42. ash-Shura: The Counsel

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân, by M.M. Pickthall, at sacred-texts.com

1 Ha. Mim. 2 A'in. Sin. Qaf. 3 Thus Allah the Mighty, the Knower inspireth thee (Muhammad) as (He inspired) those before thee. 4 Unto Him belongeth all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and He is the Sublime, the Tremendous. 5 Almost might the heavens above be rent asunder while the angels hymn the praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on the earth. Lo! Allah, He is the Forgiver, the Merciful. 6 And as for those who choose protecting friends beside Him, Allah is Warden over them, and thou art in no wise a guardian over them. 7 And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame. 8 Had Allah willed, He could have made them one community, but Allah bringeth whom He will into His mercy. And the wrong-doers have no friend nor helper. 9 Or have they chosen protecting friends besides Him ? But Allah, He (alone) is the Protecting Friend. He quickeneth the dead, and He is Able to do all things. 10 And in whatsoever ye differ, the verdict therein belongeth to Allah. Such is my Lord, in Whom I put my trust, and unto Whom I turn. 11 The Creator of the heavens and the earth. He hath made for you pairs of yourselves, and of the cattle also pairs, whereby He multiplieth you. Naught is as His likeness; and He is the Hearer, the Seer. 12 His are the keys of the heavens and the earth. He enlargeth providence for whom He will and straiteneth (it for whom He will). Lo! He is Knower of all things. 13 He hath ordained for you that religion which He commended unto Noah, and that which We inspire in thee (Muhammad), and that which We commended unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divided therein. Dreadful for the idolaters is that unto which thou callest them. Allah chooseth for Himself whom He will, and guideth unto Himself him who turneth (toward Him). 14 And they were not divided until after the knowledge came unto them, through rivalry among themselves; and had it not been for a Word that had already gone forth from thy Lord for an appointed term, it surely had been judged between them. And those who were made to inherit the Scripture after them are verily in hopeless doubt concerning it. 15 Unto this, then, summon (O Muhammad). And be thou upright as thou art commanded, and follow not their lusts, but say: I believe in whatever scripture Allah hath sent down, and I am commanded to be just among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. Unto us our works and unto you your works; no argument between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and unto Him is the journeying. 16 And those who argue concerning Allah after He hath been acknowledged, their argument hath no weight with their Lord, and wrath is upon them and theirs will be an awful doom. 17 Allah it is Who hath revealed the Scripture with truth, and the Balance. How canst thou know ? It may be that the Hour is nigh. 18 Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it and know that it is the Truth. Are not they who dispute, in doubt concerning the Hour, far astray ? 19 Allah is gracious unto His slaves. He provideth for whom He will. And He is the Strong, the Mighty. 20 Whoso desireth the harvest of the Hereafter, We give him increase in its harvest. And whoso desireth the harvest of the world, We give him thereof, and he hath no portion in the Hereafter. 21 Or have they partners (of Allah) who have made lawful for them in religion that which Allah allowed not ? And but for a decisive word (gone forth already), it would have been judged between them. Lo! for wrong-doers is a painful doom. 22 Thou seest the wrong-doers fearful of that which they have earned, and it will surely befall them, while those who believe and do good works (will be) in flowering meadows of the Gardens, having what they wish from their Lord. This is the great preferment. 23 This it is which Allah announceth unto His bondmen who believe and do good works. Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I ask of you no fee therefor, save lovingkindness among kinsfolk. And whoso scoreth a good deed We add unto its good for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Responsive. 24 Or say they: He hath invented a lie concerning Allah ? If Allah willed, He could have sealed thy heart (against them). And Allah will wipe out the lie and will vindicate the truth by His words. Lo! He is Aware of what is hidden in the breasts (of men). 25 And He it is Who accepteth repentance from His bondmen, and pardoneth the evil deeds, and knoweth what ye do, 26 And accepteth those who do good works, and giveth increase unto them of His bounty. And as for disbelievers, theirs will be an awful doom. 27 And if Allah were to enlarge the provision for His slaves they would surely rebel in the earth, but He sendeth down by measure as He willeth. Lo! He is Informed, a Seer of His bondmen. 28 And He it is Who sendeth down the saving rain after they have despaired, and spreadeth out His mercy. He is the Protecting Friend, the Praiseworthy. 29 And of His portents is the creation of the heaven and the earth, and of whatever beasts He hath dispersed therein. And He is Able to gather them when He will. 30 Whatever of misfortune striketh you, it is what your right hands have earned. And He forgiveth much. 31 Ye cannot escape in the earth, for beside Allah ye have no protecting friend nor any helper. 32 And of His portents are the ships, like banners on the sea; 33 If He will He calmeth the wind so that they keep still upon its surface - Lo! herein verily are signs for every steadfast grateful (heart). - 34 Or He causeth them to perish on account of that which they have earned - And He forgiveth much - 35 And that those who argue concerning Our revelations may know they have no refuge. 36 Now whatever ye have been given is but a passing comfort for the life of the world, and that which Allah hath is better and more lasting for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord, 37 And those who shun the worst of sins and indecencies and, when they are wroth, forgive, 38 And those who answer the call of their Lord and establish worship, and whose affairs are a matter of counsel, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them, 39 And those who, when great wrong is done to them, defend themselves, 40 The guerdon of an ill-deed is an ill the like thereof. But whosoever pardoneth and amendeth, his wage is the affair of Allah. Lo! He loveth not wrong-doers. 41 And whoso defendeth himself after he hath suffered wrong - for such, there is no way (of blame) against them. 42 The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such there is a painful doom. 43 And verily whoso is patient and forgiveth - lo! that, verily, is (of) the steadfast heart of things. 44 He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no protecting friend after Him. And thou (Muhammad) wilt see the evil-doers when they see the doom, (how) they say: Is there any way of return ? 45 And thou wilt see them exposed to (the Fire), made humble by disgrace, and looking with veiled eyes. And those who believe will say: Lo! the (eternal) losers are they who lose themselves and their housefolk on the Day of Resurrection. Lo! are not the wrong-doers in perpetual torment ? 46 And they will have no protecting friends to help them instead of Allah. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no road. 47 Answer the call of your Lord before there cometh unto you from Allah a Day which there is no averting. Ye have no refuge on that Day, nor have a ye any (power of) refusal. 48 But if they are averse, We have not sent thee as a warder over them. Thine is only to convey (the message). And lo! when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us he exulteth therefor. And if some evil striketh them because of that which their own hands have sent before, then lo! man is an ingrate. 49 Unto Allah belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He createth what He will. He bestoweth female (offspring) upon whom He will, and bestoweth male (offspring) upon whom He will; 50 Or He mingleth them, males and females, and He maketh barren whom He will. Lo! He is Knower, Powerful. 51 And it was not (vouchsafed) to any mortal that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation or from behind a veil, or (that) He sendeth a messenger to reveal what He will by His leave. Lo! He is Exalted, Wise. 52 And thus have We inspired in thee (Muhammad) a Spirit of Our command. Thou knewest not what the Scripture was, nor what the Faith. But We have made it a light whereby We guide whom We will of Our bondmen. And lo! thou verily dost guide unto a right path, 53 The path of Allah, unto Whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Do not all things reach Allah at last ?