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Sura Xl. Mu Min, Or The Believer

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

p. 1262

Sra Xl.

\"M-MIN," Or The Believer.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1.
\"H-Mm".

2.
The revelation

Of this Book

Is from God,

Exalted in Power,

Full of Knowledge,--

3.
Who forgiveth Sin,

Accepteth Repentance,

Is Strict in Punishment,

And hath a Long Reach

(In all things).

There is no god

But He: to Him

Is the Final Goal.

4.
None can dispute

About the Signs of God

But the Unbelievers.

Let not, then,

Their strutting about

Through the land

Deceive thee!

p. 1263

5.
But (there were people) before them,

Who denied (the Signs),--

The People of Noah,

And the Confederates

(Of Evil) after them;

And every People plotted

Against their prophet,

To seize him, and disputed

By means of vanities,

Therewith to condemn

The Truth: but it was I

That seized them!

And how (terrible)

Was My Requital!

6.
Thus was the Decree

Of thy Lord proved true

Against the Unbelievers

That truly they are

Companions of the Fire!

7.
Those who sustain

The Throne (of God)

And those around it

Sing Glory and Praise

To their Lord; believe

In Him; and implore Forgiveness

For those who believe:

"Our Lord! Thy Reach

p. 1264

Is over all things,

In Mercy and Knowledge.

Forgive, then, those who

Turn in Repentance, and follow

Thy Path; and preserve them

From the Penalty

Of the Blazing Fire!

8.
\"And grant, our Lord!

That they enter

The Gardens of Eternity,

Which Thou hast promised

To them, and to the righteous

Among their fathers,

Their wives, and their posterity!

For Thou art (He),

The Exalted in Might,

Full of Wisdom.

9.
\"And preserve them

From (all) ills;

And any whom Thou

Dost preserve from ills

That Day,--on them

Wilt Thou have bestowed

Mercy indeed: and that

Will be truly (for them)

The highest Achievement".

Section 2.

10.
The Unbelievers will be

Addressed: "Greater was

The aversion of God to you

Than (is), your aversion

p. 1265

To yourselves, seeing that ye

Were called to the Faith

And ye used to refuse."

11.
They will say: "Our Lord!

Twice hast Thou made us

Without life, and twice

Hast Thou given us Life!

Now have we recognised

Our sins: is there

Any way out (of this)?"

12.
(The answer will be:)

"This is because, when

God was invoked as

The Only (object of worship),

Ye did reject Faith,

But when partners were

Joined to Him, ye believed!

The Command is with God,

Most High, Most Great!"

13.
He it is Who showeth

You His Signs, and sendeth

Down Sustenance for you

From the sky: but only

Those receive admonition

Who turn (to God).

14.
Call ye, then, upon God

With sincere devotion to Him,

p. 1266

Even though the Unbelievers

May detest it.

15.
Raised high above ranks

(Or degrees),

(He is) the Lord

Of the Throne (of authority):

By His Command doth He

Send the spirit (of inspiration)

To any of His servants

He pleases, that it may

Warn (men) of the Day

Of Mutual Meeting,--

16. The Day whereon

They will (all) come forth:


Not a single thing

Concerning them is hidden

From God. Whose will be

The Dominion that Day?

That of God, the One,

The Irresistible!

17.
That Day will every soul

Be requited for what

It earned; no injustice

Will there be that Day,

For God is Swift

In taking account.

p. 1267

18.
Warn them of the Day

That is (ever) drawing near,

When the Hearts will

(Come) right up to the Throats

To choke (them);

No intimate friend

Nor intercessor will the

wrong-doers

Have, who could be

Listened to.

19.
(God) knows of (the tricks)

That deceive with the eyes,

And all that the hearts

(Of men) conceal.

20. And God will judge

With (Justice and) Truth:


But those whom (men)

Invoke besides Him, will

Not (be in a position)

To judge at all.

Verily it is God (alone)

Who hears and sees

(All things).

p. 1268

Section 3.

21.
Do they not travel

Through the earth and see

What was the End

Of those before them

They were even superior

To them in strength,

And in the traces (they

Have left
) in the land:


But God did call them

To account for their sins,

And none had they

To defend them against God.

22.
That was because there came

To them their apostles

With Clear (Signs),

But they rejected them:


So God called them

To account: for He is

Full of Strength,

Strict in Punishment.

23.
Of old We sent Moses,

With Our Signs

And an Authority manifest,

p. 1269

24.
To Pharaoh, Hmn,

And Qrn; but they

Called (him) "a sorcerer

Telling lies!"

25.
Now, when he came to them

In Truth, from Us,

They said, "Slay the sons

Of those who believe a

With him, and keep alive

Their females,
" but the plots

Of Unbelievers (end) in nothing

But errors (and delusions)!

26.
Said Pharaoh: "Leave me

To slay Moses; and let him

Call on his Lord!

What I fear is lest

He should change your religion,

Or lest he should cause

Mischief to appear

In the land!
"

p. 1270

27.
Moses said: "I have indeed

Called upon my Lord

And your Lord

(For protection) from every

Arrogant one who believes not

In the Day of Account!"

Section 4.

28. A
Believer, a man

From among the people

Of Pharaoh, who had concealed

His faith, said: "Will ye

Slay a man because he

Says, "My Lord is God"?--

When he has indeed come

To you with Clear (Signs)

From your Lord? And if

He be a liar, on him

Is (the sin of) his lie;

But, if he is telling

The Truth, then will

Fall on you something

Of the (calamity) of which

He warns you: truly

God guides not one

Who transgresses and lies!

29.
\"O my People! yours

Is the dominion this day:

p. 1271

Ye have the upper hand

In the land: but who

Will help us from

The Punishment of God,

Should it befall us?"

Pharaoh said: "I but

Point out to you that

Which I see (myself);

Nor do I guide you

But to the Path of Right!"

30.
Then said the man

Who believed: "O my People!

Truly I do fear

For you something like

The Day (of disaster)

Of the Confederates (in sin)!--

31.
\"Something like the fate

Of the People of Noah,

The 'd, and the Thamd,

And those who came

After them: but God

Never wishes injustice

To His Servants.

32.
\"And O my People!

I fear for you a Day

When there will be

Mutual calling (and wailing),--

p. 1272

33.
\"A Day when ye

Shall turn your backs

And flee: no defender

Shall ye have from God:


Any whom God leaves

To stray, there is none

To guide

34.
\"And to you there came

Joseph in times gone by,

With Clear Signs, but

Ye ceased not to doubt

Of the (mission) for which

He had come: at length,

When he died, ye said:


"No apostle will God send

After him.
" Thus doth God

Leave to stray such as

Transgress and live in doubt,--

35.
\"(Such) as dispute about

The Signs of God,

Without any authority

That hath reached them.

Grievous and odious

(Is such conduct)

In the sight of God

And of the Believers.

Thus doth God seal up

Every heart--of arrogant

And obstinate transgressors."

p. 1273

36.
Pharaoh said: "O Hmn!

Build me a lofty palace,

That I may attain

The ways and means--

37.
\"The ways and means

Of (reaching) the heavens,

And that I may mount up

To the God of Moses:


But as far as I am concerned,

I think (Moses) is a liar!"

Thus was made alluring,

In Pharaoh's eyes,

The evil of his deeds,

And he was hindered

From the Path; and the plot

Of Pharaoh led to nothing

But perdition (for him).

Section 5.

38.
The man who believed said

Further: "O my People!

Follow me: I will lead

You to the Path of Right.

39.
\"O my People! This life

Of the present is nothing

But (temporary) convenience:

It is the Hereafter

p. 1274

That is the Home

That will last.

40.
\"He that works evil

Will not be requited

But by the like ther:


And he that works

A righteous deed--whether

Man or woman--and is

A Believer--such will enter

The Garden (of Bliss): therein

Will they have abundance

Without measure.

41.
\"And O my People!

How (strange) it is

For me to call you

To Salvation while ye

Call me to the Fire!

42.
\"Ye do call upon me

To blaspheme against God,

And to join with Him

Partners of whom I have

No knowledge; and I

Call you to the Exalted

In Power, Who forgives

Again and again!"

43.
\"Without doubt ye do call

Me to one who is not

Fit to be called to,

Whether in this world,

p. 1275

Or in the Hereafter;

Our Return will be

To God; and the Transgressors

Will be Companions

Of the Fire!

44.
\"Soon will ye remember

What I say to you (now).

My (own) affair I commit

To God: for God (ever)

Watches over His Servants."

45.
Then God saved him

From (every) ill that they

Plotted (against him),

But the brunt of the Penalty

Encompassed on all sides

The People of Pharaoh.

46.
In front of the Fire

Will they be brought,

Morning and evening:


And (the Sentence will be)

On the Day that

Judgment will be established:


"Cast ye the People

Of Pharaoh into

The severest Penalty!"

47.
Behold, they will dispute

With each other in the Fire!

The weak ones (who followed)

Will say to those who

Had been arrogant, "We but

Followed you: can ye then

p. 1276

Take (on yourselves) from us

Some share of the Fire?"

48.
Those who had been arrogant

Will say: "We are all

In this (Fire)! Truly,

God has judged

Between (His) Servants!"

49.
Those in the Fire will say

To the Keepers of Hell:

"Pray to your Lord

To lighten us the Penalty

For a Day (at least)!"

50.
They will say: "Did there

Not come to you

Your apostles with Clear Signs?"

They will say, "Yes".

They will reply, "Then

Pray (as ye like)! But

The Prayer of those

Without Faith is nothing

But (futile wandering)

In (mazes of) error!
"

p. 1277

Section 6.

51.
We will, without doubt,

Help Our apostles and those

Who believe, (both)

In this world's life

And on the Day

When the Witnesses

Will stand forth,--

52.
The Day when no profit

Will it be to Wrong-doers

To present their excuses,

But they will (only) have

The Curse and the Home

Of Misery.

53.
We did aforetime give Moses

The (Book of) Guidance,

And We gave the Book

In inheritance to the Children

Of Israel,--

54. A
Guide and a Message

To men of understanding.

55. Patiently, then, persevere:


For the Promise of God

Is true: and ask forgiveness

For thy fault, and celebrate

p. 1278

The Praises of thy Lord

In the evening

And in the morning.

56.
Those who dispute

About the Signs of God

Without any authority

Bestowed on them,--there is

Nothing in their breasts

But (the quest of) greatness,

Which they shall never

Attain to: seek refuge,

Then, in God: it is He

Who hears and sees (all things).

57.
Assuredly the creation

Of the heavens

And the earth

Is a greater (matter)

Than the creation of men:


Yet most men understand not.

58.
Not equal are the blind

And those who (clearly) see:

Nor are (equal) those

Who believe and work

Deeds of righteousness, and

Those who do evil.

Little do ye learn

By admonition!

59. The Hour will certainly come:


Therein is no doubt:

Yet most men believe not.

p. 1279

60. And your Lord says:


"Call on Me; I

Will answer your (Prayer):

But those who are

Too arrogant to serve Me

Will surely find themselves

In Hell--in humiliation!"

Section 7.

61.
It is God Who has

Made the Night for you,

That ye may rest therein,

And the Day, as that

Which helps (you) to see.

Verily God is Full of

Grace and Bounty to men:


Yet most men give

No thanks.

62.
Such is God, your Lord,

The Creator of all things.

There is no god but He:


Then how ye are delude

Away from the Truth!

63.
Thus are deluded those

Who are wont to reject

The Signs of God.

64.
It is God Who has

Made for you the earth

p. 1280

As a resting place,

And the sky as a canopy,

And has given you shape--

And made your shapes

Beautiful,--and has provided

For you Sustenance,

Of things pure and good;--

Such is God your Lord.

So Glory to God,

The Lord of the Worlds!

65. He is the Living (One):


There is no god but He:

Call upon Him, giving Him

Sincere devotion. Praise he

To God, Lord of the Worlds!

66.
Say: "I have been forbidden

To invoke those whom ye

Invoke besides God,--seeing that

The Clear Signs have come

To me from my Lord;

And I have been commanded

To bow (in Islm)

To the Lord of the Worlds."

67.
It is He Who has

Created you from dust,

p. 1281

Then from a sperm-drop,

Then from a leech-like clot;

Then does He get you

Out (into the light)

As a child: then lets you

(Grow and) reach your age

Of full strength; then

Lets you become old,--

Though of you there are

Some who die before;--

And lets you reach

A Term appointed;

In order that ye

May learn wisdom.

68.
It is He Who gives Life

And Death; and when He

Decides upon an affair,

He says to it, "Be",

And it is.

Section 8.

69.
Seest thou not those

That dispute concerning

The Signs of God?

How are they turned away

(From Reality)?--

70.
Those who reject the Book

And the (revelations) with which

We sent Our apostles:

But soon shall they know,--

p. 1282

71.
When the yokes (shall be)

Round their necks,

And the chains;

They shall be dragged along--

72.
In the boiling fetid fluid

Then in the Fire

Shall they be burned;

73.
Then shall it be said

To them: "Where are

The (deities) to which

Ye gave part-worship--

74.
\"In derogation of God?"

They will reply: "They have

Left us in the lurch:


Nay, we invoked not,

Of old, anything (that had

Real existence
).
" Thus

Does God leave

The Unbelievers to stray.

75.
\"That was because

Ye were wont to rejoice

On the earth in things

Other than the Truth,

And that ye were wont

To be insolent.

76.
\"Enter ye the gates

Of Hell, to dwell therein:

And evil is (this) abode

Of the arrogant!"

p. 1283

77.
So persevere in patience;

For the Promise of God

Is true: and whether

We show thee (in this life)

Some part of what We

Promise them,--or We

Take thy soul (to Our Mercy)

(Before that),--(in any case)

It is to Us that

They shall (all) return.

78.
We did aforetime send

Apostles before thee: of them

There are some whose story

We have related to thee,

And some whose story

We have not related

To thee. It was not

(Possible) for any apostle

To bring a Sign except

By the leave of God:


But when the Command

Of God issued,

The matter was decided

In truth and justice,

And there perished,

There and then, those

Who stood on Falsehoods.

Section 9.

79.
It is God who made

Cattle for you, that ye

p. 1284

May use some for riding

And some for food;

80.
And there are (other) advantages

In them for you (besides);

That ye may through them

Attain to any need

(There may be) in your hearts;

And on them and on ships

Ye are carried.

81.
And He shows you (always)

His Signs: then which

Of the Signs of God

Will ye deny?

82.
Do they not travel through

The earth and see what

Was the End of those

Before them? They were

More numerous than these

And superior in strength

And in the traces

(They have left) in the land:


Yet all that they accomplished

Was of no profit to them.

83.
For when their apostles

Came to them

With Clear Signs, they exulted

In such knowledge (and skill)

p. 1285

As they had; but

That very (Wrath) at which

They were wont to scoff

Hemmed them in.

84. But when they saw

Our Punishment, they said:


"We believe in God,--

The One God--and we

Reject the partners we used

To join with Him."

85.
But their professing the Faith

When they (actually) saw

Our Punishment was not going

To profit them.

(Such has been) God's way

Of dealing with His servants

(From the most ancient times).

And even thus did

The rejecters of God

Perish (utterly)!

p. 1286

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