Surah Fussilat
Contents
H.M. [41:1]
A revelation from the Benevolent, the Merciful; [41:2]
a Book whose verses are logically ordered in an Arabic recitation for people who know, [41:3]
a herald and a warning: but most of them turn away, not listening. [41:4]
And they say, “Our hearts are screened from what you call us to; and in our ears is a film, and between us and you is a veil; so do what you will, for we will do what we do.” [41:5]
Say, “I am only a human like you, who has been inspired that your deity is one God. So be true to God and seek divine forgiveness.” And woe to the idolatrous, [41:6]
those who don’t give alms and who scoff at the hereafter. [41:7]
As for those who believe and do good, they have a reward without end. [41:8]
Say, “Do you indeed deny the One who created the earth in two days? And you set up rivals to God! God is Lord of the universe, [41:9]
and put mountains on the earth, and blessed it, and apportioned its nutriments thereon, in four days, equitably to seekers. [41:10]
Then God designed the sky, which had been vapor, then said to it and to the earth, “Come, willingly or unwillingly.” They said, “We come willingly.” [41:11]
So God completed them as seven skies in two days, and revealed in each sky its charge. And We adorned the sky of this world with lights, and as a protection. That is the order of the Almighty, the Knowing. [41:12]
So if they have turned away, then say, “I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the lightning the struck the ‘Ad and the Thamud.” [41:13]
Remember how there came to them messengers, from in front of them and from behind them, that “You serve only God.” They said, “If our Lord wished, surely the Lord would have sent angels; so we disbelieve in what you were sent with.” [41:14]
And as for the ‘Ad, they were unjustly arrogant on earth, saying, “Who is more powerful than we are?” Did they not see that God, who created them, was more powerful than they? They went on denying Our signs. [41:15]
So We sent a violent wind against them, for days of disaster, that We might have them taste the torment of disgrace in the life of this world; and the pain of the ultimate is more humiliating yet; and they will not be saved. [41:16]
As for the Thamud, We guided them, but they preferred blindness to guidance, so the thunderbolt of ignominious punishment overtook them, because of what they had been doing. [41:17]
But We saved those who believed and Were conscientious. [41:18]
The day the opponents of God will be herded into the fire, they will be driven along [41:19]
until when they get there their hearing and their seeing and their skins will testify against them about what they used to do. [41:20]
And they will say to their skins, “Why did you testify against us?” They will say, “God has made us speak; God, who has made all things speak, who created you the first time, and to whom you will be returned. [41:21]
“And you could not hide from your hearing, your seeing, and your skins testifying against you, but you supposed that God does not know much of what you do. [41:22]
“But this supposition of yours about your Lord has brought you to destruction, so you have become losers.” [41:23]
So if they wait, the fire will be their abode; and if they apologize, they will not be pardoned. [41:24]
And We destined companions for them, who glamorized to them what was in front of them and what was behind them. And the Word proved true against them in communities of sprites and humans who passed away before them; they were losers indeed. [41:25]
Those who scoff say, “Don’t listen to this Recital; chat during it, so you may prevail.” [41:26]
So We will have the scoffers taste an intense agony, as We will recompense them for the worst of what they’d been doing. [41:27]
That is the reward of the enemies of God— the fire, where they will have a permanent home, in recompense for having refused Our signs. [41:28]
Those who scoffed will say, “Our Lord, show us those who deluded us, sprites and humans, and we will put them under our feet, so they will be of the lowest.” [41:29]
As for those who say ‘Our Lord is God’ and are upright, the angels will descend on them: “Do not fear, but rejoice in the garden that you have been promised. [41:30]
“We are your helpers in the life of the world and in the hereafter, where you will have whatever your souls desire, and you will have whatever you ask for, [41:31]
“as hospitality from One most forgiving, most merciful.” [41:32]
Who is more eloquent than one who invites to God and acts with integrity, saying, “I am one of those who acquiesce to God”? [41:33]
For good and evil are not equal: promote what is better, and then one between you and whom there was enmity will be as a friend, a relative. [41:34]
But no one will be offered that but those who have been constant; and no one will be offered that but one of great good fortune. [41:35]
So if any evil suggestion from Satan should be suggested to you, then take refuge in God, for God is the all-hearing, the all-knowing. [41:36]
Among the signs of God are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Don’t bow to the sun or to the moon, but bow to God, who created them, if that is who you worship and serve. [41:37]
Even if others are too arrogant for it, those who are in the presence of your Lord bow to God night and day, and they never weary. [41:38]
Among the signs of God is that you see the earth faded away, then We shower water on it, and it stirs and grows: the one who enlivens it is the one who gives life to the dead, having power over all things. [41:39]
Those who despise Our signs are not concealed from Us: is the one cast into the fire better, or the one who arrives safely on the day of resurrection? Do what you will— God sees what you do, [41:40]
including those who scoff at the Reminder when it comes to them, since it is a mighty Book indeed; [41:41]
falsehood cannot reach it, from before it or behind it, as it is a revelation from one most wise, most praiseworthy. [41:42]
Nothing is said to you but what was said to the messengers before you: your Lord has forgiveness and painful punishment too. [41:43]
Yet if We had made it a foreign recital, they surely would have said, “Why haven’t its verses been organized logically? Eh? Non-Arabic and an Arab?” Say, “It is for those who believe, for guidance, and a medicine.” As for those who don’t believe, there is deafness in their ears, and it is blindness to them. They are called from a far-away place. [41:44]
We gave Moses scripture, indeed, but there were differences of opinion about it. If not for a word preceding from your Lord, there would have been a settlement made between them; but they were certainly in disquieting doubt. [41:45]
If anyone acts with integrity, that is for the benefit of his own soul; and if anyone does evil, that is to its detriment. And your Lord never treats servants unjustly. [41:46]
Knowledge of the end of time is reserved for God; and not a fruit comes forth from its calyx, and no female conceives or gives birth, but by God’s knowledge. And the day they are summoned —“Where are My supposed partners?”— they will say, “We declare to You that none of us are witnesses.” [41:47]
And what they used to pray to before will have forsaken them, and they will think there’s no refuge for them. [41:48]
Man never tires of asking for good, but if misfortune afflicts him he gives up hope, despairing. [41:49]
Even if We let him taste mercy from Us after the hardships that have afflicted him, he is sure to say, “This is my due, and I don’t think the end of time is ever going to occur. And even if I’m returned to my Lord, there will surely be a happy ending for me there.” But We will tell the scoffers what they did, and will have them taste a terrible torment. [41:50]
Whenever We provide comfort for man, he turns away and withdraws in his own partiality; and when calamity befalls him, then he becomes prayerful. [41:51]
Say, “Do you see if it is from God, and then reject it? Who is more astray than he who remains cut off, alienated?” [41:52]
We will show them Our signs throughout the regions of the earth and in themselves, until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is witness to all things? [41:53]
They are indeed in doubt about the meeting with their Lord, who nevertheless does in fact encompass every thing. [41:54]