The Holy Qur'an (Maulana Muhammad Ali)/26. The Poets
26. The Poets (Al-Shu'ara)[edit]
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
1 Benignant, Hearing, Knowing God.
2 These are the verses of the Book that makes manifest.
3 Perhaps thou wilt kill thyself with grief because they believe not.
4 If We please, We could send down on them a sign from heaven, so that their necks would bend before it.
5 And there comes not to them a new Reminder from the Beneficent but they turn away from it.
6 They indeed reject, so the news will soon come to them of that at which they mock.
7 See they not the earth, how many of every noble kind We cause to grow in it?
8 surely in this is a sign; yet most of them believe not.
9 And surely thy Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.
* * *
10 And when thy Lord called Moses, saying: Go to the iniquitous people
11 The people of Pharaoh. Will they nor guard against evil?
12 He said: My Lord, I fear that they will reject me.
13 And my breast straitens, and my tongue is not eloquent, so send for Aaron (too).
14 And they have a crime against me, so I fear that they will kill me.
15 He said: By no means; so go you both with Our signs surely We are with you, Hearing.
16 Then come to Pharaoh, and say: We are bearers of a message of the Lord of the worlds:
17 Send with us the Children of Israel.
18 (Pharaoh) said: Did we not bring thee up as a child among us, and thou didst tarry (many) years of thy life among us?
19 And thou didst (that) deed of thine which thou didst and thou art of the ungrateful ones.
20 He said: I did it then when I was of those who err.
21 So I fled from you when I feared you, then my Lord granted me judgment and made me of the messengers.
22 And is it a favour of which thou remindest me that thou hast enslaved the Children of Israel?
23 Pharaoh said: And what is the Lord of the worlds?
24 He said: The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, if you would be sure.
25 (Pharaoh) said to those around him: Do you not hear?
26 He said: Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old.
27 (Pharaoh) said: Surely your messenger, who is sent to you, is mad.
28 He said: The Lord of the East and the West and what is between them, if you have any sense.
29 (Pharaoh) said: If thou takest a god besides me, I will certainly put thee in prison.
30 He said: Even if I show thee something plain?
31 (Pharaoh) said: Show it, then, if thou art of the truthful.
32 So he cast down his rod, and lo! it was an obvious serpent;
33 And he drew forth his hand, and lo! it appeared white to the beholders.
* * *
34 (Pharaoh) said to the chiefs around him: Surely this is a skilful enchanter,
35 Who desires to turn you out of your land with his enchantment. What is it then that you counsel?
36 They said: Give him and his brother respite and send heralds into the cities,
37 That they bring to thee every skilful enchanter.
38 So the enchanters were gathered together for the appointment of a well-known day,
39 And it was said to the people Will you gather together?
40 Haply we may follow the enchanters, if they are the vanquishers.
41 So when the enchanters came, they said to Pharaoh: Will there be a reward for us, if we are the vanquishers?
42 He said: Yes, and surely you will then be of those who are nearest (to me).
43 Moses said to them: Cast what you are going to cast.
44 So they cast down their cords and their rods and said: By Pharaoh's power we shall most surely be victorious.
45 Then Moses cast down his rod, and lo! it swallowed up their fabrication.
46 And the enchanters were thrown down prostrate --
47 They said: We believe in the Lord of the worlds,
48 The Lord of Moses and Aaron.
49 (Pharaoh) said: You believe in him before I give you leave; surely he is the chief of you who taught you enchantment, so you shall know. Certainly I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you all.
50 They said: No harm; surely to our Lord we return.
51 We hope that out Lord will forgive us our wrongs because we are the first of the believers.
* * *
52 And We revealed to Moses, saying: Travel by night with My servants -- you will be pursued.
53 And Pharaoh sent heralds into the cities (proclaiming):
54 These are indeed a small band,
55 And they have surely enraged us:
56 And we are truly a vigilant multitude.
57 So We turned them out of gardens and springs,
58 And treasures and goodly dwellings --
59 Even so. And We gave them as a heritage to the Children of Israel.
60 Then they pursued them at sunrise.
61 So when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Moses cried out: Surely we are overtaken.
62 He said: By no means; surely my Lord is with me -- He will guide me.
63 Then We revealed to Moses March on to the sea with thy staff. So it parted, and each party was like a huge mound.
64 And there We brought near the others.
65 And We saved Moses and those with him, all.
66 Then We drowned the others.
67 Surely there is a sign in this yet most of them believe not.
68 And surely thy Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.
* * *
69 And recite to them the story of Abraham.
70 When he said to his sire and his people: What do you worship?
71 They said: We worship idols, so we shall remain devoted to them.
72 He said: Do they hear you when you call (on them),
73 Or do they benefit or harm you?
74 They said: Nay, we found our fathers doing so.
75 He said: Do you then see what you worship --
76 You and your ancient sires?
77 Surely they are an enemy to me, but not (so) the Lord of the worlds,
78 Who created me, then He shows me the way,
79 And Who gives me to eat and to drink,
80 And when I am sick, He heals me,
81 And Who will cause me to die, then give me life,
82 And Who, I hope, will forgive me my mistakes on the day of Judgment.
83 My Lord, grant me wisdom, and join me with the righteous,
84 And ordain for me a goodly mention in later generations,
85 And make me of the heirs of the Garden of bliss,
86 And forgive my sire, surely he is of the erring ones,
87 And disgrace me not on the day when they are raised --
88 The day when wealth will not avail, nor sons,
89 Save him who comes to Allah with a sound heart.
90 And the Garden is brought near for the dutiful,
91 And hell is made manifest to the deviators,
92 And it is said to them: Where are those that you worshipped
93 Besides Allah? Can they help you or help themselves?
94 So they are hurled into it, they and the deviators,
95 And the hosts of the devil, all.
96 They will say, while they quarrel therein
97 By Allah We were certainly in manifest error,
98 When we made you equal with the Lord of the worlds.
99 And none but the guilty led us astray.
100 So we have no intercessors,
101 Nor a true friend.
102 Now, if we could but once return, we would be believers.
103 Surely there is a sign in this yet most of them believe not.
104 And surely thy Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.
* * *
105 The people of Noah rejected the messengers.
106 When their brother Noah said to them: Will you not guard against evil?
107 Surely I am a faithful messenger to you:
108 So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
109 And I ask of you no reward for it my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.
110 So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
111 They said: Shall we believe in thee and the meanest follow thee?
112 He said: And what knowledge have I of what they did?
113 Their reckoning is only with my Lord, if you but perceive.
114 And I am not going to drive away the believers
115 I am only a plain warner.
116 They said: If thou desist not, O Noah, thou wilt certainly be stoned to death.
117 He said: My Lord, my people give me the lie.
118 So judge Thou between me and them openly, and deliver me and the believers who are with me.
119 So We delivered him and those with him in the laden ark.
120 Then We drowned the rest afterwards.
121 Surely there is sign in this, yet most of them believe not.
122 And surely thy Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.
* * *
123 'Ad gave the lie to the messengers.
124 When their brother Hud said to them: Will you not guard against evil?
125 Surely I am a faithful messenger to you:
126 So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
127 And I ask of you no reward for it; surely my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.
128 Do you build on every height a monument? You (only) sport.
129 And you make fortresses that you may abide.
130 And when you seize, you seize as tyrants.
131 So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
132 And keep your duty to Him Who aids you with that which you know --
133 He aids you with cattle and children
134 And gardens and fountains.
135 Surely I fear for you the chastisement of a grievous day.
136 They said: It is the same to us whether thou admonish, or art not one of the admonishers:
137 This is naught but a fabrication of the ancients:
138 And we will not be chastised.
139 So they rejected him, then We destroyed them. Surely there is a sign in this; yet most of them believe not.
140 And surely thy Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful;
* * *
141 Thamud gave the lie to the messengers.
142 When their brother Salih said to them: Will you not guard against evil?
143 Surely I am a faithful messenger to you:
144 So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
145 And I ask of you no reward for it; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.
146 Will you be left secure in what is here,
147 In gardens and fountains,
148 And corn-fields and palm-trees having fine flower-spikes?
149 And you hew houses out of the mountains exultingly.
150 So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
151 And obey not the bidding of the extravagant,
152 Who make mischief in the land and act nor aright.
153 They said: Thou art only a deluded person.
154 Thou art naught but a mortal like ourselves -- so bring a sign if thou art truthful.
155 He said: This is a she-camel she has her portion of water, and you have your portion of water at an appointed time.
156 And touch her not with evil, lest the chastisement of a grievous day overtake you.
157 But they hamstrung her, then regretted,
158 So the chastisement overtook them. Surely there is a sign in this yet most of them believe not.
159 And surely thy Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.
* * *
160 The people of Lot gave the lie to the messengers.
161 When their brother Lot said to them: Will you not guard against evil?
162 Surely I am a faithful messenger to you:
163 So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
164 And I ask of you no reward for it my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.
165 Do you come to the males from among the creatures,
166 And leave your wives whom your Lord has created for you? Nay, you are a people exceeding limits.
167 They said: If thou desist not, O Lot, thou wilt surely be banished.
168 He said: Surely I abhor what you do.
169 My Lord, deliver me and my followers from what they do.
170 So We delivered him and his followers all,
171 Except an old woman, among those who remained behind.
172 Then We destroyed the others.
173 And We rained on them a rain, and evil was the rain on those warned.
174 Surely there is a sign in this yet most of them believe not.
175 And surely thy Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.
* * *
176 The dwellers of the thicket gave the lie to the messengers.
177 When Shu'aib said to them: Will you not guard against evil?
178 Surely I am a faithful messenger to you;
179 So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
180 And I ask of you no reward for it; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.
181 Give full measure and be not of those who diminish.
182 And weigh with a true balance.
183 And wrong not men of their dues, and act not corruptly in the earth, making mischief.
184 And keep your duty to Him Who created you and the former generations.
185 They said: Thou art only a deluded person,
186 And thou art naught but a mortal like ourselves, and we deem thee to be a liar.
187 So cause a portion of heaven to fall on us, if thou art truthful.
188 He said: My Lord knows best what you do.
189 But they rejected him, so the chastisement of the day of Covering overtook them. Surely it was the chastisement of a grievous day!
190 Surely there is a sign in this yet must of them believe not.
191 And surely thy Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.
* * *
192 And surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.
193 The Faithful Spirit has brought it
194 On thy heart that thou mayest be a warner,
195 In plain Arabic language.
196 And surely the same is in the Scriptures of the ancients.
197 Is it not a sign to them that the learned men of the Children of Israel know it?
198 And if We had revealed it to any of the foreigners,
199 And he had read it to them, they would not have believed in it.
200 Thus do We cause it to enter into the hearts of the guilty.
201 They will not believe in it till they see the painful chastisement:
202 So it will come to them suddenly, while they perceive not;
203 Then they will say: Shall we be respited?
204 Do they still seek to hasten on Our chastisement?
205 Seest thou, if We let them enjoy themselves for years,
206 Then that which they are promised comes to them
207 That which they were made to enjoy will not avail them?
208 And We destroyed no town but it had (its) warners
209 To remind. And We are never unjust.
210 And the devils have not brought it.
211 And it behoves them not, nor have they the power to do (it).
212 Surely they are far removed from hearing it.
213 So call not upon another god with Allah, lest thou be of those who are chastised.
214 And warn thy nearest relations,
215 And lower thy wing to the believers who follow thee.
216 But if they disobey thee, say I am clear of what you do.
217 And rely on the Mighty, the Merciful,
218 Who sees thee when thou standest up,
219 And thy movements among those who prostrate themselves.
220 Surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
221 Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend?
222 They descend upon every lying, sinful one --
223 They give ear, and most of them are liars.
224 And the poets -- the deviators follow them.
225 Seest thou not that they wander in every valley,
226 And that they say that which they do not?
227 Except those who believe and do good and remember Allah much, and defend themselves after they are oppressed. And they who do wrong, will know to what final place of turning they will turn back.