43. DECORATIONS (az-Zukhruf)

In the name of Allah,
the Gracious, the Merciful

1. Ha, Meem.
2. By the Book that makes things clear.
3. We made it an Arabic Quran, so that you
   may understand.
4. And it is with Us, in the Source Book, sublime and wise.
5. Shall We hold back the Reminder from you,
   since you are a transgressing people?
6. How many a prophet did We send to the
   ancients?
7. No messenger came to them, but they ridiculed him.
8. We destroyed people more powerful than
   they, and so the example of the ancients has
   passed away.
9. And if you asked them, “Who created the
   heavens and the earth?” They would say,
   “The Mighty, the Knower created them.”
10. He who made the earth a habitat for you,
    and traced pathways for you on it, that you
    may be guided.
11. He who sends down water from the sky in
    due proportion; and so We revive thereby a
    dead land. Thus you will be brought out.
12. He Who created all the pairs; and provided
    you with ships, and animals on which you
    ride.
13. That you may mount their backs, and remember the favor of your Lord as you sit
    firmly upon them, and say, “Glory be to Him
    Who placed these at our service; surely we
    could not have done it by ourselves.
14. And surely, to our Lord we will return.”
15. Yet they turn one of His servants into a part
    of Him. Man is clearly ungrateful.
16. Or has He chosen for Himself daughters
    from what He creates, and favored you with
    sons?
17. Yet when one of them is given news of what
    he attributes to the Most Gracious, his face
    darkens, and he suppresses grief.
18. “Someone brought up to be beautiful, and
    unable to help in a fight?”
19. And they appoint the angels, who are servants to the Most Gracious, as females. Have
    they witnessed their creation? Their claim
    will be recorded, and they will be questioned.
20. And they say, “Had the Most Gracious
    willed, we would not have worshiped them.”
    But they have no knowledge of that; they are
    merely guessing.
21. Or have We given them a book prior to this
    one, to which they adhere?
22. But they say, “We found our parents on a
    course, and we are guided in their footsteps.”
23. Likewise, We sent no warner before you to
    any town, but the wealthy among them said,
    “We found our parents on a course, and we
    are following in their footsteps.”
24. He would say, “Even if I bring you better
    guidance than what you found your parents following?” They would say, “We reject what you are sent with.”
25. So We wreaked vengeance upon them. Behold, then, what was the fate of those who
    deny.
26. When Abraham said to his father and his
    people, “I am innocent of what you worship.
27. Except for He who created me, for He will
    guide me.”
28. And he made it an enduring word in his
    progeny, so that they may return.
29. I gave these and their forefathers some enjoyment, until the truth and a manifest messenger came to them.
30. But when the truth came to them, they
    said, “This is sorcery, and we refuse to believe
    in it.”
31. They also said, “If only this Quran was sent
    down to a man of importance from the two
    cities.”
32. Is it they who allocate the mercy of your
    Lord? It is We who have allocated their livelihood in this life, and We elevated some of
    them in rank above others, that some of them
    would take others in service. But your Lord’s
    mercy is better than what they amass.
33. Were it not that humanity would become a
    single community, We would have provided
    those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious
    with roofs of silver to their houses, and stairways by which they ascend.
34. And doors to their houses, and furnishings
    on which they recline.
35. And decorations. Yet all that is nothing but
    the stuff of this life. Yet the Hereafter, with
    your Lord, is for the righteous.
36. Whoever shuns the remembrance of the
    Most Gracious, We assign for him a devil, to
    be his companion.
37. They hinder them from the path, though
    they think they are guided.
38. Until, when He comes to Us, he will say, “If
    only there were between me and you the distance of the two Easts.” What an evil companion!
39. It will not benefit you on that Day, since
    you did wrong. You are partners in the suffering.
40. Can you make the deaf hear, or guide the
    blind, and him who is in evident error?
41. Even if We take you away, We will wreak
    vengeance upon them.
42. Or show you what We have promised
    them; for We have absolute power over them.
43. So adhere to what is revealed to you. You
    are upon a straight path.
44. It is a message for you, and for your people;
    and you will be questioned.
45. Ask those of Our messengers We sent before you: “Did We appoint gods besides the
    Most Gracious to be worshiped?”
46. We sent Moses with Our revelations to
    Pharaoh and his dignitaries. He said, “I am
    the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds.”
47. But when he showed them Our signs, they
    started laughing at them.
48. Each sign We showed them was more marvelous than its counterpart. And We afflicted
    them with the plagues, so that they may repent.
49. They said, “O sorcerer, pray to your Lord
    for us, according to His pledge to you, and
    then we will be guided.”
50. But when We lifted the torment from
    them, they immediately broke their promise.
51. Pharaoh proclaimed among his people,
    saying, “O my people, do I not own the Kingdom of Egypt, and these rivers flow beneath
    me? Do you not see?
52. Am I not better than this miserable wretch,
    who can barely express himself?
53. Why are bracelets of gold not dropped on
    him, or they angels came with him in procession?”
54. Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed
    him. They were wicked people.
55. And when they provoked Our wrath, We
    took retribution from them, and We
    drowned them all.
56. Thus We made them a precedent and an
    example for the others.
57. And when the son of Mary was cited as an
    example, your people opposed.
58. They said, “Are our gods better, or he?”
    They cited him only for argument. In fact,
    they are a quarrelsome people.
59. He was just a servant whom We blessed,
    and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.
60. Had We willed, We would have made of
    you angels to be successors on earth.
61. He is a portent of the Hour, so have no
    doubt about it, and follow Me. This is a
    straight way.
62. And let not Satan divert you. He is an open
    enemy to you.
63. When Jesus came with the clarifications, he
    said, “I have come to you with wisdom, and
    to clarify for you some of what you differ
    about. So fear Allah, and obey me.
64. Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him—this is a straight path.”
65. But the factions differed among themselves. So woe to the wrongdoers from the
    suffering of a painful Day.
66. Are they only waiting for the Hour to come
    upon them suddenly, while they are unaware?
67. On that Day, friends will be enemies of one
    another, except for the righteous.
68. O My servants, you have nothing to fear on
    that Day, nor will you grieve.
69. Those who believed in Our revelations,
    and were submissive.
70. Enter the Garden, you and your spouses,
    Joyfully.
71. They will be served around with trays of
    gold, and cups. Therein is whatever the souls
    desire and delights the eyes. Therein you will
    stay forever.
72. Such is the Garden you are made to inherit,
    because of what you used to do.
73. Therein you will have abundant fruit, from
    which you eat.
74. As for the sinners, they will be in the torment of Hell forever.
75. It will never be eased for them. In it, they
    will be devastated.
76. We did them no injustice, but it was they
    who were the unjust.
77. And they will cry, “O Malek, let your Lord
    finish us off.” He will say, “You are staying.”
78. We have given you the truth, but most of
    you hate the truth.
79. Have they contrived some scheme? We too
    are contriving.
80. Or do they think that We cannot hear their
    secrets and their conspiracies? Yes indeed,
    Our messengers are by them, writing down.
81. Say, “If the Most Gracious had a son, I
    would be the first to worship.”
82. Glorified be the Lord of the heavens and
    the earth, the Lord of the Throne, beyond
    what they describe.
83. So leave them to blunder and play, until
    they encounter their Day which they are
    promised.
84. It is He who is Allah in heaven, and Allah
    on earth. He is the Wise, the Knower.
85. And blessed is He Who has sovereignty
    over the heavens and the earth and what is
    between them. He alone has knowledge of the
    Hour, and to Him you will be returned.
86. Those they invoke besides Him are incapable of intercession; only those who testify to
    the truth and have knowledge.
87. And if you asked them, “Who created
    them?”, they would say, “Allah.” Why then
    do they deviate?
88. As for his statement: “My Lord, these are a
    people who do not believe.”
89. Pardon them, and say, “Peace.” They will
    come to know.