we strip away from it the light of day
so they are left in darkness,
38and the sun, coursing
through her appointed path
by decree of the Almighty,
the All Knowing,
39and the moon, for whom
We ordained phases, so it returns,
curved like a dried, date stalk of old.
40The sun may not outrun the moon,
nor the night outstrip the day—
each glides in its own orbit.
41And a sign for them
is that We bore their offspring
in the loaded ark,
42and We have created for them
such vessels in which they sail.°
43If We wished, We could
drown them, and they would
have no helper,
nor would they be saved,
44except by Our mercy,
for a fleeting reprieve.
45When they are told,
“Have fear of what lies before you
and what lies behind you,
that you might be shown mercy,”
46they turn away from every sign
that comes to them from their Lord;°
47and when they are told,
“Spend in charity from what God
has given you,” those who disbelieve
say to those who believe,
“Should we feed those whom
God could have fed, had He willed?
You are clearly wrong.”
48They say, “When will this promise
[of resurrection] come to pass,
if you are speaking the truth?”
49But they wait [unaware]
only for a single blast,
which will seize them
while they dispute.
50They won’t be able
to disburse any bequest,
or return to their own people.
SECTION 4
51The trumpet shall be sounded,
and behold, how they will hasten
from their graves to their Lord.
52They will say, “Alas for us!
Who has raised us from our place
of sleep?” A voice will answer,°
“This is what the All Merciful promised:
the messengers spoke the truth.”
53It will be but a single blast,
then they shall all
be brought before Us.
54On that day, no soul
shall be wronged in any way,
and you shall be requited
only for what you have done.
55On that day,
the people of the garden
shall be gladly occupied,
56they and their spouses,
in the shade,
reclining on couches.
57There, they shall have fruit,
and all that they ask for.
58“Peace”—the word [of welcome]
from a Lord Ever Merciful.
59It will be said, “This day,
stand apart, you sinners.”
60“Children of Adam,
did I not enjoin you
not to worship Satan,
—for he is your open enemy—
61“and to worship Me?
—this is a straight path.
62“But he led astray
a great many of you—
did you not use reason?
63“This is hell,°
which you were promised.
64“Burn in it, this day,
for you went on disbelieving.”
65This day, We shall seal
their mouths; but their hands
shall speak to Us, and their feet
shall bear witness to what they reaped.
66Had We wished, We could
have extinguished their sight,
then they would grope to find
the path, but how should they see it?
67Had We wished, We could
have transfixed them in their place,
unable to move forward or go back.
SECTION 5
68To whomever We grant long life,
We reverse their faculties—
will they not, then, use reason?
69We have not taught poetry°
to the Prophet, nor is it fitting for him.
This is nothing other than a reminder
and a clear Quran,
70so that those who are living
might be warned, and the Word
can be vindicated
against those who disbelieve.
71Don’t they see that We created for them
—among the things that Our hands have made—
livestock, which they own,
72and which We made tame for them,
some to ride and others to eat?
73And they yield further uses,
and give drink.
So won’t they be thankful?
74Yet they still take
other gods beside God,
hoping they might be helped.
75Those gods have no power
to save them, even if they were
an army assembled.°
76So do not be grieved, Prophet,
by what they say—
We know all that they conceal
and all that they reveal.
77Do human beings not see
that it is We who created them
from a drop of semen? Yet, see,
they are openly adversarial°
78and coin allegories about Us,
forgetting their own creation,
asking, “Who can bring life
to bones that have decomposed?”
79Say, “He will bring life to them
Who first composed them,
for He Knows every creation.
80“It is He who made fire
for you from the green tree,
and see, you light from it
your own fires.”
81Is He Who created the heavens and earth
not able to create the like of human beings?
Of course—for He is the Creator,
the All Knowing.
82When He intends something,
His only command is to say to it:
“Be,” and it is.
83So glory be to Him
in Whose hand is dominion
over all things; and to Him
you will be returned.
SURA 37
Arrayed in Ranks (Al-Saffat)
An early Meccan sura, its title appears to come from the initial verse, then confirmed by later verses (vv. 164–66), presupposed to be ranks of angels. It begins by extolling the awesome creative power of God, then warns of the disparate fates awaiting believers and disbelievers. Prophets from Noah to Jonah are lauded, while any link of God with daughters or with jinn is rejected (vv. 149–59). The final verses extol God, Lord of the universe (vv. 180–82).
In the Name of God, the All Merciful, Ever Merciful
SECTION 1
1By those arrayed in ranks,°
2those who cry out a warning,
3reciting a reminder—
4your God is One,
5Lord of the heavens, of the earth,
and all that lies between,
Lord of every place
where the sun rises.°
6We have graced
the lower heaven
with stars
7to guard against
every rebellious devil,
8to bar them from hearing
the highest assembly [of angels];
they are pelted from every side,
9repelled; and they shall face
lasting torment.
10Any who eavesdrops, snatching
an overheard fragment,
shall be pursued by a piercing flame.
11So, Prophet, ask the disbelievers,
are they more difficult to create
than the other things We have created?
We created them from clinging clay.
12How you marvel [at God’s creation],
while they mock,
13and when reminded,
they do not take heed;
14and when they see a sign,
they mock it,
15saying, “This is nothing
but obvious magic.
16“When we die, when
we are dust and bones,
shall we then
be raised up again,
17“with our forefathers of old?”
18Say, “Yes, indeed,
and you shall be brought low.”
19There will be a single cry,°
and behold, they will see,
20and they will say, “Alas for us!
This is the day of reckoning.”
21A voice will say,°
“This is the day of decision,
which you denied.
SECTION 2
22“Gather all the wrongdoers
and their spouses, together
with what they worshipped
23besides God, and guide them
to the path of the blazing fire,°
24and stop them, to be questioned,
25‘What is wrong with you,
why do you not help one another?’ ”
26On that day, they shall indeed
submit to the will of God.°
27And they will turn to
one another, questioning,
28“It was you who came to us,
with authority, [urging us to evil].”°
29The others will rejoin, “No,
it was you who were not believers;
30“we had no authority over you.
You were rebellious people.
31“Now the Word of our Lord
is proven against us,
and we must taste [the torment].
32“We led you astray—
we ourselves were astray.”
33On that day, they will share
the same punishment.
34This is how We deal
with the sinners.
35When it was said to them,
“There is no god but [the One] God,”
they remained proud,
36saying, “Shall we forsake our gods
for the sake of a mad poet?”
37No—he brings the truth, and
confirms the [earlier] messengers.
38You shall surely taste
the painful punishment—
39you will be requited
only for what you have done—
40as for the chosen servants of God,
41they shall enjoy
an endowed provision
42of fruits; and they shall be honored
43in gardens of bliss,
44facing one another,
arrayed on couches.
45Around them will be passed
a goblet from a spring,
46white, delicious
to those who taste it,
47neither impairing
nor intoxicating them.
48Beside them will be
females of modest glance,
and lustrous eyes,
49like sheltered eggs.°
50They will turn to one another,
inquiring.
51One will say, “[On earth]
I had a close companion
52“who used to ask,
‘Are you really one of those
who believe?
53“ ‘When we die and become
dust and bones, shall we
really be brought [for reckoning]?’ ”
54The other will say,
“Will you look down?”
55So he’ll look down
and see his companion
in the midst of hellfire.
56He said, “By God,
You almost brought me to ruin.”
57“If not for the grace of my Lord,
I should have been brought to it.”
58[To those with him he shall say,]
“Shall we really not die
59“beyond our first death,
and not be punished?
60“This is surely
the supreme triumph.”
61Let all who strive
strive for the like of this—
62is this the better welcome
or the tree of Zaqqum?°
63We made Zaqqum
a trial for wrongdoers,
64for it is a tree that comes
from the pit of hellfire;
65its fronds like the heads
of devils.
66They will eat from it,
filling their bellies with it;
67then they shall have a brew
of scalding water,
68and then shall return
to the blaze of hellfire.
69Yes, they found
their forefathers astray
70yet they hastened
in their footsteps.
71Before them, indeed,
most of the ancients were astray,
72though We had sent
messengers to warn them.
73Observe, then, the outcome
of those who were warned—
74all but the chosen
servants of God.
SECTION 3
75Noah cried out to Us—
and how excellent was Our response,°
76We saved him and his people
from great distress,
77enabling his offspring to survive,
78and We left him [a good name]
with posterity,
79“Peace be to Noah
among all beings”°—
80this is how We reward
those who do good.
81For he was among
Our believing servants.
82Then We drowned the rest.
83Abraham was of his creed°
84when he approached his Lord
with a pure heart.
85He said to his father
and his people,
“What are you worshipping?
86“Do you desire false gods
instead of the One God?
87“What are your thoughts
on the Lord of the universe?”
88Then he turned his gaze
toward the stars,
89and said, “Actually, I am unwell.”
90So they turned their backs to him, and left.
91Then he turned to their gods,
“Why do you not eat?
92“Why is it that you do not speak?”
93He turned toward them, and
struck them with his right hand.
94At this, his people
rushed toward him,
95so he asked, “Do you worship
what you yourselves have sculpted,
96“when it is God who created you
and what you make?”
97They cried, “Build a pyre° for him
and throw him into the blazing fire!”
98So they plotted against him,
but We brought them low.
99He said, “I will go to my Lord—
He will guide [me].
100“My Lord, grant me
a righteous child.”
101So We gave him joyous news
of a son who would be forbearing.
102When the boy was old enough
to help his father, Abraham said,
“My son, I saw in a dream
that I was offering you as a sacrifice.
See, now—what do you think?”
The son replied, “My father,
do as you are commanded. God willing,
you shall find me patient.”°
103And when they had both
submitted to the will of God,
and Abraham had laid him
face-down on his forehead,
104We called to him, “Abraham,
105“you have fulfilled the vision.”
This is how We reward
those who do good;
106this indeed was a clear trial.
107We ransomed his son
with a crucial sacrifice,°
108and We left Abraham
a good name with posterity,
109“Peace be with Abraham.”
110This is how We reward
those who do good—
111for he
