Surah “Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn up in Ranks, The Rangers”

as rendered by N J Dawood (2014) — 182 verses

37:1
BY THOSE who range themselves in ranks
37:2
by those who cast out demons;¹
37:3
and by those who recite an Admonition
37:4
your God is One
37:5
the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them: the Lord of the Eastern Regions
37:6
We have decked the lower heaven with constellations
37:7
guarding it against every rebellious demon
37:8
so that they may not listen in to those on high. Meteors are hurled at them from every side
37:9
then, driven away, they are consigned to an eternal scourge
37:10
Eavesdroppers are pursued by fiery comets
37:11
Ask them if they deem themselves of a nobler make than the rest of Our creation. Of coarse clay We created them
37:12
You marvel, while they scoff
37:13
When they are warned they heed no warning
37:14
When they are shown a sign they mock at i
37:15
and say: ‘This is but sorcery manifest
37:16
What! When we have died and turned to dust and bones, shall we be raised to life
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we and our forefathers?‘
37:18
Say: ‘Yes. And you shall be utterly humbled.‘
37:19
One blast will sound, and they shall see it all
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Woe betide us!‘ they will say. ‘This is the Day of Reckoning
37:21
this is the Judgement-day which you denied.‘
37:22
But We shall say: ‘Herd up the sinners, their spouses, and the deities they worshippe
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besides God, and lead them to the path of Hell
37:24
Hold them there for questioning
37:25
What has come over you that you cannot help each other?‘
37:26
But on that day they will submit
37:27
They will reproach each other
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saying: ‘You have imposed upon us!‘―
37:29
‘No! It was you who would not be believers
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We had no power over you: you were sinners all
37:31
Just is the verdict Our Lord has passed upon us; we shall surely taste the scourge
37:32
We seduced you, but we ourselves have been seduced.‘
37:33
On that day they will all share in the torment
37:34
Thus shall We deal with the wrongdoers
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for when they were told: ‘There is no deity but God,‘ they said with scorn
37:36
‘Are we to renounce our gods for the sake of a mad poet?‘
37:37
Surely he has brought the Truth, confirming those who were sent before
37:38
You shall all taste the grievous torment
37:39
you shall be requited only according to your deeds
37:40
But God‘s true servant
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shall be well provided for
37:42
feasting on fruit, and honoure
37:43
in the Gardens of Delight
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Reclining face to face upon soft couches
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there shall be passed among them a goblet filled at a gushing fountain
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white, and delicious to those who drink it
37:47
It will neither dull their senses nor befuddle them
37:48
They shall sit with bashful, dark-eyed virgins
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as chaste as hidden pearls.¹
37:50
With questions they will approach each other
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One will say: ‘I had a friend who used to say
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"Do you really believe
37:53
When we have died and turned to dust and bones, shall we ever be brought to judgement?"‘
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And he will say: ‘Come, will you look down.‘
37:55
He will look down and see his friend in the very midst of Hell
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By the Lord,‘ he will say, ‘you almost ruined me
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But for the grace of my Lord I should have surely been summoned myself
37:58
Shall we never die again
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having died once, and shall we never be scourged at all?‘
37:60
Surely that is the supreme triumph
37:61
To this end let everyone labour
37:62
Is this not a better welcome than the Zaqqūm tree
37:63
We have made this tree a scourge for the unjust
37:64
It grows in the nethermost part of Hell
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bearing fruit like demons‘ heads
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on it they shall feed, and with it they shall cram their bellies
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together with draughts of scalding water
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Then to Hell shall they surely return
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They found their fathers erring
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yet they eagerly followed in their footsteps
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Most of the ancients went astray before them
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though We had sent emissaries to give them warning
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So consider the fate of those who had been warned
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except God‘s true servants
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Noah called to Us, and he was graciously answered
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We delivered him, and his household, from the great calamity
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and made his descendants the sole survivors
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We bestowed on him the praise of later generations
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Peace be on Noah among all mankind!‘
37:80
Thus do We reward the righteous
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he was one of Our believing servants
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The others We peremptorily drowned
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Of the self-same faith was Abraham
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who came to his Lord with a pure heart
37:85
He said to his father and to his people: ‘What are these that you worship
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Would you serve false deities instead of God
37:87
What think you of the Lord of the Universe?‘
37:88
He lifted up his eyes to the star
37:89
and said: ‘I am sick!‘
37:90
And his people turned their backs and went off
37:91
He stole away to their idols and said: ‘Will you not eat
37:92
Why do you not speak?‘
37:93
With that he fell upon them, striking them down with his right hand
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The people came running to the scene
37:95
‘Would you worship that which you have carved with your own hands,‘ he said
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‘when it was God who created you and all that you have made?‘
37:97
They said: ‘Build up a pyre and cast him into the blazing hell.‘
37:98
Thus did they scheme against him: but We abased them all
37:99
He said: ‘I will take refuge with my Lord; He will give me guidance
37:100
Lord, grant me a righteous son.‘
37:101
We gave him joyful tidings of a gentle son
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And when he reached the age when he could work with him, his father said to him: ‘My son, I dreamt that I was sacrificing you. Tell me what you think.‘ He said: ‘Father, do as you are bidden. God willing, you shall find me steadfast.‘
37:103
And when they had both submitted, and he had laid him down upon his brow
37:104
We called out to him, saying: ‘Abraham
37:105
you have confirmed the vision.‘ Thus do We reward the righteous
37:106
That was indeed the veritable test
37:107
We ransomed him with a noble sacrific
37:108
and left for him the praise of later generations
37:109
‘Peace be on Abraham!‘
37:110
Thus do We reward the righteous
37:111
He was one of Our believing servants
37:112
We gladdened him with news of Isaac, a saintly prophet
37:113
and blessed him and Isaac. Among their descendants were some who did good works and some who clearly sinned against their souls
37:114
We showed favour to Moses and to Aaron
37:115
and delivered them both, with their people, from the great calamity
37:116
We succoured them, and it was they who were the victors
37:117
We gave them the Illuminating Boo
37:118
and guided them to the straight path
37:119
We left for them both the praise of later generations
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Peace be on Moses and Aaron!‘
37:121
Thus do We reward the righteous
37:122
They were two of Our believing servants
37:123
Elias¹ also was one of those sent forth
37:124
He said to his people: ‘Have you no fear
37:125
Have you no fear? Would you invoke Baal and forsake the most gracious of creators
37:126
God is your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.‘
37:127
But they rejected him, and will thus be called to account
37:128
Not so God‘s true servants
37:129
We bestowed on him the praise of later generations
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Peace be on Elias!‘
37:131
Thus do We reward the righteous
37:132
He was one of Our believing servants
37:133
Lot also was one of those sent forth
37:134
We delivered him and his kindred all
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except for an old woman who stayed behind
37:136
and utterly destroyed the others
37:137
You pass by their ruins in the morning
37:138
and at night: have you no sense
37:139
Jonah was also one of those sent forth
37:140
He fled to the laden ship
37:141
cast lots, and was condemned
37:142
The whale swallowed him, for he had sinned
37:143
and had he not devoutly praised the Lor
37:144
he would have stayed in its belly till the Day of Resurrection
37:145
We cast him, gravely ill, upon a desolate shor
37:146
and caused a gourd-tree to grow over him
37:147
We sent him to a hundred thousand, or even more
37:148
they believed in him, and We let them live in ease for a certain time
37:149
Ask them if it be true that your Lord has daughters, and they sons
37:150
Or did We create the angels females; and were they witnesses
37:151
Surely they lie when they assert
37:152
God has given birth.‘
37:153
Would He choose daughters, rather than sons
37:154
What has come over you that you should so judge
37:155
Will you not take thought
37:156
Have you a veritable proof
37:157
Bring us your scripture, if what you say be true
37:158
They assert kinship between Him and the jinn. But the jinn well know that they will be called up to account
37:159
Exalted be God above their imputations
37:160
Not so God‘s true servants
37:161
Neither you nor your idol
37:162
shall deceive any about Go
37:163
save him who is destined to be burnt in Hell
37:164
We¹ each have our appointed place
37:165
It is we who range ourselves in ranks
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and we are they that give glory
37:167
And they say
37:168
Had we received an Admonition from the ancients
37:169
we would have become God‘s true servants.‘
37:170
Yet they disbelieve; and they shall learn
37:171
Before then We promised Our servants who were sent fort
37:172
they would be helped
37:173
and Our armies would surely be the victors
37:174
So pay no heed to them awhile
37:175
you will surely see their downfall as they shall see your triumph
37:176
Do they wish to hurry on Our scourge
37:177
Evil shall be that morning when it smites them in their courtyards, forewarned though they have been
37:178
So pay no heed to them awhile
37:179
You will surely see their downfall as they shall see your triumph
37:180
Exalted be your Lord, the Lord of Glory, above their imputations
37:181
And peace be on those who were sent forth
37:182
and praise to God, Lord of the Universe