26 The Poets -Ash-Shu'ara'

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful

[26.1] TaSeenMeem.

[26.2] Those are the verses of the clear Book.

[26.3] Perhaps you consume yourself that they are not believers.

[26.4] If We will, We can send down on them a sign from heaven before which their necks will remain humbled.

[26.5] A fresh remembrance has never come to them from the Merciful, except they turn away from it.

[26.6] So, they belied, but surely the tidings of that they mocked will come to them.

[26.7] Have they not seen the earth, how many We caused to grow in it every generous kind?

[26.8] Surely, in this there is a sign yet most of them do not believe.

[26.9] Your Lord, He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

[26.10] And when your Lord called to Moses, saying: 'Go to the harmdoing nation,

[26.11] the nation of Pharaoh. Will they not fear Me? '

[26.12] 'My Lord, ' he replied, 'I fear they will belie me

[26.13] and my chest will become constricted and my tongue will not be loosed (in my speech), therefore, send to Aaron.

[26.14] They hold a sin against me, and I fear that they will kill me. '

[26.15] He said: 'Never so, go both of you with Our signs; We shall be with you, listening

[26.16] go both to Pharaoh and both of you say to him: 'We are (each) a Messenger from the Lord of all the Worlds.

[26.17] Send forth with us the Children of Israel. '

[26.18] He (Pharaoh) said (to Moses): 'Did We not bring you up when you were a child? And have you not spent years of your life amongst us?

[26.19] Yet you were ungrateful and have done the deed you did. '

[26.20] He (Moses) replied: 'Indeed, I did that when I was among those who stray.

[26.21] I fled from you because I feared you. But my Lord has given me judgment and made me one of the Messengers.

[26.22] Is this then the blessing with which you reproach me, that you have the Children of Israel for worshipers! '

[26.23] Pharaoh said: 'And what is the Lord of the Worlds? '

[26.24] 'He' (Moses) replied: 'is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if you believe! '

[26.25] 'Do you not hear? ' said he (Pharaoh) to those around him.

[26.26] He said, 'Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers, the ancients. '

[26.27] (Pharaoh) said: 'Surely, the Messenger who has been sent to you is mad! '

[26.28] 'He is the Lord of the East and the West, ' said he (Moses), 'and all that is between them, if you could understand! '

[26.29] 'If you take any other god except myself, ' he (Pharaoh) replied, 'you shall be thrown into prison. '

[26.30] 'What, even if I brought you something clear, ' said he (Moses).

[26.31] He (Pharaoh) replied: 'Show us your sign, if you are of the truthful. '

[26.32] He cast down his staff and thereupon it was a clear serpent.

[26.33] Then he drew out his hand, and it was luminous to the onlookers.

[26.34] 'This', said he (Pharaoh) to his Council, 'is a cunning sorcerer

[26.35] who seeks to expel you from your land by his sorcery. What is your counsel? '

[26.36] They replied: 'Put him and his brother off for a while, and send heralds to your cities

[26.37] to bring every knowledgeable sorcerer. '

[26.38] The sorcerers were gathered at the appointed time on a wellknown day,

[26.39] and the people were asked: 'Will you gather

[26.40] in order that we shall follow the sorcerers if they are the victors. '

[26.41] Then, when the sorcerers came to Pharaoh, they said: 'Shall we receive a wage if we win? '

[26.42] 'Yes, indeed' he answered, 'and you shall become among those who are near stationed. '

[26.43] Moses said to them: 'Cast down what you cast. '

[26.44] So they cast their ropes and staffs, saying: 'By Pharaoh's might, we shall be the victors. '

[26.45] Then Moses cast down his staff and it swallowed up their lying invention,

[26.46] so the sorcerers were cast down, prostrating themselves,

[26.47] saying: 'We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,

[26.48] the Lord of Moses and Aaron. '

[26.49] He (Pharaoh) said: 'You have believed him before I have given you permission. He is the chief of you who has taught you sorcery. But you shall know. I will surely cut off on opposite sides a hand and a foot, and crucify you all. '

[26.50] 'There is no harm, ' they replied, 'for surely to our Lord we are turning.

[26.51] We are eager that Our Lord should forgive us our offenses, for we are the first of the believers. '

[26.52] Also, We revealed to Moses, saying: 'Go with My worshipers by night, for you will be followed. '

[26.53] Then Pharaoh sent gatherers to the cities.

[26.54] 'These, ' they said, 'are a small band,

[26.55] they have enraged us,

[26.56] and we are a host on our guard. '

[26.57] As such We expelled them from their gardens and their fountains,

[26.58] their treasures and a noble station.

[26.59] As such we gave it to the Children of Israel.

[26.60] At sunrise, they followed them.

[26.61] And when the two hosts came in view of each other, Moses' companions said: 'We have been reached! '

[26.62] 'No, indeed' he replied, 'my Lord is with me and He will guide me. '

[26.63] Then We revealed to Moses: 'Strike the sea with your staff', so it divided and each part was as a mighty mount.

[26.64] And there We brought the others on,

[26.65] and We saved Moses and those who were with him together,

[26.66] then, We drowned the others.

[26.67] Surely, in that there is a sign; yet most of them do not believe.

[26.68] Surely, your Lord is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

[26.69] And recite to them the news of Abraham.

[26.70] He said to his father and to his nation: 'What do you worship? '

[26.71] They replied: 'We worship idols and continue cleaving to them. '

[26.72] 'Do they hear you when you call on them? ' He asked.

[26.73] 'Can they benefit you or harm you? '

[26.74] They replied: 'No, but we found our fathers doing so. '

[26.75] He said: 'Have you considered what you worship,

[26.76] you, and your elderly fathers?

[26.77] They are enemies to me except the Lord of all the Worlds

[26.78] who created me; and He guides me,

[26.79] and He gives me to eat and drink,

[26.80] who, when I am sick, heals me;

[26.81] who makes me to die and then revives me,

[26.82] and whom I am eager shall forgive me my sins on the Day of Recompense. '

[26.83] My Lord, give me judgment, and join me with the righteous.

[26.84] And appoint me a tongue of truthfulness among the latter.

[26.85] and place me amongst the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss.

[26.86] and forgive my father, for he was among the astray.

[26.87] Do not degrade me on the Day when they are resurrected.

[26.88] The Day when neither wealth nor sons shall benefit

[26.89] except him who comes before Allah with a pure heart;

[26.90] and Paradise shall be brought forward to the cautious.

[26.91] And Hell is brought near to the perverse. '

[26.92] It will be said to them: 'Where is that you worshipped,

[26.93] other than Allah? Do they help you or even help themselves? '

[26.94] And they will be pitched into it, they and the perverse

[26.95] and the hosts of iblis all together.

[26.96] And they will say while they dispute with one another,

[26.97] 'By Allah, we were certainly in clear error,

[26.98] when we made you equal with the Lord of the Worlds.

[26.99] It was nothing but the evildoers who led us astray.

[26.100] We have no intercessors now,

[26.101] no caring friend.

[26.102] Would that we might return again, and be among the believers. '

[26.103] Surely, in that there is a sign, yet most of them do not believe.

[26.104] Surely, Your Lord is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

[26.105] The nation of Noah, belied their Messengers.

[26.106] when Noah, their brother, said to them: 'Will you not be cautious?

[26.107] I am for you an honest Messenger,

[26.108] so fear Allah, and obey me.

[26.109] For this I ask of you no wage, for my wage falls only on the Lord of the Worlds.

[26.110] So fear Allah and obey me. '

[26.111] They replied: 'Are we to believe you whom the lowliest follow? '

[26.112] He said: 'I have no knowledge of what they have done.

[26.113] Their account falls only upon My Lord, if you were but aware.

[26.114] I will not drive away the believers.

[26.115] I am only a clear warner. '

[26.116] 'Noah, ' they replied, 'if you do not desist you shall be of those stoned. '

[26.117] He said: 'My Lord, my nation have belied me.

[26.118] So open between me and them an opening, and save me and the believers who are with me. '

[26.119] We saved him and those who were with him in the laden ship,

[26.120] afterwards, We drowned the rest.

[26.121] Surely, in that there is a sign; yet most of them do not believe.

[26.122] Your Lord is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

[26.123] (The nation of) Aad belied their Messengers.

[26.124] When their brother Hood said to them: 'Will you not be cautious?

[26.125] I am for you an honest Messenger.

[26.126] Fear Allah and obey me.

[26.127] For this I ask of you no wage, for my wage falls only on the Lord of the Worlds.

[26.128] Do you build over each high place a sign to amuse yourselves!

[26.129] And do you take to yourselves underground reservoirs, in order to live for ever!

[26.130] When you assault, you assault like tyrants.

[26.131] So fear Allah, and obey me.

[26.132] Fear Him who has given you all the things you know.

[26.133] He has given you flocks and sons,

[26.134] gardens and fountains.

[26.135] Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a dreadful Day. '

[26.136] They replied: 'It is the same to us whether you admonish or whether you are not one of the admonishers.

[26.137] That is nothing but a habit of the ancients,

[26.138] and we shall never be punished. '

[26.139] So they belied him, so We destroyed them. Surely, in that there is a sign; yet most of them do not believe.

[26.140] Surely, your Lord is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

[26.141] Thamood, belied their Messengers.

[26.142] Their brother Salih said to them: 'Will you not be cautious?

[26.143] I am for you an honest Messenger.

[26.144] So fear Allah, and obey me.

[26.145] For this I ask of you no wage; my wage falls only upon the Lord of the Worlds.

[26.146] Will you be left secure in this,

[26.147] amidst gardens and fountains,

[26.148] sown fields and palmtrees, with slender spathes.

[26.149] Will you still hew your dwellings in the mountains?

[26.150] So fear Allah and obey me.

[26.151] Do not obey the order of the wasteful,

[26.152] who corrupt in the earth, and do not reform. '

[26.153] They replied: 'Surely, you are one of those bewitched.

[26.154] You are but a human like ourselves. Produce for us a sign, if you are of the truthful. '

[26.155] He said: 'Here is a shecamel. She shall have her share of water as you have yours on an appointed day.

[26.156] Do not touch her with malice so that punishment of a dreadful day seizes you. '

[26.157] Yet they hamstrung her, and in the morning they were remorseful,

[26.158] and the punishment seized them. Surely, in that there is a sign. Yet most of them do not believe.

[26.159] Your Lord, He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

[26.160] Lot's nation, belied their Messengers.

[26.161] When their brother Lot said to them: 'Will you not be cautious?

[26.162] I am for you an honest Messenger.

[26.163] So fear Allah, and obey me.

[26.164] I ask of you no wage for this; my wage is only with the Lord of the Worlds.

[26.165] What, do you come to the males of the world,

[26.166] and leave your wives whom your Lord has created for you? No, but you are a transgressing nation. '

[26.167] 'Lot, ' they replied, 'if you do not desist, you shall be thrown out. '

[26.168] He said: 'Truly, I am a detester of what you do. '

[26.169] 'My Lord, save me and my people from that they are doing. '

[26.170] So We saved him and all his people,

[26.171] except an old woman who stayed behind,

[26.172] then We destroyed the others.

[26.173] We rained upon them a rain, and evil is the rain (of stones) on those that are warned.

[26.174] Surely, in that there is a sign. Yet most of them do not believe.

[26.175] Your Lord, He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

[26.176] The dwellers of the Thicket belied their Messengers.

[26.177] Shu'aib said to them: 'Will you not be cautious?

[26.178] I am for you an honest Messenger.

[26.179] So fear Allah, and obey me.

[26.180] I ask of you no wage for this; my wage is only with the Lord of the Worlds.

[26.181] Fill up the measure, do not be among the cheats, 182 and weigh with the straight scale,

[26.183] and do not diminish the goods of the people, and do not make mischief in the earth, working corruption.

[26.184] Fear He who created you, and the generations of the ancient. '

[26.185] They replied: 'You are surely one of those bewitched.

[26.186] You are but a human like ourselves, we think that you are one of the liars.

[26.187] Drop down on us lumps from heaven, if you are one of the truthful. '

[26.188] He said: 'My Lord knows what you are doing. '

[26.189] But they belied him, then the punishment of the Day of Shadow (raining fire) seized them. Truly, it was the punishment of a dreadful day.

[26.190] Surely, in that there is a sign; yet most of them do not believe.

[26.191] Your Lord, He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

[26.192] Truly, it is the sending of the Lord of the Worlds.

[26.193] The honest Spirit (Gabriel) brought it down

[26.194] upon your heart (Prophet Muhammad), in order to be one of the warners,

[26.195] in a clear, Arabic tongue.

[26.196] Truly, it is in the Books of the ancients.

[26.197] Was it not a sign for them known to the learned of the Children of Israel?

[26.198] If We had revealed it to a nonArab,

[26.199] and he had recited it to them, they would not have believed.

[26.200] Even so, We have caused it to enter into the hearts of harmdoers:

[26.201] they shall not believe in it until they see the painful punishment

[26.202] so that it will come upon them suddenly, while they are unaware,

[26.203] and then they will say: 'Shall we be respited? '

[26.204] Do they wish to hasten Our punishment?

[26.205] What do you see? If We gave them enjoyment for years,

[26.206] and then what they were promised comes to them,

[26.207] what avail will their past enjoyments be to them?

[26.208] We never destroyed a village that did not have warners

[26.209] for a reminder, and We never harmed.

[26.210] It was not the satans who brought it down:

[26.211] it is not for them, nor are they able.

[26.212] Truly, they are expelled from hearing.

[26.213] So do not call upon another god with Allah, lest you should be one of those who are punished.

[26.214] Warn your tribe and your near kinsmen.

[26.215] and lower your wing to the believers who follow you.

[26.216] If they disobey you, say: 'I am quit of what you do. '

[26.217] Put your trust in the Almighty, the Most Merciful,

[26.218] who sees you when you stand

[26.219] and when you turn among those who prostrate themselves.

[26.220] Surely, He is the Hearer, the Knower.

[26.221] Shall I tell you on whom the satans descend?

[26.222] They descend on every guilty impostor.

[26.223] They listen, but most of them are liars.

[26.224] Poets are followed by the perverse.

[26.225] Have you not seen how they wander in every valley,

[26.226] and they say what they do not do?

[26.227] Except those who believe, and do good works and remember Allah in abundance and became victorious after they had been wronged. The wrongdoers will surely know which turn they will be returning to (Hell).