as-Saffat (Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn up in Ranks, The Rangers)
as rendered by Arthur John Arberry		   Print

Arthur John Arberry rendition of Surah Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn up in Ranks, The Rangers(as-Saffat)
---
37:1 By the rangers ranging
37:2 and the scarers scaring
37:3 and the reciters of a Remembrance,
37:4 surely your God is One,
37:5 Lord of the heavens and the earth, and of what between them is Lord of the Easts.
37:6 We have adorned the lower heaven with the adornment of the stars
37:7 and to preserve against every rebel Satan;
37:8 they listen not to the High Council, for they are pelted from every side,
37:9 rejected, and theirs is an everlasting chastisement,
37:10 except such as snatches a fragment, and he is pursued by a piercing flame.
37:11 So ask them for a pronouncement -- Are they stronger in constitution, or those We created? We created them of clinging clay.
37:12 Nay, thou marvellest; and they scoff
37:13 and, when reminded, do not remember
37:14 and, when they see a sign, would scoff;
37:15 and they say, 'This is nothing but manifest sorcery.
37:16 What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be raised up?
37:17 What, and our fathers, the ancients?'
37:18 Say: 'Yes, and in all lowliness.'
37:19 For it is only a single scaring, then behold, they are watching
37:20 and they say, 'Woe, alas for us! This is the Day of Doom.'
37:21 'This is the Day of Decision, even that you cried lies to.
37:22 Muster those who did evil, their wives, and that they were serving,
37:23 apart from God, and guide them unto the path of Hell!
37:24 And halt them, to be questioned:
37:25 "Why help you not one another?"
37:26 No indeed; but today they resign themselves in submission
37:27 and advance one upon another, asking each other questions.
37:28 These say, 'Why, you of old would come to us from the right hand.'
37:29 Those say, 'No; on the contrary, you were not believers;
37:30 we had no authority over you; no, you were an insolent people.
37:31 So our Lord's Word is realised against us; we are tasting it.
37:32 Therefore we perverted you, and we ourselves were perverts.'
37:33 So all of them on that day are sharers in the chastisement.
37:34 Even so We do with the sinners;
37:35 for when it was said to them, 'There is no god but God,' they were ever waxing proud,
37:36 saying, 'What, shall we forsake our gods for a poet possessed?'
37:37 'No indeed; but he brought the truth, and confirmed the Envoys.
37:38 Now certainly you shall be tasting the painful chastisement,
37:39 and not be recompensed, except according to what you were doing.'
37:40 Except for God's sincere servants;
37:41 for them awaits a known provision,
37:42 fruits -- and they high-honoured
37:43 in the Gardens of Bliss
37:44 upon couches, set face to face,
37:45 a cup from a spring being passed round to them,
37:46 white, a delight to the drinkers,
37:47 wherein no sickness is, neither intoxication;
37:48 and with them wide-eyed maidens restraining their glances
37:49 as if they were hidden pearls.
37:50 They advance one upon another, asking each other questions.
37:51 One of them says, 'I had a comrade
37:52 who would say, "Are you a confirmer?
37:53 What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be requited?"
37:54 He says, 'Are you looking down?'
37:55 Then he looks, and sees him in the midst of Hell.
37:56 He says, 'By God, wellnigh thou didst destroy me;
37:57 But for my Lord's blessing, I were one of the arraigned.
37:58 What, do we then not die
37:59 except for our first death, and are we not chastised?
37:60 This is indeed the mighty triumph,
37:61 for the like of this let the workers work.'
37:62 Is that better as a hospitality, or the Tree of Ez-Zakkoum?
37:63 We have appointed it as a trial for the evildoers.
37:64 It is a tree that comes forth in the root of Hell;
37:65 its spathes are as the heads of Satans,
37:66 and they eat of it, and of it fill their bellies,
37:67 then on top of it they have a brew of boiling water,
37:68 then their return is unto Hell.
37:69 They found their fathers erring,
37:70 and they run in their footsteps.
37:71 Before them erred most of the ancients,
37:72 and We sent among them warners;
37:73 and behold, how was the end of them that were warned,
37:74 except for God's sincere servants.
37:75 Noah called to Us; and how excellent were the Answerers!
37:76 And We delivered him and his people from the great distress,
37:77 and We made his seed the survivors,
37:78 and left for him among the later folk
37:79 'Peace be upon Noah among all beings!'
37:80 Even so We recompense the good-doers;
37:81 he was among Our believing servants.
37:82 Then afterwards We drowned the rest.
37:83 Of his party was also Abraham;
37:84 when he came unto his Lord with a pure heart,
37:85 when he said to his father and his folk, 'What do you serve?
37:86 Is it a calumny, gods apart from God, that you desire?
37:87 What think you then of the Lord of all Being?'
37:88 And he cast a glance at the stars,
37:89 and he said, 'Surely I am sick.'
37:90 But they went away from him, turning their backs.
37:91 Then he turned to their gods, and said, 'What do you eat?
37:92 What ails you, that you speak not?'
37:93 And he turned upon them smiting them with his right hand.
37:94 Then came the others to him hastening.
37:95 He said, 'Do you serve what you hew,
37:96 and God created you and what you make?'
37:97 They said, 'Build him a building, and cast him into the furnace!'
37:98 They desired to outwit him; so We made them the lower ones.
37:99 He said, 'I am going to my Lord; He will guide me.
37:100 My Lord, give me one of the righteous.'
37:101 Then We gave him the good tidings of a prudent boy;
37:102 and when he had reached the age of running with him, he said, 'My son, I see in a dream that I shall sacrifice thee; consider, what thinkest thou?' He said, 'My father, do as thou art bidden; thou shalt find me, God willing, one of the steadfast.'
37:103 When they had surrendered, and he flung him upon his brow,
37:104 We called unto him, 'Abraham,
37:105 thou hast confirmed the vision; even so We recompense the good-doers.
37:106 This is indeed the manifest trial.'
37:107 And We ransomed him with a mighty sacrifice,
37:108 and left for him among the later folk
37:109 'Peace be upon Abraham!'
37:110 Even so We recompense the good-doers;
37:111 he was among Our believing servants.
37:112 Then We gave him the good tidings of Isaac, a Prophet, one of the righteous.
37:113 And We blessed him, and Isaac; and of their seed some are good-doers, and some manifest self-wrongers.
37:114 We also favoured Moses and Aaron,
37:115 and We delivered them and their people from the great distress.
37:116 And We helped them, so that they were the victors;
37:117 and We gave them the Manifesting Book,
37:118 and guided them in the straight path,
37:119 and left for them among the later folk
37:120 'Peace be upon Moses and, Aaron!'
37:121 Even so We recompense the good-doers;
37:122 they were among Our believing servants.
37:123 Elias too was one of the Envoys;
37:124 when he said to his people, 'Will you not be godfearing?
37:125 Do you call on Baal, and abandon the Best of creators?
37:126 God, your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers, the ancients?'
37:127 But they cried him lies; so they will be among the arraigned,
37:128 except for God's sincere servants;
37:129 and We left for him among the later folk
37:130 'Peace be upon Elias!'
37:131 Even so We recompense the good-doers;
37:132 he was among Our believing servants.
37:133 Lot too was one of the Envoys;
37:134 when We delivered him and his people all together,
37:135 save an old woman among those that tarried;
37:136 then We destroyed the others,
37:137 and you pass by them in the morning
37:138 and in the night; will you not understand?
37:139 Jonah too was one of the Envoys;
37:140 when he ran away to the laden ship
37:141 and cast lots, and was of the rebutted,
37:142 then the whale swallowed him down, and he blameworthy.
37:143 Now had he not been of those that glorify God,
37:144 he would have tarried in its belly until the day they shall be raised;
37:145 but We cast him upon the wilderness, and he was sick,
37:146 and We caused to grow over him a tree of gourds.
37:147 Then We sent him unto a hundred thousand, or more,
37:148 and they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while.
37:149 So ask them for a pronouncement -- Has thy Lord daughters, and they sons?
37:150 Or did We create the angels females, while they were witnesses?
37:151 Is it not of their own calumny that they say,
37:152 'God has begotten?' They are truly liars.
37:153 Has He chosen daughters above sons?
37:154 What ails you then, how you judge?
37:155 What, and will you not remember?
37:156 Or have you a clear authority?
37:157 Bring your Book, if you speak truly!
37:158 They have set up a kinship between Him and the jinn; and the jinn know that they shall be arraigned.
37:159 Glory be to God above that they describe,
37:160 except for God's sincere servants.
37:161 But as for you, and that you serve,
37:162 you shall not tempt any against Him
37:163 except him who shall roast in Hell.
37:164 None of us is there, but has a known station;
37:165 we are the rangers,
37:166 we are they that give glory.
37:167 What though they would say,
37:168 'If only we had had a Reminder from the ancients,
37:169 then were we God's sincere servants.'
37:170 But they disbelieved in it; soon they shall know!
37:171 Already Our Word has preceded to Our servants, the Envoys;
37:172 assuredly they shall be helped,
37:173 and Our host -- they are the victors.
37:174 So turn thou from them for a while,
37:175 and see them; soon they shall see!
37:176 What, do they seek to hasten Our chastisement?
37:177 When it lights in their courtyard, how evil will be the morning of them that are warned!
37:178 So turn thou from them for a while,
37:179 and see; soon they shall see!
37:180 Glory be to thy Lord, the Lord of Glory, above that they describe!
37:181 And peace be upon the Envoys;
37:182 and praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being.


   


Help keep this site active...
Join IslamAwakened
on Facebook
 		     Give us Feedback!



Share this Surah Translation on Facebook...





Have you visited
Muslimah Compass?



for Sisters, by Sisters