The Throngs (Al-Zumer)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ issues from God, the Almighty, the Wise: 1 Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book, [O Muhammad], in truth. So worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. 2 Remember that devotion is exclusively for God. Those who have taken protectors other than Him, say: "We worship them that they may bring us nearer to God." Surely God will judge between them in what they are differing about. Verily God does not show the way to an ungrateful liar. 3 If Allah had willed to choose a son, He could have chosen what He would of that which He hath created. Be He Glorified! He is Allah, the One, the Absolute. 4 He has created the heavens and the earth with precision. He folds the day up over the night, and folds the night up over the day. He has subjugated the sun and moon, (so that) each runs its appointed course. Is He not all-mighty and forgiving? 5 He created you of a single soul, and made his spouse therefrom; and of the cattle He sent down unto you eight pairs. He createth you in the bellies of your mothers, one creation after creation, in a threefold darkness. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the dominion, there is no god but He. Whither then turn ye away? 6 If you are ungrateful, remember that God has no need of you. He is not pleased by ingratitude in His servants; if you are grateful, He is pleased [to see] it in you. No soul shall bear another's burden. You will return to your Lord in the end and He will declare to you what you have done: He knows well what is in the hearts of men. 7 ۞ And when some hardship strikes man, he prays to his Lord, inclined only towards Him – then when Allah grants him a favour from Himself, he forgets why he had prayed to Him earlier, and sets up equals to Allah in order to mislead from Allah’s way; proclaim, “Revel in your disbelief for some days; you are indeed of the people of the fire.” 8 Is he who prays devoutly to God in the hours of the night, prostrating himself and standing in prayer, who is ever mindful of the life to come and hopes for the mercy of his Lord [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Truly, only those endowed with understanding will take heed. 9