50. Sūrat Qaf · The Letter Qaf

Qãf. By the glorious Quran!

Qaf. By the Glorious Qur'an,

Qaf. CONSIDER this sublime Qur’an!

Qaf. By the glorious Quran.

Qaf. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.) By the Glorious Qur’an

˹All will be resurrected,˺ yet the deniers are astonished that a warner has come to them from among themselves ˹warning of resurrection˺. So the disbelievers say, “This is an astonishing thing!

Nay, but they marvel that a warner of their own hath come unto them; and the disbelievers say: This is a strange thing:

But nay - they deem it strange that a warner should have come unto them from their own midst; and so these deniers of the truth are saying, “A strange thing is this!

But rather they wondered that there has come to them a warner from among themselves. And the infidels said, 'this is a strange thing.'

But they wondered that a Warner had come to them from amongst themselves. So the disbelievers say: ‘This is strange

˹Will we be returned to life,˺ when we are dead and reduced to dust? Such a return is impossible.”

When we are dead and have become dust (shall we be brought back again)? That would be a far return!

Why - [how could we be resurrected] after we have died and become mere dust? Such a return seems far-fetched indeed!”

Will when we be dead and become dust, we be raised again to life? This return is remote.

Is it that when we are dead and have become dust (then we shall become alive again)? This return is far (from understanding and perception).

We certainly know what the earth consumes of them ˹after their death˺, and with us is a well-preserved Record.

We know that which the earth taketh of them, and with Us is a recording Book.

Well do We know how the earth consumes their bodies, for with Us is a record unfailing.

We know what the earth diminishes for them; and with Us is a Book preserving.

Definitely, We know how much the earth (eats up and) consumes their (bodies), and We have a Book wherein everything is preserved

In fact, they reject the truth when it has come to them, so they are in a confused state.

Nay, but they have denied the truth when it came unto them, therefor they are now in troubled case.

Nay, but they [who refuse to believe in resurrection] have been wont to give the lie to this truth whenever it was proffered to them; and so they are in a state of confusion.

But rather they belied the truth when it came to them and so they are in a state of confusion.

But (strange and far from understanding is this that) they denied the truth (i.e., the Messenger and the Qur’an) when it came to them. So they have themselves stepped into anxiety and confusion

Have they not then looked at the sky above them: how We built it and adorned it ˹with stars˺, leaving it flawless?

Have they not then observed the sky above them, how We have constructed it and beautified it, and how there are no rifts therein?

Do they not look at the sky above them - how We have built it and made it beautiful and free of all faults?

Have they not looked up to the sky above them, how We have built it and adorned it and that there is no rift therein

Have they not looked at the sky above them how We made it and (how) We adorned it, and there is no crack in it

As for the earth, We spread it out and placed upon it firm mountains, and produced in it every type of pleasant plant—

And the earth have We spread out, and have flung firm hills therein, and have caused of every lovely kind to grow thereon,

And the earth - We have spread it wide, and set upon it mountains firm, and caused it to bring forth plants of all beauteous kinds,

And the earth We have spread it out, and placed there in anchors of mountains and caused to grow therein every beautiful pair

And (in the same way) We spread out the earth and We placed in it heavy mountains and produced in it every kind of beautiful plants

˹all as˺ an insight and a reminder to every servant who turns ˹to Allah˺.

A vision and a reminder for every penitent slave.

thus offering an insight and a reminder unto every human being who willingly turns unto God.

An insight and understanding for every returning bondman.

All that is (a source of) insight, direction and guidance for every servant who turns (to Allah in repentance)

And We send down blessed rain from the sky, bringing forth gardens and grains for harvest,

And We send down from the sky blessed water whereby We give growth unto gardens and the grain of crops,

And We send down from the skies water rich in blessings, and cause thereby gardens to grow, and fields of grain,

And We sent down out of heaven blessed water and We caused to grow thereby gardens and the grain that is harvested

And We showered blessed water from the sky and then produced with it gardens and (also) the grain of harvests

and towering palm trees ˹loaded˺ with clustered fruit,

And lofty date-palms with ranged clusters,

and tall palm-trees with their thickly-clustered dates,

And tall palm trees with spathes piled one over another

And date-palms soaring high with layers of spathes

˹as˺ a provision for ˹Our˺ servants. And with this ˹rain˺ We revive a lifeless land. Similar is the emergence ˹from the graves˺.

Provision (made) for men; and therewith We quicken a dead land. Even so will be the resurrection of the dead.

as sustenance appor­tioned to men; and by [all] this We bring dead land to life: [and] even so will be [man’s] coming-forth from death.

As a provision for bondmen and We thereby revived a dead city. Thus is your coming out from the graves.

(This all is done as) sustenance for the servants, and We gave life with this (water) to the dead earth. In like manner is (your) coming forth from the graves

Before them, the people of Noah denied ˹the truth,˺ as did the people of the Water-pit, Thamûd,

The folk of Noah denied (the truth) before them, and (so did) the dwellers at Ar-Rass and (the tribe of) Thamud,

[Long] before those [who now deny resur­rection] did Noah’s people give the lie to this truth, and [so did] the folk of Ar-Rass, and [the tribes of] Thamud

Belied before them the people of Nuh and the men of Rass and Thamud;

Before these (disbelievers of Mecca), the people of Nuh (Noah) and the people of the blind well (al-Rass in al-Yamama) and Thamud (the people of Salih, in the town of al-Hijr near Tabuk on the Medina-Syria road)

’Ȃd, Pharaoh, the kinfolk of Lot,

And (the tribe of) A'ad, and Pharaoh, and the brethren of Lot,

and Ad, and Pharaoh, and Lot’s brethren,

And the Aad, Firawan and the compatriots of Lut,

And ‘Ad (the people of Hud in Ahqaf valley of Yemen situated between Oman and the al-Mahra) and Pharaoh (the ruler of Egypt) and the people of Lut [Lot] (living in Sodom and ‘Amura [Gomorrah] in Palestine)

the residents of the Forest, and the people of Tubba’. Each rejected ˹their˺ messenger, so My warning was fulfilled.

And the dwellers in the wood, and the folk of Tubb'a: every one denied their messengers, therefor My threat took effect.

and the dwellers of the wooded dales [of Madyan], and the people of Tubba: they all gave the lie to the apostles - and thereupon that whereof I had warned [them] came true.

And the men of wood and the people of Tubba. Every one of them belied the Messengers and so the promise of My torment was proved.

And the inhabitants of al-Ayka (the wood in Madyan, the people of Shu‘ayb), and the people of Tubba‘ (the people of As‘ad Abu Kurib al-Himyari, the King of Yemen)—(in sum) all (of them) rejected the Messengers. So My promise of punishment (against them) proved true

Were We incapable of creating ˹them˺ the first time? In fact, they are in doubt about ˹their˺ re-creation.

Were We then worn out by the first creation? Yet they are in doubt about a new creation.

Could We, then, be [thought of as being] worn out by the first creation? Nay - but some people are [still] lost in doubt about [the possibility of] a new creation!

Have We then become weary by making for the first time? Nay, but rather they are in doubt regarding a new making.

So are We tired by the first creation? (Nay!) In fact, it is they who are in doubt about the new creation

Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ created humankind and ˹fully˺ know what their souls whisper to them, and We are closer to them than ˹their˺ jugular vein.

We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.

NOW, VERILY, it is We who have created man, and We know what his innermost self whispers within him: for We are closer to him than his neck-vein.

And indeed We created man and We know what his soul whispers within him, and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein.

And assuredly, We created man and We know (also) the doubts which his (ill-commanding) self puts (into his heart and mind). And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein

As the two recording-angels—˹one˺ sitting to the right, and ˹the other to˺ the left—note ˹everything˺,

When the two Receivers receive (him), seated on the right hand and on the left,

[And so,] whenever the two demands [of his nature] come face to face, contending from the right and from the left,

When the two receivers receive from him, one sitting on the right side and another at the left.

When the two receivers receive (the recording angels write down his every communication and work), sitting on the right and on the left

not a word does a person utter without having a ˹vigilant˺ observer ready ˹to write it down˺.

He uttereth no word but there is with him an observer ready.

not even a word can he utter but there is a watcher with him, ever-present.

Not a word he utters but there is sitting a watcher ready by him.

Not a word does he utter but a watcher is there beside him ready (to write it)

˹Ultimately,˺ with the throes of death will come the truth. This is what you were trying to escape!

And the agony of death cometh in truth. (And it is said unto him): This is that which thou wast wont to shun.

And [then,] the twilight of death brings with it the [full] truth that [very thing, O man,] from which thou wouldst always look away! –

And there has come the stupor of death with truth. This is from which you were trying to run.

And the stupor of death comes with the truth. (O man,) that is what you were running away from

And the Trumpet will be blown. This is the Day ˹you were˺ warned of.

And the trumpet is blown. This is the threatened Day.

and [in the end] the trumpet [of resurrection] will be blown: that will be the Day of a warning fulfilled.

And the Trumpet was blown. This is the Day of the torment promised.

And the Trumpet will be blown. It is (this torment) the Day of Warning

Each soul will come forth with an angel to drive it and another to testify.

And every soul cometh, along with it a driver and a witness.

And every human being will come forward with [his erstwhile] inner urges and [his] conscious mind,

And every soul came forth in this manner that with it there was a driver and a witness.

And every soul will appear (before Our presence), one (angel) forcing it forward and (the other) a witness (to its actions)

˹It will be said to the denier,˺ “You were totally heedless of this. Now We have lifted this veil of yours, so Today your sight is sharp!”

(And unto the evil-doer it is said): Thou wast in heedlessness of this. Now We have removed from thee thy covering, and piercing is thy sight this day.

[and will be told:] “Indeed, unmindful hast thou been of this [Day of Judgment]; but now We have lifted from thee thy veil, and sharp is thy sight today!”

Assuredly, you were heedless of this, therefore We have removed from you the covering, so today your sight is sharp.

The truth is that you were negligent of this (Day), so We have removed your veil (of negligence) and Today your sight is sharp

And one’s accompanying-angel will say, “Here is the record ready with me.”

And (unto the evil-doer) his comrade saith: This is that which I have ready (as testimony).

And one part of him will say: “This it is that has been ever-present with me!”

And his companion angel said, 'this is what is ready with me'.

And his close companion (angel) will say: ‘That is what I have ready (for you).

˹It will be said to both angels,˺ “Throw into Hell every stubborn disbeliever,

(And it is said): Do ye twain hurl to hell each rebel ingrate,

[Whereupon God will command:] “Cast, cast into hell every [such] stubborn enemy of the truth,

It will be commanded cast you, twain into Hell every ungrateful, obstinate.

(It will be commanded:) ‘Both of you hurl into Hell every (such) ungrateful rebel

withholder of good, transgressor, and doubter,

Hinderer of good, transgressor, doubter,

[every] withholder of good [and] sinful aggressor [and] fomentor of distrust [between man and man – everyone]

Who is hinderer of the good transgressor, doubter.

That hinders from good, exceeds the limits, doubts and puts into doubt

who set up another god with Allah. So cast them into the severe punishment.”

Who setteth up another god along with Allah. Do ye twain hurl him to the dreadful doom.

who has set up another deity beside God: cast him, then, cast him into suffering severe!”

Who has set up any other God with Allah so you twain cast him into the severe torment.

That had set up another god besides Allah. So hurl him into a fierce torment.

One’s ˹devilish˺ associate will say, “Our Lord! I did not make them transgress. Rather, they were far astray ˹on their own˺.”

His comrade saith: Our Lord! I did not cause him to rebel, but he was (himself) far gone in error.

Man’s other self’ will say: “O our Sustainer! It was not I that led his conscious mind into evil [nay,] but it had gone far astray [of its own accord]!

His associate devil said, 'Our Lord,' I did not make him contumacious, yes, he was himself in a tar off error'.

(Now) his (other) companion (Satan) will say: ‘O our Lord, I did not misguide him. In fact, he was himself suffering from misguidance of extreme degree.

Allah will respond, “Do not dispute in My presence, since I had already given you a warning.

He saith: Contend not in My presence, when I had already proffered unto you the warning.

[And] He will say: “Contend not before Me, [O you sinners,] for I gave you a forewarning [of this Day of Reckoning].

He will say, 'dispute not before Me' for I had already warned you of the torment'

Allah will say: ‘Do not dispute in My presence whilst I have already sent you the warning (of punishment)

My Word cannot be changed, nor am I unjust to ˹My˺ servants.”

The sentence that cometh from Me cannot be changed, and I am in no wise a tyrant unto the slaves.

The judgment passed by Me shall not be altered; but never do I do the least wrong unto My creatures!”

The word is not changed with Me, nor I wrong My bondmen.

The command is never changed in My presence. Nor do I wrong the servants.

˹Beware of˺ the Day We will ask Hell, “Are you full ˹yet˺?” And it will respond, “Are there any more?”

On the day when We say unto hell: Art thou filled? and it saith: Can there be more to come?

On that Day We will ask hell, “Art thou filled?”- and it will answer, “[Nay,] is there yet more [for me]?”

The day when We shall say to Hell, 'are you filled up'? It will say, 'is some thing more'?

That Day We shall ask Hell: ‘Are you filled up?’ And it will say: ‘Is there any more?

And Paradise will be brought near to the righteous, not far off.

And the Garden is brought nigh for those who kept from evil, no longer distant.

And [on that Day] paradise will be brought within the sight of the God-conscious, and will no longer be far away; [and they will be told:]

The paradise shall be brought near to the pious that it shall be not far off from them.

And Paradise will be brought close to the pious; it will not be distant at all

˹And it will be said to them,˺ “This is what you were promised, for whoever ˹constantly˺ turned ˹to Allah˺ and kept up ˹His commandments˺—

(And it is said): This is that which ye were promised. (It is) for every penitent and heedful one,

“This is what you were promised - [promised] unto every­one who was wont to turn unto God and to keep Him always in mind –

This is what is promised to you for every pertinent, watchful.

(And it will be said to them:) ‘This is what you were promised; (it is meant) for everyone who turns to Allah in repentance and who guards (his Din [Religion] and faith)

who were in awe of the Most Compassionate without seeing ˹Him˺, and have come with a heart turning ˹only to Him˺.

Who feareth the Beneficent in secret and cometh with a contrite heart.

[everyone] who stood in awe of the Most Gracious although He is beyond the reach of human perception, and who has come [unto Him] with a heart full of contrition.

Whoever feared the All Affectionate in the unseen and came to Him with a pertinent heart.

Who fears the Most Kind (Lord) unseen, and comes (before the presence of Allah) with a heart turned in repentance

Enter it in peace. This is the Day of eternal life!”

Enter it in peace. This is the day of immortality.

Enter this [paradise] in peace; this is the Day on which life abiding begins!”

It will be said to them, 'Enter the Paradise in peace'. This is the day of Eternity.

Enter it in peace; this is the Day of Eternity.

There they will have whatever they desire, and with Us is ˹even˺ more.

There they have all that they desire, and there is more with Us.

In that [paradise] they shall have whatever they may desire - but there is yet more with Us.

For them there is whatever they desire and with Us there is yet more than that.

All those blessings which they will long for will be there for them in that (Paradise), and there is still another blessing with Us (or much more; so the lovers will be enchanted)

˹Imagine˺ how many peoples We destroyed before them, who were far mightier than them. Then ˹when the torment came,˺ they ˹desperately˺ sought refuge in the land. ˹But˺ was there any escape?

And how many a generation We destroyed before them, who were mightier than these in prowess so that they overran the lands! Had they any place of refuge (when the judgment came)?

AND HOW MANY a generation have We destroyed before those [who now deny the truth] people of greater might than theirs; but [when Our chastise­ment befell them,] they became wanderers on the face of the earth, seeking no more than a place of refuge

How many a generation We destroyed before them that they were stronger in velour than they, then they searched about in the cities. Is there any place of refuge?

And how many generations We destroyed before them (the disbelievers and idolaters of Mecca) who were far stronger in power and might than they! So they searched the cities (of the world) to run away somewhere for refuge (from death or torment)

Surely in this is a reminder for whoever has a ˹mindful˺ heart and lends an attentive ear.

Lo! therein verily is a reminder for him who hath a heart, or giveth ear with full intelligence.

In this, behold, there is indeed a reminder for everyone whose heart is wide-awake -that is, [every­one who] lends ear with a conscious mind -

Undoubtedly, there is admonition in it for him who has a heart or who gives ear and be heedful.

There is indeed sure warning and admonition in it for him who has a heart (vigilant and awake, far from negligence,) or listens with active attention (i.e., focuses attention having no contact with anyone other than Allah) and is in a state of (spiritual) vision (i.e., remains lost in the effulgent disclosures of Allah’s absolute beauty)

Indeed, We created the heavens and the earth and everything in between in six Days, and We were not ˹even˺ touched with fatigue.

And verily We created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in six Days, and naught of weariness touched Us.

and [who knows that] We have indeed created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six aeons, and [that] no weariness could ever touch Us.

Surely, We made the heavens and the land and what ever is in between in six days and weariness came not to Us.

And surely, We have created the heavens and the earth and that (universe) which is between the two in six periods and no fatigue has touched Us

So be patient ˹O Prophet˺ with what they say. And glorify the praises of your Lord before sunrise and before sunset.

Therefor (O Muhammad) bear with what they say, and hymn the praise of thy Lord before the rising and before the setting of the sun;

HENCE, [O believer,] bear thou with patience what­ever they may say, and extol thy Sustainer’s limit­less glory and praise before the rising of the sun and before its setting;

Therefore be patient over what they say, and sanctify your Lord praising Him before the rising of the sun and before its setting.

So be patient with what they say and glorify your Lord with praise before sunrise and before sunset

And glorify Him during part of the night and after the prayers.

And in the night-time hymn His praise, and after the (prescribed) prostrations.

and in the night, too, extol His glory, and at every prayer’s end.

And sanctify Him in the late night and after prayers.

And also glorify Him during some hours of the night and after the Prayers as well

And listen! On the Day the caller will call out from a near place,

And listen on the day when the crier crieth from a near place,

And [always] listen for the day when He who issues the call [of death] shall call [thee] from close-by;

And listen attentively, the day when the caller will call from a place nearby.

And listen attentively (of the Day) when a caller will call from a near place

the Day all will hear the ˹mighty˺ Blast in ˹all˺ truth, that will be the Day of emergence ˹from the graves˺.

The day when they will hear the (Awful) Cry in truth. That is the day of coming forth (from the graves).

[and bethink thyself, too, of] the Day on which all [human beings] will in truth hear the final blast - that Day of [their] coming-forth [from death].

The day when they will hear the uproar in truth. This is the day of coming forth from the graves.

The Day when people will assuredly hear a mighty roar. That will be the Day of coming out from the graves

It is certainly We Who give life and cause death. And to Us is the final return.

Lo! We it is Who quicken and give death, and unto Us is the journeying.

Verily, it is We who grant life and deal death; and with Us will be all journeys’ end

Undoubtedly, We give life and cause death and to Us is the return.

Surely, it is We Who give life, and it is We Who cause death, and to Us is the return

˹Beware of˺ the Day the earth will split open, letting them rush forth. That will be an easy gathering for Us.

On the day when the earth splitteth asunder from them, hastening forth (they come). That is a gathering easy for Us (to make).

on the Day when the earth is riven asunder all around them as they hasten forth [towards God’s judgment]: that gathering will be easy for Us [to encompass].

The day when the earth will cleave as under from them and they will come out hastening. This is the gathering, quite easy for Us.

The Day when the earth will split apart from above them, they will come out in haste. This raising them alive (i.e., gathering the people once again) is quite easy for Us

We know best what they say. And you ˹O Prophet˺ are not ˹there˺ to compel them ˹to believe˺. So remind with the Quran ˹only˺ those who fear My warning.

We are Best Aware of what they say, and thou (O Muhammad) art in no wise a compeller over them. But warn by the Qur'an him who feareth My threat.

Fully aware are We of what they [who deny resurrection] do say; and thou canst by no means force them [to believe in it]. Yet none the less, remind, through this Qur’an, all such as may fear My warning.

We are knowing well what they are saying and you are not a tyrant over them, therefore admonish by Quran him who fears My threat

We know best what they say, and you are not the one to coerce them. So advise by means of the Qur’an anyone who fears My threat of punishment