A Meccan sura that emphasizes the divine source of the Qur’an and defends it from the charge of being poetry made by man (verses 5–6, 69-70,). It warns of the fate of men who are stubborn and always mock God’s revelations. They are reminded of the punishment that befell earlier generations, and of God’s power as shown in His Creation. The end of the sura gives strong arguments for the reality of the Resurrection.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1Ya Sin
2By the wisea Qur’an, 3you [Muhammad] are truly one of the messengers sent 4on a straight path, 5with a revelation from the Almighty, the Lord of Mercy, 6to warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, and so they are unaware. 7The verdict has been passed against most of them, for they refuse to believe. 8[It is as if] We had placed [iron] collars around their necks, right up to their chins so that their heads are forced up 9and set barriers before and behind them, blocking their vision: they cannot see. 10It is all the same to them whether you warn them or not: they will not believe. 11You can warn only those who will follow the Qur’an and hold the Merciful One in awe, though they cannot see Him: give such people the glad news of forgiveness and a noble reward. 12We shall certainly bring the dead back to life, and We record what they send ahead of them as well as what they leave behind: We keep an account of everything in a clear Record.
13Give them the example of the people to whose town messengers came. 14We sent two messengers but they rejected both. Then We reinforced them with a third. 15They said, ‘Truly, we are messengers to you,’ 16but they answered, ‘You are only men like ourselves. The Lord of Mercy has sent nothing; you are just lying.’ They said, ‘Our Lord knows that we have been sent to you. 17Our duty is only to deliver the message to you,’ 18but they answered, ‘We think you are an evil omen. If you do not stop, we shall stone you, and inflict a painful torment on you.’ 19The messengers said, ‘The evil omen is within yourselves. Why do you take it as an evil omen when you are reminded of the Truth? You are going too far!’ 20Then, from the furthest part of the city, a man came running. He said, ‘My people, follow the messengers. 21Follow them: they are not asking you to reward them and they are rightly guided. 22Why should I not worship the One who created me? It is to Him that you will be returned. 23How could I take besides Him any other gods, whose intercession will not help me and who would not be able to save me if the Lord of Mercy wished to harm me? 24Then I would clearly be in the wrong. 25I believe in your Lord, so listen to me.’
26He was told, ‘Enter the Garden,’a so he said, ‘If only my people knew 27how my Lord has forgiven me and set me among the highly honoured.’ 28After him We did not send any army from heaven against his people, nor were We about to: 29there was just one blast, and they fell down lifeless.
30Alas for human beings! Whenever a messenger comes to them they ridicule him. 31Do they not see how many generations We have destroyed before them, none of whom will ever come back to them?b 32[Yet] all of them will be brought before Us. 33There is a sign for them in the lifeless earth: We give it life and We produce grain from it for them to eat; 34We have put gardens of date palms and grapes in the earth, and We have made springs of water gush out of it 35so that they could eat its fruit. It was not their own hands that made all this. How can they not give thanks? 36Glory be to Him who created all the pairsc of things that the earth produces, as well as themselves and other things they do not know about. 37The night is also a sign for them: We strip the daylight from it, and— lo and behold!— they are in darkness. 38The sun, too, runs its determined course laid down for it by the Almighty, the All Knowing. 39We have determined phases for the moon until finally it becomes like an old date-stalk. 40The sun cannot overtake the moon, nor can the night outrun the day: each floats in [its own] orbit.
41Another sign for them is that We carried their seed in the laden Ark, 42and We have made similar things for them to ride in. 43If We wished, We could drown them, and there would be no one to help them: they could not be saved. 44Only by Our mercy could they be reprieved to enjoy life for a while. 45Yet when they are told, ‘Beware of what lies before and behind you, so that you may be given mercy,’ 46they ignore every single sign that comes to them from their Lord, 47and when they are told, ‘Give to others out of what God has provided for you,’ the disbelievers say to the believers, ‘Why should we feed those that God could feed if He wanted? You must be deeply misguided.’
48And they say, ‘When will this promise be fulfilled, if what you say is true?’ 49But all they are waiting for is a single blast that will overtake them while they are still arguing with each other. 50They will have no time to make bequests, nor will they have the chance to return to their own people.
51The Trumpet will be sounded and— lo and behold!— they will rush out to their Lord from their graves. 52They will say, ‘Alas for us! Who has resurrected us from our resting places?’ [They will be told], ‘This is what the Lord of Mercy promised, and the messengers told the truth.’ 53It was just one single blast and then— lo and behold!— they were all brought before Us. 54‘Today, no soul will be wronged in the least: you will only be repaid for your deeds. 55The people of Paradise today are happily occupied— 56they and their spouses— seated on couches in the shade. 57There they have fruit and whatever they ask for. 58"Peace," a word from the Lord of Mercy. 59But step aside today, you guilty ones. 60Children of Adam, did I not command you not to serve Satan, for he was your sworn enemy, 61but to serve Me? This is the straight path. 62He has led great numbers of you astray. Did you not use your reason? 63So this is the Fire that you were warned against. 64Enter it today, because you went on ignoring [my commands].’ 65Today We seal up their mouths, but their hands speak to Us, and their feet bear witness to everything they have done.
66If We will, We take away their sight. They struggle to find the path, but how can they see it? 67If We will, We paralyse them where they stand, so that they cannot move forward or backward. 68If We extend anyone’s life, We reverse his development. Do they not use their reason?
69We have not taught the Prophet poetry,a nor could he everb have been a poet. 70This is a revelation, an illuminating Qur’an to warn anyone who is truly alive, so that God’s verdict may be passed against the disbelievers.
71Can they not see how, among the things made by Our hands, We have created livestock they control, 72and made them obedient, so that some can be used for riding, some for food, 73some for other benefits, and some for drink? Will they not give thanks? 74Yet they have taken other gods besides God to help them, 75though these could not do so even if they called a whole army of them together! 76So [Prophet] do not be distressed at what they say: We know what they conceal and what they reveal.
77Can man not see that We created him from a drop of fluid? Yet— lo and behold!— he disputes openly, 78producing arguments against Us, forgetting his own creation. He says, ‘Who can give life back to bones after they have decayed?’ 79Say, ‘He who created them in the first place will give them life again: He has full knowledge of every act of creation. 80It is He who produces fire for you out of the green tree— lo and behold!— and from this you kindle fire. 81Is He who created the heavens and earth not able to create the likes of these people? Of course He is! He is the All Knowing Creator: 82when He wills something to be, His way is to say, “Be”— and it is! 83So glory be to Him in whose Hand lies control over all things. It is to Him that you will all be brought back.’