| | Sayyid Qutb rendition of Surah The Poets(ash-Shu`ara`)
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| 26:1 | | Å¢Ä. SÄ«n. MÄ«m. |
| 26:2 | | These are verses of the Book that makes things clear. |
| 26:3 | | Would you, perhaps, torment yourself to death [with grief] because they would not believe? |
| 26:4 | | If We will, We can send down to them from the skies a sign before which their necks will remain bent in submission. |
| 26:5 | | Yet whenever any fresh reminder comes to them from the Most Merciful, they always turn their backs on it. |
| 26:6 | | They have indeed denied [the truth of revelation]; and they will in time come to understand what it was they were wont to deride. |
| 26:7 | | Do they not see the earth, how much of every noble kind We have caused to grow on it? |
| 26:8 | | Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. |
| 26:9 | | And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful. |
| 26:10 | | Your Lord called Moses: 'Go to the wrongdoing people, |
| 26:11 | | the people of Pharaoh. Will they have no fear of God?' |
| 26:12 | | He said: 'My Lord, I fear that they will charge me with falsehood, |
| 26:13 | | and then my breast will be straitened and my tongue will not be fluent. So send as well for Aaron. |
| 26:14 | | Moreover, they have a charge of crime against me, and I fear that they will kill me.' |
| 26:15 | | Said He: 'By no means! Go forth, then, both of you, with Our signs; We are with you, listening to all. |
| 26:16 | | Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, and say: 'We are messengers from the Lord of all the worlds: |
| 26:17 | | Let the Children of Israel go with us.' |
| 26:18 | | [Pharaoh] said [to Moses]: 'Did we not bring you up when you were an infant? And did you not stay with us many years of your life? |
| 26:19 | | Yet you have done that deed of yours while being an unbeliever.' |
| 26:20 | | Replied [Moses]: 'I committed it while I was still going astray; |
| 26:21 | | and I fled from you because I feared you. Then my Lord granted me sound judgement and made me one of [His] messengers. |
| 26:22 | | And what sort of favour is this you are taunting me with: was it not because you had enslaved the Children of Israel?' |
| 26:23 | | Pharaoh said: And what is that “Lord of all the worlds� |
| 26:24 | | [Moses] answered: 'He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if you want to be sure.' |
| 26:25 | | [Pharaoh] said to those around him: 'Do you hear?' |
| 26:26 | | [Moses] said: 'He is your Lord as well as the Lord of your forefathers of old.' |
| 26:27 | | [Pharaoh] said: 'For certain, the messenger who has been sent to you is indeed a madman.' |
| 26:28 | | [Moses] went on: 'He is indeed the Lord of the east and the west and of all that is between them, if you would but use your reason.' |
| 26:29 | | [Pharaoh] said: 'If you ever serve a god other than me, I will most certainly have you imprisoned.' |
| 26:30 | | Said [Moses]: 'Even if I bring before you a clear proof?' |
| 26:31 | | [Pharaoh] said: 'Produce it, then, if you are a man of truth.' |
| 26:32 | | So he threw down his staff and behold, it was a serpent, plain for all to see. |
| 26:33 | | And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to the onlookers. |
| 26:34 | | [Pharaoh] said to the noble ones around him: 'This is indeed a sorcerer of great knowledge |
| 26:35 | | who wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery. What, then, do you advise?' |
| 26:36 | | They said: 'Let him and his brother wait a while, and send heralds to all cities |
| 26:37 | | to bring before you every sorcerer of great skill.' |
| 26:38 | | So the sorcerers were assembled at a set time on an appointed day, |
| 26:39 | | and the people were asked: 'Are you all present, |
| 26:40 | | so that we may follow the sorcerers if they emerge triumphant?' |
| 26:41 | | When the sorcerers arrived they said to Pharaoh: Will there be a [handsome] reward for us if we are the ones to prevail?' |
| 26:42 | | Said he: 'Yes, indeed! And in that case you will be among those who are close to me.' |
| 26:43 | | Moses said to them: 'Throw whatever you are going to throw!' |
| 26:44 | | So they threw their ropes and staffs, and said: 'By Pharaoh's might, it is we indeed who will prevail.' |
| 26:45 | | Then Moses threw his staff, and it swallowed up their false devices. |
| 26:46 | | The sorcerers fell down prostrating themselves, |
| 26:47 | | and said: 'We believe in the Lord of all the worlds, |
| 26:48 | | the Lord of Moses and Aaron.' |
| 26:49 | | [Pharaoh] said: 'You believe in Him even before I have given you permission! Surely, this one must be your master who has taught you witchcraft! But in time you shall come to know. I shall most certainly have your hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, and I shall most certainly crucify you all.' |
| 26:50 | | They said: 'No harm [can you cause us]. To our Lord we shall indeed return. |
| 26:51 | | We certainly hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, since we are the first who have believed.' |
| 26:52 | | Then We revealed to Moses: 'Set forth with My servants by night, for you will be pursued.' |
| 26:53 | | Pharaoh sent heralds to all cities, |
| 26:54 | | [saying]: 'These are but a small band, |
| 26:55 | | and most certainly they have enraged us; |
| 26:56 | | but we are all united, and well prepared.' |
| 26:57 | | Thus We drove them out of their gardens, springs, |
| 26:58 | | treasures and honourable positions. |
| 26:59 | | And We bequeathed it all to the Children of Israel. |
| 26:60 | | And so they [i.e. Pharaoh's army] pursued them at sunrise. |
| 26:61 | | When the two hosts came in sight of each other, the followers of Moses said: 'We shall certainly be overtaken.' |
| 26:62 | | He replied: 'No indeed! My Lord is with me and He will guide me.' |
| 26:63 | | And We revealed to Moses: 'Strike the sea with your staff.' So it divided, and each part was like a massive mountain. |
| 26:64 | | And We caused the others to draw near, |
| 26:65 | | and We saved Moses and all who were with him, |
| 26:66 | | while We caused the others to drown. |
| 26:67 | | Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. |
| 26:68 | | And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful. |
| 26:69 | | Relate to them the story of Abraham, |
| 26:70 | | when he said to his father and his people: 'What is that you worship?' |
| 26:71 | | They answered: 'We worship idols, and we remain devoted to them.' |
| 26:72 | | Said he: 'Do they hear you when you call on them, |
| 26:73 | | or benefit you or do you harm?' |
| 26:74 | | They said: 'But we found our forefathers doing the same.' |
| 26:75 | | He said: 'Do you see those which you have been worshipping — |
| 26:76 | | you and your forefathers of old? |
| 26:77 | | They are my enemies, except for the Lord of all the worlds. |
| 26:78 | | 'It is He who has created me, and is the One who guides me. |
| 26:79 | | He is the One who gives me to eat and to drink. |
| 26:80 | | When I fall ill, He is the One who restores me to health, |
| 26:81 | | and will cause me to die and then will bring me back to life. |
| 26:82 | | It is He also who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Judgement.' |
| 26:83 | | 'My Lord! Grant me sound judgement, and join me with the righteous; |
| 26:84 | | and grant me the advocacy of the truth in later generations; |
| 26:85 | | place me among those who will inherit the garden of bliss! |
| 26:86 | | Forgive my father; for he is among the ones who have gone astray. |
| 26:87 | | Let me not suffer disgrace on the Day when all shall be raised from the dead; |
| 26:88 | | the Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit; |
| 26:89 | | but only the one who comes to God with a sound heart [will be happy] |
| 26:90 | | Paradise will be brought within sight of the God-fearing; |
| 26:91 | | whereas the blazing fire will be placed in full view of the ones lost in error. |
| 26:92 | | It shall be said to them: 'Where is now all that you used to worship |
| 26:93 | | instead of God? Can they help you or even help themselves?' |
| 26:94 | | They will be hurled into hell, as also those who are lost in error, |
| 26:95 | | and Iblīs' hosts, all together. |
| 26:96 | | And there, quarrelling with one another, they will say: |
| 26:97 | | 'By God, we were obviously in error, |
| 26:98 | | when we deemed you equal to the Lord of all the worlds. |
| 26:99 | | It was only the truly guilty ones who led us astray. |
| 26:100 | | And now we have none to intercede for us |
| 26:101 | | nor any loving friend. |
| 26:102 | | Would that we had a second chance [in life], so that we could be believers.' |
| 26:103 | | Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. |
| 26:104 | | And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful. |
| 26:105 | | The people of Noah, too, denied God's messengers. |
| 26:106 | | Their brother Noah said to them: 'Will you have no fear of God? |
| 26:107 | | I am a Messenger [sent by Him] to you, worthy of all trust. |
| 26:108 | | So, fear God and pay heed to me. |
| 26:109 | | No reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the Lord of all the worlds. |
| 26:110 | | So, fear God and pay heed to me.' |
| 26:111 | | They said: Are we to believe in you, even though only the lowest of the low follow you?' |
| 26:112 | | Said he: 'What knowledge do I have as to what they used to do in the past? |
| 26:113 | | Their reckoning rests with none other than my Lord, if you could but understand. |
| 26:114 | | I am not one to drive away the believers. |
| 26:115 | | I am only a plain warner.' |
| 26:116 | | Said they: 'Noah! If you will not desist, you will surely be stoned to death.' |
| 26:117 | | He prayed: 'My Lord! My people have denied me. |
| 26:118 | | So, judge decisively between me and them, and save me and those of the believers who are with me.' |
| 26:119 | | So We saved him, and those with him, in the laden ark, |
| 26:120 | | and We caused the others who stayed behind to drown. |
| 26:121 | | Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. |
| 26:122 | | And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful. |
| 26:123 | | The `Ä€d, too, denied God's messengers. |
| 26:124 | | Their brother HÅ«d said to them: Will you have no fear of God? |
| 26:125 | | I am a Messenger [sent by Him] to you, worthy of all trust. |
| 26:126 | | So, fear God and pay heed to me. |
| 26:127 | | No reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the Lord of all the worlds. |
| 26:128 | | 'Do you build a landmark on every high place, in a vain endeavour, |
| 26:129 | | and make for yourselves strong structures, hoping to be immortal? |
| 26:130 | | When you exercise your power, you do so like cruel tyrants. |
| 26:131 | | So, fear God and pay heed to me. |
| 26:132 | | Fear Him who has provided you with all that you know. |
| 26:133 | | He has provided you with cattle and children, |
| 26:134 | | and gardens and springs. |
| 26:135 | | Indeed, I fear lest suffering befall you on an awesome day.' |
| 26:136 | | They answered: 'It is all one to us whether you admonish us or you never give admonition. |
| 26:137 | | This is none but the practice of the ancients. |
| 26:138 | | Never are we going to be punished.' |
| 26:139 | | Thus they denied him. So We destroyed them. Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. |
| 26:140 | | And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful. |
| 26:141 | | The Thamūd, too, denied God's messengers. |
| 26:142 | | Their brother ÅžÄliÄ¥ said to them: Will you have no fear of God? |
| 26:143 | | I am a Messenger [sent by Him] to you, worthy of all trust. |
| 26:144 | | So, fear God and pay heed to me. |
| 26:145 | | No reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the Lord of all the worlds. |
| 26:146 | | Will you be left secure [forever] in the midst of what you have here, |
| 26:147 | | among gardens and springs |
| 26:148 | | and plantations and palm-trees laden with ripe fruit? |
| 26:149 | | You carve dwellings out of the mountains with great skill. |
| 26:150 | | So, fear God and pay heed to me. |
| 26:151 | | And pay no heed to the counsel of those who are given to excesse |
| 26:152 | | — who spread corruption on earth instead of setting things to rights.' |
| 26:153 | | They said: 'You are but one who has been bewitched. |
| 26:154 | | You are only a human being like us. So bring us a sign if you are a man of truth.' |
| 26:155 | | He said: 'Here is a she-camel: she shall have her drinking share, and you shall have your drinking share, each on an appointed day. |
| 26:156 | | Do not harm her, lest suffering befall you on an awesome day.' |
| 26:157 | | But they cruelly slew her; then they became regretful. |
| 26:158 | | So the suffering befell them. Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. |
| 26:159 | | And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful. |
| 26:160 | | The people of Lot, too, denied God's messengers. |
| 26:161 | | Their brother Lot said to them: Will you have no fear of God? |
| 26:162 | | I am a Messenger [sent by Him] to you, worthy of all trust. |
| 26:163 | | So, fear God and pay heed to me. |
| 26:164 | | No reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the Lord of all the worlds. |
| 26:165 | | Of all the creatures in the world, will you lustfully approach males, |
| 26:166 | | and eschew the wives God has created for you? You are indeed people who transgress all bounds.' |
| 26:167 | | Said they: 'Lot! If you will not desist, you will most certainly be expelled.' |
| 26:168 | | He said: 'I am one who utterly abhors your doings. |
| 26:169 | | My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do.' |
| 26:170 | | So We saved him and all his family |
| 26:171 | | except an old woman, who was among those who stayed behind. |
| 26:172 | | Then We utterly destroyed the others, |
| 26:173 | | and rained down upon them a [devastating] rain. Dire indeed was the rain that fell upon those who were warned [to no avail]. |
| 26:174 | | Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. |
| 26:175 | | And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful. |
| 26:176 | | The dwellers of the wooded dales [of Madyan], too, denied God's messengers. |
| 26:177 | | Their brother Shu`ayb said to them: 'Will you have no fear of God? |
| 26:178 | | I am a Messenger [sent by Him] to you, worthy of all trust. |
| 26:179 | | So, fear God and pay heed to me. |
| 26:180 | | No reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the Lord of all the worlds. |
| 26:181 | | Give full measure; and be not of those who give others less [than their due]; |
| 26:182 | | and weigh with even scales; |
| 26:183 | | and do not deprive others of what rightfully belongs to them; and do not act wickedly on earth spreading corruption; |
| 26:184 | | and fear Him who has created you as well as the countless generations of old.' |
| 26:185 | | They said: 'You are but one who has been bewitched. |
| 26:186 | | You are only a human being like us! And, indeed, we believe that you are lying. |
| 26:187 | | Cause, then, fragments of the sky to fall down on us, if you are a man of truth.' |
| 26:188 | | Answered he: 'My Lord knows fully well all that you do.' |
| 26:189 | | But they denied him. Thus suffering overtook them on the day of the darkening cloud. It was truly the suffering of an awesome day. |
| 26:190 | | Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. |
| 26:191 | | And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful. |
| 26:192 | | Most certainly, this [Qur'Än] has been bestowed from on high by the Lord of all the worlds. |
| 26:193 | | The trustworthy Spirit has brought it down |
| 26:194 | | into your heart — so that you may give warning, |
| 26:195 | | in the clear Arabic tongue. |
| 26:196 | | It was surely foretold in the revealed books of former peoples. |
| 26:197 | | Is it not sufficient proof for them that the learned ones among the Children of Israel have recognized it [as true]? |
| 26:198 | | Had We revealed it to any non- Arab, |
| 26:199 | | and had he recited it to them, they would not have believed in it. |
| 26:200 | | Thus have We caused it to pass through the hearts of the guilty: |
| 26:201 | | they shall not believe in it until they see the grievous suffering. |
| 26:202 | | It will come to them suddenly, without their being aware of it. |
| 26:203 | | And then they will say: 'Could we have a respite?' |
| 26:204 | | Do they, then, wish that Our punishment be hurried on? |
| 26:205 | | But consider this: If We allow them to enjoy themselves for several years, |
| 26:206 | | and then the promised [punishment] befalls them — |
| 26:207 | | of what avail to them will be all their past enjoyment? |
| 26:208 | | Never have We destroyed any community unless it had received warnings, |
| 26:209 | | and reminders. Never do We wrong anyone. |
| 26:210 | | No evil spirits have brought down [this Qur'Än] |
| 26:211 | | It is not for them [to do so], nor can they. |
| 26:212 | | Indeed they are debarred even from hearing it. |
| 26:213 | | Hence, do not invoke any other deity side by side with God, lest you find yourself among those suffering punishment. |
| 26:214 | | And warn your nearest kindred, |
| 26:215 | | and spread the wing of your tenderness over all of the believers who follow you. |
| 26:216 | | But if they disobey you, say: 'I am not accountable for what you do.' |
| 26:217 | | Place your trust in the Almighty, the Compassionate |
| 26:218 | | who sees you when you stand, |
| 26:219 | | and [sees] your movement among those who prostrate themselves [before Him]. |
| 26:220 | | It is He alone who hears all and knows all. |
| 26:221 | | Shall I tell you upon whom it is that the satans descend? |
| 26:222 | | They descend upon every lying sinner. |
| 26:223 | | They eagerly listen, but most of them are liars. |
| 26:224 | | As for the poets, only those who are lost in error follow them. |
| 26:225 | | Are you not aware that they roam confusedly through all valleys, |
| 26:226 | | and that they say what they do not do? |
| 26:227 | | Excepted are those who believe, and do righteous deeds, and remember God often, and strive to be triumphant after they have been wronged. Those who are bent on wrongdoing will in time know what an evil turn their destiny will surely take. |
