the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
1. Alif-Lâm-Mîm-Râ.
[These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an; and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Book (the Qur’ân), and that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) from your Lord is the truth, but most men believe not.
2. Allâh is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He rose above (Istawâ) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round), each running (its course) for a term appointed. He manages and regulates all affairs; He explains the Ayât(proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.
3. And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnaîn (two in pairs – may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two varieties, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big). He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayât (proofs, evidence, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect.
4. And in the earth are neighbouring tracts, and gardens of vines, and green crops (fields), and date-palms, growing into two or three from a single stem root, or otherwise (one stem root for every palm), watered with the same water; yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat. Verily, in these things there areAyât (proofs, evidence, lessons, signs) for the people who understand.
5. And if you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) wonder (at these polytheists who deny your message of Islâmic Monotheism and have taken besides Allâh others for worship who can neither harm nor benefit), then wondrous is their saying: “When we are dust, shall we indeed then be (raised) in a new creation?” They are those who disbelieved in their Lord! They are those who will have iron chains tying their hands to their necks. They will be the dwellers of the Fire to abide therein.
6. They ask you to hasten the evil before the good, while (many) exemplary punishments have indeed occurred before them. But verily, your Lord is full of Forgiveness for mankind in spite of their wrong-doing. And verily, your Lord is (also) Severe in punishment.
7. And the disbelievers say: “Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?” You are only a warner, and to every people there is a guide.
8. Allâh knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number) or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due) proportion.
9. All-Knower of the Unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High.
10. It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declares it openly, whether he be hid by night or goes forth freely by day.
11. For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him.[1] They guard him by the Command of Allâh. Verily! Allâh will not change the (good) condition of a people as long as they do not change their state (of goodness) themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allâh). But when Allâh wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector.
12. It is He Who shows you the lightning, as a fear (for travellers) and as a hope (for those who wait for rain). And it is He Who brings up (or originates) the clouds, heavy (with water).
13. And Ar-Ra‘d[2] (thunder) glorifies and praises Him, and so do the angels because of His Awe. He sends the thunderbolts, and therewith He strikes whom He wills, yet they (disbelievers) dispute about Allâh. And He is Mighty in strength and Severe in punishment.
14. For Him (Allah, Alone) is the Word of Truth (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). And those whom they (polytheists and disbelievers) invoke, answer them no more than one who stretches forth his hand (at the edge of a deep well) for water to reach his mouth, but it reaches him not; and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but an error (i.e. of no use).
15. And unto Allâh (Alone) falls in prostration whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in the afternoons.
16. Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say: “(It is) Allâh.” Say: “Have you then taken (for worship) Auliyâ’(protectors) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?” Say: “Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light? Or do they assign to Allâh partners who created the like of His creation, so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them?” Say: “Allâh is the Creator of all things; and He is the One, the Irresistible.”
17. He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and the valleys flow according to their measure, but the flood bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface – and (also) from that (ore) which they heat in the fire in order to make ornaments or utensils, rises a foam like unto it, thus does Allâh (by parables) show forth truth and falsehood[1]. Then, as for the foam it passes away as scum upon the banks, while that which is for the good of mankind remains in the earth. Thus Allâh sets forth parables (for the truth and falsehood, i.e. Belief and disbelief).
18. For those who answered their Lord’s Call [believed in the Oneness of Allâh and followed His Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم i.e. Islâmic Monotheism] is Al-Husnâ (i.e. Paradise). But those who answered not His Call (disbelieved in the Oneness of Allâh and followed not His Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم), if they had all that is in the earth together with its like, they would offer it in order to save themselves (from the torment, but it will be in vain). For them there will be the terrible reckoning. Their dwelling-place will be Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.
19. Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed unto you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) from your Lord is the truth be like him who is blind? But it is only the men of understanding that pay heed.
20. Those who fulfil the Covenant of Allâh and break not the Mîthâq (bond, treaty, covenant).
21. And those who join that which Allâh has commanded to be joined (i.e. they are good to their relatives and do not sever the bond of kinship), and fear their Lord, and dread the terrible reckoning (i.e. abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which Allâh has forbidden and perform all kinds of good deeds which Allâh has ordained).
22. And those who remain patient, seeking their Lord’s Countenance, perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and spend out of that which We have bestowed on them, secretly and openly, and defend evil with good, for such there is a good end.
23. ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens), which they shall enter and (also) those who acted righteously from among their fathers, and their wives, and their offspring. And angels shall enter unto them from every gate (saying):
24. “Salâmun ‘Alaikum (peace be upon you) for you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!”
25. And those who break the Covenant of Allâh, after its ratification, and sever that which Allâh has commanded to be joined (i.e. they sever the bond of kinship and are not good to their relatives), and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse (i.e. they will be far away from Allâh’s Mercy), and for them is the unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell)[1].
26. Allâh increases the provision for whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom He wills), and they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.
27. And those who disbelieved say: “Why is not a sign sent down to him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) from his Lord?” Say: “Verily, Allâh sends astray whom He wills and guides unto Himself those who turn to Him in repentance.”
28. Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allâh – Islâmic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allâh: verily, in the remembrance of Allâh do hearts find rest.
29. Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allâh – Islâmic Monotheism), and work righteousness, Tûbâ (all kinds of happiness or name of a tree in Paradise) is for them and a beautiful place of (final) return.
30. Thus have We sent you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) to a community before whom other communities have passed away, in order that you might recite unto them what We have revealed to you, while they disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allâh) Say: “He is my Lord! Lâ ilâha illâ Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He)! In Him is my trust, and to Him will be my return with repentance.”
31. And if there had been a Qur’ân with which mountains could be moved (from their places), or the earth could be cloven asunder, or the dead could be made to speak (it would not have been other than this Qur’ân). But the decision of all things is certainly with Allâh. Have not then those who believed yet known that had Allâh willed, He could have guided all mankind? And a disaster will not cease to strike those who disbelieved because of their (evil) deeds or it (i.e. the disaster) settles close to their homes, until the Promise of Allâh comes to pass. Certainly, Allâh breaks not His Promise.
32. And indeed (many) Messengers were mocked at before you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم), but I granted respite to those who disbelieved, and finally I punished them. Then how (terrible) was My punishment!
33. Is then He (Allâh) Who takes charge (guards, maintains, provides) of every person and knows all that he has earned (like any other deities who know nothing)? Yet, they ascribe partners to Allâh. Say: “Name them! Is it that you will inform Him of something He knows not in the earth or is it (just) a show of false words.” Nay! To those who disbelieved, their plotting is made fairseeming, and they have been hindered from the Right Path; and whom Allâh sends astray, for him there is no guide.
34. For them is a torment in the life of this world, and certainly, harder is the torment of the Hereafter. And they have no Wâq (defender or protector) against Allâh.
35. The description of the Paradise which the Muttaqûn (the pious – See V.2:2) have been promised: Underneath it rivers flow, its provision is eternal and so is its shade; this is the end (final destination) of the Muttaqûn (the pious – See V.2:2), and the end (final destination) of the disbelievers is Fire. (See Verse 47:15)
36. Those to whom We have given the Book (such as ‘Abdullâh bin Salâm and other Jews who embraced Islâm), rejoice at what has been revealed unto you (i.e. the Qur’ân),[1] but there are among the Confederates (from the Jews and pagans) those who reject a part thereof. Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): “I am commanded only to worship Allâh (Alone) and not to join partners with Him. To Him (Alone) I call and to Him is my return.”
37. And thus have We sent it (the Qur’ân) down to be a judgement of authority in Arabic. Were you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) to follow their (vain) desires after the knowledge which has come to you, then you will not have any Walî (protector) or Wâq (defender) against Allâh.
38. And indeed We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) and made for them wives and offspring. And it was not for a Messenger to bring a sign except by Allâh’s Leave. (For) every matter there is a Decree (from Allâh). [Tafsir Al-Tabari]
39. Allâh blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz)
40. Whether We show you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) part of what We have promised them or cause you to die, your duty is only to convey (the Message) and on Us is the reckoning.
41. See they not that We gradually reduce the land (of the disbelievers, by giving it to the believers, in war victories) from its outlying borders. And Allâh judges, there is none to put back His Judgement and He is Swift at reckoning.
42. And verily, those before them did devise plots, but all planning is Allâh’s. He knows what every person earns, and the disbelievers will know who gets the good end (final destination).
43. And those who disbelieved, say: “You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) are not a Messenger.” Say: “Sufficient as a witness between me and you is Allâh and those too who have knowledge of the Scripture (such as ‘Abdullâh bin Salâm and other Jews and Christians who embraced Islâm).”
