The Throngs (Al-Zumer)
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
This Book is sent down by God the Mighty, 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 Pay heed! Worship is for Allah only; and those who have taken others as their supporters beside Him say; “We worship* them only so that they get us closer to Allah”; Allah will surely judge between them regarding the matter in which they dispute; indeed Allah does not guide one who is a big liar, extremely ungrateful. (*The pagans regarded their idols as smaller Gods and worshipped them. So did the Christians. This does not apply to Muslims who only respect their elders, and ask for their blessings.) 3 Were Allah to create a son* for Himself, He would have chosen any one from His creation! Purity is to Him! He is Allah, the One, the All Dominant. (*Which is impossible.) 4 He has created the heavens and the earth for a genuine purpose. He covers the night with the day and the day with the night and has subdued the sun and the moon, each of which floats for an appointed time. God is certainly Majestic and All-Forgiving. 5 He created you of a single soul, then from it He appointed its mate; and He sent down to you of the cattle eight couples. He creates you in your mothers' wombs creation after creation in threefold shadows. That then is God, your Lord; to Him belongs the Kingdom; there is no god but He; so how are you turned about? 6 If you disbelieve, know well that Allah has no need of you. Yet He does not like unbelief in His servants. But if you are thankful, your thankfulness will please Him. No one shall bear another's burden. You are destined to return to your Lord and He will tell you what you used to do. He is well aware even of what lies hidden in your breasts. 7 ۞ NOW [thus it is:] when affliction befalls man, he is likely to cry out to his Sustainer, turning unto Him [for help]; but as soon as He has bestowed upon him a boon by His grace, he forgets Him whom he invoked before, and claims that there are other powers that could rival God - and thus leads [others] astray from His path. Say [unto him who sins in this way]: "Enjoy thyself for a while in this thy denial of the truth; [yet,] verily, thou art of those who are destined for the fire! 8 Is such a person (preferable or he) who is obedient, and prostrates himself in the watches of the night, stands (in Prayer), is fearful of the Hereafter, and looks forward to the mercy of His Lord? Ask them: “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only those endowed with understanding take heed. 9