Surah Jonah [Yunus] in English

Alif Lam Ra. These are the verses of the Book of Wisdom.

Does it seem strange to people that We have sent revelation to a man from among themselves, saying, \"Warn mankind and give glad tidings to the believers that they have a true rank [of honour] with their Lord?\" Those who deny the truth say, \"This man is clearly a sorcerer.\"

Truly, your Lord is God who created the heavens and the earth in six days [periods], then He ascended the Throne, disposing the whole affair. No one may intercede with Him save with His permission. Such is God, your Lord, so worship Him alone. Will you not take heed?

To Him you shall all return. God's promise is true; He originates Creation, then He restores it, so that He may reward with justice those who believe and do good works. Those who have denied the truth shall have boiling water to drink, and a painful punishment, because of their denial.

It is He who made the sun radiate a brilliant light and the moon shed its lustre, and ordained for it stages so that you may learn to count out the years and [to make other such] reckoning of time. God has not created all these without a purpose. He makes plain His revelations to men of understanding.

In the alternation of night and day, and in all that God has created in the heavens and the earth, there are signs for a God-fearing people.

Those who entertain no hope of meeting Us, being pleased and contented with the life of this world, and those who give no heed to Our signs,

shall have their abode in the Fire in requital for their deeds.

Those who believe and do good deeds will be guided by their Lord because of their faith. Rivers shall flow at their feet in the Gardens of Bliss.

In that [state of happiness] they will call out; \"Glory be to You, O God!\", while their greeting in it will be: \"Peace!\" And the close of their call will be, \"All praise is due to God, the Lord of the Universe!\"

Had God hastened the punishment of men as He hastens the good, the end of their term of life would already have been reached. We leave those who do not hope to meet Us groping along in their arrogance.

Whenever any trouble befalls a person, he prays to Us all the time, lying on his side, sitting or standing; but when We remove his trouble, he goes on his way as if he had never prayed to Us for the removal of his trouble. Thus it is that the doings of the transgressors are made to look fair to them.

And indeed, before your time We destroyed [whole] generations when they [persistently] did evil; their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they would not believe. Thus We requite the guilty.

Then We made you their successors in the land, so that We might observe how you would conduct yourselves.

When Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us say, \"Bring us a different Quran, or make some changes in it.\" Say, \"It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I follow only what is revealed to me. I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord, the punishment on a Dreadful Day.\"

Say, \"If God had so wished, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have brought it to your knowledge. Indeed, I have spent a whole lifetime among you before it came to me. How can you not use your reason?\"

Who is more unjust than the man who invents a falsehood about God or denies His signs? Surely, the guilty shall never prosper.

Instead of God they worship what neither harms nor benefits them, and they say: \"These are our intercessors with God.\" Say, \"Do you inform God about something in heavens and on earth that He does not know? Glory be to Him; may He be Exalted over whatever they associate [with Him]!\"

Mankind was only one community, but then they differed, and had it not been for a prior word from your Lord, their differences would have been settled for them.

They ask, \"Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord?\" Tell them, \"God alone has knowledge of the unseen. So wait; I too will wait with you.\"

Whenever We let mankind taste mercy after some adversity has afflicted them, they forthwith turn to devising false arguments against Our signs. Say, \"God is swifter in His devising! Our angels are recording your intrigues.\"

It is God who enables you to travel on land and sea. And when you are sailing on ships and rejoicing in the favourable wind, a storm arrives, and the waves surge upon those on board from every side and they think they are encompassed, then they make a fervent appeal to God, saying in all sincerity, \"If You deliver us from this, we will surely be of the thankful.\"

But when He has delivered them, they begin, wrongfully to commit excesses in the land. O you men, your excesses only affect your own selves. Have the enjoyment of the present life. Then to Us you shall return; and We will inform you of all that you have done.

The life of the world is like the water which We send down from the sky, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth, from which men and cattle eat. But when the earth has taken on its finest appearance, and looks beautiful, and its people think they have it under their control, then by day or by night, Our command comes to it and We convert it into a field of stubble, as if nothing had existed there the day before. Thus We make plain Our revelations for those who reflect.

God calls man to the home of peace and He guides whom He wills to a straight path.

Those who do good works shall have a good reward and more besides. No darkness and no ignominy shall cover their faces. They are destined for Paradise wherein they shall dwell forever.

But as for those who have done evil deeds, the recompense shall be in proportion. They will have none to defend them against God. Ignominy shall cover them, as though their faces were veiled by the night's own darkness. It is they who are destined for the fire, where they will live forever.

On the Day when We gather them all together, We shall say to those who ascribed partners to God, \"Keep to your places, you and your partners!\" Then We shall separate them from one another and their partner-gods will say, \"It was not us that you worshipped.

God suffices as a witness between us and you. We were entirely unaware that you worshipped us.\"

Then every soul shall realize what it has done. They shall be returned to God, their true Master, and anything they had invented will forsake them.

Say, \"Who provides [sustenance] for you from heaven and earth? Who is it who controls the ears and the eyes? Who brings forth the living from the dead, and the dead from the living? And who governs all affairs?\" They will say, \"God\". Then say, \"Will you not then fear Him?

That is God, your true Lord. What is there, besides the truth, but error? How then can you turn away?\"

Thus the Word of your Lord is proved true against those who are disobedient. They will not believe.

Ask then, \"Can any of your partner-gods originate creation, and then reproduce it?\" Say, \"It is God who originates creation and then restores it: how then are you so misled?\"

Say, \"Does any of your partner-gods guide one to the Truth?\" Say, \"It is God who guides to the truth. Then, is He who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed or one who cannot find the way himself unless he be guided? What is the matter with you? How ill you judge!\"

Most of them follow nothing but mere conjecture. But conjecture is of no use against the Truth. God is well aware of what they do.

This Quran is not such as could have been produced by anyone but God. It fulfills that [the predictions] which came before it and gives a fuller explanation of the [earlier] Revelations. There is no doubt about it: it is from the Lord of the Universe.

Do they say, \"He has fabricated it?\" Say, \"Bring me one chapter like it. Call on whom you may besides God to help you, if what you say be true!\"

Indeed, they are denying something which they cannot comprehend; the reality not yet having dawned on them. Likewise those before them rejected the truth. But see what was the end of the wrongdoers.

Some of them will believe in it [the Quran], while others will not. And your Lord is fully aware of the evil-doers.

If they should reject you, say, \"My deeds are mine and your deeds are yours. You are not accountable for my actions, nor am I accountable for what you do.\"

Some of them appear to be listening to you; but can you make the deaf hear, incapable as they are of understanding?

Some of them look fixedly at you; but can you make the blind see, bereft as they are of sight?

Surely, God does not wrong people at all, but people wrong themselves.

And on the Day when He shall gather them together, it will seem to them as if they had not tarried in the world longer than an hour of a day. They will recognize one another; lost indeed will be those who considered it a lie that they were destined to meet God, and did not follow the right path.

Whether We show you something of what We have promised them or cause you to die [before that], to Us they shall return. God is Witness to all that they do.

Every nation has a messenger. Once their messenger has come, judgement will be passed upon them in all fairness and they will not be wronged.

They say, \"When will this promise come to pass -- if you speak the truth?\"

Say, \"I have no control over any harm or benefit to myself, except by the will of God. For every people, however, there is an appointed term. When the end of their term arrives, they cannot postpone it for an hour, nor can they advance it.\"

Say, \"If His punishment comes upon you in the dead of night, or by the light of day, how will the guilty escape it?

Will you believe in it only after it has overtaken you, although it was your wish to hurry it on?\"

Then the evil-doers will be told, \"Taste the everlasting punishment. Have you not been rewarded according to your deeds?\"

They enquire of you if this will really happen. Tell them, \"Yes, by my Lord. Most certainly it will happen, and you cannot avert it.\"

If every wrongdoer possessed all that was on the earth, he would seek to ransom himself with it: when they see the punishment, they will repent in secret. But judgement will be passed upon them in all fairness, and they will not be wronged.

Assuredly, everything that is in the heavens and on the earth belongs to God. Assuredly, God's promise is true. Yet most of them do not realize it.

He gives life and brings about death, and to Him you shall all return.

O mankind! There has come to you an admonition from your Lord, a cure for what is in the hearts, and a guide and a blessing to true believers.

Say, \"In the grace and mercy of God let them rejoice, for these are better than the worldly riches which they hoard.\"

Say, \"Have you considered the provision God has sent down for you, and have you made some of it unlawful and some lawful?\" Say, \"Has God given you permission [to do this], or are you inventing falsehoods about God?\"

What will they think, those who invent falsehoods about God, on the Day of Resurrection? God is bountiful to men: yet most of them are not grateful.

In whatever activity you may be engaged, and whichever part of the Quran you recite, and whatever deed you do, We are witness to it when you are engaged in it. Not the smallest particle on the earth or in heaven is hidden from your Lord; and there is nothing smaller or bigger but is recorded in a clear Book.

Those who are close to God shall certainly have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

For those who believe and are mindful of God,

there is good news in this life and in the Hereafter: the Word of God shall never change. That is the supreme triumph.

Do not let their words grieve you. Surely, all might and glory belongs to God alone; He is the all-hearing, the all-knowing.

Surely, all who are in the heavens and on the earth belong to Him. What do those follow, who appeal to associates instead of to God? They merely follow conjecture and they are only guessing.

It is He who has made the night dark for you so that you may rest in it, and the day a source of light. Surely, there are signs in this for a people who listen.

They say, \"God has begotten a son.\" Glory be to Him. He is the Self-Sufficient One; everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. Do you have any authority for this? Would you ascribe to God something which you do not know?

Say, \"Those who invent falsehoods about God shall not prosper.\"

Their portion is short-lived enjoyment in this world; but to Us they shall return. Then We shall make them taste a severe punishment, because of their denial of truth.

Tell them the story of Noah. He said to his people, \"My people, if my presence among you and my preaching to you of God's revelations offends you, know that I put my trust in God, so agree on your course of action, along with your partner-gods, and let no hesitation deflect you from it, then put it into effect against me, and give me no respite.

If you turn away from me, remember I demand no recompense from you. Only God will reward me and I have been commanded to submit completely to Him.\"

Then they rejected him; then We delivered him and those with him in the Ark, and We made them successors; while We drowned the others who belied Our signs. Observe then the fate of those who had been forewarned.

After him We sent other messengers to their respective peoples, and they brought them clear proofs. But they would not believe in the truth, because they had rejected it before. Thus We seal up the hearts of the transgressors.

Then We sent forth Moses and Aaron with Our signs to Pharaoh and his nobles, but they behaved arrogantly, for they were wicked people.

When the truth came to them from Us, they said, \"This is plain sorcery.\"

Moses replied, \"Do you speak thus of the truth after it has been brought to you? Can this be sorcery? Sorcerers never prosper.\"

They said, \"Have you come to turn us away from what we found our forefathers following, so that the two of you might become supreme in this land? We will never believe in you.\"

Then Pharaoh said, \"Bring me every skilled magician!\"

When the magicians came, Moses said to them, \"Cast down whatever you are going to cast down.\"

And when they had done so, Moses said, \"What you have wrought is mere sorcery. Surely, God will bring it to nothing. Truly, God does not support the work of mischief-makers;

God establishes the truth by His words, however much the sinners may dislike it.\"

But none save a few youths declared their faith in Moses, [while others held back] for fear that Pharaoh and his nobles would persecute them. Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land. And one who transgressed all bounds.

Moses said, \"O my people; if you believe in God, [and] if you have surrendered yourselves to Him, then in Him alone put your trust.\"

They said, \"In God we put our trust. Our Lord, make us not a trial [the subject of persecution] for the oppressors.

And deliver us by Your mercy from the people who deny the truth.\"

We revealed [Our will] to Moses and his brother, saying, \"Set aside for your people some houses in the city and turn them into places of worship, and be constant in prayer! And give [O Moses] the good news to the believers.\"

Moses prayed, \"Our Lord, You have bestowed upon Pharaoh and his nobles pomp and wealth in the present life, whereby they lead people astray from Your path. Our Lord, destroy their riches and harden their hearts, so that they shall not believe until they are faced with grievous punishment.\"

God said, \"Your prayer is granted, so continue, then, both of you, steadfastly on the right path, and do not follow the path of those who have no knowledge.\"

So We brought the Children of Israel across the sea. Pharaoh and his troops pursued them arrogantly and aggressively. When he was about to drown, [Pharaoh] exclaimed, \"I believe that there is no deity save Him in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of those who surrender themselves to Him!\"

\"Only now? When you had always been a rebel, and a wrongdoer.

So We shall save your body this day, so that you may serve as a sign for those who come after you: for many people are indeed heedless of Our signs.\"

We settled the Children of Israel in a blessed land, and We provided them with good things. And it was not until knowledge [of God's revelation] was granted to them that they began to hold divergent views. Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that in which they differed.

If you are in any doubt concerning what We have sent down to you, then question those who have read the Book before you: the Truth has come to you from your Lord, so do not be one of the doubters --

do not be one who rejects God's signs, for then you would become one of the losers.

Those against whom your Lord's word has been confirmed will never believe;

not even if every Sign were to come to them -- until they see the painful punishment.

Why was there no other people, save the people of Jonah, who should have believed so that their belief would have benefited them. Once they believed, We lifted the torment of shame from them during their worldly life and let them enjoy Our provision for a while.

Had your Lord pleased, all the people on earth would have believed in Him, without exception. So will you compel people to become believers?

No soul can believe except by the will of God. He will place the filth [of doubt] upon those who do not use their reason.

Say, \"Look at whatever [exists] in heavens and on earth.\" But signs and warnings do not benefit the unbelievers.

What can they be waiting for but the punishment that came to those before them? Say, \"So wait; I am one of those waiting with you.\"

Then We shall save Our messengers and those who believe. Thus We have made it incumbent upon Ourself to save the believers.

Say, \"O people, if you are in doubt concerning my religion, then [know that] I do not worship those whom you worship instead of God, but rather I worship God who will cause you to die, for I am commanded to be one of the believers.\"

And set your face towards the [true] faith in all uprightness, and do not be one of those who ascribe partners to God;

and do not invoke besides God what can neither help nor harm you. If you do, you will be one of the wrongdoers.

If God inflicts harm on you, no one can remove it but He, and if He intends good for you, no one can withhold His bounty; He grants His bounty to any of His servants whom He will. He is the Most Forgiving, and the Most Merciful.

Say, \"Mankind, Truth has come to you from your Lord! Anyone who accepts guidance is guided only for his own sake; and he who goes astray does so at his own peril. I am not appointed as your keeper.\"