The Throngs (Al-Zumer)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
This Book is a revelation from God, the Majestic and All-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 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 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 the truth; He makes the night cover the day and makes the day overtake the night, and He has made the sun and the moon subservient; each one runs on to an assigned term; now surely He is the Mighty, the great Forgiver. 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 become ungrateful, then (know that) indeed Allah is Independent of you; and He does not like the ungratefulness of His bondmen; and if you give thanks, He is pleased with it for you; and no burdened soul will bear another soul’s burden; you have then to return towards your Lord – He will therefore inform you of what you used to do; undoubtedly, He knows what lies within the hearts. 7 ۞ And when distress afflicts a man he calls upon his Lord turning to Him frequently; then when He makes him possess a favor from Him, he forgets that for which he called upon Him before, and sets up rivals to Allah that he may cause (men) to stray off from His path. Say: Enjoy yourself in your ungratefulness a little, surely you are of the inmates of the fire. 8 Can one who prays in the watches of the night, bowing in homage or standing attentive, fearful of the life to come, and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (be like one who does not)? Say: "Can those who know, and those who do not know, be equal? Only they think who are wise." 9