57:1  May whatever is of Heaven and Earth declare the praises and glory of Allah, for He is the Victorious, the Perfectly Wise!

57:2  To Him belongs the dominion of the skies 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 Obscure, and He is the All-knowing concerning everything.

57:4  It is He who has created the skies and Earth in six days and is ultimately established on the throne. He knows what penetrates the earth and what emerges from it, and what falls from the sky and what mounts up to it. And He is with you wherever you may be, and Allah observes all that you do.

57:5  To Him belongs the dominion of Heaven and Earth, and all affairs are referred back to Allah.

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

57:7  Believe in Allah and His messenger. Donate from the resources of which He has made you heirs. For those who believe and donate is a great reward.

57:8  For what reason would you not believe in Allah? The messenger invites you to believe in your Lord. (The Lord) has indeed made a covenant with you, if you are people of faith.

57:9  It is He who sends obvious signs to His servant. [With them] He may lead you from the depths of darkness into the light. Truly, Allah is to you Kindest, Most Merciful.

57:10  For what reason would you not spend in the cause of Allah? To Allah belongs the heritage of the skies and Earth. Those among you who spent and fought before the victory are not equal. They are higher in rank than those who spent and fought after [the victory]. But to all Allah has promised goodness. Allah is Fully Aware of all that you do.

57:11  Who will advance to Allah a beautiful loan? Allah will multiply it to his/her credit, and he/she will be rewarded liberally.

57:12  One day you will see the believing men and the believing women, how their light goes forth before them and from their right hands. “Good news for you this day: gardens beneath which rivers flow for your eternal dwelling.” That is indeed the biggest success story!

57:13  One day the male and female hypocrites will say to the believers, “Wait for us! Let us borrow from your [spiritual] light!” It will be said, “Get back to the rear, and then seek a light.” A wall will be placed between them, with a gate in it. On one side will be mercy, and on the other side will be punishment.

57:14  (Those on the punishment side) will call, “Were we not with you?” (Those receiving mercy) will reply, “Yes, but you led yourselves into temptation. You hesitated [in your faith]. You were in doubt [about Allah], and your desires deceived you. Finally, a command came from Allah. The deceiver deceived you concerning Allah.

57:15  This day no ransom will be accepted from you or anyone else who rejected faith. Your place is in the fire. That is your companion. It is a wretched destination!”

57:16  Has the time not arrived for all believers to engage their hearts in humility at the remembrance of Allah and of the truth that has been revealed? They should not become like those to whom the Book was given previously. Their hearts grew hard with the passage of time. Many among them are rebellious sinners.

57:17  Understand that Allah gives life to the earth after its death. We have already shown the signs plainly to you so you may understand.

57:18  Truly, for charitable men and women who loan to Allah a beautiful loan, there shall be multiple increases. They will have a generous reward.

57:19  Those who believe in Allah and His messengers are sincere and are witnesses in the sight of their Lord. They will have their reward and their [spiritual] light. Those who reject faith and deny Our signs, however, will be companions of Hell.

57:20  You must understand that the life of this world is only recreation and amusement, pageantry, and common bragging, and competition in increasing wealth and children. Consider this simile: Rain and the growth it causes delight the farmers, but soon (the growth) withers, and then you see it turning yellow until it crumbles. In the hereafter is a severe penalty or forgiveness from Allah and wonderful bliss. What is the life of this world but enjoyment and deception?

57:21  Compete for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, the width of which equates the skies and Earth and is prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. Such is the bounty of Allah, bestowed on whom He pleases, and Allah is the Owner of Abundance, the Magnificent.

57:22  No hardship happens on earth or in your souls except that which is recorded in a Book before We bring it into existence. [That is] an easy thing for Allah.

57:23  Therefore, you should not despair over missed (opportunities) or gloat over (blessings) bestowed upon you. Allah does not love arrogant boasters.

57:24  Such people are covetous and encourage materialism. If any retreat [from holiness], truly, Allah is Independent, the Praised One.

57:25  Previously, We sent our messengers with obvious signs and descended to them the Book and the criterion [laws and commandments] that people may stand on justice. We bestowed iron wherein is mighty power and other benefits for humanity, so that Allah may reveal who secretly wants to help Him and His messenger. Truly, Allah is Strongest, the Victorious.

57:26  We certainly sent Noah and Abraham. We established within their descendants the family of prophets and the Book. Among them were those rightly guided, but most of them were defiantly disobedient.

57:27  We sent Our messengers after their footsteps. We followed them with Jesus the son of Mary and bestowed on him the Gospel. We ordained within the hearts of his followers compassion and mercy, but (certain) followers made up the idea of monasticism [eg, celibacy and self-denial]. We did not prescribe that for them. We only commanded seeking the contentment of Allah, but they failed to observe that as they should have. Still, We rewarded the believers appropriately, but many are defiantly disobedient.

57:28  O Believers, fear Allah and believe in His messenger [Muhammed, in addition to Jesus], and He will bestow on you a double portion of His mercy. He will provide a light by which you can walk, and He will forgive you. Allah is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

57:29  The people of the Book should know that they have no monopoly over the grace of Allah. Grace is in Allah’s hand; He bestows it on whomever He will. Allah is the Lord of Abundant Grace.