Surah Anbiya
Contents
Their reckoning has drawn near for humanity, yet they turn away in heedlessness. [21:1]
Whenever a reminder from their Lord comes to them newly revealed, they only pretend to listen to it, [21:2]
with inattentive hearts. And the oppressors hide their private conferences: “Is this but a human like yourselves? Will you take to sorcery, even though you can see?” [21:3]
Say, “My Lord knows what is said in the sky and on earth, being the all-hearing, the all-knowing.” [21:4]
“No,” they say, “it is a jumble of dreams. ” “No, he made it up.” “No, he is a poet.” “So let him bring us a sign like those sent to the ancients.” [21:5]
None of the communities We destroyed believed before them; so will they believe? [21:6]
And We sent before you mere men, whom We inspired— ask the people of religion, if you do not know. [21:7]
We did not give them bodies that ate no food, and they were not immortals. [21:8]
Finally We kept the promise to them, saving them and those We wanted to, while destroying the unrestrained. [21:9]
We have sent down a Book to you, wherein is your reminder; so will you not understand? [21:10]
And how many a community have We demolished that was unjust, and We produced another people after it! [21:11]
When they felt Our severity, they ran away from it. [21:12]
Don’t run away, but return to what you’ve been given, and to your homes, that you may be questioned. [21:13]
They said, “Oh, woe is us! For we were wrong indeed!” [21:14]
And this cry of theirs did not cease until We mowed them down dead. [21:15]
For We did not create the sky and the earth and what is between them in jest: [21:16]
Had We wanted to take up a sport, We would have taken it from Our own domain, were We going to do so. [21:17]
But no—We hurl truth against falsehood, destroying its brain so that it dies out. And woe to you for what you assert: [21:18]
for everyone in the skies and on earth belongs to God; even those in the presence of God are not too proud for the service of God, and neither do they weary; [21:19]
they celebrate the glory of God night and day, never weakening. [21:20]
Have they adopted deities from the earth who resurrect the dead? [21:21]
If there were a deity besides God in the sky and earth, both would go awry: so glory to God, Lord of the Throne, beyond what they describe. [21:22]
God cannot be questioned for what God does— it is they who will be questioned: [21:23]
Have they adopted a deity other than God? Say, “Produce your proof! This is the message of those who are with me, and the message of those who were before me.” But most of them do not know the truth, so they turn away. [21:24]
But We never sent a messenger before you without revealing to him that there is no God but Me; so serve Me. [21:25]
Yet they say, “The Benevolent One has begotten a son.” Glory be to God! They are but honored servants. [21:26]
They do not speak before God, and it is on God’s orders that they act. [21:27]
God knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede but for those whom God approves and who are wary for awe of God. [21:28]
And if anyone of them says, “I am a god with no other,” that We reward with hell. That is how We repay those who do wrong. [21:29]
Don’t the scoffers see that the skies and the earth used to be one solid mass, then We split them, and made all living things from water? Now won’t they believe? [21:30]
And We put mountains on the earth lest it quake with them, and We made passes through them for roads, that they may find their way. [21:31]
And We made the sky a protected roof; yet they turn away from its signs. [21:32]
God is the one who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each floating in an orbit. [21:33]
But We never granted immortality to any human before you; so if you die, will others then be immortals? [21:34]
Every living being tastes death: and We try you with ill and good, as a test; and you will be returned to Us. [21:35]
Yet when scoffers see you, they only treat you with scorn: “Is this the one who speaks of your deities?” And they scoff at mention of the Benevolent One. [21:36]
Man is made of haste. I will show you My signs, so do not seek to rush Me. [21:37]
Yet they say, “When will this promise come about, if you are being truthful?” [21:38]
If the scoffers only knew of when they will not keep the fire from their faces and from their backs, and they will not be rescued! [21:39]
No, it will come upon them suddenly and bewilder them; they will be unable to ward it off, and they will be given no respite. [21:40]
Messengers before you have certainly been ridiculed, but those who jeered were surrounded by what they had ridiculed. [21:41]
Say, “Who guards you from the Benevolent One by night and by day?” But they turn away from mention of their Lord. [21:42]
Or do they have deities who can defend them against Us? They cannot save themselves, and they will not be protected from Us. [21:43]
But We provided for these and their ancestors for long ages: do they not see that We take the land and reduce it from its borders? Are they to be the winners? [21:44]
Say, “I only warn you through revelation.” But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned. [21:45]
But if even a breath of the punishment of your Lord touches them, they will say, “Woe is us, for we were wrong!” [21:46]
And We will set up the scales of justice for the day of resurrection, so no soul will be mistreated at all; even so much as the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring out, and We are quite capable of taking account. [21:47]
And We did give Moses and Aaron the Criterion, and illumination, and reminder for the conscientious, [21:48]
those who fear their Lord in private, dreading the end of time. [21:49]
So this is a blessed reminder that We have sent down; now are you denying it? [21:50]
We gave Abraham his integrity in the past, and We were well-acquainted with him. [21:51]
He said to his father and to his people, “What are these images to which you are devoted?” [21:52]
They said, “We found our fathers worshipping them.” [21:53]
He said, “You and your ancestors have been in evident error.” [21:54]
They said, “Have you brought us truth, or are you a joker?” [21:55]
He said, “No: your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the one who created them. And I am a witness of that to you. [21:56]
“And, by God, I certainly have a plan for your idols after you turn your backs.” [21:57]
So he broke them to pieces, except the largest of them, that they would resort to it. [21:58]
They said, “Who did this to our deities? He is certainly a wrongdoer!” [21:59]
They said, “We heard a young man mention them; he is called Abraham.” [21:60]
They said, “Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness.” [21:61]
They said, “Did you do this to our deities, Abraham?” [21:62]
He said, “No, the greatest of them did it— go ahead and ask them, if they speak.” [21:63]
Now they turned to themselves and said, “You are the ones who were in the wrong.” [21:64]
Then they were bowed over: “You know these do not speak.” [21:65]
He said, “So then do you worship what brings you no benefit and does you no harm, rather than God? [21:66]
“Fie on you, and on what you worship instead of God. Will you not be reasonable?” [21:67]
They said, “Burn him and save your deities, if you are going to act.” [21:68]
We said, “Fire, be cool, and safe for Abraham.” [21:69]
They still sought to plot against him, but We made them the greatest losers. [21:70]
And We delivered him and Lot to the land that We blessed for all people. [21:71]
And We gave him Isaac, and Jacob, as a gift; and We made them all worthy. [21:72]
And We made them leaders, guiding by Our direction: and We inspired them to do good deeds, and to institute prayer, and to give alms. And they were devoted servants to Us. [21:73]
And to Lot, We gave judgment and knowledge; and We rescued him from the city that practiced disgusting acts, for they were people who were degenerate, perverted. [21:74]
And We admitted him to Our mercy, for he was one of the decent ones. [21:75]
And Noah—when he cried out before, We answered him and We rescued him and his family from serious trouble. [21:76]
We saved him from the people who repudiated Our signs; they were a degenerate people, so We drowned them all. [21:77]
And when David and Solomon adjudicated the case of the tillage when the livestock of the people strayed into it foraging by night, We were witness to their judgment. [21:78]
For We made Solomon understand it; and to each We gave judgment and knowledge: and We subjected the mountains along with David to celebrate Our praise, and the birds as well; We were the author of these acts. [21:79]
And We taught him the art of making chain mail for you, to keep you safe from your violence. But are you grateful? [21:80]
And We subjected the violent wind to Solomon, so it would flow by his direction to the land that We blessed; for We know everything. [21:81]
Even some of the devils dove for Solomon, and did other work besides; and We were keeping watch over them. [21:82]
And then there was Job: when he called to his Lord, “Adversity has come upon me, and You are the most merciful of the merciful,” [21:83]
We answered him, and removed the adversity affecting him; and We gave him back his kin, plus an equal number besides, as a mercy from Us, and a reminder for the devoted. [21:84]
Then there were Ishmael and Idris, and the Holder of the Surety; each of them were constant ones, [21:85]
so We admitted them into Our mercy; for they were men of integrity. [21:86]
And there was Jonah: when he went off in anger, he thought We had no power over him. But then he cried out in the darknesses, “There is no God but You; glory to You—I was in the wrong!” [21:87]
So We answered him, and rescued him from affliction: thus do We rescue those who believe. [21:88]
And there was Zacharias; when he cried to his Lord, “My Lord, don’t leave me alone, even though You are the best of heirs,” [21:89]
We answered him, giving him John, having made his wife fertile. For they would hasten to good works, and call on Us with love and awe. And they were humble to Us. [21:90]
Then there was the one who kept her virginity, and We breathed of Our spirit into her, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples. [21:91]
Indeed, this community of yours is one single community, and I am your Lord, so serve Me. [21:92]
Even if they’ve cut off their concern with one other, they will all return to Us. [21:93]
Whoever does good works and is a believer, there is no rejection of his striving, as We are recording it for him. [21:94]
But it is forbidden for a community We have ruined to return, [21:95]
until the Gog and Magog are let out, and they swarm down every slope, [21:96]
and the true promise has drawn near, so the eyes of those who had scoffed will be fixed in horror: “Oh, woe is us! We were heedless of this; yes, we were wrong!” [21:97]
You and what you worship instead of God are fuel for hell, which is where you are going. [21:98]
Were these divine beings, they would not have come to this; but all of them will be there forever, [21:99]
where their lot will be to groan: and they will not be hearing there. [21:100]
As for those to whom the best from Us has happened already, they will be kept away from there; [21:101]
they won’t even hear its hissing, as they will abide forever in what their souls desired. [21:102]
The unbearable terror will not grieve them, as the angels meet them: “This is your day, which you were promised.” [21:103]
The day We roll up the sky like a scroll. As We created original nature, We will restore it, as a promise up to Us, for We are the author of creation. [21:104]
And We recorded in the Psalms, after the Reminder, that My servants, people of integrity, will inherit the earth. [21:105]
There is indeed in this a message for people who worship. [21:106]
We have sent you only as a mercy to all peoples. [21:107]
Say, “It has only been revealed to me that your deity is one God; so do you acquiesce?” [21:108]
Then if they turn away, then say, “I have exhorted you just the same, even though I do not know whether what you are promised is near or far. [21:109]
“It is God who knows what is said openly and what you conceal. [21:110]
“And I don’t know but it may be a trial for you, or a delight for a while.” [21:111]
Say, “My Lord, judge by truth.” And, “Our Lord, the Benevolent One, is the resort against what they assert.” [21:112]