Surah Zukhruf
Contents
H.M. [43:1]
By the clarifying Book— [43:2]
We have made it an Arabic Recital that you may understand. [43:3]
And it is in the matrix of scripture, in Our presence, sublime, full of wisdom. [43:4]
Should We pass you over with the Reminder, since you are a wasteful people? [43:5]
How many prophets have We sent among the ancients? [43:6]
But they mocked any prophet who came to them. [43:7]
So We destroyed the most ruthless of them, and so transpired the example of the ancients. [43:8]
Were you to ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they would surely say the Almighty, the Omniscient created them; [43:9]
the One who made the earth smooth for you, and made roads for you thereupon, that you may find direction; [43:10]
and the One who sends water down from the sky, in due proportion; and We resurrect thereby a dead land, which is how you will be brought forth; [43:11]
the One who created all species, and made ships for you, and livestock, which you ride, [43:12]
that you may mount their backs and remember the favor of your Lord as you sit firmly thereupon, and say, “Glory to the One who subordinated these to us, whereas we ourselves could not. [43:13]
“And we will surely be removed back to our Lord.” [43:14]
Yet they concede to some of God’s slaves partnership with God; indeed the human being is an open infidel! [43:15]
Does God take daughters from what God creates, and favor you with sons? [43:16]
When one of you is told the good news of the birth of one of those you liken to the Benevolent One, his face darkens and he’s filled with anger: [43:17]
Would it be, furthermore, one raised in finery, who clarifies nothing in question? [43:18]
Yet they consider the angels —who are servants of the Benevolent One— to be female! Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned. [43:19]
And they will say, “We would not have worshipped them had that been the will of the Benevolent One.” They have no knowledge of that; they are simply lying. [43:20]
Have We given them a scripture before, to which they cleave? [43:21]
No, but they will say, “We found our fathers following a certain way of life, and we find guidance in following their traditions.” [43:22]
And so it is whenever We have sent a warner before you to a community; the affluent among them have said, “We found our fathers following a certain way of life, and we follow their traditions.” [43:23]
He said, “Even if I bring you better guidance than what you found your fathers following?” They said, “We repudiate what you have been sent with.” [43:24]
So We took revenge on them. So observe how those who repudiated truth finally ended up. [43:25]
Remember how Abraham said to his father and his people, “I declare myself innocent of what you worship, [43:26]
“except for the One who created me, who will actually guide me.” [43:27]
And he made this statement to remain among his progeny, that they might consult. [43:28]
Still I supplied them and their ancestors until truth came to them and a clarifying messenger. [43:29]
But when truth came to them, they said, “This is conjuring, and we reject it!” [43:30]
And they said, “Why wasn’t this Recital revealed to a man of importance from the two cities?” [43:31]
Is it they who distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who distribute their livelihood among them in the life of this world, and have elevated some of them to ranks over others, that some may employ others as workers. But the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass. [43:32]
And were it not that humankind would become a single community, We would have provided those who disbelieve in the Benevolent One with roofs of silver for their houses, and stairs for them to climb, [43:33]
and doors for their houses, and couches for them to recline, [43:34]
and decoration. Yet all of that is but the stuff of the life of the world; while the hereafter, with your Lord, is for the conscientious. [43:35]
Whoever shuns remembrance of the Benevolent One, We send him a devil to be his companion. [43:36]
And they block them from the path, yet they think they are guided, [43:37]
until when one of them comes to Us, he says [to his devil], “If only there were a distance between us, as far as the ends of the earth,” for it is a wretched companion. [43:38]
And it will not profit you that day, you having done wrong, that you are partners in the punishment. [43:39]
Can you cause the deaf to hear, or guide the blind, and those in evident error? [43:40]
Even if We took you away, We will exact retribution from them. [43:41]
Or We will show you what We promised them; for We have power over them. [43:42]
So hold fast to the inspiration revealed to you, for you are on a straight path. [43:43]
And this is a reminder for you and your people; and you will be questioned. [43:44]
And ask of Our messengers, whom We sent before you; have We established gods to be worshipped other than the Benevolent One? [43:45]
We sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, saying, “I am a messenger of the Lord of the universe.” [43:46]
But when he brought them Our signs, they laughed at them. [43:47]
And each sign We showed them was greater than the last, and We took them to task with torment, that they might repent. [43:48]
They said, “O conjurer! Call your Lord for us, according to your covenant, and we will accept direction.” [43:49]
But when We removed the torment from them, then they broke their oath. [43:50]
And Pharaoh called to his people, “O my people! Does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me, with these rivers flowing beneath me? Do you not see? [43:51]
“Am I not better than this contemptible fellow, who is nearly inarticulate? [43:52]
“And why is he not decked out in gold bangles or accompanied by a procession of angels?” [43:53]
Thus he made his people flippant and they went along with that, for they were indeed a dissolute people. [43:54]
So when they aggrieved Us, We took vengeance on them, drowning them all. [43:55]
Thus We made them a precedent, an example for later generations. [43:56]
And when the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, your people oppose, [43:57]
saying, “Are our gods better, or is he?” They have only set this forth to you to be argumentative; indeed, they are contentious people. [43:58]
He was just a servant, whom We blessed and made an example to the Israelites. [43:59]
Were it Our wish, We would have made angels from among you to act as deputies on earth. [43:60]
But as for him, he was a sign of the end of time; so do not doubt it, and follow Me: this is a straight path. [43:61]
And don’t let Satan divert you, for he is an open enemy to you. [43:62]
When Jesus came with clarifications, he said, “I have brought you wisdom, and come to clarify for you some of what you differ about. So be wary of God, and obey me. [43:63]
“It is God that is my Lord and your Lord; so worship God— this is a straight path.” [43:64]
But the factions differed among themselves; so woe to those who’ve done wrong, for the punishment of a painful day. [43:65]
Are they waiting for aught but the end of time, lest it come upon them suddenly, without their noticing? [43:66]
On that day, friends will be enemies to one another, except the conscientious. [43:67]
O My devoted servants! You have nothing to fear that day, and you will not sorrow, [43:68]
having believed in Our signs and acquiesced. [43:69]
Enter the garden, you and your wives, delighted: [43:70]
Dishes and goblets of gold will be passed around to them, containing whatever souls desire and eyes find pleasing. And you shall abide there forever, [43:71]
for this is the garden of which you will be made the heirs because of what you used to do. [43:72]
There is much fruit therein for you to eat of it. [43:73]
As for sinners, they will be in the torment of hell forever; [43:74]
it will never be eased off them, and in it they will despair. [43:75]
But We will not have been unjust to them; on the contrary, it is they who are the unjust. [43:76]
And they will cry, “O Master of Hell!Let your Lord make an end of us!” He will say, “No, you are to remain!” [43:77]
We have surely brought you truth, but most of you are haters of truth. [43:78]
Will they settle the matter? It is We who do the settling! [43:79]
Do they figure We do not hear their inmost thoughts and their private conferences? Oh, no! Our emissaries are with them, recording. [43:80]
Say, “If the Benevolent One had a son, I would be the first to worship.” [43:81]
The glory of the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Throne, is beyond whatever they ascribe! [43:82]
So leave them to wallow in vain discussion and infantile slavering until they meet their day, the one they have been promised. [43:83]
And God is God in the firmament, and God on earth; and God is the epitome of wisdom and knowledge. [43:84]
And blessed is the One to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between them, with whom is knowledge of the end of time, and to whom you will all be returned. [43:85]
And those they invoke besides God are incapable of intercession, except those who witness truth knowingly. [43:86]
And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say, “God.” So then how are they being deceived? [43:87]
As for his statement —“My Lord, these are people who do not believe”— [43:88]
pardon them, and say, “Peace.” For they will come to know. [43:89]