Saba
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All the praises and thanks are to Allâh, to Whom belongs all that
is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. His is all the praises and
thanks in the Hereafter, and He is the All¬Wise, the All¬Aware. (1) He knows that which
goes into the earth and that which comes forth from it, and that which descend
from the heaven and that which ascends to it. And He is the Most Merciful, the
Oft¬Forgiving. (2) Those who disbelieve say: "The Hour will not come to
us." Say: "Yes, by my Lord, the All¬Knower of the unseen, it will
come to you." not even the weight of an atom (or a small ant) or less than
that or greater, escapes His Knowledge in the heavens or in the earth, but it
is in a Clear Book (Al¬Lauh Al¬Mahfûz). (3) That He may recompense those who
believe (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism) and do righteous good
deeds. Those, theirs is forgiveness and Rizq Karîm (generous provision, i.e. Paradise). (4) But those who strive against Our Ayât
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to frustrate
them, those, for them will be a severe painful torment.[] (5) And those who have
been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you (O Muhammad SAW) from
your Lord is the truth, and that it guides to the Path of the Exalted in Might,
Owner of all praise. (6) Those who disbelieve say: "Shall we direct you to a
man (Muhammad SAW) who will tell you (that) when you have become fully
disintegrated into dust with full dispersion, then, you will be created (again)
anew?" (7)Has he (Muhammad SAW) invented a lie against Allâh, or is there a madness in him? Nay, but those who disbelieve in the
Hereafter are (themselves) in a torment, and in far error. (8) See they not what is
before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will,
We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon
them. Verily, in this is a sign for every slave who truns to Allah in
repentance (i.e. the one who believes in the Oneness of Allah and performs
deeds of His obedience and always begs His Pardon). (9) And indeed We
bestowed grace on Dawud (David) from Us (saying): "O you mountains.
Glorify (Allâh) with him! And you birds (also)! And We made the iron soft for
him." (10) Saying: "Make you perfect coats of mail, and balance well
the rings of chain armour, and work you (men) righteousness. Truly, I am
All¬Seer of what you do." (11) And to Solomon (We subjected) the wind, its
morning (stride from sunrise till midnoon) was a month's (journey), and its
afternoon (stride from the midday decline of the sun to sunset) was a month's
(journey i.e. in one day he could travel two months' journey). And We caused a
fount of (molten) brass to flow for him, and there were jinn that worked in
front of him, by the Leave of his Lord, And whosoever of them turned aside from
Our Command, We shall cause him to taste of the torment of the blazing Fire. (12) They worked for him
as he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and
(cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). "Work you, O family of Dâwud
(David), with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful. (13) Then when We decreed
death for him [Sulaimân (Solomon)], nothing informed them (jinn) of his death
except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his
stick, so when he fell down, the jinn saw clearly that if they had known the
unseen, they would not have stayed in the humiliating torment. (14)Indeed there was for
Saba' (Sheba)
a sign in their dwelling place, - two gardens on the right hand and on the left
(and it was said to them) "Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be
grateful to Him, A fair land and an Oft¬Forgiving Lord! (15) But they turned away
(from the obedience of Allâh), so We sent against them Sail Al¬'Arim (flood
released from the dam), and We converted their two gardens into gardens
producing bitter bad fruit, and tamarisks, and some few lote¬trees. (16) Like this We requited
them because they were ungrateful disbelievers. And never do We requite in such
a way except those who are ungrateful, (disbelievers). (17) And We placed between
them and the towns which We had blessed, towns easy to be seen, and We made the
stages (of journey) between them easy (saying): "Travel in them safely
both by night and day." (18) But they said: "Our Lord! Make the
stages between our journey longer," and they wronged themselves, so We
made them as tales (in the land), and We dispersed them all, totally. Verily,
in this are indeed signs for every steadfast grateful (person). (19) And indeed Iblîs
(Satan) did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except
a group of true believers (in the Oneness of Allâh). (20) And he (Iblîs Satan)
had no authority over them, except that We might test him, who believes in the
Hereafter from him who is in doubt about it. And your Lord is a Hafiz
(watchful) over everything. (All¬Knower of everything i.e. He keeps record of
every person as regards deeds, and then He will reward them accordingly). (21) Say: (O Muhammad SAW
to polytheists, pagans) "Call upon those whom you assert (to be associate
gods) besides Allâh, they possess not even an atom’s (or a small ant’s) weight
either in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor
there is for Him any supporter from among them. (22)Intercession with Him
profits not, except for him whom He permits. So much so that when fear is
banished from their (angels') hearts, they (angels) say: "What is it that
your Lord has said?" They say: "The truth. And He is the Most High,
the Most Great." (23) Say (O Muhammad SAW to polytheists, pagans) "Who
gives you provision from the heavens and the earth?" Say: "Allâh, And
verily, (either) we or you are rightly guided or in plain error." (24) Say (O Muhammad SAW
to polytheists, pagans) "You will not be asked about our sins, nor shall
we be asked of what you do." (25) Say: "Our Lord will assemble us all
together (on the Day of Resurrection), then He will judge between us with
truth. And He is the Just judge, the All-Knower of the true state of
affairs." (Tafsir Ibn Kathir) (26) Say (O Muhammad SAW to polytheists and
pagans): "Show me those whom you have joined with Him as partners. Nay
(there are not at all any partners with Him)! But He is Allâh (Alone), the
All¬Mighty, the All¬Wise." (27) And We have not sent you (O Muhammad SAW)
except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, but most of men
know not[] (28) And they say: "When is this promise (i.e. the Day of
Resurrection) if you are truthful?" (29) Say (O Muhammad SAW): "The
appointment to you is for a Day, which you cannot put back for an hour (or a
moment) nor put forward." (30) And those who disbelieve say: "We
believe not in this Qur'ân nor in that which was before it," but if you
could see when the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong¬doers) will be made to stand
before their Lord, how they will cast the (blaming) word one to another! Those
who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Had it not been
for you, we should certainly have been believers!" (31)And those who were
arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from
guidance after it had come to you? Nay, but you were Mujrimûn (polytheists,
sinners, disbeliveres, criminals). (32) Those who were deemed weak will say to those
who were arrogant: "Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day, when
you ordered us to disbelieve in Allâh and set up rivals to Him!" And each
of them (parties) will conceal their own regrets (for disobeying Allâh during
this worldly life), when they behold the torment. And We shall put iron collars
round the necks of those who disbelieved. Are they requited aught except what
they used to do? (33) And We did not send a warner to a township, but those who were
given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them said: "We believe not in
the (Message) with which you have been sent." (34) And they say:
"We are more in wealth and in children, and we are not going to be
punished." (35) Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Verily, my Lord enlarges the
provision to whom He wills and restricts, but most men know not." (36) And it is not your
wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us (i.e. pleases Allâh), but
only he who believes (in the Islâmic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds
(will please us); as for such, there will be twofold reward for what they did,
and they will reside in the high dwellings (Paradise)
in peace and security. (37) And those who strive against Our Ayât (proofs, evidences,
verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), to frustrate them, will be brought
to the torment. (38) Say: "Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He
wills of His slaves, and (also) restricts (it) for him, and whatsoever you
spend of anything (in Allâh's Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of
providers." (39)And (remember) the Day when He will gather them all together,
then He will say to the angels: "Was it you that these people used to
worship?" (40) They (the angels) will say: "Glorified are You! You are our
Walî (Lord) instead of them. Nay, but they used to worship the jinn; most of
them were believers in them." (41) So Today (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), none
of you can profit or harm one another. And We shall say to those who did wrong
[i.e. worshipped others (like angels, jinn, prophets, saints, righteous
persons) along with Allâh]: "Taste the torment of the Fire which you used
to belie.[] (42) And when Our Clear Verses are recited to them, they say:
"This (Muhammad SAW) is naught but a man who wishes to hinder you from
that which your fathers used to worship." And they say: "This (the
Quran) is nothing but an invented lie." And those who disbelieve say of
the truth when it has come to them (i.e. Prophet Muhammad SAW when Allâh sent
him as a Messenger with proofs, evidences, verses of this Quran, lessons,
signs, etc.): "This is nothing but evident magic!" (43) And We had not given
them Scriptures which they could study, nor sent to them before you (O Muhammad
SAW) any warner (Messenger) (44) And those before them belied; these have not
received even a tenth of what We had granted to those (of old); yet they belied
My Messengers, Then how (terrible) was My denial (punishment)! (45) Say (to them O
Muhammad SAW): "I exhort you to one (thing) only: that you stand up for
Allâh's sake in pairs and singly, and reflect (within yourselves the life
history of the Prophet (SAW): there is no madness in your companion (Muhammad
SAW), He is only a warner to you in face of a severe torment." (46) Say (O Muhammad SAW):
"Whatever wage I might have asked of you is yours. My wage is from Allâh
only. and He is a Witness over all things." (47) Say (O Muhammad SAW):
"Verily! my Lord sends down (Revelation and makes apparent) the truth
(i.e. this Revelation that had come to me), the All¬Knower of the Ghaib
(unseen). (48)Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Al-Haqq (the truth the Qur'ân and Allâh's Revealation) has come, and Al¬Bâtil [falsehood
- Iblîs (Satan)] can neither create anything nor resurrect (anything)." (49) Say: "If (even)
I go astray, I shall stray only to my own loss. But if I remain guided, it is
because of the Revealation of my Lord to me. Truly, He is All¬Hearer, Ever Near
(to all things)." (50) And if you could but see, when they will be terrified
with no escape (for them), and they will be seized from a near place. (51) And they will say (in
the Hereafter): "We do believe (now);" but how could they receive
(Faith and the acceptance of their repentance by Allâh) from a place so far off
(i.e. to return to the worldly life again). (52) Indeed they did
disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allâh, Islâm, the Qur'ân and Muhammad SAW) before
(in this world), and they (used to) conjecture about the unseen [i.e. the
Hereafter, Hell, Paradise, Resurrection and
the Promise of Allâh (by saying) all that is untrue], from a far place. (53) And a barrier will be
set between them and that which they desire [i.e. At-Taubah (turning to Allâh
in repentance) and the accepting of Faith], as was done in the past with the
people of their kind. Verily, they have been in grave doubt. (54)