The Throngs (Al-Zumer)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
THE REVELATION OF this Book is from God, the mighty 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 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 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 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 He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)? 6 If you are unthankful, God is independent of you, yet He approves not unthankfulness in His servants; but if you are thankful, He will approve it in you. And no soul laden bears the load of another. Then to your Lord shall you return, and He will tell you what you have been doing. He knows the thoughts within the breasts. 7 ۞ And when some hardship strikes man, he prays to his Lord, inclined only towards Him – then when Allah grants him a favour from Himself, he forgets why he had prayed to Him earlier, and sets up equals to Allah in order to mislead from Allah’s way; proclaim, “Revel in your disbelief for some days; you are indeed of the people of 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