025 Al-Furqaan

He to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth, Who has never begotten a son, and has no partner in His dominion. He has created everything and measured it precisely.

They have taken besides Him other gods who can create nothing but are themselves created. Nor do they have the power to harm or benefit themselves, nor do they have the power to cause death, give life or resurrect the dead.

Those who disbelieve say, “This [Qur’an] is nothing but a lie which he has fabricated, with the help of other people.” What they claim is totally unjust and false.

And they say, “Ancient fables which he has written down; they are dictated to him morning and evening.”

Say, “It has been sent down by the One Who knows the secrets of the heavens and earth. He is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

And they say, “What kind of messenger is this who eats food and walks in the markets?[2] If only an angel had been sent down to him to be a warner with him,

Translation notes: [2] i.e., He is just a human being like us.

or a treasure had been cast down to him, or he had a garden to eat from it.” The wrongdoers say, “You are following none but a bewitched man.”

See how they call you names[3]. Thus they have gone astray and cannot find a way.

Translation notes: [3] Such as a magician, a poet, a liar, a madman, and a bewitched.

Blessed is He Who, if He wills, could give you better than that: gardens under which rivers flow, and could give you palaces.

But they deny the Hour, and We have prepared for those who deny the Hour[4] a Blazing Fire.

Translation notes: [4] i.e., the Resurrection Day.

When it sees them from a far distance, they will hear its raging and roaring.

And when they are thrown into a narrow space therein, chained together, they will cry out for death.

Do not cry out this Day for death only once, but cry out many times.”

Say, “Is that better or the Eternal Paradise which has been promised to the righteous?” It will be as a reward for them and as a final destination.

They will have there whatever they wish for, abiding therein forever. That is a promise that your Lord has taken upon Himself.”

On the Day when He will gather them along with those whom they worshiped besides Allah[5], He will say, “Did you mislead these slaves of Mine, or did they stray from the right way on their own?”

Translation notes: [5] i.e., Jesus, angels, pious men, saints, etc.

They will say, “Glory be to You! It was not for us to take besides You any guardians. But You provided for them and their forefathers pleasures, until they forgot the message, for they were a ruined people.”

Thus they will deny all what you say[6], so you cannot avert [punishment] nor can you get any help. Whoever among you does wrong[7], We will make him taste a great punishment.

Translation notes: [6] i.e., False gods will deny their worshipers on the Day of Judgment. [7] i.e., associate partners with Allah.

We did not send any messengers before you [O Prophet] except that they ate food and walked in the markets. We have made some of you as a trial for others. Will you have patience? For your Lord is All-Seeing.

Those who do not expect to meet Us say, “Why are angels not sent down to us or why do we not see our Lord?” They have been too proud of themselves, and have transgressed immensely.

On the Day when they see the angels[8], there will be no glad tidings for the wicked, and [the angels] will say, “Absolutely forbidden for you[9].”

Translation notes: [8] i.e., upon death, after death, upon resurrection, etc. [9] Referring to all good things.

We will turn to whatever deeds they did and turn them into scattered dust[10].

Translation notes: [10] Good deeds of the disbelievers will be of no avail to them on Judgment Day, such as charity, due to their disbelief and denial of the afterlife.

On that Day the people of Paradise will have the best abode and the finest resting place.

On the Day when the sky will split asunder with clouds, and the angels will be sent down in succession.

The true dominion on that Day belongs to the Most Compassionate[11], and it will be a hard day for the disbelievers.

Translation notes: [11] On Judgment Day the whole authority will be for Allah alone; whereas, in this world, Allah gave some authority to kings, rulers, etc.

On that Day, the wrongdoer will bite his hands saying, “Would that I had taken a way with the Messenger[12]!

Translation notes: [12] i.e., followed the Prophet (ﷺ).

Woe to me! Would that I had not taken so-and-so[13] as a close friend!

Translation notes: [13] i.e., the one who misguided him.

He led me astray from the Reminder[14] after it had come to me.” Satan always betrays man[15].

Translation notes: [14] i.e., the Qur’an or Allah’s remembrance. [15] Forsakes him after leading him into evil.

The Messenger said, “O my Lord, my people have taken this Qur’an as a thing to be abandoned[16].”

Translation notes: [16] i.e., not reading it; not listening to it; not understanding it; not living by it; not conveying it to others; preferring something else to it, etc.

Thus did we assign for every prophet an enemy from among the wicked, but your Lord is sufficient as a Guide and Helper.

Those who disbelieve say, “Why was the Qur’an not sent down to him all at once?” [We sent it] in this way so that We may strengthen your heart thereby, and We have revealed it in a gradual manner.

Whenever they bring you an argument, We bring you the truth and the best explanation.

Those who will be dragged on their faces to Hell – they will be in the worst position and farthest astray from the right path.

We gave Moses the Scripture and appointed along with him his brother Aaron as a helper.

We said, “Go, both of you, to the people who have rejected Our signs[17].” Then We destroyed them utterly.

Translation notes: [17] i.e., the divine teachings reached them through Prophet Jacob and Joseph, and the righteous people of Israel.

Also the people of Noah, when they rejected the messengers[18], We drowned them and made them an example for mankind. And We have prepared for the wrongdoers a painful punishment.

Translation notes: [18] Denial of Noah was equal to denying all of Allah’s messengers.

Also [We destroyed] ‘Ād and Thamūd, and the people of the Well[19], and many generations between them.

Translation notes: [19] i.e., people of prophet Shuʿayb, or those mentioned in Surah Yā Sīn (36:13-29), or a tribe of Thamūd, etc. Rass (lit., well); for they killed their prophet by throwing him into or hanging him down an old or dry well. (Well)

To each We gave examples [of the previous nations], and each We destroyed completely.

They have surely passed by the town[20] that was destroyed by a terrible rain [of stones]. Have they not seen it? But they do not expect to be resurrected[21].

Translation notes: [20] i.e., the city of Sodom; the people of Prophet Lot. [21] So they do not take lessons from the doom of the past nations.

When they see you [O Prophet], they only ridicule you, “Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a messenger?

He would have almost led us astray from our gods if we had not been so devoted to them.” But when they see the punishment, they will come to know who is further astray from the right way.

Have you [O Prophet] seen the one who takes his desire as his god, will you then be a keeper over him?

Do you think that most of them hear or understand?[22] They are just like cattle[23], rather they are further astray from the right way.

Translation notes: [22] They follow others blindly. [23] i.e., like livestock or sheep, that follow without asking wherever they are led.

Do you not see how your Lord extends the shade? If He had willed, He could have made it still. Then We made the sun an indication of it[24].

Translation notes: [24] i.e., indication for its existence or making it apparent.

Then We gradually draw it towards Us [i.e., Then the sun climbs up]?

It is He Who has made the night as a garment[25] for you, and made sleep for rest; and has made daytime for returning to life[26].

Translation notes: [25] It covers you in darkness and provides rest. [26] To return to your livelihood and activity.

It is He Who sends the winds as harbingers before His mercy, and We send down from the sky pure water,

so that We may revive therewith a dead land, and quench the thirst of countless beasts and humans We have created.

We distribute it among them so that they may take heed[27], but most people persist in their ingratitude.

Translation notes: [27] Such as Allah’s ability to bring the dead to life.

If We had willed, We could have sent to each town a warner[28].

Translation notes: [28] But instead, Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as the final messenger for all people.

So do not obey the disbelievers, but strive against them with this [Qur’an] a great striving.

It is He Who merges the two bodies of water: one fresh and palatable and the other salty and bitter, and He has made between them a barrier and an insurmountable partition[29].

Translation notes: [29] When salt and fresh waters meet, although both mix together, each still keeps its distinctive qualities, as if a barrier prevents them from mixing completely.

It is He Who created human beings from water[30], then made between them bonds of kinship and marriage, for your Lord is Most Capable.

Translation notes: [30] i.e., the zygote (the mixture of sperm and egg).

Yet they worship besides Allah that which can neither benefit nor harm them; the disbeliever always collaborates against his Lord[31].

Translation notes: [31] i.e., helping and defending those who rebel against Allah.

We have not sent you [O Prophet] except as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.

Say, “I do not ask you for any reward for it, except that anyone who wishes to take a path to his Lord[32].”

Translation notes: [32] By spending in the way of Allah.

Put your trust in the Ever-Living Who never dies, and glorify Him with praise. He is Sufficient as All-Aware of the sins of His slaves –

it is He Who created the heavens and earth and all that is between them in six Days[33], then rose over the Throne[34]. He is the Most Compassionate, so ask about Him the One Who is All-Aware.

Translation notes: [33] The "six Days" does not necessarily mean six 24 hours of time; for a heavenly Day is 1,000 years of our time. (see 22:47), whereas the Day of Judgment will be 50,000 years of our time (see 70:4). Hence, its duration is only known to Allah. [34] See footnote 7:54.

When it is said to them, “Prostrate to the Most Compassionate,” they say, “What is ‘the Most Compassionate?’ Shall we prostrate to what you order us?” And it only increases their aversion.

Blessed is He Who placed in the sky constellations and placed therein a radiant lamp[35] and a luminous moon.

Translation notes: [35] i.e., the sun.

It is He Who made the night and the day to follow each other so that everyone who wishes may reflect or become grateful.

The slaves of the Most Compassionate are those who walk on earth humbly[36], and when the ignorant address them, they only say words of peace[37];

Translation notes: [36] i.e., without arrogance, but with dignity. [37] i.e., words free from evil.

and those who spend the night prostrating and standing before their Lord;

and those who say, “Our Lord, turn the punishment of Hell away from us, for its punishment is unrelenting[38].”

Translation notes: [38] i.e., ever adhering.

It is an evil place to settle and an evil abode.”

And those who neither spend wastefully nor stingily, but are moderate between them;

and those who do not invoke besides Allah another god, and who do not kill a soul whom Allah has forbidden, except in the course of justice, and who do not commit adultery, for whoever does any of this will face the penalty,

the punishment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, wherein he will remain disgraced forever,

except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds; for them Allah will change their evil deeds into good deeds, for Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Whoever repents and does righteous deeds has turned to Allah with sincere repentance.

And those who do not witness falsehood[39], and when they pass by futility, they pass by with dignity;

Translation notes: [39] i.e., places of sin, evil, and indecency.

and those who, when they are reminded of the verses of their Lord, they do not turn a deaf ear or a blind eye to them;

and those who say, “Our Lord, let our spouses and children be a source of joy for us[40], and make us good examples for the righteous.”

Translation notes: [40] i.e., a source of happiness for their righteousness and adhering to a straight path.

It is they who will be rewarded with high palaces [in Paradise] for their perseverance, and they will be received therein with salutations and greetings of peace,

abiding therein forever. What an excellent abode and a resting place!

Say [O Prophet], “My Lord would not care at all about you, were it not for your supplication[41]. Now since you have rejected [the truth], the inevitable is bound to come[42].”

Translation notes: [41] i.e., faith and worship. [42] Or it will be adhering to you.