Surah The Poets [Ash-Shuara] in English

Ta. Sin. Mim.

These are revelations of the Scripture that maketh plain.

It may be that thou tormentest thyself (O Muhammad) because they believe not.

If We will, We can send down on them from the sky a portent so that their necks would remain bowed before it.

Never cometh there unto them a fresh reminder from the Beneficent One, but they turn away from it.

Now they have denied (the Truth); but there will come unto them tidings of that whereat they used to scoff.

Have they not seen the earth, how much of every fruitful kind We make to grow therein?

Lo! herein is indeed a portent; yet most of them are not believers.

And lo! thy Lord! He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

And when thy Lord called Moses, saying: Go unto the wrongdoing folk,

The folk of Pharaoh. Will they not ward off (evil)?

He said: My Lord! Lo! I fear that they will deny me,

And I shall be embarrassed, and my tongue will not speak plainly, therefor send for Aaron (to help me).

And they have a crime against me, so I fear that they will kill me.

He said: Nay, verily. So go ye twain with Our tokens. Lo! We shall be with you, Hearing.

And come together unto Pharaoh and say: Lo! we bear a message of the Lord of the Worlds,

(Saying): Let the Children of Israel go with us.

(Pharaoh) said (unto Moses): Did we not rear thee among us as a child? And thou didst dwell many years of thy life among us,

And thou didst that thy deed which thou didst, and thou wast one of the ingrates.

He said: I did it then, when I was of those who are astray.

Then I fled from you when I feared you, and my Lord vouchsafed me a command and appointed me (of the number) of those sent (by Him).

And this is the past favour wherewith thou reproachest me: that thou hast enslaved the Children of Israel.

Pharaoh said: And what is the Lord of the Worlds?

(Moses) said: Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if ye had but sure belief.

(Pharaoh) said unto those around him: Hear ye not?

He said: Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers.

(Pharaoh) said: Lo! your messenger who hath been sent unto you is indeed a madman!

He said: Lord of the East and the West and all that is between them, if ye did but understand.

(Pharaoh) said: If thou choosest a god other than me, I assuredly shall place thee among the prisoners.

He said: Even though I show thee something plain?

(Pharaoh) said: Produce it then, if thou art of the truthful!

Then he flung down his staff and it became a serpent manifest,

And he drew forth his hand and lo! it was white to the beholders.

(Pharaoh) said unto the chiefs about him: Lo! this is verily a knowing wizard,

Who would drive you out of your land by his magic. Now what counsel ye?

They said: Put him off, (him) and his brother, and send into the cities summoners

Who shall bring unto thee every knowing wizard.

So the wizards were gathered together at a set time on a day appointed.

And it was said unto the people: Are ye (also) gathering?

(They said): Aye, so that we may follow the wizards if they are the winners.

And when the wizards came they said unto Pharaoh: Will there surely be a reward for us if we are the winners?

He said: Aye, and ye will then surely be of those brought near (to me).

Moses said unto them: Throw what ye are going to throw!

Then they threw down their cords and their staves and said: By Pharaoh's might, lo! we verily are the winners.

Then Moses threw his staff and lo! it swallowed that which they did falsely show.

And the wizards were flung prostrate,

Crying: We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,

The Lord of Moses and Aaron.

(Pharaoh) said: Ye put your faith in him before I give you leave. Lo! he doubtless is your chief who taught you magic! But verily ye shall come to know. Verily I will cut off your hands and your feet alternately, and verily I will crucify you every one.

They said: It is no hurt, for lo! unto our Lord we shall return.

Lo! we ardently hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins because we are the first of the believers.

And We inspired Moses, saying: Take away My slaves by night, for ye will be pursued.

Then Pharaoh sent into the cities summoners,

(Who said): Lo! these indeed are but a little troop,

And lo! they are offenders against us.

And lo! we are a ready host.

Thus did We take them away from gardens and watersprings,

And treasures and a fair estate.

Thus (were those things taken from them) and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit them.

And they overtook them at sunrise.

And when the two hosts saw each other, those with Moses said: Lo! we are indeed caught.

He said: Nay, verily! for lo! my Lord is with me. He will guide me.

Then We inspired Moses, saying: Smite the sea with thy staff. And it parted, and each part was as a mountain vast.

Then brought We near the others to that place.

And We saved Moses and those with him, every one;

And We drowned the others.

Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers.

And lo, thy Lord! He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

Recite unto them the story of Abraham:

When he said unto his father and his folk: What worship ye?

They said: We worship idols, and are ever devoted unto them.

He said: Do they hear you when ye cry?

Or do they benefit or harm you?

They said: Nay, but we found our fathers acting on this wise.

He said: See now that which ye worship,

Ye and your forefathers!

Lo! they are (all) an enemy unto me, save the Lord of the Worlds,

Who created me, and He doth guide me,

And Who feedeth me and watereth me.

And when I sicken, then He healeth me,

And Who causeth me to die, then giveth me life (again),

And Who, I ardently hope, will forgive me my sin on the Day of Judgment.

My Lord! Vouchsafe me wisdom and unite me to the righteous.

And give unto me a good report in later generations.

And place me among the inheritors of the Garden of Delight,

And forgive my father. Lo! he is of those who err.

And abase me not on the day when they are raised,

The day when wealth and sons avail not (any man)

Save him who bringeth unto Allah a whole heart.

And the Garden will be brought nigh for those who ward off (evil).

And hell will appear plainly to the erring.

And it will be said unto them: Where is (all) that ye used to worship

Instead of Allah? Can they help you or help themselves?

Then will they be hurled therein, they and the seducers

And the hosts of Iblis, together.

And they will say, when they are quarrelling therein:

By Allah, of a truth we were in error manifest

When we made you equal with the Lord of the Worlds.

It was but the guilty who misled us.

Now we have no intercessors

Nor any loving friend.

Oh, that we had another turn (on earth), that we might be of the believers!

Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers!

And lo, thy Lord! He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

Noah's folk denied the messengers (of Allah),

When their brother Noah said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you,

So keep your duty to Allah, and obey me.

And I ask of you no wage therefor; my wage is the concern only of the Lord of the Worlds.

So keep your duty to Allah, and obey me.

They said: Shall we put faith in thee, when the lowest (of the people) follow thee?

He said: And what knowledge have I of what they may have been doing (in the past)?

Lo! their reckoning is my Lord's concern, if ye but knew;

And I am not (here) to repulse believers.

I am only a plain warner.

They said: If thou cease not, O Noah, thou wilt surely be among those stoned (to death).

He said: My Lord! Lo! my own folk deny me.

Therefor judge Thou between us, a (conclusive) judgment, and save me and those believers who are with me.

And We saved him and those with him in the laden ship.

Then afterward We drowned the others.

Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers.

And lo, thy Lord, He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

(The tribe of) A'ad denied the messengers (of Allah).

When their brother Hud said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you,

So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.

And I ask of you no wage therefor; my wage is the concern only of the Lord of the Worlds.

Build ye on every high place a monument for vain delight?

And seek ye out strongholds, that haply ye may last for ever?

And if ye seize by force, seize ye as tyrants?

Rather keep your duty to Allah, and obey me.

Keep your duty toward Him Who hath aided you with (the good things) that ye know,

Hath aided you with cattle and sons.

And gardens and watersprings.

Lo! I fear for you the retribution of an awful day.

They said: It is all one to us whether thou preachest or art not of those who preach;

This is but a fable of the men of old,

And we shall not be doomed.

And they denied him; therefor We destroyed them. Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers.

And lo! thy Lord, He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

(The tribe of) Thamud denied the messengers (of Allah)

When their brother Salih said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you,

So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.

And I ask of you no wage therefor; my wage is the concern only of the Lord of the Worlds.

Will ye be left secure in that which is here before us,

In gardens and watersprings.

And tilled fields and heavy-sheathed palm-trees,

Though ye hew out dwellings in the mountain, being skilful?

Therefor keep your duty to Allah and obey me,

And obey not the command of the prodigal,

Who spread corruption in the earth, and reform not.

They said: Thou art but one of the bewitched;

Thou art but a mortal like us. So bring some token if thou art of the truthful.

He said: (Behold) this she-camel. She hath the right to drink (at the well), and ye have the right to drink, (each) on an appointed day.

And touch her not with ill lest there come on you the retribution of an awful day.

But they hamstrung her, and then were penitent.

So the retribution came on them. Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers.

And lo! thy Lord! He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

The folk of Lot denied the messengers (of Allah),

When their brother Lot said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you,

So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.

And I ask of you no wage therefor; my wage is the concern only of the Lord of the Worlds.

What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males,

And leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are froward folk.

They said: If thou cease not, O Lot, thou wilt soon be of the outcast.

He said: I am in truth of those who hate your conduct.

My Lord! Save me and my household from what they do.

So We saved him and his household, every one,

Save an old woman among those who stayed behind.

Then afterward We destroyed the others.

And We rained on them a rain. And dreadful is the rain of those who have been warned.

Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers.

And lo! thy Lord, He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

The dwellers in the wood (of Midian) denied the messengers (of Allah),

When Shu'eyb said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you,

So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.

And I ask of you no wage for it; my wage is the concern only of the Lord of the Worlds.

Give full measure, and be not of those who give less (than the due).

And weigh with the true balance.

Wrong not mankind in their goods, and do not evil, making mischief, in the earth.

And keep your duty unto Him Who created you and the generations of the men of old.

They said: Thou art but one of the bewitched;

Thou art but a mortal like us, and lo! we deem thee of the liars.

Then make fragments of the heaven fall upon us, if thou art of the truthful.

He said: My Lord is Best Aware of what ye do.

But they denied him, so there came on them the retribution of the day of gloom. Lo! it was the retribution of an awful day.

Lo! herein is indeed a portent; yet most of them are not believers.

And lo! thy Lord! He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

And lo! it is a revelation of the Lord of the Worlds,

Which the True Spirit hath brought down

Upon thy heart, that thou mayst be (one) of the warners,

In plain Arabic speech.

And lo! it is in the Scriptures of the men of old.

Is it not a token for them that the doctors of the Children of Israel know it?

And if We had revealed it unto one of any other nation than the Arabs,

And he had read it unto them, they would not have believed in it.

Thus do We make it traverse the hearts of the guilty.

They will not believe in it till they behold the painful doom,

So that it will come upon them suddenly, when they perceive not.

Then they will say: Are we to be reprieved?

Would they (now) hasten on Our doom?

Hast thou then seen, if We content them for (long) years,

And then cometh that which they were promised,

(How) that wherewith they were contented naught availeth them?

And We destroyed no township but it had its warners

For reminder, for We never were oppressors.

The devils did not bring it down.

It is not meet for them, nor is it in their power,

Lo! verily they are banished from the hearing.

Therefor invoke not with Allah another god, lest thou be one of the doomed.

And warn thy tribe of near kindred,

And lower thy wing (in kindness) unto those believers who follow thee.

And if they (thy kinsfolk) disobey thee, say: Lo! I am innocent of what they do.

And put thy trust in the Mighty, the Merciful.

Who seeth thee when thou standest up (to pray)

And (seeth) thine abasement among those who fall prostrate (in worship).

Lo! He, only He, is the Hearer, the Knower.

Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend?

They descend on every sinful, false one.

They listen eagerly, but most of them are liars.

As for poets, the erring follow them.

Hast thou not seen how they stray in every valley,

And how they say that which they do not?