Those drawn up in Ranks · Surah 37

By those who set the ranks in battle order

And those who drive away (the wicked) with reproof

And those who read (the Word) for a reminder

Lo! thy Lord is surely One

Lord of the heavens and of the earth and all that is between them, and Lord of the sun's risings

Lo! We have adorned the lowest heaven with an ornament, the planets

With security from every froward devil

They cannot listen to the Highest Chiefs for they are pelted from every side

Outcast, and theirs is a perpetual torment

Save him who snatcheth a fragment, and there pursueth him a piercing flame

Then ask them (O Muhammad): Are they stronger as a creation, or those (others) whom we have created? Lo! We created them of plastic clay

Nay, but thou dost marvel when they mock

And heed not when they are reminded

And seek to scoff when they behold a portent

And they say: Lo! this is mere magic

When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then, forsooth, be raised (again)

And our forefathers

Say (O Muhammad): Ye, in truth; and ye will be brought low

There is but one Shout, and lo! they behold

And say: Ah, woe for us! This is the Day of Judgment

This is the Day of Separation, which ye used to deny

(And it is said unto the angels): Assemble those who did wrong, together with their wives and what they used to worship

Instead of Allah, and lead them to the path to hell

And stop them, for they must be questioned

What aileth you that ye help not one another

Nay, but this day they make full submission

And some of them draw near unto others, mutually questioning

They say: Lo! ye used to come unto us, imposing, (swearing that ye spoke the truth)

They answer: Nay, but ye (yourselves) were not believers

We had no power over you, but ye were wayward folk

Now the Word of our Lord hath been fulfilled concerning us. Lo! we are about to taste (the doom)

Thus we misled you. Lo! we were (ourselves) astray

Then lo! this day they (both) are sharers in the doom

Lo! thus deal We with the guilty

For when it was said unto them, There is no Allah save Allah, they were scornful

And said: Shall we forsake our gods for a mad poet

Nay, but he brought the Truth, and he confirmed those sent (before him)

Lo! (now) verily ye taste the painful doom

Ye are requited naught save what ye did

Save single-minded slaves of Allah

For them there is a known provision

Fruits. And they will be honoured

In the Gardens of delight

On couches facing one another

A cup from a gushing spring is brought round for them

White, delicious to the drinkers

Wherein there is no headache nor are they made mad thereby

And with them are those of modest gaze, with lovely eyes

(Pure) as they were hidden eggs (of the ostrich)

And some of them draw near unto others, mutually questioning

A speaker of them saith: Lo! I had a comrade

Who used to say: Art thou in truth of those who put faith (in his words)

Can we, when we are dead and have become mere dust and bones - can we (then) verily be brought to book

He saith: Will ye look

Then looketh he and seeth him in the depth of hell

He saith: By Allah, thou verily didst all but cause my ruin

And had it not been for the favour of my Lord, I too had been of those haled forth (to doom)

Are we then not to die

Saving our former death, and are we not to be punished

Lo! this is the supreme triumph

For the like of this, then, let the workers work

Is this better as a welcome, or the tree of Zaqqum

Lo! We have appointed it a torment for wrong-doers

Lo! it is a tree that springeth in the heart of hell

Its crop is as it were the heads of devils

And lo! they verily must eat thereof, and fill (their) bellies therewith

And afterward, lo! thereupon they have a drink of boiling water

And afterward, lo! their return is surely unto hell

They indeed found their fathers astray

But they make haste (to follow) in their footsteps

And verily most of the men of old went astray before them

And verily We sent among them warners

Then see the nature of the consequence for those warned

Save single-minded slaves of Allah

And Noah verily prayed unto Us, and gracious was the Hearer of his prayer

And We saved him and his household from the great distress

And made his seed the survivors

And left for him among the later folk (the salutation)

Peace be unto Noah among the peoples

Lo! thus do We reward the good

Lo! he is one of Our believing slaves

Then We did drown the others

And lo! of his persuasion verily was Abraham

When he came unto his Lord with a whole heart

When he said unto his father and his folk: What is it that ye worship

Is it a falsehood - gods beside Allah - that ye desire

What then is your opinion of the Lord of the Worlds

And he glanced a glance at the stars

Then said: Lo! I feel sick

And they turned their backs and went away from him

Then turned he to their gods and said: Will ye not eat

What aileth you that ye speak not

Then he attacked them, striking with his right hand

And (his people) came toward him, hastening

He said: Worship ye that which ye yourselves do carve

When Allah hath created you and what ye make

They said: Build for him a building and fling him in the red-hotfire

And they designed a snare for him, but We made them the undermost

And he said: Lo! I am going unto my Lord Who will guide me

My Lord! Vouchsafe me of the righteous

So We gave him tidings of a gentle son

And when (his son) was old enough to walk with him, (Abraham) said: O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice thee. So look, what thinkest thou? He said: O my father! Do that which thou art commanded. Allah willing, thou shalt find me of the steadfast

Then, when they had both surrendered (to Allah), and he had flung him down upon his face

We called unto him: O Abraham

Thou hast already fulfilled the vision. Lo! thus do We reward the good

Lo! that verily was a clear test

Then We ransomed him with a tremendous victim

And We left for him among the later folk (the salutation)

Peace be unto Abraham

Thus do We reward the good

Lo! he is one of Our believing slaves

And we gave him tidings of the birth of Isaac, a prophet of the righteous

And We blessed him and Isaac. And of their seed are some who do good, and some who plainly wrong themselves

And We verily gave grace unto Moses and Aaron

And saved them and their people from the great distress

And helped them so that they became the victors

And We gave them the clear Scripture

And showed them the right path

And We left for them among the later folk (the salutation)

Peace be unto Moses and Aaron

Lo! thus do We reward the good

Lo! they are two of Our believing slaves

And lo! Elias was of those sent (to warn)

When he said unto his folk: Will ye not ward off (evil)

Will ye cry unto Baal and forsake the Best of creators

Allah, your Lord and Lord of your forefathers

But they denied him, so they surely will be haled forth (to the doom)

Save single-minded slaves of Allah

And we left for him among the later folk (the salutation)

Peace be unto Elias

Lo! thus do We reward the good

Lo! he is one of our believing slaves

And lo! Lot verily was of those sent (to warn)

When We saved him and his household, every one

Save an old woman among those who stayed behind

Then We destroyed the others

And lo! ye verily pass by (the ruin of) them in the morning

And at night-time; have ye then no sense

And lo! Jonah verily was of those sent (to warn)

When he fled unto the laden ship

And then drew lots and was of those rejected

And the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy

And had he not been one of those who glorify (Allah)

He would have tarried in its belly till the day when they are raised

Then We cast him on a desert shore while he was sick

And We caused a tree of gourd to grow above him

And We sent him to a hundred thousand (folk) or more

And they believed, therefor We gave them comfort for a while

Now ask them (O Muhammad): Hath thy Lord daughters whereas they have sons

Or created We the angels females while they were present

Lo! it is of their falsehood that they say

Allah hath begotten. Allah! verily they tell a lie

(And again of their falsehood): He hath preferred daughters to sons

What aileth you? How judge ye

Will ye not then reflect

Or have ye a clear warrant

Then produce your writ, if ye are truthful

And they imagine kinship between him and the jinn, whereas the jinn know well that they will be brought before (Him)

Glorified be Allah from that which they attribute (unto Him)

Save single-minded slaves of Allah

Lo! verily, ye and that which ye worship

Ye cannot excite (anyone) against Him

Save him who is to burn in hell

There is not one of us but hath his known position

Lo! we, even we are they who set the ranks

Lo! we, even we are they who hymn His praise

And indeed they used to say

If we had but a reminder from the men of old

We would be single-minded slaves of Allah

Yet (now that it is come) they disbelieve therein; but they will come to know

And verily Our word went forth of old unto Our bondmen sent (to warn)

That they verily would be helped

And that Our host, they verily would be the victors

So withdraw from them (O Muhammad) awhile

And watch, for they will (soon) see

Would they hasten on Our doom

But when it cometh home to them, then it will be a hapless morn for those who have been warned

Withdraw from them awhile

And watch, for they will (soon) see

Glorified be thy Lord, the Lord of Majesty, from that which they attribute (unto Him)

And peace be unto those sent (to warn)

And praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds