سُورَةُ قٓ

قۤۚ وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ ٱلۡمَجِیدِ (۱)

Qaf. CONSIDER this sublime Qur’an!

بَلۡ عَجِبُوۤا۟ أَن جَاۤءَهُم مُّنذِرࣱ مِّنۡهُمۡ فَقَالَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ هَـٰذَا شَیۡءٌ عَجِیبٌ (۲)

But nay - they deem it strange that a warner should have come unto them from their own midst; and so these deniers of the truth are saying, “A strange thing is this!

أَءِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابࣰاۖ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ رَجۡعُۢ بَعِیدࣱ (۳)

Why - [how could we be resurrected] after we have died and become mere dust? Such a return seems far-fetched indeed!”

قَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا مَا تَنقُصُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ مِنۡهُمۡۖ وَعِندَنَا كِتَـٰبٌ حَفِیظُۢ (۴)

Well do We know how the earth consumes their bodies, for with Us is a record unfailing.

بَلۡ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاۤءَهُمۡ فَهُمۡ فِیۤ أَمۡرࣲ مَّرِیجٍ (۵)

Nay, but they [who refuse to believe in resurrection] have been wont to give the lie to this truth whenever it was proffered to them; and so they are in a state of confusion.

أَفَلَمۡ یَنظُرُوۤا۟ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ فَوۡقَهُمۡ كَیۡفَ بَنَیۡنَـٰهَا وَزَیَّنَّـٰهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِن فُرُوجࣲ (۶)

Do they not look at the sky above them - how We have built it and made it beautiful and free of all faults?

وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ مَدَدۡنَـٰهَا وَأَلۡقَیۡنَا فِیهَا رَوَ ٰ⁠سِیَ وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِیهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوۡجِۭ بَهِیجࣲ (۷)

And the earth - We have spread it wide, and set upon it mountains firm, and caused it to bring forth plants of all beauteous kinds,

تَبۡصِرَةࣰ وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِكُلِّ عَبۡدࣲ مُّنِیبࣲ (۸)

thus offering an insight and a reminder unto every human being who willingly turns unto God.

وَنَزَّلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ مَاۤءࣰ مُّبَـٰرَكࣰا فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا بِهِۦ جَنَّـٰتࣲ وَحَبَّ ٱلۡحَصِیدِ (۹)

And We send down from the skies water rich in blessings, and cause thereby gardens to grow, and fields of grain,

وَٱلنَّخۡلَ بَاسِقَـٰتࣲ لَّهَا طَلۡعࣱ نَّضِیدࣱ (۱۰)

and tall palm-trees with their thickly-clustered dates,

رِّزۡقࣰا لِّلۡعِبَادِۖ وَأَحۡیَیۡنَا بِهِۦ بَلۡدَةࣰ مَّیۡتࣰاۚ كَذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ ٱلۡخُرُوجُ (۱۱)

as sustenance appor­tioned to men; and by [all] this We bring dead land to life: [and] even so will be [man’s] coming-forth from death.

كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحࣲ وَأَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ (۱۲)

[Long] before those [who now deny resur­rection] did Noah’s people give the lie to this truth, and [so did] the folk of Ar-Rass, and [the tribes of] Thamud

وَعَادࣱ وَفِرۡعَوۡنُ وَإِخۡوَ ٰ⁠نُ لُوطࣲ (۱۳)

and Ad, and Pharaoh, and Lot’s brethren,

وَأَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلۡأَیۡكَةِ وَقَوۡمُ تُبَّعࣲۚ كُلࣱّ كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِیدِ (۱۴)

and the dwellers of the wooded dales [of Madyan], and the people of Tubba: they all gave the lie to the apostles - and thereupon that whereof I had warned [them] came true.

أَفَعَیِینَا بِٱلۡخَلۡقِ ٱلۡأَوَّلِۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ فِی لَبۡسࣲ مِّنۡ خَلۡقࣲ جَدِیدࣲ (۱۵)

Could We, then, be [thought of as being] worn out by the first creation? Nay - but some people are [still] lost in doubt about [the possibility of] a new creation!

وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ وَنَعۡلَمُ مَا تُوَسۡوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفۡسُهُۥۖ وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَیۡهِ مِنۡ حَبۡلِ ٱلۡوَرِیدِ (۱۶)

NOW, VERILY, it is We who have created man, and We know what his innermost self whispers within him: for We are closer to him than his neck-vein.

إِذۡ یَتَلَقَّى ٱلۡمُتَلَقِّیَانِ عَنِ ٱلۡیَمِینِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ قَعِیدࣱ (۱۷)

[And so,] whenever the two demands [of his nature] come face to face, contending from the right and from the left,

مَّا یَلۡفِظُ مِن قَوۡلٍ إِلَّا لَدَیۡهِ رَقِیبٌ عَتِیدࣱ (۱۸)

not even a word can he utter but there is a watcher with him, ever-present.

وَجَاۤءَتۡ سَكۡرَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنۡهُ تَحِیدُ (۱۹)

And [then,] the twilight of death brings with it the [full] truth that [very thing, O man,] from which thou wouldst always look away! –

وَنُفِخَ فِی ٱلصُّورِۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ یَوۡمُ ٱلۡوَعِیدِ (۲۰)

and [in the end] the trumpet [of resurrection] will be blown: that will be the Day of a warning fulfilled.

وَجَاۤءَتۡ كُلُّ نَفۡسࣲ مَّعَهَا سَاۤىِٕقࣱ وَشَهِیدࣱ (۲۱)

And every human being will come forward with [his erstwhile] inner urges and [his] conscious mind,

لَّقَدۡ كُنتَ فِی غَفۡلَةࣲ مِّنۡ هَـٰذَا فَكَشَفۡنَا عَنكَ غِطَاۤءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ ٱلۡیَوۡمَ حَدِیدࣱ (۲۲)

[and will be told:] “Indeed, unmindful hast thou been of this [Day of Judgment]; but now We have lifted from thee thy veil, and sharp is thy sight today!”

وَقَالَ قَرِینُهُۥ هَـٰذَا مَا لَدَیَّ عَتِیدٌ (۲۳)

And one part of him will say: “This it is that has been ever-present with me!”

أَلۡقِیَا فِی جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِیدࣲ (۲۴)

[Whereupon God will command:] “Cast, cast into hell every [such] stubborn enemy of the truth,

مَّنَّاعࣲ لِّلۡخَیۡرِ مُعۡتَدࣲ مُّرِیبٍ (۲۵)

[every] withholder of good [and] sinful aggressor [and] fomentor of distrust [between man and man – everyone]

ٱلَّذِی جَعَلَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَأَلۡقِیَاهُ فِی ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلشَّدِیدِ (۲۶)

who has set up another deity beside God: cast him, then, cast him into suffering severe!”

۞ قَالَ قَرِینُهُۥ رَبَّنَا مَاۤ أَطۡغَیۡتُهُۥ وَلَـٰكِن كَانَ فِی ضَلَـٰلِۭ بَعِیدࣲ (۲۷)

Man’s other self’ will say: “O our Sustainer! It was not I that led his conscious mind into evil [nay,] but it had gone far astray [of its own accord]!

قَالَ لَا تَخۡتَصِمُوا۟ لَدَیَّ وَقَدۡ قَدَّمۡتُ إِلَیۡكُم بِٱلۡوَعِیدِ (۲۸)

[And] He will say: “Contend not before Me, [O you sinners,] for I gave you a forewarning [of this Day of Reckoning].

مَا یُبَدَّلُ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ لَدَیَّ وَمَاۤ أَنَا۠ بِظَلَّـٰمࣲ لِّلۡعَبِیدِ (۲۹)

The judgment passed by Me shall not be altered; but never do I do the least wrong unto My creatures!”

یَوۡمَ نَقُولُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلِ ٱمۡتَلَأۡتِ وَتَقُولُ هَلۡ مِن مَّزِیدࣲ (۳۰)

On that Day We will ask hell, “Art thou filled?”- and it will answer, “[Nay,] is there yet more [for me]?”

وَأُزۡلِفَتِ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِینَ غَیۡرَ بَعِیدٍ (۳۱)

And [on that Day] paradise will be brought within the sight of the God-conscious, and will no longer be far away; [and they will be told:]

هَـٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِیظࣲ (۳۲)

“This is what you were promised - [promised] unto every­one who was wont to turn unto God and to keep Him always in mind –

مَّنۡ خَشِیَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنَ بِٱلۡغَیۡبِ وَجَاۤءَ بِقَلۡبࣲ مُّنِیبٍ (۳۳)

[everyone] who stood in awe of the Most Gracious although He is beyond the reach of human perception, and who has come [unto Him] with a heart full of contrition.

ٱدۡخُلُوهَا بِسَلَـٰمࣲۖ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ یَوۡمُ ٱلۡخُلُودِ (۳۴)

Enter this [paradise] in peace; this is the Day on which life abiding begins!”

لَهُم مَّا یَشَاۤءُونَ فِیهَا وَلَدَیۡنَا مَزِیدࣱ (۳۵)

In that [paradise] they shall have whatever they may desire - but there is yet more with Us.

وَكَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم مِّن قَرۡنٍ هُمۡ أَشَدُّ مِنۡهُم بَطۡشࣰا فَنَقَّبُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ هَلۡ مِن مَّحِیصٍ (۳۶)

AND HOW MANY a generation have We destroyed before those [who now deny the truth] people of greater might than theirs; but [when Our chastise­ment befell them,] they became wanderers on the face of the earth, seeking no more than a place of refuge

إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ لَذِكۡرَىٰ لِمَن كَانَ لَهُۥ قَلۡبٌ أَوۡ أَلۡقَى ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَهُوَ شَهِیدࣱ (۳۷)

In this, behold, there is indeed a reminder for everyone whose heart is wide-awake -that is, [every­one who] lends ear with a conscious mind -

وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰ⁠تِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَا فِی سِتَّةِ أَیَّامࣲ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبࣲ (۳۸)

and [who knows that] We have indeed created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six aeons, and [that] no weariness could ever touch Us.

فَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَا یَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ قَبۡلَ طُلُوعِ ٱلشَّمۡسِ وَقَبۡلَ ٱلۡغُرُوبِ (۳۹)

HENCE, [O believer,] bear thou with patience what­ever they may say, and extol thy Sustainer’s limit­less glory and praise before the rising of the sun and before its setting;

وَمِنَ ٱلَّیۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡهُ وَأَدۡبَـٰرَ ٱلسُّجُودِ (۴۰)

and in the night, too, extol His glory, and at every prayer’s end.

وَٱسۡتَمِعۡ یَوۡمَ یُنَادِ ٱلۡمُنَادِ مِن مَّكَانࣲ قَرِیبࣲ (۴۱)

And [always] listen for the day when He who issues the call [of death] shall call [thee] from close-by;

یَوۡمَ یَسۡمَعُونَ ٱلصَّیۡحَةَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ یَوۡمُ ٱلۡخُرُوجِ (۴۲)

[and bethink thyself, too, of] the Day on which all [human beings] will in truth hear the final blast - that Day of [their] coming-forth [from death].

إِنَّا نَحۡنُ نُحۡیِۦ وَنُمِیتُ وَإِلَیۡنَا ٱلۡمَصِیرُ (۴۳)

Verily, it is We who grant life and deal death; and with Us will be all journeys’ end

یَوۡمَ تَشَقَّقُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ عَنۡهُمۡ سِرَاعࣰاۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ حَشۡرٌ عَلَیۡنَا یَسِیرࣱ (۴۴)

on the Day when the earth is riven asunder all around them as they hasten forth [towards God’s judgment]: that gathering will be easy for Us [to encompass].

نَّحۡنُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا یَقُولُونَۖ وَمَاۤ أَنتَ عَلَیۡهِم بِجَبَّارࣲۖ فَذَكِّرۡ بِٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مَن یَخَافُ وَعِیدِ (۴۵)

Fully aware are We of what they [who deny resurrection] do say; and thou canst by no means force them [to believe in it]. Yet none the less, remind, through this Qur’an, all such as may fear My warning.