37. As-Saffat - Those who set the Ranks


1	By the rangers ranging
2	and the scarers scaring
3	and the reciters of a Remembrance,
4	surely your God is One,
5	Lord of the heavens and the earth, and of what between them is Lord of the Easts.
6	We have adorned the lower heaven with the adornment of the stars
7	and to preserve against every rebel Satan;
8	they listen not to the High Council, for they are pelted from every side,
9	rejected, and theirs is an everlasting chastisement,
10	except such as snatches a fragment, and he is pursued by a piercing flame.
11	So ask them for a pronouncement -- Are they stronger in constitution, or those We created? We created them of clinging clay.
12	Nay, thou marvellest; and they scoff
13	and, when reminded, do not remember
14	and, when they see a sign, would scoff;
15	and they say, 'This is nothing but manifest sorcery.
16	What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be raised up?
17	What, and our fathers, the ancients?'
18	Say: 'Yes, and in all lowliness.'
19	For it is only a single scaring, then behold, they are watching
20	and they say, 'Woe, alas for us! This is the Day of Doom.'
21	'This is the Day of Decision, even that you cried lies to.
22	Muster those who did evil, their wives, and that they were serving,
23	apart from God, and guide them unto the path of Hell!
24	And halt them, to be questioned:
25	"Why help you not one another?"
26	No indeed; but today they resign themselves in submission
27	and advance one upon another, asking each other questions.
28	These say, 'Why, you of old would come to us from the right hand.'
29	Those say, 'No; on the contrary, you were not believers;
30	we had no authority over you; no, you were an insolent people.
31	So our Lord's Word is realised against us; we are tasting it.
32	Therefore we perverted you, and we ourselves were perverts.'
33	So all of them on that day are sharers in the chastisement.
34	Even so We do with the sinners;
35	for when it was said to them, 'There is no god but God,' they were ever waxing proud,
36	saying, 'What, shall we forsake our gods for a poet possessed?'
37	'No indeed; but he brought the truth, and confirmed the Envoys.
38	Now certainly you shall be tasting the painful chastisement,
39	and not be recompensed, except according to what you were doing.'
40	Except for God's sincere servants;
41	for them awaits a known provision,
42	fruits -- and they high-honoured
43	in the Gardens of Bliss
44	upon couches, set face to face,
45	a cup from a spring being passed round to them,
46	white, a delight to the drinkers,
47	wherein no sickness is, neither intoxication;
48	and with them wide-eyed maidens restraining their glances
49	as if they were hidden pearls.
50	They advance one upon another, asking each other questions.
51	One of them says, 'I had a comrade
52	who would say, "Are you a confirmer?
53	What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be requited?"
54	He says, 'Are you looking down?'
55	Then he looks, and sees him in the midst of Hell.
56	He says, 'By God, wellnigh thou didst destroy me;
57	But for my Lord's blessing, I were one of the arraigned.
58	What, do we then not die
59	except for our first death, and are we not chastised?
60	This is indeed the mighty triumph,
61	for the like of this let the workers work.'
62	Is that better as a hospitality, or the Tree of Ez-Zakkoum?
63	We have appointed it as a trial for the evildoers.
64	It is a tree that comes forth in the root of Hell;
65	its spathes are as the heads of Satans,
66	and they eat of it, and of it fill their bellies,
67	then on top of it they have a brew of boiling water,
68	then their return is unto Hell.
69	They found their fathers erring,
70	and they run in their footsteps.
71	Before them erred most of the ancients,
72	and We sent among them warners;
73	and behold, how was the end of them that were warned,
74	except for God's sincere servants.
75	Noah called to Us; and how excellent were the Answerers!
76	And We delivered him and his people from the great distress,
77	and We made his seed the survivors,
78	and left for him among the later folk
79	'Peace be upon Noah among all beings!'
80	Even so We recompense the good-doers;
81	he was among Our believing servants.
82	Then afterwards We drowned the rest.
83	Of his party was also Abraham;
84	when he came unto his Lord with a pure heart,
85	when he said to his father and his folk, 'What do you serve?
86	Is it a calumny, gods apart from God, that you desire?
87	What think you then of the Lord of all Being?'
88	And he cast a glance at the stars,
89	and he said, 'Surely I am sick.'
90	But they went away from him, turning their backs.
91	Then he turned to their gods, and said, 'What do you eat?
92	What ails you, that you speak not?'
93	And he turned upon them smiting them with his right hand.
94	Then came the others to him hastening.
95	He said, 'Do you serve what you hew,
96	and God created you and what you make?'
97	They said, 'Build him a building, and cast him into the furnace!'
98	They desired to outwit him; so We made them the lower ones.
99	He said, 'I am going to my Lord; He will guide me.
100	My Lord, give me one of the righteous.'
101	Then We gave him the good tidings of a prudent boy;
102	and when he had reached the age of running with him, he said, 'My son, I see in a dream that I shall sacrifice thee; consider, what thinkest thou?' He said, 'My father, do as thou art bidden; thou shalt find me, God willing, one of the steadfast.'
103	When they had surrendered, and he flung him upon his brow,
104	We called unto him, 'Abraham,
105	thou hast confirmed the vision; even so We recompense the good-doers.
106	This is indeed the manifest trial.'
107	And We ransomed him with a mighty sacrifice,
108	and left for him among the later folk
109	'Peace be upon Abraham!'
110	Even so We recompense the good-doers;
111	he was among Our believing servants.
112	Then We gave him the good tidings of Isaac, a Prophet, one of the righteous.
113	And We blessed him, and Isaac; and of their seed some are good-doers, and some manifest self-wrongers.
114	We also favoured Moses and Aaron,
115	and We delivered them and their people from the great distress.
116	And We helped them, so that they were the victors;
117	and We gave them the Manifesting Book,
118	and guided them in the straight path,
119	and left for them among the later folk
120	'Peace be upon Moses and, Aaron!'
121	Even so We recompense the good-doers;
122	they were among Our believing servants.
123	Elias too was one of the Envoys;
124	when he said to his people, 'Will you not be godfearing?
125	Do you call on Baal, and abandon the Best of creators?
126	God, your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers, the ancients?'
127	But they cried him lies; so they will be among the arraigned,
128	except for God's sincere servants;
129	and We left for him among the later folk
130	'Peace be upon Elias!'
131	Even so We recompense the good-doers;
132	he was among Our believing servants.
133	Lot too was one of the Envoys;
134	when We delivered him and his people all together,
135	save an old woman among those that tarried;
136	then We destroyed the others,
137	and you pass by them in the morning
138	and in the night; will you not understand?
139	Jonah too was one of the Envoys;
140	when he ran away to the laden ship
141	and cast lots, and was of the rebutted,
142	then the whale swallowed him down, and he blameworthy.
143	Now had he not been of those that glorify God,
144	he would have tarried in its belly until the day they shall be raised;
145	but We cast him upon the wilderness, and he was sick,
146	and We caused to grow over him a tree of gourds.
147	Then We sent him unto a hundred thousand, or more,
148	and they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while.
149	So ask them for a pronouncement -- Has thy Lord daughters, and they sons?
150	Or did We create the angels females, while they were witnesses?
151	Is it not of their own calumny that they say,
152	'God has begotten?' They are truly liars.
153	Has He chosen daughters above sons?
154	What ails you then, how you judge?
155	What, and will you not remember?
156	Or have you a clear authority?
157	Bring your Book, if you speak truly!
158	They have set up a kinship between Him and the jinn; and the jinn know that they shall be arraigned.
159	Glory be to God above that they describe,
160	except for God's sincere servants.
161	But as for you, and that you serve,
162	you shall not tempt any against Him
163	except him who shall roast in Hell.
164	None of us is there, but has a known station;
165	we are the rangers,
166	we are they that give glory.
167	What though they would say,
168	'If only we had had a Reminder from the ancients,
169	then were we God's sincere servants.'
170	But they disbelieved in it; soon they shall know!
171	Already Our Word has preceded to Our servants, the Envoys;
172	assuredly they shall be helped,
173	and Our host -- they are the victors.
174	So turn thou from them for a while,
175	and see them; soon they shall see!
176	What, do they seek to hasten Our chastisement?
177	When it lights in their courtyard, how evil will be the morning of them that are warned!
178	So turn thou from them for a while,
179	and see; soon they shall see!
180	Glory be to thy Lord, the Lord of Glory, above that they describe!
181	And peace be upon the Envoys;
182	and praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being.

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37. As-Saffat - Those who set the Ranks

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