38:1  Sad. By this Qur'an, that contains all that one should remember and all that matters

38:2  But, verily, the suppressors of the Truth are lost in false pride, and deeply out of tune with Reality

38:3  How many a generation have We destroyed before them! They (the earlier generations) prayed to Us when it was too late for them to escape

38:4  And people deem it strange that a person from among themselves should have come to warn them! And the sppressors of the Truth say, "This one is but a lying magician!"

38:5  "Has he converted all deities into one single God? This is indeed a strange thing!"

38:6  And the leaders among them egged them on, "Go and persevere with your deities. This (what Muhammad is propounding) is indeed a thing designed!"

38:7  "We have not heard of this in any recent society! This is nothing but fabrication!"

38:8  "Is it upon him — from amongst us all — that the divine Scripture has been sent down!?" Nay! It is My Scripture that they doubt. Nay! They have not tasted the punishment I give

38:9  Or, do they have the treasures of your Lord's Mercy — the Lord Omnipotent, the Bestower of Grace!

38:10  Or, do they possess the absolute sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and all that is in between!? Let them then ascend in vehicles

38:11  The confederate forces are bound to suffer defeat there.

38:12  Before them, Noah's people, and the tribe of AAad, and Pharaoh of the many tent-pegs (i.e. with means and power), denied the Truth

38:13  And so did the tribe of Thamood, and the people of Lot, and the dwellers of the wood [Midian]: those were the peoples allied against the Truth

38:14  Not one among them but denied the Messengers. So they deserved My penalty

38:15  And these people (of this age) need wait for no more than one single blast (to be annihilated)

38:16  And they (the polytheists) say (mockingly), "Our Lord! Hasten on to us our share before the Day of Reckoning!"

38:17  Bear patiently what they (the polytheists) say, and remember Our devotee David, a man of strength. He was indeed of those who always turned to Us

38:18  We did indeed cause the mountains to join him (David) in extolling Our Glory at sunset and at sunrise

38:19  And the birds in their assemblies: they all would always turn to Him

38:20  And We strengthened his (David's) kingdom, and bestowed upon him wisdom and decisiveness in speech

38:21  And has the information of the litigants come to your knowledge when they climbed over the walls of (King David's) private chamber

38:22  When they confronted David, he shrank back in fear of them. They said, "Fear not! We are two litigants. One of us has wronged the other. So judge between us with justice, and deviate not from what is right, and show both of us the right path."

38:23  "This man here is my brother. He has ninety-nine ewes, whereas I have one ewe. And he asks me to hand over to him even the one I have. And he prevailed over me in the discourse we had."

38:24  David said (to the complainant), "He has certainly wronged you by demanding that your ewe be added to his ewes! And indeed do many associates — except those who believe in Allah and do righteous deeds — wrong one another; but how few are those exceptions!" And David at once realized that We had tested him (by presenting to him the case of the ewes)! And so he asked his Lord to forgive him, and bowed down, and turned to Him in repentance.h

38:25  And We forgave him (David) that [the impropriety that he had committed]. And, indeed, he will certainly be among those near to us — the best place to return to

38:26  "O David! We have indeed made you a vicegerent on earth. Establish, then, a just rule among the people, and follow not vain desire, lest it lead you astray from Allah's Path. Those who go astray from Allah's Path shall indeed suffer severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Reckoning!"

38:27  AND We have not created the heaven and the earth and all that is in between in vain. That is what those who suppress the Truth think. Woe then from the Fire unto all those who suppress the Truth

38:28  Would We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who spread corruption on the earth!? Would We treat those who are Allah-fearing like those that are wicked!

38:29  Blessed is the Book We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad,] so that people may ponder over its Verses, and that those who are endowed with insight may pass on their understanding to others

38:30  And We bestowed Solomon — an excellent devotee — [as a son] to David. He would indeed always turn to Us

38:31  As, towards the close of day, well-bred horses were brought before him (Solomon)

38:32  He (Solomon) said, "I have indeed come to love the good things in life as these remind me of my Lord (Who has created them)!" And when they (the horses) were out of sight under the veil of darkness (of the night)

38:33  (Solomon ordered,) "Bring them (the horses) back to me!" And then he would [lovingly] stroke their legs and their necks

38:34  And We did certainly put Solomon on trial by placing upon his throne a [lifeless] body; and thereupon he turned in repentance to Us

38:35  He (Solomon) prayed, "O my Lord! Forgive me my sins, and bestow upon me a kingdom which may not suit anyone after me. You are indeed the bestower of gifts!"

38:36  We then made the wind subservient to him, so that it blew gently at his behest in the direction he willed

38:37  And (We made) the devils (work for him) in every kind of construction activity and in diving

38:38  And there were others too (who worked for him while) linked together in fetters

38:39  [And We told him,] "This is Our special Grant; whether you help others with it or not, no account will be taken!"

38:40  And, indeed, he (Solomon) will certainly be among those near to us — the best place to return to

38:41  And recall when Our devotee Job prayed to his Lord, "The Satan has indeed afflicted me with illness and suffering!"

38:42  [He was told,] "Stamp your foot!" [Water springs out from the ground.] "This is cool water to wash with and to drink!"

38:43  And We restored to him his family and as many more with them, as an act of grace from Us, and as a source of inspiration to all who are endowed with insight

38:44  [And We told him,] "Now take a handful of herbs and strike therewith, and you shall not break your oath!" We did indeed find him patient in adversity — an excellent devotee, who would always turn to Us

38:45  And recall Our servants Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, who were all endowed with inner strength and vision

38:46  We did indeed purify them by means of the purity of the remembrance of the life to come

38:47  And they were certainly indeed, in Our sight, among the selected best of humankind

38:48  And recall Ishmael and Elisha, and Zulkifl : every one of them was among the best of humankind

38:49  This [Qur'aan] is a Reminder/Narrative [of all that leads mankind to Paradise and all that leads them to Hell]. And, certainly indeed, the most beauteous of all goals awaits those who are pious and Allah-fearing

38:50  The goals are gardens of perpetual bliss with gates kept open for them [the pious and Allah-fearing]

38:51  They will be comfortable and at ease therein, frequently calling for fruits and drinks

38:52  And they will have with them companions of modest gaze

38:53  This is what you are promised for the Day of Reckoning

38:54  This, certainly indeed, shall be Our inexhaustible provision

38:55  This [provision would of course be there as promised!] And, certainly indeed, the most evil of all goals awaits those who transgress the bounds of what is right

38:56  Hell! They will suffer therein. And how vile a resting-place

38:57  This, [then, is for them.] So let them taste it: boiling water (to drink) and a pus-like thing (to eat!

38:58  And other torments in pairs of similar nature [— similar to those mentioned in the preceding Verse]

38:59  This crowd of people who went headlong with you into sin — no welcome to them either! They shall indeed suffer the Fire

38:60  They [the seduced] will say [to the seducers], "Nay, but it is you who are not welcome! You have brought this upon us: and it is a vile state to be in!"

38:61  They will say, "Our Lord! Increase the punishment in the Fire twofold for those who brought this upon us!"

38:62  And they will say, "How come we do not see men whom we counted among the evil?"

38:63  "We used to hold them in ridicule! Or is it that our eyes have missed them?"

38:64  That, indeed, will in truth be the mutual wrangling among the people of the Fire

38:65  Say [O Muhammad], "I am only a warner! And there is none worthy of worship other than Allah, the One and Only, the Almighty."

38:66  "The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between, the Omnipotent, the Ultimate Forgiver!"

38:67  Say: "This is a Message of the greatest importance!"

38:68  "[And] you turn away from it!"

38:69  "I could have had no knowledge of the angels up there when they argued [against the creation of man]."

38:70  "[I could have no knowledge of it] if it had not been revealed to me [by Allah's permission.] I am but a plain warner."

38:71  When your Lord said to the angels, "I am indeed about to create a human being out of clay."

38:72  "And when I have completed his form and breathed into him of My spirit, lie down before him in prostration!"

38:73  The angels then prostrated all of them together

38:74  [All] except Iblees, who became arrogant, and [thus] became one of those who suppress the Truth

38:75  Allah said, "O Iblees! What has prevented you from prostrating before what I have created with My hands? Are you proud or are you of those who think of themselves as high and mighty!?"

38:76  Iblees replied, "I am better than he. You have created me out of fire [energy], and You have created him out of clay [matter]."

38:77  Allah said, "Get out from here; for, indeed, you are expelled!"

38:78  "And My curse shall be on you till the Judgment Day!"

38:79  Iblees said, "My Lord! Give me respite then till the Day of Resurrection!"

38:80  Allah Ta'ala said, "So shall you indeed be among those given respite"

38:81  "For a period of time the duration of which is fixed."

38:82  Iblees said, "Then I swear by Your Honour that I shall certainly seduce them all,"

38:83  "All except those subjects of Yours who are sincerely devoted to You!"

38:84  Allah Ta'ala said, "The Truth, then — and in Truth do I state:"

38:85  "Certainly will I fill Hell with you and with all those who shall follow you among them!"

38:86  Say [O Prophet], "I ask of you no reward for this [Qur'aan]. And I am not pretentious."

38:87  "This [Qur'aan] is nothing but that which all human beings need to constantly refer to for rightful decisions and actions in their respective worlds."

38:88  "And you will certainly come to know its [Qur'aan's] Message [of the greatest importance] after some time! "