AL HASHR (The Mustering)
In the Name of God,1 the Gracious, the Merciful 2
1 Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, let it declare the praises and glory of God: for he is the exalted in might, the wise.
2 It is he who got out the unbelievers among the people of Al-Kitab from their homes at the first gathering of the forces. Little did you think that they would get out: and they thought that their fortresses would defend them from God! But God came to them from quarters from which they little expected, and cast terror into their hearts, so that they destroyed their dwellings by their own hands and the hands of the believers. Take warning, then, if you have eyes!
3 And had it not been that God had decreed banishment for them, he would certainly have punishment them in this world: and in the hereafter they shall have the punishment of the fire.
4 That is because they resisted God and his Messenger: and if anyone resist God, truly God is severe in punishment.
5 Whether you cut down the tender palm trees, or left them standing on their roots, it was by leave of God, and in order that he might cover with shame the rebellious transgressors.
6 What God has bestowed on his Messenger from them, for this you made no expedition with either cavalry or camels: but God gives power to his messengers over any he pleases: and God has power over all things.
7 What God has bestowed on his Messenger from the people of the townships belongs to God, to his Messenger and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; in order that it may not make a circuit between the wealthy among you. So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear God; for God is strict in punishment.
8 To the indigent Muhajirs, those who were expelled from their homes and their property, while seeking grace from God and his good pleasure, and aiding God and his Messenger: such are indeed the sincere ones.
9 But those who before them, had homes and had adopted the faith, show their affection to such as came to them for refuge, and entertain no desire in their hearts for things given to them, but give them preference over themselves, even though poverty was their lot. And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls, they are the ones that achieve prosperity.
10 And those who came after them say: Our Lord! Forgive us, and our brothers who came before us into the faith, and leave not, in our hearts, rancour against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, most merciful.
11 Have you not observed the hypocrites say to their misbelieving brothers among the people of Al-Kitab? If you are expelled, we too will go out with you, and we will never listen to anyone in your affair; and if you are attacked we will help you. But God is witness that they are indeed liars.
12 If they are expelled, never will they go out with them; and if they are attacked, they will never help them; and if they do help them, they will turn their backs; so they will receive no help.
13 Truly you are stronger because of the terror in their hearts from God. This is because they are men devoid of understanding.
14 They will not fight you together, except in fortified townships, or from behind walls. Strong is their fighting among themselves: you would think they were united, but their hearts are divided: that is because they are a people devoid of wisdom.
15 Like those who lately preceded them, they have tasted the evil result of their conduct; and for them a grievous penalty;
16 Like Iblis, when he says to man, Deny God: but when he denies God, he says, I am free of you: I fear God, the Lord of the universe!
17 The end of both will be that they will go into the fire, dwelling in it forever. Such is the reward of the wrongdoers.
18 O you who believe! Fear God, and let every soul look to what he has sent forth for tomorrow. Yes, fear God: for God is well acquainted with what you do.
19 And be not like those who forgot God; and he made them forget their own souls! Such are the rebellious transgressors!
20 Not equal are the companions of the fire and the companions of the garden: it is the companions of the garden that will achieve felicity;
21 Had we sent down this Quran on a mountain, truly, you would have seen it humble itself and break apart for fear of God. Such are the comparisons which we propound to men, that they may reflect.
22 God is he, other than whom there is no other god; who knows both secret and open; he, most gracious, most merciful.
23 God is he, other than whom there is no other god; the sovereign, the holy one, the source of peace, the guardian of faith, the preserver of safety, the exalted in might, the irresistible, the supreme: Glory to God, above the partners they attribute to him.
24 He is God, the creator, the initiator, the bestower of forms. To him belong the most beautiful names; whatever is in the heavens and on earth, does declare his praises and glory: and he is the exalted in might, the wise.
- God, in Arabic allah, referring to the one true God, as opposed to an idol or “god.” It is the Arabic equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew), alaha (Syriac), and theos (Greek), all of which accurately translate into English as “God.” This translation choice is consistent with respected English Quran translations including those of A. Yusuf Ali (original edition), S.H. Nasr (Study Quran), T.B. Irving, and T. Itani (Clear Quran). ↩︎
- the Gracious, the Merciful, the highlighting of God’s grace and mercy predates the Quran, coming down from the many hundreds of references in the Taurat, Zabur, and Injil. A few samples follow:
Taurat, Exodus 34:6 — …YAHWEH, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.
Zabur 145:8 — YAHWEH is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.
Taurat, Joel 2:13 — Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to YAHWEH your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
Taurat, Yunus 4:2 — …I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm.”
Injil, 1 Timothy 1:2 — …Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and AL-MASIH ‘ISA our Lord.
Injil, Hebrews 4:16 — Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace for help in time of need. ↩︎