127And so We recompense
whoever transgresses, who does not
believe in the signs of their Lord—
and the punishment of the hereafter
is sterner and more lasting.
128Is it not a lesson to them
that We destroyed before them
generations through whose dwellings
they now walk? In this
are signs for people of intellect.
SECTION 8
129Were it not for a decree already
fixed° by your Lord, and a term ordained,
their end would surely have come.
130So, Prophet, bear with what
they say, and glorify your Lord
with praise, before the sun’s rising
and before its setting. Glorify Him
during the hours of night,
and at each end of the day,
that you may find contentment.
131And do not strain your eyes
toward the things We have granted
some of them to enjoy, the splendor
of the life of this world—
that We might test them by these.
For the provision of your Lord
is worthier and more lasting.
132Enjoin your family to pray
and to be steadfast in this.
We do not ask you for sustenance—
It is We Who sustain you.
And the best outcome shall be
for those who are mindful of God.
133But they say, “Why does he not
bring us a sign from his Lord?”
Has not a clear sign come to them
in the earlier scriptures?
134But if We had destroyed them
by a punishment before this,
they would have cried, “Our Lord,
why did you not send a messenger
to us? Then we should have
followed your signs before we were
humbled and disgraced.”
135Say, “Each of us is waiting,
therefore, [watch and] wait—
and you shall know
who has adhered to the level path
and who is rightly guided.”
SURA 21
The Prophets (Al-Anbiyaʾ)
A late Meccan sura, the full roll call of prophets—from Adam to Muhammad—is the focus of its 112 verses. Muhammad becomes the emblematic representative of all prophets with the command “Say” in vv. 4 and 112. After reiterating the Oneness of God, followed by signs of His Power and Providence, the sura cites several prophets, ending with a reference to Mary (vv. 91–94). She is not otherwise heralded as a prophet, although elsewhere (23:50–51) she and Jesus are described as “a sign for all peoples” (v. 91).
In the Name of God, the All Merciful, Ever Merciful
SECTION 1
1The reckoning of humankind
draws near—yet they remain
heedless, turning away.
2No new message comes to them
from their Lord, without
their listening to it frivolously,
3their hearts distracted.
The wrongdoers hide
their secret murmurings,
“Isn’t this just a human like you?
Would you fall for this sorcery
happening right before your eyes?”
4Say,° “My Lord knows
whatever is spoken
in the heavens and the earth,
for He is All Hearing, All Knowing.”
5They say, “Confused dreams!”
or “He’s making it up,”
or “He’s just a poet!—
Let him bring us a sign
like those sent to peoples of old.”
6The towns We destroyed before them
did not believe. Will they now believe?
7Before you, Prophet, We sent
only men whom We inspired.
You who disbelieve, ask those who
have the message, if you don’t know.
8And We did not give them
bodies that needed no food,
nor were they immortal.
9In the end We fulfilled
Our promise to them,
and saved them with those
We wished to save,
and We destroyed those
who transgressed.
10We have revealed to you
a Book to remind you—
will you not, then, use reason?
SECTION 2
11How many towns We demolished
on account of their wrongdoing,
raising other peoples after them!
12Then, when they sensed Our wrath
coming upon them, see how they fled!
13They were told,
“Don’t flee, but go back
to the comforts you enjoyed
and to your homes, so that
you might be questioned.”
14They said, “Shame on us!
We were wrongdoers.”
15And their cry did not stop
until We turned them into crops,
lopped and burned to ashes.
16We did not create
the heavens and earth
—and all that lies between—
for mere amusement.
17Had We wanted distraction,
We could have found it within Us,
were We so inclined.
18No—We hurl the truth
against falsehood, shattering
its head. See—it vanishes.
And shame on you for what
you ascribe to God.
19To Him belong all who are
in the heavens and the earth,
and those in His presence°
are not too proud to worship Him,
nor do they grow weary.
20They glorify Him
night and day, tirelessly.
21Have they adopted for worship
gods from the earth?
Can these bring back the dead?
22If there were other gods beyond
the One God, in both [the heavens
and the earth], both would be in ruin.
Glory be to God, Lord of the Throne,
far above all that they ascribe to Him.
23He cannot be questioned
for anything He does—
it is they who will be questioned.
24Have they adopted other gods
besides Him? Say, “Bring your proof.
This is the message for those
with me and those before me.”
But most of them don’t know
the truth—they turn away.
25Before you, Prophet,
We sent no messenger
without revealing to him
the truth that there is no god
but Me—so worship only Me.
26They say, “The All Merciful
has begotten a child.”
Glory be to Him—those
are only His honored servants.”°
27They do not speak before He does,
and act only on His command.
28He knows what lies before them,
and what lies behind them;
they can intercede only for those
He approves, for they themselves
stand in awe, in fear of Him.°
29If any of them should claim,
“I am a god besides Him,”
We shall reward them with hell.
That is how We reward wrongdoers.
SECTION 3
30Don’t the unbelievers know
that the heavens and the earth
were joined together
before We divided them?
And We made from water
every living thing.
Will they still not believe?
31We have set upon the earth
firm mountains, to stop it quaking
beneath them, and We have
placed on it wide highways,
so they might find their way.
32And We raised the sky,
a secure canopy, yet still
they turn away from Our signs.
33It is He who created
night and day, sun and moon,
each sailing in its own orbit.°
34We have not granted immortality
to any human before you, Prophet.
If even you are destined to die,
can the disbelievers be immortal?
35Every soul shall taste death;
We test you by evil and good—a trial;
to Us you shall be returned.
36When the unbelievers see you,
they just sneer at you, “Is this the one
who talks about your gods?”
They shun any remembrance
of the All Merciful.
37Humankind was created hasty by nature.
Soon I shall show you My signs,
so don’t ask Me to hasten their coming.
38They demand of you,
“When will this promise be realized,
if you are speaking the truth?”
39If only the unbelievers knew
about the time to come, when,
unable to fend off the fire
from their faces or their backs,
they shall find no help.
40No—the hour will fall upon them
suddenly, confounding them;
unable to hold it back,
they shall find no respite.
41Messengers before you were mocked,
but those who scoffed were besieged
by [the very wrath] they used to mock.
SECTION 4
42Say, “Who can protect you
during the night and the day
from the All Merciful?”
But no—they turn away
from all remembrance of their Lord.
43Do they have gods who can
defend them against Us?
Those gods cannot help themselves,
nor can they be protected from Us.
44We let these men and their fathers
enjoy comforts through a long life.
But don’t they see
how We came upon their land,
to scale back its borders?
Can they then prevail?
45Say, “I am merely warning you
according to the revelation.”
But the deaf will not hear the call
even when they are warned.
46Yet if the mere scent of punishment
reached them from your Lord,
they would cry out, “Shame on us—
we really were wrongdoers.”
47We shall set up a just balance
on the day of resurrection, so that
no soul shall be wronged at all;
and We shall bring into account
even the weight of a mustard seed,
for We are proficient in Reckoning.°
48We gave Moses and Aaron
the criterion of judgment,
a light and a reminder
for those who are mindful of God—
49those who fear their Lord
in the unseen, and hold in awe
the impending hour.
50This Quran that We revealed
is a blessèd reminder—
will you, then, reject it?
51In earlier days, We made Abraham
righteous, knowing him well.
52When he asked his father
and people, “What are these images
to which you’re devoted?”
53They answered, “We found
our ancestors worshipping them.”
54He exclaimed,
“You and your forefathers
have clearly gone astray.”
55They retorted,
“Have you brought us the truth,
or are you joking?”
56He said, “No. Your Lord
is the Lord of the heavens and earth;
it is He Who made them,
and I bear witness to this.
57“And by God, I’m planning
something for your idols,
once you’ve turned your backs!”
58Then he smashed them to pieces,
all except the biggest one—
so that they might come back to it.
59They fumed, “Who has done this
to our gods? Some wrongdoer!”
60People said, “We heard a youth
called Abraham, ranting about them.”
61They urged, “Bring him here, then,
before the eyes of the people,
so they can see for themselves.”
62And they asked, “Was it you
who did this to our gods, Abraham?”
63He answered, “No. It was done
by this one, the biggest of your idols.
Ask the idols—if they can speak.”
64They turned upon
one another,° saying,
“It’s you who are in the wrong!”
65Then they turned about:°
“You know full well
these idols can’t speak.”
66Abraham said, “So, you worship
—instead of God—things that can
neither profit nor harm you?
67“Shame on you and those
you worship instead of God!
Won’t you use reason?”
68They said, “Burn him,
and uphold your gods,
if you want to do something.”°
69We said, “Fire, be cold,
and keep Abraham safe!”
70Then they aimed
to plot against him,
but We made them
the ultimate losers.
71We delivered him and Lot
to the land We blessed
for all peoples.
72We also gave him Isaac and Jacob,
and We made all of them righteous.
73We made them leaders,
to guide people by Our command,
and inspired them to do good deeds,
be steadfast in prayer,
and give in due charity—
they were Our true servants.
74We endowed Lot
with wisdom and knowledge,
and We saved him from the town
that practiced abominations—
they were a wicked,
disobedient people.
75We received him into Our mercy,
for he was one of the righteous.
SECTION 5
76When Noah cried out to Us,
in earlier days, We answered him,
saving him and his family
from the great calamity.
77We helped him against a people
who denied Our signs.
They were a wicked people,
so We drowned them all.
78When David and Solomon
passed judgment concerning a field
into which the sheep of certain people
had strayed by night, We witnessed
their judgment in the matter,
79and gave Solomon
a sound grasp of it,
though We gave to both of them
shrewd judgment and knowledge.
We made the mountains and birds
echo Our glory, along with David.
It was We Who brought about
all these things.
80It was We Who taught him
how to make coats of mail,
to protect you in warfare:
will you, then, give thanks?
81And [We subdued] the wind
to Solomon, so that it flew
by his command to the land
which
