Sūrah Ibrāhīm

This is Sūrah Alif Lām Rā. This is the Book We have revealed to you so that you may bring out people from darkness into light with the permission of their Lord to the path of the God Who is powerful; has all praiseworthy attributes. The God to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. [Would you reject Him? Bear in mind that] for those who reject this Book, there is destruction through a severe torment. For those who give preference to the life of this world over the Hereafter and stop [people] from the way of God and want to create diversion in it. These people have deviated far from the truth. [For them, this Book has been revealed in their language] and [Our practice is that] whichever messenger We sent, We have sent in the language of his nation so that he can make them fully understand. Then whomsoever God wants, He leads him astray [according to His law] and guides whomsoever He wants. He is Powerful; very Wise.

In a similar way, We had sent Moses with Our signs: “Bring out your people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God [in which His law of worldly reward and punishment manifested itself].” There is no doubt that in these there are great signs for every person who remains steadfast [during the trials of God] and is grateful [for His favours and blessings].

Recall when Moses said to his nation: “Remember the favours of God on your selves when He delivered you from the people of the Pharaoh who afflicted you with extremely evil torments: they would ransack [the land] to slaughter your sons and let your women live. There was a great favour in this [for you] from your Lord.” And remember when your Lord warned you: “If you are grateful, I shall surely give you more and if you are ungrateful, My punishment is very severe as well.” And [together with this] Moses also warned: “If you show ingratitude and all people of the earth also become ungrateful like this, you will not in any way harm God because God is self-sufficient and has all praiseworthy attributes.”¹

Has not the news of those reached you who lived before you? The people of Noah, the ‘Ād, the Thamūd and those who were after them, who no one except God knows. Their messengers brought veritable signs to them; then they inserted their hands in their mouths [that be silent] and said: “We do not believe in what you have been sent with and the thing you are calling us to, we are in a perplexing doubt about it.” Their messengers said: “Do you have doubt about the God Who is the creator of the heavens and the earth? He is calling you in order to forgive some of your sins [done by you before this] and to give you respite until an appointed time.” They answered: “You are a mortal like us. You want to stop us from the worship of what our forefathers have been worshipping. [If this is true,] then bring before us a clear proof.” Their messengers said to them: “Indeed, we are but mortals like you; but God blesses whomsoever of His servants He chooses. It is not in our authority to show you a proof without God’s permission. [So, we consign this demand of yours to God] and the believers should only trust God [in such matters]. And why should we not trust God when He alone has guided us about these ways of ours? We shall remain steadfast in all circumstances on the hurt you are causing us and [trust God because] those who trust should trust God alone.” At this, the disbelievers said to their messengers: “We shall definitely banish you from our land or you will have to ultimately return to our way.” Then their Lord revealed to them: “We shall destroy these unjust people and after them make you inhabit this land. This is a glad tiding for those who fear standing before Me [for accountability] and who fear My threat.”

They had wanted a decision; so the decision has been made and every tyrant and stubborn person ended up a loser. Now Hell is in front of him. There they will be made to drink pus. He will sip it drop by drop and will not be able to swallow it. Death will be confronting him from all sides but he will not be able to die and another harsh punishment awaits him ahead.

The example of the deeds of those who have disbelieved in their Lord is that of ashes on which a violent wind blows on a stormy day. They will not be able to have anything from whatever they did. This is a great deviation from the truth. Have you not seen that God has created the heavens and the earth with truth? [It is because of the respite He has granted you that He is tolerating your disbelief and polytheism.] If He desires, He can take you away and bring forth a new creation [in your place]. This is not the slightest difficult for God.

[This respite will end very soon] and everyone will set off to the presence of God. Then the weak will say to those who had posed to be of might: “We were your followers; so, will you save us to some extent from God’s torment?” They will reply: “Had God shown us the way, we too would have shown you the way. It is now the same for you and us to cry out or to be patient; there is no way out for us.”

And when the judgement shall be passed, Satan will say: “God in reality had made a true promise with you; [so, He fulfilled it] and I had also promised you but I have gone back on my word. And I had no power over you; I only invited you and you accepted my invitation. So, do not blame me; blame yourselves. Now, neither can I respond to your pleading nor can you respond to my pleading. I have already denied that you had made me a partner [of God].” In reality, it is such unjust people for whom there is a painful torment.

On the other hand, those who have professed faith and have done righteous deeds, they shall be admitted to orchards below which rivers flow. They shall abide there forever with the permission of their Lord. Their greeting with one another in those orchards shall be: “Peace.”

[This is because the foundation of their knowledge and deeds is a noble word.] Have you not seen how God has mentioned the example of the noble word? It is like a noble tree whose roots are deep in the earth and whose branches are spread out in the air. It continues to bear fruit with the permission of its Lord in every season. [This is the example of the noble word.] And God cites parables for people so that they seek reminders.

And, in contrast to it, the example of the evil word is an evil tree that can be uprooted from above the earth; it has no stability.

God shall strengthen the believers [both] in this world and in the hereafter through this strong word, and those who are unjust [to their souls] God shall lead them away [from their destination]. God does whatever He wants to [according to His knowledge and wisdom].

Have you not seen those people who were ungrateful in return to God’s favour and led their nation to the abode of destruction – Hell? They shall enter it and what an evil abode it is! They associated partners with God in order to lead [people] astray from His path. Tell them: Rejoice! your abode ultimately is towards Hell alone.

[O Prophet!] Tell my servants who have professed faith to adhere to the prayer and spend openly and secretly [in the way of God] from what We have given them before that day arrives in which all trading shall cease nor shall any friendship be of avail.

[Do these Idolaters not see that] it is God Who created the heavens and the earth and sent down water from the sky. Then through it bore various fruits for your sustenance and put the ship to your service that it may sail in the sea at His behest and He put the seas to your service and the sun and the moon also; both are moving continuously. Similarly, the day and night also He put to your service and has given you from everything you asked for. If you would like to count the favours of God, you will not be able to count them. [Even then you associate partners with Him?] In reality, human beings are very unjust and very ungrateful.²

[This is the progeny of Abraham.] Narrate to them the incident when Abraham prayed: “Lord! Make this city a city of peace and distance me and my progeny from worshipping idols. Lord! These idols have led many astray. [They can also lead astray my progeny;] so, he [among them] who follows me, is mine and he who disobeyed me, his matter is consigned to you. Then You are Forgiving and Ever-Merciful. O Our Lord! I have settled some of my progeny near your sacred House in a barren valley. Lord! That they show diligence in the prayer in this House. So, incline the hearts of people towards them and grant them sustenance of fruits so that they may be grateful [to You]. Lord! You know what we conceal and what we reveal. In reality, nothing is hidden from God, neither in the earth nor in the heavens. Gratitude be to God Who has blessed me with Ishmael and Isaac in this old age. Undoubtedly, my Lord listens to invocations. Lord! Make me one who is diligent in the prayer and from my progeny also [who I am settling here]. Lord! And accept this invocation of mine. Lord! Forgive me and my parents and all believers on the Day when accountability takes place.

Do not think [O Prophet] that God is the slightest unaware of what these unjust people are doing. He is only deferring them for the day in which eyes will be bewildered. They will be running with their heads raised. When their gaze [is lifted,] it will not come back to them and their hearts will be trembling.

Warn these people of the day when the torment will seize them. At that time, these people, who were unjust to their souls, willsay: “Our Lord! Give us a little more respite; we shall accept your message and follow the messengers” – Have you not been swearing oaths before this that you would not leave [your place]?

You were settled in the cities of those people who had been unjust to their souls and it had become evident to you how We had dealt with them and We had cited their examples for you. They tried to contrive every scheme they could. These schemes of theirs are now lodged with God, even though such were their schemes that even mountains could be dislodged.

So, never even think that God shall go back on His promises made with His messengers. Surely, God is powerful; He takes revenge. Remember the day when this earth will be replaced by another and this sky too and everyone [alone and helpless] will set off towards God, the One and Mighty. On that day, you will see the wrongdoers fettered in chains; their attire is of charcoal and fire is covering their faces. This is so because God rewards each person what he earned. Indeed, God is swift in reckoning. This is a declaration for the people so that the truth is conclusively conveyed to them and so that they are warned through it and so that they know that only He is God and so that the wise receive a reminder [from it].