Surah 21

AL ANBIYA’ (The Prophets)

In the Name of God,1 the Gracious, the Merciful 2

1 Closer and closer to mankind comes their reckoning, while in heedlessness they turn away. 2 Whenever a new message comes to them from their Lord, they just listen to it while they play 3 with distracted hearts. The wrongdoers conceal their private conversations, saying, “Is this person more than a man like yourselves? Will you go to witchcraft with your eyes open?” 4 Say, “My Lord knows every word spoken in the heavens and on earth. He is the one that hears and knows all things.” 5 They say, “No, it is muddled dreams! No, he forged it! No, he is just a poet! Let him then bring us a sign like the ones that were sent to the people of old!” 6 Before them, not one of the peoples we destroyed believed. Will these believe? 7 Before you, also, the messengers we sent were but men, to whom we granted inspiration. So ask the people who have the message3 if you don’t know. 8 Nor did we give them bodies that ate no food, nor were they exempt from death. 9 In the end we fulfilled to them our promise, and we saved them and those whom we pleased, but we destroyed those who transgressed beyond bounds.

10 We have revealed for you a book in which is a message for you. Will you not then understand? 11 How many were the populations we utterly destroyed because of iniquities, setting up in their places other peoples? 12 Yet, when they felt our punishment, behold they tried to flee from it. 13 Do not flee, but return to the good things of this life which were given you, and to your homes, in order that you may be called to account. 14 They said, “Ah! Woe to us! We were indeed wrongdoers!” 15 And that cry of theirs did not stop, until we made them as a field that is mown, as ashes silent and quenched.

16 We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in play! 17 If it had been our wish to take a pastime, we would surely have taken it from the things nearest to us, if we would do such a thing! 18 No, we hurl the truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood perishes! Ah! Woe to you for the things you ascribe to us. 19 To him belong everything in the heavens and on earth. Even those who are in his presence are not too proud to serve him, nor are they weary. 20 They celebrate his praises night and day without fail.

21 Or have they taken gods from the earth who can raise the dead? 22 If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods besides God, there would have been confusion in both! But glory to God, the Lord of the throne. He is high above what they attribute to him! 23 He cannot be questioned for his acts, but they will be questioned for theirs. 24 Or have they taken for worship gods besides him? Say, “Bring your convincing proof. This is the message of those with me and the message of those before me4.” But most of them do not know the truth, and so turn away. 25 Not a messenger did we send before you without this inspiration sent by us to him, that there is no god but me5; therefore worship and serve me. 26 And they say, “God most gracious has taken a son.” Glory to him! They are honoured servants.6 27 They speak not before he speaks, and they act by his command. 28 He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they can offer no intercession except for those whom he approves; and they stand in awe and reverence of him. 29 If any of them should say, “I am a god besides him,” such a one we would reward with hell. Thus do we reward those who do wrong.

30 Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together before we separated them? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? 31 And we have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them, and we have made therein broad highways for them to pass through that they may receive guidance. 32 And we have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded. Yet they turn away from the signs of these things! 33 It is he who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They all move along, each in its rounded course. 34 We granted not to any man before you immortality. If then you should die, would they live forever? 35 Every soul shall taste of death. We test you using both hardship and blessings. To us you must return. 36 When the unbelievers see you, they treat you only with ridicule. “Is this the one who talks of your gods?” And they blaspheme at the mention of the most gracious!

37 Man is a creature of haste. Soon will I show you my signs; then you will not ask me to hasten them! 38 They say, “When will this promise come to pass, if you are telling the truth?” 39 If only the unbelievers knew when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor yet from their backs, and no help can reach them! 40 No, it may come to them all of a sudden and confound them. No power will they have then to avert it, nor will they get respite.

41 Messengers were mocked before you; but their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked. 42 Say, “Who can keep you safe by night and by day from the most gracious?” Yet they turn away from the mention of their Lord. 43 Or have they gods that can guard them from us? They have no power to aid themselves, nor can they be defended from us. 44 No, we gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them. Do they not see that we gradually reduce the land from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win? 45 Say, “I only warn you by revelation.” But the deaf will not hear the call when they are warned! 46 If but a breath of the wrath of your Lord were to touch them, then they would say, “Woe to us! We did wrong indeed!” 47 We will set up scales of justice for the day of judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it; and enough are we to take account.

48 In the past we granted to Musa7 and Harun8 the Criterion,9 and a light and a Reminder for those who would do right, 49 for those who fear their Lord in their most secret thoughts, and who hold the hour in awe. 50 And this is a blessed message which we have sent down; will you then reject it?

51 We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim10 his rectitude of conduct, and well were we acquainted with him. 52 Behold! He said to his father and his people, “What are these images, to which you are devoted?”

53 They said, “We found our fathers worshipping them.”

54 He said, “Indeed you have been in manifest error you and your fathers.”

55 They said, “Have you brought us the truth, or are you one of those who jest?”

56 He said, “No, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, he who created them; and I am a witness to this. 57 And by God, I have a plan for your idols after you go away and turn your backs.” 58 So he broke them to pieces, all but the biggest of them, that they might turn to it.

59 They said to each other11, “Who has done this to our gods? He must indeed be some man of impiety!”

60 Some of them said, “We heard a youth talk of them. He is called Ibrahim.”

61 Their chiefs said, “Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness.”

62 They asked, “Are you the one that did this with our gods, O Ibrahim?”

63 He said, “No, this was done by their biggest one! Ask them, if they can speak intelligently!”

64 So they turned to themselves and said, “Surely you are the ones in the wrong!” 65 Then were they confounded with shame. They said, “You know full well that these idols do not speak!”

66 Ibrahim said, “Do you then worship, besides God, things that can neither be of any good to you nor do you harm? 67 Enough of you and the things that you worship besides God! Have you no sense?”

68 They said, “Burn him and protect your gods, if you do anything at all!”

69 We said, “O fire! Be cool, and a means of safety for Ibrahim!” 70 Then they sought a stratagem against him, but we made them the ones that lost most! 71 But we delivered him and Lut12 to the land which we have blessed for the nations.

72 And we bestowed on him Ishaq13 and, as an additional gift, Yaqub14, and we made righteous men of every one of them. 73 And we made them leaders, guiding by our command, and we sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to practise regular charity; and they constantly served us.

74 And to Lut, too, we gave judgment and knowledge, and we saved him from the town which practised abominations. Truly they were a people given to evil, a rebellious people. 75 And we admitted him to our mercy; for he was one of the righteous.

76 Remember Nuh15, when he cried to us aforetime. We listened to his prayer and delivered him and his family from great distress. 77 We helped him against people who rejected our signs. Truly they were a people given to evil, so we drowned them in the flood all together.

78 And remember Dawud16 and Sulayman, when they gave judgment in the matter of the field into which the sheep of certain people had strayed by night; we did witness their judgment. 79 To Sulayman we inspired the understanding of the matter. To each of them we gave judgment and knowledge. It was our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate our praises with Dawud; it was we who did all these things. 80 It was we who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other’s violence; will you then be grateful? 81 The violent wind flowed for Sulayman17 at his order, to the land which we had blessed; for we do know all things. 82 And of demons, were some who dived for him, and did other work besides; and it was we who guarded them.

83 And remember Ayub18, when he cried to his Lord, “Truly distress has seized me, but you are the most merciful of those that are merciful.” 84 So we listened to him. We removed the distress that was on him, and we restored his people to him, and doubled their number, as a grace from ourselves, and a thing for commemoration, for all who serve us.

85 And remember Ismail,19 Idris,20 and Dhul-kifl,21 all men of constancy and patience. 86 We admitted them to our mercy, for they were of the righteous ones. 87 And remember Yunus,22 when he departed in wrath. He imagined that we had no power over him! But he cried through the depths of darkness, “There is no god but you! Glory to you! I was indeed wrong!” 88 So we listened to him and delivered him from distress; and thus do we deliver those who have faith.

89 And remember Zakariyya,23 when he cried to his Lord, “O my Lord! Leave me not without offspring, though you are the best of inheritors.” 90 So we listened to him, and we granted him Yahya.24 We cured his wife’s barrenness for him. These three were always quick in emulation in good works. They used to call on us with love and reverence, and humble themselves before us. 91 And remember her who guarded her chastity. We breathed into her of our Spirit,25 and we made her and her son a sign for all peoples.26

92 Truly, this brotherhood of yours is a single brotherhood, and I am your Lord; therefore serve me. 93 But they divided into various sects one from another; yet will they all return to us. 94 Whoever works any act of righteousness and has faith, his endeavour will not be rejected; we shall record it in his favour. 95 But there is a ban on any population which we have destroyed, that they shall not return, 96 until the people of Yajuj and Majuj27 are let loose, and they swiftly swarm from every hill. 97 Then will the true promise draw near. Then behold, the eyes of the unbelievers will fixedly stare in horror, “Ah! Woe to us! We were indeed heedless of this; no; we truly did wrong!” 98 Truly you and the gods that you worship besides God are fuel for hell! To it you will come! 99 If these had been gods, they would not have got there but each one will abide therein. 100 There, sobbing will be their lot, nor will they hear anything else.

101 Those to whom kindness from us has gone before, will be removed far from it. 102 Not the slightest sound will they hear of hell. What their souls desired, in that will they dwell. 103 The great terror will bring them no grief, but the angels will meet them; this is your day that you were promised. 104 The day that we roll up the heavens like a scroll, even as we produced the first creation, so shall we produce a new one. A promise we have undertaken, and truly shall we fulfil it.

105 We wrote in the Zabur28 after the Reminder29:

“My servants the righteous shall inherit the earth.” 30

106 Truly in this is a message for people who would worship God. 107 We sent you not, but as a mercy for all creatures. 108 Say, “What has come to me by inspiration is that your God is one God. Will you therefore submit to his will?” 109 But if they turn back, say, “I have proclaimed the message to you all alike and in truth; but I know not whether that which you are promised is near or far. 110 It is he who knows what is open in speech and what you hide. 111 I know not but that it may be a trial for you, and a grant of livelihood for a time.” 112 Say, “O my Lord! Judge in truth! Our Lord most gracious is the one whose assistance should be sought against the blasphemies you utter!”

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  1. 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). ↩︎
  2. 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. ↩︎
  3. 21:7 the people who have the message, that is, the Jews and Christians who have the Taurat and Injil. Compare this with Surah 10:94 which says, “If you are in doubt about what we have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading Al-Kitab before you.” ↩︎
  4. 21:24 the message of those before me, here the Quran asserts that the previous books teach that there is only one God. The most well-known verse of the Taurat in this regard is Deuteronomy 6:4 which says: “Hear, Israel: YAHWEH* is our God, YAHWEH is one.” The Injil repeats the sentiment in Mark 12:29, “Hear, Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD is one.” (*NOTE: YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in Exodus 3:15. In the centuries since, the Name fell into disuse and is not even mentioned in the Quran. Consequently, God’s Name is unknown to many people today.) ↩︎
  5. 21:25 there is no god but me, repeating the message of the Taurat in many places such as, Shaya 44:6: “Thus says YAHWEH, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, YAHWEH All-Powerful: ‘I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.'”
    and Shaya 45:5 which says: “I am YAHWEH, and there is none else; besides me there is no God.” ↩︎
  6. 21:26 God most gracious has taken a son…they are honoured servants, here the Quran appears to be at variance with the Taurat (Hosea 11:1), Zabur (Psalm 2:7), and Injil (John 3:16), which all teach that ‘ISA Ibn Maryam is God’s Son. But it is not that the man ‘ISA was one day suddenly ‘taken’ into adoption by God as a son. Al-Kitab teaches that before his birth and even before the creation of the heavens and the earth, ‘ISA was always God’s Son, eternally co-existing with the Father (John 1:1-2; John 17:5). The fact that the eternal Son of God was born to the virgin Maryam as a human being (Galatians 4:4), takes nothing away from him being God. God is God forever, even after he chooses to become a human being. Nothing can diminish the glory of God. They are honoured servants, The honourable title SON OF GOD should not be twisted to mean a vulgar thing like the physical offspring of God. Rather, it is the title of an “honoured servant.” SON OF GOD is a unique title of the Messiah, ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed through Prophet Dawud in the Zabur 2:7-9, which says: I will tell of the decree. YAHWEH said to me, “You are my SON. Today I have become your FATHER. Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, The ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” It is no wonder that in the Injil, the angel Jibrail announces to Maryam that her son “will be great, and will be called SON OF THE MOST HIGH.” (Luke 1:32). The study course “Eternal Word” deals with this issue in more detail in Lesson Four. ↩︎
  7. 21:48 Musa, this Arabic name is derived from the Hebrew name Moses meaning “to pull out” or “draw out” (of water); referring to the biblical story where he was rescued from the Nile River by Firaun’s daughter. The original account of Musa‘s story begins in the Taurat, Exodus 3. ↩︎
  8. 21:48 Harun, this Arabic name and the English name Aaron, are both derived from the Hebrew name Aharon, possibly meaning “exalted” or “high mountain.” ↩︎
  9. 21:48 That is, the Taurat. It is here called “the Criterion” (Al-Furqan). The Taurat teaches what is right and wrong in the sight of God, which is why the Taurat is sometimes called “the Law”. It contains many laws and rules, the most famous of which are the “Ten Commandments,” found in Exodus 20. As God’s Law, the Taurat tells us when we do wrong. As the holy Injil says, “through the Taurat comes the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20). It is important to read the Taurat, in order to learn what God says is “sin,” so we can turn away from it. ↩︎
  10. 21:51 Ibrahim, this Arabic name is derived from the Hebrew name Abraham, which means “father of many nations.” The meaning is explained in the Taurat, Genesis 17:3-5 which says: Ibram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, “As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. Neither will your name any more be called Ibram, but your name will be Ibrahim; for I have made you the father of many nations.” ↩︎
  11. 21:59 They said to each other, literally, They said, as also in verses 60, 61, and 62 which all begin with They said. The wording used here to help explain the participants in the conversation is credited to Muhammad Sarwar’s Quran translation. ↩︎
  12. 21:71 Lut, this Arabic name is derived from the Hebrew name Lot, which means “veil” or “covering.” ↩︎
  13. 21:72 Ishaq, or Isaac, derived from the Hebrew name Yitzhak, meaning “he laughs.” ↩︎
  14. 21:72 Yaqub, or Jacob, derived from the Hebrew name Ya’akov. An alternative name for the people of Israel. ↩︎
  15. 21:76 Nuh, Arabic name derived from the Hebrew name Noah, meaning “rest.” For the original account of Nuh see the Taurat, Genesis 6. ↩︎
  16. 21:78 Dawud, this Arabic name is derived from David (Hebrew) and means “Beloved.” ↩︎
  17. 21:81 Sulayman, this Arabic name and the name Solomon are both derived from the Hebrew name Shlomo which means “peace.” ↩︎
  18. 21:83 Ayub, this Arabic name and the English name Job are derived from the Hebrew name Iyyob, which means “persecuted.” ↩︎
  19. 21:85 Ismail, derived from the Hebrew Ishmael which means “God hears.” ↩︎
  20. 21:85 Idris, known in the texts of the Hebrew Taurat and the Greek Injil as Enoch. ↩︎
  21. 21:85 Dhul-kifl, also known as Hizqil, from the Hebrew name Yehezqel (meaning “God strengthens”). Traditionally, Ezekiel in English. ↩︎
  22. 21:87 Yunus, literally, Dhul-Nun, “lord of the depths”. Yunus, this Arabic name is borrowed from the Greek name Ionas (Jonas) which is derived from the Hebrew name Yonah (Jonah), which means “dove.” For the original account of Yunus see the Taurat, Yunus 1. ↩︎
  23. 21:89 Zakariyya, this Arabic name is derived from the Hebrew name Zechariah, which means “YAHWEH remembers.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”)
    The story of the priest Zakariyya and the birth of his son, Prophet Yahya, is found in the Injil, Luke, chapter 1. ↩︎
  24. 21:90 Yahya, this Arabic name and the English name John (for John the Baptist/Baptizer) are both derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, which means “YAHWEH is gracious”. (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
  25. 21:91 our Spirit, this is terminology used frequently in the Taurat and Injil of someone also called the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of God. God’s Spirit is not an angel or created being, but the uncreated, eternal essence of God himself who was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2). He is also the one who moved the prophets to speak God’s Word to humankind (see 2 Peter 1:21). He also lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎
  26. 21:91 The woman spoken of here is Maryam, who miraculously gave birth to the Prophet ‘ISA without a human father. This word confirms the truth of what was previously revealed in the Taurat and the Injil about the birth of ‘ISA Ibn Maryam. The holy Taurat predicted over 700 years before his birth, that ‘Isa would be born to a virgin as a special sign. The book of the Prophet Shaya in chapter 7, verse 14 declares, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall call his Name IMMANUEL.” Over 700 years later, the holy Injil quotes that ancient prophecy and teaches that it was fulfilled in the birth of ‘ISA Ibn Maryam. Matthew 1, verses 21-23 says: She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name ‘ISA, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins. Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his Name IMMANUEL;” which is, being interpreted, “GOD WITH US.” ↩︎
  27. 21:96 Yajuj and Majuj, or Gog and Magog. See the Taurat, Dhul-Kifl chapters 38 and 39, for an extended prophecy against them. They are also mentioned in the Injil, Revelation 20:7-9, which says: “And after the thousand years, Shaitan will be released from his prison, and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Yajuj and Majuj, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. They went up over the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them.” ↩︎
  28. 21:105 Zabur, or the Psalms of David. Zabur is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew zimra, translated “song” in Zabur 81:2 and “melody” in Zabur 98:5. ↩︎
  29. 21:105 after the Reminder, that is, after the Taurat. The Zabur of Dawud was written about 400 years after the Taurat of Musa (Pentateuch) was given. ↩︎
  30. 21:105 Quoting the holy Zabur chapter 37, verse 29, which says, “The righteous shall inherit the earth, and live in it forever.” This is clear evidence that the Zabur in existence today is the same ancient book quoted in the Quran. ↩︎