SURAH
38: SAD.
In the name of Allah, the Gracious,
the Merciful
1
Sad: By the Quran,
full of admonition.
2
But the unbelievers are steeped in self-glory and separatism.
3
How many generations before them did we destroy? In the end they cried when
there was no longer time for being saved.
4
So they wonder that a warner has come to them from among themselves and the
unbelievers say, this is a sorcerer telling lies.
5
Has he made the gods into one God? Truly this is a wonderful thing.
6
And the leaders among them go away, saying, Walk away, and remain constant to
your gods. For this is truly a thing designed against you.
7
We never heard of this among the people of these latter days: this is nothing
but a made up tale.
8
What? Has the message been sent to only him among us? But they are in doubt
concerning my own message; no, they have not yet tasted my punishment.
9
Or have they the treasures of the mercy of your Lord, the exalted in power, the
grantor of bounties without measure?
10
Or have they the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all between? If so,
let them mount up with the ropes and means to reach that end.
11
But there will be put to flight even a host of confederates.
12
Before them were many who rejected messengers -- the people of Nuh, and Aad, and Firaun the Lord of stakes,
13
And Thamud, and the people of Lut, and the
companions of the wood; such were the confederates.
14
Not one of them but rejected the messengers, but my punishment came justly and
inevitably on them.
15
These only wait for a single mighty blast, which will brook no delay.
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They say: Our Lord hasten to us our sentence before the day of Account.
17
Have patience at what they say, and remember our servant Dawud, the man of strength; for he always turned to
Allah.
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It was we that made the hills declare, in unison with him, our praises, at
eventide and a break of day,
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And the birds gathered: all with him did turn to Allah.
20
We strengthened his kingdom, and gave him wisdom and sound judgment in speech
and decision.
21
Has the story of the disputants reached you? Behold, they climbed over the wall
of the private chamber;
22
When they entered the presence of Dawud, and
he was terrified of them, they said: fear not: we are two disputants, one of
whom has wronged the other: decide now between us with truth, and treat us not
with injustice, but guide us to the even path.
23
This man is my brother: he has nine and ninety ewes, and I have one: yet he says,
Commit her to my care, and is moreover harsh to me in speech.
24
Dawud said: He has undoubtedly wronged you in
demanding your single ewe to be added to his flock of ewes: truly many are the
partners in business who wrong each other: not so do those who believe and work
deeds of righteousness, and how few are they? And Dawud
gathered that we had tried him: he asked forgiveness of his Lord, fell down,
bowing in prostration, and turned to Allah in repentance.
25
So we forgave him this: he enjoyed, indeed, a near approach to us, and a
beautiful place of return.
26
O Dawud! We did indeed make you a vicegerent
on earth: so judge between men in truth: nor follow your lusts, for they will
mislead you from the path of Allah: for those who wander astray from the path
of Allah, is a penalty grievous, for that they forget the day of Account.
27
Not without purpose did we create heaven and earth and all between. That was
the thought of unbelievers but woe to the unbelievers because of the fire.
28
Shall we treat those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, the same as
those who do mischief on earth? Shall we treat those who guard against evil,
the same as those who turn aside from the right?
29
A book which we have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may
meditate on its signs, and that men of understanding may receive admonition.
30
To Dawud we gave Sulayman,
how excellent in our service. Always did he turn to us.
31
Behold, there were brought before him, at eventide, coursers of the highest
breeding, and swift of foot;
32
And he said, Truly do I
love the love of good, with a view to the glory of my Lord, until the sun was
hidden in the veil of night:
33
Bring them back to me. Then began he to pass his hand over their legs and their
necks.
34
And we tried Sulayman: We placed on his throne
a body but he did turn to us in true devotion:
35
He said, O my Lord forgive me, and grant me a kingdom which suits not another
after me: for you are the grantor of bounties.
36
Then we subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, wherever
he willed,
37
As also the demons, including every kind of builder and diver,
38
As also the others bound together in fetters.
39
Such are our bounties: whether you bestow them or withhold them, no account
will be asked.
40
And he enjoyed, indeed, a near approach to us, and a beautiful place of final
return.
41
Commemorate our servant Ayub. Behold he cried
to his Lord: Iblis has afflicted me with distress and suffering.
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Strike the ground with your foot: here is water in which to wash, and cool and
refreshing to drink.
43
And we gave him back his people, and doubled their number, as a grace from
ourselves, and a thing for commemoration, for all who have understanding.
44
And take in your hand a little grass, and strike therewith: and break not your
oath. Truly we found him full of patience and constancy. How excellent in our
service; always did he turn to us.
45
And commemorate our servants Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Yaqub,
possessors of power and vision.
46
Truly we did choose them for a special purpose, proclaiming the message of the
hereafter.
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They were, in our sight truly, of the company of the elect and the good.
48
And commemorate Ismail, Al-Yasa, and Dhul-kifl:
each of them was of the company of the good.
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This is a message: truly, for the righteous there is a beautiful place of final
return,
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Gardens of eternity, whose doors will always be open to them;
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There they will recline at ease; there they can call for fruit in abundance,
and delicious drink;
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And beside them will be chaste women restraining their glances, companions of
equal age.
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Such is the promise made to you for the day of Account.
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Truly such will be our bounty to you; it will never fail;
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Yes, such is the case. But for the wrongdoers will be an evil place of final
return.
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Hell--they will burn in it, an evil bed.
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Yes, such is the case. Then shall they taste it, a boiling fluid, and a fluid
dark, murky, intensely cold.
58
And other penalties of a similar kind to match them.
59
Here is a troop rushing headlong with you no welcome for them truly, they shall
burn in the fire.
60
There is no welcome for you. It is you who have brought this upon us. Now evil
is the place to stay in.
61
They will say: Our Lord whoever brought this upon us add him a double penalty
in the fire.
62
And they will say: What has happened to us that we see not men whom we used to
number among the bad ones?
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Did we treat them in ridicule, or have our eyes failed to perceive them?
64
Truly that is just and fitting, the mutual recriminations of the people of the
fire.
65
Say: Truly am I
a warner: no god is there but the one: Allah, supreme and irresistible,
66
The Lord of the heavens and the earth, exalted in might, able to enforce his
will, forgiving again and again.
67
Say: That is a message supreme,
68
From which you turn away.
69
No knowledge have I
of the chiefs on high, when they discuss among themselves.
70
Only this has been revealed to me: that I am to give warning plainly and
publicly.
71
Behold, your Lord said to the angels: I am about to create man from clay:
72
When I
have fashioned him and breathed into him of my spirit, fall down in respect to
him.
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So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together:
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Not so Iblis: he was haughty, and became one of those who reject faith.
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Allah said: O Iblis! What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom
I have
created with my hands? Are you haughty? Or are you one of the high ones?
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Iblis said: I
am better than he: you created me from fire, and him you created from clay.
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Allah said: Then get out of here! For you are rejected, accursed.
78
And my curse shall be on you until the day of judgment.
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Iblis said: O my Lord give me them respite until the day the dead are raised.
80
Allah said: Respite then is granted you,
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Until the day of the time appointed.
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Iblis said: Then, by your power, I will put them all in the wrong,
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Except your servants among them, sincere and purified.
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Allah said: Then it is just and fitting and I say what is just and fitting
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That I
will certainly fill hell with you and those that follow you every one.
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Say: No reward do I
ask of you for this, nor am I a pretender.
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This is no less than a message to the universe.
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And you shall certainly know the truth of it after a while.