51. Sūrat Adh-Dhariyat · The Winnowing Winds

By the winds scattering ˹dust˺,

By those that winnow with a winnowing

CONSIDER the winds that scatter the dust far and wide,

By those who scatter by scattering.

By the winds that blow and scatter

and ˹the clouds˺ loaded with rain,

And those that bear the burden (of the rain)

and those that carry the burden [of heavy clouds],

Then the burden bearers.

And by the clouds that carry a heavy load (of water)

and ˹the ships˺ gliding with ease,

And those that glide with ease (upon the sea)

and those that speed along with gentle ease,

Then the smooth runners.

And by the vessels that float with elegance

and ˹the angels˺ administering affairs by ˹Allah’s˺ command!

And those who distribute (blessings) by command,

and those that apportion [the gift of life] at [God’s] behest!

And then the distributors by command.

And by the angels that distribute work

Indeed, what you are promised is true.

Lo! that wherewith ye are threatened is indeed true,

Verily, that which you are promised is true indeed,

Undoubtedly, what is promised to you is surely true.

Surely the promise (of the Hereafter) being made to you is absolutely true

And the Judgment will certainly come to pass.

And lo! the judgment will indeed befall.

and, verily, judgment is bound to come!

And undoubtedly, the justice is sure to be done.

And surely, the reward and the punishment (of actions) are bound to take place

˹And˺ by the heavens in their marvellous design!

By the heaven full of paths,

CONSIDER the firmament full of starry paths!

By heaven that is adorned (by stars).

And by the heaven with its galaxies and orbits (of stars and planets)

Surely you are ˹lost˺ in conflicting views ˹regarding the truth˺.

Lo! ye, forsooth, are of various opinion (concerning the truth).

Verily, [O men,] you are deeply at variance as to what to believe:

You are at variance in your talks.

Certainly you are (caught) in inconsistent statements

Only those ˹destined to be˺ deluded are turned away from it.

He is made to turn away from it who is (himself) averse.

perverted in his views thereon is he who would deceive himself!

He alone is turned away from this Quran who is destined to be turned away.

He alone who is turned away (from the knowledge of pre-eternity) turns away (from the Holy Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] and the Qur’an)

Condemned are the liars—

Accursed be the conjecturers

They but destroy themselves, they who are given to guessing at what they cannot ascertain –

Killed be the fabricators.

Ruined are those who tell lies out of assumption and conjecture

those who are ˹steeped˺ in ignorance, totally heedless.

Who are careless in an abyss!

they who blunder along, in ignorance lost –

Who are forgetful in intoxication (of ignorance).

Those who are oblivious (of the Hereafter) due to negligence and ignorance

They ask ˹mockingly˺, “When is this Day of Judgment?”

They ask: When is the Day of Judgment?

they who [mockingly] ask, “When is that Day of Judgment to be?”

They ask, 'when will be the day of judgements'.

They ask: ‘When is the Day of Requital?

˹It is˺ the Day they will be tormented over the Fire.

(It is) the day when they will be tormented at the Fire,

[It will be] a Day when they will be sorely tried by the fire,

It will be a day when they shall be tried on the fire.

(Say:) ‘The Day (when) they will be roasted in the Fire of Hell.

˹They will be told,˺ “Taste your torment! This is what you sought to hasten.”

(And it will be said unto them): Taste your torment (which ye inflicted). This is what ye sought to hasten.

[and will be told:] “Taste this your trial! It is this that you were so hastily asking for!”

And it will be said to them, 'taste your trial'. This is what you were hastening.

(It will be said to them:) ‘Relish your punishment. It is this punishment which you seek to hasten.

Indeed, the righteous will be amid Gardens and springs,

Lo! those who keep from evil will dwell amid gardens and watersprings,

[But,] behold, the God-conscious will find themselves amid gardens and springs,

Surely, the pious are in the gardens and springs.

Surely, the pious will be (rejoicing) in gardens and springs

˹joyfully˺ receiving what their Lord will grant them. Before this ˹reward˺ they were truly good-doers ˹in the world˺:

Taking that which their Lord giveth them; for lo! aforetime they were doers of good;

enjoying all that their Sustainer will have granted them [because], verily, they were doers of good in the past:

Receiving what their Lord gives them. Surely, they were doers of good before that.

Receiving those blessings (in ecstatic delight) which their Lord will be giving them (with munificence and benevolence). Surely, it is they who were people of spiritual excellence (in their life) before this

they used to sleep only little in the night,

They used to sleep but little of the night,

they would lie asleep during but a small part of the night,

They used to sleep little by night.

They used to sleep at night only for a short while

and pray for forgiveness before dawn.

And ere the dawning of each day would seek forgiveness,

and would pray for forgiveness from their innermost hearts;

And in the last part of the night, they used to seek forgiveness.

And used to (get up and) seek forgiveness in the later part of the night

And in their wealth there was a rightful share ˹fulfilled˺ for the beggar and the poor.

And in their wealth the beggar and the outcast had due share.

and [would assign] in all that they possessed a due share unto such as might ask [for help] and such as might suffer priva­tion.

And in their wealth, there was the right of the beggars and the unfortunate.

And in their wealth was appointed a due share for the beggars and the destitute (i.e., all the needy)

There are ˹countless˺ signs on earth for those with sure faith,

And in the earth are portents for those whose faith is sure.

AND ON EARTH there are signs [of God’s exis­tence, visible] to all who are endowed with inner certainty,

It used to beat down the men as though they are the roots of uprooted palm trees

And there are many signs in the earth for the people with the truth of certitude (i.e., people of perfect certitude)

as there are within yourselves. Can you not see?

And (also) in yourselves. Can ye then not see?

just as [there are signs thereof] within your own selves: can you not, then, see?

And in your own selves. Do you not then perceive?

And in your selves (as well). So do you not notice

In heaven is your sustenance and whatever you are promised.

And in the heaven is your providence and that which ye are promised;

And in heaven is [the source of] your sus­tenance [on earth] and [of] all that you are promised [for your life after death]:

And in heaven is your provision, and that you are promised.

And (also) there is sustenance for you in the heaven and (all that too) which you are promised

Then by the Lord of heaven and earth! ˹All˺ this is certainly as true as ˹the fact that˺ you can speak!

And by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, it is the truth, even as (it is true) that ye speak.

for, by the Sustainer of heaven and earth, this [life after death] is the very truth - as true as that you are endowed with speech!

Therefore, by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, verily this Quran is the truth in the same language, which you speak.

So, by the Lord of heavens and the earth, this (promise of Ours) is true just as is your speech. (You firmly believe in what you utter.

Has the story of Abraham’s honoured guests reached you ˹O Prophet˺?

Hath the story of Abraham's honoured guests reached thee (O Muhammad)?

AND HAS the story of Abraham’s honoured guests ever come within thy ken?

'O beloved! (prophet) has the news of the honoured guests of Ibrahim come to you?

Has the news of the venerable guests of Ibrahim (Abraham) come to you

˹Remember˺ when they entered his presence and greeted ˹him with˺, “Peace!” He replied, “Peace ˹be upon you˺!” ˹Then he said to himself,˺ “˹These are˺ an unfamiliar people.”

When they came in unto him and said: Peace! he answered, Peace! (and thought): Folk unknown (to me).

When those [heavenly messengers] came unto him and bade him peace, he answered, “[And upon you be] peace!” - [saying to himself,] “They are strangers.”

When they came to him and said, 'peace', he said, 'peace', they are the persons strangers.

When those (angels) came to him, they wished him peace. Ibrahim (Abraham) also said (in reply): ‘Peace (be upon you)!’ (and thought in his mind that) they were strangers

Then he slipped off to his family and brought a fat ˹roasted˺ calf,

Then he went apart unto his housefolk so that they brought a fatted calf;

Then he turned quietly to his household, and brought forth a fat [roasted] calf,

Then he went to his house and brought a fatted calf.

Then he went to his home in haste and brought a healthy, roasted calf

and placed it before them, asking, “Will you not eat?”

And he set it before them, saying: Will ye not eat?

and placed it before them, saying, “Will you not eat?”

Then he placed before them. He said, 'do you not eat.

Then he presented it to them and said: ‘Will you not eat?

˹They did not eat,˺ so he grew fearful of them. They reassured ˹him˺, “Do not be afraid,” and gave him good news of a knowledgeable son.

Then he conceived a fear of them. They said: Fear not! and gave him tidings of (the birth of) a wise son.

[And when he saw that the guests would not eat,] he became apprehensive of them; [but] they said, “Fear not” - and gave him the glad tiding of [the birth of] a son who would be endowed with deep knowledge.

Then he began to fear in his heart on account of them, they said, 'fear not, and gave him glad tidings, of the birth of a son of knowledge.

Then he felt somewhat concerned about them (when they did not eat). They (the angels) said: ‘Do not worry,’ then they gave him the news about a son possessing knowledge and wisdom (Ishaq [Isaac])

Then his wife came forward with a cry, clasping her forehead ˹in astonishment˺, exclaiming, “˹A baby from˺ a barren, old woman!”

Then his wife came forward, making moan, and smote her face, and cried: A barren old woman!

Thereupon his wife approached [the guests] with a loud cry, and struck her face [in astonishment] and exclaimed: “A barren old woman [like me]!”

Then his wife came forward crying and smote her forehead and said, 'what! A barren old woman.

Then his wife (Sara) came with a voice laden with wonder and frustration, patted her forehead in astonishment and said: ‘(Will) an old and barren woman (give birth to a child)?

They replied, “Such has your Lord decreed. He is truly the All-Wise, All-Knowing.”

They said: Even so saith thy Lord. Lo! He is the Wise, the Knower.

They answered: “Thus has thy Sustainer decreed; and, verily, He alone is truly wise, all- knowing!”

They said, 'thus has said your Lord. And He is the Wise the Knowing

The (angels) said: ‘It will happen exactly as your Lord has said; surely, He is Most Wise, All-Knowing.

˹Later,˺ Abraham asked, “What is your mission, O messengers?”

(Abraham) said: And (afterward) what is your errand, O ye sent (from Allah)?

Said [Abraham]: “And what [else] may you have in view, O you [heavenly] messengers?”

Ibrahim said, 'and O angels! For what business you have come?

Ibrahim (Abraham) said: ‘O deputed angels, what is your intent (for coming, apart from this good news)?

They replied, “We have actually been sent to a wicked people,

They said: Lo! we are sent unto a guilty folk,

They answered: “Behold, we have been sent unto a people lost in sin,

They said, 'We have been sent to a sinful people.

They said: ‘We have been sent to the evildoing people (the people of Lut [Lot])

to send upon them stones of ˹baked˺ clay,

That we may send upon them stones of clay,

to let loose upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement,

That We may let, loose upon them stones of baked clay.

So that we may rain on them THE the stones of baked clay

marked by your Lord for the transgressors.”

Marked by thy Lord for (the destruction of) the wanton.

marked out in thy Sustainer’s sight for [the punishment of] such as have wasted their own selves.”

Which are with your Lord marked for the extravagant.

(The stones) that have been marked from your Lord for those who transgress.

Then ˹before the torment˺ We evacuated the believers from the city.

Then we brought forth such believers as were there.

And in the course of time We brought out [of Lot ’s city] such [few] believers as were there:

Then We brought forth from the city those who were believers.

Then We moved everyone who was of the believers in it out (from the town of the people of Lut [Lot])

But We only found one family that had submitted ˹to Allah˺.

But We found there but one house of those surrendered (to Allah).

for apart from one [single] house We did not find there any who had surrendered themselves to Us.

But We found there only one house of Muslims.

So We did not find in that town (any house) of the Muslims except one (in which were the Prophet Lut [Lot] and his two daughters)

And We have left a sign there ˹as a lesson˺ for those who fear the painful punishment.

And We left behind therein a portent for those who fear a painful doom.

And so We left therein a message for those who fear the grievous suffering [which awaits all evildoers].

And We left therein a sign for those who fear a painful torment.

And We made in that (town) a sign to subsist (as a lesson of warning) for those who fear the grievous torment

And in ˹the story of˺ Moses ˹was another lesson,˺ when We sent him to Pharaoh with compelling proof,

And in Moses (too, there is a portent) when We sent him unto Pharaoh with clear warrant,

AND IN [the story of Pharaoh and] Moses, too, [We left the same message: for] when We sent him unto Pharaoh with [Our] manifest authority,

And in Musa also, when We sent him to Firawn with bright authority.

And (there are signs) in (the incident of) Musa (Moses) as well when We sent him to Pharaoh with clear proof

but Pharaoh was carried away by his power, saying ˹of Moses˺, “A magician or a madman!”

But he withdrew (confiding) in his might, and said: A wizard or a madman.

and he turned away in [the pride of] his power and said, “A sorcerer [is this Moses], or a madman!” –

But he turned away with his army and said, 'a magician or a madman.

He turned away along with his cabinet members and said: ‘(Here is) a magician or a madman.

So We seized him and his soldiers, casting them into the sea while he was blameworthy.

So We seized him and his hosts and flung them in the sea, for he was reprobate.

We seized him and his hosts, and cast them all into the sea: and [none but Pharaoh] himself was to blame [for what happened].

So seizing him and his army, We cast them into the sea in a condition that he was blaming himself

Then We seized him and his army (with torment), and drowned them (all) in the river. And he was but the perpetrator of condemnable works

And in ˹the story of˺ ’Âd ˹was another lesson,˺ when We sent against them the devastating wind.

And in (the tribe of) A'ad (there is a portent) when we sent the fatal wind against them.

And [you have the same message] in [what happened to the tribe of] Ad, when We let loose against them that life-destroying wind

And in Aad too, when We sent to them a dry windstorm.

And there is (a sign) in (the destruction of) the people of ‘Ad too when We sent upon them a wind devoid of any good and blessing

There was nothing it came upon that it did not reduce to ashes.

It spared naught that it reached, but made it (all) as dust.

which spared nothing of what it came upon, but caused [all of] it to become like bones dead and decayed.

That it left the thing it came upon like a rotten thing.

Whatever it passed over, it did not leave without turning it to dust

And in ˹the story of˺ Thamûd ˹was another lesson,˺ when they were told, “Enjoy yourselves ˹only˺ for a ˹short˺ while.”

And in (the tribe of) Thamud (there is a portent) when it was told them: Take your ease awhile.

And in [the story of the tribe of] Thamud, too, when they were told, “You shall enjoy your life for [but] a little while,”

And in Thamud too, when it was said to them; enjoy yourselves for a while'.

And also there is (a sign of warning) in the (destruction of) the people of Thamud when they were told: ‘Take benefit for an appointed term.

Still they persisted in defying the commands of their Lord, so they were overtaken by a ˹mighty˺ blast while they were looking on.

But they rebelled against their Lord's decree, and so the thunderbolt overtook them even while they gazed;

after they had turned with disdain from their Sustainer’s commandment - whereupon the thunderbolt of punishment overtook them while they were [helplessly] looking on:

But they rebelled against the command of their Lord then a thunderbolt overtook them before their eyes.

But they disobeyed the command of their Lord. So a horrifying thunder seized them, and they could only stare at it stunned

Then they were not able to rise up, nor were they helped.

And they were unable to rise up, nor could they help themselves.

for they were unable even to rise, and could not defend themselves.

Then neither they could stand up nor they could take revenge.

Then they could neither gather strength to stand, nor take revenge (on Us)

And the people of Noah ˹had also been destroyed˺ earlier. They were truly a rebellious people.

And the folk of Noah aforetime. Lo! they were licentious folk.

And [thus, too, We destroyed] Noah’s people aforetime: for they were iniquitous folk.

And We destroyed the People of Nuh before them. Undoubtedly they were the people disobedient.

And (We also destroyed) the people of Nuh (Noah) before this. Surely, they were a people extremely disobedient

We built the universe with ˹great˺ might, and We are certainly expanding ˹it˺.

We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof).

AND IT IS We who have built the universe with [Our creative] power; and, verily, it is We who are steadily expanding it.

And We have made the heaven with hands, and undoubtedly We are Makers of the vast extent.

And We built the heavenly universe with great might. And surely, We are expanding (this universe) more and more

As for the earth, We spread it out. How superbly did We smooth it out!

And the earth have We laid out, how gracious is the Spreader (thereof)!

And the earth have We spread out wide - and how well have We ordered it!

And We have made the earth a floor, and what an excellent spreader We are.

And We alone made (the surface of the) earth a (livable) floor. So how graciously We make up and spread out

And We created pairs of all things so perhaps you would be mindful.

And all things We have created by pairs, that haply ye may reflect.

And in everything have We created oppos­ites, so that you might bear in mind [that God alone is One].

And We have made pairs of everything that you may reflect.

And of everything We have created two pairs so that you may concentrate and understand

So ˹proclaim, O Prophet˺: “Flee to Allah! I am truly sent by Him with a clear warning to you.

Therefor flee unto Allah; lo! I am a plain warner unto you from him.

And so, [O Muhammad, say unto them:] “Flee unto God [from all that is false and evil]! Verily, I am a plain warner to you from Him!

Therefore, flee towards Allah. Undoubtedly I am a clear warner to you from Him

So run towards Allah. Surely, I am a clear Warner to you from Him

And do not set up another god with Allah. I am truly sent by Him with a clear warning to you.”

And set not any other god along with Allah; lo! I am a plain warner unto you from Him.

And do not ascribe divinity to aught side by side with God: verily, I am a plain warner to you from Him!”

And do not set other gods along with Allah. Surely, I am a clear warner to you from Him.

And do not set up any god apart from Allah. Surely, I am a clear Warner to you from Him

Similarly, no messenger came to those before them without being told: “A magician or a madman!”

Even so there came no messenger unto those before them but they said: A wizard or a madman!

[But] thus it is: never yet came any apostle to those who lived before their time but they said, “A spellbinder [Lit., "sorcerer".] [is he], or a madman!”

In the same way, whenever any Messenger came to those before them, they said only 'a magician or a madman'.

Likewise, no Messenger came to those before them, but they said the same: ‘(This is) a magician or a madman.

Have they passed this ˹cliché˺ down to one another? In fact, they have ˹all˺ been a transgressing people.

Have they handed down (the saying) as an heirloom one unto another? Nay, but they are froward folk.

Have they, perchance, handed down this [way of thinking] as a legacy unto one another? Nay, they are people filled with overweening ar­rogance!

Have they bequeathed it to one another? Nay' rather they are a people contumacious.

Were they transmitting this advice to one another? In truth, they were (all) a disobedient and rebellious people

So ˹now˺ turn away from them ˹O Prophet˺, for you will not be blamed.

So withdraw from them (O Muhammad), for thou art in no wise blameworthy,

Turn, then, away from them, and thou shalt incur no blame;

Therefore O beloved! (Prophet) turn your face from them and there is no blame on you.

So turn away your kind and caring looks from them. There is no blame on you (for their disbelief)

But ˹continue to˺ remind. For certainly reminders benefit the believers.

And warn, for warning profiteth believers.

yet go on reminding [all who would listen]: for, verily, such a reminder will profit the believers.

And admonish, for admonition benefits the muslims.

And keep giving direction and guidance, for direction and guidance surely benefits the believers

I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me.

I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me.

And [tell them that] I have not created the invisible beings and men to any end other than that they may [know and] worship Me.

And I have created the Jinn and the men only for this that they may worship Me.

And I created the jinn and human beings solely to adopt My servitude

I seek no provision from them, nor do I need them to feed Me.

I seek no livelihood from them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me.

[But withal,] no sustenance do I ever demand of them, nor do I demand that they feed Me:

I ask for no provision from them, and nor I desire that they should feed Me.

I do not ask for any sustenance (i.e., earning) from them, nor do I require that they should feed Me

Indeed, Allah ˹alone˺ is the Supreme Provider—Lord of all Power, Ever Mighty.

Lo! Allah! He it is that giveth livelihood, the Lord of unbreakable might.

for, verily, God Himself is the Provider of all sustenance, the Lord of all might, the Eternal!

Undoubtedly, it is only Allah, the Great Provider, the Powerful, the Authoritative.

Truly, Allah alone is the Sustainer of everyone, the Lord of Great Might, the Most Strong. (He does not need anyone’s help and assistance.

The wrongdoers will certainly have a share ˹of the torment˺ like that of their predecessors. So do not let them ask Me to hasten ˹it˺.

And lo! for those who (now) do wrong there is an evil day like unto the evil day (which came for) their likes (of old); so let them not ask Me to hasten on (that day).

And, verily, they who are bent on doing evil shall have their share [of evil] like unto the share of their fellows [of old]: so let them not ask Me to hasten [their doom]!

Surely, then for those who do wrong there is a portion of torment as there was a portion for their fellows, therefore let them not ask Me to hasten.

So there is a fixed share of the torment for these wrongdoers (too) like the share of the torment of their companions (who have passed before). So let them not ask Me to hasten (it)

Woe then to the disbelievers when they face their Day which they are warned of!

And woe unto those who disbelieve, from (that) their day which they are promised.

For, woe unto those who are bent on denying the truth - [woe] on the Day which they have been promised

"Woe is then to the infidels because of that day of theirs which they are promised

So a terrible destruction awaits the disbelievers on that Day of theirs which they have been promised