سورة Saba ( Sheba )

ALL PRAISE BE to God to whom belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth, and His the praise in the world to come. He is all-wise and all-knowing.

He knows whatever goes into the earth and whatsoever issues from it, whatsoever comes down from the sky, and whatsoever goes up to it. He is all-merciful, all-forgiving.

The unbelievers say: \"There is no coming of the Hour for us.\" Say: \"Why not? By my Lord, the knower of the unknown, it will certainly come for you. Not even an atom's weight in the heavens and the earth, or something smaller or greater than it, is hidden from Him, and which is not recorded in the all-too-manifest Book,

In order that He may recompense those who have believed and done the right. For them will be forgiveness and worthy sustenance.

As for those who try to subvert Our signs, there is a punishment of painful torment.

Those who have been given knowledge realise what has been revealed by the Lord is the truth, and leads to the path of the mighty and praiseworthy (God).

The disbelievers say: \"Shall we tell you of a man who prophesies that when you are reduced to particles and vanished in the dust, you will become a new creation

Has he fabricated a lie about God, or is he possessed?\" Not so; but those who believe not in the Hereafter are themselves afflicted and far astray.

Do they not see what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth? We could cleave the earth and sink them, if We pleased, or drop a fragment of the sky upon them. There is surely a sign in this for every penitent creature.

We favoured David with excellence, (and commanded): \"O Jibal and Tair, glorify the greatness of God with him.\" And We made iron pliable for him.

\"Make long coats of mail,\" (We said), \"and fix their links, and do the right. I surely see whatsoever you do.\"

We (subjugated) the wind to Solomon. Its morning's journey took one month, and the evening's one month. We made a spring of molten brass to flow for him; and many jinns laboured for him by the will of his Lord. Anyone of them who turned from Our command was made to taste the torment of blazing fire.

They made for him whatever he wished, synagogues and statues, dishes large as water-troughs, and cauldrons firmly fixed (on ovens; and We said): \"O House of David, act, and give thanks.\" But few among My creatures are thankful.

When We ordained (Solomon's) death, none but the weevil, that was eating away his staff (on which he rested), pointed out to them that he was dead. When he fell down (dead) the jinns realised that if they had knowledge of the Unknown they would never have suffered demeaning labour.

There was a sign for the people of Saba in their habitations: Two gardens, on the right and left. (And they were told:) \"Eat of what your Lord has given you and be thankful. Fair is your land, and forgiving your Lord.\"

But they turned away. So We let loose on them the inundation of (the dyke of) al-'Arim, replacing their gardens with two other gardens which bore only bitter gourd, and tamarisks and a few sparse lote-trees.

That is how We requited them for their ingratitude. We only punish those who are ungrateful.

Between them and the cities We had blessed We placed towns along the highway, and made them stages on their journey, (saying): \"Travel between them in safety by day or by night.\"

But they said: \"O Lord, make the distance between the stages of our journeys longer;\" but (by doing so) they wronged themselves. So We turned them into bygone tales, and dispersed them, scattered in all directions. Surely there are signs in this for those who endeavour and are grateful.

Thus Iblis found his supposition about them to be true; and except for a section of believers they follow him.

He had no authority over them save for the purpose of Our knowing who believed in the world to come, and who doubted it. For your Lord keeps a watch over everything.

Say: \"Call on those you imagine are gods apart from God. They are not masters even of an atom's weight in the heavens and the earth, nor do they have a share in them, nor is any one of them a helper (of God).

No intercession avails with Him except his He allows, so that when their hearts are freed of fear, they ask (one another): \"What did your Lord say?\" They will answer: \"What is expedient. He is the all-mighty and supreme.\"

Say: \"Who gives you food from the heavens and the earth?\" Say: \"God. Surely either you or we are on guidance, or are lost in clear error.\"

Say: \"You will not be questioned about the sins that we have committed, nor shall we be questioned about your deeds.\"

Say: \"Our Lord will gather us together and judge between us equitably, for He is the Judge all-knowing.\"

Say: \"Just show me those you associate with Him as compeers.\" No, (you cannot), for He is God, the all-mighty and all-wise.\"

We have sent you only as a bearer of good tidings and admonisher for all mankind; yet most people do not understand.

Instead they say: \"When is this promise going to be, if you speak the truth?\"

Say: \"Determined is the day of the promise, which you can neither put back nor advance an hour.''

The unbelievers say: \"We do not believe in this Qur'an, nor in what was (sent) before it.\" If only you could see the sinners when they are made to stand before their Lord, blaming one another! Those who were weak will say to those who were arrogant: \"But for you we would have certainly been believers.\"

The arrogant will say to the weak: \"Did we hold you back from guidance after it had come to you? Certainly not. In fact you were yourselves guilty.\"

But the weak will say to the arrogant: \"Not in the least. It was your plotting night and day when you ordered us to disbelieve in God and associate compeers with Him.\" When they see the punishment they will express repentance. But We shall put iron collars round the necks of infidels. Will they be requited for anything but what they did?

We never sent an admonisher to a habitation but its well-to-do people said: \"We do not believe in what you have brought.\"

And (further): \"We have far more wealth and children (than you), and we are not the ones to be punished.\"

Say: \"Verily my Lord increases or restricts the provision of whosoever He will;\" but most men do not understand.

It is not your wealth and children that will bring you closer to Us, except those who believe and do the right. These will be given a two-fold reward for their deeds, and will dwell in peace in the high empyrean.

But those who try to subvert Our signs will be given over to punishment

Say: \"Verily my Lord increases or restricts the provision of any of His creatures as He will, and repays whatsoever you spend. He is the best of all providers.\"

The day He will gather all of them together, He will ask the angels: \"Did they worship you?\"

\"God forbid!\" (they will answer). \"You are our protector not they. In fact, they worshipped the devils. Most of them believed in them.\"

That day you will have no power to profit or harm each other; and We shall say to the sinners: \"Taste the punishment of Fire which you had denied.\"

When Our clear revelations are read out to them, they say: \"This is only a man who wants to turn you away from what your fathers used to worship.\" And they say: \"This is nothing but a fabricated lie.\" And those who do not believe say of the truth when it has reached them: \"This is nothing but pure sorcery.\"

We did not give them any scripture to study, nor sent any warner before you.

Those before them had also denied, and they could not reach a tenth of (the possibilities) We had given them, and still they called My apostles liars. How great was the change that I wrought in their condition then!

Say: \"I urge upon you only one thing: Stand up for God two by two or one by one, and think and reflect!\" There is no madness about your companion. He is a warner against the dreadful affliction (that awaits).

Say: \"The reward I ask is for yourself. My reward is due from none but God; and He is witness over everything.\"

Say: \"My Lord casts the truth: He is the knower of things unknown.\"

Say: \"The truth has come, and falsehood had neither precedence nor will reappear.\"

Say: \"If I am in error it is to my own loss; if I am on guidance that is so because of what my Lord reveals to me. He is all-hearing and all-too-near.\"

If you could see when they are gripped by terror without any escape, and are seized from close at hand

They will say: \"We believe in it.\" How could they reach it from a place of no return?

They had surely denied it before and aimed without seeing from so far away.

A barrier shall be raised between them and what they desired, as was done with their partisans before. They too were filled with disquieting doubt.