38:1  Suad, I swear by the Quran, full of admonition

38:2  Nay! those who disbelieve are in self-exaltation and opposition

38:3  How many did We destroy before them of the generations, then they cried while the time of escaping had passed away

38:4  And they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves, and the disbelievers say: This is an enchanter, a liar

38:5  What! makes he the gods a single Allah? A strange thing is this, to be sure

38:6  And the chief persons of them break forth, saying: Go and steadily adhere to your gods; this is most surely a thing sought after

38:7  We never heard of this in the former faith; this is nothing but a forgery

38:8  Has the reminder been revealed to him from among us? Nay! they are in doubt as to My reminder. Nay! they have not yet tasted My chastisement

38:9  Or is it that they have the treasures of the mercy of your Lord, the Mighty, the great Giver

38:10  Or is it that theirs is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them? Then let them ascend by an

38:11  A host of deserters of the allies shall be here put to flight

38:12  The people of Nuh and Ad, and Firon, the lord of spikes, rejected (messengers) before them

38:13  And Samood and the people of Lut and the dwellers of the thicket; these were the parties

38:14  There was none of them but called the messengers liars, so just was My retribution

38:15  Nor do these await aught but a single cry, there being no delay in it

38:16  And they say: O our Lord! hasten on to us our portion before the day of reckoning

38:17  Bear patiently what they say, and remember Our servant Dawood, the possessor of power; surely he was frequent in returning (to Allah)

38:18  Surely We made the mountains to sing the glory (of Allah) in unison with him at the evening and the sunrise

38:19  And the birds gathered together; all joined in singing with him

38:20  And We strengthened his kingdom and We gave him wisdom and a clear judgment

38:21  And has there come to you the story of the litigants, when they made an entry into the private chamber by ascending over the walls

38:22  When they entered in upon Dawood and he was frightened at them, they said: Fear not; two litigants, of whom one has acted wrongfully towards the other, therefore decide between us with justice, and do not act unjustly, and guide us to the right way

38:23  Surely this is my brother; he has ninety-nine ewes and I have a single ewe; but he said: Make it over to me, and he has prevailed against me in discourse

38:24  He said: Surely he has been unjust to you in demanding your ewe (to add) to his own ewes; and most surely most of the partners act wrongfully towards one another, save those who believe and do good, and very few are they; and Dawood was sure that We had tried him, so he sought the protection of his Lord and he fell down bowing and turned time after time (to Him)

38:25  Therefore We rectified for him this, and most surely he had a nearness to Us and an excellent resort

38:26  o Dawood! surely We have made you a ruler in the land; so judge between men with justice and do not follow desire, lest it should lead you astray from the path of Allah; (as for) those who go astray from the path of Allah, they shall surely have a severe punishment because they forgot the day of reckoning

38:27  And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain; that is the opinion of those who disbelieve then woe to those who disbelieve on account of the fire

38:28  Shall We treat those who believe and do good like the mischief-makers in the earth? Or shall We make those who guard (against evil) like the wicked

38:29  (It is) a Book We have revealed to you abounding in good that they may ponder over its verses, and that those endowed with understanding may be mindful

38:30  And We gave to Dawood Sulaiman, most excellent the servant! Surely he was frequent in returning (to Allah)

38:31  When there were brought to him in the evening (horses) still when standing, swift when running-

38:32  Then he said: Surely I preferred the good things to the remembrance of my Lord-- until the sun set and time for Asr prayer was over, (he said)

38:33  Bring them back to me; so he began to slash (their) legs and necks

38:34  And certainly We tried Sulaiman, and We put on his throne a (mere) body, so he turned (to Allah)

38:35  He said: My Lord! do Thou forgive me and grant me a kingdom which is not fit for (being inherited by) anyone after me

38:36  Then We made the wind subservient to him; it made his command to run gently wherever he desired

38:37  And the shaitans, every builder and diver

38:38  And others fettered in chains

38:39  This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning

38:40  And most surely he had a nearness to Us and an excellent resort

38:41  And remember Our servant Ayyub, when he called upon his Lord: The Shaitan has afflicted me with toil and torment

38:42  Urge with your foot; here is a cool washing-place and a drink

38:43  And We gave him his family and the like of them with them, as a mercy from Us, and as a reminder to those possessed of understanding

38:44  And take in your hand a green branch and beat her with It and do not break your oath; surely We found him patient; most excellent the servant! Surely he was frequent in returning (to Allah)

38:45  And remember Our servants Ibrahim and Ishaq and Yaqoub, men of power and insight

38:46  Surely We purified them by a pure quality, the keeping in mind of the (final) abode

38:47  And most surely they were with Us, of the elect, the best

38:48  And remember Ismail and Al-Yasha and Zulkifl; and they were all of the best

38:49  This is a reminder; and most surely there is an excellent resort for those who guard (against evil)

38:50  The gardens of perpetuity, the doors are opened for them

38:51  Reclining therein, calling therein for many fruits and drink

38:52  And with them shall be those restraining their eyes, equals in age

38:53  This is what you are promised for the day of reckoning

38:54  Most surely this is Our sustenance; it shall never come to an end

38:55  This (shall be so); and most surely there is an evil resort for the inordinate ones

38:56  Hell; they shall enter it, so evil is the resting-place

38:57  This (shall be so); so let them taste it, boiling and intensely cold (drink)

38:58  And other (punishment) of the same kind-- of various sorts

38:59  This is an army plunging in without consideration along with you; no welcome for them, surely they shall enter fire

38:60  They shall say: Nay! you-- no welcome to you: you did proffer it to us, so evil is the resting-place

38:61  They shall say: Our Lord! whoever prepared it first for us, add Thou to him a double chastisement in the fire

38:62  And they shall say: What is the matter with us that we do not see men whom we used to count among the vicious

38:63  Was it that we (only) took them in scorn, or have our eyes (now) turned aside from them

38:64  That most surely is the truth: the contending one with another of the inmates of the fire

38:65  Say: I am only a warner, and there is no god but Allah, the One, the Subduer (of all)

38:66  The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, the Mighty, the most Forgiving

38:67  Say: It is a message of importance

38:68  (And) you are turning aside from it

38:69  I had no knowledge of the exalted chiefs when they contended

38:70  Naught is revealed to me save that I am a plain warner

38:71  When your Lord said to the angels; Surely I am going to create a mortal from dust

38:72  So when I have made him complete and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down making obeisance to him

38:73  And the angels did obeisance, all of them

38:74  But not Iblis: he was proud and he was one of the unbelievers

38:75  He said: O Iblis! what prevented you that you should do obeisance to him whom I created with My two hands? Are you proud or are you of the exalted ones

38:76  He said: I am better than he; Thou hast created me of fire, and him Thou didst create of dust

38:77  He said: Then get out of it, for surely you are driven away

38:78  And surely My curse is on you to the day of judgment

38:79  He said: My Lord! then respite me to the day that they are raised

38:80  He said: Surely you are of the respited ones

38:81  Till the period of the time made known

38:82  He said: Then by Thy Might I will surely make them live an evil life, all

38:83  Except Thy servants from among them, the purified ones

38:84  He said: The truth then is and the truth do I speak

38:85  That I will most certainly fill hell with you and with those among them who follow you, all

38:86  Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; nor am I of those who affect

38:87  It is nothing but a reminder to the nations

38:88  And most certainly you will come to know about it after a time