سورة Az-Zukhruf ( The Gold Adornment )

Ha Mim.

I swear by the Book that makes things clear:

Surely We have made it an Arabic Quran that you may understand.

And surely it is in the original of the Book with Us, truly elevated, full of wisdom.

What! shall We then turn away the reminder from you altogether because you are an extravagant people?

And how many a prophet have We sent among the ancients.

And there came not to them a prophet but they mocked at him.

Then We destroyed those who were stronger than these in prowess, and the case of the ancients has gone before,

And if you should ask them, Who created the heavens and the earth? they would most certainly say: The Mighty, the Knowing One, has created them;

He Who made the earth a resting-place for you, and made in it ways for you that you may go aright;

And He Who sends down water from the cloud according to a measure, then We raise to life thereby a dead country, even thus shall you be brought forth;

And He Who created pairs of all things, and made for you of the ships and the cattle what you ride on,

That you may firmly sit on their backs, then remember the favor of your Lord when you are firmly seated thereon, and say: Glory be to Him Who made this subservient to us and we were not able to do it

And surely to our Lord we must return.

And they assign to Him a part of His servants; man, to be sure, is clearly ungrateful.

What! has He taken daughters to Himself of what He Himself creates and chosen you to have sons?

And when one of them is given news of that of which he sets up as a likeness for the Beneficent Allah, his face becomes black and he is full of rage.

What! that which is made in ornaments and which in contention is unable to make plain speech!

And they make the angels-- them who are the servants of the Beneficent Allah-- female (divinities). What! did they witness their creation? Their evidence shall be written down and they shall be questioned.

And they say: If the Beneficent Allah had pleased, we should never have worshipped them. They have no knowledge of this; they only lie.

Or have We given them a book before it so that they hold fast to it?

Nay! they say: We found our fathers on a course, and surely we are guided by their footsteps.

And thus, We did not send before you any warner in a town, but those who led easy lives in it said: Surely we found our fathers on a course, and surely we are followers of their footsteps.

(The warner) said: What! even if I bring to you a better guide than that on which you found your fathers? They said: Surely we are unbelievers in that with which you are sent.

So We inflicted retribution on them, then see how was the end of the rejecters.

And when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: Surely I am clear of what you worship,

Save Him Who created me, for surely He will guide me.

And he made it a word to continue in his posterity that they may return.

Nay! I gave them and their fathers to enjoy until there came to them the truth and an Apostle making manifest (the truth).

And when there came to them the truth they said: This is magic, and surely we are disbelievers in it.

And they say: Why was not this Quran revealed to a man of importance in the two towns?

Will they distribute the mercy of your Lord? We distribute among them their livelihood in the life of this world, and We j have exalted some of them above others in degrees, that some of them may take others in subjection; and the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass.

And were it not that all people had been a single nation, We would certainly have assigned to those who disbelieve in the Beneficent Allah (to make) of silver the roofs of their houses and the stairs by which they ascend.

And the doors of their houses and the couches on which they recline,

And (other) embellishments of gold; and all this is naught but provision of this world's life, and the hereafter is with your Lord only for those who guard (against evil).

And whoever turns himself away from the remembrance of the Beneficent Allah, We appoint for him a Shaitan, so he becomes his associate.

And most surely they turn them away from the path, and they think that they are guided aright:

Until when he comes to Us, he says: O would that between me and you there were the distance of the East and the West; so evil is the associate!

And since you were unjust, it will not profit you this day that you are sharers in the chastisement.

What! can you then make the deaf to hear or guide the blind and him who is in clear error?

But if We should take you away, still We shall inflict retribution on them;

Rather We will certainly show you that which We have promised them; for surely We are the possessors of full power over them.

Therefore hold fast to that which has been revealed to you; surely you are on the right path.

And most surely it is a reminder for you and your people, and you shall soon be questioned.

And ask those of Our apostles whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Beneficent Allah?

And certainly We sent Musa with Our communications to Firon and his chiefs, so he said: Surely I am the apostle of the Lord of the worlds.

But when he came to them with Our signs, lo! they laughed at them.

And We did not show them a sign but it was greater than its like, and We overtook them with chastisement that they may turn.

And they said: O magician! call on your Lord for our sake, as He has made the covenant with you; we shall surely be the followers of the right way.

But when We removed from them the chastisement, lo! they broke the pledge.

And Firon proclaimed amongst his people: O my people! is not the kingdom of Egypt mine? And these rivers flow beneath me; do you not then see?

Nay! I am better than this fellow, who is contemptible, and who can hardly speak distinctly:

But why have not bracelets of gold been put upon him, or why have there not come with him angels as companions?

So he incited his people to levity and they obeyed him: surely they were a transgressing people.

Then when they displeased Us, We inflicted a retribution on them, so We drowned them all together,

And We made them a precedent and example to the later generations.

And when a description of the son of Marium is given, lo! your people raise a clamor thereat.

And they say: Are our gods better, or is he? They do not set it forth to you save by way of disputation; nay, they are a contentious people.

He was naught but a servant on whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the children of Israel.

And if We please, We could make among you angels to be successors in the land.

And most surely it is a knowledge of the hour, therefore have no doubt about it and follow me: this is the right path.

And let not the Shaitan prevent you; surely he is your j open enemy.

And when Isa came with clear arguments he said: I have come to you indeed with wisdom, and that I may make clear to you part of what you differ in; so be careful of (your duty to) Allah and obey me:

Surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path:

But parties from among them differed, so woe to those who were unjust because of the chastisement of a painful day.

Do they wait for aught but the hour, that it should come! upon them all of a sudden while they do not perceive?

The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard (against evil).

O My servants! there is no fear for you this day, nor shall you grieve.

Those who believed in Our communications and were submissive:

Enter the garden, you and your wives; you shall be made happy.

There shall be sent round to them golden bowls and drinking-cups and therein shall be what their souls yearn after and (wherein) the eyes shall delight, and you shall abide therein.

And this is the garden which you are given as an inheritance on account of what you did.

For you therein are many fruits of which you shall eat.

Surely the guilty shall abide in the chastisement of hell.

It shall not be abated from them and they shall therein be despairing.

And We are not unjust to them, but they themselves were unjust.

And they shall call out: O Malik! let your Lord make an end of us. He shall say: Surely you shall tarry.

Certainly We have brought you the truth, but most of you are averse to the truth.

Or have they settled an affair? Then surely We are the settlers.

Or do they think that We do not hear what they conceal and their secret discourses? Aye! and Our apostles with them write down.

Say: If the Beneficent Allah has a son, I am the foremost of those who serve.

Glory to the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of power, from what they describe.

So leave them plunging into false discourses and sporting until they meet their day which they are threatened with.

And He it is Who is Allah in the heavens and Allah in the earth; and He is the Wise, the Knowing.

And blessed is He Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and with Him is the knowledge of the hour, and to Him shall you be brought back.

And those whom they call upon besides Him have no authority for intercession, but he who bears witness of the truth and they know (him).

And if you should ask them who created them, they would certainly say: Allah. Whence are they then turned back?

Consider his cry: O my Lord! surely they are a people who do not believe.

So turn away from them and say, Peace, for they shall soon come to know.