سورة Al-Furqan (The Criterion )

Blessed be He Who sent down (Nazzala) the criterion to His servant that he may be a warner to all nations.

He to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Who has begotten no son and for Whom there is no partner in the dominion. He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements.

Yet they have taken besides Him other gods who created nothing but are themselves created, and possess neither harm nor benefit for themselves, and possess no power (of causing) death, nor (of giving) life, nor of raising the dead.

Those who disbelieve say: \"This is nothing but a lie that he has invented, and others have helped him in it.\" In fact, they have produced an unjust wrong and a lie.

And they say: \"Tales of the ancients which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon. \"

Say: \"It has been sent down by Him Who knows the secret of the heavens and the earth. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.\"

And they say: \"Why does this Messenger eat food, and walk about in the markets. Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him\"

\"Or (why) has not a treasure been granted to him, or why has he not a garden whereof he may eat\" And the wrongdoers say: \"You follow none but a man bewitched.\"

See how they coin similitudes for you, so they have gone astray, and they cannot find a path.

Blessed be He Who, if He wills, will assign you better than (all) that -- Gardens under which rivers flow and will assign you palaces.

Nay, they deny the Hour, and for those who deny the Hour, We have prepared a flaming Fire.

When it sees them from a far place, they will hear its raging and its roaring.

And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof, chained together, they will exclaim therein for destruction.

Exclaim not today for one destruction, but exclaim for many destructions.

Say: \"Is that better or the Paradise of Eternity which is promised to those who have Taqwa\" It will be theirs as a reward and final destination.

For them there will be therein all that they desire, and they will abide (therein forever). It is upon your Lord a Wa`dan Mas'ula.

And on the Day when He will gather them together and that which they worship besides Allah. He will say: \"Was it you who misled these My servants or did they stray from the path\"

They will say: \"Glorified be You! It was not for us to take any Awliya' besides You, but You gave them and their fathers comfort till they forgot the warning, and became a lost people.\"

Thus they will deny you in what you say; then you can neither avert nor find help. And whoever among you does wrong, We shall make him taste a great torment.

And We never sent before you any of the Messengers but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets. And We have made some of you as a trial for others; will you have patience And your Lord is Ever All-Seer.

And those who expect not a meeting with Us said: \"Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord\" Indeed they think too highly of themselves, and are scornful with great pride.

On the Day they will see the angels -- no good news will there be for the criminals that day. And they will say: \"Hijran Mahjura.\"

And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.

The dwellers of Paradise will, on that Day, have the best abode, and have the fairest of places for repose.

And (remember) the Day when the heaven shall be rent asunder with clouds, and the angels will be sent down, with a grand descending.

The sovereignty on that Day will be the true (sovereignty) of the Most Gracious, and it will be a hard Day for the disbelievers.

And (remember) the Day when the wrongdoer will bite at his hands, he will say: \"Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger.\"

\"Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so-and-so as an intimate friend!\"

\"He indeed led me astray from the Reminder after it had come to me. And Shaytan is to man ever a deserter.\"

And the Messenger will say: \"O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Qur'an.\"

Thus have We made for every Prophet an enemy among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and Helper.

And those who disbelieve say: \"Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once\" Thus, that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages.

And no example or parable do they bring, but We reveal to you the truth, and the better explanation thereof.

Those who will be gathered to Hell on their faces, such will be in an evil state, and most astray from the path.

And indeed We gave Musa the Scripture, and placed his brother Harun with him as a helper;

And We said: \"Go you both to the people who have denied Our Ayat.\" Then We destroyed them with utter destruction.

And Nuh's people, when they denied the Messengers, We drowned them, and We made them as a sign for mankind. And We have prepared a painful torment for the wrongdoers.

And (also) `Ad and Thamud, and the Dwellers of Ar-Rass, and many generations in between.

And for each We put forward examples, and each We brought to utter ruin.

And indeed they have passed by the town on which was rained the evil rain. Did they not then see it Nay! But they used not to expect any resurrection.

And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): \"Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger\"

\"He would have nearly misled us from our gods, had it not been that we were patient and constant in their worship!\" And they will know, when they see the torment, who it is that is most astray from the path!

Have you seen him who has taken as his god his own vain desire Would you then be a guardian over him

Or do you think that most of them hear or understand They are only like cattle -- nay, they are even farther astray from the path.

Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow. If He willed, He could have made it still -- but We have made the sun its guide.

Then We withdraw it towards Ourselves -- a gradual withdrawal.

And it is He Who makes the night a covering for you, and the sleep (as) a repose, and makes the day Nushur.

And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the sky,

That We may give life thereby to a dead land, and We give to drink thereof many of the cattle and men that We have created.

And indeed We have distributed it among them in order that they may remember the grace of Allah, but most men refuse (out of) gratitude.

And had We willed, We would have raised a warner in every town.

So obey not the disbelievers, but strive against them with the utmost endeavor with it.

And it is He Who has let free the two seas, this is palatable and sweet, and that is salty and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them.

And it is He Who has created man from water, and has appointed for him kindred by blood, and kindred by marriage. And your Lord is Ever All-Powerful to do what He wills.

And they worship besides Allah, that which can neither profit them nor harm them; and the disbeliever is ever a helper against his Lord.

And We have sent you only as a bearer of good news and a warner.

Say: \"No reward do I ask of you for this, save that whosoever wills may take a path to his Lord.\"

And put your trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not, and glorify His praises, and sufficient is He as the All-Knower of the sins of His servants,

Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six Days. Then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne. The Most Gracious! Ask Him, as He is the All-Knower.

And when it is said to them: \"Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!\" They say: \"And what is Ar-Rahman Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you command us\" And it increases in them only aversion.

Blessed be He Who has placed in the heaven Al-Buruj, and has placed therein a great lamp, and a moon giving light.

And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession (Khilfatan), for such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude.

And the servants of the Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth Hawna, and when the foolish address them they say; \"Salama.\"

And those who spend the night in worship of their Lord, prostrate and standing.

And those who say: \"Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily, its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment.\"

Evil indeed it is as an abode and as a place to rest in.

And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, but are in a just balance between them.

And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse -- and whoever does this shall receive Athama.

The torment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;

Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds; then indeed he has repented to Allah Mataba.

And those who do not bear witness to falsehood, and if they pass by some evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity.

And those who, when they are reminded of the Ayat of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat.

And those who say: \"Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of those who have Taqwa.\"

Those will be rewarded with the highest place because of their patience. Therein they shall be met with greetings and the word of peace and respect.

Abiding therein -- excellent it is as an abode, and as a place to rest in.

Say: \"My Lord pays attention to you only because of your invocation to Him. But now you have indeed denied. So the torment will be yours forever.\"