25. The Criterion

Blessed is He who sent down thecriterion to His servant, that it may be an admonition to all creatures;-

He to whom belongs the dominion of theheavens and the earth: no son has He begotten, nor has He a partner in Hisdominion: it is He who created all things, and ordered them in dueproportions.

Yet have they taken, besides him, godsthat can create nothing but are themselves created; that have no control ofhurt or good to themselves; nor can they control death nor life norresurrection.

But the misbelievers say: “Naught isthis but a lie which he has forged, and others have helped him at it.” Intruth it is they who have put forward an iniquity and a falsehood.

And they say: “Tales of the ancients,which he has caused to be written: and they are dictated before him morningand evening.”

Say: “The (Qur’an) was sent down by Himwho knows the mystery (that is) in the heavens and the earth: verily He isOft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

And they say: “What sort of an apostleis this, who eats food, and walks through the streets? Why has not an angelbeen sent down to him to give admonition with him?

“Or (Why) has not a treasure beenbestowed on him, or why has he (not) a garden for enjoyment?” The wickedsay: “Ye follow none other than a man bewitched.”

See what kinds of comparisons they makefor thee! But they have gone astray, and never a way will they be able tofind!

Blessed is He who, if that were Hiswill, could give thee better (things) than those,- Gardens beneath whichrivers flow; and He could give thee palaces (secure to dwell in).

Nay they deny the hour (of the judgmentto come): but We have prepared a blazing fire for such as deny the hour:

When it sees them from a place fAr off,they will hear its fury and its ranging sigh.

And when they are cast, bound togetherinto a constricted place therein, they will pLead for destruction there andthen!

“This day plead not for a singledestruction: plead for destruction oft- repeated!”

Say: “Is that best, or the eternalgarden, promised to the righteous? for them, that is a reward as well as agoal (of attainment).

“For them there will be therein all thatthey wish for: they will dwell (there) for aye: A promise to be prayed forfrom thy Lord.”

The day He will gather them together aswell as those whom they worship besides Allah, He will ask: “Was it ye wholet these My servants astray, or did they stray from the Path themselves?”

They will say: “Glory to Thee! not meetwas it for us that we should take for protectors others besides Thee: ButThou didst bestow, on them and their fathers, good things (in life), untilthey forgot the Message: for they were a people (worthless and) lost.”

((Allah) will say): “Now have theyproved you liars in what ye say: so ye cannot avert (your penalty) nor (get)help.” And whoever among you does wrong, him shall We cause to taste of agrievous Penalty.

And the apostles whom We sent beforethee were all (men) who ate food and walked through the streets: We havemade some of you as a trial for others: will ye have patience? for Allah isOne Who sees (all things).

Such as fear not the meeting with Us(for Judgment) say: “Why are not the angels sent down to us, or (why) do wenot see our Lord?” Indeed they have an arrogant conceit of themselves, andmighty is the insolence of their impiety!

The Day they see the angels,- no joywill there be to the sinners that Day: The (angels) will say: “There is abarrier forbidden (to you) altogether!”

And We shall turn to whatever deeds theydid (in this life), and We shall make such deeds as floating dust scatteredabout.

The Companions of the Garden will bewell, that Day, in their abode, and have the fairest of places for repose.

The Day the heaven shall be rent asunderwith clouds, and angels shall be sent down, descending (in ranks),-

That Day, the dominion as of right andtruth, shall be (wholly) for ((Allah)) Most Merciful: it will be a Day ofdire difficulty for the Misbelievers.

The Day that the wrong-doer will bite athis hands, he will say, “Oh! would that I had taken a (straight) path withthe Messenger.

“Ah! woe is me! Would that I had nevertaken such a one for a friend!

“He did lead me astray from the Message(of Allah. after it had come to me! Ah! the Evil One is but a traitor toman!” Then the Messenger will say:

“O my Lord! Truly my people took thisQur’an for just foolish nonsense.”

Thus have We made for every prophet anenemy among the sinners: but enough is thy Lord to guide and to help.

Those who reject Faith say: “Why is notthe Qur’an revealed to him all at once? Thus (is it revealed), that We maystrengthen thy heart thereby, and We have rehearsed it to thee in slow,well-arranged stages, gradually.

And no question do they bring to theebut We reveal to thee the truth and the best explanation (thereof).

Those who will be gathered to Hell(prone) on their faces,- they will be in an evil plight, and, as to Path,most astray.

(Before this,) We sent Moses The Book,and appointed his brother Aaron with him as minister;

And We command: “Go ye both, to thepeople who have rejected our Signs:” And those (people) We destroyed withutter destruction.

And the people of Noah,- when theyrejected the apostles, We drowned them, and We made them as a Sign formankind; and We have prepared for (all) wrong-doers a grievous Penalty;-

As also ‘Ad and Thamud, and theCompanions of the Rass, and many a generation between them.

To each one We set forth Parables andexamples; and each one We broke to utter annihilation (for their sins).

And the (Unbelievers) must indeed havepassed by the town on which was rained a shower of evil: did they not thensee it (with their own eyes)? But they fear not the Resurrection.

When they see thee, they treat thee nootherwise than in mockery: “Is this the one whom Allah has sent as anapostle?”

“He indeed would well-nigh have misledus from our gods, had it not been that we were constant to them!” – Soonwill they know, when they see the Penalty, who it is that is most misled inPath!

Seest thou such a one as taketh for hisgod his own passion (or impulse)? Couldst thou be a disposer of affairs forhim?

Or thinkest thou that most of themlisten or understand? They are only like cattle;- nay, they are worse astrayin Path.

Hast thou not turned thy vision to thyLord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make itstationary! then do We make the sun its guide;

Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- acontraction by easy stages.

And He it is Who makes the Night as aRobe for you, and Sleep as Repose, and makes the Day (as it were) aResurrection.

And He it is Who sends the winds asheralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy, and We send down pure waterfrom the sky,-

That with it We may give life to a deadland, and slake the thirst of things We have created,- cattle and men ingreat numbers.

And We have distributed the (water)amongst them, in order that they may celebrate (our) praises, but most menare averse (to aught) but (rank) ingratitude.

Had it been Our Will, We could have senta warner to every centre of population.

Therefore listen not to the Unbelievers,but strive against them with the utmost strenuousness, with the (Qur’an).

It is He Who has let free the two bodiesof flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter;yet has He made a barrier between them, a partition that is forbidden to bepassed.

It is He Who has created man from water:then has He established relationships of lineage and marriage: for thy Lordhas power (over all things).

Yet do they worship, besides Allah,things that can neither profit them nor harm them: and the Misbeliever is ahelper (of Evil), against his own Lord!

But thee We only sent to give gladtidings and admonition.

Say: “No reward do I ask of you for itbut this: that each one who will may take a (straight) Path to his Lord.”

And put thy trust in Him Who lives anddies not; and celebrate his praise; and enough is He to be acquainted withthe faults of His servants;-

He Who created the heavens and the earthand all that is between, in six days, and is firmly established on theThrone (of Authority): Allah Most Gracious: ask thou, then, about Him of anyacquainted (with such things).

When it is said to them, “Adore ye((Allah)) Most Gracious!”, they say, “And what is ((Allah)) Most Gracious?Shall we adore that which thou commandest us?” And it increases their flight(from the Truth).

Blessed is He Who made constellations inthe skies, and placed therein a Lamp and a Moon giving light;

And it is He Who made the Night and theDay to follow each other: for such as have the will to celebrate His praisesor to show their gratitude.

And the servants of ((Allah)) MostGracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorantaddress them, they say, “Peace!”;

Those who spend the night in adorationof their Lord prostrate and standing;

Those who say, “Our Lord! avert from usthe Wrath of Hell, for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous,-

“Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as aplace to rest in”;

Those who, when they spend, are notextravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those(extremes);

Those who invoke not, with Allah, anyother god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for justcause, nor commit fornication; – and any that does this (not only) meetspunishment.

(But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgmentwill be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy,-

Unless he repents, believes, and worksrighteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good,and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,

And whoever repents and does good hastruly turned to Allah with an (acceptable) conversion;-

Those who witness no falsehood, and, ifthey pass by futility, they pass by it with honourable (avoidance);

Those who, when they are admonished withthe Signs of their Lord, droop not down at them as if they were deaf orblind;

And those who pray, “Our Lord! Grantunto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us(the grace) to lead the righteous.”

Those are the ones who will be rewardedwith the highest place in heaven, because of their patient constancy:therein shall they be met with salutations and peace,

Dwelling therein;- how beautiful anabode and place of rest!

Say (to the Rejecters): “My Lord is notuneasy because of you if ye call not on Him: But ye have indeed rejected(Him), and soon will come the inevitable (punishment)!”