University of Virginia Library

26. "The Poets"

Koran.026

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Ta Sin Mim.

These are the verses of the Book that makes (things) clear.

Perhaps you will kill yourself with grief because they do not believe.

If We please, We should send down upon them a sign from the heaven so that their necks should stoop to it.

And there does not come to them a new reminder from the Beneficent God but they turn aside from it.

So they have indeed rejected (the truth), therefore the news of that which they mock shall soon come to them.

Do they not see the earth, how many of every noble kind We have caused to grow in it?

Most surely there is a sign in that, but most of them will not believe.

And most surely your Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.

And when your Lord called out to Musa, saying: Go to the unjust people —

The people of Firon: Will they not guard (against evil)?

He said: O my Lord! surely I fear that they will reject me;

And by breast straightens, and my tongue is not eloquent, therefore send Thou to Haroun (to help me);

And they have a crime against me, therefore I fear that they may slay me.

He said: By no means, so go you both with Our signs; surely We are with you, hearing;

Then come to Firon and say: Surely we are the messengers of the Lord of the worlds:

Then send with us the children of Israel.

(Firon) said: Did we not bring you up as a child among us, and you tarried among us for (many) years of your life?

And you did (that) deed of yours which you did, and you are one of the ungrateful.

He said: I did it then while I was of those unable to see the right course;

So I fled from you when I feared you, then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me of the apostles;

And is it a favor of which you remind me that you have enslaved the children of Israel?

Firon said: And what is the Lord of the worlds?

He said: The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, if you would be sure.

(Firon) said to those around him: Do you not hear?

He said: Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old.

Said he: Most surely your Apostle who is sent to you is mad.

He said: The Lord of the east and the west and what is between them, if you understand.

Said he: If you will take a god besides me, I will most certainly make you one of the imprisoned.

He said: What! even if I bring to you something manifest?

Said he: Bring it then, if you are of the truthful ones.

So he cast down his rod, and lo! it was an obvious serpent,

And he drew forth his hand, and lo! it appeared white to the onlookers.

(Firon) said to the chiefs around him: Most surely this is a skillful magician,

Who desires to turn you out of your land with his magic; what is it then that you advise?

They said: Give him and his brother respite and send heralds into the cities

That they should bring to you every skillful magician.

So the magicians were gathered together at the appointed time on the fixed day,

And it was said to the people: Will you gather together?

Haply we may follow the magicians, if they are the vanquishers.

And when the magicians came, they said to Firon: Shall we get a reward if we are the vanquishers?

He said: Yes, and surely you will then be of those who are made near.

Musa said to them: Cast what you are going to cast.

So they cast down their cords and their rods and said: By Firon's power, we shall most surely be victorious.

Then Musa cast down his staff and lo! it swallowed up the lies they told.

And the magicians were thrown down prostrate;

They said: We believe in the Lord of the worlds:

The Lord of Musa and Haroun.

Said he: You believe in him before I give you permission; most surely he is the chief of you who taught you the magic, so you shall know: certainly I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and certainly I will crucify you all.

They said: No harm; surely to our Lord we go back;

Surely we hope that our Lord will forgive us our wrongs because we are the first of the believers.

And We revealed to Musa, saying: Go away with My servants travelling by night, surely you will be pursued.

So Firon sent heralds into the cities;

Most surely these are a small company;

And most surely they have enraged us;

And most surely we are a vigilant multitude.

So We turned them out of gardens and springs,

And treasures and goodly dwellings,

Even so. And We gave them as a heritage to the children of Israel.

Then they pursued them at sunrise.

So when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Musa cried out: Most surely we are being overtaken.

He said: By no means; surely my Lord is with me: He will show me a way out.

Then We revealed to Musa: Strike the sea with your staff. So it had cloven asunder, and each part was like a huge mound.

And We brought near, there, the others.

And We saved Musa and those with him, all of them.

Then We drowned the others.

Most surely there is a sign in this, but most of them do not believe.

And most surely your Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.

And recite to them the story of Ibrahim.

When he said to his father and his people: What do you worship?

They said: We worship idols, so we shall be their votaries.

He said: Do they hear you when you call?

Or do they profit you or cause you harm?

They said: Nay, we found our fathers doing so.

He said: Have you then considered what you have been worshiping:

You and your ancient sires.

Surely they are enemies to me, but not (so) the Lord of the worlds;

Who created me, then He has shown me the way:

And He Who gives me to eat and gives me to drink:

And when I am sick, then He restores me to health

And He Who will cause me to die, then give me life;

And Who, I hope, will forgive me my mistakes on the day of judgment.

My Lord: Grant me wisdom, and join me with the good

And ordain for me a goodly mention among posterity

And make me of the heirs of the garden of bliss

And forgive my father, for surely he is of those who have gone astray;

And disgrace me not on the day when they are raised

The day on which property will not avail, nor sons

Except him who comes to Allah with a heart free (from evil).

And the garden shall be brought near for those who guard (against evil),

And the hell shall be made manifest to the erring ones,

And it shall be said to them: Where are those that you used to worship;

Besides Allah? Can they help you or yet help themselves?

So they shall be thrown down into it, they and the erring ones,

And the hosts of the Shaitan, all.

They shall say while they contend therein:

By Allah! we were certainly in manifest error,

When we made you equal to the Lord of the worlds;

And none but the guilty led us astray;

So we have no intercessors,

Nor a true friend;

But if we could but once return, we would be of the believers.

Most surely there is a sign in this, but most of them do not believe.

And most surely your Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.

The people of Nuh rejected the apostles.

When their brother Nuh said to them: Will you not guard (against evil)?

Surely I am a faithful apostle to you;

Therefore guard against (the punishment of) Allah and obey me.

And I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds:

So guard against (the punishment of) Allah and obey me.

They said: Shall we believe in you while the meanest follow you?

He said: And what knowledge have I of what they do?

Their account is only with my Lord, if you could perceive

And I am not going to drive away the believers;

I am naught but a plain warner.

They said: If you desist not, O Nuh, you shall most certainly be of those stoned to death.

He said: My Lord! Surely my people give me the lie!

Therefore judge Thou between me and them with a (just) judgment, and deliver me and those who are with me of the believers.

So We delivered him and those with him in the laden ark.

Then We drowned the rest afterwards

Most surely there is a sign in this, but most of them do not believe.

And most surely your Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.

Ad gave the lie to the apostles.

When their brother Hud said to them: Will you not guard (against evil)?

Surely I am a faithful apostle to you;

Therefore guard against (the punishment of) Allah and obey me:

And I do not ask you any reward for it; surely my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds

Do you build on every height a monument? Vain is it that you do:

And you make strong fortresses that perhaps you may abide

And when you lay hands (on men) you lay hands (like) tyrants;

So guard against (the punishment of) Allah and obey me

And be careful of (your duty to) Him Who has given you abundance of what you know.

He has given you abundance of cattle and children

And gardens and fountains;

Surely I fear for you the chastisement of a grievous day

They said: It is the same to us whether you admonish or are not one of the admonishers

This is naught but a custom of the ancients;

And we are not going to be punished.

So they gave him the lie, then We destroyed them. Most surely there is a sign in this, but most of them do not believe.

And most surely your Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.

Samood gave the lie to the apostles

When their brother Salih said to them: Will you not guard (against evil)?

Surely I am a faithful apostle to you

Therefore guard against (the punishment of) Allah and obey me:

And I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds:

Will you be left secure in what is here;

In gardens and fountains,

And cornfields and palm-trees having fine spadices?

And you hew houses out of the mountains exultingly;

Therefore guard against (the punishment of) Allah and obey me;

And do not obey the bidding of the extravagant,

Who make mischief in the land and do not act aright.

They said: You are only of the deluded ones;

You are naught but a mortal like ourselves; so bring a sign if you are one of the truthful.

He said: This is a she-camel; she shall have her portion of water, and you have your portion of water on an appointed time;

And do not touch her with evil, lest the punishment of a grievous day should overtake you.

But they hamstrung her, then regretted;

So the punishment overtook them. Most surely there is a sign in this, but most of them do not believe.

And most surely your Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.

The people of Lut gave the lie to the apostles.

When their brother Lut said to them: Will you not guard (against evil)?

Surely I am a faithful apostle to you;

Therefore guard against (the punishment of) Allah and obey me:

And I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds;

What! do you come to the males from among the creatures

And leave what your Lord has created for you of your wives? Nay, you are a people exceeding limits.

They said: If you desist not, O Lut! you shall surely be of those who are expelled.

He said: Surely I am of those who utterly abhor your doing:

My Lord ! deliver me and my followers from what they do.

So We delivered him and his followers all,

Except an old woman, among those who remained behind.

Then We utterly destroyed the others.

And We rained down upon them a rain, and evil was the rain on those warned.

Most surely there is a sign in this, but most of them do not believe.

And most surely your Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.

The dwellers of the thicket gave the lie to the apostles.

When Shu'aib said to them: Will you not guard (against evil)?

Surely I am a faithful apostle to you;

Therefore guard against (the punishment of) Allah and obey me:

And I do not ask you any reward for it, my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds;

Give a full measure and be not of those who diminish;

And weigh (things) with a right balance,

And do not wrong men of their things, and do not act corruptly in the earth, making mischief.

And guard against (the punishment of) Him who created you and the former nations.

They said: You are only of those deluded;

And you are naught but a mortal like ourselves, and we know you to be certainly of the liars.

Therefore cause a portion of the heaven to come down upon us, if you are one of the truthful.

He said: My Lord knows best what you do.

But they called him a liar, so the punishment of the day of covering overtook them; surely it was the punishment of a grievous day.

Most surely there is a sign in this, but most of them do not believe.

And most surely your Lord is Mighty, the Merciful.

And most surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.

The Faithful Spirit has descended with it,

Upon your heart that you may be of the warners

In plain Arabic language.

And most surely the same is in the scriptures of the ancients.

Is it not a sign to them that the learned men of the Israelites know it?

And if we had revealed it to any of the foreigners

So that he should have recited it to them, they would not have believed therein.

Thus have We caused it to enter into the hearts of the guilty.

They will not believe in it until they see the painful punishment.

And it shall come to them all of a sudden, while they shall not perceive;

Then they will say: Shall we be respited?

What! do they still seek to hasten on Our punishment?

Have you then considered if We let them enjoy themselves for years,

Then there comes to them that with which they are threatened,

That which they were made to enjoy shall not avail them?

And We did not destroy any town but it had (its) warners,

To remind, and We are never unjust.

And the Shaitans have not come down with it.

And it behooves them not, and they have not the power to do (it).

Most surely they are far removed from the hearing of it.

So call not upon another god with Allah, lest you be of those who are punished.

And warn your nearest relations,

And be kind to him who follows you of the believers.

But if they disobey you, then say: Surely I am clear of what you do.

And rely on the Mighty, the Merciful,

Who sees you when you stand up.

And your turning over and over among those who prostrate themselves before Allah.

Surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Shall I inform you (of him) upon whom the Shaitans descend?

They descend upon every lying, sinful one,

They incline their ears, and most of them are liars.

And as to the poets, those who go astray follow them.

Do you not see that they wander about bewildered in every valley?

And that they say that which they do not do,

Except those who believe and do good and remember Allah much, and defend themselves after they are oppressed; and they who act unjustly shall know to what final place of turning they shall turn back.