Sūrah Yāsīn

This is Sūrah Yāsīn. This Qur’ān replete with wisdom bears witness that you surely are among the messengers, upon a very straight path. It has been revealed with great diligence and planning from the Being Who is Powerful, Ever-Merciful. It is has been revealed so that you may warn those people whose predecessors had not been warned. Hence, they are inflicted with negligence. For many of them, Our word has been fulfilled; thus, they will not embrace faith. [So arrogant are they that] it is as if We have put yokes around their necks which have reached as far as their chins; so, their heads are in an elevated position. We have raised a wall in front of them and another behind them as well. In this way, We have covered them; so, now they are not being able to see anything. It is equal for them whether you warn them or not; they will not believe. You can only warn those [O Prophet] who follow advice and fear the Most Merciful God even though they have not seen Him. So give glad tidings to such people of forgiveness and an honourable reward [from God]. Surely, [one day] it is We Who will raise the dead and [their accountability will not be of the slightest bother to Us because] whatever they have sent forward and whatever they have left behind We are writing down all of it and We have noted everything in a clear book.

Narrate to them the example of the city-dwellers when messengers had come to them [such that] when We sent two messengers to them, they denied both. Then We helped them through a third individual; so they said to the people: “Undoubtedly, We have been sent to you as messengers.” The people replied: “You are but mortals like us and the Merciful God has not revealed anything; you are merely lying.”

The messengers said: “Our Lord bears witness that We have surely been sent to you as messengers, and our only responsibility is to clearly communicate.” People said: “We regard you to bring bad luck. If you people do not desist, We shall stone you to death and you shall definitely be painfully punished from us.” The messengers replied: “Your bad luck is with you. Is it merely because you have been sounded a reminder? No, in fact, you are people who exceed bounds.”

[It was at this instance when God helped them through the third such that] a person came running from the far end of the city [and after coming over] said: “People of my nation! Follow the messengers. Follow the people who do not demand any reward and are also rightly guided. [You want to turn me away also from guidance? But I ask you:] ‘Why should I not worship that Being Who has created me and all of you shall be returned to Him? Should I set up other deities besides Him? If the Merciful God wants to afflict some hardship on me, their intercession will be of no avail to me and neither will they be able to save me. If I do this, then undoubtedly I shall fall into open error. I have professed faith in your Lord; so, you also listen to me.’” – It was said: “Enter Paradise.” [When he heard this glad tiding,] he said: “Would that my nation could have known my forgiveness from God and His including me among the honourable.”

After him, We did not send down any army on his nation from the heavens and We are not One Who even send down [for such tasks]. It was only a shout and suddenly they were extinguished. – What a pity on people. Whichever messenger came to them, they have only been making fun of him. [Your addressees too O Messenger are doing the same at this time.] Have they not seen how many nations before them have We destroyed so that their people shall now never return to them and there is no doubt that [one day] all of them shall be gathered to Our presence.

[They ask for signs.] In reality, the dead land is a very big sign for them. We revived it [by sending down water from the heavens] and from it produced grain so that they eat from it. And We planted orchards of dates and grapes in it and made fountains to flow in it so that they may eat its fruits – These have not been made by their hands. Then do they not show gratitude?

Glorious is the Being Who made all the pairs of things which the earth sprouts and from among these people themselves too and also of things which they do not know. (36)

And for them, the night too is a great sign. We pull out the day from it; so all of a sudden they are plunged in darkness. [For precisely this purpose,] the sun moves on a prescribed path. This is a measure set by the Powerful and All-Knowing God. And We have appointed phases for the moon [for this purpose] until [after passing through them,] it once again becomes a withered date-twig. Neither can the sun dare catch up with the moon nor can the night overtake the day. All of them are moving in their own path.

And a great sign for them is also that We have carried their progeny in ships laden with them and like the ship We have made for them things [for travelling by land] on which they embark. And if We want, We can drown them. Then there will neither be anyone who hears their pleadings nor can they be saved. Except that it is Our mercy and to let them benefit until an appointed time [is the scheme].¹

When they are warned: “[The heavens and the earth that surround you] from your front and back, fear them so that mercy be shown to you,” they pay no heed. And whichever sign among the signs of their Lord comes to them, they only ignore it. And when they are told: “Spend [for His cause] from the sustenance God has blessed you with,” these people who have rejected [the messenger] say to the believers: “Should we feed those whom God could have fed Himself if He chose? You people are in glaring error.”

They ask: “So when will this threat [of punishment] materialize [for us] if you people are truthful?” These people only await a shout which will seize them while they will be arguing. Then they will neither be able to make a will nor will they be able to return to their people.

And [similarly, one day] the trumpet will be sounded; then suddenly they will come out of the graves one after the other and walk towards their Lord! [At that time,] they will say: “Our wretchedness! Who raised us from our graves?” This is the same thing which your Lord had promised you and [see that] the messengers had stated the absolute truth. That too will only be a shout and suddenly all of them will be made to come to Our presence.

So, today no person shall suffer any injustice and you shall get in return what you have been doing. Indeed, the dwellers of Paradise shall today be engrossed in their interests. They and their wives shall be sitting leaning on thrones in shades. For them, there shall be fruits there and whatever they demand, shall be available to them. They shall be conveyed salām from the Lord who is Ever-Merciful.

And you wrongdoers! Detach today [from My servants. Now your world is separate and their world is separate]. Children of Adam! Had I not made it mandatory upon you to not worship Satan because he is your open enemy and that worship Me alone? This only is the straight path. In spite of this, he has led astray a large group among you. Then did you not understand? This is the same Hell from which you would be warned. Now enter it because of your disbelief.

Today We shall seal their mouths and their hands will inform us and their feet will bear witness to what they have been doing.

If We wanted, We would have effaced their eyes; then if they moved to the pathway, from where would they have seen? And if We intended, We would have deformed them at their very place; then they would neither have been able to move forward nor move backward. [Do they not see that] he who is given a long life, We gradually reverse him in his creation. Then do they not understand?

[You call it poetry?] We have not taught poetry to Our messenger and this is also not appropriate for him. This is only a reminder and a clear Qur’ān so that he can warn [through it] those who are alive and God’s argument is conclusively conveyed to the disbelievers.

Have they not pondered that among things which We made from Our hands We have created beasts for them, and they are now their masters? And We put them into their service such that they ride some among them and eat the meat of some, and in these there are other benefits for them as well and [especially] things to drink. Then do they not show gratitude?

They have made other deities besides God hoping that they will be helped. They will not be able to help them; in fact, they will be called to presence as their army. So, let not what they say grieve you [O Prophet!] We know whatever they conceal and whatever they reveal.

[They express wonder on how they can be raised to life after they die.] Does not a human being know that We created him from a drop of fluid; then he became an open adversary? He made fun of Us and forgot His creation. He says: “Who can give life to bones when they will decay?” Say: It is He Who shall bring them back to life Who had given them life the first time and He knows all His creatures full well. He Who made fire for you from a lush green tree; then now you make fire from it. Does He Who created the heavens and the earth not have the power to create people like them? Why not! He is the grand Creator, All-Knowing. Such is His matter that when He decides to accomplish something, He says: “Be.” And it is done. So, glorious is He in Whose hands is the control of everything. And you shall be returned to Him alone.