The central point of this Meccan sura is the unity of God (verses 4 and 180–2) and the refutation of the pagan belief that the angels were daughters of God and worthy of worship. The angels themselves are quoted to refute this (verses 164–6). The prophethood of Muhammad, is affirmed, as is the Hereafter. There are two supporting sections: the scenes in the Hereafter (verses 19–68) and the stories of earlier prophets (verses 75–148).
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1By those [angels] ranged in rows, 2who rebuke reproachfully 3and recite God’s word, 4truly your God is One, 5Lord of the heavens and earth and everything between them, Lord of every sunrise. 6We have adorned the lowest heaven with stars, 7and made them a safeguard against every rebellious devil:8they cannot eavesdrop on the Higher Assemblyb— pelted from every side, 9driven away, they will have perpetual torment— 10if any [of them] stealthily snatches away a fragment, che will be pursued by a piercing flame.
11So [Prophet], ask the disbelievers: is it harder to create them than other beings We have created?d We created them from sticky clay. 12You marvel as they scoff, 13take no heed when they are warned, 14and resort to ridicule when they see a sign, 15saying, ‘This is no more than blatant sorcery.’ 16‘What! After we have died and become dust and bones, shall we really be raised up again, 17along with our forefathers?’ 18Say, ‘Yes indeed, and you will be humiliated.’ 19Just one blast and— lo and behold!— they will look 20and say, ‘Woe to us! This is the Day of Judgement.’ 21[It will be said], ‘This is the Day of Decision, which you used to deny. 22[Angels], gather together those who did wrong, and others like them, as well as whatever they worshipped 23beside God, lead them all to the path of Hell, 24and halt them for questioning: 25“Why do you not support each other now?”’— 26no indeed! They will be in complete submission on that Day— 27and they will turn on one another accusingly. 28They will say, ‘You came to us from a position of power.’a 29They will say, ‘No! It was you who would not believe— 30we had no power over you— and you were already exceeding all limits. 31Our Lord’s sentence on us is just and we must all taste the punishment. 32We led you astray as we ourselves were astray.’ 33On that Day they will all share the torment: 34this is how We deal with the guilty. 35Whenever it was said to them, ‘There is no deity but God,’ they became arrogant, 36and said, ‘Are we to forsake our gods for a mad poet?’ 37‘No: he brought the truth and confirmed the earlier messengers; 38you will taste the painful torment, 39and be repaid only according to your deeds.’
40Not so God’s true servants. 41They will have familiar provisionsb— 42fruits— and will be honoured 43in gardens of delight; 44seated on couches, facing one another. 45A drink will be passed round among them from a flowing spring: 46white, delicious to those who taste it, 47causing no headiness or intoxication. 48With them will be spouses— modest of gaze and beautiful of eye— 49like protected eggs.c
50They will turn to one another with questions: 51one will say, ‘I had a close companion on earth52who used to ask me, “Do you really believe that 53after we die and become dust and bone, we shall be brought for judgement?”’ 54Then he will say, ‘Shall we look for him?’ 55He will look down and see him in the midst of the Fire, 56and say to him, ‘By God, you almost brought me to ruin! 57Had it not been for the grace of my Lord, I too would have been taken to Hell.’ 58Then he will say [to his blessed companions], ‘Are we never to die again after our earlier death? 59Shall we never suffer? 60This truly is the supreme triumph!’ 61Everyone should strive to attain this. 62Is this the better welcome, or the tree of Zaqqum, 63which we have made a test for the evildoers? 64This tree grows in the heart of the blazing Fire,d 65and its fruits are like devils’ heads. 66They will fill their bellies eating from it; 67then drink scalding water on top of it; 68then return to the blazing Fire. 69They found their forefathers astray, 70and rushed to follow in their footsteps— before the disbelievers [of Mecca], 71most men in the past went astray, 72even though We sent messengers to warn them. 73See how those who were warned met their end! 74Not so the true servants of God.
75Noah cried to Us, and how excellent was Our response! 76We saved him and his people from great distress, 77We let his offspring remain on the earth, 78We let him be praised by later generations: 79‘Peace be upon Noah among all the nations!’ 80This is how We reward those who do good: 81he was truly one of Our faithful servants. 82We drowned the rest.
83Abraham was of the same faith: 84he came to his Lord with a devoted heart. 85He said to his father and his people, ‘What are you worshipping? 86How can you choose false gods instead of the true God? 87So what is your opinion about the Lord of all the Worlds?’ 88then he looked up to the stars. 89He said, ‘I am sick,’ 90so [his people] turned away from him and left. 91He turned to their gods and said, 92‘Do you not eat? Why do you not speak?’ 93then he turned and struck them with his right arm. 94His people hurried towards him, 95but he said, ‘How can you worship things you carve with your own hands, 96when it is God who has created you and all your handiwork?’ 97They said, ‘Build a pyre and throw him into the blazing fire.’ 98They wanted to harm him, but We humiliated them.
99He said, ‘I will go to my Lord: He is sure to guide me. 100Lord, grant me a righteous son,’ 101so We gave him the good news that he would have a patient son. 102When the boy was old enough to work with his father, Abraham said, ‘My son, I have seen myself sacrificing you in a dream. What do you think?’ He said, ‘Father, do as you are commanded and, God willing, you will find me steadfast.’ 103When they had both submitted to God, and he had laid his son down on the side of his face, 104We called out to him, ‘Abraham, 105you have fulfilled the dream.’ This is how We reward those who do good— 106it was a test to prove [their true characters]— 107We ransomed his son with a momentous sacrifice, 108and We let him be praised by succeeding generations: 109‘Peace be upon Abraham!’ 110This is how We reward those who do good: 111truly he was one of Our faithful servants.
112We gave Abraham the good news of Isaac— a prophet and a righteous man— 113and blessed him and Isaac too: some of their offspring were good, but some clearly wronged themselves. 114We also bestowed Our favour on Moses and Aaron: 115We saved them and their people from great distress; 116We helped them, so they were the ones to succeed; 117We gave them the Scripture that makes things clear; 118We guided them to the right path; 119We let them be praised by succeeding generations: 120‘Peace be upon Moses and Aaron!’ 121This is how We reward those who do good: 122truly they were among Our faithful servants.
123Elijah too was one of the messengers. 124He said to his people, ‘Have you no fear of God? 125How can you invoke Baal and forsake the Most Gracious Creator, 126God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?’ 127but they rejected him. They will be brought to punishmenta as a consequence; 128not so the true servants of God. 129We let him be praised by succeeding generations: 130‘Peace be to Elijah!’ 131This is how We reward those who do good: 132truly he was one of Our faithful servants.
133Lot was also one of the messengers. 134We saved him and all his family— 135except for an old woman who stayed behind— 136and We destroyed the rest. 137You [people] pass by their ruins morning 138and night: will you not take heed? 139Jonah too was one of the messengers. 140He fled to the overloaded ship. 141They cast lots, he suffered defeat, 142and a great fish swallowed him, for he had committed blameworthy acts. 143If he had not been one of those who glorified God, 144he would have stayed in its belly until the Day when all are raised up, 145but We cast him out, sick, on to a barren shore, 146and made a gourd tree grow above him. 147We sent him to a hundred thousand people or more. 148They believed, so We let them live out their lives.b
149Now [Muhammad], ask the disbelievers: is it true that your Lord has daughters, while they choose sons for themselves?c 150Did We create the angels as females while they were watching? 151No indeed! It is one of their lies when they say, 152‘God has begotten.’ How they lie! 153Did He truly choose daughters in preference to sons? 154What is the matter with you? How do you form your judgements? 155Do you not reflect? 156Do you perhaps have clear authority? 157Bring your scriptures, if you are telling the truth. 158They claim that He has kinship with the jinn, yet the jinn themselves know that they will be brought before Him. 159God is far above what they attribute to Him— 160the true servants of God do not do such things— 161and neither you nor what you worship 162can lure away from God any 163except those who will burn in Hell. 164[The angels say], ‘Every single one of us has his appointed place: 165we are ranged in ranks. 166We glorify God.’a
167[The disbelievers] used to say, 168‘If only we had a scripture like previous people, 169we would be true servants of God,’ 170yet now they reject [the Qur’an]. They will soon realize. 171Our word has already been given to Our servants the messengers: 172it is they who will be helped, 173and the ones who supportb Our cause will be the winners. 174So [Prophet] turn away from the disbelievers for a while. 175Watch them: they will soon see. 176Do they really wish to hasten Our punishment? 177When it descends on their courtyards, how terrible that morning will be for those who were warned! 178[Prophet], turn away from the disbelievers for a while. 179Watch them: they will soon see. 180Your Lord, the Lord of Glory, is far above what they attribute to Him. 181Peace be upon the messengers 182and praise be to God the Lord of all the Worlds.