SURAH
37: AL SAFFAT (Those Ranged in Ranks).
In the name of Allah, the Gracious,
the Merciful
1
By those who range themselves in ranks,
2
And so are strong in repelling evil,
3
And thus proclaim the message.
4
Truly, truly, your God is one.
5
Lord of the heavens and of the earth, 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
And for a guard against all obstinate rebellious evil spirits,
8
So they should not strain their ears in the direction of the exalted assembly
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 you 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, shall we then be raised up again?
17
And also our fathers of old?
18
Say: Yes, and you shall then be humiliated.
19
Then it will be a single 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 you denied.
22
It shall be said, Bring up the wrongdoers and their wives, and the things they
worshipped
23
Besides Allah, and lead them to the way to the fire.
24
But stop them, for they must be asked:
25
What is the matter with you that you help not each other?
26
No, but that day they shall submit,
27
And they will turn to one another, and question one another.
28
They will say: It was you who used to come to us from the right hand of power
and authority.
29
They will reply: No, you yourselves had no faith.
30
Nor had we any authority over you. No, it was you 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 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
Truly that is how we shall deal with sinners.
35
For they, when they were told that there is no god except Allah, would puff
themselves up with pride,
36
And say: What shall we give up our gods. For the sake of a poet possessed?
37
No! He has come with the truth, and he confirms the messengers before him.
38
You shall indeed taste of the grievous penalty;
39
But it will be no more than the retribution of what you have done;
40
But the sincere servants of Allah,
41
For them is a sustenance determined,
42
Fruits; and they shall enjoy honour and dignity,
43
In gardens of felicity,
44
Facing each other on thrones:
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 it,
47
Free from headiness; nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.
48
And besides them will be chaste women, restraining their glances, with big
eyes.
49
As if they were eggs closely guarded.
50
Then 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,
52
Who used to say, What are you among those who bear witness to the truth?
53
When we die and become dust and bones, shall we indeed receive rewards and
punishment?
54
A voice said: would you like to look down?
55
He looked down and saw him in the midst of the fire.
56
He said: By Allah you were 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,[1]
59
Except our first death and that we shall not be punished?
60
Truly this is the supreme achievement.
61
For the like of this let all strive, who wish to strive.
62
Is that the better entertainment of the Tree of Zaqqum?
63
For we have truly made it a trial for the wrongdoers.
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 demons:
66
Truly they will eat of it 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 fire.
69
Truly they found their fathers on the wrong path;
70
So they were rushed down on their footsteps!
71
And truly before them, many of the ancients went astray,
72
But we sent aforetime, among them, messengers to admonish them.
73
Then see what was the end of those who were admonished,
74
Except the sincere servants of Allah.
75
Nuh 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 offspring to endure;
78
And we left for him among generations to come in later times:
79
Peace and salutation to Nuh among the nations.
80
Thus indeed do we reward those who do right.
81
For he was one of our believing servants.
82
Then the rest we overwhelmed in the flood.
83
Truly among those who followed his way was Ibrahim.
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 you
worship?
86
Is it a falsehood gods other than Allah that you desire?
87
Then what is your idea about the Lord of the universe?
88
Then did he cast a glance at the stars,
89
And he said, I
am indeed sick,
90
So they turned away from him, and departed.
91
Then did he turn to their gods and said, Will you not eat?
92
What is the matter with you that you speak not?
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: Do you worship that which you have yourselves carved?
96
But Allah has created you and your handiwork.
97
They said, Build him a furnace, and throw him into the blazing fire!
98
They then sought a stratagem against him, 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 you in sacrifice. Now see what is your view? The son said: O my father do
as you are commanded: you will find me, if Allah so wills one practising
patience and constancy.
103
So when they had both submitted their wills, and he had laid him prostrate on
his forehead,
104
We called out to him, O Ibrahim!
105
You have already fulfilled the vision. Thus indeed do we reward those who do
right.
106
For this was obviously a trial.
107
And we ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice:
108
And we left for him among generations in later times:
109
Peace and salutation to Ibrahim.
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 Ishaq, a
prophet, one of the righteous.
113
We blessed him and Ishaq: but of their
descendants are some that do right, and some that obviously do wrong, to their
own souls.
114
Again, we bestowed our favour on Musa and Harun,
115
And we delivered them and their people from great calamity;
116
And we helped them, so they overcame their troubles;
117
And we gave them Al-Kitab which helps to make things clear;
118
And we guided them to the straight way.
119
And we left for them among generations in later times:
120
Peace and salutation to Musa and Harun.
121
Thus indeed do we reward those who do right.
122
For they were two of our believing servants.
123
So also was Ilyas among those sent.
124
Behold, he said to his people, will you not fear Allah?
125
Will you call upon Baal and forsake the best of creators,
126
Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old?
127
But they rejected him, and they will certainly be called up,
128
Except the sincere and devoted servants of Allah among them.
129
And we left for him among generations in later times:
130
Peace and salutation to such as Ilyas.
131
Thus indeed do we reward those who do right.
132
For he was one of our believing servants.
133
So also was Lut among those sent.
134
Behold, we delivered him and all his adherents.
135
Except an old woman who was among those who lagged behind:
136
Then we destroyed the rest.
137
Truly, you pass by their sites, by day,
138
And by night: will you not understand?
139
So also was Yunus among those sent.
140
When he ran away to the ship laden,
141
He 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 glorified Allah,
144
He would certainly have remained inside the fish until the day of resurrection.
145
But we cast him forth on the naked shoe 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 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 your Lord has only daughters, and they
have sons?
150
Or that we created the angels female, and they are witnesses?
151
Is it not that they say, from their own invention,
152
"Allah has sired children," but they are liars?
153
Did he choose daughters rather than sons?
154
What is the matter with you? How do you judge?
155
Will you not then receive admonition?
156
Or do you have a clear authority?
157
Then bring your book if you be truthful!
158
And they have invented a blood relationship between him and the Jinns: but the
Jinns know that they have indeed to appear.
159
Glory to Allah! He is free from the things they ascribe to him.
160
Not so do the servants of Allah, sincere and devoted.
161
For, truly, neither you nor those you worship
162
Can lead into temptation concerning Allah,
163
Except such as are going to the blazing fire.
164
Not one of us but has a place appointed;
165
And we are truly ranged in ranks;
166
And we are truly those who declare his glory.
167
And there were those who said,
168
If only we had before us a message from those of old,
169
We should certainly have been servants of Allah, sincere.
170
But they reject it: but soon will they know.
171
Already has our word been passed before to our servants sent by us,
172
That they would certainly be assisted,
173
And that our forces, they surly must conquer.
174
So turn you away from them for a little while,
175
And watch them and they soon shall see.
176
Do they wish 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.
178
So turn you away from them for a little while,
179
And watch, and they soon shall see.
180
Glory to your Lord, the Lord of honour and power. He is free from what they
ascribe to him.
181
And peace on the messengers.
182
And praise to Allah, the Lord of the universe.
[1] This refers to the "second death" as is clear if you read the next verse. Allah says in the Injil, "He who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death" (Revelation 2:11) and "Who is he that overcomes the world, but he who believes that 'Isa is Ibn Allah ?" For more on the "second death," see footnote at Quran, Surah 40:11.