Surah al-Anbiya` (The Prophets) - Talal Itani & AI (2025) Translation

21:1  The reckoning for humanity draws near, yet they turn away in heedlessness.

21:2  No new reminder comes to them from their Lord except that they listen to it while they play.

21:3  Their hearts are distracted. Those who do wrong whisper secretly, "Is this not just a man like you? Will you fall for magic with your eyes wide open?"

21:4  He said, "My Lord knows every word spoken in the heaven and the earth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."

21:5  They say, "Confused dreams!" Others say, "He made it up!" Others say, "He is a poet! Let him bring us a sign like those sent to the ancients."

21:6  Not one town We destroyed before them believed. Will these people believe?

21:7  We sent before you only men to whom We revealed. So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.

21:8  We did not give them bodies that needed no food, nor were they immortal.

21:9  Then We fulfilled Our promise to them, saving them and whoever We willed, and We destroyed the transgressors.

21:10  We have sent down to you a Book containing your reminder. Will you not reason?

21:11  How many wrongdoing towns have We shattered and raised up other peoples in their place.

21:12  When they sensed Our might, they fled from it.

21:13  Do not flee! Return to your luxuries and your homes, so that you may be questioned.

21:14  They cried, "Woe to us! We were wrongdoers!"

21:15  That remained their cry until We made them like a mown field, silent and still.

21:16  We did not create the heaven and the earth and everything between them for play.

21:17  If We had wished to take amusement, We would have found it within Ourselves, if We were to do so.

21:18  Rather, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes its skull, and it vanishes. Woe to you for what you ascribe.

21:19  To Him belongs everyone in the heavens and the earth. Those in His presence never grow too proud to worship Him, nor do they tire.

21:20  They glorify Him night and day, never pausing.

21:21  Or have they taken gods from the earth who can raise the dead?

21:22  If there were gods in the heavens and earth besides God, both would be ruined. Glory be to God, Lord of the Throne, far above what they describe.

21:23  He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.

21:24  Or have they taken gods besides Him? Say, "Bring your proof. This is the message of those with me and the message of those before me." But most of them do not know the truth, so they turn away.

21:25  We never sent a messenger before you except that We revealed to him: "There is no god but Me, so worship Me."

21:26  They say, "The Most Merciful has taken a son." Glory be to Him! Rather, they are honored servants.

21:27  They do not speak before He speaks, and they act only by His command.

21:28  He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for those He approves, and they tremble in awe of Him.

21:29  Whoever among them says, "I am a god besides Him," We will repay that one with Hell. That is how We repay the wrongdoers.

21:30  Do the disbelievers not see that the heavens and the earth were a joined mass, then We split them apart? And We made every living thing from water. Will they not believe?

21:31  We placed firm mountains on the earth so it would not shake with them, and We made in it wide pathways so they might find their way.

21:32  We made the sky a protected canopy, yet they turn away from its wonders.

21:33  He is the One who created the night and the day, the sun and the moon, each gliding in its own orbit.

21:34  We have not granted immortality to any human before you. So if you die, will they live forever?

21:35  Every soul will taste death. We test you with hardship and prosperity as a trial, and to Us you will be returned.

21:36  When those who disbelieve see you, they only mock you, saying, "Is this the one who speaks against your gods?" Yet they themselves reject any mention of the Most Merciful.

21:37  Man was created hasty. I will show you My signs, so do not rush Me.

21:38  They say, "When will this promise come to pass, if you are truthful?"

21:39  If only those who disbelieve knew the time when they will not be able to keep the Fire from their faces or their backs, and they will have no help.

21:40  No, it will come upon them suddenly and stun them. They will not be able to repel it, nor will they be given respite.

21:41  Messengers before you were mocked, but those who ridiculed them were engulfed by the very thing they mocked.

21:42  Say, "Who protects you by night and by day from the Most Merciful?" Yet they turn away from the remembrance of their Lord.

21:43  Or do they have gods that can defend them against Us? They cannot even help themselves, nor will they be protected from Us.

21:44  We gave these people and their ancestors enjoyment until life seemed long to them. Do they not see that We come to the land, shrinking it from its edges? Will they then prevail?

21:45  Say, "I warn you only through revelation." But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned.

21:46  If even a breath of your Lord's punishment touches them, they will surely cry, "Woe to us! We were wrongdoers!"

21:47  We will set up the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection, and no soul will be wronged in the least. Even if it is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. We are sufficient as reckoners.

21:48  We gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion, a light and a reminder for those who are mindful of God.

21:49  Those who fear their Lord in the unseen and dread the Hour.

21:50  This is a blessed reminder that We have sent down. Will you then deny it?

21:51  We gave Abraham his right guidance before, and We knew him well.

21:52  When he said to his father and his people, "What are these statues you are so devoted to?"

21:53  They said, "We found our fathers worshiping them."

21:54  He said, "You and your fathers have clearly been astray."

21:55  They said, "Have you come to us with the truth, or are you joking?"

21:56  He said, "No, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the One who created them, and I bear witness to that."

21:57  By God, I will plot against your idols after you turn your backs and leave.

21:58  So he smashed them to pieces, except for the largest one, so they might turn to it.

21:59  They said, "Who did this to our gods? He is truly a wrongdoer."

21:60  They said, "We heard a young man speaking against them. He is called Abraham."

21:61  They said, "Bring him before the eyes of the people so they may witness."

21:62  They said, "Did you do this to our gods, Abraham?"

21:63  He said, "No, this biggest one did it. Ask them, if they can speak."

21:64  They turned to themselves and said, "You yourselves are the wrongdoers."

21:65  Then they hung their heads and said, "You know well these cannot speak."

21:66  He said, "Do you then worship besides God what cannot benefit you at all or harm you?"

21:67  Shame on you and on what you worship besides God! Do you not reason?

21:68  They said, "Burn him and defend your gods, if you are going to act."

21:69  We said, "O fire, be cool and safe for Abraham."

21:70  They intended to harm him, but We made them the greatest losers.

21:71  We delivered him and Lot to the land We had blessed for all peoples.

21:72  We granted him Isaac, and Jacob as an additional gift, and We made each of them righteous.

21:73  We made them leaders guiding by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, the establishment of prayer, and the giving of charity. They were devoted worshipers of Us.

21:74  To Lot We gave judgment and knowledge, and We saved him from the town that practiced abominations. They were an evil, rebellious people.

21:75  We admitted him into Our mercy. He was truly among the righteous.

21:76  Noah called out before, and We answered him and saved him and his family from the great distress.

21:77  We helped him against the people who rejected Our signs. They were an evil people, so We drowned them all.

21:78  David and Solomon, when they judged concerning the field into which some people's sheep had strayed at night. We witnessed their judgment.

21:79  We gave Solomon the understanding of it, though to each We granted wisdom and knowledge. We made the mountains and the birds glorify Us along with David. We were the ones who did this.

21:80  We taught him the craft of making armor for you, to protect you from your own violence. Will you then be grateful?

21:81  To Solomon We subjected the raging wind, running by his command toward the land We had blessed. We have knowledge of all things.

21:82  Among the devils were those who dived for him and did other work besides. We kept watch over them.

21:83  Job, when he called out to his Lord, "Affliction has touched me, and You are the most merciful of the merciful."

21:84  So We answered him and removed the affliction that was upon him. We restored his family to him, and doubled their number as a mercy from Us and a reminder for the worshipers.

21:85  Ishmael, Idris, and Zul-Kifl, all were among the patient.

21:86  We admitted them into Our mercy. They were among the righteous.

21:87  Zul-Nun, when he left in anger and thought We would not decree anything upon him. Then he called out in the depths of darkness, "There is no god but You. Glory be to You. I was among the wrongdoers."

21:88  So We answered him and saved him from distress. This is how We save the believers.

21:89  Zechariah, when he called out to his Lord, "My Lord, do not leave me alone, and You are the best of inheritors."

21:90  So We answered him and granted him John, and We made his wife fit for bearing. They used to race toward good deeds and call upon Us with hope and fear, and they were humble before Us.

21:91  She who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our spirit and made her and her son a sign for all peoples.

21:92  This community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.

21:93  But they divided their affair among themselves. All will return to Us.

21:94  Whoever does righteous deeds while being a believer, their effort will not be denied. We are recording it for them.

21:95  It is forbidden for any town We have destroyed that they should ever return.

21:96  Until Gog and Magog are let loose and they swarm down from every hill.

21:97  The true promise draws near. Then the eyes of those who disbelieved will stare in horror: "Woe to us! We were heedless of this. No, we were wrongdoers."

21:98  You and what you worship besides God are fuel for Hell. You will enter it.

21:99  If these had been gods, they would not have entered it. All will remain in it forever.

21:100  They will groan in it, and they will hear nothing else.

21:101  Those for whom the best reward has preceded from Us, they will be kept far from it.

21:102  They will not hear its slightest sound, and they will dwell forever in what their souls desire.

21:103  The great terror will not grieve them, and the angels will receive them: "This is your Day that you were promised."

21:104  The Day We roll up the sky like a scroll rolls up writings. Just as We originated the first creation, We will bring it back. A promise binding upon Us. We will certainly do it.

21:105  We wrote in the Psalms, after the Reminder, that the earth will be inherited by My righteous servants.

21:106  In this is a message for a people who worship.

21:107  We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds.

21:108  Say, "It is only revealed to me that your God is one God. So will you submit?"

21:109  If they turn away, say, "I have warned you all equally. I do not know whether what you are promised is near or far."

21:110  He knows what is spoken aloud and He knows what you conceal.

21:111  I do not know if perhaps it is a trial for you and enjoyment for a time.

21:112  He said, "My Lord, judge with truth." Our Lord is the Most Merciful, the One whose help is sought against what you describe.