As-Saffat

By those [angels] ranged in rows

who rebuke reproachfully

and recite God’s word

truly your God is One

Lord of the heavens and earth and everything between them, Lord of every sunrise

We have adorned the lowest heaven with stars

and made them a safeguard against every rebellious devil

they cannot eavesdrop on the Higher Assembly––pelted from every side

driven away, they will have perpetual torment––

if any [of them] stealthily snatches away a fragment, he will be pursued by a piercing flame

So [Prophet], ask the disbelievers: is it harder to create them than other beings We have created? We created them from sticky clay

You marvel as they scoff

take no heed when they are warned

and resort to ridicule when they see a sign

saying, ‘This is no more than blatant sorcery.’

‘What! After we have died and become dust and bones, shall we really be raised up again

along with our forefathers?’

Say, ‘Yes indeed, and you will be humiliated.’

Just one blast and––lo and behold!––they will look

and say, ‘Woe to us! This is the Day of Judgement.’

[It will be said], ‘This is the Day of Decision, which you used to deny

[Angels], gather together those who did wrong, and others like them, as well as whatever they worshipped

beside God, lead them all to the path of Hell

and halt them for questioning

“Why do you not support each other now?” ’––

no indeed! They will be in complete submission on that Day––

and they will turn on one another accusingly

They will say, ‘You came to us from a position of power.’

They will say, ‘No! It was you who would not believe

we had no power over you- and you were already exceeding all limits

Our Lord’s sentence on us is just and we must all taste the punishment

We led you astray as we ourselves were astray.’

On that Day they will all share the torment

this is how We deal with the guilty

Whenever it was said to them, ‘There is no deity but God,’ they became arrogant

and said, ‘Are we to forsake our gods for a mad poet?’

‘No: he brought the truth and confirmed the earlier messengers

you will taste the painful torment

and be repaid only according to your deeds.’

Not so God’s true servants

They will have familiar provisions––

fruits- and will be honoured

in gardens of delight

seated on couches, facing one another

A drink will be passed round among them from a flowing spring

white, delicious to those who taste it

causing no headiness or intoxication

With them will be spouses- modest of gaze and beautiful of eye

like protected eggs

They will turn to one another with questions

one will say, ‘I had a close companion on earth

who used to ask me, “Do you really believe that

after we die and become dust and bone, we shall be brought for judgement?”’

Then he will say, ‘Shall we look for him?’

He will look down and see him in the midst of the Fire

and say to him, ‘By God, you almost brought me to ruin

Had it not been for the grace of my Lord, I too would have been taken to Hell.’

Then he will say [to his blessed companions], ‘Are we never to die again after our earlier death

Shall we never suffer

This truly is the supreme triumph!’

Everyone should strive to attain this

Is this the better welcome, or the tree of Zaqqum

which we have made a test for the evildoers

This tree grows in the heart of the blazing Fire

and its fruits are like devils’ heads

They will fill their bellies eating from it

then drink scalding water on top of it

then return to the blazing Fire

They found their forefathers astray

and rushed to follow in their footsteps- before the disbelievers [of Mecca]

most men in the past went astray

even though We sent messengers to warn them

See how those who were warned met their end

Not so the true servants of God

Noah cried to Us, and how excellent was Our response

We saved him and his people from great distress

We let his offspring remain on the earth

We let him be praised by later generations

‘Peace be upon Noah among all the nations!’

This is how We reward those who do good

he was truly one of Our faithful servants

We drowned the rest

Abraham was of the same faith

he came to his Lord with a devoted heart

He said to his father and his people, ‘What are you worshipping

How can you choose false gods instead of the true God

So what is your opinion about the Lord of all the Worlds?’

then he looked up to the stars

He said, ‘I am sick,’

so [his people] turned away from him and left

He turned to their gods and said

‘Do you not eat? Why do you not speak?’

then he turned and struck them with his right arm

His people hurried towards him

but he said, ‘How can you worship things you carve with your own hands

when it is God who has created you and all your handiwork?’

They said, ‘Build a pyre and throw him into the blazing fire.’

They wanted to harm him, but We humiliated them

He said, ‘I will go to my Lord: He is sure to guide me

Lord, grant me a righteous son,’

so We gave him the good news that he would have a patient son

When the boy was old enough to work with his father, Abraham said, ‘My son, I have seen myself sacrificing you in a dream. What do you think?’ He said, ‘Father, do as you are commanded and, God willing, you will find me steadfast.’

When they had both submitted to God, and he had laid his son down on the side of his face

We called out to him, ‘Abraham

you have fulfilled the dream.’ This is how We reward those who do good

it was a test to prove [their true characters]

We ransomed his son with a momentous sacrifice

and We let him be praised by succeeding generations

‘Peace be upon Abraham!’

This is how We reward those who do good

truly he was one of Our faithful servants

We gave Abraham the good news of Isaac- a prophet and a righteous man

and blessed him and Isaac too: some of their offspring were good, but some clearly wronged themselves

We also bestowed Our favour on Moses and Aaron

We saved them and their people from great distress

We helped them, so they were the ones to succeed

We gave them the Scripture that makes things clear

We guided them to the right path

We let them be praised by succeeding generations

‘Peace be upon Moses and Aaron!’

This is how We reward those who do good

truly they were among Our faithful servants

Elijah too was one of the messengers

He said to his people, ‘Have you no fear of God

How can you invoke Baal and forsake the Most Gracious Creator

God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?’

but they rejected him. They will be brought to punishment as a consequence

not so the true servants of God

We let him be praised by succeeding generations

‘Peace be to Elijah!’

This is how We reward those who do good

truly he was one of Our faithful servants

Lot was also one of the messengers

We saved him and all his family

except for an old woman who stayed behind

and We destroyed the rest

You [people] pass by their ruins morning

and night: will you not take heed

Jonah too was one of the messengers

He fled to the overloaded ship

They cast lots, he suffered defeat

and a great fish swallowed him, for he had committed blameworthy acts

If he had not been one of those who glorified God

he would have stayed in its belly until the Day when all are raised up

but We cast him out, sick, on to a barren shore

and made a gourd tree grow above him

We sent him to a hundred thousand people or more

They believed, so We let them live out their lives

Now [Muhammad], ask the disbelievers: is it true that your Lord has daughters, while they choose sons for themselves

Did We create the angels as females while they were watching

No indeed! It is one of their lies when they say

‘God has begotten.’ How they lie

Did He truly choose daughters in preference to sons

What is the matter with you? How do you form your judgements

Do you not reflect

Do you perhaps have clear authority

Bring your scriptures, if you are telling the truth

They claim that He has kinship with the jinn, yet the jinn themselves know that they will be brought before Him

God is far above what they attribute to Him

the true servants of God do not do such things

and neither you nor what you worship

can lure away from God any

except those who will burn in Hell

[The angels say], ‘Every single one of us has his appointed place

we are ranged in ranks

We glorify God.’

[The disbelievers] used to say

‘If only we had a scripture like previous people

we would be true servants of God,’

yet now they reject [the Quran]. They will soon realize

Our word has already been given to Our servants the messengers

it is they who will be helped

and the ones who support Our cause will be the winners

So [Prophet] turn away from the disbelievers for a while

Watch them: they will soon see

Do they really wish to hasten Our punishment

When it descends on their courtyards, how ter-rible that morning will be for those who were warned

[Prophet], turn away from the disbelievers for a while

Watch them: they will soon see

Your Lord, the Lord of Glory, is far above what they attribute to Him

Peace be upon the messengers

and praise be to God the Lord of all the Worlds