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Sura Xxvi. Shu'araa, Or The Poets

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

p. 946

Sra Xxvi.

\"SHU'ARA", Or The Poets.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,

Most Merciful.

1.
\"T". "Sn". "Mm".

2.
These are Verses of the Book

That makes (things) clear.

3.
It may be thou frettest

Thy soul with grief, that they

Do not become Believers.

4.
If (such) were Our Will,

We could send down to them

From the sky a Sign,

To which they would bend

Their necks in humility.

5.
But there comes not

To them a newly-revealed

Message from (God) Most Gracious,

But they turn away therefrom.

p. 947

6.
They have indeed rejected

(The Message): so they will

Know soon (enough) the truth

Of what they mocked at!

7.
Do they not look

At the earth,--how many

Noble things of all kinds

We have produced therein?

8. Verily, in this is a Sign:


But most of them

Do not believe.

9.
And verily, thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

Section 2.

10.
Behold, thy Lord called

Moses: "Go to the people

Of iniquity,--

11.
\"The people of Pharaoh:


Will they not fear God?"

12.
He said: "O my Lord!

I do fear that they

Will charge me with falsehood:

p. 948

13.
\"My breast will be straitened?'

And my speech may not go

(Smoothly): so send unto Aaron.

14.
\"And (further), they have

A charge of crime against me;

And I fear they may

Slay me."

15.
God said: "By no means!

Proceed then, both of you,

With Our Signs; We

Are with you, and will

Listen (to your call).

16.
\"So go forth, both of you,

To Pharaoh, and say:

'We have been sent

By the Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds;

17.
\"'Send thou with us

The Children of Israel.'"

18.
(Pharaoh) said: "Did we not

Cherish thee as a child

Among us, and didst thou not

Stay in our midst

Many years of thy life?

p. 949

19.
\"And thou didst a deed

Of thine which (thou knowest)

Thou didst, and thou art

An ungrateful (wretch)!"

20.
Moses said: "I did it

Then, when I was

In error.

21.
\"So I fled from you (all)

When I feared you;

But my Lord has (since)

Invested me with judgment

(And wisdom) and appointed me

As one of the apostles.

22.
\"And this is the favour

With which thou dost

Reproach me,--that thou

Hast enslaved the Children

Of Israel!"

23.
Pharaoh said: "And what

Is the 'Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds'?

p. 950

24.
(Moses) said: "The Lord

And Cherisher of the heavens

And the earth, and all between,

If ye want to be

Quite sure."

25.
(Pharaoh) said to those

Around: "Do ye not listen

(To what he says)?

26.
(Moses) said: "Your Lord

And the Lord of your fathers

From the beginning!"

27.
(Pharaoh) said: "Truly

Your apostle who has been

Sent to you is

A veritable madman!"

28.
(Moses) said: "Lord of the East

And the West, and all between!

If ye only had sense!"

29.
(Pharaoh) said: "If thou

Dost put forward any god

Other than me, I will

Certainly put thee in prison!"

30.
(Moses) said: "Even if I

Showed you something

Clear (and) convincing?
"

p. 951

31.
(Pharaoh) said: "Show it then,

If thou tellest the truth!"

32.
So (Moses) threw his rod,

And behold, it was

A serpent, plain (for all to see)!

33.
And he drew out his hand,

And behold, it was white

To all beholders!

Section 3.

34.
(Pharaoh) said to the Chiefs

Around him: "This is indeed

A sorcerer well-versed:

35.
\"His plan is to get you out

Of your land by his sorcery;

Then what is it ye counsel?"

36.
They said: "Keep him

And his brother in suspense

(For a while), and dispatch

To the Cities heralds to collect--

37.
\"And bring up to thee

All (our) sorcerers well-versed."

38.
So the sorcerers were got

Together for the appointment

Of a day well-known,

39. And the people were told:


"Are ye (now) assembled?--

40.
\"That we may follow

The sorcerers (in religion)

If they win?"

p. 952

41.
So when the sorcerers arrived,

They said to Pharaoh:

"Of course--shall we have

A (suitable) reward

If we win?"

42.
He said: "Yea, (and more),--

For ye shall in that case

Be (raised to posts)

Nearest (to my person)."

43. Moses said to them:


"Throw ye--that which

Ye are about to throw!"

44.
So they threw their ropes

And their rods, and said:

"By the might of Pharaoh,

It is we who will

Certainly win!"

45.
Then Moses threw his rod,

When, behold, it straightway

Swallows up all

The falsehoods which they fake!

46.
When did the sorcerers

Fall down, prostrate in adoration,

47.
Saying: "We believe

In the Lord of the Worlds,

48.
\"The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

p. 953

49.
Said (Pharaoh): "Believe ye

In Him before I give

You permission? Surely he

Is your leader, who has

Taught you sorcery!

But soon shall ye know!

50.
\"Be sure I will cut off

Your hands and your feet

On opposite sides, and I

Will cause you all

To die on the cross!"

51.
They said: "No matter!

For us, we shall but

Return to our Lord!

52.
\"Only, our desire is

That our Lord will

Forgive us our faults,

That we may become

Foremost among the Believers!"

Section 4.

53.
By inspiration We told Moses:


"Travel by night with

My servants; for surely

Ye shall be pursued."

54.
Then Pharaoh sent heralds

To (all) the Cities,

p. 954

55.
(Saying): "These (Israelites)

Are but a small band,

56.
\"And they are raging

Furiously against us;

57.
\"But we are a multitude

Amply fore-warned."

58.
So We expelled them

From gardens, springs,

59.
Treasures, and every kind

Of honourable position;

60.
Thus it was, but

We made the Children

Of Israel inheritors

Of such things.

61.
So they pursued them

At sunrise.

62.
And when the two bodies

Saw each other, the people

Of Moses said: "We are

Sure to be overtaken."

63.
(Moses) said: "By no means!

My Lord is with me!

Soon will He guide me!
"

p. 955

64.
Then We told Moses

By inspiration: "Strike

The sea with thy rod."

So it divided, and each

Separate part became

Like the huge, firm mass

Of a mountain.

65.
And We made the other

Party approach thither.

66.
We delivered Moses and all

Who were with him;

67.
But We drowned the others.

68. Verily in this is a Sign:


But most of them

Do not believe.

69.
And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

Section 5.

70.
And rehearse to them

(Something of) Abraham's story.

p. 956

71. Behold, he said

To his father and his people:


"What worship ye?"

72.
They said: "We worship

Idols, and we remain constantly

In attendance on them."

73.
He said: "Do they listen

To you when ye call (on them),

Or do you good or harm?"

74.
They said: "Nay, but we

Found our fathers doing

Thus (what we do)."

75.
He said: "Do ye then

See whom ye have been

Worshipping,--

76.
\"Ye and your fathers before you?--

77.
\"For they are enemies to me;

Not so the Lord and Cherisher

Of the Worlds;

78.
\"Who created me, and

It is He who guides me;

79.
\"Who gives me food and drink,

80.
\"And when I am ill,

It is He who cures me;

81.
\"Who will cause me to die,

And then to live (again);

p. 957

82.
\"And who, I hope,

Will forgive me my faults

On the Day of Judgment.

83.
\"O my Lord! bestow wisdom

On me, and join me

With the righteous;

84.
\"Grant me honourable mention

On the tongue of truth

Among the latest (generations);

85.
\"Make me one of the inheritors

Of the Garden of Bliss;

86.
\"Forgive my father, for that

He is among those astray;

87.
\"And let me not be

In disgrace on the Day

When (men) will be raised up;--

88.
\"The Day whereon neither

Wealth nor sons will avail,

89.
\"But only he (will prosper)

That brings to God

A sound heart;

90.
\"To the righteous, the Garden

Will be brought near,

p. 958

91.
\"And to those straying in Evil,

The Fire will be placed

In full view;

92.
\"And it shall be said

To them, 'Where are

The (gods) ye worshipped--

93.
\"'Besides God? Can they

Help you or help themselves?'

94.
\"Then they will be thrown

Headlong into the (Fire),--

They and those straying

In Evil,

95.
\"And the whole hosts

Of Ibls together.

96.
\"They will say there

In their mutual bickerings:

97.
\"'By God, we were truly

In an error manifest,

98.
\"'When we held you as equals

With the Lord of the Worlds;

99.
\"'And our seducers were

Only those who were

Steeped in guilt.

100.
\"'Now, then, we have none

To intercede (for us),

p. 959

101.
\"'Nor a single friend

To feel (for us).

102.
\"'Now if we only had

A chance of return,

We shall truly be

Of those who believe!'"

103.
Verily in this is a Sign

But most of them

Do not believe.

104.
And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

Section 6.

105.
The people of Noah rejected

The apostles.

106.
Behold, their brother Noah

Said to them: "Will ye not

Fear (God)?

107.
\"I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust:

108.
\"So fear God, and obey me.

109.
\"No reward do I ask

Of you for it: my reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds:

p. 960

110.
\"So fear God, and obey me."

111.
They said: "Shall we

Believe in thee when it is

The meanest that follow thee?"

112.
He said: "And what

Do I know as to

What they do?

113.
\"Their account is only

With my Lord, if ye

Could (but) understand.

114.
\"I am not one to drive away

Those who believe.

115.
\"I am sent only

To warn plainly in public."

116.
They said: "If thou

Desist not, O Noah!

Thou shalt be stoned

(to death)."

117.
He said: "O my Lord!

Truly my people have

Rejected me.

118.
\"Judge thou, then, between me

And them openly, and deliver

p. 961

Me and those of the Believers

Who are with me."

119.
So We delivered him

And those with him,

In the Ark filled

(With all creatures).

120.
Thereafter We drowned those

Who remained behind.

121. Verily in this is a Sign:


But most of them

Do not believe.

122.
And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

Section 7.

123.
The 'Ad (people) rejected'

The apostles.

124.
Behold, their brother Hd

Said to them: "Will ye not

Fear (God)?

p. 962

125.
\"I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust:

126.
\"So fear God and obey me.

127.
\"No reward do I ask

Of you for it my reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

128.
\"Do ye build a landmark

On every high place

To amuse yourselves?

129.
\"And do ye get for yourselves

Fine buildings in the hope

Of living therein (for ever)?

130.
\"And when ye exert

Your strong hand,

Do ye do it like men

Of absolute power?

131.
\"Now fear God, and obey me.

132.
\"Yea, fear Him Who

Has bestowed on you

Freely all that ye know.

133.
\"Freely has He bestowed

On you cattle and sons,--

p. 963

134.
\"And Gardens and Springs.

135.
\"Truly I fear for you

The Penalty of a Great Day."

136.
They said: "It is the same

To us whether thou

Admonish us or be not

Among (our) admonishers!

137.
\"This is no other than

A customary device

Of the ancients,

138.
\"And we are not the ones

To receive Pains and Penalties!"

139.
So they rejected him,

And We destroyed them.

Verily in this is a Sign:


But most of them

Do not believe.

140.
And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

Section 8.

141.
The Thamd (people) rejected

The apostles.

p. 964

142.
Behold, their brother li

Said to them: "Will you not

Fear (God)?

143.
\"I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust.

144.
\"So fear God, and obey me.

145.
\"No reward do I ask

Of you for it: my reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

146.
\"Will ye be left secure,

In (the enjoyment of) all

That ye have here?--

147.
\"Gardens and Springs,

148.
\"And corn-fields and date palms

With spathes near breaking

(With the weight of fruit)?

149.
\"And ye carve houses

Out of (rocky) mountains

With great skill.

150.
\"But fear God and obey me;

151.
\"And follow not the bidding

Of those who are extravagant,--

152.
\"Who make mischief in the land,

And mend not (their ways)."

153.
Whey said: "Thou art only

One of those bewitched!'

p. 965

154. \"Thou art no more than

A mortal like us:


Then bring us a Sign,

If thou tellest the truth!"

155.
He said: "Here is

A she-camel: she has

A right of watering,

And ye have a right

Of watering, (severally)

On a day appointed.

156.
\"Touch her not with harm,

Lest the Penalty

Of a Great Day

Seize you."

157.
But they ham-strung her:


Then did they become

Full of regrets.

158.
But the Penalty seized them.

Verily in this is a Sign:

But most of them

Do not believe.

159.
And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

p. 966

Section 9

160.
The people of Lt rejected'

The apostles.

161.
Behold, their brother Lt

Said to them: "Will ye not

Fear (God)?

162.
\"I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust.

163.
\"So fear God and obey me.

164.
\"No reward do I ask

Of you for it my reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

165.
\"Of all the creatures

In the world, will ye

Approach males,

166.
\"And leave those whom God

Has created for you

To be your mates?

Nay, ye are a people

Transgressing (all limits)!"

167.
Whey said: "If thou desist not,

O Lt! thou wilt assuredly

Be cast out!"

168.
He said: "I do detest

Your doings:
"

p. 967

169.
\"O my Lord! deliver me

And my family from

Such things as they do!"

170.
So We delivered him

And his family,--all

171.
Except an old woman

Who lingered behind.

172.
But the rest We destroyed Utterly.

173.
We rained down on them

A shower (of brimstone):

And evil was the shower

On those who were admonished

(But heeded not)!

174.
Verily in this is a Sign

But most of them

Do not believe.

175.
And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might

Most Merciful.

Section 10.

176.
The Companions of the Wood

Rejected the apostles.

177. Behold, Shu'aib said to them:


Will ye not fear (God)?

178.
\"I am to you an apostle

Worthy of all trust.

p. 968

179.
\"So fear God and obey me.

180.
\"No reward do I ask

Of you for it: my, reward

Is only from the Lord

Of the Worlds.

181.
\"Give just measure,'

And cause no loss

(To others by fraud).

182.
\"And weigh with scales

True and upright.

183.
\"And withhold not things

Justly due to men,

Nor do evil in the land,

Working mischief.

184.
\"And fear Him Who created

You and (Who created)

The generations before (you)"

185.
Whey said: "Thou art only

One of those bewitched!

186.
\"Thou art no more than

A mortal like us,

And indeed we think

Thou art a liar!

187.
\"Now cause a piece

Of the sky to fall on us,

If thou art truthful!"

188.
He said: "My Lord

Knows best what ye do.
"

p. 969

189.
But they rejected him.

Then the punishment

Of a day of overshadowing gloom

Seized them, and that was

The Penalty of a Great Day.

190. Verily in that is a Sign:


But most of them

Do not believe.

191.
And verily thy Lord

Is He, the Exalted in Might,

Most Merciful.

Section 11.

192.
Verily this is a Revelation

From the Lord of the Worlds:

193.
With it came down

The Spirit of Faith and Truth--

p. 970

194.
To thy heart and mind,

That thou mayest admonish

195.
In the perspicuous

Arabic tongue.

196.
Without doubt it is (announced)

In the mystic Book

Of former peoples.

197.
Is it not a Sign

To them that the Learned

Of the Children of Israel

Knew it (as true)?

198.
Had We revealed it

To any of the non Arabs,

199.
And had he recited it

To them, they would not

Have believed in it.

200.
Thus have We caused it

To enter the hearts

Of the Sinners.

p. 971

201.
They will not believe

In it until they see

The grievous Penalty;

202.
But the (Penalty) will come

To them of a sudden,

While they preceive it not;

203. Then they will say:


"Shall we be respited?"

204.
Do they then ask

For Our Penalty to be

Hastened on?

205.
Seest thou? If We do

Let them enjoy (this life)

For a few years,

206.
Yet there comes to them

At length the (Punishment)

Which they were promised!

207.
It will profit them not

That they enjoyed (this life)!

208.
Never did We destroy

A population, but had

Its warners--

209.
By way of reminder;

And We never are unjust.

210.
No evil ones have brought

Down this (Revelation):

p. 972

211.
It would neither suit them

Nor would they be able

(To produce it).

212.
Indeed they have been removed

Far from even (a chance of)

Hearing it.

213.
So call not on any

Other god with God,

Or thou wilt be among

Those under the Penalty.

214.
And admonish thy nearest

Kinsmen,

215.
And lower thy wing

To the Believers who

Follow thee.

216.
Then if they disobey thee,

Say: "I am free (of responsibility)

For what ye do!"

217.
And put thy trust

On the Exalted in Might,

The Merciful,--

218.
Who seeth thee standing

Forth (in prayer),

219.
And thy movements among

Those who prostrate themselves.

p. 973

220.
For it is He

Who heareth and knoweth

All things.

221.
Shall I inform you.

(O people!), on whom it is

That the evil ones descend?

222.
They descend on every

Lying, wicked person,

223.
(Into whose ears) they pour

Hearsay vanities, and most

Of them are liars.

224.
And the Poets,--

It is those straying in Evil,

Who follow them:

225.
Seest thou not that they

Wander distracted in every

Valley?--

226.
And that they say

What they practise not?--

227.
Except those who believe,

Work righteousness, engage much

p. 974

In the remembrance of God,

And defend themselves only after

They are unjustly attacked.

And soon will the unjust'

Assailants know what vicissitudes

Their affairs will take!

p. 975

p. 976

p. 977

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