Sūrah al-Rūm

This is Sūrah Alif Lām Mīm. The Romans have been defeated in the nearby land but after this defeat of theirs they shall soon be victorious in the next few years. Whatever happened before this happened at God’s behest also and whatever will happen in future will also happen at God’s behest and the believers will rejoice on that day because of God’s help. God helps whomsoever He pleases and He is Powerful and very Merciful. God’s promise is certain and God does not go back on His promise, but most people know not. They only know the visible side of their worldly life and they are totally unaware of the Hereafter.

Have they not reflected in their heart? God has created the heavens and the earth and all between them with truth and until a prescribed time. But this also is a reality that there are many among people who do not even believe in meeting their Lord.

Have they not roamed about in the land so that they could have seen the fate of the people who lived before them [by their very eyes]? They were far mightier than they. They cultivated lands widely [to make them productive] and had populated the earth far more than what these people did, and their prophets had come to them with veritable signs [but they did not believe and were punished]. Then it was not God Who was unjust to them; in fact, they themselves were being unjust to their souls. Then evil ultimately was the fate of the evil-doers because they denied God’s revelations and continued to make fun of them.

It is God Who initiates Creation. [It is not the slightest difficult for Him.] Then it is He Who will create it again in this manner; then you will be returned to Him and the Day this Hereafter arrives, on that Day the wrongdoers shall be wonderstruck in despair. [You will see that] none among the partners they associated is there to intercede for them and they have rejected these partners.

And the day, this Hereafter ensues, on that Day people will be categorized. Then those who had accepted faith and would have done righteous deeds, they will be placed in a grand orchard, happy and joyous. And those who denied and rejected Our revelations and the meeting of the Hereafter, it is they who shall be seized in torment. So glorify God when you enter evening and when you enter morning – He is being praised in the heavens – and at the time of ‘ishā also and when you enter the zuḥr time.

[You wonder how this will happen. Do you not see that] He takes out the living from the dead and the dead from the living, and once again makes the land lush green after it dies. In a similar way, you too will be taken out. And from among His signs is this also that He has created you from clay; then before long you grow into human beings and spread out [in the land]. And from among His signs is also that He has made your pairs from your own species so that you can receive comfort from them and has created love and affection between you. There certainly are great signs in this for those who reflect. The creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity in your languages and colours is also from among His signs. In it, there certainly are many signs for those endowed with knowledge. In a similar way, your sleeping by night and day and finding His bounty are also among His signs. Surely, there are many signs in this for people who listen [from the ears of their hearts]. And from among His signs is also that He shows you flashes of lightning which produce fear also and hope as well, and rains down water from the heavens. Then He revives the land from it after it dies. Surely, there are many signs in this for those who use their intellect. And from among His signs is also that the heavens and the earth exist because of His command. Then when only once He will summon you to come out from the earth, you will come out as soon as you hear it. Whatever are in the heavens and the earth belong to Him; all are obedient to Him only. It is He Who brings the Creation into being; then it is He Who will create it again and this is easier for Him. The highest attribute in the heavens and the earth is His and He alone is Mighty and Wise.

[It is a matter of wonder that in spite of this you associate partners with Him.] God has stated an example drawn from your own selves. [Tell us:] The sustenance We have blessed you with, do some of your slaves also have a share in it so that you and they would have become equal in them and the way you give regard to your own people you give them the same regard as well? In this way do We explain Our revelations for those who use their intellect. But when will they use their intellect; in fact, [such is the situation of] these wrongdoers that they are following their imagination without any proof. Then who can guide those who have been led astray by God? They have no helper now?

So, [now that these facts have become evident,] following one God continue to point your face [like your father Abraham] towards his religion. Follow the nature created by God [O Prophet] on which He has created people. This nature created by God cannot be changed. This only is the straight path but most people know not. [Follow it] by turning towards God all of you and keep fearing Him and be diligent in the prayer and be not among the idolaters, who created divisions in their religion and became divided into factions. Each faction is engrossed in what it has.¹

Such are people that when they are afflicted with some calamity, they start calling God by turning themselves to Him. Then when He makes them taste mercy from Himself, one group from among them suddenly starts associating partners with their Lord so that whatever We have given them, they show ingratitude to it. So, enjoy for a few days; then soon you will come to know. Ask them: Have they ascribed partners to God without any basis or have We also revealed an argument that what they associate with God it is bearing witness to it?

[Then not only this,] when We make people taste mercy, [instead of being grateful,] they show conceit on it and because of what their hands have sent forward, if they are afflicted with some difficulty, they immediately become disappointed. Do they not see that it is only God Who gives abundant sustenance to whomsoever He wishes and constricts it for whomsoever He wishes? There surely are many signs in this for the believers.

So, [if you have abundant sustenance,] give the due to the next of kin, the needy and the traveller. This is better for those who want to please God and it is they who shall succeed [in the Hereafter]. This interest-based loan which you give that it may increase by being included in the wealth of others, it does not increase with God and the charity you give to please God through it, it is they that give it who increase their wealth with God.

[People of the Quraysh!] It is God Who has created you; then gave you sustenance; then He gives you death; then He shall raise you to life again. Is there also anyone whom you associate with God that does any of these tasks? He is exalted and beyond all the things they associate with Him. [Have you not seen that] disorder has ensued in the land and the sea because of what people have earned from their hands. [This is inviting God] that He make them taste the flavour of some of their misdeeds so that they pay heed.

[For this reason, be on guard; God’s messenger has come to you.] Tell them: Roam about in the land and see that [after conclusive communication of the truth from the messengers] what fate previous people met. Most of them were polytheists [like you].

So, [if they do not pay heed, do not care about them O Messenger! And] point straight your face to the upright religion before a day arrives from God which cannot be averted. On that day, people will be separated from one another. He who denied, it is he who will bear the evil consequence of his denial and those who did righteous deeds, they will only facilitate their own path. This will happen so that those who have accepted faith and have done righteous deeds, God rewards them out of His grace. In reality, God does not like the disbelievers.

From among His signs are also that He sends winds as glad tidings [for the rain of mercy] and sends them so that He may let you taste the flavour of His mercy and so that these ships sail [with the help of these winds] at His behest and so that you become seekers of His bounty and so that you may be grateful.

[In a similar way, will come Our help.] Before you also, We had sent messengers to their nations. Then they came to them with veritable signs; so We took revenge from the wrongdoers [for denying them] and it was incumbent upon Us to help the believers. [In reality,] it is God Who sends the winds of mercy; then they bring forth the clouds; then God scatters them in whatever way He wants in the sky and arranges them in layers. Then you see rain pouring down from them. Then when He rains it down upon whomsoever of His servants He chooses, they suddenly become happy though prior to its descent on them, before this happiness they had totally lost hope. So, [you too rest assured and] observe these signs of God’s mercy how He revives the land after it dies. Indeed, it is He Who brings the dead back to life and He has power over all things.

[Such is the attitude of these people!] If We send a second wind, then they see their crops turn yellow, they will end up as disbelievers after this. So, you cannot make the dead listen nor let your call reach the deaf, when turning their back they are walking away. And nor can you turn away the blind from their error to show them the right path. You can make only those listen who believe in Our signs. So, it is only they who will be the obedient.

[What is the basis of their conceit? In reality,] it is God Who created all of you weak; then after weakness gave strength; then gave weakness and old age after strength. He creates whatsoever He desires and it is He Who is Knowledgeable and Powerful.

[What they are regarding as far off,] the day the Hereafter arrives, these wrongdoers will swear oaths and say that they did not stay in their graves for more than a while. In this manner, were they continued to be led away. On the other hand, those who were endowed with knowledge and faith will say: “In the record of God, you have remained until the Day of Judgement; so this is the Day of Judgement, but you did not know.” Then on that day neither the apology of the unjust will be of any benefit to them nor will they be given the opportunity to please God.

[They ask for a sign.] We have mentioned in this Qur’ān examples of all sorts for people [and they alone are sufficient]. Whichever sign you bring them, those who have decided to deny will only say: “You people are absolute liars.” In this way, does God seal the hearts of those who do not want to know. So, [O Prophet] be steadfast. Indeed, God’s promise is true and [be informed that] these people who do not have conviction in His promises should not the slightest succeed in reducing your substance.