سورة Sad ( The Letter Sad )

Sad. I swear by the Quran, which is full of reminders of God, (that you are a Messenger).

In fact, the unbelievers are the ones who are boastful and quarrelsome.

How many ancient generations did We destroy? (On facing Our torment) they cried out for help, but it was too late for them to escape.

It seems strange to the pagans that a man from their own people should come to them as a Prophet. The unbelievers have said, \"He is only a lying magician\".

They say, \"Has he condemned all other gods but One? This is certainly strange\".

A group of the pagans walked out of a meeting with the Prophet and told the others, \"Let us walk away. Be steadfast in the worship of your gods. This man wants to dominate you.

We have heard nothing like this in the latest religion. This is only his own false invention.

Can it be that he alone has received the Quran?\" In fact, they have doubts about My Quran and this is because they have not yet faced (My) torment.

Do they possess the treasures of the mercy of your, (Muhammad's), Lord, the Majestic and Munificent God?

Do they own the heavens and the earth and all that is between them? Let them try on their own to block (the ways of heavens so that Our revelations cannot come to you).

They are only a small band among the defeated confederate tribes.

The people of Noah, Ad and the dominating Pharaoh had rejected Our revelations.

So also did the people of Thamud, Lot, and the dwellers of the Forest.

Each of them who rejected the Messenger become subject to Our punishment.

They had only to wait for the single inevitable blast.

They scornfully said, \"Lord, show us the record of our deeds before the day when everyone must present the account of their deeds.\".

(Muhammad), bear patiently what they say and recall Our servant, David, who had strong hands and who was most repentant.

We made the mountains join him in glorifying Us in the evening and in the morning.

We made the birds assemble around him in flocks.

We strengthened his kingdom, giving him wisdom and the power of sound Judgment.

Have you heard the news of the disputing parties who climbed the walls of the prayer room

and entered where David was (praying). He was frightened, so they said, \"Do not be afraid. We are only two disputing parties of which one of us has transgressed against the other. Judge between us with truth and justice and guide us to the right path\".

One of them said, \"This is my brother who has ninety-nine ewes when I have only one. He has demanded me to place that one in his custody; he had the stronger argument\".

David said, \"He has certainly been unjust in demanding your ewe from you. Most partners transgress against each other except for the righteously striving believers who are very few.\" David realized that it was a test from Us so he asked forgiveness from his Lord and knelt down before him in repentance.

We forgave him for this. In Our eyes he certainly has a good position and the best share (of the world to come).

We told him. \"David, We have appointed you as Our deputy on earth so judge among the people with truth. Do not follow (worldly) desires lest you go astray from the way of God. Those who go astray from the way of God will suffer severe torment for forgetting the Day of Reckoning.

We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without purpose, even though this is the belief of the disbelievers. Woe to the disbelievers; they will suffer the torment of fire

Do We consider the righteously striving believers equal to the evil-doers in the land? Are the pious ones equal to those who openly commit sin?

It is a blessed Book which We have revealed for you so that you will reflect upon its verses and so the people of understanding will take heed.

We granted Solomon to David, a blessed servant of Ours and certainly the most repentant person.

When the noble galloping horses were displayed to him one evening,

he said, \"My love of horses for the cause of God has made me continue watching them until sunset, thus making me miss my prayer\".

He said, \"Bring them back to me.\" Then he started to rub their legs and necks.

We tested Solomon by (causing death to his son) and leaving his body on Solomon's chair. Then he turned to Us in repentance,

saying, \"Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom that no one after me can have the like. You are All-munificent\".

We made the wind subservient to him, to blow gently wherever he desired at his command

and all the devils who built and dived for him.

The rest of the devils were bound in chains.

We told him, \"This is Our gift to you so give them away free or keep them as you like\".

In Our eyes he certainly has a high position and the best place to return.

(Muhammad), recall Our servant Job. When he prayed to his Lord saying, \"Satan has afflicted me with hardship and torment,\"

(We answered his prayer, healed his sickness, and told him), \"Run on your feet. This is cool water (for you) to wash and drink\".

We gave him back his family and doubled their number as a blessing from Us and as a reminder to the people of understanding.

We told him, \"Take a handful of straw. Strike your wife with it to fulfill your oath.\" We found him to be patient. What an excellent servant he was. He was certainly most repenting.

(Muhammad), recall Our servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all of whom possessed virtuous hands and clear visions.

We gave them this pure distinction because of their continual remembrance of the Day of Judgment.

In Our eyes they were of the chosen, virtuous people.

Recall Ismael, Elisha, and Dhulkifl (Ezekiel) who were all virtuous people.

Such is their noble story. The pious ones will certainly have the best place to return.

They will enter gardens of Eden with their gates open for them.

They will be resting therein and will be able to ask for many kinds of fruit and drink.

They will have bashful wives of equal age with them.

This is what they had been promised for the Day of Judgment.

Our provision (for you) will never be exhausted.

However, the rebellious ones will have the worst place to return.

They will suffer in hell. What a terrible dwelling!

(They will be told), \"This is your recompense.

Taste the scalding water, pus, and other putrid things\".

Their leaders will be told, \"This band will also be thrown headlong with you into hell.\" Their leaders will exclaim, \"May condemnation fall upon them! Let them suffer the torment of fire\".

Their followers will say, \"In fact, it is you who deserve condemnation. It was you who led us to hell, a terrible dwelling\".

They will continue saying, \"Lord, double the torment of fire for those who led us into this.

But why is it that we cannot see men whom we had considered as wicked

and whom we mocked? Have they been rescued or can our eyes not find them?\"

Such disputes will certainly take place among the dwellers of hell fire.

(Muhammad) say, \"I am only a warner. The only Lord is God, the Almighty.

He is the Lord of the heavens, the earth, and all that is between them, the Majestic and All-forgiving\".

Say, \"It (facts about the supremacy of God) is the greatest message,

but you have turned away from it.

I have no knowledge of the dispute among the angels (concerning their attitude towards Adam).

I have only received revelation to give you plain warning.

When your Lord told the angels, \"I will create a mortal out of clay,

and when I give it proper shape and blow My spirit into it, bow down in prostration to him,\"

all the angel then prostrated themselves

except Iblis who puffed himself up with pride and became a disbeliever.

The Lord said, \"Iblis, what prevented you from prostrating before what I have created with My own hands? Was it because of your pride or are you truly exalted?\"

He said, \"I am better than him. You have created me from fire and him out of clay\".

The Lord said, \"Get out of here. You deserve to be stoned!

My condemnation will be with you until the Day of Judgment!\"

He said, \"Lord, grant me respite until the Day of Resurrection\".

The Lord said, \"You will only be given a respite

for an appointed time\".

He said, \"By Your Glory, I shall seduce all of them (children of Adam).

except Your sincere servants among them\".

The Lord said, \"I swear by the Truth - and I speak the Truth -

that I shall certainly fill hell with you and your followers all together\".

(Muhammad), say, \"I do not ask any reward for my preaching to you for I am not a pretender.

It, (the Quran), is nothing but a reminder to you from the Lord of the Universe.

You will certainly know its truthfulness after a certain time.