Surah “The Prophets”

as rendered by Zulfiquar Ali Bhotto — 112 verses

[Muhammad] was meant to be welcoming for the mankind, their tally [sum up of all their prophets] but they are in heedlessness turning away.
Any new [prophet, update] does not come to them from the reminder [explanations of all things] from their Lord except they listen to him while they are playing.
Frail are their hearts [to welcome Muhammad]. And they hide the private conversation, those who oppressed [saying], "Is this [man, Muhammad] except a humankind like you? Would you [people] then bring forth the witchcraft while you are seeing?"
[Prophet Muhammad] said, "My Lord knows the saying [the whole story of messengers vs oppressors] in the heaven and earth, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing."
No but is there! [e.g., the oppressors] said, "`A jumble of dreams,' `No but is there,' `He invented it,' `No but is there,' `He is a poet,' `So let him bring us about a sign like that the previous [ones] were sent [by],' `[etc]'."
Not a [single] city which We destroyed before them believed [sign as sign]. Will they then believe?
And We did not send before you, [O Muhammad], except men, We revealed to them. So ask [O pagans] to the people of the Reminder [Muslims] if you do not know.
And We did not make them [previous prophets] lifeless bodies not eating food, nor were they immortal.
Then We fulfilled for them [previous prophets] the promise, and We saved them and whom We willed [from their followers] while destroying the transgressors.
We have certainly sent down to you [O Mankind] a Book [Qur'an] wherein is your reminder [explanations of all things, starting from Qur'an 7:172]. Then will you not reason?
And so many a city which was unjust We have uprooted thereof [its people] and rooted thereafter another people.
And when they felt Our punishment [coming], actually they [tried to] flee from it.
[Some angels said], "Do not flee but return to what you luxuriated therein including your homes - so that you may be interrogated."
They said, "O woe to us! Indeed, we were oppressors."
And that cry of theirs did not cease until We made them extinguished harvest.
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them playfully.
If We desired to take to sport [Qur'an 21:16], certainly We would have taken that more than Our welcome [Qur'an 21:18], if We were to be performers.
No but is there [Qur'an 21:17]! We hurl with the truth against the falsehood, so it breaks the latter, then eventually it [falsehood] vanishes. And to you [people] is destruction for what you describe.
To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And whoever is at Him, they are not arrogant on His worship, nor do they tire [in their worship of Him].
They exalt [Him] the night and the day, they never slacken.
Or have they [oppressors, Qur'an 21:5] taken gods from the earth they raise [by gossip]?
Had there been in both of them [heavens and earth] gods except Allah, both of them would be ruined [as per destructive or constructive interferences]. So exalted is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
He [ Allah ] can not be questioned on what He does, but they will [all] be questioned.
Or have they taken other gods than Him? Say, [O Muhammad], "Produce your proof. This is a reminder of whoever is with me and a reminder of whoever was before me." No but is there! Most of them do not know the truth, so they are turning away.
And We did not send before you any messenger except We revealed to him there that, "There is no deity except I, so worship Me."
And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken a son." Far away is He from such. No but is there! [Messengers We send you by Shahih Muslim 169c, B. 1, H. 332 ] are honoured slaves.
They can not precede Him in the saying [Qur'an 43:45], and they work in His command.
He knows what is between their hands [their past] and what is behind them [their aftermath, Qur'an 9:30], and they cannot intercede except for whom He satisfied. And they are from fear of Him, apprehensive.
And whoever of them should say [in response to Qur'an 43:45, O Muhammad], "Indeed, I am a god other of, from, than, in, Him" then that We punish him in Hell. Thus We penalize the oppressors.
Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We ruptured them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?
And We set up in the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shake with them, and We made therein broad passes ways that they may be guided.
And We made the sky a protected roof, but they, from its signs, are turning away.
And He is the one who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; each swimming in an orbit [in His Throne's field].
And We did not place immortality to any humankind before you [O Muhammad, human was built to die]; so if you die, would they be immortal?
Every soul will taste death. And We try you [Mankind] with the evil and the good as a test [of your patience and thankfulness to Allah]; and to Us you will be returned.
And when those who disbelieved see you, [O Muhammad], left is nothing they take you there except ridicule: "Is this the one who mentions your gods?" And they are, in the mention of the Most Merciful, infidels.
Man was created of haste. I will show you [O mankind] My signs, so do not impatiently urge Me.
And they say, "When is that promise [to be fulfilled], if you should be truthful?"
If those who disbelieved knew the time when they will not stop the Fire from their faces or from their backs! And they will not be helped.
No but is there [they won't be helped]! It will come to them suddenly, so it will dumbfound them, and they will not be able to repel it, nor will they be given respite.
And certainly [witch crafting, demands of sign, kindship] was already ridiculed by messengers before you [O Muhammad] then overtook about, those who ridiculed [you, Qur'an 21:3-5] from them, what [messengers] were therein [witch crafting, demands of sign, kindship] ridiculing.
Say, "Who guards you by the night and the day from the Most Merciful?" No but is there [as proved in Qur'an 21:44]! They are, on the reminder of their Lord, turning away.
Or do they have gods to defend them other than Us? They are [even] not able to help themselves, nor can they be protected from Us.
No but is there [Qur'an 21:43]! We have granted good livelihood for these [pagans] and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. Then do they not see that We approach the land [of their Book, Qur'an 11:6], reducing it from its borders [provisions by calamities]? Is it they then the over-comers?
Say, "I only warn you by the revelation." But the deaf do not hear the call when in that [call] they are warned.
But if a whiff of the punishment of your Lord [i.e., a minor calamity] should touch them, they would surely cry, "O woe to us! Indeed, we were oppressors."
And We set the scales [bias], the justice [weights] for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be wronged a bit. And if there was [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring forth about that. And every reckoning [in the Book, Qur'an 11:6] suffices about Us as an accountant.
And We had already given Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and a reminder for the righteous
Who fear their Lord, [believe] in the unseen, and they are of the Hour apprehensive.
And this [Qur'an] is a blessed reminder which We have sent down. Then why are you [pagans] so distrustful to it [jumble of verses, Qur'an 21:5, it is rather of a structured orientation, explanations of all things]?
And We had certainly given Abraham his righteous guidance before, and We were about him well-Knowing
When he said to his father and his [pagan] people, "What are these, the statues which you are to them, so devoting?"
They said, "We found our fathers being worshipers to these."
He said, "You were certainly, you and your fathers, in obvious astray."
They said, "Have you come to us with the truth, or are you of those who play?"
He said, "No but is there. Your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the one who created them, and I, upon that, am of those who testify.
And by Allah, I will surely plan against your idols after you have gone way, turning away."
So he set all those idols to pieces, except a large one for them perhaps they may return to it.
They said, "Who has done this with our gods? Indeed, he is indeed of the oppressors."
They said, "We heard a young man mentioning them [these idols]. Surely he is called Abraham."
They said, "Then bring in him on the eyes of the people that they may testify."
They said, "Have you done this with our gods, O Abraham?"
He said, "No but is there. He did it, their largest one, this. So ask them [the largest one and the broken ones], if they should speak."
So they turned to themselves and said, "Indeed, you [Abraham and your people] are the oppressors."
Then they reversed themselves, [saying], "You have already known [O Abraham] that these do not speak!"
He said, "Then do you worship other than Allah that which neither benefits you a bit nor harms you?
Uff to you and to what you worship other than Allah. Then will you not be applying reason?"
They said, "Burn him and support your gods - if you are reacting."
Allah said, "O fire, be cool and peaceful upon Abraham."
And they intended about him a plan [to win], but We made them the greatest losers.
And We delivered him and Lot, to the land which We blessed concerning this [prepackaged delivery] for all peoples.
And We grant for him Isaac [as a son] and Jacob [as grandson] in addition, and We made all [of them] righteous.
And We made them leaders [Imams], they guided [their pupils] by Our command. And We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, establishment of the prayers, and giving of the zakah; and they were to Us worshippers.
And to Lot We gave authority and knowledge, and We saved him from the city that was committing nasty deeds. Indeed, they were a people of evil, defiantly disobedient.
And We admitted him into Our mercy. Indeed, he was of the righteous.
And [mention] Noah, when he called before, so We responded to him and saved him and his family from the greatest distress.
And We rescued him from the people who belied about Our signs. Indeed, they were a people of evil, so We drowned them, all together.
And [mention] David and Solomon, when they passed decision concerning the field - when the sheep of a people pastured in it [at night], and We were witness to their decision.
And We gave understanding of the case to Solomon, and to each We gave authority and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains to exalt [Us], along with David and [also] the birds. And We were doing [that].
And We taught him the making of coats of armour for you [people] to protect you from your [enemy in] battle. So will you then be grateful?
And for Solomon, the wind storming, blowing, proceeding by his command toward the land which We had blessed concerning this [prepacked controlling]. And We are ever, of every thing, Knowing.
And of the devils who dives towards it [the land] and works other than that a work. And We were to them a keeper.
And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful ones."
So We responded to him and removed what was with him of adversity. And We gave him [back] his family and the like thereof with them as mercy from Us and a reminder [explanations of things] for the worshippers.
And [mention] Ishmael and Idrees and Dhul-Kifl; all were of the patient ones.
And We admitted them to Our mercy. Indeed, they were of the righteous.
And [remember] Zun-nun, when he left in anger [his duty] and thought that We would not decree [any punishment for that] upon him. So he called out in the darknesses [of the sea, Qur'an 24:40, Qur'an 37:142-144] that: "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I was of the oppressors."
So We responded to him and saved him from the distress. And thus We do save the believers.
And [mention] Zechariah, when he called to his Lord, "My Lord, do not leave me alone [with no heir], while you are the best of inheritors."
So We responded to him, and We granted for him John, and amended for him his wife. Indeed, they were hastening in good deeds and supplicate to Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive.
And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity, so We blew therein [the heavenly food Qur'an 3:37] Our spirit [command of male-hood, affair of gender alteration, Qur'an 15:28- Qur'an 15:29], and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds.
Indeed this, your community, is one community, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.
And they divided their affair between themselves, [but] to Us everything will return.
So whoever does of the righteous deeds and he is a believer - no denial will there be for his effort, and indeed We are recording it for them.
And there is prohibition upon a city which We have destroyed that they [its inhabitants] shall not be returning
Until if Gog and Magog has been opened and they, from every hillside, descend
And the true promise has welcomed; so actually the eyes of those who disbelieved will be staring [in terror, saying], "O woe to us! We were already in heedlessness of this. No but is there! We were oppressors."
Indeed, you and whatever you are worshiping other than Allah are the firewood of Hell [Qur'an 2:24]. You [infidels and your deities, Qur'an 2:24] are coming to it.
If these were Gods, they would not have been coming to it, and all therein will abide for ever.
For them therein would be heavy sighing, and they will not hear therein.
Indeed, whomever for them has preceded from Us the best- those would be kept far away from hell.
They will not hear its hissing, and they shall be in whatever their souls desired, immortal.
The Dismay, the greatest one, will not sadden them, and the angels will receive them, [saying], "This is your Day which you have been promised"
The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a scroll for the books. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it, a promise upon Us. Indeed, We are doers.
And We have already decreed in the book [Al Zabor] after the reminder [explanations of all things] that My righteous slaves will inherit the earth.
Indeed, in this [man, Muhammad] surely is a sum up [of all prophets, Qur'an 21:1] for a worshipping people.
And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.
Say, "It is only revealed to me, your god is only One God; so will you be submitting [Muslims]?"
But if they turn away, then say, "I have announced upon you all equally. And I know nothing whether it is coming close by or far, what you are promised.
Indeed, He knows what is declared of the saying [Qur'an 21:3- Qur'an 21:4], and He knows what you subdue.
And I know not; perhaps it is a test for you and enjoyment for a time."
[The Prophet] has said, "My Lord, establish [Qur'an 21:110-111] in the truth. And our Lord is the Most Merciful, the one whose help is sought against what you describe."