37. The Rangers

By those who range themselves in ranks,

And so are strong in repelling (evil),

And thus proclaim the Message (ofAllah.!

Verily, verily, your Allah is one!-

Lord of the heavens and of the earth andall between them, and Lord of every point at the rising of the sun!

We have indeed decked the lower heavenwith beauty (in) the stars,-

(For beauty) and for guard against allobstinate rebellious evil spirits,

(So) they should not strain their earsin the direction of the Exalted Assembly but be cast away from every side,

Repulsed, for they are under a perpetualpenalty,

Except such as snatch away something bystealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.

Just ask their opinion: are they themore difficult to create, or the (other) beings We have created? Them haveWe created out of a sticky clay!

Truly dost thou marvel, while theyridicule,

13. And, when they are admonished, payno heed,-

And, when they see a Sign, turn it tomockery,

And say, “This is nothing but evidentsorcery!

“What! when we die, and become dust andbones, shall we (then) be raised up (again)

“And also our fathers of old?”

Say thou: “Yea, and ye shall then behumiliated (on account of your evil).”

Then it will be a single (compelling)cry; and behold, they will begin to see!

They will say, “Ah! Woe to us! This isthe Day of Judgment!”

(A voice will say,) “This is the Day ofSorting Out, whose truth ye (once) denied!”

“Bring ye up”, it shall be said, “Thewrong-doers and their wives, and the things they worshipped-

“Besides Allah, and lead them to the Wayto the (Fierce) Fire!

“But stop them, for they must be asked:

“‘What is the matter with you that yehelp not each other?'”

Nay, but that day they shall submit (toJudgment);

And they will turn to one another, andquestion one another.

They will say: “It was ye who used tocome to us from the right hand (of power and authority)!”

They will reply: “Nay, ye yourselves hadno Faith!

“Nor had we any authority over you. Nay,it was ye who were a people in obstinate rebellion!

“So now has been proved true, againstus, the word of our Lord that we shall indeed (have to) taste (thepunishment of our sins).

“We led you astray: for truly we wereourselves astray.”

Truly, that Day, they will (all) sharein the Penalty.

Verily that is how We shall deal withSinners.

For they, when they were told that thereis no god except Allah, would puff themselves up with Pride,

And say: “What! shall we give up ourgods for the sake of a Poet possessed?”

Nay! he has come with the (very) Truth,and he confirms (the Message of) the apostles (before him).

Ye shall indeed taste of the GrievousPenalty;-

But it will be no more than theretribution of (the Evil) that ye have wrought;-

But the sincere (and devoted) Servantsof Allah,-

For them is a Sustenance determined,

Fruits (Delights); and they (shallenjoy) honour and dignity,

In Gardens of Felicity,

Facing each other on Thrones (ofDignity):

Round will be passed to them a Cup froma clear-flowing fountain,

Crystal-white, of a taste delicious tothose who drink (thereof),

Free from headiness; nor will theysuffer intoxication therefrom.

And besides them will be chaste women,restraining their glances, with big eyes (of wonder and beauty).

As if they were (delicate) eggs closelyguarded.

Then they will turn to one another andquestion one another.

One of them will start the talk and say:”I had an intimate companion (on the earth),

“Who used to say, ‘what! art thouamongst those who bear witness to the Truth (of the Message)?

“‘When we die and become dust and bones,shall we indeed receive rewards and punishments?'”

(A voice) said: “Would ye like to lookdown?”

He looked down and saw him in the midstof the Fire.

He said: “By Allah. thou wast littleshort of bringing me to perdition!

“Had it not been for the Grace of myLord, I should certainly have been among those brought (there)!

“Is it (the case) that we shall not die,

“Except our first death, and that weshall not be punished?”

Verily this is the supreme achievement!

For the like of this let all strive, whowish to strive.

Is that the better entertainment or theTree of Zaqqum?

For We have truly made it (as) a trialfor the wrong-doers.

For it is a tree that springs out of thebottom of Hell-Fire:

The shoots of its fruit-stalks are likethe heads of devils:

Truly they will eat thereof and filltheir bellies therewith.

Then on top of that they will be given amixture made of boiling water.

Then shall their return be to the(Blazing) Fire.

Truly they found their fathers on thewrong Path;

So they (too) were rushed down on theirfootsteps!

And truly before them, many of theancients went astray;-

But We sent aforetime, among them,(apostles) to admonish them;-

Then see what was the end of those whowere admonished (but heeded not),-

Except the sincere (and devoted)Servants of Allah.

(In the days of old), Noah cried to Us,and We are the best to hear prayer.

And We delivered him and his people fromthe Great Calamity,

And made his progeny to endure (on thisearth);

And We left (this blessing) for himamong generations to come in later times:

“Peace and salutation to Noah among thenations!”

Thus indeed do we reward those who doright.

For he was one of our believingServants.

Then the rest we overwhelmed in theFlood.

Verily among those who followed his Waywas Abraham.

Behold! he approached his Lord with asound heart.

Behold! he said to his father and to hispeople, “What is that which ye worship?

“Is it a falsehood- gods other thanAllah. that ye desire?

“Then what is your idea about the Lordof the worlds?”

Then did he cast a glance at the Stars.

And he said, “I am indeed sick (atheart)!”

So they turned away from him, anddeparted.

Then did he turn to their gods and said,”will ye not eat (of the offerings before you)?…

“What is the matter with you that yespeak not (intelligently)?”

Then did he turn upon them, striking(them) with the right hand.

Then came (the worshippers) with hurriedsteps, and faced (him).

He said: “Worship ye that which ye have(yourselves) carved?

“But Allah has created you and yourhandwork!”

They said, “Build him a furnace, andthrow him into the blazing fire!”

(This failing), they then sought astratagem against him, but We made them the ones most humiliated!

He said: “I will go to my Lord! He willsurely guide me!

“O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!”

So We gave him the good news of a boyready to suffer and forbear.

Then, when (the son) reached (the ageof) (serious) work with him, he said: “O my son! I see in vision that Ioffer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!” (The son) said: “O myfather! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills onepractising Patience and Constancy!”

So when they had both submitted theirwills (to Allah., and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (forsacrifice),

We called out to him “O Abraham!

“Thou hast already fulfilled thevision!” – thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

For this was obviously a trial-

And We ransomed him with a momentoussacrifice:

And We left (this blessing) for himamong generations (to come) in later times:

“Peace and salutation to Abraham!”

Thus indeed do We reward those who doright.

For he was one of our believingServants.

And We gave him the good news of Isaac -a prophet,- one of the Righteous.

We blessed him and Isaac: but of theirprogeny are (some) that do right, and (some) that obviously do wrong, totheir own souls.

Again (of old) We bestowed Our favour onMoses and Aaron,

And We delivered them and their peoplefrom (their) Great Calamity;

And We helped them, so they overcame(their troubles);

And We gave them the Book which helps tomake things clear;

And We guided them to the Straight Way.

And We left (this blessing) for themamong generations (to come) in later times:

“Peace and salutation to Moses andAaron!”

Thus indeed do We reward those who doright.

For they were two of our believingServants.

So also was Elias among those sent (byUs).

Behold, he said to his people, “Will yenot fear ((Allah))?

“Will ye call upon Baal and forsake theBest of Creators,-

“(Allah), your Lord and Cherisher andthe Lord and Cherisher of your fathers of old?”

But they rejected him, and they willcertainly be called up (for punishment),-

Except the sincere and devoted Servantsof Allah (among them).

And We left (this blessing) for himamong generations (to come) in later times:

“Peace and salutation to such as Elias!”

Thus indeed do We reward those who doright.

For he was one of our believingServants.

So also was Lut among those sent (byUs).

Behold, We delivered him and hisadherents, all

Except an old woman who was among thosewho lagged behind:

Then We destroyed the rest.

137. Verily, ye pass by their (sites),by day-

And by night: will ye not understand?

So also was Jonah among those sent (byUs).

When he ran away (like a slave fromcaptivity) to the ship (fully) laden,

He (agreed to) cast lots, and he wascondemned:

Then the big Fish did swallow him, andhe had done acts worthy of blame.

Had it not been that he (repented and)glorified Allah,

He would certainly have remained insidethe Fish till the Day of Resurrection.

But We cast him forth on the naked shorein a state of sickness,

And We caused to grow, over him, aspreading plant of the gourd kind.

And We sent him (on a mission) to ahundred thousand (men) or more.

And they believed; so We permitted themto enjoy (their life) for a while.

Now ask them their opinion: Is it thatthy Lord has (only) daughters, and they have sons?-

Or that We created the angels female,and they are witnesses (thereto)?

Is it not that they say, from their owninvention,

“(Allah) has begotten children”? butthey are liars!

Did He (then) choose daughters ratherthan sons?

What is the matter with you? How judgeye?

Will ye not then receive admonition?

Or have ye an authority manifest?

Then bring ye your Book (of authority)if ye be truthful!

And they have invented ablood-relationship between Him and the Jinns: but the Jinns know (quitewell) that they have indeed to appear (before his Judgment- Seat)!

Glory to Allah. (He is free) from thethings they ascribe (to Him)!

Not (so do) the Servants of Allah,sincere and devoted.

For, verily, neither ye nor those yeworship-

Can lead (any) into temptationconcerning Allah,

Except such as are (themselves) going tothe blazing Fire!

(Those ranged in ranks say): “Not one ofus but has a place appointed;

“And we are verily ranged in ranks (forservice);

“And we are verily those who declare((Allah)’s) glory!”

And there were those who said,

“If only we had had before us a Messagefrom those of old,

“We should certainly have been Servantsof Allah, sincere (and devoted)!”

But (now that the Qur’an has come), theyreject it: But soon will they know!

Already has Our Word been passed before(this) to our Servants sent (by Us),

That they would certainly be assisted,

And that Our forces,- they surely mustconquer.

So turn thou away from them for a littlewhile,

And watch them (how they fare), and theysoon shall see (how thou farest)!

Do they wish (indeed) to hurry on ourPunishment?

But when it descends into the open spacebefore them, evil will be the morning for those who were warned (and heedednot)!

So turn thou away from them for a littlewhile,

And watch (how they fare) and they soonshall see (how thou farest)!

Glory to thy Lord, the Lord of Honourand Power! (He is free) from what they ascribe (to Him)!

And Peace on the apostles!

And Praise to Allah, the Lord andCherisher of the Worlds.