived a lifetime among you before this,
Will you, therefore, not reason?” - So, who is a greater transgressor than the one
Who ascribes a lie to Allah,
Or belies His Signs?
Verily, the sinners shall not attain felicity! - They worship (serve) others besides Allah,
Who can neither hurt them nor help them,
And they say: “These are all our intercessors before Allah.”
Say: “Are you informing Allah
Of what He does not know in the heavens or the earth?”
Glorified is He!
And transcendent is He over what they ascribe to Him! - And mankind was not but one (spiritual) community,
Then they disagreed (and split),
And verily! Were it not for a (Divine) decree (of respite) that preceded,
Their differences would have been already settled. - And they say: “Why has a Sign
Not descended on him from his Rabb?”
Tell them: “Indeed, what is beyond perception is for none but Allah;
Wait then! I shall indeed (wait) with you,
Among those who wait. - And when We give a taste of Our mercy to humankind
After they have faced difficulties,
They plot against Our Signs;
Say: “Allah is quicker in executing His plans.”
Lo! Our (angelic) Messengers are recording what you plot! - He it is who enables you
To traverse on land and sea,
So when you are in a ship,
And as it moves with favorable winds,
They (on aboard) rejoice therein.
(If) it encounters a turbulent wind,
And the turbulence hits it from every direction,
And they realize that they are overwhelmed by it,
They cry out that they will be steadfast in following His command:
“If You rescue us from this,
We will indeed be among the grateful!” - Then, after We have rescued them,
They start rebellious activities in the land,
Violating justice.
O humankind! Such rebellions
Are not but against your own souls!
(Fleeting are) the benefits of this world!
Then, you shall return to Us,
And We shall show you
What you were doing. - Indeed, the similitude of the life of this world,
Is like the rain from the heavens.
When it mingles with the earth,
It sprouts forth vegetation,
Of which eat humans and animals,
Until the earth is covered with a luscious green cover,
And is bedecked with it,
And those who dwell therein think that they have power over it;
There descends upon it a decree from Us,
By night or by day,
And We make it a vista leveled to the ground,
As if there existed nothing on it until yesterday,
That is how we explain our Signs in detail
To a people who ponder. - Indeed, Allah invites you towards the abode of peace,
And He guides as He wills,
Towards the Right Path. - Those who excel (in good deeds),
Excellence is (reflected) upon them,
And even more!
And no darkness shall touch their existence
Nor dishonor;
Such are the people of paradise,
Therein they shall dwell forever. - Those who have earned evil,
Their recompense is a commensurate evil,
And dishonor shall envelope them,
None shall they have to protect them except Allah,
It is as if their existence
Is shrouded with layers of darkness
From the depth of (the dark) night!
It is they who are the companions of the Fire,
There they shall dwell forever. - And the Day when We gather them all together,
(On that Day) shall We tell those
Who associated gods with Us:
For you is your station,
And a station (separate) for those you associated with Us.
Then We shall place a distance between them,
And those they associated with Us will say:
“It is not us that you worshipped.” - “Lo! Allah is sufficient for us as witness
Between us and you,
We were indeed unaware that you worshipped us.” - That Day, every soul shall know
What it dispatched before it,
And they shall gravitate
Towards their Protector, True (and Just),
And the falsehood they had invented
Shall vanish from their presence. - Say: “Who gives you sustenance
From the heavens and the earth?
Or, who has power over your hearing and sight?
And who brings forth the living from the dead?
And who brings forth the dead from the living?
And who plans all actions?
They will then cry out: “It is Allah!”
So tell them: “Why then are you not conscious of Allah?” - So, that is Allah, your Creator and Sustainer in truth!
What remains after truth except falsehood?
So, why is it that you are wandering, confused? - That is how the Word of your Rabb has come true
Against those who break their covenant (with Allah) –
That they shall not have certainty of faith. - Say: “Is there anyone from among those
You associate with Allah,
Who originates creation, then repeats it?”
Say: “Allah is He who originates creation,
Then repeats it.”
How is it then that you are running away (from Him)? - Say: “Is there anyone from among those
You associate with Allah,
Who can guide you towards the truth?”
Say: “Allah alone guides towards the truth.
Is not One who guides you more deserving of obedience
Than one who cannot find his own way unless he is guided?
What is it with you then,
That you decide as you do? - Lo! Most people follow not except conjecture.
Indeed, conjecture is not in the least helpful towards (finding) the truth,
Lo! Allah is aware of what they do. - Lo! This Qur’an is not (a book)
That can be compiled by anyone except Allah,
It but confirms that which came before it,
And (it is) a book complete in its detail, without doubt,
From the Rabb of all the worlds. - Do they say: “He made it up?”
Say: “Bring a Surah like unto it,
And call for help anyone but Allah,
If you are truthful.” - Nay! They deny that which they cannot comprehend,
And its reality has not yet dawned on them.
In the same manner, generations before them rejected the truth.
So observe what was the fate of the transgressors! - And among them are some who will believe in it,
And some who will not believe in it;
And your Rabb knows well
Those who cause division and rancor. - And if they reject you.
Say: “My deeds are with me and your deeds with you;
You will not answer for my deeds,
And I will not answer for your deeds.” - And among them are some who lend you their ear.
Can you then make the deaf hear
Even if they lack comprehension? - And among them are some who stare at you,
Can you then show the way to the blind,
Even if they cannot see? - Indeed, Allah does not commit the least excess on humankind,
But (it is ) humankind which oppresses itself. - And on the Day He will gather them all together
As if they tarried not in this world but for a moment in a day,
(Just so that) they came to know each other,
Surely, those will be at a loss,
Who denied that they will meet Allah,
And they were not among those who were guided. - And whether We let you see
A part of what We have promised them (of their chastisement),
Or whether We take your life (before it happens),
Their return is to Us,
Then, Allah will be a witness
Over what they used to do. - For every (spiritual) community, there was a Messenger.
And when their Messenger came to them,
Decisions between them were made with justice,
And they were not wronged. - And they say: “When will this promise come to pass,
If you are truthful?” - Say: “I have no power over my own loss or gain,
Except as Allah wills.”
Every community has a time determined,
When the time arrives,
They shall not delay it one moment,
Nor shall they advance it (one moment). - Say: “Will you consider this:
If His punishment descends on you by night or by day,
What is in it that the wicked ones wish to hasten?” - “Or, is it only when it has come to pass,
That you will believe in it?
Will you believe in it now,
In what you wished to hasten?” - Then it will be said to the transgressors:
“Taste ye the punishment till eternity,
What you reap is but only for what you have earned.” - And they ask you if it is true.
Say: “Yes, by my Rabb, it is true!
And you cannot evade it.” - And when they see the (impending) punishment,
Every soul that has wronged itself
Will wish to ransom itself with all that is on earth,
And they will feel remorse deep within themselves,
Lo! The judgment between them
Shall be based on justice,
And they shall not be wronged. - Behold! Whatever is in the heavens and the earth,
Belongs to none but Allah.
Behold! The promise of Allah is true,
But most of them comprehend it not. - He it is who gives death and life,
And to Him is the return. - O humankind!
Behold! There has come to you
An admonition from your Rabb,
And a cure for what is in your breasts,
And guidance, and mercy for the believers. - Say: (This has happened) by the Grace of Allah,
And His mercy,
So, rejoice over it,
This is preferable to what they hoard. - Say: “Do you not consider
What Allah sent down
As sustenance for you?”
Then, you made some of it permissible
And some of it forbidden.
Say: “Has Allah commanded you (to do so),
Or do you ascribe a falsehood to Allah?” - And what conjecture do they have –
They who ascribe a falsehood to Allah –
About the Day of Judgment?
Indeed, He is the Lord of bounties for humankind,
But most of them are not thankful. - And you are not in any situation (circumstance),
And you recite not from the Qur’an in that (circumstance),
Nor do you perform any deed,
Except that We are a witness over you
When you are engaged in it.
And nothing is hidden from your Rabb,
Not an atom’s worth in the earth,
And not in the heavens,
And nothing smaller or larger,
Except that it is (recorded) in a manifest book. - Remember! The friends of Allah shall indeed
Have no fear, nor shall they grieve! - (As well as) those who have certainty of faith,
And are conscious of Divine presence. - For them are glad tidings
In the life of this world and in the hereafter.
There is no alteration in the Words of Allah;
That is what is a triumph supreme! - And their words shall not sadden you,
Indeed, all honor belongs to Allah,
He it is who is the Hearer, the Knower! - Remember! Whatever is in the heavens
And is in the earth, indeed belongs to Allah.
And what do they follow, they who call on others besides Allah?
They follow not but conjecture,
And they do not but engage in sophistry. - He it is Who made for you the night,
So that you rest therein,
And the day that illuminates your sight.
Indeed, in these are Signs
For a people who listen. - They say: “Allah has made a son.”
Glorified is He! He is self sufficient!
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth,
No evidence (and no authority) do you have for this (belief),
Do you ascribe to Allah what you do not know? - Say: “Verily! Those who invent falsehoods about Allah,
Shall not attain felicity.” - (They may enjoy for a while) the benefits of this world,
Thereafter they shall return to Us,
Then, shall We make them taste a punishment, intense,
For what they belied. - Relate to them the story of Noah.
When he said to his people:
“O my people! If my stay is a burden upon you –
And my admonishing you about the Signs of Allah –
Then (know that) I have placed my trust in Allah.
Therefore, confirm your plans with those you associate with Allah,
So that you have no regrets about your plans.
Then, pass your judgment on me,
And do not delay (in implementing it).” - Then, if you turn away,
(Know that) I have not asked any reward from you,
My reward is only from Allah,
And I have been commanded,
To be among those who surrender.” - Even so they rejected him,
So We rescued him and those who were with him in the Ark,
And We made them inheritors,
And We drowned those who rejected Our Signs,
Witness then, what was the end
Of those who had been warned! - Then, after him We sent Messengers
To their people,
And they came to them with clear Signs.
Even then they did not believe
What they had rejected beforehand.
That is how we seal the hearts of those
Who violate justice (and are extreme). - Thereafter We sent Moses,
And Aaron with Our Signs
To the Pharaoh and his leadership,
They were arrogant (and rejected our Signs),
Indeed, they were a people in error. - So, when the Truth came to them from Us,
They said: “Indeed, this is obvious sorcery!” - Said Moses: “Is this what you say about the Truth
When it has come to you?
Is this sorcery?
Indeed, the sorcerers will not attain felicity!” - They said: “Have you come to us
To turn us away from
What our forefathers showed us,
So that the two of you attain
A high stature in the land?
We are not among those who believe
In the two of you.” - And the Pharaoh said:
“Bring me all the skilled sorcerers.” - Then when all the sorcerers
Had gathered together,
Moses said to them:
“Throw down whatever you (are disposed to) throw down.” - When they had thrown down (their sticks and ropes),
Moses said: “What you have thrown is sorcery.
Behold! Allah will prove it to be false;
Indeed, Allah does not make aright
The work of those who foster corruption.” - And Allah will validate the Truth with His Commands,
Even if those in error detest it. - So, no one believed in Moses
Except the youth among his people,
Out of fear that the Pharaoh and his leaders
Would persecute them.
And indeed! The Pharaoh was a tyrant in the land,
And he was among those
Who had exceeded the limits (of justice). - Behold! Moses said: “O my people!
If you believe in Allah, place your trust in Him,
If you are among those who surrender (their will to Allah).” - So they said: “We place our trust in Allah,
Our Rabb! Do not make us a temptation
For a people who oppress.” - “And liberate us by Your Mercy,
From a people who reject the truth.” - And We revealed to Moses and his brother:
“Establish certain houses for your people in the land of Egypt,
And mark therein the direction of Qibla (the direction of prayer),
And establish prayer,
And give glad tidings
To those who have certainty of faith.” - And Moses said: “O my Rabb,
You have indeed given the Pharaoh and his leaders
Wealth and pomp of this world.
Our Rabb! These (wealth and pomp) lead them stray from your path.
Our Rabb! Destroy their wealth,
And harden their hearts,
So that they persist in unbelief,
Until they face a painful punishment.” - He said: “Behold! Your prayer has been accepted.
So, be firm, and do not follow the path
Of those who have no knowledge.” - And We delivered the Children of Israel across the sea.
Then the Pharaoh with his armies pursued them
With haughtiness and enmity,
Until as he was caught drowning,
He said: “I believe that only He is worthy of worship
Who the Children of Israel believe in,
And I am among those who surrender (his will to Allah).” - What? Now (you say this)?
While you disobeyed hitherto,
And you were among those who spread corruption and discord? - This day shall we preserve your body,
So that it becomes a Sign after you;
And verily, most among humankind
Are unaware of Our Signs! - And behold! We provided a home
For the Children of Israel,
A good land with sustenance wholesome,
Then they disagreed among themselves,
Until there came to them the Knowledge (through Messengers),
Indeed, Allah will decide between them on the Judgment Day,
In matters where they disagreed. - So (O Children of Israel!), if you have doubts
About what We have revealed to you,
Then ask those who have studied the Books revealed before you.
Verily, there has come to you the Truth from your Rabb!
Therefore, do not be among those who have doubts. - And do not be among those
Who deny the Signs of Allah,
Lest you become among those who are lost. - Indeed, those upon whom
The decree of your Rabb has already come to pass
Will not believe, - Even if all the Signs are manifest to them,
Until they witness the painful doom. - Why then was there no township
That believed and prospered through certainty of faith
Except the people of Jonah?
When they had faith,
We lifted from them the bane of dishonor in this world,
And bestowed upon them prosperity
For a time. - And if Allah had so willed,
All those on earth would have believed.
So, will you then compel humankind
Until they have certainty of faith? - And it is not for any soul that it will have faith
Except by the permission of Allah.
Lo! He covers up with a thick crud
Those who do not reason. - Say: “Observe what is in the heavens and the earth.
Of no benefit are the Signs and the Warners
For a people who have no certainty of faith”. - So, are they waiting
For days (of doom) similar to those that have come to pass before them?
Say: “Wait then!
I will be with you among those who wait.” - Then (when the calamity befalls) We protect our Messengers
And those who have certainty of faith.
It is an obligation upon Us that We should protect those who have faith. - Say: “O humankind!
If you have any doubts about my deen (moral code of surrender to Allah),
Then (know that) I worship (serve) not
What you worship (serve) besides Allah;
But I worship (serve) Allah alone
Who has the power of death over you,
And I am commanded to be among those
Who have certainty of faith.” - “And that I surround my existence
With the deen (moral code) of the Haneef (spiritual masters with inner knowledge of Divine presence),
And shall never be among those
Who associate deities with Allah.” - And do not invoke any but Allah,
Who can neither help you nor hurt you.
For, if you did so, you shall indeed be
Among the transgressors. - And if Allah puts you in difficulty,
Then no one can lift it but Allah;
And if He grants you ease,
Then no one can take away His blessings;
He destines what He wills to His servants,
And He is the Forgiver, the Merciful. - Say: “O humankind!
Behold! There has come to you the Truth from your Rabb!
Then, whoever found guidance,
It is guidance for his own soul,
And, whoever went astray,
Went astray of his own,
And I am not for you, your keeper.” - So, follow what has been revealed to you and be patient!
Until there arrives the judgment of Allah.
Lo! He is the best of Judges!