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

37:2  by the ones who drive [the clouds] vigorously,

37:3  by the ones who recite the reminder:

37:4  indeed your God is certainly One,

37:5  the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and the Lord of the easts.

37:6  Indeed We have adorned the lowest heaven with the finery of the stars,

37:7  and to guard from any froward devil.

37:8  They do not eavesdrop on the Supernal Elite—they are shot at from every side,

37:9  to drive them away, and there is a perpetual punishment for them—

37:10  except any who snatches a snatch, whereat a piercing flame pursues him.

37:11  Ask them, is their creation more prodigious or [that of other creatures] that We have created? Indeed, We created them from a viscous clay.

37:12  Indeed you wonder, while they engage in ridicule,

37:13  and [even] when admonished do not take admonition,

37:14  and when they see a sign they make it an object of ridicule,

37:15  and say, ‘This is nothing but plain magic!’

37:16  ‘What! When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we be resurrected?

37:17  And our forefathers too?!’

37:18  Say, ‘Yes! And you will be utterly humble.’

37:19  It will be only a single shout and, behold, they will look on,

37:20  and say, ‘Woe to us! This is the Day of Retribution!’

37:21  ‘This is the Day of Judgement that you used to deny!’

37:22  ‘Muster the wrongdoers and their mates and what they used to worship

37:23  besides Allah, and show them the way to hell!

37:24  [But first] stop them! For they must be questioned.’

37:25  ‘Why is it that you do not support one another [today]?’

37:26  ‘Indeed, they are [meek and] submissive today!’

37:27  Some of them will turn to others, questioning each other.

37:28  They will say, ‘Indeed you used to accost us peremptorily.’

37:29  They will answer, ‘No, you [yourselves] had no faith.

37:30  We had no authority over you. No, you [yourselves] were a rebellious lot.

37:31  So our Lord’s word became due against us that we shall indeed taste [the punishment].

37:32  So we perverted you, for we were perverse [ourselves].’

37:33  So, that day they will share the punishment.

37:34  Indeed, that is how We deal with the guilty.

37:35  Indeed, it was they who, when they were told, ‘There is no god except Allah,’ used to be disdainful,

37:36  and [they would] say, ‘Shall we abandon our gods for a crazy poet?’

37:37  Indeed, he has brought [them] the truth, and confirmed the [earlier] apostles.

37:38  Indeed you will taste the painful punishment,

37:39  and you will be requited only for what you used to do

37:40  —[all] except Allah’s exclusive servants.

37:41  For such there is a known provision

37:42  —fruits—and they will be held in honour,

37:43  in the gardens of bliss,

37:44  [reclining] on couches, facing one another,

37:45  served around with a cup, from a clear fountain,

37:46  snow-white, delicious to the drinkers,

37:47  wherein there will be neither headache nor will it cause them stupefaction,

37:48  and with them will be maidens, of restrained glances with big [beautiful] eyes,

37:49  as if they were hidden ostrich eggs.

37:50  Some of them will turn to others, questioning each other.

37:51  One of them will say, ‘Indeed I had a companion

37:52  who used to say, ‘‘Are you really among those who affirm

37:53  that when we have died and become dust and bones, we shall be brought to retribution?’’ ’

37:54  He will say, ‘Will you have a look?’

37:55  Then he will take a look and sight him in the middle of hell.

37:56  He will say, ‘By Allah, you had almost ruined me!

37:57  Had it not been for my Lord’s blessing, I too would have been among those mustered [in hell]!’

37:58  ‘Is it [true] that we shall not die [anymore],

37:59  aside from our earlier death, and that we shall not be punished?

37:60  This is indeed the supreme triumph!’

37:61  Let all workers work for the like of this!

37:62  Is this a better reception, or the Zaqqum tree?

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

37:64  It is a tree that rises from the depths of hell.

37:65  Its spathes are as if they were devils’ heads.

37:66  They will eat from it and gorge with it their bellies.

37:67  On top of that they will take a solution of scalding water.

37:68  Then their retreat will be toward hell.

37:69  They had found their fathers astray,

37:70  yet they press onwards in their footsteps.

37:71  Most of the former peoples went astray before them,

37:72  and We had certainly sent warners among them.

37:73  So observe how was the fate of those who were warned

37:74  —[all] except Allah’s exclusive servants!

37:75  Certainly Noah called out to Us, and how well did We respond!

37:76  We delivered him and his family from their great distress,

37:77  and made his descendants the survivors,

37:78  and left for him a good name among posterity:

37:79  ‘Peace to Noah, throughout the nations!’

37:80  Thus do We reward the virtuous.

37:81  He is indeed one of Our faithful servants.

37:82  Then We drowned the rest.

37:83  Indeed Abraham was among his followers,

37:84  when he came to his Lord with a sound heart [untainted by sin].

37:85  When he said to his father and his people, ‘What is it that you are worshiping?

37:86  Is it a lie, gods other than Allah, that you desire?

37:87  Then what is your idea about the Lord of all the worlds?’

37:88  Then he made an observation of the stars

37:89  and said, ‘Indeed I am sick!’

37:90  So they went away leaving him behind.

37:91  Then he stole away to their gods and said, ‘Will you not eat?

37:92  Why do you not speak?’

37:93  Then he attacked them, striking forcefully.

37:94  They came running towards him.

37:95  He said, ‘Do you worship what you have yourselves carved,

37:96  when Allah has created you and whatever you make?’

37:97  They said, ‘Build a structure for him and cast him into a huge fire.’

37:98  So they sought to outwit him, but We made them the lowermost.

37:99  He said, ‘Indeed I am going toward my Lord, who will guide me.’

37:100  ‘My Lord! Give me [an heir], one of the righteous.’

37:101  So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son.

37:102  When he was old enough to assist in his endeavour, he said, ‘My son! I see in dreams that I am sacrificing you. See what you think.’ He said, ‘Father! Do whatever you have been commanded. If Allah wishes, you will find me to be patient.’

37:103  So when they had both surrendered [to Allah’s will], and he had laid him down on his forehead,

37:104  We called out to him, ‘O Abraham!

37:105  You have indeed fulfilled your vision! Thus indeed do We reward the virtuous!

37:106  This was indeed a manifest test.’

37:107  Then We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,

37:108  and left for him a good name in posterity:

37:109  ‘Peace be to Abraham!’

37:110  Thus do We reward the virtuous.

37:111  He is indeed one of Our faithful servants.

37:112  And We gave him the good news of [the birth of] Isaac, a prophet, one of the righteous.

37:113  And We blessed him and Isaac. Among their descendants [some] are virtuous, and [some] who manifestly wrong themselves.

37:114  Certainly We favoured Moses and Aaron,

37:115  and delivered them and their people from their great distress,

37:116  and We helped them so that they became the victors.

37:117  We gave them the illuminating scripture

37:118  and guided them to the straight path,

37:119  and left for them a good name in posterity.

37:120  ‘Peace be to Moses and Aaron!’

37:121  Thus indeed do We reward the virtuous.

37:122  They are indeed among Our faithful servants.

37:123  Indeed Ilyas was one of the apostles.

37:124  When he said to his people, ‘Will you not be Godwary?

37:125  Do you invoke Baal and abandon the best of creators,

37:126  Allah, your Lord and Lord of your forefathers?,’

37:127  they impugned him. So they will indeed be mustered [in hell]

37:128  —[all] except Allah’s exclusive servants.

37:129  We left for him a good name in posterity.

37:130  ‘Peace be to Ilyas!’

37:131  Thus indeed do We reward the virtuous.

37:132  He is indeed one of Our faithful servants.

37:133  Indeed Lot was one of the apostles.

37:134  When We delivered him and all his family,

37:135  excepting an old woman among those who remained behind,

37:136  We destroyed the rest.

37:137  Indeed you pass by them at dawn

37:138  and at night. Do you not exercise your reason?

37:139  Indeed Jonah was one of the apostles.

37:140  When he absconded toward the laden ship,

37:141  he drew lots with them and was the one to be condemned [as one to be thrown overboard].

37:142  Then the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy.

37:143  Had he not been one of those who celebrate Allah’s glory,

37:144  he would have surely remained in its belly till the day they will be resurrected.

37:145  Then We cast him on a bare shore, and he was sick.

37:146  So We made a gourd plant grow above him.

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

37:148  and they believed [in him]. So We provided for them for a while.

37:149  Ask them, are daughters to be for your Lord while sons are to be for them?

37:150  Did We create the angels females while they were present?

37:151  Be aware that it is out of their mendacity that they say,

37:152  ‘Allah has begotten [offsprings],’ and they indeed speak a falsehood.

37:153  Has He preferred daughters to sons?

37:154  What is the matter with you? How do you judge?

37:155  Will you not then take admonition?

37:156  Do you have a manifest authority?

37:157  Then produce your scripture, should you be truthful.

37:158  And they have set up a kinship between Him and the jinn, while the jinn certainly know that they will be presented [before Him].

37:159  Clear is Allah of whatever they allege [about Him]

37:160  —[all] except Allah’s exclusive servants.

37:161  Indeed you and what you worship

37:162  cannot mislead [anyone] about Him,

37:163  except someone who is bound for hell.

37:164  ‘There is none among us but has a known place.

37:165  It is we who are the ranged ones.

37:166  It is we who celebrate Allah’s glory.’

37:167  They indeed, used to say,

37:168  ‘Had we possessed a Reminder from our predecessors,

37:169  we would have surely been Allah’s exclusive servants.’

37:170  But they disbelieved it [when it came to them]. Soon they will know!

37:171  Certainly Our decree has gone beforehand in favour of Our servants, the apostles,

37:172  that they will indeed receive [Allah’s] help,

37:173  and indeed Our hosts will be the victors.

37:174  So leave them alone for a while,

37:175  and watch them; soon they will see [the truth of the matter]!

37:176  Do they seek to hasten Our punishment?

37:177  But when it descends in their courtyard it will be a dismal dawn for those who had been warned.

37:178  So leave them alone for a while,

37:179  and watch; soon they will see!

37:180  Clear is your Lord, the Lord of Might, of whatever they allege [concerning Him].

37:181  Peace be to the apostles!

37:182  All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.