Surah 39. Surah al Zumar (The Throngs)
Bismillah ir Rahman ir Raheem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
- The revelation of this Book
Is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise. - Indeed, We have revealed to you the Book in Truth;
So, worship Allah with sincere faith in His Command. - Hearken! The Command is exclusively with Allah!
As for those who take others besides Him as their protectors—
(They say): “We do not worship them,
Except that they may bring us closer to Him, at closer stations.”
Indeed, Allah will judge between them in what they disagree.
Indeed, Allah does not guide one who is a lying disbeliever. - If Allah had willed to take a son,
He would have selected from His creation as He desired.
Glory be to Him!
He is Allah,
The One, the Irresistible. - He has created the heavens and the earth in Truth (justice and balance),
He causes the night to coil up into the day,
And causes the day to coil up into the night,
And He has subjected the sun and the moon,
Each one moves in its orbit for a period determined—
Hearken! He is the Mighty, the Forgiving! - He created you from a single Self,
Then He made from it its spouse,
And sent down for you domesticated animals, eight, in pairs.
He created you in your mothers’ wombs,
Creation after creation,
In three layers of darkness—
That is your Allah, your Rabb.
His is the dominion.
There is none worthy of worship but Him.
So how are you turned away (from Him)? - If you are ungrateful,
Then, (know that) Allah is self sufficient (having no need) of you,
And He is displeased when His servants are ungrateful,
And when you are thankful, He likes it in you.
And no bearer of burdens lifts up the burden of another.
Then, your return is to your Rabb.
Then, He will show you what you used to do—
Indeed, He knows the very essence of hearts. - When a human experiences some difficulty,
He turns to his Rabb and supplicates Him.
Then, as respite is granted to him from Us,
He forgets what he had asked Us just before,
And he fabricates associates with Allah,
So they lead him astray from the right path.
Say: “You benefit little from your disbelief—
Indeed, you are among the companions of the Fire.” - Is one who worships through the passage of the night,
Prostrating and standing up—
He fears the hereafter,
And turns (with hope) to the Mercy of his Rabb– (Is he the same as one who does not?).
Say: “Are those who have knowledge the equal of those who have no knowledge?”
Indeed, they do not remember except those who are people of intellect. - Say: “O My servants who have certainty of faith!
Be conscious of your Rabb!
For those who excel (in good deeds) in this world,
There is excellence (in this world and in the hereafter),
And (for them) the world of Allah is limitless.
Indeed, for those who are patient (and strive),
There is not but their reward without measure.” - Say: “I am indeed commanded
To worship (and serve) Allah with sincerity in his Commands. - And I am commanded
That I be the first among those who surrender (their will to Allah).” - Say: “I do indeed fear
The punishment of the Momentous Day,
If I disobey my Rabb.” - Say: “I serve Allah with sincerity,
And my worship is for Him (alone). - Then (after this admonition), you worship whom you will besides Him.
Say: “Lost indeed are those on the Judgment Day
Who have lost their souls and (misled and lost) their families.”
Listen (Remember)! That is what a clear loss is! - For them will be blankets of fire ahead of them,
And (blankets of fire) below them—
That is how Allah alerts His servants.
Therefore, O My servants! Be conscious (of the Divine)! - Those who avoid evil lest they become its servants,
And turn towards Allah,
For them are good tidings.
So give good tidings to My servants, - Those who listen to the Word,
Then, follow its excellence (Allah-given commands),
Such are the ones for whom there is guidance from Allah,
And such are the ones who are people of intellect. - Is one upon whom the word of punishment has come true–
Would you then save such a one from the Fire? - But for those who are conscious of their Rabb,
For them are stations high,
Each higher than the other, complete.
Streams (of Divine Grace) flowing underneath.
(Such is) the promise of Allah—
Never does Allah (act) against His promise. - Do you not see
That Allah brings down the rain from the heavens,
And makes it move up from the earth as fountains,
Then brings forth from it vegetation of different shades,
Then it dries up,
Then you see it is yellow,
Then he makes it into pieces of dried sticks.
Indeed, in that is admonishing for a people of intellect. - Then, whoever has opened his heart to Islam (surrender to Allah),
For such, there is Light from his Rabb.
So, woe be to one
Whose heart is hardened against the remembrance of Allah;
Such is the one who is in obvious error. - Allah is He
Who sends down the most beautiful descriptions in the Book,
Similar, repeated.
The skins of those who fear Allah tremble at them (when they are recited);
Then their skins and their hearts are softened from the remembrance of Allah—
That is the guidance from Allah,
Thus does He guide whom He will,
And whom Allah leads astray,
For him there is no guide. - Then, is one who has to protect his existence
From the evil of punishment on the Judgment Day (the same as one who is in the presence of his Rabb)?
And it will be said to the transgressors:
“Taste (the punishment) of what you were earning.“ - Those before them rejected the Truth,
Then, there came upon them the punishment from quarters they had not imagined, - And Allah made them taste dishonor in the life of this world,
And indeed, a greater punishment in the hereafter—
If only they knew. - And behold! We have brought forth every kind of parable in this Qur’an,
So that they are reminded; - The Quran, in Arabic—
With no obliqueness—
So that they become conscious of Allah. - Allah brings forth a parable:
There is a man
Who (whose services are) shared by many (masters)
Constantly at odds with one another.
And another man,
With only one master—
Are the two in this parable the same?
Praise to be Allah!
But most of them do not understand. - Of a certainty, you shall die,
And of a certainty, they shall die. - Then, of a certainty, you shall argue before your Rabb,
On the Judgment Day. - Then, who is a greater transgressor
Than one who ascribes a lie to Allah,
And denies the Truth when it came to him?
Is not hell the destination of the disbelievers? - And one who comes forth with the Truth,
And believes therein—
Such are the ones who are conscious of Allah. - For them,
What they visualize is actualized from their Rabb—
That is the reward for those who excel
(Who worship and serve Allah as if they witness Him), - So that Allah covers up their wrong doings,
And rewards them with an excellent reward,
For the deeds they were engaged in. - Is not Allah sufficient for His servants?
And they frighten you with others besides Him?
Lo! Whom Allah misleads, for such there is then no guide. - And one who receives guidance from Allah,
None can misguide—
Is not Allah the Mighty, the Owner of Retribution? - And if you ask them:
“Who created the heavens and the earth?”
They will indeed say: “Allah.”
Say: “Have you seen what you invoke besides Allah?
If Allah were to impose some difficulty,
Can they hide (take away) its pain?
Or, if (He were to) will for me from His mercy,
Can they stop His mercy?”
Say: “Sufficient is Allah for me—
Those who trust, place their trust in Him.” - Say: “O my people!
Do what you can within your capability,
Indeed, I too will do (what I do).
Then, soon will you know - Who will be overtaken by a dishonorable punishment,
And upon whom will descend an enduring punishment (in the hereafter).” - Indeed, We have revealed to you
A Book in Truth for (the benefit of) humankind.
Then, whoever is guided, (does so) for his own Self,
And whoever goes astray,
Then indeed the misguidance is upon himself—
And you are not for them a warden. - Allah takes the soul at the time of death,
Of those who did not die in their sleep.
Then He keeps the ones for whom a decree of death has been made,
And sends the others back for a period determined—
Indeed, in that are Signs for a people who ponder. - What? They have taken others besides Allah as intercessors?
Say: “Even if they have no power over anything, and cannot reason?” - Say: “All intercession is with Allah.
To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth;
And to Him is your return.” - And when there is remembrance of Allah, the One,
The hearts of those who do not believe in the hereafter shrivel;
But when there is remembrance of others besides Him,
They are forthwith happy. - Say: “O Allah!
Primal Creator of the heavens and the earth,
Knower of what is beyond perception and what is within perception,
You will decide between Your servants
In what they disagree about. - And if all that is in the earth is available for those who transgress,
And with it (one more earth) like it,
Not (sufficient) is it for ransom
For the evil of punishment on the Judgment Day.
And manifest on them shall be from Allah
What they did not reckon. - And manifest on them shall be the evil deeds they engaged in,
And what they mocked shall envelope (and overtake) them. - Lo! When a tribulation reaches a human,
He beseeches Us (for relief).
Then,
When We grant him a favor from Us,
He says: “Indeed, it was given to me only because of my knowledge.”
No! This is a trial!
But most of them do not understand. - Assuredly, those who came before them said it,
And what they were earning did not benefit them. - Then, the evil of what they had earned reached them.
Those who transgress are among the ones
Upon whom will reach the evil of what they have earned,
And they are not the ones who frustrate (the plan of Allah). - Do they not know
That Allah does indeed increase the provision as He wills,
And constricts it (as He wills),
Assuredly, in that are Signs for those who have certainty of faith. - Say: “O My servants who have committed an excess upon themselves!
Do not despair of the Mercy of Allah—
Of a certainty, Allah forgives all sins.
Indeed, He it is, who is the Forgiver, the Disposer of Mercy. - And turn towards your Rabb,
And surrender to Him
Before the punishment reaches you—
Then you shall not be helped. - And follow what has been revealed to you, in excellence, from your Rabb,
Before the punishment reaches you with a suddenness,
And you are not aware of it. - If a person says to you:
“How regretful it is that I shortchanged the rights of Allah,
And I was among the ones who scoffed at (the revelation).” - Or if he said:
“If Allah had given me guidance,
I would be among those who had certainty of faith.” - Or if he said at the time he saw the punishment:
“If (it was possible) for me (to) turn around,
Then, I would be among those who excel
(Who worship and serve Allah as if they witness Him). - No! Assuredly, My Signs came to you,
And you gave the lie to them,
And you were arrogant,
And you were among the disbelievers. - And you shall see on the Judgment Day,
Those who denied Allah,
Shall have their existence in darkness (cordoned off from Divine Light).
Is not Hellfire the destination of the arrogant? - And Allah will deliver those who are conscious of Him,
(Along) with their triumphs;
No evil shall touch them,
And they shall not go astray. - Allah is the Creator of all there is,
And He is the guardian over everything. - His are the keys to the heavens and the earth.
And those who deny the Signs of Allah,
It is they who are the lost ones. - Say: “Do you command me, O ignorant ones!
That I should worship others besides Allah?” - And of a certainty, revelation has been sent down
Upon you and upon those before you.
And yet, if you associate (partners with Allah),
Your deeds shall indeed be in vain,
And you shall certainly be among the lost ones. - No! Worship (serve) Allah therefore!
And be among those who give thanks! - And they did not honor Allah (did not recognize His sway)
As it was His right to be honored.
And the earth shall be under His power,
And the heavens shall be rolled up in His right hand.
Glorified is He, and high above what they associate with Him! - And the trumpet shall be blown,
And whatever is in the heavens and the earth shall swoon—
Except as He wills.
Then, it shall be blown again,
And they shall rise up forthwith, witnessing. - And the earth shall be illuminated
With the Light of its Rabb,
And the Book shall be opened up,
And the Messengers shall be brought forth,
And the Witnesses,
And judgment shall be passed between them
With justice,
And they shall not be wronged. - And every soul shall be paid what it earned,
Lo! He is aware of what they were doing. - And the disbelievers shall be driven towards Hell, in droves,
Until they come upon it,
And its doors shall be opened,
And its guardians shall say to them:
“Did not the Messengers come to you,
Reciting for you the Signs of your Rabb,
And warning you of your meeting this Day?”
They will say: “Yes, indeed!”
But the Word of punishment has come to pass
Upon the disbelievers. - It will be said to them:
“Enter through the gates of Hell,
Dwell therein for ever—
How awful the destination of the arrogant!” - And those who are conscious of Allah
Shall be driven towards the Garden, in droves,
Until they come upon it,
And its doors shall be opened,
And its guardians shall say to them:
“Peace be upon you!
Be well!
And enter therein, to dwell forever.” - And they will say:
“All praise be to Allah,
Who has made His promise come true,
And made us inheritors of this domain,
So that we stay in the Garden where we will—
How bountiful is the reward for those who do (righteous deeds)!” - And you shall see,
The Angels circling around the Throne,
Glorifying, extolling their Rabb.
And judgment shall be made between them with justice,
And it shall be said:
“All praise be to Allah,
The Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher of all the worlds.“