Surah As-Saaffaat

وَٱلصَّٰٓفَّٰتِصَفًّۭا

CONSIDER these [messages] ranged in serried ranks,

فَٱلزَّٰجِرَٰتِزَجْرًۭا

and restraining [from evil] by a call to restraint,

فَٱلتَّٰلِيَٰتِذِكْرًا

and conveying [to all the world] a reminder:

إِنَّإِلَٰهَكُمْلَوَٰحِدٌۭ

Verily, most surely, your God is One –

رَّبُّٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِوَٱلْأَرْضِوَمَابَيْنَهُمَاوَرَبُّٱلْمَشَٰرِقِ

the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and of all that is between them, and the Sustainer of all the points of sunrise!

إِنَّازَيَّنَّاٱلسَّمَآءَٱلدُّنْيَابِزِينَةٍٱلْكَوَاكِبِ

Behold, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with the beauty of stars,

وَحِفْظًۭامِّنكُلِّشَيْطَٰنٍۢمَّارِدٍۢ

and have made them secure against every rebellious, satanic force,

لَّايَسَّمَّعُونَإِلَىٱلْمَلَإِٱلْأَعْلَىٰوَيُقْذَفُونَمِنكُلِّجَانِبٍۢ

[so that] they [who seek to learn the unknowable] should not be able to overhear the host on high, but shall be repelled from all sides,

دُحُورًۭاوَلَهُمْعَذَابٌۭوَاصِبٌ

cast out [from all grace], with lasting suffering in store for them [in the life to come];

إِلَّامَنْخَطِفَٱلْخَطْفَةَفَأَتْبَعَهُۥشِهَابٌۭثَاقِبٌۭ

but if anyone does succeed in snatching a glimpse [of such knowledge], he is [henceforth] pursued by a piercing flame.

فَٱسْتَفْتِهِمْأَهُمْأَشَدُّخَلْقًاأَممَّنْخَلَقْنَآإِنَّاخَلَقْنَٰهُممِّنطِينٍۢلَّازِبٍۭ

AND NOW ask those [who deny the truth] to enlight­en thee: Were they more difficult to create than all those [untold marvels] that We have created? - for, behold, them have We created out of [mere] clay commingled with water!

بَلْعَجِبْتَوَيَسْخَرُونَ

Nay, but whereas thou dost marvel, they [only] scoff;

وَإِذَاذُكِّرُوا۟لَايَذْكُرُونَ

and when they are reminded [of the truth], they refuse to take it to heart;

وَإِذَارَأَوْا۟ءَايَةًۭيَسْتَسْخِرُونَ

and when they become aware of a [divine] message, they turn it to ridicule

وَقَالُوٓا۟إِنْهَٰذَآإِلَّاسِحْرٌۭمُّبِينٌ

and say: “This is clearly nothing but [a mortal’s] spellbinding eloquence!

أَءِذَامِتْنَاوَكُنَّاتُرَابًۭاوَعِظَٰمًاأَءِنَّالَمَبْعُوثُونَ

Why - after we have died and become mere dust and bones, shall we, forsooth, be raised from the dead? –

أَوَءَابَآؤُنَاٱلْأَوَّلُونَ

and perhaps also our forebears of old?”

قُلْنَعَمْوَأَنتُمْدَٰخِرُونَ

Say: “Yea, indeed - and most abject will you then be!” –

فَإِنَّمَاهِىَزَجْرَةٌۭوَٰحِدَةٌۭفَإِذَاهُمْيَنظُرُونَ

for that [resurrection which they deride] will be [upon them of a sudden, as if it were] but a single accusing cry - and then, lo! they will begin to see [the truth]

وَقَالُوا۟يَٰوَيْلَنَاهَٰذَايَوْمُٱلدِّينِ

and will say: “Oh, woe unto us! This is the Day of Judgment!”