الزمر
The Troops
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
innā anzalnā ʿalayka l-kitāba lilnnāsi bil-ḥaqi famani ih'tadā falinafsihi waman ḍalla fa-innamā yaḍillu ʿalayhā wamā anta ʿalayhim biwakīlin
Indeed, We sent down to you the Book for the people in truth. So whoever is guided - it is for [the benefit of] his soul; and whoever goes astray only goes astray to its detriment. And you are not a manager [i.e., authority] over them.
al-lahu yatawaffā l-anfusa ḥīna mawtihā wa-allatī lam tamut fī manāmihā fayum'siku allatī qaḍā ʿalayhā l-mawta wayur'silu l-ukh'rā ilā ajalin musamman inna fī dhālika laāyātin liqawmin yatafakkarūna
Allāh takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
ami ittakhadhū min dūni l-lahi shufaʿāa qul awalaw kānū lā yamlikūna shayan walā yaʿqilūna
Or have they taken other than Allāh as intercessors? Say, "Even though they do not possess [power over] anything, nor do they reason?"
qul lillahi l-shafāʿatu jamīʿan lahu mul'ku l-samāwāti wal-arḍi thumma ilayhi tur'jaʿūna
Say, "To Allāh belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned."
wa-idhā dhukira l-lahu waḥdahu ish'ma-azzat qulūbu alladhīna lā yu'minūna bil-ākhirati wa-idhā dhukira alladhīna min dūnihi idhā hum yastabshirūna
And when Allāh is mentioned alone, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion, but when those [worshipped] other than Him are mentioned, immediately they rejoice.
quli l-lahuma fāṭira l-samāwāti wal-arḍi ʿālima l-ghaybi wal-shahādati anta taḥkumu bayna ʿibādika fī mā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūna
Say, "O Allāh, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, You will judge between your servants concerning that over which they used to differ."
walaw anna lilladhīna ẓalamū mā fī l-arḍi jamīʿan wamith'lahu maʿahu la-if'tadaw bihi min sūi l-ʿadhābi yawma l-qiyāmati wabadā lahum mina l-lahi mā lam yakūnū yaḥtasibūna
And if those who did wrong had all that is in the earth entirely and the like of it with it, they would [attempt to] ransom themselves thereby from the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to them from Allāh that which they had not taken into account.
wabadā lahum sayyiātu mā kasabū waḥāqa bihim mā kānū bihi yastahziūna
And there will appear to them the evils they had earned, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
fa-idhā massa l-insāna ḍurrun daʿānā thumma idhā khawwalnāhu niʿ'matan minnā qāla innamā ūtītuhu ʿalā ʿil'min bal hiya fit'natun walākinna aktharahum lā yaʿlamūna
And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow on him a favor from Us, he says, "I have only been given it because of [my] knowledge." Rather, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.
qad qālahā alladhīna min qablihim famā aghnā ʿanhum mā kānū yaksibūna
Those before them had already said it, but they were not availed by what they used to earn.
fa-aṣābahum sayyiātu mā kasabū wa-alladhīna ẓalamū min hāulāi sayuṣībuhum sayyiātu mā kasabū wamā hum bimuʿ'jizīna
And the evil consequences of what they earned struck them. And those who have wronged of these [people] will be struck [i.e., afflicted] by the evil consequences of what they earned; and they will not cause failure.
awalam yaʿlamū anna l-laha yabsuṭu l-riz'qa liman yashāu wayaqdiru inna fī dhālika laāyātin liqawmin yu'minūna
Do they not know that Allāh extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]? Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
qul yāʿibādiya alladhīna asrafū ʿalā anfusihim lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati l-lahi inna l-laha yaghfiru l-dhunūba jamīʿan innahu huwa l-ghafūru l-raḥīmu
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
wa-anībū ilā rabbikum wa-aslimū lahu min qabli an yatiyakumu l-ʿadhābu thumma lā tunṣarūna
And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped.
wa-ittabiʿū aḥsana mā unzila ilaykum min rabbikum min qabli an yatiyakumu l-ʿadhābu baghtatan wa-antum lā tashʿurūna
And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord [i.e., the Qur’ān] before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you do not perceive,
an taqūla nafsun yāḥasratā ʿalā mā farraṭtu fī janbi l-lahi wa-in kuntu lamina l-sākhirīna
Lest a soul should say, "Oh, [how great is] my regret over what I neglected in regard to Allāh and that I was among the mockers."
aw taqūla law anna l-laha hadānī lakuntu mina l-mutaqīna
Or [lest] it say, "If only Allāh had guided me, I would have been among the righteous."
aw taqūla ḥīna tarā l-ʿadhāba law anna lī karratan fa-akūna mina l-muḥ'sinīna
Or [lest] it say when it sees the punishment, "If only I had another turn so I could be among the doers of good."
balā qad jāatka āyātī fakadhabta bihā wa-is'takbarta wakunta mina l-kāfirīna
But yes, there had come to you My verses, but you denied them and were arrogant, and you were among the disbelievers.
wayawma l-qiyāmati tarā alladhīna kadhabū ʿalā l-lahi wujūhuhum mus'waddatun alaysa fī jahannama mathwan lil'mutakabbirīna
And on the Day of Resurrection you will see those who lied about Allāh [with] their faces blackened. Is there not in Hell a residence for the arrogant?