سورة فصلت
Surah Fussilat
Explained in Detail
Surah Fussilat (Explained in Detail) is the 41st surah of the Quran. It has 54 verses and is a Meccan surah. Below is the complete Arabic text with an English translation and transliteration, verse by verse.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
حمٓ﴿١﴾
Hameem
Ḥā, Meem.
تَنزِيلࣱ مِّنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ﴿٢﴾
Tanzeelun mina alrrahmani alrraheemi
[This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful -
كِتَٰبࣱ فُصِّلَتۡ ءَايَٰتُهُۥ قُرۡءَانًا عَرَبِيࣰّا لِّقَوۡمࣲ يَعۡلَمُونَ﴿٣﴾
Kitabun fussilat ayatuhu quranan ʿarabiyyan liqawmin yaʿlamoona
A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Qur’ān for a people who know,
بَشِيرࣰا وَ نَذِيرࣰا فَأَعۡرَضَ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ﴿٤﴾
Basheeran wanatheeran faaʿrada aktharuhum fahum la yasmaʿoona
As a giver of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turn away, so they do not hear.
وَ قَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِيٓ أَكِنَّةࣲ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُونَآ إِلَيۡهِ وَ فِيٓ ءَاذَانِنَا وَقۡرࣱ وَ مِنۢ بَيۡنِنَا وَ بَيۡنِكَ حِجَابࣱ فَٱعۡمَلۡ إِنَّنَا عَٰمِلُونَ﴿٥﴾
Waqaloo quloobuna fee akinnatin mimma tadʿoona ilayhi wafee athanina waqrun wamin baynina wabaynika hijabun faiʿmal innana ʿamiloona
And they say, "Our hearts are within coverings [i.e., screened] from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work; indeed, we are working."
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرࣱ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهࣱ وَٰحِدࣱ فَٱسۡتَقِيمُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ وَ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُ ۗ وَ وَيۡلࣱ لِّلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ﴿٦﴾
Qul innama ana basharun mithlukum yooha ilayya annama ilahukum ilahun wahidun faistaqeemoo ilayhi waistaghfiroohu wawaylun lilmushrikeena
Say, [O Muḥammad], "I am only a man like you to whom it has been revealed that your god is but one God; so take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness." And woe to those who associate others with Allāh –
ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَ هُم بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ﴿٧﴾
Allatheena la yutoona alzzakata wahum bialakhirati hum kafiroona
Those who do not give zakāh, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَ عَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرٌ غَيۡرُ مَمۡنُونࣲ﴿٨﴾
Inna allatheena amanoo waʿamiloo alssalihati lahum ajrun ghayru mamnoonin
Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds - for them is a reward uninterrupted.
قُلۡ أَئِنَّكُمۡ لَتَكۡفُرُونَ بِٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي يَوۡمَيۡنِ وَ تَجۡعَلُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادࣰا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ﴿٩﴾
Qul ainnakum latakfuroona biallathee khalaqa alarda fee yawmayni watajʿaloona lahu andadan thalika rabbu alʿalameena
Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."
وَ جَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ مِن فَوۡقِهَا وَ بَٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَ قَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقۡوَٰتَهَا فِيٓ أَرۡبَعَةِ أَيَّامࣲ سَوَآءࣰ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ﴿١٠﴾
Wajaʿala feeha rawasiya min fawqiha wabaraka feeha waqaddara feeha aqwataha fee arbaʿati ayyamin sawaan lilssaileena
And He placed on it [i.e., the earth] firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days without distinction - for [the information of] those who ask.
ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَ هِيَ دُخَانࣱ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَ لِلۡأَرۡضِ ٱئۡتِيَا طَوۡعًا أَوۡ كَرۡهࣰا قَالَتَآ أَتَيۡنَا طَآئِعِينَ﴿١١﴾
Thumma istawa ila alssamai wahiya dukhanun faqala laha walilardi itiya tawʿan aw karhan qalata atayna taiʿeena
Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly."
فَقَضَىٰهُنَّ سَبۡعَ سَمَٰوَاتࣲ فِي يَوۡمَيۡنِ وَ أَوۡحَىٰ فِي كُلِّ سَمَآءٍ أَمۡرَهَا ۚ وَ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَ حِفۡظࣰا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقۡدِيرُ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡعَلِيمِ﴿١٢﴾
Faqadahunna sabʿa samawatin fee yawmayni waawha fee kulli samain amraha wazayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wahifthan thalika taqdeeru alʿazeezi alʿaleemi
And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired [i.e., made known] in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps [i.e., stars, for beauty] and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.
فَإِنۡ أَعۡرَضُواْ فَقُلۡ أَنذَرۡتُكُمۡ صَٰعِقَةࣰ مِّثۡلَ صَٰعِقَةِ عَادࣲ وَ ثَمُودَ﴿١٣﴾
Fain aʿradoo fuqul anthartukum saʿiqatan mithla saʿiqati ʿadin wathamooda
But if they turn away, then say, "I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt [that struck] ʿAad and Thamūd.
إِذۡ جَآءَتۡهُمُ ٱلرُّسُلُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَ مِنۡ خَلۡفِهِمۡ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ ۖ قَالُواْ لَوۡ شَآءَ رَبُّنَا لَأَنزَلَ مَلَٰٓئِكَةࣰ فَإِنَّا بِمَآ أُرۡسِلۡتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ﴿١٤﴾
Ith jaathumu alrrusulu min bayni aydeehim wamin khalfihim alla taʿbudoo illa Allaha qaloo law shaa rabbuna laanzala malaikatan fainna bima orsiltum bihi kafiroona
[That occurred] when the messengers had come to them before them and after them, [saying], "Worship not except Allāh." They said, "If our Lord had willed, He would have sent down the angels, so indeed we, in that with which you have been sent, are disbelievers."
فَأَمَّا عَادࣱ فَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَ قَالُواْ مَنۡ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً ۖ أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَهُمۡ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنۡهُمۡ قُوَّةࣰ ۖ وَ كَانُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يَجۡحَدُونَ﴿١٥﴾
Faamma ʿadun faistakbaroo fee alardi bighayri alhaqqi waqaloo man ashaddu minna quwwatan awalam yaraw anna Allaha allathee khalaqahum huwa ashaddu minhum quwwatan wakanoo biayatina yajhadoona
As for ʿAad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, "Who is greater than us in strength?" Did they not consider that Allāh who created them was greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs.
فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِيحࣰا صَرۡصَرࣰا فِيٓ أَيَّامࣲ نَّحِسَاتࣲ لِّنُذِيقَهُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡخِزۡيِ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا ۖ وَ لَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَخۡزَىٰ ۖ وَ هُمۡ لَا يُنصَرُونَ﴿١٦﴾
Faarsalna ʿalayhim reehan sarsaran fee ayyamin nahisatin linutheeqahum ʿathaba alkhizyi fee alhayati alddunya walaʿathabu alakhirati akhza wahum la yunsaroona
So We sent upon them a screaming wind during days of misfortune to make them taste the punishment of disgrace in the worldly life; but the punishment of the Hereafter is more disgracing, and they will not be helped.
وَ أَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيۡنَٰهُمۡ فَٱسۡتَحَبُّواْ ٱلۡعَمَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَأَخَذَتۡهُمۡ صَٰعِقَةُ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡهُونِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ﴿١٧﴾
Waamma thamoodu fahadaynahum faistahabboo alʿama ʿala alhuda faakhathathum saʿiqatu alʿathabi alhooni bima kanoo yaksiboona
And as for Thamūd, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance, so the thunderbolt of humiliating punishment seized them for what they used to earn.
وَ نَجَّيۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَ كَانُواْ يَتَّقُونَ﴿١٨﴾
Wanajjayna allatheena amanoo wakanoo yattaqoona
And We saved those who believed and used to fear Allāh.
وَ يَوۡمَ يُحۡشَرُ أَعۡدَآءُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَهُمۡ يُوزَعُونَ﴿١٩﴾
Wayawma yuhsharu aʿdao Allahi ila alnnari fahum yoozaʿoona
And [mention, O Muḥammad], the Day when the enemies of Allāh will be gathered to the Fire while they are [driven], assembled in rows,
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا مَا جَآءُوهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ سَمۡعُهُمۡ وَ أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ وَ جُلُودُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ﴿٢٠﴾
Hatta itha ma jaooha shahida ʿalayhim samʿuhum waabsaruhum wajulooduhum bima kanoo yaʿmaloona
Until, when they reach it, their hearing and their eyes and their skins will testify against them of what they used to do.
وَ قَالُواْ لِجُلُودِهِمۡ لِمَ شَهِدتُّمۡ عَلَيۡنَا ۖ قَالُوٓاْ أَنطَقَنَا ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَيۡءࣲ ۚ وَ هُوَ خَلَقَكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةࣲ وَ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ﴿٢١﴾
Waqaloo lijuloodihim lima shahidtum ʿalayna qaloo antaqana Allahu allathee antaqa kulla shayin wahuwa khalaqakum awwala marratin wailayhi turjaʿoona
And they will say to their skins, "Why have you testified against us?" They will say, "We were made to speak by Allāh, who has made everything speak; and He created you the first time, and to Him you are returned.
وَ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَسۡتَتِرُونَ أَن يَشۡهَدَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ سَمۡعُكُمۡ وَ لَآ أَبۡصَٰرُكُمۡ وَ لَا جُلُودُكُمۡ وَ لَٰكِن ظَنَنتُمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَعۡلَمُ كَثِيرࣰا مِّمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ﴿٢٢﴾
Wama kuntum tastatiroona an yashhada ʿalaykum samʿukum wala absarukum wala juloodukum walakin thanantum anna Allaha la yaʿlamu katheeran mimma taʿmaloona
And you were not covering [i.e., protecting] yourselves, lest your hearing testify against you or your sight or your skins, but you assumed that Allāh does not know much of what you do.
وَ ذَٰلِكُمۡ ظَنُّكُمُ ٱلَّذِي ظَنَنتُم بِرَبِّكُمۡ أَرۡدَىٰكُمۡ فَأَصۡبَحۡتُم مِّنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ﴿٢٣﴾
Wathalikum thannukumu allathee thanantum birabbikum ardakum faasbahtum mina alkhasireena
And that was your assumption which you assumed about your Lord. It has brought you to ruin, and you have become among the losers."
فَإِن يَصۡبِرُواْ فَٱلنَّارُ مَثۡوࣰى لَّهُمۡ ۖ وَ إِن يَسۡتَعۡتِبُواْ فَمَا هُم مِّنَ ٱلۡمُعۡتَبِينَ﴿٢٤﴾
Fain yasbiroo faalnnaru mathwan lahum wain yastaʿtiboo fama hum mina almuʿtabeena
So [even] if they are patient, the Fire is a residence for them; and if they ask to appease [Allāh], they will not be of those who are allowed to appease.
وَ قَيَّضۡنَا لَهُمۡ قُرَنَآءَ فَزَيَّنُواْ لَهُم مَّا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَ مَا خَلۡفَهُمۡ وَ حَقَّ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ فِيٓ أُمَمࣲ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَ ٱلۡإِنسِ ۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ خَٰسِرِينَ﴿٢٥﴾
Waqayyadna lahum quranaa fazayyanoo lahum ma bayna aydeehim wama khalfahum wahaqqa ʿalayhimu alqawlu fee omamin qad khalat min qablihim mina aljinni waalinsi innahum kanoo khasireena
And We appointed for them companions who made attractive to them what was before them and what was behind them [of sin], and the word [i.e., decree] has come into effect upon them among nations which had passed on before them of jinn and men. Indeed, they [all] were losers.
وَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَا تَسۡمَعُواْ لِهَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ وَ ٱلۡغَوۡاْ فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَغۡلِبُونَ﴿٢٦﴾
Waqala allatheena kafaroo la tasmaʿoo lihatha alqurani wailghaw feehi laʿallakum taghliboona
And those who disbelieve say, "Do not listen to this Qur’ān and speak noisily during [the recitation of] it that perhaps you will overcome."
فَلَنُذِيقَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ عَذَابࣰا شَدِيدࣰا وَ لَنَجۡزِيَنَّهُمۡ أَسۡوَأَ ٱلَّذِي كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ﴿٢٧﴾
Falanutheeqanna allatheena kafaroo ʿathaban shadeedan walanajziyannahum aswaa allathee kanoo yaʿmaloona
But We will surely cause those who disbelieve to taste a severe punishment, and We will surely recompense them for the worst of what they had been doing.
ذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ أَعۡدَآءِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ لَهُمۡ فِيهَا دَارُ ٱلۡخُلۡدِ جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يَجۡحَدُونَ﴿٢٨﴾
Thalika jazao aʿdai Allahi alnnaru lahum feeha daru alkhuldi jazaan bima kanoo biayatina yajhadoona
That is the recompense of the enemies of Allāh - the Fire. For them therein is the home of eternity as recompense for what they, of Our verses, were rejecting.
وَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ رَبَّنَآ أَرِنَا ٱلَّذَيۡنِ أَضَلَّانَا مِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَ ٱلۡإِنسِ نَجۡعَلۡهُمَا تَحۡتَ أَقۡدَامِنَا لِيَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلۡأَسۡفَلِينَ﴿٢٩﴾
Waqala allatheena kafaroo rabbana arina allathayni adallana mina aljinni waalinsi najʿalhuma tahta aqdamina liyakoona mina alasfaleena
And those who disbelieved will [then] say, "Our Lord, show us those who misled us of the jinn and men [so] we may put them under our feet that they will be among the lowest."
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُواْ وَ لَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَ أَبۡشِرُواْ بِٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ﴿٣٠﴾
Inna allatheena qaloo rabbuna Allahu thumma istaqamoo tatanazzalu ʿalayhimu almalaikatu alla takhafoo wala tahzanoo waabshiroo bialjannati allatee kuntum tooʿadoona
Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allāh" and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.
نَحۡنُ أَوۡلِيَآؤُكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ ۖ وَ لَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِيٓ أَنفُسُكُمۡ وَ لَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ﴿٣١﴾
Nahnu awliyaokum fee alhayati alddunya wafee alakhirati walakum feeha ma tashtahee anfusukum walakum feeha ma taddaʿoona
We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]
نُزُلࣰا مِّنۡ غَفُورࣲ رَّحِيمࣲ﴿٣٢﴾
Nuzulan min ghafoorin raheemin
As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful."
وَ مَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ قَوۡلࣰا مِّمَّن دَعَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحࣰا وَ قَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ﴿٣٣﴾
Waman ahsanu qawlan mimman daʿa ila Allahi waʿamila salihan waqala innanee mina almuslimeena
And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allāh and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims."
وَ لَا تَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡحَسَنَةُ وَ لَا ٱلسَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ٱدۡفَعۡ بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِي بَيۡنَكَ وَ بَيۡنَهُۥ عَدَٰوَةࣱ كَأَنَّهُۥ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمࣱ﴿٣٤﴾
Wala tastawee alhasanatu wala alssayyiatu idfaʿ biallatee hiya ahsanu faitha allathee baynaka wabaynahu ʿadawatun kaannahu waliyyun hameemun
And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon, the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.
وَ مَا يُلَقَّىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَ مَا يُلَقَّىٰهَآ إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمࣲ﴿٣٥﴾
Wama yulaqqaha illa allatheena sabaroo wama yulaqqaha illa thoo haththin ʿatheemin
But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good].
وَ إِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ نَزۡغࣱ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ﴿٣٦﴾
Waimma yanzaghannaka mina alshshaytani nazghun faistaʿith biAllahi innahu huwa alssameeʿu alʿaleemu
And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
وَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِ ٱلَّيۡلُ وَ ٱلنَّهَارُ وَ ٱلشَّمۡسُ وَ ٱلۡقَمَرُ ۚ لَا تَسۡجُدُواْ لِلشَّمۡسِ وَ لَا لِلۡقَمَرِ وَ ٱسۡجُدُواْۤ لِلَّهِۤ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمۡ إِيَّاهُ تَعۡبُدُونَ﴿٣٧﴾
Wamin ayatihi allaylu waalnnaharu waalshshamsu waalqamaru la tasjudoo lilshshamsi wala lilqamari waosjudoo lillahi alathee khalaqahunna in kuntum iyyahu taʿbudoona
And of His signs are the night and day and the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate to Allāh, who created them, if it should be Him that you worship.
فَإِنِ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ فَٱلَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ يُسَبِّحُونَ لَهُۥ بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَ هُمۡ لَا يَسۡـَٔمُونَ ۩﴿٣٨﴾
Faini istakbaroo faallatheena ʿinda rabbika yusabbihoona lahu biallayli waalnnahari wahum la yasamoona
But if they are arrogant - then those who are near your Lord [i.e., the angels] exalt Him by night and by day, and they do not become weary.
وَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنَّكَ تَرَى ٱلۡأَرۡضَ خَٰشِعَةࣰ فَإِذَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهَا ٱلۡمَآءَ ٱهۡتَزَّتۡ وَ رَبَتۡ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَحۡيَاهَا لَمُحۡيِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءࣲ قَدِيرٌ﴿٣٩﴾
Wamin ayatihi annaka tara alarda khashiʿatan faitha anzalna ʿalayha almaa ihtazzat warabat inna allathee ahyaha lamuhyee almawta innahu ʿala kulli shayin qadeerun
And of His signs is that you see the earth stilled, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and grows. Indeed, He who has given it life is the Giver of Life to the dead. Indeed, He is over all things competent.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلۡحِدُونَ فِيٓ ءَايَٰتِنَا لَا يَخۡفَوۡنَ عَلَيۡنَآ ۗ أَفَمَن يُلۡقَىٰ فِي ٱلنَّارِ خَيۡرٌ أَم مَّن يَأۡتِيٓ ءَامِنࣰا يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ ۚ ٱعۡمَلُواْ مَا شِئۡتُمۡ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴿٤٠﴾
Inna allatheena yulhidoona fee ayatina la yakhfawna ʿalayna afaman yulqa fee alnnari khayrun am man yatee aminan yawma alqiyamati iʿmaloo ma shitum innahu bima taʿmaloona baseerun
Indeed, those who inject deviation into Our verses are not concealed from Us. So, is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do whatever you will; indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِٱلذِّكۡرِ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ ۖ وَ إِنَّهُۥ لَكِتَٰبٌ عَزِيزࣱ﴿٤١﴾
Inna allatheena kafaroo bialththikri lamma jaahum wainnahu lakitabun ʿazeezun
Indeed, those who disbelieve in the message [i.e., the Qur’ān] after it has come to them... And indeed, it is a mighty Book.
لَّا يَأۡتِيهِ ٱلۡبَٰطِلُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَ لَا مِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦ ۖ تَنزِيلࣱ مِّنۡ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدࣲ﴿٤٢﴾
La yateehi albatilu min bayni yadayhi wala min khalfihi tanzeelun min hakeemin hameedin
Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.
مَّا يُقَالُ لَكَ إِلَّا مَا قَدۡ قِيلَ لِلرُّسُلِ مِن قَبۡلِكَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغۡفِرَةࣲ وَ ذُو عِقَابٍ أَلِيمࣲ﴿٤٣﴾
Ma yuqalu laka illa ma qad qeela lilrrusuli min qablika inna rabbaka lathoo maghfiratin wathoo ʿiqabin aleemin
Nothing is said to you, [O Muḥammad], except what was already said to the messengers before you. Indeed, your Lord is a possessor of forgiveness and a possessor of painful penalty.
وَ لَوۡ جَعَلۡنَٰهُ قُرۡءَانًا أَعۡجَمِيࣰّا لَّقَالُواْ لَوۡلَا فُصِّلَتۡ ءَايَٰتُهُۥٓ ۖ ءَا۬عۡجَمِيࣱّ وَ عَرَبِيࣱّ ۗ قُلۡ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدࣰى وَ شِفَآءࣱ ۚ وَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ فِيٓ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ وَقۡرࣱ وَ هُوَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ عَمًى ۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يُنَادَوۡنَ مِن مَّكَانِۭ بَعِيدࣲ﴿٤٤﴾
Walaw jaʿalnahu quranan aʿjamiyyan laqaloo lawla fussilat ayatuhu aaʿjamiyyun waʿarabiyyun qul huwa lillatheena amanoo hudan washifaon waallatheena la yuminoona fee athanihim waqrun wahuwa ʿalayhim ʿaman olaika yunadawna min makanin baʿeedin
And if We had made it a foreign [i.e., non-Arabic] Qur’ān, they would have said, "Why are its verses not explained in detail [in our language]? Is it a foreign [recitation] and an Arab [messenger]?" Say, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure." And those who do not believe - in their ears is deafness, and it is upon them blindness. Those are being called from a distant place.
وَ لَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ فَٱخۡتُلِفَ فِيهِ ۚ وَ لَوۡلَا كَلِمَةࣱ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ ۚ وَ إِنَّهُمۡ لَفِي شَكࣲّ مِّنۡهُ مُرِيبࣲ﴿٤٥﴾
Walaqad atayna moosa alkitaba faikhtulifa feehi walawla kalimatun sabaqat min rabbika laqudiya baynahum wainnahum lafee shakkin minhu mureebin
And We had already given Moses the Scripture, but it came under disagreement. And if not for a word [i.e., decree] that preceded from your Lord, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed they are, concerning it [i.e., the Qur’ān], in disquieting doubt.
مَّنۡ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحࣰا فَلِنَفۡسِهِۦ ۖ وَ مَنۡ أَسَآءَ فَعَلَيۡهَا ۗ وَ مَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّٰمࣲ لِّلۡعَبِيدِ﴿٤٦﴾
Man ʿamila salihan falinafsihi waman asaa faʿalayha wama rabbuka bithallamin lilʿabeedi
Whoever does righteousness - it is for his [own] soul; and whoever does evil [does so] against it. And your Lord is not ever unjust to [His] servants.
إِلَيۡهِ يُرَدُّ عِلۡمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ ۚ وَ مَا تَخۡرُجُ مِن ثَمَرَٰتࣲ مِّنۡ أَكۡمَامِهَا وَ مَا تَحۡمِلُ مِنۡ أُنثَىٰ وَ لَا تَضَعُ إِلَّا بِعِلۡمِهِۦ ۚ وَ يَوۡمَ يُنَادِيهِمۡ أَيۡنَ شُرَكَآءِي قَالُوٓاْ ءَاذَنَّٰكَ مَا مِنَّا مِن شَهِيدࣲ﴿٤٧﴾
Ilayhi yuraddu ʿilmu alssaʿati wama takhruju min thamaratin min akmamiha wama tahmilu min ontha wala tadaʿu illa biʿilmihi wayawma yunadeehim ayna shurakaee qaloo athannaka ma minna min shaheedin
To Him [alone] is attributed knowledge of the Hour. And fruits emerge not from their coverings nor does a female conceive or give birth except with His knowledge. And the Day He will call to them, "Where are My 'partners'?" they will say, "We announce to You that there is [no longer] among us any witness [to that]."
وَ ضَلَّ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَدۡعُونَ مِن قَبۡلُ ۖ وَ ظَنُّواْ مَا لَهُم مِّن مَّحِيصࣲ﴿٤٨﴾
Wadalla ʿanhum ma kanoo yadʿoona min qablu wathannoo ma lahum min maheesin
And lost from them will be those they were invoking before, and they will be certain that they have no place of escape.
لَّا يَسۡـَٔمُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مِن دُعَآءِ ٱلۡخَيۡرِ وَ إِن مَّسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَيَـُٔوسࣱ قَنُوطࣱ﴿٤٩﴾
La yasamu alinsanu min duʿai alkhayri wain massahu alshsharru fayaoosun qanootun
Man is not weary of supplication for good [things], but if evil touches him, he is hopeless and despairing.
وَ لَئِنۡ أَذَقۡنَٰهُ رَحۡمَةࣰ مِّنَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتۡهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَٰذَا لِي وَ مَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةࣰ وَ لَئِن رُّجِعۡتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّيٓ إِنَّ لِي عِندَهُۥ لَلۡحُسۡنَىٰ ۚ فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَ لَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظࣲ﴿٥٠﴾
Walain athaqnahu rahmatan minna min baʿdi darraa massathu layaqoolanna hatha lee wama athunnu alssaʿata qaimatan walain rujiʿtu ila rabbee inna lee ʿindahu lalhusna falanunabbianna allatheena kafaroo bima ʿamiloo walanutheeqannahum min ʿathabin ghaleethin
And if We let him taste mercy from Us after an adversity which has touched him, he will surely say, "This is [due] to me, and I do not think the Hour will occur; and [even] if I should be returned to my Lord, indeed, for me there will be with Him the best." But We will surely inform those who disbelieved about what they did, and We will surely make them taste a massive punishment.
وَ إِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَ نَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ وَ إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضࣲ﴿٥١﴾
Waitha anʿamna ʿala alinsani aʿrada wanaa bijanibihi waitha massahu alshsharru fathoo duʿain ʿareedin
And when We bestow favor upon man, he turns away and distances himself; but when evil touches him, then he is full of extensive supplication.
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن كَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ كَفَرۡتُم بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنۡ هُوَ فِي شِقَاقِۭ بَعِيدࣲ﴿٥٢﴾
Qul araaytum in kana min ʿindi Allahi thumma kafartum bihi man adallu mimman huwa fee shiqaqin baʿeedin
Say, "Have you considered: if it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is from Allāh and you disbelieved in it, who would be more astray than one who is in extreme dissension?"
سَنُرِيهِمۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا فِي ٱلۡأٓفَاقِ وَ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمۡ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ ۗ أَوَلَمۡ يَكۡفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءࣲ شَهِيدٌ﴿٥٣﴾
Sanureehim ayatina fee alafaqi wafee anfusihim hatta yatabayyana lahum annahu alhaqqu awalam yakfi birabbika annahu ʿala kulli shayin shaheedun
We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?
أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ فِي مِرۡيَةࣲ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمۡ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءࣲ مُّحِيطُۢ﴿٥٤﴾
Ala innahum fee miryatin min liqai rabbihim ala innahu bikulli shayin muheetun
Unquestionably, they are in doubt about the meeting with their Lord. Unquestionably He is, of all things, encompassing.
Translation: Saheeh International · Transliteration
About this surah
Name
The name of this Surah is composed of two words, Ha-Mim and As-Sajdah, which implies that it is a Surah which begins with Ha-Mim and in which a verse requiring the performance of sajdah (prostration) has occurred.
Period of Revelation
According to authentic Traditions, it was sent down after the affirmation of the Faith by Hadrat Hamzah and before the affirmation of the Faith by Hadrat Umar. Muhammad bin Ishaq, the earliest biographer of the Holy Prophet, has related on the authority of Muhammad bin Ka'b al-Qurzi, the famous follower of the Companions, that one day some of the Quraish chiefs were sitting in their assembly in the Masjid al-Haram, while in another corner of the Mosque there was the Holy Prophet sitting by himself. This was the time when Hadrat Hamzah had already embraced Islam and the people of the Quraish were feeling upset at the growing numbers of the Muslims. On this occasion, Utbah bin Rabi'ah (the father-in-law of Abu Sufyan) said to the Quraish chiefs: "Gentlemen, if you like I would go and speak to Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) and put before him some proposals; maybe that he accepts one of them, to which we may also agree, and so he stops opposing us." They all agreed to this, and Utbah went and sat by the Holy Prophet. When the Holy Prophet turned to him, he said: "Nephew, you know the high status that you enjoy in the community by virtue of your ancestry and family relations, but you have put your people to great trouble: you have created divisions among them and you consider them to be fools: you talk ill of their religion and gods, and say things as though all our forefathers were pagans. Now listen to me and I shall make some suggestions. Consider them well: maybe that you accept one of them." The Holy Prophet said: "Abul Walid, say what you want to say and I shall listen to you." He said, "Nephew, if by what you are doing, you want wealth, we will give you enough of it so that you will be the richest man among us; if you want to became an important man, we will make you our chief and will never decide a matter without you; if you want to be a king, we will accept you as our king; and if you are visited by a jinn, whom you cannot get rid of by your own power, we will arrange the best physicians and have you treated at our own expense." 'Utbah went on speaking in this strain and the Holy Prophet went on listening to him quietly. Then he said, "Have you said, O Abul Walid, what you had to say?" He replied that he had. The Holy Prophet said: "Well, now listen to me."Then pronouncing Bismilah ir Rehman-ir-Raihm he began to recite this very Surah, and Utbah kept on listening to it, putting his hands behind his back and leaning on them as he listened. Coming to the verse of prostration (v. 38) the Holy Prophet prostrated himself; then raising his head, said, "This was my reply, O Abul Walid, now you may act as you please." then Utbah arose and walked back towards the chiefs, the people saw him from afar, and said: "By God! Utbab's face is changed. He does not look the same man that he was when he went from here." Then, when he came back and sat down, the people asked, "What have you heard?" He replied, "By God! I have heard something the like of which I had never heard before. By God, it's neither poetry, nor sorcery, nor magic. O chiefs of the Quraish, listen to what I say and leave this man to himself. I think what he recites is going to have its effect. If the other Arabs overcome him, you will be saved from raising your band against your brother, and the others will deal with him. But if he overcame Arabia, his sovereignty would be your sovereignty and his honor your honor." Hearing this the chiefs spoke out:"You too, O father of Walid, have been bewitched by his tongue." Utbah replied, "I have given you my opinion; now you may act as you please." (Ibn Hisham, vol. I, pp. 313-314).
This story has been narrated by several other traditionists also on the authority of Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah in different ways, with a little variation in wording. In some traditions it has also been related that when during the recitation the Holy Prophet had come to verse 13, viz."If they turn away, say to them: I warn you of a thunderbolt the like of which had visited the Ad and the Thamud,"Utbah had spontaneously placed his hand on the Holy Prophet's mouth, and said: "For God's sake, have mercy on your people." Afterwards he justified his action before the Quraish chiefs, saying: "You know that whatever Muhammad says is always fulfilled; therefore, I feared lest a torment should descend on us." (For details, see Tafsir Ibn Kathir, vol. IV, pp. 90- 91; Al Bidayah wan-Nihayah, vol. III, p. 62).
Theme and Subject Matter
In the discourse that Allah sent down in response to what Utbah said, no attention whatever was paid to the absurd proposals that he had made to the Holy Prophet. For what he had said was, in fact, an attack on the Holy Prophet's intention and his intellect. His assumption was that as there was no possibility of his being a Prophet and the Quran being Allah's Revelation, inevitably the motive of his invitation must either be the desire to obtain wealth and political power, or, God forbid, he had lost his reason. In the first case, he wanted to make a bargain with the Holy Prophet; in the second, he was insulting him when he said that the Quraish chiefs would have been cured of his madness at their own expense. Obviously, when the opponents come down to such absurd things, no gentleman would like to answer them, but would ignore them and say what he himself had to say.
Therefore, ignoring what Utbah said, this Surah makes antagonism its subject of discussion, which the unbelieving Quraish were showing stubbornly and wickedly in order to defeat the message of the Qur'an. They would say to tho Holy Prophet, "You may try however hard you try: we would not listen to you. We have put coverings on our hearts and we have closed our ears. There is a wall between you and us, which would never let us meet together."
They had given a clear notice to the Holy Prophet to the effect: "You may continue your mission of inviting the people to yourself, but we would go on opposing you as hard as we can to frustrate your mission."
For this object they had devised the following plan: Whenever the Holy Prophet or a follower of his would try to recite the Qur'an before the people, they would at once raise such a hue and cry that no one could bear anything.
They were desperately trying to misconstrue the verses of the Qur'an and spread every kind of misunderstanding among the people. They misconstrued everything and found fault even with the straightforward things. They would isolate words and sentences from their right context, from here and there, and would add their own words in order to put new meanings on them so as to mislead the people about the Quran and the Messenger who presented it.
They would raise strange objections a specimen of which has been presented in this Surah. They said, "If an Arab presents a discourse in Arabic, what could be the miracle in it? Arabic is his mother tongue. Anyone could compose anything that he pleased in his mother tongue and then make the claim that he had received it from God. It would be a miracle if the person would suddenly arise and make an eloquent speech in a foreign tongue which he did not know. Then only could one say that the discourse was not of his own composition but a revelation from God."
Here is a resume of what has been said in answer to this deaf and blind opposition:
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The Qur'an is most certainly the Word of God, which He has sent down in Arabic. The ignorant people do not find any light of knowledge in the truths that have been presented in it plainly and clearly, but the people of understanding are seeing this light as well as benefiting by it. It is surely Allah's mercy that He has sent down this Word for the guidance of man. If a person regarded it as an affliction, it would be his own misfortune. Good news is for those who benefit by it and warning for those who turn away from it.
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If you have put coverings on your hearts and have made yourselves deaf, it is none of the Prophet's job to make the one hear who does not want to hear, and the one who does not want to understand understand forcibly. He is a man like you; he can make only those to hear and understand, who are inclined to hear and understand.
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Whether you close down your eyes and ears and put coverings on your hearts, the fact, however, is that your God is only One God, and you are not the servant of any one else. Your stubbornness cannot change this reality in any way. If you accept this truth and correct your behavior accordingly you will do good only to yourselves, and if you reject it, you will only be preparing your own doom.
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Do you have any understanding as to whom you disbelieve and with whom you associate others in divinity? It is with regard to that God Who has created this limitless universe, Who is the Creator of the earth and heavens, from Whose blessings you are benefiting on the earth, and on Whose provisions you are being fed and sustained. You set up His mean creatures as His associates and then you are made to understand the truth you turn away in stubbornness.
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If you still do not believe, then be aware that a sudden torment is about to visit you, the like of which had visited the Ad and the Thamud, and this torment also will not be the final punishment of your crimes, but there is in addition the accountability and the fire of Hell in the Hereafter.
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Wretched is the man who gets as company such satans from among men and jinn, who show him nothing but green and pleasant, who make his follies seem fair to him, who neither let him think aright himself nor let him hear right from others. But on the Day of Reckoning when their doom overtakes them, each one of them will say that if he happened to get hold of those who had misled and deceived him in the world, he would trample them under his foot.
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This Quran is an unchangeable Book. You can not defeat it by your machinations and falsehoods. Whether falsehood comes from the front or makes a secret and indirect attack from behind, it cannot succeed in refuting it.
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Today when this Quran is being Presented in your own language so that you may understand it, you say that it should have been sent down in some foreign tongue. But had We sent it in a foreign tongue for your guidance, you would yourselves have called it a joke, as if to say, "What a strange thing! The Arabs are being given guidance in a non- Arabic language, which nobody understands." This means that you, in fact, have no desire to obtain guidance. You are only inventing ever new excuses for not affirming the faith.
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Have you ever considered that if it became established that the Qur'an was really from Allah, then what fate you would meet by denying it and opposing it so vehemently as you do?
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Today you do not believe but soon you will see with your own eyes that the message of this Qur'an had pervaded the whole world and you have yourselves been overwhelmed by it. Then you will come to know that what you were being told was the very truth.
Besides giving these answers to the opponents, attention has been paid to the problems which the believers and the Holy Prophet himself were facing in that environment of active resistance. Not to speak of preaching the message to others, the believers were even finding it difficult to follow the way of the Faith. Any one about whom it became known that he had become a Muslim, life would become an agony. As against the dreadful combination of the enemy and its all pervading power, they were feeling utterly helpless and powerless. In this state, in the first place, they were consoled and encouraged, as if to say: "You are not, in fact, helpless and powerless, for any person who believes in God as his Lord and adheres to this belief and way of life resolutely, God's angels descend on him and help and support him at every stage, from the life of this world till the Hereafter." Then they were encouraged with the consolation: "The best man is be who does good, invites others to God and proclaims firmly that he is a Muslim."
The question that was vexing the Holy Prophet at that time was as to how be should carve out a way of preaching his message when he had to face such heavy odds on every side. The solution he was given to this question was: "Although apparently the obstacles seem to be insurmountable, the weapon of good morals and character can smash and melt them away. Use this weapon patiently, and whenever Satan provokes you and incites you to use some other device, seek refuge in Allah."
Source: Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Quran