Sūrah al-Zukhruf

This is Sūrah Ḥā Mīm. This clear Book is a witness [to its own self]. We have revealed it as an Arabic Qur’ān so that you may understand. And indeed it is with Us in the real Book, very exalted and replete with wisdom.

So, should We become indifferent to reminding you merely because you are a people who exceed limits? [Certainly not! We will conclusively deliver the truth.] Many a prophet We sent as a messenger among the earlier generations also. However, whichever prophet came to them, they would only make fun of him. Then We destroyed them who were much more powerful than your disbelievers and examples of those earlier have passed.

And if you ask them: “Who has made the heavens and the earth?” they will surely say: “God, the Powerful, the Knowledgeable has made them.”

[He] Who made the earth a cradle for you and traced out paths in it for you so that you find the way. And He Who sent down water from the heavens in a certain measure; then through it We gave a new life to a dead city. Precisely in this manner, you too will be brought out of the graves [one day]. And He Who has created all these things of various sort and made ships and beasts for you on which you embark so that you may mount on their backs with ease; then when you sit on them with ease, remember the favour of your Lord and say: “Exalted is the being who has put them to our service. We were not capable of bringing them into our control. Certainly, we have to return to our Lord.”

[In spite of knowing and acknowledging all this,] they have made some servants of God as His part. In reality, a human being is blatantly ungrateful. Has God chosen daughters for Himself from among His creation and has blessed you with sons? And such are they that when any of them is given glad tidings of the thing which he blames the Merciful God of, his face becomes black and is inflicted by anxiety, and [thinks]: “Has she been born who is raised up among trinkets and at the times of disputation becomes speechless.”

[Alas!] They have made angels, who are servants of God, daughters! Were they present at their birth? This testimony of theirs shall now be written and they shall be held accountable for it.

They say: “Had the Merciful God wanted, we would not have worshipped them.” They have no knowledge of this matter. It is mere conjecture that they do. Did We give them a Book before this so that they are using it as an argument in their favour [for this foolishness]? Certainly not! In fact, they say: “We have found our forefathers on a superior path and we are only following in their footsteps on the right path.” In a similar way [O Prophet], to whichever city We have sent a warner before you, its affluent people only said: “We have found our forefathers on a superior way and we will continue to follow in their footsteps.” Their warner said: “Will you do so even if I bring to you the guidance of a much more straight path than on which you found your forefathers?” They replied: “We are not ones who will believe in whatever you have been sent with.” Thus, [when matters reached this extent,] We took revenge from them [for this rebelliousness]. Then see the fate of those who denied.

They [give reference of their forefathers; so they] should remember when their [progenitor] Abraham had said to his father and to the people of his nation: “I totally acquit myself of what you worship. I only worship Him Who has brought me into existence. So, undoubtedly [after my acquittal from you] now He alone will guide me.” Abraham left this thing as a tradition among his later generations so that they may turn to it.

No, [they were not unaware of it.] In fact, what happened was that I gave them and their forefathers the provisions of this life; [then a long period passed and their hearts hardened] until the truth came to them and a prophet too who clarifies everything regarding religion. When this truth came to them, they said: “This is magic and we shall never ever believe in it.”

They say: “Why was not the Qur’ān revealed to some prominent person of both cities [Makkah and Ṭā’if]?” Do they allocate the mercy of your Lord? It is We Who have allocated among them the means of their livelihood in the life of this world and have allocated them in such a way that We have raised some in status above others so that they can mutually serve each other. And better is your Lord’s mercy than what they are amassing.

[They should not show conceit on this.] Had it not been for the fear that all people will adopt the same way [and none will profess faith], We would have made of silver the roof of the houses of those who are disbelieving in God and the staircases too which they climb and the doors of their houses and their thrones on which they sit reclining on pillows; in fact, [not only of silver,] but of gold also. In reality, all these things are merely provisions of worldly life, and the Hereafter [O Prophet] before your Lord is only for those who fear God.

[Alas! They are indifferent to the Most Merciful] and he who turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We depute a devil on him; then he becomes his companion. There is no doubt that these devils stop such people from the path of God and they think on their part that they are going in the right direction. Until finally when each person of this type comes to Us, he will say to his devil: “Would that the distance of both borders of the East was between you and me! So, what an evil companion would he be! It will be said: “[People!] When you have been unjust to yourselves [in the previous world], today this is of not the slightest benefit to you because now you people share the punishment.”

[They have become blind and deaf, O Prophet!] So, will you make the deaf listen or guide the blind and those who are in open error? Now even if We take you away, they will not go free because We have decided that We shall definitely take revenge from them or if the torment We have promised them with, We show it to you [while you are in this world], then this too is not difficult at all because We have full power over them. So, [leave them aside and] hold fast to the Book that has been revealed to you. Surely, you are on a straight path. Undoubtedly, this is a reminder for you and your nation and all of you will be held answerable for it in future. Ask the messengers which We sent before you: “Have We set up other deities also besides the Most Merciful God that they be worshipped?”

In a similar way, We had sent Moses also with Our signs to the Pharaoh and his chiefs; so he invited them: “I am a messenger of the Lord of the universe.” Then when he came to them with Our signs, they started to make fun of him. And each sign that We showed them would be greater than the other and We also seized them in torment so that they pay heed.

At every instance of torment, they would say: “O Sorcerer! On the basis of the covenant that your Lord has made with you, pray for us; now we shall definitely adopt the right path.” Then when We would ward away that torment from them, they would immediately break the promise.

[When this created anxiety among people,] the Pharaoh had a proclamation made among his nation. He said: “O People of My Nation! Does not the sovereignty of Egypt belong to me? And these streams also that are flowing beneath me? Then, do you not see? Is he better or am I better than that person who is of lowly stature and can scarcely articulate his words. [If he is a messenger,] then why did this not happen that bracelets of gold would have been sent down for him from above or that angels would have come with him rows after rows?” So, he fooled his nation and they were lured by him. Indeed, they were a disobedient people. Thus, [because of their disobedience,] when they angered Us, We took revenge from them and drowned all of them and made them a tale of the past and an exemplary lesson for the later ones.

And when the example of Mary’s son is given [as a reminder of these facts], the people of your nation shout at it and say: “[His followers also regard him to be a deity; then] are our deities better or he?” They say this before you merely to indulge in frivolous arguments; in fact, they are but a quarrelsome people. He was only a mortal on which We bestowed Our favour and made him an example [of Our power] for the Israelites and [what do you know how limitless Our power is?] Had We wanted, We could have created angels from among you who would have come to the earth in your place.

[Tell them O Prophet:] Certainly, he is a great proof of the Day of Judgement; so, do not doubt its coming and follow me. This only is the straight path and let not Satan stop you [from this path]. In reality, he is an open enemy of yours.¹

And [remember that] when Jesus had come with veritable signs, he had extended this invitation: “[People!] I have come to you with wisdom in order to make you understand the essence of religion and in order to explain to you some things in which you are differing. So, fear God and follow me. Undoubtedly, God alone is my Lord and only He is your Lord as well; so worship Him only. This only is the straight path.” However, [in spite of this clear guidance,] many groups among his followers created sects. So devastation is for them of the torment of a painful day who have been unjust to their souls [by associating partners with God].

[Leave them now to themselves, O Prophet!] They only await the Day of Judgement that it should come upon them suddenly and they do not even know. [Tell them that they should not trust their deities;] on that day, except those who fear God all friends shall become foes of one another.

Servants of Mine! Today, you neither have any fear nor will you be aggrieved – these who professed faith in My revelations and remained obedient. Enter Paradise all of you and your companions; you shall be made happy. Before them dishes of gold and cups of gold shall be circulating and in them there shall be all those things that gratify the heart and please the eye and [they shall be given glad tidings:] “You shall remain in it forever. This is the Paradise you have been made inheritors as reward of your deeds. And for you, there shall be abundant fruit in it from which you shall eat.”

These wrongdoers, however, shall remain forever in the torment of Hell. It shall not be eased for them and they shall remain in it having lost all hope. We did not oppress them; in fact, they are ones who continued to oppress themselves. And they will call out [to the keeper of Hell:] “Mālik! Is it possible that your Lord may finish us off.” He will reply: “[Certainly not!] Now you have to remain in this very state.”

[People of the Quraysh!] We have brought to you the truth, but most of you are averse to the truth. Have they decided something, then We too shall definitely take a decision. Do they think that We are not listening to their secrets and whispers [against the Prophet]? Why not! And Our messengers are also with them writing.

Tell them [O Prophet:] If the Most Merciful had any children, I would have been the first to worship them. Lord of the heavens and the earth, master of the sublime throne, is above all those things they state. So, leave them to indulge in frivolous talk and mocking banter until they face that day of theirs they are being warned of.

He alone is God in the heavens and He only is God on the earth and He alone is Wise and Knowledgeable. Very blessed is the being in whose control is the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and of everything they contain. Only He has knowledge of the Hereafter and to Him shall you be returned. Those whom they call besides Him have no power to intercede. Yes! those who bear witness to the truth and they will also be aware of it – if you ask them: “Who has created them?” they will definitely say: “God did.” Then where do they go astray? And through this statement of theirs they will bear witness: “Lord! These are the people who did not accept faith.” So, ignore them and say: My salām! Then they shall soon know.