الحديد
The Iron
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
sābiqū ilā maghfiratin min rabbikum wajannatin ʿarḍuhā kaʿarḍi l-samāi wal-arḍi uʿiddat lilladhīna āmanū bil-lahi warusulihi dhālika faḍlu l-lahi yu'tīhi man yashāu wal-lahu dhū l-faḍli l-ʿaẓīmi
Race [i.e., compete] toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allāh and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allāh which He gives to whom He wills, and Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.
mā aṣāba min muṣībatin fī l-arḍi walā fī anfusikum illā fī kitābin min qabli an nabra-ahā inna dhālika ʿalā l-lahi yasīrun
No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allāh, is easy -
likaylā tasaw ʿalā mā fātakum walā tafraḥū bimā ātākum wal-lahu lā yuḥibbu kulla mukh'tālin fakhūrin
In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allāh does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful -
alladhīna yabkhalūna wayamurūna l-nāsa bil-bukh'li waman yatawalla fa-inna l-laha huwa l-ghaniyu l-ḥamīdu
[Those] who are stingy and enjoin upon people stinginess. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
laqad arsalnā rusulanā bil-bayināti wa-anzalnā maʿahumu l-kitāba wal-mīzāna liyaqūma l-nāsu bil-qis'ṭi wa-anzalnā l-ḥadīda fīhi basun shadīdun wamanāfiʿu lilnnāsi waliyaʿlama l-lahu man yanṣuruhu warusulahu bil-ghaybi inna l-laha qawiyyun ʿazīzun
We have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain [their affairs] in justice. And We sent down iron, wherein is great military might and benefits for the people, and so that Allāh may make evident those who support Him and His messengers unseen. Indeed, Allāh is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
walaqad arsalnā nūḥan wa-ib'rāhīma wajaʿalnā fī dhurriyyatihimā l-nubuwata wal-kitāba famin'hum muh'tadin wakathīrun min'hum fāsiqūna
And We have already sent Noah and Abraham and placed in their descendants prophethood and scripture; and among them is he who is guided, but many of them are defiantly disobedient.
thumma qaffaynā ʿalā āthārihim birusulinā waqaffaynā biʿīsā ib'ni maryama waātaynāhu l-injīla wajaʿalnā fī qulūbi alladhīna ittabaʿūhu rafatan waraḥmatan warahbāniyyatan ib'tadaʿūhā mā katabnāhā ʿalayhim illā ib'tighāa riḍ'wāni l-lahi famā raʿawhā ḥaqqa riʿāyatihā faātaynā alladhīna āmanū min'hum ajrahum wakathīrun min'hum fāsiqūna
Then We sent following their footsteps [i.e., traditions] Our messengers and followed [them] with Jesus, the son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy and monasticism, which they innovated; We did not prescribe it for them except [that they did so] seeking the approval of Allāh. But they did not observe it with due observance. So We gave the ones who believed among them their reward, but many of them are defiantly disobedient.
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū ittaqū l-laha waāminū birasūlihi yu'tikum kif'layni min raḥmatihi wayajʿal lakum nūran tamshūna bihi wayaghfir lakum wal-lahu ghafūrun raḥīmun
O you who have believed, fear Allāh and believe in His Messenger; He will [then] give you a double portion of His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
li-allā yaʿlama ahlu l-kitābi allā yaqdirūna ʿalā shayin min faḍli l-lahi wa-anna l-faḍla biyadi l-lahi yu'tīhi man yashāu wal-lahu dhū l-faḍli l-ʿaẓīmi
[This is] so that the People of the Scripture may know that they are not able [to obtain] anything from the bounty of Allāh and that [all] bounty is in the hand of Allāh; He gives it to whom He wills. And Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.