The letter Saad

Sad. By the Qur'an full of admonition.

Verily those who disbelieve are in vainglory and shism.

How many a generation have We destroyed afore them, and they cried when there was not time of fleeing.

And they marvel that there should come Unto them a warner from among themselves. And the infidels say: this is a magician and a liar!

Maketh he the gods One God? Verily that is a thing astounding!

The chiefs among them departed saying: go, and persevere in your gods; verily this is a thing designed.

We heard not thereof in the later faith; this is naught but an invention.

Hath Unto him the admonition been sent down from amongst us! Yea! they are in doubt concerning My admonition. Yea! they have not yet tasted My torment.

Or, are with them the treasures of the mercy of thy Lord, the Bestower?

Or, is theirs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and that which is in-between the twain? If so, let them ascend by steps.

Here there is a host of the confederates only to be defeated.

Before them there have belied the people of Nuh and the 'Aad, and Fir'awn the owner of the stakes.

And the Thamud, and the people of Lut, and the dwellers of the wood; these were the confederates.

There was not one but belied the apostles, wherefore justified was My wrath.

And these wait but for one shout, wherefrom there will be no deferment.

And they say: our Lord! hasten our portion unto us before the Day of Reckoning

Bear thou with that which they say, and remember Our bondman, Da-ud, endured with strength; verily he was oft-returning onto Us.

Verily We so subjected the mountains that they should hallow Us with him at nightfall and sunrise.

And the birds also, gathering all oft-returning onto Him on his account.

And We made his dominion strong and vouchsafed him wisdom and decisive speech.

And hath the tidings of the contending parties reached thee, when they walled the apartment?

When they went in unto Da-ud, he was frightened at them. They said: fear not we are two contending parties; one of us hath oppressed the other, so judge between us with truth, and be not iniquitious, and guide us unto the even path.

Verily this my brother hath nine and ninety ewes while I have one ewe; and he saith: entrust it to me, and he hath prevailed upon me in speech.

Da-ud said: assuredly he hath wronged thee in demanding thine ewe in addition to his ewes, and verily many of the partners oppress each other save such as believe and work righteous works, and few are they. And Da-ud imagined that We had tried him; so he asked forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down bowing and turned in penitence.

So We forgave him that; and verily for him is an approach with us, and a happy retreat.

O Da-ud! verily We have appointed thee a vicegerent in the earth, so judge between mankind with truth, and follow not desire, lest it cause thee to err from the path of Allah. Verily those who err from the path of Allah - Unto them shall be a severe torment, for they forgat the Day of Reckoning.

And We have not created the heaven and the earth and whatsoever is in-between the twain in vain." That is the opinion of those who disbelieve. And woe Unto those who disbelieve the Fire."

Shall We make those who believe and work righteous works I i ke Unto the corrupters in the earth; Or Shall We make the God-fearing like Unto the wicked!

This is a Book We have sent down Unto thee, blest, that they may ponder the revelations thereof, and that there may be admonished men of understanding.

And We vouchsafed Unto Da-ud Sulaiman. How excellent a bondman! j Verily he was oft-returning.'

Recall what time there were presented Unto him, at eventide, s coursers swift-footed.

He said: verily I have loved the love of earthly good above the remembrance of my Lord until the sun hath disappeared behind the veil.

Bring them back Unto me; and he set about slashing their legs and necks.

And assuredly We tried Sulaiman, and set upon his throne a mere body. Thereafter he was penitent.

He said: my Lord! forgive me, and bestow on me a dominion which no one may obtain beside me: verily Thou! Thou art the Bestower.

Then We subjected to him the wind: it ran gently by his command withersoever he directed.

And We subjected to him the evil ones: every builder and diver.

And others bound in fetters.

This is Our gift, SO bestow thou or withhold, without rendering an account.

And verily for him is an approach with us, and a happy end.

And remember thou Our bondman Ayyub, what time he cried Unto his Lord: verily the Satan hath touched me with affliction and suffering.

Stamp the ground with thy foot. yonder is water to wash in, cool, and water to drink.

And We bestowed on him his household and along with them the like thereof, out of mercy from us, and a remembrance Unto men of understanding.

And take in thine hand a handful of twigs, and strike therewith, and break not thine oath. Verily We! We found him patient. How excellent a bondman! Verily he was oft-returning.

And remember thou Our bond men, Ibrahim and Is-haq and Ya'qub. owners of might ana insight.

Verily We! We distinguished them with a distinct quality: the remembrance of the Abode.

And verily they are with us of the elect of the excellent ones

And remember Isma'il and Al-Yas'a and Zul-kifl: all of the excellent ones.

This is an admonition, and verily for the God-feoring is a happy retreat:

Gardens Everlasting, whereof the portals remain opened for them.

Therein they will recline; therein they will call for plenteous fruit and drink.

And with them will be virgins of refraining looks and of equal age.

This it is that ye are promised for the Day of Reckoning.

Verily this is Our provision: there will be no ceasing thereof.

This: and verily for the exorbitant there shall be an evil retreat:

Hell, wherein they roast: a wretched couch.

This - let them taste it: scalding water and corruption.

And other torments, like thereof, conjoined.

This is a crowd rushing in along with you; no welcome for them; verily they are to roast in the Fire.

They will say nay! it is ye, for whom there is no welcome: it is ye who have brought it upon us. Evil shall be the resting-place.

They Will say: our Lord! whosever hath brought this upon us, - Unto him increase doubly the torment of the Fire.

And they will Say: what aileth us that we behold not men whom we were wont to count among the evil ones?

Took we them so unjustly for a butt of mockery, or are they deluding our eyes?

Verily this is the very truth: the wrangling of the fellows of the Fire!

Say thou: I am but warner, and there is no god but Allah, the One, the Subduer.

Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is in- between the twain, the Mighty, the Forgiver.

Say thou: it is a tiding mighty.

Ye are therefrom averting.

I had no knowledge of the chiefs on high when they disputed;

Naught is revealed Unto me except that I am a warner manifest.

Recall what time thy Lord said Unto the angels: verily I am about to create a human being from clay;

Then when I have formed him and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down before him prostrate.

The angels prostrated themselves, all of them.

Not so lblis. He grew stiffnecked and became of the infidels.

Allah said: O Iblis! what preventeth thee from prostrating thyself before that which have created with both my hands? Becomest thou stiff-necked, or art thou of the exalted ones?

He said: I am better than he: me Thou hast created of fire, and him Thou hast created of clay.

Allah said: get thee forth therefrom verify thou art driven away.

And verily My curse shall be on thee till the Day of Requital,

He said: my Lord! respite me till the Day whereon they are raised up.

Allah said: verily, thou art of those respited.

Until the Day of the time appointed.

He said: by Thy majesty, then, I shall surely seduce them, all.

Save Thy bondmen among them Sincere.

Allah said: the truth is, and it is the truth that I speak, -

That I shall fill Hell with thee and such of them as shall follow thee, all together.

Say thou: ask of you for it no hire, nor am I of the affecters.

It is naught but an admonition Unto the worlds.

And ye shall surely come to know the truth thereof after a season.