32. As-Sajdah

Alif, Lām, Meem.1

Alif Lam Mim

L.M. Allah Aleem the Knower, Hakeem the Wise, narrates that

[This is] the revelation of the Book about which there is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds.

This Book has beyond all doubt been revealed by the Lord of the Universe

This Book is, beyond any doubt, a Revelation from the Lord of the Worlds

Or do they say, "He invented it"? Rather, it is the truth from your Lord, [O Muḥammad], that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you [so] perhaps they will be guided.

Do they say, "He has invented it himself."? No indeed! It is the truth from your Lord to warn a people to whom, before you, no warner came, so that hopefully they may be rightly guided

And yet they assert, "He has invented it." Nay, it is but the Truth from your Lord, for you to warn a folk to whom no Warner has come before you, and so that they might get the Right Guidance. (Prophet Ishmael was the ancestor of, and not a Prophet to, the Arabs who became a community long after he passed on. See note (2:125), (28:46), (36:6). And the Message is to fan out from Arabia to all mankind (2:185), (3:3), (3:137), (6:19), (6:91), (10:2), (14:1), (25:1), (30:58), (39)

It is Allāh who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne.1 You have not besides Him any protector or any intercessor; so will you not be reminded?

It was God who created the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is in between in six Days, and then He established Himself on the throne. You have no patron nor any intercessor besides Him. So will you not pay heed

Allah it is Who has created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six stages, and is established on the Throne of His Almightiness of Supreme Control (7:54). You have no patron and no intercessor beside Him. Will you not, then, bear this in mind

He arranges [each] matter from the heaven to the earth; then it will ascend to Him in a Day, the extent of which is a thousand years of those which you count.

He directs all affairs from heaven to earth. Then all will again ascend to Him on a Day whose length is a thousand years by the way you measure

He governs all that exists, from the celestial Highs to the Lows. And all things evolve higher to what they are meant to be in such stages where a single Day before Him equals a thousand years according to your count. (22:47, 35:10. And some of these stages span fifty thousand years each, of your count)

That is the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Exalted in Might, the Merciful,

Such is the Knower of the unseen and the visible, the Powerful, the Merciful

Such is the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, the Mighty, the Merciful

Who perfected everything which He created and began the creation of man from clay.

who gave everything its perfect form. He originated the creation of man from clay

Who created everything in perfect balance. Thus He initiated the creation of man (kind) from hydrated inorganic matter

Then He made his posterity out of the extract of a liquid disdained.

then He made his progeny from an extract of a humble fluid

Then He made him to be reproduced out of the essence of a humble fluid. (The inorganic matter was hydrated and from its extract life was initiated. Eventually, the evolution reached a point when procreation with male and female gametes was established)

Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His [created] soul1 and made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect]; little are you grateful.

Then He moulded him; He breathed His Spirit into him; He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts. How seldom you are grateful

(Then Emergent Evolution took place that distinguished humans from the Animal Kingdom.) He shapes him in accordance with what he is meant to be, and breathes into him (something) of His Energy. (This something is a special gift to the humans in the form of free will). And thus (O Mankind) He gives you the faculties of hearing, and sight, and feelings as well as minds. Yet, how seldom are you grateful by making the best use of your perceptual and conceptual faculties

And they say, "When we are lost [i.e., disintegrated] within the earth, will we indeed be [recreated] in a new creation?" Rather, they are, in the meeting with their Lord, disbelievers.

They say, "When we are lost in the earth, how can we then be recreated?" Indeed, they deny they will ever meet their Lord

For, they say, "What! After we have been lost in the earth, shall we indeed be created anew?" Nay, but they deny the Truth that they are destined to meet their Sustainer

Say, "The angel of death who has been entrusted with you will take you. Then to your Lord you will be returned."

Say, "The Angel of Death who has been given charge of you will gather in your souls. Then you will [all] be returned to your Lord

Say, "The angel of death who is assigned for you, will collect you, and then you will be returned to your Lord." (The body dies but the "Self" lives on according to the Law of death)

If you could but see when the criminals are hanging their heads before their Lord, [saying], "Our Lord, we have seen and heard, so return us [to the world]; we will work righteousness. Indeed, we are [now] certain."

If only you could see the evil-doers hanging their heads in shame before their Lord, "Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard, so send us back again and we will act rightly. For we do indeed now believe

If only you could see the guilty when they bend low their heads before their Lord, "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard. Return us, then, that we may do good works, for, now we are sure

And if We had willed, We could have given every soul its guidance, but the word1 from Me will come into effect [that] "I will surely fill Hell with jinn and people all together.

Yet had We so willed, We could indeed have imposed Our guidance upon every human being: but My word shall come true: "I will fill Hell with jinns and men all together

Had We so Willed, We could indeed have imposed Our Guidance upon every human being (like other creatures without free will). But the Word from Me will come true - I will fill Hell with people, rural and urban all together. (A great many people will succumb to their desires (15:39-40)

So taste [punishment] because you forgot the meeting of this, your Day; indeed, We have [accordingly] forgotten you. And taste the punishment of eternity for what you used to do."

We shall say to them, "Taste this -- for you forgot you would ever meet this Day. We too will forget you -- taste the chastisement of Eternity for your [evil] deeds

It will be said, "Taste you then, for you remained oblivious of this Day of yours, and so, now We forget you - taste the lasting doom for what you used to do

Only those believe in Our verses who, when they are reminded by them, fall down in prostration and exalt [Allāh] with praise of their Lord, and they are not arrogant.

The people who truly believe in Our messages are those who fall to the ground in prostration when they are reminded of them, and glorify their Lord with praise and are not arrogant

Only they truly believe in Our Messages who, when they are reminded of them, fall into complete submission adoring, and strive hard to manifest their Sustainer's Praise. (They establish the Divine System that is the living evidence of how benevolent His Guidance is). And they are never given to false pride

Their sides part [i.e., they arise] from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend.1

They forsake their beds, calling upon their Lord in fear and in hope, and spend out of what We have provided them with

They forsake their 'comfort zone' in calling people to their Lord, fearing that they have not done enough and hoping to do better. And they keep open for the needy the provision that We have given them. ('Madhaje' = Beds = Present circumstances = Comfort zone)

And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes [i.e., satisfaction] as reward for what they used to do.

No soul knows what joy is kept hidden in store for them as a reward for their labours

And no human being can imagine what blissful delights are kept hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do

Then is one who was a believer like one who was defiantly disobedient? They are not equal.

So, is someone who believes equal to someone who defies God? No, they are not equal

Is then, he who was a believer like the one who drifted away from the Divine Values? Nay, these two are not alike

As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, for them will be the Gardens of Refuge as accommodation for what they used to do.

Those who believe and do good deeds shall be lodged in the Gardens of Paradise as a reward for what they have done

As for those who attain belief and develop their personalities by fulfilling the needs of others - are Gardens of Resort, as a welcome, for what they did

But as for those who defiantly disobeyed, their refuge is the Fire. Every time they wish to emerge from it, they will be returned to it while it is said to them, "Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny."

As for those who defy God, their home shall be the Fire. Whenever they try to escape it, they shall be driven back into it, and they shall be told, "Taste the torment of the Fire, which you have persistently denied

But as for those who drifted away from the Truth, their Retreat will be the Fire. As often as they try to come out of it, they will be brought back into it. It will be said to them, "Taste the torment of the Fire that you used to deny

And We will surely let them taste the nearer punishment1 short of the greater punishment that perhaps they will return [i.e., repent].

And most surely We will make them taste a lesser punishment before the greater punishment, so that perhaps they may return to Us in repentance

And verily, We make (the violators of the Divine Law) taste the punishment closer at hand before the Greater punishment, so that they might return to righteousness

And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord; then he turns away from them? Indeed We, from the criminals, will take retribution.

Who does greater wrong than someone who, when revelations of his Lord are recited to him, turns away from them? We shall inflict retribution on the guilty

And who does a greater wrong than he who is reminded of his Lord's Messages, then turns away from them? Verily, We shall requite all those who violate human rights by stealing the fruit of others' labor. ('Mujrim' = One who steals the fruit of the toil of others)

And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture, so do not be in doubt over his meeting.1 And We made it [i.e., the Torah] guidance for the Children of Israel.

We gave Moses the Scripture, so [Muhammad] do not doubt that you are receiving it, just as We made it a guide for the Children of Israel

And, indeed, We had given Moses the Scripture. So be not in doubt of his receiving it, and We appointed it a Guidance for the Children of Israel. (Therein is a lesson about the outcome of the deniers of Divine Revelation)

And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.

We appointed leaders from among them, guiding by Our command when they were steadfast and when they had firm faith in Our signs

We appointed among them leaders who led them by Our Command since they were steadfast in their commitment and had conviction in Our Revelations

Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.

Surely your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they used to differ

(But later, the Children of Israel divided among themselves and lost their glory.) Verily, your Lord will decide between them on the Resurrection Day, regarding everything they disputed

Has it not become clear to them how many generations We destroyed before them, [as] they walk among their dwellings? Indeed in that are signs; then do they not hear?

Does it not guide them [to see] how many generations We destroyed before them, among whose ruined dwellings they now walk about? There truly are signs in this -- will they not listen

Is it not a guidance for them to realize how many generations We annihilated before them - in whose dwelling places they now go to and fro? Verily, in this, behold, are Signs. Will they not, then, listen

Have they not seen that We drive water [in clouds] to barren land and bring forth thereby crops from which their livestock eat and [they] themselves? Then do they not see?

Have they not seen that We drive the water to the barren land and produce thereby crops of which their cattle and they themselves eat? Will they not then see

Have they not seen how We lead water onto barren land, and thereby bring forth crops providing food for their cattle and for themselves (20:54)? Have they not the vision

And they say, "When will be this conquest,1 if you should be truthful?"

And they say, "When will this judgement come, if you are telling the truth

But they keep saying, "When will that decision be, if you are truthful?" (When will this Message bear fruit)

Say, [O Muḥammad], "On the Day of Conquest the belief of those who had disbelieved will not benefit them, nor will they be reprieved."

Say, "On the Day of Judgement it will be of no benefit to those who were bent on denying the truth, if they [then] believe! They will be granted no respite

Say, "On the Day of Decision (when the rejecters of the Truth will be overwhelmed), pronouncement of belief shall be of no avail to the rejecters then, nor will they be given further respite

So turn away from them and wait. Indeed, they are waiting.

So turn away from them and wait. They too are waiting

So withdraw from them and wait (for the Truth to unfold). Behold, they too are waiting