26Ash-Shu'arā’الشعراءVerse 1 of 227

The Poets26. Ash-Shu'arā’الشعراء

Ash-Shu'arā’

Al Shu‘arā’

The Poets

Meccan227 verses26 / 114

26

Page 367

ṭ-s-m (ṭā sīn mīm)

Ta, Seen, Meem.

— Ali Quli Qarai

tilka ʾāyātu l-kitābi l-mubīni

These are the signs of the Manifest Book.

— Ali Quli Qarai

laʿallaka bākhiʿun nafsaka ʾallā yakūnū muʾminīna

You are liable to imperil your life [out of distress] that they will not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾin nashaʾ nunazzil ʿalayhim mina s-samāʾi ʾāyatan fa-ẓallat ʾaʿnāquhum lahā khāḍiʿīna

If We wish We will send down to them a sign from the sky before which their heads will remain bowed in humility.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā yaʾtīhim min dhikrin mina r-raḥmāni muḥdathin ʾillā kānū ʿanhu muʿriḍīna

There does not come to them any new reminder from the All-beneficent but that they disregard it.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-qad kadhdhabū fa-sa-yaʾtīhim ʾanbāʾu mā kānū bihī yastahziʾūna

They have already denied [the truth], but soon there will come to them the news of what they have been deriding.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾa-wa-lam yaraw ʾilā l-ʾarḍi kam ʾanbatnā fīhā min kulli zawjin karīmin

Have they not regarded the earth, how many of every splendid kind [of vegetation] We have caused to grow in it?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾidh nādā rabbuka mūsā ʾani ʾti l-qawma ẓ-ẓālimīna

When your Lord called out to Moses: [saying,] ‘Go to those wrongdoing people,

— Ali Quli Qarai

qawma firʿawna ʾa-lā yattaqūna

the people of Pharaoh. Will they not be wary [of Allah]?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla rabbi ʾinnī ʾakhāfu ʾan yukadhdhibūni

He said, ‘My Lord! I fear they will impugn me,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-yaḍīqu ṣadrī wa-lā yanṭaliqu lisānī fa-ʾarsil ʾilā hārūna

and I will become upset and my tongue will fail me. So send for Aaron [to join me].

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lahum ʿalayya dhanbun fa-ʾakhāfu ʾan yaqtulūni

Besides, they have a charge against me, and I fear they will kill me.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla kallā fa-dhhabā bi-ʾāyātinā ʾinnā maʿakum mustamiʿūna

He said, ‘Certainly not! Let both of you go with Our signs: We will indeed be with you, hearing [everything].

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾtiyā firʿawna fa-qūlā ʾinnā rasūlu rabbi l-ʿālamīna

So approach Pharaoh and say, ‘‘We are indeed envoys of the Lord of the worlds

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾan ʾarsil maʿanā banī ʾisrāʾīla

that you let the Children of Israel leave with us.’’ ’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla ʾa-lam nurabbika fīnā walīdan wa-labithta fīnā min ʿumurika sinīna

He [i.e. Pharaoh] said, ‘Did we not rear you as a child among us, and did you not stay with us for years of your life?

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-faʿalta faʿlataka llatī faʿalta wa-ʾanta mina l-kāfirīna

Then you committed that deed of yours, and you are an ingrate.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 368

qāla faʿaltuhā ʾidhan wa-ʾana mina ḍ-ḍāllīna

He said, ‘I did that when I was astray.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-farartu minkum lammā khiftukum fa-wahaba lī rabbī ḥukman wa-jaʿalanī mina l-mursalīna

So I fled from you, as I was afraid of you. Then my Lord gave me sound judgement and made me one of the apostles.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-tilka niʿmatun tamunnuhā ʿalayya ʾan ʿabbadta banī ʾisrāʾīla

That you have enslaved the Children of Israel—is that the favour with which you reproach me?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla firʿawnu wa-mā rabbu l-ʿālamīna

He said, ‘And what is ‘‘the Lord of all the worlds?’’ ’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla rabbu s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi wa-mā baynahumā ʾin kuntum mūqinīna

He said, ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them,—should you have conviction.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla li-man ḥawlahū ʾa-lā tastamiʿūna

He said to those who were around him, ‘Don’t you hear?!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla rabbukum wa-rabbu ʾābāʾikumu l-ʾawwalīna

He said, ‘Your Lord, and the Lord of your forefathers!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla ʾinna rasūlakumu lladhī ʾursila ʾilaykum la-majnūnun

He said, ‘Indeed your messenger, who has been sent to you, is surely crazy!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla rabbu l-mashriqi wa-l-maghribi wa-mā baynahumā ʾin kuntum taʿqilūna

He said, ‘The Lord of the east and the west and whatever is between them—should you exercise your reason.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla la-ʾini ttakhadhta ʾilāhan ghayrī la-ʾajʿalannaka mina l-masjūnīna

He said, ‘If you take up any god other than me, I will surely make you a prisoner!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla ʾa-wa-law jiʾtuka bi-shayʾin mubīnin

He said, ‘What if I bring you something [as an] unmistakable [proof]?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla fa-ʾti bihī ʾin kunta mina ṣ-ṣādiqīna

He said, ‘Then bring it, should you be truthful.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾalqā ʿaṣāhu fa-ʾidhā hiya thuʿbānun mubīnun

Thereat he threw down his staff, and behold, it was a manifest python.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-nazaʿa yadahū fa-ʾidhā hiya bayḍāʾu li-n-nāẓirīna

Then he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white and bright to the onlookers.

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla li-l-malaʾi ḥawlahū ʾinna hādhā la-sāḥirun ʿalīmun

He said to the elite [who stood] around him, ‘This is indeed an expert magician

— Ali Quli Qarai

yurīdu ʾan yukhrijakum min ʾarḍikum bi-siḥrihī fa-mādhā taʾmurūna

who seeks to expel you from your land with his magic. So what do you advise?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū ʾarjih wa-ʾakhāhu wa-bʿath fī l-madāʾini ḥāshirīna

They said, ‘Put him and his brother off for a while, and send heralds to the cities

— Ali Quli Qarai

yaʾtūka bi-kulli saḥḥārin ʿalīmin

to bring you every expert magician.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-jumiʿa s-saḥaratu li-mīqāti yawmin maʿlūmin

So the magicians were gathered for the tryst of a known day,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-qīla li-n-nāsi hal ʾantum mujtamiʿūna

and the people were told: ‘Will you all gather?!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 369

laʿallanā nattabiʿu s-saḥarata ʾin kānū humu l-ghālibīna

‘Maybe we will follow the magicians, if they are victors!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-lammā jāʾa s-saḥaratu qālū li-firʿawna ʾa-ʾinna lanā la-ʾajran ʾin kunnā naḥnu l-ghālibīna

So when the magicians came, they said to Pharaoh, ‘Shall we have a reward if we were to be the victors?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla naʿam wa-ʾinnakum ʾidhan la-mina l-muqarrabīna

He said, ‘Of course; and you will be among members of my inner circle.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla lahum mūsā ʾalqū mā ʾantum mulqūna

Moses said to them, ‘Throw down whatever you have to throw!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾalqaw ḥibālahum wa-ʿiṣiyyahum wa-qālū bi-ʿizzati firʿawna ʾinnā la-naḥnu l-ghālibūna

So they threw down their sticks and ropes, and said, ‘By the might of Pharaoh, we shall surely be victorious!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾalqā mūsā ʿaṣāhu fa-ʾidhā hiya talqafu mā yaʾfikūna

Thereat Moses threw down his staff, and behold, it was swallowing what they had faked.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾulqiya s-saḥaratu sājidīna

Thereat the magicians fell down prostrating.

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū ʾāmannā bi-rabbi l-ʿālamīna

They said, ‘We believe in the Lord of all the worlds,

— Ali Quli Qarai

rabbi mūsā wa-hārūna

the Lord of Moses and Aaron.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla ʾāmantum lahū qabla ʾan ʾādhana lakum ʾinnahū la-kabīrukumu lladhī ʿallamakumu s-siḥra fa-la sawfa taʿlamūna la-ʾuqaṭṭiʿanna ʾaydiyakum wa-ʾarjulakum min khilāfin wa-la-ʾuṣallibannakuma

He [i.e. Pharaoh] said, ‘Do you profess faith in Him before I should permit you? He is indeed your chief who has taught you magic! Soon you will know! I will cut off your hands and feet from opposite sides, and I will crucify you all.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū lā ḍayra ʾinnā ʾilā rabbinā munqalibūna

They said, ‘[There is] no harm [in that]! Indeed, we shall return to our Lord.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnā naṭmaʿu ʾan yaghfira lanā rabbunā khaṭāyānā ʾan kunnā ʾawwala l-muʾminīna

Indeed we hope our Lord will forgive us our offences for being the first to believe.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾawḥaynā ʾilā mūsā ʾan ʾasri bi-ʿibādī ʾinnakum muttabaʿūna

Then We revealed to Moses, [saying],‘Set out with My servants at night, for you will be pursued.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾarsala firʿawnu fī l-madāʾini ḥāshirīna

Then Pharaoh sent heralds to the cities,

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinna hāʾulāʾi la-shirdhimatun qalīlūna

[proclaiming:] ‘These are indeed a small band.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinnahum lanā la-ghāʾiẓūna

They have aroused our wrath,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinnā la-jamīʿun ḥādhirūna

and we are alert and fully prepared.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾakhrajnāhum min jannātin wa-ʿuyūnin

So We took them out of gardens and springs,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-kunūzin wa-maqāmin karīmin

and [made them leave behind] treasures and stately homes.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ka-dhālika wa-ʾawrathnāhā banī ʾisrāʾīla

So it was; and We bequeathed them to the Children of Israel.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾatbaʿūhum mushriqīna

Then they pursued them at sunrise.

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 370

fa-lammā tarāʾa l-jamʿāni qāla ʾaṣḥābu mūsā ʾinnā la-mudrakūna

When the two hosts sighted each other, the companions of Moses said, ‘Indeed we have been caught up.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla kallā ʾinna maʿiya rabbī sa-yahdīni

He said, ‘Certainly not! Indeed my Lord is with me. He will guide me.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾawḥaynā ʾilā mūsā ʾani ḍrib bi-ʿaṣāka l-baḥra fa-nfalaqa fa-kāna kullu firqin ka-ṭ-ṭawdi l-ʿaẓīmi

Thereupon We revealed to Moses: ‘Strike the sea with your staff!’ Whereupon it parted, and each part was as if it were a great mountain.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾazlafnā thamma l-ʾākharīna

There, We brought the others near,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾanjaynā mūsā wa-man maʿahū ʾajmaʿīna

and We delivered Moses and all those who were with him.

— Ali Quli Qarai

thumma ʾaghraqnā l-ʾākharīna

Then We drowned the rest.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

There is indeed a sign in that, but most of them do not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-tlu ʿalayhim nabaʾa ʾibrāhīma

Relate to them the account of Abraham

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾidh qāla li-ʾabīhi wa-qawmihī mā taʿbudūna

when he said to his father and his people, ‘What is it that you are worshiping?!’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū naʿbudu ʾaṣnāman fa-naẓallu lahā ʿākifīna

They said, ‘We worship idols, and are constant in our devotion to them.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla hal yasmaʿūnakum ʾidh tadʿūna

He said, ‘Do they hear you when you call them?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾaw yanfaʿūnakum ʾaw yaḍurrūna

Or do they bring you any benefit, or cause you any harm?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū bal wajadnā ʾābāʾanā ka-dhālika yafʿalūna

They said, ‘Indeed, we found our fathers doing likewise.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla ʾa-fa-raʾaytum mā kuntum taʿbudūna

He said, ‘Have you regarded what you have been worshipping,

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾantum wa-ʾābāʾukumu l-ʾaqdamūna

you and your ancestors?

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾinnahum ʿaduwwun lī ʾillā rabba l-ʿālamīna

They are indeed enemies to me, but the Lord of all the worlds,

— Ali Quli Qarai

alladhī khalaqanī fa-huwa yahdīni

who created me, it is He who guides me,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lladhī huwa yuṭʿimunī wa-yasqīni

and provides me with food and drink,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾidhā mariḍtu fa-huwa yashfīni

and when I get sick, it is He who cures me;

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lladhī yumītunī thumma yuḥyīni

who will make me die, then He will bring me to life,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lladhī ʾaṭmaʿu ʾan yaghfira lī khaṭīʾatī yawma d-dīni

and who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Retribution.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

rabbi hab lī ḥukman wa-ʾalḥiqnī bi-ṣ-ṣāliḥīna

‘My Lord! Grant me [unerring] judgement, and unite me with the Righteous.

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 371

wa-jʿal lī lisāna ṣidqin fī l-ʾākhirīna

Confer on me a worthy repute among the posterity,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-jʿalnī min warathati jannati n-naʿīmi

and make me one of the heirs to the paradise of bliss.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ghfir li-ʾabī ʾinnahū kāna mina ḍ-ḍāllīna

Forgive my father, for he is one of those who are astray.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lā tukhzinī yawma yubʿathūna

Do not disgrace me on the day that they will be resurrected,

— Ali Quli Qarai

yawma lā yanfaʿu mālun wa-lā banūna

the day when neither wealth nor children will avail,

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾillā man ʾatā llāha bi-qalbin salīmin

except him who comes to Allah with a sound heart,’

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾuzlifati l-jannatu li-l-muttaqīna

and paradise will be brought near for the Godwary,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-burrizati l-jaḥīmu li-l-ghāwīna

and hell will be brought into view for the perverse,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-qīla lahum ʾayna mā kuntum taʿbudūna

and they shall be told: ‘Where is that which you used to worship

— Ali Quli Qarai

min dūni llāhi hal yanṣurūnakum ʾaw yantaṣirūna

besides Allah? Do they help you, or do they help each other?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-kubkibū fīhā hum wa-l-ghāwūna

Then they will be cast into it on their faces—they and the perverse,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-junūdu ʾiblīsa ʾajmaʿūna

and the hosts of Iblis all together.

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū wa-hum fīhā yakhtaṣimūna

They will say, as they wrangle in it [together],

— Ali Quli Qarai

ta-llāhi ʾin kunnā la-fī ḍalālin mubīnin

‘By Allah, we had indeed been in manifest error

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾidh nusawwīkum bi-rabbi l-ʿālamīna

when we equated you with the Lord of all the worlds!

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾaḍallanā ʾillā l-mujrimūna

No one led us astray except the guilty.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-mā lanā min shāfiʿīna

Now we have no intercessors,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lā ṣadīqin ḥamīmin

nor do we have any sympathetic friend.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-law ʾanna lanā karratan fa-nakūna mina l-muʾminīna

Had there been another turn for us, we would be among the faithful.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

kadhdhabat qawmu nūḥin-i l-mursalīna

The people of Noah impugned the apostles

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾidh qāla lahum ʾakhūhum nūḥun ʾa-lā tattaqūna

when Noah, their brother, said to them, ‘Will you not be wary [of Allah]?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnī lakum rasūlun ʾamīnun

Indeed I am a trusted apostle [sent] to you.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

So be wary of Allah and obey me.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾasʾalukum ʿalayhi min ʾajrin ʾin ʾajriya ʾillā ʿalā rabbi l-ʿālamīna

I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward lies only with the Lord of all the worlds.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

So be wary of Allah and obey me.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū ʾa-nuʾminu laka wa-ttabaʿaka l-ʾardhalūna

They said, ‘Shall we believe in you, when it is the riffraff who follow you?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 372

qāla wa-mā ʿilmī bi-mā kānū yaʿmalūna

He said, ‘What do I know as to what they used to do?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾin ḥisābuhum ʾillā ʿalā rabbī law tashʿurūna

Their reckoning is only with my Lord, should you be aware.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾana bi-ṭāridi l-muʾminīna

I will not drive away the faithful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾin ʾana ʾillā nadhīrun mubīnun

I am just a manifest warner.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū la-ʾin lam tantahi yā-nūḥu la-takūnanna mina l-marjūmīna

They said, ‘Noah, if you do not desist, you will certainly be stoned [to death].’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla rabbi ʾinna qawmī kadhdhabūni

He said, ‘My Lord! Indeed my people have impugned me.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ftaḥ baynī wa-baynahum fatḥan wa-najjinī wa-man maʿiya mina l-muʾminīna

So judge conclusively between me and them, and deliver me and the faithful who are with me.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾanjaynāhu wa-man maʿahū fī l-fulki l-mashḥūni

Thereupon We delivered him and those who were with him in the laden ark.

— Ali Quli Qarai

thumma ʾaghraqnā baʿdu l-bāqīna

Then We drowned the rest.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

kadhdhabat ʿādun-i l-mursalīna

[The people of] ‘Ad impugned the apostles,

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾidh qāla lahum ʾakhūhum hūdun ʾa-lā tattaqūna

when Hud, their brother, said to them, ‘Will you not be wary [of Allah]?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnī lakum rasūlun ʾamīnun

Indeed I am a trusted apostle [sent] to you.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

So be wary of Allah and obey me.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾasʾalukum ʿalayhi min ʾajrin ʾin ʾajriya ʾillā ʿalā rabbi l-ʿālamīna

I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward lies only with the Lord of all the worlds.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾa-tabnūna bi-kulli rīʿin ʾāyatan taʿbathūna

Do you build futile a sign on every prominence?

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-tattakhidhūna maṣāniʿa laʿallakum takhludūna

You set up structures as if you will be immortal,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾidhā baṭashtum baṭashtum jabbārīna

and when you seize [someone for punishment], you seize [him] like tyrants.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

So be wary of Allah and obey me.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ttaqū lladhī ʾamaddakum bi-mā taʿlamūna

Be wary of Him who has provided you with whatever you know,

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾamaddakum bi-ʾanʿāmin wa-banīna

and aided you with sons and with cattle,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-jannātin wa-ʿuyūnin

gardens and springs.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnī ʾakhāfu ʿalaykum ʿadhāba yawmin ʿaẓīmin

Indeed I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous day.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū sawāʾun ʿalaynā ʾa-waʿaẓta ʾam lam takun mina l-wāʿiẓīna

They said, ‘It is the same to us whether you exhort us or not.

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 373

ʾin hādhā ʾillā khuluqu l-ʾawwalīna

These are nothing but the traditions of the ancients,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā naḥnu bi-muʿadhdhabīna

and we will not be punished.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-kadhdhabūhu fa-ʾahlaknāhum ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

So they impugned him, whereupon We destroyed them. There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

kadhdhabat thamūdu l-mursalīna

[The people of] Thamud impugned the apostles

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾidh qāla lahum ʾakhūhum ṣāliḥun ʾa-lā tattaqūna

when Salih, their brother, said to them, ‘Will you not be wary [of Allah]?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnī lakum rasūlun ʾamīnun

Indeed I am a trusted apostle [sent] to you.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

So be wary of Allah and obey me.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾasʾalukum ʿalayhi min ʾajrin ʾin ʾajriya ʾillā ʿalā rabbi l-ʿālamīna

I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward lies only with the Lord of all the worlds.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾa-tutrakūna fī mā hāhunā ʾāminīna

Will you be left secure in that which is here

— Ali Quli Qarai

fī jannātin wa-ʿuyūnin

—amid gardens and springs,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-zurūʿin wa-nakhlin ṭalʿuhā haḍīmun

farms and date palms with dainty spathes

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-tanḥitūna mina l-jibāli buyūtan fārihīna

—while you skillfully hew out houses from the mountains?

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

So be wary of Allah and obey me,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lā tuṭīʿū ʾamra l-musrifīna

and do not obey the dictates of the transgressors,

— Ali Quli Qarai

alladhīna yufsidūna fī l-ʾarḍi wa-lā yuṣliḥūna

who cause corruption in the land and do not bring about reform.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū ʾinnamā ʾanta mina l-musaḥḥarīna

They said, ‘Indeed you are one of the bewitched.

— Ali Quli Qarai

mā ʾanta ʾillā basharun mithlunā fa-ʾti bi-ʾāyatin ʾin kunta mina ṣ-ṣādiqīna

You are just a human being like us. So bring us a sign, should you be truthful.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla hādhihī nāqatun lahā shirbun wa-lakum shirbu yawmin maʿlūmin

He said, ‘This is a she-camel; she shall drink and you shall drink on known days.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lā tamassūhā bi-sūʾin fa-yaʾkhudhakum ʿadhābu yawmin ʿaẓīmin

Do not cause her any harm, for then you shall be seized by the punishment of a terrible day.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʿaqarūhā fa-ʾaṣbaḥū nādimīna

But they hamstrung her, whereupon they became regretful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾakhadhahumu l-ʿadhābu ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

So the punishment seized them. There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 374

kadhdhabat qawmu lūṭin-i l-mursalīna

The people of Lot impugned the apostles

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾidh qāla lahum ʾakhūhum lūṭun ʾa-lā tattaqūna

when Lot, their brother, said to them, ‘Will you not be wary [of Allah]?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnī lakum rasūlun ʾamīnun

Indeed I am a trusted apostle [sent] to you.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

So be wary of Allah and obey me.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾasʾalukum ʿalayhi min ʾajrin ʾin ʾajriya ʾillā ʿalā rabbi l-ʿālamīna

I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward lies only with the Lord of all the worlds.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾa-taʾtūna dh-dhukrāna mina l-ʿālamīna

What! Of all people do you come to males,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-tadharūna mā khalaqa lakum rabbukum min ʾazwājikum bal ʾantum qawmun ʿādūna

abandoning your wives your Lord has created for you? Indeed, you are a transgressing lot.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū la-ʾin lam tantahi yā-lūṭu la-takūnanna mina l-mukhrajīna

They said, ‘Lot, if you do not desist, you will surely be banished.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla ʾinnī li-ʿamalikum mina l-qālīna

He said, ‘Indeed I detest your conduct.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

rabbi najjinī wa-ʾahlī mimmā yaʿmalūna

‘My Lord! Deliver me and my family from what they do.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-najjaynāhu wa-ʾahlahū ʾajmaʿīna

So We delivered him and all his family,

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾillā ʿajūzan fī l-ghābirīna

except an old woman who remained behind.

— Ali Quli Qarai

thumma dammarnā l-ʾākharīna

Then We destroyed [all] the rest,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾamṭarnā ʿalayhim maṭaran fa-sāʾa maṭaru l-mundharīna

and rained down upon them a rain [of stones]. Evil was the rain of those who were warned!

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

kadhdhaba ʾaṣḥābu l-ʾaykati l-mursalīna

The inhabitants of Aykah impugned the apostles,

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾidh qāla lahum shuʿaybun ʾa-lā tattaqūna

when Shu‘ayb said to them, ‘Will you not be wary [of Allah]?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnī lakum rasūlun ʾamīnun

Indeed I am a trusted apostle [sent] to you.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

So be wary of Allah and obey me.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾasʾalukum ʿalayhi min ʾajrin ʾin ʾajriya ʾillā ʿalā rabbi l-ʿālamīna

I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward lies only with the Lord of all the worlds.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾawfū l-kayla wa-lā takūnū mina l-mukhsirīna

Observe the full measure, and do not be of those who give short measure.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-zinū bi-l-qisṭāsi l-mustaqīmi

Weigh with an even balance,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-lā tabkhasū n-nāsa ʾashyāʾahum wa-lā taʿthaw fī l-ʾarḍi mufsidīna

and do not cheat the people of their goods. Do not act wickedly on the earth, causing corruption.

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 375

wa-ttaqū lladhī khalaqakum wa-l-jibillata l-ʾawwalīna

Be wary of Him who created you and the earlier generations.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qālū ʾinnamā ʾanta mina l-musaḥḥarīna

They said, ‘Indeed you are one of the bewitched.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾanta ʾillā basharun mithlunā wa-ʾin naẓunnuka la-mina l-kādhibīna

You are just a human being like us, and we indeed consider you to be a liar.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾasqiṭ ʿalaynā kisafan mina s-samāʾi ʾin kunta mina ṣ-ṣādiqīna

Make a fragment of the sky falls upon us, should you be truthful.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

qāla rabbī ʾaʿlamu bi-mā taʿmalūna

He said, ‘My Lord knows best what you are doing.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-kadhdhabūhu fa-ʾakhadhahum ʿadhābu yawmi ẓ-ẓullati ʾinnahū kāna ʿadhāba yawmin ʿaẓīmin

So they impugned him, and then they were overtaken by the punishment of the day of the overshadowing cloud. It was indeed the punishment of a terrible day.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinnahū la-tanzīlu rabbi l-ʿālamīna

This is indeed [a Book] sent down by the Lord of all the worlds,

— Ali Quli Qarai

nazala bihi r-rūḥu l-ʾamīnu

brought down by the Trustworthy Spirit

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʿalā qalbika li-takūna mina l-mundhirīna

upon your heart (so that you may be one of the warners),

— Ali Quli Qarai

bi-lisānin ʿarabiyyin mubīnin

in a clear Arabic language.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾinnahū la-fī zuburi l-ʾawwalīna

It is indeed [foretold] in the scriptures of the ancients.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾa-wa-lam yakun lahum ʾāyatan ʾan yaʿlamahū ʿulamāʾu banī ʾisrāʾīla

Is it not a sign for them that the learned of the Children of Israel recognize it?

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-law nazzalnāhu ʿalā baʿḍi l-ʾaʿjamīna

Had We sent it down upon some non-Arab

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-qaraʾahū ʿalayhim mā kānū bihī muʾminīna

and had he recited it to them, they would not have believed in it.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ka-dhālika salaknāhu fī qulūbi l-mujrimīna

This is how We let it pass through the hearts of the guilty:

— Ali Quli Qarai

lā yuʾminūna bihī ḥattā yarawu l-ʿadhāba l-ʾalīma

they do not believe in it until they sight the painful punishment.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-yaʾtiyahum baghtatan wa-hum lā yashʿurūna

It will overtake them suddenly while they are unaware.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-yaqūlū hal naḥnu munẓarūna

Thereupon they will say, ‘Shall we be granted any respite?’

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾa-fa-bi-ʿadhābinā yastaʿjilūna

So do they seek to hasten on Our punishment?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾa-fa-raʾayta ʾin mattaʿnāhum sinīna

Tell me, should We let them enjoy for some years,

— Ali Quli Qarai

thumma jāʾahum mā kānū yūʿadūna

then there comes to them what they have been promised,

— Ali Quli Qarai

Page 376

mā ʾaghnā ʿanhum mā kānū yumattaʿūna

of what avail to them will be that which they were given to enjoy?

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā ʾahlaknā min qaryatin ʾillā lahā mundhirūna

We have not destroyed any town without its having warners,

— Ali Quli Qarai

dhikrā wa-mā kunnā ẓālimīna

for the sake of admonition, and We were not unjust.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā tanazzalat bihi sh-shayāṭīnu

It has not been brought down by the devils.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-mā yanbaghī lahum wa-mā yastaṭīʿūna

Neither does it behoove them, nor are they capable [of doing that].

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnahum ʿani s-samʿi la-maʿzūlūna

Indeed, they are kept at bay [even] from hearing it.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-lā tadʿu maʿa llāhi ʾilāhan ʾākhara fa-takūna mina l-muʿadhdhabīna

So do not invoke any god besides Allah, lest you should be among the punished.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾandhir ʿashīrataka l-ʾaqrabīna

Warn the nearest of your kinsfolk,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-khfiḍ janāḥaka li-mani ttabaʿaka mina l-muʾminīna

and lower your wing to the faithful who follow you.

— Ali Quli Qarai

fa-ʾin ʿaṣawka fa-qul ʾinnī barīʾun mimmā taʿmalūna

But if they disobey you, say, ‘I am absolved of what you do.’

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-tawakkal ʿalā l-ʿazīzi r-raḥīmi

And put your trust in the All-mighty, the All-merciful,

— Ali Quli Qarai

alladhī yarāka ḥīna taqūmu

who sees you when you stand [for prayer],

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-taqallubaka fī s-sājidīna

and your going about among those who prostrate.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾinnahū huwa s-samīʿu l-ʿalīmu

Indeed He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.

— Ali Quli Qarai

hal ʾunabbiʾukum ʿalā man tanazzalu sh-shayāṭīnu

Should I inform you on whom the devils descend?

— Ali Quli Qarai

tanazzalu ʿalā kulli ʾaffākin ʾathīmin

They descend on every sinful liar.

— Ali Quli Qarai

yulqūna s-samʿa wa-ʾaktharuhum kādhibūna

They eavesdrop, and most of them are liars.

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-sh-shuʿarāʾu yattabiʿuhumu l-ghāwūna

As for the poets, [only] the perverse follow them.

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾa-lam tara ʾannahum fī kulli wādin yahīmūna

Have you not regarded that they rove in every valley,

— Ali Quli Qarai

wa-ʾannahum yaqūlūna mā lā yafʿalūna

and that they say what they do not do?

— Ali Quli Qarai

ʾillā lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-ʿamilū ṣ-ṣāliḥāti wa-dhakarū llāha kathīran wa-ntaṣarū min baʿdi mā ẓulimū wa-sa-yaʿlamu lladhīna ẓalamū ʾayya munqalabin yanqalibūna

Barring those who have faith, do righteous deeds, and remember Allah much often, and vindicate themselves after they have been wronged. And the wrongdoers will soon know at what goal they will end up.

— Ali Quli Qarai