57:1  That which is in the heavens and on earth, let it declare the praises and glory of God, for He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise

57:2  To Him belongs the control of the heavens and the earth. It is He Who gives life and death, and He has power over all things

57:3  He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Hidden, and He has full knowledge of all things

57:4  He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne. He knows what enters within the earth, and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven, and what mounts up to it, and He is with you wherever you are, and God sees well all that you do

57:5  To Him is the control of the heavens and the earth, and all affairs are referred back to God

57:6  He merges night into day, and He merges day into night, and He has full knowledge of the secrets of all hearts

57:7  Believe in God and His messenger, and give out of that which He has made you inheritors. For those of you who believe and give, for them is a great reward

57:8  What cause do you have that you should not believe in God? The messenger invites you to believe in your Lord, and has indeed taken your covenant, if you are people of faith

57:9  He is the One Who sends to His servant clear signs, that He may lead you from the depths of darkness into the light. And indeed God is to you Most Kind and Merciful

57:10  And what cause do you have that you should not give in the cause of God, for to God belong the origins of the heavens and the earth. Not equal among you are those who sacrificed and fought before the victory, and those who did so later. They are higher in rank than those who sacrificed and fought afterwards, but to all has God promised the best reward, and God is well acquainted with all that you do

57:11  Who is he who will loan to God a handsome loan? For God will increase it abundantly to his credit, and he will have a gracious reward

57:12  One day you will see of the believing men and the believing women, how their light runs forward before them and by their right hands. Good news for you this day, gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever. This is indeed the highest achievement.

57:13  One day the hypocrites, men and women, will say to the believers, “Wait for us. Let us borrow from your light.” It will be said, “Turn back behind you and seek a light.” So a wall will be put up between them, with a gate therein forever. Within it will be mercy inside and outside, and all throughout will be punishment

57:14  Those without will call out, “Were we not with you?” The others will reply, “True, but you led yourselves into temptation, you looked forward but you doubted, and your desires deceived you, until there issued the command of God, and the Deceiver deceived you in respect to God

57:15  “This day will no ransom be accepted of you, from those who rejected God.” Your abode is the fire. That is the proper place to claim you, and what a terrible place it is.

57:16  Has not the time arrived for the believers, that their hearts, with all humility, should engage in the remembrance of God and of the truth which has been revealed, and that they should not become like those to whom was given revelation? But long ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard. For many among them are rebellious transgressors

57:17  Do you not know that God gives life to the earth after its death? We have already shown the signs plainly to you, that you may learn wisdom

57:18  For those who give in charity, men and women, and loan to God a handsome loan, it will be increased abundantly, and they will have a noble reward

57:19  And those who believe in God and His messengers, they are the sincere and the witnesses, in the eyes of their Lord. They will have their reward and their light. But those who reject God and deny Our signs, they are the companions of hellfire

57:20  Know that the life of the present is but play and entertainment, pomp and boasting, and increasing for yourselves, wealth and children. Here is a similitude, the rain and the growth which it brings forth pleases the hearts of those who plant it, soon it withers, and you will see it grow yellow, then it becomes dry and crumbles away, but in the hereafter is a penalty severe, and forgiveness from God and His grace, and what is the life of the present but stuff of illusion

57:21  And for those of you foremost, is forgiveness from your Lord, and a garden the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers. That is the grace of God which He bestows on whom He pleases, and God is the Lord of grace abounding

57:22  No misfortune can happen on earth or in yourselves, except that it is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence. That is truly easy for God

57:23  In order that you may not despair over opportunities that missed you, nor exult over favors bestowed upon you, for God does not love any vain boaster

57:24  Such people are greedy, and recommend greed to others. And if any turn back, indeed God is free of all needs, worthy of all praise

57:25  We sent our messengers with clear signs, and sent down with them the Book and the balance, that humanity may stand up for justice. And We sent down iron, in which is great power, and many benefits for humanity, that God may make evident who it is who will help, even if unseen, Him and His messengers, for God is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might

57:26  And We sent Noah and Abraham, and established in their line the prophetic office and revelation, and some of them were on right guidance, but many of them became rebellious transgressors

57:27  Then in their footsteps, We followed them up with more of Our messengers. We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the gospel, and We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him, compassion and mercy. But monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them. We asked only the seeking for the grace of God, but that, they did not develop as they should have. Still We bestowed on those among them who believed, their reward, but many of them are rebellious transgressors

57:28  O you who believe, be conscious of God, and believe in His messenger, and He will bestow on you a double portion of His mercy. He will provide for you a light, by which you will walk, and He will forgive you, for God is Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming

57:29  So the people of the Book may know that they have no power at all over the grace of God, that His grace is in His hand, to bestow on whomever He wills, for God is the Lord of grace abounding. 29 (End of Part 27