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Sura Xxxvii. Affat, Or Those Ranged In Ranks

*
"The Holy Quran", tr. by Yusuf Ali, [1934],

p. 1190

Sra Xxxvii.

Fft, Or Those Ranged In Ranks.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1.
By those who range

Themselves in ranks,

2.
And so are strong

In repelling (evil),

3.
And thus proclaim

The Message (of God)!

4.
Verily, verily, your God

Is One!--

5.
Lord of the heavens

And of the earth,

p. 1191

And all between them,

And Lord of every point

At the rising of the sun!

6.
We have indeed decked

The lower heaven with beauty

(In) the stars,--

7.
(For beauty) and for guard

Against all obstinate

Rebellious evil spirits,

8.
(So) they should not strain

Their ears in the direction

Of the Exalted Assembly

p. 1192

But be cast away

From every side,

9.
Repulsed, for they are

Under a perpetual penalty,

10.
Except such as snatch away

Something by stealth, and they

Are pursued by a flaming

Fire, of piercing brightness.

11. Just ask their opinion:


Are they the more difficult

To create, or the (other) beings

We have created?

Them have We created

Out of a sticky clay!

12.
Truly dost thou marvel,

While they ridicule,

13.
And, when they are

Admonished, pay no heed,--

14.
And, when they see

A Sign, turn it

To mockery,

15.
And say, "This is nothing

But evident sorcery!

16.
\"What! when we die,

And become dust and bones,

p. 1193

Shall we (then) be

Raised up (again)?

17.
\"And also our fathers

Of old?"

18.
Say thou: "Yea, and ye shall

Then be humiliated

(On account of your evil).

19.
Then it will be a single

(Compelling) cry;

And behold, they will

Begin to see!

20.
They will say, "Ah!

Woe to us! this is

The Day of Judgment!"

21. (a
voice will say,)

"This is the Day

Of Sorting Out, whose

Truth ye (once) denied!"

Section 2.

22.
\"Bring ye up",

It shall be said,

p. 1194

\"The wrong-doers

And their wives,

And the things they worshipped--

23.
\"Besides God,

And lead them to the Way

To the (Fierce) Fire!

24.
\"But stop them,

For they must be asked:

25.
\"What is the matter

With you that ye

Help not each other?"

26.
Nay, but that day they

Shall submit (to judgment);

27.
And they will turn to

One another, and question

One another.

28.
They will say: "It was ye

Who used to come to us

From the right hand

(Of power and authority)!
"

p. 1195

29.
They will reply: "Nay, ye

Yourselves had no Faith!

30.
\"Nor had we any authority

Over you. Nay, it was

Ye who were a people

In obstinate rebellion!

31.
\"So now has been proved true,

Against us, the Word

Of our Lord that we

Shall indeed (have to) taste

(The punishment of our sins).

32.
\"We led you astray: for truly

We were ourselves astray."

33.
Truly, that Day, they will

(All) share in the Penalty.

34.
Verily that is how We

Shall deal with Sinners.

35.
For they, when they were

Told that there is

No god except God, would

Puff themselves up with Pride,

p. 1196

36.
And say: "What! Shall we

Give up our gods.

For the sake of

A Poet possessed?"

37.
Nay! he has come

With the (very) Truth,

And he confirms (the Message

Of
) the apostles (before him).

38.
Ye shall indeed taste

Of the Grievous Penalty;--

39.
But it will be no more

Than the retribution

Of (the Evil) that ye

Have wrought;--

40.
But the sincere (and devoted)

Servants of God,--

41.
For them is a Sustenance

Determined,

42.
Fruits (Delights); and they

(Shall enjoy) honour and dignity,

43.
In Gardens of Felicity,

p. 1197

44.
Facing each other

On Thrones (of dignity):

45.
Round will be passed

To them a Cup

From a clear-flowing fountain,

46.
Crystal-white, of a taste

Delicious to those

Who drink (ther),

47.
Free from headiness;

Nor will they suffer

Intoxication therefrom.

48.
And besides them will be

Chaste women, restraining

Their glances, with big eyes

(Of wonder and beauty).

49.
As if they were

(Delicate) eggs closely guarded.

50.
When they will turn to

One another and question

One another.

51. One of them will start

The talk and say:


"I had an intimate

Companion (on the earth),

p. 1198

52.
\"Who used to say,

"What! art thou amongst those

Who bear witness to

The truth (of the Message)?

53.
\"When we die and become

Dust and bones, shall we

Indeed receive rewards

And punishments?"

54. (a voice
) said: "Would ye

Like to look down?"

55.
He looked down

And saw him

In the midst of the Fire.

56.
He said: "By God!

Thou wast little short

Of bringing me to perdition!

57.
\"Had it not been for

The Grace of my Lord,

I should certainly have been

Among those brought (there)!

58.
\"Is it (the case) that

We shall not die,

59.
\"Except our first death,

And that "we"

Shall not be punished?"

60.
Verily this is

The supreme achievement!

p. 1199

61.
For the like of this

Let all strive,

Who wish to strive.

62.
Is that the better entertainment

Or the Tree of Zaqqm?

63.
For We have truly

Made it (as) a trial

For the wrong-doers.

64.
For it is a tree

That springs out

Of the bottom of Hell-fire:

65.
The shoots of its fruit-stalks

Are like the heads

Of devils:

66.
Truly they will eat ther

And fill their bellies therewith.

67.
Then on top of that

They will be given

A mixture made of

Boiling water.

68.
Then shall their return

Be to the (Blazing) Fire.

p. 1200

69.
Truly they found their fathers

On the wrong Path;

70.
So they (too) were rushed

Down on their footsteps!

71.
And truly before them,

Many of the ancients

Went astray;--

72.
But We sent aforetime,

Among them, (apostles)

To admonish them;--

73.
Then see what was

The End of those who

Were admonished (but heeded not),--

74.
Except the sincere (and devoted)

Servants of God.

p. 1201

Section 3.

75.
(In the days of old),

Noah cried to Us,

And We are the Best

To hear prayer.

76.
And We delivered him

And his people from

The Great Calamity,

77.
And made his progeny

To endure (on this earth);

78.
And We left (this blessing)

For him among generations

To come in later times:

79.
\"Peace and salutation to Noah

Among the nations!"

80.
Thus indeed do We reward

Those who do right.

81.
For he was one

Of Our believing Servants.

p. 1202

82.
Then the rest We overwhelmed

In the Flood.

83.
Verily among those

Who followed his Way

Was Abraham.

84.
Behold, he approached his Lord

With a sound heart.

85.
Behold, he said to his father

And to his people, "What

Is that which ye worship?

86.
\"Is it a Falsehood--

Gods other than God--

That ye desire?

87.
\"Then what is your idea

About the Lord of the

Worlds?"

88.
Then did he cast

A glance at the Stars,

89.
And he said, "I am

Indeed sick (at heart)!
"

p. 1203

90.
So they turned away

From him, and departed.

91.
When did he turn

To their gods and said,

"Will ye not eat

(Of the offerings before you)?

92.
\"What is the matter

With you that ye

Speak not (intelligently)?"

93.
Then did he turn

Upon them, striking (them)

With the right hand.

94.
Then came (the worshippers)

With hurried steps,

And faced (him).

95.
He said: "Worship ye

That which ye have

(Yourselves) carved?

96.
\"But God has created you

And your handiwork!"

97.
They said, "Build him

A furnace, and throw him

Into the blazing fire!"

98.
(This failing), they then

Sought a stratagem against him,

p. 1204

But We made them the ones

Most humiliated!

99.
He said: "I will go

To my Lord! He

Will surely guide me!

100.
\"O my Lord! grant me

A righteous (son)!"

101.
So We gave him

The good news

Of a boy ready

To suffer and forbear.

102.
Then, when (the son)

Reached (the age of)

(Serious) work with him,

He said: "O my son

I see in vision

That I offer thee in sacrifice:


Now see what is

Thy view!" (The son) said:


"O my father! Do

As thou art commanded:

p. 1205

Thou will find me,

If God so wills one

Practising Patience and Constancy!"

103.
So when they had both

Submitted their wills (to God),

And he had laid him

Prostrate on his forehead

(For sacrifice),

104.
We called out to him,

"O Abraham!

105.
\"Thou hast already fulfilled

The vision!"--thus indeed

Do We reward

Those who do right.

106.
For this was obviously

A trial--

p. 1206

107.
And We ransomed him

With a momentous sacrifice:

108.
And We left (this blessing)

For him among generations

(To come) in later times:

109.
\"Peace and salutation

To Abraham!"

110.
Thus indeed do We reward

Those who do right

111.
For he was one

Of Our believing Servants.

112.
And We gave him

The good news

Of Isaac--a prophet,--

One of the Righteous.

113. We blessed him and Isaac:


But of their progeny

Are (some) that do right,

And (some) that obviously

Do wrong, to their own souls.

Section 4.

114.
Again, (of old,)

We bestowed Our favour

p. 1207

On Moses and Aaron,

115.
And We delivered them

And their people from

(Their) Great Calamity;

116.
And We helped them,

So they overcame

(their troubles);

117.
And We gave them

The Book which helps

To make things clear;

118.
And We guided them

To the Straight Way.

119.
And We left (this blessing)

For them among generations

(To come) in later times:

120.
\"Peace and salutation

To Moses and Aaron!"

121.
Thus indeed do We reward

Those who do right.

122.
For they were two

Of Our believing Servants.

p. 1208

123.
So also was Elias

Among those sent (by Us).

124.
Behold, he said

To his people,

"Will ye not fear (God)?

125.
\"Will ye call upon Baal

And forsake the Best

Of Creators,--

126.
\"God, your Lord and Cherisher

And the Lord and Cherisher

Of your fathers of old?"

127.
But they rejected him,

And they will certainly

Be called up (for punishment),--

128.
Except the sincere and devoted

Servants of God (among them).

129.
And We left (this blessing)

For him among generations

(To come) in later times:

130.
\"Peace and salutation

To such as Elias!"

p. 1209

131.
Thus indeed do We reward

Those who do right.

132.
For he was one

Of Our believing Servants.

133.
So also was Lot

Among those sent (by Us).

134.
Behold, We delivered him

And his adherents, all

135.
Except an old woman

Who was among those

Who lagged behind:

136.
Then We destroyed

The rest.

137.
Verily, ye pass

By their (sites),

By day--

138.
And by night:


Will ye not understand?

p. 1210

Section 5.

139.
So also was Jonah

Among those sent (by Us).

140.
When he ran away

(Like a slave from captivity)

To the ship (fully) laden,

141.
He (agreed to) cast lots,

And he was condemned:

142.
Then the big Fish

Did swallow him,

And he had done

Acts worthy of blame.

143.
Had it not been

That he (repented and)

Glorified God,

144.
He would certainly have

Remained inside the Fish

Till the Day of Resurrection.

p. 1211

145.
But We cast him forth

On the naked shore

In a state of sickness,

146.
And We caused to grow,

Over him, a spreading plant

Of the Gourd kind.

147.
And We sent him

(On a mission)

To a hundred thousand

(Men) or more.

148.
And they believed;

So We permitted them

To enjoy (their life)

For a while.

149. Now ask them their opinion:


Is it that thy Lord

Has (only) daughters, and they

Have sons?--

150.
Or that We created

The angels female, and they

Are witnesses (thereto)?

151.
Is it not that they

Say, from their own invention,

p. 1212

152.
\"God has begotten children"?

But they are liars!

153.
Did He (then) choose

Daughters rather than sons?

154.
What is the matter

With you? How judge ye?

155.
Will ye not then

Receive admonition?

156.
Or have ye

An authority manifest?

157.
Then bring ye your Book

(Of authority) if ye be

Truthful!

158.
And they have invented

A blood-relationship

Between Him and the Jinns:


But the Jinns know

(Quite well) that they

Have indeed to appear

(Before His Judgment-seat)!

159.
Glory to God! (He is free)

From the things they ascribe

(To Him)!

160.
Not (so do) the Servants

Of God, sincere and devoted.

p. 1213

161.
For, verily, neither ye

Nor those ye worship--

162.
Can lead (any)

Into temptation

Concerning God,

163.
Except such as are

(Themselves) going to

The blazing Fire!

164. (Those ranged in ranks say):


"Not one of us but has

A place appointed;

165.
\"And we are verily

Ranged in ranks (for service);

166.
\"And we are verily those

Who declare (God's) glory!"

167.
And there were those

Who said,

168.
\"If only we had had

Before us a Message

From those of old,

169.
\"We should certainly have

Been Servants of God,

Sincere (and devoted)!"

p. 1214

170.
But (now that the Qur-n

Has come
), they reject it:

But soon will they know!

171.
Already has Our Word

Been passed before (this)

To Our Servants sent (by Us),

172.
That they would certainly

Be assisted,

173.
And that Our forces,--

They surely must conquer.

174.
So turn thou away

From them for a little while,

175.
And watch them (how

They fare
), and they soon

Shall see (how thou farest)!

176.
Do they wish (indeed)

To hurry on our Punishment?

177.
But when it descends

Into the open space

Before them, evil will be

The morning for those who

Were warned (and heeded not)!

p. 1215

178.
So turn thou away

From them for a little while,

179.
And watch (how they fare)

And they soon shall see

(How thou farest)!

180.
Glory to thy Lord,

The Lord of Honour

And Power! (He is free)

From what they ascribe

(To Him)!

181.
And Peace on the apostles!

182.
And Praise to God,

The Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds.

p. 1216

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