The Throngs (Al-Zumer)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ issues from God, the Almighty, the Wise: 1 We have sent down the Book with the truth to you (Prophet Muhammad), therefore worship Allah, and make your religion sincerely His. 2 Is it not that the sincere religion belongs to Allah? As for those who choose guardians, other than Him, (saying): 'We only worship them so that they will bring us near to Allah' Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning their differences. Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is an unthankful liar. 3 Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring or children), He could have chosen whom He pleased out of those whom He created. But glory be to Him! (He is above such things). He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. 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 It is He Who created you from a single being, and then from the same being created its spouse, and sent down for you eight pairs of animals; He creates you in your mothers’ wombs, from one sort to another, in a triple darkness; such is Allah, your Lord – for Him only is the kingship; there is no God except Him; so where are you being turned away? 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 ۞ 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 Or, is he who is obedient that prostrates himself and stands during parts of the night, being afraid of the Everlasting Life but hoping for the Mercy of the Lord (to be compared to the unbeliever)' Say: 'Are they equal, those who know and those who do not know' Only those with minds remember. 9