38:1  S (Sadd) an Alphabetic letter emblematic of inability to emulation- and by the Quran whic

38:2  But dissenting from the truth are those infidels who take pride in denying Allah, and their false pride puts them in a state of divided spiritual allegiance and makes them unable to find the concord for their discord

38:3  How many generations who came to this world before them did We justly reduce to a useless form! In their distress they cried for mercy and help but that was not the time for either, it was too late

38:4  Yet they -the infidels- marvel at the recognition of a man who came to them from their midst to serve as a spectacle and a warning and they refused to accept him in his capacity. Venting their hatred, they say; "He is not only a sorcerer but also a pathological liar"

38:5  "Does He proclaim the gods to be but one god This is indeed strange"

38:6  And the leaders of falsehood among them walked off the meeting in confusion and exhorted their adherents to remain faithful, constant and firm in fidelity to their gods. "This movement", they said, "has been designed against us and a chism formed to our detriment"

38:7  "We never heard", they said of a like system of faith and worship being practiced by our fathers in this generation." "This is indeed", they continued, "nothing but a made up story and a willful and fraudulent deception"

38:8  "Who would credit" they added, "that of all of us he Muhammad was taken by preference to be entrusted with the divine message!" "The fact is" says Allah. "that they -the infidels- are in doubt of My divine message and they have not yet experienced the taste of My retributive punishment."

38:9  "Or" says Allah, "do they have possession O Muhammad of the vast treasuries of your Creator's mercy, Allah, AL-Aziz (the Almithy) and AL-Wahhab (Who bestows gratuitously!

38:10  Or do they have the sovereign authority of the heavens and the earth and of all that lies between them! If so then they are given free vent to their enthusiasm to ascend by the means of their choice or to mount up by ropes (or ladders) to reach the realm of heaven to accomplish their end

38:11  They are but some contemptible host already in evil array, a confederacy of Pagan tribes incapable of managing their own affairs, not to mention the affairs of the heavens and the earth; defeat is the synonym of their force, their religion and their immorality

38:12  Long before them did people deny the divine message and reject Allah's religious principles, like the people Nuh, of 'Aad (the 'Adites ) and of Pharaoh, king of the immense fixed constructions

38:13  And the people of Thamud (the Thamudites), the people of Lut and the Woodlanders (the Midianites), each and all of whom confederated against the truth

38:14  Each and all of them confederated their hands and their minds to oppose the Messengers and accused them of falsehood; retribution, was therefore justified

38:15  And what do these people -The Qurashites- expect but a single call as loud as the trumpet's blast

38:16  And in their insolent challenge, they pray "O Allah, our Creator, let our share of punishment be hastened on before the Day of Judgement"

38:17  Be patient O Muhammad and put up with what they insolently and defiantly say and apply remembrance to Our worshipper Dawud, the man of physical strength whose vigour and piety joined; he always in lowliest plight repentant stood

38:18  We subdued for him the mountains to play the echo to his praises and join him in hymning and ascribing the praises to Allah at night fall and at the break of the day

38:19  And the birds were inspired to throng unto him, each and all at his command and each and all to play the echo to his praises of Allah and join him in repenting their temerities; if any

38:20  And We strengthened his kingdom and made it strong against attack and stronger in influence, authority and security of position and We imparted to him wisdom and the rules of equity and justice in discourse and passing judgement

38:21  -In this connection- did you hear O Muhammad of the narrative of the litigants -the disguised angels- the claimant and the defendant who climbed the wall leading to Dawud's private chamber which he had used for religious observance

38:22  They came suddenly into the chamber, as though they were an apparition, invading his privacy which occasioned his alarm. But they reassured him and said: "Do not be scared, it is only that We are two litigants one of us has wronged the other. Therefore, We expect you to decide our case with equity and justice and it is hoped that you do not deviate from the path of righteousness and that you will guide us into the path of equity and justice"

38:23  "This is my brother", the claimant said, "who owns ninety nine ewes and I own only one single ewe. He asked me to entrust it to him and commit her to his care and he was rather persuasive

38:24  And there said Dawud in his judicial decision. "He, your brother has wronged you indeed by asking you to add your ewe to his ewes and sure enough some of the business partners, and they are many, do wrong their associates except those in whose hearts reigns habitual reverence and obedience to Allah and their deeds reflect wisdom and piety and how few they are". There and then it occurred to Dawud that We had tried him and He invoked Allah, his Creators for forgiveness and fell down with comely prostration of his body expressing repentance. He had listened to the claimant and neglected the defendan

38:25  We forgave him this "fall" and He enjoyed endearment and a high station of dignity and distinction in the company of those in Our realm of heaven and excellent shall be his final place of destination

38:26  And We advised him, thus: "O Dawud, We inducted you a vicegerent on earth, therefore, judge between people with equity and justice and do not follow a vain desire, nor yield to an overpowering emotion to let passion conquer reason. Such an attitude takes you away from the path of righteousness, the path of Allah. Those who deviate from His path shall suffer the torment laid upon those who have been neglectful of the Day of Judgement"

38:27  We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them in vain as the infidels have thought, they brew falsehood and think falsehood; Woe to them, they shall be the fuel for the fire

38:28  Or shall We requite those whose hearts reflect the image of religious and spiritual virtues and their deeds wisdom and piety on the same ground as We requite those who play the mischief on earth! or do We requite those in whose hearts reigns piety as We requite those who grow daily more and more wicked

38:29  This Quran is a Book We have revealed to you O Muhammad invested with blessings and declaring Allah's benediction and divine favours so that people might ponder its precepts, its signs and revelations and that people of understanding hearts and minds may reflect

38:30  We pestowed Dawud with the privilege of begetting Sulayman, an excellent worshipper who in lowliest plight repentant stood

38:31  Mustered before him -Sulayman- at eventide for display were coursers of the finest breed which spring and bound in high mettle (they stand on three feet implanted and the fourth lightly touching the ground.

38:32  In admiration Sulayman said: "My fondness for the chargers has been an attribute inherent in me due to the vital part they play in Allah's cause and they keep my remembrance applied to Him". He kept admiring them until they disappeared from view behind the curtain and the sun took cover in the veil of night

38:33  There did Sulayman give orders, thus: "Bring them back to me, "he said". and he kept patting them on the necks passing his hand over the forenegs expressing fondness and endearment

38:34  We decided to try Sulayman like We tried the other Messengers and test his true inclination worldly and spiritually, We seated a phantom on his throne. No sooner did it come to his mind that he was tried than he in lowliest plight repentant stood

38:35  He prayed, thus: "I pray and beseech you O Allah, my Creator, to forgive me and to bestow on me a kingdom none else after me will be fit to have; You are in command of the gratuitous blessings of heaven

38:36  And there We subdued the wind and We made its activity subservient to his command, it flowed gently to wherever He willed and yielded to his demand

38:37  And those among the Jinn characterized with satanic attributes did We also subdue to him comprising every builder and every diver

38:38  And others of those satanic bound together with fetters to impose upon them restraint

38:39  This, We said, is Our bestowal O Sulayman, you have a free hand, you may give what you will to whom you will and deny whom you will what you will

38:40  And he enjoyed endearment and high station of dignity and distinction in the company of those in Our realm of heaven and excellent shall be his final place of destination

38:41  And apply remembrance O Muhammad to Our worshipper Ayub. He invoked Allah, his Creator, for mercy, He prayed " O Allah, my Creator, the Devil has caused me much inconvience and pain by suggesting evil thoughts to the minds of the few who adhere to me including my wife

38:42  And there We turned to him in mercy for his sincerity and endurance and We said to him: Stamp the ground with the sole of your foot and there you will have a flowing stream of cold water to wash therewith and to drink therefrom

38:43  We restored to him his health and vigour causing his family and his people to gather around him again after they had forsaken him and We doubled their original number in mercy from Us and a reminder of Allah's Omnipotence and Mercy to those who endure Allah's test and be able to reflect

38:44  And in fulfillment of his oath that he would beat his wife hundred strokes We said to him: Hold in your hand a bunch of a hundred blades of grass and strike her therewith once and gently to avoid breaking your oath. We found him really long suffering to affliction and unwearied in the face of difficulties and hardship. How excellent a worshipper He was and how in lowliest plight did He always repentant stand

38:45  And apply remembrance O Muhammad to Our worshippers Ibrahim(Abraham), Ishaq (Isac) and Yaqub (Jacob) who employed their hands in all that was in conformity with Our principles and commands and were people of vision

38:46  We endowed them with the prerogative of the attribute that was exclusively claimed by them of applying constant remembrance of the Hereafter and reminding people thereof

38:47  And they are among the elect and the select who are held precious in Our esteem and chosen for exalted eternal life

38:48  And apply remembrance O Muhammad to Ismail, Elisha and Zul-kifl, each and all are among the chosen for an exalted eternal life

38:49  This is an exhortation serving as a reminder of Allah and of His favours. And those who keep in awe of Him and entertain the profound reverence dutiful to Him must expect a distinguished place in the realm of heaven

38:50  Widely open for them shall be the gates of the Gardens of Eden wherein they shall be heartily welcomed

38:51  Reclining on dignified thrones they will ask for fruits which are available in plenty: what they see and what they portray in their minds and for the drink of their choice

38:52  Accompanied by beautiful women of modest gleaming eyes and radiating splendour, women of a similar stage of life

38:53  This is a picture of what you people are promised in Day of Judgement

38:54  This is Our provision of victuals, eatables and drinkables, the stores of which will never be exhausted

38:55  Contrasted by contrary destination are the transgressors who grow daily more and more wicked. How evil shall be their abode

38:56  It is in the abysm of Hell that they shall burn and how evil is the bed they had made for themselves

38:57  As for tasting, they shall experience it in the form of a decoction of the offensive suppurating burns boiling hot and/or ice cold

38:58  In addition to other decoctions of similar sort

38:59  When it is the turn of the leaders of falsehood to be cast into Hell those who preceded them of their people shall be told: "Here is another crowd to join you in the crowd of your sins. They are not welcomed in the beautitude of heaven but Hell claims them as her own"

38:60  "You are not welcomed here either", say those in Hell to the fresh crowd, "You brought this evil destiny upon our heads, therefore evil is the place of your destined end"

38:61  And in Hell they will add: "O Allah, our Creator would you requite those who brought upon us this misery with double the torment in the abysm of Hell"

38:62  And in their wonderment they will say: "Why we do not see those men whom We considered men of evil

38:63  Did We esteem them men of evil wrongly, and unjustly we laughed them to scorn or have our eyes deviated into the wrong direction"

38:64  How true is the altercation among the inmates of Hell

38:65  Say to them -the infidels- O Muhammad: "You people must realize that I am only a spectacle and a warning and there is no Ilah but Allah; the Creator, the One and only, AL-Wahid (the Unique) and AL-Qahhar (the Supreme and the Irresistible.

38:66  Sovereign Supreme and Creator of the heavens and the earth and of all that lies between them, AL-Aziz and AL-Ghaffar (the Forgiving)

38:67  Say to them "it is indeed great news symbolized in the divine message sent down to man"

38:68  A great divine message from which you turn away when it has changed the style of life on earth and the history of all created beings

38:69  A Divine message reflecting what has been discussed by The Hierarchy in the realm of heaven and it is quite obvious that "I have no knowledge of it"

38:70  "What is inspired to me indicates precisely that I am only a spectacle and a warning held responsible for the proclamation of Allah's divine message to. each and all

38:71  For once did Allah make a proclamation to the angels of a great event. He said: "I am in the process of creating a human from clay"

38:72  And when I have fashioned* it and furnished it with a definite shape and imparted to it My spirit then do prostrate yourselves to him in reverence and admiratio

38:73  There and then did all the angels cast themselves down prostrate

38:74  Except Iblis AL-Shaytan (Satan-to-be-) who demurred in pride and did not observe Allah's command and was a disobedient rebel

38:75  "What prompted you Iblis", said Allah, "not to join those who cast themselves down in reverence and admiration to the being I have created with My own hands!" "were you trying to show self esteem and take pride in disobedience, or are you one of those marked as different and recognized as distinct and distinguished!"

38:76  "l am a better sort", said Iblis, "You created me from fire whereas You created him from moist earth"

38:77  "Then get out from hence, you are accursed", said Allah

38:78  "and you are stamped with My curse and consigned to evil until the Day of Judgement"

38:79  And there, Iblis said: "Then give me respite O Allah, my Creator till the Day they are resurrected."

38:80  "You are granted", said Allah, "like those with characteristics befitting you a delay of punishment"

38:81  "until the predetermined point of time ascertained for judgement"

38:82  And there swore Iblis, making a solemn declaration with an appeal to Allah saying: "By Your glory and unattainable honour, I will seduce each to and all of them into lust and allure them insiduously"

38:83  "except those of Your worshippers who are sincere and do not consent to temptation"

38:84  "In truth", said Allah, "and I declare the truth"

38:85  "Your disobedience has landed you a great loser and you shall land in Hell; which I will fill with you and with each and all those who fall into line with you"

38:86  Say to the infidels O Muhammad: "I do not ask you for anything in return nor do I charge you a price nor do I pass myself off as someone other than I am."

38:87  "This is indeed a Quran imparting divine knowledge and guidance to all in and an exhortation neither appendant nor appurtenant to anyone in particular but to people at large here and abroad"

38:88  "And you -people- who refuse to acknowledge it shall come to know in due course the truth of its precepts, its premises and promises and of its revelations the cosmic and the spiritual alike"