Sūra XXXVII. Ṣāffāt, or Those Ranged in Ranks.

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

p. 1190

Sūra XXXVII.

Ṣāffāt, or Those Ranged in Ranks.

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

1. By those who range
Themselves in ranks,

2. And so are strong
In repelling (evil),

3. And thus proclaim
The Message (of God)!

4. Verily, verily, your God
Is One!—

5. Lord of the heavens
And of the earth,

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And all between them,
And Lord of every point
At the rising of the sun!

6. We have indeed decked
The lower heaven with beauty
(In) the stars,—

7. (For beauty) and for guard
Against all obstinate
Rebellious evil spirits,

8. (So) they should not strain
Their ears in the direction
Of the Exalted Assembly

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But be cast away
From every side,

9. Repulsed, for they are
Under a perpetual penalty,

10. Except such as snatch away
Something by stealth, and they
Are pursued by a flaming
Fire, of piercing brightness.

11. Just ask their opinion:
Are they the more difficult
To create, or the (other) beings
We have created?
Them have We created
Out of a sticky clay!

12. Truly dost thou marvel,
While they ridicule,

13. And, when they are
Admonished, pay no heed,—

14. And, when they see
A Sign, turn it
To mockery,

15. And say, "This is nothing
But evident sorcery!

16. "What! when we die,
And become dust and bones,

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Shall we (then) be
Raised up (again)?

17. "And also our fathers
Of old?"

18. Say thou: "Yea, and ye shall
Then be humiliated
(On account of your evil).

19. Then it will be a single
(Compelling) cry;
And behold, they will
Begin to see!

20. They will say, "Ah!
Woe to us! this is
The Day of Judgment!"

21. (A voice will say,)
"This is the Day
Of Sorting Out, whose
Truth ye (once) denied!"

SECTION 2.

22. "Bring ye up",
It shall be said,

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"The wrong-doers
And their wives,
And the things they worshipped—

23. "Besides God,
And lead them to the Way
To the (Fierce) Fire!

24. "But stop them,
For they must be asked:

25. "What is the matter
With you that ye
Help not each other?"

26. Nay, but that day they
Shall submit (to judgment);

27. And they will turn to
One another, and question
One another.

28. They will say: "It was ye
Who used to come to us
From the right hand
(Of power and authority)!"

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29. They will reply: "Nay, ye
Yourselves had no Faith!

30. "Nor had we any authority
Over you. Nay, it was
Ye who were a people
In obstinate rebellion!

31. "So now has been proved true,
Against us, the Word
Of our Lord that we
Shall indeed (have to) taste
(The punishment of our sins).

32. "We led you astray: for truly
We were ourselves astray."

33. Truly, that Day, they will
(All) share in the Penalty.

34. Verily that is how We
Shall deal with Sinners.

35. For they, when they were
Told that there is
No god except God, would
Puff themselves up with Pride,

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36. And say: "What! Shall we
Give up our gods.
For the sake of
A Poet possessed?"

37. Nay! he has come
With the (very) Truth,
And he confirms (the Message
Of) the apostles (before him).

38. Ye shall indeed taste
Of the Grievous Penalty;—

39. But it will be no more
Than the retribution
Of (the Evil) that ye
Have wrought;—

40. But the sincere (and devoted)
Servants of God,—

41. For them is a Sustenance
Determined,

42. Fruits (Delights); and they
(Shall enjoy) honour and dignity,

43. In Gardens of Felicity,

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44. Facing each other
On Thrones (of dignity):

45. Round will be passed
To them a Cup
From a clear-flowing fountain,

46. Crystal-white, of a taste
Delicious to those
Who drink (thereof),

47. Free from headiness;
Nor will they suffer
Intoxication therefrom.

48. And besides them will be
Chaste women, restraining
Their glances, with big eyes
(Of wonder and beauty).

49. As if they were
(Delicate) eggs closely guarded.

50. When they will turn to
One another and question
One another.

51. One of them will start
The talk and say:
"I had an intimate
Companion (on the earth),

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52. "Who used to say,
"What! art thou amongst those
Who bear witness to
The truth (of the Message)?

53. "When we die and become
Dust and bones, shall we
Indeed receive rewards
And punishments?"

54. (A voice) said: "Would ye
Like to look down?"

55. He looked down
And saw him
In the midst of the Fire.

56. He said: "By God!
Thou wast little short
Of bringing me to perdition!

57. "Had it not been for
The Grace of my Lord,
I should certainly have been
Among those brought (there)!

58. "Is it (the case) that
We shall not die,

59. "Except our first death,
And that we
Shall not be punished?"

60. Verily this is
The supreme achievement!

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61. For the like of this
Let all strive,
Who wish to strive.

62. Is that the better entertainment
Or the Tree of Zaqqūm?

63. For We have truly
Made it (as) a trial
For the wrong-doers.

64. For it is a tree
That springs out
Of the bottom of Hell-fire:

65. The shoots of its fruit-stalks
Are like the heads
Of devils:

66. Truly they will eat thereof
And fill their bellies therewith.

67. Then on top of that
They will be given
A mixture made of
Boiling water.

68. Then shall their return
Be to the (Blazing) Fire.

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69. Truly they found their fathers
On the wrong Path;

70. So they (too) were rushed
Down on their footsteps!

71. And truly before them,
Many of the ancients
Went astray;—

72. But We sent aforetime,
Among them, (apostles)
To admonish them;—

73. Then see what was
The End of those who
Were admonished (but heeded not),—

74. Except the sincere (and devoted)
Servants of God.

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SECTION 3.

75. (In the days of old),
Noah cried to Us,
And We are the Best
To hear prayer.

76. And We delivered him
And his people from
The Great Calamity,

77. And made his progeny
To endure (on this earth);

78. And We left (this blessing)
For him among generations
To come in later times:

79. "Peace and salutation to Noah
Among the nations!"

80. Thus indeed do We reward
Those who do right.

81. For he was one
Of Our believing Servants.

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82. Then the rest We overwhelmed
In the Flood.

83. Verily among those
Who followed his Way
Was Abraham.

84. Behold, he approached his Lord
With a sound heart.

85. Behold, he said to his father
And to his people, "What
Is that which ye worship?

86. "Is it a Falsehood—
Gods other than God—
That ye desire?

87. "Then what is your idea
About the Lord of the
Worlds?"

88. Then did he cast
A glance at the Stars,

89. And he said, "I am
Indeed sick (at heart)!"

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90. So they turned away
From him, and departed.

91. When did he turn
To their gods and said,
"Will ye not eat
(Of the offerings before you)?…

92. "What is the matter
With you that ye
Speak not (intelligently)?"

93. Then did he turn
Upon them, striking (them)
With the right hand.

94. Then came (the worshippers)
With hurried steps,
And faced (him).

95. He said: "Worship ye
That which ye have
(Yourselves) carved?

96. "But God has created you
And your handiwork!"

97. They said, "Build him
A furnace, and throw him
Into the blazing fire!"

98. (This failing), they then
Sought a stratagem against him,

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But We made them the ones
Most humiliated!

99. He said: "I will go
To my Lord! He
Will surely guide me!

100. "O my Lord! grant me
A righteous (son)!"

101. So We gave him
The good news
Of a boy ready
To suffer and forbear.

102. Then, when (the son)
Reached (the age of)
(Serious) work with him,
He said: "O my son
I see in vision
That I offer thee in sacrifice:
Now see what is
Thy view!" (The son) said:
"O my father! Do
As thou art commanded:

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Thou will find me,
If God so wills one
Practising Patience and Constancy!"

103. So when they had both
Submitted their wills (to God),
And he had laid him
Prostrate on his forehead
(For sacrifice),

104. We called out to him,
"O Abraham!

105. "Thou hast already fulfilled
The vision!"—thus indeed
Do We reward
Those who do right.

106. For this was obviously
A trial—

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107. And We ransomed him
With a momentous sacrifice:

108. And We left (this blessing)
For him among generations
(To come) in later times:

109. "Peace and salutation
To Abraham!"

110. Thus indeed do We reward
Those who do right

111. For he was one
Of Our believing Servants.

112. And We gave him
The good news
Of Isaac—a prophet,—
One of the Righteous.

113. We blessed him and Isaac:
But of their progeny
Are (some) that do right,
And (some) that obviously
Do wrong, to their own souls.

SECTION 4.

114. Again, (of old,)
We bestowed Our favour

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On Moses and Aaron,

115. And We delivered them
And their people from
(Their) Great Calamity;

116. And We helped them,
So they overcame
(their troubles);

117. And We gave them
The Book which helps
To make things clear;

118. And We guided them
To the Straight Way.

119. And We left (this blessing)
For them among generations
(To come) in later times:

120. "Peace and salutation
To Moses and Aaron!"

121. Thus indeed do We reward
Those who do right.

122. For they were two
Of Our believing Servants.

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123. So also was Elias
Among those sent (by Us).

124. Behold, he said
To his people,
"Will ye not fear (God)?

125. "Will ye call upon Baal
And forsake the Best
Of Creators,—

126. "God, your Lord and Cherisher
And the Lord and Cherisher
Of your fathers of old?"

127. But they rejected him,
And they will certainly
Be called up (for punishment),—

128. Except the sincere and devoted
Servants of God (among them).

129. And We left (this blessing)
For him among generations
(To come) in later times:

130. "Peace and salutation
To such as Elias!"

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131. Thus indeed do We reward
Those who do right.

132. For he was one
Of Our believing Servants.

133. So also was Lot
Among those sent (by Us).

134. Behold, We delivered him
And his adherents, all

135. Except an old woman
Who was among those
Who lagged behind:

136. Then We destroyed
The rest.

137. Verily, ye pass
By their (sites),
By day—

138. And by night:
Will ye not understand?

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SECTION 5.

139. So also was Jonah
Among those sent (by Us).

140. When he ran away
(Like a slave from captivity)
To the ship (fully) laden,

141. He (agreed to) cast lots,
And he was condemned:

142. Then the big Fish
Did swallow him,
And he had done
Acts worthy of blame.

143. Had it not been
That he (repented and)
Glorified God,

144. He would certainly have
Remained inside the Fish
Till the Day of Resurrection.

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145. But We cast him forth
On the naked shore
In a state of sickness,

146. And We caused to grow,
Over him, a spreading plant
Of the Gourd kind.

147. And We sent him
(On a mission)
To a hundred thousand
(Men) or more.

148. And they believed;
So We permitted them
To enjoy (their life)
For a while.

149. Now ask them their opinion:
Is it that thy Lord
Has (only) daughters, and they
Have sons?—

150. Or that We created
The angels female, and they
Are witnesses (thereto)?

151. Is it not that they
Say, from their own invention,

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152. "God has begotten children"?
But they are liars!

153. Did He (then) choose
Daughters rather than sons?

154. What is the matter
With you? How judge ye?

155. Will ye not then
Receive admonition?

156. Or have ye
An authority manifest?

157. Then bring ye your Book
(Of authority) if ye be
Truthful!

158. And they have invented
A blood-relationship
Between Him and the Jinns:
But the Jinns know
(Quite well) that they
Have indeed to appear
(Before His Judgment-seat)!

159. Glory to God! (He is free)
From the things they ascribe
(To Him)!

160. Not (so do) the Servants
Of God, sincere and devoted.

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161. For, verily, neither ye
Nor those ye worship—

162. Can lead (any)
Into temptation
Concerning God,

163. Except such as are
(Themselves) going to
The blazing Fire!

164. (Those ranged in ranks say):
"Not one of us but has
A place appointed;

165. "And we are verily
Ranged in ranks (for service);

166. "And we are verily those
Who declare (God's) glory!"

167. And there were those
Who said,

168. "If only we had had
Before us a Message
From those of old,

169. "We should certainly have
Been Servants of God,
Sincere (and devoted)!"

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170. But (now that the Qur-ān
Has come), they reject it:
But soon will they know!

171. Already has Our Word
Been passed before (this)
To Our Servants sent (by Us),

172. That they would certainly
Be assisted,

173. And that Our forces,—
They surely must conquer.

174. So turn thou away
From them for a little while,

175. And watch them (how
They fare), and they soon
Shall see (how thou farest)!

176. Do they wish (indeed)
To hurry on our Punishment?

177. But when it descends
Into the open space
Before them, evil will be
The morning for those who
Were warned (and heeded not)!

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178. So turn thou away
From them for a little while,

179. And watch (how they fare)
And they soon shall see
(How thou farest)!

180. Glory to thy Lord,
The Lord of Honour
And Power! (He is free)
From what they ascribe
(To Him)!

181. And Peace on the apostles!

182. And Praise to God,
The Lord and Cherisher
Of the Worlds.

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