37:1  By the [angels] ranged in ranks,

37:2  who rebuke reproachfully

37:3  and recite God's word

37:4  most certainly your God is One,

37:5  Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything between them, Lord of all the points of sunrise.

37:6  We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with stars,

37:7  and have made them secure against every rebellious devil.

37:8  Thus, they cannot eavesdrop on the ones on high, but shall be repelled from all sides,

37:9  driven away, with lasting suffering in store for them.

37:10  If any of them stealthily snatches away a fragment, he will be pursued by a piercing flame.

37:11  Now ask those [unbelievers]: Are they more difficult to create, or the other beings We have created? Them have We created out of a sticky clay.

37:12  Whereas you marvel, they scoff;

37:13  and when they are reminded of the truth, they pay no heed;

37:14  and when they see a sign, they resort to ridicule;

37:15  and say: 'This is nothing but plain sorcery.

37:16  What! After we have died and become mere dust and bones, shall we be raised back to life?

37:17  And perhaps our forefathers?'

37:18  Say: 'Yes, indeed! And you shall be utterly humbled.'

37:19  There will be just one single cry, and they will all begin to see,

37:20  and will say: 'Woe betide us! This is the Day of Judgement!'

37:21  This is indeed the Day of Decision which you used to call a lie!

37:22  Gather together all those who were bent on wrongdoing, their ilk, and all that they used to worship

37:23  instead of God, and guide them all to the path of hell,

37:24  but halt them a while, for they shall be asked:

37:25  'How is it that you do not help one another?'

37:26  Indeed, on that day they will be in complete submission.

37:27  They will turn upon one another accusingly.

37:28  Some [of them] will say: 'You used to [whisper to us] approaching us from the right!'

37:29  The others will reply: 'No! It was you who would not believe.

37:30  We had no power over you; but you were willing to exceed all limits.

37:31  Now our Lord's word has come true against us, and we are bound to taste [the punishment];

37:32  If we led you astray, we ourselves were astray.'

37:33  On that day, they all will share in the common suffering.

37:34  Thus shall We deal with all the guilty ones.

37:35  Whenever they were told, 'there is no deity other than God,' they would turn away in arrogance,

37:36  and would say: 'Are we to forsake our deities for the sake of a mad poet?'

37:37  For certain, he has brought the truth, and confirmed the earlier messengers.

37:38  You will indeed taste grievous suffering,

37:39  being requited only for what you used to do.

37:40  Not so God's true servants.

37:41  Theirs shall be a predetermined sustenance:

37:42  fruits; and they will be honoured

37:43  in gardens of bliss,

37:44  seated on soft couches, facing one another.

37:45  A cup will be passed round among them with a drink from a flowing spring:

37:46  clear, delicious to those who drink it,

37:47  causing no headiness or intoxication.

37:48  With them will be mates of modest gaze, most beautiful of eye,

37:49  as if they were hidden eggs.

37:50  And they will turn to one another with questions.

37:51  One of them will say: I had a close companion on earth

37:52  who used to ask me: 'Do you really believe

37:53  that after we have died and become mere dust and bones we shall be brought for judgement?'

37:54  He adds: 'Would you like to look down?'

37:55  Then he looks and sees him in the midst of the fire.

37:56  He will then say: 'By God! You almost brought me to ruin!

37:57  But for the grace of God I should have also been brought there.'

37:58  'But then is it truly so, that we are not to die

37:59  except for our first death, and that we are not to suffer?

37:60  This is indeed the supreme triumph.'

37:61  Everyone should strive to attain this goal.

37:62  Is this the better welcome, or the ZaqqÅ«m tree?

37:63  We have made it a test for the wrongdoers.

37:64  It is a tree that grows in the very heart of the blazing fire of hell.

37:65  Its fruit is like devils' heads.

37:66  They will indeed eat of it, filling their bellies.

37:67  Then on top of it, they will be given polluted, scalding water to drink.

37:68  Then again, their ultimate goal is hell.

37:69  They found their forefathers astray,

37:70  and rushed to follow in their footsteps.

37:71  Most of the people of old went astray before them;

37:72  although We had sent them warners.

37:73  Behold what happened in the end to those that had been warned.

37:74  Not so God's true servants.

37:75  Noah cried to Us, and We are the best to answer prayer:

37:76  We saved him and his household from great distress;

37:77  and caused his offspring to be the survivors.

37:78  We caused him to be praised by later generations:

37:79  Peace be upon Noah in all the worlds!

37:80  Thus do We reward those who do good.

37:81  He was truly one of Our believing servants.

37:82  Then We caused the others to drown.

37:83  Among those who followed his way was Abraham.

37:84  He turned to his Lord with a sound heart.

37:85  He said to his father and his people: 'What is this that you worship?

37:86  Do you choose false deities instead of God?

37:87  What, then, do you think of the Lord of all the worlds?'

37:88  Then he cast a glance at the stars,

37:89  and said: 'Indeed I am sick.'

37:90  So his people turned away from him and left.

37:91  He then approached their deities stealthily and said: 'Will you not eat [your offerings]?

37:92  What is the matter with you that you do not speak?'

37:93  And then he fell upon them, smiting them with his right hand.

37:94  His people came to him hurriedly,

37:95  but he said: 'Do you worship something that you yourselves have carved,

37:96  while it is God who has created you and all your handiwork?'

37:97  They said: 'Build him a pyre and throw him into the blazing fire.'

37:98  They schemed to harm him, but We caused them to be humiliated.

37:99  And Abraham said: 'I will go to my Lord: He is sure to guide me.

37:100  Lord! Grant me a righteous son.'

37:101  We gave him the happy news that he will have a forbearing son.

37:102  When the boy was old enough to work with his father, Abraham said: 'My son! I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you. Tell me, then, what you think.' [Ishmael] said: 'My father! Do as you are bidden, and, God willing, you will find me to be patient in adversity.'

37:103  When the two of them had surrendered themselves to the will of God, and Abraham laid him prostrate on his forehead,

37:104  We called to him: 'Abraham!

37:105  You have already fulfilled the dream.' Thus do We reward those who do good.

37:106  All this was indeed a momentous trial.

37:107  We ransomed [Ishmael] with a noble sacrifiee,

37:108  We caused him to be praised by later generations:

37:109  Peace be upon Abraham!

37:110  Thus do we reward those who do good.

37:111  He was truly one of our believing servants.

37:112  We gave Abraham the happy news of Isaac, a prophet and a righteous man;

37:113  and We blessed him and Isaac; but among their offspring there were those who do good and others who would glaringly sin against their souls.

37:114  We also bestowed Our favour on Moses and Aaron;

37:115  We saved them and their people from great distress;

37:116  We gave them support, so that it was they who achieved victory.

37:117  We gave them the Scripture which made things clear;

37:118  We guided them to the right path;

37:119  We caused them to be praised by later generations:

37:120  Peace be upon Moses and Aaron!

37:121  Thus do We reward those who do good.

37:122  Both were among Our believing servants.

37:123  Elijah too was one of Our messengers.

37:124  He said to his people: 'Have you no fear of God?

37:125  How can you invoke Baal and forsake the best of creators,

37:126  God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?'

37:127  But they accused him of lying. Therefore, they will certainly be brought [for punishment).

37:128  Not so God's true servants.

37:129  We caused him to be praised by later generations:

37:130  Peace be upon Elijah!

37:131  Thus do We reward those who do good.

37:132  He was truly one of Our believing servants.

37:133  Lot was also one of Our messengers.

37:134  We saved him and all his household,

37:135  except for an old woman who stayed behind.

37:136  Then We utterly destroyed the others.

37:137  Surely you pass by their ruins at morning-time,

37:138  as also by night. Will you not, then, use your reason?

37:139  Jonah too was one of Our messengers.

37:140  He deserted, going on the laden ship.

37:141  They cast lots, and he was the one who lost.

37:142  The whale swallowed him, for he was to blame.

37:143  Had he not been of those who truly glorified God,

37:144  he would have remained in the whale's belly till Resurrection Day.

37:145  We caused him to be cast out, sick, on a barren shore,

37:146  and caused a gourd tree to grow over him.

37:147  Then We sent him to [a community of] one hundred thousand or more.

37:148  They believed, so We let them enjoy life for a while.

37:149  Now ask the unbelievers if it be true that your Lord has daughters, while they would have sons?

37:150  Or is it that We have created the angels female in their presence?

37:151  Out of their falsehood they say:

37:152  God has begotten children.' They are lying indeed.

37:153  Would He then choose daughters in preference to sons?

37:154  What is the matter with you? How do you make your judgement?

37:155  Do you not reflect?

37:156  Or do you perhaps, have a clear authority?

37:157  Bring your scriptures, if you are speaking the truth!

37:158  They claim that He has kinship with the jinn; yet the jinn themselves know that they will be brought [before God] for judgement.

37:159  Limitless is God in His glory, above all what people attribute to Him.

37:160  Not so God's true servants.

37:161  Neither you nor what you worship

37:162  can lure away from God any

37:163  except one who is destined for hell.

37:164  Every single one of us has his appointed place:

37:165  we are ranged in ranks,

37:166  and we too extol His limitless glory.

37:167  They have long been saying:

37:168  'If only we had before us a tradition from those of old,

37:169  we would certainly be true servants of God.'

37:170  Yet they reject it. In time, they will come to know.

37:171  Our word has already been given to Our servants the messengers:

37:172  it is they who will be helped,

37:173  and it is Our forces who will surely be victorious.

37:174  So, turn away from them for a while,

37:175  and watch them; in time, they too will come to see.

37:176  Do they really wish to hasten Our punishment?

37:177  When it strikes in their midst, terrible will be the morning of those who were already warned.

37:178  And again, turn away from them for a while,

37:179  and watch them; in time, they too will come to see.

37:180  Limitless in His glory is your Lord, the Lord of almightiness, above all what people attribute to Him.

37:181  And peace be upon all His messengers.

37:182  All praise is due to God, the Lord of all the worlds.