38:1  Ss, and the Quran containing the Reminder;

38:2  yet those who disbelieved are immersed in vainglory and opposition.

38:3  How many a generation We have annihilated before them! They called out when it was too late to escape.

38:4  And they were astonished that a warner had come to them from among themselves. The disbelievers said, "This is a lying magician.

38:5  Has he turned all the gods into One God? This is indeed a strange thing!"

38:6  The leaders among them went off, saying, "Go and persevere with your gods. This is what is desired.

38:7  We have not heard of this in the previous creed. This is merely a fabrication.

38:8  Has the Reminder been sent down upon him in exclusion of all of us?" In fact, they are in doubt about My Reminder. In fact, they are yet to taste My punishment.

38:9  Or do they possess the treasuries of your Lord's mercy, the Dignified, the Grantor?

38:10  Or do they possess the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and what is between them? Let them then ascend through the pathways!

38:11  Whatever confederates of soldiers are there will be defeated.

38:12  The people of Noah denied before them, so did Aad, and Pharaoh of the stakes,

38:13  and Thamoud, and the people of Lot, and the Companions of the Woods. Those were the factions.

38:14  Each of them denied the messengers, and so My punishment was justly deserved.

38:15  These await nothing other than a single blast, from which none can recover.

38:16  They said, "Our Lord, hasten for us our share before the Day of Reckoning."

38:17  Be patient in the face of what they say, and mention Our servant David, the possessor of strength, he was always turning to his Lord.

38:18  We subjected the mountains to glorify with him in the evening and at sunrise.

38:19  And the birds gathered, all turning to him.

38:20  We strengthened his sovereignty and endowed him with wisdom and decisive speech.

38:21  Have you received news of the disputants when they climbed over the wall into the sanctuary?

38:22  When they entered upon David, he was alarmed by them. They said, "Do not fear. We are two disputants; one of us has wronged the other, so judge between us with truth and do not be unjust, and guide us to the right path.

38:23  This is my brother, he has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe. He said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he pressured me with his request."

38:24  He said, "He has wronged you by asking to add your ewe to his, and indeed, many associates end up wronging one another, except for those who believe and do good deeds, but these are only a few." David realised that We had tested him, so he asked his Lord for forgiveness and bowed down and turned to Him.

38:25  So We forgave him that, and indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a wonderful homecoming.

38:26  "O David, We have made you a supreme ruler in the earth, so judge between people with truth. And do not follow personal desire lest it diverts you from the path of God. Those who stray off the path of God shall have a severe punishment for forgetting the Day of Reckoning."

38:27  We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain. Such is the thinking of those who disbelieve. So woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.

38:28  Should We deem those who believe and do good deeds to be like the corruptors in the earth? Or should We deem the reverent to be like the depraved?

38:29  It is a blessed Book that We brought down to you so that they would reflect on its verses, and so that those who possess intelligence would be reminded.

38:30  To David We granted Solomon, an excellent servant indeed who always turned to his Lord.

38:31  When the thoroughbred horses were displayed before him in the evening,

38:32  he said, "I loved the material things over the remembrance of my Lord until it disappeared behind the veil.

38:33  Bring them back to me." He then started stroking their legs and necks.

38:34  We have tested Solomon, and We placed a corpse on his seat whereby he turned to Us in repentance.

38:35  He said, "My Lord, forgive me, and grant me a sovereignty never to be attained by anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Grantor."

38:36  So, We subjected the wind to blow gently at his command, wherever he directed it.

38:37  And of the devils, every builder and diver,

38:38  and others bound together in chains.

38:39  "This is Our donation, so you may grant favour or withhold without accountability."

38:40  And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a wonderful homecoming.

38:41  And mention Our servant Job, when he called out to his Lord, "The devil has afflicted me with hardship and suffering."

38:42  "Stomp with your foot: here is a cool wash and a drink."

38:43  We restored his family unto him and added their like with them as an act of mercy from Us and a reminder for those who possess intelligence.

38:44  "Take in your hand a bundle of twigs and strike with it, and do not break your oath." We found him to be patient and an excellent servant indeed. He was always turning to his Lord.

38:45  And mention Our servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were possessors of strength and vision.

38:46  We distinguished them with a pure quality: the remembrance of the Abode.

38:47  To Us, they were among the best of the chosen ones.

38:48  And mention Ishmael, Elisha, and Ezekiel; all of whom were among the best.

38:49  This is a Reminder, and indeed, the reverent shall have a wonderful homecoming:

38:50  the Gardens of Eden, with its gates opened for them.

38:51  Reclining therein, they call for plenty of fruits and drinks therein.

38:52  There with them shall be maidens of same-age and with subdued glances.

38:53  That is what you are promised for the Day of Reckoning.

38:54  Such is Our provision which will never run out.

38:55  That and the transgressors shall have the worst homecoming.

38:56  Hell is where they will roast. What a miserable resting place!

38:57  Such is that; so let them taste it: a boiling drink and filthy pus,

38:58  and other types of the same kind.

38:59  "This is a group hurtling in with you." There is no welcome for them. They will roast in the Fire.

38:60  They said, "Rather, it is you who have no welcome. It was you who brought it upon us! What a miserable resting place!"

38:61  They said, "Our Lord, for those who brought this upon us, increase their punishment twice over in the Fire."

38:62  And they said, "How come we do not see some men whom we considered to be among the wicked?

38:63  Have we ridiculed them unnecessarily, or has our sight merely failed to spot them here?"

38:64  This is certainly true; the feuding of the companions of the Fire.

38:65  Say, "I am but a warner, and there is no god except God, the One, the All-Conquering.

38:66  The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, the Dignified, the Forgiving."

38:67  Say, "It is awesome news

38:68  from which you turn away.

38:69  I had no knowledge of the Highest Assembly when they quarrelled.

38:70  It is only inspired to me that I am a clear warner."

38:71  When your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being from clay,

38:72  then once I have fashioned him and blown into him from My Ruh, you shall fall prostrate to him,"

38:73  the angels fell prostrate, all of them entirely,

38:74  except for Satan. He acted arrogantly and was one of the disbelievers.

38:75  He said, "O Satan, what prevented you from prostrating to what I created with My hands? Have you acted arrogantly, or are you one of the exalted?"

38:76  He said, "I am better than him; You created me from fire and created him from clay."

38:77  He said, "Then get out of it, for you are outcast.

38:78  And indeed, My curse is upon you until the Day of the Religion."

38:79  He said, "My Lord, then grant me respite until the Day they are resurrected."

38:80  He said, "You are among those granted respite

38:81  until the Day whose time is known."

38:82  He said, "By Your majesty, I will lead them all astray,

38:83  except for Your purified servants among them."

38:84  He said, "By the truth, and the truth is what I speak,

38:85  I will fill Hell with you and every one of them who follows you."

38:86  Say, "I do not ask you for a reward for it, nor am I one of the pretenders.

38:87  It is but a Reminder for all the people,

38:88  and you will certainly understand its significance after a while.