Those drawn up in Ranks

He said, "How can you worship what you yourselves have carved

even though God created both you and that which you have made?"

Woe to you! How terrible is your Judgment.

Do you not understand?

Do you have clear authority?

He struck them with his right hand.

Thereupon the people came running to him.

I swear by (the angels) who stand in ranks,

by those who drive away the devil (to protect Our revelation),

and those who recite Our revelations,

that your Lord is the only Lord.

He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the Lord of the Eastern regions.

We have decked the lower heavens with stars

to protect them from the rebellious satan.

The devils cannot hear those high above. They would be struck from all sides

and driven away to suffer the necessary torment.

Some of them who stealthily steal words from the heavens are pursued by a glistening flame.

(Muhammad), ask them, "Have they (people) been created stronger than what We have created?" We have created them from moist clay.

(Muhammad), you will be surprised that they still mock (God's revelations).

They pay no attention when they are reminded

and when they see a miracle, they mock

it and say, "It is only plain magic".

They say, "Shall we be brought to life again after we die and turn into dust and bones?

Will our forefathers also be brought to life again?"

Say, "You will certainly be brought back to life in disgrace".

The Day of Judgment will come within a single roar and they will remain gazing at it.

They will say, "Woe to us!" (They will be told), "This is the day of receiving recompense".

This is the Day of Judgment in which you disbelieved.

(God will command the angels), "Gather together the unjust, their spouses, and what they had worshipped

besides God, and show them the way of hell.

Stop them. They must be questioned."

They will be asked, "Why do you not help each other?"

In fact, on that day they will be submissive.

They will turn to each other saying,

"It was you who tried to mislead us from righteousness".

Others will respond, "It was you who did not want to have any faith.

We had no authority over you, in fact, you were a rebellious people.

Thus, the words of Our Lord about us have come true and now we are suffering the torment.

We mislead you and we ourselves had also gone astray."

On that day they will all share the torment.

This is how We deal with the criminals.

They were the ones, who on being told, "God is only One," become puffed-up with pride

and said, "Should we give up our idols for the sake of an insane poet".

In fact, he had brought them the truth and had acknowledged the Messengers (who were sent before him).

(They will be told), "You will certainly suffer the painful torment

and will be recompensed only for what you deserve.

But the sincere servants of God

will have their determined sustenance

and fruits while they are honored.

(They will live) in the bountiful gardens,

on couches facing each other.

They will be served with a cup full of crystal clear wine,

delicious to those who drink it

but not harmful or intoxicating.

They will have with them loving wives with big black and white eyes

who are as chaste as sheltered eggs.

They will turn to each other and ask questions.

One of them will say, "I had a companion who asked me,

'Do you believe in the Day of Judgment?

Shall we be recompensed for our deeds after we die and become bones and dust?

Do you want to see him?' "

He will look down and see him in hell.

He will say to his friend in hell, "By God, you almost destroyed me.

Had I not the guidance of my Lord, I would certainly have been brought into torment".

He will ask his companion, "Did you not say that there would only be one death

and that we would not be punished?"

This is certainly the greatest triumph

for which one must strive hard.

Is this not a better reward than the tree of Zaqqum

which We have made as a torment for the unjust?

(Zaqqum) is a tree which grows from the deepest part of hell,

and its fruits are like the heads of devils.

The dwellers of hell will eat that fruit and fill-up their bellies.

Then they will have on top of it a mixture of boiling water.

They can only return to hell.

They found their father going astray

and rushed to follow them.

Most of the ancient people had also gone astray.

We had certainly sent warners to them.

See how terrible was the end of those who were warned.

Only Our sincere servants were saved.

Noah called for help. How blessed was the answer which he received.

We rescued him and his people from the greatest affliction

and We made his offspring the only survivors.

We perpetuated his praise in later generations.

Peace be with Noah among all men in the worlds.

Thus do We reward the righteous ones.

He was one of Our believing servants.

We drowned all the others (besides Noah and his people).

Abraham was one of his followers.

He turned to his Lord with a sound heart

and asked his father and his people, "What is that you worship?

Do you want to worship false idols as your lords besides God?

What do you think about the Lord of the Universe?"

The people invited him to attend their feast). Then he looked at the stars

and said, "I am sick!"

All the people turned away from him

and he turned to their idols and asked them, "Do you eat?

Why do you not speak?"

They said, "Let us build a fire and throw him into the flames".

They plotted against him, but We brought humiliation upon them.

(Abraham) said, "I will go to my Lord who will guide me".

Abraham prayed, "Lord, grant me a righteous son".

We gave him the glad news of the birth of a forbearing son.

When his son was old enough to work with him, he said, "My son, I have had a dream that I must sacrifice you. What do you think of this?" He replied, "Father, fulfill whatever you are commanded to do and you will find me patient, by the will of God".

When they both agreed and Abraham had lain down his son on the side of his face (for slaughtering),

We called to him, "Abraham,

you have fulfilled what you were commanded to do in your dream." Thus do We reward the righteous ones.

It was certainly an open trial.

We ransomed his son with a great sacrifice

and perpetuated his praise in later generations.

Peace be with Abraham.

Thus, do We reward the righteous ones.

He was one of Our believing servants.

We gave him the glad news of the birth of Isaac, one of the righteous Prophets.

We had blessed him and Isaac. Some of their offspring were righteous and others were openly unjust to themselves.

We certainly bestowed Our favor upon Moses and Aaron

and saved them and their people from great distress.

We helped them and they were victorious.

We gave them the enlightening Book,

guided them to the right path,

and perpetuated their praise in later generations.

Peace be with Moses and Aaron.

Thus do We reward the righteous ones.

They were two of Our believing servants.

Elias was certainly a Messenger.

He told his people, "Why do you not have fear of God?

Do you worship Ba`al and abandon the Best Creator.

who is your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?"

They called him a liar. Thus, all of them will suffer torment

except the sincere servants of God.

We perpetuated his praise in the later generations.

Peace be with the followers of Elias.

In this way do We reward the righteous ones.

He was one of Our believing servants.

Lot was certainly a Messenger.

We rescued him and his whole family,

except for an old woman who remained behind.

Then We totally destroyed the others.

You pass by (their ruined town) in the morning and at night.

Will you then not understand?

Jonah was certainly a Messenger.

He abandoned his people

and sailed away in a laden ship, wherein people cast lots. Because he lost, he was thrown into the water.

The fish swallowed him up and he deserved (all this).

Had he not glorified God,

he would certainly have remained inside the fish until the Day of Resurrection.

We cast him out of the fish unto dry land and he was sick.

We made a plant of gourd grow up for him.

We sent him to a hundred thousand or more people.

They believed in him so We granted them enjoyment for an appointed time.

(Muhammad), ask them, "Do daughters belong to your Lord and sons to them?

Have We created the angels as females before their very eyes?

It is only because of their false invention that they say,

'God has begotten a son.' They are certainly liars.

Has He chosen daughters in preference to sons?

Bring your book if what you say is true.

They have said that there is a relationship between Him and the jinn. The jinn certainly know that they will all be brought to suffer torment.

God is too glorious to be described as they describe Him

except the servants of God, sincere and devoted.

You and whatever you worship

cannot mislead anyone

except those who are doomed to enter hell.

The angels say, "Each of us has an appointed place.

We stand in ranks (for prayer)

and we glorify God".

Even though they (unbelievers) say,

"Had we received guidance from the people living before us,

we would have certainly been sincere servants of God".

They have rejected the Quran. They will soon know the consequences (of their disbelief).

We decreed that Our Messenger servants

will certainly be victorious

and that Our army will be triumphant.

(Muhammad), stay away from them for a while

and watch them. They, too, will watch.

Do they want to suffer Our torment immediately?

When it descends into their courtyard, it will be terrible for those who have already been warned.

Stay away from them for a while

and watch. They, too, will watch.

Your Lord, the Lord of Honor, is too exalted to be considered as they describe Him.

Peace be with the Messengers (of God).

It is only God, the Lord of the Universe, who deserves all praise.