| | N J Dawood (2014) rendition of Surah Council, Consultation, The Counsel(ash-Shura)
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| 42:1 | | ῌā‘ mīm |
| 42:2 | | ain sīn qā |
| 42:3 | | Thus God, the Mighty One, the Wise One, inspires you as He inspired those before you |
| 42:4 | | His is what the heavens and the earth contain. And He is the Most High, the Almighty, the Supreme One |
| 42:5 | | The heavens above well-nigh split asunder as the angels give glory to their Lord and beg forgiveness for those on earth. Surely God is the Forgiving One, the Compassionate |
| 42:6 | | As for those that serve other masters besides Him, God Himself is watching them; you are not their keeper |
| 42:7 | | Thus have We revealed to you an Arabic Koran, that you may warn the mother-city¹ and those who dwell around it; that you may forewarn them of the day that shall indubitably come: when all are brought together, some in Paradise and some in the Conflagration |
| 42:8 | | Had it been God‘s will, He could have united them into one community. But God admits whom He will into His mercy; the wrongdoers have none to befriend or succour them |
| 42:9 | | Or have they set up other guardians besides Him? But surely it is God who is the Guardian. He resurrects the dead, and He has power over all things |
| 42:10 | | Whatever the subject of your disputes, the final word belongs to God. Such is God, my Lord: in Him I have put my trust, and to Him I turn in penitence |
| 42:11 | | Creator of the heavens and the earth, He has given you spouses from among yourselves, and cattle male and female; it is thus that He multiplies you. Nothing can be compared with Him. He alone hears all and sees all |
| 42:12 | | His are the keys of the heavens and the earth. He gives abundantly to whom He will and sparingly also. He has knowledge of all things |
| 42:13 | | He has ordained for you such religion as He enjoined on Noah, which We have now revealed to you; which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: ‘Observe the Religion and do not divide.‘ Hard for the pagans is that to which you call them. God chooses for it whom He will, and guides to it those that repent |
| 42:14 | | Yet they did not divide themselves, through their own wickedness, until knowledge was given them. And but for a word that had already gone forth from your Lord reprieving them for an appointed term, judgement would have surely been passed among them. And those who inherited the Scriptures after them have their grave doubts too |
| 42:15 | | Therefore preach and keep to the straight path as you are commanded. Do not be led by their desires, but say: ‘I believe in all the Scriptures that God has revealed. I am commanded to exercise justice among you. God is our Lord and your Lord. We have our works and you have your works; let there be no argument between us. God will bring us all together, and to Him shall be the final return.&lsquo |
| 42:16 | | As for those who argue about God after pledging obedience to Him, their arguments will have no weight with their Lord. Ire will fall upon them, and grievous punishment awaits them |
| 42:17 | | God it is who has revealed the Book with Truth and Justice. And how do you know? The Hour may be fast approaching |
| 42:18 | | Those who deny it seek to hurry it on; but the true believers dread its coming, and know it is the Truth. Indeed, those who doubt the Hour have strayed far into error |
| 42:19 | | Benign is God towards His servants. He is bountiful to whom He will. He is the Invincible One, the Almighty |
| 42:20 | | Whoever seeks the harvest of the world to come, to him We will give in great abundance; and whoever desires the harvest of this world, a share of it shall We give him: but in the world to come he shall have no share at all |
| 42:21 | | Have they idols which in the practice of their faith have made lawful to them what God has not allowed? Had the Decisive Word not been pronounced already, judgement would have been passed among them. Woeful punishment awaits the wrongdoers |
| 42:22 | | You shall behold the wrongdoers aghast at what they earned, which will surely smite them. But those that have faith and do good works shall dwell in the fair Gardens of Paradise, and shall receive in their Lord‘s presence all that they desire. That will be the supreme grace |
| 42:23 | | Such is God‘s joyful promise to His servants who believe and do good works. Say: ‘For this I ask of you no recompense, except to love your kin. He that does a good deed We shall repay many times over. Surely God is forgiving and bountiful in His rewards.&lsquo |
| 42:24 | | Or do they say: ‘He has framed a falsehood about God?‘ But if God pleased, He could set a seal upon your heart. God will bring falsehood to nothing and vindicate the Truth by His Words. He surely knows ones innermost thoughts |
| 42:25 | | He it is who accepts His servants‘ repentance, and pardons their sins. He has knowledge of what you do |
| 42:26 | | And He answers those who believe and do good works, and enriches them through His bounty. But grievous punishment awaits the unbelievers |
| 42:27 | | Had God bestowed abundance upon His servants, they would have committed much injustice in the land. But He gives what He will in due measure; He well knows and observes His servants |
| 42:28 | | He it is who sends down the rain when they have lost all hope, and spreads abroad His mercy. He is the Guardian worthy of praise |
| 42:29 | | Among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the living things He has dispersed over them. If He will, He can gather them all together |
| 42:30 | | Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is the fruit of your own labours. He forgives much |
| 42:31 | | And on the earth you cannot escape, nor have you any besides God to protect or help you |
| 42:32 | | And among His signs are the ships which sail like mountains upon the ocean |
| 42:33 | | If He will, He calms the wind, so that they lie motionless upon its bosom:¹ surely there are signs in this for steadfast who render thanks |
| 42:34 | | or He causes them to founder as punishment for their misdeeds.² Yet He forgives much |
| 42:35 | | Those who dispute Our revelations shall realize they have no escape |
| 42:36 | | That which you have been given is but the fleeting pleasure of this life. Better and more enduring is God‘s recompense to those who believe and put their trust in their Lord |
| 42:37 | | who eschew grievous sins and lewd acts and, when angered, are willing to forgive |
| 42:38 | | who obey their Lord, attend to their prayers, and conduct their affairs by mutual counsel; who give in alms from what We gave them and, |
| 42:39 | | when oppressed, seek to redress their wrongs. |
| 42:40 | | Let evil be requited with like evil. But he that forgives and seeks reconcilement shall be recompensed by God. He does not love the wrongdoers |
| 42:41 | | Those who seek to redress their wrongs incur no guilt |
| 42:42 | | But great is the guilt of those who oppress their fellow men and conduct themselves with wickedness and injustice in the land. Woeful punishment awaits them |
| 42:43 | | To endure with fortitude and to forgive is a duty incumbent on all |
| 42:44 | | He whom God confounds has no protector after him. And you shall see the wrongdoers when they behold the scourge, say: ‘Is there no way back?&lsquo |
| 42:45 | | And you shall see them ranged before it: awed and humiliated, they shall look with furtive glances. And the true believers will say: ‘The lost are those who lost their souls and all their kin on the Day of Resurrection.‘ The wrongdoers shall surely suffer everlasting torment |
| 42:46 | | they shall have no friends besides God to help them. He whom God confounds shall be lost indeed |
| 42:47 | | Obey your Lord before a day arrives which none can put off against the will of God. There shall be no refuge for you on that day, nor can there be any denials |
| 42:48 | | If they pay no heed, know that We have not sent you¹ to be their keeper. Your only duty is to give warning. When We give man a taste of Our mercy, he rejoices in it; but when evil befalls him because of what his hands committed, man is ungrateful |
| 42:49 | | God‘s is the sovereignty over the heavens and the earth. He creates what He will; He gives daughters to whom He will and sons to whom He pleases |
| 42:50 | | Or He gives both sons and daughters, and He makes sterile whom He will. Omniscient is God, and Almighty |
| 42:51 | | It is not vouchsafed to any mortal that God should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or through a messenger sent and authorized by Him to make known His will. Exalted is He, and wise |
| 42:52 | | And thus have We inspired you¹ with a spirit of Our will when you knew nothing of the Book or belief; but We made it a light whereby We guide those of Our servants whom We please |
| 42:53 | | You will surely guide them to a straight path: the path of God, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Surely to God shall all things in the end return |
