Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything between them; Lord of the Easts.
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We have adorned the lowest heaven with the beauty of the planets
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and guarded it against every defiant shaytan.
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They cannot eavesdrop on the Highest Assembly and they are stoned from every side,
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repelled with harshness – they will suffer eternal punishment –
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except for him who snatches a snippet and then is pursued by a piercing flame.
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Ask them for a fatwa: is it they who are stronger in structure or other things We have created? We created them from sticky clay.
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No wonder you are surprised as they laugh with scorn!
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When they are reminded they do not pay heed.
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When they see a Sign they only laugh with scorn.
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They say, ‘This is just downright magic.
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When we are dead and turned to dust and bones will we then be raised up again alive?
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And our earlier ancestors as well?’
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Say: ‘Yes, and you will be in a despicable state. ’
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There will be but one Great Blast and then their eyes will open.
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They will say, ‘Alas for us! This is the Day of Reckoning!’
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This is the Day of Decision you used to deny.
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Assemble those who did wrong together with their associates and what they worshipped
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besides Allah, and guide them to the Path of the Blazing Fire!
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And call them to a halt. They will be asked:
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‘Why are you not helping one another?’
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No, today they come in absolute submission.
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They will confront each other, questioning one another.
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One group will say, ‘You used to come at us from a position of power. ’
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The others will say, ‘The truth is that you were not muminun.
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We had no authority over you. Rather you were unbridled people.
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Our Lord’s Word has been carried out against us, that we would taste it.
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We misled you and we were ourselves misled. ’
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On that Day they will be partners in the punishment.
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That is how We deal with evildoers.
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When they were told, ‘There is no god but Allah,’ they were arrogant.
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They said, ‘Are we to forsake our gods for a mad poet?’
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Rather he has brought the truth and confirmed the Messengers.
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You will definitely taste the painful punishment
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and you will only be repaid for what you did –
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except for Allah’s chosen slaves.
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They will have preordained provision:
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sweet fruits and high honour
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in Gardens of Delight
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on couches face to face;
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a cup from a flowing spring passing round among them,
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as white as driven snow, delicious to those who drink,
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which has no headache in it and does not leave them stupefied.
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There will be dark-eyed maidens with them, with eyes reserved for them alone,
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just like closely guarded pearls.
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They will confront each other, questioning one another.
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One of them will say, ‘I used to have a friend
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who would say to me, "Are you one of those who say that it is true:
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that when we have died and are turned to dust and bones, we will face a Reckoning?"’
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He will say, ‘Are you looking down?’
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So he will look down and see him in the midst of the Blazing Fire
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and say, ‘By Allah, you almost ruined me!
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If it were not for the blessing of my Lord, I would have been among those arraigned.
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Are we not going to die,
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except for our first death? Are we not going to be punished?
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Truly this is the Great Victory!
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It is for the like of this that all workers should work!’
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Is that better by way of hospitality or the tree of Zaqqum
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which We have made to be an ordeal for the wrongdoers?
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It is a tree that emerges in the depths of the Blazing Fire.
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Its fruits are just like the heads of shaytans.
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They will eat from it and fill their bellies with it.
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Then they will have a boiling brew to drink on top of it.
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Then their destination will be the Blazing Fire.
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They found their fathers misguided
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and they are following hard upon their heels.
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Most of the earlier peoples went astray before them
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though We sent warners to them.
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See the final fate of those who were warned –
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except for Allah’s chosen slaves.
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Nuh called out to Us and what an excellent Responder We are!
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We rescued him and his family from the terrible plight
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and made his descendants the survivors;
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and We left the later people to say of him:
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‘Peace be upon Nuh among all beings!’
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That is how we recompense the good-doers.
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He truly was one of Our slaves who are muminun.
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Then We drowned the rest.
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One of his followers in iman was Ibrahim
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when he came to his Lord with an unblemished heart,
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and said to his father and his people, ‘What are you worshipping?
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Is it falsehood – gods besides Allah – that you desire?
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So what are your thoughts about the Lord of all the worlds?’
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He took a look at the stars
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and said, ‘I am sick. ’
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So they turned their backs on him.
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He turned surreptitiously to their gods and said, ‘Do you not eat?
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What is the matter with you that you do not speak?’
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He turned on them, striking out with his right hand.
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They came rushing back to him.
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He said, ‘Do you worship something you have carved
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when Allah created both you and what you do?’
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They said, ‘Build a pyre for him and fling him into the blaze!’
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They tried to outwit him but We made them the lowest.
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He said, ‘I am going towards my Lord; He will be my guide.
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My Lord, bestow on me a right-acting child!’
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And We gave him the good news of a forbearing boy.
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When he was of an age to work with him, he said, ‘My son, I saw in a dream that I must sacrifice you. What do you think about this?’ He said, ‘Do as you are ordered, father. Allah willing, you will find me resolute.’
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Then when they had both submitted and he had lain him face down on the ground,
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We called out to him, ‘Ibrahim!
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you have discharged your vision. ’ That is how We recompense good-doers.
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This was indeed a most manifest trial.
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We ransomed him with a mighty sacrifice
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and left the later people saying of him:
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‘Peace be upon Ibrahim. ’
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That is how We recompense good-doers.
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He truly was one of Our mumin slaves.
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We gave him the good news of Ishaq, a Prophet, one of the righteous.
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We showered blessings upon him and upon Ishaq. Among their descendants are good-doers and also people who clearly wrong themselves.
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We showed great kindness to Musa and Harun.
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We rescued them and their people from their terrible plight.
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We supported them and so they were the victors.
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We gave them the clarifying Book
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and guided them on the Straight Path,
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and left the later people saying of them,
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‘Peace be upon Musa and Harun!’
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That is how We recompense good-doers.
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They truly were among Our slaves who are muminun.
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Ilyas was one of the Messengers.
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When he said to his people, ‘Will you not have taqwa?
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Do you call on Baal and abandon the Best of Creators?
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Allah is your Lord and Lord of your forefathers, the previous peoples,’
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they denied him and so they will be among those arraigned –
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except for Allah’s chosen slaves.
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We left the later people saying of him,
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‘Peace be upon the family of Yasin!’
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That is how We recompense good-doers.
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He truly was one of Our slaves who are muminun.
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And Lut was one of the Messengers.
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When We rescued him and all his family –
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except an old woman among those who stayed behind.
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Then We utterly destroyed the rest.
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And you pass by them in the daytime and at night.
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So will you not use your intellect?
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Yunus too was one of the Messengers.
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When he ran away to the fully laden ship
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and cast lots and lost.
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Then the fish devoured him and he was to blame.
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Had it not been that he was a man who glorified Allah,
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he would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are raised again.
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So We cast him up onto the beach and he was sick;
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and We caused a gourd tree to grow over him.
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We sent him to a hundred thousand or even more.
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They had iman and so We gave them enjoyment for a time.
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Ask them for a fatwa: does your Lord have daughters while they themselves have sons?
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Or did We create the angels female, with them as witnesses?
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No indeed, it is one of their blatant lies to say,
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‘Allah has given birth’. They are truly liars.
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Has He chosen daughters over sons?
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What is the matter with you? How do you reach your judgement?
155
Will you not pay heed?
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Or do you have some clear authority?
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Bring your Book, then, if you are telling the truth!
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They claim there is a blood-tie between Him and the jinn but the jinn know very well that they will be arraigned.
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Glory be to Allah above what they describe –
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except for Allah’s chosen slaves.
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You and those you worship:
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you will entice no one to them
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except for him who is to roast in the Blazing Fire.
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‘There is not one of us who does not have a known station.
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We are those drawn up in ranks.
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We are those who glorify. ’
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They used to say,
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‘If we had only had a Reminder from the previous peoples,
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we would certainly have been sincere slaves of Allah!’
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But they have rejected it and they will soon know!
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Our Word was given before to Our slaves, the Messengers,
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that they would certainly be helped.
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It is Our army which will be victorious.
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Therefore turn from them for a time.
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And watch them, for they will soon see!
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Are they trying to hasten Our punishment?
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When it descends in their courtyard – how evil will be the morning of those who were warned!
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Therefore turn from them for a time.
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And watch, for they will soon see!
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Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Might, beyond anything they describe.
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And peace be upon the Messengers.
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And praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds!