Sūra XXVI. Shu‘arāa, or The Poets

The Holy Quran, tr. by Yusuf Ali, [1934], at sacred-texts.com

p. 946

Sūra XXVI.

Shu‘arāa, or The Poets.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
Most Merciful.

1. Tā. Sīn. Mīm.

2. These are Verses of the Book
That makes (things) clear.

3. It may be thou frettest
Thy soul with grief, that they
Do not become Believers.

4. If (such) were Our Will,
We could send down to them
From the sky a Sign,
To which they would bend
Their necks in humility.

5. But there comes not
To them a newly-revealed
Message from (God) Most Gracious,
But they turn away therefrom.

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6. They have indeed rejected
(The Message): so they will
Know soon (enough) the truth
Of what they mocked at!

7. Do they not look
At the earth,—how many
Noble things of all kinds
We have produced therein?

8. Verily, in this is a Sign:
But most of them
Do not believe.

9. And verily, thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 2.

10. Behold, thy Lord called
Moses: "Go to the people
Of iniquity,—

11. "The people of Pharaoh:
Will they not fear God?"

12. He said: "O my Lord!
I do fear that they
Will charge me with falsehood:

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13. "My breast will be straitened?'
And my speech may not go
(Smoothly): so send unto Aaron.

14. "And (further), they have
A charge of crime against me;
And I fear they may
Slay me."

15. God said: "By no means!
Proceed then, both of you,
With Our Signs; We
Are with you, and will
Listen (to your call).

16. "So go forth, both of you,
To Pharaoh, and say:
'We have been sent
By the Lord and Cherisher
Of the Worlds;

17. "'Send thou with us
The Children of Israel.'"

18. (Pharaoh) said: "Did we not
Cherish thee as a child
Among us, and didst thou not
Stay in our midst
Many years of thy life?

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19. "And thou didst a deed
Of thine which (thou knowest)
Thou didst, and thou art
An ungrateful (wretch)!"

20. Moses said: "I did it
Then, when I was
In error.

21. "So I fled from you (all)
When I feared you;
But my Lord has (since)
Invested me with judgment
(And wisdom) and appointed me
As one of the apostles.

22. "And this is the favour
With which thou dost
Reproach me,—that thou
Hast enslaved the Children
Of Israel!"

23. Pharaoh said: "And what
Is the 'Lord and Cherisher
Of the Worlds'?

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24. (Moses) said: "The Lord
And Cherisher of the heavens
And the earth, and all between,
If ye want to be
Quite sure."

25. (Pharaoh) said to those
Around: "Do ye not listen
(To what he says)?

26. (Moses) said: "Your Lord
And the Lord of your fathers
From the beginning!"

27. (Pharaoh) said: "Truly
Your apostle who has been
Sent to you is
A veritable madman!"

28. (Moses) said: "Lord of the East
And the West, and all between!
If ye only had sense!"

29. (Pharaoh) said: "If thou
Dost put forward any god
Other than me, I will
Certainly put thee in prison!"

30. (Moses) said: "Even if I
Showed you something
Clear (and) convincing?"

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31. (Pharaoh) said: "Show it then,
If thou tellest the truth!"

32. So (Moses) threw his rod,
And behold, it was
A serpent, plain (for all to see)!

33. And he drew out his hand,
And behold, it was white
To all beholders!

SECTION 3.

34. (Pharaoh) said to the Chiefs
Around him: "This is indeed
A sorcerer well-versed:

35. "His plan is to get you out
Of your land by his sorcery;
Then what is it ye counsel?"

36. They said: "Keep him
And his brother in suspense
(For a while), and dispatch
To the Cities heralds to collect—

37. "And bring up to thee
All (our) sorcerers well-versed."

38. So the sorcerers were got
Together for the appointment
Of a day well-known,

39. And the people were told:
"Are ye (now) assembled?—

40. "That we may follow
The sorcerers (in religion)
If they win?"

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41. So when the sorcerers arrived,
They said to Pharaoh:
"Of course—shall we have
A (suitable) reward
If we win?"

42. He said: "Yea, (and more),—
For ye shall in that case
Be (raised to posts)
Nearest (to my person)."

43. Moses said to them:
"Throw ye—that which
Ye are about to throw!"

44. So they threw their ropes
And their rods, and said:
"By the might of Pharaoh,
It is we who will
Certainly win!"

45. Then Moses threw his rod,
When, behold, it straightway
Swallows up all
The falsehoods which they fake!

46. When did the sorcerers
Fall down, prostrate in adoration,

47. Saying: "We believe
In the Lord of the Worlds,

48. "The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

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49. Said (Pharaoh): "Believe ye
In Him before I give
You permission? Surely he
Is your leader, who has
Taught you sorcery!
But soon shall ye know!

50. "Be sure I will cut off
Your hands and your feet
On opposite sides, and I
Will cause you all
To die on the cross!"

51. They said: "No matter!
For us, we shall but
Return to our Lord!

52. "Only, our desire is
That our Lord will
Forgive us our faults,
That we may become
Foremost among the Believers!"

SECTION 4.

53. By inspiration We told Moses:
"Travel by night with
My servants; for surely
Ye shall be pursued."

54. Then Pharaoh sent heralds
To (all) the Cities,

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55. (Saying): "These (Israelites)
Are but a small band,

56. "And they are raging
Furiously against us;

57. "But we are a multitude
Amply fore-warned."

58. So We expelled them
From gardens, springs,

59. Treasures, and every kind
Of honourable position;

60. Thus it was, but
We made the Children
Of Israel inheritors
Of such things.

61. So they pursued them
At sunrise.

62. And when the two bodies
Saw each other, the people
Of Moses said: "We are
Sure to be overtaken."

63. (Moses) said: "By no means!
My Lord is with me!
Soon will He guide me!"

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64. Then We told Moses
By inspiration: "Strike
The sea with thy rod."
So it divided, and each
Separate part became
Like the huge, firm mass
Of a mountain.

65. And We made the other
Party approach thither.

66. We delivered Moses and all
Who were with him;

67. But We drowned the others.

68. Verily in this is a Sign:
But most of them
Do not believe.

69. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 5.

70. And rehearse to them
(Something of) Abraham's story.

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71. Behold, he said
To his father and his people:
"What worship ye?"

72. They said: "We worship
Idols, and we remain constantly
In attendance on them."

73. He said: "Do they listen
To you when ye call (on them),
Or do you good or harm?"

74. They said: "Nay, but we
Found our fathers doing
Thus (what we do)."

75. He said: "Do ye then
See whom ye have been
Worshipping,—

76. "Ye and your fathers before you?—

77. "For they are enemies to me;
Not so the Lord and Cherisher
Of the Worlds;

78. "Who created me, and
It is He who guides me;

79. "Who gives me food and drink,

80. "And when I am ill,
It is He who cures me;

81. "Who will cause me to die,
And then to live (again);

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82. "And who, I hope,
Will forgive me my faults
On the Day of Judgment.

83. "O my Lord! bestow wisdom
On me, and join me
With the righteous;

84. "Grant me honourable mention
On the tongue of truth
Among the latest (generations);

85. "Make me one of the inheritors
Of the Garden of Bliss;

86. "Forgive my father, for that
He is among those astray;

87. "And let me not be
In disgrace on the Day
When (men) will be raised up;—

88. "The Day whereon neither
Wealth nor sons will avail,

89. "But only he (will prosper)
That brings to God
A sound heart;

90. "To the righteous, the Garden
Will be brought near,

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91. "And to those straying in Evil,
The Fire will be placed
In full view;

92. "And it shall be said
To them, 'Where are
The (gods) ye worshipped—

93. "'Besides God? Can they
Help you or help themselves?'

94. "Then they will be thrown
Headlong into the (Fire),—
They and those straying
In Evil,

95. "And the whole hosts
Of Iblīs together.

96. "They will say there
In their mutual bickerings:

97. "'By God, we were truly
In an error manifest,

98. "'When we held you as equals
With the Lord of the Worlds;

99. "'And our seducers were
Only those who were
Steeped in guilt.

100. "'Now, then, we have none
To intercede (for us),

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101. "'Nor a single friend
To feel (for us).

102. "'Now if we only had
A chance of return,
We shall truly be
Of those who believe!'"

103. Verily in this is a Sign
But most of them
Do not believe.

104. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 6.

105. The people of Noah rejected
The apostles.

106. Behold, their brother Noah
Said to them: "Will ye not
Fear (God)?

107. "I am to you an apostle
Worthy of all trust:

108. "So fear God, and obey me.

109. "No reward do I ask
Of you for it: my reward
Is only from the Lord
Of the Worlds:

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110. "So fear God, and obey me."

111. They said: "Shall we
Believe in thee when it is
The meanest that follow thee?"

112. He said: "And what
Do I know as to
What they do?

113. "Their account is only
With my Lord, if ye
Could (but) understand.

114. "I am not one to drive away
Those who believe.

115. "I am sent only
To warn plainly in public."

116. They said: "If thou
Desist not, O Noah!
Thou shalt be stoned
(to death)."

117. He said: "O my Lord!
Truly my people have
Rejected me.

118. "Judge thou, then, between me
And them openly, and deliver

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Me and those of the Believers
Who are with me."

119. So We delivered him
And those with him,
In the Ark filled
(With all creatures).

120. Thereafter We drowned those
Who remained behind.

121. Verily in this is a Sign:
But most of them
Do not believe.

122. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 7.

123. The ’Ad (people) rejected'
The apostles.

124. Behold, their brother Hūd
Said to them: "Will ye not
Fear (God)?

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125. "I am to you an apostle
Worthy of all trust:

126. "So fear God and obey me.

127. "No reward do I ask
Of you for it my reward
Is only from the Lord
Of the Worlds.

128. "Do ye build a landmark
On every high place
To amuse yourselves?

129. "And do ye get for yourselves
Fine buildings in the hope
Of living therein (for ever)?

130. "And when ye exert
Your strong hand,
Do ye do it like men
Of absolute power?

131. "Now fear God, and obey me.

132. "Yea, fear Him Who
Has bestowed on you
Freely all that ye know.

133. "Freely has He bestowed
On you cattle and sons,—

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134. "And Gardens and Springs.

135. "Truly I fear for you
The Penalty of a Great Day."

136. They said: "It is the same
To us whether thou
Admonish us or be not
Among (our) admonishers!

137. "This is no other than
A customary device
Of the ancients,

138. "And we are not the ones
To receive Pains and Penalties!"

139. So they rejected him,
And We destroyed them.
Verily in this is a Sign:
But most of them
Do not believe.

140. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 8.

141. The Thamūd (people) rejected
The apostles.

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142. Behold, their brother Ṣāliḥ
Said to them: "Will you not
Fear (God)?

143. "I am to you an apostle
Worthy of all trust.

144. "So fear God, and obey me.

145. "No reward do I ask
Of you for it: my reward
Is only from the Lord
Of the Worlds.

146. "Will ye be left secure,
In (the enjoyment of) all
That ye have here?—

147. "Gardens and Springs,

148. "And corn-fields and date palms
With spathes near breaking
(With the weight of fruit)?

149. "And ye carve houses
Out of (rocky) mountains
With great skill.

150. "But fear God and obey me;

151. "And follow not the bidding
Of those who are extravagant,—

152. "Who make mischief in the land,
And mend not (their ways)."

153. Whey said: "Thou art only
One of those bewitched!'

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154. "Thou art no more than
A mortal like us:
Then bring us a Sign,
If thou tellest the truth!"

155. He said: "Here is
A she-camel: she has
A right of watering,
And ye have a right
Of watering, (severally)
On a day appointed.

156. "Touch her not with harm,
Lest the Penalty
Of a Great Day
Seize you."

157. But they ham-strung her:
Then did they become
Full of regrets.

158. But the Penalty seized them.
Verily in this is a Sign:
But most of them
Do not believe.

159. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

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SECTION 9

160. The people of Lūt rejected'
The apostles.

161. Behold, their brother Lūt
Said to them: "Will ye not
Fear (God)?

162. "I am to you an apostle
Worthy of all trust.

163. "So fear God and obey me.

164. "No reward do I ask
Of you for it my reward
Is only from the Lord
Of the Worlds.

165. "Of all the creatures
In the world, will ye
Approach males,

166. "And leave those whom God
Has created for you
To be your mates?
Nay, ye are a people
Transgressing (all limits)!"

167. Whey said: "If thou desist not,
O Lūt! thou wilt assuredly
Be cast out!"

168. He said: "I do detest
Your doings:"

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169. "O my Lord! deliver me
And my family from
Such things as they do!"

170. So We delivered him
And his family,—all

171. Except an old woman
Who lingered behind.

172. But the rest We destroyed Utterly.

173. We rained down on them
A shower (of brimstone):
And evil was the shower
On those who were admonished
(But heeded not)!

174. Verily in this is a Sign
But most of them
Do not believe.

175. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might
Most Merciful.

SECTION 10.

176. The Companions of the Wood
Rejected the apostles.

177. Behold, Shu‘aib said to them:
Will ye not fear (God)?

178. "I am to you an apostle
Worthy of all trust.

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179. "So fear God and obey me.

180. "No reward do I ask
Of you for it: my, reward
Is only from the Lord
Of the Worlds.

181. "Give just measure,''
And cause no loss
(To others by fraud).

182. "And weigh with scales
True and upright.

183. "And withhold not things
Justly due to men,
Nor do evil in the land,
Working mischief.

184. "And fear Him Who created
You and (Who created)
The generations before (you)"

185. Whey said: "Thou art only
One of those bewitched!

186. "Thou art no more than
A mortal like us,
And indeed we think
Thou art a liar!

187. "Now cause a piece
Of the sky to fall on us,
If thou art truthful!"

188. He said: "My Lord
Knows best what ye do."

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189. But they rejected him.
Then the punishment
Of a day of overshadowing gloom
Seized them, and that was
The Penalty of a Great Day.

190. Verily in that is a Sign:
But most of them
Do not believe.

191. And verily thy Lord
Is He, the Exalted in Might,
Most Merciful.

SECTION 11.

192. Verily this is a Revelation
From the Lord of the Worlds:

193. With it came down
The Spirit of Faith and Truth—

p. 970

194. To thy heart and mind,
That thou mayest admonish

195. In the perspicuous
Arabic tongue.

196. Without doubt it is (announced)
In the mystic Book
Of former peoples.

197. Is it not a Sign
To them that the Learned
Of the Children of Israel
Knew it (as true)?

198. Had We revealed it
To any of the non Arabs,

199. And had he recited it
To them, they would not
Have believed in it.

200. Thus have We caused it
To enter the hearts
Of the Sinners.

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201. They will not believe
In it until they see
The grievous Penalty;

202. But the (Penalty) will come
To them of a sudden,
While they preceive it not;

203. Then they will say:
"Shall we be respited?"

204. Do they then ask
For Our Penalty to be
Hastened on?

205. Seest thou? If We do
Let them enjoy (this life)
For a few years,

206. Yet there comes to them
At length the (Punishment)
Which they were promised!

207. It will profit them not
That they enjoyed (this life)!

208. Never did We destroy
A population, but had
Its warners—

209. By way of reminder;
And We never are unjust.

210. No evil ones have brought
Down this (Revelation):

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211. It would neither suit them
Nor would they be able
(To produce it).

212. Indeed they have been removed
Far from even (a chance of)
Hearing it.

213. So call not on any
Other god with God,
Or thou wilt be among
Those under the Penalty.

214. And admonish thy nearest
Kinsmen,

215. And lower thy wing
To the Believers who
Follow thee.

216. Then if they disobey thee,
Say: "I am free (of responsibility)
For what ye do!"

217. And put thy trust
On the Exalted in Might,
The Merciful,—

218. Who seeth thee standing
Forth (in prayer),

219. And thy movements among
Those who prostrate themselves.

p. 973

220. For it is He
Who heareth and knoweth
All things.

221. Shall I inform you.
(O people!), on whom it is
That the evil ones descend?

222. They descend on every
Lying, wicked person,

223. (Into whose ears) they pour
Hearsay vanities, and most
Of them are liars.

224. And the Poets,—
It is those straying in Evil,
Who follow them:

225. Seest thou not that they
Wander distracted in every
Valley?—

226. And that they say
What they practise not?—

227. Except those who believe,
Work righteousness, engage much

p. 974

In the remembrance of God,
And defend themselves only after
They are unjustly attacked.
And soon will the unjust'
Assailants know what vicissitudes
Their affairs will take!

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p. 976

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