Surah Al-Zukhruf (The Adornment)
(This Surah is Makkan, containing 89 verses and 7 sections)
Allah’s Name to commence with, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
43:1. Ha Meem.
(These are individual letters of the Arabic alphabet; Allah and His Messenger know their exact meanings.)
43:2. By the oath of the Luminous Qur’aan.
43:3. We have sent it as an Arabic Qur’aan so that you may understand.
43:4. And that (i.e., the Qur’aan) is undoubtedly in the Mother-Book (i.e., the Preserved Tablet) with Us, (which is) definitely exalted, full of wisdom.
43:5. So, shall We take away the remembrance (i.e., the Qur’aan) from you because you people go beyond the limit?
43:6. And how many conveyors of the unseen news (i.e., Prophets) did We send amongst the earlier people?
43:7. And whenever any conveyor of the unseen (i.e., Prophet) came to them, they only mocked him.
43:8. We henceforth destroyed the people who were more forceful than these, and the state of the earlier ones has already passed.
43:9. And if you ask them, ‘Who has created the heavens and the earth?’ they will hence definitely say, ‘The Most Honourable, the All-Knowing has created them.’
43:10. The One Who made the earth a bed for you, and made paths therein for you; that you may find the path (of guidance).
43:11. And Who sent down water from the sky with a proper measure, so We revived a dead city with it. This is how you will be brought forth (on the Day of Resurrection).
43:12. And the One Who created all pairs, and made from the ships and the animals (a means of) transportation for you.
43:13. That you may sit properly on their backs and then remember your Lord’s favour when you have sat on them properly, and say in this manner, ‘Glory be to Him Who has given this transportation in our control, and this was not to be in our control.’
43:14. ‘And indeed, we have to return to our Lord.’
43:15. And they have appointed some of His bondsmen to be a part of Him; mankind is indeed clearly ungrateful.
43:16. Has He chosen daughters for Himself from His creation and specifically chosen sons for you?
43:17. And when one of them is given the glad tidings of that thing (i.e., the birth of a daughter) which he has attributed to the Most Gracious, his face therefore remains darkened the whole day and he is grief-stricken.
43:18. (Do they then like for Allah) the one who is brought up in ornament (i.e., women), and in argument cannot make herself clear.
43:19. And they regarded the angels to be females who are the bondsmen of the Most Gracious; were they present at the time of their creation? Now their testimony will be recorded and an answer will be demanded from them.
43:20. And they said, ‘If the Most Gracious willed, we would not have worshipped them (i.e., the angels).’ They do not know its reality at all; they only make speculations.
43:21. Or have We given them some book before this which they are holding firmly?
43:22. Rather, they said, ‘We found our forefathers upon a (particular) religion, and we are following their footsteps.’
43:23. And similarly, whenever We sent any warner before you (O Beloved) into any town, its wealthy people said only this; that ‘We found our forefathers upon a (particular) religion, and we are following in their footsteps.’
43:24. The Prophet (Muhammad) said, ‘Even if I bring to you a path more upright than what you found your forefathers following?’ They said, ‘We do not believe in whatever you have been sent with.’
43:25. We henceforth took revenge on them; therefore, see how was the outcome of those who belie.
43:26. And when Ibrahim said to his father and his people, ‘I am disgusted with that which you worship.’
43:27. ‘Except He Who has created me Who will definitely direct me very soon.’
43:28. And Ibrahim kept this statement (of the Oneness of Allah) as a legacy amongst his progeny, in order that they may refrain (from the evil of associating partners with Allah).
43:29. Rather, I gave them and their forefathers the benefits of this world until the truth (i.e., the Qur’aan) and the (Beloved) Messenger who clearly conveyed the message came to them.
43:30. And when the truth came to them, they said, ‘This is magic, and we disbelieve in it.’
43:31. And they said, ‘Why was the Qur’aan not sent down upon some chief of these two great towns (i.e., Makkah and Taa’if)?’
43:32. Are they the distributors of your Lord’s Mercy? We have distributed amongst them their goods of livelihood in the life of this world, and We raised some of them over others in ranks, that one (i.e., a rich disbeliever) would mock the other (i.e., a poor believer); and the Mercy of your Lord is better than all what they gather.
43:33. And had it not been that all the people would follow one religion (of the disbelievers by seeing their affluence), so We would have definitely provided for the deniers of the Most Gracious silver roofs and stairways of silver whereby they could climb.
43:34. And doors of silver for their houses, and couches of silver upon which they could recline.
43:35. And various kinds of adornments; and all this is only goods for the life of this world; and the Hereafter with your Lord is for the pious.
43:36. And whoever has blinded himself from the remembrance of the Most Gracious, We appoint a devil upon him, that he stays (with him) as his companion.
43:37. And indeed, those devils prevent them from the (straight) path, and they think this; that they are on the (straight) path.
43:38. Until when a disbeliever will come to Us, he will say to his devil, ‘Alas! If only there was the distance of East and West between me and you.’ So, what an evil companion he is.
43:39. (It will be said to them) ‘And you will never benefit from them this Day, since you have committed injustice; that you all share the punishment.’
43:40. So, will you make the deaf hear, or show the path to the blind and to those who are in open error?
43:41. So, if We take you away (O Beloved), We shall definitely henceforth take revenge on them.
43:42. Or show you what We have promised them (i.e., punishment); so We have complete power over them.
43:43. Therefore, hold firm on to what We have revealed to you, indeed, you are on the Straight Path.
43:44. And indeed, it (i.e., the Qur’aan) is undoubtedly a tribute for you and for your nation; and you will soon be questioned.
43:45. And (O Beloved) ask those Messengers whom We sent before you, ‘Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped other than the Most Gracious?’ (Never!)
43:46. And indeed, We sent Moosa along with Our signs towards Fir’awn and his chiefs, so he said, ‘Indeed, I am a Messenger of Him Who is the Owner of all the worlds.’
43:47. When he then brought Our signs to them, they immediately began mocking them.
43:48. And all the signs We showed them were greater than the earlier ones, and We seized them with calamity; that they may refrain.
43:49. And they said that ‘O (you) magician! Supplicate for us to your Lord, by the means of His covenant which is with you; we will certainly attain guidance.’
43:50. When We then removed that calamity from them, they immediately broke the promise.
43:51. And Fir’awn called out amongst his nation that ‘O my people! Is the kingship of Egypt not for me, and these rivers which flow beneath me? So, do you not see?’
43:52. ‘Or am I (not) better than him (Moosa), who is an ordinary (man) and he does not seem to talk clearly?’
43:53. ‘So, why was he not bestowed with bracelets of gold, or angels should have come with him staying by him?’
43:54. Then he fooled his people, so they followed him; indeed, they were disobedient people.
43:55. So, when they did that, due to which Our wrath descended upon them, We took revenge on them, We henceforth drowned them all.
43:56. So, We made them a thing of the past, and a lesson for those who would come after.
43:57. And when the son of Maryam is cited as an example, your nation suddenly raised a hue and cry.
43:58. And they said, ‘Are our gods better, or is he?’ They said not this except for the sake of argument; rather, they are the people of contention.
43:59. He (Eesa) is only a slave whom We favoured, and We made him a sign of Our power for the Bani Israeel.
43:60. And if We so willed, We would have made angels who would be your successors on the earth.
43:61. And indeed, he (Eesa) is a sign of the Day of Judgement; therefore, never have any doubt concerning it, and follow Me. This is the Straight Path.
43:62. And never let the devil prevent you; he is undoubtedly your open enemy.
43:63. And when Eesa came with clear proofs, he said, ‘Indeed, I have brought wisdom to you, and in order to clarify to you some of the matters in which you differ; therefore, fear Allah and obey me.’
43:64. ‘Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord; so worship Him; this is the Straight Path.’
43:65. Then the groups began disputing among themselves; so woe unto those who committed injustice (by attributing falsehood to Eesa) from the punishment of a painful Day.
43:66. Are they waiting for anything except that the Day of Judgement suddenly comes upon them, whilst they are unaware?
43:67. Friends will then (on that Day) become enemies to one another, except the pious ones.
43:68. ‘O My bondsmen! There is no fear upon you this Day, nor will you be in grief.’
43:69. Those who believed in Our signs, and were Muslims (who submitted to Allah).
43:70. Enter Paradise, you and your spouses, with joy.’
43:71. Bowls of gold and cups will be passed around them; and therein will be all that the souls desire and the eyes delight in; and you will stay therein forever.
43:72. And this is the Paradise that you have been made to inherit in return for your deeds.
43:73. There is fruit in abundance for you therein, which you will eat.
43:74. Indeed, the criminals will stay forever in the punishment of Hell.
43:75. It will not be reduced for them, and they will remain in it in despair.
43:76. And We did not wrong them at all, but they were the ones who were unjust.
43:77. And they will call, ‘O Maalik! Your Lord should (now) finish us off.’ He will say, ‘You will definitely stay (in it).’
43:78. Indeed, We brought the truth to you, but most of you are dislikers of the truth.
43:79. Have they resolved to plot? Then indeed, We have resolved (also).
43:80. Or do they think that We do not hear their secrets and their whispers? Indeed (We do)! And Our angels are with them, who write (everything).
43:81. Say (O Beloved), ‘If the Most Gracious has a son, then I am the first of the worshippers.’
43:82. Pure is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne, from that which they attribute to Him.
43:83. So, leave them in their vain talk and amusement until they meet their Day which they are promised.
43:84. And He is the Lord Who is worshipped in the heavens and worshipped in the earth; and He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.
43:85. And Blessed is He to Whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; and with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, and to Him, you all will return.
43:86. And those whom they call upon besides Him do not have the power to intercede; except for those who have testified to the truth, and they know (Allah’s Oneness).
43:87. And if you ask them, ‘Who created them?’ They will definitely say, ‘Allah.’ Then where are they drifting away to?
43:88. And (Allah has knowledge of) his statement, ‘O my Lord, these people are definitely a nation who do not believe.’
43:89. Therefore, turn away from them and say, ‘Peace’; for they will soon come to know.