The Holy Qur'an (Maulana Muhammad Ali)/36. Ya Sin

36. Ya Sin
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

O man, 

By the Qur'an, full of wisdom! 

Surely thou art one of the messengers, 

On a right way. 

A revelation of the Mighty, the Merciful, 

That thou mayest warn a people whose fathers were not warned, so they are heedless. 

The word has indeed proved true of most of them, so they believe not, 

Surely We have placed on their necks chains reaching up to the chins, so they have their heads raised aloft. 

<section begin="36:9"/>And We have set a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, thus We have covered them, so that they see not. <section end="36:9"/>

<section begin="36:10"/>And it is alike to them whether thou warn them or warn them nor -- they believe not. <section end="36:10"/>

<section begin="36:11"/>Thou canst warn him only who follows the Reminder and fears the Beneficent in secret; so give him good news of forgiveness and a generous reward. <section end="36:11"/>

<section begin="36:12"/>Surely We give life to the dead, and We write down that which they send before and their footprints, and We record everything in a clear writing. <section end="36:12"/>

<section begin="36:13"/>And set out to them a parable of the people of the town when apostles came to it. <section end="36:13"/>

<section begin="36:14"/>When We sent to them two, they rejected them both; then We strengthened (them) with a third, so they said: Surely we are sent to you. <section end="36:14"/>

<section begin="36:15"/>They said: You are only mortals like ourselves, nor has the Beneficent revealed anything -- you only lie. <section end="36:15"/>

<section begin="36:16"/>They said: Our Lord knows that we are surely sent to you. <section end="36:16"/>

<section begin="36:17"/>And our duty is only a clear deliverance (of the message). <section end="36:17"/>

<section begin="36:18"/>They said: Surely we augur evil from you. If you desist not, we will surely stone you, and a painful chastisement from us will certainly afflict you. <section end="36:18"/>

<section begin="36:19"/>They said: Your evil fortune is with you. What! If you are reminded! Nay, you are an extravagant people. <section end="36:19"/>

<section begin="36:20"/>And from the remote part of the city there came a man running. He said: O my people, follow the apostles. <section end="36:20"/>

<section begin="36:21"/>Follow him who asks of you no reward, and they are on the right course. <section end="36:21"/>

<section begin="36:22"/>And what reason have I that I should not serve Him Who created me and to Whom you will be brought back. <section end="36:22"/>

<section begin="36:23"/>Shall I take besides Him gods whose intercession, if the Beneficent should desire to afflict me with harm, will avail me naught, not can they deliver me? <section end="36:23"/>

<section begin="36:24"/>Then I shall surely be in clear error. <section end="36:24"/>

<section begin="36:25"/>Surely I believe in your Lord, so hear me. <section end="36:25"/>

<section begin="36:26"/>It was said: Enter the Garden. He said: Would that my people knew, <section end="36:26"/>

<section begin="36:27"/>How my Lord has forgiven me and made me of the honoured ones! <section end="36:27"/>

<section begin="36:28"/>And We sent not down upon his people after him any host from heaven, nor do We ever send. <section end="36:28"/>

<section begin="36:29"/>It was naught but a single cry, and lo! they were still. <section end="36:29"/>

<section begin="36:30"/>Alas for the servants! Never does a messenger come to them but they mock him. <section end="36:30"/>

<section begin="36:31"/>See they not how many generations We destroyed before them, that they return not to them? <section end="36:31"/>

<section begin="36:32"/>And all -- surely all -- will be brought before Us. <section end="36:32"/>

<section begin="36:33"/>And a sign to them is the dead earth: We give life to it and bring forth from it grain so they eat of it. <section end="36:33"/>

<section begin="36:34"/>And We make therein gardens of date-palms and grapes and We make springs to flow forth therein, <section end="36:34"/>

<section begin="36:35"/>That they may eat of the fruit thereof, and their hands made it not. Will they not then give thanks? <section end="36:35"/>

<section begin="36:36"/>Glory be to Him Who created pairs of all things, of what the earth grows, and of their kind and of what they know not! <section end="36:36"/>

<section begin="36:37"/>And a sign to them is the night: We draw forth from it the day, then lo! they are in darkness; <section end="36:37"/>

<section begin="36:38"/>And the sun moves on to its destination. That is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knower. <section end="36:38"/>

<section begin="36:39"/>And the moon, We have ordained for it stages till it becomes again as an old dry palm-branch. <section end="36:39"/>

<section begin="36:40"/>Neither is it for the sun to overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day. And all float on in an orbit. <section end="36:40"/>

<section begin="36:41"/>And a sign to them is that We bear their offspring in the laden ship, <section end="36:41"/>

<section begin="36:42"/>And We have created for them the like thereof, whereon they ride. <section end="36:42"/>

<section begin="36:43"/>And if We please, We may drown them, then there is no succour for them, nor can they be rescued -- <section end="36:43"/>

<section begin="36:44"/>But by mercy from Us and for enjoyment till a time. <section end="36:44"/>

<section begin="36:45"/>And when it is said to them Guard against that which is before you and that which is behind you, that mercy may be shown to you. <section end="36:45"/>

<section begin="36:46"/>And there comes to them no message of the messages of their Lord but they turn away from it. <section end="36:46"/>

<section begin="36:47"/>And when it is said to them: Spend out of that which Allah has given you, those who disbelieve say to those who believe: Shall we feed him whom, if Allah please, He could feed? You are in naught but clear error. <section end="36:47"/>

<section begin="36:48"/>And they say: When will this promise come to pass, if you are truthful? <section end="36:48"/>

<section begin="36:49"/>They await but a single cry, which will overtake them while they contend. <section end="36:49"/>

<section begin="36:50"/>So they will not be able to make a bequest, nor will they return to their families. <section end="36:50"/>

<section begin="36:51"/>And the trumpet is blown, when lo! from their graves they will hasten on to their Lord. <section end="36:51"/>

<section begin="36:52"/>They will say: O woe to us Who has raised us up from our sleeping-place? This is what the Beneficent promised and the messengers told the truth. <section end="36:52"/>

<section begin="36:53"/>It is but a single cry, when lo! they are all brought before Us. <section end="36:53"/>

<section begin="36:54"/>So this day no soul is wronged in aught and you are not rewarded aught but for what you did. <section end="36:54"/>

<section begin="36:55"/>Surely the owners of the Garden are on that day in a happy occupation. <section end="36:55"/>

<section begin="36:56"/>They and their wives are in shades, reclining on raised couches. <section end="36:56"/>

<section begin="36:57"/>They have fruits therein, and they have whatever they desire. <section end="36:57"/>

<section begin="36:58"/>Peace! A word from a Merciful Lord. <section end="36:58"/>

<section begin="36:59"/>And withdraw to-day, O guilty ones! <section end="36:59"/>

<section begin="36:60"/>Did I not charge you, O children of Adam, that you serve not the devil? Surely he is your open enemy. <section end="36:60"/>

<section begin="36:61"/>And that you serve Me. This is the right way. <section end="36:61"/>

<section begin="36:62"/>And certainly he led astray numerous people from among you. Could you not then understand? <section end="36:62"/>

<section begin="36:63"/>This is the hell which you were promised. <section end="36:63"/>

<section begin="36:64"/>Enter it this day because you disbelieved. <section end="36:64"/>

<section begin="36:65"/>That day We shall seal their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will bear witness as to what they earned. <section end="36:65"/>

<section begin="36:66"/>And if We pleased, We would put out their eyes, then they would strive to get first to the way, but how should they see? <section end="36:66"/>

<section begin="36:67"/>And if We pleased, We would transform them in their place, then they would not be able to go on, or turn back. <section end="36:67"/>

<section begin="36:68"/>And whomsoever We cause to live long, We reduce to an abject state in creation. Do they not understand? <section end="36:68"/>

<section begin="36:69"/>And We have not taught him poetry, nor is it meet for him. This is naught but a Reminder and a plain Qur'an, <section end="36:69"/>

<section begin="36:70"/>To warn him who would have life, and (that) the word may prove true against the disbelievers. <section end="36:70"/>

<section begin="36:71"/>See they not that We have created cattle for them, out of what Our hands have wrought, so they are their masters? <section end="36:71"/>

<section begin="36:72"/>And We have subjected them to them, so some of them they ride, and some they eat. <section end="36:72"/>

<section begin="36:73"/>And therein they have advantages and drinks. Will they not then give thanks? <section end="36:73"/>

<section begin="36:74"/>And they take gods besides Allah that they may be helped. <section end="36:74"/>

<section begin="36:75"/>They are not able to help them, and they are a host brought up before them. <section end="36:75"/>

<section begin="36:76"/>So let not their speech grieve thee. Surely We know what they do in secret and what they do openly. <section end="36:76"/>

<section begin="36:77"/>Does not man see that We have created him from the small life germ? Then lo! he is an open disputant. <section end="36:77"/>

<section begin="36:78"/>And he strikes our a likeness for Us and forgets his own creation. Says he: Who will give life to the bones, when they are rotten? <section end="36:78"/>

<section begin="36:79"/>Say He will give life to them, Who brought them into existence at first, and He is Knower of all creation, <section end="36:79"/>

<section begin="36:80"/>Who produced fire for you out of the green tree, so that with it you kindle. <section end="36:80"/>

<section begin="36:81"/>Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like of them? Yea! And He is the Creator (of all), the Knower. <section end="36:81"/>

<section begin="36:82"/>His command, when He intends anything, is only to say to it, Be, and it is. <section end="36:82"/>

<section begin="36:83"/>So glory be to Him in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things and to Him you will be returned. <section end="36:83"/>