The Throngs (Al-Zumer)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ issues from God, the Almighty, the Wise: 1 Verily it is We Who have revealed the Book to thee in Truth: so serve Allah, offering Him sincere devotion. 2 Surely pure religion is for Allah only. And those who choose protecting friends beside Him (say): We worship them only that they may bring us near unto Allah. Lo! Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Lo! Allah guideth not him who is a liar, an ingrate. 3 Had God desired to take to Him a son, He would have chosen whatever He willed of that He has created. Glory be to Him! He is God, the One, the Omnipotent. 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 it is Who created you from a single being, and He it is Who made from it its mate. He it is Who created for you eight heads of cattle in pairs. He creates you in your mothers' wombs, giving you one form after another in threefold depths of darkness. That, then, is Allah, your Lord. His is the kingdom. There is no god but He. So, whence are you being turned astray? 6 If you are ungrateful, then surely Allah is Self-sufficient above all need of you; and He does not like ungratefulness in His servants; and if you are grateful, He likes it in you; and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; then to your Lord is your return, then will He inform you of what you did; surely He is Cognizant of what is in the breasts. 7 ۞ When any affliction befalls man, he cries out to his Lord, penitently turning to Him. But when his Lord bestows His favour upon him, he forgets the affliction regarding which he had cried out and sets up compeers to Allah that they may lead others astray from His Path. Say, (O Prophet): “Enjoy your unbelief for a while. Surely you will be among the inmates of the Fire.” 8 Or [dost thou deem thyself equal to] one who devoutly worships [God] throughout the night, prostrating himself or standing [in prayer,] ever-mindful of the life to come, and hoping for his Sustainer's grace?" Say: "Can they who know and they who do not know be deemed equal?" [But] only they who are endowed with insight keep this in mind! 9