The Throngs (Al-Zumer)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The revelation of the Qur'an is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise. 1 Verily We! We have sent down the Book unto thee with truth: wherefore worship thou Allah, making exclusion for Him in religion. 2 Lo, religion is exclusively devoted to Allah. Your religion is entirely consecrated to Him. As for those who have taken others than Allah for their guardians, (they say): “We worship them only that they may bring us nearer to Allah.” Allah will judge between them concerning what they differ about. Verily Allah does not guide anyone who is given to sheer lying, is an utter unbeliever. 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 created the heavens and the earth for a true purpose; He causes the night to succeed the day and the day to succeed the night; He has subjected the sun and moon, so that they run their courses for an appointed time; He is truly the Mighty, the Forgiving. 5 He created you from a single cell, then from it created its mate; arid provided eight varieties of cattle for you. He formed you in the mother's womb, formation after formation in three (veils of) darkness. He is God your Lord. His is the kingdom. There is no god other than He. How then can you turn away? 6 If you disbelieve, then verily, Allah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you. No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, so He will inform you what you used to do. Verily, He is the All-Knower of that which is in (men's) 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 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