University of Virginia Library

37. "The Rangers"

Koran.037

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

I swear by those who draw themselves out in ranks

Then those who drive away with reproof,

Then those who recite, being mindful,

Most surely your God is One:

The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and Lord of the easts.

Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars,

And (there is) a safeguard against every rebellious Shaitan.

They cannot listen to the exalted assembly and they are thrown at from every side,

Being driven off, and for them is a perpetual chastisement,

Except him who snatches off but once, then there follows him a brightly shining flame.

Then ask them whether they are stronger in creation or those (others) whom We have created. Surely We created them of firm clay.

Nay! you wonder while they mock,

And when they are reminded, they mind not,

And when they see a sign they incite one another to scoff,

And they say: This is nothing but clear magic:

What! when we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then certainly be raised,

Or our fathers of yore?

Say: Aye! and you shall be abject.

So it shall only be a single cry, when lo! they shall see.

And they shall say: O woe to us! this is the day of requital.

This is the day of the judgment which you called a lie.

Gather together those who were unjust and their associates, and what they used to worship

Besides Allah, then lead them to the way to hell.

And stop them, for they shall be questioned:

What is the matter with you that you do not help each other?

Nay! on that day they shall be submissive.

And some of them shall advance towards others, questioning each other.

They shall say: Surely you used to come to us from the right side.

They shall say: Nay, you (yourselves) were not believers;

And we had no authority over you, but you were an inordinate people;

So the sentence of our Lord has come to pass against us: (now) we shall surely taste;

So we led you astray, for we ourselves were erring.

So they shall on that day be sharers in the chastisement one with another.

Surely thus do We deal with the guilty.

Surely they used to behave proudly when it was said to them: There is no god but Allah;

And to say: What! shall we indeed give up our gods for the sake of a mad poet?

Nay: he has come with the truth and verified the apostles.

Most surely you will taste the painful punishment.

And you shall not be rewarded except (for) what you did.

Save the servants of Allah, the purified ones.

For them is a known sustenance,

Fruits, and they shall be highly honored,

In gardens of pleasure,

On thrones, facing each other.

A bowl shall be made to go round them from water running out of springs,

White, delicious to those who drink.

There shall be no trouble in it, nor shall they be exhausted therewith.

And with them shall be those who restrain the eyes, having beautiful eyes;

As if they were eggs carefully protected.

Then shall some of them advance to others, questioning each other.

A speaker from among them shall say: Surely I had a comrade of mine,

Who said: What! are you indeed of those who accept (the truth)?

What! when we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then be certainly brought to judgment?

He shall say: Will you look on?

Then he looked down and saw him in the midst of hell.

He shall say: By Allah! you had almost caused me to perish;

And had it not been for the favor of my Lord, I would certainly have been among those brought up.

Is it then that we are not going to die,

Except our previous death? And we shall not be chastised?

Most surely this is the mighty achievement.

For the like of this then let the workers work.

Is this better as an entertainment or the tree of Zaqqum?

Surely We have made it to be a trial to the unjust.

Surely it is a tree that-grows in the bottom of the hell;

Its produce is as it were the heads of the serpents.

Then most surely they shall eat of it and fill (their) bellies with it.

Then most surely they shall have after it to drink of a mixture prepared in boiling water.

Then most surely their return shall be to hell.

Surely they found their fathers going astray,

So in their footsteps they are being hastened on.

And certainly most of the ancients went astray before them,

And certainly We sent among them warners.

Then see how was the end of those warned,

Except the servants of Allah, the purified ones.

And Nuh did certainly call upon Us, and most excellent answerer of prayer are We.

And We delivered him and his followers from the mighty distress.

And We made his offspring the survivors.

And We perpetuated to him (praise) among the later generations.

Peace and salutation to Nuh among the nations.

Thus do We surely reward the doers of good.

Surely he was of Our believing servants.

Then We drowned the others

And most surely Ibrahim followed his way.

When he came to his Lord with a free heart,

When he said to his father and his people: What is it that you worship?

A lie— gods besides Allah— do you desire?

What is then your idea about the Lord of the worlds?

Then he looked at the stars, looking up once,

Then he said: Surely I am sick (of your worshiping these).

So they went away from him, turning back.

Then he turned aside to their gods secretly and said: What! do you not eat?

What is the matter with you that you do not speak?

Then he turned against them secretly, smiting them with the right hand.

So they (people) advanced towards him, hastening.

Said he: What! do you worship what you hew out?

And Allah has created you and what you make.

They said: Build for him a furnace, then cast him into the burning fire.

And they desired a war against him, but We brought them low.

And he said: Surely I fly to my lord; He will guide me.

My Lord! grant me of the doers of good deeds.

So We gave him the good news of a boy, possessing forbearance.

And when he attained to working with him, he said: O my son! surely I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you; consider then what you see. He said: O my father! do what you are commanded; if Allah please, you will find me of the patient ones.

So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead,

And We called out to him saying: O Ibrahim!

You have indeed shown the truth of the vision; surely thus do We reward the doers of good:

Most surely this is a manifest trial.

And We ransomed him with a Feat sacrifice.

And We perpetuated (praise) to him among the later generations.

Peace be on Ibrahim.

Thus do We reward the doers of good.

Surely he was one of Our believing servants.

And We gave him the good news of Ishaq, a prophet among the good ones.

And We showered Our blessings on him and on Ishaq; and of their offspring are the doers of good, and (also) those who are clearly unjust to their own souls.

And certainly We conferred a favor on Musa and Haroun.

And We delivered them both and their people from the mighty distress.

And We helped them, so they were the vanquishers.

And We gave them both the Book that made (things) clear.

And We guided them both on the right way.

And We perpetuated (praise) to them among the later generations.

Peace be on Musa and Haroun.

Even thus do We reward the doers of good.

Surely they were both of Our believing servants.

And Ilyas was most surely of the apostles.

When he said to his people: Do you not guard (against evil)?

What! do you call upon Ba'l and forsake the best of the creators,

Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of yore?

But they called him a liar, therefore they shall most surely be brought up.

But not the servants of Allah, the purified ones.

And We perpetuated to him (praise) among the later generations.

Peace be on Ilyas.

Even thus do We reward the doers of good.

Surely he was one of Our believing servants.

And Lut was most surely of the apostles.

When We delivered him and his followers, all—

Except an old woman (who was) amongst those who tarried.

Then We destroyed the others.

And most surely you pass by them in the morning,

And at night; do you not then understand?

And Yunus was most surely of the apostles.

When he ran away to a ship completely laden,

So he shared (with them), but was of those who are cast off.

So the fish swallowed him while he did that for which he blamed himself

But had it not been that he was of those who glorify (Us),

He would certainly have tarried in its belly to the day when they are raised.

Then We cast him on to the vacant surface of the earth while he was sick.

And We caused to grow up for him a gourdplant.

And We sent him to a hundred thousand, rather they exceeded.

And they believed, so We gave them provision till a time.

Then ask them whether your Lord has daughters and they have sons.

Or did We create the angels females while they were witnesses?

Now surely it is of their own lie that they say:

Allah has begotten; and most surely they are liars.

Has He chosen daughters in preference to sons?

What is the matter with you, how is it that you judge?

Will you not then mind?

Or have you a clear authority?

Then bring your book, if you are truthful.

And they assert a relationship between Him and the jinn; and certainly the jinn do know that they shall surely be brought up;

Glory be to Allah (for freedom) from what they describe;

But not so the servants of Allah, the purified ones.

So surely you and what you worship,

Not against Him can you cause (any) to fall into trial,

Save him who will go to hell.

And there is none of us but has an assigned place,

And most surely we are they who draw themselves out in ranks,

And we are most surely they who declare the glory (of Allah).

And surely they used to say:

Had we a reminder from those of yore,

We would certainly have been the servants of Allah— the purified ones.

But (now) they disbelieve in it, so they will come to know.

And certainly Our word has already gone forth in respect of Our servants, the apostles:

Most surely they shall be the assisted ones

And most surely Our host alone shall be the victorious ones.

Therefore turn away from them till a time,

And (then) see them, so they too shall see.

What! would they then hasten on Our chastisement?

But when it shall descend in their court, evil shall then be the morning of the warned ones.

And turn away from them till a time

And (then) see, for they too shall see.

Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Honor, above what they describe.

And peace be on the apostles.

And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.