The Throngs (Al-Zumer)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ issues from God, the Almighty, the Wise: 1 We have sent down the Book with the truth to you (Prophet Muhammad), therefore worship Allah, and make your religion sincerely His. 2 Is it not to Allah that sincere devotion is due? But those who take for protectors other than Allah (say): "We only serve them in order that they may bring us nearer to Allah." Truly Allah will judge between them in that wherein they differ. But Allah guides not such as are false and ungrateful. 3 Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring or children), He could have chosen whom He pleased out of those whom He created. But glory be to Him! (He is above such things). He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. 4 He has created the heavens and the earth with precision. He folds the day up over the night, and folds the night up over the day. He has subjugated the sun and moon, (so that) each runs its appointed course. Is He not all-mighty and forgiving? 5 He created you from a single cell, then from it created its mate; arid provided eight varieties of cattle for you. He formed you in the mother's womb, formation after formation in three (veils of) darkness. He is God your Lord. His is the kingdom. There is no god other than He. How then can you turn away? 6 If you become ungrateful, then (know that) indeed Allah is Independent of you; and He does not like the ungratefulness of His bondmen; and if you give thanks, He is pleased with it for you; and no burdened soul will bear another soul’s burden; you have then to return towards your Lord – He will therefore inform you of what you used to do; undoubtedly, He knows what lies within the hearts. 7 ۞ And when distress afflicts a man he calls upon his Lord turning to Him frequently; then when He makes him possess a favor from Him, he forgets that for which he called upon Him before, and sets up rivals to Allah that he may cause (men) to stray off from His path. Say: Enjoy yourself in your ungratefulness a little, surely you are of the inmates of the fire. 8 Or is he who is obedient in the watches of the night, bowing himself and standing, he being afraid of the world to come and hoping for the mercy of his Lord..? Say: 'Are they equal -- those who know and those who know not?' Only men possessed of minds remember. 9