Surah Ash-Shuraa - The Counsel

Contents
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

(42.1) Ha Mim.

(42.2) Ain Sin Qaf.

(42.3) Thus does Allah, the Mighty, the Wise, reveal to you, and (thus He revealed) to those before you.

(42.4) His is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and He is the High, the Great.

(42.5) The heavens may almost rend asunder from above them and the angels sing the praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth; now surely Allah is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

(42.6) And (as for) those who take guardians besides Him, Allah watches over them, and you have not charge over them.

(42.7) And thus have We revealed to you an Arabic Quran, that you may warn the mother city and those around it, and that you may give warning of the day of gathering together wherein is no doubt; a party shall be in the garden and (another) party in the burning fire.

(42.8) And if Allah had pleased He would surely have made them a single community, but He makes whom He pleases enter into His mercy, and the unjust it is that shall have no guardian or helper.

(42.9) Or have they taken guardians besides Him? But Allah is the Guardian, and He gives life to the dead, and He has power over all things.

(42.10) And in whatever thing you disagree, the judgment thereof is (in) Allah's (hand); that is Allah, my Lord, on Him do I rely and to Him do I turn time after time.

(42.11) The Originator of the heavens and the earth; He made mates for you from among yourselves, and mates of the cattle too, multiplying you thereby; nothing like a likeness of Him; and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

(42.12) His are the treasures of the heavens and the earth; He makes ample and straitens the means of subsistence for whom He pleases; surely He is Cognizant of all things.

(42.13) He has made plain to you of the religion what He enjoined upon Nuh and that which We have revealed to you and that which We enjoined upon Ibrahim and Musa and Isa that keep to obedience and be not divided therein; hard to the unbelievers is that which you call them to; Allah chooses for Himself whom He pleases, and guides to Himself him who turns (to Him), frequently.

(42.14) And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them out of envy among themselves; and had not a word gone forth from your Lord till an appointed term, certainly judgment would have been given between them; and those who were made to inherit the Book after them are most surely in disquieting doubt concerning it.

(42.15) To this then go on inviting, and go on steadfastly on the right way as you are commanded, and do not follow their low desires, and say: I believe in what Allah has revealed of the Book, and I am commanded to do justice between you: Allah is our Lord and your Lord; we shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds; no plea need there be (now) between us and you: Allah will gather us together, and to Him is the return.

(42.16) And (as for) those who dispute about Allah after that obedience has been rendered to Him, their plea is null with their Lord, and upon them is wrath, and for them is severe punishment.

(42.17) Allah it is Who revealed the Book with truth, and the balance, and what shall make you know that haply the hour be nigh?

(42.18) Those who do not believe in it would hasten it on, and those who believe are in fear from it, and they know that it is the truth. Now most surely those who dispute obstinately concerning the hour are in a great error.

(42.19) Allah is Benignant to His servants; He gives sustenance to whom He pleases, and He is the Strong, the Mighty.

(42.20) Whoever desires the gain of the hereafter, We will give him more of that again; and whoever desires-- the gain of this world, We give him of it, and in the hereafter he has no portion.

(42.21) Or have they associates who have prescribed for them any religion that Allah does not sanction? And were it not for the word of judgment, decision would have certainly been given between them; and surely the unjust shall have a painful punish ^ment.

(42.22) You will see the unjust fearing on account of what they have earned, and it must befall them; and those who believe and do good shall be in the meadows of the gardens; they shall have what they please with their Lord: that is the great grace.

(42.23) That is of which Allah gives the good news to His servants, (to) those who believe and do good deeds. Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein; surely Allah is Forgiving, Grateful.

(42.24) Or do they say: He has forged a lie against Allah? But if Allah pleased, He would seal your heart; and Allah will blot out the falsehood and confirm the truth with His words; surely He is Cognizant of what is in the breasts.

(42.25) And He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons the evil deeds and He knows what you do;

(42.26) And He answers those who believe and do good deeds, and gives them more out of His grace; and (as for) the unbelievers, they shall have a severe punishment.

(42.27) And if Allah should amplify the provision for His servants they would certainly revolt in the earth; but He sends it down according to a measure as He pleases; surely He is Aware of, Seeing, His servants.

(42.28) And He it is Who sends down the rain after they have despaired, and He unfolds His mercy; and He is the Guardian, the Praised One.

(42.29) And one of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and what He has spread forth in both of them of living beings; and when He pleases He is all-powerful to gather them together.

(42.30) And whatever affliction befalls you, it is on account of what your hands have wrought, and (yet) He pardons most (of your faults).

(42.31) And you cannot escape in the earth, and you shall not have a guardian or a helper besides Allah.

(42.32) And among His signs are the ships in the sea like mountains.

(42.33) If He pleases, He causes the wind to become still so that they lie motionless on its back; most surely there are signs in this for every patient, grateful one,

(42.34) Or He may make them founder for what they have earned, and (even then) pardon most;

(42.35) And (that) those who dispute about Our communications may know; there is no place of refuge for them.

(42.36) So whatever thing you are given, that is only a provision of this world's life, and what is with Allah is better and more lasting for those who believe and rely on their Lord.

(42.37) And those who. shun the great sins and indecencies, and whenever they are angry they forgive.

(42.38) And those who respond to their Lord and keep up prayer, and their rule is to take counsel among themselves, and who spend out of what We have given them.

(42.39) And those who, when great wrong afflicts them, defend themselves.

(42.40) And the recompense of evil is punishment like it, but whoever forgives and amends, he shall have his reward from Allah; surely He does not love the unjust.

(42.41) And whoever defends himself after his being oppressed, these it is against whom there is no way (to blame).

(42.42) The way (to blame) is only against those who oppress men and revolt in the earth unjustly; these shall have a painful punishment.

(42.43) And whoever is patient and forgiving, these most surely are actions due to courage.

(42.44) And whomsoever Allah makes err, he has no guardian after Him; and you shall see the unjust, when they see the punishment, saying: Is there any way to return?

(42.45) And you shall see them brought before it humbling themselves because of the abasements, looking with a faint glance. And those who believe shall say: Surely the losers are they who have lost themselves and their followers on the resurrection day. Now surely the iniquitous shall remain in lasting chastisement.

(42.46) And they shall have no friends to help them besides Allah; and-- whomsoever Allah makes err, he shall have no way.

(42.47) Hearken to your Lord before there comes the day from Allah for which there shall be no averting; you shall have no refuge on that day, nor shall it be yours to make a denial.

(42.48) But if they turn aside, We have not sent you as a watcher over them; on you is only to deliver (the message); and surely when We make man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices thereat; and if an evil afflicts them on account of what their hands have already done, then-surely man is ungrateful.

(42.49) Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He creates what He pleases; He grants to whom He pleases daughters and grants to whom He pleases sons.

(42.5O) Or He makes them of both sorts, male and female; and He makes whom He pleases barren; surely He is the Knowing, the Powerful.

(42.51) And it is not for any mortal that Allah should speak to them, they could not bear to hear and they did not see.

(42.52) And thus did We reveal to you an inspired book by Our command. You did not know what the Book was, nor (what) the faith (was), but We made it a light, guiding thereby whom We please of Our servants; and most surely you show the way to the right path:

(42.53) The path of Allah, Whose is whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; now surely to Allah do all affairs eventually come.

Tafsir, Translation, Commentary