Surah Al-Qasas

وَجَعَلْنَٰهُمْأَئِمَّةًۭيَدْعُونَإِلَىٱلنَّارِوَيَوْمَٱلْقِيَٰمَةِلَايُنصَرُونَ

[We destroyed them,] and We set them up as archetypes [of evil] that show the way to the fire [of hell]; and [whereas] no succour will come to them on Resurrection Day,

وَأَتْبَعْنَٰهُمْفِىهَٰذِهِٱلدُّنْيَالَعْنَةًۭوَيَوْمَٱلْقِيَٰمَةِهُممِّنَٱلْمَقْبُوحِينَ

We have caused a curse to follow them in this world as well; and on Resurrection Day they will find themselves among those who are bereft of all good.

وَلَقَدْءَاتَيْنَامُوسَىٱلْكِتَٰبَمِنۢبَعْدِمَآأَهْلَكْنَاٱلْقُرُونَٱلْأُولَىٰبَصَآئِرَلِلنَّاسِوَهُدًۭىوَرَحْمَةًۭلَّعَلَّهُمْيَتَذَكَّرُونَ

And [then,] indeed, after We had destroyed those earlier generations [of sinners], We vouchsafed unto Moses [Our] revelation as a means of insight for men, and as a guidance and grace, so that they might bethink themselves [of Us].

وَمَاكُنتَبِجَانِبِٱلْغَرْبِىِّإِذْقَضَيْنَآإِلَىٰمُوسَىٱلْأَمْرَوَمَاكُنتَمِنَٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ

NOW [as for thee, O Muhammad,] thou wert not present on the sunset slope [of Mount Sinai] when We imposed the Law upon Moses, nor wert thou among those who witnessed [his times]:

وَلَٰكِنَّآأَنشَأْنَاقُرُونًۭافَتَطَاوَلَعَلَيْهِمُٱلْعُمُرُوَمَاكُنتَثَاوِيًۭافِىٓأَهْلِمَدْيَنَتَتْلُوا۟عَلَيْهِمْءَايَٰتِنَاوَلَٰكِنَّاكُنَّامُرْسِلِينَ

nay, but [between them and thee] We brought into being [many] generations, and long was their span of life. And neither didst thou dwell among the people of Madyan, conveying Our messages unto them: nay, but We have [always] been sending [Our message-bearers unto man].

وَمَاكُنتَبِجَانِبِٱلطُّورِإِذْنَادَيْنَاوَلَٰكِنرَّحْمَةًۭمِّنرَّبِّكَلِتُنذِرَقَوْمًۭامَّآأَتَىٰهُممِّننَّذِيرٍۢمِّنقَبْلِكَلَعَلَّهُمْيَتَذَكَّرُونَ

And neither wert thou present on the slope of Mount Sinai when We called out [to Moses]: but [thou, too, art sent] as an act of thy Sustainer’s grace, to warn people to whom no warner has come before thee, so that they might bethink themselves [of Us];

وَلَوْلَآأَنتُصِيبَهُممُّصِيبَةٌۢبِمَاقَدَّمَتْأَيْدِيهِمْفَيَقُولُوا۟رَبَّنَالَوْلَآأَرْسَلْتَإِلَيْنَارَسُولًۭافَنَتَّبِعَءَايَٰتِكَوَنَكُونَمِنَٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

and [We have sent thee] lest they say [on Judg­ment Day], when disaster befalls them as an outcome of what their own hands have wrought, “O our Sus­tainer, if only Thou had sent an apostle unto us, we would have followed Thy messages, and would have been among those who believe!”

فَلَمَّاجَآءَهُمُٱلْحَقُّمِنْعِندِنَاقَالُوا۟لَوْلَآأُوتِىَمِثْلَمَآأُوتِىَمُوسَىٰٓأَوَلَمْيَكْفُرُوا۟بِمَآأُوتِىَمُوسَىٰمِنقَبْلُقَالُوا۟سِحْرَانِتَظَٰهَرَاوَقَالُوٓا۟إِنَّابِكُلٍّۢكَٰفِرُونَ

And yet, now that the truth has come unto them from Us, they say, “Why has he not been vouch­safed the like of what Moses was vouchsafed?” But did they not also, before this, deny the truth of what Moses was vouchsafed? [For] they do say, “Two examples of delusion, [seemingly] supporting each other!” And they add, “Behold, we refuse to accept either of them as true!”

قُلْفَأْتُوا۟بِكِتَٰبٍۢمِّنْعِندِٱللَّهِهُوَأَهْدَىٰمِنْهُمَآأَتَّبِعْهُإِنكُنتُمْصَٰدِقِينَ

Say: “Produce, then, [another] revelation from God which would offer better guidance than either of these two [and] I shall follow it, if you speak the truth!”

فَإِنلَّمْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟لَكَفَٱعْلَمْأَنَّمَايَتَّبِعُونَأَهْوَآءَهُمْوَمَنْأَضَلُّمِمَّنِٱتَّبَعَهَوَىٰهُبِغَيْرِهُدًۭىمِّنَٱللَّهِإِنَّٱللَّهَلَايَهْدِىٱلْقَوْمَٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

And since they cannot respond to this thy challenge, know that they are following only their own likes and dislikes: and who could be more astray than he who follows [but] his own likes and dislikes without any guidance from God? Verily, God does not grace with His guidance peo­ple who are given to evildoing!

وَلَقَدْوَصَّلْنَالَهُمُٱلْقَوْلَلَعَلَّهُمْيَتَذَكَّرُونَ

NOW, INDEED, We have caused this word [of Ours] to reach mankind step by step, so that they might [learn to] keep it in mind.

ٱلَّذِينَءَاتَيْنَٰهُمُٱلْكِتَٰبَمِنقَبْلِهِۦهُمبِهِۦيُؤْمِنُونَ

As for those unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime - they [are bound to] believe in this one [as well];

وَإِذَايُتْلَىٰعَلَيْهِمْقَالُوٓا۟ءَامَنَّابِهِۦٓإِنَّهُٱلْحَقُّمِنرَّبِّنَآإِنَّاكُنَّامِنقَبْلِهِۦمُسْلِمِينَ

and whenever it is [clearly] conveyed unto them, they [are bound to] profess, “We have come to believe in it, for, behold, it is the truth from our Sustainer - and, verily, even before this have we surrendered ourselves unto Him!”

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَيُؤْتَوْنَأَجْرَهُممَّرَّتَيْنِبِمَاصَبَرُوا۟وَيَدْرَءُونَبِٱلْحَسَنَةِٱلسَّيِّئَةَوَمِمَّارَزَقْنَٰهُمْيُنفِقُونَ

These it is that shall receive a twofold reward for having been patient in adversity, and having repelled evil with good, and having spent on others out of what We provided for them as sus­tenance,

وَإِذَاسَمِعُوا۟ٱللَّغْوَأَعْرَضُوا۟عَنْهُوَقَالُوا۟لَنَآأَعْمَٰلُنَاوَلَكُمْأَعْمَٰلُكُمْسَلَٰمٌعَلَيْكُمْلَانَبْتَغِىٱلْجَٰهِلِينَ

and, whenever they heard frivolous talk, having turned away from it and said: “Unto us shall be accounted Our deeds, and unto you, your deeds. Peace be upon you - [but] we do not seek out such as are ignorant [of the meaning of right and wrong].”

إِنَّكَلَاتَهْدِىمَنْأَحْبَبْتَوَلَٰكِنَّٱللَّهَيَهْدِىمَنيَشَآءُوَهُوَأَعْلَمُبِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ

VERILY, thou canst not guide aright everyone whom thou lovest: but it is God who guides him that wills [to be guided]; and He is fully aware of all who would let themselves be guided.

وَقَالُوٓا۟إِننَّتَّبِعِٱلْهُدَىٰمَعَكَنُتَخَطَّفْمِنْأَرْضِنَآأَوَلَمْنُمَكِّنلَّهُمْحَرَمًاءَامِنًۭايُجْبَىٰٓإِلَيْهِثَمَرَٰتُكُلِّشَىْءٍۢرِّزْقًۭامِّنلَّدُنَّاوَلَٰكِنَّأَكْثَرَهُمْلَايَعْلَمُونَ

Now some say, “If we were to follow the guidance to which thou invitest us, we would be torn away from our very soil!” Why - have We not established for them a sanc­tuary secure, to which, as a provision from Us, shall be gathered the fruits of all (good) things? But most of them are unaware [of this truth].

وَكَمْأَهْلَكْنَامِنقَرْيَةٍۭبَطِرَتْمَعِيشَتَهَافَتِلْكَمَسَٰكِنُهُمْلَمْتُسْكَنمِّنۢبَعْدِهِمْإِلَّاقَلِيلًۭاوَكُنَّانَحْنُٱلْوَٰرِثِينَ

And how many a community that [once] exult­ed in its wanton wealth and ease of life have We destroyed, so that those dwelling-places of theirs – all but a few - have never been dwelt-in after them: for it is indeed We alone who shall remain when all else will have passed away!

وَمَاكَانَرَبُّكَمُهْلِكَٱلْقُرَىٰحَتَّىٰيَبْعَثَفِىٓأُمِّهَارَسُولًۭايَتْلُوا۟عَلَيْهِمْءَايَٰتِنَاوَمَاكُنَّامُهْلِكِىٱلْقُرَىٰٓإِلَّاوَأَهْلُهَاظَٰلِمُونَ

Yet, withal, thy Sustainer would never destroy a community without having [first] raised in its midst an apostle who would convey unto them Our mes­sages; and never would We destroy a community unless its people are wont to do wrong [to one another].

وَمَآأُوتِيتُممِّنشَىْءٍۢفَمَتَٰعُٱلْحَيَوٰةِٱلدُّنْيَاوَزِينَتُهَاوَمَاعِندَٱللَّهِخَيْرٌۭوَأَبْقَىٰٓأَفَلَاتَعْقِلُونَ

And [remember:] whatever you are given [now] is but for the [passing] enjoyment of life in this world, and for its embellishment - whereas that which is with God is [so much] better and more enduring. Will you not, then, use your reason?