| | Bijan Moeinian rendition of Surah Ornaments of Gold, Luxury, The Embellishment(az-Zukhruf)
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| 43:1 | | H.M |
| 43:2 | | (God) swear by this book which explains its subject matter so clearly |
| 43:3 | | This Qur’an is revealed in Arabic to you [who were expecting it in another language as a sign of miracle] so that you read it in your own maternal language and understand it |
| 43:4 | | This book, which is preserved in the heaven by God almighty Himself, is the source of all the scriptures and God revealed literatures; it is the most honorable book and full of wisdom |
| 43:5 | | You, the sinners, definitely do not deserve to receive this book. It is only in account of God’s mercy that this message is sent to you |
| 43:6 | | Before Mohammad, God sent many prophets to their own people. &hellip |
| 43:7 | | They were all mocked at |
| 43:8 | | Beware; I (God) severely punished those people and they were much stronger than you to set an example |
| 43:9 | | If you asked them [the Arabs], “Who has created the heavens and the earth?”, they will reply, “The Almighty, the One Who knows everything.&rdquo |
| 43:10 | | God is the One Who made this planet hospitable for you with paths in it to lead you to your destination |
| 43:11 | | God is the One Who sends down water from the sky in right amount to bring life to dead lands. For the same token that the dead land is resurrected [in front of your eyes], you too will be resurrected |
| 43:12 | | God is the One Who created every living species in pairs. He has created ships [by giving creative ability to you] and has made some animals subservient to you so that you may roam the earth |
| 43:13 | | As you use your vehicles, you should express your gratitude by saying: “Glory to the Lord Who subjected them to us; otherwise, we could not have controlled them ourselves.&rdquo |
| 43:14 | | [then continue saying:] “Indeed one Day we will be returned to meet our Lord.&rdquo |
| 43:15 | | [In spit of knowing and recognizing all these favors,] they dare to raise God’s own creation [hand made idols, the prophets, angles, etc.] to heaven and deify it. Indeed man is the most unappreciative |
| 43:16 | | [They say] God has chosen females (whom He has created at first place) as His daughters while bless them with sons [as they consider having a female child is a matter of sham!] |
| 43:17 | | When any of them is given the news of being blessed by a daughter, his face turns black in grief |
| 43:18 | | How dare they to assign a baby girl, wrapped up in ornaments and unable even to talk, as God’s daughter |
| 43:19 | | The disbelievers say that the Angles (who are created by and are the servants of the Most Gracious) are female! Have their witnessed their creation [for committing such a blasphemy]? Know that their saying is recorded and will be used against them |
| 43:20 | | The disbelievers say: “If the Most Merciful (God) had not willed, we would have never been able to worship them (the angles)! These are baseless arguments. They do not know what they are talking about [otherwise every crime can be justified according to this argument.] |
| 43:21 | | If they have a book of mine [source of reference] to justify their acts, let them bring it up [This indicates that morality of each society depends on its book of laws and what book of laws superior than the one of God] |
| 43:22 | | Their only argument is, “We follow the footsteps of our forefathers [even if they are wrong.]&rdquo |
| 43:23 | | In the past too, whenever I (God) sent a Warner to a nation their leaders [whose income depended upon the existing unjust order] would say: “We follow the footsteps of our forefathers.&rdquo |
| 43:24 | | Every Prophet would ask, “What if I guide you to a better path than the footsteps of your forefathers?” They would simply reply: “We do not care about your way!&rdquo |
| 43:25 | | In consequence, I took vengeance on them. See what the destiny of the rejecters of the Truth was |
| 43:26 | | As to Abraham, he said to his father and his people: “I do not have anything to do with what you worship.&rdquo |
| 43:27 | | “I worship only the One Who created me as He is the One Who can guide me.&rdquo |
| 43:28 | | Abraham left a slogan [only God is worthy of worship] behind so that the generations to come may find guidance by following it |
| 43:29 | | Although these people [in Arabian Peninsula] turned away from Abraham’s path, and followed their forefathers, I (God) sustained them until I sent them the Truth through a clarifying messenger (Mohammad) |
| 43:30 | | But when the Truth was revealed to them they said: “This is sorcery and we reject it.&rdquo |
| 43:31 | | Their objection was: “Why this Qur’an is not revealed to a “great” man of our two main cities?&rdquo |
| 43:32 | | Since when do they decide whom shall God assign as His Prophet? Do they not know that it is God Who has distributed among them whatever they own, giving some superiority in rank so that they themselves help each other? Know that your Lord’s mercy (prophet hood) worth much more than the wealth of your leaders [which have made them so “great” in your eyes.] |
| 43:33 | | Had there been no danger of all human beings inclined toward unbelief, I (God) would have given every disbeliever a house with roofs of silver and gold and stairways by which they go to upper levels |
| 43:34 | | Their mansions would have had golden doors and luxurious furnishings |
| 43:35 | | I would have also given them adornments of precious metals and stones. But all these [that man considers as the supreme achievement in life] are temporary materials of this lowly world life. Whatever is in reserve for the righteous ones, Hereafter, is much better [than the ultimate achievement in materialistic life.] |
| 43:36 | | *Whoever disregards the message of God, I (God) will assign a Satan to be his companion |
| 43:37 | | These satanic companions will take them further away from the Lord’s Guidance while giving them the impression that only they are right |
| 43:38 | | When such a person would find himself in My (God’s) presence, he would say to his companion: “I wish you were half the world far away from me. What an evil companion you were to me.&rdquo |
| 43:39 | | It will not be a consolation to you on that day to see that your satanic companion is being sent to Hell as you too will end up there |
| 43:40 | | Can you make the deaf to listen to the guidance? Ca you show the way to the blind or those who are totally lost? [so do not waste your time on them.] |
| 43:41 | | Whether you (Mohammad) live long enough to see it or not [as the disbelievers were planning to kill Mohammad], I (God) will surely punish them |
| 43:42 | | I may let you see [if I decide to let you live,] the infliction of the punishment that I have promised for them. Indeed I have full control over the disbelievers |
| 43:43 | | Therefore, stick with the book (Qur’an) and go on doing your mission; [for you this pleasure is enough that] You are on the right path |
| 43:44 | | The fact of the matter is that you (Mohammad) and your nation are chosen to be honored with the revelation of this book. Know that you will be judged by this book (Qur’an) |
| 43:45 | | Refer to the previous Prophet’s teachings: Did anyone of them teach that an entity apart from the Lord should be worshipped |
| 43:46 | | [As an example of the previous Prophet’s teaching] I (God) went Moses with great miracles [as a proof of his Prophet hood] to Pharaoh and his chiefs saying: “I am a Prophet from the One Who has created the worlds.&rdquo |
| 43:47 | | When Moses introduced God’s miracles, they simply laughed |
| 43:48 | | The miracles were more and more majestic in nature till I sent them the plagues so that they may [come into their senses and] seek refuge in God |
| 43:49 | | They said: “Mr. “magician” ask “your” God , as you have an understanding with him, to remove this plague; we will then follow the right way.&rdquo |
| 43:50 | | However, when I removed the plagues, they denied their promises [of following the right path.] |
| 43:51 | | One day Pharaoh proclaimed: “Do not you see that the kingdom of Egypt with all its rivers belong to me?&rdquo |
| 43:52 | | “See for yourself who is better; I or this lowly (Moses) one who can not even speak fluently!&rdquo |
| 43:53 | | “How come he does not own the golden bracelet of nobility or an army of angles as his bodyguards?&rdquo |
| 43:54 | | Pharaoh degraded his people and they accepted it as they were not noble people |
| 43:55 | | When they persisted in wrongdoing, I punished them by drowning them all |
| 43:56 | | May this be a precedent [for those who never learn from the history] and a lesson [for those who are intelligent enough to learn a lesson.] |
| 43:57 | | [As another example of the previous prophet’s teachings,] When the case of Jesus was mentioned, the disbelievers made a mockery saying |
| 43:58 | | “Who is better to worship, our gods or Jesus?” They said this in the spirit of dispute [and not a sincere discussion.] They are indeed nothing but a bunch of argumentative people |
| 43:59 | | Jesus was no more than a servant of God whom I favored and sent as a prophet to the Jews |
| 43:60 | | If it pleases to me, I can turn some of you into Angles [in nature] and let you reproduce and take over the earth |
| 43:61 | | His birth [most probably the second coming (birth) of Christ] is the sign for upcoming Day of resurrection. Therefore do not have any doubt about it [Jesus or Resurrection] and follow Me (God) as this is the straight path |
| 43:62 | | Do not let the Satan talk you into denying it [the resurrection]; Satan is your true enemy |
| 43:63 | | [Another example of the previous Prophets teachings is Jesus] When Jesus came with undeniable miracles, he said: “I have brought wisdom to you. I have come to make clear what you are differing in; respect God’s law and follow me.&rdquo |
| 43:64 | | “The fact is that God is my Teacher and your Teacher; Worship Him alone [see Mathew 4-10]; this is the Straight Way.&rdquo |
| 43:65 | | But in spite of his clear teachings [about worshipping none but God], his followers disagreed among themselves. What a punishment awaits for those who initiated these disagreements on the Day of Judgment |
| 43:66 | | What are the disbelievers waiting for [what are they wasting their time on]? Are they waiting [wasting their lives in vain] for the Day [of resurrection] which will overtake them unexpectedly |
| 43:67 | | On that Day the friends will turn into enemies, save the righteous ones |
| 43:68 | | The believers will be assured: “My servants, do not have any fear and grief today.&rdquo |
| 43:69 | | “You believed in My revelations and submitted yourselves to my laws.&rdquo |
| 43:70 | | “You and your [believing] spouses enter to paradise and find happiness there.&rdquo |
| 43:71 | | “You will be served drinks in golden cups passing around in golden trays. You will find everything your heart desires and your eyes pleases. You will live therein forever.&rdquo |
| 43:72 | | “Such is the Paradise that you inherit as a reward for your good deeds.&rdquo |
| 43:73 | | “There, you will find any kind of fruit that you may eat.&rdquo |
| 43:74 | | As for the disbelievers, they will be tortured in the Hell forever |
| 43:75 | | Their punishment will never be reduced and they will live there in despair |
| 43:76 | | I (God) was not unjust to them, they themselves were unjust |
| 43:77 | | They will beg: “O Keeper of the Hell, ask God to finish us off.” He will reply: “No, you are condemned to suffer forever.&rdquo |
| 43:78 | | We offered you the truth but most of you resented the truth |
| 43:79 | | They came with a plan [against Mohammad], I (God), too came with My plan |
| 43:80 | | Do they think that I do not hear their secret talks and their whisperings? I hear everything and my angels at their sides record everything |
| 43:81 | | Say: “If the Most Gracious had a son, I [am not stubborn and] would be the first to worship him.&rdquo |
| 43:82 | | Glorified is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. The Lord of the Dominion is far superior than what they attribute to |
| 43:83 | | Let them be amused by their fabrications till they see the Day which is waiting them |
| 43:84 | | He is the Lord in the Heavens. He is the Lord on the earth. He is the Most Wise, the Most knowledgeable |
| 43:85 | | Highly blessed is He to whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth and everything between them. He is the only One Who knows when the Resurrection will take place; and to Him you will all return |
| 43:86 | | None of those whom they idolize will ask God for mercy; on the contrary, they will testify for the truth [against them.] |
| 43:87 | | When you ask they who created them, they will say God. What is their problem then |
| 43:88 | | God hears His Prophet’s voice when he says: “By Lord, these people will never submit.&rdquo |
| 43:89 | | [Do not confront them then.] Whenever you encounter them just wish them peace; soon they will surely find out |
