AL INSAN (Man) or AL DAHR (The Time)
In the Name of God,1 the Gracious, the Merciful 2
1 Has there not been over man a long period of time, when he was nothing mentioned?
2 Truly we created man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him: so we gave him hearing and sight.
3 We showed him the way: whether he is grateful or ungrateful.
4 For the rejecters we have prepared chains, yokes, and a blazing fire.
5 As to the righteous, they shall drink of a cup mixed with Kafur,
6 A fountain where the devotees of God drink, making it flow in unceasing abundance.
7 They perform vows, and they fear a day whose evil flies far and wide.
8 And they feed, for the love of God, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive,
9 We feed you for the sake of God alone: no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks.
10 We only fear a day of distressful wrath from the side of our Lord.
11 But God will deliver them from the evil of that day, and will shed over them a light of beauty and joy.
12 And because they were patient and constant, he will reward them with a garden and silk.
13 Reclining in the garden on raised thrones, they will see there neither the sun’s heat nor excessive cold.
14 And the shades of it will come low over them, and the clusters there, will hang low in humility.
15 And among them will be passed round vessels of silver and goblets of crystal,
16 Crystal clear, made of silver: they will determine the measure of it.
17 And they will be given to drink there of a cup mixed with Zanjabil,
18 A fountain there, called Salsabil.
19 And round about them will be immortal youths: if you see them, you would think them scattered pearls.
20 And when you look, it is there you will see a bliss and a realm magnificent.
21 Upon them will be green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade, and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver; and their Lord will give to them to drink of a wine pure and holy.
22 Truly this is a reward for you, and your endeavour is accepted and recognized.
23 It is we who have sent down the Quran to you by stages.
24 Therefore be patient with constancy to the command of your Lord, and listen not to the sinner or the ingrate among them.
25 And celebrate the Name of your Lord morning and evening,
26 And part of the night, prostrate yourself to him: and glorify him a long night through.
27 As to these, they love the fleeting life, and put away behind them a day that will be hard.
28 It is we who created them, and we have made their joints strong; but, when we will, we can substitute the like of them by a complete change.
29 This is an admonition: whoever will, let him take a path to his Lord.
30 But you will not, except as God wills; for God is full of knowledge and wisdom.
31 He will admit to his mercy whom he will; but the wrongdoers, for them has he prepared a grievous penalty.
- 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. ↩︎